Port of Barcelona Awards Baleària Concession for Passenger and Ro-Ro Terminal
The Port of Barcelona has granted Baleària a 27‑year concession to build and operate a new passenger and ro‑ro cargo terminal on the Adossat wharf. The €25.3 million (approximately $27.3 million) project will cover 75,250 m², with an initial 38,000 m² operational area opening in February 2027 and full capacity by the end of 2029. The facility will feature four simultaneous ro‑ro berths, passenger amenities, on‑shore power supply and a photovoltaic energy system. Baleària aims to consolidate its Barcelona operations, boosting efficiency and sustainability.
ClassNK Approves Corrosion-Resistant Cable for Offshore Wind Use
ClassNK has granted both a Manufacturing Procedure Approval and a Type Approval for KOBELCO Wire Company's new semi‑parallel wire cable (SPWC), marking the society’s first endorsement of this corrosion‑resistant product. The cable features 7 mm galvanized steel wires coated in polyethylene,...
SM Line Ships Get Satellite Systems From SpaceX Subsidiary Starlink Korea
South Korean liner operator SM Line has equipped all 13 vessels in its fleet with satellite communications from Starlink Korea, the local arm of SpaceX. The service leverages more than 8,000 low‑earth‑orbit satellites positioned around 550 km, delivering faster and more...
IMO Advances Port Digitalization in Dar Es Salaam
The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has dispatched a needs‑assessment mission to Tanzania’s Port of Dar es Salaam to lay the groundwork for a Maritime Single Window (MSW) system. The MSW, a one‑stop digital platform, will consolidate data exchange among ship...
HJSC Appoints Song Kyung-Han as Construction Division CEO
HJ Shipbuilding & Construction (HJSC) appointed Song Kyung‑han as CEO of its construction division at the March 27 annual general meeting. Song, a former CEO of DONGBU Engineering, brings expertise in strategy, HR, procurement and outsourcing. The division posted roughly $770 million in...
Bureau Veritas, Trade Technologies Partner to Streamline Global Trade
Bureau Veritas and Trade Technologies have signed a strategic agreement to embed inspection and conformity certificates directly into letters of credit workflows. The integration automates document validation, cutting delays that traditionally slow export shipments. By combining Bureau Veritas' inspection expertise...
Hambantota Port Invests $108M to Expand Capacity to 2M TEU
Hambantota International Port Group is investing $108 million in new container‑handling equipment, including six quay cranes, 16 RTGs and 40 trailers. The upgrade will activate a 1,300‑meter berth and lift total capacity to roughly 2 million TEU, allowing the port to accommodate...
Hapag-Lloyd Announces GRI From East Coast to West Coast South America
Hapag-Lloyd announced a General Rate Increase for shipments traveling from the East Coast to the West Coast of South America. The surcharge is set at $200 per container and covers dry, reefer, and special units. The new rates become effective...
Louisiana International Terminal Holdings Incorporated as Gulf Coast Container Project Advances
Port of New Orleans incorporated Louisiana International Terminal Holdings LLC as the operating entity for a new container terminal in St. Bernard Parish. The next‑generation facility is slated to generate roughly $33.3 million in annual tax revenue and add 4,339 jobs,...
GT Lines Adapts ISX Service Amid Persian Gulf Situation
GT Lines has restructured its India–Sharjah Express (ISX) service due to ongoing tensions in the Persian Gulf. The carrier now anchors the service at Khor Fakkan, using overland links to reach other UAE ports. Two loops operate: ISX1 between Khor Fakkan and...
PD Ports Positions Teesport Offshore Gateway for Wind Expansion
PD Ports announced plans for a Teesport Offshore Gateway on the River Tees, designed to become the UK’s primary landing hub for the next phase of offshore wind development after the Crown Estate’s Round 6 auction. The facility will feature up...
Port of Gioia Tauro Inaugurates Single Border Control Post
The Port of Gioia Tauro has opened a new Single Border Inspection Post, a €2.7 million (≈$2.9 million) facility spanning 4,000 m². The structure consolidates former PIF, DPE and access‑point sites into one integrated checkpoint with 22 border‑control modules, six phytosanitary units, and...
