Port News

Angola's state oil company Sonangol is talking to Chinese financial institutions to secure a $4.8 billion loan to partly finance the construction of a new refinery in the Atlantic sea port of Lobito, it said on Wednesday.The financing, if completed, will mark the first borrowing by the Southern African oil producer from China since 2017, when it opted to reduce its exposure to resource-backed loans.The company was engaging with "financial institutions in China" to secure funding for one phase of the $6.2 billion…

Hong Kong conglomerate CK Hutchison said on Tuesday Panama authorities had threatened its employees with criminal prosecution if they refused to leave two strategic canal ports at the centre of a legal battle that has embroiled Beijing and Washington.CK Hutchison said Panama's decision to cancel key port contracts and grant temporary licences to Maersk and Mediterranean Shipping (MSC) was 'unlawful' as it considers national and international legal action against Panama and third…

Hong Kong conglomerate CK Hutchison said on Tuesday Panama authorities had threatened its employees with criminal prosecution if they defied orders to leave two strategic canal ports at the centre of a legal battle that has embroiled Beijing and Washington.CK Hutchison said Panama's decision to cancel key port contracts and grant temporary licences to Maersk and the Mediterranean Shipping (MSC) was 'unlawful' as it considers national and international legal action against the…

The Port of Virginia is using a layered approach to strengthen safety throughout its operation by identifying the most common critical risks at its terminals and offices, emphasize safety as a core value and creation of an internal safety brand that serves as a continual reminder for everyone on port property.The effort was recently recognized by Signal Mutual, the insurance carrier for The Port of Virginia, which presented its Executive Leadership Award to Virginia International Terminals Chief Operating Officer Joseph P. “Joe” Ruddy.

A UK maritime agency said that an incident involving a vessel and small boats around 70 nautical miles southwest of Yemen's port of Aden on Tuesday had been downgraded to "suspicious activity" as only warning shots were fired.The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations had earlier said it received a report of an exchange of small-arms fire after a vessel was approached and hailed by a white skiff with five people on board.In an update, it said it had been made aware that only…

Panama's Supreme Court has annulled key port contracts held by a subsidiary of Hong Kong-based CK Hutchison, leaving the future ownership of some Panama Canal operations unclear and possibly upsetting its plans to sell some terminals.Panama Ports Company (PPC), a CK Hutchison subsidiary, has held contracts since the 1990s to operate container terminals at the canal's Pacific and Atlantic entrances, separate from the waterway's operations.The decision could disrupt CK Hutchison's proposed $23 billion sale of dozens of ports worldwide…

BIO-UV Group has announced a strategic partnership with water-monitoring specialist MicroWISE to develop new ballast-water treatment and verification solutions designed to address rising enforcement pressures and the anticipated growth of port-side reception facilities.The collaboration combines BIO-UV Group’s BIO-SEA ballast-water treatment technology with MicroWISE real-time organism analysis, creating an integrated approach to treatment and compliance validation.The partnership comes at a critical moment for the maritime industry.

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Transportation and Construction Engineering, Ltd. (MHI-TC), a part of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) Group, has built and completed delivery to Yokohama City of the Mitsubishi Marine Bridge (MMB), a self-propelled mobile seaport passenger boarding bridge (SPBB). Manufactured at MHI's Mihara Machinery Works in Hiroshima Prefecture, the MMB was put into service at Osanbashi Yokohama International Passenger Terminal on January 13. Capable of connecting to the large cruise ships that dock at Osanbashi…

Dozens of commercial ships have dropped anchor at a distance outside Iran's port limits in recent days, according to data and shipping sources, as tensions with the United States grow.Such movements were precautionary given the tensions amid ongoing protests in Iran, the shipping sources said. Port limits are significant because they run a higher risk of collateral damage in the event of air strikes on nearby infrastructure.The U.S. is withdrawing some personnel from bases in the Middle East, a U.S.

PhilaPort capped off a milestone year in 2025, posting record container throughput and outperforming national and regional trade trends to remain a leader among U.S. East Coast container ports.PhilaPort handled a record 889,268 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) in 2025, representing a 6% year-over-year increase in container volume. This result exceeded overall U.S. trade growth projections of approximately 3%, underscoring Philadelphia’s continued strength in the container market.

Somalia's government said on Monday it is annulling all agreements with the United Arab Emirates, including port deals and defence and security cooperation, accusing the UAE of undermining its national sovereignty."This decision is based on credible reports and compelling evidence concerning hostile actions undermining national sovereignty, territorial unity, and the political independence of the country," Somalia's Council of Ministers said.The decision "applies to all agreements and partnerships relating to the ports of Berbera, Bosaso, and Kismayo ...

