by Canadian Sailings | Mar 5, 2019 | Brian Dunn, Corporate events & profiles, Ocean, Ocean Carriers, Other, Safety and Security
By Brian Dunn
The cost of hijacking and corruption
In the film Captain Phillips based on the 2009 hijacking by Somali pirates of U.S.-flagged MV Maersk Alabama, the character played by Tom Hanks is taken hostage for a ransom that was never paid after a tense standoff. Maersk Alabama was also the first American cargo ship to be hijacked in two hundred years.
While hijacking is clearly the most dangerous type of situation facing shipping companies in some parts of the world, there are less severe incidents which still have to be dealt with on a daily basis. One of the most common is bribes to officials at certain ports who can make life difficult and costly if shippers don’t cooperate. (more…)
by Canadian Sailings | Mar 5, 2019 | Business and Economy, Corporate events & profiles, Gateways and Corridors, Ports and Terminals, Tom Peters
By Tom Peters
As container ships and cruise ships continue to get bigger, there is an urgency in several ports in Eastern Canada to accommodate these large vessels to remain competitive and to grow the business in these marine sectors.
The $205 million West Side modernization project in the Port of Saint John has been moving forward at a steady pace. The project will see the lengthening and strengthening of the pier structure at the West Side container terminal as well as the deepening of the main channel. The project is expected to be complete in 2023. Presently, radiation portals are being installed which will allow Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) a seamless transition with no impact to operations during the major wharf construction, says Paula Copeland, the Port’s Director of Communications and Corporate Social Responsibility. At the same time, a new bridge is being constructed to allow container wharf access as a portion of the existing wharf will be demolished to build the new berth. Additionally, a number of electrical upgrades are being completed for power supply to future crane and reefer facilities. A summary of other work to date includes the removal and demolition of outdated infrastructure; dredging and disposal of silt; placing and leveling of rock fill for caisson and mattress; construction and installation of caissons and piles; and connecting of existing wharf to new piles. (more…)
by Canadian Sailings | Dec 12, 2018 | Brian Dunn, Corporate events & profiles, Environment, Ocean, Ocean Carriers, Other
By Brian Dunn
This year marks the 115th anniversary of the Shipping Federation of Canada and as the years pass, so do its priorities. While the Federation is keeping an eye on Canada’s free trade agreement (CETA) with the European Union which is starting to pay dividends, another key focus is on the environmental front, according to Federation President Michael Broad. There are also the IMO ballast water regulations with requirements to install BWT systems coming into effect between 2019-2024, the global sulphur cap as of 2020, the GHG emission reduction strategy and talk about total decarbonization. “On a global level, it’s an ambitious agenda which will have a huge impact on us and here in Canada, we also have the whale protection agenda on both the east coast and west coast.” (more…)
by Canadian Sailings | Dec 12, 2018 | Christopher Williams, Corporate events & profiles, Other, Ports and Terminals
By Christopher Williams
Plan for future changes now and flourish. That’s the takeaway for representatives from ports across Canada and the world who gathered in Saint John, NB, September 10-13th for the 60th Annual Conference of the Association of Canadian Port Authorities (ACPA). Founded in 1958, ACPA represents all Canadian Port Authorities, various government entities and companies doing business in the marine sector. About 200 delegates heard keynote speakers and panelists focus on the future with such topics as supply chain clusters, meta-data analysis, climate resilience, global trade trends and cruise sector growth. (more…)
by Canadian Sailings | Oct 18, 2018 | Corporate events & profiles, Gateways and Corridors, Ocean, Ocean Carriers, Other, Ports and Terminals, Tom Peters
By Tom Peters
The developing technology to create a more efficient cargo supply chain, the status of North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) negotiations, and CN’s continued investment in safety and equipment to keep cargo moving fluidly, were among the main topics of discussion at the annual Halifax Port Days.
Digitization in the shipping industry grabbed the attention of delegates as a panel of business and technology experts focused on a new blockchain collaboration between Maersk and IBM, called TradeLens. The goal of the project is to develop a highly secure digital ledger system that promotes the sharing of information across the global shipping industry which can reduce costs, improve productivity, increase the speed of the delivery of goods and provide transparency. The Maersk-IBM blockchain will enable the needed safety and security for the digital platform. (more…)
by Canadian Sailings | Oct 18, 2018 | Brian Dunn, Corporate events & profiles, Other, Supply Chain and Logistics
By Brian Dunn
One of the principal objectives of CargoM, the Logistics and Transportation Cluster of Metropolitan Montreal, is to attract new businesses to the region by identifying sectors that offer growth opportunities, particularly those which may not have a strong presence in the area. About three or four years ago, it pinpointed the agri-food sector as a potential business to pursue.
“The city (of Montreal) helped in identifying this sector which we felt could be a great opportunity for us,” said Mathieu Charbonneau, Executive Director of CargoM which recently celebrating its 5th anniversary. “Not just to serve the Montreal region, but also Ontario and the northeastern U.S. But before we can go after new business, we need to build the infrastructure and to understand cold chain technology and to see what’s currently available in Montreal. We also need to see who wants the service.” (more…)
