Ultrabulk News

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…

Weathernews Inc (WNI) said it has joined forces with Vessel Performance Solutions (VPS) to integrate performance data from ship systems with its weather routing system to help improve voyage planning.The VESPER software platform by VPS records continuous performance data from the hull and propellers, main and auxiliary engines and boilers to determine speed, RPM and fuel consumption estimates that can be accessed within WNI’s Optimum Ship Routing (OSR) service.“This raises the…

Leading shipping group Maersk Tankers is investing tens of millions of dollars in digital technology to speed up cuts in carbon emissions across the industry, its chief executive told Reuters.Global shipping accounts for nearly 3% of the world’s CO2 emissions, putting the sector under pressure to clean up. About 90% of world trade is transported by sea.Maersk Tankers, which commercially manages the world’s largest fleet of more than 220 product tankers, has invested $19 million…

The decarbonization drive is gearing up to be the defining issue faced by the shipping sector in the coming decades and the industry is searching for low carbon and zero emissions technologies that will deliver on the International Maritime Organization (IMO) initial strategy of reducing emissions by at least 50% by 2050. One family of technologies that is seeing an upsurge of interest in the industry is wind-assist and primary wind propulsion solutions. Today the Paris headquartered…

The Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) will provide a total of $28.3 million in syndicated loans with French bank BNP Paribas to help a major Danish shipping operator’s unit buy cargo vessels to be built by leading Japanese shipbuilder Imabari Shipbuilding, Jiji Press  reported. The state-owned JBIC aims to revive the domestic regional economies relying on the shipbuilding industry by giving financial support for vessel exports at a time when the industry faces a global slump due to oversupply, the report quoted informed sources as saying. According to the report, under the export deal brokered by Japanese trading house Mitsui & Co.…

Trident Alliance, the shipping industry initiative for robust enforcement of maritime sulphur regulations, broadens its platform as some of Germany’s and Denmark’s most prominent shipping companies join its ranks together with new members from Chile, Greece, The Netherlands, Sweden, Norway and Belgium. Roger Strevens, Chairman, is  delighted at the level of industry engagement: “We are just a few weeks away from what will be a sea-change in the regulatory landscape for shipping, namely the introduction of the 0.1 % sulphur limits in ECA zones on 1 January 2015. This brings membership to a total of 31 companies. The member company CEO’s have each signed a Statement of Commitment…

So what’s keeping ship operators awake at night these days? Plenty, it seems. Sluggish recovery from a lingering worldwide recession, unsustainable debt loads, endemic overcapacity in most shipping trades, punishing freight rates, rising costs of fuel and regulatory compliance and a lingering sense that ships are not running as efficiently as they could. The last two topics – reducing fuel costs while complying with emission regulations and improving ship operating efficiency – will take center stage at SHIPPINGInsight 2014, scheduled for Sept. 30 – Oct. 2 in Stamford, Conn.

There has been a significant volume of shipbuilding business reported in the week according to Clarkson Hellas. The dry bulk fleet has seen a number of new additions this week. It was reported that SWS signed an additional order with Clients of Thenamaris for 1+1 180,000 DWT Capesize vessels, with the firm vessel lined up for delivery in 2015. Clients of Nordic Bulk Carriers placed an order for two firm 75,000 DWT Ice Class 1A bulk carriers at Oshima for delivery in 2015. Although pricing was not officially revealed, it is believed the contracts will be priced just over USD 30 Mill and include options for additional sister vessels. Oshima Shipbuilding are additionally reported to have signed a single 38,000 DWT bulk carrier for Clients of Ultrabulk with delivery in 2014.

Due to continuous delays in the construction and delivery of two Kamsarmax bulkers, Ultrabulk cancels. The bulkships were originally to be built at Zhoushan Jinhaiwan Shipyard Co. Ltd., China, but the yard failed to finish the construction within agreed contractual delivery terms. The contracts were originally entered into and announced in 2010 (Company announcement # 25/2010) for long term charter of both vessels up to 12 years of duration. Ultrabulk further announces having entered into an agreement to secure a new ECO-designed Supramax bulker of 61…

Denmark-based Ultrabulk has placed an order with a major Japanese ship yard for the construction and delivery of one new generation super ECO-designed handysize bulker of 38,000tdw size for delivery in 2014, with Ultrabulk’s option to extend the order with one additional vessel. The vessel(s) will be equipped with an electronic main engine as well as other equipment and systems which are expected to improve the fuel efficiency of the vessels by more than 15% and reduce the CO2 emissions correspondingly compared to similar sized handysize bulkers already delivered. This order is the first super ECO-designed newbuilding order placed by Ultrabulk in executing their long term strategy of fleet renewal and expansion.