Global Freight Cycle May Have Reached Lowest Point
Global freight volumes show signs of having bottomed out in the first quarter, signalling the industrial cycle may be near its trough, which could provide some support to oil prices later in 2023.Global freight volumes fell 1.1% during the first three months of 2023 compared with a year earlier, according to the Netherlands Bureau of Economic Policy Analysis (“World trade monitor”, CPB, May 25).But volumes were up by 0.2% in March compared with the prior year…
Lloyd's Register Drops Ships of Top Indian Carrier of Russian Oil
Lloyd's Register has told India's Gatik Ship Management, which has become a major carrier of Russian oil since the Ukraine war, that it will withdraw certification of 21 of its vessels by June 3, the maritime services company told Reuters.It is the latest setback for Gatik, which was also been forced to find new flags for 36 of its ships after they were deflagged by the St. Kitts & Nevis International…
Killer Whales Attack Yacht off Spanish Coast
Killer whales severely damaged a sailing boat off the coast of southern Spain, the local maritime rescue service said on Thursday, adding to dozens of orca attacks on vessels recorded so far this year on Spanish and Portuguese coasts.In the early hours of Thursday, a group of orcas broke the rudder and pierced the hull after ramming into the Mustique on its way to Gibraltar, prompting its crew of four to contact Spanish authorities for help…
Nikolaus Schües Elected as BIMCO President
BIMCO, the world’s largest shipping association, has elected Nikolaus H. Schües, CEO and owner of Reederei F. Laeisz as President at the organization's general meeting in Hong Kong on Thursday.Schües takes over as the 46th President of BIMCO and the first German national holding the position since 2011. He takes over from Sabrina Chao of Wah Kwong Maritime Transport Holdings Limited, who has completed…
Hydrogen-powered Inland Containership Launched
Dutch shipping company Future Proof Shipping (FPS) on Thursday officially launched the first hydrogen-powered zero-emissions inland container ship, H2 Barge 1, in Rotterdam, the Netherlands.Earlier in the week, Nike introduced the H2 Barge 1 at its European Logistics Campus in Laakdal, Belgium. As part of its journey toward a zero carbon and zero waste future, Nike is partnering with Future Proof Shipping (FPS) and BCTN Network of Inland Terminals…
Hapag-Lloyd Names Sonne Senior Managing Director for North Europe
German container shipping company Hapag-Lloyd announced Joerg Sonne will become Senior Managing Director Region North Europe, succeeding Martin Rolf, who will take over the position of Managing Director Human Resources.Sonne joined Hapag-Lloyd as a result of the merger with UASC and successfully led Area Arabian Gulf from 2017 to 2022. For the last eight months, he has served as Managing Director Area Germany & Central Europe.
First US-Built Offshore Wind Substation Sets Sail
Offshore wind developers Ørsted and Eversource marked the sailaway of the first U.S.-built offshore wind substation, which departed a Texas fabrication facility Wednesday. The substation is transiting across the Gulf of Mexico and then up the East Coast for installation at the South Fork Wind project site in a few weeks.Kiewit Offshore Services, Ltd. (Kiewit), the largest offshore fabricator in the U.S.…
Substation for First Commercial-scale US Offshore Wind Farm Leaves Denmark
The offshore substation and jacket foundation, bound for the U.S. offshore wind project Vineyard Wind 1, have left the quay at Bladt Industries’ production site in Southern Denmark, heading for its destination 35 miles from mainland Massachusetts.Sail-away is on time according to the original schedule and is a major milestone for the project team from Bladt Industries, Semco Maritime, and ISC Consulting Engineers.Vineyard Wind 1 is carried out as an EPC contract…
Suez Canal Activity Resumes after Troubled Bulk Carrier Refloated
Tugboats refloated a large ship that had been stranded for several hours in the Suez Canal on Thursday, and sources said shipping traffic through one of the world's busiest waterways had returned to normal.Two canal sources said traffic was back to normal by around 11:00 am local time (0800 GMT), around six hours after the incident began and three-and-a-half hours after the vessel was refloated.Shipping agent Leth Agencies identified the ship as the 190 meter (623 foot) Xin Hai Tong 23…
Singapore Imports Rare Fuel Oil Cargo from Djibouti - Data
Singapore, Asia's oil hub, received a rare fuel oil cargo from Djibouti in the past week, Enterprise Singapore data showed on Thursday, likely the city-state's first ever import from the African country. About 99,678 tonnes of fuel oil that arrived in the week to May 24 came from Djibouti, the data showed. It was not immediately clear who bought or sold the cargo, or whether the cargo was produced in Africa.Ship-tracking firms Kpler…
Asia Gets Most of Russian Dark Fuels after EU Embargo
Asian countries remain the lead destinations for Russian vacuum gasoil (VGO) and fuel oil exports after the European Union's embargo, traders said and Refinitiv data showed. "Pretty stable flows for refining and bunkering", one trader said. According to Refinitiv data, China and India, which became main importers of embargoed Russian oil, were respectively accounting for about 2.6 million tonnes and…
Ship Grounded in Suez Canal
A ship has grounded in the Suez Canal, shipping agent Leth Agencies said early on Thursday.Suez Canal tugboats are trying to refloat the vessel, named Xin Hai Tong 23, the company said.There was no im
Australia’s Marine Economy Grew Through COVID
The economic output of Australia’s marine industry continued to grow despite the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions on some sectors, a new report released by the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) shows. The AIMS Index of Marine Industry 2023 is the latest assessment of the contribution of Australia’s marine sector to the national economy, using data from the 2018-19, 2019-20 and 2020-21 financial years.
