Saravanan's Blog

Source: Khalifa Port Abu Dhabi Ports Company (ADPC) and Abu Dhabi Terminals (ADT) the container terminal operator, have announced the arrival of three of the world’s largest and most modern ship-to-shore (STS) quay cranes at Khalifa Port. According to a media statement, the Super Post Panamax quay cranes, which were delivered during the second week of January, were produced by Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industry Co. Ltd. in China with a cost of 28 million USD , and travelled overseas on especially built ships to Khalifa Port’s container terminal, the first semi-automated container terminal in the region. One STS crane is 126.5 meters high and weighs 1,932 tons. It has an outreach of 65 meters (22 containers) and a lifting capacity of 90 tons. The three new quay cranes will join the six already operational cranes at Khalifa Port’s current 2.5 million TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent unit) capacity container terminal, making it a total of nine STS cranes. In addition, six cutting...

Source:http://www.sagarsandesh.com/news/ennore-port-ford-pact-for-car-export/ Ennore Port Ltd (EPL) on Jan. 21 signed an agreement with the US-based car maker Ford for export of its cars through the port. Ennore Port Chairman-cum-Managing Director M. A. Bhaskarachar exchanged the documents signed by the representatives of both EPL and Ford with Ford India Executive Director (Manufacturing) Tom Chackalackal in the presence of Union Shipping Minister G. K. Vasan and Chennai Port Trust Chairman Atulya Misra. Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Vasan said: “ In total, up to December 2013, about 4, 49, 720 automobile units had been exported from Ennore Port since September 2010, inclusive of the automobiles of manufacturers like Nissan, Ford and Ashok Leyland from Chennai, Toyota from Bangalore and Honda from New Delhi .” He added: “Today, we are witnessing the signing of an agreement between Ennore Port Limited and Ford India Private Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Ford Motor Co...

Source: http://www.sagarsandesh.com/news/piracy-at-sea-at-its-lowest-level/ The International Maritime Bureau has issued its latest figure on piracy at sea and it says that there have been 264 attacks, recorded world-wide. It is almost a 40% drop in piracy since it reached its peak in 2011. “The single biggest reason for the drop in worldwide piracy is the decrease in Somali piracy off the coast of East Africa,” said IMB Director Captain Pottengal Mukundan. He attributed the fall in piracy to various factors like the efforts of the international navies, deployment of private armed security guards, and also the stabilizing influence of Somalia’s central government. He also cautioned against any complacency: “It is imperative to continue combined international efforts to tackle Somali piracy. Any complacency at this stage could re-kindle pirate activity.” IMB piracy report pointed out that more than 300 people were taken hostage at sea last year and from among them, 21 w...

Source: http://www.sagarsandesh.com/news/allocates-rs-75-crs-for-face-lift/ Giving enough indication that the Tamil Nadu Government is “taking over” the management of Kasimedu Fishing Harbour ,  located adjacent to Chennai Port, from the port management very soon, Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa on Jan. 15 gave  administrative sanction for upgrading the fishing harbour at a cost of Rs. 75 crores. According to a Media statement, construction of a 300-metre new wharf at the north breakwater, a 200-metre boat yard to  park the fibre reinforced plastic boats, extending the existing boat yard by 140 metres in the northern end, setting up of  two new wharfs (each 200-metre long), net repairing centre, deepening the harbour, sanitary complex and other basic  amenities would be undertaken using the funds allocated by the State Government. Through these developmental measures at the fishing harbour, nearly 12, 000 fishermen would be benefited directly while...

Source:  http://barentsobserver.com/en/business/2014/01/more-arctic-port-calls-northern-norway-15-01 The Port of Narvik is the second biggest in the Barents Region. (Photo: Narvikhavn.no) While Russian Arctic sea ports lose ground, ports in neighboring Norway are increasingly putting on weight. By  Atle Staalesen January 15, 2014 For decades, Murmansk was the by far biggest port hub in the Arctic, serving a powerful fishery industry and the major  mining and metallurgy enterprises of the Kola Peninsula. Today, the ports of Murmansk remain key Arctic infrastructure  objects of major strategic importance to the regional economy. However, they are increasingly challenged by ports in  neighboring Norway. Data obtained by BarentsObserver show that northern Norwegian ports in 2012 handled a total of 41,4 million tons, while  Russian Arctic ports the same year had a turnover of 36,6 million. The Norwegian side includes ports in the three  nor...

