Rmt News

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD) awarded nearly $39 million in grants to 12 marine highway projects across the Nation under the America’s Marine Highway Program (AMHP). The funding will help expand marine highway services on the United States’ navigable waterways to reduce congestion, alleviate supply chain bottlenecks, and move goods more quickly from ships to shelves.“At a time of record demand for goods, it’s more important than ever to…

Trade unions protested at British ferry ports on Friday after Dubai-owned P&O Ferries abruptly sacked 800 workers via a video message, drawing widespread condemnation and raising the prospect of disruption to key tourist and goods routes.P&O, which is owned by Dubai ports firm DP World, is recovering from a difficult two years when COVID-19 prevented tourists from travelling on its routes between Britain, France, Ireland and elsewhere in northern Europe.P&O said on Thursday it had lost 100 million pounds ($131 million) in the last year and that without changes its business was not sustainable.

Britain's P&O Ferries made 800 staff redundant with immediate effect and suspended crossings for the next few days, sparking a backlash from politicians and unions over reports it would hire cheaper agency workers instead.The shock move caused delays around Britain's busiest port, Dover, and drew threats of a standoff as trade unions urged their members to defy any instructions to leave P&O ships.Owned by Dubai ports firm DP World, P&O is recovering from two years of disruption when COVID-19 prevented tourists from travelling on its routes between Britain…

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD) awarded $12.6 million in grants to nine marine highway projects across the Nation under the America’s Marine Highway Program (AMHP). The funding will help address supply chain disruptions, enhance the movement of goods along our navigable waterways, and expand existing waterborne freight services in Delaware, Hawaii, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, North Carolina, New York, New Jersey, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia.“These investments through the America’s Marine Highway Program will help us move more goods…

Marine Highways Gain Traction in the Intermodal Supply Chain.In the United States, landside infrastructure is at a crisis point. Congestion at the big hub ports, exacerbated by imperfect intermodal interfaces with surface transport serving cargo hinterlands is at the heart of the matter. As politicians bicker over a possible infrastructure package, the Highway Trust Fund, funded by taxes on gasoline and diesel fuel, has continued its downward journey towards further deficits (now $144 billion). And, where countless U.S.

Ambitious plans are being launched for a $184 million training and disaster relief ship with cutting-edge British technology.Britannia Maritime Aid (BMA), a registered charity, aims to build the futuristic vessel in Britain. It is officially launching its plans at the UK Chamber of Shipping on Monday September 9 during London International Shipping Week.Maritime professionals and training experts have joined forces for project with backing from former First Sea Lords, the Lord West of Spithead and Admiral Sir Nigel Essenhigh.Others supporters include members of the Houses of Lords and Commons, shipbuilder Cammell Laird, ship designers Leadship…

The continued detention of British-flagged tanker Stena Impero is "unacceptable and unjustifiable" and there are concerns for the welfare of the crew after 19 days in confinement, the vessel's owner said on Tuesday.Iran's Revolutionary Guards on July 19 seized the Stena Impero in the Strait of Hormuz waterway for alleged marine violations. That came two weeks after Britain seized an Iranian oil tanker near Gibraltar, accusing it of violating sanctions on Syria.Britain has repeatedly ruled out any swap of tankers.The saga has exacerbated frictions between Tehran and the West since the United States pulled out of an international agreement…

Are paradigms shifting on the increased role of inland waterways with respect to short sea shipping and the Nation’s marine transportation system? Investigation and implementation of new commerce shipping avenues are becoming more common along the Eastern seaboard of the United States with each new announcement of a Port Authority supporting the development of shipping routes for container on barge services.In the past few weeks, the South Carolina Ports Authority (SCPA) furthered their quest to develop a marine highway to support the Port of Charleston in South Carolina.

In an address to Western Dredging Association (WEDA) stakeholders, William P. Doyle, CEO & Executive Director Dredging Contractors of America told his audience: It all starts with dredging. Good Morning, and thank you for inviting me here today to open-up the conference. This is my first time addressing the Western Dredging Association (WEDA), and I am honored to be here. It all starts with dredging, and President Donald J. Trump is backing it up with critical legislative measures. As I will address later in my remarks– the U.S. dredging companies are truly American companies, spending billions of dollars building all of our ships in American shipyards and staffing our ships with American officers a crew.

