Port News

Potential USTR port fees of c.$1 mil per voyage for non-US built car carriers entering the US targeting c.95% of the global fleet from mid-October, combined with this week’s signals from Washington suggesting a sooner-than-expected reopening of the Red Sea, would deal a heavy blow to car carrier demand. Together, these factors comfortably support a scenario of negative car-mile growth through 2026 and 2027.By contrast, supply growth is expected to be in positive double-digit territory over the same period…

Recent discussions on tariffs have largely overlooked the potential implementation of the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR)’s port fees on Chinese-built vessels. This fee, which could reach up to $3.5 million per port call, varies based on the vessel’s origin and the owner’s fleet composition. Given that typical US port calls cost a maximum of $80,000, this fee could significantly impact import and export volumes.According to VesselsValue trade data, there were 3,150 dry bulk port calls in the US in Q1 2025, involving 1,609 dry bulk carriers.

Singapore's PSA International is exploring the sale of its 20% stake in CK Hutchison's ports business, two people with knowledge of the matter said, joining the Hong Kong conglomerate in its controversial plans to sell.Tycoon Li Ka-shing's CK Hutchison announced last month it would sell its 80% holding in the business which includes two ports along the strategically important Panama Canal to a BlackRock-led consortium. The holding has an equity value of $14.2 billion.U.S. President Donald Trump hailed the deal as a "reclaiming" of the canal.

On April 17, 2025, the Office of the US Trade Representative (“USTR”) published a notice of action (the “USTR Notice”) implementing its port fee proposal, first announced on February 21, 2025. The rules differ substantially from the February proposal (summarized here). The calculation of the fees has changed to a net tonnage-based fee (or for certain vessels, based on containers discharged or Car Equivalent Units). Several points have been clarified. Specialized rules apply to LNG transportation and vehicle carriers, including fees and restrictions on non-Chinese vessels.

President Donald Trump's administration is considering softening its proposed fee on China-linked ships visiting U.S. ports after a flood of negative feedback from industries that said the idea could be economically devastating, according to six sources.Among the changes under consideration are delayed implementation and new fee structures designed to reduce the overall cost to visiting Chinese vessels, according to the six sources with knowledge of the matter.The sources asked not to be named due to the sensitivity of the issue.The White House and the Office of the U.S.

Thousands of Greeks gathered in Athens on Wednesday to demand higher wages to cope with rising living costs and a one-day strike left ferries docked at ports, flights grounded and trains at a standstill.Along with air traffic controllers, seafarers and train workers, municipal workers and bus and metro workers in the capital also walked out.Greece has emerged from a 2009-2018 debt crisis which led to rolling cuts in wages and pensions in turn for bailouts worth some 290 billion euros.

BLG Group, a logistics provider managing one of the world's busiest autos terminals at Germany's Bremerhaven port, said on Wednesday it is calculating scenarios for 15% less traffic as a result of the 25% tariffs expected on U.S. auto imports from April 3.Around 30% of its export and import of cars is to and from the United States, BLG Group Chairman Matthias Magnor said."Protectionist trade barriers have a direct impact on demand and thus influence exports, imports, and ultimately the prosperity of both economies," he added.(Reuters)

Fossil fuel and agriculture industry representatives are expected to criticize the Trump administration's plan to impose big fees on China-linked ships entering U.S. ports during a hearing in Washington on Wednesday, arguing the move would hobble their ability to export everything from coal to soybeans.At issue are proposed fees on China-built vessels that could top $3 million per U.S. port call.The Trump administration says the fees would curb China's commercial and military dominance on the high seas and promote a revival in U.S. shipbuilding, but numerous other U.S.

The China Shipowners' Association opposes a U.S. proposal to slap hefty port entry fees on ocean cargo carriers that own or have ordered vessels from China, saying it violates international rules and U.S. laws, according to a statement seen by Reuters on Thursday.U.S. President Donald Trump's administration aims to partially pay for an American shipbuilding comeback with those fees, according to a draft executive order seen by Reuters.The CSA's members include China's COSCO Shipping, which is expected to be among the hardest hit by the fees proposed by the U.S.

Contecon Guayaquil (CGSA), Ecuador’s main port and subsidiary of ICTSI, has signed a new commercial agreement for the Asia-South America (ASA) service, further strengthening Contecon Guayaquil’s connectivity with the Asian market.The agreement brings back five shipping lines and their shippers’ customer base to the terminal: Wan Hai, Pacific International Lines, Cosco, Evergreen and Yang Ming.The ASA service used to call at Contecon Guayaquil until 2015. Contecon Guayaquil’s inclusion in the service rotation reaffirms CGSA’s commitment to innovation…

ICTSI has officially opened its East Java Multipurpose Terminal (EJMT) in Lamongan Regency, Indonesia.The terminal has a 300-meter quay line, deep water draft of 13.5 meters (LAT), a 500-meter swinging basin and handling equipment for bulk, project and containerized cargo. It also has two of the largest post-Panamax mobile harbor cranes in East Java.Situated in Lamongan Regency 60 kilometers west of Surabaya City, the multipurpose facility sits within the 80-hectare Lamongan Shorebase complex…

