Dry Bulk, Tanker Newbuilds on the Rise -BIMCO

Tanker and dry bulk vessel newbuild contracts have been signed at an increasing pace so far in 2017, with newbuild activity for the first half of 2017 surpassing the same period last year by 20 percent. According to BIMCO, 5.9 million DWT was contracted in May 2017 and 3.1 million DWT so far in June 2017, which brings the total amount of newbuild orders up to 19.6 million DWT for 2017. So far for June 2017, 22 tankers have been contracted amounting to a total of 2.6 million DWT. For the crude oil tanker segment, this has been entirely for suezmax ships with 1.9 million DWT ordered.

Austal Wins USD 584.2 million US Navy Contract

Australian shipbuilder Austal has won a  $584.2 million contract to build a 14th Littoral Combat Ship for the US Navy, Reuters reported. The contract includes associated LCS class services and related material and integrated data environment support, as well as options for the construction of additional LCS, class services and post-delivery availability support, the Pentagon said in a statement. Australian Associated Press added quoting Asutal that  the 127-metre LCS28 will be built at its shipyard in Mobile…

Korea Line Signs USD 1.15 bln LNG Shipping Deal from KOGAS

Korea Line Corporation (KLC) has secured a KRW 1.27 trillion (USD 1.1 billion) contract to transport liquefied natural gas (LNG) for its compatriot Korea Gas Corporation (KOGAS). Yonhap reported that under the deal with Korea Gas Corp. (KOGAS), Korea Line will transport LNG through May 30, 2037, the company said in a regulatory filing. Other details of the contract were not revealed. In 2013, Korea Line was taken over by SM Group, a midsized shipping group. Korea Line currently operates some 30 vessels…

Statoil, AET Expand Shuttle Tankers Contract

Statoil ASA and petroleum and chemical tanker owners and operator AET are extending their partnership in the North Sea shuttle tanker sector. Statoil has, awarded a long-term contract to AET, a subsidiary of Malaysian energy shipping group, MISC Berhad, to operate two specialist DP2 offshore loading shuttle tankers (OLSTs) on long-term charter. These new vessels will be in addition to the two AET DP2 ships currently on charter, in the same area, for Statoil. These new vessels are in addition to the two AET DP2 ships currently on charter in the same area for Statoil.

Polaris Orders 3 Iron Ore Carriers at Hyundai

South Korean shipping firm Polaris Shipping Co has placed an order with Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) to build three very large iron ore carriers, Yonhap reported. Polaris said the 325,000-ton iron ore carriers will replace some of its aged ships. The financial details of the shipbuilding contract and delivery schedule for the newbuildings were not disclosed. With the latest order from Polaris HHI's orderbook that was valued at $3.8bn in the first five months of 2017 will enlarge further.

Diana Addendum to Time Charter with Rio Tinto

Diana Shipping, through a separate wholly-owned subsidiary, has agreed to extend and increase the time charter rate of the present time charter contract with Singapore-based Rio Tinto Shipping (Asia) for one of its Capesize dry bulk vessels, the m/v Sideris GS. The global shipping company specializing in the ownership of dry bulk vessels added that the contract is for a period of minimum 13 months to maximum 17 months. The new gross charter rate is US$13,000 per day, minus a 5% commission paid to third parties. The new charter period is expected to commence on June 20, 2017.

Antwerp Mulls China Collaboration

Antwerp Port Authority signed a collaboration agreement with the port of Caofeidian in China. The collaboration forms part of the “One Belt One Road” project in which China seeks to connect its main ports and industrial cities more closely with crucial trade centres elsewhere in the world including Europe. The Memorandum of Understanding was signed in the presence of the prime ministers of Belgium and China at a ceremony held in Val Duchesse castle where seven other agreements between the two countries were also concluded at the same time.

Qatari Export Costs to Rise as Port Ban Disrupts Trading

Region's largest bunkering hub shuns Qatari vessels; affected shippers may face delays, higher costs. The costs of Qatari energy and commodity exports are likely to rise as the United Arab Emirates' ban on Qatari vessels cuts the ships off from the region's main refuelling port, forcing ships to sail further for fuel or pay higher prices. Saudi Arabia and the UAE, along with Egypt, Yemen and Bahrain, on Monday cut diplomatic ties with Qatar amid accusations the country supported terrorists.

Port of LA Renews Terminal Lease SSA Pacific

The Port of Los Angeles informs it has approved a five-year lease extension for SSA Pacific, Inc. to continue operating the marine terminal that is the West Coast’s home to imported Chilean fruit. For more than 25 years, Chilean growers have relied on the dedicated terminal to deliver their fresh produce – primarily grapes, stone fruit such as peaches, nectarines and plums, and avocados – to North America’s consumer markets west of the Rockies stretching from Southern California to Vancouver and reaching into West Texas.

Qatargas to Supply LNG to Shell

Qatargas and Shell have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that will lead to the two companies jointly researching liquefied natural gas (LNG) logistics. Through this joint logistics research collaboration, Qatargas and Shell aim to develop new ways to optimize supply chains to deliver to LNG global markets. The research will be conducted at the Qatar Shell Research & Technology Centre at the Qatar Science & Technology Park. The MOU was signed by Faisal Al Suwaidi, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Qatargas Operating Company…

Pacific Radiance Gets USD 45.3mln in Vessel Deals

Singapore's Offshore support vessel (OSV)-focused Pacific Radiance said that it has won US$45.3 million of new contracts including options, which will add to its operating cash flow. Under these contracts, ten of the Group’s offshore support vessels, including a diving support vessel, are being deployed to support projects in Asia and the Middle East. They are chartered to new and existing clients to provide services which include towing, repair and maintenance, transportation and platform support.

