International Container Terminal Services (ICTSI) subsidiary Lekki International Container Terminal Services LFTZ Enterprise (LICTSE) has given up on its Nigerian port project due to delays in its execution, reports Nikkei. LICTSE and Lekki Port LFTZ Enterprise (LPLE) have mutually agreed to terminate their sub-concession agreement dated Aug. 10, 2012. "The parties arrived at this decision following delays in the execution of the Lekki Port Project," ICTSI told the Philippine Stock Exchange.

Russia's June Urals crude exports from the Baltic Sea ports are expected to fall by 15 percent compared with May on a daily basis to 5.51 million tonnes, a preliminary loading plan seen by Reuters showed on Thursday. Crude loadings from the port of Primorsk were set to fall by 30 percent to 2.71 million tonnes due to planned works on Baltic pipeline system. Supplies from the neighbouring Ust-Luga port are set at 2.8 million tonnes, up 100,000 tonnes from the May loading plan.

The Port of New Orleans announced a new opportunity for shippers looking to transport perishable cargo from South America. Port NOLA received approval by the U.S. Department of Agriculture for inclusion in the Southeast U.S. In-Transit Cold Treatment Pilot Program. Participation in the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Services (APHIS) pilot program means select time-sensitive products can be treated to meet customs compliance in-transit rather than after it arrives to the U.S. – resulting in shorter transit times and increased efficiency for shippers.

The key International Maritime Organization (IMO)treaty supporting the free flow of international maritime traffic – the Facilitation Convention – is the subject of a regional seminar in Bangkok, Thailand (22-26 May). The so-called “FAL Convention” provides a set of consistent, uniform regulations that cover the wide range of administrative tasks required of ships coming into and leaving port. These include customs declarations, immigrations clearance, import and export permits and many others.

The commercial bulk carrier Global Vega rescued seven fishermen in distress on May 21 off the coast of Peru. While Global Vega was sailing from the port of Acajutla, El Salvador, to the port of Callao, Peru, the vessel came upon a fishing boat having engine trouble. Food and fresh water were provided to the fishermen and their boat was moored to Global Vega. Afterward, the fishermen and their boat were safely delivered to the Peruvian Coast Guard. Global Vega is a bulk carrier operated by NYK Bulk & Projects Carriers Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of NYK Line. Captain: Arturo F.

In the first quarter of 2017, the Port of Hamburg’s total throughput was up by 1.7 percent at 35.4 million tons. Growth in Germany’s largest universal port was therefore slightly above the average 1.6 percent for the other major North Range ports of Rotterdam, Antwerp and Bremen/Bremerhaven. Contributing to the Hamburg total, bulk cargo throughput was 6.7 percent higher at 12.2 million tons, and general cargo handling at 23.1 million tons, just 0.7 percent lower. In the former segment…

As the container terminal operator at Sohar Port in Oman, Hutchison Ports is taking its next bold step towards modernisation and full automation, with the launch of its new Auto Gate system at Terminal C. The Terminal already features remote-controlled quayside cranes capable of handling next generation 20,000 TEU vessels. “Auto Gate promises to make container shipments at Hutchison Ports SOHAR even faster and more secure, strengthening the Port’s already excellent reputation as the new Gateway to the Gulf,” said Albert Pang, CEO of Hutchison Ports SOHAR.

In April this year, MAN Rollo supplied two engines for the RPA8 hybrid patrol boat, which Kooiman Shipyard was commissioned to build by the Port of Rotterdam Authority. When putting out a tender for the patrol boat, the Port of Rotterdam Authority defined a number of principles, including the cost of ownership, emission reduction and minimising wave generation. The tender also specified that the innovative patrol boat would be equipped with a hybrid propulsion system combining diesel electric and diesel direct power…

The Russian Arctic Shipping Company (ASCO) operates between the port of Antwerp and the Arctic region of Russia. Its ice-reinforced vessels with a capacity of 7,000 to 12,000 tonnes will mainly carry project cargo. The company operates six vessels, enabling it to offer a monthly rotation. From Antwerp the ships travel via the Baltic (calling at among others St. Petersburg and Ust Luga) and then on the more northerly Russian ports such as Archangel, Sabetta, Murmansk and Nova Zembla. The agent for this service is Seabow, specialising in breakbulk and ro/ro with the emphasis on Russia.

Gulf Petrochem Group, the UAE based global bunker supplier, has set another milestone in its operations with the first-ever bunker supply by barge at the non-conventional port of Paradip in Odisa, India’s east coast in a joint effort with Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL). Gulf Petrochem arranged for the supply of 810 metric tons of bunker fuel IFO 180 CST by barge. Typically, supplies were made to the non-regular bunker port of Paradip only by Road Tanker Wagons (RTW) and for small volumes.

Governor Nathan Deal, Port of Savannah officials and the maritime community were on hand to welcome the COSCO Development, the largest containership to ever call on the U.S. East Coast as it handled 5,500 containers, a record for Georgia’s ports. “This is another example of how the Port of Savannah is the gateway not just for the U.S. Southeast, but for America’s East Coast,” said Georgia Governor Nathan Deal. During the ship’s 30 hours at dock, up to six cranes moved 10,000 TEUs (Twenty-foot Equivalent container Units) on and off the vessel…

An Indonesian labour union has scrapped a planned strike at Jakarta's Tanjung Priok port next week, ensuring operations would run normally at the country's busiest port, union officials said on Friday. Nova Sofyan Hakim, the chairman of the workers' union of PT Jakarta International Container Terminal (JICT), said by text message the union had reached "a constructive agreement" with the company. JICT is the company in charge of loading and unloading at Tanjung Priok port, the country's biggest container port.

