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Bohai Bay News

12 Jan 2021

China Energy Terminals on Alert as Sea Ice Slows Ships

Chinese ports and marine safety authorities are on high alert as an expansion of sea ice makes it tougher for ships to berth and discharge at key energy product import terminals along the coast of northern Bohai Bay.A cold wave sweeping the northern hemisphere has plunged temperatures across China to their lowest in decades, boosting demand for power and fuel to historic highs in the world's largest energy consumer."The sea ice situation is more severe this year than the same period in previous years," said Wang Jun, a professor specializing in transport issues at Dalian Maritime University."It could impede sailing and docking for vessels, no matter how big they are."Weather officials warned against severe frost this week in the region, with sea ice stretching 45 to 55 nautical miles at Li

10 Sep 2018

Scrubbers Market to Surpass $8 Bln by 2024 -Report

© bymandesigns / Adobe Stock

The market for marine exhaust gas cleaning systems, also known as scrubbers, is expected to continue generating momentum in the years ahead amid increasing concern toward maritime pollution and new environmental regulations. The global market share for marine scrubbers is predicted to surpass $8 billion by 2024, according to a report by Global Market Insights.As per the latest International Maritime Organization (IMO) legislation, effective from January 1, 2020, the maximum limit of sulphur in fuel oil used on board ships will be 0.5 percent m/m…

10 Aug 2018

China Ministry Seeks Feedback on LNG as Marine Fuel

© vladsv / Adobe Stock

China's Ministry of Transport said on Friday it is soliciting feedback from oil companies, shipowners' and port associations, and marine authorities for a plan to use liquefied natural gas (LNG) as a marine bunker fuel.China will expedite the planning and siting of key berths for LNG tankers in the Bohai Bay area of northern China, as well as along its main rivers, the ministry said.The ministry has asked companies and agencies to give feedback by Aug.

29 Jan 2018

China Plans First Lab on Ocean Oil Spill Cleaning

© Michal / Adobe Stock

China's Ministry of Transport is planning to establish a laboratory specialising in treating oil spills at sea, the first of its kind in the country, local media Science and Technology Daily reported on Sunday. China is spending some 200 million yuan a year on researches for emergency treatment of oil spills but the technological expertise has not been widely applied because of lack of such a lab, the report said. The laboratory is planned in northern port city of Tianjin, off the Bohai Bay, with an initial investment 400 million yuan ($63 million).

26 Jan 2018

Sea Ice Could Disrupt Shipping in Northern China

A January 26 satellite image shows sea ice in Northern China (Photo: China’s National Marine Environmental Forecasting Center)

A unit of China's State Oceanic Administration (SOA) on Friday issued a blue alert for sea ice in a key port area in the north of the country, potentially disrupting commodities shipments, as temperatures in the region plummet. Sea ice in the Liaodong Bay, the northern arm of China's Bohai Sea, now extends 67 nautical miles (124 km) from the shoreline, the North China Sea Marine Forecasting Center said in an 0700 GMT alert. Ice also extends 18 nautical miles out in the northern part of the Yellow Sea, the Center said.

07 Jun 2017

Antwerp Mulls China Collaboration

Antwerp Port Authority signed a collaboration agreement with the port of Caofeidian in China. The collaboration forms part of the “One Belt One Road” project in which China seeks to connect its main ports and industrial cities more closely with crucial trade centres elsewhere in the world including Europe. The Memorandum of Understanding was signed in the presence of the prime ministers of Belgium and China at a ceremony held in Val Duchesse castle where seven other agreements between the two countries were also concluded at the same time. Caofeidian is a very young but also a very dynamic port situated in the North of Bohai bay in China. Last year it handled 260 million tonnes of freight including 36 million tonnes of steel.

