Chemicals News

Japanese power generator JERA has signed separate heads of agreements with Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) and NYK Group for the charter of ammonia carriers, as it moves toward establishing Japan’s first large-scale low-carbon ammonia transport chain.Under the agreements, MOL and NYK affiliates will charter vessels designed to transport low-carbon ammonia produced at JERA’s Blue Point Complex in Louisiana to JERA’s Hekinan Thermal Power Station in central Japan. The arrangements are…

The U.S. inland waterways don’t just move cargo — they move people into long-term, well-paid careers. At a time when trucking and rail struggle with shortages, turnover, and burnout, inland waterways operators quietly offer something different: a job you can start without experience, a career you can grow into, and a paycheck that gets better every step of the way.A new study commissioned by the National Waterways Foundation and conducted by the Texas A&M Transportation Instituteputs hard numbers behind what operators and mariners have known for decades.25…

ZINUS AS, has signed a new contract with the Norwegian system integrator, SEAM AS, for the delivery of a complete Cable Management System (CMS) to the OMYA Hustadmarmor project.The project represents a milestone for both ZINUS and SEAM, as the ZINUS charging towers, combined with the e-SEAMatic BLUE hybrid solution and 23.5 MW battery system from SEAM, will serve the world’s first fully electric bulk carrier. The vessel will operate for OMYA Hustadmarmor, part of the global OMYA…

Manufacturer Advanced Polymer Coatings (APC) has signed a deal with global maritime transportation group Fratelli Cosulich to support its methanol-ready fleet expansion.APC has signed a contract with the Italian headquartered group to supply its industry-leading MarineLINE cargo tank coating to two new IMO Class II chemical tankers, to prepare them for methanol bunkering in Singapore.The MarineLINE cargo tank coating will ensure superior chemical resistance, faster tank turnaround and extended service life.The 7…

Germany has been putting import terminals for liquefied natural gas into operation as part of its efforts to replace piped Russian gas following Moscow's invasion of Ukraine in 2022.The Brunsbuettel terminal received its floating storage regasification unit, the Hoegh Gannet, back on November 24 after upgrades, and Wilhelmshaven 2 has restarted its FSRU Excelsior ready for the coming winter months, state-appointed terminal company Deutsche Energy Terminal said.DET, which is in charge of three terminal locations…

We are well into the discussions advising shipbuilders and operators how the U.S. will create a renaissance of the maritime industry. Federal Legislation, Executive Orders, and new foreign partnerships driving the promise of commercial competitiveness with the leading global shipbuilders. Most of the shipbuilding rhetoric indicates the domestic markets will be left to survive on their own. This despite the fact the domestic operators and builders have proven to be the strongest…

Maritime operations run on tight schedules and thin margins, and as ships, terminals and supply chains connect systems for visibility and efficiency, attackers gain paths to entry. Cyber risk has become an operational reliability and safety concern, not just an IT issue. “Whether we are looking at this challenge through an operational or organizational safety lens, cyber risk is a critical business risk. An incident will impact everyone,” says Michael DeVolld, Senior Director…

The Chemical Distribution Institute (CDI), International Chamber of Shipping (ICS), Oil Companies International Marine Forum (OCIMF) and the Society of International Gas Tanker and Terminal Operators (SIGTTO) have released the second edition of ‘Ship to Ship Transfer Guide for Petroleum, Chemicals and Liquefied Gases’.Originally published by OCIMF in 1975, the STS Transfer Guide was consolidated in 2013 through the combined expertise of CDI, ICS, OCIMF and SIGTTO. Recognized globally by the tanker industry and IMO Member States as the definitive reference for safe and effective STS operations…

The Houston Ship Channel is one of the nation’s busiest and most vibrant shipping lanes, a key corridor for energy and chemicals. Keeping operations running smoothly involves the Houston Pilots, facilitating more than 20,000 vessel assists each year. Clint Winegar, Presiding Officer, Houston Pilots, discusses the organization in the round, explaining how the Houston operation remains one of three in the country that still utilizes station boat. With Maritime Reporter TV he breaks down the idiosyncrasies of the operations…

U.K.-based Tidal Transit has deployed a range of eco-friendly maritime cleansers from sustainable cleaning solutions specialist Terrafend to help maintain its expanding fleet of crew transfer vessels (CTVs).Designed to replace the multiple hazardous, solvent, caustic and acid-based cleaning products, Terrafend’s NEMO range of water-based cleansers will help transform Tidal Transit’s vessel cleaning process with just two all-purpose solutions.NEMO’s Super Concentrate and Power Gel are non-flammable…

HGK Shipping celebrated the naming ceremony for the gas tanker, “GAS 96”, in Rotterdam on October 9, 2025. This is the third gas tanker that combines optimization for operations in shallow waters with a diesel-electric “future-fuel-ready” drive system for Europe’s largest inland waterway shipping company.The “GAS 96” will operate on the Rhine routes between Rotterdam, Antwerp and Cologne with immediate effect and transport gases that have been liquefied under pressure for the chemicals group, LyondellBasell (LYB).

