New panamax vessel catches fire in Panama Canal
31.01.2023
The Panama Canal reports that the 11,000 TEU container vessel Cape Kortia suffered a fire outbreak in its engine room on 30 January while moving toward the PSA port in the Pacific.
The boxship remained briefly on its way to the Pacific Access Channel until it got removed by the Panama Canal staff.
According to a Panama Canal announcement, these maneuvers occurred during its regular transit window and did not cause delays to other ships transiting the Panama Canal.
The fire outbreak is under control, according to Panama Canal, while no injuries were reported during this incident. The relevant authorities are investigating the cause of the fire.
Another vessel seems to have been affected due to the fire accident of Cape Kortia, but at the time of writing the name of the affected ship is not known.
Huawei to assist Tianjin Port with digital transformation and terminal upgrade
24.01.2023
Tianjin Port Group and Huawei, a China-based provider of information and communications technology (ICT) infrastructure, will expand their collaboration to create a digital twin of the Chinese port.
Yang Jiemin, vice president of Tianjin Port Group, explained that the digital twin of the port will include the construction of new automated terminals, the updating of existing terminals, and the digital transformation of the port.
Yue Kun, chief technology officer of Huawei's Smart Road, Waterway & Port BU, noted that planned upgrades of the terminal will assist a variety of sectors by combining next-generation digital technologies such as 5G and Artificial Intelligence (AI) to address industrial challenges, support digital industry transformation and upgrading, and provide social value.
The Port of Tianjin is a big modern port with 300,000-ton-class terminals and a channel depth of 22 meters. It contains 213 different types of berths. In 2022, the Chinese port handled over 21 million TEUs, taking place among the 10 busiest ports in the world.
At the terminal, container cranes operate automatically and intelligent robots of the horizontal transportation system frequently come and go. Additionally, remotely controlled quay cranes lift loaded containers from cargo ships and put them onto the intelligent robots for horizontal transportation.
Tanger Med sees container traffic record levels
18.01.2023
Tanger Med's Port complex handled 7,596,845 TEUs in 2022, a 6% increase over 2021. Port officials noted that over the last year, excellent production levels were attained, and the previous record of 700,000 TEUs handled per month was surpassed.
Meanwhile, Tanger Med Port Complex handled over 107 million tons in 2022, representing a 6% growth over 2021. This traffic is estimated to account for around 54% of total port tonnage handled in Morocco.
In terms of Ro-Ro traffic, the port handled 459,091 trucks in 2022, a 13% increase over 2021. This upward trend in national exports was principally driven by the industrial and agri-business sectors, which grew by 22% and 11%, respectively.
Meanwhile, liquid bulk traffic topped 9 million tonnes and rose by 6% compared to 2021. The total amount of hydrocarbons handled is 9,260,711 tons.
In terms of solid bulk traffic, the port reported a total of 404,007 tons, a rise of 18% compared with the previous year, owing mostly to sheet metal coil and grain traffic.
In total, 14,404 ships, including 961 mega-ships (over 290 meters), called at Tanger Med Port Complex in 2022, translating to a 32% increase over 2021. This growth is mostly driven by an improvement in the productivity of container terminals for the acceptance and processing of mega-ships, as well as the restoration of passenger traffic crossings, particularly during the Marhaba 2022 campaign.
CMA CGM integrates GEFCO into CEVA brand
11.01.2023
Following the acquisition of GEFCO by French CMA CGM Group, the European automotive logistics provider's brand will now become CEVA Logistics.
In particular, CMA CGM's subsidiary CEVA Logistics announced on 10 January the creation of a dedicated Finished Vehicle Logistics (FVL) organisation as part of GEFCO integration process.
According to a statement, any GEFCO’s remaining business, mostly in contract logistics and ground transportation, is going to integrate into CEVA’s existing operations.
CEVA plans to finish integration activities and replace the GEFCO brand worldwide in the next months of the year.
The new product organisation will be under the director of former GEFCO COO Emmanuel Cheremetinski, who will lead a global team of approximately 4,000 employees.
NEXT50 Initiates Phase 1 Deployment Of Next-Generation Biometrics At Abu Dhabi International Airport
21.12.2022
NEXT50, an Abu Dhabi-based technology company, is well underway in delivering the first phase of the biometric initiative at Abu Dhabi International Airport. The project, which sees NEXT50 introduce its cutting-edge AI solutions alongside global artificial intelligence and technology solutions partners IDEMIA and SITA, will initially see the deployment of next-generation biometric solutions at select self-service baggage touchpoints, immigration e-gates, and boarding gates before implementing the technology across all passenger touchpoints in the airport.
“We are excited to be leading the biometrics project at the UAE capital’s state-of-the-art International Airport as part of the Emirate’s digital transformation vision,” said Ibrahim Al Mannaee, NEXT50’S Chief Executive Officer. “Once the project is fully realized, the airport will be the only airport in the region with biometric solutions implemented across all customer touchpoints, contributing to Abu Dhabi Airport’s vision to become the operator of the most technology-driven airport in the world, providing a seamless journey to all its passengers. We are proud to join forces with IDEMIA and SITA and offer our expertise in artificial intelligence and data sciences to make this initiative a reality.”