Ports News

Port & Terminal Technology USA has established itself as a must-attend key industry event. Its huge success over the last thirteen years is attributed to overwhelming positive feedback   from attendees and the event’s growing list of returning exhibitors. As such, MCI Media Limited is delighted to announce that the 14th Conference & Exhibition will take place in Miami, Florida and is officially supported by PortMiami. An informative technical programme delivered by numerous industry experts will cover the very  latest developments…

CK Hutchison on Thursday reported an 11% drop in underlying profit for 2024, as one of Hong Kong's most powerful conglomerates becomes increasingly embroiled in a political row over the sale of its ports business to a BlackRock-led consortium.The telecoms-to-retail conglomerate, owned by billionaire Li Ka-shing, said this month it had agreed to sell most of its global ports business, including assets near the strategically important Panama Canal, in a deal that would garner the firm more than $19 billion in cash.Its shares initially rallied after the deal…

President Donald Trump's plan to revive U.S. shipbuilding using massive fees on China-linked ship visits to American ports is causing U.S. coal inventories to swell and stoking uncertainty in the embattled agriculture market, as exporters struggle to find ships to send goods abroad.Trump is drafting an executive order that would rely on funding from a U.S. Trade Representative proposal to levy fines of up to $1.5 million on China-made ships or vessels from fleets that include ships made in China.Those potential port fees have limited the availability of ships needed to move agriculture…

Dubai-based ports and logistics firm DP World and shipping giant Maersk have signed a long-term agreement to boost container-handling capacity and increase weekly vessel calls to support Brazil’s growing trade demands.DP World operates one of the country’s largest private terminals at the Port of Santos. Under the terms of the eight-year agreement, Maersk will introduce additional long-term services and maintain a minimum service level at the port.In the first year, Maersk will launch six new services with eight weekly calls…

HarborLab, the Athens-based maritime technology company, launched a new AI-powered feature designed to optimize Disbursement Account (DA) analysis and streamline port expense management.This latest innovation, known as HL AI, is part of the company’s drive to fully integrating artificial intelligence (AI) into its entire platform ecosystem helping shipowners and operators unlock efficiency and major cost savings in daily vessel operations.With annual port-related spending for ship owners and operators being currently roughly $2 million per year for a single vessel on voyage charter…

Marine fuel sales in the United Arab Emirates' Fujairah, the world's third-largest bunkering hub, fell in February to their lowest since data started being published in 2021. Volumes, excluding lubricants, totalled 554,117 cubic metres (about 549,000 metric tons) for February, showed latest Fujairah Oil Industry Zone (FOIZ) data published by S&P Global Commodity Insights.The decline reflects slower refuelling demand at key bunker ports in the year so far, against a backdrop of global shipping uncertainty.

China's Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office (HKMAO) reposted a commentary criticizing CK Hutchison's port deal with U.S. firm BlackRock as a betrayal of China, sending shares of the Hong Kong-based conglomerate sharply lower on Friday.The repost of the critical state media commentary by China's governing body overseeing the territory highlights the complex geopolitical pressures the firm faces, as investors worry the deal could be derailed without Beijing's backing.CK Hutchison said last week it agreed to sell most of the global $22.8 billion ports business…

The first eight foundations for the Nordeseecluster, a 1.8GW offshore wind project being built in the German North Sea, have arrived and been offloaded in the Dutch base port Eemshaven.The foundations are around 85 meters long on average and weigh approximately 1,500 tonnes each, the equivalent to the weight of around 800 cars.Built by RWE, the offshore wind project will consist of Nordseecluster A with 660MW, with commissioning expected in 2027, and Nordseecluster B with additional…

A Russian missile attack on Tuesday damaged a grain vessel in the Black Sea port of Odesa, killing four people, Ukrainian authorities said.A ballistic missile struck the MJ Pinar bulk carrier that was loading wheat for Algeria, killing four Syrian nationals and injuring one other Syrian and a Ukrainian, Ukraine's Deputy Prime Minister Oleksiy Kuleba said on Telegram."Russia is attacking Ukraine's infrastructure, including ports, which are involved in ensuring the world's food security…

U.S. container import volumes increased 4.7% year-on-year in February, but could cool in coming months as the U.S. trade war with China and other key trading partners takes hold, supply chain technology provider Descartes said on Monday.U.S. seaports handled more than 2.2 million 20-foot equivalent units (TEUs), the second highest February volume on record, fueled by a 7.9% rise in volume from China, Descartes said.Last year's robust import volume has flowed into 2025, fueled…

Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) has acquired 100% of the membership rights of LBC Tank Terminals Group Holding Netherlands Coöperatief (LBC), one of the world’s largest independent tank terminal operators primarily handling and storing chemicals in Europe and the United States.With the acquisition, MOL aims to strengthen its chemical logistics business.The sale and purchase agreement was signed on March 7, 2025, with the acquisition price expected to be approximately $1.7 billion.The…

The United States is preparing to impose docking fees at its ports on any ship belonging to a fleet that includes Chinese-built or Chinese-flagged vessels, according to a draft executive order, a move aimed to both revitalize U.S. shipbuilding while countering China’s dominance in global shipping and shipbuilding.The draft order from President Donald Trump also urges allied nations to adopt similar policies or risk facing retaliatory measures from the U.S.China’s growing control over the maritime industry has become a rare bipartisan concern in the U.S.…

