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Thursday, November 21, 2024
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China News

09 Nov 2024

China, Indonesia ink Multiple Pacts on Maritime, Mining

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Chinese President Xi Jinping signed multiple cooperation deals with his Indonesian counterpart Prabowo Subianto on Saturday, Chinese state TV CCTV reported, as the two countries seek increased partnerships in key areas.The deals covered issues including water conservation, maritime resources and mining, the report said, and come ahead of a meeting Prabowo is scheduled to attend on Sunday between Indonesian officials and a number of top Chinese companies, where the Indonesia presidential…

06 Nov 2024

All Eyes on China as Trump Retakes the White House

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Donald Trump’s victory in the US Presidential Election is has importers on edge, fearing another spike in ocean container shipping freight rates premised on President Trump's vow on blanket tariffs of up to 20% on all imports into the US and additional tariffs of 60% to 100% on goods from China.Data from Xeneta shows the last time that President Trump ramped up tariffs on Chinese imports during the trade war in 2018, ocean container shipping freight rates spiked more than 70%.

04 Nov 2024

Danes Granted Visa-Free Entry to China

© Alexander / Adobe Stock

China has granted visa-free entry for Danish citizens.The move was announced earlier this year when Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen met with his Chinese colleague Wang Yi during the UN General Assembly in New York.From November 8, 2024 to December 31, 2025, Danish passport holders can travel visa-free to China for up to 15 days for business trips, tourist visits, family visits or transit.China is Danish shipping's largest market, so visa freedom is a great help, making trade and travel easier for the Danish shipping companies…

01 Nov 2024

Russia-China Military Ops in Arctic Flash 'Concerning Signals'

Anti-sabotage boat "Unarmeets of the Arctic" against the backdrop of the frigate "Admiral of the Fleet Kasatonov."
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The United States is watching growing cooperation between Russia and China in the Arctic closely and some of their recent military collaboration in the region sends "concerning signals", the U.S. Arctic ambassador said.Russia and China have stepped up military cooperation in the Arctic while deepening overall ties in recent years that include China supplying Moscow with dual-use goods despite Western sanctions on Russia over the war in Ukraine.Russia and the United States are among eight countries with territory in the resource-rich Arctic.

31 Oct 2024

Vietnam urges Release of Fishermen Detained by China

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Vietnam has protested against China's alleged detention of Vietnamese fishermen and fishing vessels in the contested Paracel Islands in the South China Sea, a foreign ministry spokesperson said on Thursday.Vietnam urged China to "immediately release the fishermen and fishing vessels that were illegally detained", the spokesperson told reporters in a regular press conference, without specifying how many people had been detained or when they had been detained.There was no immediate response from the Chinese foreign ministry to Reuters' questions about the incident.(Reuters)

27 Sep 2024

US Says New Chinese Submarine Sank Earlier This Year

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China's newest nuclear-powered attack submarine sank earlier this year, a senior U.S. defense official said on Thursday, a potential embarrassment for Beijing as it seeks to expand its military capabilities.China already has the largest navy in the world, with over 370 ships, and it has embarked on production of a new generation of nuclear-armed submarines.A senior U.S. defense official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said China's new first-in-class nuclear-powered attack…

15 Sep 2024

Shanghai Braces for Typhoon Bebinca

Source: China Meteorological Administration

Shanghai halted transportation links, recalled ships and shut tourism spots including Shanghai Disney Resort on Sunday as it braced for Typhoon Bebinca, in what could be the strongest tropical cyclone to hit the Chinese financial hub since 1949.The Category 1 typhoon, packing maximum sustained wind speeds near its centre of around 144 kph (89 mph), was about 400 km southeast of Shanghai as of 5:00 p.m. (0900 GMT). It is expected to make landfall along China's eastern coast after midnight on Monday.The China Meteorological Administration issued typhoon red alert on Sunday afternoon…

30 Aug 2024

China’s New Installation Vessel Capable of Installing 20MW Turbines

Source: CCS

The mobile wind power installation platform Hengtong Haiyue has been delivered to the Hengtong Group by Jiangsu Dajin Heavy Industry in China.The mobile platform is equipped with a 1,600t leg encircling full-circle slewing crane as well as a 4,000m2 deck with a variable load of over 8,500t, and is capable of installing 20MW offshore wind turbines.The DP2 vessel is also equipped with four truss pile legs and an automatic lifting system and a fully electric propulsion system. It…

