Port Authority News

South Africa's ports remain open to all types of cargo despite a nationwide 21-day lockdown though essential goods should be prioritized, the Department of Transport said in a notice."(The) government has now decided that in the interest of ensuring a functional supply chain across all ports, that all cargoes will be accepted for loading and off-loading," said the notice, which was dated March 31.That reversed instructions sent by port authorities to bulk terminals last week saying…

A Brazilian court has barred crew members from disembarking from the Costa Fascinosa cruise ship anchored with no passengers at the port of Santos after some of their mates developed coronavirus symptoms, city authorities said on Monday.All passengers on the ship, which has a capacity for 3,800 passengers and crew, were disembarked on March 17 at Santos and only the crew remained in quarantined.Santos is Latin America's largest port and where most of Brazil's agriculture commodities are exported.Last week…

Economic relief is on its way for Singapore's passenger vessel owners and operators, as well as passenger terminal operators, who have seen a drop in passenger volumes due to the COVID-19 outbreak, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance, Heng Swee Keat, announced Thursday, as part of the Resilience Budget.The 50% port dues concession to passenger vessels from March 1 to August 31, announced by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore's (MPA) in February, will extend for another four months until December 31, 2020.

A union representing the on-demand dock workers has called off a vote that had been scheduled for Monday on whether to hold a strike at Latin America's largest port over concerns about risks from the coronavirus outbreak.In a statement on Sunday, the union - which said it represents about 5,000 people - said the cancellation of the vote was due to a request from government officials.

Passengers who have tickets to travel back to their home countries will be allowed to disembark from the coronavirus-hit Costa Luminosa cruise ship in Marseille, the port authority and the cruise operator said on Thursday.A port official told Reuters that 639 passengers, including 187 French nationals, would be allowed to leave the ship in small groups, depending on the timing of their transport home.There were more than 1,420 passengers on the liner, including 230 Americans, 168 Italians and 100 Canadians…

Operations are have been suspended at Houston's Bayport and Barbours Cut container terminals after a worker tested positive for COVID-19.Both public terminals are closed and operations are temporarily suspended while a thorough investigation is being conducted, the Houston Port Authority said in a statement."The health and safety of Port Houston’s employees, users, customers and community remains its first priority. Port Houston is in communication with public authorities and health agencies while an investigation is underway…

It takes a thick skin to live in New York City, let alone to run its Staten Island Ferry service. James C. DeSimone, Deputy Commissioner, Ferry Division, New York City Department of Transportation, has been charged with running the ferry service for the last 16 years. We met with him for his insights on the challenges of keeping the iconic ferry running safely and efficiently.Jim DeSimone has led a maritime life, with his time equally split between the private and public sectors. His maritime affiliation is literally in his blood, as his father Guy J.

With social media updates and conference agendas addressing the subjects of climate change, emissions reductions and alternative fuels, it’s a wonder we are not climbing the Himalayans in search of the Jedi Master that will provide us with the magic potion. Yoda’s blessing with a calming breath, “You have chosen wisely.”Government emissions intervention started with a move to reduce energy and fuel consumption measured in greenhouse gas (GHG), at a time when the world and our politicians spoke about global warming.

The Port of Virginia said it has opened its doors to cruise ships idled by the coronavirus pandemic.Since the outbreak of the virus and the cruise industry’s voluntary suspension of U.S. operations, empty cruise ships have been seeking temporary berth opportunities at multiple ports, with Florida taking the greatest share of the vessels. For a cruise ship, it is more economical to idle at a port rather than at sea because it does not burn as much fuel and provides easy access…

The world’s second busiest cruise port is maintaining normal operations as it continues to monitor the COVID-19 developing situation, the Canaveral Port Authority announced.The port said it will be profoundly impacted by Friday's decision by major cruise lines to voluntarily suspend operations from all U.S. ports for at leas 30 days, and that it is working with cruise line partners to coordinate efforts and help meet their operational and berthing needs. The port said it is also working with federal, state and local government agencies – like the U.S.

Severe congestion at Chinese ports is easing, say officials and industry participants, although a logjam of refrigerated containers has disrupted supplies of fresh and frozen food and pushed up freight rates outside China.Thousands of refrigerated containers carrying meat, seafood and fruit from around the world to China have been stuck for weeks at the country's ports after Beijing extended its Lunar New Year holiday and cities around the nation restricted free movement to curb…

A 27-meter harbor tug equipped with autonomous navigation capabilities has been put through its paces at the Port of Singapore, demonstrating functions such as smart navigation and collision avoidance which are key to the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore's (MPA) goal to enable autonomous ship operations within the world’s busiest transshipment hub.The IntelliTug project, led by technology provider Wärtsilä and marine services firm PSA Marine, is a collaboration with classification society Lloyd’s Register…

Hong Kong-based ship management company Anglo-Eastern Group has completed the successful roll-out of Navigator Port to its fleet of more than 600 vessels.DNV GL’s port clearance software is used daily onboard several thousand ships worldwide for management of port documentation, assisting seafarers in navigating the administrative and regulatory complexity of port clearance and passage through controlled waters.“One of the most time-consuming tasks onboard is preparing port documentation,” says Captain Pradeep Chawla, Managing Director, QHSE and Training at Anglo-Eastern.

