Michels Inks Long-term Lease at Port Milwaukee

Port Milwaukee and Michels Corporation have formally signed a lease agreement for nearly 17.5 acres at the port’s Grand Trunk site along the Kinnickinnic River. The agreement has an initial term of 20 years, and, with extensions, could continue for a total of 99 years.The lease signing is the culmination of a process that included a nationwide request-for-proposals along with approvals by the Board of Harbor Commissioners, the Milwaukee Common Council, and Mayor Tom Barrett.“Michels has made it clear the company wants to grow in Milwaukee, and we welcome that,” Mayor Barrett said.

MacGregor Inks Deal to Supply LNG Bunker Barge Hose Handling Cranes

MacGregor received an order from Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding to supply two fixed boom cranes that will handle the hoses on a new 5,400 cubic meter capacity liquefied natural gas (LNG) bunker barge currently under construction and estimated to be delivered by the end of 2021.The MacGregor Rapp HP63-13F cranes will handle the hoses that transfer LNG from the barge to the LNG-powered vessel during bunkering operations. The hoses will be 63 feet long and designed to handle 6,500 pounds at 42 feet and 1…

Four New Dual-fuel Bulkers to Support U-Ming Charter Deal

U-Ming Marine Transport Corporation, Taiwan’s largest publicly listed bulk carrier company, secured a 10-year liquefied natural gas (LNG) dual-fuel dry bulk charter contract with global mining company Anglo American.A fleet of four LNG dual-fuel Tier III 190,000 DWT bulk carriers measuring 299 by 47.5 meters each will be built by Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding (SWS) to support the charter. The new ships are expected to be delivered through 2023.The ships will be fitted with MAN Energy Solutions’ high-pressure ME-GI engines.

Great Lakes Wins Jacksonville Harbor Dredging Contract

Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Corporation has been awarded a $105 million Base and Option B contract award on the Jacksonville Harbor Construction Dredging, 47-Foot Contract C Cut-42 Project, the U.S.' largest dredging services provider announced Friday.Great Lakes said it expects the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to award additional option work items on the contract by mid-2021 with a value of $11.5 million, resulting in a total contract award of $116.5 million.Dredging is scheduled…

GE's Propulsion Package for Dutch Navy's New Combat Support Ship

Damen Schelde Naval Shipbuilding (DSNS) has ordered energy management and electric propulsion package from GE’s Power Conversion for the new Combat Support Ship (CSS) being built for the Royal Netherlands Navy.The CSS ordered by the Dutch government in December 2019 will be 180 meters in length, will accommodate a 75-persons basic crew, with capacity for an additional 85 persons on-board. GE’s will deliver main switchboards for the ship distribution system, with two shore connection cubicles…

The Four Dominant Criteria of Yacht Insurance

It is generally understood that the insurance coverage of a luxurious Yacht can be a headache for her owner, not having the necessary knowledge and sufficient information to make an educated decision with confidence, especially in a changing and challenging international insurance market.Yacht insurance traces its roots in an official sense back to the 17th century and falls within a special category, specifically Marine Insurance, which requires advanced knowledge and experience…

ABB Lands Software Deal with Roll Group

ABB announced Monday it has won a contract to supply the digital solution ABB Ability Marine Advisory System – OCTOPUS to Roll Group’s recently delivered vessel, BigRoll Biscay.BigRoll Biscay is the eighth vessel in Dutch heavy lift specialist’s fleet to rely on ABB marine software, which improves the safety and efficiency of ship operations by optimizing the route based on weather and forecasted vessel motions.Vessel motion monitoring and forecasting is critical for heavy lift vessels that need to move safely when in transit.

Crowley Signs Up to Inmarsat’s Fleet Xpress

Crowley Maritime Corp. has agreed a contract to install Fleet Xpress from satellite communications provider Inmarsat on a majority of its vessels.The 128-year old Florida-headquartered business owns, operates and manages a diverse fleet of close to 200 vessels, including conventional and dual fuel (LNG) containerships, tankers and articulated tug-barges, and ship assist and offshore services tugboats, and various other types of barges.The deal was signed following trials in Alaska on Aframax tanker…

Insights: Contracts are Overrated in Maritime

My company has been around since 1875, and today we actually still do things that were being done in 1875. We still get calls from underwriters to attend on disasters all over the place, and we are still asked to provide values on ships on a moment’s notice.Moreover, some of the companies that ask us to attend to those issues, in some form or another, also have been around since 1875.That results in a very smooth operational routine, where we get a call from one of those clients in the middle of the night, we pull our pants on, step into the car and go out to see what is going on.

CYSEC SA Wins Maritime Cyber Security Contract

CYSEC SA, a cybersecurity company from Switzerland, has been awarded a contract by the European Space Agency (ESA) to develop a solution mitigating the cyber risks related to ship tracking using satellite communications.The digital revolution also impacts the shipping industry by integrating automated navigation, cargo-tracking systems and digital platforms which facilitate operations, trade and the exchange of data. To achieve this transformation, the mitigation of cyber security…

Finnlines Orders MAN Propulsion Package for New RoRos

MAN Energy Solutions has won the order to supply six MAN B&W 9S50ME-C9.6 Tier II-compliant main engines for three 238-meter roll-on/roll-off (RoRo) vessels intended for operation in the Baltic Sea. The customer is Finnlines PLC., the Finnish shipping company and part of the Grimaldi Group. MAN Energy Solutions’ two-stroke licensee – Hyundai Heavy Industries Co., Ltd. (Engine & Machinery Business Unit) – will build the engines in Korea, while Nanjing Jinling shipyard in China will construct the vessels.

