Container Shipping Service

Asia Key to Recovery of Containerized Trade

Asian economies are leading the recovery of international container trade volumes, but strong growth across the region could see pre-recession pressure on freight infrastructure re-emerge, a senior executive of container shipping line APL told a conference in Ho Chi Minh City on May 20. “Intra-Asia is already the world’s single largest container trade,” Jason Wong, Vice President of APL’s Intra Asia trade, told the 8th ASEAN Ports & Shipping Conference. “This will continue over the long term as Asian consumer markets develop.” By 2015, Intra Asia will contribute 32% of global containerised trade, with the Asia-U.S. and Asia-Europe trades 17% and 18% respectively, according to analyst Global Insight. Wong said that along with China and India, South East Asian economies such as Vietnam and Indonesia had shown resilience to the global crisis and had continued to grow in 2010. More transportation services will be required to support the growth of freight moving within Asia, according to Wong, who identified North Asia to South East Asia as a high potential trade. To serve this market, he said, APL launched the Japan Thailand Vietnam and Korea China Straits services in 2009. Wong said freight infrastructure development must be a top priority across Asia to optimise trade flows and maximise economic growth.

PHA Commission Approves $1.4m in Contracts and Projects

The Port Commission of the Port of Houston Authority (PHA) approved $1.4m in contracts and projects for the Bayport container and cruise terminals to permit it to meet future demands -- including a new 50-acre container yard -- that will require heavy-capacity forklift and yard tractors. Included in the provisions are: a change order to McCarthy Building Companies, Inc. for Bayport Terminal Complex Phase 1 Container Yard - Stage 1 for $186,929; a change order to Morganti Texas,

Port of Houston Expanding, Adds Facilities

Port Commission approves Barbours Cut, Bayport, crane deals, new Bayport gate system. In keeping with its commitment to continue developing Bayport Container Terminal in addition to modernizing Barbours Cut, the Port Commission of the Port of Houston Authority at its May 21 meeting, awarded a nearly $50 million contract to Konecranes Finland Corporation for four electric wharf cranes at Barbours Cut Container Terminal.

Cicek Shipyard Launches Container Ships

 Portnews.com reported that based Cicek Shipyard has launched its first container ship. The 1300 TEU ship was named Ayse Naz Bayraktar and is due for delivery in July 2008. She is the first of two 22,000 DWT multipurpose container ships ordered from the yard by Bayraktar Shipping. The design of these two ships allows for a high intake of 9 feet 6 inches high containers and two hatches can accommodate 45 feet containers, including the 2

Japan Joins Container Security Initiative

The U.S. Customs Service and Japanese Customs and Tariff Bureau announced in Tokyo today, the sealing of the declaration of principles to participate on a pilot basis in the Container Security Initiative (CSI). CSI is a U.S. Customs initiative designed to prevent the smuggling of terrorist weapons in ocean-going cargo containers. Under terms of the declaration announced today, U.S. Customs officers will be stationed on a pilot basis at the ports of Tokyo, Nagoya, Kobe and Yokohama

Crowley Relocates Within Port Everglades

Crowley Liner Services, the first tenant in Port Everglades developing Southport Container Complex and the largest container volume producer, has agreed to reconfigure its leasehold, a move that is strategically beneficial for both Crowley and Port Everglades. The Broward County Board of County Commissioners has approved a recommendation by the Port Everglades Department to relocate a portion of the current leasehold to the south of Crowley’s current terminal

Aries Maritime Announces Extended Period Charter for the Ocean Hope

Aries Maritime Transport Limited announced it has extended the existing period charter for the Ocean Hope, a 1989-built container vessel, with China Shipping Container Lines (CSCL). The extended charter is for a period of 24 months at a net rate of $13,300 per day, commencing on June 13, 2007. The Company also announced that the MSC Oslo, a 1989-built container vessel, returned to service on April 14, 2007, following the completion of works necessary to achieve the speed required

Seaways Plans to Add Six Container Ships

Seaways Shipping Ltd, a Hyderabad-based maritime company, proposes to double its turnover to about Rs. 1,200 crore by the end of next fiscal (2008-09) by infusing funds through a Rs. 200-crore private equity (PE) and Rs. 500 crore of initial public offering (IPO). While the company has almost zeroed in on a single private equity investor to pump in the funds before the end of the current financial year, it plans to raise the IPO during 2008-09.

Crowley Acquires 400 Additional 53' Containers

Increases Company Equipment Fleet to More than 45,000 Units.   To better serve customers shipping cargo between the U.S. mainland and Puerto Rico, Crowley Maritime Corporation has acquired 400 53-foot (102' wide) dry high-cube containers and 375 53-foot chassis, adding to the company's already robust equipment fleet of more than 45,000 modern units. The containers, which have a capacity of 3,931 cubic feet and 42,660 pounds, were delivered in Jacksonville last week.  

Seaconnect Offers New Feeder Service

The shipping company SEACONNECT, located in Klaipeda, Lithuania, offers a new feeder service from Hamburg to St. Petersburg. Every five days the two feeder shipsBetsy S and Cartagena call at the container terminals Burchardkai, Altenwerder and/or Tollerort of the Hamburger Hafen und Logistik AG (HHLA) or at the container terminal Hamburg of Eurogate. In St. Petersburg loading and unloading takes place at the Northern Wharf Russmarine Terminal and at the Petrolesport (PLP) Terminal