Global Manufacturing News

Singapore-based shipbuilding group Strategic Marine announced it has placed an order with Caterpillar dealer Trakindo, for 100 of its Cat C32 engines.This follows its previous pre-order of 50 similar engines in May 2022 and is aimed at providing security to clients and avoiding long wait times for key components.While the engine supply chain disruptions of the past few years have been alleviated somewhat as global manufacturing catches up post-Covid, a rise in shipbuilding activity…

Container freight volumes at the largest U.S. ports were down 3.8% in September compared with the same month a year earlier, confirming the slackening of merchandise trade and downturn in the business cycle.The ports of New York-New Jersey, Los Angeles, Long Beach, Savannah, Houston, Norfolk, Charleston, Seattle and Oakland account for the overwhelming majority of container ocean freight into and out of the United States.The total volume of loaded containers handled by these nine ports amounted to 2.67 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) in September 2022…

Geotechnical data acquisition company Geoquip Marine appointed Richard Turner as its new Chief Executive Officer with former CEO Stewart Higginson moving to the role of Executive Chairperson. Existing Chairperson, Peter Østergaard Nielsen will remain on the Geoquip Marine board as a Non-Executive Director.Turner has considerable experience as a CEO and specifically of the offshore energy sector. He joins Geoquip Marine from British Engines, where he was also CEO. Prior to this Richard served as President and CEO of JDR Cable Systems.

North American import of containerized goods from the Far East soared to a noteworthy high of 1.62m TEU during February 2021, a 100% increase from the low point of the same month last year. Fueled by US stimulus, volumes moving on the trans-pacific trade lane to consumers and businesses in North America thereby defied all obstacles during a month usually characterized by slow activity.In particular, the US economic stimulus packages have worked magic for the container shipping industry…

How do you see business today, and where is Cummins looking for opportunities as COVID-19 and volatile oil markets generate market uncertainty?Even in the current state, we are still seeing a solid level of interest and activity in the commercial marine space. Scheduling has been impacted and some areas have slowed down, but overall, the marine industry is very much still active around the world. When we take a closer look at some of the segments within the commercial marine space, differences begin to emerge.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the outbreak of the novel coronavirus a pandemic. There is little doubt that this will have significant implications for the shipping industry. But to what extent? BIMCO expects that the strict containment measures imposed by governments around the world will result in substantially lower global economic growth and consequentially, lower demand for shipping. Container and dry bulk shipping are at the front line when it comes to feeling the fallout…

Survitec appointed Ron Krisanda as Executive Chairman for its worldwide life-saving equipment business. In this newly created role, he will lead both the Survitec Board of Directors and the Executive Management Team.Krisanda's business experience includes roles as Chairman, President, CEO and COO across various global manufacturing and service businesses. Most recently, he was CEO of Quality Metalcraft - Experi-Metal, Inc. He has been a member of its Board of Directors since 2015 and will continue in this role.

Only 10 days ago, reports indicated that China cargoes were returning to pre-coronavirus levels, and there appeared to be light at the end of the tunnel. Today, however, a barrage of new headlines has underscored the impact on the rapidly changing global supply chain, including in the United States. In addition to the aggressive spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), new economic developments indicate a decreased trend in global manufacturing. Changes in local economies negatively impacting employees reflect corresponding changes in consumer buying patterns.

