US Great Lakes Ports Report Cargo Spikes
U.S. Great Lakes ports and the St. Lawrence Seaway are reporting a rush of activity as manufacturers stockpile raw materials and businesses take advantage of the congestion-free waterway to export overseas with just two weeks left of the season, the Chamber of Marine Commerce reports.“U.S. Great Lakes ports have roared back this year – recovering from major 2020 declines in traditional cargoes like iron ore and steel but also developing new business and seizing on opportunities for infrastructure investment. This story of recovery and renewal is mirrored in the latest St.
Langh Ship Orders Three New Ships
Finnish shipping company Langh Ship announced it has ordered three 7,800 dwt newbuild cargo ships from Wuhu Shipyard in China.The first vessel is expected to be delivered in summer 2023 followed by its two sisters soon thereafter.The vessels will operate in a regular service between Outokumpu’s steel mills in northern Finland and the Netherlands. The cargo holds will be equipped with tween decks for steel coil carriage, a special design by Langh Cargo Solutions.Langh Ship said it developed the vessel design in close cooperation with Outokumpu to make the ships as energy efficient…
Port of Indiana-Mt. Vernon Makes ‘Next Generation’ Terminal Upgrades
A recently completed a $2 million capital improvement project aims to attract more cargo to one of the nation’s largest inland ports.Situated 153 miles from the confluence of the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers, the Port of Indiana-Mount Vernon connects the Ohio River Valley region’s agriculture, coal and manufacturing industries to the rest of the world via year-round access to the Gulf of Mexico and Great Lakes through the inland waterways system.Each year, more than 3,600 barges…
China Steel Futures Rise on Demand Optimism
Chinese steel futures hit their highest in nearly two months on Monday on signs of a recovery in demand, and as policymakers worldwide rolled out more stimulus measures to cushion global economies reeling from the coronavirus pandemic.The U.S. Federal Reserve cut interest rates by 100 basis points on Sunday, in line with a global policy effort to stave off a steep economic downturn as increasing lockdowns and travel bans hit businesses across the globe.The central bank of China on Friday cut the cash that banks must hold as reserves for the second time this year…
ABS Initiative Improves Bulker Loading Safety
ABS has introduced a new service and analysis tool that will allow atypical cargoes on bulk carriers. The software streamlines loading analysis and provides a safer approach to loading atypical bulk cargo. “ABS understands that maintaining a leadership role means finding ways to improve safety and efficiency for industry,” says ABS Executive Vice President for Global Marine Dr. Kirsi Tikka. In developing this new software and service, ABS has taken a comprehensive approach to steel coil loading. This new capability helps improve efficiency, enabling faster decisions regarding the safety of nontraditional loads. Using the ABS loading analysis software enables timely and accurate decisions about the achievable safety for steel coil loads that are not included in the loading manual.
St. Lawrence Seaway Cargos up 3% over 2013
Total cargo shipments on the St. Lawrence Seaway have surpassed 2013 levels despite one of the most difficult starts to the shipping season in years due to ice coverage. According to Seaway figures, total cargo tonnage from March 25 to August 31 reached 20 million metric tons, up 3 percent over the same period last year. Vanta Coda, Executive Director of the Duluth Seaway Port Authority, said, “It’s taken several months to even get close to catching up from the icy start to this shipping season but, by mid-summer, cargo shipments through the Port of Duluth-Superior had rebounded significantly.
New Bulk Carrier Design Puts Ecoships in the Lotus Position
Ecoships, the technical shipmanagement arm of Newport Shipping Group, has introduced a next generation bulk carrier design, developed to set the standard in ecologically compatible marine transportation. Inspired by the low friction to water flow and self-cleaning properties of the lotus flower – a symbol of purity and beauty in Buddhist and Hindu philosophy – Ecoships’ Greenlotus 32, is a 32,500dwt geared, wide hatched, handy-size bulker, designed to meet existing and future CO2 (carbon dioxide) NOx (oxides of nitrogen) and SOx (oxides of sulphur) emissions regulations.
Cosco Delivers Italian ATB
Early in May the COSCO (Zhoushan) Shipyard will deliver one of two articulated tug barge units on order from their Italian customer Ilva Servizi Marittimi S.p.A. The Italian-flagged tug, named Corona Australe, is fitted with a three-point Matsui Corp coupling system. Designed by Shanghai Bestway Marine Engineering Design Co. Ltd, the 146 ft by 55 ft vessel is powered by a pair of 4080 kW Wartsila engines. Each engine will also drive a three-phase shaft generator. Additional electric needs on the vessel are met by two Cummins KTA19 powered 370 kW generator sets.
Cicek Launches Bulk Carrier Design at SMM
The Turkish shipbuilder Cicek Shipyard has launched a new 25,000dwt bulk carrier design at the SMM 2008 exhibition in Hamburg (23 - 26 September). Full details are available from the company on Stand 151, Hall A. The current handy-size bulk carrier fleet is now ageing and Cicek believes that many owners will soon be placing orders for replacement tonnage that both meets new regulations and offers improved efficiency. Its new vessel, which was designed in-house, qualifies on both counts. “Our new double-hull design meets all current and anticipated environmental and safety regulations. In particular, it will qualify for the additional class notation CSR (Common Structural Rules) and will be compliant with the new Performance Standard for Protective Coatings (PSPC)…
Product: Cradle Tweendecks Patent for Langh Ship
In the invention devised by Langh Ship, steel coils are transported on tweendecks that are equipped with integrated cradles. The method was granted a Finnish patent in 2001 and it has now passed the European Patent Office's inspection, which ascertained that the innovation's novelty, inventiveness and industrial applicability meet the requirements of the European Patent Convention. The invention thus received a European patent, which can be registered in all countries signatory to the European Patent Agreement. Cradle tweendecks facilitate steel coil loading, shipment and unloading at the port of destination. The system even enables fully automated cargo handling in the port and it can be used to optimize vessel stability, reduce cargo damage and fuel consumption.
Multraship Completes Salvage of Gulizar Ana
Salvage and towage company Multraship has successfully righted the Turkish general cargo ship Gulizar Ana, which capsized on September 10 in the Romanian port of Galati while loading cargo, and has redelivered the vessel to its owners. It is thought that the capsizing of the 3,300 dwt vessel was due to shifting of its cargo of steel coils and forklifts, although investigations are still under way. Having been awarded the LOF contract to salvage the vessel on September 13, Multraship mobilised its floating sheerlegs vessel Cormorant (the only sheerlegs in the area with sufficient capacity to undertake the task), and the tug Fonda from its base in Bourgas, in the Bulgarian Black Sea.
