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UK Ports Group ABP Commits $2.4B for Net Zero Transition
The UK’s leading ports group, Associated British Ports (ABP), has unveiled an ambitious $2.4 billion green growth and sustainability plan that is designed to decarbonize operations by 2040. The organization highlights that its plan will also significantly contribute...
China likely to dominate 2023 oil demand growth: MSI
Tanker markets have performed well over the first two months of the year, with sharp increases in spot earnings in both the crude and products sectors, according to Maritime Strategies International (MSI). In its most recent Horizon report, however, the analysts...
Container lines still chartering ships despite drop in cargo demand
GSL, MPC say lessors of smaller ships best positioned to weather storm With import demand flagging, freight rates falling, the container ship orderbook at record highs and ocean carriers canceling voyages, you might think nobody would be chartering more...
Hamburg Gets More Big Ships but Geopolitics/Economy Drive Volume Down
Hamburg is receiving more big containers but volumes were down overall in 2022 (HHA) PUBLISHED FEB 21, 2023 8:29 PM BY THE MARITIME EXECUTIVE The Port of Hamburg, traditionally one of the busiest in the world, experienced a decline in volumes in nearly all...
Hong Kong investing $2.5m to promote maritime services sector
The Hong Kong government has allocated HK$20m ($2.5m) in its 2023 – 24 budget to promote the high-end maritime service industry sector. Marcus Hand | Feb 23, 2023 In his budget speech on Wednesday Hong Kong Financial Secretary Paul Chan said with Hong Kong’s...
Freight forwarders spend 80% of their time fixing problems
Freight forwarders and NVOCCs spend up to 80% of their time manually solving problems with low-tech container operations processes, according to one logistics platform. Gary Howard | Feb 21, 2023 Speaking to Seatrade Maritime News for the Seatrade Maritime Podcast,...
Container price war underway, contract rates plummeting
The gulf between contract and spot container freight rates has narrowed rapidly, and lines appear to be slashing prices rather than capacity. Gary Howard | Feb 16, 2023 The latest market updates from market intelligence platform Xeneta and analyst Sea-Intelligence...
Container lines commit to 100% electronic bill of lading adoption by 2030
Members of the Digital Container Shipping Association (DCSA), including some of the world’s largest container lines, have committed to fully adopting electronic bills of lading (EBL) by 2030. Gary Howard | Feb 15, 2023 DCSA said its nine container line members...
Does it Make Sense to Have a National Emergency Towing Fleet?
Different nations take different approaches to emergency towing response services Two national response vessels in action: Abeille Liberte, foreground, and Anglian Princess, background. The UK has since retired its emergency response tug fleet (Marine Nationale file...
Slow Start to 2023 Volumes in Long Beach Due to Economy and Labor
Port of Long Beach started 2023 with its third consecutive month below 600,000 TEU (Port of Long Beach) PUBLISHED FEB 13, 2023 7:46 PM BY THE MARITIME EXECUTIVE Container volume at the Port of Long Beach is off to a slow start in 2023 as port officials continue...
Asian shipping lines are reporting steep revenue declines
Income plunges for OOCL, Evergreen, Yang Ming, Wan Hai New operating results from four Asian shipping lines were released Friday, pointing to steep performance declines in the fourth quarter and ongoing market erosion in the first month of this year. Orient Overseas...
Why ESG Matters for the Decarbonization of Shipping
The Potential for ESG Strategies in Shipping’s Decarbonization With shipping companies making ambitious investments in decarbonization, the debate around creation of robust ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) strategies for the industry has become imperative....
Top four cold chain growth drivers in 2023
Stakeholders throughout the supply chain understand 2023 will not be like any other year—and this is especially true for the cold chain, both in terms of challenges and opportunities. Greg Tuthill, CCO, SeaCube Containers | Feb 10, 2023 Offering reliability and...
Ningbo-Zhoushan port retains world’s busiest cargo handling crown
China’s Ningbo-Zhoushan port handled over 1.25bn tonnes cargo in 2022, keeping the number one spot globally for a 14th consecutive year. Container volume at Ningbo-Zhoushan port was 33.35m teu, ranking the third globally following Shanghai and Singapore. As the...
