Port News

The new International Maritime Organisation (IMO) regulations aim to significantly reduce emissions of sulfur oxides, which are responsible for atmospheric acidification. This means that vessels may only use fuels with sulfur levels of up to 0.5 percent as of 1 January 2020.The current permitted level is 3.5 percent. However, another option is available. Shipping companies may continue to use heavy fuel oil if they install ‘scrubbers’ on their vessels to purify the exhaust gases with a wash treatment of water and soda."As the world’s largest bunker port…

In December Nauticor's “Kairos” received the first license to conduct LNG ship-to-ship bunkering operations in the port of Rostock. The long-term permit was issued by the port authority of Rostock.The permit to conduct ship-to-ship LNG bunkering operations in the largest German Baltic Sea port was awarded in a timely manner and will be the basis for the supply of LNG to a variety of customers. The preparations for the supply of LNG to their vessels are already ongoing and the first operations will be conducted within the next weeks.

The a unified command team has completed the oil pumping of all accessible tanks from the M/V Golden Ray, a roll-on, roll-off car carrier that overturned near the Port of Brunswick in Georgia in September, the U.S. Coast Guard said.Salvage workers and divers gained access to 26 fuel tanks inside the Golden Ray, some of which were submerged and could only be reached by rappelling and conducting dive operations inside the wreck. Fuel was pumped from the tanks into a barge for proper disposal.

Pirates have released three crew taken hostage from a Greek oil tanker off the coast of the West African country of Togo in November, the vessel's manager said on Friday.A fourth hostage, a Filipino, died from illness during captivity, European Products Carriers Ltd added.It did not give details of the release.The tanker, Elka Aristotle, was attacked on Nov. 4 about 18 km (11 miles) from the port of Lome.

Sustainable, energy-efficient working practices and environmental regulatory compliance are among the hot-button topics driving the spread of maritime digitalization.The benefits of a digital strategy for companies working within the maritime industry soon stack up. In addition to providing operational/logistical streamlining, data-based insights, a competitive edge and a reputational leg-up, connecting operational systems and consolidating interfaces also drives the levels of…

On September 26, the State University of New York Maritime College hosted a conference on the emerging east coast offshore wind industry. “Offshore Wind Power, Planning for America’s Ocean Energy” focused on four fundamental topics:• East Coast Wind Farm Overview – Status of the Industry.• Jobs and Supply Chain Technical Working Group.• Wind Farm Port Development.• Offshore Wind Maritime Operations.In some ways, actually clocking in for a day’s work on an offshore wind turbine is tantalizingly close. Ditto for power flowing from an offshore substation to a mainland interconnection.

The international container terminal operating company APM Terminals (APMT) said it has opened a new container terminal in Vado Ligure, on the Italian Riviera, which will be capable of handling 900,000 TEUs of containerized cargo.APMT has a 50.1% share in the “Vado Gateway,” while Cosco Shipping Ports has a 40% share and Qingdao Port International has a 9.9% share. APMT said the project is part of the “New Silk Road.” Chinese firms have invested in more than a dozen European ports…

It's that time of year.The US Coast Guard announced it has commenced icebreaking operations in response to expanded ice growth in the commercial ports of western Lake Superior.Operation Taconite, launched by Coast Guard Sector Sault Sainte Marie on Wednesday, is one of two icebreaking operations that support the Great Lakes. It encompasses Lake Superior, St. Marys River, Straits of Mackinac, Georgian Bay, Green Bay, northern Lake Huron, and Lake Michigan.The authority for Coast Guard domestic icebreaking was created in 1936, by Executive Order 7521 signed by President Franklin D.

Lyman-Morse Boatbuilding, the classic Maine boat designer and builder will build to Baltic Workboats design for the domestic workboat market.Lyman-Morse Boatbuilding, the classic Maine boat designer and builder will announce at this year’s International WorkBoat Show that it has entered into the domestic workboat market as the Jones Act builder for the Estonian, Baltic Workboats wave piercing pilot boat, currently popular with Danish and Belgian pilots.How do you feel about taking on something as unusual as building a pilot boat designed and built in Estonia…

Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) producer Yamal LNG  announced the operational start of the new Arc7 ice-class LNG tanker “Yakov Gakkel”,  the fifteenth and final Arc7 ice-class tanker built specifically for the Project.The Yakov Gakkel has loaded the 354th LNG cargo in the port of Sabetta bound to China, said a press note.The vessel was built by Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering (DSME) and is owned and operated by a 50-50 joint venture by Teekay LNG and China LNG Shipping.

Dutch LNG supplier Titan LNG's bunker barge FlexFueler001 has supplied LNG to Ramelia, oil and chemicals tanker owned by Sweden's Alvtank, while the ship was unloading cargo at the Oiltanking Terminal in Amsterdam.It is the first time a simultaneous operation (SIMOPS) has taken place with LNG bunkering in the Port of Amsterdam, allowing the Ramelia to unload cargo whilst receiving LNG bunkers."This important step, in which Oiltanking Amsterdam and Furetank Chartering joined, enables…

Danish logistics conglomerate Maersk launches its new logistics center in Bac Ninh to address the needs of a high-demand North Vietnam market.The new warehouse offers premium Warehousing and Distribution solutions to support our customers and the significant trade growth in the region.On December 11th, 2019, the official opening ceremony for the new logistics center took place in Bac Ninh, Vietnam in the presence of Danish Ambassador to Vietnam Mr. Kim Højlund Christensen, Vietbeko Head of Supply Chain Mr. Quang Le and Maersk senior executives.

