Public Infrastructure News

For centuries, riverside communities, including the "quilombola" descendants of enslaved Africans who escaped from plantations and ranches, have shared Xingu Island in Brazil's Amazon Basin.Its inhabitants live in brightly painted wooden houses overlooking rivers where small boats crisscross between islands and Abaetetuba city on the mainland to trade fish, seeds and fruits gathered from the Amazon forest in their backyard.In 2016, however, strangers docked on Xingu Island, in Para state…

A $1 billion project to expand the Houston Ship Channel kicked off with an official ceremony last week, leading the way for greater safely, efficiency and economic growth in one of America’s busiest waterways.Known locally as Project 11 because it is the eleventh major construction project of the waterway in its more than 100-year history, the Houston Ship Channel expansion will widen the channel by 170 feet along its Galveston Bay reach, from 530 feet to 700 feet. It will also deepen some upstream segments to 46.5 feet…

Germany's energy regulator has temporarily halted the certification process for the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, requiring the Swiss-based, Gazprom-led consortium behind the infrastructure to form a German subsidiary to secure a licence.Following are some of the legal considerations associated with the move by Germany's Federal Network Agency, which aims to strengthen its oversight of the project in Germany.The list is partly based on information provided by specialist energy law firm Rosin Buedenbender in Essen…

The Caribbean Country of Saint Kitts and Nevis is the latest country to benefit from International Maritime Organization (IMO)’s work promoting good maritime governance practice – through a National Maritime Transport Policy (NMTP) workshop, underway in Basseterre (14-16 May).The event brought together participants from over 30 institutions, including ministries, State and stakeholder agencies to work towards a policy to help achieve the maritime vision of Saint Kitts and Nevis.Creating a NMPT policy will help the country’s maritime transport sector to be governed in a coordinated, efficient, sustainable, safe and environmentally-sound…

Global hyperloop pioneer Virgin Hyperloop One elects Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem as Chairman and Jay Walder as CEO as company leverages new round of funding to begin implementation of hyperloop from Pune to Mumbai.Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem is the Group Chairman and CEO of DP World. Jay Walder, who is one of the world’s leading mass transportation and technology executives, has been appointed as its new CEO. Walder will also join the company’s Board of Directors.The selection of a new senior management team will allow Virgin Hyperloop One to transition its focus from technology startup to mass transportation company beginning with the implementation of the world’s first hyperloop system running from Pune to Mumbai.

German shipping company Hapag-Lloyd is continuing to focus on the growing market in East Africa, where annual growth rates of approximately six percent lead the African continent.In April 2018 Hapag-Lloyd launched the East Africa Service (EAS), its first dedicated service to East Africa. The weekly service sails from Jeddah to Mombasa, and from there to Dar es Salaam, in Tanzania, and directly back to Jeddah. The service will be expanded in September with a weekly connection to and from Nhava Sheva, Mundra, Khor Fakkan, Jebel Ali, Mombasa and Dar es Salaam.

The Trump administration is weighing a range of options to fund public infrastructure projects, including private-sector investments and a higher tax on gasoline, U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao said on Tuesday. Trump will donate his quarterly salary to the Transportation Department to help fund infrastructure projects, White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said at a daily White House news briefing. (Reporting by Steve Holland, Lisa Lambert and Mohammad Zargham; Writing by Susan Heavey; Editing by Leslie Adler)

In the United States, transportation infrastructure is the bedrock of our supply chains. Ports and waterways in the United States moved over 2.3 billion tons of goods in 2014. A robust maritime infrastructure to support such ports and waterways helps goods to move freely and aid in more flow of trade and ultimately greater economic stimulus. Port authorities and waterways commissions are always seeking better ways to increase cargo volume and subsequently aid their surrounding states and regions - which all benefit the overall commerce of our nation.

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) today released proposed regulations that would provide additional clarity and certainty for its Marine Minerals Program regarding negotiated, non-competitive leases for Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) resources such as sand, gravel and shell. The proposed rule describes the negotiated, non-competitive agreement process for qualifying projects, and codifies new and existing procedures for using OCS sand, gravel and shell resources for shore protection, beach restoration or coastal wetlands restoration projects undertaken by federal, state and local governments. It also addresses the use of OCS resources for construction projects authorized or funded by the federal government.

The American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) said today it is encouraged by the potential of significant gains for landside freight transportation programs in President Obama’s fiscal 2017 budget, bit is disappointed, however, in the proposed funding levels for U.S. Army Corps of Engineers coastal navigation programs, the Environmental Protection Agency’s Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA) grants, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Port Security Grant program.

The Honorable Gail Shea, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, announced today an investment to improve safety and working conditions for fishermen at Naufrage Harbor, Prince Edward Island. This funding will be used to replace a section of an existing deteriorated wharf with a new structure, repair the entrance breakwater and carry out maintenance dredging of the channel. Since 2006, the Government of Canada has provided an unprecedented level of funding to support investments in public infrastructure across the country. Last fall, Prime Minister Harper announced an additional investment of $5.8 billion over the next two years to build and renew infrastructure across the country to support Canadian heritage…

'Move America Act of 2015' would help fund landside improvements to U.S. The American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA)—the unified and recognized voice of seaports in the Americas—publicly voiced support for the bi-partisan Move America Act of 2015 infrastructure bonding and credits legislation introduced today in Congress by Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Senator John Hoeven (R-N. Dak.). The Move America proposal would provide more tax-exempt financing for public-private partnerships…

On behalf of the Honorable Gail Shea, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, Pat Davidson, Member of Parliament for Sarnia-Lambton announced that the Government of Canada will fund work to upgrade the storage tank at the Port Lambton Inshore Rescue Boat Station. This investment will ensure that the search and rescue vessels that rely on this tank will continue to have timely access to fuel. Last year, the Station completed 24 missions. In turn, the Government of Canada ensures that the services that keep Canada’s waters safe and secure are well-maintained. “Providing the hardworking men and women of the Canadian Coast Guard with updated facilities is essential to their work,” Shea said.