Seaports Are the Key to Making Green Hydrogen Cost Competitive
Illustration of Shell's future Holland Hydrogen 1 electrolyzer plant at Port of Rotterdam (Shell) PUBLISHED FEB 5, 2023 8:56 PM BY BRIAN GICHERU KINYUA As the world strives for a net zero emissions future by 2050, hydrogen has attracted considerable attention in...
Just how big are the global container shipping alliances?
Top 9 carriers control 83% of capacity, but the 3 alliances control only 39% The world’s top two container lines — Switzerland’s MSC and Denmark’s Maersk — have cooperated since 2015 in the 2M alliance, a partnership they will end in 2025. Because MSC and...
Maersk to kill off Hamburg Süd and Sealand brands
Maersk plans to retire the brands of 152-year old Hamburg Süd and containerisation pioneer Sealand. Gary Howard | Jan 27, 2023 The integration of Maersk-owned brands is part of a strategy to unify Maersk’s structure, remove internal barriers within the organisation...
Europe to Asia reefer rates slide
Freight rates on the Europe to Asia trades have begun to follow the wider container market down after a period of resistance. Gary Howard | Jan 26, 2023 According to a market update from freight rate benchmarking firm Xeneta, spot and log-term freight rates are...
Engines Driven by Sound Waves for Bottom-Cycle Maritime Application
PUBLISHED JAN 29, 2023 7:55 PM BY HARRY VALENTINE Thermoacoustic engines are based on tubes that convert heat into resonant sound waves, which in turn drive pistons inside cylinders. A discovery from several hundred years ago involved the bottom end of a...
FMC Reports Increase in D&D Claims as Carrier Rulemaking Proceeds
FMC continues to focus on carriers with rulemaking as D&D complaints increased PUBLISHED JAN 25, 2023 6:46 PM BY THE MARITIME EXECUTIVE The Federal Maritime Commission is reporting that it has received a strong response to the proposed rulemaking for key...
US supply chain congestion eases, carriers seek cargo
As 2023 begins, many participants in the cargo supply chains are breathing a little easier than they were a year ago as inventory buildups have backed down, and landside congestion has eased. Barry Parker | Jan 25, 2023 A very visible indicator, the green vessel icons...
Container shipping shake-up: Maersk, MSC terminating 2M in 2025
World’s two largest shipping lines call it quits on the world’s largest alliance The global container shipping network is poised for a major shake-up. The 2M vessel-sharing alliance between MSC and Maersk — the world’s two largest ocean carriers — is being dissolved....
South Korea’s First Smart, Electric Ship Begins Service
Ulsan Taehwa is a dual-fuel, battery powered demonstration ship built by Hyundai (HHI) PUBLISHED JAN 13, 2023 6:45 PM BY THE MARITIME EXECUTIVE Hyundai Heavy Industries recently commissioned South Korea’s first large next-generation electric propulsion ship which...
Offshore market dayrates hit 8-year high in 2022
Dayrates for rigs, OSVs and subsea support vessels hit their highest levels since 2014 last year, according to Clarksons. Gary Howard | Jan 13, 2023 In its review of its full-year data for 2022, Clarksons Research said its Clarksons Offshore Dayrate Index was up 32%...
Flat spot rate, high blank sailings a bad omen for container lines
While spot container freight rates have stopped plunging in recent weeks, but there is little for lines to cheer about as they blank large numbers of Asia – US West Coast services ahead on Chinese New Year. Marcus Hand | Jan 13, 2023 Analyst Drewry’s World Container...
Study: Urban Light Pollution is a Danger for Marine Ecosystems
Shanghai's harbor skyline at night PUBLISHED JAN 6, 2023 3:01 PM BY THE CONVERSATION [By Tim Smyth] Cities are artificially lit to allow humans to make use of the night. This light pollution means that stars are often barely visible in urban skies. But reduced...
First LNG-powered vessel calls at Panama port
The dual-fuelled French-flagged CMA CGM 15,000 teu-Patagonia, docked at the port facility located east of the Panama Canal Atlantic entrance, in the Bay of Manzanillo, province of Colon. Early December 2022, the vessel transited the Panama Canal for the first time as...
