#IMDOreview -The Irish Maritime Development Office (IMDO) returns with its Weekly Market Review and among the following stories are outlined below.

Irish Maritime News: Irish Continental Group Purchase Four Containerships -The Dublin headquartered Irish Continental Group as reported by loadstar.ie, took advantage of weak market conditions to snap up the 980 teu Elbfeeder, Elbtrader and Elbcarrier, paying just $21.8m for the seven-year-olds, from their German KG owner, and $5m for the 2005-built 800 teu Jork Ranger.

For further details on the acquisition as previously reported on Afloat.ie, click here.

Global Maritime News: United States Government Increase Maritime Security in Southeast Asia - The United States is boosting maritime securityassistance to Southeast Asia, the White House announced on Tuesday.

In total, a statement commissioned by the White House said that the United States is committing $119 million in fiscal year 2015 (FY 2015) and will seek to provide $140 million in assistance the following year subject to appropriation, totalling over $250 million over two years.

Tanker Market: Canada Bans West Coast Crude Oil Tankers - Canada's new Liberal government has moved to implement a ban on crude oil tankers along the country's West Coast, a recently released directive to the country's new Minister of Transport Marc Garneau has revealed.

In the mandate letter, new Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau directed the Transport Ministry to "Formalize a moratorium on crude oil tanker traffic on British Columbia's North Coast" - a region that includes a number of ports including Prince Rupert and Kitimat.

For more on the above stories and other news items, click the IMDO Market Review (Week 48) here.

In addition to further dedicated coverage visit Afloat.ie's Ports & Shipping news.