Baltic Index Jumps 7%
The Baltic Exchange's main sea freight index, tracking rates for ships carrying dry bulk commodities, surged about 7 percent on Wednesday to register its biggest one-day percentage gain since November 2016, boosted by improving capesize activity. The overall index, which factors in rates for capesize, panamax and supramax shipping vessels, was up 72 points, or 6.8 percent, at 1,124 points, the highest since March 26. The index has risen for the eighth straight session.
New Japanese-built LNG Carrier Named
A naming ceremony was held for a new liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier, Diamond Gas Orchid, at Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd.’s Nagasaki Shipyard.The newbuild, owned by Diamond LNG Shipping 1 Pte. Ltd., a 50/50 joint venture company between NYK and Mitsubishi Corporation (MC), will sail under a long-term time-charter contract with MC’s wholly owned subsidiary in Singapore, Diamond Gas International Pte.
BIMCO’s Market Analysis Team Launch Supply Side Graph Section
BIMCO’s Market Analysis Team launches a graph section, where BIMCO members can get an overview of a specific sector and how the supply side of that sector develops. “We have structured the data and made it easily available through our website. In this way our members will follow the most recent developments affecting their core interest. This gives them an unbiased and transparent tool for their decision-making process.
Langh Tech Warns of Sulphur Fuel Carriage Ban Impact
Finland-based exhaust gas cleaning firmLangh Tech has explained how last week’s decision to prohibit the carriage of noncompliant fuel oil will have a material and technical impact on commercial ship operations.In a special panel session during the Sulphur Cap 2020 conference in Amsterdam, Langh Tech Managing Director Laura Langh-Lagerlof told delegates, “If such measures are adopted, any shipowner…
Carnival Horizon Delivered to LR Class
In March, Carnival Cruise Line took delivery of its new 133,500 GT cruise ship, Carnival Horizon, designed and built to Lloyd’s Register (LR) class. Constructed by Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri at its yard in Marghera, the 323-meter Carnival Horizon has a capacity of 3,960 guests, plus 1,450 crew. The ship is the 26th in Carnival’s fleet and second in the Vista-class following Carnival Vista delivered in April 2016.
Gas Pipeline Fire Closes Intracoastal Waterway
Egypt Ports to Work 24/7 to Expedite Cargoes
Egypt will keep its ports running for 24 hours a day, up from 16 currently, in an effort to cut down on "long waiting times" for shipments, Transportation Minister Hesham Arafat said on Wednesday. The extended port hours will not come at any added cost for shippers, he said. Arafat did not specify when the new port hours would come in to effect or how long the new policy would remain in place. Traders…
Greek Ferries Idled as Mariners Strike
Greek ferries remained docked at the country's ports on Wednesday as seamen, marine engineers and ship cooks walked off the job to protest against planned government reforms which they say will further hurt their labour rights. The 24-hour strike was organised by Greece's seamen federation (PNO), which said the leftist-led government was preparing a reform allowing non-European flagged transport ships to sail in Greece, leading to job losses for Greek crews.
Damen Delivers Third Shoalbuster to Kazmortransflot
National Maritime Shipping Company Kazmortransflot LLP has taken delivery of its third Damen Shoalbuster 2709, the last in the current order.The vessels are ideal for operations in the shallow waters of the Caspian Sea and are now playing a role in the development of oil fields in the Kazakh section of the inland sea and significantly expanding the range of services that Kazmortransflot can offer its clients.
Singapore Sets Out to Curb Ship Collisions
Singapore is set to get new technology to help in preventing ship collisions.The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) said it has engaged the services of the Agency for Science, Technology and Research's Institute of High Performance Computing (IHPC), Singapore Management University (SMU) and Fujitsu to develop new predictive technologies for maritime vessel traffic management. These predictive technologies will tap the power of artificial intelligence and big data analytics…
FRC Richard Snyder to Be Commissioned Friday
The U.S. Coast Guard is scheduled to commission Fast Response Cutter, the Richard Snyder, during a ceremony in Atlantic Beach, N.C. on Friday.The vessel was built by Bollinger Shipyards in Louisiana and delivered to the Coast Guard on February 8, 2018, in Key West, Fla.The cutter is named after Richard Snyder, a World War II hero known for his brave actions in battle defending troops coming to shore on the Island of Biak at the western edge of Papua New Guinea.