Drewry: Carriers Failed to Act on Capacity Losing Market Control
The container lines failed to respond quickly enough to changes in the markets as volumes plummeted in the second half of 2022 instead falling back on their old ways says Drewry in its latest Container Forecast report. The financial and consulting firm writes that...
Shipping’s Decarbonization Outlook for 2023
Will the CII succeed? Will green fuels take off? And will the IMO enact a carbon levy? This year, we may have the answers. PUBLISHED JAN 1, 2023 7:34 PM BY BRIAN GICHERU KINYUA As we begin 2023, maritime experts are looking into their crystal balls for the trends...
Houston is Proceeding with Container Dwell Fee as Volumes Remain High
Houston will start an excess dwell time fee at its container terminals starting in February 2023 (Barbours Cut Container Terminal file photo) PUBLISHED DEC 30, 2022 6:29 PM BY THE MARITIME EXECUTIVE Port Houston continues to report strong increases in...
Euroseas Boxship Sold for Scrap as Environmental Regulations Loom
More containerships are expected to head for scrap as demand falls and environmental regulations loom PUBLISHED DEC 30, 2022 3:57 PM BY THE MARITIME EXECUTIVE Just weeks after admitting that the age profile of its fleet that is tilted towards older vessels is...
New shipping regulation to combat global warming is under fire
Leading charterers will refuse to use new regulatory contract clause The ocean shipping industry is just days away from the debut of the Carbon Intensity Indicator (CII), a new regulation meant to combat global warming. Even as an initial baby step, the CII is not...
Alarm sounded on low blank sailings for Lunar New Year
Analysts Sea-Intelligence have sounded the alarm over the low level of blank sailings scheduled by container lines for the Lunar New Year period. The Lunar New Year, which traditionally sees an extended shutdown of factory production in China, impacting container...
Will shippers hold back container cargo from contracts for lower spot rates?
The yawning gap between container shipping spot rates and contract rates leaves a question on how much volume shippers will commit to contracts when they renegotiate. Container shipping spot rates have crumbled since the start of the year and in early December...
Expectations that Pacific Container Trade Will Remain Down till Q2’23
Recent trends for softer cargo volumes at the Southern California ports continued in November. Both the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, however, believe that it is a temporary slowdown partially due to market conditions and in part operational uncertainties...
Major Chinese ports container volume up 4.7% in mid-Nov
Container volume at eight major Chinese ports increased 4.7% year-on-year in mid-November. Export container volume increased 5.2% while the domestic volume grew 3.2%. Among which, the port of Dalian posted an increasing rate of 20.8%. Export containers number...
Drewry: Less Congestion Means Less Profit for Container Terminals
The sudden fall-off in container spot rates has been well publicized, and it is likely to lead to leaner times for ocean carriers in the next few quarters. Some of the smaller start-up lines that launched during the pandemic are already finding it hard to cover the...
Expansion of Ukraine Grain Deal Unlikely in the Near Term
At the end of a four-day visit to Ukraine, Martin Griffiths, the U.N. under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs and emergency relief coordinator, said it was unlikely the Black Sea grain deal would be expanded in the near term to include more Ukrainian ports....
2023 could bring ‘all-out price war’ for container lines
As container lines fail to support falling spot rates in the second half of 2022, next year could bring an all-out price war as contract rates follow spot rates down. Gary Howard | Dec 07, 2022 Online container logistics platform Container xChange said a drop in...
Spot and long-term container rate gulf continues to widen
As container spot rates continue to plunge the gulf with long-term contract levels gets ever wider. Marcus Hand | Dec 09, 2022 The Asia – Europe trade continued to lead the downwards trajectory with Drewry reporting that Shanghai to Rotterdam spot rates lost another...
The Singapore Information Fusion Centre’s Role in Maritime Security
PUBLISHED DEC 11, 2022 7:44 PM BY INFORMATION FUSION CENTRE The IFC was established in 2009 to collate relevant commercial shipping and maritime information to increase MARSEC awareness. Through the strong support of our partners, the IFC has established itself...
Striking South Korean Truck Drivers Return to Work After 16 Days
Container volumes are returning to normal at South Korea's ports after the truck drivers ended their strike (file photo) PUBLISHED DEC 9, 2022 12:36 PM BY THE MARITIME EXECUTIVE Activity at South Korea’s main ports returned to normal on Friday as the striking...
