Port of Batumi acquires new harbour cranes

Batumi International Container Terminal (BICTL), Georgia, has recently acquired two new mobile harbor cranes for the port of Batumi. 

The new Gottwald mobile harbor cranes, model HMK 260E, are now stationed at berths 4 and 5. The acquisition is part of BICTL’s plan to upgrade BICT’s container handling capability with the end view of making it the leading trading gateway in the Black Sea. The commissioning of the cranes at Batumi has already attracted the interest of several shipping lines that are now showing interest in calling at BCT.

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Panama gets new maritime legislation

Panama president Martin Torrijos signed into law reforms to three maritime laws ­ a maritime commercial law, a general port law on future national and international port concessions and reforms to the merchant marine.

The merchant marine law will ease administrative and legal procedures and offer incentives for newbuildings and loyalty to the flag. The legislation, which enters force after publication in the Official Gazette, grants incentives for registering newbuildings and to users that register fleets, depending of gross tonnage and type of ships. Those registering 5-15 ships will receive 20% discount in registration fees; 16-50 vessels qualify for 35% and for 51 vessels and above, a discount of 60% will be granted. ‘The new legislation will improve the age of the fleet and create mechanisms that will help Panama’s flag to quickly respond to eventual accidents abroad,’ says Alfonso Castillero, head of merchant marine at the Panama Maritime Authority. ‘It is a very modern law which fosters competitiveness and will keep us as the leader of the world’s merchant fleet,’ he adds. ‘The implementation of the general Law of Ports is a particular important legal instrument to advance Panama as the main maritime centre of the Americas,’ said Panama Maritime Authority Administrator Fernando Solorzano. The law provides a clear and efficient procedure to obtain the necessary concession or contract-law to operate ports in Panama and modernise the regulatory framework and supervision by the respective public authorities, which have competence on port activities.

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Tanker Company Coats with Intersleek 900

A second Aframax tanker belonging to Mumbai-based Mercator Lines, the 105,000 dwt Prem Divya, has been coated with International Paint’s foul release coating, Intersleek 900.

The move comes just nine months after sistership Prem Pride had her vertical sides coated with the latest generation patented fluoropolymer at Dubai Drydocks World. This time though, the hull upgrade of the ‘Prem Divya’ involved the entire underwater area of the 1998-built vessel during the tanker’s second special survey.  “We had monitored the ‘Prem Pride’s’ fuel consumption closely,” said Mercator Lines’ GM Amit Agrawal. “At corresponding engine speeds, the vessel was consuming up to 6% less fuel, depending on weather conditions, after the application of Intersleek 900. We originally calculated projected savings based on a bunker price of $450 and found we were saving nearly three tonnes of fuel a day. And whilst bunker prices continue to climb, our payback period just gets shorter. The added advantages of no biocides, reduced drydocking times and lower CO2 emissions convinced us that this is the technology we need”. Mercator Liner is one of India’s fastest growing shipping firms, with a diverse fleet including tankers, bulk carriers, dredgers and an oil rig. The tanker fleet includes two VLCCs and the company has plans to convert a single-hulled supertanker into a Very Large Ore Carrier. Mercator Lines has been a pioneer of latest generation coatings and has adopted the latest technology for all ship areas, both internal and external.

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