The European Shippers’ Council has expressed “grave concern” that the problem of piracy is continuing to affect cargo ships, including those sent from Europe to carry freight through high risk areas, such as off the coast of Somalia and the Indian Ocean. A statement said the ESC “remains alarmed by the latest figures released by the ICC’s International Maritime Bureau. Although figures show a decreasing number of piracy attacks, the…

Volume growth at the Sea Port of Cork has been attributed to the bouncing back of the Irish economy through a healthy export sector up nine per cent in 2011 year on year, and 19 per cent compared to 2009, said its chairman Dermot O’Mahoney. Import levels dropped to below 2007 levels down 12.9 per cent. The container figures growth were led by oil traffic particularly exports of the refined…