GeoSea Bags Offshore Wind Installation Work from EnBW

DEME Group’s offshore marine engineering subsidiary GeoSea said that, following successful completion of the design, it also received the Notice to Proceed for fabrication and offshore installation of 16 wind turbine foundations and 1 Offshore Transformer Module (OTM) for the EnBW Albatros offshore wind farm, for which GeoSea is Siemens’ EPCI partner. This partnership enables Siemens to provide a full-scope project (offshore wind turbines and OTM, incl. foundations) to EnBW. The Albatros offshore wind farm is located in the so-called “exclusive economic zone” of the North Sea…

Korean Shipbuilding Parts Expor to China Surge

Yonhap reported that China's imports of shipbuilding parts and equipment produced by South Korean firms surged this year. The report quoted Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA) saying that China's imports of South Korean shipbuilding parts and equipment reached US$28.3 million in the first four months of the year, sharply up 37.6 percent from a year earlier. During the cited period, China's overall purchase of such parts edged down 0.9 percent on-year to $71.5 million, the report said.

Diana Signs Time Charter with Hudson

Diana Shipping has announced that, through a separate wholly-owned subsidiary, it has entered into a time charter contract with Hudson Shipping Lines Incorporated, for one of its Panamax dry bulk vessels, the m/v Protefs. The gross charter rate is $7,900 per day, minus a 5 percent commission paid to third parties, for a period of minimum 12 months to about 15 months. The charter is expected to commence on June 23, 2017. The Protefs is a 73,630 dwt Panamax dry bulk vessel built in 2004.

Metro Ports to Operate Port of Indiana Bulk Terminal

The Ports of Indiana announced that Metro Ports – the country's oldest stevedoring company – will become the new bulk terminal operator at the Port of Indiana-Burns Harbor. Starting July 1, 2017, Metro Ports will manage the loading and unloading of shipments along the port's East Harbor for port tenants and outside companies shipping bulk cargoes, including products for the steelmaking, agricultural, manufacturing, energy and construction industries. Metro Ports is the brand used to collectively identify stevedoring affiliates of Metropolitan Stevedore Co.

Seanergy Time Charter Contract for Partnership

Greece-based Seanergy Maritime Holdings announced that it has entered into a time charter contract with a major European utility and energy company for its recently delivered Capesize vessel. The 2012-built M/V Partnership will commence a period employment of about twelve to eighteen months and is expected to generate approximately $8.8 million of gross revenue, assuming the full 18 months employment. Stamatis Tsantanis, the Company’s Chairman & Chief Executive Officer, said: “We are pleased to announce a period employment contract for our most recent Capesize acquisition.

Qatar Petroleum, Shell Sign LNG Bunkering Agreement

Qatar Petroleum and Shell signed a framework agreement to develop global LNG bunkering facilities on Tuesday, Qatar Petroleum said. "We view LNG bunkering as a promising opportunity for LNG to further grow as a clean energy source," Qatar Petroleum CEO Saad Sherida Al-Kaabi was quoted as saying. "LNG demand for bunkering is expected to increase significantly over the coming years and we believe there is real potential for such demand to reach up to 50 million tons per annum by 2030," he said.

Optimarin, Goltens Ink Spare Parts and Service Deal

Optimarin informs it has signed an agreement with Goltens Green Technologies giving the Norwegian-headquartered ballast water treatment (BWT) specialist a global network of spare parts warehousing and service engineers. The framework agreement, negotiated at this month’s Nor-Shipping, will enable Optimarin to use facilities in Asia, North America and the Middle East to provide its worldwide customer base with local lead times for the commissioning and maintenance of its market proven Optimarin Ballast System (OBS). “We know Goltens very well,” said Optimarin CEO, Tore Andersen.

Hunter Maritime Terminates Tender Offer for Bulkers

Marshall Islands based Hunter Maritime Acquisition revealed it has “mutually agreed” with Germany’s Oskar Wehr to terminate the master agreement and the memoranda of agreement (MOA) related to the acquisition of five Capesize dry bulk carriers. The Tender Offer expired on June 9, 2017, and as of that time, certain conditions to the consummation of the Tender Offer and the Acquisition were not satisfied, including the condition that not more than 8,233,100 Class A common shares shall have been validly tendered and not properly withdrawn at the Expiration Date.

Ecoslops, Total Plan Micro-refinery in La Mède

Ecoslops, a company that upgrades ship-generated hydrocarbon residues, or “slops”, into valuable new fuels and light bitumen, said is has signed an agreement with TOTAL Group to set up a maritime transport induced oil residue waste-processing unit at La Mède, near Marseilles in the Bouches-du-Rhône. The agreement comes after the completion of technical and commercial studies, which commenced last year and were announced as a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in September 2016.

Design Contract Awarded for SC Container Terminal

AECOM said it has been chosen by the South Carolina Ports Authority (SCPA) to provide detailed design services for the new Hugh K. Leatherman, Sr. Container Terminal at the Port of Charleston. “Extending AECOM’s dedication to delivering a better world and continuing to grow its port presence in the Carolinas, this design work will facilitate development of North America’s newest and most advanced container terminal,” said Tim Keener, executive vice president and general manager of AECOM’s Southeast region.

RINA Consulting to Advise on New Kuwaiti Ports

RINA Consulting, a consulting engineering arm of the RINA Group, has won a consultancy contract to determine the general strategy for the development of three existing and one new port in Kuwait. The contract, valued at €1,450,000, ($1,631,000)  was placed by the Kuwaiti Port Authority this week and will be completed by end 2018. The plan will be an important element in the Kuwaiti governments overall development strategy and plan for the country’s future. RINA Consulting is already…

Damen Consolidates Australian Partnership

Damen Shipyards Group recently visited Adelaide to further consolidate their partnership with ASC Shipbuilding and Forgacs Marine and Defence (Forgacs) (ASC Forgacs Shipbuilding) to build twelve Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPV) for the Australian Navy and to explore domestic and export opportunities for both the commercial and naval markets. Roland Briene, Damen’s Area Director Asia Pacific, also highlighted two important milestones for Damen in Australia: the 5th anniversary of Damen’s Australian company…

Hapag-Lloyd Expects Post-Merger Job Cuts

German shipping company Hapag-Lloyd confirmed on Wednesday that it is looking to cut up to 12 percent of its almost 11,000 land-based workforce after completing its merger with Arab peer UASC last week. A spokesman at Hapag-Lloyd's Hamburg headquarters said the job cuts would be made over the next 18 months to two years, confirming a report in Abu Dhabi-based The National newspaper and hints to this effect earlier this year. The company did not say where jobs would be cut. Some 2,100 sea-based jobs would not be affected because vessels would continue to travel, the spokesman said.

