SAAM Closes 2023 with Historic Earnings
SAAM reported net income of US$501 million in 2023, representing its best-ever results thanks to the sale of its port and logistics assets to Hapag-Lloyd, which generated a net gain of US$422 million.Sales for the year totaled US$540 million and EBITDA was US$160 million, surpassing the prior year by 17% and 9%, respectively."The sale of our port terminal and inland logistics operations leaves us in a solid position to move forward on the path we have set for ourselves: to lead the consolidation process in the towage industry and grow in air cargo logistics services.
DOF Bags Shell’s Decommissioning Contract for Knarr and Gaupe Fields
Norwegian offshore vessel operator DOF Group has secured a ‘substantial’ subsea engineering procurement removal and disposal (EPRD) contract from Norske Shell in the Atlantic region.The contract outlines 100 combined days of utilization of DOF’s vessels Skandi Hera and Maersk Installer.DOF will deliver an integrated solution of project management, engineering, design, analysis and survey.Described as ‘substantial’ by DOF, this means that the contract is valued between $23.8 million and $47.8 million (NOK 250 million to NOK 500 million).The scope includes recovery and recycling of umbilicals…
MOL and Petrobras Sign Cargo Transfer Vessels Deals
Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) and Brazil’s state-owned energy giant Petrobras have signed a charter contract for cargo transfer vessel (CTV) SeaLoader 2, and agreed to start negotiations for a new CTV shipbuilding contract by the end of 2024.MOL signed the deal through its wholly owned subsidiary, SeaLoading Holding, which owns and operates CTVs.SeaLoading started a CTV agreement with Petrobras for SeaLoader 2 on a trial period in January 2022, and successfully completed more than 30 crude oil offloading operations from Petrobras' FPSOs located in the Santos Basin…
MOL Signs Long-Term Charter with Tokyo Gas for LNG Carrier Newbuilding
Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) has signed a long-term charter contract for a newbuilding LNG carrier with Tokyo LNG Tanker (TLT), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Tokyo Gas.This is the eighth contract, following a time charter contract for seven LNG carriers that were signed for TLT.The 174,000-cbm ship will be 294.9 meters long, with the bread of 46.4 meters.The vessel will be built at the Geoje Shipyard of Hanwha Ocean in South Korea, and is scheduled for delivery in 2026.It will be…
BIMCO Publishes Quiet Enjoyment Letters
BIMCO has published two standard Quiet Enjoyment Letters (QELs), the first standard form QELs available to the industry, to offer a tool that can ensure the charterers’ uninterrupted use of a ship if the owner defaults under the financing facility. The QELs will be provided by the lender to the charterer to ensure that the charterer, who does not have a contractual relationship with the lender but only with the owner, can continue to “quietly enjoy” the ship in case of the owner’s default.
MPCC Announces Newbuild and Retrofit Plans
MPC Container Ships (MPCC) on Monday announced plans to retrofit several of its ships and build one new vessel as part of its ongoing fleet renewal and decarbonization strategy.The Norwegian shipowner said it has entered into joint retrofit agreements with various charter customers, under which both the charterer and MPCC will share the costs of retrofit investments followed by an extension of the vessels time-charter contracts. MPCC also said it has partnered with Denmark-based Unifeeder in a joint investment for the construction of a 1,250 TEU dual-fuel methanol newbuilding.
Eidesvik-Agalas JV to Build New IMR Vessel on Charter with Reach Subsea
Eidesvik Offshore, together with Norwegian shipowner Agalas, has entered into an agreement to build a new construction support vessel (CSV), which is on charter with Reach Subsea.The newbuild will be equipped to perform inspection, maintenance and repair (IMR) work for subsea and offshore wind markets.Equipped with methanol engines and a battery hybrid system, the vessel will be owned by an entity to be named Eidesvik Agalas AS, where Eidesvik will be the majority owner with 50.1%.The…
QatarEnergy Selects Nakilat to Own and Operate 25 LNG Vessels
QatarEnergy has selected Qatar Gas Transport Company Limited (Nakilat) to be the owner and operator of up to 25 conventional-size LNG carriers pursuant to Time Charter Parties (TCP).The 25 vessels, each with a capacity of 174,000 cubic meters, will be owned 100% by Nakilat and chartered out to affiliates of QatarEnergy. They are scheduled for construction at South Korean shipyards.This constitutes the first award in the second batch of long-term TCPs under QatarEnergy’s LNG fleet expansion project.
