South Korea to build world's largest floating dock

South Korea's Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering said it plans to build the world's biggest floating dock to meet growing demand for large container ships.


The world's third largest shipyard intends by June 2009 to build the new dock which could produce six or seven container vessels per year. Currently the shipyard has three floating docks to build ships on land. New agencies reported that the dock would measure 438 metres by 84 metres.

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Iran close to deal with Indian refiner

Iran is set to further boost its rising crude oil exports to Asia, as Opec's second-biggest producer is close to concluding its first term contract with India's Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL).

National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) is discussing a four-month deal with BPCL, as the Indian state firm looks to replace imports of costly Yemeni Masila crude, a BPCL official said. The proposed deal comes at a time when Iran is increasing its crude exports to Asia this year, as threats of sanctions against its nuclear ambitions have faded off for the time being.

BPCL is also hoping to marginally raise its imports of Saudi Arab Medium crude. The official said BPCL received assurance from Saudi Arabia for additional supplies of 250,000 tonnes on top of the 3.5 m tonnes supplied under a term deal this year.

If the two deals are concluded, BPCL's term crude imports for 2007 will rise to 9.6m tonnes, up from around 8.25m tonnes last year, reducing its reliance on the spot market.

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Ships stuck outside Belgian ports due to strike

Thirty container ships were stuck outside the Belgian ports of Antwerp and Ghent on Tuesday morning as pilots continued a partial strike.

However there was no delay for outgoing vessels. The pilots have chosen to work from 0800 to 1700, but not 24 hours as is normally the case. Dutch pilots, who handle about a quarter of the operations, are working normally. Lines affected by the strike include privately owned Mediterranean Shipping Company and OOCL (Orient Overseas).

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Port strike put off

The proposed strike by port and shipyard workers from the month-end to press for their long-pending demands has been put off till September 19, the day the Labour Department will hold further conciliatory talks.

This decision was taken after talks with the Chief Labour Commissioner by trade unions in New Delhi on Tuesday, according to president of Bharatiya Port and Shipyard Mazdoor Mahasangha (BPSMM), affiliated to the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS), K. Bhavani Shankarudu. While his union had called for the strike from August 31, others proposed to go on strike from September 1 for which the notices were already served on the managements. Among other things, the trade unions are demanding payment of Rs.1,200 per month as interim relief with immediate effect, restoring retirement age to 60 years and merger of 50 per cent of the dearness allowance with basic pay.

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Container Terminal II at Mundra Port receives first vessel

The second container terminal at the Mundra Port received its first container vessel last week.

The Container Terminal II, latest addition for Mundra Port and Special Economic Zone Limited (MPSEZ),is capable of handling about one and a quarter million twenty feet container per annum and it will be mainly catering to the needs of Northern hinterland of India. It has two berths. MPSEZ is one of the first port-based multi-product SEZ in the country to have seaport now with an additional Container Terminal, railhead and airstrip.

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