#Ports&Shipping –The latest IMDO Weekly Market Review includes the following stories as detailed below.

Global Shipping & Ports: Over-tonnage and ECAs Drag Shipping Confidence to Two-Year Low Confidence among the shipping industry has dropped to its lowest point in two years, spurred by on- going uncertainty over markets, upcoming sulphur regulations, and over-tonnage. The results, which ranks confidence on a scale from 1-10, showed that overall levels dropped to 5.7 from 6.1 in the three months leading to November.

UNCTAD: Greece, Japan, China and Germany are still the dominant world fleet ship-owners - Japan, China and Germany are at the forefront of many rankings, such as the world's largest economies, largest manufacturers, largest traders. Greece is nowhere near attaining those characteristics, and is often one of the smallest. However, the Greek-owned fleet of ships remains at the top of the global ranking of ship-owning nations.

Obama Ports Negotiations: Obama under pressure to step in on port negotiations - US President Barack Obama is under increasing pressure to take action on the west coast port negotiations after a group of seven members of congress urged him to step in. A letter written by the seven members of congress has urged President Barack Obama to encourage the International Longshore and Warehouse Union and the Pacific Maritime Association to use a federal mediator.

Rotterdam Dockers: Dockers unite against Dutch automation plans - European dockers joined forces this week in Rotterdam to protest against the port's plans to expand as concerns over job losses on the back of increasing automation mount. This comes as ITF-affiliated union FNV Havens expressed its concern over the potential loss of employment and reduced working conditions as a result of an increase in automation and the expansion in capacity from Rotterdam World Gateway.

For more on each of the above and other stories click the IMDO Weekly Markets Review (Week 51). In addition to dedicated coverage on Afloat.ie's Ports & Shipping News section.