Port Technology International – The key resource for the ports and terminals industry

Bangladeshi Government considering building new deep-sea LNG terminal Mar 10, 2010

The Bangladeshi Government is contemplating building a deep-sea LNG discharge terminal as the sea draught near the country's shore is not enough to facilitate anchorage of large tankers, officials said Monday. Read more...

Controversy amid $120 million development plans for Subic Port, Philippines Mar 08, 2010 Harbour Centre Port Terminal Inc. plans to spend about US$120 million on developing Subic Bay’s seaport into a major trading hub for agricultural products from Northern and Central Luzon, Philippines. Read more...

Koon wins $160m Vietnam port project Mar 08, 2010

Koon Holdings has won a US$160.29 million contract for the turnkey design and construction of Sao Bien International Port, Vietnam. Read more...

Second phase of Belgian port project starts in the Port of Hai Phong, Vietnam Mar 05, 2010

An official ceremony was held last night in Hai Phong, north Vietnam, celebrating the commencement of infrastructure works for the second phase of the port construction, which will start later this year. Read more...

Cape Town container terminal expansion off to a good start in third year Mar 04, 2010

Transnet Port Terminal reports that its R5.6 billion, five-year investment plan aimed at increasing the capacity of the Cape Town Container Terminal is progressing according to schedule. Read more...

Georgia mayor talks harbour deepening with Obama Mar 03, 2010

The Mayor of a Georgia town managed to pin down President Barack Obama this week, in which Obama agreed to undertake the deepening of Savannah harbour. Read more...

Bourbon & Schilling launch new ROV design Mar 03, 2010 Bourbon Subsea Services and Schilling Robotics have jointly developed a new ROV design for the inspection, maintenance, and repair of subsea infrastructure. Read more...

Indian company to buy three new dredgers from IHC Netherlands Mar 02, 2010 Three 5000m3-hopper capacity trailer suction hopper dredgers (TSHDs) are to be purchased by the Dredging Corporation of India Limited (DCIL). Read more...

Special Economic Zone planned for Indian port Mar 02, 2010

Krishnapatnam Port, southeast India, is to setup a 12,000 acre special economic zone (SEZ) in its vicinity. Read more...

New deepwater port for Sagar Island, northern India Mar 01, 2010 A new deepwater port is to be built at Sagar Island, near Calcutta, India, after the Indian Finance Minister OK-ed funds for construction yesterday. Read more...

Rolls-Royce in £154m deal for marine technology firm Odim Feb 26, 2010

Rolls-Royce increased its presence in offshore industries with a £154 million deal for winch and cable firm Odim. Read more...

Recession stalls Hutchinson Ports' hopes for expansion Feb 25, 2010

Hutchison Ports (UK) is asking planners to extend the period of consent for its proposed Bathside Bay container terminal in Harwich, UK, because the economic downturn means the development is unlikely to proceed before 2016. Read more...

New breakwater and dredging project for Canadian port Feb 25, 2010 The port of Lower Sandy Point, Canada, will soon begin work constructing a new breakwater and undertake dredging work, in a contract worth over US $2.5 million. Read more...

China to build new deepwater container terminal in Sri Lanka Feb 24, 2010

A private investor consortium, led by China Merchant Holdings, is in the final stages of negotiations with the Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) on the construction of a new deepwater container terminal. Read more...

Myanmar Government privatises ports and orders dredging work in hope to boost exports Feb 24, 2010 Myanmar's Transport Ministry has invited 'reliable' private companies to operate six major ports in Yangon, in a hope to boost exports. Read more...

Odessa Port receives new type of tug from Damen Feb 24, 2010 Odessa Sea Commercial Port is to receive two new harbour tugs built by Damen Shipyards Changde, China. Read more...

Port of Salalah enters the big league in $525 million expansion Feb 23, 2010

The Port of Salalah is investing $525 million in a major expansion of its container and general cargo terminals — which will make Salalah one of the major transhipment hubs of the world. Read more...

€300 million dredging project halted in Ireland Feb 23, 2010 Work is to be post-poned on public facilities in the €300 million Greystones Harbour redevelopment project, in Ireland. Read more...

