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Cargo Handling: Dangerous Goods
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Down and dirty
28 May 2008
Hidden within a perfectly innocent cargo, a dirty bomb is created by combining radioactive nuclear waste material and conventional explosives.
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Dangerous cargo handling charges debate
28 May 2008
When is a hazard not a hazard? When the classification makes it expensive, if events in Kenya are any yardstick.
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Keeping hazards in check
28 May 2008
On the European side of the Atlantic, news that a shipment of weapons-ready plutonium was to be taken in an unarmed ship from Sellafield in Cumbria to France caused a media furore recently. The material has to be shipped because Sellafield had to call on its French competitor for help in fulfilling an order.
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Playing dirty
28 May 2008
The challenge of neutralising undeclared 'dangerous' cargoes passing through ports today is greater than ever, as Stuart Pearcey reports
Container Handling: Secondhand Equipment
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Second-hand, not second class
14 May 2008
The northeast England port of Blyth found second-hand to be the best option when it required an additional reachstacker for its container operations; it has recently bought a second-hand Terex TFC45 R.
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Triple hit
07 May 2008
Buying second-hand equipment can save you time and money – and there is even the useful side-effect that you are saving environmental resources, too. Felicity Landon reports
Environment: Legislation
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The might of the Ukrainian port inspector
14 May 2008
While some aspects of the ançien régime remain, Ukraine ports are undertaking a more environmentally-conscientious approach to their operations, according to Kateryna Protsenko, a lawyer at Odessa-based law firm International Law Offices.
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Waste not, want not
14 May 2008
A glut of current and anticipated environmental directives hang heavy over the port business, as Patrik Wheater explains
In Focus: African Reform
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The great pretender
21 Apr 2008
Africa has excellent growth potential, but there’s a long way to go before many investors feel comfortable enough to part with their cash. Alex Hughes reports
In Focus: Russian Coal
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Russian roulette
21 May 2008
Red tape and selective governing is holding back potential at the country’s coal port growth, as Alex Hughes finds out
Insight & Opinion
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Adding colour
28 May 2008
International Container Terminal Services Inc (ICTSI) is a company that has a reputation for introducing modern container handling expertise into nations that have previously been bereft of this asset and the latest chapter regarding its efforts in this respect has been steadily unfolding in the Syrian port of Tartous.
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Swap shop
14 May 2008
It is interesting to hear that the major container terminal operators in the Port of Genoa, Italy – the PSA operated Voltri Terminal Europe and Southern European Container Hub Terminal (SECH) – are moving towards an exchange of shares in each others facilities. Clearly, this represents an interesting rationalisation of resources with potential benefits for both parties.
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Grass roots pressure to be applauded
07 May 2008
Shame on President Thabo Mbeki of South Africa and well done to the dockers in Durban who have turned away a vessel believed to be carrying four containers of arms and munitions bound for Zimbabwe.
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Black holes and disappearing container capacity
15 Apr 2008
Recent forecasts and press comments suggest that the major East-West liner trades are suffering weaker growth rates than had been anticipated. The US recession has caused transpacific trade volumes to decline sharply from nearly 10% growth in 2006 to only 2.2% to North America as a whole in 2007. For 2008, it is unlikely that the Transpacific will see any growth.
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Bayonne - a bridge too far?
10 Apr 2008
In the past month, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ) announced its intention to work with the US Army Corps of Engineers, the Federal agency tasked with channel maintenance and deepening, on a detailed study of the Bayonne Bridge.
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Finally, a purchase that drops in price
07 Apr 2008
Few purchases ever get much cheaper, but one which does on a cyclical basis is the price of insurance. Ports and terminals operators can expect reductions in 2008 on their property and liability premiums, even in many areas prone to hurricanes and other natural disasters.
