Malaysia News

One-third of Hin Leong Founder's Ships Sold to Pay Down Debt

About one third of the roughly 150 ships owned by companies controlled by Singapore tycoon Lim Oon Kuin and his family have been sold as part of efforts to repay billions of dollars of debt owed to creditors, two sources told Reuters.Accounting firm Grant Thornton, court-appointed supervisor of Xihe Holdings, put up several vessels for sale through shipbrokers in September last year. Xihe Holdings is owned by the Lim family and held the bulk of their fleet.The rest of the ships…

Fueltrax Announces Expansion in Asia

Maritime fuel management systems provider Fueltrax said it is expanding its representation in Asia in response to growing demand for its solutions in Southeast Asia and Asia Pacific regions. Joining the company is Faiz Azani, Director of Operations – Southeast Asia, and Chris Pemberton, Regional Representative – Asia PacificAzani joined the FUELTRAX team last month and brings 11 years of experience in the oil and gas, shipping, and marine industry, focusing on Southeast Asia, Europe, & the Middle East. He is a former marine expert to Malaysia Petroleum Management (MPM) of PETRONAS.

Top Maritime Trends of 2020: Captain Andrew Kinsey, Allianz, Examines Logistics Challenges

Captain Andrew Kinsey, Senior Marine Risk Consultant, Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty, recently discussed some of the trends that will shape 2021 for the maritime, ports and logistics world.MR TV: As we come to the end of 2020, talk now turns not simply to COVID-19 and a potential vaccine, but to the supply chain logistics and challenges that come with distributing those vaccines. How does the picture look from where you sit?Andrew Kinsey:  The picture looks complicated. It's a global demand. It's a global logistics problem.

China's Exports Pinched by Global Shortage of Shipping Containers

China's world-beating economic rebound from the coronavirus pandemic is being blunted by a global shortage of shipping containers, sending cargo costs to record highs and hampering manufacturers in filling fast-recovering global goods orders.Exports from China surged 21% in November from a year ago as the country's mammoth industrial engine cranked out mountains of appliances, toys, clothes, personal protective equipment, and other items currently in high demand around the world.But…

Containershipping: Transshipment Ports see an Increase in October Cargo Rollovers

Strong demand for container shipping space on major trade lanes from Asia to Europe and North America saw cargo rollovers increase month-on-month in October as carriers struggled to keep ocean supply chains operating smoothly.Overall container rollover ratios at leading transshipment ports rose to 28.5% last month, up from 26.9% in September and 22.2% in October 2019, according to Ocean Insights.“This is supposed to be container shipping’s seasonal lull after the summer peak season…

Phantom Buyers in Russia, Advice from Iran Help Venezuela Skirt Sanctions

On Aug. 21, a tanker called the Otoman docked at the Jose oil terminal on Venezuela’s coast in the Caribbean to load 1.82 million barrels of heavy crude, according to the state oil company’s internal documents.Yet no tanker with that name is registered in major global shipping databases.Muddying the situation further, the unique identifier for the Otoman listed in the documents - a number used by the International Maritime Organization to identify ships - was assigned to another tanker called the Rubyni, according to the databases.The Rubyni was broken up two years ago, they record.

Golar Unit CEO Takes Leave of Absence Amid Corruption Probe

Golar LNG said on Tuesday Hygo Energy Transition Ltd Chief Executive Officer Eduardo Antonello has taken leave of absence with immediate effect, following a corruption investigation involving him in Brazil.Golar said Antonello's leave was in no way linked to any action or misconduct during his tenure at Hygo Energy, a liquefied natural gas transport and infrastructure operator formed with U.S. private equity firm Stonepeak Infrastructure Partners.Antonello's functions will be taken over temporarily by Hygo's board…

World's Largest LNG-fueled Containership Delivered

The world's largest containership to be powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG) has officially joined the fleet of French container shipping group CMA CGM, during a digital naming ceremony at CSSC’s shipyard in Shanghai.CMA CGM Group’s new flagship, CMA CGM Jacques Saadé, named after the group's founder, is the lead vessel in a series of nine LNG-powered, 23,000 TEU containerships ordered in 2017.Rodolphe Saadé, CMA CGM Group’s chairman and CEO, announced in November 2017 that the vessels would be equipped with LNG-powered engines…

World's First LNG-powered Very Large Containership Delivered

Hyundai Samho Heavy Industries has delivered the world's first very large containership powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG) to Singapore's Eastern Pacific Shipping (EPS), the South Korean shipbuilder announced Wednesday.The LNG-powered, 14,800 twenty-foot equivalent unit (TEU) capacity CMA CGM Tenere is one of six containerships in a series being built for EPS by Hyundai Samho, a unit of shipbuilding giant Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering Co. The six neo-Panamax box…

