Maritime Standard
Established in2016
Located inDubai, United Arab Emirates
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Drydocks World And Cochin Shipyard Join Forces To Develop Repair ClustersDrydocks World has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL), with the aim of developing ship repair clusters within India, building on synergies between the two companies and capitalising on their respective strengths. This is expected to bring global best practices to the ship repair sector in the country and add significant new capacities.
Two locations in particular, Kochi and Vaidinar, are singled out for particular focus as new shiprepair centres to be developed under the terms of the new MOU
The MOU also provides for cooperation in potential offshore fabrication opportunities, engaging with other entities including India’s major ports.port-and-ship
Apr 15, 2025
Maritime Standard
Dp World India Terminals Achieve Double-Digit GrowthDP World terminals in Mundra and Cochin both delivered exceptionally strong growth rates over the 2024-5 financial year. The Mundra International Container Terminal (MICT) achieved a throughput of 1,497,228 TEU, 13% up on the previous financial year. The terminal achieved its highest-ever monthly volume in March, handling 138,983 TEU, surpassing the previous record of 138,000 TEU, set in January this year.
Meanwhile DP World’ Cochin set an all-time record throughput in 2024-25, handling 834,665 TEU, representing an 11% year-on-year growth. This included a transshipment volume record of 169,562 TEU.
Over the past year DP World Cochin has significantly expanded its capacity with infrastructure upgrades, including the introduction of new ship-to-shore cranes, electrified e-RTGs and an expanded yard space, boosting the terminal’s total capacity to 1.4 million TEU a year.port-and-ship
Apr 15, 2025
Maritime Standard
Folk Maritime Buys Second ContainershipSaudi Arabian feeder ship operator, Folk Maritime, has purchased a second vessel, Folk Jazan, to help support the further expansion of its regional shipping networks. The vessel is initially being deployed on the company’s services within the Red Sea and the Arabian Gulf.
“The acquisition of Folk Jazan is a pivotal step in our strategic growth,” commented Poul Hestbaek, CEO of Folk Maritime. “This vessel not only expands our operational capabilities but also reinforces our commitment to supporting Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 by enhancing the Kingdom’s maritime infrastructure and contributing to its emergence as a global logistics hub.”
Folk Maritime’s second owned Saudi-flagged container vessel, following the acquisition of Folk Jeddah in September last year, is part of an expanding fleet now totalling six ships. Built in 2008 by Zhejiang Shipbuilding, Folk Jazan has a nominal capacity of 2015 TEU and, according to Folk Maritime, the vessel was selected as it “achieves a critical balance between capacity and operational efficiency, ensuring seamless and reliable service.”port-and-ship
Apr 15, 2025
Maritime Standard
Basra Terminal Handles Largest Container Vessel YetBasra Gateway Terminal (BGT) in the Port of Umm Qasr, Iraq, has set a new record with the successful handling of the 16,000 TEU capacity HMM Daon, the largest container vessel to dock at the port.
BGT’s ability to handle large container vessels of this type, the only terminal in Umm Qasr to be able to do so, is the result of recent infrastructure and equipment investments, including the deployment of three post-Panamax ship-to-shore cranes.
According to BGT’s parent company, ICTSI, “The modern facilities, combined with a skilled workforce, ensure smooth operations at Iraq’s busiest port. Under our management, BGT has developed into a high-performing multipurpose terminal that caters to general, project, and roll-on/roll-off cargo.”
In 2014, ICTSI signed a contract with the General Company for Ports in Iraq to manage, operate and rehabilitate terminal facilities in North Port Umm Qasr, Iraq and to develop and expand container handling capacity through new infrastructure development. ICTSI has progressively built on this initial commitment over the past ten years.port-and-ship
Apr 15, 2025
Maritime Standard
Dubai Market On Cusp Of Change, Says Leading Ship ManagerIncreasing demands in terms of digitalisation and decarbonisation are pushing companies to look at consolidation and restructuring, reshaping the Dubai market, according to one of the world’s leading ship managers, the Columbia Group.
