Construction Begins for Congo's First Deep-water Port
Democratic Republic of Congo President Felix Tshisekedi on Monday launched the construction of the country's first deep-water port, a $1.2 billion project that has drawn criticism for being built on the edge of a protected wetlands.Banana Port, to be built by Dubai's port giant DP World, will border Congo's Mangrove Marine Park, a nature reserve that contains a variety of vulnerable or endangered plant and animal species.The port at Banana, a sandy spit of land at the mouth of Congo River, will process 322,000 containers per year, Congolese Minister of Industry Julien Paluku said on Twitter, p
Port Operator ICTSI to Double Capacity at Congo Terminal
Philippines-based port operator International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI) will more than double the capacity of its container terminal in Congo as part of a $100 million expansion, the company said on Thursday.Located on the Congo River, the port city of Matadi, where ICTSI operates the Matadi Gateway Terminal (MGT) under a joint venture with Congolese property management company SIMOBILE, is the Democratic Republic of Congo's primary shipping hub.The planned expansion will bring MGT's throughput capacity up to 400…
Upgrades at Matadi Gateway Terminal
The recent call of the 2,500-TEU capacity Safmarine Nuba at the Matadi Gateway Terminal (MGT), an ICTSI Group company, opened the door to major new shipping system benefits for the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).Deployment of a vessel of this size unlocks economies of scale as well as provides a cost-efficient means to serve the capital city of Kinshasa given that use of any other port gateway entails substantial additional land transport costs 'dramatically pushing up the overall container transport cost from point of origin to destination,' a statement from the terminal operator said.The transit along the Congo River is also time competitive – it takes just eight hours from the Banana Roads…
Mobile Crane for ICTSI Congo
Matadi Gateway Terminal (MGT), the new container and general cargo terminal on the Congo River, DR Congo, has received the first of two new mobile cranes scheduled to go into service at the terminal. The Terex Model 5 crane is the largest member of the medium size crane family available from Terex Port Solutions and was delivered fully erect on-board the m/v BBC ODER which commenced its voyage from Antwerp, Belgium. With a working radius of up to 51m, the geometry of the Model 5 unit is designed to serve Panamax class container ships. This unit and its sister unit, set to arrive in September, will operate with an automatic twin-lift spreader (60t in twin lift and 50t in single lift) and will also provide a heavy lift capability, 125t at an outreach of 18m.
This Day In Naval History: August 8
1860 - Screw frigate USS San Jacinto, commanded by Capt. William M. Armstrong, captures the American slaver Storm King with 619 slaves on board, off the Congo River. A prize crew from the steam frigate sailed the captured slaver to Monrovia and turned 616 freed Negroes over to the United States agent there before proceeding to Norfolk with the prize. 1861 - During the Civil War, the frigate USS Santee commanded by Capt. Eagle captured the schooner C.P. Knapp in the Gulf of Mexico. 1863 - During the Civil War, the screw steam gunboat, USS Sagamore, commanded by Lt. Cmdr.
This Day In Naval History: April 21
1861 - Sloop-of-War Saratoga, commanded by Alfred Taylor, captures Nightingale, a clipper slaver, at the mouth of the Congo River at Cabinda, Angola, with 961 slaves on board. 1898 - President William McKinley orders the Navy to begin a blockade of Cuba and Spain, the beginning of the Spanish-American War. Congress responds with a formal declaration of war April 25, made retroactive to the start of the blockade. 1914 - President Woodrow Wilson orders intervention at Vera Cruz, Mexico, after the Tampico Affair where Sailors from USS Dolphin were detained. The U.S.
Mercury Marine Donates Engines for Hydro-Ambulance
Ambulatory services in Congo, Africa are now improved thanks to a donation by Mercury Marine. The global marine propulsion company recently donated two 60hp outboard engines that have been installed on a boat that will act as a hydro-ambulance, equipped to reach the most remote villages along the Congo River. The boat, which will be docked at the port of Cremona and commissioned by the non-profit organization For African Children, will be equipped with the proper equipment to allow birth and pediatric surgery on board the vessel. It will also act as a primary rescue vessel in the event of an emergency. “If a child is sick in one of the remote villages in Africa…
Risk-Taking Container Terminal Operator Spotlighted
International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI) is considered one of the biggest risk takers amongst global container terminal operators. Drewry Maritime Equity Research (DMER) believes that the company is now showing signs of better risk management that will assist in its long term sustainability. The differential in expected container volume growth rates between the developed and emerging markets has led operators to focus attention on emerging market opportunities and seek to rebalance their portfolios. One of the key perceived negatives for ICTSI in the past has been the geopolitical risks associated in some of its investments in economies such as Pakistan, Syria and more recently in Iraq that can provide robust returns.
Saipem Jack-up Rig Collapses Offshore Congo
One of the 3 legs of the jack-up drilling rig 'Perro Negro 6' collapsed and the rig capsized to subsequently sink near the mouth of the Congo River. The accident occurred during rig positioning on location prior to starting drilling operations, between the coasts of Angola and the Democratic Republic of Congo, in approximately 40 metres of water. After significant tilting of the rig when the support leg collapsed, the 103 crew members were taken off. but one was recorded as missing and another six incurred minor injuries.
Latest Dredging Solutions by IHC Merwede
IHC Merwede to showcase its dredging, wet mining, and special purpose ships at forthcoming SMM 2012, Hamburg, Expo. A number of impressive scale models will demonstrate the wide range of innovative vessels engineered and manufactured by IHC Merwede. Vessels such as the custom-built trailing suction hopper dredger CONGO RIVER; the self-propelled cutter suction dredger ATHENA; the pipelaying vessel SEVEN PACIFIC; and the well intervention vessel WELL ENHANCER. IHC Merwede will also feature examples of advanced equipment designed to meet the demands of the dredging, mining and offshore sectors.
Focus on Innovation for IHC Merwede at Europort 2011
As a global market leader in dredging and mining vessels and equipment, and a reliable supplier of custom-built ships and supplies for offshore construction, IHC Merwede will be among the leading exhibitors at the Europort 2011 exhibition and CEDA Dredging Days technical forum in The Netherlands. The Europort event is one of the world’s largest maritime exhibitions and will take place in the heart of the Port of Rotterdam on 8-11 November. The show focuses on all areas of the shipbuilding industry, from naval and dredging, to fishing and offshore, and attracts more than 800 exhibitors and 30,000 visitors biennially to Ahoy Rotterdam.
Van der Velden Delivers Largest Ever BARKE Rudders
The Oceangoing vessels division of Van der Velden Marine Systems has delivered the largest in-house designed BARKE rudders in its history. The two flap-type rudders have been installed onboard the 30,000 m³ trailing suction hopper dredger Congo River. Built for the DEME Group, the trailing suction hopper dredger was launched on 21 January at the IHC Merwede shipyard in Krimpen aan den IJssel (NL). Designed by the Product Design Department of Van der Velden Barkemeyer GmbH, the two BARKE rudders each have a rudder area of 30 m2 while each flap has an area of 7.5 m2.
Precision Ship-Handling Writ Large
On the Elbe River, the famous port of Hamburg's Nautical Institute had its final intake this year due to a shortage of prospective students. From now on it will be known as the Hamburg Institute for Ship Handling and Simulation, but for many years it sent highly trained young people to sea. Some of those, after gaining years of deep sea experience, returned to Hamburg to become river and docking pilots. The Port has two pilot stations and two pilotage authorities. The Harbor Pilots (Hafenlotsenbrüüderschaft), of which there are about 45, work from a beautiful brick building complete with clock tower on a point at the entrance to the port on the south side of the river where most of the docks are located.
