Singapore News

Veracity Strengthens Asia-Pacific HUB

Veracity, DNV GL’s open industrial data platform, opens new base in Singapore with the aim to stimulate closer collaboration in the maritime sector through the sharing of data.Veracity enables the secure exchange of data-sets, APIs, applications and insights between industries. By bringing Veracity to Singapore, DNV GL aims to spur on the digitization of the maritime industry by helping this sector to better leverage the use of data.“Asia-Pacific is thriving due to a great deal of investment and innovation across industry.

Vitol, ENH Form LNG Trading JV

Commodity trading company Vitol and the Mozambican state-owned oil and gas company ENH have formed ENH Energy Trading, a partnership focused on trading oil products.The Dutch energy and commodity trading company said in a press note that ENH Energy Trading will initially be owned 51% by ENH and 49% by Vitol. It is anticipated ENH’s share will increase over time.ENH Energy Trading will focus on energy commodities, in particular LNG, LPG and condensate, enabling ENH to create additional…

Aurelius Backs Ardent Buyout

Alternative direct lender AURELIUS Finance Company has provided financing to support the buy-out of emergency management and offshore decommissioning company Ardent from co-owners Svitzer, a global towage operator, and Crowley Holdings, a holding company of international marine and logistics services provider Crowley Maritime Corporation.The deal will see Ardent’s senior management team acquire a shareholding in the company. The financial terms of the deal have not been disclosed…

Pelita Samudera Buys Handysize Bulker

Indonesian shipping and logistics company Pelita Samudera Shipping (PSS) has bought one bulk carrier from Singapore-based Convivial Navigation Co. Pte.Purchase price of the handysize class MV is USD7.53 million. PSS is settling 20% of the amount in cash and the remaining 80% in PSS shares. VesselsValue places a market value on the ship of $7.62m.The Indonesian company said that the purchase has expanded it Motor Vessel (MV) fleet strength to six. The MV fleet capacity of 28k DWT has been projected with some potential customers…

Cargill, Maersk Tankers to Run Joint Pool

Commodities trader Cargill and shipowner Maersk Tankers aim to build a joint Medium Range (MR) tanker pool with more vessels as they seek to cut emissions."The strategic partnership will improve flexibility for customers and reduce fuel consumption and emissions, whilst having a positive impact on time-charter-equivalent earnings for partners," claimed Maersk Tankers which operates 164 product tanker vessels.Cargill will enter its MR fleet into the existing Maersk Tankers MR pool…

GOGL Ups Investment in Singapore Marine

Norway based dry bulk shipping company Golden Ocean Group (GOGL) is planning to make a further investment in Singapore Marine Pte Ltd in connection with the acquisition of the majority of assets and operations of Swiss Marine by the latter.Swiss Marine is a privately owned freight operator founded in 2001 that transported over 120 million metric tons of cargo in 2018.The Bermuda registered GOGL said in a press note that including new commitments from Golden Ocean of $9.5 million in equity and $0.7 million in the form of a shareholder loan…

EXMAR, Anglo-Eastern JV for LNG Management

The manager of specialized floating assets EXMAR Ship Management and ship management company Anglo Eastern Univan Group formed  a joint venture (JV) dedicated to the newbuilding supervision and vessel management of LNG carriers for third-party owners.The joint venture, AEX LNG Management, brings together two of the leading names in ship management and LNG ship management, with more than 70 years of combined industry experience.Based in Singapore, AEX LNG Management will draw on EXMAR’s niche expertise in the LNG sector…

SE Asian Ship Piracy Levels Steady

ReCAAP ISC has issued the August 2019 Report on the situation of piracy and armed robbery against ships in Asia which notes that a total of eight incidents was reported in Asia in August and that of these eight incidents, two were piracy incidents and six were incidents of armed robbery. There wer no reports of the abduction of crew in the Sulu-Celebes Seas and waters off Eastern Sabah; and there were no hijackings of ships for the theft of oil cargo but the abduction of crew for ransom in theSulu-Celebes Seas and the waters off Eastern Sabah remains a serious concern.

