Belgium News

Suez Crisis Adds to Pandemic Supply Worries

A stranded container ship blocking the Suez Canal threatens to make it even more difficult for European and U.S. retailers to keep products in stock during the coronavirus pandemic.The Suez Canal saga that began on Tuesday and could go on for weeks, is just the latest crisis to strike the global supply chain that was upended when coronavirus shutdowns spurred house-bound consumers to upgrade appliances, sofas, televisions and backyards.IKEA, the world’s largest furniture seller…

Euronav Posts 4Q Loss. Expects Pressure on Freight Rates to Continue in 2021

Belgium's Euronav expects pressure on freight rates to continue until late 2021, the tanker operator said as it reported weaker than expected quarterly results on Thursday, citing OPEC+ export cuts because of the COVID-19 pandemic's impact on demand for oil.The company, one of the world's largest tanker companies, benefited from soaring demand for oil storage at sea in early 2020 as buyers struggled to find space for surplus crude when demand collapsed during the first wave of the pandemic.However, reduced OPEC+ exports limited oil oversupply in the second half of the year."As a result, the ma

DP World Antwerp Gateway Orders Fleet of Automated Stacking Cranes

DP World Antwerp Gateway has ordered a fleet of 34 Automated Stacking Cranes for its container terminal in Antwerp, Belgium. The Konecranes Gottwald ARMGs will be an expansion to the current fleet of 20 currently in operation. The first batch will be delivered in Q2 2022, the last batch by 2026. This order was booked in December 2020.DP World Antwerp Gateway was very motivated to continue their current operating concept, using their current ASC system delivered by Gottwald in 2006.

Pair of Damen-build Boluda tugs Arrive in Zeebrugge

A pair of newbuild Damen tugs, VB Bolero and VB Rumba. arrived over the weekend to their homeport Zeebrugge in Belgium in the presence of a small group of delegates of MBZ / Port of Zeebrugge and Boluda Towage.The VB Bolero and VB Rumba are highly maneuverable, high performance, environmentally friendly vessels of modern design. The 85-tonnes bollard pull ASD tugs 2813 were built at Damen Song Cam Shipyard in Vietnam and are both complying with the most recent IMO Tier III emission standards.Aside from the Union Koala…

The Path to Zero: First Wave of Ships Explore Green Hydrogen

While there is no consensus on what will be the maritime 'fuel of the future', developers across the world are for the first time testing the use of hydrogen to power ships as the maritime industry races to find technologies to cut emissions and confidence grows the fuel is safe to use commercially.To reach goals for the shipping industry set by the United Nations, industry leaders say the first net-zero ships must enter the global fleet by 2030. Ships powered by green hydrogen…

Chinese Buyers Snap up Indian Steel in Face of Trade Tensions

India's steel exports more than doubled between April and July to hit their highest level in at least six years, boosted by a surge of Chinese buying in defiance of tensions between Beijing and New Delhi.Traders said reduced prices had driven the purchases as Indian sellers sought to get rid of a surplus generated by the impact of COVID-19 on domestic demand and generate much-needed income.It was unclear whether the sales broke any trade rules, but the China Iron and Steel Association…

BMT Names de Bruin Managing Director for Europe

BMT announced Dennis de Bruin has been appointed Managing Director for BMT’s Commercial Shipping Europe business, with immediate effect.A BMT employee since 2004, de Bruin has more than 20 years of experience in the maritime industry. He has served for the last seven years as Marine Director for BMT's nautical and cargo department of the Rotterdam office.He will succeed Jeroen de Haas as Managing Director of our European offices in the Netherlands, Belgium and Switzerland, who has been at the helm of Commercial Shipping Europe since 2001…

US Great Lakes Ports See Mixed Impacts from COVID-19

U.S. Great Lakes ports reported mixed results in June with aluminum, road salt and grain shipments holding strong despite the coronavirus pandemic, while shipments of commodities related to steel production and manufacturing have continued to slide.Additionally, the St. Lawrence Seaway reported that from April 1 to June 30, nearly 11.7 million metric tons of cargo was shipped via the bi-national trade corridor. While these volumes were down 8% compared to the same time period in 2019, cargo shipments improved in June narrowing the year-over-year decline.Craig H.

