Maritime Industry Top News
Brazil Agrees to Raise Level of the Parana River
Brazil has agreed to release water at the giant Itaipu hydroelectric dam to raise low water levels in the Parana River, a key thoroughfare for grains shipments, Argentina's Foreign Ministry said on Friday.Decade-low water levels on the Parana are forcing Argentine exporters to load less soy and other grains on ships bound largely for China, adding a new problem to a sector already beset by bottlenecks due to the coronavirus pandemic.The agreement with Brazil will allow for an additional 1…
Japan Exports Slump as Coronavirus Hits Demand
Japan's exports slumped the most in nearly four years in March as U.S.-bound shipments, including cars, fell at the fastest rate since 2011, highlighting the damage the coronavirus pandemic has inflicted on global trade.Monday's bleak data underscored the challenges Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's government faces in dealing with a collapse in activity that is expected to send the global economy into its deepest slump since the Great Depression of the 1930s.After a jump in virus cases…
China to Build Commodity Trading Center in Caofeidian
China will beef up its Caofeidian pilot free trade zone, prioritizing the development of international commodities trade and bringing in more foreign investments, local government said on Monday.The Caofeidian district, on the edge of China's top steelmaking city of Tangshan, aims to achieve trade volume of more than 50 billion yuan ($7.07 billion) and introduce 100 foreign projects by 2022, it said in a statement on its website.The district also plans to make a commodities trading center in nor
LNG Tanker to Discharge First US Cargo in China in 13 Months
The tanker Maran Gas Vergina has arrived in China with the first delivery of U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG) in 13 months, shipping data showed on Monday.This is…
Bank Seeks Impounding of Ocean Tankers' Ships
India's ICICI Bank is seeking the impounding of two vessels operated by Ocean Tankers (Pte) Ltd, a unit of Singapore oil-trading company Hin Leong Trading Pte Ltd (HLT), an ICICI source said on Monday.The tankers, Wu Yi San and Chang Bai San, were carrying cargoes financed by ICICI, the source said, adding that the bank had about $100 million exposure to HLT.According to a court filing reviewed by Reuters, HLT's founder and director had directed his firm not to disclose hundreds of millions of d
U.S. Tells China to Stop 'Bullying Behavior' in South China Sea
The United States called on China on Saturday to stop "bullying behavior" in the South China Sea and said it was concerned by reports of Beijing's "provocative actions"…
The Path to Zero: Creating a Pathway to Carbon-Negative Shipping
Greenhouse gas emissions capture and storage may be a more practical alternative to emissions reduction for meeting the IMO’s 2050 CO2 target. Tom Mulligan reports.Shipping emits close to 1 billion tons of CO2 each year and the shipping industry needs carbon-free solutions to achieve the IMO’s 2050 target of a 50 percent reduction, compared to the 2008 level, in these massive emissions. However, according to Denmark’s Maritime Development Center…
Nigeria Pledges Improved Information Sharing
The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and the Nigeria Navy are set for a regime of improved information sharing as arrangements to integrate the Command, Control, Computer Communication and Information (C4i) Cente of the Deep Blue Project along with the Falcon Eye of the Nigerian Navy.The Director General of NIMASA Dr. Bashir Jamoh said, “Just like we did by ensuring that our Special Mission Vessels are manned by men of the Nigerian Navy…
Petrobras Eyes Restart at FPSOs Hit by Coronavirus
Brazilian state-run oil firm Petrobras plans to restart operations in the coming days at two ships used in offshore oil production that suffered coronavirus outbreaks, an executive told journalists during a call on Friday.Petrobras Exploration and Production Director Carlos Alberto de Oliveira said operations at the Cidade de Santos should restart over the weekend, and operations at the Capixaba should restart within 10 days.
Tanker Crewman Medevaced Off the Coast of Florida
The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Charles David Jr. (WPC-1107) crew medevaced a 31-year-old Filipino man from the 820-foot motor tanker, Philotimos, approximately 155 miles southwest of Key West, Fla., Thursday.Coast Guard Sector Key West watchstanders received a medevac request from the Philotimos crew stating a 31-year-old crewmember was suffering from a possible appendicitis.The Coast Guard crew arrived to the scene…
Retreating Chinese Steel Stockpiles a Positive for Iron Ore Demand -EastGate
Chinese steel stockpiles reached record highs amid the coronavirus outbreak, but are now steadily easing. This paints the picture of an increased construction activity and a growing seaborne demand for the key dry bulk commodity of iron ore, says EastGate Shipping Inc. Demand returning to normal levelsSteel inventories in China have been showing a steady downward trend following the all-time highs recorded in mid-March.
