Switzerland News

Alfa Laval has signed its first contract for the ammonia fuel supply system, FCM Ammonia.The FCM Ammonia will be installed on a CSSC Huangpu Wenchong shipyard in China for ship owner Tianjin Southwest Maritime (TSM). The installation will commence with three 25,000-cu. m. vessels, followed by four 41,000 cu. m. vessels.The FCM Ammonia contract follows testing and development conducted in close collaboration with WinGD. In December 2024, testing of the full fuel supply system, fuel valve train…

WinGD reports it has confirmed key parameters for its X-DF-A ammonia-fueled engine design after full-load testing at its Engine Research and Innovation Centre in Winterthur in Switzerland.The performance and emission measurements deliver timely assurance as the first users prepare their vessels and auxiliary systems for ammonia fuel.The tests confirm engine performance data that WinGD has published in its General Technical Data (GTD) software, available online, and guaranteed to customers.Operation on ammonia achieved the same thermal efficiency as for diesel fuel…

Germany’s maritime industry is proving resilient amid global economic uncertainty and shifting geopolitical priorities. At the annual conference of the German Shipowners' Association (VDR), statistics underscore the sector's role in securing trade, employment, and economic stability. Despite mounting challenges, German merchant shipping remains a powerhouse—supporting nearly half a million jobs and ensuring the steady flow of essential goods into and out of the country.A Maritime PowerhouseGermany boasts a fleet of 1,764 ships, ranking it seventh among global merchant shipping nations.

The United States is preparing to impose docking fees at its ports on any ship belonging to a fleet that includes Chinese-built or Chinese-flagged vessels, according to a draft executive order, a move aimed to both revitalize U.S. shipbuilding while countering China’s dominance in global shipping and shipbuilding.The draft order from President Donald Trump also urges allied nations to adopt similar policies or risk facing retaliatory measures from the U.S.China’s growing control over the maritime industry has become a rare bipartisan concern in the U.S.…

Yara Clean Ammonia Switzerland, a subsidiary company of the world’s largest ammonia distributor Yara International, has signed a time-charter contract with Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha (NYK) for an ammonia-fueled medium gas carrier (AFMGC) to be delivered in November 2026.Since 2021, Yara Clean Ammonia and NYK have jointly studied the practical application of an ammonia-fueled ammonia gas carrier, and the companies have now concluded the world’s first time-charter contract for an AFMGC…

In the ever-evolving world of maritime trade, ship ownership is a key indicator of economic influence and global commerce. As we enter 2025, Veson Nautical offers its Top 10 Ship Owning Nations, offering a detailed analysis of fleet values and industry shifts. This year, China has surged to the top, overtaking Japan in total fleet value, while geopolitical events and shifting market dynamics continue to shape the rankings.Let’s take a closer look at the global giants of ship ownership and the forces driving their dominance.1.

Ships not linked to Israel could begin returning to the Red Sea in as little as two weeks, DP World's deputy chief executive said, adding that could see freight prices "come crashing down".Sea freight prices could drop "at least 20%, 25%" and that could happen over two to three months, Yuvraj Narayan told Reuters on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum meeting taking place in Davos, Switzerland.It is hard to predict a specific timeline, however, the deputy CEO and CFO of…

The time charter (TC) rates for Post Panamax container vessels rose by 111% year-on-year (y-o-y) in 2024, hitting 73,330 USD/Day, and has led to a huge uptick in newbuild orders and a slowdown in demolitions according to Veson Nautical’s ‘2024 End- Of-Year-Report’.The report states that the bullish market conditions for the container sector are reflected in the TC rates as well as the 76% y-o-y increase in new ship orders which witnessed 321 deals including options, compared to 182 orders in 2023.“The container market experienced remarkable growth over the past year…

The Port of New Orleans (Port NOLA) announced that it has been awarded $1,000,000 from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for its Louisiana International Terminal (LIT) Sustainability Management Plan (SMP)."This funding is a crucial investment in Louisiana’s future, supporting sustainable infrastructure and creating meaningful opportunities for our communities. The Louisiana International Terminal represents economic growth and a commitment to environmental stewardship and workforce development that will benefit Violet, St. Bernard Parish and the entire state.

The union representing 45,000 dock workers on the U.S. East and Gulf Coasts and their employers on Wednesday said they reached a tentative deal on a new six-year contract, averting further strikes that could have snarled supply chains and taken a toll on the U.S. economy.The International Longshoremen's Association (ILA) and the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX) employer group, in a joint statement, called the agreement a "win-win." The deal includes a resolution in automation…

Contract talks covering 45,000 dockworkers on the U.S. East and Gulf Coasts are set to restart on Tuesday in a labor dispute that will help set the pace of automation at ports stretching from Maine to Texas.The International Longshoremen's Association wants to eliminate past labor contract concessions on automation - notably the use of semi-automated cranes that stack containers on docks - arguing they pose a threat to jobs.The United States Maritime Alliance (USMX) employer group…

