Diana Shipping Fixes Medusa with Cargill

Diana Shipping announced that, through a separate wholly-owned subsidiary, it has entered into a time charter contract with Cargill International S.A., Geneva, for one of its Kamsarmax dry bulk vessels, the m/v Medusa.The gross charter rate is US$11,000 per day, minus a 4.75% commission paid to third parties, for a period of about 11 months to maximum 13 months, said the global shipping company specializing in the ownership of dry bulk vessels.The new charter period is expected to commence on November 15…

Retail Imports to See Final Tariff-Driven Surge

Imports at the nation’s major retail container ports are expected to see their final surge of the year this month ahead of new tariffs set to take effect in December, according to the Global Port Tracker report released today by the National Retail Federation and Hackett Associates.“Retailers are highly competitive, but the ability to compete has been challenging this year because of the uncertainty of the trade war and continued tariff escalation,” NRF Vice President for Supply Chain and Customs Policy Jonathan Gold said.

Namdock wins Angolan Navy Maintenance Contract

In September 2019, in a milestone agreement, Namdock concluded a contract to maintain and repair the vessels of the Marinha de Guerra Angolana (MGA), the Angolan Navy.According to Namdock’s Commercial and Operations Manager, Willie Esterhuyse, although the contract has been concluded, the exact date when the vessels will be arriving in Walvis Bay has not been finalized, it is anticipated that this will be early in 2020.In terms of this agreement, Namdock will take two Angolan Navy vessels into its dry docks initially.

White House: Tariff May be Removed if Trade Deal Reached

Tariffs could be lifted amid the U.S.-China trade deal if an agreement is reached, a White House spokeswoman said on Friday, citing optimism about a final pact but giving no further details."We're very optimistic for some kind of a deal, and I imagine if we reach one then some tariffs could be lifted," White House spokeswoman Stephanie Grisham told Fox Business News in an interview, adding that she did not want to get ahead of negotiations.Reporting by Susan Heavey

Russian Gas Tanker to Lift U.S. LNG

A gas tanker once hailed by President Vladimir Putin as a bulwark of Russian energy security is heading for a liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal in the United States, ship tracking data from Refinitiv's Eikon showed on Friday.The collection of an LNG cargo from the United States by a Russian tanker would be potentially awkward for Putin and Kremlin-controlled gas company Gazprom, which leased out the vessel to Austrian company OMV in August until November.Two industry sources…

China, U.S. Reportedly to Cancel Tariffs in Phases

China and the United States have agreed to cancel in phases the tariffs imposed during their months-long trade war, the Chinese commerce ministry said on Thursday, without specifying a timetable.An interim U.S.-China trade deal is widely expected to include a U.S. pledge to scrap tariffs scheduled for Dec. 15 on about $156 billion worth of Chinese imports, including cell phones, laptop computers and toys.Tariff cancellation was an important condition for any agreement, ministry spokesman Gao Feng said…

Oil surges as China Pushes Tariff Rollbacks

Oil prices rose more than 1% on Tuesday on hopes for a U.S.-China trade agreement and optimism that Washington could roll back some tariffs on Chinese imports.Brent crude futures rose 74 cents, or 1.2%, to $62.87 a barrel by 12:56 p.m. EST (1756 GMT). U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures rose 68 cents, or 1.2%, to $57.22 a barrel.China is pushing U.S. President Donald Trump to remove more tariffs imposed in September as part of a so-called Phase 1 deal, which would…

Bullet Dodged? Markets Bet on Global Economy

World shares climbed back towards record highs and safe-haven bonds tumbled on Tuesday, as hopes that Washington may roll back some of the tariffs it has imposed on Chinese imports rekindled optimism about the global economic outlook.A year-end rally looked to be building. Wall Street's main markets were expected to add to their 20% gains and best year since 2013. MSCI's 49-country world index was just 1.4% shy its early 2018 peak.Europe had galloped to a 21-month high on Monday before retreating on Tuesday. Asia had raced to its highest since May.

Venezuela's Oil Exports top 800,000 bpd Again

Venezuela's oil exports eased in October, but surpassed 800,000 barrels per day (bpd) for second month in a row, helping to drain an inventory buildup that had forced the OPEC country to cut output, according to documents and data.Since the United States imposed sanctions on Venezuelan state-run oil firm PDVSA in January to oust socialist President Nicolas Maduro, the OPEC-member country has struggled to find customers and tankers for its oil.New rounds of sanctions in August and September on Venezuela and maritime firms carrying the nation's oil pushed its crude stocks to record levels…

Boston’s Conley Terminal Receives Two New RTG Cranes

On Saturday, November 2nd, the Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport) received two new rubber-tired gantries (RTGs), increasing the number of RTGs at the Paul W. Conley Container Terminal to 16. Adding equipment is part of an $850 million investment to keep Conley Terminal competitive and efficient with truck turntimes averaging under 35 minutes. Another two RTGs were also delivered back in May. The Port of Boston contributes over $8 billion to the regional economy and supports more than 9,000 direct jobs.

RORO Company Launches New Platform

The Roll On Roll Off (RORO) Company, a digital freight forwarder, recently launched its new platform, RORO.com, to accelerate global trade of large assets. With access to instant quotes, schedules and bookings, users can save time and money on shipping machinery, automobiles, boats and more. Global trade of large assets moves too slowly. Online auctions, such as Ritchie Bros., make it easy to purchase items worldwide, but delivering these items across the world is slow. The current model relies on a subset of shipping companies called freight forwarders.

