Wallenius Wilhelmsen Inks Long-Term Lease for Georgia’s Brunswick Port
Wallenius Wilhelmsen has signed a 20-year lease agreement with the Georgia Ports Authority (GPA), with options up to 30 years for Brunswick port expansion, increasing its strategic terminal and processing networkUpgraded and enlarged Brunswick facilities will further expand the scope and scale of U.S. Southeast operations of Wallenius Wilhelmsen, which is the world's largest RoRo vessel operator.The Brunswick expansion will further cement the company’s position as the favored partner for North American customers…
Simulators Track our Changing Relationship with Technology
Simulation-based training has its whole-of-ship/whole-of-team scenarios, but zooming in, the industry is now working on more specific targets.We have a close relationship with technology, evidenced by, for example, the phones we are estimated to unlock around 50-80 times a day. It has changed us. Half the people surveyed in a 2022 King’s College London study said that they feel like their attention span is shorter than it used to be. They are wrong, though, if they think that the average attention span of adults today is just eight seconds, one second less than goldfish.
Wärtsilä to Supply Cargo Handling System for Scale Gas’ LNG Bunkering Vessel
Wärtsilä Gas Solutions, part of technology group Wärtsilä, has signed a contract for the supply of cargo handling system for a new 12,500 m3 LNG bunkering vessel being built for Spanish shipowner Scale Gas, a subsidiary of Enagás.The order has been placed by the yard building the vessel, Nantong CIMC Sinopacific Offshore & Engineering, and was booked by Wärtsilä in the first quarter of 2024.The vessel is co-financed from the Support for Sustainable and Digital Transport Programme…
Iron Ore Shipments Up 3.8% Despite Weak Chinese Demand
In the first quarter of 2024, global iron ore shipments rose 3.8% y/y on expectation of strong Chinese steel production which, however, failed to materialise. Iron ore supply has grown faster than Chinese demand which could lead to weaker shipments ahead, says Filipe Gouveia, Shipping Analyst at BIMCO.During the start of the year, Brazilian iron ore shipments typically slow down due to mining disruptions caused by heavy rainfall. However, this year conditions were better and Vale…
ABB to Provide Hybrid-Electric Propulsion for MaineDOT Ferry
ABB has been selected by Maine Department of Transportation (MaineDOT) to supply a comprehensive grid-to-propeller solution for the new double-ended, hybrid-electric ferry that will provide essential services between the town of Lincolnville and the island community of Islesboro in the United States.ABB’s scope of supply covers the hybrid-electric propulsion and energy storage system. ABB’s Onboard DC Grid™ power distribution system will ensure optimal use of energy sources, while…
Red Sea Conflict Brings Massive Carbon Emissions Increases
Conflict in the Red Sea has brought massive carbon emissions increases in ocean freight container shipping, according to data just released by Xeneta.The Xeneta and Marine Benchmark Carbon Emissions Index (CEI), which measures carbon emissions per ton of cargo transported across the world’s top 13 trades, hit 107.4 points in Q1 2024 - the highest it has been since the index began in Q1 2018.For containers being shipped via ocean from the Far East to Mediterranean, the CEI reveals carbon emissions increased by 63% in Q1 2024 compared to Q4 2023.