MSC Inks 35-year Deal to Run Ivory Coast Terminal

Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) has signed a 35-year concession agreement with Ivory Coast's second port of San Pedro to operate its container terminal as part of a deal to upgrade the facility, the Swiss shipping company said on Tuesday. Ivory Coast is the world's leading producer of cocoa, and over half of its total output is exported via the port of San Pedro, which is located near the main western growing regions. The country's main port is Abidjan, which is one of the region's busiest.

Fjellstrand's Rolls Out Environmental Ferry

Norwegian ship yard Fjellstrand AS has signed a contract with Norwegian ferry operator Fjord1 for the building of a new ZeroCatTM 120 car ferry. Fjellstrand was also responsible for building the car ferry MF Ampere which wrote history in 2015 as the world’s first full electrical ferry. The yard had a central position in the introduction of new battery technology in the ferry market. The new ferry is a further development of the MF Ampere and will be equipped for higher speed and longer range.

Vard Confirms Fishing Vessel Contract for Aker BioMarine

Vard Holdings Limited (VARD), one of the major global designers and shipbuilders of specialized vessels, is pleased to announce that the contract for the design and construction of one krill fishing vessel for Aker BioMarine in Norway has been confirmed. The contract had been announced on 14 February 2017, with effectiveness of the contract still subject to certain conditions, including customary financing conditions. All conditions have now been fulfilled and the contract has become effective.

ICTSI Terminates Nigeria Port Project

International Container Terminal Services (ICTSI) subsidiary Lekki International Container Terminal Services LFTZ Enterprise (LICTSE) has given up on its Nigerian port project due to delays in its execution, reports Nikkei. LICTSE and Lekki Port LFTZ Enterprise (LPLE) have mutually agreed to terminate their sub-concession agreement dated Aug. 10, 2012. "The parties arrived at this decision following delays in the execution of the Lekki Port Project," ICTSI told the Philippine Stock Exchange.

Sungdong Wins Tanker Order

South Korea's Sungdong Shipbuilding  won an order for seven mid-sized tankers, including two as an option, from a Greek shipowner, reported Korea Economic Daily. It has been more than one year that the Korean mid-sized shipyard to receive a newbuilding contract. Sungdong Shipbuilding signed a deal with Greece’s Kyklades Maritime to build five 115,000-ton tankers in firm order and two more in option. The per-ship newbuilding price is estimated at US$44 million. The report said…

OSC Launches VLCC Chartering Business

Oman Shipping Company (OSC) has officially set up a new commercial chartering desk offering its Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCCs) to major traders and charterers covering VLCC routes worldwide. OSC, one of the biggest ship owners in the MENA region, has a diversified and young fleet of 50 vessels. OSC owns 16 VLCCs within the fleet out of which OSC is now commercially managing 15 VLCCs through its subsidiary Oman Charter Company (OCC). The move follows an announcement in December 2016 which saw OSC withdrawing 15 VLCCs from the VL8 pool based in Singapore.

Kalmar Delivers RTGs to Evergreen

Kalmar, part of Cargotec, has successfully delivered five rubber-tyred gantry (RTG) cranes to Evergreen International Storage & Transport Corporation in Taiwan. The cranes will be used in Taoyuan Inland Container Terminal and Hsichih Inland Container Terminal. Evergreen International Storage & Transport Corporation offers inland container terminal services to customers all over Taiwan, including lifting operations and control of inbound and outbound containers; container repairing and cleaning service; and warehousing in the distribution center.

COSCO Singapore Wins FSRU Deal

Cosco (Qidong) Shipyard Co, a subsidiary of Cosco Corp's 51 per cent subsidiary Cosco Shipyard Group Co, has entered into an agreement with a European buyer for the construction of the floating storage regasification unit (FSRU) module. Cosco Corp did not identify the European buyer. COSCO Qidong and the European buyer have agreed to keep the contract prices confidential. Delivery of the module is scheduled for the first quarter of 2018. A press statement from the company said that brring any unforeseen circumstances…

Diana Shipping Adds m/v Astarte

Diana Shipping, a company specializing in the ownership of dry bulk vessels, has announced that, through a separate wholly-owned subsidiary, it has taken delivery of the m/v Astarte (formerly “Seatrust”). Astarte  is a 2013 built Kamsarmax dry bulk vessel of 81,513 dwt that the Company entered into an agreement to purchase in April 2017. Including the newly delivered m/v Astarte, Diana Shipping Inc.’s fleet currently consists of 50 dry bulk vessels (4 Newcastlemax, 14 Capesize, 4 Post-Panamax, 5 Kamsarmax and 23 Panamax).

Idwal Marine Secures Ten Year Contract for Flag Services

Idwal Marine announced the signing of a new contract after tender process with the Isle of Man Ship Registry, for the provision of maritime support services, which has been inked for a 10 year term. The Ship registry has developed a new General Inspection regime which is being carried out by the Ship Registry’s own team of surveyors and is supported globally by Idwal Marine in locations such as China, Singapore, Philippines, Brazil, Germany, UK, France, Spain and the USA by the Idwal Marine surveyor network.

KotugSmit, MOL Team up for Smart Operations

Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (container, tanker, dry-bulk and car carrier divisions) and KOTUG SMIT TOWAGE (KotugSmit) signed long term towage agreements, effective early 2017. The two have agreed upon a long term towage contract for the ports of Rotterdam, Antwerp, Ghent, Terneuzen, Flushing, Bremerhaven, Hamburg, London and Southampton. With this strategic partnership, both organizations aim to boost operational performances by benefiting from smart collaboration and sharing operational knowledge and valuable information.