Oil Plus bags $1.5 mi Middle East Deals
Oil Plus has secured contracts worth more than $1.5m over the past three months and has significantly expanded its footprint in the Middle East. The company has also reported a strong start to the year with sales up by 285% compared to the last quarter of 2017. Due to the surge of new business, the Newbury-based company, which employs in excess of 30 people, plans to recruit another eight over the next 12 months.
UZMAR Joins Robert Allan Century Club
UZMAR SHIPYARD of Turkey has officially joined the Robert Allan Ltd. Century Club, with construction underway on its 100th tug to a Robert Allan Ltd. design. This new tug is a RAstar 3200-W destined for service on Canada’s West Coast with SAAM-SMIT Canada. This milestone tug, expected to be delivered in early 2019, represents the state-of-the-art in the design and construction of ASD escort tugs in a sub-500 GRT hull.
Liebherr: Purely Electrical Portal Crane
The new LPS 420 E is the latest extension of the Liebherr mobile harbour crane product range. The newly designed machine is a purely electric driven portal crane. All crane movements like luffing, hoisting, slewing and travelling are done by electric motors. As the LPS 420 E is a member of the LHM series, it is also characterised by high modularity. Therefore, it is a universal all-rounder and a key asset for handling every type of cargo…
Australia: 21 Patrol Boat, $300m Deal
Australia said that it will gift Timor-Leste two new patrol boats following the finalization of the shipbuilding arrangements. The new arrangements follow the agreement…
Eight Robert Allan Tugs for Persero
PT Pelabuhan Indonesia III (Persero) has taken delivery of the first eight, of a total 15, RAzer ASD tugs designed by Robert Allan Ltd. The two RAzer 2960, two RAzer 2935 and four RAzer 2940 tugs are part of a major terminal expansion and fleet renewal program undertaken by Pelindo III in its operational territory. The RAzer 2960s and RAzer 2935s were built by PT Daya Radar Utama Shipyards in Jakarta…
CMA CGM Welcomes IMO Policy to Cut Carbon Emissions by 50% in 2050
A world leader in maritime transport CMA CGM reaffirmed its commitment towards the protection of the environment following the International Maritime Organization (IMO)’s historic decision aimed at reducing by 50% the industry’s CO2 emissions in 2050. "The CMA CGM Group welcomes the adoption, by member countries of the IMO, of a strategy aimed at reducing carbon emissions by 50% in 2050 in the maritime transport industry," said a press statement.
Shipbuilding: StealthGas Adds LPG Vessel
StealthGas announced the delivery of its last newbuilding LPG vessel and the completion of its newbuilding program. The vessel delivered yesterday (April 17, 2018) is a 22,000 cbm ice class semi refrigerated hybrid scrubber fitted eco LPG carrier, the Eco Freeze, the fourth and last 22,000 cbm semi refrigerated eco LPG newbuild. This acquisition concludes the Company’s expansion phase which commenced in 2011 and totaled the acquisition of 26 newbuilding LPG vessels.
Liodden Named OBR's Sustainability Director
Oslo Business Region (OBR) has engaged Birgit M. Liodden as Director for Sustainability, Ocean Industries and Communication, with effect of May 2018. Liodden will be responsible for OBR’s activities linked to Oslo as European Green Capital 2019, and implementation of sustainability focus throughout all activities. She will also be responsible for ocean industries – a new area for Oslo Business Region – representing vast opportunities onwards.
Scorpio Bulkers Refinances Ultramax Vessel
Monaco-based Scorpio Bulkers announced that the Company has entered into a financing transaction in respect of one of the Company’s Ultramax vessels with an unaffiliated third party in Japan. As part of the transaction, the Company will sell a 2015 Japanese built Ultramax dry bulk vessel, SBI Tango, for a consideration of $19.0 million and then lease it back from the buyer through a five-year bareboat charter agreement at a rate of $5,400 per day.
