Facilitate Global Trade News

Evergreen Line took delivery of its sixth and seventh new 12,000 TEU class F-type containerships on December 15. Ever Forever was built at the Geoje Shipyard of South Korea's Samsung Heavy Industries, and Ever Far was delivered by Imabari Shipbuilding in Japan.The two new large containerships set sail in good order after the delivery procedures were completed. The ships’ 58,000-horsepower main engines are powering the technically advanced vessels to their allocated loading ports on Evergreen’s trans-Pacific services. Ever Forever will be put into service on the Asia-U.S.

APM Terminals Medport Tangier container terminal has officially opened its doors in Morocco.Part of the Tanger Med Port complex, it has an annual capacity of 5 million TEUs (twenty-foot equivalents)."With this new capacity, Morocco is establishing itself as one of the most important transshipment locations in the world. Tanger Med Port is already ranked as the leading African port and is amongst the world’s top 50 container ports due to its prime location along key trade lanes and increasing cargo flows, to and from Africa," said a press release from the international container terminal operating company headquartered in The Hague, Netherlands.The construction of APM Terminals MedPort Tangier facility took two years and a total investment of USD 800m.

The British Ports Association (BPA) has responded to the Government’s Clean Air Strategy which was published today and includes requirements for all major ports in England to develop air quality plans within the next year. Commenting on the strategy, Mark Simmonds, Policy Manager at the British Ports Association, said: “Ports and shipping are part of the solution, not the problem and it is disappointing that the Government have missed the opportunity to promote shipping as the cleanest way to move freight. “Ports handle 95% of the UK’s trade and moving freight by sea is still by far the most environmentally-friendly way to facilitate global trade – as well as ensuring our economy continues to function and our food and energy supplies are secure.

Marine News showcases the best of North America’s 2017 workboat deliveries. There is something for everyone. Notwithstanding the lingering offshore energy downturn, there were plenty of bright spots for North American shipyards in 2017. If a hull was delivered in 2017, we took a look at it, with several areas as a focus for inclusion into this edition. For starters, it is always exciting when a domestic yard delivers a vessel – or multiple vessels, for that matter – to foreign buyers. We can compete in a foreign arena; on price, quality and on-time delivery. This year was no different. No less important is the environmental footprint of a vessel, and there was plenty to report on from that angle in the past 12 months. The domestic waterfront is indeed getting greener and cleaner.

APL has announced its highest recorded fleet carbon dioxide emissions reduction of 48 percent in 2016, compared to its base level in 2009. Verified by Lloyd’s Register Group according to the Clean Cargo Working Group (CCWG) verification protocol and ISO14064-3:2006 standard, this achievement marks APL’s seventh consecutive year of improvements. “APL is pleased to register our best carbon reduction performance as yet, improving our fleet emission level by about 3 percent, versus our reduction in 2015. APL prides ourselves as a responsible carrier and will persevere in our pursuits of environmental excellence as we facilitate global trade,” said APL Chief Executive Officer, Nicolas Sartini who champions APL’s sustainability course.

Eastern Shipbuilding Group, Inc. said it has delivered the last of four newly built inland river towboats to IWL River, Inc., one of the builder’s newest clients. The four new towboats – Impala Soledad, Impala Salgar, Impala Mompox and Impala Cantagallo – will service the inland waterways of Latin America for Impala Terminals. Impala owns and operates a network of terminals that facilitate global trade flows, specializing in warehousing, multi-modal logistics and related port services for essential commodities worldwide. This series of CT Marine designed 134 ft.

IWL River, Inc., a Impala Terminals Colombia affiliate, and Eastern Shipbuilding Group, Inc. (ESG) on May 20, 2015 signed a contract for the construction of four 134-foot ABS Classed Inland River, Triple Screw Towboats each with a Retractable Pilothouse (ESG Hulls 243-246), the shipbuilder announced. According to Eastern, this inland towboat design and detailed engineering is being provided by CT Marine of Portland, Maine. The new towboats for IWL River, Inc., one of Eastern’s newest clients, will service the inland waterways of Latin America for Impala Terminals.

Over 70 Greek shipowners supported the Korean Register of Shipping’s (KR) 5th Hellenic Committee meeting held in Athens on October 15. Chaired by Adam Polemis, this important gathering meets annually to discuss KR’s performance and to guide the classification society to further its twin aims of ensuring quality shipping and safeguarding the natural environment in which its vessels operate. Senior representatives from the Athens shipping community heard how KR’s classed fleet had continued to grow year-on-year and had now reached 38.2 million gt comprising 2,393 vessels. At the same time, the quality of the KR fleet had also improved significantly.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Commissioner Robert C. Bonner will be heading to Brussels, Belgium, to urge the members of the World Customs Organization (WCO) to adopt the WCO Framework of Standards to Secure and Facilitate Global Trade. At next week’s WCO Council Session, the 166 members will decide whether to adopt the Framework of Standards, which will provide a set of common standards for governments and the trade community to secure and facilitate the movement 99 percent of trade. “The Framework represents a worldwide strategy that all nations can implement in order to combat global terrorism and to protect trade and our economies. And, it has the potential to revolutionize the security and efficient movement of global trade,” Commissioner Bonner said.