NSM Signs with L3Harris to Support LHDs

Naval Ship Management (NSM) has partnered with L3Harris Technologies to provide engineering, maintenance and supply chain solutions to support Australia’s largest warship - the Canberra Class Amphibious Assault Ship, also known as the Landing Helicopter Dock (LHD), and its associated assets.Under the 4.5-year subcontractor agreement, L3Harris will be responsible for the Integrated Communication Systems (ICS) maintenance and support, as well as the Through Life Support Facility (TLSF)…

Valmet to Supply Automation for Expedition Cruise Pair

Valmet will supply automation and information systems for two luxury expedition vessels being built by Helsinki Shipyard Oy in Finland for Russia’s largest river cruise company Vodohod Ltd.The 113-meter-long and 20.2-meter-wide vessels will have an ice class of PC5 and a passenger capacity of 157 persons. Their draught is 5.7 meters, and cruising speed is 14 knots. The newbuilds will operate both in the Arctic and Antarctic waters as well as in the tropical waters during the spring and autumn seasons.Valmet’s delivery includes a Valmet DNA automation system…

Total Charters LNG Dual-fuel VLCCs

Malaysian shipowner AET said it signed a deal with Total's Chartering and Shipping Services SA for the time charter of two liquefied natural gas (LNG) dual-fuel very large crude carriers (VLCC). The two newbuilds, which are able to carry about 300,000 tons of crude oil each, are scheduled to be delivered to AET from the first quarter of 2022.The two newbuilds will be powered by LNG and will be among the most environmentally friendly VLCCs in the market. When in service, they will emit around 20% less CO2 greenhouse gases than conventional vessels; 85% less NOx and 99% less SOx.

Klaveness Expands Data Platform Contract with DNV GL

Following a three-vessel pilot project initiated in 2019, Klaveness Ship Management has opted to expand its contract with DNV GL's Veracity to sign up another eight vessels for the data platform service.The pilot saw Veracity partner with Arundo Analytics (Arundo) to install Arundo Edge Agent software onboard and stream data onto the Veracity data platform. On Veracity, the data is secured, stored, contextualized and combined with other data sources such as position data. This ‘fit-for-purpose’ data is then made available by Arundo and Klaveness for analytics…

Contracted Rates to Fall Long-term Due to Conoravirus -Xeneta

The container shipping segment appears to have caught coronavirus, with the industry suffering its first monthly fall in long-term contracted ocean freight rates since October 2019. According to the latest XSI Public Indices report from Xeneta, March 2020 saw a small dip of 0.5% in rates after a sustained period of growth. Although these symptoms look mild, the future is characterized by growing uncertainty, with widespread economic disruption and looming global recession likely…

NuStar, Svitzer Extends Contract in Point Tupper

Svitzer has announced a five-year extension of their marine service contract with NuStar.Svitzer has been delivering towage services to NuStar in Point Tupper since 2010. The extension that comes into effect on August 1, 2020 supports NuStar’s Point Tupper Oil Storage facility with three tugs on time charter, performing berthing and unberthing for calling tankers and safety standby services at the terminal.

DP World Berbera Orders 8 RTG Cranes

Liebherr Container Cranes and DP World Berbera have signed a contract for the supply of eight RTGs for DP World’s terminal in Berbera, Somaliland. The cranes are due to be ready for operation before the end of 2020.The high performance, variable speed diesel RTGs are six containers plus a truck lane wide and will stack one over five containers high. The machines are supplied with DGPS autosteering and stack profiling. Like all Liebherr RTGs, the machines incorporate Liebherr’s eight rope reeving no-sway-system.

Svitzer Gets 10-Year Contract Extension with Sakhalin Energy Investment

Svitzer, the towage operator that is part of Maersk, announced a 10-year extension of its marine service contract with Sakhalin Energy Investment Company Ltd., a consortium set up to develop and manage the Sakhalin-II project, aimed at producing and exporting oil and liquefied gas.Svitzer has been providing towage services to the Sakhalin-II project since 2007, and the extension comes into effect in November 2022 to support the mooring of more than 1,800 gas carriers with a vessel fleet of four Robert Allen ice-breaking tugs and two mooring boats.

Forth Ports Orders Harbor Tug

Damen Shipyards Group has signed a contract with Forth Ports Limited for an ASD Tug 2312. The new vessel will operate as part of the Forth Estuary Towage operation, conducting towage work at various Forth Ports locations as well as providing towage services to other external customers in Scotland.Forth Ports has a range of existing operations in the Forth and Tay Estuaries that will benefit from the acquisition of this new vessel, however, the new vessel will also provide opportunities to service new emerging markets such as decommissioning and offshore wind.

