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Port of LAMU The New Kid on the African MaritimeBlock
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Port of LAMU The New Kid on the African MaritimeBlock
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EDITORIAL
MANAGING EDITOR George Sunguh
D
ear readers, we welcome you to yet another edition of the African Shipping Review - Africa's ultimate maritime magazine with up to date information on the African port and maritime industries. Going forward our journalism will be focusing more on United Nation Sustainable Development Goals highlighting environmental issues to help alleviate global warming.
CONTRIBUTORS Onyango Omollo Esther Nyanja Omar Makanja Elizabeth Eise-Banza Georgette Awuor Ian Urban
We aim to make our contribution, however small, to help tame the vagaries of weather experienced today due to our carelessness and irresponsibility.
PHOTOGRAPHY Titus Musau
MARKETING/SALES Media Concept
A recent study by the UN's science panel, the onset of man-made climate change has made the weather less stable, triggering heat waves and flooding in various parts of the world. Soon these calamities will be on our doorsteps. It's said forewarned is forearmed – basically meaning that prior knowledge of possible dangers or problems gives one a tactical advantage.
DESIGN/LAYOUT Ouma Gabriel
All material is strictly copyright and all rights are reserved. Reproduction without permission is forbidden. Every care is taken in compiling the contents of this magazine but we assume no responsibility in the effect arising therefrom.The views expressed in this publication are not the necessarily those of the publisher
Published By:
ltd. Tel: +254 722 703 971
Email: info@mediaconcept.co.ke ; gsunguh@gmail.com
It is this prior knowledge on matters related to the environment, especially in the marine sector, that we will endeavor to provide our readers and the policymakers with, to evade the heat waves and flooding danger we are currently witnessing elsewhere.
Ian is a veteran investigative journalist who has been writing for the New York Times for many years. He is the author of the New York Times bestseller – The Outlaw Oceanbased on his years of investigative journalism. He is a Pulitzer and George Polk Award winner. He has also been nominated for the Emmy Awards – an American award bestowed by the Academy of Television, Art and Sciences (ATAS) in recognition of excellence in American Primetime Television programming.Through Ian, we are assured of engaging our readers with, Deep Dive stories much of it from offshore exploring lawlessness in the high sea.
We are doing this oblivious to the fact that how a story is told and its diversity can enhance or limit the information our readers get to form their opinion and make decisions on pertinent issues. At this juncture, we are glad to have Mr. Ian Urban onboard alongside our gallant team of contributors.
George Sunguh MANAGING EDITOR
AFRICAN SHIPPING REVIEW Oct/Dec 2021
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CONTENTS
5. TRANSPORT Poor Infrastructure Inhibing Trade on Lake Tanganyika 8. INTERVIEW NCCTCA Trains Truck Drivers on Eco - Driving 12. DP WORLD DP World enters Port of Luanda 13. PORT OF LAMU The New Kid on the African Maritime Block 20. SEALITE Sealite SL-300: The Lantern of Choice for Kenya 22. THE OUTLAW COAST Off the Coast of South Korea 26. INVESTMENT DP World Kick Starts Port of Berbera 28. SCHOLARSHIPS DP ASR Awards Blue Economy Scholarships 29.TRANSPORT & EVENTS Djibouti Hosts the 24th Intermodal Africa 2021 30.TNPA RELOCATION TNPA Head Office moves to Port Elizabeth 33.TRAINING MAMI E.A World Record Holder 2020 34. APPOINTMENT Andrew Kanime Appointed Namport CEO 35. ENVIRONMENT IMC Carbon Intensity Strategy 36. LARGEST VESSEL One of the World’s Largest Container Ship, the Ever Ace
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TRANSPORT
Poor Infrastructure Inhibiting Trade On Lake Tanganyika The stakeholders were also asked to advocate and lobby for increased promotion of cross border and exports business within the lake states to enable vessels have return cargo to carry which in essence would bring down the cost of operation and freight, particularly for Mpulungu (Zambia), located far south of the lake.
By a Correspondent
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oor port infrastructure has been identified as among the key challenges inhibiting the facilitation of shipping and trade across Lake Tanganyika.
A stakeholders forum of the Intergovernmental Standing Committee on Shipping (ISCOS) for the Facilitation of Shipping and Trade across Lake Tanganyika, noted that the existing infrastructure at the lake ports remains poor and not being reviewed to match the pace of increasing trade and cargo volume within the lake. The forum held in Dar es Salaam in April, 2021, identified the most affected ports as Moba, Kalemie, Muliro and Kalundu; lacking landing, loading and unloading equipment, as well as warehousing facilities. The infrastructure challenges have led to inefficient utilisation of vessels plying the lake, thus increasing the turnaround time and creating a perceived scarcity of vessels. At Kigoma Port, lack of sufficient storage facilities, in addition to the low productivity at the port, had led to the use of wagons as storage facilities which interfere with the wagon turnaround time. The low level of productivity (service delivery) also bedeviling Kalemie Port, is occasioned by inadequate capacity and poor/old infrastructure, tools and equipment, manual systems and inadequate deployment of man power, thus causing cargo movement delays, congestions, and snowball effect in other ports waiting for the vessels.
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TRANSPORT
Inadequate aids to navigation equipment and navigation charts across the lake was also identified; as well as underwater challenges due to siltation, which are impeding vessels' movement across the lake. Another challenge is lack of an effective structured forum for exchanging and sharing of information among players on the lake and between the lake states on a continuous basis and for tracking the level of service delivery on the Lake. The forum also identified disparities in immigration policies amongst regional lake countries especially the visa fees which in some countries are perceived to be high for traders and operators seeking entrance into the countries. Ports and Marine tariffs are equally perceived to be high and inhibiting the use of lake transport and the forum called for a review and harmonisation of the same across the lake ports. The forum blamed lack of a multilateral water transport agreement among the riparian States to facilitate the harmonisation and standardisation of transport policies. The other challenges include: - Climatic changes causing exceedingly high or low levels of water, which inhibits the docking of vessels and interferes with the ports' environment and operations/productivity; - Non-Tariff Barriers (NTBs) that restrict market access for goods across member states; - Unlicensed/unregistered small boats/canoes which do not meet the sea worthy standards, with most of them being operated without life jackets and other safety gears; - Absence of forums where service providers of a specific line of services between States meet to share information and collaborate in policy and operational practice/procedure harmonisation; - Presence of unregulated small ports that cause social economic challenges; - Disparity in customs systems of different Lake States which creates disparities in customs clearance procedures for cargo moving between lake ports. To mitigate the challenges, the forum recommended the Riparian States of Republic of Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, United Republic of Tanzania and Republic of Zambia: · To prioritize the improvement of infrastructure of lake ports (especially Kalemie, Moba and Kalundu), rail and road systems in order to take care of
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the increasing volumes of trade and cargo moving to and through the lake ports and across the lake; · To continue reviewing and putting in place policies and procedures which encourage and facilitate the seamless flow of cargo through the lake ports and across the lake, including the harmonisation of customs and immigration policies; · To enhance collaboration with the private sector in the encouragement and promotion of investment in Port infrastructure and Water Transport and the improvement of service delivery in the lake ports; · To continue putting in place policies which encourage the growth of crossborder as well as on import and export trade; · To continue working together in the management and mitigation of adverse changes in the water levels which appear to be a common problem to all lake ports.
The forum at the same time mandated ISCOS to: - Concretise the establishment of the Stakeholders Forum for the Facilitation of Shipping and Trade across Lake Tanganyika and adopt the Forum as a tool supporting the strategic initiatives started on the lake by the regional states; - Identify Stakeholders of the Lake, profile their roles and suggest a suitable Service Charter for the regular review of performance and continuous improvement; - Mobilise Development partner support for the continuous and sustainable functioning of this forum; - Conduct a review on the differences in policies, procedures and regulations for the purposes of advising on harmonization; - Collaborate with the Lake Tanganyika Authority and other relevant authorities such as Burundi Maritime, Port and Railway Authority, Tanzania
TRANSPORT
Ports Authority, Mpulungu Harbour Corporation Ltd, to seek donor support to find a lasting solution to the challenges of extreme changes (low and high) in water levels at Lake Tanganyika; and - Profile identified challenges, allocate responsibility, track and report on progress of their mitigation measures. The stakeholders of the lake were on their part asked to: - Support the Stakeholder Forum for the Facilitation of Shipping and Trade along Lake Tanganyika as an operational tool for exchange and sharing information, harmonising policies and procedures, allowing participation and inclusivity of stakeholders on issues affecting service delivery and driving a culture of continuous improvement; - Continue lobbying their states for the modernisation and continuous improvement of ports facilities, infrastructure, systems and tools in order to enhance efficiency and match the increasing volumes of trade and cargo; - Sharing information with ISCOS on matters of interest to the forum especially on adverse conditions which require its attention and possible intervention; and also relevant statistics and information as may be requested; - Advocate for and formulate structured stakeholders engagement within their ports and between Lake
States ports; The stakeholders were also asked to advocate and lobby for increased promotion of cross border and exports business within the lake states to enable vessels have return cargo to carry which in essence would bring down the cost of operation and freight, particularly for Mpulungu (Zambia), located far south of the lake. The forum appreciated the efforts at the regional level to revamp soft and hard infrastructure in support of lake transport which include enhancement of Lake Ports' facilities, Road and Railway Systems, Tools and Equipment. It took note of the renewed determination and commitment from the Lake Tanganyika States to revive water Transport facilities and particularly the rehabilitation of vessels, building new vessels and enhancement of inland Ports facilities; The forum equally recognised the increasing role of Inland water ways in connecting and facilitating international and intra-regional trade and tourism, and the opportunity which water transport provides in offering competitive cost of moving cargo and people across the lake. And further that Maritime Transport is a complex and highly technical sector whose initiatives require the expertise of institutions like ISCOS to coordinate.
