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Global News
Tanker Optimized for Wind-Assisted Propulsion Achieves Strong Fuel Savings
A partnership between Finland’s naval architects Deltamarine and UK-based BAT Technologies looks to develop new standards in sustainable shipping. The companies held a presentation in London for their new concept, a wind-optimized design for an Aframax/LRII tanker...
Complexities of compliance with the EU Emissions Trading Scheme
The EU ETS first emissions trading system requiring owners, operators and charterers to pay for their ships’ emissions. At a Lloyd’s Register webinar on 7 February, classification society experts ran through the complex regulations and the steps required by owners and...
AD Ports takes over Karachi Port East Wharf operations.
The agreement will see a joint venture between AD Ports and Kaheel Terminals, Karachi Gateway Terminal Multipurpose Limited (KGTML), develop, operate and manage berths 11-17 at the East wharf of Karachi. The new concession grants 1.5 km of quay wall to KGTML for...
ICTSI to develop Iloilo port complex in central Philippines.
ICTSI will rename it the port complex as Visayas Container Terminal. “We recognise the port’s pivotal role in driving Iloilo's economic and social growth. Our comprehensive proposal outlines significant investments in infrastructure...
Piraeus port inaugurates expanding car terminal.
Greek Shipping and Island Policy Minister Christos Stylianides pointed out at an inauguration ceremony 6 February for the new car facilities, the Ministry's goal is to promote sustainable urban development, the use of sustainable transportation methods and advanced...
QatarEnergy announces next phase of record fleet growth programme
The vessels will enter into timecharters with affiliates of QatarEnergy and Nakilat, the company said in a statement. It is the first award in the second phase of long-term time charters in the largest-ever LNG fleet expansion programmed. Qatar Energy’s LNG Fleet...
ILWU and Portland Terminal Settle Long Dispute Which Bankrupted the Union
The International Longshore and Warehouse Union and International Container Terminal Services settled a more than decade’s long dispute involving the operation of Portland, Oregon’s sole container terminal which forced the ILWU to file for bankruptcy in September...
US Indicts Iranian Oil Network, Individuals, Tankers, and Seeks Oil Cargo
The U.S. Justice Department revealed on Friday three sweeping legal cases launched in U.S. federal courts in New York and the District of Columbia aimed at interrupting the Iranian oil trade. They revealed a widespread network launched by Iran starting in 2018 to...
ICS Proposes $40 Carbon Levy With No Automatic Increases
The International Chamber of Shipping has formulated a revised proposal for an IMO carbon emissions fund. As with earlier proposals, it would see two-way financial flows going in and out of one fund - carbon-emitting shipowners would pay money in, while...
Vietnam’s Ports Benefit From Geopolitics and Trade Wars
Vietnam’s main ports have shot up the world rankings in terms of volumes of container-based traffic as manufacturers increasingly pull out of China in the wake of the tariff-based trade war with America. As the latest data on Vietnam’s growing “connectivity” –...
European Ethanol Producers File Challenge to FuelEU Maritime Regulation
An industry group representing European ethanol producers launched a legal challenge they announced yesterday seeking to at least partially annul the FuelEU Maritime Regulation saying that it improperly addresses sustainable biofuels such as renewable ethanol. In a...
The Law and Practice of Container Shipping
The evolution of container shipping has played a crucial role in transforming international trade and shipping, making it more efficient, cost-effective, and interconnected. Today, container shipping is ubiquitous and efficient. The most recent ULCV, the MSC...
Red Sea Tanker Fire Extinguished
The fire aboard the Marshall Islands registered tanker Marlin Luanda is reported to be out and the vessel is proceeding to an unspecified safe harbor. Trafigura, which chartered the vessel, provided the update confirming that the crew of 23, including...
EU Launches Effort with Shipping Lines and Ports to Fight Drug Smuggling
The European Commission announced the launch of a new public-private partnership, the European Ports Alliance as the latest step to increase the fight against drug trafficking through Europe’s ports. It comes as Europe has seen a dramatic increase in drug smuggling...
