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Mediterranean Shipping Company News

02 Jan 2024

Shipping Firms Continue to Pause Red Sea Shipments

© hit1912 / Adobe Stock

Global Denmark's Maersk and German rival Hapag-Lloyd said on Tuesday their container ships would continue to avoid the Red Sea route that gives access to the Suez Canal following a weekend attack on one of Maersk's vessels.Both shipping giants have been re-routing some sailings via Africa's southern Cape of Good Hope as Yemen-based Houthi militants attack cargo vessels in the Red Sea. The disruption threatens to drive up delivery costs for goods, raising fears it could trigger…

20 Dec 2023

$73.77 Million Grant a Boost for Port NOLA & Inland Waterway Shipping

(Image: Port NOLA)

The Port of New Orleans (Port NOLA) will receive $73.77 million from the federal government to assist in building the Louisiana International Terminal (LIT) project, which will provide a gateway for cargo movement on U.S. inland waterways including the Mississippi River.The U.S. Department of Transportation has alerted Congress that it intends to award this funding through its MEGA Grant Program, which will support the first phase of the overall $1.8 billion project’s construction and is in addition to significant funding commitments from private industry partners and Port NOLA.

04 Dec 2023

Shipping CEOs Call for End to Fossil-Only Newbuilds

Source: CMA CGM

The CEOs of leading global shipping lines issued a joint declaration at COP 28 calling for an end date for fossil-only powered newbuilds and urging the IMO to create the regulatory conditions to accelerate the transition to green fuels.The only realistic way of meeting the IMO’s 2030, 2040 and net-zero 2050 goals is to transition from fossil to green fuels at scale and at pace, they say.Their joint declaration calls for:• An end date for new building of fossil fuel-only vessels and a clear GHG Intensity Standard timeline to inspire investment confidence…

20 Sep 2023

Svitzer Promotes Hellstrom to Chief Commercial Officer

Mattias Hellstrom (Photo: Svitzer)

A.P. Moller-Maersk's towage arm Svitzer announced it has appointed Mattias Hellstrom as its new global chief commercial officer (CCO), effective from October 1.Hellstrom makes the move to Svitzer’s global business after three years as CCO of Svitzer Europe, and replaces outgoing Global CCO Videlina Georgieva, who was recently appointed managing director of Svitzer Australia.Prior to his role as CCO of Svitzer Europe, Hellstrom was managing director of Svitzer Scandinavia for nearly seven years. He has also held management roles at Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) and A.P. Moller – Maersk.

05 Sep 2023

MSC's New 24,000 TEU Containership Named in Italy

(Photo: MSC)

Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) on Monday held a naming ceremony for its new ultra large containership MSC Nicola Mastro in Intaly's Port of Trieste.The 400-meter-long 24,116 TEU newbuild was built by China State Shipbuilding Corporation's Jiangnan Shipyard as part of MSC's new record-breaking Celestino Maresca class, among the world's largest containerships. "At MSC, we continue to modernize our fleet and are investing in the most fuel-efficient vessels by design. The MSC Nicola Mastro is one of those vessels…

05 Jun 2023

Retailers, Manufacturers Urge White House to Mediate in West Coast Ports Labor Dispute

© trekandphoto / Adobe Stock

Groups representing major retailers and manufacturers urged the White House on Monday to intervene in contentious West Coast port labor negotiations, citing worries about shipping disruptions during critical holiday shopping seasons.The call came after the largest terminal at Southern California's Port of Long Beach closed on Monday as dock workers rally for better pay. Monday's closure followed similar disruptions on Friday in Oakland, California.More than 22,000 dockworkers…

05 Jun 2023

US West Coast Port Labor Unrest Continues Amid Pay Quarrel

© Mariusz / Adobe Stock

The largest terminal at Southern California's Port of Long Beach closed on Monday as dockworkers who have been working without a contract since July rally for better pay.The Port of Long Beach is the second-busiest U.S. container terminal and a key trade gateway. Monday's closures followed similar disruptions on Friday in Oakland, California.Total Terminals International LLC (TTI) in a notice to customers said all appointments were canceled for the first gate shift. Mediterranean Shipping Company SA (MSC)…

12 Apr 2023

First Vessel Plugs In at Terminal 5 in Seattle

Photo courtesy of the NWSA and Justin Hirsch, ILWU Local 19

The Northwest Seaport Alliance’s Terminal 5 has welcomed MSC Brunella as the first vessel to plug in to the terminal’s new shore power infrastructure.Terminal 5 is the first international container terminal in the Northwest Seaport Alliance (NWSA) gateway with shore power capability, and the nearly 9,000 TEU vessel successfully used clean energy from the City of Seattle’s electrical grid while at berth on April 10.Shore power installation is a key part of the Northwest Ports Clean Air Strategy…

