Transport Department News

Aug 18 (Reuters) - Kazakhstan could redirect oil exports to Russia's Baltic Sea port of Ust-Luga instead of Novorossiysk, if the situation on the Black Sea deteriorates, the head of Kaztransoil's transport department said on Friday.Kaztransoil's Abay Beisembaev said during an online briefing: "If the situation in the Black Sea worsens, the volumes that we transport in the direction of the port of Sheskharis (in Novorossiysk) will be transferred to the port of Ust-Luga." Novorossiysk…

U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg this week announced the appointment of 25 new members to the Maritime Transportation System National Advisory Committee (MTSNAC). The MTSNAC Charter will advise the Secretary, through the Maritime Administration (MARAD) Administrator, on ways to identify and address impediments hindering the effective use of short sea transportation. The MTSNAC’s counsel comes as the Biden-Harris Administration takes aim at tackling inflation and reducing the cost of goods in the country…

From his office overlooking Cherbourg docks, general manager Yannick Millet points to trailers destined for Ireland that belong to Amazon and FedEx, new customers and a signal of a potential big shift in post-Brexit trade.Confronted by red tape and delays after Britain’s messy exit from the European Union, Irish traders are shipping goods directly to and from European ports, shunning the once-speedier route through Britain.“You see the shift in supply chains right here,” he said.All five operators connecting Ireland to mainland Europe have increased ferry services in the past nine months…

Over the past three years, P. Ravindran’s commute from his southern Indian village has been about more than getting to work - the SIM card seller sees his daily trip on India’s first solar-powered ferry as doing his bit for the green revolution.“I am proud to be a frequent traveler on the Aditya... I am being part of cleaning the Earth,” said Ravindran, who uses the boat most days to travel to the town of Vaikom on Lake Vembanad.The Aditya’s green credentials have attracted international…

Britain's government on Thursday said all new ships ordered from 2025 and aimed for its waters must be equipped with zero emission technology, as part of a new plan to cut maritime pollution.Britain last month announced a target to reach net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, making it the first among the major G7 countries to set such a goal.As part of a new "Clean Maritime Plan" unveiled on Thursday, the government said ships ordered from 2025 onwards must have zero-emission capabilities.

BMT has introduced new vessel designs in response to a tender issued by Hong Kong’s Transport Department.Addressing a need to support the development of domestic passenger ferry services in Hong Kong, the new hybrid Eco Ferry and a smaller, nimble 14 passenger harbor craft have been designed for on-demand and ad-hoc trips, both of which could enable passengers to experience faster, smoother, and more fuel-efficient transits across Hong Kong’s Victoria Harbor.Richard Colwill, Regional Managing Director at BMT…

The Fohnsdorf Training Center is located in Styria, Austria. To train welders, it uses a virtual welding system – the Virtual Welding simulator from Fronius, the Austrian technology leader. The simulator employs a virtual trainer to provide 1:1 training for the center’s students, an approach that has a positive impact on training quality.A young student carefully guides the welding torch. The weaving motions she makes as she welds the single-V butt weld in front of her appear very composed, an impression that is confirmed by the consistently positive feedback from her trainer.

Canada's Liberal government has introduced legislation for a moratorium on oil tanker traffic along the northern coast of the British Columbia province, the country's transport department said on Friday, delivering on an election promise. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau ordered the ban soon after the election in 2015, in which he took power on a pledge to balance resource development with protecting the environment. Friday's bill will likely pass because Trudeau's Liberals hold a majority in Parliament.

An International Maritime Organization (IMO) workshop is raising awareness of the Organization’s regulatory regime dealing with improving energy efficiency and the control of GHG emissions from ships. Participants from South African governmental departments and other related bodies are in attendance at the three-day “MARPOL Annex VI and Technology Transfer” workshop, taking place in Durban, South Africa (23-25 August). The event is the latest in a series of workshops organized under IMO’s GloMEEP project, which is supporting uptake and implementation of energy efficiency measures for shipping in developing countries. South Africa is one of the 10 GloMEEP lead pilot countries.

Two 70t Modulift spreader beams were integral to the reinstallation of a bridge, lowered back into position by two mobile cranes lifting in tandem. Swiss crane rental company Senn AG used two Liebherrs, each rigged with below-the-hook equipment, to return the refurbished bridge across the Aare river in Bern, Switzerland’s capital. Oftringen, Switzerland-based Senn is a multifaceted business, which is also a specialist in the provision of steel construction and infrastructure projects.

