Port Of Newcastle News

Marine towage provider Svitzer Australia is building a new facility to deliver enhanced maritime training capabilities to the East Coast of New South Wales (NSW).The company reports construction is underway at its Port of Newcastle tug base, where Svitzer’s innovative, new TRAnsverse tug vessels are forecast to enter service in 2025 (the second and third to be deployed in the world). The facility will feature state-of-the-art Kongsberg Digital maritime simulators in support of crew training and other marine applications.Svitzer Australia chief operating officer…

A climate change protest off Australia's east coast disrupted operations at the country's biggest coal export port on Saturday, the port operator said.Climate activist group Rising Tide, which claimed responsibility for the action, said around 1,500 people were at the protest, 300 of them in the shipping channel near the Port of Newcastle, as part of a 30-hour blockade set to run until 4 p.m. (0900 GMT) on Sunday.Climate change is a divisive issue in Australia, the world's biggest exporter of thermal coal behind Indonesia…

Towage provider Svitzer has selected Kongsberg Digital to deliver new simulators in support of crew training at its Port of Newcastle base in Australia. The contract with Kongsberg will help create a training center of excellence for the deployment of Svitzer’s new TRAnsverse tug vessels entering service in Newcastle in early 2025.The contract comprises the delivery of a training suite in Q2 2024. The delivery encompasses a full-mission 360° K-Sim Navigation simulator configured as a tug bridge, and a part-task 180° K-Sim Navigation ship’s bridge simulator.

Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha (NYK), NYK Group’s Asahi Shipping, and Kobe Steel have announced a successful trial run of biofuels on a voyage between Japan and Australia.The companies supplied biofuel via ship-to-ship transfer to the bulk carrier Sunrise Serenity at the port of Kobe in Japan. The vessel was supplied with biofuel by Toyota Tsusho Marine Fuels Corporation and then sailed to the port of Newcastle, Australia.The vessel is operated and managed by Asahi Shipping and…

Contract signed with Uzmar to deliver TRAnsverse tugs following design collaboration between Robert Allan and SvitzerSvitzer, a part of A.P. Moller-Maersk, awarded a contract to Uzmar Shipyard to build two new TRAnsverse tugs for its Australian business.The TRAnsverse tugs are a tug design created in collaboration with Robert Allan Ltd, desgiend to deliver an estimated 10-15% reduction in fuel use and built to a specification that enables biofuel operations.When delivered, the…

China is set to receive at least two cargoes of Australian coal in early February, according to traders and shiptracking data, the first since an unofficial ban on imports in place since 2020 was lifted earlier this month.Coal traders will be paying attention to how easily the shipments pass customs for signs that the informal ban is truly over and in the hopes of sending more Australian coal to China.Australian thermal coal for power generation and metallurgical coal for steelmaking are favoured by Chinese consumers for their high-quality. China's coal demand is forecast to rise in the upcoming months amid an expected economic rebound after Beijing rolled back its draconian zero-COVID strategy.

Decarbonization is the greatest challenge facing the shipping industry today.The effort to reduce emissions and environmental impact extends to all sectors and players and will leave no one in the industry unaffected.The IMO’s effort to decarbonise shipping is a numbers game. The goal, as stipulated in the Initial IMO GHG Strategy, is to reduce the average CO2 emissions per transport work by at least 40% by 2030, compared to 2008 levels., and to pursue a 70% reduction by 2050.The introduction of the EEXI  is part of the IMO’s latest attempt to achieve this goal.

