Discover the Tang-Shan-Gang-Ji2: Ratings & Maritime News

In an exciting development for international shipping, OPDR, the German maritime operator known as Oldenburg-Portugiesische Dampfschiffs-Rhederei, has announced a strategic partnership with X-Press Feeders to unveil a fresh freight service connecting the Port of Gothenburg with the United Kingdom and Spain. As part of this collaboration, the first vessel is set to dock at APM Terminals in Gothenburg on December 5. This newly established weekly service reflects OPDR's commitment to the Scandinavian market and its ability to enhance shipping logistics. Martin Magnusson, representing Aseco, the agent for OPDR, stated, 'Through our partnership with X-Press Feeders, we are pleased to strengthen our links with the Iberian Peninsula, the Canary Islands, and Morocco, further solidifying Gothenburg's position as a vital shipping hub.' While X-Press Feeders is already familiar with operations at Gothenburg, this marks OPDR's debut at the port. The service is expected to facilitate the import of various goods, including fruits, food items, ceramics, and wine, while exports will include steel, paper, and sawn timber. Magnus Kårestedt, Chief Executive of the Port of Gothenburg, expressed enthusiasm about the new partnership, emphasizing the market potential that exists between Sweden and Spain and the growing importance of freight movement via the port. Each year, approximately 2.3 million tonnes of freight transit between Spain and Sweden, with half of this traffic being transported by sea. The Port of Gothenburg has been actively collaborating with the Port of Bilbao for years to promote the shift from road to maritime shipping. This new service will follow a specific route: Gothenburg – Rotterdam – Bilbao – Tilbury – Rotterdam – Aalborg – Gothenburg, with a travel time of six days from Gothenburg to Bilbao and seven days for the return trip. The vessels scheduled for this route, Pantonio and WMS Groningen, have a combined capacity of around 700 containers, ensuring efficient cargo transport for both imports and exports.

On November 18, 2011, the container vessel 'Groningen' set sail from Frederikshavn, bound for Larvik. However, disaster struck when the ship experienced engine troubles during its transit to Larvik via Langesund to pick up a pilot. By the evening of November 19, the situation became critical as the 'Askerbæringen', a local tugboat from Larvik, was summoned to assist the drifting vessel near Tjøme. The crew of the 'Askerbæringen' arrived at the scene, discovering that the 'Groningen' was perilously close to the Færder coastline, just 400 meters from Tristein. Fortunately, the crew managed to deploy the anchor. To ensure comprehensive support, additional rescue assets were engaged, including the tug 'Balder', the lifeboat 'Simrad Færder', and the Coast Guard vessel 'Nornen'. A Sea King helicopter was also placed on standby at Rygge. The conditions were challenging, with wind speeds reaching 10-12 m/s and waves soaring up to 2 meters. Ultimately, the crew successfully restarted the engine while the 'Balder' remained on alert for any further complications. For a detailed Norwegian report, complete with photo and video coverage, visit: http://www.redningsselskapet.no/Forside/Gikk+nesten+galt.141146.cms.