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) has issued a permit for the rebuilding of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, granting Maryland Transportation Authority permission to construct the bridge, following the collapse of the original structure that claimed the lives of six Baltimoreans. The Baltimore District Regulatory Branch previously issued two permit verifications in 2024 for preliminary construction activities, explosive demolition, and removal of the remaining bridge structures and continues to participate in weekly interagency meetings on the project.To remind…

CMA CGM Group has announced a $20 billion investment to contribute to U.S. maritime economy and support the transformation of America’s domestic supply chain over the next four years.The announcement builds on CMA CGM Group’s 35-year presence in the U.S. Today, the Group operates in 40 states and employs 15,000 Americans. As a leading partner in U.S. trade, CMA CGM transports over 5 million shipping containers to and from the country each year.Rodolphe Saadé, Chairman and CEO of CMA CGM Group…

Operating one of the world’s largest marine fleets of any kind, it is Svitzer’s local footprint that speaks volumes for its diverse and far-flung workforce and assets. Strengthened by a multi-national team, providing value in more than three dozen countries, Svitzer stands out every day. On 30 April 2024, Svitzer was listed on Nasdaq Copenhagen (SVITZR) as a result of the previously announced separation from its former parent company, A.P. Møller - Mærsk A/S. Danish national Kasper Karlsen has been Global Chief Operating Officer of the Svitzer Group since December 2022.

Europea Servizi Terminalistici (EST), a subsidiary of the Italian Shipping & Logistics Agency (ISLA), has ordered a new hybrid drive Konecranes Gottwald ESP.8 Mobile Harbor Crane for the Port of Augusta in Sicily.The order was booked in the first quarter of 2025, with delivery and commissioning expected by the end of summer.EST recently secured a 25-year concession to operate the new container terminal in Augusta - the largest port in Sicily by cargo volume.To support its productivity and reach its sustainability goals for the terminal…

Britain will invest 55.7 million pounds ($71.45 million) in the Port of Cromarty Firth in Scotland to expand the facility to become a hub for floating offshore wind, the government said on Wednesday.Britain has a target to largely decarbonize its electricity sector by 2030 which will require a huge ramp up in renewable power like offshore wind.Using floating turbines, that are not fixed to the seabed like traditional wind farms, allows the projects to be much deeper out at sea, making them less visible to communities that might object and where wind speeds are likely to be stronger.Currently t

A joint venture between Jan De Nul and DEME has signed a letter of award with Indian engineering and construction company ITD Cementation for dredging and reclamation works in Vadhavan Port during a Belgian economic mission to India.The project includes nearshore reclamation and shore protection for the greenfield port, which is located on India’s west coast in Maharashtra. Spanning approximately 200 hectares, the land reclamation will facilitate the construction of breakbulk…

The global ocean shipping industry that handles 80% of world trade is navigating a sea of unknowns as U.S. President Donald Trump stokes trade and geopolitical tensions with historical foes as well as neighbors and allies.That is the backdrop for this week's S&P Global TPM container shipping and supply chain conference in Long Beach, California, an annual event that marks the start of container shipping contract negotiating season.Attendees this year include industry heavyweights like container carriers MSC…

CK Hutchison Holdings sold its controlling interest in two major Panama Canal ports to a U.S. led consortium for $22.8billion. BlackRock Inc. Global Infrastructure Partners and Terminal Investment Limited will receive a 90% stake of the Panama Ports Company that operates the Balboa & Cristobal Ports.The sale comes after President Donald Trump expressed concerns about China's influence on key infrastructure in the canal. Trump publicly criticized a Hong Kong based company's control over these ports…

“Year-to-date, Canadian crude tanker exports have reached 618 thousand barrels per day (kbpd) up from 388 kbpd during the same period last year, an increase of 59%,” says Niels Rasmussen, Chief Shipping Analyst at BIMCO.When the Trans Mountain Pipeline extension opened on 1 May 2024 its capacity grew from 300 kbpd to 890 kbpd. Consequently, exports from Vancouver increased significantly starting in June.So far this year, the Vancouver exports have reached 373 kbpd to contribute 60% of total Canadian crude tanker exports.

The Port of Tyne has purchased the UK’s first fully electric foiling pilot vessel, a significant milestone for the Port and the UK’s maritime sector. The vessel, scheduled to be delivered before the end of the year, will be used to transfer pilots onto the ships, delivering essential goods and cargo to the northeast of England.This investment by the Port of Tyne is aimint to further enhance both the safety and efficiency of the Port’s operations. It is also another major step…

Analysts caution that a new proposal to impose fees on China-built container ships entering the U.S. could trigger unintended consequences, including port congestion, rising freight costs, and shifts in global trade flows.The Trump administration has announced a plan to charge a $1 million fee every time a vessel operated by a Chinese carrier docks at a U.S. port. Additionally, the Federal Notice outlines potential extra charges for any China-built ships, even if operated by carriers from other nations.