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or decades, agricultural-related products like gypsum from Mexico have been the Port of Stockton’s primary cargo. And last year the port set a new all-time shipping record. “We had our best year ever with about $56 million in revenue,” said Pete Grossgart from the Port of Stockton. In 2017, more than six million tons of cargo came through the port. That’s 300,000 tons more than the year before and nearly double the amount in 2010. Now the port is trying to diversify the kinds of cargo coming through. “Particularly biofuels and renewable energy,” Grossgart said. The Port of Stockton is also working to attract a wood-pellet manufacturing plant that could ship the fuel to Japan.

In January, China released its first Arctic Policy. In the U.S., fearful headlines greeted the document, from The Wall Street Journal’s suspicion of whether a “new Cold War” was on the way to Foreign Policy’s proclamation that “China’s ready to cash in on a melting Arctic.” But beyond the headlines, what’s actually going on on the ground in China? What are the actual places driving China’s northern push, and what’s going on there? To find out, earlier this week, I traveled to Qingdao, a city of nine million people located southeast of Beijing on the Yellow Sea. I was hosted by Peiqing Guo, an expert in Arctic international law and Chinese interests in the Arctic and professor at the Ocean University of China (OUC), one of the country’s leading institutes on the region. The university is especially strong in Arctic social sciences, which is unusual in a country that places more emphasis on the natural and physical sciences at the poles. About thirty students and faculty focus on the Arctic, and I met with several of them. Overwhelmingly, they sought peaceful relations with the United States and were worried about the negative, fearful reactions that China’s Arctic Policy had generated. Further reading at https://www.maritime-executive.com/editorials/qingdao-china-s-iron-gateway-to-the-arctic#gs.v0LC_z0

Commercial Sea Port of Ust-Luga JSC says it has put into operation two new Quaricon ship loading conveyors for handling a wide range of dry bulk cargo (coal, coke, petcoke, ore) with bulk weight of up to 2.5 t/cbm. According to the statement, the newly acquired equipment costs RUB 26 million. The new equipment allows for loading of vessels with deadweight of up to 60,000 tonnes. Production capacity of the equipment is 500 tonnes per hour. Each ship loading conveyor is equipped with a magnetic separator, an electric motor and a hydraulical drive. The system fitted with a lever-operated hydraulic control valve block makes an operator’s cabin unnecessary.

Singapore-based Ocean Network Express (ONE) has introduced its new EC5 route calling at the Port of Colombo, Sri Lanka, APM Terminals said in its press release. Headquartered in Singapore, Ocean Network Express was established on July 7, 2017 through the integration of 'K' Line, MOL and NYK. It’s new EC5 service was launched on April 23rd at the South Asia Gateway Terminal (SAGT) at the Port of Colombo. South Asia Gateway Terminal (SAGT), is owned by a consortium of local and global companies, including APM Terminals, which holds a 33% share. Opened in 1999, it was Sri Lanka’s first private terminal. It has seen almost continuous eyar-on-year volume growth and achieved a container throughput of 1.8 million TEUs in 2017.

Two floating docks have completed their 26-day voyage across the North Atlantic to Damen Shiprepair Curaçao (DSCu) in the southern Caribbean. The larger of the two is a Panamax-class dock measuring 230 meters by 45 meters for tankers, containerships and other large vessels, while the smaller dock measures 108 meters by 23 meters for all kinds of tugs, workboats and offshore support and anchor handling vessels. The two docks were delivered by the heavy-lift carrier Xin Guang Hua to the Port of Willemstad, Curaçao on April 26, following a trip with more than its share of bad weather. The unloading in Santa Anna Bay was also delayed due to strong winds which initially prevented the passage of the 98,000 DWT Xin Guang Hua under the Queen Juliana bridge.

TT-Line has signed a contract worth more than $688 million with FSG for the construction of two new Spirit of Tasmania vessels. The company whittled down a shortlist of 16 international shipyards to three late last year before settling with shipbuilder Flensburger Schiffbau-Gesellschaft. The new ships, each measuring 212 metres, would be able to carry 1800 passengers, 600 passenger vehicles, and would have more capacity for over-height vehicles. They had been designed with a 25 to 30-year lifespan for passenger and freight capacity; powered by liquefied natural gas and marine gasoil to meet new international environmental regulations set to be enacted in 2020. The $688 million cost would make the ships ready to sail from 2021. The cost would be funded out of business reserves, the vessel replacement fund which holds the company’s annual dividends, and additional borrowings. The new vessels signified the single largest infrastructure investment in the state's history and highlighted a growth in passenger numbers of more than 30 per cent and a drop in fares by 15 per cent in real terms.

