Port Sudan News

The United States has sent a Navy ship to Sudan to help evacuate American citizens who have been stranded in the country since fighting broke out earlier this month, two U.S. officials told Reuters.The officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said the USNS Brunswick, a fast-transport vessel, was in Port Sudan temporarily. One of the officials said hundreds of citizens are likely to be evacuated on the vessel.(Reuters - Reporting by Idrees Ali, Editing by Nick Zieminski)

London’s marine insurance market added Sudan to its of areas deemed high risk this week amid further fighting in the conflict-ridden African country, according to an advisory note.The addition of Sudan to the high risk list will mean that any ships sailing into the country will need to pay an additional war risk premium and also seek approval from their insurer.Advisory notes from the Joint War Committee, which comprises syndicate members from the Lloyd’s Market Association and representatives from the London insurance company market…

A blockade of Sudan's main Red Sea port by a local tribal group and threats of more disruptions have hurt efforts to lift the country out of economic crisis and could push trade flows to another regional route, officials and shipping executives say.Several shipping firms were forced to pause bookings via Port Sudan, the African nation's main international trade gateway that generates vital revenue for the cash-strapped state that is trying to recover from three years of political turmoil.The port…

A U.S. naval destroyer docked on Sudan’s Red Sea coast on Monday in the latest sign of thawing relations with the United States, a day after a visit by a Russian frigate.The visits are a sign of international competition for influence in Sudan, which sits in a volatile region bridging the Horn of Africa, the Gulf, and North Africa, following the 2019 overthrow of long-time ruler Omar al-Bashir.Some 300 marines standing at attention aboard the USS Winston S. Churchill were greeted by a Sudanese military band in Port Sudan…

President Vladimir Putin on Monday approved the creation of a Russian naval facility in Sudan capable of mooring nuclear-powered surface vessels, clearing the way for Moscow’s first substantial military foothold in Africa since the Soviet fall.The new facility, earmarked to be built in the vicinity of Port Sudan, will be capable of accommodating up to 300 military and civilian personnel and improve Russia’s ability to operate in the Indian Ocean, expanding its influence in Africa.Putin presided over a flagship Russia-Africa summit last year…

Protesters blocked Port Sudan's container terminal and a road between the eastern city and the capital Khartoum on Sunday to protest against a peace deal signed by the government and groups from across the country, a union official and residents said.The deal, ratified on Saturday in the South Sudanese capital, Juba, was focused on resolving conflicts in the western Darfur region and southern states of Blue Nile and South Kordofan.Groups from other regions also signed, but some in the east say the two factions that participated in the "eastern track" of the peace process do not represent polit

Sudan's military rulers on Tuesday suspended a contract with Philippine port operator International Container Terminal Services Inc pending its cancellation, the country's Transitional Military Council said in a statement.Workers at Port Sudan's southern container terminal went on strike in February to protest against a 20-year concession signed in January to operate, manage and develop the South Port Container Terminal at Port Sudan.Reporting by Khalid Abdelaziz

Ethiopia and Sudan have agreed on a deal that will allow the Horn of Africa nation to take a stake of Port Sudan, Ethiopia's Foreign Ministry said on Thursday.The deal was reached on Thursday in Khartoum in a meeting between Ethiopia's Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir."The leaders of both countries agreed to develop Port Sudan together," said Meles Alem, spokesman of Ethiopia's Foreign Ministry. "This deal entails that Ethiopia will be a shareholder as well," he told Reuters.(Writing by Omar Mohammed Editing by Alexandra Hudson)

Pacific International Lines (PIL), Singapore’s leading containership operator, announces two upgraded weekly services on the Far East – Red Sea service route. Done in collaboration with Ocean Alliance, the routes named RSS and RES will commence operations in March 2018, superseding the current three services RSS, RS3 and RS5. The route will be operated with a series of 17 x 11,000 to 14,000TEU vessels including its latest newbuilds, the 11,923TEU P Class in the service. The highly efficient and versatile P Class were purpose-built for Red Sea, with a ballast water treatment system fitted onboard and various energy saving measures implemented in its design. The enhanced Red Sea service will extensively cover North Asia and South East Asia with direct connections to the main Red Sea markets.

