Port of Charleston Deepening Essential to Compete – The South Carolina State Ports Authority has stated that the Port of Charleston harbor needs to be dredged to accommodate larger vessels. The harbor is currently 45-feet at low tide. A 50-foot depth will allow unrestricted access for larger vessels traveling through the Panama Canal.
Read more from DC Velocity.
App Designed for Protecting Whales – A beta version of the new “Whale Spotter” app is currently in field resting and has been designed to track whale sightings in the San Francisco Bay area in real time. The app is intended to help prevent whales from being struck by ships traveling near and through the Golden Gate.
Read more from The Maritime Executive.
U.S.-Canada Border Inspections Under Review – The United States has been working with Canada on a common approach to screening cargo from other countries so fewer shipments have to be re-inspected. The two governments will begin to harmonize their security technologies, develop similar inspection facilities, and use common standards to seal and track cargo traveling between the two countries.
Read more from Fresh Plaza.
International Maritime Organization Approves New Container Protocol – The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has approved changes to the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) convention that will require verification of container weights before loaded containers are placed aboard ships. Misdeclared container weight has been a long-standing problem for the transportation industry and this new protocol will help improve safety for ships and their crews.
Read more from World Shipping Council.
