The cargo turnover of the Batumi Sea Port in 2024 increased by 9% compared to the previous year, reaching 3.6 million tons. The growth was ensured by increased transshipment volumes of oil and oil products, which amounted to 1.8 million tons (+12.5%), as well as dry cargo – 1.8 million tons (+5.9%).
Northwest Europe’s largest short-distance shipping operator CLdN has introduced a new service that will enable partners to comply with the FuelEU Maritime (FEUM) environmental requirements. This EU directive aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through the use of renewable and low-carbon fuels. However, such measures lead to increased costs, as biofuels are 50-150% more expensive than traditional fuels. At the same time, there are fines for non-compliance with FEUM standards – for example, a Capesize vessel calling in Rotterdam from South America could incur costs of $50,000 if it does not use the required amount of biofuel.
HPC Hamburg Port Consulting (HPC) has been appointed as the project coordinator and financial manager for the H2-Derivatives@BalticSeaPorts (H2Deri@BSP) project, funded by the Baltic Sea Region 2021-2027 programme. The project, initiated by the Port of Hamburg Marketing (HHM), will start in March 2025 and run until February 2028. Its objective is to introduce hydrogen derivatives as a marine fuel and optimise their handling in the ports of the Baltic region.
The Port of Rotterdam recorded a decrease in bunker volumes of marine fuels in 2024 to 9.8 million tonnes, down 0.9% from 2023. At the same time, demand for fuel oil, marine gasoil and other types of fuel decreased, while the LNG market showed significant growth. The volume of LNG bunkering amounted to 0.94 million m³, an increase of 52% compared to 2023, when only 0.62 million m³ were bunkered. The recovery in LNG demand is due to the stabilization of prices after their sharp increase.
The construction of the third Ro-PAX ferry for ASCO continues as part of the company’s development strategy aimed at strengthening cargo transportation along the Middle Corridor. The vessel will become an important link in the transport network connecting the East and West. Currently, hull work is 88% complete, engineering – 97%, and procurement – 82%. The main engines, fire extinguishing and fresh water systems, freight elevator, pumps and electrical panels have already been installed. The overall project completion has reached 49%, and the delivery of the vessel is scheduled for the first quarter of next year.
The Port of Antwerp-Bruges will close 2024 with a total throughput of 278 million tonnes, an increase of 2.3% compared to 2023. The main growth factor was an increase in container traffic by 8.9% in tonnes and 8.1% in TEU. The refrigerated container segment saw an increase of 9.2%, while the port’s share of the Hamburg-Le Havre route increased by 0.7 percentage points to 30.6%. Despite economic instability caused by geopolitical tensions and rising energy prices, the port is showing resilience.
On January 31, the Port of Riga welcomed the Dutch-flagged container vessel M/V Essence, belonging to the international shipping line Ocean Network Express (ONE), for the first time. The 1,436 TEU vessel will call at the Port of Riga weekly as part of the updated Baltic Bridge Express (BBX) route, connecting the largest ports in Europe: Rotterdam, Klaipeda, Riga, Tallinn and Kotka.
Two transformers with a total weight of 572 tonnes have been successfully unloaded at the Nordlandkai terminal in the Port of Lübeck – the heaviest project cargo ever handled at the port. The operation was carried out by Lübecker Hafen-Gesellschaft (LHG) together with the heavy-duty transport specialists Thömen Spedition (Hamburg) and Baumann Move (Bornheim). The equipment, manufactured by Hitachi Energie in Bad Honnef, was transported to Lübeck on the River Trader from Rotterdam.
The first hydrogen and electric tanker in Lithuania has been launched in the port of Klaipeda. The vessel, ordered by the Klaipeda State Seaport, does not harm the environment and will clean the port waters by accepting waste from other ships. The launch of this innovative project highlights Lithuania’s commitment to environmentally friendly shipping.
Stena RoRo has added a new vessel to its fleet, acquiring the ro-ro ferry Giuseppe Lucchesi and renaming it Stena Shipper. Built in 2012 at the Odense shipyard in Denmark, the vessel is 193 metres long and has a cargo capacity of 3,663 linear metres over four decks. It has a top speed of 21 knots, low fuel consumption and eco-efficient features.
