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Port Of Spain News

18 Mar 2024

IMO to Open Regional Office in Fiji

Source: IMO

The IMO will open its seventh Regional Presence Office (RPO), in Suva, Fiji, after IMO Secretary-General, Arsenio Dominguez, and Fiji Minister for Transport, Ro Filipe Tuisawau, signed a Memorandum of Understanding on March 18.The Regional Presence Office will support the maritime needs and priorities of countries in the Pacific Islands region, aligning IMO actions with national and regional development policies, while providing advice on key maritime issues such as training, safety and security, legislation and marine environment.

15 Feb 2024

Tobago Oil Spill Spreading to Grenada

(Photo: Office of the Chief Secretary)

An oil spill that has stained Tobago's coastline in the Caribbean is entering into Grenada's waters and could impact neighboring Venezuela, Tobago's Chief Secretary Farley Augustine told Reuters on Thursday.Eight days after Trinidad and Tobago's Coast Guard first spotted the oil from a capsized vessel whose owner and origin have not been confirmed, portions of the stain have moved about 144 km (89 miles) into the Caribbean Sea at a rate of 14 km per hour, Augustine said."It has now entered Grenada's territorial waters…

06 Oct 2021

IMO to Establish Regional Office for the Pacific Islands

© Sergii Figurnyi / Adobe Stock

IMO's Technical Cooperation Committee at its 71st session (TC 71) (20-24 September) has approved the establishment of an IMO Regional Presence Office (RPO) for the Pacific Islands region. If approved at the thirty-fourth extraordinary session of the Council (08 - 12 November 2021), this will see the Pacific Region become the sixth to feature an IMO RPO.The existing RPOs are: Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire for west and central Africa (Francophone); Accra, Ghana for west and central Africa (Anglophone)…

14 May 2021

Austal Delivers Two Patrol Boats to Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard

Credit: Austal

Austal has delivered two 58-meter Cape-class Patrol Boats to the Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard (TTCG). The patrol boats, TTS Port of Spain (CG41) and TTS Scarborough (CG42), were delivered at a handover ceremony held at Austal Australia’s Henderson shipyard Friday. These are the first vessels of the type Austal Australia has delivered to an export market.Austal has so far delivered twelve Cape-class vessels in total and has six more under construction at its shipbuilding facility…

23 Dec 2020

European Commission to Co-Finance Port of Algeciras LNG-Bunkering Vessel

Credit: dudlajzov/AdobeStock

The European Commission will co-finance the construction of the first vessel to be fully dedicated to liquefied natural gas (LNG) bunkering at the Port of Algeciras, Spain.The grant agreement was signed with Enagás and the Port Authority of Algeciras Bay on Tuesday.Enagás said the project is "boosted" by the Enagás start-up that specializes in small-scale LNG supply infrastructure, Scale Gas, and the Port Authority of Algeciras Bay (APBA).The initiative, coordinated by Enagás…

12 Oct 2020

100m Trinidad and Tobago Ferry Launched

Image: Incat Tasmania

Incat Tasmania’s 100m ship destined for Trinidad and Tobago was floated out from Incat’s drydock on Hobart’s Derwent River on October 9, and will remain alongside the shipyard wharf for machinery commissioning during October. Powered by four MAN 7280-kW,l 16V 28/33 STC marine diesel engines driving Wartsila WXJ 1200 SRI waterjets via ZF 53500NR2H gearboxes, Buccoo Reef is designed to achieve a top speed of more than 40 knots.Australian shipbuilder Incat commenced construction of Buccoo Reef early 2019…

30 Sep 2019

Trinidad and Tobago Conducts Maritime Security Training

Trinidad and Tobago is the latest International Maritime Organization (IMO)  Member State to receive maritime security training. A self-assessment and audit training workshop took place in in Port of Spain, Trinidad (23-27 September).Participants were trained in self-assessing how two key IMO maritime security instruments – SOLAS Chapter XI-2 and the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code – are implemented at the port facility level. This is done using established, industry-standard IMO and ISO procedures to identify areas for improvement.The course addressed outcomes of a previous workshop on ISPS Code responsibilities…

09 Jul 2019

Caribbean Maritime Sector Going Green

Government and private stakeholders have expressed their support for climate action in the Caribbean, with a focus on decarbonizing the shipping sector.According to International Maritime Organization (IMO),  during a regional workshop on Capacity Building for Climate Mitigation in the Maritime Shipping Industry, held at the Chaguaramas Campus of The University of Trinidad and Tobago (1-3 July), Caribbean maritime sector committed to decarbonization.The workshop, the second for the region, was hosted by the Maritime Technology Cooperation Centre (MTCC) Caribbean - one of five regional centers established under the IMO-led, European Union-funded Global MTCC Network (GMN) project.Participants were updated on pilot projects completed by MTCC-Caribbean…

