Saldanha Bay News

Anglo American has taken delivery of its 10th and final dual-fueled bulk carrier powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG), the company said on Wednesday.The capesize-plus LNG dual-fueled bulk carriers have been built and delivered over the last three years from Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding Co.

South Africa has granted Turkey's Karpowership access to the three ports of Ngqura, Durban and Saldanha Bay for a period of 20 years, the transport ministry said on Thursday, as it tries to find solutions to the country's power crisis.Karpowership aims to generate power on its floating gas ships and distribute it through South Africa's electricity grid. The plan received a boost from President Cyril Ramaphosa last week after he told lawmakers the ships would help ease the prolonged…

Mining company Anglo American announced that its newly launched liquefied natural gas (LNG) dual-fueled Capesize+ vessel, the Ubuntu Harmony, has loaded its first cargo of iron ore from its Kumba operations in South Africa.The 190,000 tonne bulk carrier, flagged in Singapore, is the first of 10 LNG dual-fueled newbuilds that Anglo American will introduce to its chartered fleet during the course of 2023 and 2024, delivering an estimated 35% reduction in CO2 emissions compared to ships fueled by conventional marine oil fuel.

TotalEnergies Marine Fuels carried out its first marine bio-VLSFO (Very Low Sulfur Fuel Oil) bunker delivery in Singapore’s port waters, as part of a biofuel trial recently completed by NYK Line and Anglo American.During the operation, a B10 biofuel blend that composed of VLSFO blended with 10% second-generation, waste-based and ISCC-certified UCOME (Used Cooking Oil Methyl Ester) was supplied via ship-to-ship transfer to MT Friendship, a bulk carrier owned by Seanergy Maritime Holdings Corp. and chartered by NYK Line to transport cargo provided by Anglo American.

South Africa's transport workers union Satawu threatened a "total shutdown" at major ports across the country from Thursday after issuing a 48-hour strike notice for mariners over a payment dispute, the union said on Tuesday.The South African Transport and Allied Workers Union (Satawu) called the strike after negotiations with management became deadlocked over salary discrepancies between black and white mariners, with what it says are white mariners drawing higher salaries than their black counterparts, even when less experienced.The union said striking workers included pilots who bring ships into port, tug masters who assist pilots…

South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) has decided to allow the use of exhaust gas cleaning systems (EGCS) in its territorial waters and ports ahead of the IMO 2020 regulation.The Clean Shipping Alliance 2020 (CSA 2020) has welcomed the decision by SAMSA to accept all types of approved exhaust gas cleaning systems (EGCS) for use in its territorial waters.In an IMO 2020 advisory notice issued in March to shipowners, operators, master mariners and bunker suppliers, SAMSA says the use of open-loop, closed-loop or hybrid systems are accepted until further notice “as an equivalent arrangement under Regulation 4 of MARPOL Annex VI…

Glencore looks set to cement its position as the world's second-largest oil trader as it tries to offset low volatility and tight margins with record volumes this year, its global head of oil, Alex Beard, told Reuters. The London-listed commodities trader and miner will shift around 6 million barrels per day (bpd) of crude and refined product this year, up 25 percent from last year. The figure represents around 6 percent of global supply and only rival Vitol trades more oil, at some 7 million bpd. Most merchants are being forced to ramp up volumes to protect profits in an environment of low volatility. "We don’t set targets in terms of volumes," Beard told the annual Reuters Global Commodities Summit.

After the first OPEC oil production cut in eight years took effect in January, oil traders from Houston to Singapore started emptying millions of barrels of crude from storage tanks. Investors hailed the drawdowns as the beginning of the end of a two-year supply glut - raising hopes for steadily rising per-barrel prices. It hasn't worked out that way. Now, many of those same storage tanks are filling back up or draining more slowly than investors and oil firms had expected, according…

AMSOL has been awarded a five-year contract by the South African Department of Transport to operate the standby tug utilized as part of state driven proactive marine pollution prevention measures. And in another development, AMSOL has been appointed by the Sunrise Energy Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) Import Terminal as the preferred marine contractor to fulfill marine operations and multi buoy mooring surface and subsea maintenance requirements in Saldanha Bay, South Africa. AMSOL’s Managing Director Paul Maclons said the award by the Department of Transport is a testament to the experience and professionalism of seafarers and shore based support personnel involved in the contract…

