Washington state’s Port of Tacoma posted a two per cent increase in container volume in 2011 year on year to 1,488,799 TEU, boosted by an 11 per cent increase in exports with agricultural produce leading. Import container volume increased one per cent, which the port said “reflected the continued overall sluggishness of the economy” with international box throughput up five per cent while total domestic container traffic – Alaska, Guam…

Armour for ships and crews are inadequate to protect against Somali pirate attacks, according to Inchcape Shipping Services (ISS) which markets what it considers superior gear. “Time and again we see bullet proof vests issued to crews without hard armour plates, and vessels using eight millimetre mild steel to protect the bridge, internal doors and citadels, which will do nothing against a round from an AK47,” said ISS sales chief…

Somali Pirates reportedly freed the Anglo-Eastern-managed chemical tanker for US$8 million ransom, reports London’s TankerOperator, topping the highest reported ransom paid of $7 million. Last September, pirates released the 1,743-TEU MSC Panama, seized the previous December, after reportedly receiving a $7 million ransom for the vessel and its 23-man crew. Pirate ransoms averaged $4 million, according to New York insurance risk consultants Marsh Marine Practice issued last summer. Said Hong…

The Port of Savannah handled a record 2.95 million TEU in 2011, 3.5 per cent more than in the previous year despite a 1.9 per cent decline in December. Georgia Ports Authority executive director Curtis Foltz announced that the Ports of Savannah and Brunswick experienced record volumes in 2011 and handled 26.1 million tonnes of cargo, an additional 1.1 million tonnes, or a 4.3 per cent increase. In Brunswick, the…

Piraeus Port Authority (PPA), operator of Greece’s largest port, doubled throughput in 2011 to more than 1.68 million TEU and returned to historic highs set in 2003. Cosco Pacific’s Greek unit Piraeus Container Terminal handled 1.18 million TEU at Pier II, a growth of 73 per cent year on year while the PPA’s Pier I handled 500,133 TEU, a 54.5 per cent increase over 2010. “The port of Piraeus, despite…

Deutsche POST DHL will appeal to the European Court of Justice against a European Commission ruling against alleged illegal German state aid to the express delivery company’s parent Deutsche Post AG, reports the UK’s Transport Intelligence. “The EU Commission’s ruling on a repayment is incomprehensible and has no basis in fact,” said Deutsche Post DHL chief executive Frank Appel. “It stands in clear contradiction to an earlier EU decision and…

Asian air freight demand fell 4.8 per cent in 2011 year on year, reflecting weak worldwide economic conditions according to the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines (AAPA). But passenger numbers held up well in the Asia-Pacific region in 2011, increasing 3.5 per cent year on year with a 6.3 per cent increase in capacity. Air cargo capacity did not change. “Air cargo demand weakened significantly compared to the restocking surge…

CWT Globelink has announced the opening of two new offices in Bulgaria as the company continues to expand its network in Eastern Europe. The company has established two new offices in Sofia and Varna. Globelink Bulgaria will be under the charge of managing director Ben Lim, responsible for enhancing business in and around Bulgaria. The CWT Globelink Group now maintains a presence at more than 100 offices in more than…

New berth construction at Durban Container Terminal will result in 20 per cent fewer vessels, representing and estimated reduction of 400,000 TEU for two years or more, reports Fresh Plaza dot com, portal for fresh fruit news. In December, Transnet Port Terminals asked all shipping lines to reduce calls to Durban. Some ships will be handled by Point and Maydon Wharf Agri Ro Ro Terminal. Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) has…

The 2.8 per cent growth in fourth quarter America’s gross domestic product (GDP) driven by rising consumer spending and robust manufacturing, representing the fastest rate of growth in 18 months, said the US Commerce Department. Quarterly consumer spending, 33 per cent of US economic activity, increased two per cent compared with 1.7 per cent in the third quarter and 0.7 per cent in the second quarter. But fourth quarter capital…

Japan’s NYK’s eastbound December transpacific volume rose seven per cent year on year, and increased three per cent in the last quarter of 2011, the carrier announced. In the last quarter, NYK throughput hit 1.6 million TEU, and in December came to 540,000 TEU. From April through December – fiscal year to date – eastbound transpacific volume was flat year on year at five million TEU. Westbound on the Asia-Europe…

Lufthansa Cargo has launched weekly service from its home base at to the US automotive metropolis of Detroit, using an MD-11 aircraft from January 23. Initially the route is being operated from Germany every Monday, and will switch to every Sunday with the commencement of the summer schedule. The airline said that the return flight will stop off in New York on the way back to Frankfurt, in a statement….

CARGOLUX Airlines has added a new Boeing 747-8 Freighter to its all-cargo fleet at Indianapolis International Airport to boost capacity on this US-Europe route, and ahead of the US Super Bowl in early February. The new aircraft provides a maximum payload capacity of 134 tons. Its arrival follows an announcement by the airline and global freight forwarder DB Schenker of adding a third weekly scheduled flight between Indianapolis and Luxembourg….

Portland International Airport has recorded increases in total cargo volume and passenger numbers handled last year, with 213,964 tons of freight and mail passing through its gates, up 2.3 per cent compared with 2010. Growth followed the launch of Asiana Cargo’s service to South Korea and beyond. The all-cargo service uses a Boeing 747 freighter to connect the airport to Asian cities, including Osaka, Shanghai, Hong Kong and Penang. A…

Chicago based United Continental Holdings (UAL) reported a narrowing fourth-quarter loss because of the costs of the merger of United and Continental airlines. United Continental losses narrowed to US$138 million year on year from $325 million. The year-earlier result included $485 million in merger charges with revenue growing 5.5 per cent to $8.9 billion. Cargo and other revenue in the fourth quarter increased 4.8 per cent, or $51 million year…