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Study: Maritime Chokepoints Could Contribute to CO2 Reduction
As shipping examines multiple scenarios to limit its GHG (greenhouse gas) emissions, vessel speed reduction is a low hanging fruit in shipping’s decarbonization journey. This is based on the observation that inefficiencies caused by some key choke points in...
What Do You Do if a Hacker Takes Control of Your Ship?
You stand on the bridge and the course is seen digitally. Still, why does the ship continue to turn west? On the computer screens in the dark wheelhouse, everything looks normal - but outside the window, the land comes dangerously close! What is happening? Down in the...
Top bunkering markets – Singapore over three times larger than nearest rival
Singapore tops the rankings for bunker volumes sold with over a third of the global market among the world’s top 17 bunkering destinations last year. Total bunker output last year for the top 17 supply countries and regions was just under 141 million tonnes (mt),...
MSC Takes Delivery of World’s Largest Container Vessel
MSC took delivery of the Ultra Large Container Vessel, the MSC TESSA, at the Changxing Shipbuilding Base in Shanghai. The vessel is estimated to have cost MSC $600 million. The manufacturer claims that MSC TESSA is the world's largest...
First Automated High-Bay Storage System to be Installed at Korean Port
South Korean terminal will employ the first commercial-scale application of the automated high-bay storage system (BOXBAY) PUBLISHED MAR 10, 2023 9:08 PM BY THE MARITIME EXECUTIVE South Korean terminal will employ the first commercial-scale application of the...
FOCUS ON PANAMA
Panama Canal implements ‘disruption charge’ An incident in the Panama Canal could prove costly as the Panama Canal Authority (ACP) implements a ‘disruption charge’ for vessels causing delays and operational difficulties to the critical waterway. The disruption charge...
Retailers See Slow TEU Volume Climb After Positive January Trade Data
PUBLISHED MAR 10, 2023 12:20 PM BY THE MARITIME EXECUTIVE A positive tick-up in trade numbers for January 2023 reported by the U.S. government on Wednesday followed by a forecast for a slow climb back for U.S. retail imports created the first glimmer of hope for...
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...
Local News
Increase in blank sailings to disrupt global shipping: Dimerco
Carriers will ramp up blank sailings by over 1.5 times, adding 53 more cancellations between weeks 38 and 42 compared to the previous five weeks, according to the latest update from Dimerco. "Drewry's weekly analysis on September 13 reported that 90 blank sailings...
Malaysia welcomes cooperation between telco companies and local media organizations to develop AI applications – Fahmi
BEIJING: Malaysia welcomes the collaboration of telecommunications companies with any local media organizations to develop artificial intelligence (AI) applications to help produce content, as well as report efficiently and effectively. Communications Minister Fahmi...
Westport’s development to strengthen Malaysia as global maritime and logistics hub
PORT KLANG: The development of Westport Holdings Bhd’s phase two container terminal expansion from terminals 10 to 17 is a significant step to strengthen Malaysia’s position as a global maritime and logistics hub. Westports executive chairman and group managing...
National single window initiative to boost M’sia, China trade
KUALA LUMPUR: The Investment, Trade and Industry Ministry (Miti) is confident that Malaysia’s national single window (NSW) trade initiative will harmonise with China’s customs system and facilitate business and trade operations by reducing red tape, coordinating and...
Duo aims to make Malaysia regional and global leader in drone technology and innovation
KUALA LUMPUR:The Malaysia Drone Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MDCoCI) is poised to revolutionise the country’s drone sector, said president Shanmugam Thanggavilo and founder Elanggovan Thanggavilo. The duo said they aim to make the country a regional and global...
Intra-Asia index brings clarity to largest container shipping trade
In what is the world’s largest trade by volume, and deployed capacity, it was an anomaly that the intra-Asia trades did not have a dedicated spot index to match the other major tradelanes out of Asia to Europe and the US. Philip Damas, MD and head...
