Woodside Energy agreed to employ about 70 Aussie seafarers on an LNG carrier and the ACCC published its annual stevedore monitoring report. Two companies received coastal shipping grants and some Queensland ports closed as a tropical cyclone swept through the state's north.
The MUA has been suspending its planned industrial action at DP World terminals this week. AMSA signed an emergency towage contract and police reported an increase in the amount of opium seized from air and sea cargo.
DP World confirmed employee data was stolen in a recent cyberattack and the WA government revealed plans for its new container port. An initial phase of expansion at VICT is approaching completion, protesters disrupted shipping at the Port of Newcastle and champions of diversity celebrated their achievements at the Maritime SheEO Awards.
Protected industrial action continued at DP World's Australian terminals and pro-Palestinian protesters gathered at Port Botany. Houthis hijacked a ship, cocaine was found on a vessel in Melbourne and AMSA banned the BBC Jade.
DP World was hit by a cyberattack and pro-Palestinian demonstrators gathered at Port Botany to block an Israeli shipping line's vessel. Maersk and ANL announced changes to trans-Tasman services and police raided a ship at Port Pirie.
A Strategic Fleet Taskforce report was released to the public this week. Qube acquired a transport and logistics firm based in Fremantle, and several of the big international ocean carriers reported their results for the first nine months of 2023.
Industrial action continued at four Australian container terminals this week and two terminal operators announced increases to landside fees. Maersk is celebrating 30 years in Australia, seafarer happiness has decreased again and a port contract was awarded in Townsville.
More industrial action was announced for DP World terminals this week and ports welcomed the upcoming summer cruise season. Inland Rail appointed a new interim CEO and a pilotage employment program is underway at Port Hedland.
WA coastal shipping taskforce, Aurizon’s Darwin containers plan, QLD rail freight line upgraded, 50 kilos of cocaine smuggled in shipping container.
A pilot boat grounded and broke up this past week, and the Maritime Union of Australia announced further industrial action at DP World terminals. A meth haul was found in a consignment at Port Botany and a big intermodal train was trialled in Victoria.
MUA announces industrial action, AMSA bans containership, and Aurizon launches new container rail service.
Police seized hundreds of kilograms of cocaine from a ship berthed at the port of Melbourne, and a container service to Newcastle began this month. New port infrastructure opened in Bundaberg and there was a sod-turning ceremony for a new Blue Water Shipping site at the port of Brisbane.
The ATSB this week released its report on a fatal crew transfer accident in 2021 and, a 350-metre containership became the longest vessel to berth at two Australian ports. A shipment of wind turbine blades arrived in Geelong and a port announced an upgrade to its pilot vessel fleet.
A ship lost steering in the Bass Strait and plans were announced for new port infrastructure in Broome. Port of Townsville completed a new laydown area ahead of a record shipment of vehicles and Ports Victoria welcomed an interim CEO.
MUA apples to FWC for PIA, Aurizon Darwin deal, ro-ro rescue, Townsville expects expansion – A roundup of our top stories for the week ending on 8 September.
Big, Australian, electric ferry; icebreaker Nuyina can’t get under bridge to bunker; leadership changes; and more. A roundup of Australia's top maritime and logistics stories for the week ending on 1 September
Pilots called off a strike at the Port of Brisbane this week, and Auriga announced two new services in Victoria and Western Australia. AMSA banned a ship over wage theft and seafarer mistreatment, three men were charged over a cocaine haul hidden on a bulk carrier, and Medlog announced plans to acquire a transport operator in Port Botany.
The CEO of Ports Victoria announced his resignation this week, and Port of Hastings took a step toward establishing a renewable energy terminal. Consultation opened for an offshore wind zone off the Illawarra, police appealed for information after finding meth in a sea-freight consignment, and a containership caught fire off Malaysia.
Silk Logistics has acquired Secon, and Svitzer Australia has announced its new managing director. Two people were arrested over an attempt to import cocaine on a bulk carrier, MSC bought a majority stake in a cargo airline, and an inland port in New Zealand welcomed its first freight trains.
A ballot for protected industrial action received unanimous support from union members working for a pilotage company in Brisbane this week, and a ro-ro vessel caught fire off the coast of the Netherlands. A bulker was detained in New Zealand after it lost its rudder, negotiations commenced for an ammonia plant near a Western Australian port and a new CEO was appointed at Infrastructure Australia.
A fire broke out on a ro-ro vessel off the coast of the Netherlands this week, and the ATSB published an occurrence brief on a pilot ladder incident. Pilbara Ports Authority awarded a contract for construction of a new seawall, SeaRoad opened a new logistics facility and Ports North announced a new CEO.
This week, AMSA halted the tender process for the contract to maintain aids to navigation around Australia, and a ship ran into engine trouble off Queensland. An Aussie logistics company moved into a new facility at the Port of Brisbane and a towage contract was awarded for the Port of Esperance.
The government declared an offshore wind zone this week, and the Port of Newcastle revealed that 30 organisations would support its development of a clean energy precinct. AMSA banned a general cargo ship, construction started on a freight terminal in Melbourne and the ARTC is establishing a subsidiary to govern delivery of the Inland Rail.
A new chair and board members were appointed to the Australian Maritime Safety Authority board this week, and two men were charged over a shipment of ketamine sent to Australia in two commercial vans. Lindsay Australia acquired a merchandise company, a Western Australian port secured new export deals and T-Ports welcomed a new CEO.
Offshore wind in Victoria, ATSB's Trinity Bay grounding investigation, Maersk’s methanol ships, Australian shipbuilder building ferries
The Australian Maritime Safety Authority updated a marine notice on pilot ladder safety, and protesters wreaked havoc at the ports of Brisbane, Newcastle and Melbourne. Svitzer announced it had signed an agreement for five new tugboats, and a US assault ship docked at Patrick Terminal in Brisbane.
A double-stacked container vehicle was trialled at the Port of Brisbane this past week, and union members voted in favour of a new enterprise bargaining agreement. A logistics contract was awarded for a lithium plant expansion in WA and a landing craft for Norfolk Island was delivered after moths of delays.
The Australian Maritime Safety Authority this week announced it had banned a general cargo ship for being unsafe and unseaworthy. A hydrogen and methanol plant took a step forward in Tasmania, and police laid charges over an attempt to smuggle 800 kilograms cocaine into Australia on a bulker.
A containership lost steering and hit a navigational beacon in the Port of Melbourne this past week, and a company and master were convicted over a pilot ladder incident. Svitzer Australia came to an in-principle agreement with three maritime unions, and 120 kilograms of cocaine was found at a container facility in Port Botany.
The ABF found 300 kilograms of meth in a sea freight consignment from Mexico, and a logistics and ship agency group acquired Australian bulk specialist Monson Agencies. An Aussie shipbuilder delivered a ferry bound for South Korea, and a ceremony was held in Finland for the second of two new Spirits of Tasmania.