Strathclyde Partners with Japan Marine United on Offshore Renewables
The University of Strathclyde and Japan Marine United (JMU) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to accelerate the development of floating offshore wind turbines. The partnership will combine Strathclyde’s leading research in wind energy with JMU’s shipbuilding and floating‑platform expertise...
Maritime Forum Deepens Port Ties Between Klaipėda, Lübeck and Hamburg
A German‑Lithuanian maritime forum in March brought together over 100 officials, port executives and logistics leaders from Klaipėda, Lübeck and Hamburg to deepen cooperation on trade corridors, supply‑chain resilience and Baltic security. The dialogue highlighted Germany’s position as Lithuania’s top...
Shandong Marine Extends MIX Service to Bangladesh
Shandong Marine Corporation announced the extension of its Malaysia‑Indonesia Express (MIX) service to Chittagong, Bangladesh. The expansion adds a 370‑TEU vessel to the existing 700‑TEU ship, raising total capacity on the route. The revised rotation will call at Port Kelang,...
Marsa Ocean Launches New India–Red Sea and Regional Services
Shipping line Marsa Ocean announced two new container services linking India with the Red Sea. The India‑Red Sea (IFR) service will run fortnightly using two 1,200‑TEU vessels, calling at Mundra, Nhava Sheva, Fujairah, Djibouti and Aden. The Red Sea Express...
Imabari Shipbuilding Delivers 40,000-DWT Bulk Carrier KITA
Imabari Shipbuilding delivered the 40,000‑DWT bulk carrier KITA on March 24, completing construction at its head‑office yard. The vessel combines a double‑hull, box‑shaped hold with four deck cranes and wide hatch openings, enabling rapid handling of grain, coal, ore and steel...
PortSide Stories: Algeciras
The Port of Algeciras, perched on the Strait of Gibraltar, serves as a pivotal gateway where the Mediterranean meets the Atlantic. It operates primarily as a transshipment hub, handling massive volumes of containers from Asian mega‑ships before they disperse across...
Port of Huelva Expands South Quay Rail Terminal
The Port of Huelva is adding a third railway track, V3, 1,211 m long, to its South Quay terminal, expanding the platform by 15,112 m² to nearly 49,000 m². Funded by the EU’s NextGenerationEU recovery plan, the upgrade includes modern safety, signaling, drainage...
WCI Rises for Fourth Straight Week to $2,279
Drewry’s World Container Index jumped 5% to $2,279 per 40‑foot container, marking a fourth consecutive weekly rise. Asia‑Europe lanes led the surge, with Shanghai‑Genoa rates climbing 12% to $3,474, while Transpacific routes also posted gains. Only three blank sailings are...
LOGISTEED Integrates ALPS Logistics Freight Forwarding Into Core Unit
LOGISTEED will integrate the domestic freight forwarding functions of ALPS Logistics into LOGISTEED Express, effective April 1 2026. The consolidation aims to simplify operations, standardize processes, and improve consistency amid increasingly complex supply chains driven by geopolitical risks and market volatility. By...
Damen Shipyards Posts Revenue and Profit Growth in 2025
Damen Shipyards Group closed 2025 with revenue climbing to $3.58 billion, up from $3.32 billion, and EBITDA rising roughly 10% to $204 million. Net profit reached $67 million, a modest increase from $64 million the prior year, while the order book now tops $11 billion, underpinning...
Hapag-Lloyd Updates Middle East Carrier Haulage Solutions
Hapag‑Lloyd announced an update to its carrier haulage (CH) network across the Middle East, adding cross‑border container routes through five strategic gateway ports—Jeddah, Salalah, Sohar, Khorfakkan and Fujairah. The service now links Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates,...
Valenciaport Initiates Climate Adaptation Strategy
Valenciaport has launched a climate adaptation plan for its three ports—Valencia, Sagunto and Gandia. The €181,229.35 (~$197,500) contract awarded to consultancy Ineco will run 14 months, delivering vulnerability assessments, risk evaluations and adaptation measures for critical infrastructure. The effort supports...
ONE Announced Multiple Service Upgrades
Ocean Network Express (ONE) announced a suite of intra‑Asia service upgrades aimed at tightening regional connectivity. The Thailand‑Indonesia 1 rotation now swaps Surabaya for Singapore and Ho Chi Minh City, creating a direct Jakarta‑Ho Chi Minh link with a weekly 14‑day round trip. ONE...
