The 'Akzdeniz', aimed to sail from Turkey to Gaza with humanitarian aid have been denied the right to sail. On the afternoon of April 25, the Freedom Flotilla Coalition was contacted by the Guinea Bissau International Ships Registry (GBISR), requesting an inspection of the 'Akdenez', altihough the ship had already passed all required inspections. The inspector arrived on the evening. On afternoon of April 26, before the inspection was completed, the GBISR, in a blatantly political move, informed the Freedom Flotilla Coalition that it had withdrawn the Guinea Bissau flag from two of the Freedom Flotilla’s ships, one of which the cargo ship, already loaded with over 5000 tons of life-saving aid for the Palestinians of Gaza. The 'Akdeniz' remained stationary in Tuzla as of April 29. Report with photo: https://thehill.com/policy/international/4626240-gaza-humanitarian-aid-ships-turkey-denied-right-sail-flags-removed/
News
MEIN SCHIFF 1
On April 25, 2024, the bridge crew of the 'Mein Schiff 1' discovered a boat with two people in distress during a day at sea between the ports of Málaga and Alicante. The Spanish Coastguard was then immediately alerted. The speed of the cruise ship was reduced and a dinghy was lowered into the water, and the people were successfully rescued. After providing support, the 'Mein Schiff 1' continued the current cruise as scheduled.
Felixstowe
Workers at Felixstowe have decided to go on a strike for the first time since 1989. Shipping firms and union leaders have warned that the actions could heavily impact the supply chains and also leave buyers waiting for their necessary goods and other commodities. Nearly 1,900 members of the Unite at Felixstowe have walked out in a dispute regarding pay in the most recent outbreak of industrial action to hit some sectors of the economy. Workers, including machine operators, crane drivers, and stevedores will take action after voting by more than nine to one in favor of strikes. The union said that the eight-day halt is likely to have a significant impact on the port that typically handles almost 4m containers in one year from about 2,000 ships. Felixstowe handles about half of the containerized freight that enters the country and the actions could indicate that vessels have to be diverted to ports in other places in Europe or the UK. Haulage majors have warned that the strike could have a serious impact on business, while trade organizations have said that the consumers could be affected by price increases. All through Suffolk, the bill could run into millions and all over the country a lot more. It is not going to impact the food supply chains as all fresh produces are in stock, but it will impact the supply chain in terms of fences, furniture, and bits and bobs. Maersk, one of the largest container shippers in the world, has said that the strike may cause delays and force it to make changes to its vessel lineup. In the meantime, consumers may be hit with price hikes and shortages of some products. Consumer prices are already rising owing to the increases in the shipping rates experienced since the middle of 2020. Further disruptions in the UK are going to add to the cost pressures, even though the temporary unavailability of some commodities may be the first noticeable impact on the consumers.
Puerto Brisa
LBH Colombia- SHIP AGENTS We are always glad to provide our dedicated assistance as ship agents when a vessel is calling at any Colombian port or terminal. ON YOUR BEHALF, WE CONTRACT, COORDINATE AND / OR SUPERVISE FOLLOWING SERVICES: - Provision & Ship Chandler - Crew change -Medical assistance -Bilingual assistance, Interpreter / translator for all related maritime services -Ship spares & parcel deliveries -Surveys, inspector, and certificates -Local repairs and technical services Riohacha | Puerto Brisa Calle 14 G # 21A-05 Barrio Cooperativo Phone: +57 315 8984080 E-mail: opz2@lbhcolombia.com https://www.lbhcolombia.com/ __________________________________
DALI
As of Apri 26, 137 containers of the estimated 180 necessary to access the portion of the bridge atop the 'Dali' have been removed. 171 commercial vessels have transited the four alternate channels, including five of the vessels waiting to depart the Port of Baltimore since March 26. More than 350 uniformed and civilian workers from 53 federal, state, and local agencies across the U.S. have been deployed to Baltimore for the ongoing recovery and salvage efforts. In addition, 553 contract specialists were actively involved in various roles related to dive, crane, and vessel operations. Over 1,000 individuals have contributed to the Key Bridge Response mission over the past month. To address the estimated 50,000 tons of wreckage at the Francis Scott Key Bridge site, the Unified Command has assembled a substantial fleet of diverse vessels and equipment which includes 36 barges, 27 tugs, 22 floating cranes, 10 excavators, one dredger, one skimmer, and three Coast Guard cutters. Progress in the salvage effort has been significant, with over 3,000 tons of wreckage and debris already removed from the site for disposal or recycling. 90 dive missions have been conducted by as many as seven dive teams, each consisting of four to five specialists. This tally does not include the numerous recovery-related dives undertaken within the initial 48 hours by over 60 divers from the Maryland State Police and other federal, state, and local agencies. Survey vessels deployed by the Unified Command have executed more than 60 missions to gather sonar and laser imagery, essential for mapping the wreckage of the 'Dali' and determining safe maritime navigation routes. This data, acquired day and night, is crucial for diver safety, enabling dive supervisors to guide underwater operations amidst the murky depths of the Patapsco River. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Office of Coast Survey completed nine hydrographic survey assessments to help establish the temporary channels by identifying obstructions for salvage teams to remove. Following obstruction removal, the NOAA hydrographic survey team returned and verified the temporary alternate channels were clear and safe for vessel navigation. Aerial efforts have also played a vital role, with more than 100 pilots and support specialists from over 35 agencies conducting 250 Unmanned Aircraft System missions and 60 manned helicopter and fixed-wing sorties. Serving as the literal eye-in-the-sky, the Air Operations branch has been instrumental from the early search and rescue phase to the ongoing salvage operations, providing essential oversight for Unified Command planners, operators, and leadership. Report with photo: https://www.keybridgeresponse2024.com/post/update-16-multimedia-release-unified-command-reflects-on-month-s-progress-during-joint-recovery-and
ABEILLE NORMANDIE
On April 26 the CROSS Gris-Nez was informed that a migrant boat was in difficulty north of the Hardelot beach through various calls. telephone calls and deployed the 'Abeille Normandie' to check the boat and rescue the people in difficulty. Once on scene, the crew of the 'Abeille Normandie' picked up the 54 people on board the boat. After an initial treatment on board, all migrants were dropped off a few hours later at the dock in Boulogne-sur-Mer and taken care of by the shore based rescue services and the border police.
Odessa
Russian missiles struck the port of Odessa on July 23, 2022, violating a deal signed a day earlier to curb grain exports from Black Sea ports and ease global food shortages caused by the war. The Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described the strike as blatant "barbarism" and that Moscow could not be trusted to implement the agreement. The Ukrainian military said that the missiles had not caused any significant damage and that preparations were underway to resume grain exports from Black Sea ports. The deal, signed by Moscow and Kyiv on July 22 and brokered by the United Nations and Turkey, has been hailed as a breakthrough after nearly five months of punitive fighting since Russia invaded its neighbor. By allowing grain exports from Black Sea ports, including Odessa, it is seen as crucial in curbing rising global food prices.
Pecem
One of the fastest growing ports in Brazil, having surpassed the mark of 22 million tons handled in 2021, Pecem Port is the newest regular member of the International Association of Ports (IAPH), a global alliance of 170 ports and 140 organizations related to the port sector. Entity of great international prestige, IAPH was founded in 1955 and currently handles more than 60% of the world's maritime trade and around 80% of the world's container traffic, through its members.
MSC PASSION III
The Port of Baltimore welcomed the 'MSC Passion III', being the first commercial container ship to enter the port, on April 28, 2024m since the suspension of vessel traffic following the Francis Scot Key Bridge collapse on March 26. The ship berthed at Ports America Chesapeake’s Seagirt Terminal via the newly opened 35-foot-deep alternative channel. Approximately 1,000 containers were handled by around 80 workers from the International Longshoremen Association. The 'MSC Passion III' was preceded by the barge 'Columbia Freedom' at the terminal, which saw loading and discharging of 442 containers. Report with photos: https://www.worldcargonews.com/news/2024/04/1st-container-ship-docks-at-baltimores-seagirt-terminal-since-bridge-collapse/?gdpr=accept
MINCK
On April 27 the CROSS Gris-Nez was informed that some migrant boats were in difficulty off the coast of Pas-de-Calais. At around 3:00 a.m., the CROSS deployed the 'Abeille Normandie' to check the situation on board a migrant boat, detected by the semaphore, which had stopped off the coast of Boulogne with 10 people on board. The tug launched the semi-rigid, which recovered the castaways who were dropped off on a pontoon at the marina of Boulogne-sur-Mer, where they were taken care of at the end of the night by the land rescue services and the border police. Shortly after, the 'Abeille Normandie' was again engaged by the CROSS Gris-Nez to assist another migrant boat reported in difficulty off the coast of Cap-Blanc-Nez and rescued 33 people. Several people still on board the boat refused the assistance offered by French means and continued their journey under appropriate surveillance. The people picked up by the 'Abeille Normandie' were dropped off at the dock in Boulogne-sur-Mer and taken care of by the shore based rescue services and the border police. In the middle of the day, a third migrant boat was reported in difficulty in the Canche Bay. The CROSS Gris-Nez deployed the 'Minck' to assist. Once on scene, the crew informed the CROSS that there were around 50 people on board and that three people were already in the water and that one of the tubes of the boat was punctured. The 'Minck' launched its semi-rigid boat to rescue the people. The CROSS also tasked the Coastguard launch 'DF37-Nordet', the BSAM 'Rhône' and the VCSM 'Maroni' to support the 'Minck' in the rescue operation. The 'Nordet' was the closest and arrived quickly. The 'Minck' indicates to the CROSS that the boat remained afloat despite the puncture and continued the recoveries with the support of the 'Nordet'. The recoveries took place quite quickly, and the CROSS disengaged the other ships to keep them at sea in other maritime sectors. 45 minutes after the start of recovery operations, 56 people were treated on board the 'Minck', including one person with a slight knee injury. All migrants were disembarked at Boulogne-sur-mer and taken care of at the dock.