Diana Adds Post-Panamax Bulker, Bags Contracts

Diana Shipping announced that, through a separate wholly-owned subsidiary, it has taken delivery of the m/v Phaidra (formerly “Soya May”), a 2013 built Post-Panamax dry bulk vessel of 87,146 dwt that the Company entered into an agreement to purchase in April 2017. The Company also announced that, through a separate wholly-owned subsidiary, it has entered into a time charter contract with Koch Shipping Pte. Ltd., Singapore for one of its Capesize dry bulk vessels, the m/v Semirio.

New Ship Building Orders for Korean Yards

South Korean shipyards emerged on top for new orders in April, Business Korea reported quoting industry data. The global total amount of new shipbuilding orders reached 750,000 CGT last month and 340,000 CGT and 260,000 CGT went to South Korean and Chinese shipbuilders, respectively. Japanese shipyard orders came to nil. In terms of numbers, Korean shipyards clinched new orders to build 12 ships. South Korea took the largest portion of very large crude oil carrier (VLCC) orders placed in quantity early last month, said the report.

Elbit Bags Order to Supply Equipment to Brazil Marine Corps

Elbit Systems announced that it won a $40 million contract from the Brazilian Marines to supply advanced systems for computerization, electronic warfare, radio, and communications. The contract will be performed over a two-year period. The contract calls for the supply of cutting-edge technologies and operational capabilities, including a variety of Battle Management Systems (BMS) applications, C4I systems for artillery, latest generation of Soldier C4I suit as well as advanced EW capabilities.

Thailand’s MTT Arranges Emergency Response Framework

The Map Ta Phut Tank Terminal Company (MTT) has signed an official preparedness framework agreement with Ardent. The deal is the first of its kind in Thailand and is specifically structured to mitigate risk by pre-staging response elements and training Thai-based terminal operators to work with emergency management elements. MTT is a commercial port and storage terminal dedicated for liquid and gaseous petrochemical products. MTT terminal, comprising of four marine jetties and 33 storage tanks, is able to support more than 20 varieties of petrochemical products.

Strike to Disrupt Operations at Jakarta's Main Port

A union workers' strike next week is expected to disrupt shipping operations at Jakarta's main port, which handles the bulk of international shipments for Southeast Asia's biggest economy, a labour union official said. Around 2,000 union members are expected to go on strike from May 15-20 at the Tanjung Priok port to protest against an affiliate of Hutchinson Ports, which the union says is bad for the country and for workers' rights. "We are going all out in (next week's) strike…

Akzo Nobel Rejects Third PPG Takeover Bid

Marine coating major AkzoNobel announced it has declined a third unsolicited, non-binding and conditional proposal submitted by PPG Industries on April 24, 2017, for all outstanding ordinary shares in the capital of AkzoNobel. A statement from AkzoNobel said that it has concluded its own strategy, presented on April 19, 2017, offers a superior route to growth and long-term value creation and is in the best interests of shareholders and all other stakeholders. This decision follows considerable in-depth analysis of PPG’s proposal by the Supervisory Board and Management Board of AkzoNobel…

Bahri, Hyundai Heavy Pact for Big Data Initiatives

The National Shipping Company of Saudi Arabia (Bahri)  has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) Group to harness Big Data and technological innovation in the maritime industry. HHI Group is the world’s largest shipbuilding group with extensive experience in ship construction and shipyard management. The two parties signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that lays out a comprehensive business cooperation framework to jointly evaluate the feasibility of launching new long-term projects…

Saqr Port Orders Damen ASD Tug

Saqr Port, part of Rash Al Khaimah (RAK) Ports, has signed a contract with the Damen Shipyards Group for the delivery of an ASD 2913 tug. The vessel will be built a short distance away at Albwardy Damen in Sharjah and will be delivered in time for the opening of the new bulk terminal at Saqr Port in mid-2018. Saqr Port is a major bulk-handing port in the Middle East and a vital part of the regional economy. Located at the foot of the Hajar Mountains, it serves the fast-growing quarry industry in the emirate of Ras Al Khaimah.

Brazil Mulls Longer, Flexible Port Licenses to Draw Investment

Brazil may revise public port regulations to lengthen operators' contracts and encourage improvements, officials told Reuters, in an effort to attract more private investment in infrastructure that is crucial to the country's powerhouse farm sector. Building on the success of recent airport and power line auctions , President Michel Temer's government is hoping to add capacity at ports exporting commodities from sugar and coffee to soy at some of the world's lowest prices. Samuel Cavalcanti…

General Dynamics Wins DLA Enterprise IT Contract

Company will deliver IT support services to the military, civilian agencies and foreign countries. General Dynamics Information Technology, a business unit of General Dynamics, was awarded a contract to support the Defense Logistics Agency’s J6 Enterprise Technology Services program. The multiple award, indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contract has a ceiling value of approximately $6 billion for a five-year base period with three option years. General Dynamics will provide network and telecommunications…

AWO Testifies on Carrier Alliance, Tug Negotiations

AWO testifies before Congress on dangers of foreign carrier alliances negotiating collectively with U.S. Tom Allegretti, President & CEO of The American Waterways Operators, testified before the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee's Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation on the dangers posed by the Federal Maritime Commission's (FMC) decision to allow foreign carrier alliances to collectively negotiate with U.S. tugboat operators. Allegretti also emphasized AWO's view that such agreements violate both the letter and congressional intent of the Shipping Act…

Egypt to Import Indian Rice

Egypt, traditionally a rice exporter, has contracted to purchase 20,000 tonnes of Indian rice, a cabinet statement said on Wednesday. The government statement did not explain why it had contracted to buy the rice. But in December, the government had said it would import rice after cancelling a tender to buy locally produced rice when the bidding companies all offered higher prices than the government had asked for. Egypt's 2016 rice paddy production is estimated at 5.1 million metric tonnes versus annual consumption of about 3.95 million tonnes…

