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The Port of Portland will cease operations on 1 October 2024 amidst growing financial losses. After negotiations with a potential third party collapsed, the local port authority was faced with no port operator, a lack of financial support from the state, and mounting financial losses that could no longer be offset.  

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Uruguay reopened its Central Railway, an upgraded 273km north-south line from Paso de Los Toros to the Port of Montevideo.  

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A container ship collided with Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge, causing it to collapse during the early morning of Tuesday, March 26th. The Singapore-flagged cargo ship named Dali had been traveling at about 8 knots (9 miles per hour). Before the collision, the ship’s crew notified authorities that the vessel had lost power, with the “mayday” signal allowing Maryland Transportation Authority Police on the highway above to prevent many cars from driving onto the bridge just before the catastrophe.

Image: Mandel Ngan, AFP via Getty Images 

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Cosco Shipping, CMA CGM, Evergreen Marine, and Orient Overseas Container Line, agreed to continue sharing ship capacity through 2032 under the OCEAN Alliance pact. Launched in 2017, OCEAN Alliance is the world’s largest operational shipping network and the backbone of many trade routes in international commerce. The agreement was originally set to expire in 2027.  

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On 21 February ‘24, the Biden Administration released an executive order giving the Coast Guard the authority to control the movement of vessels suspected of being cyberthreats to U.S. maritime infrastructure, along with the authority to inspect suspicious vessels and facilities.  

China’s Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industries (ZPMC) has built up a dominant position in the supply of ship-to-shore (STS) cranes this century, with a global market share of around 80%. Owners or operators of Chinese-manufactured STS container gantry cranes will be subject to new requirements aimed at reducing China’s ability to spy on America’s domestic supply chains. By design, STS cranes may be controlled, serviced, and programmed from remote locations, making them highly vulnerable to exploitation. 

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• China recently proposed a USD $1B upgrade of the Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority’s 1067mm-gauge line from Dar es Salaam, Tanzania to Kapiri-Mposhi, Zambia. This particular area of Zambia is a nutrient-rich “copper belt,” which may explain China’s support. 
• The U.S government recently confirmed financial support for the re-development of the 1744km Lobito Corridor, with the ambitious plan spanning three countries (Zambia, Angola, and the Democratic Republic of Congo).
• Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema said the U.S.-backed project to connect Zambia’s copper mines to Angola’s port offers the nation a “once-in-a-lifetime” opportunity.  

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