“The region is at a turning point as the maritime industry sees more companies turning to collaboration and partnership, with demand growing for a more standardised approach and umbrella organisations,” says Columbia Group Regional Managing Director, Xanthos Kyriacou. “The UAE’s shipping industry is changing. Geopolitical tensions, market consolidation, and the rapid push toward digitalisation and sustainability are reshaping how shipowners operate.”
A key challenge he suggests is merger and acquisition (M&A)-driven restructuring. Many UAE-based shipowners have traditionally managed their fleets in-house, but as companies merge and fleets grow, integrating different management systems will become more complex.
As more companies consolidate and restructure, second-party ship management is becoming an attractive option for owners looking to simplify and modernise their operations, Kyriacou adds, pointing out that Columbia Group is well positioned to help shipowners navigate these changes.
With new environmental regulations pushing shipowners to upgrade their vessels and adopt smarter, more efficient systems, Columbia is now utilising AI, machine learning and predictive analytics to help shipowners optimise fleet performance, reduce emissions, and streamline operations in an increasingly data-driven industry.
According to Kyriacou, “While the industry has historically been cautious about data sharing, the benefits of real-time analytics and cloud-based fleet management are becoming too significant to ignore. More companies are adopting smart vessel monitoring systems that provide insights into fuel consumption, predictive maintenance and emissions tracking.”
Columbia Group is now utilising SmartSea, a new digital infrastructure system inspired by developments in aviation. “This enhances real-time data exchange, vessel optimisation, and regulatory compliance while ensuring cybersecurity and data integrity, key concerns as the UAE strengthens its regulatory framework around data hosting and maritime cybersecurity,” Kyriacou concludes.port-and-ship
Apr 15, 2025
Maritime Standard
Ad Ports Supports Container Fabrication And Maintenance At KhalifaAD Ports Group has recently entered into a 10-year lease agreement with TW Steel, to provide container fabrication, maintenance and repair services at Khalifa Port to meet the specific needs of shipping lines and container operators calling at the Abu Dhabi hub. The agreement further widens the range of services on offer at Khalifa Port and is expected to enhance operational efficiency by reducing container downtime, while offering shipping lines, logistics companies and other customers a more attractive and competitive local option for sourcing containers.
In addition to container fabrication and modification services, the company also offers structural and flooring repairs, painting and coating, door and seal repairs, cleaning and sanitisation, inspection and certification and refrigeration unit maintenance.port-and-ship
Apr 15, 2025
Maritime Standard
Strong Container Growth At Saudi Ports In MarchThe network of ports supervised by the Saudi Ports Authority (Mawani) recorded a 13.61% increase in container handling during March this year, reaching 699,928 TEU compared to 616,079 TEU in the same period last year. Export container traffic jumped by 31.82%, to 280,341 TEU while the number of imported containers increased by 7.78%, to 281,216 TEU. However, transshipment containers recorded a 2.89% decline,138,371 TEU.
Total cargo throughput, including general cargo, solid bulk, and liquid bulk, rose by 8.69%, to 21.18 million tons compared to 19.49 million tons in the same month of last year. This includes 971,850 tons of general cargo, 4.5 million tons of dry bulk, and 15. 69 million tons of liquid bulk. Additionally, the number of vehicles handled increased by 33.5%, reaching 90,271 units compared to 67,620 in March last year.
Mawani has recently announced the addition of the new shipping service, Milaha Intra Gulf Express, to King Abdulaziz Port in Dammam. This shipping links Dammam with the ports of Umm Qasr in Iraq, Hamad in Qatar, Shuwaikh in Kuwait, Jebel Ali in the UAE, and Sohar in Oman, with a 1,015 TEU capacity vessel being deployed.
