Dry Bulk Vessel Rates Rise on Stronger Vessel Demand
The Baltic Exchange's main sea freight index, tracking rates for ships carrying dry bulk commodities, rose to its highest level since early January on Thursday, supported by stronger rates across all vessel segments.The overall index, which factors in rates for capesize, panamax and supramax shipping vessels, rose 46 points, or about 4.2%, to 1,145, its highest since Jan.
New US Sanctions Target Iranian Shipping
The United States imposed new sanctions on Thursday on Iranian or Iran-linked shipping and petrochecmical companies, including two shipping firms based in China, the Treasury Department's website showed.The sanctions also target 20 shipping vessels linked to firms in China, Vietnam and the United Arab Emirates, the website showed.The website did provide details on the new sanctions. A Treasury spokesperson referred questions to the State Department…
Norwegian Firms Establishes Freight Route for Uncrewed Cargo Vessels
Norwegian firm Maritime Robotics said it has been given the green light to establish a freight route for its uncrewed vessels in the Trondheimsfjord in Norway.With approval from the Norwegian Coastal Administration and the Norwegian Maritime Directorate, Maritime Robotics will now operate its environmentally friendly and sustainable uncrewed surface vehicles (USV) to transport goods and equipment between its headquarters in Trondheim and production premises in Vanvikan…
Kongsberg Digital Launches Industrial Work Surface to Transform Carbon-Intensive Industries
Kongsberg Digital has launched its Industrial Work Surface, which aims to "fundamentally change how carbon-intensive industries operate by enabling the company’s software users to work within a single digital environment.""By providing end-to-end user workflows, Kongsberg Digital’s customers will benefit from cleaner, more efficient, and lower cost operations, reinforcing the company’s proven technology already deployed across the energy and maritime sectors…
Hapag-Lloyd CEO Optimistic About Shipping Development in India
German container liner Hapag-Lloyd sees great opportunity in India where containerization levels are still low, chief executive Rolf Habben Jansen told reporters on Thursday. Having accompanied German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on a recent visit, he came away with optimism, Habben Jansen said at an earnings press conference. "We are certainly committed to that market...it is going to grow faster than average…
China Importing Russian Oil at Record Pace
China's seaborne imports of Russian oil are set to hit a record this month after refiners took advantage of cheap prices as domestic fuel demand rebounded, but Russia's plan to cut exports will likely cap buying in coming months.Hefty Chinese buying, alongside robust Indian demand, has been spurred by steep price discounts but is providing Moscow much-needed revenue after the Group of Seven imposed a $60 price cap on Russian crude."Price is the king…
Crandall Dry Dock Engineers, Inc Is Up for Sale
The family of Crandall Dry Dock’s late owner P. Brian Duffy is seeking a buyer for the Bourne, Mass. shipyard engineering and services firm.Originally founded in Boston in 1854, Crandall Dry Dock was acquired by Duffy, a former employee, in 1994. The company, which specializes in shipyard rail systems, is known for its engineering and design work as well as the supply of specialized hardware and equipment…
Bleutec's 'Binary Marine Installation Solution' Earns AIP from ABS
Houston-based Bleutec Industries announced it has received approval in principle (AIP) from the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) for the designs of its Jones Act compliant offshore wind farm construction solution.Envisioned as an alternative to wind turbine installation vessels (WTIV), Bleutec's "binary marine installation solution" (BMIS) is a spread of DP2 vessels designed in partnership with Ohio-based naval architecture and marine engineering firm NETSCo, each engineered to be built at U.S.
Marquette Christens Towboats Charles Reid Perry
Paducah, Ky. based Marquette Transportation Company earlier this year held a christening ceremony in New Orleans for its towboat Charles Reid Perry.The vessel, built in 2019 by C&C Marine and Repair in Belle Chasse, La., is named after the grandson of Marquette executive chairman John Eckstein. Alix Eckstein Perry, John Eckstein’s daughter and mother of the vessel’s namesake, officially christened…
Laborde Products Names Murzi Marine Sales Manager
Commercial engine distributor Laborde Products announced it has appointed Michael Murzi, Jr. as its new marine sales manager. Murzi brings with him over 10 years of experience in the marine industry and over 30 years of experience in sales, customer service and business development.Murzi has held various senior sales roles throughout his career and has a proven track record of developing successful sales strategies, managing key accounts, and aggressively driving revenue growth.