U.S. Installed Offshore Wind Capacity Jumps in First Quarter
Installed offshore wind capacity in the U.S. grew to 242MW in the first quarter of the year from 42MW in the previous quarter, the Oceantic Network said in its report, showcasing a recovery in a previously volatile industry.The offshore wind industry is expected to play a major role in helping several states and, the Biden administration meet goals to decarbonize the power grid and combat climate change.The industry had a tough 2023 after developers wrote off billions of dollars in impairment charges due to high-interest rates…
Subsea Vessel Market is Full Steam Ahead
Since our last market update in the subsea space about a year ago both our current market view and forecasts have strengthened significantly.While the demand picture is looking solid and arguing for a strong multi-year upcycle, the supply side has also started to wake from its slumber albeit ever so slightly at the time of writing. Moreover, we register an interesting dynamic on the shipowner side, where everyone is trying to position themselves for the impeding market boom.Please note that vessel definitions and abbreviations in this part of our industry can vary…
One-on-One: Rob Langford, VP, Global Offshore Wind, ABS
As the U.S. offshore wind industry endures a predictable number of stops and starts during its adolescence, common mantras are ‘learn from the established European model’ and ‘embrace technology transfer from the offshore oil and gas sector.’ In Robert Langford, the American Bureau of Shipping has all of that and more bundled in one neat package.Rob Langford has worked in the offshore industry for more than three decades, ‘cutting his teeth’ in a UK design firm working in the North Sea oil and gas platforms, the holy grail of rigorous conditions in offshore energy production.
Lhyfe Launches First Marketplace for Green Hydrogen
Green hydrogen producer Lhyfe has launched the first Green Hydrogen Marketplace, on its online portal Lhyfe Heroes.Since 2017, Lhyfe has been working to accelerate decarbonization through major innovations such as the world’s first industrial-scale green hydrogen production site directly connected to a wind farm in 2021, the world’s first pilot platform for producing green hydrogen at sea in 2022, and the digitalization of the sector, since 2022, with the Heroes digital platform…
EST-Floattech to Supply Battery System for Electric Pusherboat
EST-Floattech has been selected by KOTUG International to provide its containerized energy storage solution with Octopus Series energy modules for the E-Pusher 1 (Type M), the world’s first fully electric pusherboat operated by Cargill.The vessel was built by Padmos, and EST-Floattech worked with the yard, Sea and Shore, and Gebhard Electro to realize the system. The container is ESTRIN-Certified and has a capacity of 2MWh. It was designed and constructed in a little over half…
Belships Expands Its Newbuild Program
Belships announced has expanded its newbuild program with two new 64,000 dwt Ultramax bulk carriers scheduled for delivery in 2028.The Norwegian-based company now has a total of 10 newbuilds under construction at Japanese shipyards with delivery between 2024 and 2028. All vessels are leased on time charter for a period of 7 to 10 years from delivery, with purchase options around current market levels. There is no obligation to purchase any of the vessels. Cash breakeven for the vessels upon delivery is about $14…
China's Imports of Russian Oil Near Record High
Russia remained China's top oil supplier in March, data showed on Saturday, as refiners snapped up stranded Sokol shipments.China's imports from Russia, including supplies via pipelines and sea-borne shipments, jumped 12.5% on the year to 10.81 million metric tons, or 2.55 million barrels per day (bpd) last month, according to data from the General Administration of Customs.That was quite close to the previous monthly record of 2.56 million bpd in June 2023.Seven Russian tankers under sanctions offloaded Sokol cargoes in Chinese ports in March…
BHP Aims to Receive First Ammonia-fueled Bulk Carrier in 2026
Australia's BHP Group is planning to receive its first ammonia-fueled bulk carrier in 2026 as part of the company's plans to cut shipping emissions, a senior executive said.The global mining giant has shortlisted eight companies for the building, operation and fuel supply for at least one such vessel, Rashpal Singh Bhatti, vice president of maritime and supply chain excellence at BHP told Reuters late last week.However, it has not yet decided on the total number of vessels that it will order and is also assessing costs…
USCG Seeks 18 Members for National Towing Safety Advisory Committee
The U.S. Coast Guard said it is seeking to fill 18 vacancies on the National Towing Safety Advisory Committee, which advises the Secretary of Homeland Security, via the Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard on matters relating to shallow-draft inland navigation, coastal waterway navigation, and towing safety.The Coast Guard said it will consider applications for the following 18 vacancies:Seven members to represent the barge and towing industry, reflecting a regional geographic balance.One…
Wah Kwong Orders More LNG Carriers
Hong Kong-based shipping company Wah Kwong is finalizing a deal later this month to double the number of liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers that it has ordered to four, as it eyes growing global trade in the superchilled fuel, its chairman said.The ships would be delivered from 2027 onwards, Wah Kwong's Executive Chairman Hing Chao told Reuters on the sidelines of the Singapore Maritime Week ShipZERO28 event late last week."We have always been very optimistic about the outlook of LNG as a global energy," said Chao, adding that a lot of supply will have to come from the U.S.