A new ferry line between isolated North Korea and its neighbour Russia docked for the first time at the Russian Pacific port of Vladivostok on Thursday. The ferry's Russian operators say it is purely a commercial venture, but it coincides with what some academics say is a drive by North Korea's leader, Kim Jong Un, to build ties with Moscow in case its closest ally China turns its back. Journalists were unable to see passengers disembarking from the ship, the North Korean-flagged Mangyongbong, because Russian officials kept them away from the quayside, citing unspecified security reasons. Reuters television was able to speak to three passengers, who said they were representatives of Chinese tourism agencies.

Spring cargo numbers from the St. Lawrence Seaway and U.S. ports are signaling a better year for Great Lakes-Seaway shipping. According to the latest figures from the St. Lawrence Seaway, total cargo shipments via the Seaway from the start of the shipping season (March 20 through April 30) reached 3.7 million metric tons, up 8 percent from the same period a year ago. “It’s still very early in the season, but we’re optimistic that 2017 will be a better year for Great Lakes-Seaway shipping,” said Bruce Burrows, President of the Chamber of Marine Commerce. “U.S.

MOL Triumph, the first of the world’s largest and newest vessels to call in the UK, arrives in Southampton on THE Alliance's FE2 service as new third deep-water berth opened at London Gateway in April, ahead of first regular Asia-Europe service starting. DP World's UK terminals will welcome the first services from the Far East following a global shake-up of the world’s shipping lines. Inaugural calls of Asia/Europe services by THE Alliance, a shipping consortium made up of Mitsui O.S.K Line…

The Spanish cabinet passed a decree on Friday aimed at liberalizing the country's ports, a second effort at a contentious law which has already been rejected by parliament and prompted threats of widespread strikes. The Mediterranean's largest ports, Valencia and Algeciras, alongside the smaller port of Barcelona, help shift about two thirds of Spain's imports and exports. Prolonged industrial action could badly hurt Spain's exports, which are worth about a third of economic output and were key in dragging the country from recession following the 2008 property market crash.

The latest newbuilding to join TUI Cruises, Mein Schiff 6, has berthed in Kiel for the first time. Kiel is the ship’s first passenger port of call in Germany she has visited since she was handed over a few days ago in Turku, Finland. The 99,000 GT, 295 m long cruise ship arrived in the Kiel fiord on Thursday, May 11 to a water fountain welcome and was escorted to her berth by one of the port’s tugs. Onlookers lined the banks and visited the Ostseekai Terminal to catch a glimpse of Mein Schiff 6.

Saqr Port, part of Rash Al Khaimah (RAK) Ports, has signed a contract with the Damen Shipyards Group for the delivery of an ASD 2913 tug. The vessel will be built a short distance away at Albwardy Damen in Sharjah and will be delivered in time for the opening of the new bulk terminal at Saqr Port in mid-2018. Saqr Port is a major bulk-handing port in the Middle East and a vital part of the regional economy. Located at the foot of the Hajar Mountains, it serves the fast-growing quarry industry in the emirate of Ras Al Khaimah.

The weekly Ocean Alliance NEU4 service, operated by French-based CMA-CGM, will link the port of Zeebrugge with the Asian ports of Tianjin, Qingdao, Shanghai, Ningbo, and Yantian, China as well as Busan, Korea, beginning with the first call of the 13,380 TEU capacity APL Changi on May 16th. The NEU4 service is one of six Asia/North Europe services offered by the Ocean Alliance, which began operations on April 1st with CMA CGM, COSCO Container Lines, CMA CGM, Evergreen Line and Orient Overseas Container Line as members.

For skills development of youth in coastal areas, India's Ministry of Shipping signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with theMinistry of Rural Development in New Delhi. The MoU is for convergence of the Ministry’ prestigious project Sagaramala and Ministry of Rural Development’s flagship programme Deen Dayal Upadhyay Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU GKY). The Minister of Shipping and Road Transport & Highways, Nitin Gadkari and the Minister for Rural Development, Panchayati Raj, Drinking Water and Sanitation Narendra Singh Tomar were present on the occasion.

125 years ago, the steamship “Cremon” set sail from Europe to Canada for the first time under the Hapag flag. Hapag-Lloyd will be celebrating this anniversary in Montreal today with the shipping company’s customers and other partners. “As an important connection between Atlantic and Pacific, as well as between the United States, Asia and Europe, Canada has been and continues to be an important and special partner for us,” said Rolf Habben Jansen, the CEO of Hapag-Lloyd AG. At the end of the 19th century…

Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (container, tanker, dry-bulk and car carrier divisions) and KOTUG SMIT TOWAGE (KotugSmit) signed long term towage agreements, effective early 2017. The two have agreed upon a long term towage contract for the ports of Rotterdam, Antwerp, Ghent, Terneuzen, Flushing, Bremerhaven, Hamburg, London and Southampton. With this strategic partnership, both organizations aim to boost operational performances by benefiting from smart collaboration and sharing operational knowledge and valuable information.

The SESAME Straits project utilizes e-Navigation concepts to reduce maritime traffic congestion and hot spots, as well as improve traffic safety and efficiency. Leading up to the recent Singapore Maritime Technology Conference, the project conducted a successful demonstration in close collaboration with Maritime and Port Authority in Singapore. The SESAME Straits project (Secure, Efficient, and Safe maritime traffic Management in the Straits of Malacca and Singapore) is a 3-year joint Singapore and Norway project…