Recent regulatory changes in China regarding the use of modern vessels has brought about mayhem in the market for second hand ships, as ship onwers are scrambling to comply to the new rules. In its latest weekly report, shipbroker Intermodal said that “the new regulations for Chinese flag restricting import of Tier I ships have dominated market sentiment during the past days as buyers have been trying to secure vessels with very prompt delivery (by end of July). We have seen a number of reported deals not going through in ...

Many issues remain unresolved following last week’s intersessional working group (ISWG) meeting at the IMO to develop guidelines to support the consistent implementation of the 0.50% sulphur from 1 January 2020. The meeting made good progress on planning and preparatory issues, having developed a ship implementation plan and informative annexes that will be sent to the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC 73) in October this year for approval. The ISWG, under the auspices of the Sub-Committee on Pollution Prevention and Response (PPR), also developed draft text for regulatory amendments under ...

In a break from tradition, Beijing has for the first time allowed companies registered in the free trade zone in eastern China’s Zhejiang province to blend tax-free fuel oil for export to the seaborne market. Zhoushan, where the Zhejiang FTZ is located, is the fuel oil trading hub in China. The relaxation of the export restriction will encourage more fuel oil trade flows from China for bunkering, industry sources told S&P Global Platts this week. It will also position the country advantageously as a key supplier of blended fuels ahead ...

Reports suggest that possibly up to 100 vessels may have been affected by contaminated marine fuel oil stemmed at ports in the Houston and US Gulf region, giving rise to significant concerns in the industry, as well as a range of both practical and legal issues. Contaminated fuel supplies of blended fuel oils, such as IFO 380, were first reported in the US Gulf region earlier in February and appear to have persisted, with newly reported incidents still arising. Whilst the root source of the issue remains inconclusive, initial reports ...

Cepsa and Global Energy Private Limited (GPGEPL), part of UAE-based global conglomerate GP Global, have announced an exclusive partnership to manufacture and market Cepsa branded marine and power generation lubricants in India. As per the agreement, GP Global will manufacture, package and even import Cepsa branded lubricant products in India. “India is a huge market for port modernization and coastal shipping development. Major initiatives have been taken in this direction by our government. This partnership is our contribution to the governments Make in India vision and the vibrancy of the ...

The technology group Wärtsilä announces that its Aquarius UV Ballast Water Management System (BWMS) has successfully completed all testing procedures required for United States Coastguard (USCG) type approval compliance. The documentation for full USCG type approval is being finalised for submission and awaits only final input from DNV-GL, the USCG approved independent laboratory. This follows type approval for the Aquarius UV from the International Maritime Organization in 2011, as well as Alternate Management System (AMS) acceptance from the USCG. AMS acceptance provides regulatory compliance for all ships operating in US ...

Most of marine engineering failures are related with allowable and in service stresses. Allowable stresses are determined by recognizing which of the various possible failure modes apply to the problem being analysed. The strength of the material generally is then utilized from tabulated test data. Ultimate Strength Su – when the part will crack and fracture. Corresponding on a tensile test machine, to the load when the part breaks. As a rule of thumb for steel, a rough approximation is about 500 times the Brinell hardness number (BHN). Yield Strength ...

A Chinese maritime safety department has advised ships to stay clear from a specific area off the busy port of Lianyungang where an unexploded “ordinance” is floating in the waters, according to officials and freight market sources Friday. The area designated as unsafe is situated north-east of Lianyungang where the water depth is around 23-25 metres, a market source following the development of the situation said. “It’s not a bomb. It’s just an obstacle,” an official with Lianyungang Maritime Safety Administration told S&P Global Platts late Thursday. According to a ...

Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. Friday announced that the Ice-Breaking LNG Carrier “Vladimir Rusanov”, which is jointly owned by MOL and China COSCO Shipping Corporation Limited for the Yamal LNG project, made its first call at PetroChina LNG Jiangsu Terminal in China on 17 July. A ceremony celebrating this milestone was held on 19 July. At the end of March 2018, the vessel started transportation services for LNG produced by the Yamal LNG plant at Sabetta port in Russia . For its latest voyage, the vessel departed from Sabetta port on ...

Water levels on the Rhine and Danube in Germany remain low after dry weather and freight vessels cannot sail fully loaded on the rivers, traders said on Friday. The Rhine is too shallow for normal sailings from Cologne to south Germany, traders said. All of the German section of the Danube is too shallow for full loads, they said. Shallow water means vessel operators impose surcharges on freight rates, increasing costs for cargo owners. The Rhine is an important shipping route for commodities including grains, minerals, coal and oil products ...

CMA CGM, a leading worldwide shipping Group, is pleased to announce the acquisition from CHINA SHIPPING Ports Development Co. Limited (“COSCO SHIPPING Ports”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of COSCO Group, of 10% equity interest in CSP Zeebrugge Terminal NV (“CSP Zeebrugge”), through its wholly-owned subsidiary CMA Terminals. CMA CGM is currently the major client of CSP Zeebrugge and accounted for one third of the total throughput of the terminal in 2017. The strategic partnership between CMA CGM and COSCO SHIPPING Ports should foster the development of CSP Zeebrugge into a major ...

The National Water Distribution Committee has issued a request for measure scenarios to be formulated, with the aim of limiting saltwater intrusion via the locks at IJmuiden as a result of the drought in the Netherlands. These scenarios are currently being developed. One possible option is to introduce a special passage regime, whereby filling the locks when empty will be limited as far as possible. There is a drought in the Netherlands and thus a shortage of fresh water. In the Western Netherlands, this has led to falling water levels ...

The Brown Marmorated Stink Bug (BMSB), or Halyomorpha halys, is an agricultural pest that feeds on, and can severely damage, fruit and vegetable crops. The pest has spread from its native range in East Asia to form established populations in North America and Europe but is not yet present or widely established in Australia. Like the Asian Gypsy Moth, the BMSB is considered a ‘hitchhiker pest’ that can spread via oceangoing vessels in international trade. When BMSB adults seek shelter from cold weather during the winter months, they tend to ...

Dividends totaling 15.0 cents per share declared for 1H 2018 include a special dividend of 5.0 cents per share. Keppel Corporation Limited (Keppel) reported a net profit of S$583 million for half year ended 30 June 2018, 38% higher than the S$423 million achieved a year ago. Stronger contributions from the Property and Infrastructure divisions more than offset losses incurred by the Offshore & Marine and Investments divisions in 1H 2018. The Group’s 1H 2018 revenue of S$2,993 million was 7% higher than the S$2,802 million for 1H 2017. Offshore ...

Crowley Maritime Corp. announced today that it has taken delivery of El Coquí, one of the world’s first combination container/roll on-roll off (ConRo) ships powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG), from shipbuilder VT Halter Marine Inc. El Coquí is the first of two Commitment Class, LNG-powered ConRo ships being built for Crowley’s shipping and logistics services between Jacksonville, Fla., and San Juan, Puerto Rico. Operated by Crowley’s global ship management group, El Coquí will make its maiden voyage to San Juan later this month from Jacksonville (JAXPORT), its dedicated U.S. ...