Mediterranean News

Italy's Eni will not relinquish its interests in Cyprus, its CEO said on Wednesday, as an uneasy standoff between Turkey and the Mediterranean island lingered over offshore hydrocarbons resources.The Italian state-controlled energy giant had to abandon a scheduled drill for oil and gas south of Cyprus in February because of Turkish military exercises. The broader region has yielded some of the largest natural gas finds worldwide in recent years."I just want to remind (sic) that so far we have invested about 700 million euros in Cyprus. That means that there's strong engagement and commitment towards the country," Eni CEO Claudio Descalzi…

Taiwanese ocean shipping company Yang Ming Marine Transport Corporation has set up the new regional center in Mediterranean area named Yang Ming(Mediterranean) Marine Services Single-Member Limited Liability Company. The new company will start to provide services on 2nd April 2018 in Piraeus, Greece, and Mr. Ted Wu has officially been appointed as Managing Director for the first term. In light of the impressive economic growth in the Mediterranean region, Yang Ming sets up its owned company to serve as the regional center which will strengthen its presence and connect closer to Mediterranean…

The Grande New York, part of the new fleet of the Grimaldi Group, was christened in the Port of NY-NJ at Port Newark Auto Marine Terminal (FAPS). Godmother was Amanda Matilda Cuomo Cole, granddaughter of former late NY Governor, Mario Cuomo and niece of current NY Governor Andrew Cuomo. Father Peter Haldás of St. John Paul II blessed the ship during a short ceremony to a distinguished delegation composed of maritime authorities, customers, port operators and managers of Grimaldi Group and daughter company Atlantic Container Line.

CMA CGM strengthens its historical presence on the Mediterranean market by connecting France, Spain, Turkey, Lebanon, Egypt, Malta and Algeria direct. CMA CGM offers a direct connection between East Med and West Med. CMA CGM has announced the launch of the first Group’s service dedicated to intra Mediterranean trades. The WEMED service (West Med – East Med) was launched on March 11th 2016 and offers the Group’s clients direct transport solutions to Eastern Mediterranean countries (France, Spain, Algeria) and Western Mediterranean countries (Turkey, Lebanon, Egypt).

Dynamar has published “INTRA-MEDITERRANEAN CONTAINER TRADES”, the latest report in its Container Trades and Markets series. Salient details and interesting findings of the new report are discussed here below. Intra-Mediterranean (2014) Container Trades is all about the 170 services operated by 40 different shipping companies deploying 275 container, Ro/Ro and multipurpose ships with container capacities of 400 to 3,000 TEU that populate the intra and coastal all Mediterranean waters.

North America - Mediterranean container shipping trade. The frequency of its service between ports on the U.S. 3300 teu. Middle East and Indian sub-continent. responsibility for Contship Containerlines. strength. that are shipping between the USA, Mexico and the Mediterranean. Barcelona, Valencia and Miami.

Hapag-Lloyd informs about the new rotation effective July 5, 2016. We would like to inform you that as from July 5, 2016 Hapag-Lloyd will enhance its intra Mediterranean Service between Egypt and Black Sea. With this enhancement we will have an improved port coverage and a more reliable schedule. First sailing will be Conti Basel from Damietta on July 5, 2016.

Starting May 9, container shipper CMA CGM has launched the new Baltic Levant Express service, offering a direct connection between Saint Petersburg and the Eastern Mediterranean region. Dedicated to the Eastern Mediterranean region - Northern Europe trade, the new service links four major Northern European ports Hamburg, Rotterdam, Antwerp and le Havre to the main Eastern Mediterranean ports Alexandria, Beirut, Mersin and Aliaga. Alexandria is now directly linked from le Havre in nine days.

Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC)announced that the company now offers new direct service to West Mediterranean ports in addition to its existing North Atlantic Service. This service is being operated using five 1200 TEU capacity vessels on a weekly basis. Valencia, Naples, La Spezia and returning to Boston. moving to and from Western Europe," said Nicola Arena, president of MSC (USA) Inc. Gulf to North Europe; plus their Atlantic service to the Western Mediterranean out of Charleston. Mediterranean areas (via Relay Service) can be accommodated. available between U.S. Mexico and the Caribbean. While the company's North Atlantic to Europe vessels will not stop in Freeport…

This morning Dryad Maritime released their Mediterranean Special Advisory, an in depth report, looking at the complex threats currently facing commercial shipping in the Mediterranean Sea. It has been written with the purpose of providing a better understanding of this important area of sea, which currently faces political instability, mass migration and the threat of maritime terrorism. “The current refugee and migrant crisis seen in the Mediterranean stands as one of the greatest instances of mass migration since the end of the Second World War.

Two French students arrived yesterday (9th October) in Istanbul, finishing a 14 month epic 10,000km journey by sea kayak, having set off from Gibraltar in July 2013. Sponsored by leading marine lubricant supplier Total Lubmarine, the pair conducted important research into toxic algae and noise pollution in the Mediterranean. The journey, part of the Mare Nostrum Project, saw Louis Wilmotte and Douglas Couet paddle the whole length of Europe’s Mediterranean coast in a sea kayak carrying out scientific, educational and cultural assignments.

