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Author Archives: HellenicShippingNews

LPG shipping segment enjoyed healthy rebound in 2012 says StealthGas head, Harry Vafias

Fuel efficient ships, or so-called “Eco Ships” will slowly but steadily gain more and more market share, at least as long as the oil prices stay at high levels. In an interview with Hellenic Shipping News Worldwide, Harry Vafias, CEO of StealthGas and the Vafias Group (active in five different shipping markets), talks about the revival of the LPG shipping markets during 2012, the introduction of newer and more fuel efficient vessels in the Group’s fleet, while he also mentions that the best pirate-deterrant so far has proven to be ...

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Gulf of Guinea is the new piracy “hotspot” says maritime security expert

As piracy is an ongoing struggle between the maritime community and navy forces on one hand and pirates on the other, a new dangerous “hotspot” has been on the rise. According to maritime security company Actus International Security (www.actussecurity.com), the Gulf of Guinea is proving to be a new place for ships to take close care of and be vigilant. In an interview with Hellenic Shipping News Worldwide, the company’s Managing Director, Helen Mitchell, says that “piracy in the Gulf of Guinea tends to be ‘smash and grab’, where the ...

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Ships with armed guards have never been hijacked by pirates claims LSS – SAPU

Modern-day piracy is one of the most important issues the global shipping industry is having to deal with. Hijackings by pirates operating in vast sea areas, both in East and West Africa, in areas like Somalia and Nigeria, are always a danger vessels are faced with. In an interview with Hellenic Shipping News Worldwide, Mr. Alexandros Theodosios Kontos, Operations Manager of LSS – SAPU leading maritime security experts (http://www.lss-sapu.com/), argues that not a single vessel with armed security on board has even fallen prey to pirates, despite the attempted attacks. ...

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WatchStander provides non-leathal solution to pirate attacks

Modern day piracy is a costly issue for ship owners and many other stakeholders in the maritime industry. Although the latest report from International Maritime Bureau (IMB) has indicated that the number of attacks have been falling, it’s only as a result of hefty counter measures and increased navy patrols that this has occurred. Not to mention that the fall in Somali piracy has been partly offset by the rise in piracy incidents of the coast of West Africa. As a result, the evolution of cost-effective and more efficient measures ...

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Container shipping fleet to be increased by 18% by the end of 2013, calling for urgent cost-cutting measures by carriers

In a recent report, the Boston Consulting Group called for immediate action by container carriers, in order to avoid further losses, most of which were self-inflicted, as a result of price wars and intense competition. In an interview with Hellenic Shipping News Worldwide, Camille Egloff-Ghicas, Partner and Managing Director in BCG Athens and leading the BCG Shipping practice in Hellas, mentioned that only a comprehensive end-to-end approach to bunker costs can generate the results needed. This not only entails fleet optimization, technical improvements, better voyage planning, improved procurement, but also ...

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Container carriers stand to gain from automation software reducing costs and increasing profitability

Container shipping is at the forefront of the shipping industry, when it comes to technology utilisation and automation processes. Although some companies are still under utilizing the information technology department, it’s quite difficult to argue with the fact that a proper automation software has a lot to offer to container shipping, mainly towards reducing costs, increasing revenues and improving customer service. Although, today’s “talk of the town” is slow-steaming, eco-vessels and newly built ultra large container carriers, which all contribute to more efficient shipping and lower bunker costs, indeed automation ...

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Net dry bulk fleet growth to reach up to 70 million dwt in 2012 says Braemar Seascope

Despite record-breaking demolition activity, especially in the dry bulk segment, shipping markets are expected to keep facing tonnage oversupply issues, which will continue to exert pressure in freight rates for the monts to come, said Mark Williams, Research Manager at Braemar Seascope Ltd., in an exclusive interview with Hellenic Shipping News Worldwide. Mr. Williams notes that the 2011 total of 25 million dwt in dry bulk scrapping activity has already been surpassed, with projections now reaching up to 35 million dwt by the end of the year, but these figures ...

