Seaboard Marine has gone live with Xvela’s cloud-based Collaborative Stowage Solution with the aim to improve stowage efficiency and real-time visibility into terminal operations. The Miami-based shipping line will use the platform to perform container vessel stowage planning activities, share key collaborative information and view real-time terminal operations data in order to maximise port stay operations. Through these methods, the ... Read More »

The Secretary of State for Transport has given development consent to the Forth Ports Group to build its new multimillion pound port terminal, Tilbury2. Construction is expected to begin within a few weeks of the decision and the privately funded port is set to be built on an excess of 150 acres on the outskirts of Greater London. Tilbury2 will ... Read More »

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has softened a ban concerning the shipping of goods between it and Qatar which was enforced in 2017 under a political and economic boycott of Doha that was also put in place by states including Saudi Arabia and Egypt. Reuters has reported that previous directives that banned cargoes of Qatar origin from UAE waters and ... Read More »

Phoenix Lighting has announced the acquisition of Bright Light Systems, a Georgia-based company with offering LED lighting at ports with a controls system and numerous installations worldwide. According to Phoenix, the deal strengthens its ability to support its port and terminals markets. With expanded in-house expertise, the company can combine its lighting products with a specialised lighting control and monitoring system to bring ... Read More »

A number of organisations representing shipping lines, shippers, freight forwarders, terminal operators, labour and port authorities have jointly called for the repeal of the EU’s Consortia Block Exemption Regulation (BER) unless a revised regulatory framework clarifying the current BER is adopted. The BER, which allows carriers to operate as consortia in trades serving the EU, expires in April 2020, and several groups ... Read More »

The Panama Canal board of directors has appointed Ricaurte Vasquez as the next canal administrator, replacing Jorge Quijano on September 4, 2019. In an effort to deliver a smooth succession, Vasquez will soon begin a transition period under the  guidance of Quijano, who will be retiring after more than 40 years in the waterway, including seven years at the helm. ... Read More »

DP World has begun construction of the US$78m Free Trade Warehousing Zone (FTWZ) project at Jawaharlal Nehru Port (JNP). The project is the second investment under the Hundustan Infralog Private Limited (HIPL), a joint venture between DP World and the National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF). DP World owns 65% of the joint venture, while NIIF owns 35%, which was ... Read More »

International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI) inaugurated the expansion of its Batumi International Container Terminal (BICT), which aims to optimise the process of existing cargo flows and install additional capacity. The inauguration was attended by the Georgian minister of economy and sustainable development Giorgi Kobulia and the chairman of the government of the Autonomous Republic of Ajara Tornike Rizhvadze. Senior ... Read More »

Kalmar has chosen Cummins as the electrification solution provider for its terminal tractor offering as the manufacturer aims to offer electrically powered options across its entire equipment portfolio by 2021. Due to be launched in 2020, Kalmar’s Electric Terminal Tractor (KT2E) will be equipped with a 107 kWh lithium-ion battery capable of DC fast charge, allowing operators to charge during ... Read More »

Container throughput at the Port of Rotterdam reached a high of 14.5m teu in 2018, a growth of 5.7% year-on-year, although crude oil, mineral oil products and agribulk fell. Growth in the container sector was led by full import containers and transhipment, which saw a 4.5% increase in tonnage, and led to a gain in market share in the Hamburg-Le ... Read More »