Mexico News

Air Quality Monitored as TX Tank Blaze Rages

Houston officials and environmental groups raced to expand air monitoring on Tuesday after a raging fire at a Mitsui & Co petrochemical storage site produced billowing acrid smoke that could be seen and smelled miles away.The blaze at Mitsui unit Intercontinental Terminals Co in Deer Park, Texas, burned for a third day after firefighting water pumps broke down for six hours on Monday evening, the company said.The fire began on Sunday when a leaking tank containing volatile naphtha ignited and flames quickly spread to nearby tanks…

Houston Tank Fire Spreads to More Tanks

A storage tank fire on the Houston Ship Channel on Sunday has spread to seven petrochemical storage tanks, forcing residents in the suburb of Deer Park, Texas, to stay indoors on Monday, but no evacuations or injuries were reported.The fire, which sent a plume of black smoke across the city's eastern half and was visible from 10 miles (16 km) away , began in a giant storage tank containing naphtha, a volatile component of gasoline, at about 10:30 a.m. (1530 GMT) on Sunday.By evening…

ICTSI Net Income Up 22% in 2018

Manila-head quartered port and terminal operator International Container Terminal Services (ICTSI) has released solid results for 2018. ICTSI’s box volumes were higher, revenues increased and the group generated higher profit.The port operator said in a stock exchange annoucement that its consolidated volume higher by six percent to 9,736,621 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) (FY2017: 9,153,458 TEUs) and revenue from port operations increased 11 percent to US$1.4 billion (FY2017…

U.S. Democrats Initially Cool to New NAFTA

Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives gave a cool reception to the replacement for the North American Free Trade Agreement on Wednesday as the top U.S. trade negotiator opened a campaign to win broad support for the accord in Congress.Several Democrats said a closed-door meeting between United States Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and their caucus failed to ease their concerns about the new U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement's (USMCA) provisions on labor, biologic drugs and some other issues.A USTR spokeswoman declined to comment on the meeting.The support of Democrats…

Blackstone Invests in Terminal Operator Carrix

U.S. investment firm Blackstone Group LP said on Sunday that funds affiliated with Blackstone Infrastructure Partners invested in Carrix Inc, the largest marine terminal operator in the United States and the Americas.The company did not disclose the terms of the transaction.Carrix is the parent of SSA Marine and its related affiliates with operations at over 250 port and rail locations worldwide, including 16 container terminals in Long Beach and Oakland in California, Seattle and Tacoma in Washington…

Proposed Deepwater Port in Gulf of Mexico

The Maritime Administration (MARAD) issued a notice stating that a public scoping meeting will be held on 20 March in Lake Jackson, Texas to receive comments on the proposed deepwater port (DWP) in the Gulf of Mexico to be constructed and operated by SPOT Terminal Services LLC. Written comments must be received by 5 April. 84 Fed. Reg. 8401 (3/7/19) https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2019-03-07/pdf/2019-04101.pdf(Bryant's Maritime Newsletter)

Inland Port Development: Take the train

The intermodal equation for any deep draft port is incomplete without its inland component.It’s definitely a work in progress.There are inland ports in the truest sense: major lakefront and riverfront cities such as Chicago and St. Louis, including even Duluth and Tulsa, with vast distribution areas, wildly varying cargo, roads, trains and waterways to serve them.And, then, there are inland ports, dry ports that have vast distribution areas, containerized cargo delivered from true oceanfront ports…

Cruise Building: Growing, Cleaner and Not Always Bigger

2019 will be the biggest year ever for new ship introductions.The ships are coming. Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) suggests that in the coming year 18 new ships are on order for CLIA cruise lines. The next few years will see the arrival of new cruise giants at PortMiami and Port Canaveral. But first they will need giant terminals.The Global Impact of Cruise LinesCLIA estimates 30 million travelers will cruise next year, up six percent from 28.2 million in 2018;…

TFI Buys Toronto Tank Lines

North American transportation and logistics player TFI International has announced the acquisition of Toronto Tank Lines (TTIL).Acquisition strengthens TFI’s logistics and specialized tank capabilities throughout North America, said a press note.Founded in 1993 and based in Hamilton, Ontario, TTL specializes in the transportation and storage of food grade liquids, industrial chemicals, specialty oils and waxes throughout Canada, the United States and Mexico.TTL operates storage facilities and a fleet of approximately 75 tank trailers and 45 power units…