Baltic Index at 4-month Low on Weak Demand

The Baltic Exchange's main sea freight index, which tracks rates for ships ferrying dry bulk commodities, fell to a four-month low on Monday, weighed down by easing rates across vessel segments.The Baltic index, which reflects rates for capesize, panamax and supramax vessels, fell 22 points, or 1.3%, to 1,675, its lowest since July 3.The capesize index dropped 4 points, or 0.1% to 2,946 points, its lowest in more than a week. Average daily earnings for capesizes, which typically transport 170…

Baltic Index Slips to Near 4-Month Low

The Baltic Exchange's main sea freight index, which tracks rates for ships ferrying dry bulk commodities, fell to a near 4-month low on Friday as rates fell across vessel segments.The Baltic index, which reflects rates for capesize, panamax and supramax vessels, fell 34 points, or 1.96%, to 1,697, its lowest since July 3. The index posted its seventh weekly loss in eight.The capesize index was down by 28 points, or 0.94% at 2,950 points. Average daily earnings for capesizes, which typically transport 170…

Peel Ports sees Brexit Boost

Cargo shippers are diverting goods to more ports across Britain to ensure stable supply lines due to uncertainty over whether the UK will leave the European Union without an agreement, a top port executive said.Brexit has been delayed for a third time, until the end of January, and Britain is headed for a snap general election in December designed to break the impasse.The European Union's Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier this week said there was still a risk that Britain could exit the bloc chaotically with no divorce agreement.In the meantime…

Phase One Trade Deal with China in 'Good Shape'

The initial "phase one" trade pact with China appears to be in good shape and is likely to be signed around mid-November, although a finite date is still in question, U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said on Friday."We're pretty comfortable that the phase one is in good shape," he told Fox Business Network in an interview.Reporting by Susan Heavey

Shipping Executives Push 'Carbon Levies'

Executives at some of the world's top shipping groups are advocating a levy on carbon emissions on shipping in an effort to shape tightening rules on greenhouse gas emissions while providing a means to fund development of cleaner fuel sources."To meet international shipping's decarbonization challenge, the maritime industry needs a carbon levy, it is coming, and we should shape it," said Andreas Sohmen-Pao, chairman of BW Group at the Global Maritime Forum in Singapore this week.The…

China to Proceed with US Trade Talks as Planned

China's commerce ministry said on Thursday that Beijing and Washington will proceed with the bilateral trade negotiations according to plan and that the talks are progressing well.The ministry, in a statement, said the two sides remain in close communication and that the lead trade negotiators for Beijing and Washington will hold a telephone call on Friday.U.S. President Donald Trump said he hoped to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping next month to sign an interim trade deal during the Nov.

Baltic Index Inches Lower on Weaker Panamax Demand

The Baltic Exchange's main sea freight index, which tracks rates for ships ferrying dry bulk commodities, inched lower on Wednesday on weaker demand for panamax vessels.The Baltic index, which reflects rates for capesize, panamax and supramax vessels, edged down by 20 points, or 1.1%, to 1,782.The capesize index was unchanged at 3,078 points. Limited activity in both the Atlantic and Pacific basins and the resistance of charterers to current freight rates led to lower market rates, while some fresh inquiries in the Atlantic helped curb losses, Allied Shipbroking said in a note on Tuesday.

USMI, Brunswick Enter into MOU

United States Marine, Inc. (USMI) and Brunswick Commercial and Government Products (BCGP) are pleased to announce they have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding to explore potential business opportunities.USMI and BCGP have a history of providing our warfighters with mission proven vessels to help ensure our troops come home safely. “We have always admired Brunswick craft. This is an opportunity for both of us to work together to explore our core strengths and synergies to determine how we can provide unique craft to the military market with our combined expertise.

Poland's PGNiG to Charter LNG Tankers

Poland's state-run gas firm PGNiG has started the tender process to charter liquefied natural gas (LNG) tankers for its new imports of the super-chilled fuel, a senior company official said on Wednesday.The company currently imports most of the gas it sells to its customers from Russia's Gazprom, but Warsaw has taken steps to reduce that reliance so that it does not have to extend a long-term deal on gas supplies after 2022, when it is scheduled to expire.It has bought more LNG from Qatar and the United States and has signed import deals with companies including U.S.

U.S. Shipping Sanctions Dent HSFO Demand

U.S. sanctions on a top Chinese shipping fleet is set to produce a totally unintended result -- less burning of the dirtiest marine fuels at sea at the start of next year, Refinitiv data showed on Tuesday.The move to blacklist ships from COSCO on Sept. 24 for allegedly ferrying sanctioned Iranian oil will undercut demand for ships' traditional means of power because a vessel crunch meant fewer docked and attached kit to filter the dirtier fuels.From January 2020, the United Nations International Maritime Organization (IMO) will ban ships from using fuel with a sulphur content above 0.5%…

Euronav Readies Fleet for IMO 2020 Start

Belgian tanker operator Euronav expects to complete preparations on its fleet in coming weeks ahead of tougher rules next year limiting sulphur emissions from ocean-going vessels, a company executive said on Tuesday.Ship owners must cut emissions by reducing the sulphur content in fuel to 0.5% from 3.5% under the rules, which are set by the United Nations' International Maritime Organization (IMO), and come into effect in January.To comply, ship owners can use low-sulphur fuel…

CMA CGM Buys Stake in Wing

CMA CGM has taken a position in Wing to support the growth of an innovative urban logistics service dedicated to e-commerce.CEVA Logistics and Wing are entering into a major industrial and commercial partnership for the benefit of their respective customers. Wing customers see a courier show up to pick up orders sold on the Internet. These are then deposited in a logistics warehouse where they are packaged and shipped. In less than 48 hours, orders are delivered to the end customer.

