Supply and Demand: Asia-Med
Asia/Med peak season started badly as cargo growth from Asia to the Mediterranean was poor in June, which is an ominous sign for the rest of this year’s peak season. Containerized exports from Asia to the Mediterranean rose by only 1% between May and June, up to 415,000,000 teu, which does not auger well for the rest of the peak season. As the market is partly driven by tourism, much has to be in place before the end of August.
Today in U.S. Naval History: August 12
Today in U.S. 1918 - SECNAV approves acceptance of women as yeoman in U.S. 1942 - USS Cleveland (CL-55) demonstrates effectiveness of radio-proximity fuze (VT-fuze) against aircraft by successfully destroying three drones with proximity bursts fired by her five-inch guns. 1944 - LT Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr., USNR, the older brother of John F. Kennedy, was killed with his copilot in a midair explosion after taking off from England in a PB4Y from Special Attack Unit One (SAU-1).
Calnetix Drive System Passes Navy Tests
Calnetix Technologies, a manufacturer of high-speed permanent magnet motor generators, power electronics and magnetic bearings for a variety of applications and industries…
SeaZone Launches Free Web-Embeddable Map Widgets
Marine geospatial data provider SeaZone has created a series of map widgets to embed into web pages, available free of charge. By embedding the map widgets into a web page, the user has instant access to SeaZone’s worldwide marine mapping. Data is available to purchase through one-click online purchasing, and is made available to download almost immediately. Keiran Millard, manager, SeaZone, said, “Our map widgets are windows into our online store.
IMO Secretary-General to Make Arctic Voyage
IMO Secretary-General Koji Sekimizu departs later this week (Thursday, August 15) on a five-day Arctic sea voyage as part of a fact-finding mission to the region. Mr. Sekimizu will be the guest of the government of the Russia aboard the nuclear-powered icebreaker 50 Let Pobedy as she voyages on the Northern Sea Route that links Europe and northern Russia. Mr. Sekimizu will commence his voyage from the port of Dikson…
New Hobart Flux-Cored Wires
The newest addition to the Hobart family of AWS E70T-1 welding wires— the Hobart FabCO 70XHP gas-shielded flux-cored wire — offers low fume generation rates to help improve operator comfort and high deposition rates that help increase productivity, the manufacturer said. The new wire complements the FabCO TR-70 and FabCO RXR wires currently offered under the Hobart brand. Together, the three wires provide a continuum of benefits…
Blue Sky Adds Map Overlay Features to SkyRouter
Blue Sky Network, a supplier of satellite tracking and communication solutions for aviation, land and marine, announced several new map overlay enhancements to its cloud-based fleet management solution, New SkyRouter. The new overlays include third-party weather feeds and localized traffic information from Bing Maps. Blue Sky Network also provides an overlay for oil and gas lease block data in the Gulf of Mexico and customer specific overlays such as pipelines or power lines.
Laying the Keel; Carefully
Looking toward the future and with a weather eye on what could come next, Oregon-based Vigor Industrial launched a six-month training program this July in welding, fabricating and fitting with South Seattle Community College at a new center on Harbor Island. Vigor acquired the site overlooking downtown Seattle when it bought Todd Pacific Shipyards in 2011. And, as an active bidder for the U.S. Coast Guard’s coveted Offshore Patrol Cutter (OPC) program…
Good News Comes in Threes
Caterpillar, Wärtsilä and Volvo Penta introduce new, efficient and environmentally compliant engines. A crowded market becomes even more competitive. Forget all…
U.S. Maritime Strategy: a Time for New Beginnings
The imperative for a holistic United States maritime strategy has never been greater. This is not news to many of you, but the call must be raised more persistently…
Cellular Signal Boosters: Relief for Inland & Coastal Mariners
Wilson Electronics, a U.S.-based manufacturer of cellular signal boosters, is targeting inland and coastal waterway users with a new marine initiative. The development…
Clean Hybrid Technology Gets EPA Verification
Clean hybrid technology that's already proving its value in two of the world's most environmentally sensitive ports has received verification from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Maritime Design to Aid Construction of U.S. LNG Vessels
Jim Konopasek, president of Maritime Design, Inc. since 1983, has recently completed and attained certification from the American Bureau of Shipping in the design and construction of LNG carriers at the ABS Shanghai, China office. Maritime Design, Inc. offers to assist Jones Act vessel owners and operators in conveying their small scale LNG fleet needs through early development to construction. Mr. Konopasek is principal owner of Maritime Design, Inc.
Marlink VSAT Supports Simon Møkster Communications
Simon Møkster Shipping’s fleet of 23 offshore supply and specialist vessels is now fully connected to the Microsoft Lync platform through Sealink, Marlink’s customized VSAT service. Sealink has enabled the established Norwegian offshore vessel operator to roll-out Microsoft’s standardized business collaboration and communication platform across its organization on land and at sea, resulting in operational benefits in addition to substantial savings in the cost of crew calling.
Late again, but who is to blame?
With the peak season now in full flow, cargo rollovers are more likely, but ocean carriers are not the only party to blame. Cargo no-shows and phantom bookings are still a major headache for ocean carriers, particularly during the peak season. Whilst cargo booked from Asia to Europe was being rolled onto following vessels at the beginning of July due to a combination of unusual circumstances (see last week’s analysis of the Asia-North Europe tradelane for more details)…
IoM, KR Conclude Class Pilot Project
IoM cooperation with the Korean Register (KR) could yield more Asia based tonnage for the Isle of Man ship registry; more than a third of Isle of Man Ship flagged tonnage now operated by ship owners from the Asia Pacific region. The Isle of Man Ship Registry (IoM) recently completed a pilot project with the Korean Register (KR) as a first step towards full recognition of the Korean classification society.
MOL Comfort’s Sister Vessels Receive Safety Upgrades
Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (MOL) reports that itself, other concerned parties and Lloyd’s Register (LR), which MOL appointed as technical consultant, have conducted…
Great Lakes Limestone Trade Dips in July
Shipments of limestone on the Great Lakes totaled 3.5 million tons in July, a decrease of 2.9% compared to June, and 13.6% off the pace of a year ago. Shipments from U.S.
Siemens Receives Major Order for Russian LNG Project
Siemens will deliver the key components for a power station that is going to supply the future Yamal LNG (Liquified Natural Gas) production plant in Northern Russia with electricity and heat.
Imtech Subcontracted Under Canadian NSPS Program
Imtech Marine Canada (IMC) has been awarded its first subcontract of the extensive Canadian government National Shipbuilding Procurement Strategy (NSPS) Program for the engineering of an Offshore Fisheries Science Vessel. Imtech Marine takes responsibility for the ships’ platform automation, electrical solutions, electric propulsion and heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems and has started the first engineering activities.