28 Aug 2024

China's First Purpose-built Offshore Wind SOVs Delivered

(Photo: ULSTEIN)

Shanghai Electric earlier this month celebrated the combined naming and delivery of two service operation vessels (SOV) at ZPMC, Qidong base, China. The vessels are based on two different ship designs from Ulstein Design & Solutions AS and are the first purpose-designed vessels for the offshore wind industry in China.The Zhi Cheng 60 is an ULSTEIN SX197 design measuring 72.6m in length and 17.5m in beam. It can accommodate 60 people and has a deck area of 400 sqm.The Zhi Zhen 100 is based on the larger ULSTEIN SX195 design.

23 Aug 2024

China’s Largest Ports Suited to Green Shipping Corridors

© Weiming / Adobe Stock

A new study from the International Council on Clean Transportation has investigated the feasibility of establishing green shipping corridors for China’s coastal shipping.The researchers assessed whether the ships could be powered by renewable hydrogen, methanol, ammonia or batteries without the need to refuel en route. They concluded that the technological feasibility of applying renewable marine fuels on China’s coastal shipping routes is high, and three routes were identified as potential first mover candidates for green shipping corridors.These routes were two interregional routes…

21 Aug 2024

Accusations Fly Between China, Philippines in Maritime Squabble

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The Philippines said China's Coast Guard was not helping efforts to build confidence in the South China Sea, after accusing it of ramming and damaging its vessels in the latest in a succession of altercations.The Philippines urges China to refrain from aggressive actions and adhere to international law, said Alexander Lopez, a spokesperson for the country's maritime council, an inter-ministerial body that formulates policy on the South China Sea.The latest incident took place near the Sabina Shoal…

19 Aug 2024

First German Warships Set to Cross Taiwan Strait in 20+ Years

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Two German warships await orders from Berlin, their commander said, to determine whether next month they will be the first German naval vessels in decades to pass through the Taiwan Strait, drawing a rebuke from Beijing.While the U.S. and other nations, including Canada, have sent warships through the narrow strait in recent weeks, it would be the German navy's first passage through the strait since 2002.China claims sovereignty over democratically governed Taiwan, and says it…

09 Aug 2024

VIDEO: Explosion Rocks Yang Ming Containership YM Mobility in Chinese Port

Taiwanese shipping firm Yang Ming Marine Transport Corp said one of its cargo ships caught fire on Friday at China's Ningbo-Zhoushan Port, one of the world's busiest.Earlier, Chinese state media said an explosion was reported at the port and shockwaves were felt a kilometer away.Yang Ming Marine Transport said a fire occurred on board the YM Mobility while it was operating in the port. No casualties or injuries were reported after the blast at around 1:40 p.m. (0540 GMT), China's official Xinhua news agency said."At present…

04 Jul 2024

Philippines President Orders De-Escalation in South China Sea

Source: GOVPH

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr has ordered his armed forces to defuse tensions in the South China Sea, his military chief said on Thursday, after a flare-up with China over missions to resupply Filipino troops on a contested shoal.Marcos' instructions came after Manila and Beijing agreed on the need to restore trust and confidence to better manage maritime disputes during a round of talks which Manila hosted on Tuesday.But that did not stop the Philippine military from…

23 May 2024

As China's Renewable Energy Soars, Coal Peak in Sight

Chart courtesy BIMCO

Between January and April 2024, China’s electricity generation from renewables surged 12% year on year, significantly outpacing the 6% growth in generation from fossil fuels. While steam coal shipments to China rose 29% year on year, they are starting to feel the pressure from stronger renewables. Between March and April, the shipments fell 7% as electricity generation from fossil fuels only rose 1%,” said Filipe Gouveia, Shipping Analyst at BIMCO.So far in 2024, electricity generated from renewables in China accounted for 25% of the country’s electricity production.