West Africa Crude-Freight Rates Ease

Freight rates to Europe and Asia have continued to ease, albeit at a less rapid rate than during the middle of the month, boosting price offerings for West African grades, traders said on Monday. Rates for VLCCs from Nigeria's Bonny Light terminal to Singapore settled at $3.25 a barrel on Friday from highs just below $10 two weeks earlier, according to Refinitiv data, while for Rotterdam they eased to $2.72 from a high above $5.Rates for key Angolan grade Girassol aboard a VLCC bound for China plunged to $3.84 a barrel from highs of $11.39.

Optimarin Inks 30 BWTS Deal with Asiatic Lloyd

Optimarin, the ballast water treatment (BWT) specialist, has reported a year-on-year increase in sales of more than 100% for Q3, with order intake at an all-time high. The growth, consolidating the trend seen in Q2, comes on the back of a number of new fleet agreements with leading owners and operators, of which Singapore’s Asiatic Lloyd Shipmanagement LLP is the latest signing. “September’s IMO D2 deadline for BWT compliance has created, quite rightly, a sense of urgency in the market…

Waning Demand Across All Sectors Drags on Baltic Index

The Baltic Exchange's main sea freight index fell for a ninth straight session on Wednesday to a two-week low, hurt by weaker demand across vessel segments.The Baltic index, which reflects rates for capesize, panamax and supramax vessels, fell 27 points, or 1.5%, to 1,779, its lowest in over two weeks.The capesize index slipped 71 points, or 2.4%, to 2,873, its lowest in more than three months. The average daily earnings for capesizes, which typically transport 170,000-180,000 tonne cargoes such as iron ore and coal, fell $463 to $23,740.The panamax index dropped 25 points, or 1.4%, to 1,770.

ShipMoney Expands in the Far East

Specialized global maritime payments provider ShipMoney continues to expand its presence in the Far East with a new appointment in The Philippines.The company has hired Kimberly Oropesa to join its team in Manila. Kimberly has worked in sales and marketing since graduating in 2013. For the past three years she has worked in the maritime sector and was the Soroptimist International Women’s Opportunity Awardee in 2013 for being an inspiration to her fellow women. Kimberly will be…

Yamal LNG Tanker JV No Longer Under Sanctions

Teekay LNG's liquefied natural gas (LNG) tanker venture, the Yamal LNG Joint Venture, is no longer subject to U.S. sanctions after a change of ownership at its partner China LNG Shipping (Holdings) Ltd, Teekay companies said late on Tuesday.Teekay LNG and China LNG Shipping each own half of Yamal LNG Joint Venture.

BunkerTrace Goes Live

On Friday, BunkerTrace, the unique blockchain and DNA- based fuels tracking solution, announced its commercial launch shortly after a successful trial in the Netherlands on Thursday, October 3, which was conducted in partnership with Cooperative Bebeka. Announcing the launch at Aracon, BunkerTrace is now ready to receive requests for commercial partnerships and adoption by bunker suppliers, ports and operators.The solution, which adds DNA markers to fuel at every stage of the supply chain and records each transaction in a blockchain-based system…

CMA CGM Launches SHIPFIN Trade Finance

CMA CGM launches SHIPFIN Trade Finance, its new range of import and export financing solutions.An innovative offering of simple, reliable and rapid financial services;Two complementary solutions for importers and exporters: Supply Chain Financing and Cargo Financing;CMA CGM is accelerating its Customer Centricity strategy to offer its customers tailor-made solutions supporting the development of their business.Discover SHIPFIN Trade Finance…

“K” LINE, MOL, & NYK Share Data with IoS-OP

Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd. Mitsui O.S.K Lines, Ltd. and Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha (NYK) have begun sharing of operational data acquired from the monitoring system installed in their container ships with their charter, Ocean Network Express Pte. Ltd. (ONE), through the IoS-Open Platform (IoS-OP) promoted by Ship Data Center Ltd. (ShipDC).As ”K” LINE, MOL, and NYK have managed the data by different frameworks, ONE needed to carry out data conversion. With the IoS-OP’s automatic conversion function to the standard names in line with ISO19848…

Baltic Index Sags as Rates Slip

The Baltic Exchange's main sea freight index, which tracks rates for ships ferrying dry bulk commodities, extended losses for a sixth consecutive session on Friday, on weak demand across all vessel segments.The Baltic index, which reflects rates for capesize, panamax and supramax vessels, dropped 6 points, or 0.3%, to 1,855. The overall index posted its fifth weekly loss in six, closing 3.6% lower.The capesize index was down by 17 points, or 0.6%, at 3,064, falling for a sixth straight session.

Exxon, Trafigura Tap Lower Freight Rates

U.S. crude exports to Asia, which have slumped due to record freight costs, stirred on Thursday as rates slid and the premium in Asia for Russia's ESPO Blend oil sent buyers back to U.S. grades, according to market sources.Oil shipping costs for United States Gulf Coast to Asia cooled this week from record highs on the prospect of more vessels becoming available. Nearly 300 oil tankers globally were placed off limits due to U.S. sanctions on Iran and Venezuela.Seventeen supertankers returned to service in October after being sidelined for overhauls, as 11 entered drydocks.

