Chiba News

Greece-based dry-bulk shipping firm Diana Shipping has taken delivery of the m/v DSI Phoenix (formerly “STH Chiba”), a 2017-built Ultramax dry bulk vessel of 60,456 dwt. The vessel is one of nine modern Ultramax dry bulk vessels that the Company entered into an agreement to purchase in August 2022.Including the newly delivered m/v DSI Phoenix, Diana Shipping Inc.’s fleet now consists of 37 dry bulk vessels (4 Newcastlemax, 11 Capesize, 5 Post-Panamax, 6 Kamsarmax, 8 Panamax and 3 Ultramax).

A newly built wood chip carrier vessel recently delivered to Japanese shipping company NYK is equipped to collect ocean microplatics for researchers to study.The Stellar Harmony, built by Imabari's Iwagi Zosen Co., Ltd shipyard, was officially handed over on August 23. The vessel will transport wood chips mainly from New Zealand, Australia, North America and South America under a long-term contract between NYK and Marusumi Paper Co., Ltd.Once in operation, the ship will pump in seawater along its routes to collect microplastics floating in the ocean.

Greek shipowner Diana Shipping on Thursday announced it has acquired the bulk carrier fleet of U.S.-based Sea Trade Holdings in a $330 million cash and shares deal.The nine ultramax vessels, built between 2015 and 2018 with an average vessel age of approximately 5.4 years, are scheduled to be handed over during the fourth quarter of 2022, Diana said.The ships—STH Athens, STH London, STH New York, STH Sydney, STH Tokyo, STH Kure, STH Chiba, STH Oslo and STH Montreal—are all Japanese-built (Japan Marine United and Mitsui Engineering & Shipbuilding) and range from 60,309 dwt to 60,508 dwt.New York-listed Diana said it will pay for the deal using $220 million in cash and $110 million in the form of 18…

TEPCO Renewable Power, a unit of Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings, plans to spend about 1-2 trillion yen ($9-18 billion) to develop 6-7 gigawatts (GW) of offshore wind and hydroelectric power projects by 2035, its president said."We aim to boost our profit to 100 billion yen in 2030 from 40 billion yen now" through the investments, Seiichi Fubasami, president of TEPCO Renewable Power, told Reuters last week in an interview.Its parent TEPCO, which has been struggling to restart nuclear power stations after the Fukushima disaster of 2011…

Domestic and international lenders are vying for a slice of Japan’s nascent offshore wind power sector, which is expected to provide as much as ¥3trn (US$29bn) in project financing opportunities, albeit at very low margins.Akita Offshore Wind completed the nation’s first fundraising for a major offshore wind project last month, raising ¥80bn to build wind turbines near two ports in western Japan.Auctions for sites off Japan's shores are due to kick off in April, and lenders are…

Canadian power producer Northland Power will acquire Dado Ocean Wind Farm, a development company with multiple early-stage offshore wind development sites in South Korea.Dado Ocean is currently owned by Eui Jeong Hwang, a wind power developer who will continue to support the project as a local partner, working together with Northland to achieve key milestones for the project. The acquisition is expected to close in the coming weeks, subject to customary closing conditions.According to Northland, the acquisition builds on the company's presence in Asia and specifically in South Korea. It is anticipated that South Korea’s installed capacity will more than double by 2050, with renewables accounting for approximately 59% compared to 8% in 2018.

Norwegean shipping company Grieg Star has taken the 64,000 DWT Star Gaia on a long term tariff contract (lTTC) deal for seven years.Star Gaia is a part of the G2 Ocean bulk pool. G2 Ocean is a joint venture of two of the breakbulk and bulk shipping companies: Gearbulk and Grieg Star.Star Gaia is a newbuild conventional bulk vessel, built at Mitsui Chiba Shipyard in Japan. She was named and delivered to us on the 27th of November, with our Head of Finance, Nicolai Hafeld Grieg, present.“We are happy to strengthen our conventional bulk position with this LTTC vessel. Our customers require safe, reliable and efficient services and I am…

At SK Energy's largest refinery in South Korea, engineers are rushing to complete a new processing unit ahead of schedule as the firm looks to boost sales of low-emission fuels before new marine fuel standards take effect in just one month.In Japan, the country's second-biggest refiner Idemitsu Kosan Co is taking a more cautious stance, increasing capacity for low sulphur fuel oil (LSFO), but also relying on blending to produce IMO 2020 compliant bunker fuel.The different approaches…