26 Apr 2024

Guangzhou Port Group’s e-tug to Sport Schottel Propulsion

Image courtesy SCHOTTEL

SCHOTTEL will equip Guangzhou Port Group’s latest e-tug with two RudderPropellers type SRP 360 in the LE-Drive variant. The new harbor tug measures 37.9 x 10.5m and will be mainly used for berthing assistance, escorting and towing in the Port of Guangzhou, China. Each SRP has an input power of 1,500 kW and a propeller diameter of 2.2m. The 360-degree steerable thruster combines maximum maneuverability and bollard pull with outstanding efficiency during free sailing, providing…

28 Mar 2024

Asia Crude Imports Surge as China, India Snap Up Russian Oil

© Igor Groshev / Adobe Stock

Asia's imports of crude oil are expected to rise to the highest in 10 months as heavyweights China and India lifted arrivals from Russia, but impending maintenance schedules and rising prices mean such levels may not be sustained.The world's top importing region is forecast to see arrivals of 27.48 million barrels per day (bpd) in March, up from 26.70 million bpd in February and January's 27.18 million bpd, according to data compiled by LSEG Oil Research.The bulk of oil arriving in March was arranged before the current increase in prices…

22 Mar 2024

Philippines to Build Islands Port Near Taiwan

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The U.S. military will not be involved in development of a port in the Philippines' remote northernmost islands near Taiwan, the local governor said, removing a potential source of friction with China over the U.S. presence in the region.The governor of the Batanes islands, less than 200 km (125 miles) from Taiwan, said in August she had sought U.S. funding for a new port there. The U.S. embassy had at the time confirmed its diplomats and U.S. Army Pacific (USARPAC) experts had…

14 Feb 2024

Oil Production, Chinese Buying Buoys Brazil Crude Exports 19%

Chart courtesy BIMCO

“The reshaping of global crude tanker markets continued in 2023. In 2022, sanctions shifted Russia’s exports from Europe to Asia while OPEC production cuts in 2023 increased the Americas’ share of exports. Brazil’s oil production increased by 12% year-on-year in 2023 while crude tanker exports rose 19%,” said Niels Rasmussen, Chief Shipping Analyst at BIMCO.According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), Brazil’s oil production reached 3.49 million barrels per day (mbpd) in 2023, up from 3.12 mbpd the year before.

25 Sep 2023

ICS Opens New Representative Office in Shanghai

Simon Bennett, Guy Platten, Esben Poulsson, Edward Liu (Souce ICS)

The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) has announced the inauguration of a new ICS Representative Office in Shanghai.This strategic move follows the admission of the China Shipowners’ Association as a full ICS member in January 2023 and extends the presence of the ICS China Liaison Office which will continue to have a presence in the Hong Kong SAR.The new ICS office, within the offices of the China P&I Club, is located in the North Bund area of Hongkou District, Shanghai…

14 Sep 2023

China's 'Teapot' Refiners Mop Up Swelling Iranian Crude, Defying US Curbs

© Haris Andronos / Adobe Stock

Appetite for Iranian crude is growing in China, the world's biggest oil importer, after the extension of supply cuts by Saudi Arabia and Russia boosted global prices, while Tehran is stepping up output and exports despite U.S. sanctions.Although China's "teapots", or small independent refiners, are stocking up on Iran's discounted oil as they exploit robust margins to fill strong seasonal demand, big state refiners are still keeping away.Iran's crude exports of about 1.5 million barrels per day (bpd) stand at their highest in more than four years…

23 Aug 2023

Gazprom's First LNG Cargo via Arctic Destined for China's Jingtang

A liquefied natural gas (LNG) cargo from Russia's Gazprom being sent via the Northern Sea Route (NSR) for the first time is destined for the Chinese port of Jingtang, Refinitiv ship tracking data shows.The Velikiy Novgorod tanker was loaded at the Portovaya LNG plant on the Baltic Sea on Aug. 14, according to the data.As of Wednesday, it was moving in the Kara Sea in the Arctic with the data showing an estimated arrival at Jingtang on Sept. 12.Earlier this month, Russia also shipped a rare naphtha cargo via the North Sea route, according to traders and Refinitiv data.(Reuters - Reporting by Oksana Kobzeva; writing by Vladimir Soldatkin; editing by Jason Neely)

21 Aug 2023

Russia Ships Naphtha to China via North Sea Route

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Russia is shipping a naphtha cargo via the North Sea Route (NSR) as Moscow seeks to increase supplies using the route to major trade partner China, cutting its way through European waters, traders said and Refinitiv data showed.SCF Irtysh is loaded with with 37,000 tonnes of naphtha onboard, loaded at Ust-Luga port on August 5, 2023, for delivery to China. It is the first such loading since at least the late 2000s, according to two traders.The supplier of the cargo was Gazprom Neft, the traders said.