A.P. Moller – Maersk (Maersk) has revealed a significant enhancement to its ME2 ocean service, with new port calls added to key destinations in North Europe, including Rotterdam, Felixstowe, and Bremerhaven, starting from the third week of April.
The importance of the Baku International Sea Trade Port (BISTP) in the global integration of Europe and Asia along the Middle Corridor was emphasized after a meeting between the port management and the representative of the European Union for Central Asia. Special Representative Terhi Hakala visited the port in Alyat as part of his visit to Azerbaijan.
COSCO Corporation, the world’s largest bulk carrier and one of the top ten container operators, delivering approximately 180 million tons of cargo annually, has drawn attention to PTC Holding’s strategy. A year ago, PTC Holding, as part of its strategy aimed at closer interaction with customers, confidently entered the Chinese logistics services market. PTC Freight Agency has opened a subsidiary in Shanghai, highlighting their commitment to expanding their presence and deepening customer engagement in key regions.
Yew Ming Leng, Assistant Vice President for Central Asia and the Caucasus (PSA International), spoke about PSA International and its achievements in the development of transport corridors, especially in China, and how they strive to bring this experience to Kazakhstan, with a special focus attention to the Middle corridor.
The Port of Klaipeda achieved a historic milestone with its inaugural ship-to-ship LNG bunkering operation. On April 9, the LNG tanker Avenir Aspiration successfully bunkered 326 cubic meters of liquefied natural gas to the 170-meter CMA CGM container vessel Containerships Aurora, showcasing the port’s dedication to sustainable maritime services. CMA CGM, which currently operates three LNG-powered vessels in the Baltic Sea, plans to expand its LNG-powered fleet to six in the near future, further solidifying Klaipeda’s position as a key player in green shipping initiatives.
Riga Port has joined hands with Cartagena (Spain), Trieste, and Monfalcone (Italy) ports, alongside North Sea ports (Belgium, the Netherlands), to establish the Association of Four Sea Ports. This collaboration aims to bolster sustainability, energy, digitalization, and European transport in port operations. Through shared expertise and experience, the association seeks to foster operational synergy among ports, inviting others to join.
The Port of Antwerp-Bruges has secured a 3.2 million euro European grant to implement a shore power installation for cruise ships at Zeebrugge. By 2026, cruise ships docking at the port will have the option to access green electricity, a move expected to become mandatory across Europe in four years. This initiative aligns with the port’s goal to drive the energy transition in the maritime sector, leveraging its unique position as the operator of the cruise terminal at Zweedse Kaai in Zeebrugge.
At the Kazakhstan Transport and Logistics Forum, which was held on March 5-6 in Astana, Alibek Utegenov, Executive Director for Marketing and Logistics of the Kuryk Port, presented the development strategy of the Kuryk port in the system of international corridors.
At the Kazakhstan Transport and Logistics Forum: Transit Potential and Infrastructure, Kairat Kalliola presented a detailed description and development strategy for the port of Aktau, a key element of the Trans-Caspian Multimodal Transport Route (TMTM). Speaking about the current situation, there was a decrease in the volume of cargo along the TMTM route last year, caused by a reorientation to the southern direction due to a decrease in freight costs and the end of subsidies for shippers. However, on November 25, 2022, road maps were signed between Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Turkey, providing for an increase in the corridor’s throughput capacity to 10 million tons per year by 2027.
In March 2024, Batumi Oil Terminal LLC resumed loading dark oil products produced at Kazakh plants onto Aframax tankers for shipment to Europe. It is planned to carry out loadings on a regular basis, which is associated with the expansion of transit routes for cargo transportation.