The Panama Canal Authority announces an increase in the number of booking slots available for Neopanamax vessels. Effective May 7, 2018, one (1) additional booking slot will be offered to interested vessels (except LNG carriers), provided that the vessel to be awarded a booking slot for a particular date, meets the following criteria: Full container vessel with a length overall (LOA) of less than 320.0 meters (1,050 feet), beam less than 41.15 meters (135 feet), and deep draft less than 13.72 meters (45 feet) Tropical Fresh Water (TFW); Any vessel assigned a precaution designator of PD-1 or PD-2 (excluding full container vessels) with a beam of 36.58 meters (120 feet) or less, or with a length overall (LOA) of 259.08 meters (850 feet) or less. Any other vessel type with a length overall (LOA) of less than 304.8 meters (1,000 feet), a beam of less than 41.15 meters (135 feet), and a deep draft of less than 13.72 meters (45 feet) Tropical Fresh Water (TFW). This additional slot will be made available during the second booking period… Source: GAC

COSCO Shipping is considering selling OOCL’s terminal in Long Beach in order to clear the ocean liner deal, The Wall Street Journal reported. The sale would be a divestment to appease the U.S. Committee on Foreign Investment, which has expressed concerns over a Chinese state-owned enterprise taking control of one of the country’s most important container terminals. Neither COSCO nor U.S. regulators have confirmed the action, but shipping line executives have said they expect to complete the OOCL takeover by June, and U.S. concerns are posing a challenge. China is spending up to $8 trillion to create a modern silk road — deemed “One Belt, One Road” — that will revolutionize trade in at least 65 countries. The U.S., it seems, is finally catching on and doing what it can to stop China from exerting too much power in the country.

The new cruise passenger terminal at DP World Limassol was inaugurated on May 7th, 2018 by Cyprus President, His Excellency Mr. Nicos Anastasiades; Minister of Transport, Communications and Works, Mrs. Vassiliki Anastassiadou; the Mayor of Limassol, Nicos Nicolaides and DP World Group Chairman and CEO, Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem. The operational opening of the terminal was attended by almost 300 guests and will enable the largest cruise ships in the world to visit the country for the first time. It provides world-class facilities and services for passengers and features seven pods with a total floor area of 8,205 m2. The terminal is designed to facilitate both Transit (day call) and Turnaround (home porting) services. In addition, the East berth with a length of 480m and depth of 11m is able to handle the largest cruise vessels in the world.

JAXPORT and Carnival Cruise Line have reached an agreement to extend Carnival cruise service from Jacksonville through at least May 2021 and potentially through 2027, the company said in its press release. Carnival Elation will continue offering year-round sailing to the Bahamas from JAXPORT’s North Jacksonville Cruise Terminal. The contract extends the cruise line’s service from Jacksonville for three years with three additional two-year renewal options. The agreement also calls for enhancements to the terminal building and passenger experience.

In 2017 Jumbo was awarded a contract by Geocean for the Moheshkhali Project. The Moheshkhali floating liquefied natural gas (LNG) import terminal is being developed off the shores of Moheshkhali Island in the Bay of Bengal, Bangladesh. It will be the country's first LNG import terminal and is expected to help secure the future provision of energy for Bangladesh, the company said in its press release. The Moheshkhali floating LNG import terminal will include a Floating Storage and Regasification Unit (FSRU), a subsea buoy system and a subsea pipeline, which will connect the terminal to an onshore pipeline system.

Sri Lanka's state-run investment body has approved a $500 million liquefied natural gas plant by China Machinery Engineering Corp near a Chinese-controlled port and industrial zone, the development strategies minister said on Friday. The state-run Board of Investment has approved investment projects worth $1 billion in the first quarter, Malik Samarawickrama said, the largest of which was the LNG project in Hambantota, where China Merchants Port Holdings controls a Chinese-built port on a 99-year lease. The port, which is leased for $1.12 billion, is near the main shipping route from Asia to Europe and likely to play a major role in China’s "belt and road" initiative

Efforts to save endangered right whale continues to knock cruise ships off course. Cruise ship companies have cancelled another dozen stops to Quebec ports of call, despite efforts by tourist operators in the region to allay their concerns about the reduced nautical speed limit meant to protect the right whale. Last year, about a third of the ships that were set to dock at the port in Gaspé cancelled planned visits after Transport Canada announced all ships would have to slow down to 10 knots when travelling through the Gulf of St. Lawrence. http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/cruise-ship-cancellations-deal-economic-blow-to-gaspé-sept-îles-1.4644757