19 Jan 2017

Asia Dry Bulk-Capesize Rates to Hold Steady

Brazil-China rates hit 15-month high for second time this year. Freight rates for large capesize dry cargo ships on key Asian routes could hold steady or slip slightly next week after unexpectedly climbing this week on strong cargo volumes, ship brokers said. "It is a case of two oceans. In the Atlantic, Vale has been active from Brazil, and volumes from Saldanha Bay in South Africa are steady," said a Singapore-based capesize broker on Thursday. "In the Pacific, it's a waiting game with owners and charterers haggling over a 50 cent difference in the freight rate," the broker added. This occurred as capesize freight rates on the Brazil-to-China route on Wednesday hit the highest level since September 2015 for the second time this year following a surge in fixtures.

24 Feb 2016

Chinese yards to Deliver RAmparts Tugs

Robert Allan Ltd. has been hard at work in the Chinese market for the last few years, not only for various shipyard clients, but also for local owners. In addition to major international ports in China such as the Ports of Ningbo, Tianjin, Shanghai and Shenzhen, recent progress has been made on a regional level at the deep-water Port of Cao Fei Dian in northern China’s Bohai Bay in Hebei Province. Cao Fei Dian Port, with an annual cargo capacity over 100 million tonnes, will soon take delivery of its first Robert Allan Ltd. tug from Zhenjiang Shipyard (Group): a customized RAmparts 3300 Class design. Zhenjiang Shipyard, headquartered in Jiangsu Province, has now built 10 tugs of this Class. Six RAmparts 3200WASD tugs are presently under construction at Sanlin Shipyard in Shanghai.

10 Dec 2015

China Ramping Up Ship Emission Controls

China will introduce tough controls on ship emissions at three key port areas from January to reduce sulphur dioxide which results in acid rain, causing respiratory difficulties and sometimes premature death, said the Ministry of Transport. If strictly implemented the move would force oil suppliers to increase the supply of cleaner marine fuel, industry experts said. The ministry gave no details on how the new emissions rules would be enforced or penalties for non-compliance. The new rules will apply to merchant ships navigating or anchoring in the waters of Pearl River Delta, Yangtze River Delta and the Bohai Bay rim, with a goal to cut sulphur dioxide by 65 percent by 2020 from the 2015 level, according to a document issued by the Ministry of Transport.

11 Nov 2015

LOC Looks to a brighter Second Decade in China

LOC are setting key objectives for their second decade in China, while celebrating 10 years in multiple port cities across the country. “We are looking ahead to a great many things in China,” says Jon Walker, Regional Director of LOC. “All four of our current mainland China offices, in Shanghai, Tianjin, Qingdao and Shenzhen, are involved primarily on offshore energy work. This includes recent completion of warranty services for several platforms in the Bo Zhong 28/34 block development,” said Mr Ng. “China is a very important market for us, as it is for almost all of the global offshore and maritime industry, and we are seeing growing demand for our services.

02 Jun 2015

Sinking Casts Pall over China's Ship Safety Record

The sinking of a cruise boat on China's Yangtze River is likely to mar the country's generally clean maritime safety record, which hasn't suffered an incident of this magnitude since a passenger steamship blew up almost 70 years ago. The Eastern Star, which was carrying 458 people, capsized in a storm late on Monday, state media said, with those on board ranging in age from three to more than 80. Six bodies have been found and over a dozen people rescued, but more than 430 are still unaccounted for. The incident comes after China has beefed up maritime safety regulations in recent years, with authorities becoming even more stringent after last year's South Korean ferry disaster that killed more than 300 people, industry insiders said.

27 Feb 2015

Brightoil Reports Steady Growth in Interim Results

Photo: Brightoil Petroleum

Brightoil Petroleum (Holdings) Limited announced its interim results for the six months ended December 31, 2014, reporting steady growth over the period. During the period, profit attributable to the owners of the group increased 3% year-on-year to HK$561 million. Basic earnings per share amounted to 6.41 HK cents, up 3% from a year ago. Total revenue climbed 11% from HK$40.3 billion in 1HFY2014 toHK$44.9 billion for the period as the twin-engines business model (upstream and mid-downstream businesses) enabled the group to secure steady growth amid volatile oil prices.

