Shell Trading News

Analysts and commentators are quick to point out that fossil fuels will power maritime equipment, and indeed dominate the fueling marketplace, well into the future. However, they will do so alongside new fuels, and new technologies, that will be introduced to the maritime sector in the coming years. In its September, 2023 report “Beyond the Horizon: View of the Emerging Energy Value Chains”, the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) explains that, “During the recent 80th meeting of the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC 80)…

The November edition of Marine News magazine highlighted a selection of the most notable American newbuilds delivered of 2023—from a first-of-its-kind green towboat, to the lead vessel in a series of game-changing ships to train U.S. mariners.Empire StateAs the lead vessel in a series of five new training ships being constructed to serve America's state maritime academies, Empire State is easily one of the most important U.S.-built vessels delivered in recent memory.Built by Philly Shipyard for the U.S.

The United States' first plug-in hybrid electric inland towing vessel was christened at a ceremony in Houston on Friday as the commercial marine industry continues to implement new technologies to reduce its environmental footprint.Kirby Inland Marine's Green Diamond will be time chartered by Shell Trading (US) Company, which will use the vessel to push barges throughout the Houston port region. According to Kirby, the vessel can achieve an estimated 80% reduction in fuel use and related emissions.“We are excited to be the first to market with a plug-in hybrid inland towing vessel…

Corvus Energy on Thursday announced it will supply shoreside battery energy storage systems (ESS) for Crowley's eWolf, the first zero-emission, all-electric tugboat being built for operations in the U.S.The system will consist of two Corvus Orca BOBs—the containerized version of the Corvus Orca ESS—used for charging the vessel shoreside from when it enters service in San Diego’s harbor in 2023.Corvus Energy is also supplying the 6.2 MWh Corvus Orca ESS on board eWolf, which is currently under construction at Master Boat Builders…

U.S.-based shipping and logistics form Crowley said it is teaming up with international energy major Shell to support alternative energy solutions for the future of shoreside and terminal operations.Under a new memorandum of understanding (MOU) between Crowley and Shell Trading (US) Company, the companies will look broadly at how they can jointly develop sustainable solutions across the U.S. maritime sector, possibly including lower-emissions vessels and technology at ports across the West…

American Bureau of Shipping has further developed its approach to aging offshore assets with the publication of the Guide for Life Extension of Floating Production Installations.ABS said that the guidance supported operators looking to extend the operational life of a floating production installation (FPI) by outlining clear Class requirements with a focus on safety. It is informed by lessons learned from ABS-supported life extension projects and the findings of a series of FPI life extension joint development projects.Critical issues addressed include pre-life extension data collection…

A Crowley ship assist and escort tug serving the Bay of San Francisco is now running on cleaner-burning biofuel, in line with Crowley Shipping's commitment to sustainable operations that decrease the carbon footprint and greenhouse gas impacts of maritime operations.The Veteran, a 6,800-horsepower tug with a bollard pull of 182,000 pounds, received its first bunkering of 24,000 gallons of low carbon biofuel on March 9 in San Francisco, where Crowley has operated tugboats since 1906.Veteran joins Crowley’s Vision/650-10…

Q-LNG Transport and Shell Trading (US) Company announced Wednesday that the first offshore liquified natural gas (LNG) bunkering articulated tug and barge (ATB) in the United States, the Q-LNG 4000 is ready for operations along the southeast U.S. coast.Built by Halter Marine in Pascagoula, Miss., the ATB is designed to provide ship-to-ship transfers of LNG to vessels utilizing LNG and ship-to-shore transfers to small scale marine distribution infrastructure.“Shell has an ambition to be a net-zero emissions energy business by 2050 or sooner…

Has the age of maritime discovery and exploration actually ended? Perhaps not exactly. As the history of maritime resilience and the human element shows, as far back as the 1500s and earlier, from using new navigational aids and improved ship designs, to coastal and inland route sailing, to navigating on open seas with uncertain charts, wayward icebergs, dense fog and luckily at times, clear starry nights, mariners have faced human element and maritime resiliency challenges. "Short of food and water…