Ribcraft Wins $43m USN Contract

Ribcraft announced that the United States Navy (USN) has awarded a five-year indefinite quantity contract worth up to $43 million to build and deliver an estimated 48 of the 11-Meter Expeditionary Mine Counter Measure Boat. Ribcraft has also been providing the U.S. Navy with 7-Meter shipboard RIBs since 2014.The 11-Meter RIBs will serve to support explosive ordinance disposal mine counter measure platoons in both shallow and deep water operations. To achieve this, Ribcraft will build two configurations for mine counter measure operations…

DESS Aquaculture Shipping Signs Deal for Fleet Management Software

DESS Aquaculture Shipping AS signs contract with Logimatic for SERTICA Fleet Management. With DESS Aquaculture Shipping AS joining the family, Logimatic adds another Norwegian company to their customer database. SERTICA is a technical Fleet Management Software providing an overview of an entire fleet. It is designed to secure a stable communication and data management between the main office and the vessels. It aims to optimize internal processes in relation to maintenance, procurement, HSQE and performance.DESS Aquaculture Shipping AS has a total fleet of 12 AQUA Vessels.

OSM to Install TM Master on Fleet

OSM Maritime Group extended its partnership with Tero Marine, as the Norwegian tech company now prepares to install its TM Master suite on the remaining OSM fleet globally.The frame agreement with Tero Marine means that all vessels with various planned maintenance systems across the OSM fleet would be standardized on TM Master. TM Master is currently installed on close to 70 vessels across OSM’s Norway and Singapore managed fleets. With OSM’s vision in the ship management segment…

LA, Long Beach Ports Strengthen Collaboration

The ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach Sign MOU to enhance competitveness. The newly approved memorandum of understanding (MOU) is an opportunity to explore five areas of additional cooperation that will enhance competitiveness: cargo transfer predictability, digital connectivity, cybersecurity, establishing metrics and workforce development.“Our two ports are the fastest way to move goods between Asia and U.S. markets and manufacturers,” said Port of Long Beach Executive Director Mario Cordero.

Inmarsat Launches Services in Saudi Arabia

Inmarsat has announced that it will bring its maritime, aviation and enterprise connectivity solutions to customers based in Saudi Arabia through new partner agreements.The company additionally announced that it has secured new spectrum licences to deliver both its narrow-band (L-band) and high-capacity broadband (Ka-band), Global Xpress (GX), services in Saudi Arabia, enabling Saudi-based businesses to deploy these services for the first time.Fixed and mobile satellite telecommunications…

Five Coastal Ferries for Zanzibar

Damen Shipyards signed a contract with the Ministry of Infrastructure, Communications & Transport of the Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar for the supply of five inshore ferries to carry tourists visiting Pemba Island and others nearby in the Zanzibar Archipelago.The contract is for three vessels of the Damen Ferry 804 design and two of the Damen Ferry 1204 design, together with a spare parts package for the first year of operation and on-site training in operating and maintaining the vessels.

Scorpio Bulkers to Sell, Leaseback 3 Bulkers

The provider of marine transportation of dry bulk commodities Scorpio Bulkers has agreed to sell and leaseback two Ultramax vessels (SBI Cronos and SBI Achilles) and one Kamsarmax vessel (SBI Lynx) to Ocean Yield ASA for a total financing consideration of $62.8 million.Upon completion, which is estimated to take place in the first quarter of 2020, the company’s liquidity is expected to increase by up to $33.6 million after the repayment of outstanding debt.The company will also…

Shell, Qatargas Sign LNG Deal for Kuwait

The world’s largest liquefied natural gas (LNG) producer Qatargas has signed a new, long-term LNG sale and purchase agreement (SPA) with Shell to deliver 1 million tons per annum of LNG to Kuwait, commencing this year.Saad Sherida Al-Kaabi, the Minister of State for Energy Affairs said, “We are pleased to announce this new long term agreement between Qatargas and Shell for the supply of LNG to the State of Kuwait, following the recent agreement signed between Qatar Petroleum and Kuwait Petroleum Corporation.

Harvey Gulf CEO to Remain Until 2027

New Orleans based offshore vessels company Harvey Gulf International Marine said it has signed an agreement with its CEO, Shane Guidry, to remain at Harvey until January 1, 2027.Guidry commented, “Over the past several years, Harvey Gulf has produced the highest EBITDA with the lowest cost of operations in the industry. We stand ready to merge with any other company that compliments what we do, thus delivering the best returns to the combined entity.”

Turku Shipyard Doubles the Order

Finnish shipbuilding company Meyer Turku Oy (known as the Turku shipyard) announced that the supply orders of the shipyard got almost doubled in two years."The value of supply orders to the shipyard has grown very strongly. It has almost doubled in two years (+ 84 %). The value of the supply orders was approximately EUR 933 million in 2018 when the corresponding figure in 2016 was approximately EUR 508 million," said a press release from the shipbuilder located in Turku, Finland…

Piraeus Port Taps TEKAL for Port Expansion

PPA S.A. has announced that the construction company TEKAL S.A. was awarded as the construction contractor of the Cruise Terminal Expansion project of Piraeus Port Authority, after the financial bid of $113 million plus VAT, initially budgeted $180 million. The new cruise pier is one of the mandatory investments of the master plan of COSCO SHIPPING for the PPA. The project is also funded by the Regional Operational Program for Attica 2014-2020. The expansion will be located next to the existing cruise facilities…

SGTM Orders Catamaran from Austal

SGTM has awarded Austal Limited a $10.7 million contract to build a 41-meter, high-speed catamaran.The new vessel is based on Austal Australia designed vessel, with customer defined design modifications to be undertaken in Vietnam before construction commences there by March, 2020 with delivery approximately one year later.Austal Chief Executive Officer David Singleton said the new contract was welcome as Austal continued to build on its investment in facilities and people in the company’s new Vietnam shipyard.