The Port of Virginia is nearing the completion of its $1.4 billion Gateway Investment Program with a critical piece of the strategic capital investment program being delivered in early 2026.In February, the port is scheduled to take delivery of the deepest shipping channels on the US East Coast, as the deepening and widening effort of Virginia’s channels comes to its close. The $450 million project will result in channels that are 55 feet deep and wide enough to safely handle two-way traffic of the biggest ships in the Atlantic trade…

Dozens of Greek farmers disrupted operations at the regional port of Volos on Wednesday as part of a nationwide demonstration to protest delays in farm aid payments and high production costs.Farmers have deployed thousands of tractors and trucks in dozens of blockades for days, disrupting traffic at several junctures along major motorways and intermittently blocking border crossings as they face a shortfall of more than 600 million euros ($698.58 million) in European Union aid and other payments.The delays were prompted by investigations into a corruption scandal in which some farmers…

Morocco will open a new deepwater Mediterranean port next year and another on the Atlantic in 2028, Equipment and Water minister Nizar Baraka said, as the North African country aims to replicate the success of Africa's largest port, Tanger Med.Nador West Med, under construction on the Mediterranean, is scheduled to be operational in the second half of 2026, Baraka told Reuters in an interview.It will offer 800 hectares for industrial activity, with plans to expand to 5000 hectares…

A Western-sanctioned vessel with Russian oil destined for Indian Oil Corp has had discharge of the cargo delayed at a port in eastern India due to a hold-up in online verification of insurance cover provided by a Russian insurer, three industry sources with direct knowledge of the matter said.India earlier this year tightened insurance rules for ships calling at its ports, focusing on old and so-called shadow fleet vessels often used to carry Russian oil.Aframax vessel Tiger 6…

Maritime transport carries close to 90 percent of global trade by volume, and container ports alone handle more than 80 percent of non-bulk merchandise. Today, these ports are undergoing a profound transformation, driven by rising trade flows, rapid advances in technology, and mounting pressure to meet climate targets.Against this backdrop, DNV and Menon Economics have introduced the industry’s first global container port ranking. The LCP report benchmarks 160 ports against 35 indicators grouped into five pillars: enablers…

With support from the Interreg North Sea Program, an EU-funded cooperation aimed at driving ideas and solutions across the North Sea, Port Esbjerg has strengthened and modernized its Port Control. Featuring a new control room, integrated IT systems, and consolidated professional competencies, Port Control can now more efficiently monitor, manage, and plan the port’s daily operations.Port Esbjerg is known for its high level of activity: cargo arrives, changes direction, and moves onward in a continuous flow.To keep the flow steady…

Liebherr marks half a century of BOS crane excellence. Since 1975, BOS cranes have been trusted by operators worldwide, known for their robust design and marine adaptability. The latest generation continues this legacy, now featuring an electric variant to meet evolving offshore demands.In 1975, Liebherr delivered its first BOS crane, the B10 / 17 EX, for installation on the Floating Production, Storage and Offloading Unit Princess Aweni. Since then, the BOS series has undergone continuous development…

South Carolina Ports recorded 206,859 TEUs at its marine terminals in October, a 1% year-over-year dip, as fiscal year volumes remain above plan. October marked the Port's strongest month for loaded exports since June, with an 18% year-over-year increase.The predicted slowdown mirrors national trends as containerized imports in the U.S. saw a 7.5% year-over-year decrease in October, following the front-loading of imports over the summer months.SC Ports President and CEO Micah…

A union representing British Border Force workers said on Friday that more than 120 staff who patrol Britain's waters, in "sometimes harrowing roles", plan to strike on November 14 to protest over pay and working conditions.The majority of the UK's around 10,000 Border Force staff work in airports and ports across the country and overseas.

Inland Rivers, Ports & Terminals, Inc. (IRPT) and the European Federation of Inland Ports (EFIP) announced on October 1 a transatlantic partnership through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) focused on modernizing infrastructure, expanding commercial opportunities, and accelerating knowledge-sharing across the inland waterway freight network. The partnership is designed to strengthen collaboration between American and European inland ports and terminals, while expanding the commercial potential of port and terminal assets.

Hardik Gajjar, ENV SP, has joined HDR as maritime planning lead for the firm’s growing ports and maritime practice. Based in New Jersey, Gajjar will leverage his experience in maritime and intermodal planning to support port owners and operators around the globe as they pursue more efficient operations and smart infrastructure development.“It’s an honor to join one of the best ports and maritime firms in the industry,” Gajjar said. “I’m looking forward to leveraging HDR’s outstanding cross-sector collaboration to help clients as they assess the impact of emerging trends such as automation…

Terminal operators in a major oil port in east China's Shandong province are set to introduce measures to ban shadow fleet vessels and curb visits by other old tankers, according to an official notice seen by Reuters and a tanker tracker.The measures, to take effect from November 1, would ban vessels using fake International Maritime Organization numbers and ships of 31 years or older, which traders said would target what is known as the shadow fleet that transports oil under Western sanctions.Four terminal operators at Huangdao Port last week issued the notice…