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Western Asia News

17 Jul 2023

Why Does the Black Sea Grain Deal's Expiry Matter?

© Lukasz Z / Adobe Stock

A deal allowing Ukraine to export grain via the Black Sea will expire at the end of Monday after Russia said it will suspend its participation.The deal, brokered by the United Nations and Turkey last July, aimed to alleviate a global food crisis by allowing Ukrainian grain blocked by the Russia-Ukraine conflict to be exported safely.WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?Ukraine is a major producer of grains and oilseeds and the interruption to its exports at the outbreak of war pushed global food prices to record highs.

11 Jul 2023

What Happens if Black Sea Grain Corridor Deal is Not Extended?

© Ryzhkov Oleksandr / Adobe Stock

A deal allowing Ukraine to export grain via the Black Sea expires on July 17 and with Moscow saying it sees no grounds for an extension there are fears it may collapse.Why is it important?Ukraine is a major producer of grains and oilseeds and the interruption to its exports at the outbreak of war pushed global food prices to record highs. The current deal, agreed in July 2022 some five months after the war started, helped to bring down prices and ease a global food crisis.Ukraine grain has also played a direct role with 725…

16 Jun 2022

Updates, Developments and Advances in Combat and Patrol Craft

SBI completed an order last December for 52 Coastal Interceptor Vessels for U.S. Customs and Border Protection. (Photo: SAFE Boats)

My first visit in 2007 to the American Society of Naval Engineers’ (ASNE) Multi-Agency Craft Conference (MACC) was an eye-opener. Having built a naval architecture career with frigates, destroyers and other large naval and commercial ships, I was eager to learn of the smaller craft used by the U.S. Navy and other government and military bodies. As my flight into Norfolk, Va. descended over Chesapeake Bay, I gazed in amazement as a Landing Craft Air Cushion (LCAC) raced toward Virginia Beach, slowed, glided up the beach and into its shore base.

06 Mar 2019

Oman: Gas Production to Surpass Oil by 2023

Oman’s gas production levels are set to surpass oil by 2023 thanks to an impressive surge in the development of gas fields in the sultanate, according to Rystad Energy, the independent energy research and consulting firm headquartered in Norway.“Gas is on the rise in the Arab country on the southeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia, and this transition is very timely. Oil output declines over the last two years may indicate a point of no return for Omani oil, but the country’s sliding oil production is set to be replaced by gas,” said Rystad Energy analyst Aditya Saraswat.At peak production in 2016, Oman’s oil output reached 900…

18 Jul 2017

IMO for Implementing the Sustainable Development Goals

International Maritime Organization (IMO) has a key role in implementing a number of UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which relate directly or indirectly to the oceans, protection of the environment and the maritime industry. How to support the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and implement the UN SDGS is therefore a key theme which underpins the work of IMO's Technical Co-operation Committee, which oversees IMO's integrated technical co-operation programme (ITCP). The Committee is meeting for its 67th session (17-19 July). The Committee will be invited to approve the proposed ITCP for 2018-2019, which includes 10 global programmes.

09 Sep 2015

Maersk Cuts 16% West Central Asia-Europe

Maersk Line, the container shipping unit in the A.P. Moller-Maersk group in Copenhagen, says it will cut about 16% of its capacity on the West Central Asia-Europe trade lane. "In our continuous effort to provide our customers with an attractive and competitive West Central Asia / Europe network - both in terms of capacity and coverage - Maersk Line is enhancing the ME1, ME2 and ME3 services and discontinuing the ME5 service with effect from October 2015," says a statement from the company. The closure of the ME5 will result in a capacity reduction corresponding to approximately 16 percent of our dedicated West Central Asia / Europe service capacity. The termination of the service will not impact our ability to serve our customers in the market that the ME5 covers.

29 Oct 2013

Iraqi Port of Basra Container Terminal Opens

NAWAH logo

NAWAH Port Management (NPM), a business unit of North America Western Asia Holdings (NAWAH), in partnership with the General Company for Ports of Iraq, has launched the first phase of a containerized terminal at Al Maqal Port, also known as the Port of Basra. The opening ceremony marked the completion of an essential yearlong phase for NAWAH and the modernization project for Al Maqal, culminating in the initiation of commercial operations at the newly containerized Berth 14. This…

29 Oct 2012

Thailand Proposes New Silk Road

Thailand at forefront of movement to build a 21st century network of land, sea and air routes to strengthen Asia. The Silk Road was a centuries-old network of linked trade routes across the Afro-Eurasian landmass that connected East, South and Western Asia with the Mediterranean and European world, as well as parts of North and East Africa. Thailand has been in the forefront of efforts to create new and better trade routes, proposing a concept paper on enhanced regional connectivity through the Asia Cooperation Dialogue (ACD) meetings held recently in Kuwait, reports the 'Bangkok Post'. In its proposal to the ACD meeting, the Thai government stressed that increased connectivity among member countries would not only bring them closer together physically…

03 Oct 2012

American Company to Modernize Historic Iraq Port

North America Western Asia Holdings (NAWAH) agrees to modernize Maqal Port, located in Basra’s urban center on the Shatt al Arab waterway. The formal agreement is between Iraq’s Ministry of Transportation, the General Company for the Ports of Iraq, and NAWAH. As part of the agreement, the American company will invest more than $14 million to bring both heavy-lift crane and container handling capabilities to the 93-year-old port. NAWAH will also build a modern container yard adjacent to the port’s berth 14. The company’s agreement with GCPI will extend 10 years. “The speed at which Iraq can rebuild and become prosperous is greatly dependent upon the capacity of its ports,” said Paul Brinkley, NAWAH’s president and CEO.

13 Nov 2003

World Seaborne Trade Set for Record Year

World seaborne trade rebounded in 2002 to 5.89 billion tons, exceeding the previous record set in 2000, reports UNCTAD´s Review of Maritime Transport 2003, released recently. The recovery in seaborne trade reflects the improved growth in world output and is expected to continue this year, amidst concern about the increased costs involved in implementing tougher security measures. The measures, which are being taken by the United States and by the International Maritime Organization (IMO), could also result in reduced cargo theft and faster cargo clearance. Because of expertise, equipment and other resources entailed in implementation, they might prove difficult for the poorer countries to comply with.

09 Mar 2006

TEN Buys 9 Tankers for $530M

TEN, the New York quoted Greek tanker company controlled by the Tsakos family, confirmed it has bought for nine ice class 1A tankers from Western Petroleum for $530 million. The fleet consists of six 53,000-dwt medium range chemical/products carriers delivered by Hyundai Mipo Dockyard last year and three 116,000-dwt coated aframax products carriers for delivery from Hyundai Heavy Industries in May August and October this year. The acquisitions would be financed with a mixture of corporate cash and bank debt. The handymax tankers which all fly the Bahamas flag are the Western Baltic, Western Pacific, Western Atlantic, Western Antarctic, Western Arctic and Western Icelandic. The six vessels are due for delivery to TEN in April.