Tests carried out on two passengers from a cruise ship currently near the French port city of Marseille showed a negative result for the coronavirus, said a spokesman for the Marseille port authority.The passengers had been tested after falling ill with flu-like symptoms, which in turn had led to the other passengers being kept on board the German-owned AIDAsol cruise ship.(Reporting by Marc Leras Writing by Sudip Kar-Gupta Editing by GV De Clercq)

Rick Cotton, executive director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, has tested positive for the novel coronavirus, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced on Monday.The Port Authority, which oversees both states' seaports as well as airports and other major travel hubs, said in a statement that Cotton is currently asymptomatic and has self-quarantined at his home while maintaining a full work schedule.Staff members who have had close contact with Cotton in recent…

Singapore will allow cruise ship Costa Fortuna to dock in the city-state on Tuesday, authorities said, after it was turned away from ports in Malaysia and Thailand over coronavirus fears.Costa Fortuna departed from Singapore, where it is home-ported, on March 3.Italian cruise line Costa Crociere said there were no suspected virus cases among its guests, which includes Italians. Italy has the largest number of cases of the virus outside China with 7,375 infections.The operator…

The vessel Aeolian Grace, loaded with some 65,000 tonnes of soybeans, has been stranded in Brazil's São Francisco do Sul port since Wednesday, authorities said in a statement on Thursday.Authorities said they were still evaluating whether there were any damages to the ship and had not identified any oil leaks.In a telephone interview, a press representative for the port authority said ship movements were authorized to resume on Thursday afternoon, with partial restrictions depending on the vessel's size.As operations gradually restart, the Bunga Lilac vessel received permission to maneuver and

The official grand opening of the Port Canaveral vehicle processing facility was marked with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and the arrival of 730 new vehicles aboard the 653-foot-long vessel Wisteria Ace, the first vehicle carrier to call at the Port’s facility. The new automobiles were discharged at the Port’s 16-acre auto processing facility located alongside South Cargo Pier 4. Another carrier is scheduled to arrive next week with more than 850 new autos aboard.“A port-operated…

South Korean port company Busan Port Authority (BPA) said that it signed a contract with Samsung SDS to operate a logistics center in Rotterdam.BPA will begin a construction of the logistics center in September this year and complete and operate it in around June 2021.Samsung SDS, a subsidiary of Samsung group has been providing information technology services,  will provide comprehensive logistics services for small and medium-sized companies conducting business between Europe…

Singapore's Maritime and Port Authority (MPA) will be giving a 50% port dues concession to passenger ships, to provide relief to ship owners and operators who have seen a drop in passenger volumes because of the COVID-19 (Coronavirus Disease 2019) outbreak.All cruise vessels and regional ferries with a port stay of not more than five days, and passenger-carrying harbour craft will qualify for the new concession.According to MPA, it is expected to benefit more than 600 cruise vessels…

Ship maintenance and repair company ST Engineering Halter Marine and Offshore, Inc., said it is investing $10 million to expand at its Pascagoula, Miss. site, adding 100 jobs in the process.STEHMO, along with its sister company VT Halter Marine, is growing as a result of recent market opportunities. The expansion will enable the company to perform new commercial repair work for larger ships and oil platforms that require greater size and lifting capacity. STEHMO is adding dock space and water depth adjacent to its Bayou Casotte site.

Inland Dredging Company helps keep commerce flowing on America’s inland waterway system.Dyersburg, Tenn. based Inland Dredging Company completed dredging projects spanning eight states and across four U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Districts. Beginning in July and finishing in December (2019), Inland Dredging crews dredged ports and harbors along the Mighty Mississippi River, Ouachita River, Red River, Black Warrior River, Atchafalaya River, Tennessee–Tombigbee Waterway, and the Gulf Intercoastal Waterway from Apalachicola to Morgan City.Richard Jackson…

German energy company E.ON, Rotterdam Port Authority and DeltaPort Niederrheinhäfen are partnering up to create conditions conducive to switching inland shipping in Germany and Europe from diesel to battery and/or hydrogen drives.The companies agreed in Essen to develop an infrastructure so that freight and passenger ships with climate-neutral propulsion can exchange battery containers or refuel hydrogen in the ports.The partners' goals include climate protection, improved air…