NYK and JERA Agree Long-Term Charter for New LNG Carrier
NYK and JERA have signed a long-term charter contract for a new liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier to be built in South Korea by Hyundai Samho Heavy Industries.The vessel will be delivered in 2027 and will be used to transport LNG for JERA. The contract is expected to contribute to the stable supply of LNG in partnership with JERA and strengthen and promote NYK’s LNG business as a core business of the company.The vessel will be equipped with a next-generation X-DF2.2 iCER dual-fuel…
MOL to Supply FSRU for New Polish LNG Import Terminal
Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) has been selected by Gaz-System as the preferred shipowner to time charter out a floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU) for the planned LNG import terminal in the Gulf of Gdańsk in Poland.Polish gas transmission system operator Gaz-System is the project developer and operator behind the future LNG terminal.This is Poland's first such FSRU and is a strategically important piece of energy infrastructure which will enhance the country's energy security.The FSRU is expected to be berthed at a mooring platform approximately 3km from the shore…
Hunter Group Signs Charter for Eco-Design VLCC
Norwegian shipowner Hunter Group has entered into a three-year back-to-back charterparty for an eco-design and scrubber fitted Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC) with an internationally renowned counterparty.Delivery of the 2016-built vessel is expected to take place during March/April 2024.The company will charter the vessel in at a fixed rate of $51,000 per day, before subsequently chartering the vessel out on a floating index-linked spot rate contract."This agreement is yet another…
Diana Shipping Announces Continuation of Time Charter for Amphitrite
Diana Shipping, a global shipping company specializing in the ownership and bareboat charter-in of dry bulk vessels, has announced that, through a separate wholly-owned subsidiary, it has extended the time charter contract with Cobelfret S.A., Luxembourg, for one of its Post-Panamax dry bulk vessels, the Amphitrite.The gross charter rate is $12,250 per day for the first 30 days of the charter period and $15,000 per day for the balance period of the time charter, in each case minus a 5% commission paid to third parties…
DeepOcean Adds Converted Offshore Support Vessel to Its Fleet
Ocean services provider DeepOcean has agreed to charter a converted, battery-powered vessel to further enhance its subsea offering to the offshore renewables and oil and gas industries.DeepOcean has entered into a long-time charter agreement for the Island Condor – to be renamed Island Ocean multi-purpose support vessel (MPSV) – following conversion and upgrade.The vessel has been chartered from Norwegian shipowner Island Offshore., with the contract starting in the third quarter of 2024.
MOL Signs Charter Contract with Yara for Ammonia Carrier
Japanese shipping major Mitsui O.S.K. Lines has signed a time charter contract for the ammonia carrier Green Pioneer with Yara Clean Ammonia Switzerland, a group company of Yara International.The vessel was delivered on December 25,2023 and is expected to be engaged in the transportation of ammonia, mainly in the Pacific region.Ammonia is now mainly used as a raw material for fertilizers, but it is expected to see a significant increase in demand in the future as a next-generation clean energy that does not emit carbon dioxide when burned…
ClassNK Updates Its GHG Emissions Management Tool
ClassNK has released new features for its GHG Emissions Management Tool, "ClassNK ZETA (Zero Emission Transition Accelerator)".ClassNK ZETA is a tool for visualizing GHG emissions and CII ratings of ships and is used for more than 5,000 ships. Based on data submitted to "ClassNK MRV Portal", a system for fuel consumption reporting in compliance with regulations such as IMO-DCS and EU-MRV, ClassNK ZETA provides current status and simulation for reducing GHG emissions from ships and supports response to various emission reduction requirements.
