Ports News

Over 95% of large ocean-going vessels moving in U.S. waterways are under the direction and control of a pilot that is a member of the American Pilots’ Association  (APA). The enormous increase in vessel sizes – as much as five times bigger than just twenty years ago – without corresponding expansions of waterways has made the already difficult work of these pilots even more challenging.APA-member pilots are generally the only U.S. citizen aboard foreign ships moving in the fragile bays, ports, rivers, and lakes that are the lifeline of this country.

The IMO Facilitation Committee (FAL) has approved a global strategy for maritime digitalization as well as cybersecurity measures for maritime single windows.Meeting in London for its 50th session (23 - 27 March), the Committee approved the IMO Strategy on Maritime Digitalization which emphasizes interoperability, system standardization, data-sharing and effective data governance across organizations and jurisdictions.The Strategy establishes maritime digitalization as an overarching IMO policy…

A Russia-flagged tanker carrying some 700,000 barrels of crude arrived in Cuba's Matanzas Bay at daybreak on Tuesday, according to a Reuters witness and shipping data, marking the first significant oil delivery since the Trump administration cut off the island's fuel supply.The Anatoly Kolodkin vessel, under U.S. sanctions, entered Cuban territorial waters late on Sunday not far from the U.S. Navy base at Guantanamo Bay. The U.S. said it was allowing the tanker to deliver fuel…

The U.K. government has committed up to $85 million (£64 million) to support the development of a floating offshore wind port at Port Talbot in Wales, as part of efforts to expand clean energy capacity.The funding will support Associated British Ports (ABP) in completing design and engineering work required to develop infrastructure for floating offshore wind projects in the Celtic Sea.The project is expected to enable at least 4.5 GW of floating offshore wind capacity, enough to power around 6.5 million homes…

Russia's Baltic Ust-Luga port, one of its largest petroleum export hubs, was damaged again on Sunday by a Ukrainian drone attack which sparked a blaze later brought under control, Russian officials said.It followed several Ukrainian drone strikes last week on Russia’s western energy corridor when facilities at the ports of Ust-Luga and Primorsk came under fire, igniting storage tanks and forcing a suspension of oil and oil product loadings.The regional governor of Leningrad said…

Russian oil producers have warned buyers they could declare force majeure on supplies from major Baltic Sea ports as Ukraine presses ahead with attacks on Russian energy infrastructure, two industry sources said on Friday.Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy told Reuters this week that Kyiv was using long-range strikes to maintain pressure on Russia after international oil sanctions on Moscow were eased due to global supply disruptions caused by the Iran war.Ukrainian drones on Friday targeted the port in Ust-Luga, where a fire caused by a previous strike on Wednesday was still raging, the

Maraen has approved plans for more than $40 million (£30 million) investment for the upgrades at the Port of Nigg, following the integration of three energy businesses under a new brand.Maraen combines the capabilities of Port of Nigg, Global Energy (Group) and Global Energy Services, after their acquisition by Mitsui & Co. Europe and Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) in 2025.The company said a final investment decision has been taken to develop a new heavy-duty quay and roll-on/roll-off capability at the port…

A fire broke out at Russia's Baltic Sea port of Ust-Luga, a major oil export hub, after a major Ukrainian drone attack, Russian officials said on Wednesday.Ukraine has stepped up drone attacks on Russian oil refineries and export routes over recent weeks in an attempt to weaken Russia's war economy.Ust-Luga and Primorsk, on the Gulf of Finland, were forced to suspend exports of oil and crude on Sunday after drone attacks but they had restarted loadings on Monday, Reuters reported.But Alexander Drozdenko…

A unit of Hong Kong conglomerate CK Hutchison said on Tuesday it had widened its claims in an international arbitration case against Panama, saying damages had now risen to more than $2 billion.Panama Ports Company, which for nearly three decades operated the Balboa and Cristobal terminals near the Panama Canal, said it had supplemented its claims in proceedings under the International Chamber of Commerce's arbitration rules, a month after what it described as the state's illegal…

Ports of Indiana has opened a new federally approved bonded storage facility at its Mount Vernon port, marking a major expansion of capabilities and enabling the port to handle its first barge shipment of aluminum.The shipment, totaling approximately 1,650 tons of aluminum, arrived after traveling by ocean vessel from Asia to New Orleans and then by barge to Indiana. The aluminum will be distributed to Midwest manufacturers, where it will be used in a wide range of applications…

Valero Energy Corp has shut its 380,000-barrel-per-day (bpd) oil refinery in Port Arthur, Texas, following an explosion and fire at a diesel hydrotreater unit, people familiar with the plant operations said on Monday.The cause of the explosion at the 47,000-bpd 243-diesel hydrotreater unit was not clear. The blast could be heard as far as 11 miles away, the sources said.In an emailed response to Reuters, Valero confirmed a fire in a unit at the company's Port Arthur refinery and…

