UAE Partially Lifts Ban on Qatari Shipping

By MarEx 2019-02-20 18:42:58

The UAE has partially lifted a ban on Qatari shipping, easing the sanctions imposed as part of the Saudi-led pressure campaign on Qatar that began in 2017. According to an advisory published by Abu Dhabi Ports last week, Qatari-origin cargoes can now enter the UAE's ports and vice versa. However, Qatari-owned or -flagged vessels are still banned from the UAE, and UAE-flagged vessels are still not permitted to visit Qatar. The broader boycott shows no signs of ending soon. On...

Watch: Port of Hamburg Outlook for 2019

By MarEx 2019-02-21 19:15:59

The Port of Hamburg has released a video of Jens Meier, CEO of Hamburg Port Authority, discussing the port's plans for 2019 including the renovation of the St. Pauli Elbe tunnel, the expansion of the port fleet, the fairway adaptation and the new Kattwyk railway bridge. The port handled over 135 million tons of seaborne cargo in 2018 (down one percent). Its rail seaport-hinterland freight accounted for totals of 46.8 million tons – up 2.7 percent – and 2.44 million...

Plans Underway to Boost Congo River Shipping Capacity

By MarEx 2019-02-21 18:58:01

The ICTSI Matadi Gateway Terminal in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has hosted its first call by a gearless container ship, the 2,500-TEU Safmarine Nuba. It is also the first time a vessel of this capacity has called. Matadi is located on the left bank of the Congo River, 92 miles from the nation's capital Kinshasa. The deployment of a vessel of this size provides a more cost-efficient means of serving the capital city of Kinshasa, says ICTSI. Use...

Watch: Heavy Lift Ship Unloads FLNG in Argentina

By MarEx 2019-02-21 18:11:23

Exmar’s Floating Liquefaction Unit (FLNG), Tango FLNG, has berthed in Bahia Blanca, Argentina, where it will stay and produce LNG for export for YPF over a 10-year period. Previously known as Caribbean and built in 2017, the Tango FLNG measures 144 meters (472 feet) in length, 32 meters (105 feet) in width and has a draught of 5.4 meters (18 feet). After contract signing in November 2018, the unit was transported from China to Argentina on board the 217-meter (712-foot) heavy lift...

LNG Bunkering in Rotterdam Takes Off

By MarEx 2019-02-21 17:50:13

In 2018, the sale of bunker oil in the Rotterdam bunker port decreased from 9.9 million cubic meters to 9.5 million cubic meters. In contrast, the throughput of LNG as bunker fuel increased from 1,500 to 9,500 tons. The increase coincides with the increased scale and use of modern container ships. Container vessels account for approximately 70 percent of Rotterdam's bunker market. Titan LNG, Shell and Anthony Veder have registered as LNG bunker specialists...

Jaxport Posts Record January Container Volumes

By MarEx 2019-02-21 17:42:15

Jaxport, the port of Jacksonville, Florida, announced Thursday that it recently had its best ever January container volumes, with total container movements increasing 16 percent over the same period last year. Jaxport offers all-water service to Asia, and the port's Asian container volumes continue to show significant growth, up 17 percent since October. The port's Asian trade has grown an average of 14 percent annually over the past five years. More than 1.3 million TEUs move through the Port of...

UK Secures Naval Base in Oman

By MarEx 2019-02-21 17:02:52

Britain and Oman have signed a new joint defense agreement confirming the Royal Navy's ability to call at the new Port of Duqm. The new greenfield port has enough depth and space to accommodate the HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales, the service's new ski-jump carriers. "It is a pleasure to sign this agreement, bringing us even closer to one of our most important partners. This is an historic landmark moment between our two nations and is a...

Wash Water Research Aims to Counter Port Concerns

By MarEx 2019-02-21 16:27:42

The Clean Shipping Alliance 2020 (CSA 2020) presented the results of study on scrubber wash water at the 6th session of the IMO Sub-Committee on Pollution Prevention and Response (PPR6) this week, highlighting that it meets IMO environmental criteria. The study comes amid concerns that an increasing number of ports globally will ban the use of open-loop scrubbers in their waters. China's Maritime Safety Administration announced a ban on scrubber wash water release, effective January 1, 2019. The ban follows...

Port of Tilbury Expansion Gets Green Light

By MarEx 2019-02-21 14:37:47

The Port of Tilbury, UK has received government approval for its Tilbury2 expansion site. The brownfield redevelopment project will add new breakbulk and freight ferry capacity near London, just in time for Brexit. The new terminal will be built on the former site of the Tilbury Power Station, adjacent to Fort Tilbury and the current port facility. The Secretary of State for Transport has given the project the green light, and construction will begin within weeks, according to operator Forth Ports...