The forum brought together institutions that included - United Republic of Tanzania: Ministry of Works and Transport, Tanzania Shipping Agencies Corporation (TASAC), Tanzania Ports Authority (TPA), Tanzania Railways Corporation (TRC), Tanzania Police Marine, Marine Services Company Limited (MSCL) Tanzania, Tanzania Shippers' Council (TSC), Tanzania Freight Forwarders Association (TAFFA); Republic of Zambia: Ministry of Transport and Communications, Mpulungu Harbor Corporation Ltd, ZAMBIA CARGO and Logistics Ltd; Democratic Republic of Congo: OGEFREM (Shippers Congolese Council), Kalemie Port, Maritime Authority-Kalemie (Commissariat Lacustre de Kalemie), President Des Armateurs de Kalemie, Amani Group Company Ltd (MV. Amani); Republic of Burundi: Burundi Maritime, Ports and Railway Authority, Burundi Revenue Authority, Burundi International Transporters Association. The Regional Economic Communities, development partners and other multinational service providers/stakeholders present were: Lake Tanganyika Authority (LTA), VIASERVICE Financial Services Ltd, Southern Highland Shipping and Consultancy and Trademark East Africa (TMEA).
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INTERVIEW
NCTTCA Trains Truck Drivers on Ecodriving
NCTTCA in collaboration with the United Nations Environmental Programme recently organised a training session to capacity build and train truck drivers along the corridor on techniques that lower fuel consumption and lower the GreenHouse Gas emissions and accident rates. Mr. Omae Nyarandi, Executive Secretary, Spoke to African Shipping Review Editor Mr. George Sunguh thereafter. Q: What is ecodriving and how beneficial can it be to our region? Ecodriving is a set of steps, techniques and behaviours that drivers can employ in preparation of the vehicle before a journey. This includes planning the journey, modifying driving style during the journey and in reviewing trip data after the journey, that can, taken together, lead to savings (at times, significant ones) in terms of fuel usage,
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trip cost, emissions of CO2 and other pollution, and levels of noise from vehicle use. Therefore, Ecodriving is a term used to describe energy efficient use of vehicles. It is a great and easy way to reduce fuel consumption from road transport so that less fuel is used to travel the same distance. Ecodriving techniques are both beneficial to the driver and to the
INTERVIEW
region in the sense that an Ecodriver will burn less fuel, meaning less emissions, will travel more for less fuel, will save money and be a safe driver, with less or no incidents and accidents. These savings can be realised for relatively low cost compared to other kinds of efforts to reduce the environmental impacts of car use. In addition, trips made with Ecodriving techniques can, in many cases, be linked to improved road safety; moreover, the use of such techniques does not increase journey times.
USD per annum. The East African economies are growing rapidly and therefore increasing the transport industry at the same pace. Consequently, the freight transport sectors are one of the fastest growing sources of Greenhouse Gas emissions and pollution at national and regional levels. In the Northern Corridor, the top 10 routes having maximum Greenhouse Gas emissions are Mombasa-Malaba, Mombasa-Nairobi, Mombasa-Busia, Nairobi-Busia, Busitema-Kampala, Luwero-Elegu, Luwero-Goli, Mbale-Goli, Mubende- Kasindi and Mbale-Elegu. Out of 25 routes in Northern Corridor, these 10 routes constituted 86 % of estimated total Greenhouse Gas emissions of the corridor. Hence these routes are priority routes were climate change mitigation actions can be identified and implemented for reducing Greenhouse Gas emissions in the corridor. Recent findings of Greenhouses Gas emissions revealed that, the estimated total Greenhouse Gas emissions of Northern Corridor are 1.73 Million
,,
Q: How successful is the 'Green Freight Program' along the Northern Corridor, developed in 2016 to minimise health, safety and environmental impacts of freight movement? Since the Northern Corridor Member States embarked on a long journey of integrating Sustainable Freight Transport (SFT) components namely, social, economic and environmental aspects in all infrastructure projects and trade facilitation and Transport Logistics initiatives, the Corridor registered some progress especially on the component of Green Freight transport by cutting down Port and Road transport emissions such as Particulate Matter (PM), black carbon emissions and Oxides of Nitrogen (NOX) and CO2 emission in grams per ton-km. In 2011, the whole East African Region Harmonized Fuel Standards. The Northern Corridor region specified that diesel should have a maximum sulphur content of 50 parts per million (ppm), while petrol should have an octane rating of 93. Prior to 2011, the sulphur levels found in diesel in the East African region ranged between 5,000 parts per million (ppm) and 10,000 ppm, compared to that in developed countries (US and Europe) standards of 10-15 ppm. The reduction of Greenhouse Gas emissions and pollution is critical, especially when it comes to investment in low emission approaches to fight Climate Change which requires appropriate attention. The value of the logistics sector in East Africa is estimated at 15 to 25 billion
The reduction of Greenhouse Gas emissions and pollution is critical, especially when it comes to investment in low emission approaches to fight Climate Change which requires appropriate attention.
Metric tons of Carbon dioxide equivalent, out of which Carbon Dioxide (CO ) emissions account for about 98.75 per cent; followed by Nitrous Oxide (N2O) emissions and Methane (CH ) emissions are comparatively very small. Hence, the Climate Change Mitigation measures to be planned for the Northern Corridor region require to focus mainly on reducing Carbon Dioxide emissions.
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INTERVIEW
In the Northern Corridor region, the onward journey (from Mombasa to hinterlands) constituted 58% (1 MMtCO e) of estimated total Greenhouses Gas emissions and return journey constituted 42% (0.73MMtCO e) of the estimated total Greenhouses Gas emissions. In the return journey, the empty trips contributed 59% (0.43MMtCO e) of the estimated total Greenhouses Gas emissions of the return journey, and loaded trips contributed 41% (0.30MMtCO e) of the total Greenhouses Gas emission of the return journey. Q:The Northern Corridor Secretariat prepared a baseline for the Port of Mombasa in 2017 and that of the corridor in 2018. Are you satisfied with collaboration from the Member States in ensuring all activities agreed upon in the validation exercise are implemented? The Northern Corridor holistic Sustainable Freight Transport Programme comes in line with the global and continental frameworks such as the Addis Ababa Action Agenda, 2015 Paris Climate Agreement, Agenda 2063 of the African Union, and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development focused on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)-which provide a supportive backdrop for adopting and following through on green economy initiatives. The Northern Corridor secretariat was and always is committed to collecting data on a regular basis on the Green Freight indicators to be featured in the Northern Corridor Transport Observatory reports on annual basis. So far, relevant stakeholders in the Northern Corridor Member States are on the right track in providing data and different initiatives have been put in place to mitigate the challenges to achieve a Sustainable Freight Transport in the region. Q: Which Member States are excelling in this aspect and which ones are dropping the ball? All the Northern Corridor Member
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In implementing its Strategic Plan 2017-2021, especially under its strategic objectives NUMBER2 related to improving safety in all modes of transport, the Northern Corridor Secretariat has carried out black spots mapping and Road surveys in all the six Member States.
States have put in place mechanisms and programmes that are in line with the Addis Ababa Action Agenda, 2015 Paris Climate Agreement, Agenda 2063 of the African Union, and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development focused on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including the Northern Corridor Sustainable Freight Transport Programme. Q: How has been the on going surveys and maping of black spots along the northern corridor? In implementing its Strategic Plan 20172021, especially under its strategic objectives NUMBER2 related to improving safety in all modes of transport, the Northern Corridor Secretariat has carried out black spots mapping and Road surveys in all the six Member States.
Those included Black Spots identification, Data Collection and Analysis, Development of countermeasures, implementation of the measure at Black spots locations and Evaluation of the countermeasures. Surveys observations and findings generally revealed the following: Over speeding and Overtaking. There is tendency of vehicles to over speed and overtake dangerously with risk of Head-on, Rear-end, Side-impact, Side-swipe, roll-over, Multi-vehicle pileups collisions. This therfore calls for sensitization programs and Driver training on defensive driving. N a rrow ro a d s , m i s s i n g / n o n existence of road signages Most of the surveyed road sections are narrow in some Member countries.They
INTERVIEW
don't meet the standards recommended by t h e E AC s t u d y o n Tr a n s p o r t Facilitation in the Region. In addition, there is lack of critical road signs along the road while other road signs are obscured / blocked by trees. Lack of designated pedestrian crossing points and Non Motorised Transport facilities Lack of marked pedestrian crossings and walkways are forcing pedestrian to cross anywhere and walk on road edge oblivious of their safety. Dangerous sharp curves combined with steep slopes In Countries with hilly landscape, most roads upcountry present dangerous curves which are combined with steep slops. This leads to vehicles skidding and overturning.
