Throughput at the Port of Rotterdam in the first three quarters of 2020 has declined by 8.8% compared to the same period last year. The port handled 322.3m tonnes in the first nine months of the year with crude oil, iron ore, coal and mineral oil products among the main categories to record a decline ...

Six Russian intelligence agents have been charged by the US Department of Justice over several cyberattacks in recent years including the NotPetya malware attack in 2017, which cost Maersk around US$300m. The attack brought down Maersk’s IT systems and caused multiple APM Terminals (APMT) facilities to close for days, resulting in global supply cha...

The Port of Antwerp, the City of Antwerp, the Antwerp Police and the Antwerp Fire Department are developing and testing a private 5G network. The network, named ‘Minerva’, is currently being developed and tested by technology company iSea in collaboration with Ericsson and aims to help further develop the partners’ existing digital applications as...

Congo Terminal, which operates the container terminal at the Port of Pointe-Noire, has received two new rubber-tyred gantry (RTG) cranes, boosting its yard capacity and helping to improve operational flows. The two Konecranes units, financed by Congo Terminal to the tune of CFA2.6bn (US$4.7m), will strengthen the stevedoring capacities of the termi...

Leading supplier and ripener of bananas Comagnie Fruitière UK has taken occupation of a 69,718 sq ft ripening facility at DP World London Gateway. The new ripening centre, set to be fully operational by 2021, will replace the company’s existing operation in Dartford and will help reinforce Comagnie Fruitière’s approach to a vertically integrated su...

CMA CGM and MSC have now integrated onto the TradeLens blockchain-based platform, aiming to ensure a more fully integrated, timely and consistent view of logistics data for their containerised freight around the world. Their integration to the digital platform, which was jointly developed by IBM and A.P. Moller-Maersk, means that data on nearly hal...

World container port throughput has subverted expectations for the second quarter of 2020, registering a smaller decrease than envisaged of around -8% year-on-year, Drewry has reported. Earlier forecasts in June anticipated a drop of 16% and, while not a full recovery, the port performance for the first half of 2020 was sufficiently good enough for...

Hapag-Lloyd has upgraded its forecast for the 2020 financial year due to the container shipping market performing much better than expected in the third quarter. Although volumes were 3% lower than in the same period in 2019, the total was much better than what had been expected some months ago. There has also been much ...

Nokia has announced an automated, zero-touch elevated temperature detection solution designed to help spot potential COVID-19 infections in facilities with thousands of people, such as ports. The Nokia Automated Analytics Solution for Access Control streamlines and fully automates the process of identifying people with elevated temperatures and con...

Contecon Guayaquil (CGSA), a subsidiary of International Container Terminal Services, Inc. (ICTSI), has signed an investment contract with the Ecuadorian state to further develop the Port of Guayaquil with works to heighten cranes, reinforce the docks and deepen the pier’s draught. As part of a three stage project, the operator is investing US$18m...

The Port of Rotterdam Authority and the Muncipality of Rotterdam, have begun working together on the joint rollout of shore-based power for sea-going vessels in Rotterdam. The partners will be initiating a series of projects over the next five years which are intended to accelerate and scale up the adoption of shore-based power. Allard Castelein, ....

The COVID-19 pandemic and the impacts of lockdowns and a decline in the economy has only intensified South Africa’s vulnerability to cargo theft, a report by TT Club and BSI has found. South Africa ranks among the top countries in the world, and the first on the African continent, for BSI’s forecasted losses due to ...

Maersk has upgraded its profit forecast for 2020 based on preliminary Q3 figures and the current outlook for Q4, with its ocean business benefitting from a faster rebound than expected as well as high freight rates. Full year 2020 EBITDA is now expected to be between US$7.5-8.0bn before restructuring and integration costs, after previously being .....

APM Terminals (APMT) has made a personalisation option available as part of its roll-out of a standardised container tracking system for customers, enabling customers to save containers to a watchlist and set up email notifications. Aiming to save time and optimise container flow, more than 22 of the company’s terminals provide access to container...

The suspension of industrial action at DP World Australia and Patrick Terminals has seen some productivity and capacity improvements at Port Botany following weeks of built-up congestion. As of October 10, DP World Australia expects to have cleared its backlog within 10-14 days and Patrick Terminals is experiencing up to 21 days delay in scheduled...

Freight forwarders have demanded that the British government intervenes in the dispute between the owners of the Port of Felixstowe and its users following ongoing disruption, which has caused operational damage and incurred additional costs. The British International Freight Association (BIFA) has claimed that the port’s migration to an in-house t...

The Port of Barcelona, Ministry of Public Works, Catalan Government, ADIF, State Ports and FGC have signed a cooperation protocol to build new road and rail access to the port. Work will now commence in the coming months on the prior studies and basic project necessary to sign the required legal instruments or agreements to ...

The Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) is to examine allegations that vessel operating common carriers (VOCCs) may be attempting to hold companies financially responsible for transportation services that they did not contract for and may not legally be required to pay. In September last year, the US regulator invited stakeholders to provide comments...

Construction works have officially begun for the Côte d’Ivoire Terminal (CIT), Abidjan’s second container terminal, which is expected to be operational at the end of 2021. The beginning of works follows the signing of the contract with the China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC) in August and the new facility will be located adjacent to the ...

RAM Spreaders has secured an order for five newly designed 2750 heavy-duty mobile harbour crane (MHC) spreaders from Angolan terminal operator Sogester. The units, capable of lifting 1 x 45 tonnes or 2 x 32.5 tonnes, were ordered after previous units suffered heavy impacts at the terminal. The terminal’s engineering manager liaised with the manufac...

International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI)’s Cameroonian subsidiary, Kribi Multipurpose Terminal (KMT), has started commercial operations at the Port of Kribi in Central Africa. KMT has been purposefully built to handle multipurpose shipping line services including roll-on roll-off (ro-ro), project and heavy lift cargo, forestry product...

Gulftainer has appointed Charles Menkhorst as its new CEO, tasked with oversight of the strategic growth of the company, which currently operates and manages ports and logistics businesses in its home base in the UAE, and internationally across Iraq, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia and the US. He replaces Peter Richards, who will continue to serve on ...

Saudi Global Ports Company (SGP) aims to create a mega container hub at King Abdulaziz Port Dammam (KAPD), having assumed the management of both First and Second Container Terminals. Saudi Ports Authority (Mawani) successfully handed over First Container Terminal to SGP less than six months after the signing of a 30-year Build, Operater and Transfe...

The Port of Rotterdam has completed a successful trial of a new energy platform, Distro, which is the first in the world to combine blockchain technology, artificial intelligence and high-frequency commodity trading in a single platform. Distro was tested across 32 companies at the port’s RDM site where users, working with solar panels and a ...

MSC is exploring the viability of hydrogen as a possible fuel source for the future of container shipping and is increasingly utilising biofuels within its existing fleet. Speaking at the Maritime Transport Efficiency Conference in Geneva, MSC Group’s Bud Darr, executive vice president, maritime policy and government affairs, outlined some preferre...