Australia's Port of Newcastle is expanding its project cargo, general cargo and container handling capability with a $28.4-million investment in two Liebherr LHM 550 mobile harbor cranes and associated infrastructure at the Port’s Mayfield 4 berth.Port of Newcastle’s Executive Manager Trade & Business Development, Paul Brown, said the mobile harbor cranes will increase efficiency at the Port and provide an enhanced alternative for customers currently moving both oversized equipment…

Australia's Port of Newcastle has signed a A$515 million ($398 million) loan with National Australia Bank (NAB) that links interest payments to non-mandatory social and environmental targets, the companies said.The world's largest coal port will pay less if certain targets are met, including reducing its direct and indirect greenhouse gas emissions and screening all customers for modern slavery risks, they said in a joint statement.The loan also contains metrics focused on mental health first aid…

Coal deliveries to Australia’s Port of Newcastle, the world’s biggest coal export port, have been halted because flooding in the Hunter Valley region has shut rail lines, with heavy rains also slowing ship movements at the port.Heavy rains along Australia’s east coast over several days have caused the worst flooding in half a century, with thousands of people being forced to evacuate their homes.

Australia’s trade surplus rose to a six-month high in December as iron ore exports to China easily weathered diplomatic squalls between the two countries, while coal shipments found new buyers beyond the world’s second-largest economy.China’s reliance on steel-intensive infrastructure and construction to sustain economic growth means it has little choice but to keep importing Australian iron ore, even as prices for the mineral hit multi-year highs.Data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics out on Thursday showed goods exports to China jumped 21% in December to a six-month high of A$13.3 bil

A Hong Kong-flagged bulk carrier has been banned from Australian ports for six months over the operation of several sets of wage accounts and multiple conflicting seafarer employment agreements, the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) said.The Unison Jasper has remained alongside in the Port of Newcastle, under detention, since July 25, 2020 for the Maritime Labor Convention breaches. AMSA said it also found insufficient quantity and variety of food on board and an ineffective complaints procedure.On July 31, 11 crew members left ship and entered into quarantine arrangements in Sydney so they could be repatriated to their own country.The ship has remained under detention in Newcastle because there were not enough crew onboard to sail the ship safely.

Dozens of containers lost from a ship at sea have been recovered off the coast of Australia as the country's maritime authority continues to press the vessel's owner to pay the $11 million cleanup costs.The 63 boxes plucked from the bottom of the Tasman Sea are among more than 80 lost from Yang Ming's containership YM Efficiency about 20 miles from shore in June 2018. The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) says it stepped in to handle the cleanup operations after the…

New South Wales Government is considering a proposal for a $590 million liquefied natural gas (LNG) import terminal in the Port of Newcastle, with the project given critical state significance.Under the prosposal, the terminal will be built at Kooragang Island in Newcastle Port and promises to supply NSW with up to 80 per cent of its gas requirements.The Newcastle GasDock project - with an estimated direct onshore investment of up to AUD$250M at the Port - today received Critical State Significant Infrastructure (CSSI) status from NSW Minister for Planning and Public Spaces, the Hon Rob Stokes MP.The announcement by Acting Premier John Barilaro and Mr Stokes recognises the need to significantly increase local gas supply…

Port of Newcastle issued a media release announcing that Infrastructure NSW, an Australian government entity,  had withdrawn A$12.7 million funding for the project.“Infrastructure NSW has advised that the AUD12.7 million funding for the cruise terminal project is no longer available,” the Port of Newcastle said in a statement.Port of Newcastle has been working on this project on behalf of the NSW Government on the basis of providing a facility that meets the cruise industry's needs while remaining within the funding provided."While disappointed construction of the terminal facility cannot proceed at this time, we respect that funding is no longer available.

South Korea-based liquefied natural gas (LNG) floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU) project development company EPIK Co. has signed a strategic partnership agreement with Hyundai LNG Shipping, the marine freight transportation services for LNG."The agreement lays out a framework for the two companies to work together in the development of FSRU projects around the globe, including, but not limited to, EPIK’s recently announced Newcastle LNG FSRU import project at the Port of Newcastle, Australia," said a press release form EPIK.Jee Yoon, EPIK’s Founder and Managing Director, said, “partnering with Hyundai LNG Shipping marks a key strategic milestone for EPIK…