A closed arbitrage from other regions and refinery shutdowns have tightened the Mediterranean diesel market driving cargo premiums to ICE gasoil futures to their highest since August 2015. "It's almost impossible to find cargoes for the first half of May in the Mediterranean," one trader active in the region said. "Arbitrage from the U.S. (into the Mediterranean) is not really working, or just working on a 10-minute basis so nobody is able to fix cargoes," he added. As a result…

CMA CGM has announced the launch starting July 2 of its new service between the East Mediterrane an, Djibouti, Arabian Gulf, Pakistan and India. The service is one of the fastest between these strategic zones and connects CMA CGM hubs in the Mediterranean and the Arabian Gulf. INDIAMED will complement our MEGEM (East Mediterranean to/from Middle East) and MEDEX (West Mediterranean to/from Middle East & Indian Sub-Continent) offering synergies between services to allow an improved port coverage of these areas and better connections.

Russia has reportedly dispatched an 11-ship aircraft carrier group to the Mediterranean Sea, according to an AP report, in a resumption of Russian naval patrols of the world’s waters. The move is in line with recent moves by Russia to expand its military presence and flex it’s growing economic strength. According to the AP report, an aircraft carrier, two anti-submarine ships, a guided missile cruiser along with refueling ships from Russia's Northern and Black Sea fleets and 47 aircraft will be part of the group in the Mediterranean.

The United Nations Security Council expressed grave concern on Tuesday at the growth in people smuggling in the Mediterranean Sea and deplored Sunday's deadly shipwreck of migrants trying to reach Europe that may have killed as many as 900 people. The large boat capsized off the coast of Libya as it was trying to reach the Italian island of Lampedusa. More than 36,000 people have tried to cross the Mediterranean this year, the U.N. says, most fleeing from Libya. "The members of the Security Council expressed their grave concern at the recent proliferation of, and endangerment of lives by, the smuggling of migrants in the Mediterranean Sea, off the coast of Libya," the 15-member body said in a statement.

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. The reform is coming on top of pension cuts, rising unregistered labour and work without any insurance, PNO said.

Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) will file a General Rate Increase (GRI) of $160 per 20 ft container and $200 per 40 ft unit on all cargo moving from Europe to the USA. The company will also file a GRI of $200 per 20 ft unit and $250 per 40 ft unit applicable to freight moving from  Italy, Spain and Portugal (Western Mediterranean service)  to the USA, all coasts. These new rate increases go into effect April 1, 2009. Mediterranean Shipping Company is a privately-owned company based in Geneva, Switzerland. As of early January 2009, MSC was operating 419 container vessels with an intake capacity of 1,460,000 TEU's. 

Transas Middle East instals & commissions standalone AIS solution at the Port of Aqaba, Jordan. Transas standalone AIS solution incorporates the latest VTS technology and meets all international standards. At the core of the system is Transas AIS Base station T214, state-of-the art solution designed specifically for coastal surveillance, vessel traffic monitoring and ports management. Intended to cover Aqaba Port, its inner port waters, navigational channels and fairways, this effective solution will significantly contribute to the prevention of marine pollution, improvement of safety navigation and overall security of the port. In addition…

Rescuers saved around 300 migrants from rubber and wooden boats in the Mediterranean on Wednesday but recovered six dead bodies during the operations, the Italian coastguard said.   Coastguard and naval ships as well as two privately owned tugs rescued the people from four boats in the central Mediterranean, the coastguard said in a statement.   It gave no details on the nationalities of those saved or those who died.   Most of the more than 4,700 deaths in the Mediterranean counted by the International Organization for Migration so far this year were reported in crossings to Italy from Libya, where traffickers have taken advantage of lawlessness to set up profitable businesses. (Reporting By Gavin Jones; Editing by Hugh Lawson)

United Arab Shipping Company (UASC) has announced a new Indian Subcontinent Mediterranean Express Service (IMEX), providing its customers with optimal coverage from the Arabian Gulf, Indian Subcontinent and Red Sea into West Mediterranean. This new, fixed–day, weekly service is set to replace UASC’s Middle East Indian Subcontinent Mediterranean - US East Coast service (MINA) that currently operates from Middle East to West Mediterranean and the U.S. As part of its global expansion and customer service excellence strategy…

United Arab Shipping Company (UASC) has launched a new Indian Subcontinent Mediterranean Express Service (IMEX) on 26 February, offering coverage from the Arabian Gulf, Indian Subcontinent and Red Sea into West Mediterranean. This new, fixed–day, weekly service is set to replace UASC’s Middle East Indian Subcontinent Mediterranean - US East Coast service (MINA) that currently operates from Middle East to West Mediterranean and the US. The IMEX service rotation, effective February 26th 2016…

Mediterranean Project Chartering (MPC), a subsidiary of BBC Chartering & Logistic, is moving its head office in Genoa. Business growth since it was established in 2007 to foster the commercial business activities of BBC in markets across the Mediterranean, has necessitated a move to a larger dedicated office. “As BBC’s representative for the Mediterranean, we have benefited from having access to a large, versatile and constantly growing fleet of more than 140 modern and multipurpose heavy lift vessels,” said MPC managing director, Matteo Fortuna. “This has enabled us to develop a number of sailing options over the last two years. Whilst they are not scheduled liner services…

Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) announced the start of a new service linking the East Coast of South America with the Mediterranean commencing January 10, 2003. MSC will offer a dedicated directs service to and from the major ports on the East Coast of South America to ports in the Mediterranean. Additionally, the company will enhance its port coverage in Brazil with direct calls at Itajai and Parangua. A string of 6 vessels with capacities averaging 4,500 TEUs will be deployed in this dedicated service. The port rotation for these ships will be as follows: La Spezia, Genoa, Fos, Barcelona, Valencia, Las Palmas, Rio de Janeiro, Santos, Buenos Aires, Paranagua, Itajai, Rio de Janeiro, Vitoria, Las Palmas and Lisbon.