Gibraltar Strait News

Japanese trading house Itochu Corp will study joint ownership and operation of ammonia-fueled ships with Taiwan's U-Ming Marine Transport Corp, Itochu said in a statement, as Japan is bets on ammonia to cut emissions.The shipping industry transports about 90% of world trade, and accounts for nearly 3% of the world's carbon dioxide emissions; and installing ship engines that burn cleaner fuels could help slow global warming trends.The IMO has set a target of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by around 2050…

With the global fuel sulphur limit of 0.5% entering into force in 2020, the interest towards LNG as a marine fuel is increasing. One of the main obstacles to the accelerated uptake of LNG, however, is the uncertainty regarding future market volumes for LNG. DNV GL has addressed this issue in a recent market study on the future LNG market in the Iberian Peninsula, as part of driving the development of an EU-wide network of LNG refuelling points. DNV GL conducted the market study on behalf of the six-year CORE LNGas hive project1, which aims to provide an investment plan for LNG fuelling in Spain and Portugal. The 33 million Euro project is coordinated by Enagas, and co-funded by the European Commission.

APM Terminals placed an order for 16 new advanced Rubber-Tire Gantry cranes (RTGs) as part of an ongoing program of upgrading and expanding container handling capabilities and capacities throughout the APM Terminals Global Terminal Network. Twelve of the high-performance RTGs are scheduled for delivery to APM Terminals Algeciras, in Spain, while the remaining four are destined for APM Terminals Apapa, Nigeria, with delivery in one year. The new 16-wheeled RTGs, to be manufactured by Konecranes, will offer a lifting capacity of 41 tons, and the ability to maneuver containers into stacks five containers high. APM Terminals Algeciras, the largest container terminal in the Western Mediterranean market…

With the aim of giving a better service to its customers, CEPSA Marine Fuels, S.A. has put into place a new barge in Algeciras Bay, providing service for the ports of the Strait. The double hull barge is the Monte Anaga, which is new building and holds the most advanced technology. It has been specially designed to supply marine products in terms of manoeuvres, pumping rates, automatic blenders, radar soundings and meters. It segregates up to four different products, two for heavy products and two for lighter ones, providing a great versatility in everyday operations. The Monte Anaga is 4.335 MT DWT with a pumping rate of 4x250 m3/h for heavy and 2x100 for light products, and with capacity of 3.300 MT for heavy products and 550 MT for lighter ones.

With the aim of giving a better service to its customers, CEPSA Marine Fuels, S.A. has put into place a new barge in Algeciras Bay, providing service for the ports of Algeciras and Gibraltar. The double hull barge is the Spabunker Cuarenta, which is new built and holds the most advanced technology. It has been specially designed to supply bunkers in terms of manoeuvres, pumping rates, automatic blenders, radar soundings and meters. It segregates up to five different products, three for fuel, one for MGO and one for MDO, providing a great versatility in everyday operations.

Continuity is a valuable asset in the marine field, especially so in relation to the most essential products pivotal to vessel design and operation. The diesel engine producers' adeptness at enhancing existing, successful designs at intervals through power and performance upgradings is a prime example of the development potential built into ships' machinery, making for longevity of the series involved. The ensuing continuity of the product line offers practical benefits to the client market and also to the licensors and manufacturers, given the huge investment costs entailed in developing entirely new engines and putting the requisite tooling in place.

Incat recently delivered a new 321-ft. (98 m) wave piercing catamaran to one of Spain’s largest shipping companies, Acciona Trasmediterránea. Milenium Tres is the sixth Incat high speed catamaran to join an Acciona Trasmediterránea fleet which already includes the 314-ft. (96 m) Milenium and the 321-ft. Milenium Dos, both of which have been operating on the Spanish mainland-Balearic Islands links since 2000 and 2003 respectively, and also the 96 metre Alborán on the Gibraltar Strait’s busy Algeciras – Ceuta crossing. In addition, this summer saw Incat’s K-class catamaran Incat K3 in operation on the new route from Alicante to Palma and Ibiza.