Slippery road pavement and frog during rainy season The nature of terrain described above impacts on the construction of roads with steep slopes. As consequence, during the rainy season roads are slippery and foggy with less visibility. Unsafe junction/access layout Major junctions are not channelized with road marking. There is no-existence of road marking thereby confusing road users in addition to junctions located on horizontal/vertical curves with limited visibility splay. Obstruction by trucks, PSV parking by road side Some trucks are parked on shoulders due to lack of designated parkings. Heavy truck parking space not provided within traversed town centers. PSVs pick and
drop on road edges. The expediting of RSS will come up as one of the key recommendations. Vendors selling their wares by the road side/ Encroachment into road reserve There exist many makeshift kiosks by the road side in town/market centers traversed by the road, and vendors have turned temporary bus bays into market spaces. Damaged/missing guardrails and handrails at major bridges Guardrails are damaged and several pieces of handrails are missing on bridge crossing exposing pedestrians and cyclists to great danger. In addition roads are narrowed to accommodate the width of the bridges.
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DP WORD-LUANDA PORT
DP World Luanda is investing US$190 million to improve the terminal to help Angola achieve its ambitions for economic growth and to make it a trade hub along the western coast of Southern Africa.The terminal is the eighth port facility currently managed and operated by DP World in its Africa and Middle East region.
DP World Enters Port of Luanda
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P World has begun operation of the Multipurpose Terminal (MPT) at the Port of Luanda beginning March 2021. The MPT was handed over to DP World Luanda by Porto de Luanda, following the 20-year concession agreement signed in January 2021 by António Bengue, Chairman of Porto de Luanda and Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, Group Chairman and CEO of DP World. DP World has appointed Francisco Pinzón, as Chief Executive Officer of DP World Luanda. A Panamanian national, he has more than 20 years' experience in port operations and management, having worked at ports in Panama, Bahrain, Peru, Georgia, Djibouti, and Algeria. Mr. Pinzón joined DP World in 2016 as COO for DP World Djibouti, and in 2018 was appointed as Operations Excellence Manager in Middle East and Africa. Prior to his new role, he was the Deputy General Manager of DP World Djazair, Algeria. DP World Luanda is investing US$190
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million to improve the terminal to help Angola achieve its ambitions for economic growth and to make it a trade hub along the western coast of Southern Africa. The terminal is the eighth port facility currently managed and operated by DP World in its Africa and Middle East region.
the team at DP World Luanda in the next phase of the terminal's strategic development. Through leveraging our global expertise, technology, and capabilities from across the supply chain, we'll bring our best practices and systems to the terminal” said Mr. Pinzón.
Improvements at the terminal are already underway, with the procurement of new equipment, including 30 trucks, six reach stackers, four empty container handlers and four forklifts. New staff facilities will also soon be built and new Rubber Tyred Gantry cranes (RTGs) will be incorporated to the terminal's fleet, which will be the first of its kind to be introduced in Angola. RTGs improve efficiency, are environmentally friendlier and allows for better utilization of the terminal's yard.
“We've already begun the process of integrating the local staff into DP World Luanda and will soon start implementing further training and development programmes for them, as well as build the new facilities and install new equipment,” he added.
As part of its sustainability and responsible corporate citizenship, DP World Luanda also plans to invest in various ways in community projects to make a positive impact on the local community. “I'm honoured to lead and work with
Suhail Al Banna, CEO and Managing Director of DP World, Middle East and Africa on the other hand said: “I'd like to welcome all our Angolan colleagues to the DP World team. We are proud to be in Angola to further develop the terminal as a trade hub in the southern west Africa region, which will support the country's economic growth objectives by attracting further investment and increased trade.”
Port of LAMU The New Kid on the African Maritime Block
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PORT OF LAMU
Port of Lamu: The New Kid on theAfrican Maritime Block L
amu Port is the 'New Kid on the African Maritime Block' and a definite game changer on the regional and continental logistics. It will spur the LAPSSET Corridor Route and augment the realization of the African Union's long cherished dream of 'The Great Equitorial Land Bridge which begins at the Lamu port in Kenya on the Indian Ocean, passing through Juba in South Sudan, Bangui in Central African Republic, ending at Douala in Cameroon on the Atlantic Ocean - across Africa. The port became operational on May 20th 2021 in a ceremony presided over by Kenya's President Uhuru Kenyatta, breathing life into Eastern Africa's maritime economy battered by the COVID 19 pandemic. The modern port built by China Communication Construction Company makes Kenya the undisputed leading trade hub in East Africa. The recent launch of the port's first of the planned 32 berths is indeed a feat signaling Kenya's determination to become a major shipping hub in Eastern and Southern Africa region.
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PORT OF LAMU
MV CAP Carmel, the first vessel to dock at the Port of Lamu
The successful operationalization of the first berth follows the grand launch of the construction of the first three berths with a length of 400 meters and depth of -17.5 meters in 2012 witnessed by three heads of state namely Mwai Kibaki of Kenya Meles Zanawi of Ethiopia and Silva Kiir of South Sudan. The two other berths are expected to be operational before the end of the year. Upon completion, the new port at Manda Bay will have 23 berths large and deep enough to accommodate postpanamax vessels with carrying capacity
ranging from 12,000 to 18,000 TwentyFoot Equivalent Units (TEUs). Prior to the port's construction, comprehensive surveys confirmed the site to be the most suitable for the facility due to its natural depth of minus 18 meters along the main channel to 60 meters in the Bay. The first three berths are designed to handle 30,000 Dead Weight Tones (DWT) and 100,000 DWT for general, bulk and container cargo respectively. The development of the berths is crucial for importation of building materials for the other project components. The project is in three phases where phase one estimated at a cost of Ksh 42 billion was the construction of the first three berths designed to handle containers, general and bulk cargo vessels. The other berths will be developed depending on the demand, to reach a full complement of four bulk berths, five container berths, 21 general cargo berths and two liquid bulk berths. The port is also expected to handle crude oil super tankers whose draft is in excess of 18 metres, the consultant has proposed the construction of submarine oil pipelines to two Single Point Mooring Buoys, (SPMB) at depths of 22 metres to service the tankers at sea. The history of the Lamu port project dates back to 1972 when the then
Ministry of Power and Communication commissioned Renardet-Sauti Consulting Engineers to prepare a feasibility study for a second deep water port in Kenya. This was in response to the facts that the Port of Mombasa was then suffering the effects of congestion and restricted in terms of draft and hence the size of ships allowed to visit. Manda Bay in Lamu located about 250 km north of Mombasa was considered most suitable for port development because it has a deep natural sheltered harbour and long and gentle shoreline measuring over 12 km as well as a wide entrance channel of about 3.5 km. Lamu emerged the best site for a modern port after the consultant had also investigated Kilifi creek and Malindi. The Lamu port is part of the larger Lamu Port South Sudan Ethiopia Transport and Economic (LAPSSET) corridor project. It is itself a flagship project under the Kenya Vision 2030 national economic blueprint. LAPSSET forms Kenya's second transport and economic development corridor that is much wider than the Port and is expected to transform regional economies through increased trade, integration and interconnectivity spanning South Sudan and Ethiopia with first time land bridge across the middle of Africa from Lamu, all the way to Doula, Cameroon on the Atlantic Ocean Coast. AFRICAN SHIPPING REVIEW Oct/Dec 2021
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PORT OF LAMU
LAPSSET is comprised of some seven major implementation components and associated infrastructure. These include oil pipeline from Juba to the port of Lamu, oil refinery at port of Lamu, the port at Manda Bay, railway link to South Sudan and Ethiopia, highway joining Kenya, South Sudan and Ethiopia, three resort cities at Lamu and Turkana as well as airports at Lamu, Isiolo and Lockichogio. The port project has the potential to completely transform the economic status of Lamu and the entire coast of Kenya with increased employment opportunities; better social amenities such as schools, health facilities as well as water and energy provisions that are associated with such projects for the benefit of the people in the region for a long time to come. The LAPSSET project will position Lamu Port as an important transshipment hub, poised to handle crude and refined oil and oil products from the new nation of South Sudan. It has the potential to directly impact on the livelihood of 166 million people in Kenya, Ethiopia and South Sudan with other accruing benefits from infrastructure development ranging from better road network, rail, airports, oil pipeline and refinery; resort cities as well as the port itself. It is hoped this massive project will trigger employment and economic activities never witnessed since independence in Kenya. The project will enhance regional and economic integration, facilitate trade and increase interconnectivity between South Sudan, Ethiopia, Uganda, Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Central Africa and Cameroon. It is also expected to enhance Kenya's position as a gateway and a transport hub to the East African sub-region, the Great Lake Region and beyond. The project will provide a reliable access to the sea for Northern/Eastern parts of Kenya, South Sudan and Ethiopia, which have hitherto remained without such a direct link to a seaport. This project has numerous benefits for the country and local communities at large. LOCAL BENEFITS Create employment opportunities to the local communities; Stimulate economic growth and development of the Lamu and adjacent counties; Uplift the living standards of the local community.