U.S. FMC Unanimously Rejects Proposed Tripartite Pact

U.S. Federal Maritime Commissioner William P. Yesterday, I voted to reject the Tripartite Agreement proposed by Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd. (K Line); Mitsui O.S.K. Lines Ltd. (MOL); and Nippon Yusen Kaisha (NYK). This agreement was unanimously rejected by the Commissioners on the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC). This decision by the FMC in no way precludes the Japanese carriers from merging their container trade business units into a single stand-alone company. Rather, the vote…

AMSOL Bags New Contracts

AMSOL has been awarded a five-year contract by the South African Department of Transport to operate the standby tug utilized as part of state driven proactive marine pollution prevention measures. And in another development, AMSOL has been appointed by the Sunrise Energy Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) Import Terminal as the preferred marine contractor to fulfill marine operations and multi buoy mooring surface and subsea maintenance requirements in Saldanha Bay, South Africa. AMSOL’s…

Global Ship Lease Report Q1 Financials

The containership charter owner Global Ship Lease (GSL) has reported first-quarter net income of $6.8 million. Its revenue stood at $39.6 mln for the Quarter. Ian Webber, Chief Executive Officer of Global Ship Lease, stated, "During the first quarter of 2017, we continued to execute our core strategy, maximizing the value of our long-term time charters with high-quality counterparties, maintaining high levels of vessel utilization and closely controlling costs. The fleet generated operating revenues from fixed-rate time charters of $39.6 million in the three months ended March 31…

Sovcomflot Launches LNG-Powered Ships

Russia’s biggest tanker operator will launch four new vessels in 2018 that will run on liquefied natural gas (LNG), Bloomberg reported. Sovcomflot’s Aframax ships, capable of carrying 600,000 barrels of oil through the Baltic Sea to the port of Rotterdam, will be the first tankers run on LNG. Royal Dutch Shell Plc and other energy companies that have invested more than $700 billion in LNG projects over the past decade are going to be benefitted by this project. While ships won’t transform the market,  Energy Aspects Ltd.

Diana Shipping Gets Time Charter Contracts for Three Vessels

Diana Shipping announced that, through a separate wholly-owned subsidiary, it has entered into a time charter contract with Koch Shipping Pte. Ltd., Singapore, for one of its Capesize dry bulk vessels, the m/v New York. The gross charter rate is US$14,450 per day, minus a 5% commission paid to third parties, for a period of about six (6) months up to December 29, 2017. The charter commenced on April 23, 2017. The “New York” is a 177,773 dwt Capesize dry bulk vessel built in 2010.

Diana Charters out Sagitta to Hapag-Lloyd

Diana Containerships Inc. announced that, through a separate wholly-owned subsidiary, it has entered into a time charter contract with Hapag-Lloyd AG, Hamburg, for one of its Panamax container vessels, the MV Sagitta. The gross charter rate is $9,500 per day, minus a 1.25 percent commission paid to third parties, for a period of up to minimum July 7, 2017 to maximum August 15, 2017. The charter is expected to commence on May 12, 2017. Sagitta is a 3,426 TEU container vessel built in 2010.

Maersk to Pay $4 Bln for Hamburg Sud

The world's biggest container shipping company Maersk Line will pay 3.7 billion euros ($4.02 billion) for its acquisition of smaller German rival Hamburg Sud, it said on Friday. Combined, the two companies will be able to realise annual operational savings of about $350 million to $400 million, Maersk Line said in a statement fleshing out detail on the deal announced in December. "By keeping Hamburg Sud as a separate and well-run company, we will limit the transaction and integration risks and costs while still extracting the operational synergies…

BW Offshore to get FPSO from Keppe

Keppel Shipyard Ltd (Keppel Shipyard), is on track to deliver a Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel to BW Catcher Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary of BW Offshore. When completed BW Catcher will be on a 7-year fixed term and 18 years of options contract with Premier Oil and will be deployed to the Catcher Field located in Central North Sea, UK. Keppel Shipyard's work scope on the FPSO include the installation and integration of topside modules. BW Catcher is scheduled for sailaway from the shipyard in the next few months and is on track to achieve its first oil in 2017.

CMA CGM, Adani Ports Sign Pact to Operate Mundra Port

French shipping group  CMA CGM and Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone (APSEZ), India’s leading port infrastructure developer and part of the Adani Group, today signed a joint venture agreement, to operate a new container terminal (CT4) at Mundra Port, for next 15 years with an option to extend it twice for 10 more years. Rodolphe Saadé, CMA CGM’s Chief Executive Officer said: We have been present in India for over three decades now and employ 4,000 people. Speaking on this momentous occasion…

Drewry Trims Long-Term Freight Rate Outlook for LNG shipping

Given the mounting pressure on freight rates and continuing fleet growth over the next two years, Drewry believes that excess vessel supply will reduce only gradually with the recovery in rates pushed back to the latter part of next year, according to the latest edition of the LNG Forecaster report published by global shipping consultancy Drewry. Drewry maintains a bearish stance on the LNG shipping freight rate outlook for 2017 on account of strong fleet growth which is expected to be around 13%.