The World Shipping Council (WSC) Board of Directors has elected Soren Toft, CEO of MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company, as the new Chair of the World Shipping Council Board.“It is an honor to step into the role of Chair for the World Shipping Council and to represent the global liner shipping industry alongside our members. WSC is today a respected voice of liner shipping, engaging with governments and organizations globally,” said Toft.“An ever-changing world presents both challenges and opportunities for our industry as we head into the future…

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump on Thursday appeared to back the anti-automation stance of some 45,000 union dockworkers on the U.S. East and Gulf Coasts, whose labor talks are at an impasse over that polarizing issue.The ILA and the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX) employer group are facing a Jan. 15 deadline to finalize talks, which stalled over automation. That cutoff comes just five days before Trump's inauguration.The ILA says automation kills jobs while employers say it is necessary to keep U.S. ports competitive in a rapidly changing global economy."The amount of money saved is nowhere near the distress, hurt, and harm it causes for American Workers, in this case, our Longshoremen," Trump said of automation projects in a post on Truth Social.

Reaffirming its dedication to upholding the labor and human rights of seafarers, Panama assumed the role of Vice Chair and governmental spokesperson during the Third Meeting of the Joint Tripartite Working Group of the International Labor Organization (ILO) and the International Maritime Organization (IMO).The meeting, held at the ILO headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, focused on adopting international guidelines to ensure the fair treatment of seafarers detained or suspected of committing crimes…

The third meeting of the Joint ILO–IMO Tripartite Working Group to identify and address seafarers’ issues and the human element met in Geneva, Switzerland, between November 26–28 and adopted Guidelines on Fair Treatment of Seafarers detained in connection with alleged crimes.The objective of the Guidelines is to ensure that the human rights and legitimate interests of seafarers involved in alleged crimes are recognized, that seafarers detained in connection with alleged crimes are treated fairly by public authorities…

Container shipping companies like Maersk, CMA CGM and COSCO have ordered hundreds of new vessels in recent years meant to help their industry slash greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to meet rising demand from customers and regulators around the globe.Their order books, however, reflect uncertainty over which of a wide array of so-called green fuels will become the standard in the decades to come, and whether supplies will be cheap and abundant enough to keep their fleets in motion.Decarbonizing…

Shares in shipping companies fell heavily in Europe and Asia on Friday after workers and U.S. port operators agreed a deal to end a strike on the East and Gulf coast docks far sooner than expected.In early trading in Europe, shipping group A.P.

U.S. East Coast and Gulf Coast ports began reopening late on Thursday after dockworkers and port operators reached a wage deal to settle the industry's biggest work stoppage in nearly half a century, but clearing the cargo backlog will take time.The strike ended sooner than investors had expected, weakening shipping stocks across Asia on Friday as freight rates were no longer expected to surge.At least 54 container ships queued outside the ports as the strike had prevented unloading and threatened shortages of anything from bananas to auto parts.

Italy police said on Wednesday they had arrested 61 people across four countries and seized 60 million euros ($67.1 million) following an investigation into international drugs trafficking and money laundering.The case had revealed criminal drugs ties between Albania and Latin America, and once again showed how criminals in Europe are using shadow networks of illicit Chinese money brokers, police said.Finance police in the northern city of Brescia said 400 officers had carried out the arrests and searches in Italy, Albania, Switzerland and Poland, with the cooperation of local law enforcement

As the shipowners stare down decarbonization mandates that grow increasingly strict through 2050, the engine makers are at the tip of the spear of this energy transition phenomena, working to design and build engines and components that are built to operate on a long and growing list of alternative fuels. We recently visited with Dr. Gunnar Stiesch, CTO, MAN Energy Solutions, to take a look inside the research and development process at this global power leader, for insights on ‘what’s next’ in ship propulsion.Dr.

The river Rhine in south Germany reopened to cargo shipping on Friday after being closed by high water since the weekend, navigation authorities said.Falling water levels after dryer weather this week mean Rhine river shipping has re-started around Maxau in south Germany, the German inland waterways navigation agency said. This means sailings to Switzerland are again possible.The river had been closed to freight shipping at Maxau over the weekend after heavy rain caused extensive flooding in south Germany.Shipping on northern sections of the river had been operating normally this week…

Parts of the river Rhine in southern Germany were closed to cargo shipping on Monday after heavy rains raised water levels, navigation authorities said.Rhine river shipping stopped around Maxau and Mannheim in south Germany, the German inland waterways navigation agency WSA said.The high levels of water leave vessels insufficient overhead space to sail under bridges, and prevents vessels sailing to Switzerland.Shipping on northern sections of the river is operating normally, including the important points of Duisburg and Cologne.The Rhine is an important shipping route for commodities includin

A global maritime court found on Tuesday that greenhouse gases constitute marine pollution, a major breakthrough for small island states threatened by the rise in sea levels caused by global warming.In its first climate-related judgment, the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea said emissions from fossil fuels and other planet-warming gases that are absorbed by the oceans count as marine pollution.Its ruling - an "advisory opinion" that should nevertheless provide a precedent…