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PORT OF LAMU
It is expected to stimulate manpower development and training opportunities for the local community such as colleges, polytechnics and universities and development of social amenities like schools, hospitals, recreational and sporting facilities. REGIONAL BENEFITS Regionally the port is expected to influence directly the livelihood of over 15 million people in northern, Eastern, and Coastal parts of the Country in addition to over 4 million and 17 million in South Sudan and Ethiopia. The wider population will be more than 130 million. Reduce over-reliance on the Northern Corridor where any inefficiency or interruptions may adversely affect the economies of the whole region. Promote regional socio-economic development along the transport corridor especially in the Northern, Eastern, North-Eastern and Coastal parts of Kenya besides transforming Kenya into an international maritime hub. Internationally, the port will inspire competitiveness in global maritime
trade; promotion of international trade and link East and Central African region to the international markets. ECONOMIC BENEFITS New access and links with neighbouring countries will foster regional economic development and growth through trade facilitation. * Creation of substantial job opportunities that covers not only direct jobs related to the port and Lapsset corridor but also indirect jobs in all fields such as agriculture, fishery, manufacturing, logistics, transport and trade. * Rapid economic development anticipated at all economic growth areas identified along and connected with the Lamu Port. * Increased cruise tourism. The new port in a region with great history While airports runways easily take off with the role of transport people across the globe, Seaports are considered the umbilicus of
international trade. Any mention of seaports conjures images of wealth, high earning jobs and economic development of the regions they are situated. When the idea of setting Lamu Port was mooted 49 years ago (1972), the aim was not only to complement the Port of Mombasa but to also open up Kenya's largely underdeveloped frontier, through creation of a second transport corridor linking up with Garissa, Isiolo, Maralal, Lodwar and Lokichogio and branching at Isiolo to Moyale at border with Ethiopia and proceeding to the border with Southern Sudan. However, the first recipients of the joys that come with being at the apex of a trade route have been the people of Lamu and the neighbouring Counties. Already, there is compelling evidence of the extent to which the construction of Lamu Port has positively impacted the local communities, mainly through direct employment and through the quasi projects that emanated from the port construction.
Maritime Freight Company Limited SEAFREIGHT/AIRFREIGHT/TRANSPORT/CUSTOMS CLEARANCE TRANSPORT/TRANSSHIPMENT/PROJECT CARGO
Maritime Freight Company Limited Congratulates Kenya Ports Authority on the Operationalization of their 1st Berth at the Port of Lamu. We are proud to be associated with you!
2nd Floor, Oshwal House, Moi Avenue P.O.Box 99611 - 80107 Mombasa (KENYA) Tel: +254 733 601 868 / 722 838 227 Email: info@marfrcol.com / operations@marfrcol.com
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PORT OF LAMU
The community engagement has been an important cornerstone and has enabled Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) to correctly identify and prioritize community needs from before the construction begun, throughout the project and even now when the port is now functional. The port is proving to be a catalyst for development not only in Lamu but along the entire LAPSSET Corridor. Once it's fully operational, Lamu Port will play a pivotal role in bridging the gap between the local communities and the international market not only for the goods in transit but also the celebrated history of the Island. The transportation sector is a strong factor in terms of economic and regional balanced development, as well as having a great influence on national integration to the world economic market. Lamu has a rich history of trade on the Indian Ocean and definitely this will positively reflect on Kenya's economy. For the East African region, the coastline plays an essential role in regional economy, delivering the goods we need as a region as well as providing an artery through which we export our produce to the world. It is expected that this new Port in Lamu, which has capacity to handle bigger vessels will attract some cargo which would traditionally pass through the ports of Sudan, Djibouti and Mombasa. COVID-19 fundamentally disrupted the global economy in 2020, wreaking havoc in some sectors and providing unforeseen windfalls to others. Despite the fact that the impact will be lasting, the pandemic will eventually recede, and opportunities will open up for businesses and economies that will have positioned themselves ready to run with the 'new normal'. The Port of Lamu is ready for the new run.
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AFRICAN SHIPPING REVIEW Oct/Dec 2021
Port of Lamu and its Origin
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n 10th August 1971, the Daily Nation, a leading Kenyan newspaper quoted Mr. Ronald Ngala, the then Minister for Power and Communication saying the Government had decided to build a new port along the Kenyan coast line. He went ahead to announce that the Government had drawn up terms of reference for the new port and had asked the Harbour Corporation ( the predecessor of Kenya Ports Authority) and three other experts to look around and determine which site would be best suitable for the new port. Exactly 50 years down the line, Port of Lamu’s first berth at was operationalized fulfilling the dreams of the country’s post independent Government. The aim of the construction of the Port, which is one of the main components of the Lamu Port South Sudan Ethiopia Transport (LAPSSET)
corridor project is to complement the Port of Mombasa while opening up Kenya’s largely underdeveloped frontier, through creation of a second transport corridor linking a new and modern Port of Lamu with Garissa, Isiolo, Maralal, Lodwar and Lokichogio and branching at Isiolo to Moyale at border with Ethiopia and proceeding to the border with Southern Sudan. The corridor comprises these components: Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) line; Road network; Oil Pipeline (Crude and product); Oil Refinery (Isiolo/Lamu); International Airports (Lamu, Isiolo and Lokichogio); Lamu Port (Manda Bay) and Resort cities (Lamu, Isiolo and Lake Turkana). Lamu Port Groundbreaking for the LAPSSET corridor program at Lamu Port site took place on March 2,2012 after which construction activities commenced. The first berth is 100 percent complete and ready for operations. Two other berths will be ready for operations before the end of the year 2021. The construction of the Port being undertaken by China Communications Construction Company, is ongoing in phases as outlined in a 20-year Master Plan: *Phase One -the construction of the first three (3) berths comprising one (1) container berth, One (1) general berth and One (1) bulk cargo. * Phase Two - the construction of 16 berths comprising three (3) bulk, Three (3) container, Six (6) general cargo, One (1) liquid bulk, One (1) Coal, One (1) LNG and One (1) product oil. * Phase Three - the construction of four berths comprising One (1) container and Three (3) general cargo. It is expected that this new Port which has capacity to handle bigger vessels will attract some cargo which would traditionally pass through the ports of Sudan, Djibouti and Mombasa.
SEALITE SL-300
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AFRICAN SHIPPING REVIEW Oct/Dec 2021
SEALITE SL-300
Sealite SL-300: The Lantern of Choice for Kenya
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he Kenya Port Authority (KPA) has the responsibility to maintain, operate, improve and regulate all scheduled seaports in Kenya. The country's main gateway for import/export is the Port of Mombasa. The port connects the region to over 80 ports worldwide and facilitates freight for all the landlocked countries in East and Central Africa. Kenya's population is trending upwards and so is consumption. This has placed the Kenyan government under pressure to plan for the future. Their initiatives are outlined in their Economic Blueprint – Kenya Vision 2030. Recently, the KPA was allocated funding to improve maritime infrastructure. The Port of Mombasa will be expanded and a second commercial port, the Port of Lamu is being built. These upgrades are expected to increase handling capacity from 30.92 million tonnes in 2018 to an estimated 61.4 million tonnes by 2027. The KPA has faced an increasing challenge to manage and ensure the safety of vessels entering their ports. Without adequate marking there has been a substantial risk for an incident or collision to occur. To mitigate the risk, a decision was made to mark these port entries with leading lights for the safety of mariners, vessels, important cargo and to protect the marine habitat. The KPA needed a solution that would have low operating and maintenance costs. Funding for the initial project investment was granted, however ongoing budget to power and maintain the assets long term was limited. The KPA turned to Aids to Navigation manufacturer Sealite and their authorised distributor Industri-Tech, to provide a workable solution. Sealite's long-range solar LED marine lanterns were chosen and commissioned at multiple sites. The first lantern an SL300, replaced the rear leading light at Ras Serani. In combination with the front leading light, it creates an accurate bearing to direct vessels into the extremely busy Port of Mombasa. A
second SL-155 mid-range lantern was installed at the headland of Chale Island, located at the Northern end of Msambweni Bay in Kwale County. It highlights the entry way to Mombasa Port from the south and Shimoni Port located on the South Coast. Another SL-300 marine lantern was installed at Shela Island that identifies the bearing lines, for marine traffic entering the Port of Lamu. This port is currently under construction and completion was expected by the end of 2020. The lanterns are non-intrusive and were installed without impacting the current lighthouse building and beacon infrastructure. They feature AIS and solar panels, allowing them to be remotely monitored on the international VHF channel. The system inclusive of power supply and batteries provides power for the high intensity lantern and a lockable housing and battery cage protects against theft or vandalism. All lanterns are easy to configure and maintenance staff can make any adjustments to the intensity, flash character or alarm conditions using the programming tool if required. Sealite's expertise lies not only in providing guidance and advice, but also supporting and building longstanding relationships with their partners and customers. This includes the development of training programs to share knowledge and promote a best practice approach. Sealite as an Industrial Member of IALA has supported and provided solutions to customers in Africa for over thirty years. Together with IALA they have a keen strategic focus to raise awareness and assist maritime authorities to improve safety in the African region. To find out more about Sealite's solutions, visit www.sealite.com. “I am very happy with the new SL-300 lantern and its advanced programming features, especially the IR-Remote Control... now everything is digital.” Masai R. John, Marine Light Shop Superintendent Kenya Port Authority
AFRICAN SHIPPING REVIEW Oct/Dec 2021
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THE OUTLAW COAST
Chinese pair trawlers anchored in the harbor of Ulleung Islands in South Korean water (October, 2016)
Off the Coast of South Korea
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Ian Urbina, is an investigative reporter who writes most often for The New York Times, and is also a contributing writer for The Atlantic[1] and The New Yorker. Urbina is the author of The New York Times bestseller, The Outlaw Ocean based on more than five years of reporting, much of it offshore, exploring lawlessness on the high seas. As a journalist, his investigations typically focus on human rights, worker safety and the environment, and he has received a Pulitzer Prize and a George Polk Award, and has been nominated for an Emmy.
