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City Council News

04 Jan 2024

Public Hearing Scheduled for Deadly Newark Ship Fire

New York City Fire Department personnel respond to a fire on the motor vessel Grande Costa D’Avorio in Port Newark, New Jersey, July 6, 2023. (Photo: Dan Henry / U.S. Coast Guard)

The U.S. Coast Guard and National Transportation Safety Board will conduct a formal public hearing this month to consider evidence related to a deadly fire that occurred aboard the Italian-flagged cargo vessel, Grande Costa D’Avorio, while docked at the Port of Newark, N.JThe hearing, slated to take place January 10-12 and 16-18 at the Union Township City Council Chambers in Union, N.J., will be open to the public, as well as broadcast live and recorded. It will focus on the condition of the Grande Costa D’Avorio prior to and at the time of the fire…

22 Jul 2023

Amsterdam Moves to Ban Cruise Ships

© NAN / Adobe Stock

Amsterdam took a first step toward banning large cruise liners under broader plans to reduce mass tourism and pollution, officials said on Friday.Once implemented, the measures adopted by the city council would bring the Dutch capital into line with other high-profile European cities, including Barcelona, Dubrovnik and Venice, that have already cut cruise liner numbers or are considering doing so.The council approved the proposed ban on Thursday. "The motivation ... was to reduce the number of tourists…

18 May 2023

NY Waterway to Restore Port Liberte Ferry Service

(Photo: City of Jersey City)

NY Waterway has been selected to provide ferry services five days a week on Jersey City’s southernmost coast in Greenville, N.J.Mayor Steven M. Fulop, Councilwoman Denise Ridley and the Department of Infrastructure announced a resolution awarding the contract for services out of the Port Liberte Ferry Terminal, which the City of Jersey City recently acquired.Additionally, utilizing $4 million in State grant funding, ferry fares to and from the Port Liberte terminal will be discounted…

15 Feb 2023

Aberdeen's James Hutton Institute Hosts Green Hydrogen Tech Start-Up sHYp

Jennie Morrison, director for sHYp BV in Scotland - Image supplied

Green hydrogen technology start-up sHYp has moved into offices and laboratory space at The James Hutton Institute in Aberdeen with plans to expand to five staff on site by summer.The move gives sHYp access to the institute’s specialist analytical equipment and expertise. This will help it develop what could be the first electrolyzer able to produce hydrogen from sea water without the need for desalination, which traditional electrolysis techniques need. According to sHYp, its technology…

13 Oct 2022

Theochari Named Chair of Belfast Maritime Consortium

Harry Theochari (Photo: Belfast Maritime Consortium)

Shipping and asset finance lawyer, Harry Theochari OBE, has been appointed as the new Chair of the Belfast Maritime Consortium.Theochari holds the position of Senior Consultant at global law firm Norton Rose Fulbright LLP. He is also current Chair Emeritus of Maritime UK, Chair of Maritime London, and esteemed member of the Institute of Maritime Law Advisory Board at the University of Southampton, and brings with him over thirty seven years’ experience in the maritime sector and…

15 Sep 2022

Inland Waterways Report: Columbia-Snake River System

(Photo: Tidewater Transportation and Terminals)

It’s amazing to consider that a commercial vessel in the Pacific Ocean, approaching the mouth of the Columbia River, can continue its eastward journey to finally tie up at the Port of Lewiston, in Lewiston, Idaho, America’s most inland West Coast port, 465 miles from the Pacific Ocean.The Columbia and Snake Rivers form that critical east-west waterway, an economic powerhouse regionally, nationally and internationally. According to the Pacific Northwest Waterways Association (PNWA)…

10 Sep 2020

Southampton Boat Shows Canceled On the Eve of Opening Day

(Photo: MDL Marinas)

Concurrent boat shows in Southampton U.K. have been called off Thursday on the eve of opening day over Southampton City Council'd coronavirus fears, organizers said.Organizers of BOATS2020 and the Ocean Village Boat Show expressed dismay as they announced the cancellations less than a day before Friday's scheduled opening. "At 6:34 p.m. on Thursday, September 10, on the eve of opening day, British Marine received the devastating news from Southampton City Council that the show could no longer go ahead due to the rising risk of COVID-19 and growing Government fears…

26 Jun 2020

Partners Aim to Build Zero-emissions Ferries in Belfast

(Image: Artemis Technologies)

A Belfast Maritime Consortium led by Artemis Technologies has won a £33 million ($41 million) U.K. government innovation grant to develop zero emissions ferries in Northern Ireland’s capital. With further investment from consortium partners, the total project investment will reach close to £60 million ($74.6 million) over the next four years, creating an initial 125 research and development jobs, and leading to more than 1,000 in the region over the next 10 years.The 13 partner syndicate—which is a mix of established and young companies…

