Port News

Inchcape Shipping Services (ISS), the world's leading maritime and logistics service provider, is driving a global roll-out of its new cargo and agency platform, YourISS2. Designed to increase efficiencies, standardise processes and documents and enhance service delivery, the innovative platform also gives ISS customers the transparency and data they need for instant, informed business decisions, cost savings, performance and trade analysis. With Canada, Mexico, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar and Mexico among the latest countries to go live, YourISS2 is now available in all ISS locations and can be used by all stakeholders in the process of cargo or husbandry services.

Wilhelmsen Ships Service (WSS) is aiming to consolidate its position within the Ships Agency segment by building stronger agent-customer relationships. By doing so, Frederic Fontarosa believes the firm can offer enhanced efficiency, understanding and value. Frederic Fontarosa is a people person. Mixing an easy going, laid back French-American drawl with suddenly energetic outbursts on subjects close to his heart, he’s engaging to talk to and easy to like. Seated  in his Houston office…

Standby Signal No.1 is in force in Hong Kong, in anticipation of the possible impact of Severe Tropical Storm Linfa, GAC reported in its Hot Port News bulletin. Linfa was estimated to be about 460 kilometers east of Hong Kong and forecast to move north slowly at first, then take a more westerly track later in the general direction of the eastern coast of Guangdong, according to the latest Tropical Cyclone Bulletin issued by the Hong Kong Observatory at 5 p.m. local time, July 8. The present forecast track projects Linfa will edge closer to the Pearl River Estuary tomorrow. The Observatory will consider issuing the Strong Wind Signal No.3 tomorrow morning as winds will strengthen gradually with squally showers tomorrow afternoon.

The tendering process for the Yamal Novy Port terminal icebreaker design and build contract has kicked off, seeing seven companies submit bids for the project, IAA PortNews reported. The tender, announced by Vyborg Shipyard entrusted to build the vessels, received bids for the icebreaker’s design and construction from Spetssudoproekt CJSC, Nordic Yards Holding GmbH, Aker Arctic, FSUE Krylov State Research Center, Design Bureau for Shipbuilding “Vympel” OJSC, Marine Engineering Bureau – Design-SPb CJSC, and KhS Morskoye Proektirovanie LLC.

Port Canaveral launched a new website this week at www.portcanaveral.com, the Canaveral Port Authority announced today. “Our goal across all business lines is to provide the best experience possible and this upgrade to our website helps us achieve that goal because our website often is the first contact the public has with us,” said Port Canaveral CEO John E. Walsh. “The changes we have made to our website better serve our customers, visitors, and the community. The Canaveral Port Authority partnered with Bayshore Solutions of Tampa…

Egypt has unveiled its plan to build a new Suez Canal alongside the existing 145-year-old waterway, and digging is already underway, GAC reported in its daily Hot Port News report. The project will see the creation of a new canal parallel to the old one, with the same depth and width, creating a two-way waterway. The existing Canal is already double-sided in some parts, and the new project will extend this to allow the transit of ships in both directions. The new side of the canal…

Upriver navigation in the Parana River was interrupted yesterday, June 30, following a collision between two vessels, GAC Reported in its daily Hot Port News report. The collision occurred at around 7:40 p.m. local time, at kilometer 56 of the Parana de las Palmas River. Source: GAC

A sea parade comprising of two ferries and about 18 pleasure vessels will take place on July 6, 2014 in Hong Kong, GAC reported in its daily Hot Port News report. Participating vessels will gather in the waters off the west of the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC) at about 4:30 p.m. The parade will start at about 4:45 p.m., following a route that passes the HKCEC and disperse at the west entrance of Causeway Bay Typhoon Shelter at about 5:15 p.m. A fireboat will also display water jets along the parade route. Marine Department and Marine Police patrol launches will be deployed to regulate marine traffic during the passage of the sea parade.

Harvey Lock, located at mile zero on the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, was closed to navigation yesterday, June 26, for emergency repairs to lock gate machinery, GAC reported in its daily Hot Port News. This closure is expected to last for two-four days. The Algiers route may be used as an alternate.

A Port Tariff increase will come into effect for New South Wales ports covering Sydney (Gore Bay, Port Botany and Kurnell) from August 1, 2014, GAC reported in its daily Hot Port News report. Sydney Ports has determined that an increase in Statutory Charges of 9.64% is required for all commercial ships and related cargo arriving in the port to help cover navigation services, pilotage and site occupation for non-passenger vessels. Source: GAC

The ICC Commercial Crime Services' International Maritime Bureau (IMB) is warning small tankers to maintain strict antipiracy measures in the South China Sea following a spate of tanker hijackings in the region, GAC reported in its daily Hot Port News report. At least six known cases of coastal tankers being hijacked for their cargoes of diesel or gas oil have been reported since April this year, sparking fears of a new trend in pirate attacks in the area. Up until then, the majority of attacks in the region were vessels boarded for petty theft. The latest hijackings seem to follow a specific modus operandi, where armed pirates seize a small tanker and siphon off its cargo to large bunker barges or other small tankers in a ship-to-ship operation.

The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) has announced that it will impose conditions of entry on vessels arriving from the Federal Republic of Nigeria (excluding vessels arriving from certain ports) with effect from June 26, GAC reported in its daily Hot Port News Report. The USCG is authorised to impose conditions of entry on vessels arriving in U.S. waters from ports that it has not found to maintain effective antiterrorism measures. Ports in the Federal Republic of Nigeria were found to not be maintaining effective anti-terrorism measures, with certain exceptions. Beginning June 26, 2014, the below conditions of entry will apply to any vessel that visited a non-excepted Nigerian port in its last five port calls.