Tramp Shippers Challenged by IMO 2020

Shipping companies running itinerant merchant vessels known as tramps are concerned about sourcing fuel to comply with one of the biggest ever shake-ups of the industry next year, the head of the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) said.The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has banned the use of fuel with a sulphur content exceeding 0.5% from the beginning of January 2020, down from a maximum of 3.5% now, unless it is to power a ship equipped with a "scrubber" to clean the pollutant from exhaust emissions."We believe the (fuel) supplies will inevitably be patchy outside the main bu

White House Points to November for U.S-China Deal

White House trade adviser Peter Navarro on Friday pointed to next month's Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum in Chile as the Trump administration seeks to formalize its "phase one" trade pact with China."We're on the glide path to Chile and the meeting of the two presidents mid-November. And the plan there is to have an agreement, so we'll see what happens," Navarro said in an interview on Fox Business Network, referring to U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping. Reporting by Susan Heavey and Jan Wolfe

Pelosi: New 'NAFTA' Trade Deal Near Agreement

U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said on Thursday lawmakers were getting closer to an agreement with the Trump administration on revisions to the deal negotiated by the Trump administration with Canada and Mexico."I can honestly say that I think every day we are becoming closer," Pelosi said at her weekly news conference. "The issue is do we have enforcement. We feel very good about being on a path to yes. We're not there yet because we don't have the enforceability assurance that we need to have.

Baltic Index at One-week Trough as Demand Sags

The Baltic Exchange's main sea freight index, which tracks rates for ships ferrying dry bulk commodities, fell to a one-week low on Wednesday, on weaker demand for all vessel segments.The Baltic index, which reflects rates for capesize, panamax and supramax vessels, was down 1 point at 1,897, extending losses to a fourth session.The capesize index fell 10 points, or 0.3%, to 3,194. The average daily earnings for capesizes, which typically transport 170,000-180,000 tonne cargoes such as iron ore and coal…

MSC Cruises Returns to Thordon to Keep Seashore Clean

Thordon Bearings has received an order to supply a water-lubricated propeller shaft bearing solution to Fincantieri’s Monfalcone shipyard for installation to MSC Seashore, the third Seaside Class cruiseship to which Thordon’s COMPAC system has been specified.As part of a scope of environmentally-sustainable technology to feature aboard the 339m long, twin screw vessel – the first of two enriched Seaside Evo Class ships scheduled to enter services in 2021 – Thordon will supply two 628mm (24.7in) diameter COMPAC propeller shaft bearings…

Tankers Switch from Clean to Dirty as Rates Surge

A recent surge in tanker rates due to U.S.

Marlink, Intelsat Renew Connectivity Pact

Marlink and Intelsat have announced that the companies have agreed to a multi-year renewal and expansion of their partnership to provide broadband services to maritime vessels around the world. The multi-year agreement will deliver additional throughput to vessels via multiple layers of space-based coverage, ensuring that ship owners and operators have the flexibility and access to reliable, high-quality, always-on connectivity.Initiated in 2014, the partnership between Marlink and Intelsat enabled Marlink to enhance its extensive portfolio of maritime VSAT services.

U.S. Great Lakes Ports on Pace to Beat 2018 Volumes

U.S. Great Lakes ports are on pace to beat 2018 cargo volumes following a robust September handling road salt, cement, stone, petroleum and wind energy components.“U.S. Great Lakes ports are reporting cargo growth as they support the region’s construction activity and energy needs and help our cities prepare for the winter ahead,” said Bruce Burrows, President of the Chamber of Marine Commerce. “Iron ore exports from Minnesota to Japan and China via the St. Lawrence Seaway are also continuing.”Overall, St.

Baltic Index Slips on Lower Capesize Rates

The Baltic Exchange's main sea freight index, which tracks rates for ships ferrying dry bulk commodities, edged lower on Friday, weighed down by lower capesize vessel rates, while the main index posted its first weekly rise in five.The Baltic index, which reflects rates for capesize, panamax and supramax vessels, fell 5 points, or 0.26%, to 1,924.The capesize index dropped 29 points, or 0.87%, to 3,290, while the index recorded its first gain in five weeks. The average daily earnings for capesizes…

Port of Kiel Cruise Numbers up 33.6%

The visit of the cruise ship AIDAprima on Saturday, October 12, marked the end of the oceangoing cruise season in Kiel, and what a season it was with ship visits and passenger numbers up over 2018.In total the port was visited 174 times (2018: 169) by 32 different cruise ships with a total tonnage of 15 million GT (2018: 11.5). For the first time the port exceeded the 800,000 cruise passenger threshold (embarked or left a ship at the terminals) in Kiel (+ 33.6 %). The cruise and…

DSC Dredge Wins USACE Dredge Bid

DSC Dredge, LLC wins bid for a new, non-propelled, cutter suction head dredge solicited by The Marine Design Center (MDC) of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) earlier this month. When completed, the new cutter suction head dredge will operate out of Astara, Azerbaijan to not only maintain the harbor depth and harbor entrance but the US Government is purchasing this dredge for the country of Azerbaijan as a part of Azerbaijan’s support of the US in anti-terrorism efforts.

