European Port News

The European Parliament has officially adopted the Berendsen report, an own-initiative report on “building a comprehensive European Port Strategy” (585 in favor, 21 against, 26 abstentions).The European Sea Ports Organisation (ESPO) welcomed the support for the strategic and vital role that Europe’s ports play for European society and economy. ESPO supports the Parliament’s plea to further harmonize the measures to strengthen the resilience and protection of Europe’s critical infrastructure, including ports.

As risks of cargo diversion to the detriment of EU ports are becoming more and more real with the upcoming entry into force at the beginning of 2024 of EU ETS for shipping, local organizations are voicing their concerns.The Federation of European Port Companies and Private Terminals (FEPORT), European Tugowners’ Association (ETA), European Maritime Pilots’ Association (EMPA) and European Community Association of Ship Brokers and Agents (ECASBA) members are expressing major concerns regarding the lack of real assessment of the EU ETS for shipping related effects on EU ports.

AAL Shipping has claimed a first for becoming the first project heavy lift carrier to publish a carbon surcharge guidance to help its customers prepare for the increased costs related to forthcoming European Union regulations on carbon emissions.The move comes ahead of the extension of the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) to cover the maritime industry, affecting shipping lanes between Europe and the rest of the world from January 1, 2024 with fixed charges for every ton of CO2 emitted.With these additional costs directly attributed to multipurpose cargo operations…

Britain's Princess Anne will on Friday officially open Port of Aberdeen’s £420 million South Harbor expansion project on Friday. The project is expected to catalyze a multi-billion-pound economic and job boost for Scotland.According to a press release issued by the port, independent analysis forecast that when the expanded Port of Aberdeen reaches its full potential the port’s Gross Value Added contribution will jump 60% to £2.4 billion and increase the number of jobs supported by 45% to 17…

Flag and port state control authorities will need new tools to monitor compliance within the next wave of Emissions Control Areas (ECAs) if compliance is to meet minimum standards, according to emissions management start-up SeaARCTOS.“There is a risk that as the industry focuses on carbon, that sulfur emissions fall into the background, but they continue to present a serious public health risk and a compliance challenge,” says Michael Kougellis, SeaARCTOS CEO. “Growth in the ECA network means that demand for emissions monitoring and compliance management will continue to increase…

Portugal's Sines port is ready to start onward shipment of liquefied natural gas (LNG), which arrives in large tankers and will be transferred to smaller vessels to head to other European states, a government spokesman said on Tuesday.He said a government feasibility study concluded that "with the existing infrastructure and simultaneous operations, Sines could transfer to central and northern Europe up to 10 billion cubic meters (353 billion cu ft) of LNG annually" within six to 12 months.That amount…

Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone said its acquisition of Haifa Port with a local Israeli partner will boost trade lanes with the company's Indian ports and could better connect Europe and the Middle East in the longer term.After a two-year tender process, Adani Ports and local chemicals and logistics group Gadot clinched the 4.1 billion shekel ($1.18 billion) winning bid for Haifa Port, Israel announced on Thursday.Adani Ports will have a 70% stake and Gadot will hold the remaining 30%…

Chinese shipyard CIMC Raffles on Friday delivered the world’s largest ice-rated multi-fuel ConRo vessel to Swedish shipowner Wallenius Sol. The first in a two-vessel series, Botnia Enabler is now sailing under the Swedish flag.The 27,000 dwt ship has a length of 242 meters, a beam of 35.2 meters and the highest Finnish-Swedish ice class to cope with the harsh winter conditions in the Gulf of Bothnia. In addition to its classic RoRo function, Botnia Enabler also has a large capacity for containers.“We’re incredibly pleased and proud to welcome Botnia Enabler to our fleet.