ADNOC Logistics & Services (ADNOC L&S) and TA’ZIZ have signed a 50-year strategic agreement to establish United Arab Emirate’s first dedicated chemicals port at the TA’ZIZ Industrial Chemicals Zone in Al Ruwais, supporting the country’s industrialization and chemicals expansion goals.Under the agreement, ADNOC L&S will build, own and operate the $300 million port, while TA’ZIZ will use the facility to export chemicals and derivatives efficiently. Scheduled for completion in the fourth quarter of 2026…

German Economy Minister Katherina Reiche on Monday unveiled a 6 billion euro ($7 billion) funding initiative aimed at industrial decarbonisation, incorporating carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology into the country's climate protection contracts for the first time.The program targets energy-intensive sectors such as chemicals, steel, cement and glass, as Germany navigates stringent climate targets amid concerns over industrial competitiveness. Companies have until December 1 to register projects for next year's bidding process.Bidding is set to launch mid-2026…

Singapore's Aster Chemicals and Energy is investing $125 million to upgrade its single buoy mooring and pipeline infrastructure near the Bukom refinery, aiming to restore direct crude deliveries and extend the facility's operational lifespan.The company said on Tuesday that the upgraded pipeline is projected to provide more than 20 years of reliable service.Other facilities are expected to continue operating normally during the upgrade, which targets completion in 2026, a spokesperson said in reply to a Reuters query.These engineering contracts were awarded to Allseas and DOF…

South Korea’s Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials (KIMM) has developed and demonstrated the nation’s first 20kW-class anode-supported solid oxide electrolysis cell (SOEC) system, completing more than 3,000 hours of stable, continuous operation with electrical efficiency above 83%.The project marks a breakthrough for large-scale, low-cost clean hydrogen production, with strong potential applications in energy-intensive industries such as steelmaking, chemicals, and maritime.By using external industrial waste heat at around 200°C to generate steam…

Baker Hughes has signed a multi-year contract with Petrobras to extend deployment of its Blue Marlin and Blue Orca stimulation vessels, supporting offshore oil and gas production in Brazil’s post and pre-salt fields.The award, which followed an open tender, also covers the supply of associated chemicals and services.The vessels will deliver advanced chemical treatments to maximize production in brownfield and greenfield wells, and support well construction through gravel pack and frac pack operations.Baker Hughes said Blue Marlin and Blue Orca combine trained crews with onboard laboratories…

Britain launched a new package of Russia-related sanctions on Friday, targeting ships carrying Russian oil, as well as companies and individuals supplying electronics, chemicals and explosives used to make Russian weapons.The package was a response to recent Russian aggression, the British government said in a statement, referring to the higher numbers of Russian drone and missile attacks on Ukraine in recent months, and the violation of NATO airspace over Poland on Wednesday."International…

An EU-funded project is helping accelerate the adoption of carbon capture and utilisation (CCU) technologies that transform carbon dioxide emissions into valuable resources such as fuels, chemicals, and construction materials.CCU is based on the principle of capturing carbon dioxide and reusing it in various forms, such as e-fuels created by combining captured CO2 with renewable hydrogen.The ECO2Fuel project is pioneering this approach by developing a 1MW low-temperature electrolyzer…

U.S. President Donald Trump's doubling of tariffs on imports from India to as much as 50% took effect as scheduled on Wednesday, dealing a serious blow to ties between the two countries that became strategic partners after the turn of this century.A punitive 25% tariff imposed due to India's purchases of Russian oil adds to Trump's prior 25% tariff on many imports from the South Asian nation and is expected to hurt growth in the world's fastest growing major economy.India's trade ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The Supreme Court of Sri Lanka has found the owner, operator, and local agent of the container ship X-Press Pearl liable for environmental and economic damage caused by the 2021 fire and sinking of the vessel.The ship's registered owner, EOS Ro Pte. Limited, along with others, has been fined $1 billion under the polluter pays principle.The Singapore-flagged vessel had 1,486 containers on board at the time, 81 of which were identified as containing hazardous. It arrived in Sri Lankan territorial waters of Sri Lanka with a container already leaking nitric acid and caught fire on May 20, 2021.

“In a global marketplace, supply and demand in one area of the world can greatly impact the agricultural production in another. American products are shipped worldwide …” is how the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) describes the backdrop for international trade. The inland and coastwise waterway systems serving the United States (where agricultural cargoes are an important component) are sometimes regarded as insular highly specialized marketplaces. However, they are indeed elements of much larger trading networks that are influenced by global economic…

The U.S. on Tuesday rejected the "Net-Zero Framework" proposal by the IMO, which is aimed at reducing global greenhouse gas emissions from the international shipping sector, and threatened measures against countries that support it.The announcement, made in a joint statement by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, Energy Secretary Chris Wright and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, comes ahead of a vote at the United Nations' shipping agency to…

The London P&I Club has renewed calls on ship owners, operators and charterers to address potential risks when loading Flexible Intermediate Bulk Containers (FIBCs) containing dry chemicals. The warning follows a number of incidents reported across the industry including hold fires and cargo damage in bulk carriers and general cargo ships. The issue is particularly common with vessels loading in Chinese ports.Claims resulting from the incorrect storage and handling of FIBCs, also known as "jumbo bags," can lead to significant claims, the Club notes.