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State Port News

03 Jan 2024

Jonathan Daniels to Lead Port of Baltimore

Jonathan Daniels (Photo: Maryland Department of Transportation)

Maryland Transportation Secretary Paul J. Wiedefeld has announced Jonathan Daniels as the new executive director of the Maryland Department of Transportation’s Maryland Port Administration. Daniels comes to Maryland after serving as chief executive officer and director at Port Everglades in Broward County, Fla., and has more than 30 years of port and economic development experience.Daniels will begin in his new position February 5, taking over from Brian Miller, who has been serving…

17 Apr 2023

Shell Launches Its First Electric Ferry at Singapore Plant

Artist’s impression of the electric ferry (Photo credit: Incat Crowther UK)

Shell Plc on Monday launched its first electric ferry globally at its Singapore refinery and said it would work with the city-state's port authority to cut emissions from ships.The move is a step towards meeting the Singapore port authority's rule that all new harbour craft operating in its waters should be electric or run on biofuels or net-zero fuels from 2030.Shell Eastern Trading has agreed to work with the port authority to develop charging infrastructure for electric harbor craft and conduct research and development for low and zero-carbon fuels over five years…

16 Sep 2021

Port of Mobile Reports Record Growth

APM Terminals Mobile took delivery August 26, 2021 of two rubber tire gantry cranes to support growth at the port’s intermodal container transfer facility. (Photo: Port of Mobile)

Containerized cargo volumes through Alabama's Port of Mobile continue to climb in 2021 as shippers seek uncongested gateways servicing key North American markets. In August, container volumes increased 34% over August 2020 volume, while year-to-date volume posted 27% over the same period last year, the port said Thursday, attributing part of that success to a 37% increase in refrigerated containers due to nearly $74 million in refrigerated facilities investment at the port to support cold cargo supply chains.

12 Apr 2021

A Favorable Fetch for US Offshore Wind

© Fokke / Adobe Stock

Offshore wind caught a favorable gust with the 2020 election of Joe Biden, and the following breeze from the early 2021 reconfiguration of the U.S. Senate toward Democrats. Though widely touted as a growth engine for maritime businesses (as well as shoreside trades), the latter years of the Trump administration seemed to see delay after delay.The class society DNV has been involved in offshore wind since its outset in the early 1990s, and now has 2,000 energy experts working in its efforts supporting this power source.

09 Apr 2021

Port of Gulfport Names Nass CEO

Jon Nass (Photo: Port of Gulfport)

The Mississippi State Port Authority (MSPA) Board of Commissioners has named Jon Nass the new CEO and executive director of the Port of Gulfport, following a national search led by Tim McNamara, head of Odgers Berndtson’s Transportation and Infrastructure Practice in Washington, D.C. His tentative start date is June 1.“After nearly an eight-month process, the MSPA Commission is very pleased to announce we have selected a new executive director to lead the Port of Gulfport team,” said MSPA President E.J. Roberts.

01 Mar 2021

Car Carrier Helios Ray in Dubai for Assessment After Explosion

An Israeli-owned ship hit by an explosion in the Gulf of Oman strategic waterway has arrived at a port in Dubai, where is it is due to be assessed in dry dock.The MV Helios Ray, a vehicle-carrier ship, was hit overnight between Thursday and Friday by a blast above the water line that a U.S. defence official said ripped holes in both sides of its hull.Israel’s defense minister on Saturday said that an initial assessment had found that Iran was responsible for the explosion. There was no immediate comment from Iranian officials.The blue and white ship is now berthed in Dubai’s Port Rashid, having sailed from its position off the coast of Omani capital Muscat…

17 Sep 2020

Singapore Holds Key Role in Maritime Decarbonization

Singapore Transport Minister Ong Ye Kung

Singapore, which counts decarbonization among its top priorities, holds a key role in the maritime industry's push toward environmental sustainability, the nation's transport minister Ong Ye Kung said Thursday during the Future of Shipping Webinar on Decarbonization.One-third of world trade funnels through the narrow Straits of Malacca and Singapore, giving the small city state prominence and influence as the world's most important shipping hub."Being so dependent on the maritime economy as a city state…

16 Sep 2020

GLDD Reports $118.8 Million in New Dredging Contracts

(Photo: Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Corporation)

Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Corporation has secured several major dredging awards totaling $118.8 million, the U.S.' largest dredging services provider announced on Wednesday.The awarded deepening, coastal protection, and maintenance dredging work includes projects in South Carolina, North Carolina, Texas, Mississippi, Louisiana and New York.The Post 45 Contract 4 Charleston Lower Harbor New Work Dredging Project (Capital, S.C., $52.9 million) consists of maintenance and new work dredging of material from the Charleston Lower Harbor to Hugh Leatherman Terminal.