PDVSA Changes Oil Deals to Include Shipping as Sanctions Bite

Venezuelan state-run oil firm PDVSA has begun offering to ship its own oil, figuring in the costs in crude supply deals to help customers who have struggled to hire vessels to carry the country’s oil due to U.S. sanctions, according to company documents seen by Reuters.The United States has blacklisted vessel owners, shipping operators and threatened to sanction any tanker facilitating the country’s oil exports as it tightens restrictions on trade with the South American country.Washington has been trying to weaken socialist President Nicolas Maduro by choking the OPEC member’s oil exports…

SMM 2021: Plotting a Course Forward for the Global Maritime Community

As the maritime world collectively feels its way forward in a time now defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, the organizers of the SMM in Hamburg, traditionally the world's largest and most influential maritime and shipbuilding trade event, share market overview insights on the economic consequences of the coronavirus pandemic throughout the the shipping industry.The Covid-19 pandemic has turned the world economy on its head. “The recession this year will likely be more severe, and recovery in 2021 will be slower than we anticipated two months ago…

Rutten Named CEO of Alphatron Marine Systems Pte Ltd.

JRC/Alphatron Marine said that Maurice Rutten was appointed Chief Executive Officer and Ryo Yajima in the position of Chief Commercial Officer of Alphatron Marine Systems Pte Ltd. as of July 1, 2020.In this position Rutten will be responsible for the operation of Alphatron Marine Systems Pte Ltd. and its subsidiaries in Singapore, Malaysia and Vietnam.Ryo Yajima will be responsible for the JRC business of the entire organization of Alphatron Marine Systems Pte Ltd. and its subsidiaries.In addition…

Tankers Carrying Venezuelan Oil Stuck at Sea

Tankers carrying nearly two months worth of Venezuelan oil output are stuck at sea as global refiners shun the nation’s crude to avoid falling foul of U.S. sanctions, according to industry sources, PDVSA documents and shipping data.Washington is tightening sanctions to cut Venezuela’s oil exports and deprive the government of socialist President Nicolas Maduro of its main source of revenue.The OPEC member’s exports are hovering near their lowest levels in more than 70 years and the economy has collapsed, but Maduro has held on - to the frustration of the administration of U.S.

Malaysia's Top Palm Oil State Reopens Company Jetties

Private jetties that were shut in Malaysia’s biggest palm oil producing state of Sabah due to coronavirus-related curbs have been allowed to reopen, state news agency Bernama reported.“We took note of all the views from various parties including the Malaysian Palm Oil Association, industry players and smallholders affected by the inability to ship the fresh fruit bunches,” Sabah deputy chief minister Wilfred Madius Tangau was quoted saying by Bernama on Sunday.Jetties would be closed again if there was an outbreak of the novel coronavirus…

HR Lines Launches New Feeder Service

HR Lines Limited announced it will launch a fixed day of the week user feeder service between Bangladesh, Singapore and Malaysia.The new Bangladesh Express Service (BES) will provide fixed day weekly port calls between Chattogram, Singapore and Port Klang.HR Lines will deploy its two Bangladesh flagged 1,550 TEUs containerships Sahare and Sarera to service this route. Advance Container Lines (ACL) is the commercial manager for the service.Maiden sailing from Chattogram of BES is scheduled on April 5…

Roll Group to Devlop Yard in Indonesia

The Netherlands based heavy cargo specialist Roll Group said it has signed a contract to further develop and open its own yard at Indonesia's Bintan Offshore Marine Center (BOMC).BOMC has offered Roll Group the opportunity to become an exclusive partner in the BOMC yard, which means that Roll Group takes care of the cranes and trailers to further develop the yard.Robin Koenis, Managing Director of Roll Group APAC: "The yard will also have a jetty access, which is perfect for our company with its land/sea combination.