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he battered wooden “ghost boats” drift through the Sea of Japan for months, their only cargo the corpses of starved North Korean fishermen whose bodies have been reduced to skeletons. In 2019, more than 150 of these macabre vessels washed ashore in Japan, and there have been more than 500 in the past five years. For years the grisly phenomenon mystified Japanese police, whose best guess was that climate change pushed the squid population further from North Korea, driving the country's desperate fishermen dangerous distances from shore, where they become stranded and die from exposure.
But an investigation conducted by an international team of academic researchers, Ian Urbina a former New York Times investigative reporter who now directs The Outlaw Ocean Project, and Global Fishing Watch, a non-profit organization that specializes in the use of satellite technology and Artificial Intelligence to track illegal activities on the high seas, based on new satellite data has revealed what marine researchers now say is a more likely explanation: China is sending a previously invisible armada of industrial boats to illegally fish in North Korean waters, violently displacing smaller North Korean boats and spearheading a decline in once-abundant squid stocks of more than 70 percent.
THE OUTLAW COAST
South Korean squid fishermen in the East Sea (Sea of Japan). (October, 2017).
The Chinese vessels — nearly 800 in 2019— appear to be in violation of U.N. sanctions that forbid foreign fishing in North Korean waters. The sanctions, imposed in 2017 in response to the country's nuclear tests, were intended to punish North Korea by not allowing it to sell fishing rights in its waters in exchange for valuable foreign currency. “This is the largest known case of illegal fishing perpetrated by a single industrial fleet operating in another nation's waters,” said Jaeyoon Park, a data scientist from Global Fishing Watch. China is a member of the U.N. Security Council, which unanimously signed the recent North Korean sanctions. But the flotilla violating this ban comprises nearly a third of the entire Chinese distant-water fishing fleet, according to Global Fishing Watch. Presented with the findings of the investigation, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that, “China has consistently and conscientiously enforced the resolutions of the Security Council relating to North Korea.” The ministry added that China has “consistently punished” illegal fishing. In March 2020, two countries anonymously complained in a report to the United Nations about China's violations of these sanctions and they provided evidence of the crimes, including satellite imagery of the Chinese ships fishing in North Korean waters and testimony from Chinese fishing crew who said they had alerted their government of their plans to fish in North Korean waters.
The fishing grounds in the Sea of Japan, known in the Koreas as the East Sea, are located between the Koreas, Japan and Russia, and include some of the world's most contested and poorly monitored waters. Up to now, the huge presence of Chinese boats in this area was largely hidden, because their captains routinely turn off their transponders, making them invisible to on-land authorities, which under most conditions is illegal. Global Fishing Watch and its partner researchers were able to document these vessels, however, using several types of satellite technology, including one that spots bright lights at night. Many squid boats use extremely strong lights to draw their prey nearer to the ocean surface, making the squid easier to catch. The Chinese also use what are called “pair trawlers,” which consist of two side-by-side boats with a net strung between them that combs the seas, which are easier to track by satellite since the two travel together. So many North Koreans have disappeared at sea in recent years that some North Korean port towns, including Chongjin along the country's eastern shore, are now called “widows villages.” In 2019, more than 50 bodies of North Koreans washed onto Japanese beaches, according to the Japanese Coast Guard. The grim uptick of these ghost boats washing ashore has stoked paranoia and inflamed a tense history between Japan and North Korea, leading some in Japan to speculate that the ghost boats are carrying spies, thieves, or possibly even weaponized carriers of contagious disease.
“If a Korean ship lost its way, it would be destroyed by the time it lands on our beaches,” said Kazuhiro Araki, CEO of the Abduction Research Organization, a group that studies the history of hundreds of Japanese citizens who were allegedly kidnapped by North Korea in the 70s and 80s. “But some ships arrived to our coast intact, and with no men on board, and its possible those people are spies who made it to land.” Encrusted with shells and algae, these flat-bottom wooden boats are 15 to 20 feet long and typically carry five to 10 men. They have no toilets or beds, just small jugs of clean water, fishing nets and tackle, according to Japanese Coast Guard investigation reports. They fly tattered North Korean flags and their hulls are often emblazoned with painted numbers or markings in Korean script including, "State Security Department" and "Korean People's Army." All of the bodies found on board these ghost boats appear to be male, though some were so badly decomposed that Japanese investigators struggled to say for sure. Political tensions between the countries and a lack of transparency in the so-called “Hermit State” of North Korea make it difficult to get an official explanation of the phenomenon. In 2004, China signed a multi-milliondollar fishing license agreement with North Korea that led to a drastic increase in the number of Chinese boats in North Korean waters. But international sanctions imposed in 2017 in response to North Korea's intercontinental ballistic missile launches and nuclear tests were meant to squeeze key sources of North Korean revenue. A long-time benefactor of North Korea, China signed the sanctions after being pressured by the United States, and in August 2017 China's minister of commerce publicly reiterated his government's commitment to enforce these new rules. Seafood remains North Korea's sixthbiggest export and in recent speeches the country's dictator, Kim Jong Un, has pushed the state-owned seafood industry to increase its haul. "Fish are like bullets and artillery shells," an editorial in the Rodong Sinmun, the official newspaper of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea, said in 2017. "Fishing boats are like warships, protecting the people and the motherland." AFRICAN SHIPPING REVIEW Oct/Dec 2021
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THE OUTLAW COAST
In the wake of the U.N. sanctions and as foreign currency reserves have dwindled, the North Korean government has tried to bolster its fishing industry by turning soldiers into fishermen, dispatching these poorlytrained seafarers onto notoriously turbulent waters. The sanctions have also intensified North Korea's gasoline shortage. Japanese investigators say that some of the Korean fishing boats washing onto Japanese beaches suffered from engine failure or simply ran out of fuel. Since 2013, at least 50 survivors have been rescued from these dilapidated boats, but in interviews with Japanese police, the men rarely say more than that they were stranded at sea and that they want to be returned home to North Korea. Autopsies on the bodies found on these boats usually indicate that the men starved or died from hypothermia or dehydration. In 2013, North Korean fishermen were limited by the capacity of their 12horsepower engines and they typically only traveled several dozen miles from land, said a former North Korean fisherman, who defected to South Korea in 2016 and now lives in Seoul. “Government pressure is greater now, and there are 38-horsepower engines,” said the defector, who asked to remain anonymous for fear of repercussions for his family. “People are more desperate, and they can go farther from shore.” But marine researchers say that pressure from the North Korean government is not the only factor. “Competition from the industrial Chinese trawlers is likely displacing the North Korean fishers, pushing them into neighboring Russian waters,” said Jungsam Lee, whose institute also found hundreds of North Korean vessels fished illegally in Russian waters in 2018. In 2017, the Japanese Coast Guard also reported spotting more than 2,000 North Korean fishing boats fishing illegally in their waters. In more than 300 instances, the Japanese Coast Guard used water cannons to force these boats to leave the area. Around the globe, many kinds of fish and sea creatures are disappearing at an unsustainable rate due to climate change, overfishing and illegal fishing by industrial fleets. As these fishing stocks shrink, competition grows and offshore clashes between fishing nations become more common. Seafood-loving
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Chinese squid ship located in the port of Ulleung Island in South Korean waters
countries like Japan and South Korea are being edged out by growing fleets from Taiwan,Vietnam and most of all, China. With a population of over 1.38 billion, China is the world's biggest consumer of seafood and its global catches have grown by over 20 percent in the past five years. Many of the fishing stocks closest to China's shores have collapsed from overfishing and industrialization, which is why the Chinese government heavily subsidizes its fishermen, who sail the world in search of new grounds. Fishing fleets from China accounted for 50 to 70 percent of the squid caught on the high seas in recent years, according to an estimate by the Chinese government. Often these boats are fishing illegally in other countries' national waters, according to analysis by C4ADS, a marine research firm. The Sea of Japan includes disputed patches of water where the surrounding countries — Russia, Japan and the two Koreas — do not recognize each other's sea borders. The incursion of the Chinese in this region has only intensified local tensions. Chinese fishing boats are famously aggressive, often armed and known for ramming competitors or foreign patrol vessels. Chinese media often depict the country's maritime clashes with other nearby Asian nations as an extension of ancient China's Three Kingdoms, which fought a fierce three-way battle for supremacy. Tensions between Seoul and Beijing increased in 2016 after a Chinese vessel, illegally fishing in South Korean waters, sank a South Korean Coast
Guard cutter. The cutter was in South Korean waters and was trying to stop a Chinese fishing ship that allegedly had been caught illegally fishing when another Chinese ship rear-ended the marine officers. Similarly, while reporting at sea for this investigation, reporters for this article filmed 10 of these illegal Chinese fishing ships crossing into North Korean waters. However, the reporting team was forced to divert its course to avoid a dangerous collision after one of the Chinese fishing captains suddenly swerved toward the team's boat, coming within 10 meters, likely intending to ward off the boat. Spotted at night and roughly 100 miles from shore, the Chinese squid ships would not respond to radio calls and were traveling with their transponders off. A yearly migratory species, the socalled Pacific Flying Squid spawn in waters near the southeastern port city of Busan or off South Korea's southernmost island of Jeju. They swim north in the spring before returning south to their birthplace between July and September. In 2017 and 2018, the illegal Chinese boats, which are typically about 10 times larger than North Korean boats, caught as much of the squid as Japan and South Korea combined — an estimated 160,000 tons, worth more than $440 million annually. Marine researchers fear a full collapse of this squid colony, which has declined by 63 percent and 78 percent in South Korean and Japanese waters respectively since 2003.
