Port of Hamburg plans new building of a double-armed balance bridge

The Hamburg Port Authority announced the beginning of construction works for a new bridge over the Rethe canal.

The new bridge will be built in 2009 only few metres west of the old one. It is designed as a double-armed balance bridge with separate lanes for road and rail. The advantage of this design is that hydraulic balance bridges can be operated very economically. They are reliable in operation and generate lower maintenance costs. In addition, a balance bridge has unlimited passage height, which is in view of the increasing number of ever larger ships is a further advantage against a lift-bridge. During the planning process, which did an architect, particular importance has been attached to the bridge fitting the typical structure of the port environment, support. The new building will replace the 1934 lift-bridge. A reconstruction is not economically viable; the planned new building will take in account the nautical requirements and increasing traffic in the port. The neighboring port terminals, mainly handling all kind of bulk cargo, are very open-minded to the plans and will profit from the increased efficiency, which can be expected for this port area. Since the old lift-bridge will remain in service until the opening of the balance bridge, traffic will not be affected. After completion, the new bridge will have a span of 100 metres, which makes it one of the world's largest mobile bridges. Construction costs are estimated at EUR72 million (US$113.6 million).

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Oil Fuel Tank Protection: Germanischer Lloyd presents New Service to support Environmental Standards

Environmental protection, prevention of marine pollution and enhanced ship safety is put into practice in the field of fuel oil tank protection.

The shipowners’ commitment to comply with an exceeding range of international standards can now be applied with Germanischer Lloyd’s new service for fuel oil tank protection: Apart from drawing pre-checks, the classification society offers design optimization helping to meet the new MARPOL requirements on fuel oil tanks and therefore improve the environmental safety of the ship. Additionally, the experts pay special attention to technical solutions, which reduce the economical impact on the design. The revision of MARPOL Annex I Regulation 12A specifies the design requirements for fuel oil tanks in ship newbuildings. It sets the requirements concerning the location and size of the fuel tanks in all ships with an aggregate oil fuel capacity of 600 m³ and above. The application of the regulation includes ships whose building contract was signed on or after 1 August 2007 or delivery is scheduled on or after 1 August 2010. In absence of a building contract, the regulation is applicable to keels, which are laid on or after 1 February 2008. To minimize the economic impact on ship owners, the regulation defines two alternative design approaches: a rather pragmatic set of descriptive rules, and a more sophisticated probabilistic approach. Both methods provide equivalent degrees of protection.

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Deal set to boost cruise visits

More cruise ships from Miami and Fort Lauderdale in Florida could dock in the South West in the future.

Representatives from the cruise industry in the region have been to the US trying to drum up business. The organization Destination South West was set up to promote Cornwall, Devon and Dorset ports to cruise companies around the world. Delegates have signed an agreement with a port in Miami-Dade, often described as the world's cruise capital. It means the organization can access the major US cruise lines to push Cornwall and Devon as destinations for the future and also access information on which ships call at Miami. The American cruise industry is the biggest market for the UK with more than 100 ships booked into South West ports this year, but officials say there is scope for many more. Bob Harrison, director of cruise operations for Destination South West, said the visit - which was part-funded by UK Trade & Investment - was "very successful". "We were able to meet all the cruise lines based in Miami and Fort Lauderdale and show them what the South West has to offer as a cruise trip destination and it was very well received."
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Dongjiang Bonded Port offers of 10 container services

The first phase of Tianjin Dongjiang Bonded Port Area counted 10 container services in foreign trade as regular callers at the end of February.

The 10-square kilometre Dongjiang Bonded Port Area provides international transit and export processing. The first phase of Dongjiang covers an area of four square kilometres and its logistics area is open for users. Tianjin Port has been in talks with more than 300 storage and logistics companies, two of which have settled in the logistics area of Dongjiang first phase. Logistics giants including YCH Logistics and Kline Zhenhua Logistics are seeking a place in Dongjiang Bonded Port Area and 12 firms have signed letters of intent with Tianjin Port, including Mattel and Pufeng Logistics.
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Mitsubishi Heavy in Vietnam yard venture

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries of Japan is making a landmark investment in southeast Asia.

It will build a ship repair yard as a joint venture with Mitsui OSK Lines, Japanese trading company Marubeni Corp and local state-owned shipbuilder Vinashin. A first dock should be up and running by 2010. A second dock for shipbuilding is being mulled. Mitsubishi Heavy is the latest Japanese yard to head overseas amid high costs at home and an ageing workforce.

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