Coastal and Inland News

Svitzer Caribbean Dominicana has secured a 5-year contract with Limetree Bay Terminals due to commence on June 15th, 2019.The company expands its market coverage providing tugboat services to some of the key oil refineries and terminals in the region – South Riding Point Terminal in Bahamas, Nustar Terminal in Statia, Buckeye Terminal in St. Lucia and now Limetree Bay Terminals (Limetree) in St. Croix, US Virgin Islands.Svitzer Caribbean Dominicana is delighted to add this contract…

As part of the continued growth of WheelHouse and his evolving role within the company, WheelHouse Technologies announces the promotion of Ian Morris to Vice President of Operations."Ian works tirelessly to exceed the expectations of our customers and is continuously tailoring our products and services to meet our customers requirements," said WheelHouse president Craig Parkhurst. "Ian started with WheelHouse over six years ago in a part time position and we are very pleased that his role has grown in tandem with the companies growth.""I'm pleased with the talent and commitment of our staff…

$1 Million Will Go to Projects that Support Cleanup of Marine Pollution, Preservation of Aquatic Life, and Restoration of Shorelines around Newark Bay.A shipping company based in Italy today admitted discharging oily waste and other pollutants into the sea and then lying about it, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito and Assistant Attorney General Jeffrey Bossert Clark announced.The company, d’Amico Shipping Italia S.p.A., pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Susan D. Wigenton in Newark federal court to an information charging it with violating the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships.

Subchapter M – Only a few days left to schedule inspections to meet July 22, 2019 compliance requirements. Rear Adm. John Nadeau, assistant commandant for prevention policy, weighs in on options and instructions.As of July 20, 2018, towing vessel owners and operators are responsible for ensuring that their vessels comply with the provisions of 46 CFR Subchapter M, even if they have not received a Certificate of Inspection (COI). Additionally, in accordance with 46 CFR 136.202…

Harbour authority Associated British Ports(ABP) has welcomed SMS Towage’s new tug, called Manxman.Manxman has 5,600 brake horsepwoer, offering more power than seven Ferraris and cost GBP5mln.The tug was built by international shipyard group Damen, based in Holland. It’s technically known as the Azimuth Stern Drive (ASD) 2411 tug.The new addition, which will bring SMS Towage’s Humber fleet up to a sturdy 10 represents circa £5 million worth of investment.With another seven tugs located across South East Wales Ports…

The Port of Cardiff is expecting a busy cruise season which starts with the visit of the Cruise and Maritime Voyages-operated Marco Polo on Monday (22nd April), said Associated British Ports (ABP).Between May and June 2019, three cruise calls and over 2000 passengers will utilise port facilities and services provided by ABP South Wales at the Port of Cardiff.Richard Butler, Commercial Manager, ABP South Wales, said: “We are looking forward to once again welcoming thousands of passengers to the Port of Cardiff.

The Port of Seattle, celebrating 20 years as a homeport, welcomes the 2019 cruise season with the arrival of the first ship—Celebrity Eclipse, at the Bell Street Pier Cruise Terminal at Pier 66.“Over twenty years ago this community turned a novel idea into a nearly $900 million industry and helped the Port become the most environmentally progressive home port in North America,” said Port of Seattle Commission President Stephanie Bowman.“Today that economic opportunity reaches all the way from Eastern Washington farms and ranches that provide food for cruise customers…

The barge of STB-1 owned by the Caspian Sea Oil Fleet of the CJSC Azerbaijan Caspian Shipping Company (ASCO) has undergone an overhaul. The overhaul has been carried out at the Bibi-Heybat Shipyard.As part of the overhaul, the underwater and surface parts of the barge were cleaned and painted. Along with this, the bottom-side reinforcement of the barge was repaired.At the end of the overhaul, the barge “STB-1” was handed over to the crew members and Registry Classification representatives.

Port of Rotterdam posted a record overall freight tonnage in the first quarter of 2019, up 5.1% on the same period last year, thanks to strong growth in container traffic.In total, 123.9 million tonnes were handled compared with 117.8 million tonnes in the same period in 2018."The increase mainly concerned the throughput of containers (+7.3% in TEU, +5.9% in tonnes) and fuels. Mineral oil products, iron ore and scrap throughput fell," said a press release from the largest port in Europe…

The members of the American Waterways Operators, the national tugboat, towboat and barge industry association, elected a new slate of leaders earlier this month during the association's annual Spring Convention held in Washington, D.C. Scott Merritt, former Chief Operating Officer for Foss Maritime Company, LLC, was elected Chairman. Arthur F. Mead, Vice President and General Counsel at Crowley Maritime Corporation, was elected Vice Chairman. Mr. Merritt succeeds outgoing Chairman Tom Marian…

Svitzer Caribbean Dominicana won a 5-year contract with Limetree Bay Refining, LLC, commencing June 15, 2019.The company expands its market coverage providing tugboat services to some of the key oil refineries and terminals in the region – South Riding Point Terminal in Bahamas, Nustar Terminal in Statia, Buckeye Terminal in St. Lucia and now Limetree Bay Refining in St. Croix, US Virgin Islands.Svitzer Caribbean Dominicana adds this contract for two tugs to the company’s portfolio and believes Limetree Bay Refining will benefit from adding these young vessels to their operation, providing increased capabilities and overall service offerings.

Moose Boats won a contract from the City of Rochester, NY, Fire Department for the construction of the first M2-38 Fire Rescue Catamaran to be delivered to the Great Lakes.Twin Cummins 425hp turbo diesel propulsion engines, Twin Disc transmissions and Hamilton water-jets will power the M2-38 aluminum catamaran. Rochester Fire's new Moose Boat will be equipped with a fire pump system flowing more than 1,500 gpm of fire suppression water to cabin roof and cockpit mounted monitors while simultaneously maintaining full maneuverability from both propulsion engines and jets.

