Teo Shipping News

Around 300 ships caught in jam that would stretch 40 miles; freight rates for biggest coal, ore carrier hit 3-yr high. More than 300 large dry cargo ships are having to wait outside Chinese and Australian ports in a maritime traffic jam that spotlights bottlenecks in China's huge and global commodity supply chain as demand peaks this winter. With some vessels waiting to load coal and iron ore outside Australian ports for over a month, key charter rates have jumped to their highest in more than three years. Placed end-to-end, the total delayed fleet would stretch more than 40 miles, enough to span the English Channel from Dover to Calais and back.

The disabled freighter that was stranded 100 miles off the coast of during Hurricane Ike is now operating under its own power. The 484-ft. Antalina was was forced to ride out the storm after it broke down in the , and its 22 crewmembers made it safely through the hurricane. Coast Guard Lt. Cmdr. Shawn Decker said Sunday that the Antalina, a Cyprus-flagged cargo freighter, had power but was still being escorted by tugboats. Darrell Wilson, a spokesman for Greece-based TEO Shipping, which owns the ship, said the Antalina will drop anchor somewhere off the coast and offload its cargo of petroleum coke. Source:  Chronicle