Cargotec division Navis has signed an agreement to acquire the assets of New Zealand-based Jade Logistics.Jade Logistics provides Master terminal operating systems (TOS) for mixed cargo terminals.With N4, Octopi and Jade Master Terminal, Navis can offer the flexibility of the right TOS for any prospective customer’s cargo requirements. Navis will establish a General Cargo Center of Excellence in Christchurch, New Zealand to serve the growing demand for mixed cargo solutions globally.

A total of eight incidents of armed robbery were reported against ships in Asia in November 2019, according to ReCAAP ISC monthly piracy report.ReCAAP said of the eight incidents reported in November 2019, five incidents, comprising four actual incidents and one attempted incident, occurred in the Singapore Strait.The total number of incidents of piracy and armed robbery against ships reported during January-November 2019 has decreased by 4%, but the number of actual incidents…

The US Coast Guard said it is searching for a crew member missing from a vessel that sank in the La Quinta Channel near Ingleside, Texas, Tuesday morning.Two men were reported to be working on board the vessel Cristi when it sank approximately 100 yards north of Ingleside Point at 10:30 a.m.One crew member was recovered by a good Samaritan vessel with no reported medical concern, the Coast Guard said.Coast Guard air and boat crews are searching for the second crew member with…

Seaspan Shipyards (Seaspan) has completed Delivery of Canadian Coast Guard Ship (CCGS) Capt. Jacques Cartier, the Canadian Coast Guard’s newest state-of-the-art Offshore Fisheries Science Vessel (OFSV), the second OFSV delivered by Seaspan."The milestone in the shipbuilding process took place exactly five months and two days after the delivery of her sister ship, the CCGS Sir John Franklin. These two ships are the first large vessels delivered under the National Shipbuilding Strategy…

The Norwegian oil and gas major Equinor ASA said it has completed the purchase of a 50% stake in the Baltyk I offshore wind project (OWP) in Poland from Polenergia.The Bałtyk 1 offshore location license allows for a development of a wind farm with a capacity up to 1560MW. Equinor will own up to 780MW.Norwegian company now has an interest in all three Bałtyk offshore wind development projects (MFW Bałtyk III, MFW Bałtyk II i MFW Bałtyk I.).The acquisition of Baltyk I strengthens our presence in the Baltic Sea area.

Europe’s largest bunker port Rotterdam said that the new low-sulfur bunker oil VLSFO (Very Low Sulfur Fuel Oil with a maximum 0.5% sulfur) has become extremely popular in the port.Half of all November bunker sales were for VLSFO. This became apparent from the bunkering notifications via the Port of Rotterdam Authority’s TimeToBunker App.As of 1 January 2020, sea-going vessels on the world’s oceans may only use fuel with a sulfur content of no more than 0.5%. The current maximum is 3.5%.

James J. White, Executive Director, Port of Baltimore, announced his resignation effective December 31, 2019.White led operations for 18 years as the Port of Baltimore improved its national rankings, upgraded security procedures and completed infrastructure projects that made it one of the few ports in America capable of receiving the largest ships in the world.Under Executive Director White, the Port of Baltimore leads the nation in handling autos and light trucks, roll on/roll off heavy farm and construction machinery, as well as imported sugar and gypsum.

Enbridge Inc and Enterprise Products Partners LP on Monday signed an agreement to jointly develop a deepwater offshore crude oil export terminal in the Gulf of Mexico capable of loading Very Large Crude Carriers.Both pipeline operators will work to finalize an equity participation agreement that would provide Enbridge an option to purchase ownership interest in Enterprise's Sea Port Oil Terminal (SPOT), subject to SPOT receiving a deep-water port license, Enbridge said in a statement.The companies would first jointly develop the SPOT project…

Tramarsa has taken delivery of a Damen Cutter Suction Dredger (CSD) 450. Tramarsa will be providing the tools to its subsidiary company Salaverry Terminal Internacional (STI), which will be using the new vessel for maintenance dredging tasks in the Port of Salaverry, Peru.The purchase of the new Damen CSD450 relates to the 30-year contract that STI was awarded for delivering port services at the Port of Salaverry. This contract includes maintenance dredging to keep the harbor at a suitable depth…

Saudi Aramco's shipping arm Bahri has issued an expression of interest (EOI) to charter up to 12 liquefied natural gas (LNG) tankers from 2025, its first foray into the superchilled fuel, industry sources said on Monday.No further details were immediately available and Saudi Aramco declined to comment. EOIs are preliminary enquiries that may or may not turn into full-fledged orders.According to Bahri's website, the national shipping carrier of Saudi Arabia has six business units dealing in oil…

Swedish container facility Port of Gothenburg is aiming to be a fossil free terminal by 2020, said its owner-operator Danish-owned APM Terminals.APM Terminals Gothenburg  launched environmental strategy  “Green Gothenburg Gateway”  which sees its terminal in the port aiming to become fossil-fuel free next year.Gothenburg Gateway is to accelerate the development of Sweden’s goods transports, having identified the need for Sweden to keep pace as global goods transports grow in scale…