Boskalis Sells Stake in SAAM SMIT Towage

Royal Boskalis Westminster N.V. (Boskalis) has signed an agreement with SAAM S.A. (SAAM) relating to the sale and purchase of the equity stake held by Boskalis in SAAM SMIT Towage. Under the terms of the agreement, the total (100%) enterprise value of SAAM SMIT Towage is valued at $560 million. Boskalis expects to receive $201 million in cash for its equity stake in the joint venture.The towage joint venture between Boskalis and SAAM was formed in 2014 which at the time covered the respective towage activities in Brazil, Panama, Mexico and Canada.

Burns Harbor Extends Key Partnership

The Port of Indiana Burns-Harbor has extended its partnership with its longtime stevedore and marine terminal operating company, Federal Marine Terminals.A press note from the Ports of Indiana, a statewide port authority operating three ports on the Ohio River and Lake Michigan, said that the deal will run through at least 2023."FMT has been a vital collaborator with the Port of Indiana-Burns Harbor since 1999," said Port Director Ian Hirt, "and this consolidated operating agreement…

Product Tanker Market Looks Up

The product tanker market registered a robust recovery in the fourth quarter of 2018, partially reversing the downward trend observed in the first nine months of the year, said Capital Product Partners.The Marshall Islands' tanker company said in a stock exchange annoucement that the beginning of the quarter was weak in line with the previous quarters, as rates hovered close to historically low levels, but the market gained momentum from early November onwards.In the West, the…

Ocean Alliance Unveils Day 3 Product

The world’s largest operational agreement between shipping companies Ocean Alliance -CMA CGM, COSCO SHIPPING, Evergreen and OOCL - has announced the launch of their Ocean Alliance Day 3 Product starting April 2019."Rodolphe Saadé, Chairman and CEO of the CMA CGM Group, signs with his partners the launch of Ocean Alliance Day 3 Product, which will start in April 2019," said a press release from the shipping group.On the occasion of this announcement, Rodolphe Saadé, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the CMA CGM Group…

Maersk, Avantida Automate Street Turns

Avantida said that Maersk Line has started to offer street turn or container triangulation services through its computer platform in the United States and Canada. Avantida is owned by E2Open.Empty container triangulation, or the interchange of an intermodal container outside of a marine terminal or yard (street turns), is a well-known activity in the US. By offering this on Avantida’s online platform, transporter and logistics companies are freed from the administrative hassle of having to request and process street turns manually.Through the automated request process offered by Maersk…

Taiwan's Evergreen Opens Four New Offices in Latin America

Taiwanese container transportation and shipping company  Evergreen Marine Corp. is expanding its operations into Central and South America this year following the recent opening of four new agency offices in the region."In view of the growth potential in Latin American trade, Evergreen Line is continuing to establish its own offices at main service locations in the region. The move will strengthen the effectiveness of the line’s operations, improve its capability to react to market opportunities…

Maersk Offers Street Turn Services in the US, Canada

Avantida, an E2Open company, has announced that Maersk, has started to offer street turn services on their platform in the United States and Canada. This represents Avantida’s first step into the US and Canadian markets.Empty container triangulation, or the interchange of an intermodal container outside of a marine terminal or yard (street turns), is a well-known activity in the US. By offering this on Avantida’s online platform, transporter and logistics companies are freed from the administrative hassle of having to request and process street turns manually.

Commissioner Herrera Takes Helm - Oxnard Harbor District

The Port of Hueneme has welcomed new leadership, as the Board of Harbor Commissioners unanimously voted Jess Herrera to serve as President for 2019.President Herrera was first elected to the Board in 1994, and has been the longest consecutively serving Commissioner in Port history with 2019 as his 25th year of service. Herrera has a long history of serving his community including 10 terms as Executive Officer of the Internal Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU), as well as serving 8 terms as Chairman of the ILWU’s Southern California Regional Jurisdiction Committee…

Evergreen Opens Four Offices in Latin America

In view of the growth potential in Latin American trade, Evergreen Line is continuing to establish its own offices at main service locations in the region. Evergreen Line has opened its own agency in Colombia following the establishments of other offices in Peru, Chile and Mexico over the past few months. In setting up these offices Evergreen confirms its continued commitment to serving the trade and economy of Latin American west coast region. The dedicated personnel at these locations will have responsibility for local marketing and sales…

Seacor Marine Acquires Three Fast Support Vessels

U.S. offshore vessel owner Seacor Marine  has acquired of three fast support vessels (FSVs) in exchange for the private placement of 603,872 shares of its common stock to domestic U.S. holders affiliated with the McCall family of Louisiana.The provider of global marine and support transportation services to offshore oil and natural gas and windfarm facilities worldwide has operated the acquired vessels for the past ten years under a revenue sharing pooling agreement along with four of its owned FSVs of similar specification.As part of the transaction, this pooling agreement was terminated.

