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Ocean Carrier News

26 Feb 2024

Eighth 24,188 TEU Ship Joins OOCL's Fleet

OOCL Abu Dhabi (Photo: OOCL)

Hong Kong based ocean carrier Orient Overseas Container Line Ltd. (OOCL) announced it has taken delivery of its eighth 24,188 TEU containership, OOCL Abu Dhabi.The vessel is the fourth in a series of six 24,188 TEU newbuilds to be delivered to OOCL by the Dalian COSCO KHI Ship Engineering Co., Ltd. (DACKS) shipyard in China. The ultra large containership is 400 meters long and 61.3 meters wide.OOCL Abu Dhabi was officially named during a ceremony at the shipyard on February 25.

31 Jan 2024

CMA CGM Lines Up Methanol Retrofits

© sheilaf2002 / Adobe Stock

CMA CGM has lined up several of its existing containerships for conversion to dual-fuel methanol propulsion.The French ocean carrier has signed contracts with China State Shipbuilding Corporation’s (CSC) Qingdao Beihai Shipbuilding to carry out the conversions starting from mid-2025. The program will reportedly include one or two 9,300 TEU vessels but could grow to up to 10 ships if successful.CMA CGM joins a growing list of container shipping companies that have moved to convert ships to run on methanol…

22 Dec 2023

MacGregor Cargo Handling Equipment Ordered for Matson Containerships

(File photo courtesy Philly Shipyard)

MacGregor announced on Friday it has landed a contract from SM Solutions/Philly Shipyard to supply cargo handling solutions for three 1,822 FEU sized containerships.MacGregor’s scope of supply encompasses design, hardware and supply for hatch covers, lashing bridges, deck stanchions, fixed and removable cell guides in hold and container fixed fittings. Deliveries are scheduled to commence during the fourth quarter of 2024 and completed within 2026, the company said."We are excited about this order…

25 Aug 2023

Port of Savannah Takes Delivery of More Ship-to-Shore Cranes

Source: Georgia Ports

The US Port of Savannah has taken delivery of four Super Post-Panamax ship-to-shore cranes, upgrading the crane fleet to 34 machines at Garden City Terminal after four older cranes are retired and recycled.Along with the completion of our project to improve Berth 1, these cranes will help deliver faster turn times to our ocean carrier customers, including the largest vessels calling on the U.S. East Coast, said Griff Lynch, Georgia Ports Authority president and CEO. “No other terminal in the nation can bring more cranes to bear…

13 Mar 2023

Seaboard Marine Adds First LNG Vessel to its Fleet

Seaboard Marine's newly acquired LNG dual fuel containership Seaboard Blue was bunkered with LNG at PortMiami. (Photo: Seaboard Marine)

U.S.-based Seaboard Marine announced it has acquired its first vessel fueled by cleaner burning liquefied natural gas (LNG).The 1,000 TEU Seaboard Blue, previously known as the Elbblue, was retrofitted in 2017 with the capability of running on both LNG and diesel fuel. The vessel was the world’s first containership converted from conventional diesel propulsion to LNG.The vessel, now part of Seaboard Marine’s North Central America service, called and bunkered at PortMiami on Monday…

15 Dec 2022

US Probing Shipping Lines’ Anti-retaliation Compliance

© Danita Delimont / Adobe Stock

The United States' Federal Maritime Commission said it is asking the top 20 shipping lines calling the U.S. to provide information on how they are complying with the new prohibitions on retaliation established by the Ocean Shipping Reform Act of 2022 (OSRA).The added protections against retaliation were created by Section 5 of OSRA and became effective immediately upon the law’s enactment in June. The prohibitions apply to common carriers, marine terminal operators (MTO), and…

02 Nov 2022

Matson Orders Three LNG-fueled Containerships from Philly Shipyard

Aloha Class vessel Daniel K Inouye (Photo: Matson)

U.S.-based ocean carrier Matson announced it has placed a $1 billion order with Philly Shipyard for the construction of three new 3,600 TEU Aloha Class containerships.The first vessel is expected to be delivered in the fourth quarter of 2026 with subsequent deliveries in 2027.Matson, which aims to achieve a 40% reduction in Scope 1 fleet emissions by 2030 and net-zero Scope 1 by 2050, said the three newbuilds will be equipped with dual fuel engines that are designed to operate on either conventional marine fuels or liquefied natural gas (LNG).

13 Sep 2022

NVOCCs Caught in the Middle of Ocean Shipping Reform Act

NVOCCs are caught in the middle of the Ocean Shipping Reform Act of 2022 requirements for reporting demurrage and detention; FMC needs to pump the brakes and allow the industry to catch upThe Ocean Shipping Reform Act of 2022, passed by Congress without industry input and signed into law on June 16, has left the industry in a difficult position regarding how to comply with the new requirements for invoicing demurrage and detention (D&D) charges.At issue is the Container Availability Date…

09 Aug 2022

Empty Containers in East Coast Ports enter FMC's Crosshairs

Copyright nespix/AdobeStock

While there are many layers to the continued container shipping supply chain woes, and the U.S. Federal Maritime Commission has set its sites on the nuisance of empty containers clogging traffic, on the heals of FMC Chairman Maffei's visit to the Port Authority of New York/New Jersey."In my view, the congestion emanates from the lack of accountability in moving the buildup of empty containers back into the terminals," said Carl W. Bentzel, Commissioner with FMC. "Empty containers…

29 Jul 2022

US Federal Maritime Commission Creates New Enforcement Structure

© angeldibilio / Adobe Stock

The United States' Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) on Friday announced it creating a new bureau to handle its enforcement and compliance activities. The agency, which is responsible for the regulation of oceanborne international transportation of the U.S., said it is consolidating its investigative and prosecution functions into a newly created Bureau of Enforcement, Investigations, and Compliance (BEIC) effective immediately.FMC Chairman Daniel B. Maffei said the reorganization…

17 Jun 2022

Ocean Shipping Reform Act of 2022: Long Term Fixes, But What’s in It for the Short Term?

© Sandra / Adobe Stock

The Ocean Shipping Reform Act of 2022 (the Act) was signed by President Biden on Thursday, June 16, 2022. The long term fixes, which require Federal Maritime Commission rule-making, establishes additional requirements requiring the FMC to issue rules related to certain fee assessments, prohibited practices, and establishment of a shipping registry, and prohibited conduct for ocean carriers. It further authorizes the FMC under certain circumstances to issue an emergency order requiring common carriers to share information directly with shippers and rail and motor carriers.

13 Jun 2022

Ocean Yield Buys Methanol-ready Containership

© Rock / Adobe Stock

Norwegian shipowner Ocean Yield announced it has agreed to purchase a 5,500 TEU containership under construction at HJ Shipbuilding in South Korea. The vessel is built with a design enabling it to be converted to dual fuel operation with methanol as fuel.The newbuild is scheduled to be delivered in November 2023.Upon delivery, the vessel will commence a seven-year time charter contract to Israeli ocean carrier ZIM, Ocean Yield said, adding that the charter will add approximately $80 million to its EBITDA backlog.

09 Jun 2022

FMC Approves $2 Million Settlement Agreement with Hapag-Lloyd

Copyright olrat/AdobeStock

The Federal Maritime Commission approved a settlement agreement reached between its Bureau of Enforcement (BoE) and Hapag-Lloyd AG (Hapag-Lloyd) where the ocean carrier will pay a $2 million civil penalty to address alleged violations related to their detention and demurrage practices.“To restore full confidence in our ocean freight system, vigorous enforcement of FMC rules is necessary. Specifically, we must ensure powerful ocean carriers obey the Shipping Act when dealing with American importers and exporters.

09 Jun 2022

FMC Reveals Plans to Aid Shippers and Improve Supply Chains

© frimufilms / Adobe Stock

The U.S. Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) said it is establishing three new initiatives that will provide enhanced assistance to shippers, continue to improve legal and regulatory compliance of regulated entities, and focus on remedies to supply chain problems.At the direction of Chairman Daniel Maffei, the Commission will establish a new and permanent International Ocean Shipping Supply Chain Program, re-establish the Export Rapid Response Team, and take the steps necessary for carriers…

31 Oct 2022

Maritime Antitrust Immunity in Crosshairs

© Brad Nixon / Adobe Stock

While those in the Beltway continue to struggle to offer solutions to U.S. supply chain capacity issues, it seems apparent that policymakers have at least found their scapegoat for these issues in the form of the maritime industry. A specific talking point during the State of Union Address, a White House-endorsed agreement between the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) and Department of Justice (DOJ), multiple pieces of legislation, and a vigorous hearing before the Senate Committee on Commerce…

24 Jan 2022

Planes, Trains and Ships: Criminal Antitrust Enforcement Speeding Up for Transportation Sector

