The DCN Weekly

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.

Containership Shiling loses power off New Zealand, container line to call at Gladstone, Höegh Trooper towed away, two new tugs for Newcastle and ALC’s Supply Chain Summit.

The federal budget announced this past week contained significant increases in funding for biosecurity, CMA CGM committed to the acquisition of Bolloré Logistics and the WA government announced $136 million in funding for the state's ports.

Qube announced two acquisitions, a new contract for Auriga, Port of Newcastle's Clean Energy Precinct, and a leadership shuffle at two Aussie logistics companies.

Construction started on a urea manufacturing project near Port of Dampier, and maritime and energy companies announced they would explore the feasibility of establishing a methanol bunkering hub at the port of Melbourne. Spirit Super and Stonepeak acquired GeelongPort, and the ABF seized 120 kilograms of cocaine at a Port Botany container examination facility.

A reach stacker caught fire at an intermodal terminal this week, and Svitzer abandoned action to terminate an EBA with three maritime unions. Delivery of a Norfolk Island landing craft was delayed after unsuccessful sea trials, COSCO announced a new trans-Tasman service, and Dr Kerry Schott was appointed acting chair of the ARTC.

Pilbara and Kimberley ports closed this week ahead of a category-five cyclone, and the Australian government responded to a damning review of the Inland Rail project. Neptune Pacific Direct Line announced a new shipping service to Australia and New Zealand, the ABF seized a haul of black-market cigarettes at its container facility and the ATSB released a report on a freight and coal train collision.

A 38-tonne biosecurity haul was intercepted in Sydney, and a report found Australia's hydrogen industry could be worth $40 billion by 2040. Authorities found a heroin shipment in a container at Port of Brisbane, P&O Cruises added Townsville as a port call, and TT Line became the first Aussie company to join the Green Marine program.

The Australia-UK Free Trade Agreement came a step closer to reality this week, and National Intermodal exercised an option to acquire land in Melbourne's north. DP World opened a new reefer facility and the ATSB released an interim report on the Portland Bay incident.

This week, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau released its final report on the allision that sunk two tugboats in Tasmania last year. Maersk announced plans to phase out a coastal shipping service in New Zealand, and AMSA banned a general cargo ship from Australian waters.

The Victorian government named Port of Hastings as the location for a renewable energy terminal this week, and livestock carrier Yangtze Fortune was sold and released from arrest. Dachser acquired an Australian freight forwarder, Provaris is progressing with a hydrogen export project and Swire Shipping announced a new service connecting Darwin with Timor-Leste.

There were calls for a Coastal Trading Act exemption this week, and 14 furniture importers were fined over illegal timber imports. A hydrogen export project progressed in Victoria, companies stepped up to help out in the wake of the collapse of Scott's Refrigerated Logistics and a man was charged for allegedly importing cocaine in an airfreight consignment.

SeaLead, results season, AMSA bans containership, independent valuer for Port of Newcastle.  A roundup of our top stories for the week ending 3 March 2023

The Prime Minister announced a $565-million investment for ports in the Pilbara region this week, and the Australian Maritime Safety Authority detained a ship that caught fire in Port of Melbourne. Rail freight operator Aurizon entered a $1.8 billion contract to carry containerised freight, and the ACCC lost its appeal in a NSW Ports competition case.

Newcastle hosted the inaugural GreenPort Congress Oceania this week, and DCN caught up with some presenters and attendees on the sidelines. In other news, Brisbane-based Focus Container Line went into liquidation.

Port of Newcastle this week announced the establishment of an empty container park, and AMSA issued legal direction to allow a ship experiencing engine issues to enter a port for repairs. The ACCC gave rail operator Aurizon the green light to sell its East Coast Rail business, Neptune Pacific Direct Line announced a new landing craft for the Norfolk Island trade, and Swire Shipping launched a new service to the Pacific Islands.

This week, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau released its report on an incident aboard liquefied hydrogen carrier Suiso Frontier. The ship was on its maiden voyage last year when a flame appeared on board, sparking an ATSB investigation. In other news, rail repair works commenced in Queensland after a freight train and coal train collided, and there were some notable staff appointments around the industry.

This week, Maersk and MSC announced the end of their 2M alliance in 2025. Construction plans were put in place for a $400-million intermodal terminal in Melbourne, and a police are undertaking an investigation in Newcastle after a ship allegedly arrived with drugs attached to its hull.

A shipbroker was appointed for the sale of an abandoned livestock carrier off Victoria this week. The ship has 36 crewmembers on board. A freight train derailed at the Australian Rail Track Corporation's rail yard at Port Botany, wild weather impacted shipping in Queensland, and dredging began for a new development in Tasmania.

The biggest story in Australia's maritime industry this week was the Productivity Commission's final report on Australia's maritime logistics system. The report drew fire and praise from all corners of the industry. Some of the major talking points were industrial relations, terminal access charges and landside efficiency.

Recently in the news, cruise ship Viking Orion was denied permission to berth at ports in New Zealand and Australia due to biofouling on its hull. A new CEO was announced for the Pilbara Ports Authority, and the first shipment of lithium from a Northern Territory mine began loading onto a bulker in Darwin.