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The construction of the lock gate chamber of the outer head (number 1 in the picture) is scheduled for near completion in June. The diaphragm walls for the guard walls (numer 2 in the picture) will also be constructed this month, just like the flood defence between the new sea lock and the North Lock (number 3 in the picture). Outer head lock gate chamber This month, the outer head lock gate chamber will get close to its final dimensions. With its four metres thick floor, the underside of which lies at 5 metres below NAP (Amsterdam Ordnance Datum) and its six metres thick walls with a height of 17 metres above NAP, it surely is an impressive structure. Its total floor area is 26 by 80 metres. Once the required dimensions are reached, preparations can be made to sink the outer head lock gate chamber; this sinking operation is planned for later in the summer. https://www.hellenicshippingnews.com/the-new-sea-lock-whats-happening-in-june/

There is now another “front in the Russian-Ukrainian war,” Mikhail Zhirokhov says. “It is the Sea of Azov … a real cold war which at any moment risks growing into an open armed conflict” as Russia tries to block all shipping to Ukrainian littoral ports and thus weaken Kyiv’s hold on a region adjoining the breakaway Donbass. In order not to run afoul of international maritime law, the Ukrainian military expert says, Moscow has chosen “a relatively legal path,” of requiring inspections of all ships under any flag to be inspected if they are headed to or from the Ukrainian ports of Berdyansk and Mariupol. According to Mariupol port officials, that meant that there were no ships loading or being offloaded in that port from June 2 to June 4, something that is costing the city’s economy dearly. Moreover, shippers, delayed by the inspection, are losing between 5,000 and 15,000 US dollars per hour as a result. Not surprisingly, they don’t want to suffer such losses. The practice continues. Last night, Zhirokhov says, Russian coastal guards detained a Turkish freighter for three hours, again inflicting higher costs on any ship that might be destined to or from these Ukrainian ports on the Sea of Azov. Russian forces have also take additional steps to complicate the lives of the two Ukrainian ports, the Kyiv analyst says. They have announced live fire drills and exclusion zones, and they have introduced new and more powerful naval vessels into the Sea of Azov to underscore Russia’s advantages. https://www.hellenicshippingnews.com/russia-seeking-to-block-maritime-shipping-to-ukrainian-ports-on-sea-of-azov/

The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) is pleased to support Wilhelmsen Ship Service and Airbus in their pilot trial of deliveries from shore to vessels anchored off the coast with an unmanned aerial system (UAS), in the second half of 2018. Wilhelmsen Ship Service and Airbus announced on 5 June 2018 that they will be collaborating on an experimental project to deliver spare parts, documents, water test kits and 3D printed consumables via Airbus’ Skyways UAS to vessels at Singapore’s anchorage. This trial is a culmination of over a year of planning and collaboration between the two companies, with support from the MPA. Please refer to Annexes for the companies’ releases.

European Gateway Services (EGS) and Danser Group have started operating a new ‘Intercity Barge’ service — connecting terminals at the port of Rotterdam with other nationwide terminals. The two partners have scheduled three inland shuttles per week between the ECT terminals on Maasvlakte and other terminals in the Waal- and Eemhaven area, Merwehaven, Botlek, Alblasserdam, and Ridderkerk. The new initiative operates in line with the targets agreed upon in the port of Rotterdam Authority’s inland container shipping consultations, which were held in September, 2017. The consultations were undertaken in response to a number of reports regarding the increasing waiting times at Rotterdam’s deep-sea terminals. Source: porttechnology.org

On June 2, the Swedish Minister for Infrastructure Thomas Eneroth presented key elements of the government’s strategic infrastructure plan and budget related to the deepening of the fairways at the Port of Gothenburg. The decision means that the government will cover almost one-third of the cost of the project, which can now proceed to the next phase. Deeper fairways will allow the very largest vessels, both now and in the future, to call at the Port of Gothenburg fully loaded, opening up potential for more direct services and increased freight volumes between Gothenburg and the world.

Hurtigruten has pushed back the launch of its second planned hybrid ship after being forced to delay the launch of its first by nearly a year. Fridtjof Nansen was due to launch at some point in 2019 -- following the delivery of sister ship Roald Amundsen -- but it is now unclear when the second ship will launch. Roald Amundsen was due to launch in July this year, but in February the line announced it would be delayed until May 2019 -- having a knock on effect on the build of Fridjtof Nansen. Both ships are being built at the Kleven shipyard in Norway, which faced financial difficulties in 2017 and had to be bailed out by a consortium of investors, including Hurtigruten. A statement from Hurtigruten read: "Earlier this year, the yard informed us that due to the complexity of the construction of the Roald Amundsen, they will not be able to deliver the ship as scheduled. "Unfortunately, we have just been informed by the yard that this delay will also affect the construction of the Fridtjof Nansen, and the yard will not be able to deliver her as scheduled. This delay is linked to the yard's challenges with the delivery of the Road Amundsen."

