Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) on Tuesday announced the establishment of a recommended area for ships to help protect the world heritage- listed Ningaloo Reef from June 1, 2013. The Marine Notice will advise ships to keep at least two nautical miles from the edge of Ningaloo Reef at its narrowest part, and 8-12 nautical miles along the remainder of the Ningaloo Coast, to reduce the risk of shipping accidents and ship-sourced pollution. AMSA added that the ship routing measure would have minimal impact on shipping, adding a little over one nautical mile for ships traveling between Fremantle and north-west Australia to skirt further away from the reef edge.

China is to increase its investment in Greece's port industry, and deepen its economic ties with the southern European country as it struggles to clear its massive debts, Vice-Minister of Commerce Jiang Yaoping said. Speaking at a China-Greece business forum - being held during a five-day visit by Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras - Jiang said China will expand its investment in Greece's Piraeus harbor, the country's largest port. After operating parts of Piraeus for the past three years, Chinese shipping giant China Ocean Shipping (Group) Co is believed to have invested 1 billion euros ($1.29 billion) for a 60 percent stake in Piraeus port early this year.

Penglai Zhongbai Jinglu Ship Industry in Shandong has inked shipbuilding contracts with Greek owner Laskaridis Shipping for four 64,000dwt bulkers and 2+2 kamsarmax bulkers. Before that, Laskaridis Shipping has exercised existing options for two 64,000dwt bulkers. Also, Laskaridis Shipping signed a resale contract with Penglai Zhongbai for two panamax bulkers. The deliveries of the vessels are scheduled in 2016 and China Development Bank will provide financing for the newbuildings. [20/05/13]

Sailors of mooring/unmooring boats at San Lorenzo port called for a strike for undetermined period of time, strike started on May 20th 0000hs. Time being is not confirmed how/if the measure will affect the operation of the vessels.

As a result of the deepening relationship with Bangladesh, India is increasing looking to improving economic partnerships as there is growing realization that increased co-operation will bring substantial socio-economic benefits that can no longer be overlooked. As a major development in this direction, India has agreed to set up an inland container port at Narayanganj, in Bangladesh. The proposed inland container port will be set up on a 40 acre plot of land in Narayanganj on the banks of Sitalakhya River. Bangladesh is interested in having the port set up jointly with an Indian partner, having experience in setting up and operating inland ports. The proposed study is expected to be completed in 14 weeks in four phases. Development of a port almost in the heart of Bangladesh, which is surrounded by India, Myanmar and the Bay of Bengal is being seen to greatly facilitate cargo movement to and from these North East and Eastern states of India. Much of the international cargo from Meghalaya, Manipur, Nagaland, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and West Bengal could move along the inland waterways as well as by road and rail through the port of Narayanganj.

The new breakwater at Colombo Port is part of a US $ 500 million port expansion - supported in part by US $ 300 million ADB loan - that is moving Sri Lanka toward the goal to get a economic hub in South Asia. Colombo’s new breakwater has a depth of 18 meters, compared to the previous 14 to 15 meters - a crucial difference in a world in which ever bigger cargo ships require ever deeper docking berths. “Most of the main [shipping] lines use vessels with a capacity of more than 8,000 containers and due to the limitations at Colombo Port we have not been in a position to service them,” says Shanthikumar Sadanandan, Group Director of the shipping company Hayleys Advantis, which uses the port. Priyath B. Wickrama, the Chairman of the Sri Lanka Ports Authority, the state-owned custodian of all Sri Lanka’s ports, agrees, saying that the new deepwater facilities are an important breakthrough for Colombo. “This is a development we have been discussing for five to 10 years,” he says. “It will definitely reduce freight rates, make us more competitive and attract more ships to call at Colombo.” Makings of a hub The breakwater was completed in April 2012. The next stage of the project involves the completion of two 400-meter-long terminals by July 2013. A third 400-meter terminal is also in the planning stages.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday, May 19 Israel would issue a tender to build a privately run seaport in the coming months, a move that would break up the monopoly controlling the country's main trade artery. Nearly all of Israel's exports and imports are transported by ship, and the government has declared war on the powerful workers unions at the state-run ports of Ashdod and Haifa, blaming their iron grip and propensity to strike for poor service and high prices of goods. "In the coming months there will be a tender for an additional, new port for Israel," Netanyahu said at the start of a weekly cabinet meeting. "This plan will have very big consequences on the cost of living." For years the government has been trying to privatise or open privately run piers to compete with the two major Mediterranean ports of Ashdod and Haifa, but it has been unwilling to risk a confrontation with the port unions.

A Notice from Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB) on May 16 has informed that all shipping operations of new incoming vessels shall be delayed until further clearance from GPCB.

Protesters and disgruntled job seekers forced the closure of an eastern Libyan oil terminal on Wednesday, May 15, 2013 for the second time in six months, disrupting exports, said an oil ministry official. Deputy Oil and Gas Minister Omar al-Shakmak said dozens demonstrated at Zueitina terminal, demanding the Libyan National Oil Corporation make good on pledges to hire 340 people. This is the second time protesters have closed the terminal, through which flows 20 percent of Libya’s 1.6 million barrels a day of exports. Zueitina is located 870 kilometers (540 miles) east of Tripoli.

Reforms in the private sector have reduced the number of days a container spends at Dar es Salaam port from 25 in 2009 to 9 by May 2013, the Minister in the Prime Minister's Office, Investment and Empowerment, Dr Mary Nagu has said. She told Parliament yesterday that reforms that aimed at making the private sector the driver of the economy have brought various successes including an increase in tax collection, thus impacting positively on the economy. As a result, she said foreign direct investments had increased from 520m US dollars in 2005 to 1.1bn US dollars in 2011, and government revenue from local taxes had increased from 25bn/- in 1980 to 800bn/- currently.