Rupert News

Dock workers in western Canada voted to accept an improved labor contract after a month-long dispute that affected trade and disrupted operations at the country's busiest ports, their union said on Friday.The vote was 74.66% in favor of the terms of the settlement, the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) said in a statement.Disagreements in contract negotiations have disrupted billions of dollars in trade, raising concerns about fueling inflation.The union provisionally agreed to a new contract on Sunday…

Dock workers on Canada's West Coast and their employers said they reached a new labor agreement, averting an immediate strike, as they sought to end a dispute that has disrupted operations at the country's busiest ports.The International Longshore and Warehouse Canada Union (ILWU) and the British Columbia Maritime Employers Association (BCMEA) are recommending the ratification of the deal, they said in a joint statement late on Sunday.

According to Xeneta’s Shipping Index (XSI), global long-term shipping rates sank to a two-year low in July, falling 9.5% since June, plummetting 57.8% since the same period in 2022. And just as rates hit a fresh low, the bad news for carriers could continue for some time as June saw the highest ever monthly deliveries of new ships, with more than 300,000 TEU of capacity from a total of 40 new ships added to the market. In the first six months of the year, a total of 990,000 TEU was delivered…

The Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB), a federal watchdog, ruled on Wednesday that the Pacific coast dock workers' strike must end because their union did not provide the required 72-hour notice before the walkout."This strike is illegal," Labour Minister Seamus O'Regan said on Twitter after the ruling.

Dock workers at ports along Canada's Pacific coast rejected a tentative four-year wage deal agreed with their employers last week and returned to the picket line, the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) said on Tuesday.The ILWU represents some 7,500 dock workers, who walked off the job on July 1 after failing to reach a new work contract with the British Columbia Maritime Employers Association (BCMEA), which represents the companies involved.In a statement released Tuesday afternoon…

The world's biggest fertilizer producer Nutrien Ltd cut production on Tuesday, citing the impact of an 11-day-old strike in Canada's Pacific ports whose cost has now ballooned to an estimated C$5.5 billion ($4.2 billion).Some 7,500 dock workers represented by the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) walked off on July 1 after failing to agree a new wage deal with the British Columbia Maritime Employers Association (BCMEA).The union says the BCMEA is refusing to give a fair pay increase despite making billions of dollars in profits in recent years.

Talks in Pacific Canada between striking dock workers and their employers have resumed after four days away from the negotiation table, a statement on Saturday by the British Columbia Maritime Employers Association (BCMEA) showed.The BCMEA and the International Longshore and Warehouse Union Canada (ILWU Canada) met on Saturday, supported by federal mediators, the statement said. The talks had stalled on Tuesday and the two sides broke off negotiations.Some 7,500 port workers went on strike on July 1 for higher wages…

A new study from consultancy Arup demonstrates the benefits that Canada could obtain from investing in infrastructure that would enable the uptake of low and zero emissions shipping fuels.The Canadian Green Shipping Corridor Assessment was commissioned by Oceans North, a charity that supports marine conservation and climate action in partnership with Indigenous and coastal communities, and the Vancouver Maritime Centre for Climate. Using case studies, it shows how investing in…

The United States has approved a possible $120 million sale of parts to help Taiwan maintain its warships, which the island's defense ministry said would help ensure combat readiness in the face of China's "frequent activities" near the island.The U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency said it had delivered the required certification notifying Congress following State Department approval for the sale, which was requested by Taiwan's de facto embassy in Washington.It said the sale covered unclassified spare and repair parts for ships and ship systems, logistical technical assistance, and U.S.

SAAM Towage Canada and Coast Tsimshian Enterprises Ltd. have signed a strategic alliance agreement covering access to education, training, employment and towing services.The agreement is effective immediately. Through this long-term alliance, SAAM Towage Canada will provide towage, ship-docking and ship escort services within the traditional territory of the Coast Tsimshian, including the Port of Prince Rupert and Port Edward. Additionally, the alliance will establish long-term sustainable benefits for Lax Kw’alaams and the Metlakatla First Nation and provide access to education…

On September 18, Portland Port held the official naming ceremony of the newest tug to enter the fleet, the Rupert Best.It was announced earlier this year that the new tug would be arriving at Portland Port following its construction in 2019. The tug was built in Turkey to a Robert Allen design, the Sanmar Sirapinar class ‘RAmparts 2200’ azimuth stern drive tug will improve and help support the port’s ability to welcome larger vessels.The multimillion-dollar tug entered service earlier this year shortly after the passing of Commander Best.

The development and construction of multimission vessels (MMVs) remains active across the maritime market.The ability to perform multiple tasks when those different duties are needed is central to an MMV’s value. Multimission capabilities mean that an expensive asset doesn’t sit idle when it isn’t being used for a singular purpose, such as firefighting. This is particularly important for public sector officials who have to weigh costs and benefits across a wide range of demands…

Portland Port in the U.K. said it has taken delivery of new tug Rupert Best.Built in Turkey in 2019 to a Robert Allan Ltd. design, the Sanmar Sirapinar class ‘RAmparts 2200’ azimuth stern drive tug will increase and help support the port’s ability to welcome larger vessels. The tug has a bollard pull of 50t and her two Caterpillar engines deliver a total of 3,000 kw. The port's harbor master and general manager – marine, Captain Mike Shipley said, "We have been planning this purchase for a while, so it was a great day when she arrived in the port.