DP World Marks Container Record at Dakar Terminal
DP World celebrated handling its 10 millionth container at Dakar’s terminal, a milestone achieved since taking over management in 2008. Over the past 18 years the company has poured roughly $340 million into upgrades, boosting annual throughput from 265,000 TEUs to 850,000...
ZIM Seeks Executive Bonuses as $4.2bn Sale to Hapag-Lloyd and FIMI Advances
ZIM is seeking shareholder approval for a $924,000 retention bonus for CEO Eli Glickman as part of its pending $4.2 billion sale to Hapag‑Lloyd and Israeli private‑equity fund FIMI. Thirteen other senior executives could receive up to $5.4 million in similar payouts,...
Yang Ming Issues Middle East GS2 Service Deviation and Operational Update
Yang Ming Marine Transport Corp announced that its upcoming GS2 service vessels will deviate from planned routes and remain on standby near the Middle East due to escalating security threats in the Strait of Hormuz. The carrier will postpone scheduled...
CMA CGM Offers Access to NEOLINER ORIGIN Transatlantic Service
CMA CGM will add the wind‑powered NEOLINER ORIGIN to its transatlantic service, linking Montoir‑le‑Pont in France with Baltimore and Halifax. The vessel’s sail‑assisted propulsion promises an 80‑90% reduction in CO₂ emissions versus conventional ships. First sailings depart Baltimore on 24 April 2026 and Montoir...
Hapag-Lloyd Publishes 2025 Annual Report
Hapag‑Lloyd released its 2025 annual report, posting $3.6 billion EBITDA, $1.1 billion EBIT and a $1 billion net profit despite an 8 % decline in freight rates. Volume rose 8 % to 13.5 million TEU, driving liner‑shipping revenue to $20.6 billion, while the Gemini network achieved 90 %...
Explainer: Why Iran Strikes Saudi Arabia’s Last Exit
Iran's recent missile strike on Saudi Arabia's Yanbu port marks the first attack on the kingdom's designated "last exit" for oil shipments bypassing the Strait of Hormuz. Yanbu was built as a contingency to reroute crude if Hormuz were blocked,...
HMM Looks to AI and Green Ships for 2076 Vision
South Korea’s flagship carrier HMM celebrated its 50th anniversary and announced a long‑term strategy that hinges on artificial intelligence and environmentally‑friendly vessels as it looks toward its centenary in 2076. The company, which began as Hyundai Merchant Marine in 1976,...
K Line Ships First Train Cars for Cairo Metro Line 4
K Line has shipped the first eight train cars for Cairo Metro Line 4, loading them onto the car carrier Iguazu Highway at Kobe and sailing to Alexandria on 12 March 2026. The rolling stock is supplied by Mitsubishi Corporation and Kinki Sharyo for...
Toll Group Agrees Sale and Leaseback of Singapore Logistics Facility
Toll Group has entered a sale‑and‑leaseback deal for its 25 Loyang Crescent logistics hub in Singapore, selling the property to CapitaLand Ascendas REIT. The agreement includes a 12‑year triple‑net lease with an optional six‑year extension for the wharf and jetty...
CN Index Climbs Further as Systemic Pressure Intensifies in Container Shipping
The Container News (CN) Index rose to 654 this week, confirming the market’s placement in the Very High Pressure range. Freight rates strengthened across major lanes such as Far East‑North Europe, Asia‑U.S. East Coast, and Asia‑U.S. West Coast, as well...
Port Conditions Diverged Sharply Across Regions and Seasons in 2025
VesselBot’s 2025 port performance report, covering 660 terminals and 6,393 vessels, reveals stark regional and seasonal fragmentation in anchorage and berth times. Average anchorage per call was seven hours, ranging from 6.2 hours in July to 8.4 hours in December,...
DNV Launches AI-Powered RuleAgent Tool
DNV has launched RuleAgent, an AI‑driven tool that lets maritime professionals ask natural‑language questions and instantly retrieve relevant excerpts from its regulatory database. The system scans more than 30,000 pages of rules, standards, and guidelines, generating concise summaries and linking...