New Research Doubles Service Life Estimate of Marine Workboat Engines, Reveals Big Opportunities for Diesel Emissions Reductions.It turns out that commercial workboat engines are staying in service more than two times longer than predicted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), according new research from the Diesel Technology Forum (DTF) and Environmental Defense Fund (EDF). That says a lot for the quality of marine engines, but at the same it isn’t necessarily a good thing.

Thirteen people are dead and 142 are missing after a passenger boat sank this week on Lake Kivu in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, President Felix Tshisekedi said on Thursday.Speaking to reporters near the site of the accident in South Kivu province, Tshisekedi said 37 passengers had been rescued.Reporting By Stanis Bujakera

Dutch dredging and heavylift company Royal Boskalis Westminster has been awarded two dredging contracts in Indonesia.On the island of Sulawesi, Boskalis will expand the Makassar New Port container terminal and on the island of Java it will prepare land for a new petrochemical complex. Both projects will be executed in the second half of 2019 and carry a combined value of approximately EUR 75 million.The first project, awarded by construction company PT PP, entails the expansion of a new terminal for the Makassar New Port of port operator PT Pelindo IV by 45 hectares.

Abadan, Arvandankar and Choabdeh ports experienced an increase of 56% in 2018, says Iran's Ports and Maritime Organization (PMO).Abadan ports and maritime management announced that the export of goods from the three ports of Abadan in the past year has shown a  growing trend.According to the information system, the exports from these ports increased by 39.471 tons in the same period last year which shows a growth of 56.3% in exports, it said.Agricultural products, meat and meat products…

Global ports operator DP World and industrial engineering firm SMS Group announced "Boxbay", a new and 'smart' shipping container storage system that aims to change the way that containers are handled in ports.The patented design and rack structure of the system creates unique advantages with containers stored up to eleven stories high, delivering the capacity of a conventional terminal in a third of the surface area.By being fully automated it has direct access to each container, eliminating unpaid and unproductive reshuffling.

The Freeport of Riga in Latvia has announced that it has signed a cooperation agreement with the Port of Qingdao in China, one of the ten busiest ports in the world.According to a statement, the goal of the agreement is to facilitate trading, logistics and business partnerships between Latvia and China, boosting the exchange of information and expertise in the fields of port planning and development, port management and information technologies.“Last autumn, we transported cargo by rail directly from the City of Xi'an to the Port of Riga.

Dutch shipbuilder Damen has launched two, 81-metre road ferries for the Canadian ferry operator BC Ferries at its Galati shipyard in Romania.Damen Shipyards Group, which operates 36 shipbuilding and repair yards, said that the ferries were launched “within a few weeks” and they are now undergoing outfitting before the units enter service in 2020.Once operational they will be capable of carrying up to 300 passengers and crew, and 47 vehicles, it added.The ferries have been built to Damen’s Road Ferry 8117E3 design and the order was secured following an extensive…

ABS and representatives from the Cargo Incident Notification System (CINS) form a joint industry project to develop best practices for carriage of dangerous goods. ABS and leaders representing the Cargo Incident Notification System (CINS) are teaming up to develop actionable recommendations to help mitigate risks posed from the stowage of dangerous goods on containerships.ABS has been working with CINS members over the past six months to develop best stowage strategy guidelines. Following a three-month trial, the best practice guidelines will be published on the CINS website www.cinsnet.com.

Moose Boats rises to the challenge of building its biggest vessel ever. That’s an important step forward for this growing California shipyard. Equally impressive is what’s inside that rapidly developing hull and why those features were chosen.The U.S. boatbuilding scene is a changing landscape of waterfront manufacturing that constantly evolves to meet the inevitable peaks and valleys of demand. Nowhere is that reality more apparent than at California-based Moose Boats. In October 2016, Lind Marine announced the acquisition of Moose Boats.

BIMCO's Peter Sand, in a new report, weighs in on the implications for the Dry Bulk sectors.Chinese imports of iron ore keep falling, while its crude steel production keeps growing. China’s increased use of scrap metal for its production of crude steel is fundamentally critical to the dry bulk shipping industry. Mostly Capesize ships are impacted by this, way beyond the temporary iron ore export disruptions in Brazil and Australia.Chinese steel production grew by a massive 12.6 million tonnes (+9.2%) in the first two months on 2019 as estimated by China Iron and Steel Association (CISA).

The third edition of the Asian Marine Casualty Forum (AMCF) concluded with delegates calling for greater cooperation and continuing dialogue to address the major challenges now facing the marine casualty and salvage industry.Following the unprecedented success of the Forum last week, the organisers LOC, hope the AMCF will return for a fourth edition of the conference during Singapore Maritime Week in April 2021.Highlights of the final day on Friday 12th of AMCF 2019 included a session on bribery and corruption…

Australian-based global ship building company Austal Limited has commenced construction of the second of two 118 metre high-speed passenger trimaran ferries for Fred. Olsen Express in the Company’s Philippines shipyard.The vessel is due to be delivered by the end of 2020 as part of an A$190 million contract with Fred. Olsen Express for two 118 metre trimarans, which was awarded to Austal in October 2017.A metal cutting ceremony for the future “Bañaderos Express” was held in the Philippines shipyard, where the official names for the new vessels were officially announced by Fred.

Brisbane has launched the construction of the new International Cruise Terminal, heralding the start of a new era for Queensland's economy.The $158 million project is scheduled to open in October next year, with the potential to more than double Brisbane's cruise industry.Premier of Queensland Annastacia Palaszczuk said: "Building this one piece of infrastructure flows through our entire economy. Ships that were too long, too high and too deep to dock at Brisbane's Hamilton facility will have a dedicated cruise terminal.

About 150 people are missing after a boat sunk on a lake in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, President Felix Tshisekedi said on Tuesday."I am very saddened by the shipwreck of a pirogue on (Monday) April 15 on Lake Kivu.