The new ASD Tug 2913 for Saqr Port, part of Ras Al Khaimah (RAK) Ports, has been launched at the Albwardy Damen shipyard in Sharjah, UAE. Ordered twelve months ago, the tug will join the RAK Ports tug fleet and operate in the new and impressive deep-water bulk terminal currently nearing completion at the port. There its 80-tonnes of bollard pull will provide additional power for manoeuvring Capesize vessels. The tug was launched in the presence of Capt. Cliff Brand, the Chief Executive Officer of RAK Ports, and Capt. Michael Magee, the Harbour Master of RAK Ports. Capt Brand highlighted in his speech the importance for the UAE economy to build “in the UAE for the UAE” and the added value of having the building yard around the corner for support during the life time of the vessel.

The Board of the Georgia Ports Authority (GPA) has approved the purchase of 10 additional Konecranes Rubber Tired Gantry (RTG) cranes. This will bring the fleet at Garden City Terminal, Port of Savannah, to 156 Konecranes RTGs. The Port of Savannah had a record April in which 356,700 twenty-foot equivalent container units (TEU) were moved, an increase of 7.1% over April of last year. “We’re on track to move more than 300,000 TEUs in every month of the fiscal year, which will be a first for the Authority,” said GPA Executive Director Griff Lynch. “We’re also anticipating this to be the first fiscal year for the Port of Savannah to handle more than 4 million TEUs,” continued Lynch. As the fastest growing container port in the USA, the Port of Savannah has achieved a compound annual growth rate of more than 5% a year over the past decade.

Myanmar’s Yangon region authorities are seeking to establish a new multi-purpose terminal in the region, the official Global New Light of Myanmar reported. A new port will be set up in Kawhmu township aiming at promoting regional development, facilitating the country’s trade with neighboring countries as well as attracting foreign investments in the region. With storage terminal for fuel oil imports, the new port will be set up on 1,053 acres of land with a 2.2 km waterfront, having a 9-meter draft of river which is deeper than the Thilawa port. The Yangon port serves as the main gateway for 95 percent of the trade with foreign countries – mainly Malaysia, India, China, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Vietnam, Bangladesh and Thailand via sea route. Source: Xinhua

Maqta Gateway, an Abu Dhabi Ports subsidiary, has claimed that it is the first Abu Dhabi entity to develop and launch its own blockchain technology for imports and exports. Its ‘Silsal’ system will combine blockchain technology and unique digital user identities to provide a provide public access to transaction status updates, reduce the need for paperwork, calls and physical visits as well as to speed up information exchange. The Maqta Gateway, inaugurated in October 2017, is a project that is set to connect Abu Dhabi’s trade customers to services, processes and information through a unified interface. Blockchain technology will support Silsal as an open digital ledger for trade actors to record and extract details regarding transactions with greater security, transparency and efficiency. Maqta Gateway will offer Silsal to freight forwarders and their customers before extending it to the rest of the trade community as a complementary tool to Maqta’s Port Community System (mPCS). It has claimed that Silsal will be able to encrypt all transport documentation such as bills of lading, delivery orders, booking and transport orders. The customers of Silsal will include shipping agents, traders, custom brokers, freight forwarders and clearing agents, who will connect with entities integrated within the system both locally and internationally. Source: porttechnology.org

The port of Newcastle, Australia has launched the development of a new bulk terminal at Walsh Point, Kooragang Island in an effort to diversify trade operations. The port has recently pledged a $33 million investment into bulk handling equipment, associated infrastructure and additional strategic initiatives to help realize the new terminal. The development is set to combine two berths, Kooragang 2 and 3, into one, demolish and replace the existing crane unloader infrastructure, provide a temporary mobile hopper unloading infrastructure, and set up the relevant direct management and environmental services at the port. Kooragang 2 and 3 berths are the busiest common user berths in the Port, handling fertiliser, meals, alumina, magnetite, cement and a range of bulk liquid commodities. The two existing ship unloaders, which are now over 50 years old, will be dismantled and replaced by a new high capacity ship unloader, conveyor structures, and electrical systems. Source: porttechnology.org

Following Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte’s visit to South Korea, a $172.6m loan agreement has been signed for the construction of the $199.3m Cebu International Container Port (CICT), local reports cited the Department of Finance (DOF) as saying. Export-Import Bank of Korea (KEXIM) will provide a low interest, 40-year loan for the major port project. The loan will carry an interest rate of 0.15% per annum for non-consulting services and will include a 10-year grace period. The Philippines will put up around $26.1m of the project cost. The new container terminal will be built on 25ha of reclaimed land in the northern part of Cebu in the central Visayas region of the Philippines. It is meant to relieve some of the pressure from congestion at the current Cebu International Port nearer to Cebu City as well as boost connectivity in the central and southern regions. http://www.seatrade-maritime.com/news/asia/philippines-secures-173m-korea-loan-for-new-cebu-port-project.html