Why the Dual-Chokepoint Condition Is Multiplicatively Worse?
The Red Sea remains hazardous for container vessels while the Strait of Hormuz has come under Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) enforcement, eliminating any redundancy between the two critical maritime chokepoints. With both routes simultaneously compromised, shipping lines face a...
Port of Rotterdam Ensured Loan for Shore Power Infrastructure
European Investment Bank approved a €90 million ($98 million) loan to the Port of Rotterdam Authority to fund shore‑power installations at three deep‑sea container terminals. The loan is complemented by a €70 million ($76 million) European Commission grant, bringing total public financing to roughly...
RIKON Delivers Final A-RMG Cranes to Madrid Intermodal Terminal
JSC RIKON has delivered the final two A‑RMG automated rail‑mounted gantry cranes to the Madrid‑Vicálvaro Intermodal Terminal, completing the fleet slated for the $327 million project. The terminal, a €300 million investment, will handle roughly 150,000 intermodal units each year, linking Atlantic...
Q ENERGY Acquires Stake in Pennavel Floating Wind Project
Q ENERGY has acquired a stake in the Pennavel floating offshore wind project off southern Brittany, joining a consortium that includes Elicio France and BayWa r.e. France. The deal leverages Q ENERGY’s two‑decade track record in French offshore wind and...
Altius and Progeco Open New Cold Storage Facility at Port of Bilbao
Altius and Progeco have launched a new cold‑storage warehouse at the Port of Bilbao’s ZAD‑3 area. The facility features a 300 sqm antechamber and a 550 sqm storage zone capable of holding 1,100 pallets of frozen fish, seafood and meat. The project,...
Port of Lázaro Cárdenas Formalises Contract for Terminal IV Development
Mexico’s Lázaro Cárdenas port has formalized a Partial Assignment of Rights contract with Porter Lázaro Cárdenas SA de CV to build and operate a new Multi‑Purpose Terminal IV. Signed on Jan 26, 2026 and registered Feb 26, the terminal will serve cabotage, mineral...
Port of Gioia Tauro Secures Funding for 5G Network Development
The Port Authority of the Southern Tyrrhenian and Ionian Seas secured roughly €2 million (about $2.2 million) from Italy’s Fund for Technological Innovation and Digitalization to build a private 5G network at the Port of Gioia Tauro. The project, which earned a top‑score...
Explainer: Why Lamu Port Steps Into the Void
Kenya’s deep‑water Lamu port is rapidly becoming a fallback hub as cargo is diverted from the near‑shut Strait of Hormuz and the fractured Red Sea. The three‑berth facility is now handling volumes far beyond its original design, testing its operational...
Hellmann Expands Freight Forwarding Network in the Americas
Hellmann Worldwide Logistics is expanding its freight‑forwarding network across the Americas through a partnership with ProTrans, integrating TOC's forwarding activities into its global platform. The move bolsters Hellmann’s presence in the United States and Mexico, key markets in a high‑volume...
Cavotec Secures €3M Shore Power Order for Southern Italy Ports
Cavotec has won a €3 million contract to install its PowerFeed, PowerReach and PowerMove shore‑power systems across several Southern Italy ports. The equipment will let cruise, container and RoRo vessels draw electricity from the grid while docked, eliminating the need for...
Lloyd’s Register Partners with Echo Marine Group to Deliver Electric Ferry Fleet
Lloyd’s Register has entered a partnership with Echo Marine Group to certify the design and construction of five battery‑electric passenger ferries for Perth’s Swan River, creating Western Australia’s first fully electric ferry fleet. The vessels are part of the METRONET...
GXO and Hasbro Inaugurate Distribution Centre in Georgia
GXO Logistics and Hasbro have opened a 600,000‑square‑foot flagship distribution centre in Midway, Georgia, expanding Hasbro’s omni‑channel capabilities across North America. The hub supports both brick‑and‑mortar retail partners and the Hasbro Pulse direct‑to‑consumer platform, creating up to 70 permanent and...
Sidra Line to Launch Algerian Express Service
Sidra Line announced the launch of Algerian Express, a new maritime service linking Spain and Algeria. The fortnightly route will operate a multipurpose vessel capable of carrying both containerized and general cargo. Ports of call include Sagunto and Alicante in...