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Czech Republic News

06 Feb 2024

Huisman Secures Port Order for Automated Stacking Cranes

(Credit: Huisman)

Dutch manufacturer Huisman has entered the port and logistics market with the order for series of automated stacking cranes (ACSs) from Hutchison Ports ECT Rotterdam (ECT).The ACSs will serve for the efficient handling and buffering of containers. The cranes feature a fully automated process for handling and buffering containers, providing a solution for enhanced operational efficiency, required for 24/7 operational time.The diversification in port automation underscores Huisman's…

29 Nov 2023

Oil Loadings from Black Sea Ports Remain Suspended

© Vladimir / Adobe Stock

Oil loadings from the Black Sea port of Novorossiysk and the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) terminal have not resumed due to an ongoing storm forcing exporters to look for alternative routes, three sources familiar with exports told Reuters on Wednesday.Novorossiysk and the CPC terminal account for about 2 million barrels of oil per day (bpd) from Russia and Kazakhstan."A storm warning is in effect in Novorossiysk. It is raining, and the wave height is from two to four meters…

18 Apr 2023

Norway Crude Mops Up in Europe as Russia's Urals Heads East

Johan Sverdrup - Photo credit: Lizette Bertelsen and Jonny Engelsvoll - Equinor

The clear winner in the race to replace Russian oil at Europe's refineries is Norway's Johan Sverdrup crude, according to Refinitiv Eikon data and traders.Johan Sverdrup was launched in 2019, making it a relative newcomer compared to Russia's Urals grade.Initially sold mostly to Asia, an EU ban on Russian seaborne oil imports imposed in December has opened up the European market where the medium sour grade has become a primary feedstock for refiners in countries such as Germany…

28 Oct 2022

Russia Ramps Up Seaborne Urals Oil Exports to Asia ahead of EU Embargo

© Igor Groshev / Adobe Stock

Russia ramped up seaborne Urals oil exports to Asia to 50% of the total over the Oct. 1-20 period ahead of a December EU embargo on the state's oil and products, according to traders and Refinitiv Eikon data.EU countries which have been primary consumers of Russian crude oil for decades will stop buying it from Dec. 5 due to the embargo imposed by the bloc.Bulgaria is the only state allowed to continue seaborne imports beyond the date, while Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic will continue buying via pipeline.Russian Urals oil shipments to Asia rose to 2.08 million tonnes during Oct.

08 Sep 2022

First LNG Shipment Arrives at New Dutch Floating Terminal

(Photo: EemsEnergyTerminal)

The first ship to bring a cargo of liquefied natural gas (LNG) to a new terminal at the Dutch port of Eemshaven has docked and has started the unloading process, the gas grid operator said on Thursday, part of Europe's bid to cut reliance on Russian gas.The LNG tanker Murex berthed alongside the regasification unit at the new EemsEnergyTerminal, which can handle 8 billion cubic meters (bcm) of gas a year, a Gasunie spokesperson said."Everything is going perfectly," Marie-Lou Gregoire of Gasunie said.The terminal, near Groningen, has two Floating Storage Regasification Units (FSRUs) that Gasuni

12 Jul 2022

Could the US Ship More LNG to Europe?

© Carabay / Adobe Stock

The United States, the world's top natural gas producer, wants to send more liquefied natural gas (LNG) to Europe to help its allies break their dependence on Russian gas after Moscow invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24.But U.S. exports are limited by the country's liquefaction capacity and an ongoing outage at Freeport LNG's plant after the second-biggest U.S. LNG export facility was hit by fire in June.Russia, once Europe's biggest gas supplier, has already cut exports for various reasons this year…

31 May 2022

EU Agrees Gradual Russian Oil Embargo, Gives Hungary Exemptions

Illustration only - Gazprom's Prirazlomnaya platform at the Prirazlomnoye field - Credit: Gazprom Neft

European Union leaders have agreed an embargo on Russian oil imports that will start kicking in towards the end of the year and which exempts, for now, pipeline imports that Hungary and two other landlocked Central European states rely on.The toughest sanction yet on Russia for its invasion of Ukraine, agreed overnight after weeks of wrangling, aims to remove 90% of Russia's crude imports into the 27-nation bloc by year-end, senior officials said."The purpose is to stop Russia's aggressive war…

30 May 2022

Poland Could Build Second FSRU Amid Czech, Slovak Interest

Credit: Karel/AdobeStock

Poland could build a second floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU) next to an already planned installation because the Czech Republic and Slovakia are interested in buying more liquefied natural gas (LNG), the Polish climate minister said.Czech Republic and Slovakia are seeking alternatives to cut reliance on Russian supplies. Slovakia's state gas firm SPP struck deals to buy enough piped Norwegian gas and LNG to cover about 65% of its demand until the end of next year. Read full storyPoland plans to open an FSRU unit on the Baltic Sea near Gdansk in 2026.