WTO Expects Global Trade Slowdown to Be Short-lived
Global merchandise trade growth slowed at the end of 2022 and was likely to remain weak in the first quarter of this year, the World Trade Organization said on Wednesday.However, the WTO said any slowdown may be short-lived given that container throughput at Chinese ports and new export orders have already started to pick up, the former following a sharp easing of COVID-19 restrictions in China.The WTO said its goods trade barometer dropped to 92.2 points in March from 96.2 points in November, r
PXGEO Names Tony Bowman CEO
Offshore seismic survey firm PXGEO announced it has appointed Tony Bowman as chief executive officer, effective April 3, 2023.Bowman joins PXGEO from an executive career at Schlumberger. During his almost 30-year tenure, he held a number of senior roles across multiple geographical locations, including president, WesternGeco as well as president, Schlumberger Information Solutions.Bowman’s appointment follows the departure of CEO Duncan Eley, who has decided to resign and leave PXGEO.
Discovery: Historic Shipwreck Found in Lake Huron
Researchers from NOAA, the state of Michigan, and Ocean Exploration Trust discovered an intact shipwreck resting hundreds of feet below the surface of Lake Huron. Located within NOAA's Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary, the shipwreck has been identified as the sailing ship Ironton. Well preserved by the cold freshwater of the Great Lakes for over a century, the 191-ft. Ironton rests upright with its three masts still standing."Using this cutting-edge technology…
Lukoil Sets up Ship-to-ship Russian Oil Loadings Near Kaliningrad
Russia's second-largest oil producer Lukoil has set up ship-to-ship (STS) loadings of Urals oil near the western port of Kaliningrad, Refinitiv Eikon data showed and trading sources told Reuters on Wednesday.The data shows 100,000 tonnes of Urals crude was loaded on the Andaman Skies tanker at the Baltic port of Primorsk on Feb. 11.
Japan to Promote Gas, LNG, Hydrogen During G7 Presidency
Japan will stress the importance of investment in natural gas, liquefied natural gas as well as cleaner fuels such as hydrogen and ammonia during its presidency of the G7 this year, a source said, but would keep it clean to meet 2050 carbon neutral goal.Japan, president of the rich-country grouping for 2023, will hold a ministerial meeting on climate, energy and environment in the city of Sapporo on April 15-16…
Cargill Testing New Sail Technology for Cargo Ships to Cut Emissions
Cargill, one of the world's biggest ship charterers, is stepping up a push to resurrect wind power for cargo ships as the agricultural commodities group moves to cut emissions from its chartered fleet, a top executive said.With about 90% of world trade transported by sea, shipping accounts for nearly 3% of the world's CO2 emissions, yet environmental campaigners say regulatory efforts by the sector…
Svitzer Expands Into Brazil's Port of Salvador
A.P. Moller-Maersk's towage arm Svitzer announced it has expanded its presence in Brazil to provide operations and services at the Port of Salvador, including Aratu…
China-flagged Cargo Ship Sinks Off Russia's Sakhalin Island
A China-flagged cargo ship sank in the Strait of Tartary off the coast of Russia's Sakhalin island, the press service of Russia's Federal Agency for Maritime and River Transport told TASS on Wednesday, adding there were no casualties."The crew of 21 citizens of the People's Republic of China got onto the ice and was then taken on board of an approaching ship," TASS cited the press service."Everyone is well, there were no casualties."(Reuters - Reporting by Lidia Kelly in Melbourne; Editing by To
Ukraine Traders Seek Transparent Rules for Cargo Queue Under Grain Export Deal
Ukrainian grain traders union UGA asked the government on Wednesday to provide transparent rules on how cargo ships should queue before loading at Ukrainian Black Sea ports under a grain export deal brokered by the United Nations and Turkey."It is extremely important that work in Ukraine is open and transparent," UGA said in a statement.The Black Sea Grain Initiative that was brokered last July allowed…
MARAD Announces $12.4 Million for US Marine Highway Program
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD) on Wednesday announced a Notice of Funding Opportunity making $12,423,000 available in Fiscal Year 2023 funds through the United States Marine Highway Program (USMHP).Designed to increase the use of America’s navigable waterways, especially where water-based transport is the most efficient, effective and sustainable option, the USMHP (previously named America’s Marine Highway Program) helps to create maritime jobs…
