Drewry says shipping costs are set to fall 
Container shipping costs have continued to rise, but the trend has differed across trades, and Drewry expects rates to fall in the final months of the year. Pricing on Asia-origin trades has been buoyed by peak season volumes, but as the trade enters the shoulder season still... more
BBC Chartering helps Syrian refugees
BBC Chartering, a Germany-based multipurpose and heavylift shipping services provider, has reported that its BBC Iceland vessel assisted in a rescue operation where more than 300 Syrian refugees were found floating in fishing boats off the Sicilian coast on 13 September. The... more
Long Beach: cargo volume in August hits six-year high
Containerized cargo volume at the US port of Long Beach surged to a total of 630,292 teu in August 2013, 16% more than in the same month a year ago. The Californian port registered double-digit percentage gains in both imports and exports. August 2013 was not only the busiest... more
ICTSI successfully concludes bond exchange
International Container Terminal Services Inc (ICTSI) and ICTSI Treasury BV (ICTSI Treasury) have announced the results of their exchange offer and consent solicitation transaction. The companies exchanged approximately USD 178.89 million of ICTSI’s USD 450 million 7.375%... more
Tarros charting uncharted seas 
Italy’s Tarros Group has not been left unscathed by the economic downturn affecting its home country. By entering new markets, such as Portugal or the cross-trade business, the firm has nevertheless managed to weather the stormy seas and is looking positively to the future. more
ITF urges action over container weights
The International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF) has called on governments and industry bodies to back a proposed amendment that will tackle the dangers posed by unweighed or misdeclared shipping containers. The amendment – to the existing Safety of Life at Sea Convention... more
Construction work starts on ACL's new vessel
An official steel cutting ceremony took place last week in Shanghai for Atlantic Container Line's five generation 4 (G4) ro-ro containerships, marking the begin of actual construction. The signing of the contract with Hudong Zhonghua Shipbuilding (HZS) for the construction of... more
Apec starts training activities in Brazil
The Antwerp/Flanders Port Training Center (Apec), the Flemish ports' training and education centre, will organize local training programmes in several Brazilian ports. With this initiative Apec will meet the demand of the Brazilian maritime sector for special port training... more
Making better use of Europe's waterways
The European Commission has adopted the Naiades II package "Towards quality inland waterway transport" as a new measure to get more freight onto Europe's rivers and canals. The programme looks at improving transport of waterborne freight by upgrading locks, bridges and... more
KR signs cooperation pact with Panama Maritime Authority
The Korean Register (KR) – an IACS member classification society – has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Panama Maritime Authority (PMA) to allow cooperation on technical research and to work together on a range of international activities. The MoU is... more