All American Marine, Inc. (AAM) has delivered the second of three low wake and high-speed passenger vessels for Kitsap Transit. The Reliance, an aluminum catamaran with a composite superstructure, was launched in Bellingham on March 6, 2019 and has been undergoing sea trials and wake-wash testing this past month.During these test periods and in a light laden condition, the crew observed the vessel capable of speeds in excess of 45 knots, over 50 mph. The vessel was designed by Teknicraft in Auckland…

On April 15th, 2019, a large bunker supply vessel (BSV) for liquefied natural gas (LNG) “Kairos” provided LNG in a ship-to-ship bunker operation to a product tanker. “Fure Valö”, a vessel of the tanker pool managed by the Gothia Tanker Alliance, received LNG at the anchorage area of Sandhamn, near the Swedish capital of Stockholm. The bunker operation was the first offshore ship-to-ship operation that was conducted by the 117 meter long BSV.The bunker operation was conducted under an agreement for the supply of LNG…

Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia 1st Quarter Report January to March 2019Overall SituationA total of 10 incidents of armed robbery against ships (comprising nine actual incidents and one attempted incident) were reported in Asia during January-March 2019 compared to 21 incidents (comprising 15 actual incidents and six attempted incidents) during January-March 2018This accounts for a 52% decrease in the total number of incidents reported during January-March 2019 compared to the same period in 2018The number of actual incidents has also decreased by 40% during January-March 2019 c

A naval architect and graduate of the Webb Institute, Co-Owner/CEO Chris Allard introduced the engineering-centric approach that has fueled Metal Shark’s growth; driving innovation and transforming the company from a regional builder to a globally recognized industry leader.A member of the ownership team since 2005, Mr. Allard has overseen the expansion of Metal Shark from several employees to over 350. Under Mr. Allard’s direction, Metal Shark has successfully captured over $500…

Danfoss Editron, a company specializes in hybrid and electric powertrain systems for off-highway and marine markets, said that it has provided the hybrid electric drivetrain system powering a new ferry connecting the communities of Thyborøn and Agger in north west Denmark.The ferry, which was delivered by the country’s Søby Værft shipyard, was ordered to replace the previous one that had been running for over 40 years and reached the end of its operational lifetime.Like most ferries in Denmark…

The industry in the port of Rotterdam has released less CO2 into the atmosphere for the second year in a row.According to new figures published by the Dutch Emissions Authority (NEA), the sector has cut its emissions by 13.6% (4.2 million tonnes) over the past two years.For the second year in a row, industry in the port of Rotterdam has released less CO2 into the atmosphere. This becomes clear from new figures published by the Dutch Emissions Authority (NEA). The sector has cut…

British multinational oil and gas company BP, Nouryon (formerly AkzoNobel Specialty Chemicals), and the Port of Rotterdam have joined forces to explore the opportunity of making “green hydrogen” via water electrolysis for BP’s refinery in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, which has the potential for significant reductions in CO2 emissions.The refinery currently uses hydrogen made from hydrocarbons, to desulphurize products. Replacing this entirely with green hydrogen produced from water using renewable energy could potentially result in a reduction of 350…

A sunken towing vessel has reportedly discharged oil and is blocking the channel in Pass a Loutre near Venice, La., the U.S. Coast Guard said on Monday.The Coast Guard said it is responding to the incident after having received a report around 2 a.m. Monday that the towing vessel Dejeanne Maria had struck a submerged object and began sinking while pushing two empty dry cargo barges downbound on the Mississippi River.The three people who were aboard the Dejeanne Maria at the time transferred to the towing vessel Supporter 1.The Dejeanne Maria is submerged with its port side above the water. There is a maximum potential of 7,000 gallons of oil on board with a reported 60 gallons having entered the water.Sector New Orleans incident management team mobilized to conduct a shoreline assessment.

Ferry company Stena Line has achieved another major milestone in its fleet investment program with the ‘float out’ ceremony of the second vessel in its new generation E-Flexer series.The second vessel will be named Stena Edda and follows the Scandinavian heritage decided for the five new vessels that are being constructed at the Avic Weihai Shipyard in China.Stena Edda just before the water started to fill up the dry dock.Stena Edda is scheduled to enter service on the Belfast-Liverpool route in spring 2020.

Following the tariff-induced cargo rush of late-2018, container shipments from Asia to West Coast North America dived in Q1, denting carriers’ hopes of securing higher annual contracts.Things can change very quickly in the Transpacific container market. In our previous analysis of the Asia-West Coast North America trade at the end of last year, the market was booming with eastbound spot freight rates at a six-year peak. However, now that the sugar rush caused by the threatened tariffs on Chinese goods has passed…

The Bahamas Maritime Authority (BMA) announces the appointment of Captain Dwain E. Hutchinson as its Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer. Captain Hutchinson succeeds Commodore Davy F. Rolle, who stepped down as Director last year.Captain Hutchinson is a proud Bahamian from Nassau, New Providence island, where he completed his tertiary education before commencing his maritime studies in Scotland at Glasgow College of Nautical Studies. Qualified with a UK Master Mariner (Unlimited) STCW Certificate of Competency…

Is your company a Top 100 performer? The application period for this year’s MN100 edition is officially open and underway! Only those who apply can be considered for inclusion.The MN100, always our August print edition, is our annual look at the best 100 firms in the MarineNews, brown water, workboat space. There will never be a better time for you to tell MarineNews just why your firm is one of the best in the business. All of that – the selected 100 companies – will be featured in the August edition of the largest BPA-audited b-to-b publication in this genre.