Container lines facing difficult contract negotiations
As container shipping spot rates drop to close to 2019 levels on some major trades it does not bode well for carriers renegotiating long-term contracts in the coming months. Marcus Hand | Dec 06, 2022 In particular spot rates the on the Asia – Europe trade have...
U.S. Sets New Records for Oil Exports as EU Looks for New Supplies
PUBLISHED DEC 5, 2022 6:32 PM BY THE MARITIME EXECUTIVE As Russia's oil exports prepare for a hit from new EU sanctions, the petroleum is flowing freely at American loading terminals, which are busier than ever before. The U.S. exported a record 11.8 million...
MSC Partners with Valencia to Expand Med’s Busiest Container Port
PUBLISHED DEC 5, 2022 6:42 PM BY THE MARITIME EXECUTIVE Already the busiest container port in the Mediterranean and Spain’s leading Mediterranean port in terms of commercial traffic, Valencia is moving forward on a project valued at more than $1.5 billion to...
Container volume at Ningbo-Zhoushan port exceeds 2021 total
Container volume at China’s Ningbo-Zhoushan port has exceeded 31.08m teu surpassing the total throughput the last year. Katherine Si | Nov 28, 2022 The number of sea-rail services has increased to 22 and the sea-rail combined container volume also grew 25%...
Salalah Port launches service to transport goods from China to Yemen via Al-Mazyouna
The Port of Salalah has partnered with Maersk to launch a new multimodal transport service to Al-Mazyouna Free Zone. Peter Shaw-Smith | Nov 28, 2022 The agreement aims to secure customs clearances and bonded trucking services to Salalah and Al-Mazyouna free zone...
New DP World train connects London Gateway and Southampton
DP World announced it has launched a new intermodal train service connection its terminals at London Gateway and Southampton. Gary Howard | Nov 28, 2022 Operated by DP World, the service is scheduled on Saturdays and will carry cargoes of fresh fruit, beverages...
Volumes Fall Faster at Port of Long Beach as Imports Slow
The Port of Long Beach experienced an accelerating rate of decline in volumes during October confirming the broader industry views of an end to the surge in volumes experienced over the last two years. October was the second month of volume declines for one of the...
Slack container market to test depot capacity
Container depots face a flood of unwanted boxes as retailer inventories run high and demand continues to weaken. Gary Howard | Nov 08, 2022 A report from Container xChange warned that there are a range of ripple effects of the order to inventory ratio, most...
Local News
Malaysia can play role in global supply chain between US-China stand-off – Tengku Zafrul
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia, as a middle power, can play its role in global supply chain security between the US-China stand-off, particularly via its electrical and electronics (E&E) and renewable energy (RE) sectors. Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Tengku...
Malaysia’s economy grows 5.9%
Malaysia’s economy grew 5.9% in the second quarter from a year earlier, surpassing market expectations, the government and central bank said on Friday. The growth in the April-to-June period compared with annual growth of 4.2% in the first quarter. Shipping containers...
Newly launched Selangor-Yunnan freight train could see faster transport of vegetables, halal goods to China
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 17 – A new freight train service between Yunnan in China and Selangor is set to enhance trade between Malaysia and China. Singapore's Straits Times (ST) reported that starting today, a trial run will begin from Yunnan’s capital Kunming,...
Northport breaks container, conventional cargo handling records in July 2024
KUALA LUMPUR: Northport (M) Bhd has achieved unprecedented success by breaking monthly records in both its container and conventional cargo business segments in July 2024. Northport handled its highest-ever monthly container throughput of 354,548 twenty-foot...
More locals needed to fill up sea freight jobs, says federal deputy minister
MIRI (Aug 8): There is a crucial need for the locals to be trained and hired as maritime professionals, said federal Transport deputy minister Datuk Hasbi Habibolah. This, he pointed out, is to meet the demand of the shipping industry and to fill in the shortage of...
Malaysia’s first hydrogen filling station to be operational early 2025
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia is setting up mobile hydrogen filling stations, with work to begin at the end of this year and the first one operational by early 2025, said Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Chang Lih Kang. “We are going to set up a mobile...