© enanuchit / Adobe Stock

The Biden administration recently issued a sweeping Executive Order [1] aimed at protecting and enhancing competition, and the transportation sector—including air, ocean, and rail—is among the industries specifically identified and likely to see heightened antitrust scrutiny under the new directives. This executive action was soon followed by the long-awaited announcement of Biden’s pick to lead the U.S. Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division (Division), Jonathan Kanter, who…

15 Nov 2021

FMC Examining How Data Can Improve Ocean Cargo Velocity

© Brad Nixon / Adobe Stock

The U.S. Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) said it has set out to identify data constraints that impede the flow of ocean cargo and add to supply chain inefficiencies as severe bottlenecks continue to hamper global supply chains.Launched at the direction of FMC Chairman Daniel B. Maffei and spearheaded by Commissioner Carl W. Bentzel, the initiative seeks to to pinpoint how data can contribute to the long-term reliability of the domestic cargo delivery system. It will also aim to propose recommendations for common data standards used by the international shipping supply chain…

04 Nov 2021

Maritime Cybersecurity: Prepare, Detect and Respond

© pinkeyes / Adobe Stock

At a time when the world has become more aware than ever before about the vital importance of the world’s ocean shipping fleet, which carried supplies, merchandise and much needed personal protective equipment during the COVID-19 pandemic, an increased risk from a different threat, cyberattacks, presents a set of new challenges. According to Israeli cybersecurity specialist Naval Dome, since February 2020, there has been a 400% increase in attempted hacks on the maritime realm…

04 Jun 2021

The Disappearance of the Service Contract in Ocean Shipping and Resurgence of Ocean Tramp Practices

© Spiroview / Adobe Stock

The below e-mail recently received by the author paints the picture we are seeing a thousand fold in the current ocean shipping marketplace in the inbound/outbound Asia trade lanes which underscores the serious disconnect currently between ocean common carriers and shippers in these U.S trade lanes:“Carlos:We are seeing examples where there was a rate agreed upon and the cargo was tendered to the carrier. In many cases the freight gets rolled and sits at the original terminal for an additional 1-2-3 weeks.

20 Apr 2021

US FMC Eases Service Contract Filing Requirements

© STOCKSTUDIO / Adobe Stock

Shippers and carriers will soon have more flexibility in meeting service contract filing requirements as the result of a rule change approved by the U.S. Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) going into effect on June 2, 2021.The final rule amends existing regulations so ocean carriers will be able to file original service contracts with the commission up to 30-days after they go into effect. Current FMC regulations require the filing of initial service contracts with the FMC before…

25 Nov 2020

FMC Raises the Monitoring Report Requirements for Global Carrier Alliances

FMC Chairman Michael Khouri. Photo: FMC

Pursuant to direction from FMC Chairman Michael Khouri, the Federal Maritime Commission has issued letters to the three global carrier alliances (2M, THE, and OCEAN) requiring that certain carrier-specific trade data currently filed with the Commission quarterly, must now be submitted on a monthly basis.The Commission’s Bureau of Trade Analysis (BTA) has traditionally relied on a combination of individual vessel operator confidentially provided data and information from commercially available industry data to monitor and analyze container carrier freight rates and service market trends.

12 Oct 2020

FMC: Ocean Shipping Challenges Abound

“The mis-declaration of hazardous materials is an area where we work in cooperation with Customs and Border Protection and the U.S. Coast Guard. The FMC’s Shipping Act concern is the market fraud when a shipper declares to a common carrier in its shipping documents that the tendered cargo is some innocuous variety, when the cargo is properly categorized as hazardous; thereby receiving a lower freight rate.”
– Michael A. Khouri, Chairman, Federal Maritime Commission (FMC)

© Pawinee/AdobeStock

Since early Spring 2020, American consumers have received a practical education in supply chain operations. One lesson is that it takes more than simply going online and clicking a “Buy Now” button for goods to show-up on our front porches. While the networks and systems that deliver commodities from around the globe might have been stretched as a result of COVID-19 related impacts, the men and women who move the freight have worked selflessly and tirelessly to meet consumer and manufacturing demand.Early on in the response to COVID-19…

17 Aug 2020

Matson Promotes Ashton

Marc Ashton (Photo: Matson)

U.S.-based ocean carrier Matson announced it has promoted Marc Ashton to the role of Director, Equipment, Vehicle and Reefer Operations.Ashton will be responsible for planning and directing all container equipment positioning efforts, including container equipment fleet, equipment control, asset management, and inland logistics departments, throughout the Matson network. He will also manage Matson’s company-wide vehicle operations and all processes and systems related to automobiles…

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