Port of Newcastle has become the first port in Australia or New Zealand to commit to meeting global environmental and sustainability standards as set by EcoPorts.The port was this month granted membership of the International EcoPorts network, having completed rigorous assessments to benchmark its environmental and sustainability practices against 120 major ports across Europe, Asia, North America and South America.Developed in 1997, EcoPorts remains the only Environmental Management Standard (EMS) specific to the global port sector.Port of Newcastle environmental adviser Jackie Spiteri said the organisation had chosen to be a pioneer…

Australia’s new east coast supply chain alternative Port of Newcastle has marked an important milestone in the development of the Newcastle Bulk Terminal.A press release from the company said that the dismantling of the old ship unloaders is now complete, with bulk cargo hoppers now in place to provide continuity of trade while the new ship unloader and conveyor system is constructed.The old ship unloaders at the Kooragang 2 berth have been a feature of the Walsh Point precinct since 1968. The two rail mounted ship unloaders were established at what was then known as 'Rotten Row' to handle dry bulk products including fertiliser, rock phosphatic, ores and meals.

Port of Newcastle advises that Geoff Crowe, Chief Executive Officer, has informed the Board of his intention to resign, effective at the end of June. Geoff joined Port of Newcastle in July 2015 with extensive experience in the coal mining and logistics industry. He led the development of the Port's growth and diversification strategy, including the development of plans for a cruise terminal, bulk terminal and a container terminal. "The Port of Newcastle is not only an iconic port that delivers huge economic value to our region and state as a trade gateway, it is also a valued asset for our industry and our community," said Geoff. "We have a terrific team, and I am very proud of the contribution that we have made in the last three years for the Port and our region.

Damen Shipyards Group has delivered a new ASD Tug 3212, Svitzer Glenrock, as the second part of a two-vessel order placed by Svitzer Australia.The tug sailed on its own keel from Damen Song Cam Shipyard, Vietnam to Newcastle, NSW, where it will work in the world’s busiest coal port, handling Cape-class bulk carriers and petroleum tankers as they enter and leave the confines of the harbor.Svitzer operates one of Australia’s largest fleets of tugs, comprised of more than 85 vessels.

The new CEO of the Port of Newcastle, Craig Carmody, committed the Port of Newcastle to developing a world-class container terminal to boost jobs and business opportunities in the Hunter region and dramatically reduce the number of trucks on Sydney's roads through expanded use of Newcastle's rail connectivity."The potential for a container terminal in Newcastle to diversify and grow the NSW economy is far bigger than the NSW government seems to realise. We are already exploring a range of options based on global best practice and I am looking forward to discussing our plans with the State government and port developers who have expressed an interest in this exciting project…

On July 30, a ceremony was held at the port of Soma in Fukushima prefecture to commemorate the arrival of a new coal carrier, Shinchi Maru. This vessel was delivered in March this year and replaced the identically named Shinchi Maru vessel built in 1995. The new Shinchi Maru will carry coal from the port of Newcastle in Australia to the Shinchi power plant of Soma Kyodo Power Company Ltd. (head office: Shinchi town, Fukushima prefecture; president: Hisahiko Aoki). The name Shinchi Maru is derived from the location of this power plant. In commemoration of the ship’s arrival, a plate of Aizu lacquerware, a coveted product of Fukushima prefecture, was presented to the ship’s captain by Mr. Ono, director and chief of Shinchi power plant.

Fred Olsen Cruise Lines has appointed GAC UK as its agent in Newcastle and Liverpool. Under the deal, GAC will manage 18 calls during 2018 for the 804-guest cruise ship Black Watch at its home port of Liverpool, and a further 16 for the 1,350-guest Balmoral, at its home port of Newcastle. Clare Ward, Director of Product and Customer Service at Fred Olsen Cruise Lines, said: “Turnaround calls are always busy days for everybody involved in the operation, with crew changes, immigration and Customs formalities, stevedoring activity, receipt of supplies and much more all going on at once.