East Africa

APL Offers New East Africa Service

APL launched a new East Africa Express (EAX) service. The weekly EAX service will connect the Indian subcontinent and Arabian Gulf to East Africa. Trade from the Far East bound for East Africa will depart from Colombo, Sri Lanka, and Nhava Sheva in India. The port at Nhava Sheva will also serve cargoes originating from the Indian subcontinent and Arabian Gulf, alongside ports in Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates. Jason Wong, APL’s Vice President, Intra-Asia, Middle East & Australia Trade, said: “Africa is an expanding economy which continues to report impressive GDP growth, averaging about 5% annually in the past six years. In East Africa, economic growth is projected to accelerate to around 6% in 2007 and 2008. To leverage on the region’s strong growth potential, APL is extending its footprint into East Africa to provide customers with consistently high-quality transportation services.” The EAX port rotation is: Colombo (Sri Lanka) – Dar Es Salamm (Tanzania) – Mombassa (Kenya) – Nhava Sheva (India) – Port Qasim (Pakistan) – Jebel Ali (UAE) – Mombassa (Kenya) – Dar Es Salamm (Tanzania) – Colombo (Sri Lanka).

Swire Oilfield Services Strengthens East African Presence

Swire Oilfield Services, a global supplier of cargo carrying solutions, modular systems, offshore aviation services and fluid management, is strengthening its newly established presence in Kenya, East Africa with the appointment of Dan Davies as the new commercial manager.   Dan will be responsible for the commercial activity across East Africa and further developing business in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Madagascar and the wider East African region.  

MacAndrews Upgrades Indian Ocean Service

MacAndrews has upgraded the existing tonnage on its Swahili Express Service, which provides a regular container service between the Indian sub-continent, the Middle East/Gulf and East Africa, with a new vessel. The new ship, MacAndrews SWALA, is 1100 teu capacity and is one of two vessels in the service which has a nine-day sailing frequency and calls at Khor Fakkan, Karachi, Nhava Sheva, Jebel Ali, Dar es Salaam and Mombasa with a 28-day round voyage time

Seaarland and Motia Act on Piracy

Seaarland group of companies and Motia Compagnia di Navigazione have acted to ensure the safety of their crews, ships and cargoes until the escalating piracy situation off East Africa and in the Gulf of Aden is brought under control. Antonio Zacchello, managing director of Seaarland group of companies and Motia, says, “We at Seaarland and Motia feel we have to act to protect our crews from piracy attack. Accordingly

SHI South Korea Yard to Build Two Ultra-deep Drillships for Seadrill

Seadrill orders two new ultra-deepwater drillships for delivery in 2014 Seadrill has entered into turnkey contracts to build two new ultra-deepwater drillships at Samsung in South Korea. The construction of the drillships is scheduled for completion in the second and third quarter 2014. Total project price per drillship is estimated to be under US$600 million, which includes a turnkey contract with the yard, project management, drilling and handling tools, spares

Thailand Proposes New Silk Road

Thailand at forefront of movement to build a 21st century network of land, sea and air routes to strengthen Asia. The Silk Road was a centuries-old network of linked trade routes across the Afro-Eurasian landmass that connected East, South and Western Asia with the Mediterranean and European world, as well as parts of North and East Africa. Thailand has been in the forefront of efforts to create new and better trade routes

Greene Superintendent U.S. Merchant Marine Academy

U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced that Rear Admiral Philip H. Greene, Jr. will become the new Superintendent of the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, NY. Admiral Greene holds a Merchant Marine Master’s license and is a 1978 Academy graduate. “Rear Admiral Greene will bring strong leadership to the Academy,” said Secretary LaHood. “His commitment to the midshipmen, his experience as an Academy graduate

CMA CGM Corporate Foundation to Help Somalia

The CMA CGM Corporate Foundation has joined forces with the World Food Programme (WFP), the United Nations agency at the forefront in the fight against hunger, to transport aid to the Horn of Africa, which is suffering its worst drought and famine for decades. As part of the programme set up by the WFP to distribute special highly nutritional products in Somalia, the CMA CGM Group has made available 356 twenty-foot containers – 40 free of charge and 316 at a special rate – which

China Offshore Giant Orders Four Havyard Design OSV's

China Oilfield Services Limited (COSL) choose Havyard 832 design for renewal supply vessel fleet, & order Havyard designs for 4 new vessels. COSL has the largest fleet of oil rigs and offshore vessels in China owning 34 drill rigs, 2 accommodation rigs, 4 module rigs and 8 land-based drill rigs as well as 75 supply vessels, 8 seismic vessels and 5 standby vessels. Havyard won this international tender in tough competition and they were chosen following an in-depth technical and

British Private Navy Warship Held in Spain

An ex-Royal Navy officer’s converted warship has been seized by Spain amid fears he is a mercenary planning to fight pirates in Somalia. Former lieutenant Chris Enmarsh’s decommissioned gunboat Defender has been stopped from sailing since being forced to stop off in Tenerife for repairs. The Spanish authorities are understood to be concerned that Mr Enmarsh and his five-man crew intend to operate as so-called guns-for-hire protecting oil platforms off the coastline of East Africa