Efforts to speed up the movement of goods around the world have yet to solve the supply chain bottlenecks caused by surging demand for retail goods and pandemic-related lockdowns, the latest shipping data shows.Delays at U.S. major ports have been particularly severe, but knock-on effects have also been felt around the world.This week's Lunar New Year holiday in China and across Asia is also expected to aggravate delays.The journey time from China's northern Dalian port to the…

Container traffic at the Port of Rotterdam has reached a record level this year and is expected to be high again in 2022, Europe's largest sea port said on Wednesday.The port said that it had received 15 million containers this year up until Wednesday, marking the first time a European port had reached that level.Container freight, measured in the equivalent of twenty-foot long containers (TEU), has increased at least 5% in 2021 from last year, when transport was heavily disrupted…

The world's largest containership HMM Algeciras made its first European port call this week, entering Rotterdam’s Amaliahaven Wednesday on its maiden voyage to transfer containers at the Rotterdam World Gateway (RWG) terminal.The most recent vessel to hold the world’s largest containership crown, HMM Algeciras at maximum capacity carries slightly more 20-foot containers than its predecessor MSC Gülsün: 23,964 TEU versus 23,756 TEU. During its maiden voyage, HMM Algeciras is carrying a total of 19…

ABS has added Inventory of Hazardous Materials (IHM) Survey as remote choices.ABS is delivering IHM remote survey to support clients ahead of the December 31, 2020, introduction of mandatory IHM for all vessels sailing under an EU member states’ flag or any vessel calling at a European port.“In this challenging, time-pressured environment, ABS IHM remote survey is the simplest route to compliance without the inconvenience of arranging for a surveyor to be physically present on board,” said John McDonlad, ABS Senior Vice President, Global Business Development.An IHM initial survey for existing vessels verifies the location of the hazardous materials on board that are listed in the inventory.

French container line CMA CGM announced that its ship APL Singapura has inaugurated the cold ironing facilities of the Terminal des Flandres in the Port of Dunkirk.By plugging into an onshore electricity supply (also known as "cold ironing"), container ships calling at port can shut down their auxiliary engines while still getting the power they need, particularly in order to maintain controlled temperatures in refrigerated containers (Reefers).This innovative technology has significant environmental benefits, including: Zero emissions of sulfur and nitrogen oxides and fine particles while ships are at berth, and significantly reduced noise pollution.The cold ironing system installed at the Terminal des Flandres will become fully operational during the first half of 2020.

MacGregor, the provider of maritime cargo and load handling services, has secured orders to provide MacGregor equipment to a European port development project and TTS products to a naval project.The orders has a total value of approximately EUR 8 million, said the Cargotec group company.The orders were booked into Cargotec's fourth quarter 2019 order intake, with deliveries planned to commence during the fourth quarter of 2020 and completed during the first quarter of 2022.A TTS technical solution is being applied to the port development project, and MacGregor’s strong position and references leveraged in the naval project.‘’This is an excellent example of the combined strength of MacGregor and TTS…

The sustainability of cruise activity in Europe is currently under pressure, says the European Sea Ports Organization (ESPO). European ports take the concerns expressed very seriously, it said.The vicinity to Europe’s cultural heritage and main must-sees makes many European port cities attractive tourist destinations. Their ports are or have become much demanded cruise ports.European port managing bodies are happy to be an access gate to Europe’s cultural heritage, but understand that they must do whatever is possible within their remit to keep this activity sustainable and acceptable for the local population.Over the last months, ESPO’s Cruise and Ferry Port Network has been reflecting on the way forward.

The CMA CGM Group has introduced Rhine Valley Rail, a new rail service connecting the Port of Rotterdam with the German hinterland. The train connections are aligned with CMA CGM’s deep-sea services.Operated in cooperation with TFG, the Rhine Valley Rail service will officially start with its first train departure in Dortmund on 18 October. A total of six departures per week between the Port of Rotterdam and the German inland hubs of Dortmund, Duisburg and Ludwigshafen will be offered.Rhine Valley Rail service will officially start with its first train departure in Dortmund on October 18th.A total of six departures per week between the Port of Rotterdam and the German inland hubs of Dortmund…

Five participants will be taking part in a pilot project in Port of Rotterdam Authority  which will focus on mobile shore-based power solutions for sea-going vessels.The project was established by the municipality of Rotterdam and the Port of Rotterdam Authority and the participants in the project are: ENGIE Ventures & Integrated Solutions BV; PON Power & its subsidiaries; Aggreko Benelux; Mobiele Stroom BV and JP Energy Systems.The project will focus on various mobile shore-based power solutions for sea-going vessels, said a press note.Shore-based power has been compulsory for ships docking at Rotterdam’s more than 500 inland berths for years.