Partners to Develop Egypt's First Exclusive RoRo Terminal

NYK, Bolloré Africa Logistics (Bolloré) and Toyota Tsusho Corporation (Toyota Tsusho) have signed an agreement with the General Authority for the Suez Canal Economic Zone to set up and operate a dedicated automotive terminal at East Port Said in Egypt.The automotive market in Egypt is expected to expand along with population growth and economic development, and the Alexandria port, which currently handles almost all of Egypt’s vehicle imports, is a multipurpose port that sees a variety of cargo and lacks storage space.

Port of Savannah Tops Cargo Record

In the 2019 calendar year Port of Savannah moved 4.6 million twenty-foot equivalent container units (TEU).Georgia Ports Authority (GPA) Executive Director Griff Lynch said this is an increase of nearly 250,000 TEU (5.6%) compared to the previous year.In roll-on/roll-off trade, GPA handled 657,685 units of cars, trucks and tractors in 2019, an increase of 12,167 units, or 2%.Ocean Terminal picked up two new customers in 2019 - GM and Volvo - with both car makers exporting vehicles to Australia and New Zealand via Savannah.

Yilport Orders Automated RTG Systems

Cranes manufacturer Konecranes reports it booked an order in December 2019 with Yilport to deliver automated rubber tired gantry (RTG) crane systems to three of Yilport’s European container terminals, including two in Portugal and one in Sweden.The automated RTG systems, each with six Konecranes ARTGs operated under a supervised operation concept, will be built as extensions to the container yards of Yilport’s Gävle container terminal in Sweden and the Liscont and Leixões terminals in Portugal.

DP World Takes 44% stake in Swissterminal Holding

Dubai state controlled port operator DP World has taken a 44% stake in Swiss container terminal operator Swissterminal Holding AG.The Mayer family, who founded the business, will remain a majority shareholder, a statement from the company said. Roman Mayer will continue to serve as Swissterminal’s CEO.Financial terms were not disclosed.Swissterminal operates additional locations in Zurich-Niederglatt, Basel-Birsfelden, Basel-Kleinhueningen and Liestal. The terminals are connected to container ports in Rotterdam and Antwerp as well as the ports of La Spezia…

Safe Bulkers Sells, Leasebacks 8 Vessels

The Monaco-headquartered provider of marine drybulk transportation services Safe Bulkers Safe Bulkers has sold and leased back eight ships to refinance $105.2m in loans coming due in 2023 and 2025.The New York-listed bulker owner said that it will receive $158.3m in proceeds from the transaction.Under the arrangements, two vessels were leased back, under bareboat charter agreements, for a period of six years and six vessels were leased back under bareboat charter agreements, for…

Konecranes Refurbishing Port Cranes in Taranto

Setting out to create a new Mediterranean shipping hub at Taranto Port, Yilport Holding in December chose Konecranes to refurbish 23 cranes.The Turkish company won a 49-year concession from Italian authorities in 2019 to operate Taranto, located in the southeastern part of the country, and plans to use the port’s central location to create a Mediterranean hub.Konecranes said its contract includes the recommissioning of seven ship-to-shore (STS) cranes and 16 rail-mounted gantry (RMG) cranes that are currently inactive.

Second RoPax Launched for Hankyu Ferry Co

Mitsubishi Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. held a christening and launch ceremony for the second of two passenger/cargo ferries currently under construction for Hankyu Ferry Co, Ltd.The new vessel, named Yamato, is being constructed at the Shimonoseki Shipyard & Machinery Works yard in Japan's Yamaguchi Prefecture and is scheduled to be delivered in June 2020 after rigging work is completed.Together with Settsu, which was christened and launched last August, Yamato will serve on the operator's Shinmoji-Kobe route.Yamato…

Georgia Scraps Deal on Major Port Project

Georgia has ended an investment agreement with an international consortium for one of the biggest projects in the former Soviet country, the construction of a major deep sea port on the Black Sea coast, its infrastructure minister said on Thursday.The nine-phase project to improve access to Central Asia and the Middle East had received support from Georgia's strategic partner, the United States, as well as the European Union, which had labelled the planned port at Anaklia a priority project."The government discussed this issue and decided that further postponement does not make sense…

CII Announces Three New Directors

The Containerization & Intermodal Institute (CII) has unanimously elected Dr. Noel Hacegaba of the Port of Long Beach, Gregory Tuthill of SeaCube Container Leasing and Michael Wilson of Consolidated Chassis Management to three-year terms on the Board of Directors.• Dr. Hacegaba has a long history with the City of Long Beach and the last 10 years in executive positions within the port, one of the busiest ports in the U. S. He is presently Deputy Executive Director. Noel Hacegaba is a graduate of the University of Southern California.• Greg Tuthill is CCO…

EU Shortsea Shippers Challenge ITF Longshore Clause

European short-sea and feeder lines challenge legality of Dockers' Clause extension.European short-sea and feeder ship operators are challenging efforts by the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) to redefine container lashing as a cargo handling activity in order to bring it under the control of unionized dockers. The redefinition, for which ITF is seeking acceptance at a growing number of European ports, will mean that shore-based workers undertake shipboard container lashing under the supervision of the ship master…