Insurance: Marine Construction Risk
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Reducing the risks
14 May 2008
There is a host of ways to reduce the risks and provide insurers with a higher level of comfort, says Brian Elliot at Marsh. Ports and their contractors should consider:
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Early involvement
14 May 2008
Ports should get their insurance broker involved at the earliest possible stage of a major project, says specialist Marsh. “Every risk is unique when it comes to ports and we need to go through the project with our clients to get an in-depth understanding of what they are doing and how they are doing it – so we can design the best insurance programme possible,” says the firm's Antonia Simpson.
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Code certainty
14 May 2008
Introducing a Code of Practice for the ports construction industry could ease the minds of jittery insurers. Felicity Landon explains
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Risky business
14 May 2008
Brokers claim that marine construction projects are 'often difficult and challenging – and not the favourites of underwriters'. Felicity Landon investigates why this is the case
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Getting things in order
14 May 2008
It is not just the design of a project that insurers need to get to grips with – it is the order in which the works will be carried out.
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Manslaughter warning
14 Apr 2008
Convictions for corporate manslaughter in the UK construction sector could soar under the new Corporate Manslaughter Act which came into effect on 6 April, warns insurer Aon.
News Africa
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Namibia upgrades Walvis Bay
19 May 2008
Namibia Ports Authority is to deepen the draught of Walvis Bay to 15 metres, as well as adding bulk and break bulk handling facilities.
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Kenya cranes cleared
18 May 2008
Kenya Ports Authority has been given permission to buy two new quayside gantry cranes worth $24m. The deal had previously been challenged by Kenya's Anti-corruption Commission, which looked into the contract signed with Fantuzzi Reggiane.
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Liebherr scores in Africa
16 May 2008
Over the period of the last five years the Liebherr mobile harbour crane population in Africa has more than doubled, reaching 42 in total. Last year saw Liebherr handing over a record 11 mobile harbour cranes to various African customers, accounting for 13% of the complete sales volume. This represents an 83% increase over the 2006 figure of six units.
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Tanzania ploughs $62m into Dar expansion
14 May 2008
Tanzania International Container Terminal Services at the port of Dar es Salaam is to be expanded at a cost of $62m.
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Tangier terminal on the rise
10 May 2008
APM Terminals Tangier is ramping-up operations at the new container port and transhipment hub at the mouth of the Mediterranean Sea.
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New Luanda harbour
07 May 2008
Work is to start at Dande Bay this year on construction of a new harbour to serve the Angolan capital of Luanda. This will have double the capacity of Luanda's existing port, offering 32 berths.
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Major new port slated for Nigeria
24 Apr 2008
The government of Nigeria's Akwa Ibom state has reached an agreement with the Dersko Marine group to build a $5.2bn new port.
News Americas
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PANYNJ aims for 2010 carbon neutral deadline
30 Jul 2008
The Port Authority of New York & New Jersey (PANYNJ) has announced a goal of carbon neutrality from its operations by 2010.
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Manaus terminal project
28 May 2008
Lajes Logística, a joint-venture between two Brazilian companies, is to build a new container terminal at the port of Manaus. It will occupy a 600,000m2 area and cost $118m to implement. Initial capacity will be 250,000 teu.
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Paraguay ports clogged
27 May 2008
A weak dollar and increasing water levels on the Paraguay River have resulted in its ports becoming increasingly congested in recent months.
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IADB loans Montevideo $40m
26 May 2008
The Interamerican Development Bank is to make available a loan of $40m for the construction of new 300-metre Quay C at the port of Montevideo. The reclaimed quay will have 4,000 sq m of backup land and alongside draught of 14 metres.
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Paita and Pisco modernisation
25 May 2008
Modernisation of the Peruvian port of Paita will require investment of approximately $290m, while similar work at Pisco will involve $100m. Both ports are due to be transferred to private operators between July and September this year.
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Nautilus prospects for Savannah terminal
24 May 2008
California-based Nautilus International, which controls Metropolitan Stevedore and Metro Cruise Services among others, recently announced its purchase of the Savannah International Terminal (SIT).
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Five new Corrientes ports
23 May 2008
The Argentinian state of Corrientes is to build five new ports as part of its Strategic Territorial Plan "Argentina Bicentennial". These will be located at Ituzaingó, Itá Ibaté, Bella Vista, General Alvear and Gloria Goya.