14 Aug 2014

Roc Oil Starts Drilling on Block 09/05 & FARM-OUT OF 40%

Roc Oil (Bohai) Company, a wholly owned subsidiary of Roc Oil Company Limited (ASX:ROC), as operator of Block 09/05, Bohai Bay, Offshore China advises that drilling has commenced on the first exploration well QK11-1-1. Drilling from CPOE Rig 33 commenced at 11:00 China Standard Time on 14 August 2014. Total depth planned for this well is ~4,000 metres TVD (~4,500 metres measured depth). The 335 square kilometres block is located approximately 15 kilometres north of ROC’s existing Zhao Dong production and appraisal blocks in water depths of 5-15 metres. ROC was awarded 100% interest in the exploration block by China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) in May 2012 and signed a Petroleum Contract shortly thereafter.

16 Jul 2014

Brightoil Eyes Upstream After Bohai Purchase

Hong Kong-listed oil trader Brightoil Petroleum Holdings Ltd said on Wednesday it expects its upstream business to be the key long-term growth driver for the group following its acquisition of oil blocks in China's Bohai Bay. Chief financial officer Danny Tan was speaking at a media briefing on the company's strategy. Brightoil, which is involved in oil trading and also owns tankers and storage facilities, announced in February that it had agreed to buy Anadarko Petroleum Corp's stakes in two oil blocks in Bohai Bay off China's northeast coast for $1.08 billion in a major push into the upstream segment. Reporting by Charlie Zhu

08 Jun 2014

CIMC Raffles Delivers Jack-up Rig to Sinopec

A Jack-up Drilling Rig which was constructed by CIMC Raffles with Sinopec Independent design named “New Sheng Li 1#” was delivered to Sinopec Sheng Li Petroleum Engineering Co., Ltd. at CIMC Raffles on 6th June 2014. This was the 7th Jack-up drilling rigs that CIMC Raffles has delivered. It will be towed to Bohai Bay providing drilling service to Sinopec Sheng Li Oilfield soon. CCS and CIMC Raffles top  leaders attended the delivery ceremony. “New Sheng Li 1#” was the first new-build offshore drilling rig since Sinopec Oilfield Service Corporation was founded in 2012. The basic design and detail design was done by Sheng Li Drilling Technology Research Institute, the shop design and construction design was completed by CIMC Raffles. Equipment localization rate reaches above 90%.

24 Mar 2014

China Shipbuilding Industry Midgets Reigned In

China shipyard: File photo CCL

China signaled that it will cut its vast shipyard army to get industrial growth back on a healthy track this year, as its earning ability falters amid cheap vessel prices, blind expansion and speculation in the shipbuilding sector, according to Xinhua. China will drastically curb the number of shipyards, docks, berths and maintenance facilities it opens, reports Xinhua, citing Li Dong, deputy director-general at the department of equipment industry at the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.

13 Aug 2013

China Plans Bohai Bay Economic Hub in the North

The central government is considering plans to upgrade regional cooperation between Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei province to build a trilateral economic sphere in the Bohai Bay area, according to Xinhuanet. The Bohai Bay area is considered China's third economic engine, alongside the Pearl and Yangtze river deltas. A final blueprint covering issues such as logistics, tourism and environmental protection will be drafted based on the three proposals, with input from experts, industry insiders and central government departments, reports Xinhuanet, citing Zhang Zhiqiang, head of the Tianjin Development and Reform Commission. Tianjin, a port city with a population of 14 million…

19 Dec 2012

Wärtsilä to Design 6 OSVs for China's COSL

Wärtsilä signed a contract with China Oilfield Services Ltd (COSL) to supply the designs for a total of six new ships. The two Platform Supply Vessels (PSVs) and four Anchor Handling Tug Supply (AHTS) vessels will initially provide support operations in the South China Sea and Bohai Bay. The contract was signed in December 2012. The PSVs are based on Wärtsilä Ship Design's VS 485 PSV MKIII design that offers a highly energy and environmentally efficient vessel solution with an optimized hull design for greater efficiency, with corresponding reduced emission to air.

