“This is an investment in infrastructure that is crucial not just for the port, but for the entire economy of Georgia,” said Deal. “This roadway will help in the prompt delivery of valuable cargo to and from every corner of Georgia and, in turn, preserve and create jobs in our logistics and transportation industries. Even in austere times such as these, certain projects merit being pursued. This is one of them.” The Georgia General Assembly last year authorized selling up to USD100 million in State General Obligation (G.O.) bonds to fund the project. The Ports Board of Directors and the State Transportation Board have both voiced support for the bond sale and the Transportation Board last month approved a proposal to include USD91-million in DeLoach Connector financing in a planned June G O bond sale. Deal and the Georgia State Finance and Investment Commission support the June sale. “This won’t be the biggest or the most expensive project Georgia DOT has ever undertaken,” Transportation Board Chairman Rudy Bowen said, “but it may be the most important since the interstate system was built 50 years ago.” Ports Authority Executive Director Curtis Foltz agreed. “The new Jimmy DeLoach Parkway Extension will further strengthen the Port of Savannah’s position as a gateway for commerce to the Southeast. It will give Georgia the ability to move cargo seamlessly from the state’s plants, distributors and warehouses directly to our docks and back. We greatly appreciate the support of Governor Deal, the Georgia DOT and the GPA Board; they have worked together as a team to make this project a reality and in turn improve Georgia’s long-term competitiveness,” he said. Georgia DOT tentatively plans to award a design-build contract for the project late this year. Right of way acquisition would then begin, with construction starting in 2013 and the roadway completed and opened in 2015. State motor fuel tax revenues would be used to retire the bond debt. Georgia’s deepwater ports and inland barge terminals support more than 295,000 jobs throughout the state annually and contribute USD15.5 billion in income, USD61.7 billion in revenue and USD2.6 billion in state and local taxes to Georgia’s economy. The Port of Savannah handled 8.3 percent of the US containerised cargo volume and 12 percent of all US containerised exports in FY2010. The State Transportation Board determines policy and exercises general governance of Georgia’s DOT. The Board’s 13 members, representing each of the state’s congressional districts, serve staggered, five-year terms. Board members are elected by those state senators and representatives whose legislative districts fall within all or part of the relevant congressional district.

Security doesn’t stop at the terminal gates, and by being certified in ISO 28000, DP World Cochin has also taken the responsibility to building the awareness of security management throughout the supply chain with importers, exporters, warehouses, CFS, shipping lines and road/rail transporters. The ISO 28000 standard sets in place mechanisms and processes to address security vulnerabilities at strategic and operational levels, as well as establish preventive action plans. The certification was granted after a stringent security audit of the facility, focused principally on container security, physical access controls, personnel security, procedural security, security training and threat awareness, business partner requirements and IT security. The standard complements all international security legislative codes DP World already conforms to at its terminals. Certification was undertaken by globally recognised Rotterdam-based Dutch auditing firm and Maritime Classification Society of Excellence DET NORSKE VERITAS (DNV).

In the 2011 edition of Chambers Asia Pacific and Asia Pacific Legal 500, Norton Rose (Asia) LLP was ranked in Tier 1 for shipping finance work. Gervais Green, partner and Head of Transport for Asia Pacific, commented: “The demand for all matters relating to shipping and offshore sectors particularly gathered pace over the last 12 months in line with the global market recovery. As our shipping and offshore practice continues to expand across the region, Robert will play an integral role in further enhancing our offerings to clients.” Driver’s experience covers shipping and offshore finance and commercial contract and dispute work in shipping, offshore, energy and commodities. He has worked with clients that include ship-owners and offshore contractors, financial institutions, charterers, oil and gas companies, shipyards and commodities traders on a wide variety of contentious and non-contentious matters. Robert Driver, partner, commented: “Singapore has long held a reputation for being a global centre for finance, shipping and offshore construction. With the shipping and energy sectors enjoying steady growth regionally, ship owners, contractors, operators and others are increasingly gravitating to Singapore to establish operations that take advantage of an exceptionally friendly business landscape.” The announcement of Driver’s promotion follows the relocation of London Shipping partner, Davide Barzilai, to Hong Kong in 2010 and the addition of Shanghai-based Of Counsel, Fei Kwok, who is a shipping and offshore specialist. According to leading legal directory, Chambers Asia Pacific 2011, ‘Its [Norton Rose (Asia) LLP] full-service shipping practice is particularly recommended for its superb shipping finance services, and has worked on a large number of significant transactions over the past year. In China and Hong Kong the lawyers have been advising both domestic and overseas banks on various shipbuilding matters, including capacity and performance concerns surrounding shipyards, loan rescheduling and ship mortgage enforcement.’ Robert Driver’s promotion to partner was one of 15 announced by Norton Rose Group recently.

Over the next few months the company will design and build the elevated passenger walkway that will be used to connect the berthed vessel to the terminal building. The walkway will consist of four fixed sections together with an elevating gangway and hoisting platform, operated by hydraulic cylinders. The total operational window of the entire walkway will be approximately 6 meters high and 23 meters along the quay. The contract also includes the design, supply, fabrication, surface treatment, testing and full installation of a semi-automatic mooring system for the Belfast quay, which is scheduled to be delivered at the same time as the gangway. The design comprises one rig with hydraulic cylinder, control cylinders for the mooring rods, a hydraulic power pack, plus a platform and stairs. Offering a cost-effective and reduced risk alternative to traditional methods of mooring with ropes, the semi-automatic system is designed to buffer the transverse forces from dedicated vessels, each of which is due to be fitted with compatible bollards.