Van der Vlist transported cable reels from Trieste, Italy, to Zelzate in northern Belgium, using its new 10-axle semi-low trailer.

CHINA International Marine Containers (CIMC) is investing CNY3 billion (US$480.7 million) in building a new 450,000-TEU container manufacturing plant in Yinzhou, Ningbo, marking its second expansion project in China this year.

In March, CIMC, the world's biggest box maker, announced it would invest CNY7 billion in developing a container manufacturing plant with an annual production capacity of 750,000 TEU in Dongguan, adjacent to Guangzhou.

Despite slowing container sales, the world's largest box manufacturer is betting on a long-term trend of containerisation in global trade and a gradual economic recovery.

"Leveraging on the gradual recovery of the global economy, as well as the steady increase in global containerisation, it is expected that the long-term growing trend of demand for containers will continue in the future," the firm said in its Shenzhen and Hong Kong stock exchange filing.

"Upon completion of the Yinzhou project, it will benefit the group in further fortifying and maintaining its leading position in the container industry," said the filing.

CIMC sealed the deal with local authorities to put fixed-asset investment of CNY1.5 billion into the 470,000-square metre plant in the Yinzhou Economic Development Zone, near one of the main hubs in eastern China.

The complex will have an initial production capacity of 200,000 TEU per year in 2015, before expanding to 450,000 TEU per year in 2018.

CIMC, whose cash reserves amounted to CNY4.5 billion at the end of March, will fund the project from its own capital.

*NEWS SOURCE

 Original news was published on 10 June,2014

SAL Anne-Sofie carries vessels from Turkey to Iraq

Liburnia Maritime Agency has loaded two oil recovery vessels in Tuzla, a suburb of Istanbul, Turkey.

The vessels were loaded onto Anne-Sofie, SAL’s 12,000-tonne-deadweight multipurpose vessel that has two onboard cranes with a combined lifting capacity of 1,400 tonnes. Each of the recovery vessels weighed 338 tons and measured 42 meters long, GPLN said in a statement on behalf of its Croatian member.

The Anne-Sofie carried the cargoes to Umm Qasr, a port city in southern Iraq.

*NEWS SOURCE

    Original news was published on 9 June, 2014

“Ready to roll out the red carpet for investors,” Minister says

Greece ‘s conservative-led government supports a plan to privatize the country’s major ports in hopes of attracting billions of euros of new investments.

Greece’s Minister for Shipping Miltiadis Varvitsiotis told the Wall Street Journal the country was ready to “roll out the red carpet” for investors in the 13 major ports it is planning to sell off, and was ready to consider private investment even in smaller harbors.

“I think privately managed companies can be more efficient and more aggressive in the market,” Varvitsiotis said.

The government got a taste of privatization through Cosco’s efforts at Piraeus, the nation’s main port, which have turned its portion of the port into one of the top 10 container ports in Europe. Cosco will spend US$300 million over the next six years to further expand cargo-handling facilities at the port. The government has initiated a bid for the rest of the port at Piraeus. A.P. Moeller Maersk, International Container Terminal (Philippines), Ports America and Cosco itself have expressed interest. The deal is expected to close by the end of this year.

Privatizing ports is just one aspect of the government’s sweeping plan. Earlier this year, it announced it would sell stakes in state-held rail and road transport, airports, utilities, gaming and public real estate holdings.

*NEWS SOURCE

IMPORT volumes at major US ports are expected to go up 7.5 per cent in June as retailers bring in high quantities fearful of disruptions on the west coast after the dockers' labour contract expires, says Global Port Tracker.

  Original news was published on 8 June, 2014

LONG Beach Mayor Bob Foster has appointed Lou Anne Bynum to the board of harbour commissioners to replace Thomas Fields providing the body with its first female majority.

Ms Bynum has served on the Long Beach City College (LBCC) as vice-president of college advancement and economic development and has been with the college since 1997.

In a report from Long Beach Press Telegram, Mayor Foster said that her 25 years in the public and private sector which has included numerous port related projects shows deep connections in the community and business acumen.

"She's kind of Miss Business in Long Beach, and I think she'll add a business-oriented approach there," he said of the appointment, which typically runs for two six-year terms at US$100 per board meeting that usually runs twice a month.

*NEWS SOURCE

      Original news was published on 7 June,2014

A total of eight investment groups expressed interest in a tender to buy 67% of equity capital in Thessaloniki Port Organization, while Hellenic Republic Asset Development Fund said on Thursday, as Ana-Mpa reports today. The eight candidates are: APM Terminals, B.V.; Deutsche Invest Equity Partners, GmbH; DufercoParticipation Holding, SA; International Container Terminal Services, Inc; Mitsui & Co., Ltd.; P&O Steam Navigation Company (DP World); Russian Railways JSC-GEK TERNA S.A. and Yilport Holding,Inc. In an announcement, the Hellenic Republic Asset Development Fund (Taiped) said that its privatization advisors will evaluate all bids before submitting their recommendations to the board of Taiped for the candidates to be included in the next phase of the tender.

The Fund board also approved the five investment groups to be included in the second phase of a tender to sell a 67% equity capital in Piraeus Port Organization (OLP). These five investors are: APM Terminals, B.V.; COSCO (Hong Kong) Group Limited; International Container Terminal Services, Inc; Ports America Group Holdings and Utilico Emerging Markets Limited. These investors will have access to detailed data over the assets of the port and the terms of the tender procedure. The board meeting also approved the final plan of a concession contract for the exploitation of the first group of tourism harbors (Alimos, Poros, Hydra, New Epidavros), with the submission of biding bids expected in July 2014. 

*NEWS SOURCE

2009-built VLGC Karoline N fetches record time charter

A time charter for a very large gas carrier has been reportedly extended for two years at a monthly rate of $2.8M, an amount that industry sources believe is an all-time high.

Brokers told IHS Maritime that Hamburg-based Neu Gas Shipping International's 2009-built Karoline N was chartered for $2.8M/month, for two years. Sources indicate the charterer could be Mexican LPG trader Texas Gas & Oil.

Traders told IHS Maritime that Texas Gas & Oil is an LPG supplier to Guatemala, which would necessitate a transit through the Panama Canal. "But sometimes, Texas Gas & Oil sells its shipments to other traders so that again could be why it wants a ship that can transit the Panama Canal to reach Asian buyers," said a Singapore-based trader.

*NEWS SOURCE

Waldemar Poulsen, formerly with Safmarine in Houston, has been named president and CEO of Rickmers-Linie (America), effective July 1, 2014. Previously, Poulsen was director/country manager with Safmarine, responsible for the activities of the multi-purpose division of Safmarine in the Americas.

Poulsen replaces Robert Sappio, who has been heading Rickmers-Linie (America) since September 2012. Sappio will continue to serve on the board of Rickmers-Linie (America).

Ulrich Ulrichs, CEO of Rickmers-Linie thanked Sappio for his instrumental role in transforming and improving the company’s operations in the Americas. “Bob’s leadership over the last two years has helped to better position our company for the future in the Americas,” Ulrichs said in a statement. “We are happy he will remain connected to the company in a board role.”


*NEWS SOURCE