The American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA), the recognized and authoritative voice of the seaport industry, yesterday noted some positive aspects but mostly disappointment over the funding levels and programmatic changes in federal port-related programs that were proposed today in President Obama’s fiscal 2016 budget. “International trade now accounts for fully 30 percent of the U.S. economy,” said Kurt Nagle, AAPA’s president and CEO. The President’s budget includes a $478 billion, six-year surface transportation reauthorization proposal, to be paid for with transition revenue from business tax reform. The proposal would pay for repairs to existing roads and bridges…

Mayor Eric Garcetti has nominated Gene Seroka, an executive with APL shipping line, as the next Executive Director of the Port of Los Angeles. The Board of Harbor Commissioners will consider Mayor Garcetti's nomination at its June 5th meeting. Seroka's nomination is subject to confirmation by the Los Angeles City Council. "I'm proud to nominate Gene Seroka to be the next Executive Director of the Port of Los Angeles, the nation's top container port," said Mayor Eric Garcetti. "Gene Seroka is uniquely qualified to lead the Port of Los Angeles," said Ambassador Vilma Martinez, President of the Board of Harbor Commissioners. Seroka is Head of Commercial in the Americas Region for American Presidents Line (APL)…

Gary Lee Moore, who has served as Los Angeles City Engineer and General Manager of the city’s Bureau of Engineering for the past decade, has started his duties as interim executive director of the Port of Los Angeles. “Gary is a trusted public servant, with a 28-year track record with the City,” said Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, who appointed Moore to the position last month. “The port is a critical economic engine for the city and region,” said Moore. Moore replaces Geraldine Knatz…

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Maritime Administration (MARAD) today dedicated the California Green Trade Corridor. The Corridor will help take freight traffic off California’s congested I-580 by offering shippers an option to move cargo along the waterways between the Ports of Oakland, Stockton and Sacramento. The project received a $30 million grant from the Department of Transportation, as well as $5 million from local sources. Acting Maritime Administrator Paul Jaenichen and state and local leaders were on hand for the dedication. “This $30 million investment in public infrastructure is an important part of President Obama’s national initiative to double America’s exports by 2015,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx.

KS Associates, Inc., a civil engineering and land surveying firm located in Elyria, Ohio, has appointed Mark P. Cencer, P.E., to the firm’s Coastal Engineering Group. The Group provides engineering solutions for all types of waterfront and water-related infrastructure, helping clients plan, design and manage the construction of projects along Lake Erie and its watershed. Cencer is a Professional Engineer licensed in Ohio and Florida and has more than eight years of experience in marine engineering.

Plans to increase toll charges for the Panama Canal are ‘rushed, excessive and likely to cause further problems for shipping companies’ given the fragile state of economic recovery, say shipowners. The International Chamber of Shipping has sent a strongly worded letter to the Panama Canal Authority (ACP) describing plans to increase tolls by up to 15% as ‘simply unacceptable’. ICS calls for the plans to be withdrawn and for future increases to be given with at least six months’ notice to enable shipping companies to plan properly and fully assess the impact of the proposed changes.

OnSSI, manufacturer of open-platform network video management software in the Americas, announced three new positions on the OnSSI sales team. Joining the company are Trevor Newton as Western Region Manager and Steve Kingsbury as Mid-Atlantic Region Manager. Brad Anderson, formerly Mid-Atlantic Region Manager, has been appointed to the new position of National Sales Manager-Channel Partners. Newton joins OnSSI with a background in systems engineering and more than 20 years of experience in the industry with companies such as VideoIQ and Lenel Systems, where he designed and managed sales projects for Fortune 500 clients. Newton is a retired commissioned officer in the United States Air Force Reserves. As Western Region Manager, Mr.

SEFtec NMCI Offshore Ltd (SNO), a public / private joint venture between SEFtec Global Training Ltd and The National Maritime College of Ireland (NMCI), will be launched on the 17th December 2010 at the National Maritime College, Co. Cork, by the Minister of Enterprise, Trade & Employment, Batt O’Keeffe. This venture brings together public infrastructure with private enterprise for not only offshore training, but design, manufacture, installation, commissioning and service of training simulators for the global maritime industry. Focused on supporting the successful and sustainable growth of the Irish offshore exploration sector, SNO has successfully secured the approval of the Offshore Petroleum Industry Training Organization (OPITO) for its programme of courses.

NACE International is assisting the World Corrosion Organization (WCO) in its establishment of a Corrosion Awareness Day. The WCO has selected April 24, 2010 as the first Corrosion Awareness Day. On this day and in many countries of the world, activities are being organized to illustrate the detrimental effects of corrosion on everyday life, the economy and the environment, and to inform the public, industry, politicians, and educational institutions of the solutions and necessary steps to combat corrosion. NACE International is one of the Founding Members of the WCO. The WCO is dedicated to working with corrosion societies around the globe to raise awareness about the impact of corrosion and what can be done to address it.

Three consortia of dredging and construction companies have qualified for the construction of Maasvlakte 2. There is one purely Dutch combination, formed by Boskalis and Van Oord, a Belgian group, consisting of Dredging International and Jan de Nul, and an international combination, comprising the Dutch company Ballast Nedam and the Danish firm Per Aarsleff. Hans Smits, Port of Rotterdam Authority CEO: “The fact that there are three consortia in the race means there is healthy competition. I therefore expect a lot of creativity in the design process, followed by competitive prices.” This summer, the Port Authority went in search of parties able to implement the first contract for the construction of the 2000 ha port expansion in the North Sea.