Shipping fallout from Red Sea crisis spreads to product tankers
With no end in sight for the Red Sea crisis, detours around Africa’s Cape of Good Hope are soaking up even more vessel capacity and pushing up spot rates across multiple shipping segments. Freight fallout began with container ships. It is now significantly impacting...
Gas and Heat and RINA to Cooperate on Ammonia Fuelled Bunker Vessel
Gas and Heat, the Italian company leader in the design and construction of cargo handling systems, and RINA, the Inspection, Certification and Engineering consultancy multinational, have signed an agreement for the development of a cargo and fuel gas system for...
Supply chain executives pin hopes on technology as diverse challenges escalate
Trade in Transition, a research project by the Economist Impact and DP World, surveyed 3,500 executives around the world for their views on topics related to global trade. Over 34% of respondents listed new technologies as a source of optimism over the next two...
Chinese automobile exports surge 58% in 2023
China’s automobile export market reached 4.91 million units in 2023, increasing some 57.9 year-on-year. With sharp rise in exports China is expected to become the world’s largest automobile exporter. During in 2023, automobile production and sales volume of...
Red Sea crisis drives inflationary trading costs.
Carriers have told shippers and forwarders that rates will rise substantially as shipping heads around the Cape of Good Hope, soaking up excess capacity, and redressing the supply and demand imbalance. One forwarder has been told to expect European rates out of Asia...
More interaction needed between government and private sector
The logistics sector in Panama, the mainstay of the maritime industry, is finally taking off and increasingly using Panama as a dispatch centre for global or Latin American markets. Panama provides logistics services such as warehousing, distribution,...
Port of Corpus Christi handles record cargo tonnage in 2023
The 203 million tonnes moved through the port last year represented an 8.1% increase over 2022. The new record primarily can be attributed to a jump in crude oil exports to 126.1 million tonnes in 2023, a 12.5% increase compared to 2022. Related: New leadership...
Ethiopia’s Port Deal with Somaliland Could Endanger Regional Stability
The Horn of Africa ushered in the new year with news of a deal that would ensure that diplomatic relations in the region got off to a bumpy start in 2024. Ethiopia, it was announced on Jan. 1, had signed a memorandum of understanding with the breakaway...
Work Stoppages Grow at DP Australia Terminals as MUA Pay Dispute Escalates
Work at the terminals operated by DP World in Australia’s four largest ports ground to a halt on Friday, January 12, with the expectation that the dispute is likely to further escalate in the coming weeks. The Maritime Union of Australia, which has been without a...
Cruise Ship Silver Moon Reverses Course to Avoid Southern Red Sea
The luxury cruise ship Silver Moon (40,700 gross tons) has become the latest ship to divert away from the southern Red Sea, altering the itinerary for its current cruise and canceling at least one upcoming cruise. The cruise ship operated by Silversea...
Video: Chinese Company Launches Massive Solid-Fuel Rocket from Sea
A Chinese company has launched its first heavyweight commercial rocket from the deck of a ship, reviving a concept popularized by the Sea-Launch consortium in the 1990s. Orienspace, based in Shandong, launched its first Gravity-1 rocket from the deck of a...
Suez Canal Denies Suspension of Transits Rumor After Red Sea Attacks
The Suez Canal Authority issued a statement on Friday, January 12, denying rumors that its operations had been impacted by the overnight strikes by U.S. and UK forces and the resumption of attacks by the Houthi rebels. The statement came as the military forces have...
IAEA Uses Nuclear Tools to Study Antarctic Plastic Pollution
Last week, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) launched its first scientific research expedition to investigate the extent of microplastics pollution in the Antarctica. Argentine President Javier Milei and IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi led the...
Norway’s Turn Towards Deep-Sea Mining Dismays Experts
Norway, renowned for its substantial offshore oil and gas reserves, made a surprise move in 2021 to rebrand itself as an ocean champion. However, this environmental turn is being reversed as the government pursues commercial mining in the country’s extended...