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Dry bulk market to remain under pressure for the rest of 2012

In an interview with Hellenic Shipping News Worldwide, Mr. Yannis Pachoulis, President of the Hellenic Shipbrokers’ Association, remains cautiously optimistic regarding the dry bulk market’s long-term prospects. He states that the current downturn was expected, as more and more newbuilding vessels were scheduled to hit the water, on the back of a huge orderbook. He adds that with global dry bulk trade expected to increase exponentially during the next few years, the current oversupply of dry bulk tonnage will be gradually absorbed, thus helping to bring freight rates back to ...

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Marshall Islands Registry in growth mode

With Hellenic ship owners remaining the leading ship owning group, the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) Registry has continued on its solid growth path during 2011, now surpassing the 80 million gross tons mark. In an interview with Hellenic Shipping News Worldwide, Mr. Theofilos Xenakoudis, head of the Registry’s office in Hellas, said that during 2011, the Hellenic-owned fleet registered in the registry grew by 28% in terms of gross tonnage. “The Registry has been working more closely with owners and operators during this global financial downturn to ensure ...

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Pirate attacks keep growing as pirates become more resourceful, says Neptune Maritime Security

The answer to piracy is to be found at land said David Rider, Communications & Intelligence Officer with Neptune Maritime Security, in an interview with Hellenic Shipping News Worldwide. Although he states that, so far, no vessel with armed guards on board has been successfully hijacked, and that should say something, indeed the long-term solution to the problem of piracy is through a better education of Somalis and through a better organized state, something which Somalia has been lacking for two decades now. Neptune Maritime Security is an international maritime ...

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Extent of fall of dry bulk market not expected, recovery under way says shipbroker

The collapse of the dry bulk market caught many under surprise, as the extent of the fall wasn’t expected says Yiannis Pachoulis, President of the Hellenic Shipbrokers Association in an interview with Hellenic Shipping News Worldwide. He went on to mention that although demolition activity has picked up significantly, it is – by any means – not enough to compensate for the size of dry bulk vessels entering the global fleet. Still, he maintains that dry bulk rates are headed for a mild recovery in the coming weeks, but the ...

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Shipping market to remain volatile says North P&I Club

The shipping insurance market is expected to continue facing significant challenging market conditions during 2012 as well, say Paul Jennings and Alan Wilson, joint managing directors of North P&I club, in an interview with Hellenic Shipping News Worldwide. The world economy is still plagued with uncertainty, making it harder for the shipping industry to recover.Still, the North P&I Club has kept its sound financial position, as an “A” rated Club by Standard & Poor’s and is now the second largest P&I Club, among the 13 in total, providing cover for ...

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Dry bulk market looking for balance as we enter 2012

During the past few months, freight rates for dry bulk carriers, especially Capesizes have increased significantly, providing ship owners with a much needed boost. Still, the oversupply haven’t been solved overnight. This will take a few more years to happen, provided that newbuilding orders remain at modest levels and scrapping of older ones doesn’t seize.In an interview with Hellenic Shipping News Worldwide, BIMCO’s Chief Shipping Analyst, Peter Sand said that for the coming couple of months, BIMCO holds the view that the Capesize Time Charter Average will remain at USD ...

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Box Ships Inc.

Box Ships Inc. is an Athens, Greece-based international shipping company specializing in the transportation of containers. The Company’s current fleet consists of nine containerships with a total carrying capacity of 43,925 TEU and a TEU weighted average age of 10.9 years. The Company’s common shares and Series C Preferred Shares are quoted on the OTCQX and Other OTC markets, respectively, under the symbols “TEUFF” and “TEUCF”, respectively.

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Capital Product Partners L.P.

Capital Product Partners L.P. (NASDAQ: CPLP), a Marshall Islands master limited partnership, is an international owner of modern tanker, container and drybulk vessels. The Partnership currently owns 35 vessels, including twenty modern MR (Medium Range) product tankers, four Suezmax crude oil tankers, ten Post Panamax container vessels and one Capesize bulk carrier. All of its vessels are under period charters to BP Shipping Limited, Cargill International S.A., CMA-CGM S.A., Cosco Bulk Carrier Co. Ltd., CSSA S.A. (Total S.A.), Flota Petrolera Ecuatoriana (“Flopec”), Hyundai Merchant Marine Co. Ltd., Overseas Shipholding Group ...

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