Penta-Ocean Construction, Kajima Corporation, and Yorigami Maritime Construction have agreed to jointly construct a wind farm installation vessel capable of installing foundations and turbines with a capacity of between 10MW and 12MW.The three Japanese companies have ordered a jack-up vessel with a 1600-tonne lifting capacity for work in the domestic offshore wind sector.The multipurpose self-elevating platform (SEP) ship holding company will be established as a subsidiary of Penta-Ocean Construction Co., Ltd. and it will be operated jointly by the three companies.In light of the enactment of relevant regulations which promote offshore wind power generation in the general sea areas in addition to the port and harbor areas…

Japan’s third-largest oil refining company, Cosmo Oil, , has started building stocks of very-low-sulfur fuel oil (VLSFO) for supply to domestic marine fuel markets from next month (October 2019) ahead of the IMO 2020 mandate requiring ships globally to reduce their bunker fuel sulfur content to 0.5% from the current 3.5% from January 2020.Cosmo Oil is using VLSFO produced at its residue desulfurizer (RDS) unit at its Chiba refinery near Tokyo to build the stocks, Cosmo Oil’sPresident Shunichi Tanaka said on Sunday…

Japanese shipping giant Nippon Yusen (NYK Line) announced that its two subsidiaries Wing Maritime Service Corporation and Kaiyo Kogyo Corporation that provide harbor tugboat and other related services, merged today to form Shin-Nippon Kaiyosha Corporation.The 100percent NYK owned Shin-Nippon Kaiyosha Corporation officially began operations yesterday (July 1, 2019), said the statement.Shin-Nippon president Yukihiro Tatara said: “Wing Maritime Service Corporation has mainly provided tugboat services and escort services in the Yokohama, Kawasaki, and Chiba areas.

Taiwanese shipping company Wan Hai Lines announced the enhancement of its Japan service coverage.With effect from early April 2019, the company shall upgrade its existing New Super 1 service and also extend one of its existing Japan Kanto service to cover Malaysia, the provider of full-containerized shipping service said in a press note.Upgrade existing New Super 1 service(NS1) to Panamax vessel size: The service will maintain 4 vessel deployment with WHL deploying 2 x 4250Teu vessels, while IAL and OOCL deploys 1 vessel each. The service adjustment is expected to take effect on 11th April, eta Hong Kong.The service rotation covers…

Japan's largest power company group Tokyo Electric Power Company (Tepco) announced  that the company’s first commercial offshore wind power facility will launch on January 1, 2019.According to a press release from the utility giant, since 2013, Tepco has been conducting Japan’s first demonstration test of offshore wind power facility (rated output: 2,400 kW; bottom-fixed foundation turbine), which is located south of Choshi, Chiba Prefecture.During the demonstration, Tepco continuously monitored test data with the aim of confirming technologies necessary to introduce and expand offshore wind power facilities. The demonstration provided Tepco with valuable experience in operating and maintaining the facility in harsh weather and marine conditions…

A testbed was established for an Internet of Ships Open Platform (IoS-OP), and for the test NYK provided a next-generation onboard IoT platform that the company has been developing with MTI Co. Ltd., an NYK Group company, and Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (NTT).The NYK Group will proactively make use of the IoS-OP to improve safety and reduce environmental loads, and thus create an innovative, new business model.The IoS-OP consortium was launched in June 2018 by ShipDC, a ship data center established by Nippon Kaiji Kyokai (Class NK) aimed at establishing an open and common platform to share data collected from vessel operation throughout the entire maritime industry.NYK joined as core member of the consortium…

Japanese shipping lines Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) announced the shipment of 121 surfboards to South Africa under the "Surf for Smile" Project, and a ceremony to mark the delivery of the boards was held in Durban on December 7. The "Surf for Smile" Project is a grassroots movement that donates surfboards to the non-governmental organization "Surfers Not Street Children" from the Ichinomiya-cho Surfing Business Union in Japan. The project is an initiative aimed at helping youth in South Africa avoid drugs and violence by exposing them to the joy of surfing and bringing smiles to their faces. Japan Sports Agency and Gass Co., Ltd. The wish to bring 'Smiles' to South Africa…

Cosmo says considering adding units to process more heavy crude; looking to maximize diesel output at Sakai coker. Japan's Cosmo Oil plans to increase diesel output at its Sakai refinery in Osaka, looking to capitalize on an expected jump in demand when a global mandate for ships to switch to cleaner fuels kicks in from 2020, its top executives said. The company, wholly owned by Cosmo Energy Holdings, is considering adding units such as a desalter that will allow its 100,000-barrels per day crude distillation unit (CDU) to process more heavy oil and maximize diesel output from its delayed coker in Sakai, Cosmo Oil President Hisashi Kobayashi told Reuters on the sidelines of an industry event.