Singapore to gain six Asia-North Europe calls in alliance reshuffle
Singapore, the world’s largest transhipment hub, has emerged as one of the clear winners in the forthcoming alliance reshuffle, new analysis from Alphaliner today shows. With the February deadline for the new alliance structure to begin – with the three main groupings...
Singapore port congestion may persist until year-end
Ships have had to wait for one to two days to berth amidst the Red Sea attacks. Congestion at Singapore’s container port, which is at its worst since the COVID-19 pandemic, is expected to persist until year-end due to ship rerouting to avoid Houthi attacks in the Red...
Tensions Rise As Chinese Naval Frigate Spotted Near Malaysian Oil Rig In South China Sea
The presence of a Chinese Type 053H3 Jiangwei II Class frigate near Malaysia’s Velesto NAGA 4 oil rig in Sarawak’s waters has raised concerns over China’s ambitions in the South China Sea. A Chinese Type 053H3 Jiangwei II class light frigate has been observed near...
Behind the headlines: Engagement is vital
THE South China Sea is a bustling waterway with growing freight and naval passages, combining widespread commercial and military interests. More than 80% of world trade exceeding US$5 trillion (RM21.67 trillion) in value traverses these much-contested waters each...
Pahang, Perak ready for Chinese halal industry investments, which will spur state economies
SHANGHAI: The Pahang and Perak state governments are ready for large investments from China in the halal industry by preparing and developing the infrastructure in the respective states’ halal hubs. This includes providing sites to build factories and farms,...
Johor-Singapore SEZ: International firms call for reduced red tape, improved infrastructure for zone to be a success
JOHOR BAHRU: Dutch tank storage company Vopak has long straddled its business on both sides of the Johor Strait. Over the last 30 years, it has based oil and gas operations in both Singapore and Pengerang in the southern part of the Malaysian state. Now, with...
Johor Port registers record container throughput of 102,324 TEUs in August
KUALA LUMPUR: Johor Port Bhd, a member of MMC Group, registered a record monthly throughput of 102,324 TEUs in August 2024, surpassing the previous record of 99,039 TEUs in July 2019. Over the first eight months of 2024, the port recorded a throughput of 698,914 TEUs,...
Renewed MOU with China will benefit local exporters, says Matrade chairman
KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (Matrade) has renewed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the China Construction Bank Malaysia Berhad (CCBM) to benefit businesses in both countries. Matrade chairman Datuk Seri Reezal Merican...
With Mahathir as adviser, Malaysia’s four opposition states join forces to beef up lagging economies
KUALA LUMPUR - Four Malaysian states controlled by federal opposition alliance Perikatan Nasional (PN) have closed ranks to jointly beef up their economies, as their leaders move to strengthen their grip on the Malay-belt states. With Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad as their...
Loke urges Port Klang authority to enter top 10 busiest port list
KLANG: Transport Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook has urged the Port Klang Authority to be more proactive in increasing port productivity to ensure it is listed among the world’s top 10 busiest this year. “I am confident that this target is achievable because, among...
Critical minerals boom will have major impact on Malaysia’s real estate market: Juwai IQI
PETALING JAYA: Without the materials called “rare earths” and “critical minerals,” electric cars will not run, laptop computers will not boot up, solar panels and wind turbines will not generate power and mobile phones will not make a single call. The shift to green...
Young NSP ambassadors tour Malaysia, Thailand
Two groups of 12 young Taiwanese agricultural ambassadors are touring Malaysia and Thailand as part of a New Southbound Policy exchange program. Accompanied by officials from the Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) and Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), the two groups left...
“India, Singapore and Malaysia steady markets for South African top fruit”
India, Singapore, Malaysia as well as Bangladesh remain important markets for South African apples and pears. Eon Smit, commercial director of Fruitworks, based in Paarl says, "Asia Fruit Logistica is a space where we as the three companies come together to spend...
Malaysia’s MITEC hosts 11,000 finance leaders
The Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre (MITEC) recently hosted The 15th Worldwide Chinese Life Insurance Congress & 2024 IDA Annual Conference, which brought together 11,000 global financial insurance elites for a mega convention across four days....