Tug company operator Seaspan and GUILD (the union representing captains, mates and engineers) have agreed to enter blind arbitration. GAC reported in its daily Hot Port News report. Seaspan will defer the imposition of new terms and GUILD will not take a strike vote. The situation is different, however, with the International Longshoremen Workers' Union (ILWU) representing deckhand and cook. Seaspan has withdrawn the contract imposition. The ILWU, which had voted in favor of strike action, has suspended further action. The union has not agreed to blind arbitration.

The hijacked oil tanker which was reported missing off Indonesia last week has been found, according to the Royal Thai Navy. GAC said in its daily Hot Port News report that it has been confirmed that pirates hijacked the vessel and that the crew has not been harmed. The tanker was reportedly attacked by a group of armed men while en route from Singapore to Pontianak on Kalimantan with 14 seafarers aboard. Upon boarding the ship, the pirates destroyed all communication equipment and took control of the vessel. Most of its cargo of 3 million liters of diesel was stolen, leaving enough fuel for the ship to return safely to the shore. An investigation into the incident is underway. gac.com

Unions representing members working for Seaspan, one of the two tug companies serving the port of Vancouver, are meeting today and tomorrow, June 3 and 4, to vote on whether to take strike action, GAC reported in its daily Hot Port News report. If the vote – expected June 4 at the earliest – is in favor of strike action, the strike can begin 72 hours after notice is served, which could be as soon as Saturday, June 7. GAC said that if the strike takes place, the port’s other tug company Smit Tug will handle vessel operations in Vancouver Harbor with some delays, but it will not be able to handle coal vessel loading at Westshore Temrinal in Roberts Bank. gac.com

During reclamation work in Singapore off Temasek Fairway, West of Jurong Island, from June 2 to December 1, bulk carriers, self-propelled barges and pusher tugs with barges in composite unit carrying bulk sand will be transiting the Temasek Fairway to West Jurong reclamation project area, GAC said in its daily Hot Port News report. Masters of vessels and harbor craft were advised to keep a lookout for these vessels, proceed at a safe speed and navigate with extra caution when in the vicinity of the mooring buoys off Temasek Fairway, Jurong Island. Mooring and unmooring of vessels will be carried out in the daylight hours (6:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.) during reclamation work period.

Approximately 600 Norwegian engineers in service on ships, members of the Maritime NHO, could go on strike with effect from 0000 hours tomorrow, May 15, GAC said in its daily Hot Port News report. If the strike takes effect, it will impact most maritime traffic at Norwegian ports, bringing ferries, fast ferries, tugs, training ships, rescue boats and coastal steamers to a halt. Source: GAC

Negotiations continue between Teekay Shipping and unions representing tug crews at Port Hedland in a bid to resolve the issue of enterprise negotiation agreements, GAC said in its daily Hot Port News report. The Fair Work Commission has granted permission to the Maritime Union of Australia (MUA), the Australian Maritime Officers Union (AMOU) and the Australian Institute of Marine & Power Engineers (AIMPE) to hold protected action ballot orders. The MUA ballot will conclude today, May 12, and the AMOU and AIMPE ballots on May 30 and June 10, respectively.

The possible strike by 600 Norwegian engineers in service on ships has been cancelled after involved parties involved reached an agreement, GAC said in its daily Hot Port News report. The strike would have impacted most maritime traffic at Norwegian ports, bringing ferries, fast ferries, tugs, training ships, rescue boats and coastal steamers to a halt. Source: GAC

The threat of a strike by tugboat workers at Port Hedland has been averted after the Maritime Union of Australia (MUA) said no industrial action would be taken until late June at the earliest, GAC reported in its daily Hot Port News alert. Tugboat workers aligned to the union had been threatening to bring Port Hedland to a halt over a dispute over wages and annual leave entitlements. The MUA yesterday, May 22, agreed to suspend taking industrial action for a 30-day period. Source: GAC

The port at Chile’s Valparaiso is operating and terminals working, albeit at a slower than usual pace, despite the effects of the fire which swept through part of the city at the weekend, GAC said in its daily Hot Port News report. Strong Pacific coast winds fanned the flames which spread through some parts of Valparaiso on Saturday, April 12. Nearly 2,000 homes and thousands of residents were evacuated as firefighters battled to extinguish the blaze in the city's steep hills and narrow winding streets. Some of the affected areas remain without electricity. At the port, however, the TPS, TCVAL and ZEAL terminals are operative. All access to/from the port is open and it is operative…

The Captain of the Port, New York-New Jersey, has issued a reminder about the importance of providing accurate clearance information, and warns that civil penalties may be pursued against any vessel owner, master or person in charge that provides inaccurate information that contributes to a bridge strike, GAC said in its daily Hot Port News alert. The Coast Guard Sector New York Marine Safety Information Bulletin 01-14 states, “The Bayonne Bridge is undergoing a two-year construction project to raise the roadway an average of 65 feet. The associated demolition activities and work platforms outside of the navigable channel present serious safety considerations for mariners. Despite previous Coast Guard advisories, the Bayonne Bridge has been struck twice within the past four months.

The Panama Canal Authority has reported that the expansion of the waterway is 74.2% complete. The news released yesterday, April 24, came on the second day of a construction workers' union strike, GAC said in its daily Hot Port News report. As of March 31, dredging of the Pacific and Atlantic entrances had been completed, and work to widen Gatun Lake and the Culebra cut was 86% complete. Design and construction of the third set of locks, the most important part of the expansion program, recorded an advance of 68%. gac.com