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Port Safety News

14 Jun 2021

Maryland Port Administration, Port of Baltimore Joins CDMCS

Left to right: MD Secretary of Transportation Gregory Slater, MD Governor Larry Hogan, and MPA-Port of Baltimore Executive Director William Doyle observe dredging operations at Seagirt Marine Terminal for a new 50-ft. berth in March 2021. (Photo: Maryland Port Administration)

The Maryland Port Administration (MPA), Port of Baltimore, officially joined the Council for Dredging and Marine Construction Safety (CDMCS), a national unified safety voice for the dredging and marine construction industry.The Port of Baltimore is one of the busiest seaports in the United States, handling every type of cargo at its public and private terminals. Currently, Baltimore is in the execution phase of more than $200 million in marine construction, dredging and infrastructure upgrades at Seagirt, Dundalk and Locust Point Marine Terminals.

05 Aug 2020

Beirut Blast Caused by Ammonium Nitrate Seized from Cargo Ship

Initial investigations into the Beirut port blast indicate years of inaction and negligence over the storage of highly explosive material caused the explosion that killed more than 100 people, an official source familiar with the findings said.The prime minister and presidency have said that 2,750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate, used in fertilizers and bombs, had been stored for six years at the port without safety measures."It is negligence," the official source told Reuters, adding that the issue on storing the material safely had come before several committees and judges and "nothing was done" to order the material be removed or disposed of.The source said a fire had started at port warehouse 9 on Tuesday and spread to warehouse 12…

28 May 2020

APL England Detained After Dropping Containers off Australia

(Photo: AMSA)

A Singapore-flagged containership that lost at least 40 containers overboard off the coast of Sydney has been detained by authorities in the Port of Brisbane after Australian inspectors found inadequate lashing arrangements for cargo and heavily corroded securing points for containers on deck.APL England had been en route from Ningbo, China to Melbourne on Sunday when it rerouted to Brisbane after a temporary propulsion loss left the 277-meter vessel rolling in heavy seas and caused several container stacks to topple over about 73 kilometers south east of Sydney.

21 Apr 2020

Big City Fireboats

(Credit: Bill Ingalls, NASA)

On March 3, the Coast Guard published a notice that Martin Midstream Partners (MMP), a petrochemical transport and storage company, was seeking approval to modify terminal operations in Beaumont, Texas, along the Sabine-Neches Waterway. If approved, MMP would expand its liquefied hazardous gas (LHG) operations, both in volume and products. Instead of just handling ammonia the change would allow shipments of butane, propane, ethane, ethylene and propylene.Critically, MMP’s expansion would increase LHG vessel transit from 24 ships to as many as 350 per year.

18 Dec 2019

Tug Training & Consultancy, ADMA Sign MoU

Photo: TTC

Tug Training & Consultancy (TTC) and Abu Dhabi Maritime Academy (ADMA), signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish a long term strategic partnership. The MoU encompasses exclusive training of hundreds of (tug) masters and captains in the Middle East Region by certified trainers of TTC at ADMA’s state of the art facilities.Facing the increasing demand for qualified maritime professionals, ADMA is seeking ways to safeguard its best-in-class training for which the organization is renowned.TTC fulfills this requirement…

20 Sep 2019

Port Nelson Reports Continued Steady Growth

New Zealand Port Nelson said that continued growth in cargo volume has contributed to the port's delivering an operating profit of $30.5 million for the 2018/2019 financial year.This is an increase of $3.4 million compared to the $27.1 million reported in 2018. Net Profit After Tax, including a $2.6 million increase in the valuation of investment property, was $15.3 million.In consideration of the steady growth of the region’s exports through the port and the promising returns on investments, Port Nelson’s Chair, Phil Lough, announced an additional $800,000 dividend payment would be made to shareholders, this is on top of the full-year…

27 Aug 2019

RAL Intros Rapid Fire-Fighting Vessel

A new 16m uncrewed fire-fighting vessel in Robert Allan Ltd, the RALamander series is designed to attack fires quickly & powerfully in busy ports without risking crews.With high speed capability and pumping capacity rivalling larger fireboats, RALamander 1600 can be brought into action quickly with water and foam to suppress a fire and establish a defensive line while fire crews remain safely outside the danger zone.Like its larger RALamander 2000 cousin, it can be operated from another vessel of opportunity or from a shore-based position. Sophisticated automatic piloting and station-keeping features leave the operator free to focus on fire-fighting.Without crew on board…

21 Aug 2019

AMC, Kongsberg in VR Training Collaboration

To the left, Paul Gilkison, Area Sales Manager, Kongsberg Digital and to the right Michael van Balen, Principal of AMC (Photo: Kongsberg)

