This week a third trip will be added to the weekly barge service; the service will call the Port of Richmond Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. The barges can carry between 80 and 100 containers, depending on their lengths.

“Adding a third sailing along with an overall increase in customers that are considering the barge as a means of transporting their cargo sets it up for success going forward,” said Rodney W. Oliver, the VPA’s interim executive director. “This started out very small: one time a week and a few containers at a time. The next step is to get it to five days a week.”

The primary objective of this work is to prepare a Maintenance Dredging Plan (MDP) for Rio Tinto’s iron ore export operations at the ports of Dampier and Cape Lambert on the North-West coast of Western Australia.

The MDP will provide a wide-ranging review of all dredging-related activities at the ports of Dampier and Cape Lambert. BMT will review and analyse existing sedimentation, accretion and infill rates, as well as prevailing metocean and environmental conditions, to ensure that the MDP accurately reflects the existing situation.

The MDP will provide detailed guidelines for Rio Tinto maintenance staff on forecasting, planning, specifications, proposed frequency and estimated quantities for all maintenance dredging. The MDP will also detail a proposed program and specifications for hydrographic surveys to reflect the ongoing dredging requirements for channels, berth pockets, turning basins, tug harbours and associated activities.

BMT will also assess and review long term trends, considering metocean conditions and port operating criteria, to develop a cost/benefit analysis of maintenance dredging operations versus operational throughput/tonnage. Improving overall port throughput, by increasing shipping drafts and reducing loss of hold capacity due to draft constraints at low water, will be assessed.

Tim Green, Managing Director of BMT JFA Consultants explains: “It is imperative that we develop the MDP as part of the bigger picture so it can be integrated within Rio Tinto’s asset management and maintenance systems.”

On 8 October a tender will be issued for the supply of steel chains & accessories for fenders at Alexandria port.

Another tender will be issued on 9 October for the installation of cylindrical fenders for berths at Alexandria & El-Dekheila ports in Egypt.

For furter information visit www.apa.gov.eg

The contract was awarded by the US Naval Surface Warfare Center, Carderock Division (NSWCCD) for the procurement of Yokohama hydro-pneumatic fenders and associated installation, support, shipping and travel. The contract was awarded in September 2012 and is expected to be completed by September 2017, with the work being undertaken at the Fendercare Marine UK Head Office in Seething, Norfolk.

Louis DiStefano, from the US Naval Surface Warfare Center, said: “Fendercare Marine has been the world leader in providing ISO 17357 Hydro-Pneumatic fenders to the U.S Navy for the past 15 years.  To date we have had zero defects with fenders provided through Fendercare Marine and they have been a vital part of assuring our U.S Submarine fleet’s mooring capabilities continue positively throughout the world.”

Fendercare Marine Managing Director, Eric Plane commented: “Everyone at Fendercare Marine is delighted to have secured this contract. This is a testament to our ability to provide both high quality, reliable products and the required levels of customer service that goes with it.  As you can appreciate, these things do not just happen but are a direct result of huge amounts of hard work both in respect of the contract submission itself and ensuring that we meet the extremely stringent technical requirements demanded by the US Navy.”

A member of James Fisher & Sons plc, Fendercare Marine supplies navies across the world with products from ship to quay, onboard and submarine berthing solutions, as well as shipboard and jetty equipment which are all independently certified by the world’s leading independent, inspection bodies.