26 Jul 2020

US Ports Seek COVID-19 Relief

© Christopher Boswell / Adobe Stock

America’s port authorities are advocating for relief to manage the “extremely negative impacts” on the seaport industry brought on by the coronavirus pandemic as U.S. policymakers begin negotiations on the next COVID-19 aid package.Among the port leaders’ advocacy efforts are letters sent Friday to U.S. House, Senate and Administration leaders, urging them to provide $1.5 billion for seaports to cover business-critical expenses that ports have incurred due to COVID-19. The letters…

22 Jun 2020

Port of Mobile to be Deepened to 50 Feet

Col. Sebastien Joly and John Driscoll sign project agreement to take the Port of Mobile to 50 ft. draft (Photo: Alabama Port Authority)

The State of Alabama and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers entered into the Project Partnership Agreement twio deepen and widen the Port of Mobile to 50 feet in late 2024 or early 2025.Colonel Sebastien P. Joly, Commander of the Mobile District, and John C. Driscoll, Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Alabama State Port Authority, signed the agreement, which allows the Corps of Engineers will move into contracting and construction phases of the approximately $365.7 million project…

12 Jun 2020

Brandes to Lead Port of Oakland

(Photo: Port of Oakland)

Longtime shipping industry executive Bryan Brandes has been named Maritime Director at the Port of Oakland. The port said today he was selected following a nationwide search. Brandes, a 25-year maritime veteran, replaces John Driscoll who left to manage the Alabama State Port Authority.Brandes will lead a staff of 20 responsible for one of the nation’s 10 largest container seaports. Oakland’s Maritime Director oversees everything from facilities management to real estate negotiations.“Bryan is coming in at a crucial time for us and we’re eager to put his skill and industry experience to work…

14 Apr 2020

Port Improvements Continue in Mobile

(Photo: APM Terminals)

The Alabama Port Authority completed its 400-foot container dock extension at the APM Terminals Mobile facility on March 20, and three days later, the terminal for the first time simultaneously handled two containerships at the newly expanded berth.Part of Alabama’s seaport modernization program to accommodate larger vessels, the berth extension enables two x 8,000-10,000 TEU be handled simultaneously. The quay extension was part of a $50 million Phase 3 expansion that increased…

20 Aug 2019

Guidance on 0.50% Sulphur Marine Fuel

Photo: CIMAC

A number of shipping, refining, fuel supply and standards organisations have worked together to produce Joint Industry Guidance on the supply and use of 0.50% - sulphur marine fuel released on August 20, 2019.The publication has been developed by experts from across shipping, refining, supply and testing of marine fuels.The publication is designed to provide guidance for stakeholders across the marine fuels and shipping industries, from fuel blenders and suppliers to end users. It presents the specific safety and operational issues relating to the supply and use of max.

02 Jul 2019

ClassNK Releases Annual PSC Report

Classification society ClassNK has released its annual report on Port State Control. The report aims to assist ship operators and management companies in maintaining compliant operations by providing information about ships detained by PSC as well as deficiencies that were found on board from many port states in 2018.In line with the International Safety Management (ISM) Code, PSC inspections ensure that vessels departing the port meet international standards and have proved to be highly effective in eliminating substandard ships that are in operation.

26 Jun 2019

ASPA Names Clark as Deputy Director

The Alabama State Port Authority (ASPA) announced that maritime executive Richard T. Clark will be its new deputy director.James K. Lyons, director and chief executive officer of the ASPA said that the appointment is effective July 16, 2019.“We conducted a nationwide search with one of the country’s premier maritime and port industry recruiting firms and the Port Authority received resumes from quite a few qualified candidates,” said Lyons. “Clark stood out amongst all the applicants and was selected for this position. We look forward to Rick joining the Port Authority team.”Clark, with over 30 years of maritime industry experience, began his career at Cooper T. Smith in New Orleans before joining Puerto Rico Marine Management, Inc.

19 Sep 2018

Gulftainer Signs 50-year Lease for Port of Wilmington

Gulftainer, the world’s largest privately-owned independent port operator and logistics company based in the United Arab Emirates, finalized a 50-year concession agreement with the state of Delaware to operate and develop the Port of Wilmington, significantly expanding the company’s global footprint and reach.The agreement, signed by Gulftainer’s subsidiary GT USA, will see an expected investment of up to $600 million in the port to upgrade and expand the terminal and to turn it into one of the largest facilities of its kind on the Eastern Seaboard.The port deal represents the largest operation ever run by a UAE company in the United States, as well as the largest investment ever by a private UAE company in the country.At a public signing ceremony held in Wilmington, Gov.