MOL Orders Value Maritime’s Carbon Capture Unit for Tanker
Dutch company Value Maritime and Japanese shipping giant Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) have signed a contract for the supply an Exhaust Gas Cleaning System (EGCS) and carbon capture feature for an LR1 product tanker.With a deadweight (DWT) of 75,000, this is the largest vessel, in terms of DWT, and the first LR1 tanker that will sail with a Value Maritime’s 15 MW EGSC Filtree and carbon capture unit.The installation is expected to take place before the end of the year, according to…
Advanced Digitalization Discussed at Singapore Maritime Week
The Maritime International Advisory Panel (IAP) held its third annual meeting on April 16, 2024, during the Singapore Maritime Week 2024. This year, the Maritime IAP held in-depth discussions on the key developments in the maritime sector, including decarbonization, green financing, digitalization and cybersecurity.Established in 2022 by the Ministry of Transport (MOT) and the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA), the Maritime IAP aims to seek international perspectives on key long-term trends and developments that will shape the maritime industry.
Ship Recycling Markets Face Varied Fundamentals
This week, various holidays concluded across the globe just as Indian sub-continent ship recycling markets started to perk up amidst fundamentals that have independently enjoyed varying degrees of volatility and resurgence over recent weeks, reports cash buyer GMS.“Steel plate prices in Bangladesh and Pakistan remained flatlined at respectively firm levels - the effects of which has only helped these markets grab their share of high-priced fixtures since the start the of the year - all while the ever-volatile Indian plate price that fell last week…
New York Not Moving Forward With Three Offshore Wind Farms
New York State on Friday stalled three major offshore wind-energy projects after General Electric Vernova GE.N changed the turbine design, which the state said "materially altered" the plans.New York provisionally approved the projects in October 2023. They are Attentive Energy One being developed by TotalEnergies, Rise Light & Power and Corio Generation; Community Offshore Wind, which is backed by RWE and National Grid Ventures; and Vineyard Offshore's Excelsior Wind.But since then…
Ships Urged to Stay Vigilant in Gulf, Western Indian Ocean
British security firm Ambrey said on Friday merchant vessels transiting the Gulf and Western Indian Ocean were advised to stay alert in case of increased uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV) activity in the region.Ambrey said it had received information that indicated an "Israeli military strike" was conducted on Isfahan, Iran.Earlier, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) agency said it had seen similar reports but that there were no indications commercial maritime vessels…
Simulators Track our Changing Relationship with Technology
Simulation-based training has its whole-of-ship/whole-of-team scenarios, but zooming in, the industry is now working on more specific targets.We have a close relationship with technology, evidenced by, for example, the phones we are estimated to unlock around 50-80 times a day. It has changed us. Half the people surveyed in a 2022 King’s College London study said that they feel like their attention span is shorter than it used to be. They are wrong, though, if they think that the average attention span of adults today is just eight seconds, one second less than goldfish.
Shipping Industry Urges UN to Protect Vessels After Iran Seizure
Merchant ships and seafarers are increasingly in peril at sea as attacks escalate in the Middle East and the United Nations must do more to protect supply chains, the industry said in a letter released on Friday.Tensions have soared across the Middle East since the start of Israel's campaign in Gaza in October, with Israel or its ally the United States clashing repeatedly with Iranian-aligned groups in Lebanon, Syria, Iraq and Yemen.In a letter sent on Thursday to U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres…