Port Authority News

Delegates from the world’s leading ports have come together to examine their role in the rapidly evolving maritime logistics landscape and in particular to coordinate their contribution to the establishment of an interconnected maritime supply chain at the Port of Barcelona.The multilateral partnership of the world leading ports, ChainPORT, has just concluded its 4th Annual Meeting which was hosted last week by the Port of Barcelona.ChainPORT was initiated in 2016 by the Port…

Estonian port authority Tallinna Sadam (Port of Tallinn) announced that starting from next year the ships that have joined the Environmental Ship Index (ESI) can apply for discount on tonnage fees of up to 8%.The Baltic Sea port said in a press release that the new port pricing system involving differentiated port fees is aimed at encouraging shipping companies to adopt environmentally friendlier technologies and thus also contribute to the health of Baltic Sea ecosystem.The head…

The recently signed smart carrousel plan in the Waalhaven is expected to give breakbulk and heavy cargo companies space for further growth in Rotterdam’s Waalhaven.In the coming three-and-a-half years, 12 hectares of industrial site and 1,155 metres of quay will undergo a user change. The industrial sites and port infrastructure will also be renovated by the Port of Rotterdam Authority. The aim is to give an additional growth incentive to the Rotterdam breakbulk sector."This operation…

Exhaust Gas Cleaning Systems Association (EGCSA) has attacked Singapore's restrictions on open-loop versions of the systems as "disappointing" and "politically motivated."The scrubber manufacturing industry body said in a press release: "The recent announcement by the outgoing CEO of the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) banning the discharge of process water from open loop scrubbers for vessels visiting Singapore came without prior notice or discussion with the IMO…

Russia-Ukraine naval clash followed shipping holdups Ships bound for Ukrainian ports say they are held up while those bound for Russian ports go through.When the Island Bay cargo ship arrived from Beirut at the Kerch Strait, gateway to the Azov Sea, it sailed into a perfect storm of geopolitics and bad weather.The following day, Russia opened fire on three Ukrainian naval ships, impounded them and detained their sailors, some of them wounded. It then blocked the strait by putting a tanker underneath a new bridge it has built linking the Russian mainland to the Crimean peninsula it annexed from Ukraine in 2014.While the world digested the implications of the Nov.

The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) said that it is banning the discharge of "wash water" used in ships to scrub engine exhaust, with effect from Jan 1, 2020, said a report in Reuters.The vessels will have to use compliant fuel once the IMO 2020 sulphur cap comes into force.The report said that the ban of so-called open-loop scrubbers is part of an effort to prepare one of the world’s busiest ports for International Maritime Organization (IMO) rules that come into force in 2020 and oblige ships to use cleaner fuels.Andrew Tan…

The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) continues to prepare the Port of Singapore and Singapore-registered ships for the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) 0.5 per cent fuel global limit for sulphur in fuel oil used on board ships, which will take effect from 1 January 2020.In his opening address at the Singapore Registry of Ships (SRS) Forum, Chief Executive of MPA,  Andrew Tan, also announced initiatives by MPA to improve the delivery of its services.To prepare for the IMO 2020 0.5 per cent global emission limit for sulphur…

The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) has hosted the 44th ASEAN Ports Association (APA) Meeting on 27 and 28 November 2018. The annual meeting was officially opened by the Chairman of MPA, Niam Chiang Meng, at the Conrad Centennial Hotel.About 100 key port executives and decision-makers from the nine member nations of the APA  attended the event, which serves as a platform for ASEAN ports to cooperate in areas such as port development, operations and management.The nine member nations of the APA are Brunei Darussalam…

International Maritime Organization (IMO) is supporting a training course aimed at female officials from maritime and port authorities entitled to encourage more women to join the maritime ranks in many aspect of the industry.Twenty-seven women from 18 developing countries are taking part in the two-week "Women in Port Management" course, hosted in Le Havre, France (12 – 23 November). The countries are Antigua & Barbuda, Bangladesh, Belize, Brazil, Cambodia, Dominica, Guyana, Jamaica…

The ‘LNGHIVE2: Infrastructure and Logistics Solutions’ project, coordinated by Enagás, has been selected by the European Commission ‘Connecting Europe Facility’ (CEF) for funding.The initiative aims to boost the use of liquefied natural gas (LNG) as a fuel for maritime and rail transport. The total investment in the project will be around EUR14 million, of which close to EUR3 million will be financed by European funds.The initiative, coordinated by Enagás and promoted by Puertos Del Eastado…

Rear Admiral Mark Buzby is the Maritime Administrator, U.S. Maritime Administration.Rear Adm. Mark H. Buzby was appointed by President Donald Trump and sworn in as Maritime Administrator on August 8, 2017. Prior to his appointment, Buzby served as president of the National Defense Transportation Association, a position he has held since retiring from the U.S. Navy in 2013 with over 34 years of service. A 1979 graduate of the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, Buzby earned his Bachelor of Science in Nautical Science and U.S. Coast Guard Third Mate License.