27 Jun 2018

ClassNK Releases Annual Report on Port State Control

Leading classification society ClassNK has released its annual report on Port State Control. The report aims to assist ship operators and management companies in maintaining compliant operations by providing information about ships detained by PSC as well as deficiencies that were found on board from many port states in 2017. In line with the International Safety Management (ISM) Code, PSC inspections ensure that vessels departing the port meet international standards and have proved to be highly effective in eliminating substandard ships that are in operation. They oversee not only the hardware of a ship, but also the software by examining the maintenance and operation methods being used.

18 Apr 2018

New Ro/Ro Facility Coming to Alabama

Plans are in motion to develop a new vehicle processing roll-on/roll-off (RO/RO) facility at Alabama’s Port of Mobile in the U.S.Today in Buenos Aires, Argentina, the Alabama State Port Authority signed a Memorandum of Understanding with AutoMobile International Terminal, a joint venture of Terminal Zárate S.A. and SAAM Puertos S.A., to develop and operate the new $60 million facility, which is expected to be completed in 2019.The agreement marks a giant step forward in supporting automotive logistics in the Americas and abroad…

04 Feb 2017

Alabama Port Signs Agreement with Cuba

The Alabama State Port Authority has announced a new memorandum of understanding with the National Port Administration of Cuba, potentially laying the groundwork for future trade deals. The five-year, cooperative agreement  was signed at the Tampa Marriott Waterside Hotel in Tampa, Florida. Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Port of Mobile and the Cuban ports marks the first ports agreement signed on U.S. soil since 1959. James K. Lyons, chief executive officer of the Alabama State Port Authority and Rene Rolando Fernandez de Lara Cabezas, director of Inland Waterway and Sea Transport, of the Republic of Cuba Ministry of Transportation…

31 Mar 2017

APM Terminals Boosts Walmart Hub at Port of Mobile

APM Terminals Mobile welcomes Arkansas-based global retail giant Walmart’s plans for a new International Distribution Center to be opened 15 miles from the port. The sixth of Walmart’s US international distribution centers, the Irvington, Alabama facility will handle Walmart’s import cargoes destined for Walmart’s Regional Distribution Centers in the American South. The recently completed Panama Canal lock widening project will permit vessels of up to 13,000 TEU capacity to transit the canal, bringing larger vessels and new opportunities to the deep-water terminal strategically located on the US Gulf Coast. The APM Terminals Mobile terminal opened in September of 2008. With a depth of 45 feet, the facility is currently equipped with two STS cranes capable of a 19-row reach.

06 Jul 2017

ClassNK Publishes Annual Report on Port State Control

(U.S. Coast Guard photo by Valerie Walker)

ClassNK has released its annual report on Port State Control. The report aims to assist ship operators and management companies in maintaining compliant operations by providing information about ships detained by PSC as well as deficiencies that were found on board from many port states in 2016. PSC inspections ensure that vessels departing the port meet international standards and have proved to be highly effective in eliminating substandard ships that are in operation. They oversee not only the physical structures and components of a ship…

17 Jul 2017

The Strong and Silent Type

Derecktor Shipyard General Manager Micah Tucker and Project Manager Joe Goodspeed shaping the Keel for the first Harbor Harvest Hybrid.

Mapping and shaping the growth of marine hybrid means many things to different stakeholders. The journey leads us all to the same place. If you follow the advancements in automotive design, the term or tag “hybrid” has come to define the alternative energy movement on our roads and highways. HEV autos have moved past Ford and GM in Detroit and into the hands of contemporary entrepreneurs and inventors the likes of Tesla’s Evan Musk or Dr. Victor Wouk. BMW, Ferrari, Bentley and…

21 Dec 2017

Alabama, APM Invest in Port of Mobile

The Alabama State Port Authority (ASPA) and APM Terminals boards of directors in separate actions have approved a $49.5 million expansion of the container facility at the Port of Mobile. The Port Authority and APM Terminals jointly will deliver a Phase 3 expansion that includes a dock extension and an additional 20 acres of improved yard to maintain excess capacity to accommodate new business opportunities. When completed, the project will accommodate an annual throughput capacity of 650,000 TEU. “The Phase 3 expansion enables us to stay well ahead of the growth pattern we’ve seen in the Port of Mobile, as well as add dock space to support the growing vessel sizes that are coming to the terminal.