The Port Commission of the Port of Houston Authority has decided to accelerate widening of the Houston Ship Channel, the nation’s busiest waterway.The Port Authority is working with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and other representatives of the federal government, as well as Port of Houston and Houston Ship Channel stakeholders, to obtain authorization and accelerated funding and completion, of a deepened and widened ship channel.“The Houston Ship Channel is open for business for all and will continue to be…

Miami-based SunStone Ships signed to build a sixth Infinity-class expedition vessel in China, continuing the European designed, Chinese built concept.The passengership operator said in a press release that it already has a long-term charter agreement in place. Delivery is set for September 2021.SunStone President and CEO, Niels-Erik Lund, commented, “We have worked diligently in obtaining the long term charters and shipbuilding orders for the Infinity Class vessels and we continue to move forward with the contracts and building at a very satisfactory speed…

Norwegian Cruise Line's ship Norwegian Sun has returned to call Port Canaveral its homeport for another year. Also returning are the popular all-inclusive cruises to Cuba.Starting today (April 15), the Norwegian Sun, which in 2018 became the first homeported cruise ship to sail from Port Canaveral to Cuba, will offer four-, five- and seven-day cruises to Havana, Cuba, with select sailings also calling to Key West during its four-day cruises.Ports of call during the Sun’s five- and seven-day voyages include Key West…

International Container Terminal Services Inc (ICTSI) has inaugurated container operations at TecPlata, located in Argentina’s Puerto de La Plata.The opening ceremony was attended by the vice governor of the province of Buenos Aires, the Minister of Production and several other national, provincial and municipal officials.The opening rites were highlighted by the arrival of Jacarandá, a vessel of Log-In, a Brazilian shipping line specializing in door-to-door logistics solutions which recently signed an agreement with TecPlata…

In the coming months, a large drone will check emissions from ships in Danish waters to make sure they comply with the sulphur limit, said Danish Maritime Authority (DMA).The drone is provided by the European Maritime Safety Agency, and is to be used as a means of preventing ship pollution.The drone is fitted with a so-called "sniffer” capable of measuring sulphur emissions. Entering the ship's exhaust gas plume, the drone can register the amount of sulphur in the fuel. These data are immediately available to Danish authorities…

“Use your power to empower”. “Say what you’re thinking”. “Listen to the ‘yes’ voice in your head”. “Return every phone call every day”. “Believe in yourself”.This was the advice given by a wide variety of inspiring maritime women sharing their experiences of entering, working and leading in the maritime world at a special on "Women, ports and facilitation" at International Maritime Organization (IMO) Headquarters, London (10 April).The speakers presented on, and answered questions about, their work and the future for women in the field – identifying a series of key issues and recommendations.

U.S. shipments of liquefied natural gas are expected to fall to their lowest level in six months in April, after a leading U.S. supplier shut units for maintenance at a time when a glut of supply has driven some worldwide prices to near three-year lows.Based on exports through April 10, the United States is on track to sell roughly 91.5 billion cubic feet per day (bcfd) of natural gas as LNG, which would be the lowest since October. That compares with an estimated record 139.8 bcfd shipped in March…

In 2018, Furuno introduced a new generation of River Radars with the release of the FR1908VBB, a 4kW Black Box Radar with a portrait display (vertical screen orientation) that allows mariners to see more detail ahead of the vessel, where it counts. Now, Furuno has introduced the second in the series, the higher-powered FR1918VBB River Radar. With a 12kW output and all of the same critical features and functionality of its "little brother", the FR1918VBB will enhance the situational awareness of any river vessel.Navigating inland rivers presents a unique set of challenges…

DEME, an international group of specialized companies involved in complex marine engineering works, has won a major contract to carry out the deepening of the Elbe fairway in Germany.The Belgian dredging, environmental and marine engineering group said that its German subsidiary Nordsee Nassbagger- und Tiefbau GmbH, based in Bremen, has acquired the maintenance dredging contract on the River Elbe in Germany.The contract has been awarded to a joint venture, including DEME’s German subsidiary, for a period of two years.

Metrans AS, a subsidiary of terminal operator Hamburger Hafen und Logistik AG (HHLA), has ordered ten Vectron MS locomotives from Siemens Mobility Czech Republic.The locomotives will be built at Siemens Mobility’s factory in Munich-Allach, and deliveries are scheduled from the end of 2019 until spring 2020. The locomotives will be operated in cross-border freight service in Central and Eastern European countries."It is our pleasure to expand the Metrans vehicle fleet by ten multisystem Vectron locomotives from Siemens Mobility.

Dublin-based maritime transportation group Irish Continental Group (ICG) has entered into a bareboat hire purchase agreement for the sale of the cruise ferry “Oscar Wilde” to MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company.The total consideration for the sale is EUR28.9m, payable in instalments over six years, up to 2025.Delivery to the buyer is expected to take place this month, said a company release.Built in 1987, the Oscar Wilde was bought by ICG in 2007 and operated on Irish Ferries’ route to France.

APM Terminals, an international container terminal operating company headquartered in The Hague, said that its Gothenburg unit has launched The Gothenburg Gateway.Gothenburg Gateway will ensure that a container placed on a freight train anywhere in Sweden is loaded onto a large ocean-going vessel within 48 hours, and will shave up at least a week off the transit time to Shanghai.APM Terminals Gothenburg’s goal is for all parts of the country to have the same fast access to the world market.The Gothenburg Gateway…

Keppel Singmarine’s Nantong, China, shipyard has delivered the world’s first dredger to meet European Union Stage V emissions requirements for inland waterways vessels.The wholly-owned subsidiary of Keppel Offshore & Marine Ltd (Keppel O&M) said in a press release that has delivered the ultra low emission dredger on time, within budget and with a perfect safety record, strengthening its presence in the non-oil and gas segment.Built for Jan De Nul and named Afonso de Albuquerque…

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) treaty enhancing communication between ships and ports to help shipments move more quickly, more easily and more efficiently has been ratified by Malaysia.According to the UN body, this brings the number of contracting States to the Convention on Facilitation of International Maritime Traffic (FAL Convention) to 123.Captain Haji Samad, Alternate Permanent Representative of Malaysia to IMO, met IMO Secretary-General Kitack Lim at IMO Headquarters…

