Pendulum News

Norway-based Henriksen Hooks said its new Liferaft Release Hook into full production following completion of a prolonged testing program.Now available globally, the new crane hook has been especially developed for launching inflated liferafts. It is permanently attached to the fall wire of a crane and clips into a steel lifting ring on the liferaft. It holds the liferaft safely while it is being hoisted out and lowered and releases automatically when the raft reaches the water and the load has come off the hook."First shown in 2017…

The U.S. maintains a comprehensive sanctions program against Cuba, generally prohibiting all trade between the two nations, subject to multiple exceptions. In a previous article we addressed U.S. comprehensive sanctions generally, focusing on Iran, Syria and North Korea. Because the Cuba sanctions program has several idiosyncrasies that are unique to Cuba we address the Cuba sanctions program on its own.Background to Cuba sanctionsThe Cuba sanctions program is the oldest U.S. sanctions program still in existence.

Abu Dhabi Ports has established a new feeder services company, SAFEEN FEEDERS, to serve the group’s mainliner shipping clients in the Gulf region.SAFEEN FEEDERS will introduce a new feeder service linking Abu Dhabi to ports serving the UAE, the broader Gulf region and Indian Sub-Continent. The service will be executed in partnership with feeder service operator Bengal Tiger Line (BTL) through a vessel sharing agreement.The service will allow for exchange of container cargo between mainliner vessels and the vessels within the rotation calling at nine regional ports located across the UAE…

Throughout April, container shipping spot freight rates on the back-haul trade from North Europe to China were higher than those on the front-haul trade from China to North Europe. This is a rare occurrence that has developed in the wake of the massive supply chain disruptions in the world’s top manufacturing hub due to the COVID-19 outbreak, causing aftershocks across the Far East.“A reversal of front-haul and back-haul spot freight rates is a rare event. Especially on a high-volume main trade route like the Far East to Europe…

The members of THE Alliance, Hapag-Lloyd, Ocean Network Express, and Yang Ming have welcomed Hyundai Merchant Marine (HMM) as a new core member of THE Alliance.With the US Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) acceptance of HMM membership, THE Alliance offers an attractive upgraded product package and it will be launched around April 1st, 2020.Based on the existing comprehensive network of THE Alliance, the newly en-hanced product package will offer increasing frequency particularly from South East Asia, as well as new direct port coverage and improved transit times.Now that HMM joined The Alliance, its new offering for 2020 will consist of 33 services, 280 ships and a coverage of 78 ports globally.

The environment in oil patches onshore and offshore alike has been challenging throughout 2019; worries about an economic slowdown – whether cyclical or induced by a trade war – have weighed heavily on oil prices, even in the face of reduced production by the big producers. Though storm clouds persist, there appears a clearing on the horizon.The fate of Offshore Service Vessels (OSVs) is, naturally, closely tied to the price of oil. Seacor Marine’s John Gellert, in reviewing its Q2 results, said: “Activity levels in the U.S.

Danish marine safety equipment manufacturer, Daniamant voiced its support of the German government's proposal to make electronic inclinometers mandatory for new build container and bulk carrier vessels.The Marine Safety Committee (MSC) of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) has recently approved the German government’s proposal.Kevin Rough, CEO of Daniamant, comments, “Electronic inclinometers are an important safety product designed to support the on-board decision-making process and help reduce risk to crew and vessels. As a safety company that designs and creates products to help keep crew safe at sea, we fully welcome the…

THE Alliance members Hapag-Lloyd, Ocean Network Express(ONE) and Yang Ming have published details of a rationalised revamped network for east-west trades effective from next year.The forthcoming THE Alliance products of 29 services will cover 76 ports in Asia, Europe including Mediterranean, North and Central America, the Middle East, Red Sea and Indian Subcontinent, said a joint press release.Deployment of over 249 efficient container ships with expanded capacity, offering improved service coverage, comprehensive port connections and rapid transit times.The major enhancement of THE Alliance product includes a newly designed pendulum service to replace Far East Europe 1 service (FE1)…