Source: http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-former-ground-handler-owns-planes-choppers-that-fly-rahul-gandhi-1947017 Wednesday, Jan 8, 2014,  Rahul Gandhi is not the frequent flier you will see boarding a commercial aircraft. And god save the air traffic controller who discloses his flight plans to anybody. Instructions have been given to the ATC to keep a lid on the Congress vice-president’s jet-setting ways. That’s one part of the story. The other is that Rahul flies only by chartered aircraft owned by a gentleman who answers to the name Semoun Jolly. For the Congress, it’s said, Semoun is the jolly good fella who keeps the Gandhi scion airborne when it’s needed and ensures safe landings for the man who the Congress hopes will become prime minister one day. Who is Semoun Jolly? That’s the million-dollar question. They say till the turn of the century, Semoun was an unknown, working with a ground handling firm at Delhi airport. Then, one fine day, he bec...

Source: http://www.sagarsandesh.com/news/tn-coastline-safer-now-than-earlier/ Post-Mumbai attacks, we have augmented force level along the coastline and we are safer than earlie r, Inspector General S. P. Sharma, Commander, Coast Guard Region (East), has said. Interacting with reporters after announcing various awareness programmes being organised in connection with Indian Coast Guard’s Raising Day (Feb. 1) celebrations here on Jan. 6, he added: “ Earlier, we used to have just 23 ships to cover the entire East Coast area of jurisdiction falling under CG Eastern Region. However, after bifurcation, our jurisdictional area has been reduced to coastline of Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Pudhucherry. ” IG Sharma stated: “ Though it was 23 ships for the entire area then, now I have 30 ships only to look after Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Pudhucherry coastline. In other words, it is augmentation of force level in the region. The numbers of ships have increased gradually; old ship...

Source: http://www.sagarsandesh.com/news/better-connectivity-to-ports-is-vital-for-growth-vasan/ Stressing that better connectivity (of roads and rail) to ports is of paramount importance to enhance productivity and efficiency, Union Minister of Shipping G. K. Vasan has said that it should be given due importance in all ports of the country. Addressing a gathering after flagging off the new Railway Siding facility to provide a seamless traffic flow on both directions, at Ennore Port on Jan. 6, he stated: “Connectivity to ports is to be given adequate attention not only in Ennore Port but also in all other ports of the country.” Mr. Vasan added: “The Railway Siding infrastructure set up at a cost of Rs. 51.60 crores would enable the coal and iron ore stack yards at Ennore Port to be connected with the southern and northern mainlines of Indian Railways and therefore provide a major boost for Ennore Port as well as BOT (Build, Operate, Transfer) operators.” “The new railway s...

Source: http://www.sagarsandesh.com/news/krishnapatnam-port-creates-best-crane-productivity-record/ Krishnapatnam Port Container Terminal (KPCT), a world-class container terminal  operated by Krishnapatnam Port, has set a new benchmark in operational efficiency. On Dec. 24, 2013 during MSC’s weekly service to Colombo from KPCT, its vessel MV MSC  SIERRRA-II became part of a historic moment when 641 TEUs were exchanged with the  vessel, with a record hourly crane productivity of 48.6 containers and a berth  productivity of 96.64 containers per hour . According to port sources, two super post-panamax quay cranes were used by the  terminal to achieve its most efficient crane productivity record on that day. “This has been Krishnapatnam Port’s best crane performance at KPCT and p robably one  of the highest achieved by any container terminal in India, ” a statement from the  port authority revealed. Main liners such as Maersk, MSC and three fe...

Source: http://www.sagarsandesh.com/news/imu-gets-new-v-c/ Mr. K. Ashok Vardhan Shetty, a retired Indian Administrative Service Officer from Tamil Nadu cadre, assumed charge as the new Vice Chancellor of Indian Maritime University (IMU) on Jan. 2. According to a top Shipping Ministry official, Mr. Shetty’s appointment has been approved by the President of India, the Visitor of the Ministry of Shipping-run Maritime University, for a period of five years. His appointment culminates the lengthy process which began in August 2013 to find a new Vice Chancellor to the institution after the then V-C, Prof. Raghuram, a well-known academician from the Indian Institute of Management-Ahmedabad, abruptly resigned over differences with the Union Shipping Ministry in March 2013. Capt. Mukesh Baveja, Head of Indian National Database of Seafarers (INDoS) Cell, Mumbai, and Director (in-charge) of Kandla Port Campus, succeeded Prof. Raghuram to the top post. Before taking voluntary retir...