06 May 2022

Germany to Help Eastern EU States Without Ports Access LNG - Scholz

©karel/AdobeStock

Germany will show solidarity with European Union countries seeking alternatives to Russian gas and oil, for example helping eastern states without ports in the North or Baltic Seas access liquefied natural gas (LNG), Chancellor Olaf Scholz said on Thursday.Speaking after meeting with Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala, Scholz said many countries faced an even bigger challenge than Germany in reducing reliance on Russian energy imports.Russian gas imports that arrive via pipeline account for more than 90% of gas consumption in the Czech Republic…

06 Apr 2022

How Much Oil Does the European Union Import from Russia?

© Igor Groshev / Adobe Stock

The European Commission has proposed new sanctions against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine, including a ban on buying Russian coal and on Russian ships entering EU ports. Yet the EU faces an uphill slog to wean itself of energy imports from its Eastern neighbor.Following is a summary of key facts about the EU's use of Russian oil:How much Russian oil does the EU import?Europe is the destination for nearly half of Russia's crude and petroleum product exports, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA)…

27 Oct 2021

Nord Stream 2 is Not a Threat to Gas Supply to EU - German ministry

On September 10, 2021, the sections of the second Nord Stream 2 pipeline laid from the German shore and Danish waters was connected in a so-called above water tie-in. The opposing pipe strings were lifted from the seabed by the lay barge Fortuna and the pipe ends were cut and fitted together. The welding to connect the two lines took place on a platform located above the water on the side of the vessel. Then the connected pipeline was lowered to the seabed as one continuous string.©NordStream2

Allowing Nord Stream 2 to pump Russian gas to Germany will not threaten supplies to the European Union, the German Economy Ministry said on Tuesday, clearing a major hurdle for the disputed pipeline.While the pipeline is ready to start operations, it still needs to be certified by Germany's Federal Network Agency and the ministry's supply analysis is a key requirement for the regulator to continue that process."In its analysis, the Federal Economy Ministry concludes that granting certification is not threatening security of gas supply to the Federal Republic of Germany and the European Union…

13 Jul 2021

Huisman Scales Up 3D Printing

(Photo: Huisman)

Cranes manufacturer Huisman said it has successfully tested four new 3D printed 350mt crane hooks under the supervision of the independent certification authority Lloyd's Register.The hooks are approx. 170 by 130cm in size, almost nine times larger than the first Huisman 3D printed crane hook, the company said. They have a weight of 1,700kg each and a loading capacity of 350mt. Each hook exists of approx. 90 kilometers of welding wire.Huisman has been employing the 3D printing…

10 May 2021

OPINION: Regulating Grey Water ... the Time is Now

© lancesagar/AdobeStock

The IMO’s MARPOL Annex IV is being revised to confirm the lifetime performance of Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs). This may finally bring about grey water regulation – a necessity that is long overdue.Black Water and Grey WaterA ship’s sewage (black water) is collected from toilets, urinals and hospitals. The IMO’s MARPOL Annex IV prohibits its discharge, except when treated by an STP or discharged at > 12nm from the nearest land. A ship’s grey water, collected from showers, wash basins…

05 Mar 2021

Trelleborg Acquires Composite Hose Supplier Gutteling Group

© Carabay / Adobe Stock

Trelleborg has, through its Trelleborg Industrial Solutions business area, signed an agreement and finalized the acquisition of the Dutch company Gutteling Group BV. The company develops and sells composite hoses to the chemical industry and is the market leader in hoses for liquefied natural gas (LNG) ship-to-ship transfer. The acquisition complements Trelleborg’s industrial hose, and specifically, composite hose, offering. Composite hoses are mainly used for aggressive chemicals…

15 Dec 2020

Timeline: Nord Stream 2 Gas Pipeline's Difficult Birth

(File Photo: Nord Stream 2 - © Axel Schmidt)

Russia has resumed construction of the politically-charged Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline to Germany, laying pipes after a one-year hiatus prompted by U.S. sanctions, the pipeline operator said on Friday.An alleged nerve agent attack on Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny in August was the latest political controversy to hit the nearly-completed Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, as Germany debates whether to halt the project as part of potential sanctions against Russia.Led by Russia's Gazprom with Western partners…

29 Jul 2020

New Stock Index Launched for LNG Shipping

© nikkytok / Adobe Stock

A newly launched stock index family is designed to measure the performance of companies involved in maritime transport of liquefied natural gas (LNG).The rules-based UP World LNG Shipping Index covers 17 publicly traded companies and partnerships from countries such as the U.S., Qatar, Japan, Norway, South Korea and Malaysia. The index covers 65% of the world LNG carrier fleet."Our aim is to set up the UP World LNG Shipping Index as the leading index for the rising LNG shipping industry…

