Port News

In the first half of the year, the Port of Bilbao handled 17,317,427 tons of cargo, an increase of 1,893,980 tons and 12.3% up on the same period last year. This figure represents the highest year-on-year growth recorded at the start of a year for the last twenty-two years, or since 2004.Furthermore, despite a difficult start to the year due to the storms, mostly in January and part of February, that affected the vast majority of state-owned ports, and which, in the case of the Port of Bilbao…

Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthi militia told shipping companies not to load or discharge cargo at Saudi Arabian ports or they may be targeted, according to an email the group sent to companies.The Houthis on Monday declared a naval blockade against Saudi Arabia, opening a potential new front against the United States in its war with Iran and raising the threat to global energy supplies and trade beyond the Gulf."Vessels are banned from loading or discharging cargo at or from any Saudi ports…

The Port of Antwerp-Bruges, against a backdrop of geopolitical tensions, trade conflicts, and operational disruptions, context handled 133.9 million tons of maritime goods in the first half of 2026, a decrease of 2.4% compared to the same period last year. While RoRo grew (+5.9%) and bulk remained virtually stable (-1.3%), the decrease was primarily situated in the general cargo segment, with container handling being the main factor. At the same time, the Port of Antwerp-Bruges maintained its market share in container handling and continued to invest in additional capacity…

Ukraine will do everything possible to protect its seaports and guarantee grain exports at no less than last season's level,its deputy economy minister, Taras Vysotskiy, told Reuters on Wednesday.Russia has sharply stepped up attacks in recent weeks on Ukrainian Black Sea ports' infrastructure and on cargo vessels entering Odesa ports to export grain and other agricultural goods.Brokers say shipowners are refusing to enter Ukrainian ports because of sharply increased war risks…

In the first half of 2026, Terminal Portuario de Guayaquil (TPG), a Hanseatic Global Terminals port, has already accumulated more than 1,000 hours of training for reachstacker operators and more than 1,200 hours for STS and RTG crane operators through its simulators.These training sessions have been implemented across different strategic stages, including induction, training, recertification, and skills reinforcement-consolidating the success of TPG's new virtual simulation system.The…

AD Ports Group, a global enabler of integrated trade, industry and logistics solutions, and Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA), the largest premium aluminium producer in the world, have signed an agreement to enhance EGA’s dedicated berth at Khalifa Port.As part of their longstanding strategic partnership, AD Ports Group and EGA will jointly invest USD$22.87 million (AED 84 million) in a multi-phase berth enhancement program to upgrade EGA’s dedicated port infrastructure and accommodate Newcastlemax dry bulk vessels…

A new joint study using the Port of Rotterdam as a case study “Enabling Nuclear-Powered Feeder Ships: A Joint Development Project on Port Call Feasibility and Regulatory Pathways” has found that existing port safety and risk-management frameworks could provide a credible starting point for assessing nuclear-powered commercial ship calls within a major European port environment.The desktop study, carried out through a joint development project involving Lloyd’s Register, the Port of Rotterdam Authority, CORE POWER and A.P.

A maritime drone self-detonated on Friday in Romania's Black Sea port of Constanta near an oil terminal, without causing casualties, as Ukraine accused Russia of jamming one of its vessels before it drifted into Romanian waters.The explosion was the second major incident in a populated area in Romania on NATO's eastern flank in just a week as the spillover threat increases from the war in Ukraine, which has been fighting against a full-scale Russian invasion since 2022.Ukraine's navy said one of its naval drones lost control while on a mission in the Black Sea…

Victoria International Container Terminal (VICT), International Container Terminal Services, Inc.’s (ICTSI) fully automated operations at the Port of Melbourne, Australia, has deployed four new Kalmar hybrid automatic container carriers (ACC) following their successful commissioning and operational integration over the past several weeks.Kalmar executives attended the handover ceremony on May 26, including Sami Niiranen, president and chief executive officer, alongside VICT management…

The increasing automation around port and cargo operations sees greater use of remotely tracked and operated sensors and camera systems to deliver operational efficiency, security and greater safety across the huge footprint of any modern port. However, the incessant scaling of container ship operations to Ultra Large Container Vessels (ULCV) and beyond mean that ports must always look to refine their operations, with artificial intelligence (AI) the latest tool to deliver improved…

The Port of Albany-Rensselaer, NY hosted a half-day Maritime Summit that featured internationally renowned port, economics, infrastructure, and transportation leaders who addressed the issues, opportunities, and trends facing the transportation/maritime industry here in the Capital Region, across New York State, and around the United States.The Summit showcased the beneficial role that the Port of Albany-Rensselaer and other ports throughout the United States play in everyday life…

Port Houston, an advocate of the nation’s busiest waterway, the Houston Ship Channel, has announced the appointment of Amy Rister as its Director of State Government Relations.In her role, Rister will lead Port Houston’s state government relations strategy and serve as a key liaison to state leaders. She will partner with legislators, state agencies, and stakeholders to champion policies and investments that strengthen Texas’ maritime and freight transportation system and sustain the Houston Ship Channel’s economic impact.