Europe’s busiest ferry port warned U.K. businesses it needs to do more to prepare for possible delivery delays post-Brexit, as it emerged one in three haven’t made plans to cope with customs changes when the U.K. leaves the European Union next year. A survey from the Port of Dover and British Chambers of Commerce published Monday found that while more than a third of traders relied on the so-called just-in-time delivery of goods, 33 percent of all businesses still haven’t made plans for possible changes to checks and declarations between the U.K. and EU. The survey consulted 835 businesses across the U.K. “For the sake of U.K. plc, it is vital that fluidity at Dover and throughout the supply chain is maintained,” said Richard Christian, head of policy and communications at the Port of Dover. “There is no substitutable capacity elsewhere that can handle the type and volume of goods.”

LINDØ port of ODENSE A/S and a consortium of Jan de Nul from Belgium and Züblin A/S from Denmark have signed contract for a port extension at Lindø, Denmark, involving a 400,000 square meter industrial area and one kilometer new quay. The facilities will provide the much-needed space to extend port activities within bulk goods and maritime and offshore industries. https://www.maritime-executive.com/corporate/port-of-odense-to-be-expanded#gs.bQ3l55M

Carnival Corporation opens Helix cruise center at Port of Barcelona Carnival Corporation & plc, the world's largest leisure travel company, officially opened its second cruise terminal at the Port of Barcelona with an inauguration ceremony attended by government, business and community representatives. The ceremony included Arnold Donald, CEO of Carnival Corporation; Julio Gómez-Pomar Rodríguez, secretary of state for infrastructures, transport and housing for the government of Spain; Enric Millo, government delegate in Catalonia; Ricard Font, secretary of infrastructure and mobility for the government of Catalonia; Agustí Colom, councilor of tourism, commerce and markets for the Barcelona City Council; Jose Llorca, chairman of Puertos del Estado; and Sixte Cambra, president of the Port of Barcelona. During the ceremony, the company revealed that Helix cruise center will be the name of its new 12,500 square meter state-of-the-art terminal. At over 46 million euros, the Helix terminal and the company's existing terminal at the port represent Carnival Corporation's largest combined terminal investment in Europe.

Yang Ming has recently set up a new weekly service between Koper and the ports of Piraeus and Damietta. Both major hubs provide regular service to various destinations in the Mediterranean and the Far East, the company said in its press release. Yang Ming offers transhipment to/from the Far East through the carrier alliance »THE Alliance« via two services: the Mediterranean Loop 1 (MD1) and Mediterranean Loop 2 (MD2). Containers from Piraeus and Damietta are then transported to Koper via Adria Express (ADX) feeder service. Yang Ming’s first containers are expected in Koper this May.

German LNG Terminal GmbH says it has successfully completed its “Open Season” for the planned LNG import terminal in Brunsbuettel in Northern Germany. This “Open Season”, which is a dedicated process to determine market interest and identify potential customers, resulted in a positive outcome: a considerable number of Memorandums of Understanding has been signed with companies that represent a comprehensive range and complementary interests, ranging from regasification to send out and LNG distribution services. Next steps include further discussions with potential customers with a view to sign Head of Agreements. In addition, the necessary engineering work for the permit approval process has already been started by engineering company Tractebel Engineering S.A. to be able to apply for the relevant permits by the end of 2018. Katja Freitag, spokesperson of German LNG Terminal GmbH, comments: “We are delighted with this outcome. The Open Season process has demonstrated that the market has received well the varied range of services to be available at the planned LNG import and smallscale terminal in Brunsbuettel. It confirms that our service portfolio is in line with customers’ needs. We are on schedule to make next steps and have started the necessary permit approval process. If all goes to plan, including obtaining the necessary permits by then, we are due to take a final investment decision at the end of 2019. Following this, we will start the construction work with the terminal possibly becoming operational by the end of 2022.”

Stena Oil has signed an agreement to create a new marine fuel terminal in the Port of Frederikshavn. The facility will be fully adapted for the new Sulphur Directive 2020 and its location will reduce the distances travelled by bunkering vessels.

Wednesday, May 2, 2018, Port Kembla, Australia - Svitzer has advised that its Volume Based Surcharge (VBS) at Port Kembla will increase to 11.2% from the current 5%, effective from 1 June. The surcharge was introduced in May 2014 to cater for volume fluctuation. The tug volume for the 12 months ending 30 April 2018 was 3,485 tug jobs – a decrease from the last measurement point in October 2017 (3,621 tug jobs). The next review period will be for the 12 months ending 31 October 2018, with the new VBS to be introduced 1 December 2018. Source: GAC