‘K’ Line Partners with OSM for LNG Crewing

In a meeting in Manila on April 18, OSM signed a joint venture agreement with “K” Line’s crewing agency Ventis to provide Filipino crew to “K” Line’s entire fleet of liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers. “Today marks a significant milestone in the relationship between ‘K’ Line group and OSM, in that we have signed an MOU for establishing a JV for ‘K’ Line’s LNG Filipino manning,” said Tommy Olofsen, Managing Director for OSM Crew Management. When the two companies signed the strategic manning partnership agreement…

Navios Maritime Acquires One Capesize Vessel

Navios Maritime Partners, an international owner and operator of drybulk and container vessels, announced that it has agreed to acquire one 2010-built Capesize vessel of 178,132 dwt for a purchase price of $27.5 million. The vessel is expected to be delivered to Navios Partners' owned fleet during the third quarter of 2017. The vessel is expected to generate approximately $3.7 million of annual EBITDA based on current rate environment (Clarkson’s 1-year time charter rate for Capesize vessels as of April 21…

Petrobangla, Summit Pact for 2nd LNG Terminal

Bangladesh's State-owned Petrobangla has inked final deals with Summit LNG Terminal Co to development the country's second floating LNG terminal. The Financial Express reported that Summit group will install a Floating Storage and Re-gasification Unit (FSRU) at Moheshkhali Island in the Cox's Bazar. The terminal will have 500 million meter standard cubic feet per day (mmscfd) capacity, which would go on operation after 18 months. The cost of the second project is estimated at $400 million-500 million…

Port Manatee, World Direct Extend Shipping Deal

Port Manatee has extended its agreement with World Direct Shipping to maintain its swift weekly service between the Florida Gulf Coast port from the Mexican state of Veracruz for as many as five more years. Under a lengthened pact approved April 20, by the Manatee County Port Authority, World Direct Shipping has committed to bring refrigerated produce and other goods into Port Manatee from the Port of Coatzacoalcos through at least Dec. 31, 2019, with a pair of one-year options extending through the end of 2021.

Concordia Maritime Charters Two MR Tankers

Concordia Maritime has signed a contract for the chartering of two IMO2/3 class MR tankers. This a joint chartering arrangement with Stena Weco, and Concordia Maritime’s share amounts to 50 percent. The contract is for one year, and the charters run from June and July 2017. The vessels were built in 2013 and are ECO-design tankers. They will be operated by Stena Weco, which has a fully integrated global logistics network for the transportation of petroleum products, light chemical and vegetable oils. The overall fleet comprises about 60 MR vessels.

Seanergy Bags Time Charter for Capesize Bulker

Seanergy Maritime Holdings Corp has entered into a time charter contract (T/C) with a major European charterer, for one of its Capesize dry bulk vessels, for a period of about 18 months to about 22 months. The T/C is for the 180,000 dwt Capesize vessel M/V Lordship and is expected to commence in June 2017, upon expiration of the vessel's current T/C with the same charterer. The net daily charter hire is index-linked rate based on the 5 T/C route rate of Baltic Capesize Index (BCI).

Corvus to Deliver Battery Solutions to Chinese Ports

Corvus Energy has announced that it will provide Orca Energy lithium-ion energy storage systems (ESS) for four hybrid rubber-tired gantry cranes (RTGs) for CCCC Shanghai Equipment Engineering (CCCCSEE). The RTGs are the first of many cranes at the Chinese Port of Changshu to undergo a diesel to battery hybrid conversion using a Corvus Orca ESS. Corvus Energy will supply its latest generation ESS, Orca Energy, for the retrofit of four RTGs that will be converted to battery hybrid-electric cranes by integrator CCCCSEE.

DryShips Enters into Newcastlemax Contract

DryShips Inc has entered into a one year time charter with a major grain house for one of its 206,000 dwt Newcastlemax drybulk vessels for an expected duration of about one year. The Company anticipates a total gross backlog of $7.1 million, and the contract to commence upon the delivery of the vessel, expected before the end of April 2017. Mr. DryShips is a diversified owner of ocean going cargo vessels that operate worldwide. The Company owns a fleet of 13 Panamax drybulk vessels…

DCNS Delivers Frigate for French Navy

In early April DCNS delivered the FREMM multi-mission frigate Auvergne to the French Navy, the fourth of the series ordered by OCCAR1 on behalf of the DGA (French armament procurement agency). Delivery of the FREMM multi-mission frigate Auvergne is the result of a design and construction process managed by DCNS in close cooperation with the French Navy, DGA and OCCAR teams. “The delivery of the FREMM Auvergne represents an opportunity to applaud the industrial and technological prowess of DCNS and its subcontractors,"said Nicolas Gaspard, director of the FREMM program at DCNS.

Greece Calls for Improved Thessaloniki Port Bids

Hellenic Republic Asset Development Fund (HRADF) asked for improved financial bids from short-listed investors seeking to buy a majority stake in its second-largest port, reports Reuters. Greece’s privatization agency (TAIPED) got three offers last month for the sale of a 67 percent stake in Thessaloniki Port, which is required as part of Greece’s international bailout. The investors are Philippines-based International Container Terminal Services (ICTS), Dubai-based P&O Steam Navigation Company (DP World) and German private equity firm Deutsche Invest Equity Partners…

Channel Dredging to Commence in Mumbai

Dredging works for the deepening and widening of the access channel toward Jawaharlal Nehru Port in Mumbai, India is scheduled to commence in the coming weeks and last for approximately two years. The dredging will enable the country’ largest container handling port, Jawaharlal Nehru Port, to accommodate larger container vessels. Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust awarded the €250 million (approximately $265 million) dredging contract to Royal Boskalis Westminster N.V. in joint venture with Jan De Nul.

Tradepoint Atlantic Inks License Deal with Host Terminals

Tradepoint Atlantic, a 3,100-acre multimodal global logistics center in Baltimore, Maryland, that features an unmatched combination of access to deepwater berths, railroads, highways, and storage space today announced an exclusive, 10-year agreement with Host Terminals to oversee the vast majority of marine cargo operations. As part of the announcement, $30 million in combined investment toward infrastructure improvements will also be made to the site. This will further Tradepoint Atlantic’s ability to generate a projected 17…

Hamburg Süd on top in Performance Report

Hamburg Süd takes first place in the SeaIntel Global Liner Performance Report for the month of February 2017 in the category Schedule Reliability for the third time in succession. The company had already reached this top spot in December 2016 as well as January 2017. On the average for 2016, Hamburg Süd achieved second place among 20 container lines rated. “Hamburg Süd takes schedule reliability very serious. Our customers can rely on punctual delivery of their cargo. Within the value chain…