ABB has introduced Waterside Automation solution, which enables quay cranes to perform a larger share of container handling operations automatically. By automating operations over the vessel and reducing the need for continuous manual control, the solution addresses a key bottleneck in container terminal efficiency and enables a gradual transition toward autonomous quay crane operations.Today, facing ever-increasing pressure on schedule reliability, many container terminals have already automated much of their yard operations.

Wilson Sons, a port and shipping logistics operator with over 188 years of experience, plans to expand the Rio Grande Container Terminal (located in Rio Grande do Sul) by making investments exceeding USD$218 million (R$1.1 billion) in port infrastructure by 2030. The initiative aims to expand the terminal's operational capacity and meet the growing logistics demands of Rio Grande do Sul and the Southern Cone. This will strengthen regional competitiveness and the infrastructure…

An LPS 550 fitted with an electric drive from Liebherr’s Baltic-side production facility has been delivered to Middlesbrough to increase PD Ports’ productivity. The new machine will focus on bulk work at Teesport, complementing two sister cranes commissioned in 2023, strengthening hatch coverage and maintaining consistent cycle times.Day-to-day, the Port supports a complex gateway that handles tens of millions of tonnes of cargo each year, with over USD$1.9 billion (£1.4 billion) contributed to the regional economy.

At the UAE port of Fujairah, conveyor belts offloaded grain from bulk carriers on Wednesday, while crude oil flowed through pipes and onto tankers berthed along its quay.Dozens of loaded trucks lined up near the port and others parked outside waiting their turn, while offshore, vessels labelled Cosco, Gardenia and other shipping lines lay at anchor, service boats weaving between them.Fujairah and Khor Fakkan, another eastern port with open access to the Indian Ocean, have become…

The American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) Board of Directors announced the appointment of Sang Yi as President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), effective May 4.Most recently, Yi served as Deputy Administrator of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD), where he oversaw key programs supporting the nation’s commercial and strategic maritime infrastructure. Before his appointment to MARAD, Yi served in the U.S. House of Representatives for almost a decade and a half. Prior to his congressional career, he served in the Intelligence Community.

Ukrainian drones struck Russia's Black Sea port of Tuapse on Friday for the fourth time in 16 days as authorities struggled to cope with a mounting environmental disaster from toxic black smoke clouds and oil leaking into the sea.Ukraine's SBU security service said drones had again struck the sea port and refinerythat make Tuapse an important hub for Russian oil exports.Reuters could not confirm the latest strike on the refinery, which has been hit and set ablaze at least twice…

The Ulsan Port Authority (UPA) announced the successful completion of the world’s first ammonia bunkering operation for an ammonia dual-fuel gas carrier at Ulsan Port on April 23, 2026.This milestone builds on Ulsan Port’s earlier achievements, including the world’s first methanol bunkering demonstration (2023–2026) and simultaneous LNG bunkering operations for car carriers. With this latest development, Ulsan Port has, for the first time in the world, demonstrated ammonia bunkering for a commercial vessel via Port-to-Ship (PTS) operations…

The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) has selected six partners under its Call for Proposals (CFP) to advance and scale up in-water hull inspection and cleaning solutions in the Port of Singapore, in support of more efficient and lower-emission shipping.The CFP received 19 proposals from 36 companies across nine countries.The six selected partners – Alicia Bots, C-Leanship, Neptune Robotics, Oceanis Robotics, RINA and SEAHI Robotics – will receive close to USD$2.91…

The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) and PSA Singapore (PSA) have launched an Expression of Interest (EOI) to invite proposals to develop and test autonomous inter-gateway container feeder vessel operations within Singapore’s port.Inter-gateway container feeder vessels move containers between terminals within the Port of Singapore (e.g. between Tuas and Pasir Panjang terminals), playing a crucial role in daily port operations. As vessel traffic grows, it is important to ensure that such movements are conducted efficiently…

Security is all too often treated as a purely compliance-driven exercise. This isn’t advisable in any industry, but it is particularly damaging for those that fall under critical infrastructure frameworks. Ports, and, by extension, the dredging operations that maintain and expand shipping lanes, are the backbone of global trade, underpinning essential supply lines. Security threats and workplace distributions therefore carry repercussions that extend far beyond any individual location, and facilitate a response that goes beyond passive monitoring and reactive measures.

Two container ships seized by Iran near the Strait of Hormuz with about 40 crew aboard have been taken toward the port of Bandar Abbas, sources said on Thursday, Tehran having vowed to retaliate after U.S. forces seized an Iranian vessel three days earlier.Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps seized the ships on Wednesday, one operated by MSC, the world's biggest container shipping group, and according to three sources, the other chartered by the firm."Some 20 Iranians armed to the teeth stormed the ship.