The the third largest container port in the world Port of Shenzhen Lativa's Freeport of Riga have a common goal - to become internationally important and strong ports through cooperation.Recently, Port of Riga welcomed a delegation from the Port of Shenzhen, including representatives of the city municipality and management of the port authority, as well as port entrepreneurs — representatives of all four container terminals of the Port of Shenzhen.Since the Port of Shenzhen is a cooperation port for Riga…

Singapore marine fuel sales in October climbed 3 percent on year to a five-month high of 4.125 million tonnes, according to data released by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) on Tuesday.The latest sales volumes were 0.3 percent higher compared to September, it showed. The higher October sales volumes reflect a slight increase in the number of ships coming to Singapore for refuelling, or bunkering, amid buoyant freight trade and easing concerns of contaminated fuels…

The modification of the Municipal Port Police Regulation, the Port Instructions and related forms come into force on the 12th of November 2018 said a press release from the Antwerp Port Authority.The port and the social context in which it operates are in a constant state of flux. It is therefore essential for the Police Regulation to take account of the changing situation and requirements.In modification 3 of the Port Police Regulation various articles were modified, and various…

The largest port in Europe the Port of Rotterdam Authority has been awarded the European Sea Ports Organisation (ESPO) Award 2018.The award was made in recognition of the port's engagement with the city or wider community through the creation of a good workplace environment for its current and future employees and the demonstration of its investment in a diverse and inclusive environment, facilitating mutual respect, non-discrimination and personal development.The ESPO Award was handed out by the Deputy Director-General of DG Move…

Total throughput in the port of Rotterdam in the first three quarters of 2018 was 0.4% lower than in the same period the previous year.According to a release from the port, container volumes continued to grow at a markedly higher pace than the first nine months of 2017 – even recording a new all-time high in August.Wet and dry bulk, however, showed a decline in volume – although LNG and biomass were two positive outliers within these product segments. All in all, 350 million tonnes of cargo was handled in the port of Rotterdam…

The SAFIR consortium, a group of 13 public and private organisations, has been selected by Single European Sky ATM Research Joint Undertaking (SESAR JU) to demonstrate integrated Drone Traffic Management for a broad range of drone operations in Belgium.Antwerp Port Authority said in a press release that  the goal of the SAFIR project is to contribute to the EU regulatory process for drones and drive forward the deployment of interoperable, harmonised and standardised drone services…

Throughput continues to register growth in the Port of Antwerp. After record semi-annual figures, the total throughput after nine months stands at 177,026,550 tonnes – a sharp 6% increase compared with the same period last year.A press release from the company said that with these results, the port seems to be on track for the sixth record year in a row. The recent wave of investments moreover confirms the port’s appeal and reaffirms its role as a world player.Container traffic registered robust growth yet again, up by 7.1%  (98,436,773 tonnes) compared with the first nine months of 2017.

The Jacksonville Port Authority (Jaxport) served a record number of cruise passengers during the past year, with 199,899 passengers setting sail from Jacksonville. More than 2.4 million passengers have sailed from Jacksonville during 15 years of cruise service at Jaxport.The Carnival Elation offers year-round sailing to the Bahamas from Jaxport’s North Jacksonville Cruise Terminal featuring stops at Freeport, Nassau and the private Bahamian islands of Half Moon Cay and Princess…

Paul Smits, Chief Financial Officer of the Port of Rotterdam Authority, will be leaving the Port of Rotterdam Authority within the course of next year upon the expiry of his term.A press release from the port quoted Paul Smits as saying: "In addition to professionalising the financial position further, over the past seven and a half years I focused on digitisation and innovation within the company and the port. It is a wonderful challenge to contribute to guiding a company that…

The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) signed two Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) for Additive Manufacturing (AM), also known as 3D printing.The two MoUs are: a) An MoU with PSA Corporation Limited (PSA), the National Additive Manufacturing Innovation Cluster (NAMIC) and 3D MetalForge Pte Ltd (3D MetalForge) to establish the world’s first on-site AM production facility for port applications; and b) An MoU with NAMIC and the Singapore Shipping Association (SSA) to…

Wärtsilä has opened its purpose-built Acceleration Center in Singapore to promote innovation and collaboration with industry, academia and local partners to strengthen and develop Singapore’s maritime ecosystem. The opening follows an agreement signed between Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) and Wärtsilä in April 2018 to collaborate in areas of intelligent vessels, connected smart port operations, cyber-physical security, and digital acceleration with start-ups.

In the wake of hurricane Michael, Port Panama City Director Wayne Stubbs issued the following prepared statement:“The Panama City Port Authority has not yet been in contact with all of its employees, but most have been contacted and are safe. Most employees have sustained some damage to their homes, and some have lost their homes.Power was restored to the port on Saturday and internet service should be up by Tuesday.The port sustained damage to many of the buildings, but no damage to its docks, cranes, and equipment.