Singapore's maritime sector is preparing to ride the wave of digitalisation as a means to chart next phase of growth. The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) will focus on digitalisation to help companies innovate and improve productivity over the next three years, said Dr Lam Pin Min, Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Transport & Ministry of Health.The Singapore Maritime Institute (SMI) will also present the Singapore Maritime R&D Roadmap 2030 to optimise R&D efforts and resources for greater value co-creation within the maritime industry.Ms Quah Ley Hoon…

Singapore has been ranked the world's top maritime capital for the fourth consecutive time in the Leading Maritime Capitals of the World (LMC) report. The Leading Maritime Capitals report for 2019 is with fresh insight on which maritime metropolises provide the best support for companies in shipping and related services.Criteria include soft and hard infrastructure and access to world-class talent and services – all key components that maritime businesses need to thrive in their chosen locations.Singapore maintained its top position at the head of the 15 leading maritime capitals.

Shipbuilder Vigor said it has been awarded a contract from the Port of Los Angeles to build two 56’ pilot boats.The new vessels, designed by Camarc, will feature a twin chine heavy weather hull form for excellent seakeeping. The design accommodates multiple heavy fender systems facilitating safer pilot transfers in challenging weather. An articulated rescue davit provides man overboard recovery. The overall design also maximizes the available horsepower and performance from a…

Alfa Laval PureBallast 3, the third generation of manufacturer Alfa Laval’s ballast water treatment technology, has received an updated type approval from the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG).Alfa Laval PureBallast 3 was awarded an updated certificate from the USCG on April 4, granting the system type approval with zero-day holding time in all water salinities. PureBallast 3 owners in U.S. waters now have the option of discharging ballast water just 2.5 hours after taking it on. The holding time of 2.5 hours…

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…

French cruise company Ponant has received its new cruise ship, Le Bougainville, bringing its fleet to eight vessels.The ship, which is the third in the Ponant Explorers series, left Søvik in Norway on the morning of 8 April and she is currently sailing to Spain to start her maiden cruise on 15 April from Malaga.Le Bougainville will be officially inaugurated on 4 June.“A dream, firm beliefs, energy and boldness were what created Ponant. It is by drawing on those roots and our expertise that Ponant is preparing today to meet the challenges of tomorrow, to surprise and delight our guests.

Battery manufacturer Corvus Energy will supply a 550kWh Energy Storage System (ESS) for a new all-electric skimmer workboat.The new vessel designed for efficient collection of trash at the water surface will operate in Norway’s Port of Oslo."The ESS will allow the boat to be in full working mode for four to five hours, and a full battery charge will take just 2 hours. In addition, the vessel has solar panels on board," said a press note from the company.The vessel will be a replacement for the current litter skimmer boat Pelikan which during the course of 30 years has picked up about 1…

US exports of crude oil have, since August 2018, continued to rise every month, with a new record high in January of 9.6 million tonnes. Exports rose in January on the back of increased sales to Europe, which rose from 2.7 million tonnes in December to 4.8 million tonnes in January.A strong end to 2018 meant that volumes for the full year totalled 87.4 million tonnes, 96.7% higher than the 44.4 million tonnes exported in 2017. This is good news for the crude oil tanker sector…

The technology group Wärtsilä has launched its RS24 high resolution radar, the world’s first commercially available K-band maritime radar. By detecting far smaller objects and at a much higher radar resolution than conventional S or X-band radars, the RS24 enables small vessels and other potential hazards close to large ships to be visible. This promotes safety, especially in congested shipping lanes and busy ports. The technology has been developed by Guidance Marine, a Wärtsilä company.The first orders for the Wärtsilä RS24 have been received and delivered…

U.S. ship owner The Interlake Steamship Company said it has ordered a new U.S.-flagged Great Lakes bulk carrier, the first to be built in more than 35 years. Measuring 639 feet in length (78 feet W, 45 feet H, 28,000 DWT), the vessel will be constructed by Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding, in Sturgeon Bay, Wis., for scheduled completion in mid-2022.The new River-Class, self-unloading bulk carrier is reportedly the first ship for U.S. Great Lakes service built on the Great Lakes since 1983.The Interlake Steamship Company…

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday invited foreign investors to take part in the construction of port infrastructure in Murmansk and Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky that would serve the Northern Sea Route.Speaking at an Arctic forum in the Russian city of St Petersburg, Putin also asked the government to draw up plans for tax relief that would promote the development of the Arctic region."We invite our foreign partners to joint work to create port hubs at the end points of the (Northern Sea) route," Putin said.(Reporting by Vladimir Soldatkin and Gleb Stolyarov; Writing by Tom Balmforth; edi

Dutch oil and chemicals storage company Royal Vopak has agreed to sell three terminals - Algeciras, Amsterdam and Hamburg - to First State Investments for 723 million euros ($812 million)."This divestment follows the strategic review of these terminals as announced on 17 August 2018. The transaction is subject to certain customary closing conditions and is expected to complete in the second half year of 2019. The combined operational capacity of the three terminals is 2,288,000 cbm…

The Gothenburg Port Authority launched a digital solution designed to make bunkering at the Energy Port easier and more efficient.The new ‘Bunkering App’ is one of the first in the world to offer this range of functionality, said a press release from the  largest port in the Nordic countries.The Port of Gothenburg Energy Port is the largest open access energy port in the Nordic region, handling over 2,500 calls and more than 23 million tonnes of energy products each year. The Energy Port is also one of the world's larger bunkering hubs.