Chittagong
A fire at a container depot in the town of Sitakunda about 40 km from Chittagong led to a chemical explosion in containers that killed at least 49 and injured more than 300 people on June 4, 2022. Among those killed in the blast that could be heard several miles away were several firefighters. Dozens of dead were scattered among the burnt-out containers and many of the wounded were in critical condition after the huge explosion in the depot containing about 4,000 containers. Hundreds of firefighters, police and volunteers quickly arrived at the depot as the fire broke out around 6 p.m. LT. The extinguishing work had started when the violent explosion threw parts from containers and people into the air. At least five firefighters were killed and even more injured. Many were still missing on June 5. The container depot serves as a staging post for the goods - primarily clothing - to be exported via Chittagong, and contained millions of dollars worth of clothing that was to be passed on to businesses in Western countries. Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QLiyBU7RKIc&feature=emb_title
Hamburg
After the previous year’s downturn caused by the corona pandemic, in 2021 the seaborne cargo throughput trend in the Port of Hamburg was more positive than expected. This totalled 128.7 million tons, or nearly two percent more than in the first year of the corona pandemic. At 8.7 million TEU - 20-ft standard containers, container handling was up by 2.2 percent. Rail freight transport reached a record level in 2021. Last year, the Port of Hamburg Railway handled a transport volume of 48.5 million tons, up by four percent. At 2.79 million TEU, an eight percent advance was achieved for containers. “Hamburg is impressively extending it position as the world’s largest rail port. Despite persistent challenges caused by the pandemic and disrupted transport chains, a new record figure was achieved for environment-friendly freight transport by rail,” said Ingo Egloff, Joint CEO of HHM – Port of Hamburg Marketing. Rail growth was powered by additional container train services and growing shipments in the medium-distance segment of up to 300 kilometres. Rail’s modal-split share of container transport in Hamburg has meanwhile reached around 51.5 percent. Transfer of freight shipments to rail there has been exemplary. This frees up roads and conserves the environment. At 46.1 percent, trucking’s share is declining. For container transport to and from the Port of Hamburg, inland waterway shipping attained a share of 2.4 percent. Rapid growth of container shipments along the New Silk Road Supplementing sea transport, a constantly growing number of containers are being transported between China and Hamburg by rail. Hamburg is Germany’s leading point of arrival and departure for seaborne container shipments and container train services on the New Silk Road. “Even if around 20 days are currently needed for rail transport over the 12,000 kilometres between China and Hamburg, the land route via the New Silk Road is faster than a ship by sea. For time-sensitive freight, the container train services therefore provide an attractive alternative for transport between Hamburg and China. Last year, around 160,000 TEU were shifted by rail between Hamburg and more than 25 destinations in China, an impressive 51 percent increase. Various suppliers market a total of more than 290 China train services to and from Hamburg,” explained Axel Mattern, HHM’s Joint CEO. Seaborne cargo throughput in the Port of Hamburg in 2021 In 2021, the worldwide repercussions of the corona pandemic again affected handling and transport trends in Germanys largest universal port. Over the whole year, 128.7 million tons of seaborne cargoes were loaded or discharged at Port of Hamburg terminals, a 1.9 percent increase on the previous year. Both general cargo throughput, up by 1.3 percent at 88.9 million tons, and bulk cargo handling, 3.3 percent higher at 39.8 million tons, contributed. In the container handling segment, 2021 throughput in Hamburg totalled 8.7 million TEU and was 2.2 percent higher. Within the bulk cargo segment, grab cargo throughput at 21.6 million tons was ahead by 11.2 percent. The main contributions there came from coal imports, up 15.9 percent at 5.5 million tons, and those of ore, 10.6 percent higher at 10.5 million tons. In the agribulk area, a total of 6.4 million tons was handled in 2021. The 14.7 percent downturn there is attributable lower throughput of grain. 