Maurice Ward Group Opens Antwerp Office

Freight-forwarding and logistics company Maurice Ward Group has opened a new office in Antwerp, Belgium.The office will be led by branch manager Nancy Verstraeten, who brings to the role more than 20 years of freight forwarding experience.“We see Belgium as the ideal hub for supporting the other Maurice Ward agencies in Europe and of course also the international agents. Belgium may be a small country but Antwerp has a strategic location in Europe at the intersection of major traffic and trade flows…

Total Lubmarine Opens Chicago Lab

Total Lubmarine has extended the global reach of its technical support services with the opening of a new Diagomar Plus Laboratory in Chicago, Ill.The new lab opening means the marine lubricant specialist now has five centers around the world – with Chicago joining Ertvelde (Belgium), Singapore, Shanghai and Panama City.“North America is an increasingly busy market for us and the opening of the Chicago Lab ensures we have a specialist team on hand to deliver onshore dedicated technical support to our customers…

Shipping Plan Would Reel International Emissions into EU Carbon Market

The European Union's carbon market could capture a large chunk of emissions from outside Europe if the bloc succeeds in including shipping in the scheme, according to the European Commission's first report on maritime CO2 emissions.Pollution from ships plying international waters typically escapes countries' domestic emissions-cutting targets, but the EU's executive has said the sector must contribute to its trillion-euro push to achieve a "climate neutral" economy by 2050.It wants to curb shipping's carbon footprint by adding it to the Europe-wide emissions trading system (ETS)…

Antwerp XL Rescheduled for September

A new autumn edition of Antwerp XL will now run at Antwerp Expo, September 15th-17th. “Following the news on March 10 that the World Health Organization revised its classification of COVID-19 to global pandemic status and that the Belgian Government consequently recommended all indoor events (over 1,000 people) should be prohibited, we have been forced to cancel the April 2020 edition of Antwerp XL. We are however pleased to announce that a new edition of Antwerp XL will run on September…

USCG Advises on Minimizing Novel Coronavirus at Sea

The Coast Guard Assistant Commandant for Prevention Policy has published an update March 16, 2020 to MSIB: Novel Coronavirus – Update (Change 2)An outbreak of respiratory illness caused by a novel coronavirus (COVID-19) may affect mariners and maritime commerce. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has updated their Interim Guidance for Ships on Managing Suspected Coronavirus Disease 2019 (see https://go.usa.gov/xdfyG) and Cruise Ship Travel (see https://go.usa.gov/xdfVP).Illness…

Euronav Acquires 3 Newbuild VLCCs

Belgium's tanker shipping company Euronav NV has entered into an agreement for the acquisition through resale of three very large crude carrier (VLCC) newbuilds.The three VLCCs are currently completing construction at the DSME shipyard in South Korea and are being acquired for an aggregate purchase price of USD 280.5 million or USD 93.5 million per unit.All three vessels will be fitted with Exhaust Gas Scrubber technology and Ballast Water Treatment System.The vessels are due…

EDF Buys Stake in Irish Offshore Project

French electricity giant Électricité de France (EDF) is moving into the Irish energy market.EDF Renewables, a subsidiary of the French energy utility, has acquired a 50% stake in the Codling offshore wind project from Hazel Shore, a company linked to the property developer, Johnny Ronan.EDF Renewables will develop and build the project alongside Fred Olsen Renewables, which owns the other 50% stake in 1100MW Codling Wind ParkIt is the first investment by the international energy player in the Republic.The Codling project is located south of Dublin…

Exmar Secures FLNG, VLGC Financing

Belgium-headquartered manager of specialized floating assets Exmar said that China Export Credit Insurance Corporation (Sinosure) approved the release of $40 million from the debt service reserve account under the TANGO FLNG loan facility.The documentation for the release of the restricted cash has been signed and the effective release will occur within the coming days.In the meantime the TANGO FLNG has exported its second cargo for YPF in December 2019 and the third cargo is being produced.Exmar has two Very Large Gas Carriers under construction at Jiangnan…

Jan De Nul Completes Harelbeke

The provider of maritime construction services Jan De Nul said that a new lock complex along the Lys river in Harelbeke, Belgium is inaugurated.The Joint Venture ‘Leieland’, a partnership between contractors Jan De Nul nv, Herbosch Kiere nv, Engie Fabricom nv and Aelterman bvba, was responsible for the design and execution of the works.In the past five years, the Joint Venture ‘Leieland’ worked by order of ‘De Vlaamse Waterweg’ (the Flemish Waterway Authority) on the renovation and modernization of the weir lock…