Members of the OCEAN ALLIANCE, COSCO Container Lines, CMA CGM, Evergreen Line and Orient Overseas Container Line,  signed a document entitled the Day One Product, which sets out the proposed OCEAN ALLIANCE’s network, including port rotation for each service loop. The Day One network intends to deploy around 350 container vessels with an estimated total carrying capacity of 3.5 million TEUs to provide one of the most comprehensive service coverage in the market on the following trade lanes. The vessel deployment details for each service loop, will be released around end of this November. 20 Transpacific services (estimated 160 port pairs, with 13 Asia - West Coast North America services, 7 Asia - East Coast North America and U.S.

The Mawingu Express, Maersk Line's direct service from India to Kenya, offers the fastest transit times in the market and better port coverage to bring business closer to East Africa. "Through our global connections coupled with superior customer care and market expertise, we serve as the perfect partner to realise your business ambitions in the region," says a statement from the company. • Mombasa - Benefit from our direct service the Mawingu Express which has the   fastest transit time. • Dar es Salaam - We load on the Mawingu Express and then do an easy transhipment in Salalah via our Masika Service with competitive transit times. • Port Sudan and Djibouti – We do transhipments in Jebel Ali or Jeddah and connect to our dedicated Horn of Africa Service.

The Mawingu Express, Maersk Line's direct service from India to Kenya, offers the fastest transit times in the market and better port coverage to bring clients closer to East Africa, claims the company. "Through our global connections coupled with superior customer care and market expertise, we serve as the perfect partner to realise your business ambitions in key markets in East Africa faster than ever before," says the statement. • Mombasa - Benefit from our direct service the Mawingu Express which has the   fastest transit time. • Dar es Salaam - We load on the Mawingu Express and then do an easy transhipment in Salalah via our Masika Service with competitive transit times.

Ethiopia is to start using the Port of Berbera of Somaliland this month on an agreement reached between the two countries on January 29, 2015, while the use of Port Sudan has started by the importation of 50,000tn of fertilizer. Ethiopia is distributes its cargo among neighboring countries’ ports as the country needs alternative ports aside that of Djibouti. Workeneh Gebeyehu, Minister for Transport, said, “Five to 10pc of the country’s imports are planned to come through the port of Berbera, and we will be looking for proper ports for different areas of the country.” “But the Port of Djibouti continues to be the major one,” he added. Ethiopia had expressed its dependence on Port Djibouti as a concern when it issued a one billion dollar sovereign bond in October 2014.

Wilhelmsen Ships Service (WSS) has appointed Brendon Hawley as its new Regional Operations Manager for Asia Pacific. Based in Jakarta, Indonesia, he will be responsible for all operations throughout Indonesia reporting to GM  Cato Nordskog. Hawley said: “I am very much looking forward to becoming part of the Wilhelmsen Ships Service team within Asia Pacific and am excited about the challenges ahead. The region is one of growth and expansion and I am starting my role at a key time…

In the early morning of April 8, the General Cargo ship MV Susan K was pirated approximately 200 nautical miles North-East of Salalah, Oman; a location only 35 nautical miles from the Omani coastline. The vessel was attacked and boarded by at least 10 pirates although exact details of the attack are not known at this time. The Antigua & Barbuda flagged and German owned vessel was on its way to Port Sudan (Sudan) from Mumbai (India) when it was attacked. The MV Susan K has a crew of 10 (4 Ukraine and 6 Filipino). There is no further information about the crew at present.

On April 14, United States flag merchant vessel M/V Liberty Sun and its crew, operated by American shipping company Liberty Maritime Corporation of Lake Success, New York, was attacked by Somali pirates. The pirates fired rocket propelled grenades and automatic weapons at the vessel which sustained damage. Liberty Maritime immediately requested the assistance of the United States Navy which dispatched forces to assist and protect the crew and the vessel. The Liberty Sun was on a voyage enroute to Mombasa, Kenya from Houston, Texas carrying American food aid cargo for African nations suffering from famine. Earlier last week, the vessel…

In March 2004 the Damen Stan Tug 4511 Al Salaam was delivered from Damen Shipyards Galatz to the Owner’s Sea Ports Corporation (S.P.C.) Sudan. The Damen Stan Tug 4511 is the latest member of the Damen Stan Tug series. In 2003 two shorter versions, the Stan Tugs 4011, where delivered to an Owner in the Middle East. Al Salaam will operate at the Beshair SBM terminal south of Port Sudan, where it’s basic functions will be towing, berthing, fire fighting and pollution control. The tug is classified by Lloyd's Register of Shipping for Unrestricted Service.