International Maritime Organization (IMO)’s Facilitation Committee addresses the efficiency of shipping by dealing with all matters related to the facilitation of international maritime traffic, including the arrival, stay and departure of ships, persons and cargo from ports.The Committee is meeting for its 43rd session (8-12 April), coinciding with the entry into effect of new requires for all public authorities to introduce electronic exchange of information between ships and ports.Alongside other agenda items…

A new global rule mandated by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) for national governments to introduce electronic information exchange (EIC) between ships and ports took effect from Monday (8 April 2019).The aim is to make cross-border trade simpler and the logistics chain more efficient, for the more than 10 billion tons of goods which are traded by sea annually across the globe, said a press note from the UN body.The requirement, mandatory under IMO's Convention on Facilitation of International Maritime Traffic (FAL Convention)…

S&P Global Platts will publish assessments for financially settled derivatives contracts that settle against its physical 0.5 percent sulphur marine fuel assessments in Asia, the Middle East, Europe and the United States from May 2, it said.Platts launched physical marine fuel 0.5 percent cargo and barge assessments  globally on January 2, 2019.(Reporting by Ahmad Ghaddar; Editing by Jan Harvey)

The call by AIDAcara on Sunday, April 7, marks the beginning of cruise season 2019 in the port of Kiel.Dr Dirk Claus, Managing Director at Port of Kiel (Seehafen Kiel GmbH & Co. KG) said: “The upcoming cruise season will be very exciting and we will welcome a lot of new ships to Kiel. The second and new terminal building at the Ostseekai is presently under construction and we are working on the implementation of the onshore power project.”The port is currently investing about 30 million Euros in the cruise sector. Half of this amount is dedicated to sustainability measures.

The Northwest Seaport Alliance (NWSA ), a marine cargo operating partnership of the ports of Seattle and Tacoma, has welcome the ZIM Ningbo to its North Harbor.Zim Integrated Shipping Services (ZIM) is expanding its presence at the NWSA by joining the 2M trans-Pacific service calling at Terminal 46 in Seattle, it said in a press release.ZIM will have four of its own vessels in the weekly ZP9 service with increased capacity to serve the NWSA gateway. This will be the first regular…

Revenue stability and capex plans are the main drivers of credit rating differences among Asia-Pacific ports, according to a new Fitch Ratings report. Leverage and debt structure also set apart the ratings.Revenue stability, due to strong volume or price attributes, and resilience is underpinned by each port's importance to the economy and the strength of its catchment area, along with its competitive position.Volume stability benefits from diverse throughput and limited customer concentration; reliance on a single commodity can increase volatility.

Australia's Pilbara Ports Authority (PPA) has delivered a total monthly throughput of 50.3 million tonnes (Mt) for the month of March 2019, which was a 13% decrease compared to the same month in 2018.During March 2019, Tropical Cyclone Veronica closed the Port of Port Hedland for 92.5 hours, the Port of Dampier for 132 hours and the Port of Ashburton for 109.5 hours. The total throughput for the 2018/19 financial year to date is 510.3Mt, a decrease of 1% from the same time last year. The Port of Port Hedland achieved a monthly throughput of 36.7Mt, of which 36.3Mt was iron ore exports.

KA Petra, a Malaysian ship-to-ship (STS) transfer specialist, has signed a Heads of Agreement (HOA) with Hutchison Port Holdings to jointly develop the world’s largest STS transfer hub in the country.Under the terms of the HOA, KA Petra will have 70% interest in the project, whilst Hutchison Ports will take a strategic 30% stake.Based on preliminary studies, construction of the STS Hub is estimated to cost USD150 million to USD180 million, and will be funded by a combination of internally generated funds and debt financing.

The Marine Aggregate Dredger CEMEX Go Innovation, currently under construction for CEMEX Marine UK, is fitted out with a submersed dredge pump. This dredge pump is directly driven by an electric motor – and not an arbitrary one.As a first, the dredge pump drive is a permanent magnet 1,400 kW unit, that last week it underwent a large array of tests – passing them all effortlessly.The hopper dredger is designed for mining marine aggregates at -55 m below sea level. The submersed Damen dredge pump is directly driven by a continuous electric motor – that is…

Brazil auctioned off six port terminals for liquid fuels in the northern state of Para to private operators on Friday, with subsidiaries of state-run oil company Petroleo Brasileiro SA winning two of the areas.The government raised nearly 450 million reais ($117 million) in the auction of the terminals — five in the Miramar port in the city of Belem and one in the Vila do Conde port in the city of Barcarena.The rights to operate the terminals are the latest in a slew of assets Brazil is selling as part of its drive to shore up public finances and reduce a gaping budget deficit.In an auction broadcast online, Petrobras Distribuidora SA - also known as BR Distribuidora - won a 20-year lease on a terminal in the port of Miramar with a bid of 50 million reais ($12.94 million).Petrobras Transpo

Jiangsu Wuxi Shipyard delivered the ship-assist tug Lima, a Robert Allan Ltd. RAmparts 2400-W design to TRAMARSA in Peru recently. The new vessel is named after the Lima Civilization, which was established long before the Inca Empire and is also the name of the capital and largest city in Peru today. Lima is a sister of her precursors Chincha and Tupaq which were delivered by the same builder in 2016.The Particulars of tugboat Lima:Length Overall: 24.40 mBeam, moulded: 11.25 mDepth…

CMA CGM Group announced that the CMA CGM Fort de France, the first vessel belonging to its new fleet dedicated to the French West Indies, was christened on April 4th, 2019 in Martinique by Mrs. Annick Girardin, French Minister for Overseas Territories.This inauguration took place in the presence of Rodolphe Saadé, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the CMA CGM Group, Tanya Saadé Zeenny, Executive Officer, Alfred Marie-Jeanne, Chairman of the Executive Council of the Martinique Regional Authority…