Man Infraconstruction invites investment Feb 23, 2010 Man Infraconstruction (Man Infra) is inviting investors with a two-year perspective to subscribe to its Initial Public Offer (IPO). Read more...

$10 million fine for shipping firm after Cosco Busan oil spill Feb 22, 2010

A Chinese shipping firm was fined $10 million on Friday, for its role in a 53,000 gallon spill of thick bunker fuel into San Francisco Bay, in 2007. Read more...

Indian government removes conflict of interest clause for port auctions Feb 22, 2010 Firms bidding for cargo handling projects at Indian state-owned ports are welcoming news that the Government has removed two controversial rules used to qualify their bids. Read more...

Stimulus money breathes life back into Rhode Island port Feb 18, 2010 The port at Quonset Point, USA, is to receive over $22 million to improve its dock and buy cranes. Read more...

Mixed fortunes for Ports of Auckland Feb 18, 2010

Ports of Auckland has reported a surprisingly 2009 - unlike most other ports in the world. However, there may still be troubled waters ahead. Read more...

A $190 million dollar disappointment Feb 17, 2010 The Port of Tacoma invested $190 million on the redevelopment of the Blair Hylebos Peninsula, in preparation of a 168-acre terminal for NYK Line - a project that was abandoned last year. Read more...

New Scheldt dredging project makes Port of Antwerp more accessible Feb 17, 2010

Dredging of the Dutch side of the river Scheldt began on the 12th of February, continuing plans to make the Port of Antwerp more accessible. Read more...

Amsterdam container terminal board fired Feb 16, 2010 Hutchison Port Holdings, the Chinese owner of Amsterdam's container terminal ACT, has sacked 11 of the 12-strong management team, the Financieele Dagblad reported. Read more...

Stena Line invests £200 million in new Scottish port Feb 16, 2010

Stena Line has announced it is to invest approximately £200m in a new ferry port facility at Loch Ryan in Scotland. Read more...

New liquid bulk terminal earmarked for Port Said Feb 15, 2010

A new liquid bulk terminal is to be developed in East Port Said, by Sonker Bunkering Company and The Oiltanking Group. Read more...

Port of Helsinki making a comeback Feb 15, 2010

The Port of Helsinki has reported an upturn in unitised cargo, and import and export volumes. Read more...

New remote marine hydraulic excavator for offshore applications Feb 12, 2010

The Jan De Nul Group are in the final stages of testing a new hydraulic underwater excavator, for use in shallow to medium-depth coastal waters. Read more...

Construction of London Gateway Port begins Feb 12, 2010

Port operator DP World has committed itself to the foundation stage of its London Gateway project, despite the market downturn. Dredging work will begin next month. Read more...

Preparations begin for bidding on second container terminal at Lázaro Cárdenas Feb 11, 2010 The Lázaro Cárdenas Port Authority (API) is preparing a tender a second container terminal to concession at Lázaro Cárdenas port, Mexico. Read more...

Transnet to raise $2 billion through bonds Feb 11, 2010 Transnet, the South African state-owned freight transport and logistics company, plans to raise $2 billion from foreign bond sales to help finance infrastructure projects. Read more...

Proposals for a new port for southwest England are revisited Feb 09, 2010 A new bid to develop a container handling facility Dibden Bay, on the south coast of England, is “inevitable”, say local councillors. Read more...

Port of Seattle CEO highlights need for port infrastructure investments at US national port summit Feb 09, 2010

Port of Seattle CEO Tay Yoshitani addressed port directors from across the nation at the US National Ports Summit, held in San Diego this week. Read more...

Obama budgets $12M for West Sacramento port project Feb 08, 2010 The Port of West Sacramento is to receive a $12.3 million grant for its ship-channel project in Barack Obama's proposed budget for fiscal year 2011. Read more...

The Port of Dover on the market Feb 04, 2010

The UK's port of Dover is to sell itself off in order to fund its expansion projects. Read more...

