ITF reports "worst year ever" for seafarer abandonment
THE INTERNATIONAL Transport Workers’ Federation says 2023 was the worst year on record for both abandoned vessels and seafarers. ITF inspectors conducted a total of 9530 vessel...
WSC backs box-overboard rule
PEAK liner shipping body World Shipping Council has thrown its weight behind new IMO regulations mandating notification of all containers lost overboard at sea. Amendments to the...
ABF cracks down on contraband at Tassie ports
THE AUSTRALIAN Border Force is ramping up sea cargo examinations in Tasmania. The ABF announced last week it had deployed a new mobile x-ray unit in Hobart, with TasPorts to...
GRI, PSS trickle accelerates
MORE carriers are joining the push to maximise returns from high demand in Australasian trades, including outbound. Late last week Maersk announced a peak season surcharge,...
AMSA bans unseaworthy Peace
THE AUSTRALIAN Maritime Safety Authority has banned the bulk carrier Peace over a lack of maintenance and serious deterioration of onboard fixtures. Peace (IMO 9568067) is a...
P&O cruises to Carnival
CARNIVAL Corporation is to rationalise its Australasian and South Pacific operations by folding the P&O Cruises Australia brand into Carnival Cruise Line. The change will take...
VICT increases infrastructure charge per container
VICTORIA International Container Terminal has announced an increase to their infrastructure charge per full container, effective from 1 July onwards. The infrastructure charge...
Container freight spot rates ‘to reach levels not seen since covid era’
OCEAN freight container shipping spot rates are expected to reach levels not seen since Covid-19 was causing chaos on ocean supply chains. According to data released by ocean...
Spirits delay prompts inquiry calls
CALLS by Tasmania’s Labor Opposition for an inquiry into delays to the new Spirit of Tasmania ferries have been endorsed by local government and business. Labor leader Dean Winter...
Auriga renews Hedland marine pilot heli contract
AURIGA Group today (31 May) announced the renewal of a major long-term contract with the Pilbara Ports Authority, set to extend well into the 2030s. The contract, for aviation...
Sinolines takeover in Chinese carrier shuffle
A RE-ARRANGEMENT of Chinese container and ro-ro carriers that will see Sinotrans Container Line [Sinolines] backed into a new grouping is unlikely to affect the line’s Australian...
Two-way tug traffic on Tasman
JUST weeks after a long-serving Australian tug headed to a new life in New Zealand, the reverse is occurring. The former Switzer tug Karoo, most recently stationed at Albany,...
More profits, less doom – but …
WORK by US analyst John D McCown shows container lines recorded a net profit of US$5.4 billion in the first quarter of 2024, a massive turnaround from 3Q 2023 and seven previous...
Report: Freight vehicle congestion approaches pre-covid levels
THE BUREAU of Infrastructure and Transport Research Economics (BITRE) has released its 2023 report on freight vehicle congestion in Australian capital cities. The fifth issue in...
China lifts import bans on major Australian beef exporters
THE Australian Government has confirmed that import restrictions imposed by China against five Australian meat processing establishments have been lifted with immediate effect....