McCarthy to Build Container Yard at Port Houston

US-based construction company McCarthy Building Companies began construction in Oct. on a new container yard within Port Houston, located in Pasadena, Texas.According to a press release from the 150 years old company, the project with Port Houston, will be a 45-acre expansion on the existing Bayport Container Terminal in continued efforts to grow and modernize the port.The development will aid in the port’s ability to serve the continued growth of Houston’s container exports of finished petrochemical…

Moda Midstream Loads First Supertanker at South Texas Terminal

Moda Midstream LLC, owner of a U.S. Gulf Coast crude export terminal, on Thursday began partially loading the first supertanker at its Ingleside, Texas, facility, the company said.The Houston-based operator, which purchased the facility from Occidental Petroleum Corp. in August, recently installed equipment capable of loading up to 80,000 barrels of crude oil per hour onto Very Large Crude Carriers, or VLCCs, which carry up to 2 million barrels.At a depth of 47 feet, the waterway near the terminal is deep enough to allow the company to load only 1.2 million barrels onto supertankers.

Scott Gutterman to Join Beacon Offshore Energy as Chairman and CEO

Beacon Offshore Energy, wholly owned by funds managed by Blackstone Energy Partners, an affiliate of Blackstone, announced that Scott Gutterman has joined Beacon as its Chairman and Chief Executive Officer.In addition, industry veterans Paul Dailly and John Hollowell have agreed to join Beacon’s Board of Managers, said the exploration and production company focused on exploring, developing, acquiring and operating upstream oil and gas properties in the deepwater Gulf of Mexico.Scott Gutterman brings 40 years of exploration and production experience primarily focused in the GOM.

Sapura Energy Wins Contracts in Mexico, Malaysia

Malaysia-based integrated oil and gas services Sapura Energy Berhad has strengthened its presence in Mexico and Malaysia with new contract wins valued at approximately RM1.75 billion (USD 410 mln).The new contracts have lifted the company’s orderbook to RM18 billion and total contract wins to-date for this financial year to RM7 billion (USD 1.68 bln).Sapura Energy has built capabilities and expertise that are critical to support its clients in their quest to meet global energy demand and as a result…

Port of Hamburg: Railborne transport up 4.3%

In the first nine months of the year, the Port of Hamburg transferred substantially more freight on to rail - Seaborne cargo handling was below the previous year’s level, owing to less bulk cargo and a slight downturn in container handling, while there was an increase for conventional general cargo.In the Port of Hamburg, railborne container transport achieved a distinct advance of 4.3 percent in the first nine months of the year. A total of 1.8 million TEU – 20-ft standard containers – were transported by rail between the port and inland inter-modal terminals.

Norwegian Breakaway Debut Highlights Port NOLA’s Impact

The Port of New Orleans (Port NOLA) has welcomed the largest cruise ship in both length and passenger occupancy to ever sail from the Crescent City when the Norwegian Breakaway homeported at the Julia Street Cruise Terminal for its inaugural cruise Nov. 11, 2018. The ship placement contributes to Port NOLA’s cruise business momentum and contributes to tourism’s economic impact across the New Orleans-region.The 1,068-foot vessel will sail from New Orleans through April 12, 2019…

Joey Farrell: Born to Marine Salvage

Boys are coaxed into cleanliness at bath time playing with boats. But it was never a game for Joseph Farrell, III, instinctively realizing he was ballasting and salvaging ships, unlike the typical Mr. Bubbles kid. The scion of Resolve Marine Group may have been born to lead the global emergency response company founded by his father with a single tug 38 years ago, but he’s never taken dangerous wreck removal lightly.Before turning 15, Joey had two close calls on and around ships that guide him today, at 34.