Somalia: Dredging Project Invigorates Mogadishu, Bosaso Ports The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has completed dredging projects at Mogadishu and Bosaso ports to accommodate larger ships able to carry more cargo, the relief organisation announced Tuesday (March 12th). In Bosaso, 160,000 cubic metres of silt was scooped out from the bottom of the port, increasing its depth by an average of one and a half metres. "Bosaso has become a key entry point for the northern corridor into north-central Somalia, where WFP's operations have been significantly increased, especially since the droughts in 2011," said Paul Wyatt, WFP head of logistics for Somalia. The improvements to Bosaso port mean that ships can dock even at low tide, increasing the number of berthing ships by roughly one-third and the average tonnage of imports by 50%. It will also allow WFP to transport greater volumes of food to Somalia at any one time, making its operations more efficient and cost-effective.

The "Eurodam" will be the first cruise ship to dock at the new, 3rd cruise ship terminal in the port of Kiel on June 9, 2013. The port will establish its position as the third largest turnaround port for cruises in northern Europe by expanding its handling capacities for cruise ships. Construction work for the extension of Berth No.1 at Ostuferhafen has begun on Mar 11, 2013, so that large cruise ships can dock there this summer already. By extending Berth No. 1, three very big cruise ships can moor in Kiel at the same time for passenger turnaround. The extended cruise Berth No.1 has a quay length of 395 m with a constant water depth of 10.50 m. The facility is going to be certified according to the international ISPS Code and comes with all equipment for vessel provisioning. Furthermore, the fenders at Berth No. 1 will be adapted to the requirements of particularly large ships and a passenger gangway will be installed by the end of May. For future luggage handling, an area of 2,500 m² will be redesigned in the hall adjacent to the berth. The passenger terminal area will be set up in a light-flooded pavilion of more than 1,500 m², extending the hall towards the water front. All in all, the terminal is designed for handling vessels with up to 4,000 passengers. Report with photo: www.dredgingtoday... www.cruiseandferr...

Oil majors Total and Royal Dutch Shell said a three-day-old strike by the oil workers' union in Gabon has not affected their operations, despite union reports to the contrary. "The strike has been marginal, only a handful of workers are participating in it," Mathurin Mengue-Bibang, a spokesman for Total in Gabon, said on Tuesday. "Our operations are ongoing, a ship was loaded at our Cape Lopez terminal and it departed today," Mengue-Bibang said by telephone from Gabon.www.reuters.com/a...

The Port of Duqm in Oman, which began commercial operations this week, expects to have an international operator providing some bunkering services before the end of this year, the Oman Daily Observer reports. "We are in the final stages of negotiations with an interested party, and we hope to sign with the service provider before the end of this year," said Reggy Vermeulen, commercial director of the port. The government has invested about RO 700 million ($1.8 billion) in the construction of a deepwater harbour to support the SEZ, which is being promoted as an industrial and petrochemical hub for the Wusta coast. The first commercial quay will be more than 3,200 meters long, with 300 meters ready for commercial use so far.

The Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway's 2013 navigation season will begin on the morning of March 22, 2013. The March 22 opening reflects an effort on the part of the Canadian and U.S. Seaway operating corporations to harmonize their opening dates with the opening of the Soo Locks, operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which will open the locks at Sault Ste. Marie, MI on their legislatively mandated March 25 annual opening date. More at seawaychannel.net...

Aqaba Container Terminal (ACT), the Red Sea gateway to Jordan and beyond, commemorated the successful completion of the first part of its berth expansion, adding 200 meters of new quay and two new STS cranes and four Rubber Tire Gantry cranes (RTGs), said in the APM Terminals press release.The development is expected to increase the terminal’s annual capacity to 1.5 million TEUs and bolster the terminal’s throughput capacity. The new cranes can handle a reach of 22 rows capable of handling the largest containerships entering global trade with 30 moves per hour. The port can work three ships simultaneously. ACT recorded a 16 percent increase in 2012 container throughput to 833,000 TEUs.

The Taiwan International Ports Corporation (TIPC)’s plan to purchase two new 5,200hp harbor tugs is part of Port of Kaohsiung’s overall strategy to both enhance Asia regional transshipment, comprehensive logistics and comprehensive vessel handling services and expand / enhance port and harbor facilities to handle the needs of increasingly large cargo vessels. The new tugs will replace outdated models and ensure port capabilities to service post-Panamax ships, said in the press release.

The PORT OF KIEL – third largest turnaround port for cruises in northern Europe - is expanding its handling capacities for cruise ships. Construction work for the extension of Berth No.1 at Ostuferhafen has begun, so that large cruise ships can dock there this summer already. Dr Dirk Claus, Managing Director of the PORT OF KIEL (SEEHAFEN KIEL GmbH & Co. KG: “In a first step, Berth No.1 will relieve our existing cruise terminal Ostseekai regarding stop-overs before passenger turnaround will be handled at this berth next year.” Berth No. 1 will receive its premiere when the “Eurodam” of Holland America Line will dock there on 09 June 2013. The extended cruise Berth No.1 has a quay length of 395 m with a constant water depth of 10.50 m. The facility is going to be certified according to the international ISPS Code and comes with all equipment for vessel provisioning. Press Release: www.portofkiel.co...

It has been confirmed that the world's largest container ships - Maersk Line's Triple E – will call at the Port of Gothenburg. Test runs have been taking place at the Port of Gothenburg for some time to simulate a call by Maersk Line's new ship generation, Triple E.

Hong Kong’s massive new cruise terminal will welcome its first ship, the 965-foot luxury vessel Celebrity Millennium, this Saturday before the facility is formally opened. Celebrity Millennium, carrying more than 2,000 passengers, will berth at the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal in the morning. Owned by Celebrity Cruises, the ship is heading to Hong Kong from Halong Bay, Vietnam. The ship will use the apron area for a turnaround operation from Saturday to Monday, the Tourism Commission said. The terminal building and the first berth will be commissioned in the middle of this year.