Brazil-China rates hit 15-month high for second time this year. Freight rates for large capesize dry cargo ships on key Asian routes could hold steady or slip slightly next week after unexpectedly climbing this week on strong cargo volumes, ship brokers said. "It is a case of two oceans. In the Atlantic, Vale has been active from Brazil, and volumes from Saldanha Bay in South Africa are steady," said a Singapore-based capesize broker on Thursday. "In the Pacific, it's a waiting game with owners and charterers haggling over a 50 cent difference in the freight rate," the broker added. This occurred as capesize freight rates on the Brazil-to-China route on Wednesday hit the highest level since September 2015 for the second time this year following a surge in fixtures.

Three South Africa youths made history in South Africa’s maritime economy sector at the weekend when they boarded the country’s first registered cargo ship since the dawn of democracy. Similarly, the city of Nelson Mandela Bay also marked its name in the country’s maritime sector’s history books when it was confirmed as the home of the country’s first registered vessel since 1985. The city is already home to the country’s first higher education and research institute, the SA International Maritime Institute (SAIMI) based at the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University. The youths, two from the Eastern Cape - Samkelo Ndongeni (25) a deck cadet from Ngqushwa near King Williams Town…

Gas seen as key to help resolve power crisis; gas could be sourced from Nigeria, Angola, Mozambique. South Africa could build its first 20 billion rand ($1.4 billion) liquefied natural gas (LNG) import facility at the west coast port of Saldanha Bay to feed gas-to-power projects aimed at easing chronic supply shortages, an official said on Tuesday. Importing LNG is among the options Africa's most developed economy is considering to diversify its energy sources away from coal and ease power shortfalls that have curbed growth. Several companies, including Shell, Mitsubishi and Sasol, are expected to bid for 3,126 megawatt (MW) gas-to-power projects in the first quarter of 2016, when exact details will become known.

Oil-market watchers are struggling to reconcile the large estimated oversupply in the market with the much smaller buildup of reported inventories and narrowing contango in futures prices. Some blame the barrel counters who compile official statistics on supply, demand and stocks. But the truth is that information on the world oil market is incomplete and it is easy for hundreds of millions of barrels of oil to disappear from the supply chain without being counted. According to the three main statistical agencies, the global market has been oversupplied by between 1.5 million and 2.5 million barrels per day (bpd) since the start of the year. Stockpiles should have increased by between 200 million and 350 million barrels, according to the International Energy Agency, OPEC and the U.S.

Suezmax tankers are looking good for a strong 2015 year, before posting a mild downside during 2016, but are poised to accelerate yet again in 2017 on rising deliveries, said shipbroker Charles R. Weber in its latest weekly report (Ref. “Suezmax earnings continued to experience surprising strength during the first quarter of the year with an average of ~$46,951/day exceeding our early-January projection by 15%. Through the full year, we have raised our projected average by 6% to ~$37,200/day. During 2016 and 2017 we project averages of $35,375/day and $31,000/day, respectively”, said the shipbroker. Suezmax earnings have strengthened in recent months…

Terex Port Solutions (TPS) has strengthened its presence in the largest container terminal in Africa. Two Terex® rail-mounted gantry cranes (RMGs) are now in operation at Durban Container Terminal, run by Transnet Port Terminals (TPT), a subsidiary of state-owned Transnet SOC Limited. The new Terex RMGs are each equipped with a rotating trolley and have a span of 22.5 m, a lifting height of 11 m and a lifting capacity of 41 t under spreader. Powered by the terminal's electricity supply, they serve the rail terminal on pier 2 where they are replacing two 25-year-old cranes. By supplying these new cranes, TPS continues to expand its ongoing business relationship with TPT.

Despite falling oil prices, traders in recent weeks have booked just a few tankers to store cargoes at sea as higher freight costs outweigh any profit play for now. This is partly due to expectation among tanker owners for higher rates in the final quarter of the year. That means oil traders will have to pay a premium to lease vessels for longer periods as shipping firms remain reluctant to tie up vessels given the potential for quicker earnings. "Owners will not do storage and miss out on the spot rallies to come," a tanker market source said. "There is not much incentive for owners. For the first time in several years, the price curve for Brent crude oil futures is now fully in "contango", meaning that every ICE futures month is trading below the subsequent month.