Crystal Endeavor Launch Delayed Due to COVID-19 Shipyard Closure
Genting's Crystal Expedition Cruises announced the launch of its new polar class luxury expedition ship Crystal Endeavor will be delayed due to the temporary closure of the MV Werften shipyards during the COVID-19 pandemic.The 164-meter, 20,000-gross-ton Crystal Endeavorc is currently berthed in MV Werften's Stralsund yard for final outfitting and was due to enter service in August before the shipbuilder in mid-March announced a four-week pause on operations at its locations in Wismar…
Hapag-Lloyd Cruises Brings its Fleet Home
“Stay at home” is the global message of the moment. The fleet of the Hamburg-based cruise company Hapag-Lloyd Cruises, which would normally be sailing the seven seas, is now heading for the waters of its home port. The expedition ship, the HANSEATIC nature, will be the first to return and is expected to arrive in Hamburg, Germany, on April 20. Its sister ship, the international HANSEATIC inspiration…
Singapore Mulls Placing Workers who Recover from COVID-19 on Cruise Ships
Singapore is assessing whether migrant workers who have recovered from coronavirus might be safer on cruise ships than back in dormitories that have become infection hotbeds, despite problems controlling onboard outbreaks encountered elsewhere.The city-state has seen virus cases surge in sprawling housing complexes for foreign laborers, recording its biggest ever jump in cases on Thursday, and is looking for new accommodation solutions for hundreds of workers.Around 60% of the 4…
Crude Oil Held in Sea Storage Hits New Record
Traders are storing an estimated record 160 million barrels of oil on ships - double the level from two weeks ago as they seek to tackle a glut of stocks created by a slide in global demand from the coronavirus, shipping sources say.Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and other producers including Russia have agreed a record cut in output from May of 9.7 million barrels per day…
Indian Fishermen, Caught Out by Virus Lockdown, Dock After Weeks at Sea
Hundreds of exhausted Indian fishermen, who said they were refused entry at two ports after a nationwide lockdown was imposed to fight the new coronavirus, docked in the western state of Maharashtra on Friday after about a month at sea.The men were out in the Arabian Sea on March 24 when Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a 21-day lockdown, which has now been extended to May 3.They tried to dock at Nargol in the state of Gujarat to the north…
Lack of Monitoring Contributed to 2019 Laker Fire -NTSB
A lack of operating procedures for continuous active monitoring contributed to the extent of damage caused by a 2019 fire on board a laid-up bulk carrier in Toldeo, the National Transportation Safety Board said in a report.At about 8:10 p.m. local time on February 16, 2019, a fire was reported on the 770-foot-long St. Clair while the vessel was undergoing winter at the CSX TORCO Iron Ore Terminal (TORCO…
New Leadership at Exmar After Chairman Bodson Dies from COVID-19
Belgian shipping and offshore company Exmar outlined its leadership succession plan following the April 4 death of board chairman Baron Philippe Bodson due to the novel coronavirus.Nicolas Saverys, previously CEO of Exmar, will take up the position of executive chairman of the board of directors, and Francis Mottrie, deputy CEO of the Exmar Group, as been appointed as CEO.Bodson, 75, had been a member of Exmar's board of directors for 18 years, and served as chairman for 15.
Chinese, Malaysian Offshore Oil Vessels in South China Sea Standoff
A Chinese government survey ship is tagging an exploration vessel operated by Malaysia's state oil company Petronas in disputed waters in the South China Sea, three…
Scana Offshore Wins Offshore Wind Contract
Kvaerner ASA awarded Scana Offshore AS a contract for the supply of mooring equipment to Hywind Tampen, Equinor's new floating wind farm. The contract is Scana Offshore's first hardware contract in the floating wind power market.The delivery from Scana Offshore will consist of 33 hull brackets, which are used to attach anchoring lines to the hulls on the 11 offshore wind turbines that make up the Hywind Tampen wind farm.