China-Built Cruiser Delivered to Sunstone

China Merchants Heavy Industry has delivered an expedition cruise vessel to SunStone Ships, the first of its next-genn INFINITY-class vessel and perhaps more significantly China's firm entrance into the cruise ship building sector.The arrangement to bring this ship from drawing board to delivery slip is the culmination of marrying European cruise design and quality with Chinese ship-building efficiency. The vessel will be chartered out to Aurora Expeditions.https://www.marinelink.com/news/cruise-ship-construction-china-rising-438788The vessel has departed China Merchants Heavy Industry…

G2 Ocean Expands Project Cargo

G2 Ocean, a joint venture of two of the world's leading breakbulk and bulk shipping companies - Gearbulk and Grieg Star, hired three new Senior Project Cargo Managers and opens offices in Houston and Hamburg.Since the launch of G2 Ocean in 2017, the company has worked strategically to achieve a stronger position within the project cargo segment.“Our project cargo results are continuously improving, and I am impressed by our team’s efforts. However, we have high ambitions for the future and to stay on target…

Program to Combat Piracy and Sea Robbery

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan (MOFA Japan) and the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA), in cooperation with the ReCAAP Information Sharing Centre (ReCAAP ISC), jointly organized the 3rd Capacity Building Executive Program (CBEP) in Singapore. The one-week program begins today, and will end on September 13, 2019.Since the inaugural edition in 2017 held in both Singapore and Japan, CBEP has become the region’s flagship counter-piracy and sea robbery capacity building program…

UK Risks Losing Edge in Maritime Services

Britain's position as a top hub for maritime services is being eroded by competition, a loss of shipping finance business and the removal of tycoon-friendly tax breaks, a report said, deepening uncertainty for its financial sector as Brexit nears.The UK has been a pivotal global shipping centre for centuries, especially the City of London, and has dominated marine insurance, ship broking, shipping finance and other maritime services.These contribute $5.6 billion a year to Britain’s economy…

TS Lines Adds Pan Asia Service Loop

Taiwanese ocean carrier TS Lines (TSL)  has announced the launch of the Pan Asia 1(PA1) Service that provides weekly connectively between China and Southeast Asia.The PA1 service offers one of the most comprehensive Northern China market coverage comprising seven China main ports as well as Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia, said a press release.The PA1 service commenced sailing from Shanghai on 30th , August with the following port rotation: Shanghai -Dalian – Xingang – Qingdao…

Tallink Enters Singapore

Estonian shipping company Tallink Grupp has announced establishing a subsidiary in Singapore this week – Tallink Asia Pte Ltd – which is the group’s first subsidiary in Asia. The operator of cruise ferries and ropax ships said that the purpose of founding a subsidiary in Singapore is to simplify the development and expansion of the group’s activities in Asia."We have always been open about the fact that Tallink Grupp is continuously looking for opportunities to develop our activities and expand into new markets," Paavo Nõgene, CEO of Tallink Grupp said.

Sri Lanks Invest $190mln on ECT Terminal

Sri Lanks will invest a sum of US$ 190 million to installs gantry cairns and also add other infrastructure to the East Container Terminal, said Sagala Ratnayaka, the Minister of Ports, Shipping and Southern Development.He said Sri Lanka Port Authority (SLPA) would initially invest this amount and then get it reimbursed from Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)  under a loan agreement.Ratnayaka said that the passenger terminal in the Colombo Harbour too would be developed.

Euronav to Store Low-Sulfur Oil

The crude oil tanker company Euronav has purchased a total of 420,000 metric tons of compliant fuel oil and marine gasoil so far, the company revealed as it detailed its IMO 2020 sulfur cap plans. In aggregate the purchase value of very low sulfur fuel oil (VLSFO) has been at $447 per metric ton compared to a bunker price (HFO-3.5% Sulfur content) of $400 per metric ton over the same procurement period.According to the Belgium shipping company, the oil is currently aboard a ultra large crude carrier (ULCC) Oceania, a vessel built in 2003, and will soon be on its way to Singapore.