Following the path of oil prices, consolidation also follows myriad financial crises. What happens next isn’t altogether clear, but the long, deep trough for offshore energy may finally be in our choppy wake.In mid 2017, financial turnaround and financial repairs specialist Alix Partners made a bold statement regarding the beleaguered Offshore Service Vessel (OSV) marketplace. In a July 2017 report, following an analysis of 44 participants in the business, the restructuring team wrote: “The industry faces grave financial pressure…

In the first of a series of marine industry sector reviews, MR&EN correspondent Tom Mulligan reports on the latest innovations in heavy lifting machinery technology with a selective overview of new product launches and recent equipment installations on board ships, ferries and workboats, as well as in ports, docks, harbors and shipping terminals worldwide. Markey Machinery’s Render/Recover and Asymmetric Render/Recover ‘active heave’ compensating winches have been recognized as…

The Ocean Alliance has launched its new Day Two Product with an estimated 3.6 million TEU carrying capacity provided by approximately 340 containerships deployed on 41 services. The new offering will commence in April 2018. Alliance partners CMA CGM, COSCO, Evergreen and OOCL will offer 20 Transpacific services, six Asia-Europe services, four Asia-Mediterranean services, four Transatlantic services, five Asia-Middle East services and two Asia-Red Sea services. “Ocean Alliance has been a fantastic success from a customer perspective since its launch last spring and we are very enthusiastic to announce our Day Two Product,” said Olivier Nivoix, Senior Vice President Ocean Alliance Lines.

MacGregor, part of Cargotec, said it has won new davit orders from Spanish shipyard Astilleros Zamakona. They are destined for a service operation vessel (SOV) owned by the Danish company Esvagt AS. The contract includes an order for one of MacGregor's largest davit systems, specially-designed to ensure safe transfers in rough weather. Equipment deliveries are scheduled for November 2018 and the order was booked in Cargotec's fourth quarter 2017 order intake. The vessel will feature one of MacGregor's largest davits…

APM Terminals Pier 400 Los Angeles has established a new single vessel cargo operations record during the call of the 13,600 TEU capacity Maersk Evora, with a combined total of 24,846 TEUs loaded and discharged over a 128-hour period. This performance eclipsed the previous record of 18,500 TEUs handled during the call of a similarly-sized vessel at the Port of Rotterdam in 2015. The Maersk Evora arrived at APM Terminals Pier 400 Los Angeles on October 19th, on the Europe-Far East/Transpacific AE6/TP6 service operated by 2M partners Maersk Line and Mediterranean Shipping Company. The Los Angeles port call is the only US call for this pendulum service linking America’s largest container port with the Far East.

As the Trans-Pacific trading season heats up, APL today launched the new Eagle GO Guaranteed product. A first-of-its-kind ocean freight guarantee, it promises equipment and vessel space on board all APL’s North America-destined services that directly call Shanghai, Ningbo and Yantian in China; as well as Cai Mep in Vietnam. “APL’s Eagle GO Guaranteed seeks to address the concerns of equipment and vessel space shortages as the Trans-Pacific trading season goes full steam. It guarantees priority shipments on APL services, allowing shippers to optimally capitalise on the year-end holiday shopping season,“ said Jesper Stenbak, APL Senior Vice President of Trans-Pacific Trade. Eagle GO Guaranteed is applicable to 20 APL US-bound services from four Asian ports.

CMA CGM Otello has arrived Indonesia as the largest container vessel to call the country at the Jakarta International Container Terminal. The occasion also celebrated her impending maiden voyage for the industry’s first direct service from Indonesia to the United States (U.S.) on 24 April. Officiating the event was Minister of Transportation, Mr. Budi Karya Sumadi. He joined some 350 guests including various government officials as well as industry stakeholders at the milestone celebration. The 8,238-TEU vessel is deployed for the Java Sea Express (JAX) service and Pendulum Loop 1 (PE1) service by CMA CGM and APL respectively – two operating brands of the CMA CGM Group.

MacGregor has won davit orders for two low-emission 81m service operation vessels (SOVs) designed to act as 'mother-ships' for wind turbine technicians. The contracts have been placed by Spanish shipyard GONDAN, responsible for the construction of the SOVs. The order was booked in Cargotec's 2016 third quarter order intake. The SOVs have been ordered by Norwegian operator Østensjø Rederi. They will serve UK-headquartered DONG Energy's Race Bank and Project One offshore wind farms in the North Sea. Each vessel will be fitted with a MacGregor HMD G110 davit designed for launching and recovery of personnel-carrying 'daughter' craft and a MacGregor HMD A34 davit designed for launching and recovery of rescue boats.