Workboat Power: Alternatives Join Diesel to Power Current—and Future—Vessels
Analysts and commentators are quick to point out that fossil fuels will power maritime equipment, and indeed dominate the fueling marketplace, well into the future. However, they will do so alongside new fuels, and new technologies, that will be introduced to the maritime sector in the coming years. In its September, 2023 report “Beyond the Horizon: View of the Emerging Energy Value Chains”, the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) explains that, “During the recent 80th meeting of the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC 80)…
Aker Capital Takes Larger Stake in Solstad Offshore
Aker Capital AS has acquired 8,240,000 shares in Solstad Offshore ASA, at an average price of NOK 48.45 per share.Following the transaction, Aker Capital holds 27,089,493 shares in the company, corresponding to an ownership interest of approximately 32.9%.Aker Capital AS is 100% owned by Aker ASA and represented on the board of the company by Frank Ove Reite. Frank Ove Reite also owns 356,509 shares in the company, through Fausken Invest AS.In its Q3 market update, Solstad was positive about demand for offshore services, both from oil and gas and renewables.
CCUS: Bernhard Schulte Orders Its First CO2 Tanker
Bernhard Schulte ordered its first CO2 tanker, a newbuild to be constructed at Dalian Shipbuilding Offshore (DSOC) and to showcase technologies designed to reduce its carbon footprint. Planned for delivery in 2026, the ship is committed to a long-term time charter agreement with Northern Lights.The newbuilding ordered now is the first ship of this type for the Bernhard Schulte fleet and the fourth CO2 carrier for Northern Lights. The joint venture, owned by Shell, TotalEnergies and Equinor…
BIMCO Adopts Four ETS Clauses
BIMCO’s Documentary Committee has adopted a new Emission Trading Scheme Allowances Clause for BIMCO’s ship management agreement, SHIPMAN, and three ETS clauses for Voyage Charter Parties. The clauses aim to facilitate collaboration and provide clarity and certainty between parties as new regulations come into force, changing the way the industry operates to achieve compliance and cut emissions.On January 1, 2024, the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) will be extended to cover CO2 emissions from ships of 5,000GT and above calling at EU ports, regardless of flag.
Market Watch: Container Freight Rates Fall, Costs Soar
"So far this year, container volumes have fallen nearly 2% year-on-year while average freight rates have declined, reaching 2019 levels in September. Since then, they have continued to fall. However, the cost to charter a ship remains 25% higher than in 2019,” says Niels Rasmussen, Chief Shipping Analyst at BIMCO.Liner operators continue to struggle with a worsening supply/demand balance, affecting freight rates. On average, the fleet has year-to-date grown 5% and 19% compared with 2022 and 2019 respectively.
Seaspan Enters Car Carrier Segment in Order with Glovis
Containerships owner/operator Seaspan Corporation signaled its entry into the car carrier segment in confirming a deal to order a series of new pure car and truck carriers (PCTC) in partnership with Hyundai Glovis (Glovis).The 10,800 CEU are the largest PCTCs under development to date. They will be dual-fuel liquefied natural gas (LNG), as well as ammonia-and methanol-ready.Seaspan said it negotiated the purchase from Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding, a China State Shipbuilding Corporation shipyard.
Diana Shipping Announces Time Charter with K Line
Diana Shipping Inc. has announced that, through a separate wholly-owned subsidiary, it has entered into a time charter contract with Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha (K Line) for one of its Capesize dry bulk vessels, the New Orleans.The gross charter rate is US$20,000 per day, minus a 5% commission paid to third parties, for a period until minimum August 15, 2025 up to maximum October 31, 2025. The charter is expected to commence on December 7, 2023.The New Orleans is a 180,960dwt Capesize…
Committed Owners Supporting Green Financing Landscape
Hamburg-based ship finance platform oceanis’s Q4 State of Ship Finance Report comes with a thank-you to shipping companies that are committed to the green transition.Over the past decade, oceanis has seen large changes to the ship financing landscape towards greener projects. The most obvious green financiers are the Poseidon Principles banks, the initiative launched in 2019 whose signatories manage 70% of the world’s shipping loans. At the same time, many other banks and funds are moving away from financing ‘brown’ assets and trades.