Sovcomflot, a Russian oil and gas shipping company,  has taken delivery of SCF Barents, a new 174,000-cbm LNG carrier.The vessel was delivered Monday and has already started its maiden voyage under a long-term time charter agreement with Shell.According to Sovcomflot, the LNG carrier was named after Willem Barents, a prominent Dutch navigator and explorer. The naming ceremony, held on September 10, was attended by Igor Tonkovidov, President and CEO of SCF Group; Cederic Cremers…

Qatari shipping company Nakilat said it has assumed full ship management and operations of Q-Max LNG carrier Al Samriya from Shell Trading and Shipping Company Limited with effect from 27 July, as part of the second phase of its planned fleet management transition program.With a cargo carrying capacity of 263,300 cubic meters, Al Samriya is wholly-owned by Nakilat and chartered by Qatargas. The vessel was built in South Korea by Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME)…

Qatari shipping company Nakilat said it has assumed full ship management and operations of Q-Flex liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier Al Kharaitiyat from Shell Trading and Shipping Company Limited with effect from Wednesday, as part of the second phase of its planned fleet management transition program.With a cargo carrying capacity of 216,300 cubic meters, Al Kharaitiyat is wholly-owned by Nakilat and chartered by Qatargas. The vessel was built in South Korea by Hyundai Heavy Industries…

There’s a barge full of reasons why many operators turn to ATBs.A  mainstay of the U.S. coastwise dirty and refined products trades, articulated tug barges (ATB) have increasingly filled a void left as the fleet of Jones Act tankers (with crew complement requirements exceeding that of tugs) has aged out. With the cargo capacity of the larger ATBs – some with barges exceeding 300,000 barrels capacity – rivalling that of workhorse tankers that had served oil consuming regions, the concept certainly makes sense from a supply and distribution perspective.With 50…

Ammonia and hydrogen are promising potential fuels of the future in a de-carbonized shipping industry, which has to switch to alternative, zero carbon fuels in order to meet the targets set out in the initial  International Maritime Organization (IMO) strategy on reduction of GHG emissions from ships, an IMO symposium on sulfur 2020 and alternative fuels heard on Friday (18 October).Setting the scene, IMO's Edmund Hughes said the initial GHG strategy, adopted in 2018, had sent a clear signal that shipping will need to adapt. "We have to change to address global climate change," he said."We have to find new technologies and new fuels if we are to achieve at least 50% reduction in annual GHG emissions from international shipping by 2050…

America’s first offshore liquefied natural gas (LNG) barge has been launched for owner Q-LNG Transport, Mississippi shipbuilder VT Halter Marine announced on Wednesday.The Q-LNG 4000 barge, designed to carry 4,000 cubic meters of LNG, with dimensions of 324’ x 64’ x 32’.6”, will be operated as part of an articulated tug and barge (ATB) unit designed to meet the requirements of American Bureau of Shipbuilding (ABS) and the International Gas Carrier code as an LNG bunkering barge.Its tug, the Q-Ocean Services, is scheduled to launch late October.

The Saudi Arabian Oil Company (Saudi Aramco) is  planning to buy oil major Shell's 50% stake in Saudi Aramco Shell Refining Co (SASREF), a Saudi refining complex developed as a joint venture between the two oil companies,  for $631 million.Abdulaziz Al-Judaimi, Saudi Aramco‘s Senior Vice President of Downstream, said: “The partnership with Shell has led to a strong record of performance and delivery of refined products. Saudi Aramco will take full ownership and integrate the refinery into its growing Downstream portfolio. SASREF will continue to be a critical facility in our refining and chemicals business and we look forward to further optimising its performance and long term viability.”John Abbott…

Shuttle tanker owner AET, a wholly-owned subsidiary of  Malaysia's MISC Group, has won its first contract with Shell in Brazil to time charter one new-build dynamic positioning shuttle tanker (DPST).AET earlier this year sealed a long-term charter for two newbuild LNG-fuelled Aframax tankers with Shell that is set to begin in the fourth quarter of this year.AET President & CEO Capt. Rajalingam Subramaniam said: “Shell has chosen to use our shipping services for many years and we were happy when the company opted to charter our two newbuild LNG dual-fuelled Aframax vessels on long-term charter earlier this year. But this is the first time we’ve contracted with Shell to build and operate a dynamic positioning shuttle tanker.