The Wilson Sons tug WS Onix has commenced operation in the Port of Santos, the largest port facility in Latin America.It is the sixth vessel in the company's 2513 class and was built at the Wilson Sons shipyard in Guarujá (SP). The six new tugs built over the last two years have completed more than 5,000 port maneuvers. They are 25 meters long and 13 meters wide, operate forward and aft with the same efficiency and can be used in port maneuvers and deep-sea towage.The tugs are equipped with over 90 tons of bollard pull and are the first ever in Brazil to meet the IMO TIER III standard…

The UK Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) has released Accident Investigation Report 6/2024 into the jetty contact by the tanker Ali Ka.The Malta registered oil and chemical tanker made contact with the westernmost section of Oikos Jetty 2 at Canvey Island on the River Thames, England at 0436 on October 25, 2022. The vessel was departing the berth under compulsory Port of London Authority (PLA) pilotage and without a tug in attendance.The impact caused minor damage to the ship but severe damage to the jetty. Ali Ka grounded close to the pier.

Yemen's Houthis said early on Sunday that they had conducted a joint military operation with the Islamic Resistance in Iraq militant group, targeting four ships at Israel's northern Haifa port.The Houthi military spokesperson, Yahya Saree, said in a televised statement that the two groups launched a drone attack on two cement tankers and two cargo ships at the Haifa port on Saturday.He said the ships belonged to companies that "violated the ban on entering the ports of occupied Palestine".The Israeli military did not immediately comment…

An oil spill off southern Singapore has spread to other areas of the island's coast and is threatening a marine reserve, government agencies said, adding that authorities were intensifying efforts to mop up the fuel.The oil spilled into Singaporean waters after a Netherlands-flagged dredger struck a stationary Singapore-flagged bunker vessel on Friday afternoon in the southern port of Pasir Panjang. The dredger Vox Mariner had reported a sudden loss in engine and steering control before its allision with bunker vessel Marine Honour.

A small number of people were injured on Sunday during a "weather-related incident" involving P&O Cruises Britannia ship moored in the Spanish island of Mallorca, a spokesperson for the company said.Port authorities in the capital Palma said the ship collided with a petrol tanker because of high winds. The BBC said it broken free of its moorings in a storm."P&O Cruises Britannia was involved in a weather-related incident while alongside in Palma de Mallorca. A small number of individuals sustained minor injuries and are being cared for by the onboard medical centre…

Shell has made the final investment decision for Holland Hydrogen I, which, when completed in 2025, will be Europe's largest renewable hydrogen plant. The plant will be powered by electricity produced from an offshore wind farm in the Dutch section of the North Sea.Shell said Wednesday that the200MW electrolyser would be built on the Tweede Maasvlakte in the port of Rotterdam and will produce up to 60,000 kilograms of renewable hydrogen per day.The renewable  power for the electrolyser will come from the offshore wind farm  Hollandse Kust (noord)…

As reported in a Maritime Reporter and Engineering News February 2022 article, Offshore Wind Development Gains Speed in the United States, the offshore wind (OSW) market is beginning to heat up. The White House policy target of 30 GW of offshore wind power by 2030, increasing the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management’s (BOEM’s) leasing awards, and permitting target approval dates, together with more state energy procurement awards, are creating demand for more port infrastructure, Jones Act compliant vessels, and manufacturing facilities for wind farm components.

Global Energy Group (“GEG”), the Scottish-based energy services company has agreed on terms with offshore wind tower manufacturing specialist, Haizea Wind Group (“Haizea”), to build a £110m-plus (~$146 million) offshore wind tubular rolling facility at Port of Nigg, located in the Scottish Highlands. GEG said Friday that Nigg Offshore Wind (“NOW”) would be 450-meter-long, 38,000 m2 factory, capable of rolling steel plate to supply towers which will weigh in excess of 1,000 tonnes each and other products…

The Panama Maritime Authority, in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Panama, has renewed the Agreement on Maritime Transport between the governments of China and Panama.The agreement took effect July 20, 2021, at the end of the renewal process between the Panamanian and Chinese authorities. However, in order to avoid interrupting its implementation it was considered that from May 17, 2021, until its entry into force, both parties would continue to benefit from its provisions."The agreement renewal will be extended to five years…

Fifteen companies from 11 countries were selected by a panel of industry experts, investors and entrepreneurs for the 6th PortXL acceleration program in Rotterdam. Starting in September, they will spend three months in Rotterdam. The PortXL team and its large network of expert mentors and partners will support them in validating their technologies and scaling their businesses. The program will end on December 2, when the signed contracts between innovators and corporate partners, such as Port of Rotterdam and Van Oord, will be announced at the Shakedown event.

Geophysical seismic surveys and port security may appear to have little in-common. However, it turns out that managing complex marine seismic operations, where 10km-long seismic streamers have to be deployed harmoniously alongside other offshore marine assets, isn’t that dissimilar to managing – and protecting – port facilities.It's an area that ION Geophysical, more known for seismic data acquisition technology, has recently been proving its expertise in, using its Marlin system for marine operations management.

With uncertainty surrounding business in general, and specifically the future shape and form of the cruise industry, it was announced the the establishment of the new cruise terminal in Copenhagen is postponed indefinitelyA very significantly changed cruise market, due to the crisis with the coronavirus pandemic, means that Copenhagen Malmö Port (CMP) will postpone the establishment of what was planned to be a new cruise terminal at Copenhagen’s Oceankaj.With the prospects for healthy growth in the Copenhagen cruise market…