Ports News

The queue of vessels waiting to enter the Danube en route to Ukraine's river ports has grown to about 80 over the past five days, although the number of ships being allowed through the route is also gradually increasing, a shipper said on Monday.Russian attacks have effectively blocked Ukraine's main Black Sea ports, which once handled 90% of the country's grain exports, forcing Kyiv to divert cargo through Danube river ports with far lower capacity.Shipping agencies last week reported a growing backlog at the entrance to the Sulina Canal…

Contecon Manzanillo S.A. de C.V. (CMSA), International Container Terminal Services, Inc.'s (ICTSI) Mexican unit, has paved the way for the Port of Manzanillo to accommodate ultra large container vessels after receiving the go-ahead to handle ships with drafts of up to 15.5 meters. CMSA is now the only terminal operator at the Port of Manzanillo with this capability and is now able to serve vessels up to 400 meters long, including ultra large container vessels capable of carrying up to 24…

The American Great Lakes Ports Association has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Great Lakes Alliance of Shipyards to advance shared priorities in domestic shipbuilding and commerce.The MoU marks the first formal partnership between the U.S. Great Lakes port and shipyard communities. By connecting public port authorities with leading American shipyards, the organizations will work more closely to expand the region’s industrial capacity, pursue new cargo and export opportunities…

The Iran war's redrawing of the global trade map is forcing Gulf nations to retool their investment play book, ploughing capital into infrastructure, from energy pipelines to ports, to weather the fallout from the conflict.The war has highlighted the Gulf's overreliance on the Strait of Hormuz, previously a chokepoint for 20% of global oil flows but also subject for decades to Iranian threats of disruption.With the strait virtually blocked for much of the past six months, a burst…

The Russian Defence Ministry said on Tuesday that its forces had struck three cargo vessels carrying supplies for the Ukrainian military and a tanker at the Black Sea port of Pivdennyi.The ministry also said it had hit another cargo vessel in the nearby port of Odesa, as well as port infrastructure in Pivdennyi and Odesa and fuel storage facilities at the port of Chornomorsk.Reuters could not independently verify the ministry's claims.(Reporting by Reuters)

Marine fuel buyers entered 2026 facing a perfect storm, suffering some of the highest bunker prices ever experienced, paired with a sharp and concerning decline in fuel quality. Across the traditional marine fossil fuel supply chain, VPS has seen a marked rise in fuel quality issues, with the Middle East conflict playing a major role in driving both price volatility and quality deterioration. For ship owners/operators, the message is clear, today’s fuel market is not only more expensive, it is also becoming more complex and unpredictable, with a higher degree of operational risk.

Venezuela's dilapidated oil port terminals are imposing a de facto export cap on the country's resurgent crude production, with tankers having to wait up to 30 days to load because of ageing infrastructure, power outages and quality issues, according to shipping data, sources and documents.The delays are putting roadblocks on a U.S. plan to quickly boost Venezuela's oil exports following a flagship pact with global trading houses. The fight for infrastructure looks likely to intensify…

Insufficient planning and preparation and inadequate risk controls contributed to the grounding of a tug in Port Adelaide, an ATSB investigation has identified.On June 10, 2025, the tug Sea Pelican was in combination with the barge Rocksea, to maneuver out of the North Arm waterway and into the Port Adelaide River, in South Australia.During the turn, the tug was maneuvered wide and contacted a sandbar.The tug’s shell plating was holed, and water began to enter the engine room. Bilge pumping commenced, and the tug was slipped the following day for repairs.

Port terminal lobby groups in Brazil are urging government officials to allow dredging on the Tapajos River, a major waterway for grain exports that cuts through the Amazon rainforest, fearing a severe El Niño could leave one of the country's main export routes too shallow for barges.Global trading firms, such as Bunge, Cargill, and Louis Dreyfus, move roughly 15 million metric tons of grains annually along the Tapajos, industry data shows. Brazil is the world's largest soybean…

U.S. Secretary of Transportation Sean P. Duffy was joined by Maritime Administrator (MARAD) Stephen M. Carmel, U.S. Representative Michael Cloud (TX-27) and leaders from Texas’ Port of Corpus Christi to kick off a new partnership focused on small modular reactor (SMR) technology for maritime applications. By testing the latest innovations in SMRs, the Department can help revitalize U.S. shipbuilding, cut fuel costs, and restore America’s maritime dominance.This is the second agreement the Department has signed since Secretary Duffy launched the SMR initiative in May.

Crowley, a provider of logistics, marine and energy solutions, announced a new weekly container service connecting Port Houston to Santo Tomás de Castilla, Guatemala, and Puerto Cortés, Honduras, two of Central America’s largest and fastest-growing trade gateways.The Gulf-Central America Express Service makes its first Houston call on Sept. 10 with Thursday departures. Crowley’s vessels will carry dry and refrigerated containers that safely transport a range of fresh produce, apparel, industrial products and consumer goods from sea to land.

