J Court Smith News

“If consolidation was the solution to all that ails shipping, then container liner companies would be super profitable. They are not. In ‘commoditized’ sectors of the shipping industry, which by now includes pretty much everything apart from very small niche markets, there is hardly any economies of scale at the company level. As long as bigger is not in fact much better, then meaningful consolidation will not happen.”Dr. Roar Adland, visiting scholar at MIT Center for Transportation and Logistics and Professor at the Norwegian School of Economics (NHH).Like any other business…

With less than a week until Christmas and most of our presents bought, we're feeling the pinch. However, that's nothing compared to the amount that some have been spending this year. VesselsValue's Senior Analyst Court Smith gives a rundown on which countries have splashed the most cash on second hand vessel purchases over 2018.USAJP Morgan Global Maritime is the US company who has spent the most on second hand vessels: 308 million USD so far in 2018. However, they have changed their purchasing strategy half way through the year.

The U.S. Coast Guard announced the establishment of the Merchant Mariner Medical Advisory Committee, which will be involved with matters relating to the medical evaluation process and evaluation criteria for medical certification of merchant mariners. The Merchant Mariner Medical Advisory Committee will be comprised of 10 health care professionals with certain expertise, knowledge or experience in occupational medicine or the medical examination of merchant mariners. Four more committee members will be professional mariners who possess knowledge and experience in the occupational requirements for mariners. The Merchant Mariner Medical…