China's marine fuels sales fell by as much as 50% in February as the rapidly spreading coronavirus and prolonged Lunar New Year break strangled freight movement in and out of the global manufacturing powerhouse, trade sources said.The epidemic, which has killed almost 3,000 people and infected about 80,000 in China alone, triggered the sharpest contraction on record for Chinese factory activity in February and caused massive port congestion because of labor shortages.The resulting plunge in freight demand has knocked 40% off Asian prices for very low-sulphur fuel oil (VLSFO) since early Januar

Fears about a shortage of diesel and other middle distillates stemming from new marine pollution regulations have receded, with distillate premiums falling to some of the lowest levels for two years.From the start of 2020, ocean-going ships will be required to use low-sulphur fuels or employ exhaust gas cleaning systems, known has scrubbers, under pollution control rules approved by the International Maritime Organization (IMO).Fuel traders and shipowners have warned for several…

Global growth in container volumes has picked up slightly in the second quarter of the year, with growth in the first seven months reaching 1.2%, compared to the just 0.8% in the first quarter.Global growth in container volumes has picked up slightly in the second quarter of the year, with growth in the first seven months reaching 1.2%, compared to the just 0.8% in the first quarter. Despite this rise, the growth figure remains substantially below what the industry has been used to…

Growth in global seaborne box trade is expected to remain largely constant in 2019, with Non-Mainlane trade being an important driver while Mainlane trades expected to expand only moderately, said Norway-based MPC Container Ships ASA.In particular, the pace of global manufacturing remains a cause for concern as growth rates in Europe and Asia have been disappointing, the owner and operator of container ships said in a stock exchange annoucement.Present year container trade is estimated to grow by about 3.6%, whereas Transpacific trades grow by 0.5%, Far East Europe trades with 2.0% North-South trades with 3.7%, Other East-West with 4.1% and Intra-Regional trades with 4.9%.Trade tariffs and the threat thereof will remain a key issue in 2019.

French cable company Nexans said that  it has been awarded a full turnkey contract worth more than $113m  for the manufacturing, delivery and installation of 350 kV HVDC submarine cable in the Philippines.Nexans has been awarded a full turnkey contract for the submarine link of the Mindanao-Visayas Interconnection Project (MVIP) launched by National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP).To optimise the delivery of the submarine cabling system for the MVIP to connect the three power grids of Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao into one unified national grid, Nexans will leverage on its global manufacturing footprint.The 350 kV submarine MI cable will be manufactured in Nexans' Nippon High Voltage Cable Corporation plant in Futtsu, Japan as well as in Nexans Norway plant in Halden.

The current global economic growth (GDP) looks like it may be as good as it gets, with indicators across the globe signaling healthy expansion, but at a slower pace compared to the levels seen in the last half of 2017.Global economic growth seems on track to reach its highest level since 2011, as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) maintain its projection for the world GDP at 3.9 percent and expects the global economic growth to be supported by a strong momentum, favorable market sentiment and accommodative financial conditions in 2018 and 2019.

ExxonMobil announced it will supply fuels that comply with the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) 0.5 percent sulfur cap in ports in Northwest Europe, the Mediterranean and Singapore, with additional locations to be announced throughout 2018. “Our new suite of compliant fuels will include residual and distillate grades. We are at a very advanced stage in the development of these fuels, therefore making us well positioned to help customers meet the reduced sulfur limit ahead of the IMO’s 2020 implementation date,” said Luca Volta, Marine Fuels Venture Manager, ExxonMobil.

Wärtsilä has won an order for two new 8000m3 trailing suction hopper dredgers being built for the Adani group, India's largest private multi-port operator. The vessels are the first of a new IHC Beagle series designed by Royal IHC (IHC) of the Netherlands. IHC will also build the dredgers. The contract with Wärtsilä was signed in February, 2016. The Wärtsilä scope of supply comprises two 8-cylinder Wärtsilä 32 main engines for the first vessel, and two 7-cylinder Wärtsilä 32 main engines for the second one, together with four Wärtsilä CPPs with shafts. In addition, Wärtsilä will supply a Super Trident sewage treatment plant with vacuum generation for both vessels. Delivery of this equipment will commence in September 2016.