The natural oscillations in the climate, which resulted in cooler Pacific Ocean waters, were partially behind the controversial global warming "pause", say researchers. However, this in no way suggests that the planet is now cooling, nor that there is any slowdown in human-caused global warming. After a period of rapid global warming throughout most of the 20th century, the pace of global temperature rise has slowed greatly over the last 10 to 15 years. This unexpected slowdown has raised questions about the accuracy of climate change forecasts, and sent scientists searching for an explanation. In a paper published in the journal Science…

With the energy market swoon in full blossom, Maritime Reporter checked in with Mark Charman, chief executive of global recruiting leader Faststream, for his insights on the breadth and depth of the impact to the offshore employment market. Uncertainty. If there is one word that summarizes current global energy market conditions, it is uncertainty. The sudden downturn in oil pricing – which started nine months ago and collectively caught much of the global market by surprise…

CKYHE Alliance - COSCON, "K"Line, Yang Ming, Hanjin and Evergreen Line - is reorganizing its service network for Asia-North Europe and Asia-Mediterranean trades in 2016. The CKYHE Alliance will provide five Asia-North Europe services (NE2/NE3/NE5-CEM/NE6/NE7) and four Asia-Mediterranean services (MD1/MD2/HPM-MD3/FEM) with the optimum port coverage throughout Asia, North Europe, East Mediterranean, andWest Mediterranean region from end of March of 2016. CKYHE Alliance will continuously offer quality service to customers by enhancing service efficiency, providing stable transit time and offering more flexible port-pair options. Xingang-Dalian-Qingdao-Shanghai-Ningbo-Singapore-Felixstowe-Rotterdam-Hamburg-Antwerp-Shanghai-Xingang.

For nearly two decades, Frank Foti has led Vigor’s transformation from a single, struggling shipyard to a thriving, increasingly diversified industrial company with 2,500 employees, 12 locations and approximately $700 million in annual revenue. According to Vigor, Foti often describes his motivation in three words: “Industrial Jobs Matter.” Committed to improving long-term, family-wage job opportunities workers and their families and communities, Foti and his management team have, over time, has worked to strategically expand and diversify the company, investing in training facilities and infrastructure along the way. Also according to Vigor…

Maersk Line will transform its TP12 service in to a standalone, around-the-world service that provides significantly faster transit times between Far East Asia and the US East Coast. From the Far East to the US East Coast the TP12 service will transit the new Panama Canal locks and call the ports of Newark, Norfolk and Baltimore on the US East Coast. On the return leg to Asia, the TP12 will go through the Suez Canal and call the ports of Salalah (Oman), Colombo (Sri Lanka) and Singapore. This change will significantly improve Maersk Line’s product offering to shippers on the Far East Asia and the US East Coast trade. “We are changing our TP12 service to provide a better product to shippers in Korea, Northern and Eastern China.

The withdrawal of Hanjin tonnage has not been enough to rectify the trade’s supply-demand imbalance and headhaul ship utilisation is lower compared to other major East-West markets. Westbound volumes rose by 1.8% in the third quarter and the growth rate for the year to date is now registering 2.9% (see Figure 1). Asian exports shipped to the West Mediterranean (including North Africa) grew by 2.8% between July and September, while traffic to the eastern sector of the trade only expanded by 0.8%. By the end of September, the 12-month rolling average growth factor for westbound flows was touching 3.4% (see Figure 2) which is a distinct improvement on the minus 1.9% recorded a year earlier, and represents the highest point it has reached since March 2015.

The CMA CGM Group and Hamburg Süd have reached an agreement to further enhance their cooperation, adding several new initiatives to the already existing joint services between North Europe and both East- and West coasts of South America. Since mid-January Hamburg Süd has taking slots between Asia and the Caribbean on CMA CGM’s PEX 2 service as well as on the Brazex service which provides it with a connection to Manaus from the Caribbean. Additionally, starting mid-May, and subject to prior FMC approval…