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Brazilian hub plan
21 May 2008
LLX has announced plans to build a ‘Porto Brasil’ hub facility on Brazil's east coast, occupying some 3km of coastline around Peruíbe with a capacity of 15m tonnes/year. Investment would be in the order of $3.6bn.
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US and Chinese sisters in trade
20 May 2008
The North American port city of Tacoma recently announced the launch of a joint trade project with its Chinese sister-city.
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Belém CMA CGM hub
19 May 2008
CMA CGM is seeking to build a terminal in the Brazilian port of Belém, a process that it began three years ago on the back of 28% increase in business in the region. APM terminals, which recently acquired a stake in Ceara Terminal Operator - the major stevedoring company in Belém - also wants to create a hub facility in the port.
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Rio Grande interest
18 May 2008
Investors from the United Arab Emirates have expressed an interest in investing in ports in the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul as a means of accessing agricultural products produced there. Abu Dhabi, for example, is currently targeting up to 200,000 tonnes of rice, which will be exported via the port of Rio Grande.
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Investment boom for Central America
16 May 2008
Central American ports plan to invest more than $1bn on modernisation to cash in on the expansion of the Panama Canal and to capitalise on new trade agreements signed with Europe and the US.
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Santos Imbituba move
16 May 2008
Santos Brasil has been awarded a 25-year concession to operate a container terminal in the port of Imbituba in Santa Catarina state, for which the company will pay $72m. Capacity will be 950,000 teu/year, with investment of $170m earmarked.
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New Manzanillo terminal
15 May 2008
A tender covering operation of the container terminal at the port of Manzanillo, Mexico, will be issued in June. This will also involve expansion of capacity at the terminal to 4.5m teu.
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Tecondi ups capacity
13 May 2008
The Tecondi container terminal at the port of Santos in Brazil plans to increase capacity by 180% to 700,000 teu, which is equivalent to 29% of all containers handled at the port of Santos in 2006. This will require investment of $102m.
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Second quay for Coronel
12 May 2008
The Chilean port of Coronel is to raise $20m of new capital for the construction of a second quay and also to finance other investments. The port, which is Chile's main outlet for forestry traffic, needs the extra three berths to boost cargo to 3.5m tonnes.
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Monopoly concerns in Ecuador
12 May 2008
The Association of Ecuador's Private Port Operators has asked the government to avoid creating monopolies.
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Farfán tender withdrawn
10 May 2008
The Panama Maritime Authority has voided the tender issued in respect of the new $500m Farfán mega-port on its Pacific coast. The project will now be taken forward by a consortium consisting of Cosco Pacific and MTC Holdings following direct negotiations with the Panama government.
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ISPS code doubts at Paranaguá
06 May 2008
Questions are being raised as to whether the Brazilian port of Paranaguá is abiding by security measures contained within the International Ship and Port Facility Security Code.
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Salvador tarred as Brazil’s ‘least efficient’ port
30 Apr 2008
Truck turnaround times averaging in excess of six hours at the Brazilian port of Salvador allow it to claim the ‘title’ of the country's least efficient port.
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Privatisation backlash sweeps through Chile
30 Apr 2008
Shipping agents and port workers in Chile have stoutly rejected any new port privatisations in the country.
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Brazilian law shift to cripple concessioning efforts
24 Apr 2008
Existing concessionaires in Brazilian ports are alarmed by plans government to change current legislation governing the construction of private ports.
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PANYNJ to tackle Bayonne Bridge restriction
17 Apr 2008
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ) Board has authorised up to $300,000 for a study of the restrictive 151 ft air draft of the Bayonne Bridge and how that might hinder future trade growth.
News Asia
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India eyes deep draught
29 May 2008
India's Union Ministry of Shipping is to appoint a consultant to help identify and study the feasibility of building five deep draught ports. One of these will be located in West Bengal.
