Carrier Sector News

Pelagic Partners’ second compartment continues its expansion with the recent addition of another bulk carrier, bringing the total number of vessels under this compartment to seven and total acquired fleet of 18 since inception.Constructed in 2015 at Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding in China, the vessel UBC Houston has a carrying capacity of 39,000 deadweight tons (dwt).Following the reflagging process, the vessel is now registered under the Cyprus flag and is actively trading within…

Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd. held a naming ceremony at Sakaide Shipyard for the liquefied petroleum gas (LPG)-fueled LPG carrier Crystal Asteria, which is being built for Kumiai Navigation (Pte) Ltd.The 229.9-meter newbuild is Japan's first dual-fuel LPG carrier, capable of running on both LPG and low-sulphur fuel oil. It is scheduled for delivery during 2021.At the ceremony, the vessel was named by Mr. Yagi, Representative Director and Executive Vice President of Astomos Energy Corporation and his wife…

International accountant and shipping consultant Moore Stephens says total vessel operating costs in the shipping industry are expected to rise by 2.7% in 2018 and by 3.1% in 2019, according to our latest survey.Responses to the firm’s latest annual Future Operating Costs Survey revealed that drydocking is the cost category likely to increase most significantly in both 2018 and 2019, accompanied in the latter case by repairs and maintenance. The cost of drydocking is expected to increase by 2.1% in 2018 and by 2.3% in 2019…

The multipurpose shipping market, including the breakbulk and project cargo sectors, has struggled over the last few years, but conditions are ripe for recovery, according to a recent report from shipping consultancy Drewry. A strong start to 2018 in the multipurpose shipping segment is expected to continue as the sector’s recovery advances further on increasing demand, contracting vessel supply and shrinking threats from competing sectors, Drewry reported in the latest edition of its Multipurpose Forecaster and Annual Review.

Clarksons Research on the oceangoing car carrier sector finds that 20.5 million cars were expected to be traded by sea in 2017, up by 5% year-on-year. Further Clarksons found that the overall global car carrier fleet was expected to grow slowly in full year 2017, to 781 vessels or 3.96 million car equivalent capacity. The current car carrier orderbook is at 6% of the fleet in capacity terms and $2.1 billion in contract value; 63% of capacity owned by top ten owners; and  charter rates still under pressure but recently recording limited improvements. www.clarksons.com

Recovering demand for multipurpose shipping combined with improved market conditions for competing sectors will result in rising market share for the multipurpose shipping fleet and a recovery in freight rates in 2018, according to the latest Multipurpose Shipping Market Review and Forecaster report published by global shipping consultancy Drewry. Although China’s plans to curb steel production in an attempt to clean-up the air pollution blighting its cities may well slow steel exports over the short term, the longer term outlook is still positive for the multipurpose and heavy lift sector. The clean-up campaign has resulted in a decision to cut some 50 million tons of steel production from 4Q17.

The multipurpose shipping market will see the first signs of recovery by the end of 2017, following in the steps of the dry bulk and container shipping markets, according to the latest Multipurpose Shipping Market Review and Forecaster report published by global shipping consultancy Drewry. Dry cargo demand is weak but strengthening with multipurpose shipping market share expected to grow at just under 2% per year to 2020. Demolition levels are up in both the multipurpose and competing sectors, whilst newbuilding ordering has waned, which will result in minimal aggregate multipurpose fleet growth to 2020. The future market prospects for the multipurpose shipping sector are not only dependent on the supply-demand balance for that segment…

The multipurpose shipping market will see the first signs of recovery by the end of 2017, following in the steps of the dry bulk and container shipping markets, according to the latest Multipurpose Shipping Market Review and Forecaster report published by global shipping consultancy Drewry. Dry cargo demand is weak but strengthening with multipurpose shipping market share expected to grow at just under 2% per year to 2020. Demolition levels are up in both the multipurpose and competing sectors…