25 Jan 2023

Container Shipping Giants Maersk, MSC to End Alliance from 2025

©Maersk

Container shipping firms MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) and Maersk have mutually agreed to terminate, effective in January 2025, their 2M alliance.2M is a container shipping line vessel sharing agreement (VSA) introduced in 2015 " with the aim of ensuring competitive and cost-efficient operations on the Asia-Europe, Transatlantic and Transpacific trades."In a joint statement on Wednesday, CEO Vincent Clerc of A. P. Moller - Maersk, and CEO Soren Toft of MSC said:“MSC and Maersk recognize that much has changed since the two companies signed the 10-year agreement in 2015.

12 Dec 2022

Louisiana Announces $1.8 Billion Port Expansion Project

The new Louisiana International Terminal in St. Bernard Parish will be able to serve vessels of all sizes, dramatically increasing the state's import and export capacity. (Photo: LED)

A public-private partnership between the state of Louisiana, the Port of New Orleans and two global maritime industry leaders will build a $1.8 billion container facility on the Lower Mississippi River, Gov. John Bel Edwards announced.The new Louisiana International Terminal (LIT) in St. Bernard Parish will be able to serve vessels of all sizes, increasing Louisiana’s import and export capacity and stimulating the creation of more than 17,000 new jobs statewide by 2050, Port NOLA estimates.New Jersey-based Ports America…

28 Oct 2022

​Fleet Cleaner Demonstrates Remote Control of Hull Cleaning Services

MSC’s Marianna Mastellone christening Thunderbird 3, together with Fleet Cleaner founders Alex Noordstrand (left) and Cornelis de Vet. (Photo: Fleet Cleaner)

Thunderbird 3 named as latest vessel in growing fleet as remote operating control center in Delft begins operations.As hull biofouling and its role in invasive species transfer and carbon emissions due to increased fuel use continue to attract the attention of the IMO and national regulators, Netherlands-based Fleet Cleaner has added to its armory with the introduction of a third specialist hull cleaning vessel. In addition, the company has unveiled a new remotely controlled operation service for its growing fleet of vessels and ROV cleaning craft.Thunderbird 3…

24 Oct 2022

MSC to Acquire Towage Operator Rimorchiatori Mediterranei

(File photo: Rimorchiatori Mediterranei)

Swiss-headquartered shipping giant MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company SA continues to expand with an agreement to acquire towage provider Rimorchiatori Mediterranei.The company announced Sunday a deal through its wholly owned subsidiary SAS Shipping Agencies Services Sàrl to acquire 100% of the share capital of Rimorchiatori Mediterranei S.p.A. from Rimorchiatori Riuniti and a fund managed by DWS’s Infrastructure Investment business.Completion remains subject to the receipt of approvals…

24 Oct 2022

Panama Looking for Business Opportunities in Africa

©The Panama Maritime Authority

The Panama Maritime Authority (AMP) and the South African Maritime Safety Authority South Africa (SAMSA) recently signed an Interinstitutional Agreement concerning the Mutual Recognition of Training and Certification.The agreement was signed by the Director of the DGGM, Captain Juan Maltez on behalf of Panama, and by the SAMSA Interim Executive Director, Zamachonco Chonco.The Ambassador and Consul of Panama in Pretoria, H.E. Jorge Ricardo Silen Santacoloma said:"This is a clear and concrete manifestation of the commitment of each of the administrations…

14 Oct 2022

Shipping Industry Working to Reduce Harm to Whales

© Jeremy Francis / Adobe Stock

The shipping industry has been taking steps to reduce its impact on endangered whale populations globally."This is an issue that the shipping industry takes seriously, and has resulted in the implementation of measures that aim to prevent collisions between whales and ships, from reducing vessel speed and rerouting to engaging stakeholders to raise further awareness," trade association the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) said in a statement encouraging the industry to take action.Among steps already taken…

07 Sep 2022

DNV, MSC Ink 100 Vessel Deal for Anti-roll Assist and ARCS

From left: Jan-Olaf Probst, Director Business Development Hamburg and Executive Vice President at DNV; Knut Ørbeck-Nilssen, CEO Maritime, DNV; and Giuseppe Gargiulo, Head of Newbuildings, MSC. (Photo: DNV)

Global container shipping line MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) has signed a contract with classification society DNV that aims to address a growing problem within the maritime industry: lost containers at sea.The deal, signed Wednesday at the SMM trade fair in Hamburg, will see MSC implement DNV's new Anti-Roll Assist system and ARCS (Anti-Roll for Containerships) class notation in some 100 vessels, making it the first global liner company to install the application and…