First LNG FFA Trades via CME Group

Affinity (Shipping) LLP, a shipbroker, said this week in a statement it had facilitated the first trades in CME Group's liquefied natural gas (LNG) freight futures contracts.The trades involved French energy major Total and commodities trader Trafigura and were submitted for clearing using CME Group's ClearPort system, Affinity saidEarlier in December, CME Group said it would be the first futures exchange to launch trading of three LNG freight futures contracts in response to growing demand for hedging tools on the LNG market"Since we arranged the initial bilateral LNG forward freight agreemen

Five Common Mistakes in Maritime Contracts

“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” – Henry de Bracton, DeLegibus, ~1240Often clients or prospective clients come to me with a commercial contract issue perched on the precipice of full-blown litigation or arbitration. When I ask to see the contract, often times I see errors in drafting that either (1) give rise to the problem before me or (2) could create a bigger problem for the client in the future.The risk of drafting error is higher for Europeans looking to contract with American companies.

Scrubber, BWTS Retrofits Drive Keppel in 2019

Scrubber and ballast water treatment system refits have helped to maintain brisk business at shipyards globally, as shipowners upgrade ships to meet regulatory mandate. In Singapore, Keppel Offshore & Marine Ltd. reports that it has won 104 scrubber and BWTS retrofit orders worth a combined value of $118 million year-to-date, bringing the total number of retrofit projects secured to date to 108 scrubber and 97 BWTS projects.“Installation of scrubbers and BWTS can be highly complex and there has been strong demand worldwide to meet regulatory deadlines…

E-money Platform MarCoPay Accredited by Bank

On December 10, MarCoPay Inc. has obtained a certificate of registration from Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), the central bank of the Philippines, allowing the company to operate as an electronic money issuer.In July 2019, NYK and Philippine-owned business group Transnational Diversified Group (TDG) announced the development of the new fintech platform MarCoPay. Now certified by BSP, it is well on its way to meet its target launch date for NYK operated vessels in early 2020.

U.S.-Europe Tanker Rates at Record Highs

Rates for Aframax-class crude oil tankers leaving the U.S. Gulf Coast hit a record this week, according to three shipbrokers, reflecting strong demand in Europe and the Mediterranean for low-sulfur crude.Equinor ASA and Unipec, the trading arm of China's top refiner Sinopec, provisionally chartered Aframax tankers Everest Spirit and Nordorchid, respectively, this week at rates of 245 worldscale points, according to one broker and Refinitiv Eikon data. Both vessels are headed to Europe.The worldscale rate translates to about $60…

Liberty Global Logistics bags Performance Award

Liberty Global Logistics Awarded FCA Ocean Carrier of the Year for 2019Liberty Global Logistics LLC (LGL) was recently awarded the 2019 Outstanding Performance Excellence Award for “Ocean Carrier of the Year” at the Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) event held in Detroit, Michigan on Wednesday, 6 November 2019.Bob Wellner, President of LGL, who received the award said, “This award is representative of continuous performance excellence and an important benchmark of customer satisfaction that we endeavor to achieve for all of our customers.

ONE: New S. Korea to N. Vietnam Service

Ocean Network Express (ONE) has announced details of the new Korea Haiphong Express (KHX) service. Connecting North Vietnam, South Korea and South China, the new KHX service offers improved service coverage and comprehensive port connections for ONE’s valued customers.The KHX service, which will be the first within ONE’s network to call Incheon, will provide shippers direct and fast coverage from North Vietnam to South Korea and South China to Incheon.The KHX service coverage…

Baltic Index Falls for 13th Straight Session

The Baltic Exchange's main sea freight index declined for a 13th straight session on Friday, weighed down by declining rates across all vessel categories.The Baltic index, which tracks rates for capesize, panamax and supramax vessels that ferry dry bulk commodities, decreased 28 points, or 2.4%, to 1,123, its lowest in over six months. The index has lost over 17% in the week.The capesize index dropped 18 points, or 0.9%, to 1,958 — its lowest since June 18. The index fell over 20% this week, marking its third straight weekly fall.

Singapore Jails Tanker Captain in Shell Theft Case

The captain of a Vietnamese oil tanker has been jailed for over five years in Singapore for his role in a scheme that saw around $150 million of oil stolen from Shell's biggest refinery over several years.Doan Xuan Than, 47, was sentenced to 66 months in prison on Thursday, a spokesman for the State Courts of Singapore said, becoming the second person jailed in a case that also involves former employees of Royal Dutch Shell who allegedly conspired to siphon oil from the firm's Singapore refinery.The theft…

China Stocks up on VLSFO Ahead of IMO2020 Deadline

Chinese marine fuel suppliers have signed up short-term deals to buy very low-sulphur fuel oil from companies like oil major Shell, Germany's Uniper and U.S. commodities trader Freepoint ahead of a new standard on emissions for the global shipping industry that kicks in on Jan. 1.While China's state refiners have pledged to produce a combined 14 million tonnes of the fuel for 2020 that complies with the tighter rules set by the International Maritime Organization (IMO), Beijing…

BIMCO's Sanctions Clauses to Meet Challenges

BIMCO’s Documentary Committee has approved two charter party sanctions clauses to help owners and charterers manage due diligence policies and navigate an increasingly complex environment of economic and trade sanctions imposed by governments.Sanctions have become a widely used geopolitical tool by governments. The rules are complex, imprecisely drafted, often changing, and the risks of violation can be high. The necessity of sanctions clauses that provide contractual certainty has prompted BIMCO to revise…