THE OUTLAW COAST
Since 2013, at least 50 survivors have been rescued from these dilapidated boats, but in interviews with Japanese police, the men rarely say more than that they were stranded at sea and that they want to be returned home to North Korea. Autopsies on the bodies found on these boats usually indicate that the men starved or died from hypothermia or dehydration. A Chinese squid ship that uses bright lights is anchored in South Korean waters near Ulleung Island.
The Chinese fleet is a primary culprit of this precipitous drop because in targeting North Korea waters, these industrial boats are catching the squid before they grow big enough to procreate, said Park, the scientist from Global Fishing Watch. Since Chinese authorities do not make their fishing licenses public, Global Fishing Watch said that there is no way to verify that all of the ships entering North Korean waters were authorized by the Chinese government. However, the organization corroborated that the vessels were of Chinese origin through various other sources of information. Among these corroborating sources were transponder and other types of radio transmissions, records from South Korean Coast Guard officials
who routinely board and inspect fishing ships on their way into North Korean waters, data showing the ships departed from Chinese ports or waters that are strictly limited Chinese vessels, records indicating the use of distinctly Chinese gear type or ship design, and satellite information showing that the ships previously fished in Chinese waters that are closely policed and forbidden to foreign ships. All of the roughly two dozen fishing ships that the reporting team witnessed heading into North Korean waters were flying Chinese flags. “When they come, they take over,” said Kim Byong Su, the mayor of Ulleung island, located in the East Sea about 75 miles east of the Korean
Chinese pair trawlers anchored in the harbor of Ulleung Island in South Korean waters (October, 2016)
Peninsula. A tiny spit of land belonging to South Korea, Ulleung is the closest port to the North Korean fishing grounds. Kim said that the Chinese squid boats have decimated the island's two primary sources of income, tourism and fishing. In the Jeodong market near the pier, rows of the squid are draped across lines like folded laundry as they sun-dry into fish jerky. Squid sellers estimated that the per-pound cost of squid is roughly three times what it was less than five years ago. Most of the island's men older than 40 are squid fishermen but a third of them are now unemployed because of the decline in stock, the mayor said. That a creature so central to the local culture could disappear has shaken this community, whose identity has been defined by squid fishing for centuries. Historically, most of the Ulleung's restaurants served fried, dried or raw squid as a free appetizer, but these dishes are now absent from many menus. Local animosity toward the Chinese fleet has been made only worse, the mayor said, because a few times a year when bad weather strikes, an armada of more than 200 Chinese squid boats arrive simultaneously to the Ulleung's port to ride out the storm. The mayor said he is powerless to tell them to leave. They dump oil, throw litter, run loud smoky generators all night and when leaving drag their anchors, destroying the island's freshwater pipes, he said. “The outside world needs to know what's happening here,” Mr. Kim said. AFRICAN SHIPPING REVIEW Oct/Dec 2021
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BERBERA PORT
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nchored at the deepwater port of Berbera, an Ethiopian-flagged ship offloads its cargo of sugar and rice coming from India in what officials hope is a sign of a fresh era of trade in the self-declared east African state of Somaliland. Thanks to a $442m investment from the Dubai-based ports operator DP World, Berbera is shaping up to regain its centuries-old trade lustre, setting up a battle of ports over a maritime thoroughfare traversed by about a third of ships worldwide. The revamped port of Berbera now offers an alternative to Djibouti as a gateway to lucrative trade routes through the Suez Canal. Berbera was once the capital of the British Somaliland protectorate. For centuries, until a civil war destroyed much of its facilities three decades ago, it was a hub of maritime trade between the Horn of Africa, the Arabian peninsula, and India thanks to its key location on the Gulf of Aden opposite Yemen. Now, “we are getting another chance to become an international business centre,” said Berbera's mayor, Abdishakur Mohamed Hassan. Outside his office, rows of camels and herds of goats are heading to the dock, destined for the port of Jeddah in Saudi Arabia. “There will be a healthy competition between the neighbouring ports,” he added. Berbera's terminal, which opened in June, can handle the world's largest ships. Its container capacity increased from 150,000 20ft containers (TEU) to 500,000 TEU annually, and work is already under way for an expansion to handle up to 2m TEU a year. The main aim of the port is to serve Ethiopia, Africa's second most populous country, which needs “multiple gateways”, according to Supachai Wattanaveerachai, chief executive of DP World's port of Berbera. Eritrea broke away from Ethiopia in 1993, leaving the latter landlocked and reliant on neighbouring Djibouti for port access. Djibouti had remained “almost entirely free of competition” in the region, according to the World Bank which in a report said almost 95 per cent of Ethiopian cargo passed through it. The remainder goes through Port Sudan, in Sudan, and Mombasa, in Kenya. AA 2021 global container port performance index by the World Bank and IHS Markit rated Djibouti as the most efficient port in Africa, measured by minutes per container move. The former French colony has capitalised on its infrastructure and privileged location on the strait of Bab-el-Mandeb, with nearly 1m TEU passing through its ports each year. But the competition has intensified, with DP World now in Somaliland and going
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Port of Berbera. Inset: Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem , Chairman DP World.
DP World Kick Starts Port of Berbera head to head with Djibouti. “Ethiopia destined cargo does predominantly move through Djibouti port, however there are future alternatives within the area,” said Carl Lorenz, managing director for eastern Africa at container shipping group Maersk. Those options include Berbera and the much-delayed new port in the Kenyan town of Lamu, close to Somalia, which partly opened in May. Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, DP World's chair, said Berbera would be a viable and efficient option for trade in the region, especially for Ethiopian transit cargo. “We believe that developing the Berbera corridor into one of the major trade and logistics corridors will unlock huge economic benefits for Ethiopia,” he said. Those ambitions have not been welcomed by neighbours, according to Berbera's mayor, Hassan. “Djibouti is 100 per cent not happy with the investment DP World made in our port,” he said. Three years ago, Djibouti seized the container port of Doraleh from DP World. Djibouti argues the company's goal was to take control of the country's coastline and that the port was not operated to its full potential. DP World counters Djibouti acted illegally and won several international arbitration cases. Djiboutian officials have played down any rivalry. Ilyas Moussa Dawaleh, Djibouti's finance minister, said Berbera would compete “in a way”. Another senior Djiboutian official said their country was
in “pole position” as it was closer to the Suez Canal, adding that Djibouti was already a linchpin of global commerce.Although a road corridor from Berbera to Wajaale, on the Somaliland-Ethiopia border, is due to be completed by 2022, Somaliland requires infrastructure development for which it could not directly receive multilateral financing because it is not an internationally recognised country. And unlike Djibouti, where China has invested heavily, it has relations with Taiwan. But much depends on the political situation in Ethiopia, the regional giant that is the main customer for the competing ports. Over the past decade, Ethiopia went through an Asian-style economic miracle, growing at a whopping average of 9.4 per cent a year. Then the pandemic struck and an unending civil war started. Said Hassan Abdullahi, general manager of Somaliland Ports Authority, said Addis Ababa had already missed the deadline for acquiring a stake in the port of Berbera and worries about the war continuing. In July, fighting spread from Tigray to the region of Afar, a transit point between Ethiopia and Djibouti. “If the war goes on there will be no trade,” he said. “We are building all this infrastructure for Ethiopia. It could be a problem for Somaliland and for Djibouti.”
SCHOLARSHIPS
ASR Awards Blue Economy Scholarships
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frican Shipping Review – the ultimate shipping journal in Africa- has partnered with Maritime and Management Institute of East Africa (MAMI EA) – a leading training institute based in Mombasa to award Blue Economy Scholarships to needy students.