This year Sea Harvest celebrated 50 years since its inception and  it launched its new vessel on Quay 6 at the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town. Fred Robertson, the Chairman of Sea Harvest and majority shareholder Brimstone Investment Corporation was present at the vessel christening ceremony and he christened her saying: “We are gathered here to name the Harvest Atlantic Peace, may she reap a bountiful harvest and may the God keep her and her crew safe on her journeys”. The Harvest Atlantic Peace was built in Norway in the world renowned Sterkoder AS yard.

Brent crude dropped to a 16-month low under $99 per barrel on Wednesday, stretching its losses into a fifth session amid continued worries about rising supplies and weak global demand. While a larger-than-expected fall in weekly U.S. crude stocks kept a floor under oil prices, gains were curbed by a firmer U.S. dollar that makes commodities priced in the greenback more expensive for holders of other currencies. The dollar index stood near a 14-month high, with some investors betting the U.S. Federal Reserve would raise interest rates earlier than previously thought. Brent crude was trading down 27 cents at $98.89 a barrel at 0719 GMT, off a low of $98.85 hit earlier in the session - the lowest intraday price since May 1, 2013. U.S. crude was down 21 cents at $92.54 a barrel.

In South Africa’s largest local shipbuilding contract Transnet National Ports Authority has ordered nine new Voith Water Tractors (VWT) for use in several ports across the country. This is also the largest order in the history of Voith marine technology. The VWT will be built by South African Shipyards in Durban over the next 42 months. Eight of the tugs will be identical in construction with a length of 31 meters and a beam of 12.5 meters. Propelled by two Voith Schneider Propellers VSP 32R5/265-2 with a power of 2 x 2,650kW they will have a bollard pull of 70 tons. The VWT will be utilized for harbor towage in the ports of Saldanha Bay, Port Elizabeth, Durban and Richard’s Bay.

In South Africa’s largest local shipbuilding contract Transnet National Ports Authority has ordered nine new Voith Water Tractors (VWT) for use in several ports across the country, marking the largest order in the history of Voith marine technology. The VWT will be built by South African Shipyards in Durban over the next 42 months. Eight of the tugs will be identical in construction with a length of 31 meters and a beam of 12.5 meters. Propelled by two Voith Schneider Propellers VSP 32R5/265-2 with a power of 2 x 2,650kW they will have a bollard pull of 70 tons.

Rates for capesize bulk carriers on key Asian routes are set to remain in the doldrums next week, staying flat or gaining just a few cents as an oversupply of ships weighs on cargo availability, ship brokers said. But there could be brighter prospects in the coming weeks on rates for voyages from Brazil to China if chartering activity increases, brokers added. "There's no real direction to the capesize market. There's not enough cargo volume," one Singapore based capesize broker said on Thursday. Around 35 capesize ship were chartered last week to haul iron ore from Australia and Brazil to China, the largest number of capesize vessels fixed since September 2013…

Capesize iron ore freight rates in the Pacific and Atlantic fell further Tuesday, driven by lower-priced fixtures out of South Africa in the absence of Brazilian and West Australian charterers, reports Platts. Platts say they assessed the Capesize iron ore freight rate at $15.50/wmt on the Saldanha Bay to Qingdao route Tuesday, down $1.50/wmt from the previous day. A Japanese shipowner estimated there were presently about 30 Capesize vessels chasing cargoes in the Pacific. Brazilian miner Vale confirmed it was lifting the [West Australian ports] force majeure on its iron ore shipments…

Oil Spill Response Limited (OSRL), the global oil spill response co-operative funded by more than 160 oil and energy companies, has announced the opening of a new Base in Saldanha Bay, South Africa, to support regional and global response operations. The Base houses cutting edge well capping equipment designed to shut-in an uncontrolled subsea well, marking a major advancement in Africa’s oil spill response capability. The Saldanha capping stack is available to oil and gas companies…