For many years the watchdog had expressed concerns that persistently high profitability and a lack of rivalry on prices meant stevedoring companies Patrick and DP World faced only limited competition. If container numbers continued to increase at current rates the Port of Melbourne could face capacity problems, similar to those observed at Port Botany, by as early as 2015, the report said. The Victorian Government is currently debating how it will provide for future container capacity and increased competition at Melbourne. “Opportunities for new entry into Australian stevedoring are rare. This makes them all the more important when they do arise,” ACCC Chairman Rod Sims said. “We would welcome the Victorian government taking advantage of the need for new investment by introducing a third competitor into the port of Melbourne,” Sims said. www.logisticsmaga...

The governing board of the Intermodal Container Transfer Facility Joint Powers Authority will hold a meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 29 at 6 p.m. PT to discuss the proposed modernization and expansion of the container cargo facility operated by Union Pacific Railroad. The ICTF is a 148-acre rail yard located west of Long Beach, five miles north of the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles at the northern terminus of the Terminal Island (103) Freeway. Union Pacific Railroad has proposed an ICTF modernization and expansion project that would more than double the cargo-handling capacity from 725,000 to 1.5 million containers per year. The proposed project would incorporate a number of environmental improvements, including the use of electric overhead cranes, cleaner yard tractors and ultra-low-emissions locomotives.

Cochin Shipyard Limited, which has entered a crucial phase of growth in commercial shipbuilding, is looking to expand to new locations, TransReporter reports. At a high-level meeting convened at Thiruvananthapuram, the Kerala Government has requested the yard to look at sites in Vizhinjam, Poovar and Azheekal for setting up a new facility. The yard hopes to complete a preliminary study within two months. A senior official of the yard said that the company plans to set up a big dock of Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC) capacity in the new location. This would enable the yard to enter into high value construction, conversion and upgrade work. Currently, the yard is constructing 34 ships of which 13 are platform supply vessels and anchor handling tug supply vessels. Of these, six are for Shipping Corporation of India (SCI) and the rest for overseas companies. Source: www.transreporter...

A Canadian navy ship that had just undergone a yearlong, $44.7-million facelift struck a dock in Halifax on Friday afternoon, causing damage to both. HMCS Preserver, one of the navy's supply ships, had just returned from several days of tests at sea and was in the process of turning around when it struck the Halifax Shipyards dock, said Royal Canadian Navy spokesman Maj. Paul Doucette. No one was injured, but Preserver's upper starboard side was damaged, as was the dock. Doucette could not say whether the collision was due to crew error or the repairs that had recently been completed by Irving Shipbuilding, which owns the dock. Irving officials were not immediately available for comment. Doucette said the ship is currently docked in Halifax, and that an investigation will be launched. Preserver was launched in 1970 and normally carries a crew of 300. Classed an auxiliary oiler replenishment ship, it has been attached to Canadian missions in Haiti, Kuwait, Somalia and the former Yugoslavia over the course of its life.

Somali pirates have likely captured a Taiwanese fishing vessel off the Indian Ocean archipelago of the Seychelles, according to Taiwanese authorities. The Chin Yi Wen with a crew of 28, including nine Chinese, eight Filipinos, six Indonesians and five Vietnamese nationals, had been out of contact since Friday and was likely seized by Somali pirates, the foreign ministry said. The boat was last reported heading towards the Somali coast.

THE owners of the Outer Harbour have quashed fears that a construction accident in the harbour mouth has caused disruption to shipping traffic. Damage caused to work at the entrance to the Outer Harbour, Great Yarmouth; Picture: James Bass Chief executive of EastPort, Eddie Freeman, reassured the public that the collapse of a circular caisson near the entrance to the Outer Harbour had no affect on tidal flow or the movement of ships. Contractors were carrying out the work as part of a project to modify the mouth of the Outer Harbour in a bid to solve a swell problem affecting small vessels. More at www.edp24.co.uk/b...

While governments wrangle over the best way to reduce emissions from the global shipping industry, Scotland has taken a major step towards curbing emissions by commissioning the world's first fleet of battery powered ferries, Business Green reports. Publicly owned Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited (CMAL) named Glasgow-based Ferguson Shipbuilders yesterday as the preferred bidder for its £20m Low Emissions Hybrid Ferries project. CMAL launched the project earlier this year to develop a ship which could help reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 20 per cent, while also cutting fuel consumption, noise levels and operating costs. Working with nearby ship design company Seatec and electrical specialists Tec-Source, Ferguson will build two ferries capable of carrying 150 passengers, 23 cars or two lorries, with a service speed of nine knots. The vessels will be powered by small diesel generators that will supply power to electric propulsion motors that turn the vessel's propellers. Lithium-ion battery banks will provide additional power and will be recharged overnight while the ferries are moored on the islands. More to read at www.businessgreen...

State owned firm National Oil Corporation of Kenya ( NOCK) has made initial steps towards constructing a jetty at the port of Mombasa to ease handling and discharge of oil products, Businessdailyafrica reports. NOCK says a strategic partner has been identified for the facility which allows berthing of super tankers with maximum capacity of 280 000 dead weight tonnes (DWT), up from the current 80 000DWT, at once. To be located in the deep seas – up to 5 kilometres from shore, the offshore floating jetty will cost between $80million and $100million( about Sh9.9billion). It is preferred over a fixed one for it comes with a dedicated bunkering line for big ships, eliminating the need for dredging of the channel. “A feasibility study is underway and a final report is expected by January 2012,” said NOCK managing director Sumayya Hassan-Athmani.

The government of Angola has given the go-ahead for the construction of a new commercial port at Barra do Dande, in Bengo province. Once operational, it will become the country’s leading import-export facility. Another new deepwater port is to be built at Caio. Source: PortStrategy

President Goodluck Jonathan plans to lift spending on road, rail and power projects to spur business in the largest African oil producer. Nigeria on Oct. 26 gave a $370.5 million contract to expand Onne Port, near the oil region of Port Harcourt, to Intels Nigeria Ltd., Information Minister Labaran Maku said.