Mobile satellite communications company Inmarsat confirmed commercial service introduction (CSI) of its newest, most powerful geostationary satellite to date. GX5 is the 14th satellite currently in service with Inmarsat and provides additional capacity to Europe and the Middle East on the Fleet Xpress (GX) Ka-band high-speed satellite broadband service designed for the maritime industry.The satellite, launched in November 2019, delivers approximately double the combined capacity of the entire existing GX fleet (GX1-GX4).

Dubai-based port operator DP World announced it has completed the acquisition of Fraser Surrey Docks in Canada from Macquarie Infrastructure Partners (MIP) alongside its partner Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (CDPQ).The enabler of global trade said in a press release that said the acquisition complements its footprint in Canada, which also includes terminal operations in Vancouver, Nanaimo, Prince Rupert and St John’s, without disclosing the value of the purchase.The integrated coast-to-coast platform provides customers with bulk, breakbulk and general cargo services.DP World's global strategy is to become a trade enabler and solutions provider as the company looks to participate across a wider part of the supply chain.

A Canadian company has loaded a test cargo of solid bitumen onto a vessel destined for a refinery in China, the latest effort by the energy industry to avoid congested export pipelines and find new ways to export more oil sands crude.Calgary, Alberta-based Melius Energy loaded 130 barrels of neat bitumen, similar in consistency to a hockey puck, onto a 20-foot shipping container in Edmonton, Alberta, and transported it by rail to the Port of Prince Rupert in northern British Columbia.

Canada's Port of Prince Rupert, and DP World Prince Rupert announced a new weekly marine carrier service at the Fairview Container Terminal.ZIM Integrated Shipping Services (ZIM) partnered with the 2M Alliance and has added Prince Rupert as one of their port destinations.With a global reach to over 100 countries, the new ZIM service has made its inaugural call at the Port of Prince Rupert on Wednesday, March 27, 2019 with the arrival of ZIM containers on the Maersk Altair vessel.“The Prince Rupert Port Authority is proud to welcome ZIM. The addition of ZIM to the Port of Prince Rupert further validates the Prince Rupert advantages of speed, reliability and reach.

Trade in counterfeit and pirated goods, mostly originated in China, has risen steadily, posing a major challenge in an innovation-driven global economy, revealed a new study.Trade in counterfeit and pirated goods has risen steadily in the last few years – even as overall trade volumes stagnated – and now stands at 3.3% of global trade, according to a new report by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the EU’s Intellectual Property Office.Trends in Trade in Counterfeit and Pirated Goods puts the value of imported fake goods worldwide based on 2016 customs seizure data at USD 509 billion, up from USD 461 billion in 2013 (2.5% of world trade).For the European Union, counterfeit trade represented 6.8% of imports from non-EU countries, up from 5% in 2013.

Reliable performance was a prime prerequisite for the new transporter recently built for the Gitga’at First Nation community located in a remote region of northwest British Columbia.That’s one of the main reasons why Volvo Penta diesels were specified for the new boat.The new 55-ft. aluminum transporter, built in the Adrenalin Marine shipyard in Delta, British Columbia, is powered by a pair of Volvo Penta 13-liter 700 hp diesels. The engines were supplied by Surrey-based Cullen Diesel Power Ltd…

Canadian National Railway (CN) and Taiwanese container transportation and shipping company Evergreen Line announced that their long-standing relationship of 27 years will continue with a new agreement extending their intermodal partnership.Evergreen and CN have long enjoyed a mutually beneficial partnership, with Evergreen calling at CN served ports such as Vancouver, Prince Rupert, and Halifax. This new agreement furthers the privileged relationship between both companies.“We are pleased to be renewing our partnership with CN,” said Roy Amalfitano, Vice Chairman of Evergreen Shipping Agency (America) Corporation, the general agency of Evergreen Line for North America.“After nearly three decades of close collaboration…

Canadian National Railway (CN) announced that COSCO Shipping has chosen CN to be the exclusive rail provider for the Chinese state-owned shipping company's discharge at the Ports of Vancouver, Prince Rupert, Montreal, and Halifax to all currently served CN destinations.“We are proud that CN’s supply chain logistics and focus on growth has earned the continued trust of COSCO shipping’s business,” said Keith Reardon, senior vice-president of consumer product supply chain at CN.“This is yet another strategic contract signed recently. By choosing CN to service all inland destinations on the network, COSCO will be well positioned to benefit from a unique tri-coastal access.

SAAM SMIT Canada Inc. (SST Canada) held a blessing ceremony for a new RAstar 3200-W escort tug named SST Tsimshian Warrior built by Turkey’s UZMAR Shipyard.This new Robert Allan Ltd. designed tug brings formidable capabilities to the west coast of British Columbia, Canada.Principally intended to serve AltaGas’ newly opened LPG terminal, the SST Tsimshian Warrior is both the most powerful tug of its kind on the coast, as well as the most environmentally friendly in Canada.With an IMO Tier III compliant exhaust after-treatment system, a first on a tug in Canada and pioneering in the world as well, the tug’s emissions of NOx, SOx, and particulate matter are dramatically reduced from levels seen on even the most recent generation of tugboats.Powered by CAT 3516E engines each producing 2…

North American energy infrastructure company energy infrastructure company AltaGas celebrated the grand opening of its Ridley Island Propane Export Terminal (RIPET), located in Prince Rupert, British Columbia – the first marine export facility for propane in Canada.The facility began introducing propane feedstock in mid-April, and the first shipment departed the terminal on May 23, 2019 bound for Asia."The completion of this game-changing project and the shipment of our first cargo are historic milestones for AltaGas, as well as for our project partners, customers, local Indigenous Peoples, surrounding communities, and western Canada's upstream energy sector…