New Wilhelmsen Ships Service office opens in Russian Baltic port Feb 03, 2010 Wilhelmsen Ships Service has opened an office at the port of Primorsk, on the Russian Baltic Sea. Read more...

'Green' ISSA warns of the hazards of dumping ships' waste Feb 03, 2010 Ship suppliers must put the environment first, and must be more vigilant about the type and content of shipboard waste they dispose of, the head of the world’s ship supply industry has warned. Read more...

Long Beach Commission approves extra $9 million in incentives Feb 02, 2010

The Long Beach Board of Harbour Commissioners has approved the proposed $9 million in incentives for its air quality programme. Read more...

Featured articles

Trends in port and terminal development Mar 01, 2010

One should always be a little cautious when given the opportunity to speculate on where the port and terminal industry is headed. The industry is highly complex. Each new port terminal development has its own unique economic and physical constraints which dictate its design and operating characteristics. Read more...

A modern port: Portsmouth upgrades with the future in mind Feb 16, 2010

Portsmouth Commercial Port is the UK’s premier ferry port for the western channel and second busiest cross channel ferry port in the UK. It is also the leading port for the importation of the country’s bananas. It is committed to long-term growth through the development of infrastructure and resources in line with market needs. Read more...

A Long Way to Go: Egypt's Shipping Survey 2008 Feb 03, 2010

Today countries all over the world are paying mounting attention to their national fleets. Given their significance in harnessing foreign trade, governments are set to build more vessels, upgrade specifications of existing ones to comply with international standards and satisfy customer expectations. Read more...

The Development of Coronel Container Terminal Feb 02, 2010

The Port of Coronel has been operational as an export port for break-bulk forest products since 1996. It is situated in the Coronel Bay, about 30km South of Concepción, at the Gulf of Arauco, which is about 400km south of the capital Santiago de Chile in Chile. Read more...

Bulk carriers and the terminal interface Jan 04, 2010

With bulk carriers being arguably the most prolific vessel type in the ‘large’ ship category, the amount of time spent discussing their all-important interface with terminals, has been miniscule compared with technical issues. Read more...

Facts about dredged material as a resource: Part 1 Dec 03, 2009

Misunderstandings about dredged material abound: “It’s dirty.” “It’s a waste.” “Dump it, but not in my backyard!” In an effort to create clarity about the characteristics of dredged material and how it can be used to improve our environment, the IADC has created this brief question-and-answer narrative. Read more...

Port of Walvis Bay: committed to being the gateway to Southern Africa Dec 02, 2009

Strategically located half way down the coast of Namibia, with direct access to principal shipping routes, Walvis Bay is a natural gateway for international trade. Walvis Bay is Namibia's largest commercial port, receiving approximately 3,000 vessel calls each year and handling about three million tonnes of cargo. Read more...

JadeWeserPort: a deepwater container terminal in Wilhelmshaven Nov 25, 2009

The State of Lower Saxony and the Hanseatic City of Bremen joined forces in June 2002 to realise one of the largest infrastructure projects seen in North Germany in the last 50 years: JadeWeserPort at Wilhelmshaven will be Germany’s only deepwater terminal for super-large container ships. Operations are scheduled to start in 2011. Read more...

Freeport of Riga: planning a bright future Nov 09, 2009

Following a year of intense work, BMT Transport Solutions (based in Hamburg), has submitted a draft port development plan to the Freeport of Riga (in partnership with their Riga based partner NK Consulting). The major outcome of this plan has been BMT’s development of a model to assess port traffic in relation to overarching trends in the economy. Read more...

Oil spill technology contains and controls Sep 15, 2009

With Norway’s background as a major oil producer and the State Pollution Control Author ity’s very str ict regulatory framework both for preventing oil spills and respond to oil spills AllMaritim and its two manufacturers, NOFI Tromsø and NOREN Bergen, have been able to develop and test in real life conditions oil spill response equipment that is well recognised in the international market. Read more...