30 Apr 2020

US Postal Service Sending Mail on Ships

© Kalyakan / Adobe Stock

The U.S. Postal Service is using ships for overseas transport as the number of commercial flights typically used to send mail abroad has plummeted due to the coronavirus pandemic. The agency said on April 23 that a first mail shipment bound for Europe departed JFK International Service Center in New York three days earlier and is being transported on a containership scheduled to arrive at the port of Rotterdam on May 7. The vessel is said to be carrying 6,036 receptacles in five containers weighing 32…

09 Apr 2020

European Refiners Leave Oil Cargoes On Water

© papa1266 / Adobe Stock

A growing number of oil tankers across Europe have been unable to unload their cargo over the past month as refining demand crashes, turning them into de facto floating storage, according to shipping data and trading sources.European refineries have had to cut runs after measures put in place to contain the coronavirus outbreak crushed fuel demand.More than 25 tankers with roughly 18 million barrels onboard were anchored near European ports, with most them already there for over a week as of Thursday…

18 Mar 2020

USCG Advises on Minimizing Novel Coronavirus at Sea

© Inna/AdobeStock

The Coast Guard Assistant Commandant for Prevention Policy has published an update March 16, 2020 to MSIB: Novel Coronavirus – Update (Change 2)An outbreak of respiratory illness caused by a novel coronavirus (COVID-19) may affect mariners and maritime commerce. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has updated their Interim Guidance for Ships on Managing Suspected Coronavirus Disease 2019 (see https://go.usa.gov/xdfyG) and Cruise Ship Travel (see https://go.usa.gov/xdfVP).Illness…

14 Nov 2019

Cosco Acquires Stake in Greek Intermodal Firm

OceanRail Logistics, part of the Cosco Shipping Group, acquired 60% of the Greek railway company Piraeus Europe Asia Rail Logistics (PEARL) as part of its plan to develop its intermodal transport services network.OceanRail specializes in sea-rail intermodal transport with the Piraeus Port as the hub and related logistics business, while PEARL is a Greece-based company engaged in railway operations.The China-Europe Land-Sea Express Line, which starts from the Piraeus Port in Greece and expands to the hinterland of Central and Eastern Europe, covering North Macedonia, Serbia, Hungary, Austria, Czech Republic and Slovakia, is the third new trade corridor from the Far East to Europe and effectively connects the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road and the Silk Road Economic Belt.In 2019…

12 Nov 2019

First Metrans Vectron Released

Rail freight operator Metrans received the first Vectron multi-system locomotive at its container terminal in Prague.The vehicle is part of an order of ten multi-system locomotives. They are being manufactured in the Siemens Mobility factory in Munich-Allach and will be delivered in full by spring 2020.Metrans will deploy the new Vectron locomotives in transnational freight traffic across Central and Eastern Europe.“We are very happy to have received the first of ten Vectron locomotives from Siemens Mobility at our location in Prague. The expansion of our locomotive fleet to nearly 100 vehicles highlights our commitment to grow with the transport flows of the future.

01 Nov 2019

Gdansk Ports Aims to be Gateway to Baltic

Europe’s fastest growing port, the Port of Gdansk, has outlined huge expansion plans designed to double its cargo volumes to 100m tonnes a year, during a high-level maritime and business delegation from Poland to Singapore.The delegation marks 50-years of diplomatic ties between the countries and is being organized with PSA International, the Singapore based global ports group. In May this year PSA International formally acquired DCT Gdansk, the largest container terminal in Poland, in partnership with the Polish Development Fund and the IFM Global Infrastructure Fund.The Port of Gdansk Authority vice-president for infrastructure Marcin Osowski outlined plans to build a new €2.8billion Euro Central Port as ‘the biggest maritime investment project in Europe’…

08 Oct 2019

AWT Becomes PKP Cargo International

Polish rail freight operator PKP Cargo has rebranded its Czech subsidiary Advanced World Transport (AWT) to PKP Cargo International. Besides the new name, the Czech company has obtained a new corporate logo and colours.Advanced World Transport is the second largest rail freight carrier in the Czech Republic. In May 2015, PKP Cargo S.A. took over 80 percent shares in the company, and in November 2017 the remaining 20 percent.In December 2018, AWT acquired 80 percent shares in the company Primol-Rail d.o.o., which in 2019 received a certificate enabling provision of the rail freight on Slovenian market.Last year, the AWT comprehensive restructuring process began, which already has visible effects.

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