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Ennore box terminal bid
23 May 2008
Ennore Port Ltd is to develop a container terminal with 1,000 metres of quay and capacity for 1.5m teu at a cost of $326m. Private operators have been asked to request qualification to bid.
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Singapore-style for Doosan
14 May 2008
PSA has awarded a S$160m (US$118m) contract for 79 rubber-tyred gantry cranes (RTGs) to Doosan Heavy Industries and Construction from South Korea. The RTGs will be deployed at PSA’s new berths at Pasir Panjang Terminal to cater for rising shipment volumes: PSA has seen a 12% growth compared with the first quarter of last year. The RTGs have been customised to PSA’s specifications - including fuel consumption conservation.
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Vietnam favours steel over containers
12 May 2008
Vietnam has halted work on the construction of its first international container terminal and instead shifted resources to the construction of a steel mill promoted by the South Korean company Posco.
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PSA’s $60m for Kandla
10 May 2008
PSA will issue preference shares to raise $60m to invest in ABG Kandla Container Terminal Ltd. These will be convertible into equity shares after October 2011, but will not exceed 49% of paid-up equity share capital.
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Singapore broadband
03 May 2008
Infocomm Development Authority, QMax Communications and the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore have introduced the world's first wireless broadband network for ships in port. Known as Wiseport, it is based on the Mobile WiMAX wireless broadband network.
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ICTSI lands Mindanao concession
30 Apr 2008
International Container Terminal Services Inc has been awarded a 25-year concession to build and manage Mindanao Container Terminal.
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Investor sees "extraordinary opportunities" in India
30 Apr 2008
India's ports and logistics sector offers “extraordinary opportunities” for investment, according to Alastair King, chief executive of British-based Eredene Capital.
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Birth of Japanese super port
24 Apr 2008
Tokyo, Yokohama and Kawasaki have announced plans to integrate their respective port operations to enhance their collective international competitiveness.
News Australasia
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Plan for Fremantle alternative powers ahead
27 May 2008
Western Australian port developer James Point has committed to stage two of its plan to build a container terminal at Kwinana, as an alternative port to Fremantle.
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Liebherr NZ return
27 May 2008
Liebherr has finalised a contract with the Port of Tauranga, New Zealand for the supply of a super post panamax container crane, which will have a lift height of 36.2m and an outreach of 48m - higher and longer than the original three post panamax units (delivered in 1992 and 2004) which already operate in the company of a fourth, older tango type crane. Included in the contract is upgrade and refurbishment work on two of these cranes.
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Melbourne dredging on track
25 May 2008
Melbourne’s much-opposed channel-deepening project is now over 10% complete.
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Newcastle growth
17 May 2008
Newcastle's Port Waratah Coal Services is to invest over A$1bn (US$937m) in an expansion to be completed after 2010, increasing production at the terminal by 40%. It will include new coal-handling equipment, a new berth and dredging.
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Auckland lays out plan
16 May 2008
Optimising container terminal capacity through new plant and systems development, and adding incremental reclamation through dredgings, are key elements of the Port Development Plan published by Ports of Auckland. Currently handling 773,200 teu, the port is predicting 4.22m teu by 2040.
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Cavotec celebrates European opening
13 May 2008
John Polatz, investor relations director with New Zealand-headquartered Cavotec MSL, believes the newly-signed contract with Denmark’s Nordic Ferry Services will prove vital to sales of its vacuum mooring units in Europe.
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Victoria’s opening
12 May 2008
Victoria's newest terminal operation, Port of Gippsland, is expected to be open for business this month. Gippsland Maritime Logistics will run the terminal as a common-user offshore support facility.
News Europe
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Cutting UK supply chain costs
11 Jun 2008
Logistics specialist Import Services is offering a cash flow advantage to UK importers with a bonded storage within a short distance of Southampton Port.
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Tesco celebrates UK port partnership
30 May 2008
Operator PD Ports and UK supermarket chain Tesco have announced plans to bring 800 new jobs to Teesside, through the development of a state-of-the-art import centre.