2021 throughput of liquid cargoes was 1.7 percent up at 11.8 million tons. Higher exports of mineral oil products were primarily responsible for this slight advance, which formed part of the generally very steady development of this segment. “While considering the cargo volumes handled in the port, one also needs to remember that from German production alone, goods to the value of around 116 billion euros are annually exported all over the world through the Port of Hamburg. The Port of Hamburg secures around 607,000 jobs in Germany,” said Egloff. China, the USA and Singapore head the ranking of Hamburg’s Top Ten partner countries for container handling Of the Port of Hamburg’s ten leading partner countries for container handling, no change occurred among the top six. The downturn in seaborne container handling with China recorded in the previous year has been halted. In 2021, a 5.5 percent advance to 2.6 million TEU was achieved. China consolidated its position as Hamburg’s leading trade partner by a wide margin. “We are delighted that with its China Germany Express (CGX), from April Hapag-Lloyd will be linking the Port of Hamburg every week with the Southern Chinese Dachan Bay terminal that forms part of the Port of Shenzhen. This new container liner service will further expand the range of altogether 18 liner services linking Hamburg with Chinese ports and consolidate Hamburg’s position as the leading China port,” says Mattern. Below China in the ranking of Hamburg’s trading partners in container transport come the USA - up 4.5 percent, Singapore - up 0.9 percent, Russia - down three percent, Sweden - up 7.5 percent, and Great Britain - down 9.9 percent. Port of Hamburg’s Top Ten are completed by Poland - up 20.7 percent in seventh place, South Korea - down 0.4 percent in eighth, Denmark up 4.6 percent in ninth, and Brazil up 3.2 percent in tenth place. Completion of fairway adjustment on Lower and Outer Elbe brings advantages Compared to the situation prior to deepening of the fairway, shipping on arrival and departure now profits from an increase in draft - depending on ship’s size – of between one metre and 1.90 metres. Irrespective of the tide, Megamax vessels with a breadth of up to 62.50 metres or a length of 400 metres, can now sail into port with a draft of up to 13.10 metres. Before the adjustment, the limit was only 11.40 metres. Depending on the tide, on leaving the limit is now 14.10 metres. Incoming, a draft of 15.40 metres is now possible. The maximum previously possible was just 13.60 metres. "We would like to thank our customers and partners for their trust in us - the Port of Hamburg during the fairway adjustment project, which has been under way for many years. Since late January this year, we can offer maximum draughts of between 1.00 and 1.90 m - depending on ship size - in both tide-independent and tide-dependent traffic. This helps to strengthen the Port of Hamburg's competitiveness," says Jens Meier, CEO of the Hamburg Port Authority. An additional advantage is the opportunity now secured for readier passing by mega-ships. Along eight kilometres near Wedel, for instance, a ‘passing box’ has been constructed. This makes it possible for vessels with a combined breadth of up to 104 metres to pass each other. The fairway between Wedel and the Stör estuary has also been widened from 300 to 320 metres. Vessels with a combined breadth of less than 92 metres can now safely pass each other there. The Joint CEOs of Port of Hamburg Marketing, Axel Mattern and Ingo Egloff, welcome the now successfully completed fairway adjustment of the Elbe. “For shipping and our port business customers, these simplifications of access to Germany’s largest universal port also offer them the advantage of being able to route more cargo via Hamburg. Last year alone, 221 mega-containerships with slot capacities of between 18,000 and 24,000 TEU called the Port of Hamburg. That was a 16.9 percent increase, underlining the tremendous importance of the now completed fairway adjustment for rapid and secure traffic control on the Elbe. With high-performance transport routes, smart logistics solutions and growing use of low-emission energy sources and technology, we are on the right course for sustainable growth,” said Mattern. On the land side, environment-friendly rail plays the main part in freight transport, connecting inland market regions rapidly and reliably with the port. Prospects for 2022 "The war in Ukraine will have an impact on the throughput development of the Port of Hamburg. However, it is not yet possible to say to what extent the sanctions imposed on Russia will influence cargo handling. A realistic forecast for the current year cannot be made at this point in time because the pandemic could also continue to have an impact on global trade," says Mattern. For 2022, the Port of Hamburg's marketing organisation hopes for an overall stable trend in seaborne cargo handling.