Malaysian firms could be transformed by AI: Lenovo exec
Malaysia is poised to reap benefits from generative artificial intelligence (AI) in the coming years, but the largest gains are expected in the local manufacturing sector. According to Lenovo (NASDAQ: LNVGY) Malaysia General Manager Varinderjit Singh, the Southeast...
Tengku Zafrul: Global players like Tesla needed for the development of Malaysia’s EV ecosystem
KUALA LUMPUR: The development of Malaysia’s electric vehicle (EV) ecosystem requires the participation of global EV players such as Tesla, according to Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz. He said his ministry (MITI) has a...
PTP hits another throughput record in handling 1.11 mln TEUs in July
JOHOR BAHRU: Port of Tanjung Pelepas (PTP), a joint venture between MMC Group and Netherlands-based APM Terminals, has set a new throughput record by handling 1.11 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) in a single month without experiencing any congestion in...
Palm oil drops on strong ringgit, posts second monthly fall
JAKARTA: Malaysian palm oil futures fell and posted a second straight monthly drop on Wednesday despite strong July export as a stronger ringgit weighed down the price. The benchmark palm oil contract for October delivery on the Bursa Malaysia Derivatives Exchange...
JB is rapidly growing with a massive ambition; here’s why lingering traffic woes may hinder that
JOHOR BARU, Aug 3 — Several experts have warned that the worsening traffic conditions in Johor Baru is set to stunt the state capital’s growth and quality of life, if it continues to be unaddressed. Speaking to Malay Mail, the traffic woes may even impact future...
S’pore residents can clear T3 immigration by using facial & iris biometrics without passport from Aug. 2024
Singapore residents will be able to clear immigration at selected automated lanes at Changi Airport Terminal 3 from Aug. 5, 2024 by using their facial and iris biometrics without presenting their passports. This is part of a trial for the new passport-less clearance...
Marine DG charged with deceiving predecessor with fake letter
SHAH ALAM: A top tier civil servant was charged at the Sessions Court here Thursday (Aug 1) for deceiving his then superior into issuing some documentation four years ago. Current Marine Department director-general Capt Mohamad Halim Ahmed was accused of tricking his...
Shipping association says may face worker shortage after Immigration Dept halts issuing guarantee letters for foreigners
KUCHING (July 25): The Sarawak Shipping Association (SSA) claims local shippers may face a workforce shortage after the Sarawak Immigration Department stopped issuing letters of guarantee (LG) for recruiting foreign seafarers to serve tug and barge (T&B) operators...
India’s quest to become leading maritime shipping hub
Maritime transport serves as the bedrock of international trade and, by extension, the global economy. As per the International Chamber of Shipping, the international shipping industry is accountable for transporting approximately 90 per cent of global trade....
Singapore, Hafnia to transfer oil cargo from fire-hit tanker
Shipowner Hafnia, operator of the Hafnia Nile oil tanker, is in discussion with Singapore’s Maritime and Port Authority (MPA) about transferring the damaged ship’s cargo of naphtha to a safe location, the MPA said on Wednesday. The Singapore-flagged Hafnia Nile and...
Industry experts urge Malaysia to reduce foreign vessel reliance with new shipping policy
KUALA LUMPUR, July 28 — Malaysia’s new national shipping policy must not only encourage the development of a robust domestic fleet to reduce dependency on foreign vessels but also provide more funding to modernise and accelerate the transition to green shipping. They...
Cargo vessel congestion at port eases: Phoong
KOTA KINABALU: Cargo vessel congestion at the port has here been eased with the Roll on Roll Off (RORO) ships operations relocated from Sepanggar Port.State Industrial Development and Entrepreneurship Minister Datuk Phoong Jin Zhe said this immediate short-term...
Johor MB urges public to assist in locating missing 6-year-old girl
KUALA LUMPUR: Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi has urged the public to assist the police to locate the six-year-old girl who has been reported missing since Saturday in Taman Botani. In a posting via Facebook, he also urged those with information on the girl...
Malaysia coast guard detains oil tanker involved in collision off Singapore
KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysia’s coast guard said on July 21 that it had located and intercepted a large oil tanker that was involved in a fiery collision with another vessel on July 19, about 55km north-east of the Singapore island of Pedra Branca. The coast guard...