South Carolina Ports Authority (SCPA) announced the strongest March in its history and more than 11 percent fiscal year-over-year growth.SCPA moved 214,123 twenty-foot equivalent container units (TEUs) last month, making it the second highest month in SCPA history. The Port handled its highest monthly record in October 2018, with 217,035 TEUs moved across the docks.“The record volumes achieved last month reflect a very positive end to our third quarter of the fiscal year,” said Jim Newsome…

PSA International, one of the world's largest port operators, announced that  Peter Voser, currently Deputy Chairman, is taking on the role of Group Chairman of the PSA Board.Fock Siew Wah stepped down as Group Chairman on 1 April 2019, and will assume the role of Special Advisor to PSA until his retirement on 31 July 2019.As one of PSA’s longest serving Chairmen, Fock has steered PSA with visionary leadership and strategic foresight since August 2005. With his astute guidance…

Norway's leading cargo and ferry port, the Port of Oslo has placed an order to build one of the world’s most environmental efficient working boats possible, with Grovfjord Ship Yard.The boat is especially designed for efficient collection of waste at the water surface. The contract sum is NOK 23 million. Expected delivery is December 2019.Norway's shipbuilding and maintenance services has previously built the world's first full-electric fish farming boat."Today the boat "Pelikan" keeps our harbor area clean and tidy.

Dutch ferry firm Rederij Doeksen has signed a liquefied natural gas  (LNG) bunker supply agreement with Titan LNG, which supplies and transports LNG to marine markets.Both the companies have signed a long-term agreement for the supply of LNG as a shipping fuel to the newbuild ferries, Willem de Vlamingh and Willem Barentsz.The vessels will be bunkered by trucks on a weekly basis. Both ferries will operate on the ferry route to the Dutch islands of Vlieland and Terschelling.As both vessels will only use LNG as fuel…

China's COSCO Shipping has confirmed it will call at the port of Liverpool after a successful trial last October to offer its clients more efficient services between Britain and Canada."The world’s top five shipping lines are all now calling at Liverpool following confirmation that Chinese giant COSCO Shipping is to ship via the port," said a statement from the UK's most centrally-located container port.COSCO Shipping will take slots on an existing Canadian service via Montreal with OOCL.

Alternative capacity could be provided by short-sea container services between the UK and EU to alleviate possible congestion at the Port of Dover post-Brexit.The Port of Dover is the cross-channel port situated in Dover, Kent, south-east England. It is the nearest English port to France, at just 34 kilometres (21 miles) away.According to a new study by global shipping consultancy Drewry the Port of Dover had the capacity to cope with moderate Brexit disruption.The earlier study, validated by the Port of Dover, concluded that of the 2.5 million trailers going via Dover, around 20% (i.e.

U.S. coastal and river cruise operator American Cruise Lines continues to accelerate its newbuild program across its diverse fleet, adding new ships to its new Modern Riverboat Series as well as its fleet of new coastal ships and Victorian-style paddlewheelers. American, which introduced a new ship in 2017 and two new ships in 2018, will put its latest new vessel into service this summer, with two more newbuilds coming in both 2020 and 2021.In August 2019, American Harmony, the second of five ships in American’s Modern Riverboat Series…

Arriva Danmark has extended the requirements of its contract with Damen Shipyards Group in order to account for longer ferry routes in the city of Copenhagen. Arriva originally contracted Damen to deliver five fully-electric Damen Ferry 2306 E3 vessels to cover passenger routes in the central metropolitan area of Copenhagen. Since agreement of the contract in July 2018, Danish public transport agency Movia has extended the intended routes of its ferry service to the port area…

Today at Fincantieri’s Arsenale Triestino San Marco shipyard, in Trieste, Italy, first steel was cut for the first of three new ships sections as part of Windstar Cruises’s $250 million vessel overhaul program.Windstar’s Star Plus Initiative is a complex and comprehensive small ship lengthening, engine replacement and renovation project that will see the owner renovate half of its fleet in succession. Star Breeze, Star Legend and Star Pride will be cut in half to allow the installation of a new stepped mid-body section that will lengthen each vessel by approximately 25 meters.

The CMA CGM Group announced that its intra-European multimodal transport subsidiaries Containerships and MacAndrews have united under the single Containerships brand.Together, Containerships and MacAndrews operate a fleet of 32 vessels and 700 trucks, calling 64 ports through 26 maritime services and 8 inland services.The single Containerships brand resulting from their union will be able to unlock major synergies and to focus on commercial growth and on the development of high-quality services for its customers.In addition…

APM Terminals Algeciras hits a new Port Moves Per Hour (PMPH) record for a vessel berthed at Juan Carlos I berth. On Monday, 25th of March, 187,82  PMPH were registered on MSC Kalina.The Operations Department of the largest terminal in the Mediterranean confirmed that this is the best result since MSC Ditte called in September 2017. Back then it registered 183,64 PMPH.MSC Kalina is 366 meters long and 51 meters wide, and has capacity to carry 13,798 containers measured in 20 feet units (TEUs).Nine cranes worked on the vessel…

A-ROSA signed a contract with Concordia Damen for a newbuild River Cruise Vessel. The new ship, which is scheduled to be delivered spring 2021, will operate in the northern Rhine region, including trips from Cologne to Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Antwerp and Bruges. The innovative River Cruise vessel will take A-ROSA’s city trip concept to the next level of leisure and sustainability.In total, the vessel will present 140 cabins, including two-person cabins (21 sq. m.) with a balcony and separate living and sleeping areas.

Contship Italia SpA has sold its 50 percent share in the southern Italian port of Gioia Tauro, which includes the Medcenter Container Terminal (MCT).A press release said: "Contship, a fully controlled subsidiary of Terminal Investment Ltd (TIL) have executed a share purchase agreement concerning the sale of 50% of CSM Italia Gate S.p.A., the company which owns 100% of MCT."MCT is the concessionaire of the container terminal activities in the port of Gioia Tauro and TIL already owned 50% of CSM Italia Gate S.p.A.The parties involved are not disclosing terms.