Singapore, Japan to Collaborate in Development of Ports

Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) signed a Memorandum of Cooperation (MOC) with the Ports and Harbours Bureau of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism of Japan (MLIT) at the sideline of the International Symposium on LNG bunkering in Yokohama, Japan. The areas of cooperation under the MOC include port planning, port management and technological development in the port sector. Signed today by Mr Andrew Tan, Chief Executive of MPA, and Mr Michio Kikuchi…

CMA CGM, PSA Container Terminal JV in Singapore

The CMA CGM Group and PSA  have kicked off the second phase of their container terminal joint venture in Singapore. Officiating the event were François Hollande, President of the French Republic, and Khaw Boon Wan, Coordinating Minister for Infrastructure and Minister for Transport, Singapore. The CMA CGM - PSA Lion Terminal (CPLT) started operations with two mega container berths at PSA Singapore’s Pasir Panjang Terminal 5 (PPT 5) that had an initial annual capacity of 2 million TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) in July 2016.

Greece Gets 3 Bids for Thessaloniki Port

Three foreign investors have bid for the majority stake in Greece's Thessaloniki Port, reports Reuters. Phillipines-based International Container Terminal Services (ICTS), Dubai-based P&O Steam Navigation Company (DP World) and German private equity Deutsche Invest Equity Partners had all submitted offers, the report said. The sale of a 67 percent stake in Greece's second-largest port, which was launched in 2014, has been beset by delays and political resistance. Thessaloniki Port has a market value of $211 million and had a throughput of 344,277 20-foot equivalent units (TEUs) last year.

Gazprom to Cement LNG Ties with Kuwait

Russia-based energy company Gazprom has negotiated about supplies of liquefied natural gas (LNG)  to Kuwait, reports Tass. The talks continue in "a rather progressive mood,"during the the Energy Minister Alexander Novak’s visit to the Middle East country, the report said. However, it is too early yet to speak about finalizing them. Though Kuwait is satisfied with LNG supplies from Qatar, the parties continued the discussion on a long-term contract. Kuwait is building a new LNG terminal, which should be ready by 2020.

Rotterdam Port Signs MoU with Brazilian Port of Pecém

Port of Rotterdam signs a ‘memorandum of understanding’ (MoU) with the State Government of Ceará with the purpose to jointly study a potential cooperation. This may lead to the joint venture Industrial Port Complex of Pecém. The MoU is consistent with the Port of Rotterdam Authority’s foreign policy which is focused on creating opportunities in ports abroad that have perspective for growth. Port of Rotterdam has a successful joint venture with the Sultanate of Oman for the management and development of SOHAR Port & Freezone.

Shell Signs 3-year Contract to Lease Oil Tanks in Panama

Oil company Royal Dutch Shell has signed a three-year contract to lease storage tanks at a large terminal in Panama that had been used by U.S. refining company Tesoro Corp, sources involved in the deal told Reuters. The facility, designed for storage and transshipment of crude oil to tankers, is owned by Petroterminal de Panama (PTP) and includes up to 14 million barrels of storage capacity on the Atlantic and the Pacific shores. "We have signed a contract with Shell for a three-year period involving all the available space we have," said an official from the Panamanian government.

Hapag-Lloyd, Inmarsat Ink Fleet Xpress Deal

Global mobile satellite communications services provider Inmarsat has signed a five-year contract with Hapag-Lloyd to migrate all ships directly managed by the shipping line to services enabled for Fleet Xpress. Hapag-Lloyd, the sixth largest container shipping operator in the world by Twenty Foot Equivalent Unit (TEU) capacity, will transition all existing ships that it manages in-house from Inmarsat FleetBroadband services to Fleet Xpress. The agreement also covers five 10,500 TEU vessels as latest new builds.

GE Shipping Buys New Vessel

The Great Eastern Shipping Company Limited (G E Shipping) signed a contract to buy a Supramax Dry Bulk Carrier of about 52,450 dwt. The 2006 built vessel is expected to join the Company’s fleet in Q1 FY18. The Company’s current fleet stands at 43 vessels, comprising 28 tankers (11 crude carriers, 15 product tankers, 2 LPG carrier) and 15 dry bulk carriers (1 Capesize, 8 Kamsarmax, 6 Supramax) with an average age of 9.56 years aggregating 3.54 mn dwt. The company has also committed to purchase 1 Secondhand Suezmax Crude Carrier.

BAE Systems to Modernize Cruiser USS Vicksburg

BAE Systems will perform ship alternations and miscellaneous repairs aboard the 567-foot-long USS Vicksburg (CG 69) under a $42.9 million U.S. Navy contract. The value of the competitively awarded contract could reach $45.9 million if all options are exercised. Under the special selected restricted availability (SSRA) contract, BAE Systems will perform ship alternations and miscellaneous repairs aboard the 567-foot-long ship, including the replacement of critical aluminum structures.

TEN Strengthens Vessel Base

Tsakos Energy Navigation (TEN)'s growth has continued unabated in 2017 with the delivery of one VLCC, the Hercules I, one aframax tanker the Marathon TS and the shuttle tanker Lisboa, currently all under long-term employment to solid counterparties. These came on the back of nine vessels that were delivered or acquired in 2016 and will be followed in 2017 by the last four, of nine, aframaxes that were built against long-term employment to a Norwegian oil major. With the delivery of these remaining high-end aframaxes…

Port Everglades, Royal Caribbean Sign MOU

Broward County's Port Everglades has negotiated a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that provides the framework for a new long-term business agreement with Royal Caribbean Cruises, Ltd. (RCL) that will include complete, customized renovations of the Port's Cruise Terminal 25 targeted for completion by October 31, 2018. "Our cruise line customers are becoming more sophisticated in the way they think about the guest experience, as we saw when Royal Caribbean partnered in the construction of Cruise Terminal 18 for their Oasis class of ships," said Port Everglades Chief Executive Steven Cernak.