Kongsberg Digital AS has cemented its long-standing position as the primary supplier of simulation software and hardware to the Australian Maritime College (AMC), with the recent confirmation of a new Long-Term System Support Program (LTSSP).Kongsberg Digital Area Sales Manager Paul Gilkison and AMC principal Michael van Balen signed the agreement – the third successive five-year contract between the two parties – on Thursday, August 8 at the AMC’s Newnham campus in Launceston.Kongsberg Digital simulators are the platform of choice at the AMC’s world-class Center for Maritime Simulations…

03 May 2019

Coast Guard Closes Portion of the Mississippi River

The Coast Guard has closed a portion of the Mississippi River to all vessel traffic from mile marker 179 to 184 due to extremely high water levels and fast moving currents, Friday.Vessel operators may request permission to move within the closure zone from the captain of the port representative at Coast Guard Sector Upper Mississippi River via VHF Ch. 16 or at (314) 269-2332 at least 30 minutes prior to movement.Vessel movements within the closure zone should be to monitor or increase waterway and port safety only. The captain of the port will review each request to move within the closure zone on a case-by-base basis.While outside the river closure zone…

08 Mar 2019

ESPO: One Third of port Professionals are Women

The European Sea Ports Organisation (ESPO) said that it has been monitoring the gender balance through the effective attendance of port professionals to the different meetings of the organisation over the past year."The outcome of this monitoring reveals that, all technical committees together, overall 31,76% of port professionals attending the meetings were women, 68,24% men," announced the industry body.Looking in more detail into the different committees, the results of this monitoring reveals that the Port Governance committee, the Trade Facilitation, Customs and Security committee, the Sustainable Development committee and the Cruise…

03 Jan 2019

Kalmar to Automatize Melbourne VICT Terminal

The provider of cargo handling solutions and services to ports, terminals, Kalmar has signed a maintenance and support agreement with International Container Terminal Services, Inc (ICTSI) covering the automated container handling solution operating at Victoria International Container Terminal (VICT).The order was booked in Cargotec's Q4 2018 order intake with the agreement coming into effect in November 2018, said a press release. Australia's first fully automated container terminal, VICT, welcomed its first vessel in March 2017. Located at Webb Dock East in the Port of Melbourne, the terminal's unique location on the bay side of the port means a faster turnaround time for imports and exports as well as easier berthing for ships.

18 Jul 2018

Singapore, Rotterdam to Strengthen Cooperation

The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) and Port of Rotterdam Authority (PoR) renewed their Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on cooperation in Information Exchange and Research and Development (R&D).Since the commencement of the MoU in 2015, MPA and PoR have been working together in key areas such as maritime cybersecurity, LNG bunkering and Next Generation Vessel Traffic Management Systems.The renewal of the MoU, signed by Andrew Tan, Chief Executive of MPA and Allard Castelein, Chief Executive Officer of PoR, seeks to further the collaboration between the two counterparts in port digitalisation, port services, port safety and operations and handling of autonomous vessels in port.Tan said…

12 Apr 2018

Partners Eye Autonomous Vessel Technology for UK Ports

Photo: Peel Ports

Peel Ports Group and ASV Global (ASV) have launched a partnership which will develop the use of autonomous vessel technology for U.K. port operations.The partnership kick-started with a visit from ASV’s team to the Port of Liverpool, to demonstrate the C-Cat-3, an autonomous vessel ideal for shallow survey operations.The C-Cat 3 operated in Brocklebank Dock carrying out seabed survey using a Norbit iWBMS multibeam echo sounder.The successful demonstration has led Peel Ports Group…

03 Apr 2018

FLIR Helps Keep One of Canada’s Largest Ports Safe

Photo courtesy of FLIR

As Canada’s second largest container port and North America’s fastest growing port for transpacific trade, the Port of Prince Rupert in British Columbia is committed to providing mariners with safe, efficient and productive port operations. To ensure the port operates safely and securely, rotating crews work day and night aboard the Charles Hays patrol boat, a vessel fitted with a full complement of FLIR thermal and Raymarine navigation technologies. The equipment includes two 12-inch Raymarine MFDs…

03 Jan 2018

British Ports Association Sets Priorities for 2018

The Chief Executive of the British Ports Association (BPA), Richard Ballantyne, has outlined the Association’s key priorities for 2018. These include continued interaction and influencing on the Brexit discussions, promotion of planning and freight policy reform, calls for increased transport connectivity investment and the rectification of the ‘definition of a ship’ legal anomaly. Discussions with the various parts of Westminster and the Devolved Governments on Brexit will continue to be a major feature for the ports industry this year. “2018 will be a critical for UK ports as by the end of the year we should know what Brexit will look like.

