The Development Bank of Central African States (BDEAC) has signed a loan agreement with Gabon for two major infrastructure projects totalling more than USD200 million.

Investment of more than £4 million in a purpose-built facility for the storage of dry bulk cargoes has given Associated British Ports' (ABP) Port of Hull a pioneering multi-purpose warehouse facility which will be used to store biomass. The building, which took almost a year to construct, boasts a range of features which makes it the only one of its kind in operation
in the UK.

ICHCA International, the global cargo handling NGO association, has announced new speakers from around the world for its 2016 conference "Bigger Ships, Greater Challenges". Running from 29 Feb – 2 March at the World Trade Center, Barcelona, the conference will focus on improving safety, security and efficiency along the container and cargo handling chain in the era of bigger ships, with cross-party debate from all key industry and institutional stakeholders.

The foremost global provider of ship-to-ship cargo transfer services, Fendercare Marine, part of James Fisher and Sons plc, has been awarded a Certificate of Excellence for STS operations throughout 2015.

Kalmar, part of Cargotec, will deliver 60 Kalmar Ottawa T2 off-highway terminal tractors to Rail Management Services in USA. The order has been booked into Cargotec's 2015 third quarter order intake and the deliveries will run into early 2016.

With the project complete, BCT's new rail facility can service up to 24 full container trains each day and has an annual capacity of 500,000 TEUs.

ICHCA International, the global cargo handling NGO association, has agreed to work with the Federation of European Private Port Operators (FEPORT) on matters of mutual
interest. The two associations will sign a formal Memorandum of Understanding on Mar 1 2016 at the ICHCA International 2016 Conference on "Bigger Ships, Greater Challenges", which will run from 29 Feb – 2 Mar at the World Trade Center, Barcelona, Spain.

The Port of London Authority (PLA) has appointed Bob Baker as chief harbour master. Bob Baker will join the PLA from Forth Ports, where he has been chief harbour master since 2001. He will succeed David Phillips, who is retiring from the PLA in April, after nine years' service.

Crowley Maritime Corporation has announced that Kerri McClellan has been promoted to vice president and deputy general counsel for the corporation.

The seaports in the North Sea Canal Area, which includes the ports of Amsterdam, IJmuiden, Beverwijk and Zaanstad, saw trans-shipment decrease in 2015 for the first time in years.