In a recent report published by the International Maritime Bureau it was announced that there was a 54% drop in global piracy during the first half of 2012. One of the key contributors to this welcome development was the fall in both Somali hijackings and attacks. There are many factors which have led to this, two of which were the work of military forces in the region and self-protection measures taken by commercial shipping

Cdre Bruce Belliveau, NATO’s Deputy Chief of Staff (Operations) at Northwood said “attacks have been minimal during the monsoon season but in the past the end of the monsoon generally heralds an increase in the number of attacks on merchant vessels. We have seen a steady downward trend in pirate successes which is due in part to the vigilance of naval forces. We call upon merchant vessels to do what they can to ensure they continue to make it as difficult as possible for pirates to board and take control of their ships.”

By joining forces, counter piracy efforts are more effective and can achieve more than any one ship, navy, organisation or country working alone. Even with all this military presence, the efforts of our naval forces cannot guarantee safety in the region. It is for this reason that CTF 151, NATO and the EU remind all ship-owners, operators and managers to continue to educate and train their mariners in both the threat and how to mitigate it.

The booklet Best Management Practices version 4 (BMP4) provides useful updates for masters in implementing protection measures to deter piracy. It is based on lessons learned from ships’ masters and can be downloaded from the NATO Shipping Centre and EU NAVOR/Maritime Security Centre – Horn of Africa websites ( www.shipping.nato.int, www.mschoa.org ) where you can find information about the latest pirate attacks and where they occurred.

Working together the military and the maritime industry is having a positive effect in frustrating the efforts of pirates. Despite the recent encouraging news now is not the time to lessen the efforts of all stakeholders in this area.

The decision will result in substantial environmental gains and a better working environment, both on board and ashore.

“This is a green milestone for DFDS and the Port of Gothenburg. We have worked towards this for a long time and we are extremely pleased that DFDS has taken up our offer of onshore power supply,” says Magnus Kårestedt, Port of Gothenburg Chief Executive.

Onshore power supply (OPS) means that vessels shut down their engines while at berth and use power from the quayside to operate all the functions on board. Carbon emissions are reduced substantially and emissions of sulphur dioxide, nitric oxide and particles are kept to a minimum. OPS also results in a quieter port environment and a better working environment on the vessel.

The Port of Gothenburg was the first in the world to offer high-voltage OPS thanks to close collaboration with Stora Enso, which connected all its freight vessels back in 2000. Stena Line has connected all its passenger and freight ferries in Gothenburg to onshore power. 

DFDS Seaways is set to follow suit and connect six vessels to onshore power, which in effect means that all ships that call at the Port of Gothenburg ro-ro- and passenger terminals shut down their engines when at berth – which is also the Port’s target through to 2015.

Magnus Kårestedt continues: “Thanks to the DFDS investment we are close to achieving our short-term vision for onshore power supply and we remain firmly at the forefront internationally.”

Once the DFDS vessels have been connected, probably at the end of 2013, 40 per cent of all vessels calling at the Port of Gothenburg will be able to connect to an OPS. This is a very high percentage by international standards. Some 30,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide will be saved each year, of which the DFDS investment will account for around 13,000 tonnes. 

Major investment at Älvsborg Ro/Ro
DFDS is investing around SEK 50 million to prepare the six ships in question and will receive SEK 10 million in grants from the EU. The Port of Gothenburg will cover the necessary land investments at Älvsborg Ro/Ro, the terminal at which the DFDS vessels will berth. A further two quays will be equipped with OPS facilities – an investment totalling SEK 8-10 million.

After posting a 16 percent jump year-over-year in July, the port handled 137,039 20-foot equivalent units (TEUs) in August, representing the strongest month for container volume since October 2008. This is also the seventh straight month of year-over-year growth in the Port of Charleston.

“We continue to focus on growing our cargo base, as reflected in strong gains in loaded exports, while we also increase service coverage in our port,” said Jim Newsome, president and CEO of the South Carolina Ports Authority (SCPA). “In addition to the two new services that commenced this summer, we will be welcoming the first call of the Oceania service next week.”

The Bahia Grande, the first ship in Hamburg Süd and Maersk’s Australia and New Zealand weekly service, is scheduled to call the Wando Welch Terminal on September 21.

On the non-container side, breakbulk tonnage also was a strong performer. Overall breakbulk volume for the SCPA was up 35.5 percent in August with 150,539 tons handled in the Port of Charleston and the Port of Georgetown.

With the increasing need for renewable energy and its growing popularity in Poland, wind farms have grown in number.  Polish ports have seen a frequency in the movement of wind farm components and BCT’s services easily cater to this growing market.

BCT has the equipment to perform complex transhipment of wind farm components.  Utilizing two Liebherr mobile harbor cranes (MHC) with a lifting capacity of 100 tons each, the terminal is capable of handling oversize cargo.

According to the Energy Regulatory Office, there are now 619 wind power installations in operation in Poland with total capacity of 2188.941 MW, and the government plans to have the wind power raised until 2020 to a level as high as 6650 MW.

ICTSI is a leading port management company involved in the operations and development of 25 marine terminals and port projects in 18 countries worldwide.  The company was among the first international terminal operators to take its expertise overseas.