PONANT Taps VARD for Two Cruise Vessels

VARD has announced a contract to build 2 new-generation luxury expedition cruise vessels for PONANT.The new units, due for delivery both in 2022, will represent an evolution of the “PONANT EXPLORERS” class vessels. They will be operated in the South Pacific areas for “PAUL GAUGUIN CRUISES” brand as well as the eponymous ship acquired recently by PONANT, thus bringing the number of ships under this brand to 3. They will be built by VARD group’s production network, and they will…

BIMCO: 147 mln Christmas Tree Light Sets Shipped

The US has seen a big drop in the import of Christmas tree lighting sets from China.In the first ten months of 2019, the US imported 147 million Christmas tree lighting sets, just over half of which came from Cambodia, a big change from 2018, where - in the first ten months - only 13% came from the country.Christmas tree lights are one of the thousands of commodities which have been involved in the trade war. Imports from China of these lights have faced tariffs since September 2018.

Shipping Confidence at 18-month High

Confidence in the shipping industry rose in the last quarter to its highest level for 18 months, according to the latest Shipping Confidence Survey from leading shipping adviser and accountant BDO.The average confidence level expressed by respondents to the survey was 6.4 out of 10.0, compared to 5.8 Q3 2019. This is the highest rating since the same level of confidence was recorded in May 2018, and it is necessary to go back to February 2014 in order to see confidence at a higher…

China 'in touch' with U.S. on Phase 1 Trade Deal

China and the United States are in touch over the signing of their Phase 1 trade deal, China's commerce ministry said, which will see lower U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods and higher Chinese purchases of U.S. farm, energy and manufactured goods.The Phase 1 deal was announced last week after more than two years of on-and-off trade talks, although neither side has released many specific details of the agreement.Both the Chinese and U.S. trade teams are in close communication, Gao Feng…

Toyota to Build Port Said Egypt RORO Terminal

A consortium led by Toyota Tsusho Corp, a unit of Japan's Toyota Group, signed a contract on Thursday to set up and operate a roll-on, roll-off vehicle terminal at East Port Said in Egypt, the Suez Canal Economic Zone (SCZone) said.The consortium, which also includes Bollore Africa Logistics and Nippon Yusen Kaisha, will develop and operate a 600-metre quay and a new 21.2-hectare terminal for the import, export and transshipment of vehicles, an SCZone statement said.It will invest $150 million in equipment and infrastructure to enable the terminal to handle 800,000 vehicles a year, plus an ann

Campbell Transportation Names Buese President

Campbell Transportation Company is promoting Kyle Buese to the role of President, effective January 1, 2020, the Pittsburgh-based inland marine transportation and services company announced on Wednesday.Buese has been the Executive Vice President of Campbell Transportation for the past year. He will replace Mike Monahan who is retiring as President.Monahan, who is stepping down after eight years as Campbell President, will stay on as a member of the company's Board of Directors.Peter Stephaich…

Konecranes Wins $46 mln USN Crane Deal

US Navy has contracted Konecranes to deliver a 175-ton portal jib crane to the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in the State of Washington. The $46-million order was booked in December and contains options for six additional portal jib cranes over the next seven years. If realized, the total value of the agreement would be around $330 million.The crane to be provided is a Konecranes tailor-made design, unique with features that allow it to operate on the multiple rail section sizes, straight or curved, located at the Naval base.

BIMCO: Supply & Demand Trending Off-Balance

One of the most worrying trends that has developed recently - which will affect shipping demand in the years to come - is the falling trade-to-GDP ratio. The falling ratio can be explained by slowing globaliztation as well as increasing protectionist measures being implemented around the world, spear headed by the US. The raised barriers to trade are here to stay as we enter a new decade, with the shipping industry stuck with the consequences.The trade war is the clearest example of these extra barriers to trade…

Baltic Index Sags Again on Weak Capesize Demand

The Baltic Exchange's main sea freight index fell for a tenth-straight session on Tuesday, as capesize vessel rates hovered near a six-month low.The Baltic index, which tracks rates for capesize, panamax and supramax vessels that ferry dry bulk commodities, dropped 34 points, or 2.6%, to 1,281, its lowest since Nov. 21.The capesize index slid 94 points, or 4.0%, to 2,240, its lowest level since June 20. Average daily earnings for capesizes, which typically transport 170,000-180…

Commodities 2020? Reading the Trump, China Tea Leaves

As 2020 approaches, the year ends with the tantalising prospect of a trade deal between the United States and China. Again.Initial agreement to de-escalate the tariff war between the world's two biggest economies has been interpreted as a positive for the global economic outlook. But it's worth remembering that 2018 ended on a similar note - leaving the commodities outlook once again hostage to the whims of Donald Trump and Xi Jinping.In November last year, the U.S. President and his Chinese counterpart also reached a trade agreement of sorts at the G20 summit in Argentina.

New Vessel for Windermere Lake Cruises

MV Swift was launched December 11, 2019 into the waters of  Windermere in the Lake District National Park.Damen Shipyards Group is building the vessel on location via the Damen Technical Cooperation (DTC) for Windermere Lake Cruises.At 34m, the vessel is slightly shorter than the company’s existing flagships, MV Swan and MV Teal. This will enable the vessel to dock at smaller jetties in the area, thereby providing economic stimulus to a wider pool of local businesses.Windermere Lake Cruises operates a fleet of 16 vessels currently.

