Good day Mariners

Canada’s second busiest port, the Port of Montreal, is still under lockdown following a labour dispute between the Maritime Employers Association and its longshore labour force. The Montreal Port Authority obtained an injunction on July 21 to allow access to the port and to continue work unrelated to the employees of the Maritime Employers Association.
The Montreal Port Authority has said that the grain terminal can receive and ship cargo and that rail traffic can also resume, however cargo on the terminal property is not being handled. No container has entered the port since July 19.
The labour dispute involves the Maritime Employers Association (MEA) and its longshore labour force over issues of pay and work conditions. The MEA is a non-profit organisation representing member companies involved in shipping, including ship owners, operators and agents, stevedoring contractors and terminal operators.
Reuters reports that the association has locked out 800 unionised workers in response to union pressure tactics.
The port handled 1.2 million containers with about 11.3 million tonnes of cargo in 2009.

A second frigate for the Indian Navy has been launched at the Baltic shipyard “Yantar” in the west of Russia. According to Russian and Indian tradition, the launching was marked by the smashing of a coconut and a bottle of champagne against the vessel’s bow and was attended by Deputy Chief of the Indian Naval Staff Vice-Admiral Dilip Kumar Devan. Mr.Devan welcomed the frigate’s launch as a good instance of bilateral defense cooperation.

Under the 1.5-billion-dollar contract, signed in 2006, the Indian Navy is to be supplied with three frigates in 2011-2012. The shipyard’s official has said work to fulfill the order proceeds according to schedule.

Management of Japan’s ports is to be opened up to the private sector, following a decision from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport.

Japan has 997 ports, however only a few are managed by the private sector, reports Japan’s news service, Nikkei.

Source: Nikkei
Courtesy : Baird Maritime