AI-Driven Maritime Custody Service Now Available Commercially
BlackSky Technology and Spire Global have teamed up to create a real-time, commercially available Maritime Custody Service that can automatically detect, identify and track more than 270 thousand vessels worldwide in open water, along rivers and canals, and while docked at port.The system uses data from Spire’s radio frequency-monitoring satellite constellation to detect emissions from maritime targets…
Ørsted Breaks Ground on FlagshipONE E-Methanol Project
Ørsted broke ground on Europe’s largest e-methanol project, FlagshipONE, on May 24.FlagshipONE will start production in 2025 and will produce 50,000 tonnes of e-methanol annually. The maritime sector is a key target for the methanol. Currently, over 110 e-methanol vessels have been ordered or are in operation, up from 80 vessels at the end of 2022.Originally developed by the Swedish e-fuels company Liquid Wind…
Wrong Size Bearing Led to Engine Failure and Fire on Supply Vessel
An incorrectly sized bearing led to an engine failure and fire last year onboard the offshore supply vessel Ocean Guardian, reports the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).On May 27, 2022, the vessel was conducting a sea trial in Shilshole Bay when its no. 3 diesel generator engine suffered a mechanical failure, resulting in an engine room fire that caused $1.1 million in damages.After maintenance was completed on all four main diesel generator engines in January and February 2022…
Baltic Dry Index Extends Slide for 10th Straight Session
The Baltic Exchange's main sea freight index of shipping rates for dry bulk commodities logged its 10th consecutive decline on Wednesday, hitting its lowest in two-and-a-half months as rates fell across all vessel segments.The overall index, which factors in rates for capesize, panamax and supramax shipping vessels, dropped 53 points, or 3.9%, to 1,295 points, its biggest drop since February.The capesize index was down 110 points, or 5.4%, at a one-month low of 1,930 points, marking its biggest
Waypoints Projects Launches to Provide Project Support and Training Services
A new maritime and industrial project management firm, Waypoints Projects, has officially launched. Founded by Thomas van Tol, Waypoints Projects offers expert project support and training for businesses before, during and after projects. Van Tol started his career as a project manager at Damen, and over the years rose to project director, heading up large projects worth over €100 million and 100 of staff.
Tall Ship Topples Over in Drydock
A 112-year-old tall ship has toppled over during a drydock maintenance period in South Africa.The Netherlands-registered Europa fell over during an attempt to transfer the steel-hulled barque back into the water from drydock at a Cape Town ship repair facility, leaving one crewmember with minor injuries."The injured sailor is receiving the necessary medical care and is doing well, given the circumstances," the ship's operator Bark Europa said.
Fire Breaks Out Aboard 80-year-old Great Lakes Freighter
A fire broke out aboard a Canadian-registered bulk carrier transiting on Lake Erie near Pelee Island in the overnight hours on Tuesday, the U.S. Coast Guard said.The fire, which originated in the engine room of the 80-year-old laker Cuyahoga, is said to have been contained, with no injuries reported.U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Detroit, Ohio Department of Natural Resources, TowBoatUS and the Canadian…