U.S. Sanctions Bite; Traders Shun 300 Tankers

Nearly 300 oil tankers globally have been placed off limits as companies fear violating U.S. sanctions against Iran and Venezuela, driving freight rates to new highs, industry sources said.The move has taken roughly 3% of the global oil tanker fleet out of the market, according to industry sources and data on Refinitiv Eikon, sending rates soaring to secure tankers to ship oil, particularly to Asia."Freight rates are going through the roof and people are getting very nervous with the cost of shipping…

CNOOC Seeks Replacements for Sanctioned COSCO LNG Tankers

China National Offshore Oil and Gas Company (CNOOC) is on the hunt for liquefied natural gas (LNG) tankers to charter, several industry sources told Reuters, looking to replace ships it had previously hired that are linked to a Chinese company sanctioned by the United States for allegedly transporting Iranian oil.The company, COSCO Shipping Tanker (Dalian), is one of four Chinese firms on which the Trump administration imposed sanctions on Sept. 25, in what it described as the biggest sanctions taken by the U.S.

U.S. Sanctions Deal Blow to LSFO for 'IMO 2020'

Highly sought after types of oil best suited to making cleaner shipping fuel are suddenly finding they are a tougher sell for thirsty East Asian markets, traders say, in an unintended consequence of U.S. sanctions on a Chinese shipping fleet.With just over two months until environmental rules are set to mandate the biggest changes to ship power in over a century, certain rare types of West African oil have soared in value but have had to be marked down due to the higher costs of transport.The United States imposed sanctions on units of China's COSCO on Sept.

MISC Secures ExxonMobil LNG Tanker Contract

MISC Berhad (MISC) through its wholly-owned subsidiaries have secured agreements with Exxon Mobil Corporation’s wholly-owned subsidiary, SeaRiver Maritime LLC (SeaRiver) for the time charter contracts of two Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) carriers.Each of the LNG carriers will respectively serve the transportation needs of ExxonMobil’s worldwide LNG portfolio on a 15-year charter contract.Prior to this, MISC, through the same subsidiaries have also signed an agreement with Samsung Heavy Industries Co., Ltd. (SHI) for the construction of the LNG carriers in Korea.

Greece Trims Piraeus Port investment plan

Greece has trimmed an investment plan by Piraeus Port Authority (PPA) to boost operations at one of Europe's largest harbours, rejecting proposals for a new container terminal.PPA, majority owned by China's COSCO Shipping , had submitted to Greece's shipping ministry an 800-million-euro plan, which included a new cruise ship terminal, a mall and four hotels in the port.PPA had also proposed to build a fourth container terminal that would boost Piraeus' total throughput to 10 million…

ICE Reports Milestone Trading of LNG Contracts

Intercontinental Exchange, operator of global exchanges and clearing houses and provider of data and listings services,  reported new milestones in the trading of the TTF natural gas and JKM LNG (Platts) contracts.In September, TTF Futures and Options hit an all-time monthly volume record of more than two million lots (2,023,848), equivalent to 1,484 TWh. TTF Futures set a new daily volume record on September 10 of 193,695 lots, equivalent to 142.1 TWh.TTF is the most liquid European natural gas benchmark…

Bourbon Receives Takeover Offer

French marine services group Bourbon Corporation, which has been in a court restructuring process after its business was impacted by volatile energy markets, said it had received a takeover offer for its assets."As part of the reorganization proceedings opened since August 7, 2019 by the Marseilles Commercial Court to the benefit of Bourbon Corporation and its affiliate Bourbon Maritime, Court Administrators have received a takeover offer," Bourbon said in a statement on Wednesday."This offer - made by a company owned by a group of French banks - concerns assets and activities of Bourbon Corpo

UK-bound Trucks at Risk after Brexit - DTA

Almost a third of companies who ship goods to Britain through the Netherlands have failed to complete the necessary paperwork for their trucks to embark on ferries after Brexit, the Dutch transport association TLN said on Wednesday."The registration is absolutely necessary, without it trucks will be sent away at terminals after Brexit," TLN spokesman Elmer de Bruin said.The Netherlands is home to Europe's largest seaport in Rotterdam, making it a major hub for trade with Britain.To keep the traffic across the North Sea flowing after Brexit…

Fire Ranger, Resolve Team Up on Fire Safety Training

Fire Ranger and Resolve Maritime Academy Announce Partnership Aligning Live-Action Training with State-of-the-Art Fire Safety Equipment and Services.September 2019, Fort Lauderdale FL, Fire Ranger, a leading supplier of fire safety equipment and services announce their alliance partnership with Resolve Maritime Academy to incorporate modern, state-of-the-art fire safety equipment and services as part of Resolve’s academy certification programs. The partnership is a “Win Win” for academy students who will earn United States Coast Guard (USCG)…

China to U.S.: Remove Sanctions on Chinese Firms

China strongly urges the U.S. to remove sanctions on Chinese firms and will take any necessary measures to firmly protect its own interests, China's commerce ministry said in a statement late on Tuesday.The U.S. government on Monday expanded its trade blacklist to include some of China's top artificial intelligence startups, saying it was in reaction to Beijing's treatment of Muslim minorities. The move ratcheted up tensions ahead of high-level trade talks in Washington this week.The ministry also said it strongly urges the U.S.