21 Feb 2019

Ballard Joins H2Ports Project

Ballard Power Systems Europe is providing technology to H2Ports project which will see Valencia’s port in Spain become the first in Europe to incorporate hydrogen energy in its operations.The developer and manufacturer of proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell products said in a press release that H2Ports project is aimed at facilitating a rapid transition at European ports from fossil fuels to low-carbon, zero-emission alternatives based on hydrogen and fuel cells.Ballard Power Systems Europe, subsidiary of Canada's Ballard Power Systems Inc.,  said that earlier this month participants held the first technical meeting of the H2Ports project…

01 Oct 2018

Glander International Bunkering Goes to Spain

The marine fuel and lubricant trading firm Glander International Bunkering has opened its  seventh office globally and third service point in Europe in Valencia, Spain, to  service clients in the Mediterranean and Spanish-speaking regions.As the new Managing Director of the Spain office, Hernan B. Ortiz has officially moved to Valencia from Dubai to assume this new important role.With more than 28 years of industry experience and 9 years within the company, Hernan will leverage his Mediterranean and Spanish expertise to further strengthen the company’s services in these important markets.A press release quoted Carsten Ladekjær, CEO of the Glander International Bunkering Group as saying: "The shipping and bunkering industries are in a state of constant change.

21 Jun 2018

IMO Workshop Addresses Impacts of Fouling

The build-up of aquatic organisms on a ship’s underwater hull and structures is known as biofouling. This can introduce potentially invasive non-native aquatic species to a new area. Fouling can also slow down a ship and impact on its energy efficiency. An International Maritime Organization (IMO) regional workshop in  Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago (20-22 June) aims to provide participants with a greater understanding of the requirements and implications of ratifying, implementing and enforcing the anti-fouling systems (AFS) convention and implementing biofouling guidelines. The AFS convention regulates anti-fouling systems in order to prevent adverse impacts from their use and from the biocides they may contain.

05 Jun 2017

Strike Disrupts Spanish Ports and Trade Routes

© Juanamari Gonzalez / Adobe Stock

Some of Spain's biggest port terminals came to a standstill on Monday as shipping companies redirected cargos to avoid a dockers' strike. After months of talks between unions, companies and the Spanish government over a reform of port hiring practices, dockers held the first of several planned strikes to protest against possible job losses. Some container shipping firms such as Maersk re-routed boats destined for the southern port of Algeciras to get around the strike, during which dockers will stop working every other hour on Monday, Wednesday and Friday this week.

16 Mar 2017

Trinidad and Tobago: Focus on Security Drills and Exercises

International Maritime Organization (IMO) is conducting an Advanced Drills and Exercises Workshop for inspectors and officers responsible for port security in Trinidad and Tobago. The training, underway in Port of Spain (14-17 April), is focusing on the key IMO instrument for enhancing the security of ships and port facilities – the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code. The Code’s preventive security provisions include the objective of all actors being thoroughly prepared for security incidents and terrorist attacks by regularly conducting regular drills and exercises. The workshop involves theoretical lessons, discussions…

04 Jun 2016

CMA CGM to Improve its PEX 2 Service Between Asia and the Caribbean

In order to continue offering the best dedicated service from Far East to Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean, CMA CGM is glad to inform its customers about the new rotation of its PEX 2 service. As from m/v CMA CGM NEW JERSEY voy.

01 Jun 2016

Partners Target Improved Maritime Efficiency

Left to right: Nirmala Maharaj, David Ramjohn, Kevin Ramnarine, Dr. Zaffar Khan, Prof. Miguel Carrillo, Wilfred de Gannes, Michael Burke, Lucyann Henry, Capt. Tore Torsteinson and Stephanie Lezama-Rogers.(Photo: TTSR)

On May 25, 2016, The University of the West Indies Arthur Lok Jack Graduate School of Business (UWI-ALJGSB) together with the Trinidad and Tobago Shipbuilding & Repair Maritime Cluster (TTSR) signed a Memorandum of Understanding to undertake maritime project initiatives involving research, the sharing of knowledge and showcase technologies in the context of improving energy efficiency and reducing CO2 emissions in the maritime sector. One such initiative involves an Expression…

11 Mar 2016

Barcelona Draws up Container Weighing Procedure

Photo: Port of Barcelona

The Port of Barcelona reports it has become the first port in Spain to complete and make available a procedure for its customers and users in line with the container weighing new rules adopted by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and incorporated into Chapter VI of the Safety Of Life At Sea (SOLAS) Convention specifying that shippers (forwarders, logistics operators or owners of the goods) shall be responsible for weighing each full container before shipment. The obligation…

11 Mar 2016

Barcelona Imposes Container Weight Verification Requirement

The new rules, adopted by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and incorporated into Chapter VI of the Safety Of Life At Sea (SOLAS) Convention, specify that the shipper (forwarder, logistics operator or owner of the goods) shall be responsible for weighing the full container before shipment. The Port of Barcelona is the first port in Spain to complete and make available such a procedure to its customers and users in line with the new rules, and its Port Community is preparing to adapt to the new requirements. The obligation to declare container weight before shipment is designed to improve the safety of seafarers and of everyone involved in the logistics chain.

