The Coast Guard began allowing ships to move through the safety zones March 25 within the Houston ship channel, said the Port of Houston Authority in an update on the oil spill that closed the channel since March 22 (see 14032514). "Deep draft vessels are currently moving outbound from Houston" and inbound vessel movements were expected soon, said the port authority early in the evening of March 25.

The Federal Maritime Commission gave its approval to the P3 Network Vessel Sharing Agreement, the agency said in a press release. The proposed alliance would align the three largest container carriers: Maersk Line, CMA-CGM, and Mediterranean Shipping Company. Commissioner Richard Lidinsky dissented from the other commissioners on the agreement, which will become effective March 24, it said. The approval was based on "a determination that the agreement is not likely at this time, by a reduction in competition, to produce an unreasonable increase in transportation cost or an unreasonable reduction in transportation service," it said. The deal will be good for consumers because "the new reporting requirements specifically tailored to this agreement’s unique authority will ensure we have timely and relevant information to act quickly should it be necessary," said Chairman Mario Cordero in the statement.

The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2014 puts into law many federal programs that are critical to the “safe, efficient and competitive operation” of U.S. seaports, the American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) said in a Jan. 17 press release. In the legislation, lawmakers prioritized trade through the inclusion of Department of Transportation Infrastructure Generating Economic Recovery discretionary grants, U.S. Corps of Engineers’ navigation-related programs, Federal Emergency Management Agency state and local programs grants that include port security funds for port security, Environment Protection Agency Diesel Emissions Reduction Act grants, and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration subprograms that aid navigation, among other programs, AAPA said.

After an 18-month, $12.4 million reconstruction project, the heavy lift cargo berth at the Port of Jacksonville's Blount Island Marine Terminal has more than doubled its pounds-per-square-foot capability to 1,800 and increased its pounds-per-axle rating, or kips, to 78, it said. Jaxport said it now ranks as one of the nation’s highest weight bearing capacity docks.

La Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec said it bought 26.7% ownership of the Port of Brisbane in Australia's Queensland. The transaction follows a bidding process launched earlier this year for the interest held by Global Infrastructure Partners, it said. The Port of Brisbane, privatized in 2010, is the country's third-largest container port.

Ports of Stockholm has begun work on renewing the Port of Kapellskär. When completed in 2016, the port will have five quay-berths, it said. Half of all freight traveling to or from Finland, Estonia and Åland passes through Kapellskär. The work includes dredging the harbor basin, adding a quay-berth and making another fully functional and extending the length of the quay-berths. The cost is expected to be more than SEK 700 million.

The Transportation Department's Maritime Administration is seeking comments about renewing an information collection requirement before it approves transfer of ownership of a port facility, it said in a Federal Register notice scheduled for Nov. 29. It said it needs the information to determine if the applicant is committed to the redevelopment plan, the plan is in the public interest, and that the property will be used in accordance with the terms of the conveyance and applicable statutes and regulations.

Modern Terminals' Da Chan Bay Terminal One in Shenzhen, China, has gone live with the Navis N4 terminal operating system, said manufacturer Navis. N4 will allow the terminal to improve operations and productivity, it said. DCB is one of the most recent container terminals built in Shenzhen. Modern Terminals' larger site in Hong Kong is scheduled to go live with N4 in mid-2014, it said.

A symposium on best practices for ports and military to address gaps in national domestic response capability is scheduled for 10 a.m. Dec. 3 at the Port of New Orleans,1350 Port of New Orleans Place, New Orleans, organizers said. The best practices are to be part of a template to be shared by America's strategic military base and port communities, they said. Additional information: rjwyatt@wyattcgi.com.

The geographic extent of the impacts of Panama Canal expansion will depend on the capacity of individual U.S. ports and their related infrastructure to handle shifting trade flows, the response of shipping companies to port and inland infrastructure capacity development, and the adaptation of supply-chain management methods, according to a new report by the U.S. Department of Transportation's Maritime Administration on the impact of Panama Canal expansion.