Maritime

   The classification society Germanischer Lloyd said it is developing guidelines for route-specific container stowage, which will be introduced early this year.    “In times when the market is especially tight, added flexibility in container stowage can help operators stay competitive and run vessels more economically. Throughout the maritime industry there is an increasing recognition […]

   Transportation is key ingredient for Fornazor International, an exporter of food products. Close attention to transportation and logistics has been one of the keys to the success of Fornazor International’s agricultural export business whether it is for animal feed bound for dairy farms in Saudi Arabia and fish farms in Chile, feed ingredients like corn […]

   Hapag-Lloyd said it would postpone to March 1 a general rate increase on exports of dry commodities from North America to East Asia, Indian Subcontinent and the Middle East.     The German liner carrier said it originally planned to hike rates on Jan. 15, then postponed the increase to Feb. 15, and now plans the […]

   Nordana has reportedly signed contracts for four heavylift ships with Sanfu Shipyard in China.    The Website Maritime Denmark reports the 12,100-deadweight-ton multipurpose ships will have heavylift capacity for up to 500 metric tons and be delivered beginning in November 2014.

   The U.S. International Trade Commission on Friday determined that domestic wind turbine tower manufacturers are “materially injured” by similar imports from China and Vietnam.    The Commerce Department previously determined that these large utility-scale towers are subsidized by the Chinese government. It was also determined that both Chinese- and Vietnamese-made towers are sold in […]

The penalty grows out of alleged discharges of contaminated bilge waters and failure to keep an accurate oil record book on its ship Southern Lily 2 when it was operating within navigable waters of American Samoa in 2011.

   China Shipping Container Lines said it expects to record a net profit attributable to shareholders of the listed company of about 520 million Chinese yuan renminbi ($83.5 million) for 2012, compared to a loss in 2011.    In a filing with the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, China Shipping said “The profit was mainly attributable […]

   Magnolia LNG is planning to spend $2.2 billion to build a natural gas liquefaction production and export facility at the Port of Lake Charles in Southwest Louisiana.    Construction would create 1,000 jobs, but the plant would employ only 45 people when completed.    Magnolia said it expects to make a final decision to […]

   APM Terminals said its operation in Callao, Peru, will use radio frequency identification (RFID) technology to improve safety.    Operators of heavy equipment, such as reach stackers and forklifts, will receive automatic alerts if pedestrians or other personnel are close to the machinery and at risk. APM Terminals noted these terminal workhorse vehicles are known […]

   The Port of Antwerp handled 184.1 million tons of cargo in 2012, a drop of 1.6 percent compared to 2011, when the volume was 187.2 million tons.    Container freight volume in Antwerp was little changed at 8.6 million TEUs, down 0.3 percent.    Roll-on/roll-off freight volumes were up 13 percent to about 4.8 million tons. […]

   The U.S. Export-Import Bank has authorized an $87.1 million guarantee of a loan extended by Crédit Agricole and other European lenders to Hispasat Canarias S.L.U., a Hispasat S.A. subsidiary based in Madrid, Spain, that will finance the assembly and purchase of a satellite to be manufactured by Orbital Sciences Corp. of Dulles, Va.    […]

Florida East Coast Railway CEO Jim Hertwig said the terminal will allow his railroad “to efficiently and effectively deliver superior transportation service between South Florida and the southeastern United States.”

Ocean Giant    The U.S. Military Sealift Command-chartered containership Ocean Giant departed Port Hueneme, Calif., on Jan. 17 loaded with nearly 7 million pounds of supplies such as frozen and dry food stores, building supplies, vehicles and electronic equipment and parts.    A command-chartered tanker Maersk Peary departed Europe in December with over 6 million […]

   The U.S. International Trade Commission unanimously determined that imports of steel wire garment hangers from Vietnam are subsidized and sold in the United States at less than fair value.    As a result of the ITC’s affirmative determination, the U.S. Commerce Department will move forward to issue antidumping and countervailing duty orders on imports […]

Naviera Master Line said the fortnightly service, starting March 8, will carry container and breakbulk cargoes between Port Manatee, Fla., and destinations in Colombia, Panama, Venezuela and Trinidad.

Three days of bargaining on a new contract by the union and its employers wound up on Thursday, with the U.S. Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service Director George H. Cohen saying the two sides had “made progress” in their effort to negotiate a master contract.

   After two and a half months on a 10-week rotation, ocean carrier Maersk Line, along with vessel partner CMA CGM, has slowed its weekly FEW3 service between Asia and West Africa to skip one sailing position from Asia in February.     Roundtrip voyage time on the FEW3 has increased from 70 days to 77 […]

   Insurer TT Club is highlighting the dangers to dockworkers from accidents involving heavy equipment in a recent publication.    For example, it said lift trucks were involved in 30 percent of the bodily injury claims analyzed, mainly the result of trucks reversing into people. The installation of anti-collision devices could potentially have saved $30 […]

   The U.S. Export-Import Bank authorized a $155.4 million direct loan to Ghana to finance the design and construction of a hospital expansion in Accra.    Miami-based Americaribe will export the goods and services required for the project. The loan will support about 700 U.S. jobs, according to Commerce and Labor department data.    The Ridge […]