U.S. sets Trade Terms, Beijing So Far Silent

Washington has set its terms for a trade deal with China, offering to suspend some tariffs on Chinese goods and cut others in exchange for Beijing's buying more American farm goods, U.S. sources said on Thursday.Beijing has yet to confirm whether it is on board with the proposal, although officials will hold a press briefing Friday night local time to update progress on the talks, the State Council Information Office said. Officials from the state planner, ministry of finance, foreign ministry, agriculture ministry and ministry of commerce will attend.In the hours since U.S.

U.S., China Reach Trade Deal 'in principle'

The White House has reached a "deal in principle" with Beijing to resolve the 17-month U.S.-China trade war, according to a source briefed on the trade talks.The White House was expected to make an announcement later on Thursday, the source said."The written agreement is still being formulated, but they have reached an agreement in principle," the source said. No details were immediately available.In an attempt to secure a "phase one" trade deal, U.S. negotiators offered to cut…

Two 'Combi Freighter' Contracts for Alewijnse

Alewijnse Marine has won the contract for the electrical fit-out of two additional Damen Combi Freighter 3850s currently in build at Damen Yichang Shipyard for delivery in January 2020.The contract is based around the design, build and delivery of the main and emergency switchboards that form the core of the vessels’ electrical systems including those for alarm monitoring, fire alarms and public address. Alewijnse personnel will also oversee the installation and commissioning of the systems undertaken by the yard’s technicians.Damen’s Combi-Freighter range is comprised of eco-friendly…

Baltic Index Sags for 5th Consecutive Session

The Baltic Exchange's main sea freight index fell for a fifth straight session on Tuesday, weighed down by softer demand for capesize vessels.The Baltic index, which tracks rates for capesize, panamax and supramax vessels that ferry dry bulk commodities, dropped 23 points, or 1.5%, to 1,528 points.The capesize index fell 75 points, or 2.3%, to 3,167 points. Average daily earnings for capesizes, which typically transport 170,000-180,000 tonne cargoes such as iron ore and coal, dropped $793 to $22…

Pelosi to Speak as U.S. Closes in on USMCA Deal

U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi will hold a news conference on Tuesday to discuss the U.S. Mexico Canada (USMCA) trade deal as U.S. and Canadian officials prepared to fly to Mexico City to work on final changes to the agreement."We're close. We're not quite finished yet, we're within range," Pelosi told a forum of chief executives on Monday evening.Her office did not elaborate on any announcement but she will be accompanied at the news conference by Representative Richard Neal…

New Formed Advanced Systems Group Appoints Dibkey

Brunswick Corporation today announced the formation of its Advanced Systems Group and appointed Brett Dibkey President – Advanced Systems Group. The new appointment is effective on January 1, 2020. The Advanced Systems Group consists of the 11 leading Power Products brands from the acquisition completed in August of 2018 in addition to the Attwood Group of businesses with its industry-leading brands, including Attwood, Garelick, MotorGuide, and Whale - all supported by a comprehensive, industry-leading systems design and integration capability.

Peru Port Maintenance Depends on Damen

Tramarsa has taken delivery of a Damen Cutter Suction Dredger (CSD) 450. Tramarsa will be providing the tools to its subsidiary company Salaverry Terminal Internacional (STI), which will be using the new vessel for maintenance dredging tasks in the Port of Salaverry, Peru.The purchase of the new Damen CSD450 relates to the 30-year contract that STI was awarded for delivering port services at the Port of Salaverry. This contract includes maintenance dredging to keep the harbor at a suitable depth…

China Hoping for Expedited US Trade Agreement

China said on Monday that it hoped to make a trade deal with the United States as soon as possible, amid intense discussions before fresh U.S. tariffs on Chinese imports are due to kick in at the end of the week.Beijing hopes it can reach a trade agreement with the United States that satisfies both sides, Assistant Commerce Minister Ren Hongbin told reporters on Monday."On the question of China-U.S. trade talks and negotiations, we wish that both sides can, on the foundation of equality and mutual respect…

Boskalis Bags Pasay Reclamation Project

Dutch dredging and heavylift company Royal Boskalis Westminster N.V. (Boskalis) has received the Provisional Letter of Acceptance for the Design and Construction contract for the Pasay Reclamation Development Project in Manila Bay, Philippines in cooperation with CHEC from China.The award was made by the publicly listed company SM Prime Holdings Inc. (SMPHI), one of the largest property developers in Southeast Asia. The development will create a new commercial and residential area in a densely populated part of Manila.

AET Wins $245Mln Charter Deal with Shell

Petroleum and chemical tanker owner AET Tanker Holdings has been awarded three long-term time charter contracts by Brazil Shipping I Limited, a Shell group entity.The subsidiary of Malaysia’s maritime solutions and services provider MISC Berhad said in a press release that Under the terms of the deal it will own and operate the related newbuilding Suezmax Class Dynamic Positioning (DP) shuttle tankers for operations in international and Brazilian waters.The estimated contract…

Port Everglades & Dominican Republic Port Authority Sign MOU

Broward County's Port Everglades Department and the Dominican Republic Port Authority have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) as part of a joint Sister Seaports agreement.The MOU will  promote bilateral trade. The two parties want to establish an alliance of cooperation aimed at facilitating international trade and generating new business by promoting the sea trade routes between the two countries. The MOU outlines joint initiatives, including marketing activities and market studies…

JAXPORT Board Extends CEO Green’s Contract

During the December meeting of the JAXPORT Board of Directors, the Board unanimously voted to extend CEO Eric Green’s contract through fiscal year 2024. The new five-year contract is effective October 1, 2019.Green has been with JAXPORT since 2005 and was named CEO in 2017. Under Green’s leadership, the port set new container, auto and overall cargo volume records.With Green at the helm, JAXPORT has continued to secure funding for the federal project to deepen the Jacksonville shipping channel to 47 feet, keeping the project two years ahead of its original schedule, based on continued funding.