Petronas Inks 12-yr Contract with K-Line

Malaysian national oil company Petronas’ subsidiary Petronas LNG Ltd recently signed a 12-year time charter party (TCP)  with a Japanese shipowner Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha Ltd (“K” Line) for two midsized new build LNG vessels.According to the statement, the TCP includes an extension option for an additional 12 years. The LNG vessels had about 79,960 cubic metres each in capacity.Petronas said this was in line with the signing of the shipbuilding agreements between ‘K’ Line and Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding Co Ltd for the construction of the vessels in Shanghai…

Coronavirus Slows China's Belt and Road Push

When President Xi Jinping made his first state visit this year to Myanmar and signed new infrastructure contracts, there was no indication of the obstacle about to trip up China's plan for railways, ports and highways around the world: the coronavirus.Travel restrictions to prevent the spread of the disease, which has now killed more than 1,800 people, have idled much of the world's second-largest economy and choked key elements of Xi's signature Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).Chinese workers cannot get to overseas projects…

Coronavirus Leaves China-bound Tankers Stranded

The coronavirus's effect on energy markets is worsening, as the sharp fall in demand in China, the world's largest importer of crude, is stranding oil cargoes off the country's coast and prompting shippers to seek out other Asian destinations.More than 1,360 people have died from the coronavirus in China, which has disrupted the world's second largest economy and shaken energy markets, with international benchmark Brent crude oil down 15% since the beginning of the year.Major international energy forecasters expect demand to fall in this quarter…

K Line Orders LNGC with Hudong-Zhonghua

Japanese shipping company Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha (K Line) has ordered two liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers with  with Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding backed by long-term contracts with Malaysia's energy giant Petronas.The 12-year contract to charter them to Petronas starts in 2022, with an option for an extension for a further 12 years.The two vessels will be built by Hudong–Zhonghua Shipbuilding , a wholly owned subsidiary of China State Shipbuilding Corporation, the largest shipbuilding group in China…

Australia Becomes World's Largest LNG Exporter

Australia has become the largest liquefied natural gas (LNG) exporter in the world. The record figure knocked Qatar out of the top spot."Australia is set to become the world’s largest liquefied natural gas (LNG) exporter this year, overtaking Qatar, with its supplies expected to reach 81 million tonnes (MT) as Ichthys LNG and Prelude FLNG increase production," Rystad Energy said.Meanwhile, Qatari exports will remain at current levels, around 77 MT. The US will increase LNG exports from about 36 MT in 2019 to 56 MT in 2020, dominating new LNG supply contributions.

UHL Takes-over Nine F900 Vessels

The German shipping company United Heavy Lift (UHL)  Hamburg has taken over a modern Heavy Lift fleet of nine eco-friendly F900 newbuildings.The vessels each have a cargo capacity of 14,100 dead-weight tonnes and are capable of lifting loads of up to 900 tonnes. Being built in 2018 and 2019, most of the nine vessels have only just hit the water. They are sailing under the Portuguese flag.“Our mission is to expand our company’s position as front-runners for an eco-friendly Heavy Lift shipping industry. The fleet of nine newbuilding F900 vessels is a perfect match for our sustainability policy.

New LNG Bunkering & Fuel Supply System Simulator

Wärtsilä has launched a new LNG Bunkering & Supply System simulator. The simulator will promote greater safety on board liquefied natural gas (LNG) fueled vessels by improving the level of training for operators of LNG systems. The design is based on the Wärtsilä LNGPac and Gas Valve Unit (GVU) technologies, and includes all auxiliary systems used in connection with the fuel supply. The design is also in accordance with the STCW requirements for training seafarers onboard gas…

IRClass Foreign Flag Fleet Reg. Up 16%

The Indian Register of Shipping (IRClass) said that the classed fleet registered approx. 3% growth in the past year.The ship classification society said that its foreign flag fleet continued to grow at a robust pace with 16% more vessels added during 2019 demonstrating strong global acceptance of IRClass services.IRClass received several flag authorizations in 2019 including key flags like Cyprus and Denmark and is now recognized by 45 flag states worldwide. It opened a new office in the Netherlands to add to its other European offices in the UK…

LNGSTS Hits 112 STS LNG Transfers in 2019

LNGSTS, a unit of Teekay Tankers, has closed the year 2019 with a record number of 112 open water liquefied natural gas (LNG) ship-to-ship (STS) cargo transfers.From November 2018, until July 2019, LNGSTS was the technical and manpower service provider for the largest ever LNG ship-to-ship project, located in Honningsvag, Norway, the company said in a press release.Under the challenging Arctic conditions, LNGSTS completed 123 STS operations from 11 different ARC7 vessels to 14…

Hapag-Lloyd Opens Center in Mauritius

German international shipping and container transportation company Hapag-Lloyd AG has opened a new Quality Service Center (QSC) in Mauritius. The QSC will explicitly serve Africa, one of Hapag-Lloyd's fastest growing markets.Quality Service Centers are an important cornerstone of Hapag-Lloyd´s Strategy 2023. They gather selected functions from different Areas under one roof, enabling synergies and delivering on the Quality Promises towards the customers.Hapag-Lloyd has already established several QSCs around the world - in Atlanta (USA)…