Diana Containerships Reactivates Time Charter With OOCL

Diana Containerships Inc., a global shipping company specializing in the ownership of containerships, has announced that it plans to reactivate one of its Post-Panamax container vessels, the m/v Pucon. The company also announced that, through a separate wholly-owned subsidiary, it has entered into a time charter contract with Orient Overseas Container Line Ltd., Hong Kong, for the m/v Pucon. The gross charter rate is US$10,750 per day, minus a 3.75% commission paid to third parties, for a period of thirteen (13) months, plus or minus thirty (30) days.

Santos Brasil Loses ESA Cargo Contract to Grupo Libra

Logistics company Santos Brasil Participações SA has confirmed the termination of a contract to move containers for the ESA consortium of shipowners at the port of Santos, according to a statement sent to Reuters on Thursday.   Santos Brasil, the largest cargo operator in the country, lost the ESA contract to Grupo Libra, the second largest, according to two sources briefed on the matter. (Reporting by Ana Mano and Flavia Bohone; Editing by Jonathan Oatis)

Star Bulk Acquire Two Modern Kamsarmax Vessels

Star Bulk Carriers, a global shipping company focusing on the transportation of dry bulk cargoes, announced that it has entered into definitive agreements to acquire two modern Kamsarmax drybulk carriers from an unaffiliated third party for an aggregate total consideration of approximately US$30.3 million. Each of the Vessels has a carrying capacity of 81,713 deadweight tons and was built with high specifications at Jiangsu New Yangzijiang in 2013. The Vessels are expected to be delivered to Star Bulk between March and May 2017.

Diana Shipping Announces Time Charter Contracts for Philadelphia

Diana Shipping has announced that, through a separate wholly-owned subsidiary, it has entered into a time charter contract with Koch Shipping Pte. Ltd., Singapore, for one of its Newcastlemax dry bulk vessels, the m/v Philadelphia. The gross charter rate is US$15,500 per day, minus a 5% commission paid to third parties, for a period of minimum ten (10) months to about thirteen (13) months. The charter is expected to commence on March 14, 2017. The “Philadelphia” is a 206,040 dwt Newcastlemax dry bulk vessel built in 2012.

HMM, Korea Shipping Company Pact for Sale and Leaseback for Ten Boxships

Hyundai Merchant Marine (HMM) has inked a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with state-backed Korea Shipping Company (KSC) for vessel sales worth up to Won850bn ($739.4m) book value, which will strengthen HMM's financial position. Under the deal, HMM will sell 10 of its container ships to KSC for around Won150bn market value of the vessels, and KSC will finance the outstanding amount by purchasing shares and bonds from HMM. The ship financing company will buy around Won100bn worth of shares and Won600bn in convertible bonds from HMM.

Marine Link's Joe Keefe Sounds off on Oregon Public Broadcasting

Marine News and Maritime Logistics Professional editor Joseph Keefe last week spent 10 minutes with Oregon Public Broadcasting to discuss the fate and the future of Oregon's only deep water port. Listen in to find out more. As ICTSI Oregon, Inc. and the Port of Portland mutually agreed to terminate a 25-year lease agreement to operate the container facility at the Port’s Terminal 6, the agreement allows ICTSI Oregon to be relieved of its long-term lease obligations effective March 31, 2017, pending approval by the Port Commission.

Logistec Signs on for 10 Years at Cleveland Bulk Terminal

Logistec Corporation subsidiary Logistec USA Inc. has signed a 10-year agreement with the Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Port Authority to operate the Cleveland Bulk Terminal as of April 2017. Cleveland Bulk Terminal handles dry bulk commodities, principally iron ore pellets destined for steel production on the Cuyahoga River Ship Channel and limestone destined for Ohio power plants. The 45-acre facility began operating in 1997 and is located on the outer harbor of the Port of Cleveland, west of the mouth of the Cuyahoga River. The terminal is directly serviced by Norfolk Southern railroad.

MarineLink's Joe Keefe Sounds off on Oregon Public Broadcasting

MarineNews and Maritime Logistics Professional Editor Joseph Keefe on Thursday spent ten minutes with Oregon Public Broadcasting to discuss the fate and the future of Oregon's only deep water port. Listen in to find out more. As ICTSI Oregon, Inc. and the Port of Portland mutually agreed to terminate a 25-year lease agreement to operate the container facility at the Port’s Terminal 6, the agreement allows ICTSI Oregon to be relieved of its long-term lease obligations effective March 31, 2017, pending approval by the Port Commission.

Diana Charters OOCL Box Ship

Diana Containerships Inc., through a separate wholly-owned subsidiary, has entered into a time charter contract with Orient Overseas Container Line Ltd. (OOCL), Hong Kong, for its 5,576 TEU Post-Panamax container vessel m/v Great built in 2004. The gross charter rate is $7,300 per day, minus a 3.75 percent commission paid to third parties, for a period of minimum nine months to maximum 12 months. The charter is expected to commence on April 8, 2017. According to Diana, the employment…

Golden Ocean CEO Takes Comfort in Dry Bulk Order Book at 15-year Low

** CEO: I think the most important factor (for an improved market) is a limit of new orders.

Hapag-Lloyd 2016 Profit Dips on Weaker Box Rates

FY operating profit down 66 pct and freight rates down 15.4 percent in 2016. Company says merger benefits, cost cuts help. German container shipping firm Hapag-Lloyd on Tuesday reported a 66 percent year-on-year fall in operating profit for 2016, blaming mainly significantly lower freight rates. Operating profit came to 126 million euros ($133.5 million), while earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) were down 27 percent at 607 million, it said in a statement.

Portland Port, ICTSI to terminate Lease

ICTSI Oregon, Inc. and the Port of Portland have mutually agreed to terminate a 25-year lease agreement to operate the container facility at the Port’s Terminal 6. The agreement allows ICTSI Oregon to be relieved of its long-term lease obligations effective March 31, 2017, pending approval by the Port Commission. In exchange, the Port will receive $11.45 million in compensation to rebuild business, as well as additional container handling equipment, spare parts and tools at the terminal.