The last three months have been some of the worst the multipurpose and project carrier sector has endured in living memory. The breakbulk and project cargo sector remain weak, with little suggestion that volumes will improve significantly until the end of 2017, according to the latest Multipurpose Shipping Market Review and Forecaster report published by global shipping consultancy Drewry. Rates have continued to slide to barely cover operating expenses, as the competing sectors of container ships and bulk carriers have weakened the MPV market ever further in their search for market share. The container lines lost billions of dollars as they filled slots no matter what…

“Small is beautiful”, the title of a book which went on to become a tagline for the environmental movement that was burgeoning in the 1970’s, has been applied by shipping journalists when product tankers - rather than behemoth crude oil tankers, are under discussion. In a similar vein, we can apply it to the size of a maritime company putting its attentions on lower costs of operation. There’s been extensive discussion of the virtues of bigger companies on the maritime conference circuit, and in the maritime media. The rise to prominence of the “big company” conversations is not surprising. Tanker and drybulk shipping successes are frequently synonymous with and really all about successes in the timing game.

Mitsui Engineering & Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. (MES), foreseeing the effects of the shale gas revolution to maritime industries, has been developing new type medium size multi gas carrier for sea transport of liquefied natural gas (LNG) and co-product of shale gas such as ethane and ethylene gas (LEG). In the coming decade, LNG carriers (LNGC) may probably be classified into large scale LNGC and medium scale LNGC centering on the hub ports over the world, the builder said. Meanwhile, LEG carriers (LEGC), which have been usually small ones, are expected to shift to larger LEGCs, which are comparable with medium scale LNGC in terms of the capacity, MES added.

To be built in Ulsan, Korea, the ships will feature energy efficient reheated steam turbine engines. ABS, a provider of classification and technical services to the maritime industry, has been awarded a contract for the classification of two innovative 'Moss-type' LNG carriers to be built in Korea for Malaysia's Petroliam Nasional Bhd (Petronas). The 150,200-m3 capacity ships will the largest Moss-type units ever built at Hyundai Heavy Industry's shipyard in Ulsan, Korea, featuring the latest technology to improve energy efficiency and operational reliability.

ABS hosted its Annual Meeting in New York on April 29, 2014. ABS Chairman and CEO Christopher J. In 2013 the ABS-classed fleet expanded to 205.6 million gross tons (gt), a growth rate of more than 6 percent year-on-year. ABS became only the second classification society to surpass the 200 million gt mark. ABS also maintained a leading position in the global orderbook closing out the year with 38.8 million gt contracted to class with ABS, 22 percent of all vessels on order. "Through sound technology investment…

The past week was relatively quiet with no shipbuilding orders seen in the tankship or gas carrier sector, according to the latest Clarkson Hellas S&P Weekly Bulletin. A large order of twelve firm plus eighteen option 64,000 DWT Ultramax vessels was placed from Minsheng Financial Leasing at their compatriot yard in China, CIC Jiangsu. The vessels will be delivered from 2015. Victoria Steamship contracted one firm plus three option 95,000 DWT Bulk Carriers at Jiangsu Eastern due for delivery from 3Q 2015 onwards.

U.S. Federal Maritime Commissioner Doyle spoke to the Global Shippers Forum in Los Angeles and discussed Ro/Ro price fixing matters; the newly approved cooperation agreement between the ports of Seattle and Tacoma; the first PVO company to take advantage of the alternative bonding mechanisms; China VAT; Commission's 6 (g) Analysis, and the Suez/Panama Canal routes. This past week the Commission unanimously voted to effectively allow the Ports of Seattle and Tacoma to move forward on a cooperative agreement to exchange information and work together to find synergies.

Clarkson Hellas S+P Weekly bulletin reports a relatively active week of newbuildings, with a notable number of new orders, although none in the tankship market. Dry bulk carrier sector: In particular this week Clarkson Hellas has seen further ordering in the mid‐sized dry sector and very much focussed on Ultramax. Starting with the larger sizes, Great Eastern Shipping of India were reported to have placed an order for two firm 81,600 DWT Kamsarmax at Tsuneishi Cebu. Pricing for these orders remains undisclosed however but understand delivery of both vessels is due in the first half of 2016.

