Ashdod Port News

U.S. troops have begun construction of a maritime pier off the coast of Gaza that aims to speed the flow of humanitarian aid into the enclave when it becomes operational in May, the Pentagon said on Thursday.President Joe Biden announced the pier in March as aid officials implored Israel to ease access for relief supplies into Gaza over land routes. Whether the pier will ultimately succeed in boosting humanitarian aid is unclear, as international officials warn of the risk of…

A British Royal Navy ship will supply aid to Gaza as part of an international effort to help set up a new humanitarian maritime corridor in early May, the foreign office and ministry of defence said on Saturday.The multinational effort, involving the United States, Cyprus and other partners, will develop a new temporary pier off the coast of Gaza, British foreign minister David Cameron said."The situation in Gaza is dire and the prospect of famine is real. We remain committed to getting aid to those who so desperately need it…

Taiwanese container shipping line Evergreen has declared force majeure on a shipment to the Israeli port of Ashdod, with its Ever Cozy vessel diverted to Haifa further north due to safety concerns, according to a customer note.This is one of the first force majeures declared since Hamas Islamists launched attacks on Israel on Oct. 7, amid preparations by Israel's military to launch ground operations into Gaza in retaliation.The Ever Cozy was sailing towards Haifa port on Tuesday, according to data from ship tracking and maritime analytics provider MarineTraffic.Israel has vowed to annihilate Hamas Islamists after its fighters stormed through Israeli towns from Gaza…

The backlog of ships is growing at Israeli ports while operations continue at most terminals amid preparations by the military to launch a ground assault in the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip, according to data and sources.Israel has vowed to annihilate Hamas in retaliation for a rampage in which its fighters stormed through Israeli towns a week ago, shooting civilians and seizing scores of hostages in the worst attack on civilians in Israel's history.Israel has faced heavy rocket barrages including in the south of the country…

Activity at Israel's ports is slowing after Saturday's attacks by Islamist group Hamas on towns close to Gaza, with the cost of insurance premiums for Israeli shipments soaring amid tightening supplies of food stocks, according to sources and data.Israel's southern coastal city of Ashkelon, which has a small port well in range of Hamas rockets, is not allowing ships to enter, shipping sources said.While the main Israeli ports of Ashdod further up the coast and Haifa in the north…

Cyber-attacks on the maritime industry’s operational technology (OT) systems have increased by 900% over the last three years with the number of reported incidents set to reach record volumes by year end.Addressing port and terminal operators during an online forum last week, Robert Rizika, Naval Dome’s Boston-based Head of North American Operations, explained that in 2017 there were 50 significant OT hacks reported, increasing to 120 in 2018 and more than 310 last year. He said this year is looking like it will end with more than 500 major cyber security breaches…

Cargotec subsidiary Kalmar has supplied Ashdod Port Company, Israel with a total of eight Kalmar G generation medium forklifts and seven Kalmar Gloria reachstackers.The provider of cargo handling solutions and services to ports said that the order was booked in Cargotec’s 2018 Q3 order intake and delivery of all machines was completed during Q2 2019.Opened in 1956, Ashdod Port is Israel's largest marine port by cargo volume and is a major gateway for goods and cargo to and from the State of Israel. The port is located approximately 40 km from Tel Aviv and has excellent connections to major commercial centres and highways.Kalmar’s G generation forklifts feature the latest in fuel-efficient technology and offer low total cost of ownership.

Striking workers shut down Israel's two main ports, leaving dozens of cargo ships stranded on Thursday in protest against the creation of competing foreign-run docks.At least 17 ships were waiting to unload at Ashdod port, with another 14 lined up to come in.

Sanmar’s first VSP (Voith Schneider Propeller) tug, of the new VectRA 3000 series, named Arie A has been constructed for Italian operator Tripmare Spa of Trieste. The vessel has been delivered by a Redwise crew to Ashdod Port, located some 40 kilometers south of Tel Aviv where it will operate. Particular care and attention has been given to the ergonomics of the wheelhouse and the habitability of the crew accommodation, the builder said. VectRA 3000 series has been designed by the Canadian naval architects Robert Allan Ltd.

Israeli dockworkers ended a two-day strike on Thursday that had shut down the country's two main seaports in protest at the creation of new foreign-run ports. Some 2,400 workers had walked out of the ports of Ashdod and Haifa as union leaders went underground and for most of Thursday defied orders from labour courts to return to their posts. Some 40 ships were left waiting to be unloaded. Israel's transport minister had threatened to declare a state of emergency and the workers could have faced criminal charges, before both port workers' unions agreed to end the strike.