Ms. Deborah M. Ndunge
The successful candidates, upon completion of their studies, are expected to join the country's fastgrowing maritime industry and make their contribution to the Blue Economy sector which is viewed as a key economic pillar. The first four successful candidates have joined the MAMI EA beginning September 2021 after the relaxation of COVID 19 measures that forced the institution to suspend its activities for close to one year.
Ms. Faith A. Ogango
Mr. Clinton Ndege, 21, one of the successful applicants for the scholarship has joined Advance Diploma in Shipping course after having successfully done the Foundation Diploma in Shipping at the same institution. Clinton could not proceed with his course due to financial constraints. He had this to say:
Mr. Clinton Ndege
“Thank you for your generous scholarship. I was very happy and appreciative to learn that I was selected as a recipient of the ASR Blue Economy Scholarship 2021. By awarding me the scholarship, you have considerably lightened my financial burden which allows me to focus more on the most important aspect of school – learning.
Mr. Abdallah M. Said
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AFRICAN SHIPPING REVIEW Oct/Dec 2021
after having successfully done the Foundation Diploma in Shipping at the same institution. He had this to say: “My sincere gratitude to African shipping Review for sponsoring me in my shipping studies. I was thrilled to learn of my selection for this honor, and I am deeply appreciative of your support. I will now be able to take my Advance Diploma in Shipping course. I had completed my Foundation Diploma in shipping in 2018 at MAMI EA but failed to secure fees for continuing with my studies. The financial assistance you provided will be of great help to me in paying my educational expenses. It will allow me to concentrate more of my time on studying. Thank you for your generosity and support. I promise to work very hard and eventually give back to others and possibly a scholarship to future students like myself.” Miss. Faith Asande Ogango is another successful applicant. She joins the Foundation Diploma in Shipping. She said: “I convey my sincere gratitude for the opportunity that has been accorded to me. I look forward to committing myself to the process and being the best that can be in this career.” Miss Deborah Mwikali Ndunge, 20, is another successful applicant for the scholarship. She joins Foundation Diploma in Shipping.
Your generosity has inspired me to help others and give back to the community. I hope one day I will be able to help students achieve their goals just as you have helped me.”
This was her message of appreciation: “My most sincere gratitude for having been selected for the scholarship programme I appreciate being a part of the African Shipping Review scholarship. I look forward to benefiting from the program.”
Mr. Abdallah Muhssin Said, 24, joins the Advance Diploma in Shipping course
African Shipping Review is a quarterly news magazine devoted to shipping,
TRANSPORT & EVENTS
ports, transport logistics, and related sectors in Eastern and Southern Africa. The magazine was founded in the year 2000 under a Media Entrepreneurship concept. It endevours to answer the incisive questions in the maritime industry, brings you well analysed news as it helps you understand the industry and your business grow. This year we have decided to introduce a scholarship programme to support vulnerable students interested in joining the Blue Economy sector. We do this in collaboration with wellestablished Maritime Colleges within and outside the country. MAMI EA – a leading training institute based in Mombasa is our first partner in this noble course. MAMI EA courses are validated by the Institute of Chartered Ship Brokers in London (UK), Ministry of Higher Education Science and Technology Accreditation and Kenya Maritime Authority. The institute has consistently placed the country on the international maritime map after its students excelled in international professional examinations administered from London in the UK. Subjects offered at the institution include a Certificate in Shipping Management.The course duration is six months; Foundation Diploma in Shipping – Course Duration – 9 Months; Advanced Diploma in Shipping with a course duration of nine months as well. Under this course, students undertake two subjects namely Shipping Business and Port Agency. The institution offers Professional Qualifying Course in Shipping also for nine months. In this course, students will study three subjects. These include Logistics and Multi-Modal Transport; Economics of Sea Transport and International Trade which is compulsory and Legal Principles of Shipping Management.
Djibouti Hosts the 24th Intermodal Africa 2021
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he 24th Intermodal Africa 2021 Exhibition and Conference took place in Djibouti from Tuesday 3 to Thursday 5 August at the luxurious 5 star Djibouti Palace Kempinski as the preferred annual Ports, Shipping and Transport Logistics Exhibition and Conference for Africa in its 24th successful year. The event was proud to be hosted by Djibouti Ports and Free Zones Authority and the opening ceremony was officiated by His Excellency Mr. Abdoulkader Kamil Mohamed, Prime Minister of the Republic of Djibouti. The two days Conference Programme featured 25 world-class transportation and logistics conference speakers addressing topical issues and challenges on global and regional trade and investment attended by 150 senior government officials, industry principals, academics, senior executive harbour masters, harbour engineers, port engineers, maintenance supervisors and procurement decision makers together with the region's leading shippers, cargo owners, importers / exporters, shipping lines, freight forwarders, logistics companies, ports, terminal operating companies, railway operators, port equipment and services suppliers from countries throughout Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA). There was a commercial opportunity for 28 exhibitors and sponsors to network directly with the delegates at this major annual international maritime transport Exhibition and Conference trade event for Africa. The event was held following all necessary health and safety procedures and in an entirely professional environment.
AFRICAN SHIPPING REVIEW Oct/Dec 2021
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TNPA RELOCATION
TNPA Head Ofce Moves to Port Elizabeth
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he National Ports Authority (TNPA) of South Africa under Transnet SOC Ltd's ongoing cost-saving and efficiency initiatives, has moved its headquarters from the country commercial capital city of Johannesburg to Port Elizabeth. The move implemented in March this year, has seen Transnet consolidate its various corporate offices -currently split between Johannesburg and Durban – into one – at the eMendi administration building, Port of Ngqura in Port Elizabeth. Ms Ayanda Mantshongo, Executive Manager: Corporate Affairs forTransnet National Ports Authority said the relocation of a head office of any large organisation is a significant business decision that is preceded by serious strategic considerations. The relocation of a Sea Port Authority's head office from a landlocked city, closer to its operations, ensures that TNPA serves its customers at the point of execution, while bringing about savings of approximately R25 million a year from lease agreements.
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It bears reiterating that the strategic decision for the Head Office of TNPA to locate at one of the SA's ports dates back over 10 years, which decision was not implemented, for reasons unrelated to the interests of the Port Authority and/or its customers. The 10,000 square metre eMendi building, completed at a cost of R255 million in 2017, is currently underutilised, yet has the opportunity to significantly deliver cost-savings for Transnet. The eMendi building is currently being reconfigured into a layout suitable for accommodating the TNPA Head Office resources. TNPA operations are spread over three coastal regions, namely: Kwa-Zulu Natal, Eastern Cape and Western Cape. The Eastern Cape is centrally located between the Kwa-Zulu Natal and Western Cape regions, and hosts three of the eight commercial sea ports operated by TNPA – East London, Port Elizabeth and Ngqura. Transnet sees the consolidation of TNPA in the Eastern Cape as an important contributor to the revival of
that province's economy, as it increases the ease of doing business. Among other things, TNPA facilities in Port Elizabeth have contributed to record citrus exports in the past year, and shown encouraging growth in the export of motor vehicles from Eastern Cape assembly plants. Prior to relocation, Transnet embarked on a consultation process with staff and organised labour. The move was completed by 31 March 2021. Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) is one of six operating divisions of Transnet SOC Ltd. The National Ports Authority is responsible for the safe, effective and efficient economic functioning of the national port system, which it manages in a landlord capacity. It provides port infrastructure and marine services at the eight commercial seaports in South Africa – Richards Bay, Durban, Saldanha, Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, East London, Mossel Bay and Ngqura. It operates within a legislative and regulatory environment and is governed by the National Ports Act (Act No. 12 of 2005).
PORT LOUIS-MAURITIUS COVER STORY
Port Louis and Its Municipality a Role Model for a Sustainable Future
P
ort Louis is increasingly a leading economic and urban stakeholder in Mauritius.
The relationship between the city of Port Louis and the port has grown much closer in recent times, gradually becoming more palpable with a winwin mentality. Incidentally, the Municipality of Port Louis has been actively involved in many of the recent activities organised by the Mauritius Ports Authority (MPA), including a recreational day for children of Roche Bois and neighbouring regions in August 2018, and the opening of an exhibition at the Café du Vieux Conseil as part of the “Port in Pictures” painting competition.