ABS hosted its Annual Meeting in New York on April 23, 2013. ABS Chairman, Robert D. In 2012, the ABS-classed fleet reached 193.5 million gross tons, a growth rate of more than 4% year-on-year. ABS also maintained its leading position in the global orderbook with 21% of all vessels on order designated for ABS class. With nearly 70% of all vessels aged ten years or less, ABS has one of the youngest fleets showing a strong foundation for a successful future of the organization.

DY4001, lead ship of CROWN 63 - 63,500 DWT bulk carrier - successfully completed all sea trial items and began to make her return voyage on February 17. BV to issue its 1st EEDI certificate in Asia. The vessel’s speed trial has been proved to be beyond design prediction and met all the guarantee items specified in contract for delivery. Since DY4001 began sea trial on February 11, Dayang Shipyard’s Marine Dept., Outfit Dept. and Sinopacific Group Design have been implementing…

Calling 2007 “a truly remarkable year,” ABS Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Robert D. Somerville reported a record fleet size and record orderbook to the 146th Annual Members Meeting of the classification society, held in . Acknowledging that “ABS has benefited from the quite extraordinary bull run of the last few years,” attributed much of the success of the organization to the more than 3,300 employees around the world. “I am convinced that we would not have benefited to the extent that we have without the unflagging efforts of the ABS staff,” he told the meeting. “It is the people of ABS that differentiate our services. reported that, in the twelve months to end-2007, the ABS classed fleet grew by 9m gross tons to yet another record of 135.4m gt.

Norwegian shipping group Bergesen d.y. ASA predicts that tanker markets would stay strong due to good demand for oil, but that the number of vessels sold for scrap would fall in 2000. The company, one of the world's top shipping groups, reported a fall in pre-tax earnings to $10.2 million from $19.8 million in the first quarter of 1999. "The tanker market is expected to stay strong in future due to the lifting of OPEC's production restraints as well as good growth in oil consumption," company officials said. OPEC and other nations including Norway relaxed restrictions on oil production from April 1 after a surge in prices to nine-year highs in early 2000.

A very active newbuilding market, an expanding fleet and a significant number of older vessels undergoing survey to extend their service life in the buoyant market, led to 2006 being the most active year ever in the long history of ABS, the world's third largest classification society. At the Annual Meeting of the 145 year old society, held in New York, members were given details of the continuing growth in the ABS fleet and the positive outlook for the society based on its record orderbook. Reporting on the society's performance in 2006, ABS President and COO Christopher J. Wiernicki told the meeting that, by year's end, the classed fleet had reached 126.5m gt, the third consecutive record year.

There has been a reduction in the number of total losses of merchant ships since the year 2000. New statistics released by the International Union of Marine Insurance (IUMI), which represents marine underwriters worldwide, indicate that 67 ships (of 500 gross tons and over) were total losses in 2006, compared to 140 in 2000 and a peak of 182 during the 1990s. However, this news is heavily diluted by an equally dramatic increase in serious partial losses, up by 200% since 1998. IUMI stresses these are preliminary figures for 2006 as both total and partial losses or constructive total losses can rise in the early months of this year. The 2006 losses equate to approximately 0.1% of the world fleet, compared to 0.3% in 1996 and nearly 0.5% in 1990.

There has been a dramatic reduction in the number of total losses of merchant ships since the year 2000. New statistics released today by the International Union of Marine Insurance (IUMI), which represents marine underwriters worldwide, indicate that 67 ships (of 500 gross tons and over) were total losses in 2006, compared to 140 in 2000 and a peak of 182 during the 1990s. However, this news is heavily diluted by an equally dramatic increase in serious partial losses, up by 200% since 1998. IUMI stresses these are preliminary figures for 2006 as both total and partial losses or constructive total losses can rise in the early months of this year. The 2006 losses equate to approximately 0.1% of the world fleet, compared to 0.3% in 1996 and nearly 0.5% in 1990.