The Israeli Government will privatize its two main ports, Ashdod and Haifa in 2015 and 2016 respectively. The plans were proposed by the Finance Ministry and have been approved by the Prime Minister. The Finance Ministry said the ports would be sold in a private sale, not on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange, either in stages or all at one time. Ori Yogev, who is officially the head of the Government Companies Authority, a unit of the finance ministry said that would not stand in the way of the government floating up to 49 percent of the Ashdod port - one of two main seaports on the Mediterranean coast - on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange (TASE) in November or December. The controlling stake will be sold in 2020.

A Chinese construction firm began work on a new Mediterranean port in Israel on Tuesday, prompting a strike at Haifa docks further up the coast where the workers oppose the new competition. Israel's government, looking to break up the monopoly of two state-owned ports in Haifa and Ashdod through which nearly all exports and imports pass, recently approved creating private ports adjacent to the current ones. The move, it says, will bring down the cost of goods across the board. A subsidiary of China Harbour Engineering Co is building the 3.3 billion shekel ($876 million) port in Ashdod, which is due to be completed in 2020. The port's operator has not been chosen and the contract for Haifa has yet to be awarded.

Workers at Israel's state-owned Haifa Port ended their strike on Tuesday, a day after they walked off the job in protest at a government plan to build private, competing ports. A spokesman for the Chamber of Shipping said the port workers returned after Israel's labour court ruled that the parties must hold talks over their employment conditions. Nearly all of Israel's exports and imports are transported by ship, making the port workers' unions among the most powerful in the country. Monday's stoppage caused disruption, with about 20 ships queuing to unload and a long line of trucks forming outside the port, waiting to transport goods. Tensions have been high in recent years over government plans to open two privately run ports along the Mediterranean next to Ashdod in the south and Haifa.

Workers at a major Israeli seaport in the southern city of Ashdod suspended operations on Tuesday following heavy rocket fire from the nearby Gaza Strip. Violence has flared in recent days across the Israel-Gaza border, and the Israeli military said on Tuesday its Iron Dome defense system shot down four Palestinian rockets in the skies above Ashdod, about 25 km (15 miles) up the coast from Gaza. The Ashdod port, which is notorious for labor unrest, said in a statement that the head of the labor union instructed workers to leave their posts "without permission and without letting anyone know". A spokesman said the piers were completely shut down and the port called on workers to return to their jobs.

The members of the G6 Alliance have decided to modify their network between the Far East and the Black Sea effective from week 36. The last sailing for the ABX service will be “MOL Performance” (ETA Ningbo on August 30). All port coverage will be maintained by a new dedicated feeder service with a connection via Port Said that will be added to the Loop 4 of the G6 Alliance. The G6 Alliance’s Mediterranean service, EUM, will also provide a connection to the newly deployed Black Sea feeder through the existing Port Said call. The rotation of the feeder service will be: Port Said – Ashdod – Istanbul – Constanza – Odessa – Istanbul – Ashdod – Port Said. The weekly service will provide a seamless coverage of the Black Sea with two vessels of approximately 3,000 TEU.

Members of the G6 Alliance announced today that their groundbreaking cooperation in Asia-Europe container shipping will begin operation in the first week of March – one month ahead of schedule. “We are eager to roll out our competitive products to benefit customers by offering a comprehensive and increased coverage of 40 ports in the Asia-Europe market with more sailing frequency,” the members said in a statement. The G6 Alliance, serving the Asia-to-Europe-and-Mediterranean market was announced last December. The G6 Alliance members are the carriers in the Grand Alliance and New World Alliance: APL, Hapag-Lloyd AG, Hyundai Merchant Marine, Mitsui O.S.K Lines, Nippon Yusen Kaisha and Orient Overseas Container Line.

According to port2port.com, Israel Ports Development & Assets Company Ltd. (IPC) and Ashdod Port Co. launched last week a new fast patrol boat at the port which intends to beef up security in and around the port.The boat which was purchased by IPC and operated by the port of Ashdod is identical to the type purchased by the Israeli naval defense forces. Yiftah Ron-Tal, Chairman of Israel Ports Development & Assets Company Ltd. (IPC), said in the launching ceremony that IPC considers ports security as a strategic element to Israel's security and would take all necessary steps to strengthen Ashdod port security. He added that in 2008 further investment, some NIS 40 million, would be made to strengthen the port area and its surroundings. Ashdod Port Co. CEO, Mr.