With 1,300 new Indian-built Ford automobiles loaded onto the Grand Dahlia on August 27th for delivery to Mexico, a new era for the Indian auto industry and Gujarat Port Pipavav commenced. The 59,217 gross ton roll on/roll off (Ro/Ro) vessel was the first to call Western India’s fastest-growing port, operated as part of the APM Terminals Global Terminal Network. APM Terminals Pipavav announced the inauguration of Ro/Ro operations at the multi-purpose port last June after concluding an agreement with Japanese-based NYK subsidiary NYK Auto Logistics (NAL) India for finished car export services and the construction of a new automobile services terminal.

Sea trials, training and scholarship program designed to educate students on clean air technologies. Tenneco, a global supplier of Clean Air aftertreatment technologies is helping engineering midshipmen at the Texas A&M Maritime Academy learn firsthand how advanced aftertreatment technology can help diesel engines meet new emissions regulations while efficiently and effectively powering the ships of the future. Midshipmen received hands-on experience this summer with Tenneco’s latest large engine selective catalytic reduction (SCR) diesel aftertreatment technology on the TS General Rudder, which is operated by the Maritime Academy. Midshipmen helped conduct field tests during their training cruises in the Gulf of Mexico to demonstrate how the system’s form…

Kito Americas, Inc. announced today that the company has entered into a stock purchase agreement to acquire Peerless Industrial Group from Westview Capital Partners II, L. P. by purchasing all the shares of Peerless Industrial Group, Inc. The share transfer of Peerless shall be executed subject to the terms and conditions in the Stock Purchase Agreement. Kito Americas, Inc. currently operates Harrington Hoists, Inc. and Kito Canada (KCI) businesses in North America and is the largest subsidiary of the Kito Corporation of Japan. Kito is listed on the Tokyo Stock exchange (TSE1) under the stock ticker 6409. Kito Americas will, by combining with Peerless, expand its product to better serve its customer segments around the world and strengthen its North American business.

Leaders from the petrochemical, maritime, logistics and transportation industries delivered robust economic forecasts for the Houston Ship Channel region during the 5th annual Economic Alliance Houston Port Region Petrochemical & Maritime Outlook Conference held at the Pasadena Convention Center Thursday, September 4. More than 650 people listened to encouraging news about expansion plans amid a resurgent energy renaissance in Texas and the U.S. The Port of Houston Authority and the Panama Canal Authority gave presentations recognizing their growth as 100-year anniversaries are being celebrated for both the canal and the Houston Ship Channel.

It hasn’t been too long since industry icon Tom Crowley, Jr. offered that the one technology that had the biggest impact on the safety and efficiency of [his company’s] maritime operations was, in a word: ROPE. The reasoning was simple. Today’s lighter, stronger synthetic strands have gone a long way in helping to reduce back and other related lifting injuries on deck. He stands by that answer today. So does Teufelberger, especially when it comes to the innovative products that they bring to the waterfront today. Established as a premium cordage manufacturer more than 220 years ago, Teufelberger produces products across its three distinct business divisions at its six locations around the globe.

Based on the current challenging environment in the oil and gas market, Sulzer decided to take measures to streamline the manufacturing capacities of its Pumps Equipment division. Since the beginning of 2015, Sulzer’s Pumps Equipment division has been organized in three market-oriented business units Oil and Gas, Power, and Water, a dedicated global Parts, Retrofit, and Nuclear Services organization, and a Global Operations network. With the new setup, the company targets to make better use of its capacity and improve quality. At the same time, the oil and gas market remains challenging, leading to low investment levels and project suspensions.

Holland America Line announced today that effective Dec. 1 Orlando Ashford will join the company as president to lead the award-winning cruise line's brand and business, including its fleet of 15 premium vessels carrying approximately 850,000 guests annually to all seven continents. Ashford joins the company from Mercer, the global consulting leader in talent, health, retirement and investments, where he was president of the Talent Business Segment. “We are fortunate to have Orlando join our team, bringing with him a career's worth of global experience leading high-performance teams that helped innovate some of the most respected and well-known companies in the world,” said Stein Kruse, chief executive officer, Holland America Group.