The deep-river port complex in the southern province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau is still struggling to reach its designed capacity, says local media reports. The seven deep-water seaports have been built by the Cai Mep – Thi Vai Port Group in the southern province of Ba Ria – Vung Tau in the past few years at a total cost of VND40 trillion (nearly US$1.8 billion). Statistics from the province's transport department showed that a total of 1.16 million TEUs were handled at Cai Mep-Thi Vai last year, or just 17 percent of its capacity, even after freight growth averaged 20 percent a year, Tuoi Tre newspaper reported on Thursday. Although all its seven ports are designed to handle container ships of up to 85…

The Karachi Port Trust (KPT) and Guangdong Transport Department, China signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for strengthening shipping connectivity and establishing cooperation. The MoU was signed by KPT Chairman Vice Admiral Shafqat Jawed and Guangdong Transport Department Director General Zeng Zhaogeng. The signing took place when a delegation, led by Guangdong Vice Governor Liu Zhigeng visited the Karachi port. Talking on the occasion Minister Ports and Shipping said that the MOU is the first ever in KPT’s history. In the past such agreements were made at the level of foreign ministry. Appreciating China’s help, support and efforts he said that the MOU between the KPT and CPT will turn out to be a milestone in the times to come.

Coxswains, owners and operators of local vessels are advised that arrangements for embarkation and disembarkation will only be made at the western side of the main pier of Tai Miu Wan, whereas the eastern side of the main pier will be used by licensed ferries. A ferry service between North Point Ferry Pier and the Tai Miu Wan pier will be operated on 10 May and 11 May 2015. Details of the ferry service will be announced by the Transport Department in due course. The Marine Department and the Hong Kong Police Force patrol launches will be stationed in the vicinity to direct and control vessels attending the festival. Persons-in-charge of local vessels are strongly reminded to ensure that vessels shall not carry more passengers than they are certified to carry.

About 50 people have died in the sinking of an overloaded ferry off the coast of western Myanmar police say. The boat had 209 people on board when it ran into high seas late on Friday on a voyage from the coastal town of Taunggok to Sittwe, capital of the west coast state of Rakhine, officials said. The "Aung Takon 3" went down after leaving the town of Kyaukphyu on its way to Sittwe in western Rakhine state, police said. The country's navy deployed three boats for the search-and-rescue mission. Pyay Nyein, a senior official with the Inland Water Transport Department, said 167 people had been saved, but the rest were either dead or missing and believed to be dead. "Twenty bodies have been found while 27 are still missing. Rescue workers are looking for them," said Nyein.

About 50 people were believed to have drowned off Myanmar when a ferry sank in bad weather, government officials said on Saturday, though residents said they believed more people on the overcrowded vessel had died. The boat had 209 people on board when it ran into high seas late on Friday on a voyage from the coastal town of Taunggok to Sittwe, capital of the west coast state of Rakhine, officials said. "Twenty bodies have been found while 27 are still missing. Rescue workers are looking for them," Pyay Nyein, a senior official from the Inland Water Transport Department, told Reuters. A Ministry of Transport official said the boat was swamped by huge waves and 167 people had been saved, though the missing were believed to be dead.

The Tin Hau Festival at Tai Miu Wan will be celebrated this year on 22 April 2014. Coxswains, owners and operators of local vessels are advised that arrangements for embarkation and disembarkation will only be made at the western side of the main pier of Tai Miu Wan, whereas the eastern side of the main pier will be used by licensed ferries. A ferry service between North Point Ferry Pier and the Tai Miu Wan pier will be operated on 21 April and 22 April 2014. Details of the ferry service will be announced by the Transport Department in due course. The Marine Department and the Hong Kong Police Force patrol launches will be stationed in the vicinity to direct and control vessels attending the festival.

Maritime New Zealand (MNZ) welcomed the release of the independent review of its response to the grounding of the Rena, and the announcement of $2 million of government funding to help improve New Zealand’s maritime response capability.The report, by independent reviewer Simon Murdoch, was released today by Transport Minister Gerry Brownlee.MNZ Director Keith Manch said the organization was already implementing a number of the review recommendations and the funding package would help MNZ develop a wider strategic and operational response to maritime incidents.In the review report…

More than 190 participants at the 5th annual Green Ship Technology conference in Rotterdam on March 11-12 explored the latest tide of ‘stick and carrot’ options for making shipping environmentally sustainable. Eco-friendly solutions aired at the forum ranged from legislative compulsion to commercially beneficial inducements. On the one hand, there were stark warnings that politicians are preparing to impose mandatory emissions rules if there is no firm outcome to meetings of the International Maritime Organization marine environment protection committee (MEPC) scheduled between now and mid-2009. But delegates also heard how a voluntary…