From container handling to landmark birthday celebrations of the Golden Gate Bridge, we’ve been keeping an eye on all the most interesting stories from the maritime industry. Here’s a selection of articles from the past week:
Germany’s twin ports see surge in box handling
The German ports of Bremen and Bremerhaven have seen strong growth in box handling for the first three months of this year, according to Lloyd’s List. The two ports had the strongest growth when compared to their West European peers over the first quarter, with 1.6m TEU (twenty-foot equivalent unit) of container throughput – an increase of 13.6%. Meanwhile, in a separate story, Lloyd’s List reports that the world’s busiest port, Shanghai, is only aiming to increase its container throughput by 4.1% by 2015, when compared to 2011 figures.
Golden Gate Bridge at 75
As San Francisco’s iconic Golden Gate Bridge turns 75, gCaptain displays photos from the last few days, showing US naval vessels passing under the bridge, as well as firework celebrations on its birthday. The USS Iowa was one of the ships photographed, as it made its way to Los Angeles to become an interactive naval museum.
Image courtesy of gCaptain
Arctic climate change
The impact of climate change in the Arctic will be detrimental to land-based infrastructure, lending increased importance to maritime transport, Lloyd’s List reports. As ice levels thin in Canada and Russia, ice roads connecting remote regions will deteriorate, said Laurence Smith, from UCLA’s Department of Geography, while more open waters will be revealed in the summer. This means shipping could replace land-based transport in the future.
Have you read any interesting stories that you’d like to share this week?