The Port of New Orleans and project partner, the New Orleans Public Belt Railroad (NOPB), were awarded a National Clean Diesel Funding grant from the United States Environmental Protection Agency.The EPA grant will provide 40% of total project cost, allowing NOPB to retrofit the engine of a conventional diesel locomotive to a cleaner engine with low emissions beyond current requirements. This will be the first locomotive of its kind in the New Orleans gateway.This eco-locomotive…

Netherlands-based Port of Rotterdam, the largest port in Europe, has signed a partnership with the North Brabant region, the region of Eindhoven, north of Belgium, to realise increased container transport via inland shipping.In 2018, over 8.6 million containers were transhipped in the Port of Rotterdam (14.5 million TEU). With over 1 million containers, North Brabant is one of Rotterdam’s most important hinterland regions, but with a relatively high share of road transport is…

Kalmar, part of Cargotec, is to supply a total of 16 terminal tractors to long-standing customer Container Terminal Saint-Petersburg CJSC (CTSP, part of UCL Holding).According to a press release, the order was booked in Cargotec's 2019 Q1 order intake, with delivery of the machines to take place during Q3 of 2019. Located in the Big port of St. Petersburg, Russia, CTSP specialises in handling all types of containerised cargo at its modern facilities, which include an automated control system that enables high-speed container handling on ship…

Canadian National Railway (CN) said that it plans to invest approximately $320 million in Ontario in 2019 to expand and strengthen the company’s rail network across the province.CN’s Ontario rail network stretches across the province, and the GTHA is home to MacMillan Yard, CN’s largest rail car classification facility, and Brampton Intermodal Terminal, CN’s largest intermodal facility.“Following a record capital program in 2018, CN has been able to take on more traffic from different commodity sectors based on contracts with our customers…

Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA)’s Dredging Services division will soon embark on a maintenance dredging campaign at the Port of Cape Town to restore the design depths at certain berths inside Duncan Dock.The maintenance campaign, which is set to start in early April 2019, is scheduled for completion by the end of May 2019. The main objective of the dredging campaign is to ensure the Port of Cape Town provides safe navigational channels and berthing facilities for shipping.TNPA…

The brand new Canadian Coast Guard vessel Sir John Franklin crashed into Victoria’s breakwater on March 22, crumpling a side of its back-end.The Seaspan-Shipyards-built Sir John Franklin was in sea trials when it crashed into Ogden Point breakwater.The 64-meter vessel, was heading into port when it banged into the wall, damaging it as well as the breakwater."The Canadian Coast Guard’s first of three new fisheries science vessels crashed on its first test run last week, raising concerns that the summer delivery date may not be met…

Associated British Ports (ABP) said that its Port of Lowestoft welcomed the Platform Supply Vessel (PSV) the Skandi Captain this week on its maiden call to the port.The visit is the latest in ABP’s partnership with Peterson UK Limited, the major logistics and service provider to the offshore energy industry.The Skandi Captain is the 50th additional call to Lowestoft since the Peterson agreement which was signed in January 2019, bringing vessel visits into the inner harbour on…

109 Vessels vessels with a capacity of 6000 passengers ready for Nowruz, the Iranian New Year, also known as the Persian New Year.“800 hundred executives providing 24-hour services in Marine Travel Facility plan during Nowruz” said Allah Morad Afifipour, Director General of Ports and Maritime of Hormozgan.Afifipour said in a statement that there are 49 passenger vessels with 5,361 seats and 59 landing craft with caspacity of 1,960 vehicles.Of these, four thousand and 90 seats…

Associated British Ports (ABP) said that its Port of Silloth has handled the first delivery of wood pulp for its new customer, Futamura Group, a Japanese manufacturer of cellulose and polymeric films for the packaging industry who have a major production site in Cumbria.The 2,500 tonne wood pulp delivery has been imported from South America and will be transported to the company’s production site in Wigton, Cumbria, which employs around 270 people. The wood pulp will be used to make Cellophane™ and NatureFlex™…

A slowing domestic economy will likely lead to a moderate uptick in container imports through 2019, following a robust year that was marked by record-high cargo growth amid a trade dispute with China, said Port of Long Beach.North American imports are projected to grow a modest 1.8 percent in 2019, demonstrating a significant slowdown from the 6.1 percent increase reported for U.S. imports last year, said Melissa Peralta, senior economist and forecaster for TTX, a railcar pooling company based in Chicago.Retailers are expected to pump the brakes on imports during the first half of 2019…

Port of Rotterdam Authority said that NEPTUNES - a new quality mark - aims to offer ports the opportunity to reward quieter shipping.NEPTUNES is a project organisation of eleven ports established two years ago by the Port of Rotterdam Authority to reduce shipping noise, said a statement from the port.The IAPH Environmental Ship Index for sustainable shipping has also expressed an interest in this label, it added.NEPTUNES stands for Noise Exploration Program To Understand Noise Emitted by Seagoing Ships.

The fourth-largest port in the United States in total tonnage, Port of Corpus Christi has leased land where it hopes to build the nation's first export terminal to load very large crude carriers (VLCC).The Port of Corpus Christi Commission approved today a long-term (50-year) lease agreement with Lone Star Ports, a joint venture between the Carlyle Group and the Berry Group, for approximately 200 acres on Harbor Island to develop a state-of-the-art petroleum export terminal.Featuring the latest in safety, security and environmental technologies, the facility will connect U.S.

New Cranes Allow Port NOLA to Accommodate Larger Ships and Meet Growing Needs. The Board of Commissioners of the Port of New Orleans (Port NOLA) have voted to approve the purchase of two new 100-foot gauge container gantry cranes to be used at the Napoleon Avenue Container Terminal. “These new cranes are vital to our success and growth here at Port NOLA,” said President and CEO Brandy D. Christian. “They will increase our efficiency so we can accommodate larger and wider ships…