Mitsui Engineering & Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. (MES) completed and delivered a 60,000 dwt type bulk carrier M.V. STH CHIBA (MES Hull No. 1915) at its Chiba Works on January 5, 2017 to Sea Trade Holdings Inc., Marshall Islands.   This is the 19th ship of the builder's “neo60BC” series, and third Eco-Ship line up of the “neo series”. Principal Particulars Length overall: 199.99 m Breadth (molded): 32.25 m Depth (molded): 18.50 m Gross Tonnage: 34,551 Deadweight: 60,456 metric tons Main Engine: MITSUI-MAN B&W Diesel Engine 6S50ME-B9.3 x1set Service Speed: abt. 14.5 knots Complement: 24 persons Classification Society: NK Flag: Cyprus Date of Delivery: January 5, 2017

Mitsui Engineering & Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. (MES) completed and delivered a 60,000 dwt type bulk carrier M.V.  Desert Harrier (MES Hull No. 1910) at its Chiba Works on February 1, 2017 to Genoa Shipping and Investment Limited, Marshall Islands.   This is the 21st ship of the builder's neo60BC line, and the third Eco-Ship line up of its neo series. Length overall: 199.99 m Breadth (molded): 32.25 m Depth (molded): 18.50 m Gross Tonnage: 34,507 Deadweight: 60,447 metric tons Main Engine: MITSUI-MAN B&W Diesel Engine 6S50ME-B9.3 x1set Service Speed: abt. 14.5 knots Complement: 24 persons Classification Society: ABS Flag: Marshall Islands Date of Delivery: February 1, 2017

TonenGeneral imported Japan's first cargo of Kurdish crude from northern Iraq in January, a source with direct knowledge of the matter said on Tuesday. Iraq's semi-autonomous Kurdistan region began selling oil directly to world markets in 2015 to get money for its survival and to fight Islamic State. Typically, Kurdish oil, exported via Turkey's Mediterranean port of Ceyhan, has gone to Europe. TonenGeneral imported about 1 million barrels of Kurdish oil last month, classified as "export blend of Iraqi origin" in data from the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry's (METI). The cargo was delivered to TonenGeneral's refineries in Kawasaki and Chiba, both of them near Tokyo, according to the source and Ministry of Finance data. TonenGeneral declined to comment on the deal.

Japanese shipbuilder Mitsui Engineering & Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. (MES) has completed and delivered a 60,000 dwt type bulk carrier M.V. Ionic Unicorn (MES Hull No. 1905) at its Chiba Works on March 28, 2016 to Ionic Unicorn Inc., Marshall Islands. The vessel is the 11th ship of the builder’s neo60BC, the third Eco-Ship line up of its neo series. Designed for loading various cargos like coal, ore, grain, as well as lengthy/heavy cargo such as steel pipe and hot coil, the ship has four cranes and five cargo holds, and keeps with the usability of Mitsui 56, the builder said. The size of hatch opening is the largest for this type of vessel in terms of both length and width.

After reaching record levels during the first four months of 2017, U.S. LPG export cargoes have seen a number of cancellations or deferments in June and July, said Dorian LPG in a press statement. Steady domestic demand has kept U.S. propane prices firm and, therefore, priced above levels conducive to the arbitrage trade. U.S. propane inventories have continued to build in recent weeks and could reach levels of 75 million barrels by the end of September 2017. The overall U.S. exports at the half-year mark remain at similar levels to 2016 due to the cancelled cargo volumes from the U.S., driven by waning Far East demand caused by seasonal factors and high inventories.

Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL)  announced that on August 31, the MOL-operated car carrier Swan Ace (capacity: 6,400 standard passenger cars) called at the Port of Kisarazu in Chiba Prefecture and loaded 800 used vehicles. It was the first call for MOL-operated car carriers of Japan – East Africa trade. On the same day, the cargo owner, port officials, and other guests attended a commemorative ceremony at a hotel in Kisarazu City. Vast used vehicle export yards are clustered around the Port of Kisarazu. It has grown rapidly over the past few years and Port of Kisarazu is one of the ports that export used vehicles most in Japan; it is third in the Kanto region following the ports of Yokohama and Kawasaki, and ranks in the top 10 nationwide.

Mitsui Engineering & Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. (MES) completed and delivered a 60,000 dwt type bulk carrier M.V. "SBI POSEIDON" (MES Hull No. 1911) at its Chiba Works on 13th September, 2016 to SBI Poseidon Shipping Company Limited, Marshall Islands. This is the 14th ship of our “neo60BC”, the third Eco-Ship line up of our “neo series”. Service Speed           abt. The vessel has four (4) cranes and five (5) cargo holds, and keeps the superior usability of “Mitsui 56”. The vessel achieves over 60,000 deadweight with panamax beam and keeps our neo56’s compatibility for ports and trade routes. The vessel is designed for loading various cargos like coal, ore, grain, as well as lengthy/heavy cargo such as steel pipe and hot coil.