Marlink ITLink for J. Lauritzen Gas Carriers

Danish shipping company J. Lauritzen has selected Marlink to deploy fully integrated and managed IT services on all Lauritzen Kosan managed gas carriers. The solution will be based on Marlink’s ITLink portfolio, with the KeepUp@Sea platform enabling automation of software and security updates, network and PC health monitoring and remote access for fast issue resolution. Once implemented, Lauritzen Kosan will benefit from a fully standardized ICT setup across its fleet, and have…

Port Hedland Sept Iron Ore liftings to China Dip

Iron ore shipments to China from Australia's Port Hedland terminal, the world's biggest iron ore port, fell more than 5% in September from a month earlier, port data showed on Tuesday.Shipments to China totalled 36.05 million tonnes in September, down from 38.14 million tonnes in August, the Pilbara Ports Authority said.Overall iron ore shipments totalled 41.97 million tonnes in September, down more 7% from 45.43 million tonnes in August.Port Hedland is used by three of Australia's top four iron ore miners: BHP Group, Fortescue Metals Group and Gina Rinehart's Roy Hill.Reporting by Colin Packh

Disruptions to Global Shipping Industry Explained

Oil shipping rates are soaring following a series of sanctions on a Chinese transportation giant and limitations placed on movement of Venezuelan crude oil tankers.WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO SHIPPING RATES?The cost of chartering a supertanker to send crude oil from one country to another is rising sharply. A South Korean importer paid more than $12 million in shipping costs for one crude shipment from the U.S. Gulf Coast. This was followed by Friday's tentative charter of another crude…

Occidental Tentatively Fixes VLCC for Record $13.25 mln to Asia

Occidental Petroleum Corp provisionally chartered a supertanker to ship U.S. crude to South Korea for a new record of $13.25 million in November, three shipping sources familiar with the matter said on Monday.The Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC) Maran Andromeda was chartered by Occidental on Friday for an estimated Nov. 20 departure, according to one shipbroker and Refinitiv Eikon shipping data.Global shipping rates, and in particular U.S. Gulf Coast to Asia <TD-LPP-SIN>, have skyrocketed after the United States in late September imposed sanctions on two units of China's COSCO…

Exxon Mobil Bans Tankers Linked to PDVSA Commerce

Exxon Mobil Corp this week banned the use of vessels linked to oil flows from Venezuela in the last year, according to four people familiar with the matter, placing new pressure on the U.S. sanctioned country and on global crude freight rates.The largest publicly-traded oil producer's contract clause would affect about 250 tankers, two of the people familiar with the matter estimated. Exxon did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Over 25 foreign vessels touch Venezuelan ports per month, according to PDVSA's and Refinitiv Eikon data.Reporting by Collin Eaton

VT Halter, Q-LNG Name First LNG ATB

VT Halter Marine, Inc., a ST Engineering North America company, held a vessel naming ceremony for America’s first offshore Liquefied Natural Gas Articulated Tug and Barge (LNG ATB) unit.The Q-LNG 4000 (barge) and the Q-Ocean Services (tug) were officially named in a ceremony that included U.S. Senator Roger Wicker, U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith and U.S. Rep. Steven Palazzo, along with Shane Guidry, CEO of Q-LNG, and Tom Vecchiolla, President and CEO of ST Engineering North America.Over the last four years…

Mitsubishi Wins Order for Two Ferries

Mitsubishi Shipbuilding Co., Ltd., a group company of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI) based in Yokohama, has received orders for two large, high-speed ferries from Shin Nihonkai Ferry Co., Ltd. The vessels will be constructed at the Tategami Main Plant of MHI's Nagasaki Shipyard & Machinery Works, scheduled for completion and delivery in 2021.The two ferries on order will be 222.5m long, 25m wide, 20.4m deep, with draft of 7.4m and gross tonnage of approximately 15,400. Each vessel features capacity of 268 passengers, 154 trucks (12m length) and 30 passenger cars approximately.

Oil Freight Rates Rocket After U.S. Sanctions COSCO

Oil freight rates in the Middle East and Asia have increased by almost 20 percent today following new US sanctions on units of Chinese company COSCO for its alleged involvement in ferrying crude oil out of Iran.In what the U.S. State Department has described as “one of the largest sanctions actions the U.S. has taken” since restrictions were re-imposed on Iran in November 2018, two units of COSCO, as well as other companies, were named in claims of involvement in sanctions-breaking Iranian oil shipments.Asian oil buyers have been rushing to the shipping market to charter vessels…

Port of Cape Town Orders Workboat Pair

Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) will secure two new workboats by 2022 to boost marine operations at the Port of Cape Town and ensure it is recognized internationally for excellence.The more powerful workboats are expected to improve the port’s ability to maintain marine operations during challenging weather conditions. The engines will be approximately 20% more powerful on the new workboats and the bollard pull will be 80% greater as a result of advanced propeller and rudder designs.The Port of Cape Town presently has two workboats…

MacGregor Secures $22 mln in Contracts

MacGregor, part of Cargotec, has secured orders to provide MacGregor products to a Naval project in Europe and TTS products to a RoRo project in Asia. The total order value is more than $22 million and the contracts include ramps, car deck and lifting platform equipment. The orders were booked into Cargotec's third quarter 2019 order intake, with deliveries planned to commence during the third quarter of 2020 and completed during the first quarter of 2027.