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Poti to dredge channel
28 May 2008
Poti seaport in Georgia has issued an international tender for dredging work in its approach channel. The 1.6 km channel is to be deepened to 12.5 metres.
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Gijón windy plan
24 May 2008
Spain’s Gijón Port Authority has issued a tender for a concession to build and operate a wind farm in the outer dykes in the new expansion area of the port. The concession will be for a fixed 20 year period, without the possibility of any extension.
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Hanjin to invest in Algeciras
20 May 2008
South Korean shipping line Hanjin is to invest €375m ($597m) in the new public container terminal that it is building in the port of Algeciras in southern Spain. The shipping line believes it will be able to handle 800,000 teu in the first year of operation, scheduled for 2010, rising to 1.8m teu.
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Westerlund cranes get to Antwerp
20 May 2008
The Westerlund Group has taken delivery of two new cranes from Liebherr.
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DPW Russian exploration
18 May 2008
DP World has acknowledged that it is exploring maritime opportunities in Russia, in conjunction with Russian partners. The company already jointly operates the Vostochny International Container Services terminal.
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International operators eye Valencia
17 May 2008
The proposed fifth container terminal at the port of Valencia, which could also be divided into two different concessions, has drawn interest from shipping lines Maersk, CMA CGM and MSC, as well as from Spanish terminal groups Dragados-SPL and TCB, not to mention international operator DP World, claims Rafael Aznar, president of Valencia Port authority.
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Tarragona eyes international operator
17 May 2008
Josep Anton Burgasé, president of Tarragona Port Authority, has confirmed he is keen to tap in on the huge growth potential for containers at his port, but has yet to find a workable solution.
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New port plan for Ukraine
14 May 2008
The Transport and Communications Ministry in Ukraine has produced a new port development strategy, allowing ports to be operated on a landlord basis.
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Bumper year for APM
14 May 2008
APM Terminals ended 2007 with a net profit of $411m compared with $99m for the previous year. Throughput amounted to 31.4m containers, an increase of 13%.
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Spanish stevedores seize labour company control
11 May 2008
Stevedoring companies have taken equity control of 19 of the 36 Port Labour companies in Spain, which will become Economic Interest Port Groups (APIEs).
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St Petersburg jurisdiction change
10 May 2008
Jurisdiction of the port of St Petersburg may well be transferred to the local authority in the near future on the back of new legislation planned for the autumn. St Petersburg is also expected to become the first in Russia to be a designated a Special Economic Zone.
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Liverpool crane explosions mark a sign of the times
07 May 2008
Dramatic photos taken as the Port of Liverpool disposed of two redundant quayside cranes mark striking images of port progression in the 21st Century.
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France to privatise ports
06 May 2008
Seven of France's nine public ports - Bordeaux, Dunkirk, La Rochelle, Le Havre, Marseille, Nantes-Saint-Nazaire and Rouen - are to be privatised, with investment made available by the state to boost throughput from 3.6m teu/year to 10m teu/year by 2015.
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Hauliers fined in Barcelona
06 May 2008
Road haulage organisations Transcont and ALTC have been issued with fines of €7.3m ($11.6m) and €7.6m ($12.1m) respectively by Spain's competition authority for restrictive practices involving operations in the container terminals at the port of Barcelona.
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Marval and MSC end cooperation
05 May 2008
Marítima Valenciana and MSC have ended the management contract that the former has at the latter's home terminal in the port of Valencia.
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Productivity award for APM terminal
03 May 2008
APM Terminal's Zeebrugge has been awarded a Crane Productivity Award by APL for its handling of the New World Alliance weekly South China Express (SCX) service.
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Planners relax conditions for Felixstowe
02 May 2008
Hutchison Ports (UK)’s deepwater container expansion at Felixstowe appears to be a step nearer after local planners agreed to a variation in the conditions attached to the project’s original planning consent.
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Greek dockers win first round in privatisation battle
24 Apr 2008
Piraeus Port Authority has lost its legal challenge to have ruled illegal a strike by dockworkers protesting their opposition to the privatisation of container terminals in Greek ports.