07 Apr 2020

Duluth Seaway Port Authority Officers Elected

During its annual meeting held March 25, the Duluth Seaway Port Authority Board of Commissioners elected officers for the fiscal year beginning April 1, 2020.The board re-elected Rick Revoir to serve his second year as president. Other appointments included Tony Sertich as vice president, Patrick Boyle as secretary, Norm Voorhees as treasurer and Mike Jugovich as assistant treasurer. Together with fellow board members Ray Klosowski and Yvonne Prettner Solon, this septet oversees the Port Authority’s financial and organizational affairs.The Duluth Seaway Port Authority is governed by a seven-member board – two commissioners appointed by the state’s governor, two by the St. Louis County board, and three by the Duluth City Council.

18 Jun 2021

Staten Island Ferries: A "New York State of Mind"

The OLLIS Class: is a new class of vessels being built for Staten Island Ferries by Eastern Shipbuilding Group. Photos: Staten Island Ferries/ESG

It takes a thick skin to live in New York City, let alone to run its Staten Island Ferry service. James C. DeSimone, Deputy Commissioner, Ferry Division, New York City Department of Transportation, has been charged with running the ferry service for the last 16 years. We met with him for his insights on the challenges of keeping the iconic ferry running safely and efficiently.Jim DeSimone has led a maritime life, with his time equally split between the private and public sectors. His maritime affiliation is literally in his blood, as his father Guy J.

28 Jan 2020

Profiles in Training: Staten Island Ferries

James C. DeSimone, Deputy Commissioner, Ferry Division, New York City Department of Transportation. Photo: Greg Trauthwein

When James C. DeSimone, Deputy Commissioner, Ferry Division, New York City Department of Transportation, signed on to run the Staten Island Ferries in 2003, the organization was still in the aftermath of one of the most significant accidents in its history: the ferry Andrew J. Barberi allision of October 2003, an accident which included a number of fatalities and serious injuries. DeSimone, who had long-tenures in both the commercial and public end of the marine business, brought a unique perspective to the organization.“For the city to go outside the system to hire (me) was huge…

29 Nov 2019

Rotterdam Adopts Revised Port Vision

The city council of Rotterdam has adopted the revised Port Vision. The creation of economic and societal value and realizing sustainable growth form the core of the revised Port Vision.The revised Port Vision was approved by the Port of Rotterdam Authority’s Supervisory Board earlier this year. Now that the city council of Rotterdam has also adopted the revised Port Vision, this finally replaces Port Vision 2030, which dates from 2011.Allard Castelein, Port of Rotterdam Authority CEO said: "An intensive process has resulted in a fantastic and widely supported vision that focuses on further increasing the Port of Rotterdam’s leading position…

14 Nov 2019

Oakland Port Names Danny Wan as ED

Danny Wan, who has been the Port of Oakland’s interim executive director since July, is now  appointed to that role on a permanent basis.The Port’s governing Board selected Wan, who was was Port Attorney for six years earlier, at a special meeting on November 14. He replaces Chris Lytle who retired in July after six years at the helm in Oakland. The announcement caps a two-month, nationwide search."We're fortunate to have Danny as the Port's new chief executive - not only is he an experienced public professional, he is also a local leader with demonstrated commitment to the communities the Port serves," said Board President Ces Butner.Wan is a familiar figure in the Oakland community.

13 Sep 2019

Royal Boskalis Wins $93.7mln European Contracts

Dutch dredging and heavylift company Royal Boskalis Westminster  has been awarded two contracts worth 85 million euro ($93.7 million) combined for strengthening and protecting a stretch of seafront coastline from erosion in Romania and the United Kingdom.The global services provider operating in the dredging, maritime infrastructure and maritime services sectors said that has been awarded a contract by Portsmouth City Council to construct new sea defenses in Southsea near Portsmouth in the south of the United Kingdom.The project will be executed in joint venture with VolkerStevin and will provide flood protection to thousands of households…

29 May 2019

Brittany Ferries Extends Contract with Portsmouth

U.K.'s Portsmouth International Port's relationship with major European ferry operator, Brittany Ferries, has been strengthened following the announcement of an additional five years to a joint long-term agreement.This means Brittany Ferries is committed to Portsmouth until the end of 2031, during which time a further three ships will join the current fleet serving routes from the city. Alongside the Honfleur, Brittany Ferries' state-of-the-art environmentally friendly ship powered by Liquid Natural Gas (LNG), Galicia and Salamanca will both be based in Portsmouth from 2021.Additional ferries will increase freight numbers and holiday makers.

