GLOBAL ocean freight rates are stabilising due to ample capacity acting as a constraint on prices compared to the deep rate declines seen during the downturn. Middle East ports are benefiting from Far East demand and strengthening in Europe but rates remain on hold since December, said Middle East operations head of Germany’s Leschaco Freight Solutions, Shamsudeen Ahmad which has set up an office in Dubai for its network with…

Abu Dhabi is positioning its Khalifa Port and Industrial Zone (Kizad), which opens in September, to attract export-generating industries, such as aluminium smelting, foundries, petrochemicals, glass manufacturing and trade. . Khalifa Port, which is to replace the old Mina Zayed inner-city port, will have an annual capacity of two million TEU at first, rising to 15 million TEU by 2015 at full build out. The old Mina Zayed handled 500,000 TEU…

Aden Container Terminal (ACT), operated by global marine terminal operator DP World, has received and serviced the 8,441-TEU MSC Tomoko, the largest containership ever to call at Yemen’s main port. DP World Aden ensured a quick turnaround for the 332-metre mega ship, which draws 14.7 metres. The MSC Tomoko was berthed for a total of 14 hours and 30 minutes at the terminal that opened in 1999. Said DP World…

Roche Diagnostics, the diagnostic division of global healthcare company Roche, announced that it will set up its Middle East headquarters in Jafza and commence operations next month. The announcement was made on the sidelines of healthcare exhibition and medical congress, Arab Health in Dubai, reports Dubai World. It said that the regional headquarters in Jafza will be the company’s first facility in the Middle East. Through its distributor network, Roche…

Dubai’s DP World is telling shippers that its London Gateway (LG) terminal will knock Hong Kong’s Hutchison-owned Felixstowe terminal from its high perch as the Britain’s No 1 container handling facility in years to come. Speaking at a recent Logistics Leaders Network event, London Gateway commercial chief Peter Ward said his DP World facility would prove more attractive than Felixstowe which is 70 miles from London and exposed to severe…

Dubai registered and Hong Kong headquartered Emirates Shipping Line has announced a general rate increase (GRI) running from March 1 to April 15 covering the Far East to East Africa, the Far East to the Mediterranean and intra-Asia trades. To keep up with market conditions, Emirates said a US$150 per TEU general rate increase will be applied on March 1 to be followed by a $100 increase on March 15,…