Wood Products News

Danish shipping giant A.P. Moller - Maersk announced it is partnering with U.S.-based SunGas Renewables to secure a supply of green methanol to fuel its next generation of cleaner burning containerships.Under a recently signed letter of intent (LOI), SunGas Renewables, a spin-out of GTI Energy, will produce green methanol from multiple facilities that it will develop in the U.S. from which Maersk intends to offtake methanol. Slated to begin operations in 2026, the first facility is expected to produce approximately 390…

It’s amazing to consider that a commercial vessel in the Pacific Ocean, approaching the mouth of the Columbia River, can continue its eastward journey to finally tie up at the Port of Lewiston, in Lewiston, Idaho, America’s most inland West Coast port, 465 miles from the Pacific Ocean.The Columbia and Snake Rivers form that critical east-west waterway, an economic powerhouse regionally, nationally and internationally. According to the Pacific Northwest Waterways Association (PNWA)…

Australian law enforcement has seized 700 kilograms of cocaine from a Maersk containership at Sydney's Port Botany.The dugs were discovered by Australian Border Force (ABF) during a July 22 inspection of shipping containers on the Singapore-flagged Maersk Inverness, which had docked a day earlier. The haul was found packaged in denim bags inside a shipping container described as containing wood products.AFP investigators seized 28 denim bags, each holding about 25kg of cocaine in brick form.

China accused the United States of bullying and warned it would hit back after the Trump administration raised the stakes in their trade dispute, threatening 10 percent tariffs on $200 billion of Chinese goods.China's commerce ministry said on Wednesday it was "shocked" and would complain to the World Trade Organisation, but did not immediately say how it would retaliate. In a statement, it called the U.S. actions "completely unacceptable".The foreign ministry described Washington's…

Chilean forestry exports will total $5.3 billion by value in 2016, 3 percent less than last year, as supply has increased and the economies of key export markets remain sluggish, an industry body said on Tuesday. The Chilean Wood Corporation (Corma) said in a statement that exports in 2017 would remain steady or rise slightly to the $5.3 billion to $5.4 billion range. "The 3 percent fall in the total amount is due principally to declines in international prices for the principal forest products, while there has been an increase in exported volumes," Corma President Fernando Raga said in a statement. Corma predicted prices for long fiber products would begin to rise in the second half of 2017.

Peter Lister has joined the senior leadership team at Seaspan Marine as Vice President, Commercial Services, responsible for marketing, sales and customer relations. He will develop and build marketing strategies, customer service quality control measures, customer service standards and account management processes. Lister brings to the role more than 20 years of experience as a research and innovation leader in the forestry sector. He joins the company from FPInnovations where he served as Vice President, Forest Operations & Wood Products.

Nearly 85 years ago, Tidewater pioneered commercial transportation on the upper Columbia Snake River system and opened up one of the nation’s most isolated regions to global markets. Today, Tidewater Holdings is comprised of Tidewater Barge Lines, Tidewater Terminal Company, and since 2014, Tidewater Environmental Services, Incorporated. Tidewater Terminal Company works in conjunction with its Barge Lines, using key intermodal connections to railroads, highways and pipelines.

U.S. agents searched the offices of a California-based wood importer this week as part of a broadening government crackdown on imports of illegally harvested timber, according to a previously unreported federal search warrant seen by Reuters. The Department of Homeland Security agents are probing whether privately held Global Plywood & Lumber Inc violated U.S. and Peruvian law by importing wood that officials say was taken from the Amazon without proper permits, according to the warrant filed in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California in San Diego on Monday and executed on Tuesday. No charges have been brought against the company. A Homeland Security spokesman in Houston said the investigation was ongoing.

On April, 20, 2016, at the young age of 97 years, Walter Sellick along with sons Howard Sellick - President, David Sellick - Vice President and grandson Colin Sellick - Systems Manager, held a ground breaking ceremony for a new multimillion dollar, 120,000 square feet manufacturing plant. “In order to compete on a global scale, we needed to expand and build a state-of-the -art plant” said Howard Sellick. Sellick Equipment has been  manufacturing rough terrain and truck mounted…

The early months of 2013 have been marked by damaging labor strike action in several countries which has punished shipowners and charterers even though they are innocent parties, says The Strike Club, the market leader for delay insurance for the marine trades. Some of the worst trouble spots in recent weeks have been in South America, particularly Chile where a three-week strike crippled the country’s key ports, blocking exports of copper (Chile is the world’s largest producer of this metal), fruit and wood products. Chile’s business leaders estimated the country lost more than $200 million a day due to the conflict. There has been a miners’ strike in Colombia…

Foss Maritime Company announced that it has agreed to sell selected assets, including two tugs and twenty barges currently operating on the Columbia Snake River system, to based Tidewater Barge Lines. Foss made the decision to sell selected assets in order to focus its efforts and investment in its strategic lines of business including ship assist, ocean towing and special projects. The sale will help the company maintain its strategic focus and standards of quality, said Scott Merritt, Foss’ Senior Vice President of Operations, citing the need for additional vessels and upgrades on its existing upriver tugs as contributing to the sale’s timing. “The most important thing for Foss is to ensure that we provide our customers with the highest quality service,” said Mr. Merritt.

Thermo Andersen announces that the EPA has approved the M9096 sampler for use in any instance where Method 17 is required. The portable M9096 Stack Train provides an accurate means to collect a sample for particulate emissions at an affordable price. The sampler collects particulate matter from source point emissions such as boilers and process stacks by using an in stack filter as sample media; analysis is gravimetric. The sampler allows for isokinetic sampling rates as prescribed by ISO 9096, BS6069 and US EPA Test Method 17. Applications include Particulate CEM Calibration, utility, pulp and paper, ferric and non-ferrous metal production, wood products, and chemical production. The system can now be used to determine compliance with any Federal, State or local air permit.

With a twin-masted sterling silver replica of an Imabari sailing ship in front of them to commemorate the event, officials of Lasco Shipping Co. (LASCO) and Imabari Shipbuilding Co., Ltd., (Imabari) signed contracts for two 28,200 dwt logger/bulk carriers to be built at the Imabari shipyard. Imabari will deliver the first of the two vessels in February 2004 and the second in April 2004. "We're building on a well established good business relationship with Imabari", noted Anton U. Pardini, Lasco's President, calling attention to vessels in the LASCO fleet that were previously built by Imabari. Pardini went on to comment that "these vessels are designed, sized and built to provide economical service to the bulk commodity trades.