Asia

Japan is to provide $65m to rehabilitate the Southern Angolan ports of Lobito and Namibe by 2010. According to Japanese consultants, Lobito needs $35m of upgrading work and Namibe $30m. 

Chinese experts predict that by 2010 national ports will be handling 8bn tonnes of cargo annually and 170m teu. Existing capacity is for 5.6bn tonnes and 93m teu.

Indian steel manufacturing giant Tata has stoutly defended its plans for a new steel and ore port at Dhamra, in the eastern Indian province of Orissa, in the face of environmental protests.

A feasibility study on dredging at Korea’ s Busan port has verified the need for deepening at selected berths at Shinsundae Container Terminal, Gamman Container Terminal, Shingamman and Jasungdae.

Vinashin is to invest $93.8m to rebuild Cang Viet Port in Vietnam. This will allow it to handle 2m tonnes of cargo per year and receive vessels of up to 10,000 dwt.

The customs authorities in the Philippines are to introduce 10 new x-ray scanners at eight ports. These have been approved by authorities in the US.

Equipment provider Portek has confirmed orders for container cranes, hardware installations and crane upgrades and repairs in Columbia (South America), Sri Lanka, Singapore and Malaysia, in orders worth a total of S$5.3…

Port Klang’ s Northport has introduced a € 110m ($148.1m) expansion programme, which aims to boost container handling capacity, in addition to that of other cargoes. Investment will take place over the…

Property prices in Singapore could make it difficult for authorities in that country to expand port facilities in the longer term, claim experts in Malaysia. 

Long avoided, suddenly international firms are eyeing the archipelago, as Wing Kah-goh uncovers

The timing was appropriate.April Fool’ s  Day was the given date when PSA  handed back operations of Muara Container Terminal, some 19 years ahead of its 25-year contract expiry date, bringing an…

Zurich-based engineering company ABB has netted more than $65m in orders for crane systems at Asian ports.The contracts cover the supply of automation and electrical systems for 74 ZPMC cranes, for delivery…

New Zealand’ s Jade Software Corporation has signed an Memorandum of Understanding with CMC Limited of India to “ accelerate the rate of use and deployment of Jade technology and applications” .

Sabang Free Trade Zone Management Board in Indonesia’ s Aceh province has put together a joint venture with Dublin Port Company of Ireland to undertake a $445m investment in the Port of…