13 Mar 2012

Shipbuilding – China Hopeful to Double Output

China's shipbuilding industry may double its scale in the next four years on growth potential in sea transport and marine economy, and Shanghai is expected to play a big role toward meeting the goal. By the end of 2015, the market size of shipbuilders and marine equipment makers may hit 1.2 trillion yuan (US$190 billion) with the value of exports touching US$80 billion, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology said yesterday when it released a guideline of the 12th Five-Year Plan for the shipping industry. Chinese shipyards may take up at least five spots among the world's top 10 shipbuilders and the country's 10 biggest domestic shipbuilders may contribute more than 70 percent of the total output.

08 Feb 2012

Containership Alliance Launches Asia-Europe Service

Members of the G6 Alliance announced today that their groundbreaking cooperation in Asia-Europe container shipping will begin operation in the first week of March – one month ahead of schedule. “We are eager to roll out our competitive products to benefit customers by offering a comprehensive and increased coverage of 40 ports in the Asia-Europe market with more sailing frequency,” the members said in a statement. The G6 Alliance, serving the Asia-to-Europe-and-Mediterranean market was announced last December. The G6 Alliance members are the carriers in the Grand Alliance and New World Alliance: APL, Hapag-Lloyd AG, Hyundai Merchant Marine, Mitsui O.S.K Lines, Nippon Yusen Kaisha and Orient Overseas Container Line.

11 Jan 2012

China Terminal Joint Venture for Odfjell SE

Odfjell SE has made an agreement to enter into a joint venture via its subsidiary Odfjell Terminals Asia Pte Ltd (Singapore), with Tianjin Economic-Technology Development Area (TEDA) via its subsidiary Nangang Port Company to develop a terminal and marine facilities for bulk liquid chemicals, petroleum products and gases in the Nangang Industrial Zone (Tianjin) in China. The initial phase of the joint venture will consist of three deep sea berths and have a total storage capacity of about 150,000 cubic meters. The joint venture company will be named Odfjell Terminals Nangang (Tianjin), whereby Odfjell will hold 49% ownership and hold the operational management. The initial total investment is estimated to be about USD 160 million.

11 Jul 2011

China to Review Offshore Risks in Wake of Spill

China's ocean administration reportedly want companies operating offshore wells to be more transparent after two oil leaks seeped into water off the country's eastern coast unbeknownst to many local fishermen and residents last month, according to an AP story. China's State Oceanic Administration reportedly issued a notice Friday asking offshore oil producers to investigate any risks, review their emergency planning and assess the environmental impact of their operations. The orders come after two oil spills polluted 840 square kmof China's Bohai Bay. The State Oceanic Administration said 3,000 metres of sea booms and other devices were used to help clean up the spill, which has also raised widespread concern over the community's fisheries industry.

20 Oct 2010

New CNOOC Fields in Bohai Bay Start Production

CNOOC Limited announced that its two new oil fields, BoZhong (BZ) 26-3 and LuDa (LD) 32-2 in the Bohai Bay have successfully commenced production recently. BZ 26-3 is located in the central part of Bohai Bay, neighboring producing field BZ 25-1S. The field has an average water depth of about 25 meters. The development and production operations of BZ 26-3 mainly rely on the facilities of its surrounding oilfields. With 4 wells online currently, BZ 26-3 is expected to hit its peak production of more than 6,600 barrels per day in 2011. LD 32-2 is located in the Eastern Bohai Bay with water depth of about 25 meters, and adjacent to producing oil field LD 27-2. In order to reduce production cost, a joint development plan was carried out for both LD32-2 and LD27-2 fields.