NETHERLANDS – UK – Following the boss at the Swedish Port of Gothenburg expressing his view of post Brexit trade comes a joint release from the Netherlands as to how those responsible for moving freight through the major Dutch ports see things developing in case of a no-deal scenario. The authorities, including Customs, the Port of Rotterdam Authority, the Port of Amsterdam Authority, PortBase and the involved municipalities say they…

PANAMA – It seems the extensive works carried out by the Panama Canal Authority (PCA) to widen and deepen the waterway and install even bigger locks at choke points is paying dividends. Although the management processes have not always been without controversy, the expanded canal has been steadily attracting more trade in the past couple of years, with larger Neopanamax ships able to use it, particularly useful for container vessels…

SOUTH AFRICA – Having recently clinched an award at the National TNPA Safety Competition recently for achieving a Disabling Injury Frequency Rate (DIFR) of zero for one year, the Transnet National Ports Authority’s (TNPA) Port of Ngqura has now celebrated 1 million hours of work without a disabling injury. TNPA employees are, as at any busy port, exposed to a number of risks in their daily tasks. A disabling injury…

NETHERLANDS – WORLDWIDE – It looks as though we are in for one of those interesting debates often thrown up by the shipping industry as, with the evolution of the sector and its technologies, the views of management are often seen in a completely different light by those at the sharp end. Such is the situation which has arisen following research undertaken by the grouping of maritime unions known as…

FINLAND – One Sea, the industry alliance whose primary aim is to lead the way towards an operating autonomous maritime ecosystem by 2025, has appointed Riku-Pekka Hägg as Chair of its Management Board. He previously served as One Sea’s Vice Chair. Hägg will oversee One Sea while retaining his current role as Vice President, Ship Design and Integrated Solutions Sales at Wärtsilä. UK – Maritime Transport has announced Chris Lewis…

WORLDWIDE – Maersk Tankers, Mitsui & Co, whose wide portfolio stretches from energy supply to air terminal and metallurgical interests, and Cargill, a group with specialist metal and agricultural shipping interests, have established a strategic collaboration which they say has the ability to accelerate the reduction of global greenhouse gases (GHGs) within the shipping sector. All three parties say that they recognise the urgency required to tackle the global issue…

SPAIN – The APM Terminals facility in the Port of Barcelona broke its own record this week by registering 5,394 container movements on the 13,900 TEU box vessel Millau Bridge. This total surpasses the 5,323 movements recorded at the Catalan terminal on the arrival of the OOCL Brussels in 2017. The Panamanian registered, Millau Bridge is operating as part of The Alliance service, APM Barcelona’s main customer. The terminal claims…

SINGAPORE – The events a few days previously when drone strikes knocked out half of Saudi Arabia’s oil supply meant that this year’s Tank Storage Asia was very focused on geopolitical tensions and volatile market conditions. The two day event saw record visitor numbers, a 35% jump as against the previous event. Over 50 exhibitors were present on the show floor, with many new names appearing for 2019 with the…

WORLDWIDE – Demurrage. For freight forwarders and shippers the word ranks right up there with ‘bankruptcy’ and ‘General Average’ when it comes to upsetting them. Now, in its latest Best Practice Guide, FIATA’s Sea Transport Working Group has given its support to the Federal Maritime Commission (FMCs) initiatives to bring clarity and fairness to the assessment of demurrage and detention fees, specifically in the container market. The Guide has focused…

WORLDWIDE – At its 2019 General Meeting held in Rotterdam this week, the union of maritime professionals, Nautilus International, heard the results of the Nautilus Federation report into criminalisation in the shipping industry, and the results are somewhat worrying with almost 90% of the seafarers questioned expressing concerns about the issue and two thirds saying it impacted on the way they felt about working in the profession. A quarter of…