The new Connection Compass showed more than 100 liner services connect Hamburg with most of the more than 1,000 seaports worldwide.  "All scheduled, rail and inland waterway services to and from Hamburg," is given in the new  Connection Compass, said a press note from the port of Hamburg. Other ports are served via transshipment.In addition to the numerous container transports, special transports such as RoRo and project cargo are also handled by shipping companies in the universal port.With around 2,100 train connections offered per week, Hamburg is also the leading European port, it said.In addition to the address and contact details of liner shipping companies and their agencies, it lists ship-booking carriers (NVOCCs) as well as providers of rail and inland waterway transport.

The biennial Posidonia Sea Tourism Forum will be held from May 28-29, 2019, at the Domotel Kastri Conference Center, in Athens’ northern suburbs. Here there will be more than 30 senior cruise executives responsible for ports and destinations from the world’s biggest cruise lines, including MSC Cruises, Royal Caribbean Cruises, Holland America Group, Disney Cruise Line, Silversea Cruises, Fred Olsen Cruise Lines and Celestyal Cruises among others.Elisabetta De Nardo, VP Port Development…

Carnival Corporation, the world’s largest luxury cruise operator, emitted nearly 10 times more sulphur oxide (SOX) around European coasts than did all  260 million European cars in 2017,  said Transport & Environment.Royal Caribbean Cruises, the world’s second largest, is second, yet four times worse than the European car fleet, revealed a new analysis by sustainable transport group.SOX emissions form sulphate (SO4) aerosols that increase human health risks and contribute to acidification in terrestrial and aquatic environments.In absolute terms, Spain, Italy and Greece, closely followed by France and Norway, are the European countries most exposed to SOX air pollution from cruise vessels while Barcelona…

First dual-fuel sister Aframaxes owned by AET, a unit of the Malaysian shipping giant MISC, have completed their maiden ship-to-ship (STS) LNG bunkering.The petroleum and chemical tanker owner announced in a press release that Eagle Brasilia and Eagle Bintulu have successfully completed their STS LNG bunkering at the Port of Rotterdam (POR).The latest in AET’s eco-friendly innovation towards a sustainable industry solution that meets IMO’s 2050 goal, this is their first call to port in Europe as they make their journey and tour of duty towards the Atlantic Basin.Commenting on this milestone occasion, Ron Wood, Global Director, Mid-Size Tankers Crude Shipping…

Shipping services provider Boluda Corporación Marítima has signed a letter of intent to acquire all the shares, worth 300 million euros, of Kotug Smit Towage.The Netherlands-based towage services provider Kotug Smit Towage is operating in North Sea countries (United Kingdom, Netherlands, Belgium and Germany).Boluda Corporación Marítima is now in talks to acquire 100% of the towage company Kotug Smit Towage created in 2016. The shares are owned equally by the two companies Kotug International BV and Royal Boskalis Westminster NV, and a pre-agreement reached between Kotug and Boskalis to sell their towage company to the Spanish multinational holding company has played a fundamental role in the negotiations.By partnering with Boskalis subsidiary Smit…

Spain's Port of Barcelona closed financial year 2018 with a 15% increase in container traffic and record results in the main traffic indicators.According to a press release, the results also confirm the increase in intermodality, with significant growth in rail transport and Motorways of the Sea, helping to boost the sustainability of the logistics chains that pass through the Port of Barcelona.During financial year 2018, the Catalan infrastructure channelled 67.7 million tonnes of traffic - involving all cargo modes - representing a year-on-year increase of 10% and setting a new record for the Port."This result was driven largely by the excellent progression in container traffic, the most representative of the surrounding economy, which was over 3.4 million TEU, marking a 15% increase.