Vestdavit to Equip Norwegian CG Vessels

Vestdavit secured an order to supply three new Norwegian Coast Guard vessels with davits equipped for polar conditions, in a project which also calls for installation of a deck-mounted transfer system for rapid deployment.The ships are being built by Vard Group within the P6615 project to replace Nordkapp-class ships with a new generation of search-and-rescue, surveillance, and oil recovery vessels. The 136m length newbuildings have been developed for worldwide operations including arctic areas and will feature ice-strengthened hulls and ice-class notation on their delivery from Vard Langsten…

SFI Acquires Three VLCCs From Hunter Group

Bermuda-based ship-owning and ship chartering firm Ship Finance International Limited (SFL) has agreed to purchase three very large crude carriers (VLCCs) from Norwegian investment company Hunter Group. The 300,000 dwt oil tankers are currently being constructed by South Korean shipbuilder Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME). Hunter Group placed the order for the VLCCs last year. SFI will pay almost $60 million for each tanker and a total of $180 million for all three.

Baltic Index Falls for Third Straight Day

The Baltic Exchange's main sea freight index fell on Monday for the third consecutive day, as lower demand for ships across segments eased rates.The Baltic index, which tracks rates for ships ferrying dry bulk commodities, fell 40 points, or 1.6%, to 2,442 points.The capesize index dropped 105 points, or 2.1%, to 4,844 points. Average daily earnings for capesizes, which typically transport 170,000-180,000 tonne cargoes such as iron ore and coal, fell $800 to $36,121.The panamax index fell 25 points, or 1.1%, to 2,191 points.

MacGregor Develops Cargo System for MSC Boxship

Cargotec company MacGregor has developed a new cargo system for one of the world’s largest container ships, the MSC Gülsün.The ship was built by South Korean company Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI) and delivered in July of this year, having a capacity of more than 23,000 TEU, a length of 400 meters and width of 61.5 meters, and is the first of 11 ultra-large containerships MSC has on order, six of which are being supplied by SHI. Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering will construct…

DP World’s Topaz, P&O Merger Complete by Year-end

Port operator DP World's planned merger of its P&O Maritime and recently acquired Topaz Energy and Marine businesses is expected to be completed by the end of the year, Topaz CEO Rene Kofod-Olsen said on Monday.DP World bought Dubai-based oil services company Topaz in July with the intention of combining it with P&O Maritime as part of efforts to diversify beyond its core port operations to other marine-related sectors.The merged entity, to be known simply as P&O, will give Topaz…

Baltic Index Dips as Broad Demand Weakens

The Baltic Exchange's main sea freight index continued to fall on Friday, having broken a 10-day winning streak on Thursday, as rates throughout vessel segments eased.The Baltic index, which tracks rates for ships ferrying dry bulk commodities, fell 37 points, or 1.5%, to 2,462 points. The index on Wednesday hit its highest since Nov. 2010 at 2,518 points. It has nearly doubled this year.The capesize index dropped 87 points, or 1.7%, to 4,949 points, but marked its fourth consecutive weekly gain.

2Q Red Ink for CMA CGM Again

CMA CGM, the world's fourth-largest container shipping firm, reported a second straight quarterly loss as its takeover of CEVA Logistics weighed on its results, but said its business volumes remained strong thanks to growth in the U.S. economy.The French-based group said on Friday that it expected a better second half of the year, supported by previously announced plans to reduce costs and reorganise its shipping services.CMA CGM said it made a second-quarter net loss of $109 million…

Danica Welcomes Two Bulk Vessels

Crew management specialist Danica Crewing Services has announced it has taken on the crew management of a further two bulk carrier vessels: the Four Emerald and the Four Diamond.The 33,392 dwt Four Emerald, built 2012, and the 34,059 dwt Four Diamond, built 2011, both sail under the Maltese flag.Crew management of the vessels will be conducted in partnership with Sea World Management, a boutique style ship manager based in Monaco, which will deliver the technical management while…

BMT Wins Multiple Nav Simulator Orders

BMT, a leading, multidisciplinary management consultancy, has reported phenomenal growth in sales of its maritime simulator and has just signed multiple key contracts with select cruise lines including Holland America Line, Princess Cruises, Seabourn in North America and P&O Cruises Australia. The orders for both office and ship-based licences of BMT’s REMBRANDT maritime simulator will support cruise lines on more than 39 cruise ships.REMBRANDT is fully scalable – operating in full mission modes through to desktop and laptop configurable modes.

Tideworks, Liebherr, Enter Cooperation Agreement

The two companies to cooperate on offerings for the global supply chain.Tideworks Technology announced cooperation activity with Liebherr Container Cranes Ltd. (LCC).This is Tideworks’ first cooperation with an equipment manufacturer and demonstrates a progression of its efforts to provide the global supply chain with next-generation TOS solutions and innovative options that include both software and hardware in a harmonized approach. The cooperation will allow terminal operators…

U.S. Blacklists IRG Oil Shipping Network

The United States on Wednesday sanctioned a sprawling network of firms, ships and individuals allegedly directed by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps that supplied Syria with oil worth tens of millions of dollars in a breach of U.S. sanctions.The individuals included a former Iranian oil minister and his son, the U.S. Treasury Department said in a statement. Also hit were subsidiaries of an Indian firm with an interest in the Adrian Darya, the Iranian tanker that has been cruising the Mediterranean since its release from detention by authorities in Gibraltar in July…

BREAKBULK SHIPPING: Breakbulk Breaks the Mold

In the cargo shipping world, there’s the bulk sector, the container segment, and then, there is “everything else.”When it comes to ‘everything else,’ breakbulk is the cargo that resides in between, comprising much of that remainder, including forest products (lumber, baled pulp) and steel. Breakbulk may, at times, share space on multipurpose vessels that also handle heavylift and project cargo, but can also be transported on vessels that handle drybulk. Prior to the advent of containerization, bales, barrels and pallets dominated.