The Global Ro-Ro Community (GRC)*1, whose participants include Ro-Ro carriers and other stakeholders, and which covers approximately 80% of the transport capacity of the global car carrier fleet*2, has established the GRC Council (GRCC), a body responsible for the operation of the GRC. Since the establishment of the GRC, ClassNK has participated as an independent verifier. In connection with the establishment of the GRCC, ClassNK has also contributed to the development of its…

SOHAR Port and Freezone in Oman reported a sharp increase in cargo activity during the first half of 2026, handling 52 million metric tons, up 52% compared with the same period last year.Container throughput increased 40% to 545,000 TEUs, primarily on higher transshipment volumes, while breakbulk cargo nearly doubled to 1.24 million metric tons. Ship-to-ship cargo handling reached 24.38 million metric tons.Despite a moderation in dry bulk volumes, SOHAR recorded 1,555 vessel calls…

Portchain and X-Press Feeders have announced a partnership to bring digital solutions to the feeder market through the deployment of Portchain Connect.The project will optimize berth alignment through real-time data exchange, enhancing just-in-time (JIT) arrivals and improving overall operational efficiency. By leveraging Portchain's digital tools, X-Press Feeders aims to enhance planning accuracy and operational responsiveness, supporting lower fuel consumption and associated…

The Port of Los Angeles, the nation's busiest seaport, notched its second-highest volume for July, boosted by resilient demand for consumer goods and equipment for manufacturing and data center construction, its executive director said on Tuesday.That demand should support another strong result for August, executive director Gene Seroka said.Ocean container imports are an early gauge of U.S. economic activity and are closely watched by analysts and traders.The Port of Los Angeles processed 960…

Yemen's Mocha port has suspended commercial and maritime operations after being hit by more than 25 missiles in Houthi attacks over recent days, the port's director said on Saturday.The attacks killed seven people and caused an estimated $16 million in losses, the director told a news conference.Mocha is a Red Sea port near the Bab el-Mandab strait, a strategic chokepoint connecting the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and a key route for international shipping.The port is controlled by forces aligned with Yemen's internationally recognised government.

Firefighters were battling flames on Friday at Russia's Baltic Sea port Ust-Luga, a major energy exports hub, after a fire sparked by a drone attack, regional governor Aleksander Drozdenko said on messaging app Telegram.More than fifty drones were downed in the Leningrad region, he added, as the region around Ust-Luga, a centre for exports of oil and oil products, kept up efforts to repel the attack.The scale of damage was not immediately clear in the attack, which continues Ukraine's tactics of hitting Russian oil processing and export facilities and grain shipping routes, in an effort to den

The Los Angeles Harbor Commission has approved an addendum to further accelerate clean air technologies and incentives as part of the Port of Los Angeles’ 2025 clean air Cooperative Agreement with the South Coast Air Quality Management District (South Coast AQMD) and neighboring Port of Long Beach.Under the updated agreement, the Port of Los Angeles – along with the Port of Long Beach – will enhance incentives for the cleanest ocean-going vessels, establish new incentives to increase the use of zero-emission trucks…

Hapag-Lloyd reported a recovery in second-quarter 2026 earnings as stronger container volumes and spot rates helped counter roughly $600 million in additional costs stemming from the Middle East conflict.The German container shipping group posted Q2 EBITDA of $829 million, slightly above $820 million a year earlier, while EBIT slipped to $176 million from $189 million. Group profit fell sharply to $83 million from $306 million. Revenue increased to $5.84 billion from $5.27 billion.The improvement from a weak first quarter was driven by strong Asian exports and improved U.S. demand.

Danish shipping group Maersk on Thursday raised its full-year earnings guidance for a second time this year and smashed profit forecasts as global container demand proved resilient in the face of the Middle East conflict.Surging freight rates, fuelled by gridlocked ports and strong Chinese export growth, delivered a windfall that dwarfed the additional costs caused by Middle East disruption, defying fears that the conflict would tip the global economy into recession and dent container demand.Maersk's second-quarter profit before interest…

Greensea IQ has introduced Bayonet Sweep, an autonomous underwater robot designed to search and inspect ship hulls and underwater structures.Bayonet Sweep provides navies, security teams, and port and harbor authorities with a rapid and effective way to inspect ship hulls without placing divers in the water.Where routine hull inspection focuses on maintenance, Bayonet Sweep is specifically built for force protection. It provides a complete data workflow for security, threat assessment…

Axpo and Vitol have completed the first LNG bunkering operation at the Port of Civitavecchia in Italy, refueling the flagship vessel of an international cruise line.Green Pearl, a 7,500 m³ Italian bunkering vessel operated by Axpo, conducted the ship-to-ship refueling operation at Civitavecchia’s berth 18. Operated by Axpo, Green Pearl was brought into service in 2026 and is dedicated to ship-to-ship and ship-to-truck bunkering operations in Italian ports.The operation means that Italy’s premier cruise port…

Ports engineer Bryan Jones has been named HDR’s marine terminals leader.Based in Savannah, Georgia, Jones guides the firm’s growing marine terminals practice worldwide, working with port authorities and terminal operators to address evolving operational demands, infrastructure needs and industry trends.He supports clients in planning and delivering investments that improve efficiency and long-term performance while developing strategies to address changing trade patterns, growing cargo volumes…