The Panama Ports Company has taken delivery of three new Panamax quay cranes for the Port of Balboa, as part of its plans to transform it into a megaport.

The Port of Baltimore has celebrated its 300th anniversary and announced a change of name – from next year, it will be known as the Helen Delich Bentley Port of Baltimore.

HMM Acquisition Corp, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Konecranes Inc, has boosted its shareholding in MMH Holdings Inc, the owner of US-based Morris Material Handling Inc, to approximately 90.9 per cent.

JMM Transportteknik AB, a haulier and third party logistics provider based in Stenungsund, Sweden, has adopted a software system consisting of Hogia Terminal, Hogia Warehouse and Hogia Business Solutions.

Southampton Container Services Ltd (SCT) has won a further six weekly services, starting in September. The new services, linking the UK port to Canada, the US East and West Coasts, Mexico, South America and the Mediterranean, are SLCS, GAX, PAX, GMX, MedPac and EEX.

Dubai-based DP World, one of the world’s top three container operators, has established a new management and business structure integrating the P&O businesses it acquired in March.

Antwerp International Terminal (AIT) was officially opened on 23 May by the Flemish Minister for Public Works, Energy, Environment and Nature. The Belgian terminal is a joint venture between three major Asian shipping lines – ‘K’ Line, Yang Ming Line and Hanjin Shipping (all members of the CKYH alliance with Cosco) – and port operator PSA HNN.

International Transportation Service Inc (ITS) has agreed a ‘Green Port’ environmental covenant with the Port of Long Beach, California, where it operates the third largest cargo terminal. The agreement will reduce air pollutants by at least 90 per cent, by requiring ships to use shore-side electricity and by replacing cargo-handling equipment.

Alimak Industrial Lifts of Sweden celebrated its 2,000th order in April, and now claims nearly 70 per cent of all new sales worldwide (excluding China) in the access lift sector. Alimak container crane lifts are currently installed in 91 different countries around the world.

Engineering design firm CH2M Hill, based in Colorado and with an office in Raleigh, has been chosen by the North Carolina State Ports Authority to manage the development of the proposed North Carolina International Port (NCIP) on the Cape Fear River in Brunswick County.

UK shipping minister Stephen Ladyman launched the government’s Ports Policy Review (PPR) on 22 May, giving stakeholders until the end of August to respond on a broad range of strategic issues. The government plans to produce a revised policy framework for ports in the first half of 2007.

Husky Terminal has transferred its operations to new facilities at the Port of Tacoma, Washington, doubling the size of its terminal capacity and installing new and larger container handling equipment. Husky will now operate from Terminals 3 and 4 of the port instead of Terminal 7D, where it first set up operations in 1983.

The Port of Brisbane is to build a new 210 m general-purpose wharf at the mouth of the Brisbane River in Australia. The Port of Brisbane Corporation (PBC) plans to spend AS$64m (US$35m) on the new wharf and associated infrastructure, which will include a general-purpose terminal, 2 ha of heavy-duty pavement, a 3,200 sq m cargo shed and an office an...

Xiamen International Container Terminals (XICT) received the largest container vessel ever to call at the Chinese port on 18 May, when the MV MSC Chicago made an inaugural stopover. The 9,178 teu vessel is 337 m long and has a draft of 15 m.

Jean-Claude Terrier, managing director of the Port of Dunkirk Authority, has been elected to the Executive Committee (EXCO) of the International Association of Ports and Harbours.

The Port of Savannah opened a new container berth in April, which helped to boost its monthly total of containers handled to 173,415 teu, a 12.7 per cent increase from the same period a year earlier, according to the Georgia Ports Authority (GPA).

Madagascar International Container Terminal (MICT), located in the port of Toamasina, has placed a large order for new container-handling equipment, as part of its plan to become a regional hub for Africa.

Kalmar Industries has established its own subsidiary company in South Africa for the sales and servicing of straddle carriers and RTG cranes. Kalmar Industries South Africa (Pty) Ltd is located in Durban.

The UK’s Associated British Ports (ABP) has left the door open on a bid lead by Goldman Sachs with Canadian and Singaporean investors pitched at about 740p a share that could value the British ports group at £2.2bn.

With the weather now improving in the Baltic, DCT Gdansk’s Technical Director Robin MacLeod reports that construction work is still on target to meet the planned opening date of May 2007. Despite severe conditions during the winter, dredging and land reclamation has continued and the first line of piles is already in place.

Dunedin-based Port of Otago appears to have won the opening battle to prevent its South Island rival seeking an international partner.

Hyundai Merchant Marine’s 1,200-TEU capacity vessel Cape Fraser calls at the Manila International Container Terminal (MICT) twice a month, and is one of five vessels chartered for Hyundai’s FAL Service, which connects Asian ports to the Australian continent.

The project of developing the marine terminal took a crucial step forward this month.

The new STEELBRO “intelligent” system is a monitoring function for Slidelifters.

Port of Kingston increased capacity results in new equipment orders.