Ship-refuelling companies along Africa's coast are seeing a surge in business as more vessels divert around the Cape of Good Hope, with war in the Middle East reshaping global shipping routes and boosting the continent's role as a bunkering hub.Carriers have been avoiding the Suez Canal and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait since late 2023, when Houthi attacks on Red Sea shipping began. U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz have reinforced the shift,…

Ship-refuelling companies along Africa's coast are seeing a surge in business as more vessels divert around the Cape of Good Hope, with war in the Middle East reshaping global shipping routes and boosting the continent's role as a bunkering hub.Carriers have been avoiding the Suez Canal and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait since late 2023, when Houthi attacks on Red Sea shipping began. U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz have reinforced the shift,…

The Port of Oakland processed 163,254 TEUs in February 2026, a 16.7% decline from January and a 14.5% decrease year over year, as vessel activity slowed due in part to observation of the Lunar New Year.Vessel calls declined from 86 in January to 72 in February, due partially to planned blank sailings tied to factory closures during Lunar New Year. Blank sailings are pre-scheduled vessel cancellations used by carriers to align capacity with demand.Despite fewer ship arrivals, export volumes remained a bright spot.

The Propane Education & Research Council (PERC) will showcase how propane and renewable propane can support reliable, lower-carbon port operations at the Port of the Future Conference at Hilton University of Houston on March 24-25.As a Gold Sponsor of the event, PERC will spotlight how propane helps ports reduce emissions while maintaining continuous operations. Jim Bunsey, senior manager of business development at PERC, will join industry leaders in two sessions focused on propane’s…

CK Hutchison posted a 7% rise in 2025 underlying profit on Thursday, as the market awaits updates on the company's proposed sale of its ports business and other spin-off plans.The Hong Kong ports-to-telecoms conglomerate reported underlying profit of HK$22.3 billion ($2.85 billion) on a post-IFRS 16 basis. That compared with an HK$22.9 billion LSEG SmartEstimate and the HK$20.8 billion booked a year earlier.Including a one-time non-cash accounting loss, net profit fell 31% from a year earlier to HK$11.84 billion.The conglomerate…

Lloyd’s Register (LR) has signed a new contract with long-standing partner Echo Marine Group to support the delivery of Western Australia’s first fully electric passenger ferries - marking a major milestone for sustainable public transport in Australia.The project, which is a part of the Perth Transport Authority’s (PTA) METRONET Swan River Ferry Service Expansion programme, will see the design and construction of five new battery-electric ferries for operation on Perth’s Swan River.

The Northwest Seaport Alliance (NWSA) reports that February 2026 total container volume (international and domestic) reached 207,725 TEUs, down 19.4% compared to February 2025, when shippers were frontloading cargo ahead of expected tariffs.While full imports decreased 29.5%, full exports were up 4.9%. YTD volumes at 435,890 TEUs are down 16.6%, with full imports declining 22.6% and full exports increasing 2.2%.Alongside terminal operator partner SSA Terminals, the NWSA has celebrated…

HarborLab, a leader in maritime technology, is partnering with Danaos Management Consultants to deliver fully automated port cost management for the first time.The collaboration enables HarborLab’s platform to integrate directly with Danaos’ Port Expenses Module, Voyage Estimation, and Protocol. Unlike traditional XML file-based integrations that require manual intervention and lack true automation, this new integration sets an industry standard by enabling fully automated, real-time data synchronization between the two systems.

For Capt. Paul C. LaMarre III, the maritime industry isn’t a career choice as much as it is a family inheritance — and, in his words, “all I’ve known my entire life.” In a recent interview with Maritime Reporter TV, Captain LaMarre gives unique insights on the operating efficiently, effectively and safely on the Great Lakes system – the United States’ ‘Fourth Sea’ – and with passion, intellect and purpose advocates for a strong U.S. maritime industry.A third-generation Great Lakes mariner…

Oil loading at the United Arab Emirates port of Fujairah was at least partly halted after a third attack in four days caused a fire at the export terminal, while operations at the Shah gas field remained suspended after an earlier attack.The cascading disruptions threaten to completely sever the OPEC producer's remaining crude export outlet from global markets, potentially deepening a crisis that has sent energy prices surging.The UAE's other export hubs are located within the Gulf…

With the rapid evolution of Artificial Intelligence, it’s fair to say there is more misunderstood than understood, particularly in conservative markets like maritime and ports. Adalberto ‘Berto’ Ponce, Co-Founder and CEO Of AI Strategic Solutions discusses with Maritime Reporter TV his organization’s experiences in working with ports and port facilities to help make operations more efficient and diversify revenue. With AI Strategic Solutions, it’s not about replace people or jobs…

"During the first 11 weeks of 2026, bauxite shipments have surged 16% y/y, driven by strong Chinese demand for Guinean cargoes. Guinean bauxite has remained highly competitive, accounting for 79% of shipments and pushing non-Guinean bauxite shipments down 3% y/y. Bauxite has been one of the fastest growing dry bulk commodities, growing 10% on average between 2021 and 2025,” says Filipe Gouveia, Shipping Analysis Manager at BIMCO.Rising bauxite shipments are driven by China’s need…