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European first for virtual port training world
17 Apr 2008
His Royal Highness Prince Andrew, The Duke of York, has officially opened a world-class £1.75m port and international trade training facility on the UK's north west coast.
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London celebrates volume growth
10 Apr 2008
The Port of London handled over 50m tonnes for the seventh consecutive year in 2007, increasing volumes overall by 800,000 tonnes compared with 2006, Port of London Authority (PLA) chairman Simon Sherrard announced at the PLA’s annual reception.
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Planners approve major expansion in Liverpool warehousing
10 Apr 2008
Planners have given the go-ahead for the second phase of development of Liverpool Intermodal Freeport Terminal (LIFT).
News Products & Services
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Overriding the riders
27 May 2008
Forklift operation is at the heart of port productivity but in the general pressure, drivers often override the warning lights on their machines - and this eventually means expensive downtime.
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Paceco goes for green
17 May 2008
Paceco has pressed home its green credentials by entering into an agreement with flywheel energy storage manufacturer, Vycon.
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Synchronised lifting with safety
09 May 2008
Liebherr's has unveiled a new Litronic control system that allows automatic tandem lifts with anti-collision or remote control options.
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Linde invests in modular capability
03 May 2008
By creating an independent business unit, Linde Material Handling aims to boost its heavy truck business and occupy a stronger position in the global market.
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Swap for top team at Vycon
17 Apr 2008
Vycon, the flywheel-energy innovator, has announced the appointment of a new chief executive.
Planning & Design: Life Cycle Costs
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Embracing scheduling systems
21 May 2008
New Zealand’s Axis Engineering uses a computerised scheduling system to plan the preventative maintenance of equipment, while component maintenance tracking is a feature at DP World terminals.
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Keep it simple, keep it safe
21 May 2008
The entry into the port handling industry of cheaper manufacturers from developing countries has reignited the debate over whether terminal operators need necessarily have to factor in higher life cycle costs if sourcing from these suppliers.
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The numbers game
21 May 2008
Getting timely and accurate and data on life cycle costs for port assets can be a testing task, as Alex Hughes finds out
Port Opinion: Larry Lam & Ooi Boon Hoe, Portek
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Containership cascade
28 May 2008
· MPX (mid panamax) – 2,000 teu-3,500 teu
· LPX (large panamax) – 3,500 teu-4,500 teu
· PPX (post panamax) – 4,500 teu-6,000 teu
· LPPX (large post panamax) – 6,000 teu-8,000 teu
· SPPX (super post panamax) megaships – 8,000 teu-12,500 teu
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Tomorrow’s world
28 May 2008
Portek chairman Larry Lam and executive director Ooi Boon Hoe examine the ‘cascade effect’ in container shipping and the future implications for regional and feeder ports
Port Opinion: Mark Cairns, Tauranga
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Time for change
28 May 2008
Tauranga boss Mark Cairns talks candidly to Dave MacIntyre about why he believes there is a pressing need for an overhaul in New Zealand port ownership
Port Profile: Ho Chi Minh
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Running with the big boys
07 May 2008
Come 2010 a slew of new terminals should help Vietnam realise its exporting potential, writes Wing Kah-goh from Ho Chi Minh City
Regional Feature: Southeast Asia
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ASEAN defined
07 May 2008
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is a regional community of ten nations in Southeast Asia (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam) that aims to accelerate economic growth and social progress.
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Transit port for landlocked Laos
07 May 2008
A transit port reserved for Laos commodities will be built this year at the Vung Ang Port in the central Vietnamese province of Ha Tinh.
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Another boxport slated for the Malacca Strait
07 May 2008
Karimun in Riau Islands province, Indonesia, will commence construction of a container terminal this year in a bid to promote its status as a special economic zone.
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Inner beauty
07 May 2008
Trade within the continent will spur growth at southeast Asia’s terminals in the coming years, suggests Wing Kah-goh from Singapore
