The French carrier has deployed 11 vessels of between 4,400 and 5,100 20-foot equivalent unit (TEU) capacity in the service. The first ship in the service to call Charleston, the 5,095-TEU CMA CGM Florida, is scheduled to call North Charleston Terminal in mid-April.

“As a longtime and loyal client of the South Carolina Ports Authority,  CMA CGM is pleased and excited to announce  the addition of the Port of Charleston to the new rotation,” said Frank Baragona, president of CMA CGM (America) LLC. “The new call in Charleston will be beneficial for all key stakeholders in creating new service options for our clients, generating volume for the port as well as having a positive impact on the Lowcountry economy and jobs. We look forward to working closely with the SCPA and all of the local vendors in delivering a high-quality, cost-competitive service for our customers.” 

Significantly, Charleston is the last U.S. port outbound on the service, highlighting the port’s strategic role for exports to growing consumption markets in Asia. Ports in the rotation include Hong Kong, Chiwan, Ningbo and Shanghai, China; Busan, South Korea; and Punta Manzanillo, Panama.

“The addition of the PEX 3 further shows Charleston’s growth in the Asia trade lane,” said John Wheeler, vice president of carrier sales for the South Carolina Ports Authority (SCPA). “Many of the Port of Charleston’s users ship high-value cargo year-round with little seasonality, and export loads are plentiful. Both of these points are very attractive to carriers when selecting a port.”

The service will add 52 ship calls each year, supporting jobs across the local maritime and logistics industries.

The 32 MacGregor electric cranes have been specified for eight more 3,900 TEU container vessels being built at the yard for Singapore-based Pacific International Lines (PIL). The deliveries are planned for 2014 and 2015.

This new order builds on a previous contract that MacGregor announced in January for 16 electric cranes for the first four in the series, also under construction at Dalian.

 “We know, as do many of our customers, about the advantages our electrically-driven cranes can offer,” says Jonas Hägglund, Sales Manager for MacGregor Cranes. “Compared with electro-hydraulic cargo cranes, our environmentally-friendly VFD cranes can offer superior cargo handling efficiency with up to 50 percent reduction in energy and fuel consumption and significantly lower service and spares costs; all resulting in a dramatically reduced carbon footprint.

“Substantial savings can also be made on cabling – about 1.4 tonnes for a 37,000 dwt handysize bulker – and through the use of smaller circuit breakers,” adds Mr Hägglund.  

“This new partnership with Toyota highlights the Georgia Ports Authority’s commitment to unparalleled service for automakers,” said GPA Executive Director Curtis Foltz. “Because of our direct interstate access and two Class I rail services, we can move exports from inland factories more efficiently, as well as move import cargo to destinations across the Southeast.”

Colonel’s Island Terminal at the Port of Brunswick handled a record 612,489 auto and machinery units in CY2012, up from 497,404 in the previous year. Toyota is a new client for the GPA.

The Port of Brunswick handles approximately 10 percent of all U.S. roll-on/roll-off trade, and 12 percent of U.S. Ro/Ro imports. The port ranks third in the nation for auto and machinery trade, serving nearly two dozen domestic and foreign carmakers, as well as heavy equipment producers.

“Our facilities provide a transportation hub that is second-to-none in the United States,” said GPA Board Chairman Robert Jepson. “At Georgia’s deepwater ports in Brunswick and Savannah, ocean, road and rail come together to ensure that commerce is handled efficiently, environmentally responsibly and at the lowest cost possible.”

The Venza shipments, beginning this year, are expected to build upon Toyota’s all-time record export of more than 124,000 U.S.-assembled vehicles to 21 global markets in 2012, an increase of 45 percent over the prior year.

“We are proud that Toyota’s U.S. manufacturing operations are continuing to grow as a key supplier of vehicles for global markets, which is only possible thanks to the dedication and high-quality work of our team members here,” said Shigeki Terashi, president and COO of Toyota Motor North America, Inc.  “We expect the export of Venza vehicles to Russia and Ukraine will help further solidify our U.S. manufacturing base.”

Once production begins in April 2013, Toyota expects to export approximately 5,000 Venza vehicles per year to Russia and Ukraine. These vehicles will be built at the company’s Georgetown, Ky., plant, which employs about 6,600 team members and represents a $6 billion investment.  The Georgetown plant is the company’s largest manufacturing facility outside of Japan.

Their West Africa service will protect commercial ships on their way through the notoriously unstable region of the Gulf of Guinea which has been designated a High Risk Area for piracy and other hostile incidents.

This fully licensed service supplies ex-forces armed operatives, using the latest equipment andtrained in advanced conflict management techniques that will protect these vessels as they travel through this area, from the Ivory Coast to Cameroon.

Increased threat to oil tankers in the Gulf of Guinea

Over the last 18 months this area has seen an increase in pirate attacks from groups operating out of Nigeria who have turned to oil tankers and other container ships in order to steal the cargo which is then sold on the black market. The profits from this are then channelled into criminal activities such as people trafficking, drug/arms smuggling and terrorism.

In 2011 there were 25 reported incidents in the Gulf of Guinea.

But in 2012 there were 32 incidents in this area which shows a worrying increase (www.icc-ccs.org).

This rise in attackscorresponds with a decrease in Somali piracy which confirms the suspicions held by international authorities who has suspected a growth in piracy off the coast of West Africa. This rise in attacks which includes hijackings poses a threat to shipping in that area and requires a professional risk assessed response.

In addition to this, there is an increased threat of violence from these pirates as compared to their Somali counterparts who are keen to take hostages and hold them for ransom.These pirates from the Gulf of Guinea are more interested in the cargo and will physically attack and kill crew members in order to gain access to this.

Unique maritime security task force

Eos are experts in the field of maritime security, providing highly trained vessel protection officers with the knowledge, capabilities and backup needed to perform this dangerous task.

Many western security firms have to engage the services of the Nigerian and West African armies to provide armed protection but Eos supplies its own teams and weapons for this very purpose.

The advantage of this is that the shipping company utilises the services of a team with vital skills, knowledge and experience needed for what can be, a life threatening situation. They are provided with a service which offers a duty of care and a level ofprofessionalism and trust which is second to none.