Infrastructure News

Egypt successfully tested a new 10 km channel near the southern end of the Suez Canal, even as its revenue from the waterway has plunged since Yemen's Houthi militants began attacking vessels in the Red Sea.The Suez Canal Authority said in a statement that during a trial run two ships passed through a new stretch of the canal's two-way section without incident.Following the 2021 grounding of the container ship Ever Given that blocked the vital waterway for six days, Egypt accelerated…

The price of Iranian crude oil sold to China has risen to the highest in years as fresh U.S. sanctions have tightened shipping capacity and driven up logistics costs, trade sources and analysts said.Rising prices for Iranian oil as well as Russian crude are raising costs for independent Chinese refiners that account for about a fifth of demand at the world's top crude importer, underscoring challenges ahead as the Trump administration is expected to ramp up pressure on Iran.Some of the refiners are switching to supplies not under sanction restrictions…

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump has picked Miami-Dade County Commissioner Kevin Marino Cabrera to serve as ambassador to Panama after having threatened for the U.S. to reassert control over the Panama Canal it handed over 25 years ago.Trump described Cabrera as "a fierce fighter for America First principles" who he said has been instrumental in driving economic growth and fostering international partnerships."Few understand Latin American politics as well as Kevin - He will…

The Port of Oakland’s container business continues to grow. Total cargo volume shot up 10% year-to-date, January through November 2024, compared to the same period in 2023.“We are optimistic that strong container volume will continue through the end of the year,” said Port of Oakland Manager of Business Development and International Marketing Carolyn Almquist. “We expect to be on track to return to our pre-pandemic baseline cargo numbers. Our total inbound and outbound volume is up…

President-elect Donald Trump threatened to reassert U.S. control over the Panama Canal on Sunday, accusing Panama of charging excessive rates to use the Central American passage and drawing a sharp rebuke from Panamanian President Jose Raul Mulino.Speaking to a crowd of supporters in Arizona, Trump also said he would not let the canal fall into the "wrong hands," warning of potential Chinese influence on the passage.After the event, he posted an image on Truth Social of an American flag flying over a narrow body of water…

The Interior Department has now approved more than 19 gigawatts of offshore wind energy.The Biden-Harris administration today announced the approval of the SouthCoast Wind Project – the nation’s 11th commercial-scale offshore wind energy project approved under President Biden’s leadership. With today’s approval, the Department and its Bureau of Ocean Energy Management have approved over 19 gigawatts (GW) of clean energy from offshore wind energy projects – enough to power more…

Don’t Overlook Shipping’s Critical Role in U.S. Sustainable Transport Future, ABS Chairman and CEO Urges Washington.“Many of our sustainable transportation programs and initiatives tend to become mode-centric, but it is critically important to optimize the overall sustainable freight transportation across modes from origin to destination, which requires a system of systems focus.”That was the message to U.S. transportation industry and Government leaders from ABS Chairman and CEO Christopher J.

Manatee County Commissioner Mike Rahn has been elected chairman of the Manatee County Port Authority.“It is a privilege to chair SeaPort Manatee’s governing board as we continue to advance key infrastructure enhancements and hurricane recovery efforts while setting the course for even greater realization of the port’s role as a leading contributor to our region’s economy,” said Rahn, whose election was confirmed today [Dec. 19] at a meeting of the Manatee County Port Authority, following selection at the Dec.

The Mosel River in Germany will remain closed to cargo shipping in January despite the success of a temporary lock helping to free vessels trapped on the river after an accident, navigation authorities said on Thursday.The temporary lock will not permit a reduced level of cargo shipping to operate on the river while repairs to a damaged lock start in the new year, said a spokesperson for German inland navigation agency WSA.Germany's federal transport ministry said separately that a resumption of normal shipping along the Mosel could be possible in early February 2024.The river…

Deutsche Energy Terminal (DET) said on Thursday that Germany's Wilhelmshaven liquefied natural gas terminal intends to market capacity for ships to discharge LNG in May 2025, adding that there would be limited slots available in the first quarter there and at another location.DET has been commissioned by Berlin since the height of Europe's energy crisis in 2022 to market regasification of gas volumes arriving on LNG tankers, as well as related storage and gas deliveries to inland…

The arrival of the dredger Willem Van Rubroeck in Ndayane has marked the start of maritime works for the $1.2 billion Port of Ndayane, a project led by Dubai-owned ports and logistics firm DP World, which aims to transform Senegal into a major center for global trade.The vessel will dredge a 5 km-long shipping channel - an essential step in building this high-capacity port designed to elevate Senegal’s trade infrastructure.Phase 1 of the project includes an 840 m quay and a 5…

The administration of U.S. President Joe Biden released a long-awaited study on the economic and environmental impacts of liquefied natural gas exports on Tuesday, saying the results underscored the need for a cautious approach to new permits.Biden in January had paused the Department of Energy's approvals of U.S. LNG exports to big consumers in Asia and Europe so that his administration could conduct the review, triggering complaints from the oil and gas industry."The main takeaway is that a business-as-usual approach is neither sustainable nor advisable…