With this latest delivery of cranes, APM Terminals Moin remains on schedule for completion in February 2019, when it is expected to raise commerce in Costa Rica by 23% according to Qbis Socioeconomic Impact Study. This second delivery of Ship-to-Shore and Electric Rubber-Tire Gantry Cranes (ERTGs) to APM Terminals Moin, Costa Rica brings the total on site to six and 23 respectively. The commissioning of the equipment was completed this week

Maintenance at Russia’s Ust Luga coal terminal will have a temporary effect on thermal coal export capacity from Russia, but this is not expected to have much of an impact on the delivered-Europe price, sources said. The maintenance could reduce coal export capacity by as much as 1 million-2 million mt over the next few months while work on the terminal is carried out, sources said. But some sources said they doubted the reduction would have much impact on the market, saying Russian coal was exported via several terminals in the Baltic region that could absorb the lost capacity from Ust Luga. Ust Luga’s export capacity is 20 million mt/year, according to the terminal’s website.

Most major international grain houses have not been included in a draft list of exporters who will work with the two largest grain terminals in Russia’s Black Sea port of Novorossiisk in the new marketing season, sources familiar with the matter said. Competition for access to grain export infrastructure has intensified in Russia as its ports are running at maximum capacity after it harvested a record crop in 2017 and prospects for 2018 are also bright. While the majority of the key global grain houses did not get on the list, some local firms are aiming to build up their presence at the two largest Novorossiisk grain terminals in the 2018/19 season, which starts on July 1, traders at international firms said. “Significant consolidation of business in hands of small number of market participants, mainly Russian, is happening there,” an industry source with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters. The list of these local firms include privately-held RIF, Russian largest grain trader, and the state grain trader United Grain Company, sources said.

Some P135.8 million worth of infrastructure projects designed to expand and further develop port facilities here will bring in bigger ships and boost the income of the Port of Subic upon their completion by next year. Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Administrator Wilma T. Eisma said both the national government and the Subic agency have allocated funds for the port projects bundled in three development packages. Eisma said these are major infrastructure projects that would significantly develop the Port of Subic to provide better services to port users, rein in more shipping lines, and increase port revenue. “From merely a handful just a few years back, the number of commercial shipping lines regularly visiting Subic has now reached 23—and these do not include the growing number of cruise ships docking in Subic and bringing in tourists,” Eisma said. “With the completion of these three port projects by next year, we expect to see more attractive and more efficient port facilities, more customers coming in, and more income for the port,” she added. The SBMA Seaport Department said the Subic port generated P1.17 billion in 2017, 3.27 percent higher than the P1.13 billion collected in 2016. Among the shipping lines that regularly call on Subic are APL, Maersk Line, Evergreen Line, K Line, Wan Hai and NYK Fil-Japan Shipping Corp.

Siemens has received an order from the UK's Port of Felixstowe for eight automated rubber-tyred gantry cranes (ARTG). The eight ARTGs are to be built by Zhenhua Port Machinery Company (ZPMC), with Siemens providing the drive, control, and automation systems along with Remote Control Operator Stations (RCOS). The new ARTGs are intended to support the port’s upcoming development, as berths 8 and 9 are being extended, with increased yard capacity to manage higher volumes. Source: porttechnology.org

​NSW Ports signed an exclusive​ Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with AIE (Australian Industrial Energy) to progress with the next phase of the potential development of NSW's first LNG import terminal, the company said in its press release. For Port Kembla, the development of an LNG import facility presents an opportunity for diversification and growth in port activities and the potential for new value-add services. Port Kembla is already Australia’s largest vehicle importer and a major exporter of coal and grain. Source: porttechnology.org

AIDA Cruises has floated out its newest LNG-powered cruise ship, AIDAnova, from her building dock at Meyer Werft’s shipyard in Papenburg, Germany. During the floating-out process, the shipyard’s team used several cable winches to enable AIDAnova to travel a distance of approximately 140 metres. Now that Meyer Werft has completed AIDAnova’s superstructure, the team will assemble and install the propellers, fit the mast and funnel, and paint AIDA’s signature smiling lips and eyes on the ship’s prow.

Iceland’s Environment ministry presented this week a report by the Environment Agency on how best to reduce pollution from burning Heavy Fuel Oil, including the full ban option. It is not a report on what Iceland will do, but on what options are available. The Environment Agency estimates that the main gain of a ban on burning HFOs in Icelandic waters will be: better air quality, especially when ships are in harbour; a less risk of a serious pollution due to oil leak; less emissions of (SOx and NOx) and a positive image for Iceland. The costs would entail more expensive fuel and a need for increased monitoring and enforcement by implementing stricter regulation. According to the Agency about 26% of all vessels sailing through Icelandic waters burn HFOs of some kind. The Report accounts for the way in which ECA areas can be established. They account for ECA areas in the Baltic Sea; the North Sea; the coasts of North America and Hawai; Puerto Rica and the Virgin Islands. Establishing an ECA area in Icelandic will require extensive work and will be costly, the Agency concludes. Two other possibilities are mentioned: 1) establishing ECA areas within Fjords, and 2) establish an ECA area within the 12 mile limit. Neither of these alternatives will need IMO clearance, the report says. Source: GSCC