Belgium Plans Increased Fight Against Drug Trafficking Through EU Ports
Belgium intends to prioritize the fight against drug trafficking through the major ports in the European Union (EU) expanding on existing efforts to reign in the rampant smuggling and corruption at the region’s ports. Over the next six months, they plan to launch an...
Decorated Battleship New Jersey Set for $10M Repairs During Dry Docking
One of the most decorated and largest battleships in the history of the U.S. Navy which served in all of America’s major conflicts from 1943 to 1990 is set to undergo a $10 million overhaul. The decommissioned USS New Jersey, one of four Iowa-class battleships...
High Speed Internet at Sea
Low-Earth-orbit satellites are revolutionizing maritime connectivity – to the delight of shipowners and crew alike. Far above the planet, thousands of satellites are orbiting Earth. Some are taking high-resolution photographs and beaming them back to ground stations,...
Top ocean shipping stories of 2023: War, drought and detours
Ocean shipping routes are always in flux, but 2023 took it to a whole new level. Trade routes were blocked or impeded by geopolitics, labor and weather: sanctions on Russia, U.S.-China tensions, dockworker union unrest, drought-driven cuts at the Panama Canal, and...
Singapore Surpasses Three Billion Gross Tons for Annual Ship Arrivals
The port of Singapore is highlighting its position as a top maritime center as it crossed in 2023 for the first time the three billion gross tonnage mark for ship arrivals. Officials from the port and industry gathered to mark the milestone as Singapore looks to...
Lithium-Ion Battery Fire Contained Aboard Bulker off Dutch Harbor
The U.S. Coast Guard reports that the battery fire aboard the bulker Genius Star XI has been extinguished and that the crew are safe, days after the blaze began. The outcome was successful, but the fire illustrated the serious challenges inherent in fighting...
Russia Claims New Record for Cargo on the Northern Sea Route
As of the last week of 2023, Russian officials were claiming to have reached a record level of cargo moving along the Northern Sea Route while expecting to continue to increase the total to the end of the year. The reports are saying that volumes recovered from the...
More Than 280 Boxships Have Diverted Away From Red Sea
The degree of disruption from attacks on shipping in the Red Sea continues to escalate. As of Sunday, more than 280 container vessels - not counting tankers, bulkers, car carriers or other vessel classes - have diverted to the Cape of Good Hope, according to an...
Malaysia bars Israeli owned vessels and ships headed to the country’s ports
Malaysia has banned Israeli owned ships and vessels bound for the country’s ports in response to the war in Gaza. Marcus Hand | Dec 21, 2023 Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said on Tuesday it had imposed a ban on any vessels from ZIM...
Conflict and climate conspire to reroute container ships
Geopolitical and meteorological events are continuing to reshape global container shipping trading patterns as vessels look for alternatives to all water routes via the Suez and Panama Canals. Nick Savvides | Dec 19, 2023 Low water levels in the Panama Canal have...
Panama Canal transits plunge as larger ships are turned away
The official Panama Canal transit numbers for November are out — and they’re ugly. November could be the tip of the iceberg. Reservation slots are being slashed further this month and in January. The total number of transits declined 22% in November versus October,...
Saudi Arabia secured a remarkable score in the UNCTAD’s Liner Shipping Connectivity Index
In a significant development that aligns with the objectives of the National Transport and Logistics Strategy (NTLS), Saudi Arabia has solidified its competitiveness and global standing. The Saudi Ports Authority (Mawani) attained its highest improvement...
Singapore gets its first methanol bunkering vessel
Singapore has welcomed the delivery of its first methanol bunkering vessel, marking its commitment to serve as a living lab for bunkering alternative fuels. Michele Labrut | Dec 15, 2023 Singapore, a global maritime bunkering hub, has welcomed the delivery of its...
