Tianjin 300,000-tonnage crude oil dock to start operation

The 300,000-tonnage crude oil dock in the northern Chinese municipality of Tianjin is expected to start trial operation in September 2008.

Having built the body of the hydraulic works, the company is looking to complete the whole project in August. By far, RMB740 million (US$102.2 million) has been invested in the project, compared with the plan of RMB1.379 billion (US$190.5 million) total investment. After achieving completion, the wharf apron of the port can berth 100,000 to 300,000-tonne very large crude carriers (VLCC) and have an annual handling capacity of 20 million tonnes. Port of Tianjin's area is to be expanded to 100 square kilometres from the current 30 square kilometres by 2010. The port is building several new terminals, which includes 22 berths of more than 10,000 tonnes with an aggregate capacity of 138 million tonnes. After these projects are finished, the port's capacity will be raised to 290 million tonnes.
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Fatal crane crash halts work at Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding

Three people were killed and two were injured when two 600-tonne gantry cranes owned by CSSC subsidiary Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding (Group) Co collapsed at a work site in the Pudong New Area shortly after midnight.

Three workers in the cranes' cabs, which were more than 10 meters above the ground, are said to have been killed at the scene, while two security guards on the ground were injured. Both guardshave been sent to Shanghai East Hospital and one is said to be in a critical condition. Although the exact cause of the incident is still under investigation, an initial investigation is said to have shown that one leg of the cranes suddenly broke when the vehicle was lifting goods, leading to the collapse. The work at the yard is at a standstill pending the outcome of the investigation and that Hudong-Zhonghua may remain closed for up to six months.

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Posidonia reaches historic heights

The global maritime community is converging to Athens en masse next week as the world’s most international shipping exhibition is gearing up for its 21st edition.

With over 1,700 confirmed participants from 80 countries, 21 national pavilions and an exhibition floor spanning a one-level area of 28,100 square metres at the Hellenikon Exhibition Centre (HEC), Posidonia 2008 is opening its gates on June 2nd for what the Greek Minister of Mercantile Marine, the Aegean and Island Polic described as the most extraordinary shipping industry gathering in history. Leading international companies representing the full spectrum of shipping and vertical sectors including shipbuilding and repairyards, shipbrokers, insurance, P&I Clubs, banks, port authorities, classification societies, shipping surveyors, vessel registration, suppliers, high-tech equipment and technical support will exhibit at the four-day event. Speaking on behalf of the event’s organisers, Themistocles Vokos, Chairman, Posidonia Exhibitions said that this year’s show has exceeded all expectations and broken any previous record. “Posidonia is now officially the most prestigious and sought after shipping industry forum. By connecting the international maritime community, showcasing the latest technological innovations, debating environmental initiatives and highlighting future trends, Posidonia is the catalyst of developments taking shape in the global economy’s most influential growth drivers.”

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STX reveals design for world's largest containership

STX Shipbuilding of South Korea reports it has completed the design of a 22,000teu containership that at 450 metres in length would be the longest ship to ply the oceans.

Two alternative versions have been designed, one with a single propellor and the other with twin propellors. Compared to Emmma Maersk, the world's largest existing containership, the new design represents a 50% increase in capacity and some 50 metres extra in length. "The 22,000 TEU marks a breakthrough in the sense that the 20,000 TEU was once considered as the limit of a container ship can get in terms of its transport capacity both in terms of technology and economy," said STX in a statement. The current price of fuel is a major driver to bigger ships, added STX, and these new vessels could cut the shipping price per container by 40%.
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Gazprom and Lukoil make Caspian discovery

Lukoil and Gazprom have discovered a large oil and gas field in Russian waters of the Caspian Sea.

The field is in the Tsentralnaya structure, 150 kilometers (93.2 miles) east of Makhachkala, the capital of Russian Federation member the Republic of Dagestan. In 2003, Gazprom and Lukoil formed a joint venture to develop oil and gas resources in the region. At the time, Lukoil estimated that recoverable oil reserves of Tsentralnaya totaled 521.1 million tons while gas reserves came to 97.1 Bcm (3.4 Tcf).

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Jiangsu Dafeng port inaugurates container service to Busan

Dafeng port in China's Jiangsu Province has inaugurated a new container service to South Korea's Busan, the second international service of the port following the Incheon service.

The ports of Dafeng and Busan signed a strategic cooperation agreement earlier this year, which says Dafeng will be the feeder port of Busan and Busan will support South Korean shipping companies to launch feeder services from Dafeng port. Dafeng port was opened to foreign vessels on September 20 last year with the launching of an international container service to South Korea's Incheon. Dafeng port also launched a feeder service to Shanghai port on April 28 this year, which will help to boost the total throughput of Dafeng port to one million tonnes and 20,000TEU this year.

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Container trans-shipment emphasized at Xiamen Port

Xiamen port has taken a series of active measures to improve operation conditions, lower service charges and facilitate customs clearances.

This is in view to improving its international container trans-shipment service and attracting more carriers from around the world. A new mode of customs monitor has also been adopted, under which first leg ships can be given paper release for loading as soon as the import processing is finished and the number of boxes to be unloaded determined. Consequently, ships will no longer need to wait until a tally report is presented at the end of unloading, which should save time and money for all parties concerned.
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