Tanco Terminals is constructing a $8.2 million expansion of its liquid tank farm at Ports of Indiana-Burns Harbor to support growth in Lake Michigan shipments. Tanco is a third-generation, family-owned business operated at the port since 1977.The company stores and performs value-added services for liquid cargoes, from petroleum to food-grade oils.As part of the expansion, Tanco is adding a sixth rail loading track, a new truck scale, three storage tanks – two with 36,000-barrel capacity and a third at 42…

All American Marine (AAM) has announced a partnership with San Francisco Bay Ferry to build their 150-passenger battery-electric vessels. This landmark project will contribute significantly to advancing sustainable passenger transport in the San Francisco Bay Area while showcasing innovative maritime engineering.The concept vessel was initially developed by Aurora Marine Design, based in San Diego, as part of  SF Bay Ferry’s REEF program. Teknicraft Design of Auckland, New Zealand…

Port Houston Container Volumes Up 24% in November.Port Houston is on track to close 2024 as one of its most successful years to date, handling 3,799,573 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) through November—a 9% increase over the same period last year. November volumes alone reached 369,361 TEUs, a notable 24% increase year-over-year. This marks the biggest month of the year for Port Houston in terms of containerized cargo volume.Loaded imports rose by 19% in November, driven by consumer goods and machinery, and loaded exports were up 16% the same month, reinforced by robust resin shipments.

The Mosel in west Germany was partially reopened to cargo shipping on Monday after a temporary lock was installed over the weekend, but the number of vessels able to sail will be limited, navigation authorities said.The river, an important transit route for grains and rapeseed between Germany and France, was closed to inland waterways shipping last week after an accident which damaged a lock at Mueden south of Koblenz and repairs are likely to last until spring 2025.But a temporary lock was installed over the weekend and tested successfully, the German navigation agency WSA said.

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump on Thursday appeared to back the anti-automation stance of some 45,000 union dockworkers on the U.S. East and Gulf Coasts, whose labor talks are at an impasse over that polarizing issue.The ILA and the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX) employer group are facing a Jan. 15 deadline to finalize talks, which stalled over automation. That cutoff comes just five days before Trump's inauguration.The ILA says automation kills jobs while employers say it is necessary to keep U.S.

Navigation authorities will attempt to install a temporary lock system on the river Mosel in west Germany this weekend to enable the river, an important route for grains and rapeseed shipments to and from Germany and France, to reopen to cargo shipping.The river was closed to inland waterways shipping this week after an accident damaged a lock at Mueden south of Koblenz with repairs likely to last until late March.However, German navigation agency WSA said on Friday that it is preparing a temporary lock system which will be tested over the weekend.

Maersk expects global trade growth rising as much as 7% next year, bolstered by strong demand from the United States where a potential port strike and tariffs on foreign-made goods loom, an executive at the global carrier said on Wednesday."We predict anywhere between 5 and 7% (growth) overall," Charles van der Steene, regional president for North America at Maersk, told Reuters. "And at this stage, there's nothing that would indicate that it could not be the case," he said on the sidelines of the Reuters NEXT conference.Houthi attacks on vessels in the Red Sea and "resilient" demand from U.S.

Dry bulk contracting falls 70% below average amid low rates.“Over the past three months, dry bulk newbuilding contracting has been 70% below the yearly average. Declining freight rates in recent months, a cloudy outlook and high newbuilding prices contributed to the slowdown, and contracting in 2024 will likely fall short of 2023 levels,” says Filipe Gouveia, Shipping Analyst at BIMCO.Driven by healthy demand, the dry bulk market was strong throughout most of the first three quarters of 2024.

The lush river valleys of El Zaino y La Arenosa in western Panama, home to hundreds of families that eke out a living farming, fishing and raising cattle, could soon be submerged by a massive man-made reservoir designed to ensure the viability of the Panama Canal in the face of a changing climate.Tres Hermanas, with its farms, two schools, churches and a medical clinic, is one of dozens of towns that would disappear in the next six years if the state-owned Panama Canal's ambitious $1.6 billion project goes ahead.

The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) has launched an expression of interest (EOI) to gather proposals for scaling up liquefied natural gas (LNG) for bunkering or ship refueling, it said in a statement on Thursday.The EOI seeks solutions for sea-based LNG reloading to complement existing onshore LNG bunkering storage and jetty capacities, as well as the supply of e-methane or bio-methane as a marine fuel in Singapore, the world's largest bunker hub.Proposals will be gathered on three areas including the scale-up of sea-based reloading operations…

Gatehouse Maritime, a provider of  AIS (Automatic Identification System) network monitoring and maritime domain awareness software, announced the award of a new contract from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.The contract, initially set for one year, includes an option for a four-year extension, underscoring the long-term strategic importance of the partnership.Under the newly awarded contract, the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) will use Gatehouse Maritime's industry-leading AIS Network Monitoring system to enhance their management of U.S. national waterways.