In another positive development, Dammam port operator Saudi Global Ports (SGP) recently celebrated the maiden call of the 13,000 TEU CMA CGM Iron, marking a significant milestone in the journey toward greener and more sustainable maritime operations. CMA CGM Iron is the first in a fleet of 12 dual-fuel methanol-powered vessels commissioned by CMA CGM and represents a major step forward in reducing carbon emissions and embracing clean energy solutions in global shipping.port-and-ship
Apr 15, 2025
Maritime Standard
New Colombo Terminal Commences OperationsThe first fully automated terminal in Sri Lanka’s Colombo Port, Colombo West International Terminal (CWIT), is now operational. Developed under a public–private partnership, CWIT is operated by a consortium comprising India’s largest port operator Adani Ports & SEZ, leading Sri Lankan conglomerate John Keells Holdings, and the Sri Lanka Ports Authority, under a 35-year Build, Operate, and Transfer (BOT) agreement.
The CWIT project represents a substantial investment of around US$ 800 million. It features a 1400m long quay with 20m of water depth alongside and has an annual capacity of around 3.2 million TEU. It is the first deepwater terminal in Colombo to be fully automated and is designed to improve vessel turnaround times and enhance the port’s status as a key transshipment hub in South Asia.
Following Phase 1 completion, the terminal features eight automated ship-to-shore gantry cranes, 18 fully automated rail mounted gantry stacking cranes, and 62 fully electric Internal Terminal Vehicles (ITVs).port-and-ship
Apr 15, 2025
Maritime Standard
Agreement To Create New Petroleum Storage Facility At Khalifa PortOylz Terminals, a UAE-based oil supply and distribution company which currently operates in Hamriyah Free Zone, has signed an agreement with AD Ports Group to develop a 600,000 m3 clean petroleum tank storage facility in Khalifa Port, Abu Dhabi. Located at Khalifa Port Logistics Hub, the facility will be developed in two phases, with the first phase expected to commence operations in mid-2027.
According to Saif Al Mazrouei, Chief Executive Officer, Ports Cluster, AD Ports Group, “This agreement underlines the strategic importance of Khalifa Port as a vital trade hub, not only for the UAE but for the entire region. This liquid storage terminal will enhance our port’s capabilities and attract more customers seeking world-class infrastructure and seamless access to global markets.”port-and-ship
Apr 01, 2025
Maritime Standard
New South Container Terminal Inaugurated In Jeddah PortDP World and the Saudi Ports Authority (Mawani) have officially inaugurated the new South Container Terminal at Jeddah Islamic Port, following a three-year project that has more than doubled its capacity from 1.8 million to 4 million TEU a year. The expansion also opens the way for further expansion to a capacity of 5 million TEU, with additional ship-to-shore equipment scheduled to be deployed as demand grows.
The Jeddah terminal was DP World’s first concession outside the UAE in 1999, and this latest expansion has been undertaken under a fresh 30-year Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) agreement.
The Jeddah South Container Terminal now provides a total quay length of 2,150m, with a water depth of 18m alongside, and is capable of accommodating up to five ultra-large container vessels simultaneously. Automated and electrified yard cranes have also been introduced, along with an expanded fleet of quay cranes. By the end of 2025 the terminal will be equipped with 17 ship-to-shore gantry cranes with plans to acquire a further five when the decision to execute the 5 million TEU capacity increase are put into effect.
The upgraded facility features advanced automation and digitalisation systems designed to improve operational efficiency. Smart technology is expected to significantly reduce gate transaction times, from two minutes to just 10 seconds, by using IoT-enabled cargo tracking and AI-powered cargo tallying for precise record keeping.
To meet fast-rising demand for perishable cargoes, the terminal’s capacity for refrigerated containers has been expanded from 1200 to 2340 units, which will be supported by a new inspection facility that can inspect up to 75 reefers at a time.
In line with its global sustainability strategy, DP World is implementing initiatives to reduce CO₂ emissions at the terminal by 50% over the next five years. Measures include the electrification of yard cranes and trucks as well as solar panel installations.port-and-ship
Mar 17, 2025