P&O Ferrymasters Expands in Turkey

European providers of transportation and logistics services P&O Ferrymasters has announced plans to open five new offices across Turkey over the next two years as it continues the expansion of its pan-European logistics services into Asia.In addition to its existing base in Istanbul, P&O Ferrymasters will develop a comprehensive network across the strategically vital country by opening offices in Izmir on the Aegean coast, the capital city Ankara, Mersin on the south coast, Bursa in the Marmara region and Gaziantep near the border with Syria.Murat Bog…

WiseTech Global Acquires Ready Korea

Global logistics software group, WiseTech Global has announced the acquisition of Ready Korea, a customs, bonded warehouse and trade compliance solutions provider in South Korea.Headquartered in Seoul, Ready Korea offers a cross-border compliance solution, which facilitates the lodgement of electronic transactions to the Korean Customs Service, including customs brokerage and refunds and Free Trade Agreement verification, along with bonded warehouse management.Ready Korea also…

Jan De Nul Cuts CO2 in Dredging Work

Jan De Nul Group, the international  dredging company, said that the maintenance dredging works in the marinas of Nieuwpoort on the Belgian coast got underway.“What makes this project so unique, are the CO2-reducing measures taken by Jan De Nul Group. An example for the industry and future dredging works in Europe,” said a press release from the company. "Its an example for the industry and future dredging works in Europe."The maintenance dredging works in Nieuwpoort entail the dredging works in the port access channel and in the marinas.

DFDS in Charter Deal with CLdN

Danish international shipping and logistics company DFDS has entered into two mutual space charter agreements with the Luxembourg-based short sea specialist Compagnie Luxembourgeoise d'Navigation (CLdN) CLdN that also operates a freight ferry route between Gothenburg and Zeebrugge.In June 2019, DFDS opened a freight ferry route between Gothenburg, Sweden, and Zeebrugge, Belgium, that currently deploys three freight ferries offering five weekly departures in each direction.However…

De Keukelaere Wins IADC "Young Author Award"

The International Association of Dredging Companies (IADC) bestowed the Young Author Award to Liesbeth De Keukelaere, R&D Professional at VITO in Belgium. IADC’s Young Author Award is given annually to “stimulate the promotion of new ideas and encourage younger men and women in the dredging industry”. The award is granted at industry-leading conferences, with a winning young author selected from the proceedings of the CEDA Dredging Days 2019, held on November 7-8, 2019, in Rotterdam…

Lydia Oldendorff Sets Record

The largest German bulk carrier company Oldendorff Carriers GmbH, which operates around 700 ships, said that its Lydia Oldendorff (207,562 tdw built 2015) has set a record as the largest vessel to load coal at Puerto Bolivar, Colombia.The Newcastlemax vessel has a length of 300 meters and a breadth of 50 meters and was loaded on a trial cargo draft of 17.5 meters. The cargo loaded is destined for Flushing, in the port of Antwerp in Belgium, where it will again be the largest vessel to enter the port.Oldendorff Carriers currently operates a fleet of about 65 modern eco-Newcastlemax (203-211…

Zeebrugge Port Deploy 5G Network

Port of Zeebrugge, Belgium, will have its own private 5G network this year, disclosed the container, bulk cargo, new vehicles and passenger ferry terminal port in the municipality of Bruges.The port’s management will collaborate with Citymesh, which is the only operator to have a license for 5G networks in Flanders and Brussels."The private 5G network in the Port of Zeebrugge will be the accelerator for innovation in and around the port," the port said.The network’s brain is located in the port’s datacenter.

Exmar Reports Strong Earnings for VLCCs

Belgium's Exmar, the Nicolas Savery-led shipowner, reported strong earnings for the very large gas carriers (VLCCs), and midsize gas carriers for the the third quarter of 2019. The current trading fleet of Exmar in the VLGC segment is the 83,300 m³ BW TOKYO. During the quarter the vessel has been extended to a first-class counterpart at a profitable rate to Exmar in line with strong market fundamentals.The two 88,000 m³ next generation dual fuel newbuildings with a long-term charter to Equinor are progressing according to schedule with expected delivery second and third quarter 2021…

Duisburg to Open New Trimodal Terminal

The largest trimodal  container terminal in the European hinterland is being developed in the Port of Duisburg.Duisburger Hafen AG (duisport) is set to build a US$111.2mln  new 220,000 m² trimodal container terminal on the site of its current coal island in response to a sharp decline in coal handling as a result of the energy transformation.The trimodal terminal is to be developed with duisport’s intermodal partners COSCO Shipping Logistics, Hupac SA and HTS Group and aims to…