DP World Taps Kalmar for Indian Box Terminal Cranes

Cargotec company Kalmar has been contracted by DP World to supply 15 rubber-tired gantry cranes (RTGs) for the Nhava Sheva International Container Terminal (NSICT) in Mumbai, India.The order includes 24 months of on-site maintenance support, with delivery scheduled to be completed during Q4 2020. NSICT was India’s first public-private partnership project and is part of the country’s largest port, Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT), which handles 40 percent of India’s maritime trade.The Kalmar Classic RTG combines the diesel and electric technology to give fuel savings…

Trump warns China Against Trade Talk Delays

U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday warned he would be "tougher" on Beijing in a second term if trade talks dragged on, compounding market fears that ongoing trade disputes between the United States and China could trigger a U.S. recession.The world's two largest economies imposed fresh tariffs on each other on Sunday, ratcheting up a tit-for-tat tariff war that has unsettled financial markets and raised the specter of a global recession. U.S. and Chinese negotiators are due to meet in person in Washington this month, but no date has yet been set.U.S.

PORT PROFILE: Big Baltimore

The Port of Baltimore is poised to muscle its way into the nation’s elite top 10 ports. How that happened really isn’t hard to understand. That’s because what comes next will be the dividend of many years of focused planning.The Port of Baltimore consists of state owned marine terminals managed by the MPA and privately owned marine terminals. Approximately 90 percent of all general cargo tons move through the MPA’s public terminals, while the private terminals handled most of the Port’s bulk commodities.In 2018, the Port of Baltimore (POB) experienced a record year in foreign cargo tons.

Baltic Index Up for Again on Firmer Capesize Demand

The Baltic Exchange's main sea freight index rose for a ninth-straight session on Tuesday, holding on to a near nine-year peak touched last week, helped by stronger capesize demand.The Baltic index, which tracks rates for ships ferrying dry bulk commodities, gained 59 points, or 2.4%, to 2,501, a level last seen in November 2010. The capesize index rose 203 points, or 4.4%, to 4,862 points, its highest since June 2010.Average daily earnings for capesizes, which typically transport 170,000-180,000 tonne cargoes such as iron ore and coal, rose $1,418 to $37,519.

BPA Welcomes Infrastructure Funding Scheme

The British Ports Association has welcomed the announcement by the UK Government that there will be a new grants scheme for infrastructure modification at UK ports should there be a ‘no-deal’ Brexit but has stated a deal was the best way to avoid potential disruption at ports.The UK’s Department for Transport is to introduce its £10 million (about $12.17 million) Port Infrastructure Resilience and Connectivity Fund for English Ports scheme in the run up to the Brexit date of October…

McQuilling Mid-Year Tanker Market Outlook

McQuilling Services Announces the Release of the 2019 Mid-Year Tanker Market Outlook Update.The Mid-Year Tanker Market Outlook Update provides an outlook on the global tanker market in the context of global economic growth and oil fundamentals influencing tanker demand and vessel supply. The outlook includes a view on future asset values, time charter rates, market freight rates and TCE revenues for 24 major tanker trades and four triangulated routes across eight vessel segments for the second half of 2019 through the remaining four years of the forecast period 2019-2023.

Capesize Strength Propels Baltic Index to 9-Year High

The Baltic Exchange's main sea freight index climbed to a near nine-year peak on Friday propelled by robust capesize demand, with rates for all the vessel segments scaling multi-year highs.The Baltic index, which tracks rates for ships ferrying dry bulk commodities, rose 101 points, or 4.4%, to 2,378, a peak since November 2010. The main index also posted a 27.3% monthly increase, extending its winning streak to a sixth month.The capesize index jumped 261 points, or 6.2%, to 4,467, a level last seen more than 9 years ago. The index also posted its third weekly gain, up about 11.9%.

Fredriksen Seeks Investors for Empire

Industrialist John Fredriksen is seeking investors to take larger stakes in his companies and could relinquish control of operations as part of a plan to reduce his workload, the Norwegian-born 75-year-old told two newspapers on Friday.It was the clearest sign to date of a succession plan for Fredriksen, whose net worth has been estimated at more than $12 billion.His self-made business empire includes oil-tanker firm Frontline, dry bulk shipper Golden Ocean and rig owner Seadrill, as well as fish farmer Mowi and other companies."There are several ways this could be done," he told business dail

FMC Steps Up Oversight in the Commonwealth

Commission Expresses Concerns about Puerto Rico Terminal Facilities Agreement.An agreement filed at the Federal Maritime Commission allowing a joint venture between two adjacent terminals at the Port of San Juan, Puerto Rico, will go into effect on August 29. However, concerns about the agreement and its impact on the marketplace will lead the FMC to adopt a more vigorous oversight plan than its traditional monitoring program.Under the terms of the Puerto Nuevo Terminals LLC Cooperative Working Agreement (FMC Agreement No.

Inland Container on Vessel Logistics Advance

Missouri Port Authorities Team Up To Advance Plan For Statewide Initiative That Focuses On Innovative Inland Waterway Container-On-Vessel Freight Service.Missouri Governor Michael Parson visited the Mississippi River town of Herculaneum on August 12 to find out more about statewide efforts to deliver a new option to transport freight along the inland waterways and what role an innovative waterway vessel could play in moving larger volumes of goods and commodities along both the Mississippi River and Missouri River and their tributaries.