IMO Closer to Polar Environmental Regulation
Last week, the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) of United Nations’ International Maritime Organization (IMO) agreed which ships are to be covered by the future environmental regulations for voyages in polar areas, The Danish Maritime Authority said. An international set of regulations on navigation in polar areas, referred to as the Polar Code, is still at the top of the IMO agenda. The…
Agreement Reached on Hong Kong Pellet Spill
Regarding the massive spill of polypropylene plastic pellets into the Hong Kong waters from a cargo ship during typhoon Vicente in July 2012, and following active negotiations amongst the parties concerned, a Hong Kong Marine Department spokesperson said a settlement agreement was reached for a sum to be paid by the party concerned to the government to compensate the costs it incurred in cleaning up the plastic pellets.
GasAtacama has US LNG Providers Lined Up
GasAtacama, energy provider to metal producers in Chile's Atacama desert, has lined up eight potential U.S. natural gas suppliers for a proposed import terminal on its Pacific Coast, but uncertainty about energy demand has delayed deals, CEO Rudolf Araneda told Reuters on Thursday. GasAtacama plans to build a $350 million offshore liquefied natural gas (LNG) import terminal that would take shipments…
Med Crude Urals Weaken on April Cargo Overhang
Russian Urals crude weakened on Thursday in a flurry of deals as traders rushed to place end-of-April cargos. Eni sold a cargo of Urals to Total in the Baltic at…
Ship Ready to Destroy Syria's Chemical Arms at Sea
Experts on board a cargo ship transformed into a multimillion dollar chemical weapons destroyer said on Thursday they were ready to start working on Syria's stock of toxic arms in the middle of the Mediterranean as early as May. Now they just have to hope the weather holds and Damascus delivers on time. Former container vessel Cape Ray, docked in southern Spain, has been fitted out with at least $10…
Townsville Opts for a Liebherr LHM 420
Australian-based Northern Stevedoring Services (NSS) has placed an order for a Liebherr mobile harbor crane, type LHM 420, to operate on Berth 3 and 4 in the Port of Townsville, Queensland. The operations of the stevedoring company span all of regional Queensland’s major port facilities, providing the full range of stevedoring and logistics solutions. The new crane is the third LHM crane for NSS, which has been operating an LHM 550 and an LHM 1300.
Canada Grain Handlers to Expand, Crops Overwhelm System
Three Canadian grain handlers said this week that they will expand facilities to handle the country's crops, after a record-smashing harvest overwhelmed the transportation system.
North Sea Forties Up, VLCC at Hound Point
North Sea Forties crude differentials edged higher in quiet trade on Thursday as dealers eyed a potential VLCC shipment to South Korea and lower supplies next month.
Search Continues for Missing Skiff near Ujae Atoll
The U.S. Coast Guard said continues its search for a skiff with two people aboard near Ujae Atoll, Wednesday. Assisting in the search is an HC-130 Hercules airplane crew from Coast Guard Air Station Barbers Point, Oahu, the Republic of Marshall Islands’ Pacific Patrol Boat RMIS Lomor and AMVER vessel Mell Seringat. Watchstanders at Joint Rescue Coordination Center Honolulu received notification from…
Cruise Season Opens in the Port of Kiel
This year’s cruise shipping season in Kiel opened on Saturday, April 5 when the first cruise ship of the year, the AIDAcara, berthed in the port after sailing through the Kiel Canal. During this year’s season, which will last until mid October, 22 different cruise ships are registered to visit Kiel a total of 125 times. The highlights of the season include the Kieler Woche regatta between June 21 and June 29 during which 16 cruise ships will be in the port alongside many tall ships. Dr.
Falling Vessel Rates Keep Baltic Freight Index Down
The Baltic Exchange's main sea freight index, which tracks rates for ships carrying dry bulk commodities, fell on Thursday for a 13th straight session as vessel rates continued to soften.
Commodity Funds Bounce in Q1 after 2013 Losses
Commodity funds bounced in the first quarter from a 2013 loss, with the top performers in the Lipper Global Commodity group racking up double-digit returns after rallies in agriculture…
Today in U.S. Naval History: April 10
Today in U.S. 1941 - USS Niblack, while rescuing survivors of torpedoed ship, depth charged German submarine; first action of WW II between U.S. 1963 - During diving tests, USS Thresher lost with all hands (112 crew and 17 civilians) east of Cape Cod, Mass. For more information about naval history, visit the Naval History and Heritage Command website at history.navy.mil.
Strike Warning for Argentinian Ports
Inchcape Shipping Services (ISS), is advising of a potential general strike in Argentina all day Thursday, April 10, 2014. The Union backed strike will see stoppages in various ports by truck, bus and train drivers, pilot boat masters, linesmen, tug boat operators and stevedores. The strike is expected to affect all shipping operations in the port of San Lorenzo-Rosario. Particularly affected will be transits at Zona comun and pilot boat operations through Rio de la Plata, and the Parana River.
Box Prices Rise for the First Time in 2 Years
Drewry’s latest Container Equipment Insight, exclusive to subscribers of Drewry’s Container Leasing and Container Census reports, saw prices for new dry freight containers increase in the opening months of 2014 for the first time in two years. Standard box prices declined gradually throughout 2013, falling by late in the year to their lowest point since 2009, and they have so far barely managed to recover 10% by April 2014. They presently stand at much the same level as one year ago.
ABB RCS Workstation Wins Red Dot Award
Award for the tabletop unit of ABB’s new remote crane operator station, which is a crucial part of ABB’s crane operation solution that enables increased productivity and provides improved working environment for crane operators. ABB, a power and automation technology group, has been awarded the “red dot award” 2014 for the tabletop operator control unit of its new Remote Control Station (RCS). An international panel of 40 experts assessed products submitted by more than 1…
Chang Jiang Shipping Faces Asset Liquidation
A Chinese court has ordered a unit of debt-laden dry bulk goods shipper Chang Jiang Shipping Group Phoenix Co. Ltd. to liquidate its assets, displaying further evidence…
America’s First Marine Highway Comes Back to Life
The New York State Canal System, once forgotten as a commercial shipping option, is on the rise again, after years of decline. The shorter, greener and smarter route(s)…
Bioremediation Goes Mainstream
A reliable solution for response and prevention that can save money, time and regulatory aggravation is here. The threat of oil pollution has long been a problem in the shipping community. You don’t have to look too far to review the myriad of oil spills that have plagued the industry. The Exxon Valdez spill that occurred 25 years ago has recently come to the forefront once again as there is evidence…
gplink Helps Kaitek Oversee Southern Ocean Traffic
The unforgiving environments found in the southern extremes of Chile easily highlight the “remote” in remote monitoring, gplink said, and now the company is aiding captains in the region. Operating in close proximity to the Cape Horn and Drake Passage, the pilot boat Kaitek helps oversee commercial traffic in and around Punta Arenas, Chile and throughout the Straits of Magellan. A natural passage between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans…