Bahrain Gateway: Khalifa Bin Salman Port profile Sep 08, 2009

The opening of the new Khalifa Bin Salman Port later this year will see the Kingdom of Bahrain enhance its traditional place at the centre of transport and trade in the region, particularly for destinations in the Upper Gulf. Khalifa Bin Salman Port is strategically positioned in the middle of the Arabian Gulf and offers capacity, efficient operations, fast turn-around times for vessels and short transit times. Read more...

Port of Oakland supports solar with public-private partnership Sep 03, 2009

On a clear day, passengers flying over Oakland International Airport (OAK) can see the very first solar power system built alongside an airport runway in the United States. Shimmering panels are organised into sets of arrays that absorb sunlight and produce clean power. From the ground, it is one of the greenest methods of generating electricity. As we travel along the security fence of the runway at OAK, we see these sleek panels, silently doing their job of converting sunlight into electricity to help power Oakland International Airport. Read more...

European MarNIS Project gives Associated British Ports a new risk management tool Aug 28, 2009

In June 2008, ABP Marine Environmental Research (ABPmer) successfully implemented an ABP Group wide Marine Safety and Management System using research carried out in the European Project ‘Maritime Navigation and Information Services’ (MarNIS). The focus of the new system is the implementation of a ‘Port Assessment Toolkit’ with adapted services to suit the needs of the ABP Port Group. Read more...

Sunken and submerged spilled oils Aug 13, 2009

Despite stringent precautions, accidents can happen at sea, and at times oil may be spilled. Oil has the potential to cause significant environmental damage, especially if spilled near sensitive resources. Counter-pollution response measures are used where possible to minimise any damage that may be caused. Read more...

Hazardous and noxious substances – a port management perspective Aug 04, 2009

As the chemicals industry continues to grow worldwide, the transport of chemicals classified as hazardous and noxious substances (HNS) in bulk, packaged and in containerised forms are also increasing. Read more...

Jebel Ali Port – Dubai’s gateway to the world Aug 03, 2009

Jebel Ali Port is DP World’s flagship port, the world’s largest manmade harbour and the largest container port between Rotterdam and Singapore. Located 35 kilometres to the southwest of Dubai, the Port is situated at the gateway between the East and the West, and strategically positioned to be a natural hub for the global shipping industry that provides access to a market of 1.5 billion people. Read more...

Drawing the bubble curtain for sound attenuation May 13, 2009

The idea of using compressed air in the water as a tool of environmental protection has been around for many years. This has been in the form of aeration for lake restoration, iceprevention, reduction of salt and silt intrusion into ports and as pneumatic oil (bubble) barriers. Read more...

Green no longer just means money Apr 30, 2009

Green has, over the last few years, taken on a new meaning. Today when someone says the word green they are usually not talking about cash carried in a wallet, but rather the environment. The Academy Award winning film, An Inconvenient Truth, helped spur on the movement to protect the environment and acknowledge global warming. Read more...

Nothing but green lights for Red Sea Gateway Terminal construction project Apr 28, 2009

The Red Sea is located between Africa and the Arabian Peninsula,bordering Eritrea, Sudan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Yemen. It has a length of 2,250 km and a width of 355 km. In 1869 the Red Sea became a route for shipping goods. Read more...

U.S. EPA Clean Ports Initiatives Apr 08, 2009 Last March, Stephen L. Johnson, the head of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, stood at the Port of Houston in Texas to unveil to the media tough new emissions standards for locomotive and marine diesel engines that will slash emissions and help people to breathe cleaner air near ports and elsewhere. EPA’s Clean Diesel Locomotive and Marine program works in collaboration with our partners in various sectors – private and public – to cut emissions from all types of diesel locomotives, including line-haul, switch, and passenger rail, as well as from a wide range of marine sources, including ferries, tugboats and all types of marine auxiliary engines. Read more...

React, respond, communicate: keys to effective oil spill clean-up Apr 01, 2009

Imagine for a minute that you are a citizen of New Orleans and that one morning you wake up to the pungent stench of fuel permeating throughout your city. Imagine that as you cross the Crescent City Connection Bridge to discover that the Mississippi River is covered, as far as the eye can see, with a thick, black layer of a substance with a rainbow sheen. Read more...