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This activity, held recently, was aimed at secondary school pupils from the Port Louis area. Today, the aim is not merely to consider the physical expansion of the port space itself, but rather to take on board both its importance to the urban community and the functions it serves (harmonious development of the port space, the challenges posed by climate change, etc.). With this in mind, a consensus slowly built up around the need to create a joint platform involving the MPA, the Municipality of Port Louis, and the Port Users' Council, to promote constant dialogue between the city, port,
businesses, and citizens. The aim is to promote all of the different port spaces and a diversified relationship between them and the city, which require specific solutions depending on the stakeholders concerned. This collaboration took concrete form and was strengthened with the signature of a partnership agreement between the MPA, the Municipality of Port Louis, and the Port Users' Council recently. As the primary interface with the port, the city of Port Louis is set to receive annual funding of two million rupees. The money will be used for small projects contributing to the everyday
TRAINING
MAMI EA World Record Holder 2020
M
iss Sharon Rose Mwanza, 25, scored the highest merits in the Foundation Diploma in Liner Trade in the Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers (ICS), UK examinations which she sat in November 2020. Sharon is a Bachelor of Finance graduate from Kenyatta University. She will receive the Mathew Good Memorial Award from ICS in London at a date yet to be announced by the time of going to press. Miss Mwanza was a student at the Maritime and Management Institute of East Africa (MAMI EA)- an institution that has for the past 18 years produced world-class achievers in the ICS exams. She attributed her success to the support from her lecturers, the Institute Directors, and her Father Mr. John Mwanza, one time the Director for Shipping and Ports in East Africa at the Inter-governmental Standing Committee on Shipping (ISCOS) which is based in Mombasa. RIGHT: Miss Sharon Rose Mwanza (right) receives a token of appreciation from Mr. Martin Soita, the Principal Consultant at MAMI EA while Ms Gladys Koech (centre) the Students Admin at the Institution looks on.
well-being of residents living in regions neighbouring the port, including Bain des Dames, Roche Bois, and Salines. The partnership will also enable the MPA and the Municipality of Port Louis to work together to create a citizenoriented mission, from which will emerge the concept of a sustainable port/city relationship based on joinedup thinking and sharing information where needed. Ultimately, the goal is to ensure a successful city and port mix for the well-being of our citizens. For historical context, bear in mind that France took possession of Mauritius at Port Nord-Ouest in 1715. From 1735 onwards, under the rule of Mahé de La Bourdonnais, Port-Louis underwent nine years of radical transformation.
Laying the foundations for trade, the new governor saw what we needed to make Port Louis a port worthy of the name, with boatmen, dockers, warehouses, basic port services, and a shipyard. The port also saw first-hand the influx of migrants to this port city, mainly consisting of craftsmen, traders, stonemasons, fishermen, and entrepreneurs. The memorandum of understanding between the MPA and the Municipality of Port Louis is in line with the 2030 Agenda promoted by AIVP, the worldwide network of ports and cities. The MPA was also among the organisations which ratified the 2030 Agenda at AIVP's World Conference in Riga in 2019.
In order to achieve a successful cityport mix, a Port Center is increasingly an essential requirement. Acting as a fun interface between citizens, each Port Center allows the port to communicate about its role, its future plans, and port careers. Port Louis is a testing ground for the city and the economy of the future. Innovation must be encouraged. This agreement will also pave the way for regional cooperation on key issues for the future, via the AIVP Indian Ocean meetings. Through better knowledge of the priorities of all port cities in the region, it will be possible to identify areas in which the stakeholders involved can work together for the benefit of each local initiative.
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APPOINTMENTS
Andrew Kanime Appointed Namport CEO
T
he Namibian Ports Authority welcomed its new Chief Executive Officer, Mr Andrew Kanime on 01 November 2020. Mr Kanime holds a Master's in Business Administration (MBA), an Honours degree in Accounting and Finance as well as three undergraduate qualifications in the fields of Business Management, Human Resources and Public Administration. His broad set of academic qualifications, complemented by the extensive corporate and leadership experience which he has gathered over the years in the banking, telecommunications, broadcasting, energy, transport and logistics sectors, places him in a very strong stead to steer the Namport ship over the coming years. Speaking to the Chief Executive Officer, he firstly thanked the board as well as management for the faith entrusted in him to carry out the institutions mandate. During his tenure, Mr Kanime aims to carefully tweak the existing winning formula of Namport which is to ensure that Namport continues to improve the performance, enhance the
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service delivery capabilities to the entity's esteemed customers and actualize Namport's strategic intend in becoming the best performing Port in Africa. The Chief, further said that in order for Namport to maintain the best SOE status, the company's immediate focus shall be Governance, Performance and Sustainability. Mr. Kanime was previously employed by the FirstRand Namibia Group as the Chief Human Capital Officer has operated at Executive Management level over the past 17 years and also held several senior management positions and directorships, which inter alia, include being the Acting Director General at the Namibian Broadcasting Corporation. Andrew Kanime is no stranger to the Port industry as he also served on the Board of Namport for nine years, during which period he cut his strong understanding of, and experience within, the transport and logistics industry. The appointment is for a five-year term.
ENVIRONMENT
IMO Carbon Intensity Strategy
S
hipping will need new fuels to achieve the levels of ambition of the IMO's Initial GHG Strategy to reduce the carbon intensity of international shipping by at least 40% by 2030. This strategy will include a significant further reduction in carbon intensity to achieve the 2050 level of ambition – cutting GHG emissions by 50%, in line with IMO's vision to ultimately phase out GHG emissions as soon as possible in this century. These were arrived at following an IMO facilitated virtual informal discussion sessions (14-15 April) on lifecycle GHG/carbon intensity for potential future fuels for shipping. Carbon intensity refers to CO2 emissions per transport work, and therefore links carbon emissions to the amount of cargo transported and the distance sailed for a specific ship. The sessions provided a platform for all IMO Member States and organizations
in consultative status with IMO to exchange views and share updated information on how to assess and potentially regulate the lifecycle of carbon emissions. The webinar-like discussion sessions, attended by more than 280 participants, contributed to increasing the understanding of the carbon lifecycle of various fuel options and how these might be considered in future. A candidate measure in the IMO Initial GHG Strategy refers to developing "robust lifecycle GHG/carbon intensity guidelines for all types of fuels, in order to prepare for an implementation programme for effective uptake of alternative low-carbon and zerocarbon fuels". The lifecycle refers to the assessment of greenhouse gas emissions from the fuel production to the ship (Well-toWake); from primary production to carriage of the fuel in a ship's tank (Well-to-Tank, also known as upstream emissions) and from the ship's fuel tank
to the exhaust (Tank-to-Propeller or Tank-to-Wake, also known as downstream emissions). Candidate future low-carbon and zerocarbon fuels for shipping have diverse production pathways (for example, different generations of biofuels, hydrogen-based fuels, etc.) entailing significant differences in their overall environmental footprint. IMO's Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC 76), to meet remotely from 10-17 June is expected to consider the way forward for discussions on this matter. The MEPC is also expected to adopt the important short-term measure to cut the carbon intensity of all ships, as approved at the last session. The recent Low and Zero-carbon Alternative Fuel Symposium identified lifecycle assessments as a priority issue for the Organization to work on to further facilitate the development and uptake of alternative marine fuels.
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LARGEST VESSEL
One of the World's Largest Container Ships, the Ever Ace
O
ne of the world's largest container ships, the "Ever Ace", successfully berthed at Taipei Port on Sunday afternoon (Aug. 8) as part of the ship's maiden voyage. At 400 meters long, the Evergreen Marine Corp.-operated ship has a capacity of 24,000 20-foot containers and is the largest container ship ever accommodated by an international harbor in Taiwan, according to sources cited in a CNA report. The ship, whose deck is equivalent to four football pitches, docked at around 4 p.m., and was welcomed by a water cannon salute as a ceremonial gesture for her maiden voyage, per CNA. Ever Ace was made by South Korea-
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based Samsung Heavy Industries for around NT$4.17 billion (US$150 million) and was handed over to Evergreen Marine Corp. on July 29 . The Taoyuan-based transportation conglomerate has ordered 11 more container ships from Samsung as well as Chinese manufacturers Hudong–Zhonghua Shipbuilding and Jiangnan Shipbuilding, which are due to arrive by the end of 2024, according to a TVBS report. Ever Ace can convey up to 3,000 more 20-foot containers than “Ever Given”, the Evergreen-operated ship that blocked the Suez Canal earlier this year. Like the Ever Given, the mega carrier will also be traversing shipping routes
between Asia and Northern Europe. The recent surge in demand for freight shipping has led to an uptick in cargo ship construction, though the global shipping shortage is likely to last through to next year, according to industry reports. "Currently, the price of international containers going from U.S. east coast, west coast or from Europe has exceeded US$10,000 (NT$ 278,472),” says TVBS reporter Hung Chun-wei . The Shanghai Container Freight index, an indicator reflecting the fluctuation of freight rates on containers from Shanghai and used to measure the markets around China, also rose by 96.24 points from last week, he adds.
CALENDAR OF EVENTS EVENT
DATE
VENUE
International Conference on Advances in Maritime Energy Management ICAMEM
27 - 28 Dec 2021
Vienna, Austria
International Conference on Maritime Safety ICMS
14 - 15 Jan 2022
Trans Middle East
25 - 27 Jan 2022
Manama, Bahrain
International Shipping Community Conference
29 - 31 March 2022
Stamford USA
Pacific Maritime Expo
10 - 12 May 2022
Sydney, Australia
China (Shenzhen) International Logistics & Supply Chain Fair
22 - 24 Sep 2022
Shenzhen, China
Bali, Indonesia
12 December 2021 Dubai, UAE
2022
22nd Intermodal Africa 38
AFRICAN SHIPPING REVIEW Oct/Dec 2021
Hosted by: Djibouti Ports & Free Zones Authority Date: 22nd - 24th of February, 2022 Venue: Pride Inn Paradise Beach Resort, Mombasa, Kenya.
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