Salvage industry needs to prepare for new fuels
As the drive to develop new zero emission fuels intensifies the salvage industry must recalibrate its training programmes to handle the patchwork of fuels that will replace oil in the transition and beyond. Nick Savvides | Dec 11, 2023 A panel of industry experts...
12 container ships divert from Red Sea over terror threat.
Initially attacks on shipping in the Red Sea and the Straits of Hormuz, which have included hijackings and missile strikes, targeted Israeli-linked ships recent incidents such as the drone strike on the OOCL chartered containership Number 9 had no current Israeli...
Stronger Than Expected Volumes Prompt Increase in Forecast for U.S. Imports
Container import volumes at the main U.S. ports containers ports continued to grow into the fall leading to a later than expected peak this year and prompting forecasts for continuing year-over-year growth in 2024. With the U.S. economy appearing to be on a...
Container shipping outlook 2024: Rising risk of delays, disruptions
The supply chain crisis is long over, but America’s importers still have a lot to keep them up at night as they plan for 2024. Two key container shipping “chokepoints” — the Panama Canal and the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait in the Red Sea — are simultaneously...
Report Zero-Emission Fuels Could Add 50% to Container Shipping Costs
The early moves both among the container carriers and the shippers face substantially higher costs for transporting containers using the new generation of zero-emission vessels and fuels. A new report from independent UK consultancy UMAs seeks both to quantify some of...
Fortescue Unveils Ammonia-Fueled Ship Calling for Regulations to Catch-Up
Fortescue, an Australian mining company that is working to become a green technology company, reports it completed the retrofit to create the world’s first ocean-going ammonia-fueled ship. The company’s flamboyant founder and chairman Andrew Forrest arrived in Dubai...
The Virtual Watch Tower: A Public Good
Building the new economy revolves around data, internet-of-things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI), cloud and federated computing. The shipper-driven, terminal-centric Virtual Watch Tower / VWT (www.virtualwatchtower.org) is a federated computing initiative,...
2024 Could be “Even More Brutal” for Container Carriers Warns Xeneta
The handwriting has been on the wall for some time with analysts warning that the container shipping segment was facing a prolonged period of hard times brought on by falling volumes, oversupply, and declining rates. Widely followed indicators such as the Drewry World...
Western Australian Government Unveils Plan for Relocation of Fremantle Port
Following years of intensive studies and consultations, the Western Australian (WA) government has unveiled its preferred design and location for the relocation of the container operations currently in Fremantle. The port, which handles nearly all the container...
Local News
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....
Malaysia begins exporting fresh durians to China
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug. 24 (Xinhua) -- Malaysia has started exporting fresh durian to China, with 40 metric tons of the popular tropical fruit to be sent in three phases starting Saturday, according to Agriculture and Food Security Deputy Minister Arthur Joseph Kurup. The...
Malaysia targets emerging markets with new Matrade office in Karachi, says Tengku Zafrul
NEW DELHI, Aug 25 — The Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (Matrade) will open an office in Karachi, Pakistan, as part of Malaysia’s growing focus on emerging markets. In key growth areas, Malaysia is looking at boosting trade with South Africa, Libya,...
Government Must Pay For Patients To Get Insulin From University Hospitals, Private Facilities Amid MOH Shortage: Lawmakers
Umno Youth leader Dr Akmal Saleh and Kuala Langat MP Dr Ahmad Yunus Hairi urge the government to pay for diabetes patients to get insulin from university hospitals or private facilities, amid a severe shortage in MOH. Dr Akmal suggests the use of vouchers. KUALA...
EcoCeres prepares for expansion in Malaysia with new storage agreement
Johor, Malaysia, 12 August, 2024 – EcoCeres Limited (“EcoCeres” or the “Company”), asubsidiary of EcoCeres Inc., agreed to lease 100,000 m3in Dialog Terminals Langsat (3)Sdn. Bhd. (“DTL3”)’s expanded storage facilities in Tanjung Langsat, Johor Darul...
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...