Doing business with Indian ports: perspectives and prospects Mar 05, 2009

India has a coastline of 7,500 km dotted with 13 federal and over 180 non federal ports (of which about fifty are active). Of 13 federal ports, seven ports – Chennai, Ennore, Tuticorin, Visakhapatnam, Paradip, Haldia, and Kolkatta lie on the East coast. The six ports on the West coast include Kochi, Mangalore, Mumbai, JNP (New Mumbai), Mormugao and Kandla. Read more...

Mouchel supports Excelerate Energy on South America's first-ever LNG import facility Mar 02, 2009 $Mouchel supports Excelerate Energy on South America\$ Mouchel’s ports business has supported US-based natural gas company Excelerate Energy in reaching a significant milestone in the gas industry’s history – the successful delivery (in June 2008) of Argentina’s first liquefied natural gas (LNG) cargo to the newly constructed import facility at the port city of Bahia Blanca, approximately 400 miles South of Buenos Aires. Read more...

What happens the day after we stop dredging? Why is dredging necessary for navigation and trade? Feb 24, 2009 Most ports were built in locations which naturally provided the necessary maritime access. Access to these ports was not a problem for the types of ships which were present at the time. The issues which ports are facing at the moment are multiple and complex. Globalisation, trends in logistics, scale increases in vessel size and a new port hierarchy in the European port system mean that it is necessary to enlarge the fairway to these ports so that they can continue to play a role as motors of economic prosperity. For the access to most ports dredging has become a fundamental activity. Read more...

Oil spill responder safety guide Feb 11, 2009

Health and safety should be the cornerstone of all oil spill preparatory measures. The purpose of the report is to investigate the safety aspects of oil spills and their response, focusing on identifying the principal safety issues when an oil spill occurs, their degree of severity and the practical steps that can be taken to minimise the impact of the spill. Read more...

Maritime solutions: above and below the ocean surface Feb 10, 2009

Atlas Elektronik Group are a service provider of maritime and naval solutions above and below the ocean surface. The company is a leader in all fields of maritime advanced technology, from survey echosounders to heavyweight torpedoes, coastal protection systems to minehunting sonars, and from command & control systems including radio & communication systems for submarines, surface combatants and mine warfare systems to in-service support. Read more...

A call to action: The Ports of LA and LB embark on ambitious clean air initiative Jan 30, 2009

It takes a lot of machinery to move the US$260 billion a year in trade passing through the adjacent ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles – the two busiest seaports in the United States. That machinery – ships, trucks, trains, harbour craft and other equipment – is a major source of air pollution in Southern California, a region that already experiences some of the worst air quality in the nation. Read more...

Diversity offers total solutions for complex projects worldwide Jan 29, 2009

At any single moment, DEME companies are working at 70 different projects worldwide. Moving from the Australian outback over the Gulf of Mexico to the far North of Russia is quite common, and tells a lot about flexibility and diversity in the group. At the end of 2007, the European Community accounted for only 37 per cent of business, with six per cent coming from non-EU European countries. Read more...

An introduction to the National Spill Alliance Dec 05, 2008

Since the implementation and ratification of the Oil Pollution Preparedness, Response and Co-operation, 1990 (OPRC) in the UK, my company (Edge Group) has been involved in being a Marine Coastguard Tier II contractor for the South East of England. As a company with limited staffing resources involved in this type of work, it became apparent over the years that if for some reason additional back-up was required, be it personnel or equipment, where would it come from? Read more...

Dealing with delays: Part 2 Dec 04, 2008

EMSA selects skimmer and rigid sweeping arm technology pioneers to combat oil spills Nov 25, 2008

The European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) have serviced their tankers Santa Maria and Mistra Bay with Koseq and Ro-Clean Desmi oil recovery equipment including: Tarantula offshore skimmers, Ro-Boom 2000 offshore booms, Rigid Sweeping Arms with handling cranes and all Zone II diesel driven Power Packs. On top of this, the newly EMSA contracted tankers Salina Bay, Aktea, Mersey Fisher, Galway Fisher and Forth Fisher are to be equipped this Spring with the same as well. Read more...