SMD on Digitalisation in the Maritime Industry

300 students from Institute of Technical Education, junior colleges, polytechnics, and universities participated in the 6th edition of the Singapore Maritime Dialogue (SMD), which featured a lively panel discussion on the theme of ‘Maritime Singapore in the Age of Digitization’.The group exchanged views on the digital revolution taking place in the maritime industry with invited panelists comprising Guest-of-Honour, Dr Lam Pin Min, Senior Minister of State for Ministry of Transport and Health…

JAXPORT Acheives Record July

Jacksonville Port Authority (JAXPORT) announced that it has achieved its best ever July container volumes, with overall container movements increasing 19% compared to the previous July.More than 116,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (or TEUs, the industry standard for measuring containers) moved through JAXPORT in July 2019, said Florida’s largest container port by volume.So far in Fiscal Year 2019, more than 1.1 million containers have moved through JAXPORT, an increase of 9 percent over the same period last year. The port’s fiscal year runs Oct. 1- Sept.

Singapore Hosts Port Management Program

The largest cohort of 27 port masters, harbour masters and middle managers from maritime and port authorities from Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, Europe, Latin America and Oceania attended the sixth Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) Academy’s Port Management Program (PMP).Developed and organized by MPA Academy, the five-day Program will be delivered by industry practitioners as well as senior officers from the MPA. Some of the key subjects that will be covered during the Program include maritime safety…

Trust and Independence:

Key metrics for a consolidating market of Multi-Purpose Vessels.The multipurpose sector has experienced a tough first half of 2019, following a trend of difficult market conditions spanning over a decade. Fallout from ongoing global political trade discussions is taking its toll on both project and commodity trades, cutting down volumes at a time when external competition from non-MPV carriers is at its most fierce and the MPV fleet is still struggling with overcapacity. Still…

Grindrod Shipping Updates on Fleet

Grindrod Shipping Holdings, a global provider of maritime transportation services in the drybulk and product tanker sectors, announced that it took delivery of the IVS Phoenix, a Japanese-built eco ultramax drybulk carrier newbuilding in June 2019. The vessel has been chartered-in from its owner for a minimum period of three years with options to extend for up to two additional years, at Grindrod Shipping’s election, it said.The Singapore-based company said that it sold the 2005…

Singapore Improves Maritime Safety

The number of major incidents in the Port of Singapore has dropped over the last 10 years, with fewer than 0.12 major incidents per 100,000 vessel movements in 2018, down from 0.8 in 2009.Dr Lam Pin Min, Senior Minister of State for Transport and Health, said, “I thank the maritime community for the good work in improving maritime safety. The use of technology and digitization can further enhance maritime safety by providing seafarers better access to critical safety-related information…

NYK Celebrates O3 Challenge

The “Ocean of Opportunities Challenge”  (O3 Challenge), a worldwide contest aimed at creating new value through open innovation in the maritime industry, has been successfully celebrated by NYK Group.This was the second consecutive year for the challenge, which is planned and conducted by NYK Group companies Symphony Creative Solutions Pte. Ltd. (SCS) and Ocean Network Express Pte. Ltd. (ONE), together with NUS Enterprise.The contest began in February with ONE issuing six challenges related to its work processes.

PSA International Acquires Penn Terminals

Marking its first foray into the US, Singapore-based port operator PSA International has completed the acquisition of Penn Terminals located on the Delaware River in the U.S. from Macquarie Infrastructure Partners, a fund managed by Macquarie Infrastructure and Real Assets.Penn is a privately owned multipurpose marine terminal on the Eastern Coast of the USA. Penn’s terminal, warehousing and stevedoring services have enabled it to handle its clients’ cargo since 1986.“This acquisition represents PSA’s very first foray into the USA.

ONE Expands Reefer Fleet

Container line Ocean Network Express (ONE) is adding another 6,000 refrigerated containers (reefers) to its fleet as the trade continues to outperform that for conventional boxes.The new Reefer would expand its current refrigerated container (reefer) fleet of 240,000 TEU. Reefers include 500 units equipped with advanced Controlled Atmosphere (CA) technology which slows down the respiration and ripening process to maximize the shelf life of fruits and vegetables.These reefer containers…

BIMCO: US Crude Exports Soar in June 2019

The highest US crude oil exports to China in 11 months lifted total seaborne US crude oil exports to a record high at 11.9 million (m) tonnes in June 2019. Also contributing to the June record was South Korea, as exports to the other main Far Eastern buyer reached an all-time high volume of 2.3m tonnes.1.2m tonnes were shipped to China between June 1, and  June 30, , up from 1m tonnes in May and worlds apart from no exports at all in the months of August through October in 2018…