CME Adds Two Delivery Points to WTI Houston

CME Group on Thursday said it would add two more delivery points for its WTI Houston crude futures contract, pending regulatory review, as it seeks to provide customers with additional options to hedge physical price risk.* Beginning with the March 2020 contract, customers can take delivery of U.S.

Diana Shipping Wins Ausca, Koch Charters

Diana Shipping  announced that, through a separate wholly-owned subsidiary, it has entered into a time charter contract with Ausca Shipping Limited, Hong Kong, for one of its Kamsarmax dry bulk vessels, the m/v Myrsini.According to the global shipping company specializing in the ownership of dry bulk vessels, the gross charter rate is US$11,500 per day, minus a 5% commission paid to third parties, for a period of minimum 13 months to about 15 months. The charter is expected to commence on December 4…

Grindrod Extends IVS Bulk JV

Singapore based shipowner and operator Grindrod Shipping announced a number of transactions relating to the extension of its IVS Bulk joint venture, implementation of a financing arrangement and a fleet update.Grindrod Shipping has extended the termination date of its IVS Bulk joint venture from September 30, 2019 to November 30, 2019."We continue to progress the transaction agreed in principle with the joint venture partners whereby the company would acquire an additional 33.25% stake from one of the partners with the other partner retaining its 33.25% stake…

Baltic Index Up for Seventh-Straight Session

The Baltic Exchange's main sea freight index rose for a seventh consecutive session, helped by growing demand for ships across vessel segments.The Baltic index, which tracks rates for capesize, panamax and supramax vessels that ferry dry bulk commodities, rose 40 points, or 2.6%, to 1,568 points, its highest since Nov. 5.The capesize index rose 100 points, or 3.2%, to its highest since mid-Oct at 3,231 points. Average daily earnings for capesizes, which typically transport 170…

Diana Shipping Posts $1.8M Q3 Net Income

Diana Shipping reported net income of $1.8 million and net income attributed to common stockholders of $3 million for the third quarter of 2019. This compares to net income of $14.8 million and net income attributed to common stockholders of $13.3 million reported in the third quarter of 2018.Time charter revenues were $53.5 million for the third quarter of 2019, compared to $61.5 million for the same period of 2018. The decrease in time charter revenues was mainly due to decreased…

U.S. Assures Banks on COSCO Shipping Sanction Rules

The Trump administration assured U.S. banks on Wednesday that they can temporarily process U.S. dollar transactions on Chinese shipping companies it had previously sanctioned for allegedly transporting oil from Iran, in a move meant to blunt the impact of the sanctions on global shipping markets.The administration slapped sanctions on Sept 25 on Dalian units of Chinese shipping company COSCO, a move that pushed global freight costs to record highs. The Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control, or OFAC, said in the guidance on Wednesday it "would not expect the intermediary U.S.

Stronger Demand Bolsters Baltic Index

The Baltic Exchange's main sea freight index, which tracks rates for ships ferrying dry bulk commodities, inched up on Wednesday, helped by stronger demand across all vessel segments.The Baltic index, which tracks rates for capesize, panamax and supramax vessels, rose 14 points, or nearly 1%, to 1,440 points, after registering its biggest one-day percentage gain in four-and-a-half months on Tuesday. The capesize index jumped 30 points, or 1%, to 2,983.Average daily earnings for capesizes, which typically transport 170,000-180,000 tonne cargoes such as iron ore and coal, rose $193 to $22,465.

BIMCO: Dry Bulk Shipping Outlook

Freight rates down from multi-year highs as the market fundamentals make themselves felt.The fundamental balance in the market has worsened in 2019 with supply growth outstripping demand, and BIMCO expects that this will continue into 2020.Demand drivers and freight ratesAfter peaking in September, the fundamentals of the market have begun to drag on freight rates – although the rates remain above the average experienced so far this year, buoyed by a handful of positive developments during Q3.For only the third time this year…

ACL, Peel Ports Sign 15-year Contract

Atlantic Container Line (ACL), a Grimaldi Group Company, has agreed a new 15-year contract extension for container and roll-on/roll-off operations at the Port of Liverpool until 2035. Peel Ports Group is making a significant investment at RSCT to accommodate ACL’s new fleet of G4 vessels, which are registered in the UK and fly the Red Ensign. The passage entrance into the Seaforth Basin has been widened by 28 metres to allow safe access for the large G4 vessels into the terminal.

Greece's National Bank Dumps Impaired Shipping Loans

National Bank (NBG) has signed deals to sell a 262 million euro ($288.78 million) portfolio of shipping loans to investment funds as part of its effort to reduce its load of soured credit, Greece's second-largest lender said on Wednesday.The bank said it sold the loans for about 50% of their outstanding balance as of end June 2019.