12 Jul 2022

Global Ports Terminates Sale Talks with Shipping Firm MSC

(Photo: Global Ports Holding)

Global Ports Holding Plc said on Tuesday it had terminated talks with Swiss-based MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company which had approached the world's largest cruise port operator to acquire it, adding it was confident about its strategic direction.SAS Shipping Agencies, a unit of MSC confirmed that it does not intend to make an offer for Global Ports, which is owned by Turkish businessman Mehmet Kutman.Shares of London-listed GPH were down 16.7% at 95 pence as of 1115 GMT.(Reuters - Reporting by Shanima A; Editing by Vinay Dwivedi)

21 Jun 2022

Old is Gold: Sky-high Cost of Ageing Containerships Sounds Inflation SOS

© STOCKSTUDIO / Adobe Stock

Shipping companies are transforming rust buckets into gold mines in a modern-day alchemy that could fuel already rampant inflation for years to come.The disruption to world trade caused by pandemic lockdowns and a shortage of new cargo vessels has pushed freight rates for ageing containerships to record highs.Cashing in on the boom, shipping firms are locking in long-term leases lasting three to four years, which means consumers could carry on paying the price for the surge in costs until hundreds of new ships on order come into service.Take the Synergy Oakland…

15 Jun 2022

Global Ports Gets Takeover Approach from Shipping Firm MSC

(Photo: Global Ports Holding)

Global Ports Holding PLC, the world's largest cruise port operator, said on Wednesday it had received an approach about a potential cash offer from Swiss-based MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company.Shares of the London-listed company closed up 19% at 109 pence and marked their best day in two years after Global Ports confirmed a Bloomberg report that MSC was considering taking a controlling stake in Global Ports.Global Ports, owned by Turkish businessman Mehmet Kutman, said the talks were ongoing and the deadline for the container group to make a firm offer or walk away is July 13.Global Ports, w

15 Mar 2022

MSC to Roll Out Marlink’s ITLink Management Solution

(Photo: MSC)

Smart network company Marlink announced it is partnering with MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company, the world’s largest container shipping line, to support the shipping company’s digitalization goals, using Marlink’s hybrid network solutions and IT management.Marlink deploys a fully managed hybrid network solution, bundling its VSAT connectivity with L-band backup and global 4G connectivity on 127 vessels, providing MSC with seamless, secure connectivity to run its critical business and crew applications.

14 Feb 2022

A New Onassis? Italy's Sea Captain Swoops on Reborn Alitalia

© eyewave / Adobe Stock

Sixty-five years after Aristotle Onassis founded Greece's Olympic Airways, another shipping entrepreneur is planning to take to the skies - this time in Italy, where Gianluigi Aponte's MSC has its sights on the successor company to Alitalia.The 81-year-old, known as "the captain" after building his shipping empire from a single vessel, is hoping to forge an air freight and passenger business to dovetail with MSC's sea cargo and cruise operations.But there are big challenges.Alitalia stumbled for years…

31 Jan 2022

CMA CGM to Buy Majority Stake in Delivery Firm Colis Prive

© eyewave / Adobe Stock

French shipping giant CMA CGM said it had struck a preliminary agreement to acquire a majority stake in French delivery firm Colis Prive, as it continues to build up its logistics business.CMA CGM is to buy 51% of Colis Prive from current owner Hopps Group and will have an option of increasing its stake further. The value of the planned transaction was not disclosed.Marseille-based CMA CGM has been investing in non-maritime services, similar to its container shipping rivals. After buying Swiss logistics group CEVA Logistics in 2019…

06 Jan 2022

Size Not the Main Goal, Shippers Say, as MSC Overtakes Maersk

Credit: VanderWolf Images/AdobeStock

Swiss-based container group MSC has overtaken Denmark's Maersk as the world's biggest shipper, the company said, confirming data from intelligence provider Alphaliner.After taking delivery of several ships last year, MSC or Mediterranean Shipping Company has capacity to move the equivalent of 4,284 million twenty-foot containers, Alphaliner said. That compares with Maersk's 4,282 million.Both companies, which according to Alphaliner hold markets share of around 17%, said size was not the objective.Asked for comment…

22 Dec 2021

Maersk to Buy LF Logistics for $3.6B

Credit: Björn Wylezich/AdobeStock

Container shipping giant Maersk on Wednesday agreed to buy Hong Kong-based LF Logistics for $3.6 billion in an all-cash deal, as it seeks to expand beyond its core ocean freight business.The deal is one of the group's largest takeovers to date and follows a series of acquisitions including e-commerce firms, a freight forwarder specializing in air freight and its smaller rival Hamburg Sud."The acquisition will further strengthen Maersk's capabilities as an integrated container logistics company…