11 Oct 2017

Gothenburg Port Extends Discount Period for Vessels

Gothenburg Port Authority has opted to keep the Port Tariff unchanged for the third year in succession. The charges for 2018 will thus be on the same level as 2015. Port charges are levied on all vessels that call at the Port of Gothenburg. The charges are based on vessel type and gross tonnage, and are used to finance a range of activities, including fairway maintenance, traffic information and port safety. The Port of Gothenburg has opted for the third year in succession not to increase the charges set out in the Port Tariff. “By doing so, we are seeking to boost growth in industry, shipping and port operations. At the same time, we want to be part of the effort to curb rising logistics costs for our stakeholders,” said Magnus Kårestedt, Gothenburg Port Authority Chief Executive.

21 Jun 2017

At MPT, Training is Personal

Photo: handout

Step into MPT’s new state-of-the-art S.M.A.R.T. simulation center in Fort Lauderdale and Captain Ted Morley lights up. While the center is packed with the very latest in maritime simulation software and hardware, his eagerness to usher us through the new building transcends any new technology, because at MPT mariner training is personal; it always has been, and if Captain Morley has his way it always will be. It is clear to see that MPT’s new simulation center in Fort Lauderdale is a source of pride for Captain Ted Morley.

14 Jun 2017

Long Beach Moves Ahead with New Fireboat Stations

(Image: Port of Long Beach)

The Port of Long Beach said it has taken another step toward building two new stations to house fireboats and provide emergency response for one of the nation’s major commercial gateways. On Monday, Harbor Commissioners approved engineering design services for Fireboat Stations Nos. 15 and 20. The Commission also approved a baseline project budget of $50.1 million for the first station to be built: Fireboat Station No. 15. will be located on the Main Channel, and is scheduled to be completed in 2020. The second station, Fireboat Station No.

29 Mar 2017

Simulation: Maritime Professional Training

(Photo: MPT)

In South Florida sits MPT, one of the most prolific and progressive maritime training facilities. Already fully stocked, MPT added significant weight to its offering in 2016 with investment in 25,000 sq. ft. of new training space and technology. MPT handles more than 12,000 students a year from all segments of the maritime industry and from more than a dozen countries. With that range MPT has students from ship operators, tug companies, passenger vessels, offshore and energy exploration companies…

29 Apr 2016

WILCO Logistics Bags Townsville Port Safety Works

WILCO Logistics Pty Ltd has been announced as the successful bid contractor on Breakwater safety works at the Port of Townsville. Minister for Ports Mark Bailey said the overall $1.5 million project will improve navigational safety at the Townsville Port by widening the entrance to the harbour, but does not involve any capital dredging works. “This project is another step towards being able to accommodate larger vessels at the Townsville Port and will also improve the navigational safety of vessels already entering our harbour,” he said. “Best of all, local North Queensland contractors will once again be engaged to complete important infrastructure improvement works, meaning more local jobs for this community.

23 Dec 2015

New Roles for Satcoms in Autonomous Shipping

Examining some questions regarding commercial autonomous and drone ships, as well as why VSAT currently presents the best solution for the communications and control of such vessels. The topic of autonomous shipping has been much in the news recently. We have seen, for example, the announcement in September 2015 that Inmarsat has begun participating in the Advanced Autonomous Waterborne Applications Initiative (AAWA) recently launched by Rolls Royce. This initiative is designed to move autonomous shipping from the drawing board to a commercial reality.

12 Dec 2015

Port Closures for All of Pacific Northwest Entrances

The Coast Guard's two Captains of the Port have closed all maritime entrances in the Pacific Northwest, Friday, due to severe  sea conditions and large amounts of debris in the water. In Oregon, the ports of Chetco River in Brookings; Coos Bay; Umpqua River in Winchester Bay; Siuslaw River in Florence; Yaquina Bay in Newport; Depoe Bay; Tillamook Bay in Girabaldi; and the Columbia River are closed to all traffic. In Washington the port of Grays Harbor in Westport; and Quillayute River in LaPush are closed. Several storms carrying strong winds and heavy rainfall crossed the Pacific Northwest over the last week and have caused flooding and landslides in parts of Oregon and Washington.

15 Oct 2015

Port Operations Can Be Risky Business

Photo: Risk Intelligence

The horrific explosions in the Chinese port of Tainjin illustrated vividly just how volatile port operations can be. But safety issues are only one facet of risk in the complex world of shipping ports. From piracy on the high seas to data thievery in port, players all along the shipping value chain need to be on constant alert for the dangers that nature and human actions can present. Political unrest, theft, smuggling and corruption all figure in to the risk picture that ship owners, brokers, and cargo owners have to consider when planning and executing port calls.

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