Harbouring a world-class industry Nov 24, 2008

The UK ports industry, by virtue of the country’s long coastline and distinguished maritime history, is the largest in Europe. Its scale and diversity are truly impressive; the UK boasts many of the world’s most sophisticated ports, ranging from container ports and terminals for oil, gas and bulk goods, through to passenger facilities for cruise liners and ferries. Read more...

Overlapping access to offshore Tier II and Tier III oil spill protection and combat resources Nov 12, 2008

This spring, Lamor Group Ltd and Swire Pacific Offshore Limited (SPO) formed a 50/50 Joint Venture (JV) to provide effective and contemporary emergency oil spill response solutions for the oil and gas sector. Read more...

Environmental protection versus maritime commerce: are oil spill response regulations going too far? Oct 05, 2008

Examination of several significant US oil spills over the last five years reveals a pattern: a series of reactionary legislation that may negatively impact marine commerce at a time when the industry, particularly our ports, can least afford the economic hardship. Do these additional regulations add meaningful environmental protection or have we reached a point of diminishing returns? Read more...

Dealing with delays: Part 1 Aug 28, 2008

The European Sea Ports Organisation (ESPO) and the European Dredging Association (EuDA) have each assessed within their respective organisations the potential and perceived impact of EU habitats legislation on the port related infrastructure and port operations. Both analyses have been compared and many findings appeared to be similar. In the paper the main issues will be reviewed. Read more...

Oil spill technology gains further acceptance internationally Aug 18, 2008

The NOFI Current Buster and Harbour Busters are both designed to be towed in fast waters or at significantly higher towing speeds than conventional oil booms which will fail, i.e. the encountered oil will escape below the skirt at 0.7 to 0.9 knot. Both the Current Buster and the Harbour Buster have been tested at the US Ohmsett test tank in oil at towing speeds ranging from 2.5 to 3.5 knots and with insignificant losses of diesel (Harbour Buster) and regular oils (Current Buster). Read more...

Preventing shoaling in ship berths Aug 15, 2008

Many deep draft ship berths experience shoaling, gradually filling in with fine silt and clay sediments. Traditionally, the response has been to periodically dredge, an expensive and environmentally impacting process. SedCon Technologies, Inc. has developed the SedCon® Turbo System that prevents shoaling in a berth and eliminates the need for maintenance dredging. Benefits include substantial savings in maintenance costs and increased revenues for the facility. Read more...

Keeping ports free of oil pollution Aug 06, 2008

An oil spill at sea will always get headlines, if it is big enough it will be a global news story, but today, spills at sea have declined to a low level, and the threat is now from smaller, but sometimes more toxic oil spills in port environments. In the period 1974 to 2007, ITOPF figures show 84 per cent of all spills were under seven tonnes, and 58 per cent of those spills occurred in ports, not as accidents but during operations. With one of the longest coastlines in Europe and an economy that relies on shipping for 95 per cent of its visible trade, the UK is at particular risk from marine oil pollution. Read more...

Planning the Port of Dover Aug 04, 2008

The port of Dover forms one end of the main ferry link between England and France. It is the world’s busiest Ro-Ro port with more than 100 calls by large ferries every day. When the Channel Tunnel opened in 1994, the cross channel ferry ports were concerned that their trade would collapse and they all sought to diversify into other businesses. In reality, the smaller ports were hit hard but Dover’s trade has continued to grow and the port has built new berths to handle the increase. In 2004, Dover Harbour Board (DHB) decided that they were getting close to the end of incremental expansion and they commissioned Halcrow to develop a 30 year master plan for the port. Read more...

Leveraging economic value Jul 25, 2008

The business model is straightforward: Authority to decide and administrate matters of port management, safety and security. Local laws and regulations dictate the constraints in which the Port Authority operates (see Figure 1). Economic reality is also straightforward: ports provide a wealth of opportunities to generate sustainable revenues, employment and taxes. The economic ‘multiplier’ is attractive at approximately 20 times revenues of the Port Authority; in fact it is sufficiently attractive to decide on long term investments and create ports where they did not exist before. Read more...