Despite a slight dip in volume of .7 percent in February, The Port of Virginia’s fiscal year 2018 cargo volumes are up nearly 4 percent, or nearly 69,000 TEUs. “February is a short month and our volume was relatively static, in a year-on-year comparison,” said John F. Reinhart, CEO and executive director of the Virginia Port Authority (VPA). “January featured two snowstorms, which had an impact on our performance, yet we continue to perform in-line with our fiscal-year volume forecast. In February, the port processed 218,729 TEUs, which is .7 percent, or 1,647 fewer units when compared with last February. Cargo volumes at Richmond Marine Terminal (RMT) and Virginia Inland Port (VIP) and were up 45 and 4 percent, respectively.

The Port of Virginia’s new barge – the Richmond Express arrived in the Norfolk Harbor and scheduled to sail Sunday and be at Richmond Marine Terminal (RMT) Monday, Feb. This new barge helps reduce congestion on I-64 and wear-and-tear on the road by taking trucks off of that roadway and moving the cargo by barge. Thus far into fiscal year 2017 (began July 1, 2016), 11,225 containers have moved between Richmond Marine Terminal (RMT) and the Norfolk Harbor by barge, a 41 percent increase when compared with the same period in fiscal year 2016. This equates to 22,450 fewer round-trip, truck trips on regional roads/highways/intestates. Further, the configuration of the new barge gives the port flexibility to move refrigerated containers, which is important to owners of cold cargo.

The Port of Virginia set a new annual record for container cargo volume having handled more than 2.65 million twenty-foot equivalent units, or TEUs, a 4.2 percent increase over last year’s total. In 2016, import and export volumes were up 6 percent and 2.6 percent, respectively, over the prior year. The port saw increases in TEUs, rail volume and total volume at Virginia Inland Port, the port’s growing intermodal ramp located in Front Royal. Further, Richmond Marine Terminal (RMT) had its most productive year since The Port of Virginia began leasing the facility in 2010. “In 2016, we moved 106,000 more TEUs than we did in 2015, which until now, was our highest volume year on record,” said John F. Reinhart, CEO and executive director of the Virginia Port Authority.

The Port of Virginia handled 220,000 TEUs in September and that volume helped to push solid growth in rail cargo and in containers moved to Richmond Marine Terminal by barge. In comparison with last September, TEU volumes are up 2 percent; rail units up 16 percent and volume at Richmond Marine Terminal (RMT) is up 55 percent. Moreover, September marks the eighth consecutive month of TEU volumes exceeding 210,000 units. “The peak-season cargo flow is steady – import TEUs were up 7 percent -- and we are maintaining our consistency in delivery of service, said John F. Reinhart, CEO and executive director of the Virginia Port Authority. “Our productivity across the operation continues to trend in positive territory. “We were well-prepared for the eventualities brought by Hurricane Matthew.

The Port of Virginia rewrote its record books once again, having handled 235,511 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) in August, making it the single busiest month in the port’s history. In comparison with last August, TEU volumes are up 7 percent; rail units up 20 percent and truck volume up .4 percent; and volume at Richmond Marine Terminal (RMT) is up 33 percent. Moreover, October marks the seventh consecutive month of TEU volumes exceeding 210,000 units. The peak-season cargo is moving and those volumes are putting the port on pace to exceed last year’s total of 2.5 million TEUs, said John F. Reinhart, CEO and executive director of the Virginia Port Authority.

Governor Terry McAuliffe today announced that The Port of Virginia’s preliminary unaudited reports for fiscal year 2016 indicate that it will post an annual operating income of $4.76 million, the second year in a row that the port completed its fiscal year with profitability. “The Port of Virginia’s performance is meeting and exceeding the expectations of my administration,” said Gov. McAuliffe. “This financial turnaround is proof that the port’s wise investments in capital projects and people, which are being made in support of a plan for sustainable growth, are yielding very positive results, in terms of reputation abroad, delivery of service, performance at the piers and an increasingly stable financial picture.

The Port of Virginia processed 219,398 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) in May, bringing the port to 2 percent growth in TEU volume for the calendar year and 2.6 percent growth in the fiscal year, which ends July 1. “Volume for May was not as high when compared with last year, but that was anticipated,” said John F. Reinhart, CEO and executive director of the Virginia Port Authority. “We are still tracking for a very modest gain for the fiscal year and our volume expectations for the balance of the calendar year are realistic. Terminals (NIT). In May, rail volume was up 8 percent and conversely, truck volume dipped 12.6 percent. barge traffic was up 28.6 percent and containers moving across Virginia Inland Port (VIP) were up 2.5 percent. Terminal, up 11.3 percent.