The advent of industry wide tightening of allowable sulfur emissions is getting nearer. Suddenly, with the deadline now little more than one year away, the countdown clock will very soon be ticking much louder. Simply stated, the cap on allowable sulfur content in marine fuels, presently at 3.5 percent in many geographical regions, will be reduced to 0.5 percent in January 2020. The 0.1 percent sulfur cap, already in effect since 2015 in coastal Emissions Control Areas (ECAs) in Europe and North America…

Six companies bought 14 million barrels of oil from the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve in a sale required by law to help fund medical research and the federal government, said the Department of Energy on Thursday.   BP Oil Supply, Exxon Mobil Corp, Phillips 66 , Shell Trading, Valero Marketing and Supply Company, and Macquarie Commodities Trading bought oil from the reserve, which is held in salt caverns on the Texas and Louisiana coasts.   No prices were immediately available. (Reporting by Timothy Gardner; Editing by Lisa Shumaker)

Harvey Gulf International Marine’s CEO Shane Guidry announced today the formation of new marine transportation company, Quality Liquefied Natural Gas Transport, LLC (“Q-LNG”), owned 70% by Shane Guidry and 30% by Harvey Gulf. Q-LNG will own and operate assets providing marine transportation of liquefied natural gas (“LNG”), a critical component of U.S. LNG infrastructure, commencing with a long-term contract with Shell Trading (U.S.) Company (“Shell”) to deliver LNG as a fuel source to various ports in Florida and the Caribbean. Mr. Guidry commented, “I’m very appreciative that Shell has the confidence in me and my team to service their LNG transport needs. Mr.

Shell Trading (US) Company announced it has finalized a long-term charter agreement with Q-LNG Transport, LLC for an LNG bunker barge with the capacity to carry 4,000 cubic meters of LNG fuel. As the first of its kind to be based in the United States, the ocean-going LNG bunker barge will supply LNG to marine customers along the southern East Coast of the U.S. and support growing cruise line demand for LNG marine fuel. "This investment in LNG as a marine fuel for the US will provide the shipping industry with a fuel that helps meet tougher emissions regulations from 2020," said Maarten Wetselaar, Integrated Gas and New Energies Director at Shell. The LNG bunker barge will be owned and built by Q-LNG Transport, LLC, and operated by Harvey Gulf International Marine, LLC.

VT Halter Marine and Q-LNG Transport team members during start of construction of ATB Tug Q-Ocean Service and Barge Q-LNG 4000. VT Halter Marine, Inc. (VT Halter Marine), a company of Vision Technologies Systems, Inc. (VT Systems), today held a ceremony to commence construction on America’s first Liquefied Natural Gas Articulated Tug and Barge (LNG ATB) unit. “We are honored to be able to celebrate the official start of construction on the first LNG Bunkering ATB unit ever built. We believe that this is a significant step towards the USA becoming the premier supplier of LNG as the environmentally friendly maritime fuel source of choice,” said Rob Mullins, Chief Executive Officer of VT Halter Marine.

A second supertanker laden with U.S. crude set sail in March from the Louisiana Offshore Oil Port (LOOP), the largest privately owned crude terminal in the United States, the company said in a statement late on Tuesday. The very large crude carrier (VLCC), Nave Photon, was chartered by Houston-based Shell Trading Company US and the cargo was headed for Asia, according to market sources familiar with the matter and Reuters vessel tracking data. It was not immediately clear which grade of U.S. crude was being exported. A spokesman for LOOP did not immediately respond to a request for comment.