20 Jan 2016

CMA CGM Announces NEFGUI and North Brazil Feeder to Call at Vila Do Conde

CMA CGM announces its customers that in a continuous effort to improve its services, NEFGUI and NORTH BRAZIL FEEDER will now be calling at Vila Do Conde in replacement of Belem.   NEFGUI rotation will be as follows: Algeciras - Tilbury - Rotterdam - Le Havre - Philipsburg - Port of Spain - Degrad des Cannes - Vila do Conde - Fortaleza - Natal First SB call at Vila do Conde: January 25th, 2016 with m/v CMA CGM MARSEILLE voy. 069RTS First NB call at Vila do Conde: January 26th, 2016 with m/v CMA CGM MARSEILLE voy. 070RTN   NORTH BRAZIL FEEDER rotation will be as follows: Pointe-à-Pitre - Philipsburg - Port of Spain - Degrad des Cannes - Itaqui - Vila do Conde First call at Vila do Conde: January 29th, 2016 with m/v NADJA voy. 023FRT

05 Aug 2015

CMA CGM Takes Second Guyanamax Boxship

The CMA CGM Group Informed that the CMA CGM MARSEILLE – 2nd vessel of its GUYANAMAX 3 - vessels series – was delivered in South Korea on July 29th. This 2,100 TEU containers capacity vessel – including 530 Reefer containers – is 190 meters long and 30 meters wide. It was built by the Korean shipyards Hyundai Mipo Dockyard and will be sailing under the UK flag. The CMA CGM MARSEILLE will be positioned on the North Europe French Guiana North Brazil (NEFGUI) line. This 42-days rotation joins directly North of Europe, the Caribbean, French Guyana and North Brazil each week. The vessel will call: Algeciras, Rotterdam, Tillbury, Rouen, Le Havre, Philipsburg, Port of Spain, Degrad des Cannes, Belem, Fortaleza, Natal and Algeciras.

22 Jul 2015

First Guyanamax Ship Joins CMA CGM Fleet

NEFGUI line (Image: CMA CGM)

Container shippers the CMA CGM Group announce that the CMA CGM Cayenne, the first vessel of its three-vessels Guyanamax series, was delivered on July 21 in South Korea. The 2,100 TEU capacity vessel – including 530 Reefer containers – is 190 meters long and 30 meters wide. It was built by the Korean shipyards Hyundai Mipo Dockyard and will be sailing under the U.K. flag. The CMA CGM Cayenne will be positioned on the North Europe French Guiana North Brazil (NEFGUI) line. This 42-day rotation joins directly North of Europe, the Caribbean, French Guyana and North Brazil each week.

13 Jul 2015

Port of Barcelona: Leader in Vehicle Shipping

Photo: Port of Barcelona

The automotive industry developed during the 20th century in Barcelona, Spain's principal industrial city and the center of one of Europe's four key development driving regions. The Port of Barcelona claims a leading role in the development of this sector throughout its history, and today it is one of its main factors of competitiveness, both for finished vehicles and containerized part traffic. When the industry began to develop in Catalonia, with manufacturers like Hispano Suiza and Elizalde…

27 Mar 2015

TDDCL Seeks Input for New Repair Yard

Image: TDDCL

The Trinidad Dry Dock Company Limited (TDDCL) has invited companies to submit proposals to conduct an Environmental Impact Assessment and Geotechnical Investigation for a new ship repair yard development project at Port of Spain. TDDCL has executed a Memorandum of Agreement with Invest Trinidad and Tobago (InvesTT), which is empowered by the Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago to facilitate the future development and operation of the Port of Spain Dry Docks on the reclaimed 140-acre Sullivan Island.

30 Jun 2014

ISS Aids Complex “Super Crane” Installation

Four STS cranes, the largest of their type anywhere in the world, have been brought onshore, ready for commissioning, at Algeciras port in Spain. Inchcape Shipping Services (ISS), a world's leading maritime services provider, was drafted in by ZPMC to act as agents for the break bulk carrier, Zhen Hua 25, and to manage the safe and timely discharge of her cargo. The cranes, which stand at over 100 meters, are to be used at the APM Terminal, specifically to service new Triple E Class containerships. Algeciras, the busiest container port in the Iberian Peninsula, handled over 4.3 million TEUs in 2013 and the installation of these cranes will position it as one of the leading container ports in Europe.