The offshore supply ship, MV Malaviya Seven detained, at the Port of Aberdeen, UK, by the International Transport Federation [ITF] with the support of the Port State Control, MCA – was operating under what the shipping union, RMT, has described as a ‘blatant example of modern day slavery’. The Malaviya Seven will stay at port until the workers are paid, according to the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA). The RMT union claimed that 15 Indian crew members in the Mumbai-registered vessel have not been paid for nearly two months, with some having been without pay for longer. The Malaviya Seven was contracted by oil giant BP between June 1 and June 15.

The Port of Virginia in February processed 220,726 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), a 24 percent increase when compared with February 2015. “Last February’s volumes were affected by several snowstorms, but it is important to note that the strength of our increase was far greater than the impact of last year’s weather,” said John F. Reinhart, CEO and executive director of the Virginia Port Authority. In February, the port saw increases in rail volume, up 51 percent; truck volume, up 12 percent; and ship calls, up 10 percent. The new rubber-tire gantry cranes that were delivered in early January were placed into service in February and helped to build throughput at the rail operations at VIG and Norfolk International Terminals.

Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union members at the ferry operator CalMac go on strike over the future of services of Scotland’s west coast as two thirds of CalMac routes have been suspended. CalMac will operate a third of its Clyde and Hebrides ferry services, with nine of 27 routes sailing as normal or to an amended timetable. The RMT union is concerned about the outcome of a tendering bid which could see the service change hands from publicly-owned CalMac to private firm Serco. They walk out over prospect of Serco winning contract to operate services across Clyde, inner Hebrides and Western Isles. Supplemented by air services…

Risk management experts from around the world will gather in Aberdeen on March 5 for a conference that will set the agenda for dealing with the issue and impact of human risk in the oil and gas industry. The keynote address will be delivered by Lord Cullen of Whitekirk, who chaired the public enquiry into the Piper Alpha disaster. The outcomes of the enquiry have transformed HSE operational procedures in the North Sea and the offshore oil and gas industry worldwide. Also included in the impressive line up of speakers is David Pritchard, co-chair of the Presidential Technical Commission for the Deepwater Horizon study group (U.S.) – this being the first time a key investigator in the Macondo disaster has publicly addressed the industry in a conference/public setting.

President of the UK Chamber of Shipping, Kenneth MacLeod, has called for shipping companies in the UK’s Tonnage Tax system to be allowed to train Merchant Navy ratings, not only officers. Shipping companies can apply to be part of the Tonnage Tax regime – a system of taxation that allows UK shipping to be internationally competitive. Being part of tonnage tax means that shipping companies must train one new officer cadet annually for every 15 officers they employ. (Merchant Navy ratings are the support staff on board a ship – they are skilled seafarers who work in the deck…

The Maritime Labor Convention, 2006 (MLC) has been ratified by the UK. This new International Labor Organization (ILO) convention consolidates and updates more than 68 international labor standards in the maritime sector. It sets minimum global standards for seafarers living and working conditions. The ratification of the Maritime Labor Convention has been a lengthy process that involved a number of Government departments including DWP, FCO and BIS alongside extensive contributions from the U.K. Chamber of Shipping, Nautilus International, the RMT union and other stakeholders. It presented us with the opportunity to update legislation. The U.K. has 1,383 vessels on its register totaling 16.57 million gross tonnage.

P&O Cruises have sacked 150 Indian waiters for protesting wages as low as 75 pence per hour (US$1.17) – eight times below the national minimum, reports the 'Hindustan Times'. The waiters, the lowest paid in an Indian restaurant on board the cruise ship Arcadia, were sacked after going on a 90-minute, apparently good-natured protest. The action was prompted by plans to replace cash tips — a key supplement to basic wages — with billed tips that would be used to fund performance-related bonuses. The Indian waiters were hired by Fleet Maritime Service International, a Mumbai-based firm registered in Bermuda with its payroll office in Guernsey, a tax haven, thus allowing it to ignore Britain’s minimum wage law of £6.08 (US$ 9.45) per hour.