30 Apr 2019

WiseTech Global Acquires Xware

Global logistics software group, WiseTech Global has announced the acquisition of Xware, a messaging integration solutions provider in Sweden.Xware’s secure, interoperable messaging solution, xTrade, is designed to link organisations to their suppliers and partners, allowing them to safely share information across application to application, business to business, managed file transfers, business process management and IoT ̶  essential for real-time messaging, queued business flows and data integration. Xware products are also utilised in the integration of complex applications in specialised sectors such as defence. Xware customers include Swedish Armed Forces…

10 Apr 2019

Isle of Man Ferry Terminal in Liverpool Okayed

Construction of a new ferry terminal linking Liverpool with the Isle of Man has been approved by the city's council.The terminal, which will replace the current facility on the Pier Head, is set to be built on at Princes Half Tide Dock just north of the city centre. The facility is due to open in late 2020, subject to Tynwald approval of funding for the project.It will mean a ferry linking the island will continue to come to Liverpool , and is set to be run by the Steam Packet Company.The news has been welcomed by Chief Minister Howard Quayle MHK, who said: "Gaining planning consent is brilliant news, and the next step in delivering this vital project.

22 Feb 2019

Jaxport Hits Record Container Volumes in January

Jaxport, the port of Jacksonville, Florida, had its best ever January container volumes, with total container movements increasing 16 percent over the same period last year.Nearly 121,400 twenty-foot equivalent units (or TEUs, the industry standard for measuring containers) moved through JAXPORT in January 2019.The port’s Asian container volumes continue to show significant growth, up 17 percent year–to–date with nearly 164,000 TEUs moved so far in Fiscal Year 2019. JAXPORT’s fiscal year runs Oct. 1- Sept. 30. JAXPORT’s Asian trade has grown an average of 14 percent annually over the past five years.January was also a record month for the port’s auto business. Nearly 61,500 autos moved through JAXPORT in January 2019, a double-digit increase over the previous January.

30 Apr 2018

Icebergs Could Float to the Rescue of Cape Town Water Crisis

© kavring / Adobe Stock

Marine salvage experts are floating a plan to tug icebergs from Antarctica to South Africa's drought-hit Cape Town to help solve the region's worst water shortage in a century.Salvage master Nick Sloane told Reuters he was looking for government and private investors for a scheme to guide huge chunks of ice across the ocean, chop them into a slury and melt them down into millions of liters of drinking water."We want to show that if there is no other source to solve the water crisis…

04 Jan 2019

ABP Wins Hornsea One Blade Contract

Spanish manufacturing company Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy has contracted Associated British Ports (ABP) to provide storage for 37 of its wind turbine blades destined for the Hornsea Project One offshore wind farm.The UK's port group said  UK's leading ports group said that to accommodate the expanding business of the leading wind turbine blade manufacturer, a six-acre area located at the Port of Hull's Eastern Access, on King George Dock, is now being leased for the storage of the 75 metre, 30 tonne blades.David Morriss, ABP Humber Head of Property, said: "We're proud to be able to say that we have been an essential link in a major green project such as this, which will eventually see the blades powering one-million homes.

22 Oct 2018

Yui Hay Lee is New Port of Oakland Commissioner

Longtime business and civic leader Yui Hay Lee has joined the Port of Oakland’s Board of Port Commissioners. Lee was sworn in yesterday to a seat on the seven-member Board.Lee, President and CEO of Oakland-based YHLA Architects, was nominated by Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf and appointed by the City Council. He replaces eight-year Board veteran Alan Yee, whose latest term expired.“We’re delighted to welcome Yui Hay Lee to our Board,” said President Ces Butner. “He brings a strong business background, exceptional planning and development experience and a commitment to the community.”Lee founded his architectural firm in 1980. He served as a Commissioner on the Oakland/Alameda County Coliseum Authority from 2007-2018. Mr.

23 Jan 2019

Inland River Cruising: 2019 Will Be Busy

The American Song (CREDIT: ACL)

One year ago, we reported on vacation river cruising, presenting an industry mostly on the optimistic side of growth and expansion for 2018. This year’s review is more geographically limited – to the Mississippi River, heartland cruises centered among New Orleans, Memphis, St. Louis and St. Paul – but with links important for a lot of smaller cities in between.Big picture:This industry is strong, at least among its two major players: American Cruise Lines and the American Queen Steamboat Company. Both have extensive and varied schedules for 2019.

30 Jan 2018

US Coal Firms Plead for West Coast Export Terminals

© Standard Primitive / Adobe Stock

The ailing U.S. coal industry is ramping up its political and legal offensive to win approval for West Coast export terminals that could provide a lifeline to lucrative Asia markets. Coal producers filed two recent lawsuits against governments in Washington state and California challenging local decisions to block port projects on environmental grounds. The industry is also lobbying the Trump administration to override the local bans. The fight reflects the sector’s desperation to boost exports as U.S.