Golden Energy orders up to four platform supply vessels in China Restis Group offshore-vessel firm expands its managed fleet
Data Hub: Asia Load Factors Transpacific set for strong third quarter
Governments must fulfil their obligations over ports of refuge FREE CONTENT: Insurers, salvors and the ICS urge coastal states to step up to help stricken vessels
VLGC fleet could grow 17% in 2015, warns Banchero Costa More tonnage ordered in second-half 2013 than in the previous four years put together
New Suez transit rules improve passage for larger boxships Dredging allows vessels of 13,000 teu-plus to join second daily southbound convoy
Odfjell hit by $76m Rotterdam terminal impairment Oslo-listed group reports full-year operating profit of $3m, with a $6m fourth-quarter loss
Maximising reform in the Philippines Crucial legislative milestone frees Marina boss to pursue education standards shake-up
Western Bulk revenues rise as its margins slide Poor vessel positioning hits time charter margins
MOL agrees to compromise with FMC over antitrust probe Japanese line and Nissan Motor Car Carrier subsidiary hit with $1.3m penalty
Aboitiz Equity pulls out of shipping Family investment firm is to focus on infrastructure, finance and power sectors
Ardmore plots follow-on offering NYSE-listed Ardmore Shipping has reported lower adjusted losses and announced plans to sell more stock to fund fleet expansion
Japan unveils hybrid SOx scrubber Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) and Mitsubishi Kakoki Kaisha (MKK) have jointly developed a hybrid scrubber system that removes sulphur oxides (SOx) from exhaust gas emitted by marine diesel engines, the companies said on 12 February
Speedier onboard oil test for corrosion Parker Kittiwake, a global provider of asset control and protection technology, has released a portable test kit that will tell in minutes how much corroded iron is in used cylinder oil
NCL ramps up scrubber installations Norwegian Cruise Line will install Green Tech exhaust-gas scrubbers aboard six additional vessels after initial installations aboard Pride of America last year
Restrictions lifted for Russian bunkers Russia's Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS) has ruled that restrictions imposed since last August by its customs service on bunker fuel supply constitute a violation of its law on competition and must be withdrawn
Keppel to build three rigs for Fecon Keppel FELS has won orders to build three KFELS B Class jackup rigs worth $650M for new customer Fecon International Corp
Singapore works towards implementing mass flow meters Singapore is working towards the compulsory implementation of mass flow meters for bunker barges, IHS Maritime has been told
Chinese Ports Saw Major Delays Before Lunar New Year Port of NingboIn the weeks leading up to Chinese New Year 2014, the Chinese ports of Ningbo, Shanghai, Shekou and Yantian reported severe delays, snarling ships by an average of 19 to 35 hours, according to CargoSmart. Vessel delays at the Chinese ports of Ningbo, Shanghai, Shekou and Yantian from Dec....
Iberia Airlines Finally Reaches Deal With Pilots Union Iberia Airlines has reached a deal in principle with its pilots' union, SEPLA, to "introduce permanent structural change and improve the airline's viability," effectively ending a years-long labor dispute, according to parent company International Airlines Group. The deal will keep pilots' salaries frozen until 2015, after which increases to salaries will...
Falling Ship Prices Lead Zim to Cancel Orders Zim DalianZim has canceled its remaining orders for four 12,552-TEU ships from Samsung Heavy Industries and four 8,800-TEU ships from Hyundai Samho, a move that will help the carrier cut its losses on the eight ships, which were ordered at the peak of the price boom, in an attempt to...
Long Beach Turns to Boyden for Executive Director Search The Long Beach Board of Harbor Commissioners has nominated Boyden Global Executive Search to find candidates for the position of executive director of the nation's number two container port. Boyden, with offices in Baltimore and Washington, will lead the search for an executive director at a critical time in the maritime...
US Shippers Expect Freight Growth to Outpace Economy U.S. shippers on average expect that for the first time in roughly two years freight growth in 2014 will steadily outpace the expansion of the general economy, In a survey conducted by Wolfe Research in late 2013, U.S. shippers said they expect their freight volume to increase 2.9 percent this year....
Truckload, Intermodal Rates Moving Up, Cass Reports Cass truckload linehaul and intermodal indexes through January 2014 Full-size chart Truckload linehaul rates jumped 2.9 percent in January, the biggest year-over-year increase since last February, Cass Information Systems said Thursday. The increase in the Cass Truckload Linehaul Rate Index reflects higher spot market rates, growing freight demand and declining capacity, Cass said. Intermodal...
Winter Storms Push DAT Spot Truck Rates Higher Spot market truckload rates reached new highs as a fresh wave of severe winter storms hit the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic in early February before heading toward the Northeast. The national average dry van spot rate rose to $1.97 per mile for the week ending Feb. 8, 3 cents higher than the...
Winter Has Hit Terminals, Too From my perspective the JOC article titled "NY-NJ Port Mess 'Worst Ever'" does a significant disservice to a number of the participants within the harbor that are attempting to address a very difficult situation, which in large measure was brought on by events beyond their control. The Christmas and New Year's...
Cochin Terminal Truck Drivers Call Off Strike Harbor truck drivers returned to their jobs on Feb. 12 after a four-day strike at the Vallarpadam International Container Transshipment Terminal, a DP World facility in India's Port of Cochin. The settlement came after the port authority held two rounds of talks with the strikers. "The terminal is operating normally," a DP World...
SeaIntel Founder Launches Cyber-Security Firm SeaIntel CEO and founder Lars Jensen has launched a company to provide cyber-security services to the maritime industry. Named CyberKeel, the firm was launched "together with technical experts in cyber security as well as with experience in systems penetration," according to a press release announcing the venture. "The maritime industry faces a...
Congress Running Low on US Highway Funding Options WASHINGTON - The likelihood that the U.S. federal government will have to inject money into the Highway Trust Fund so that highway, bridge and road construction funding doesn't grind to a halt in August is steadily increasing. For shippers and transportation providers, the alternative of allowing the HTF, the main engine...
Averitt Express Expands Temp-Controlled LTL Business Averitt Express is extending the "cold chain" for customers and expanding its refrigerated business. The trucking company will use specially designed containers to move pallet-sized temperature-controlled loads in dry van trailers. The "Cold Box" should speed refrigerated less-than-truckload shipments that Averitt otherwise would keep in cold storage until they could be...
Gati Sees Opportunity in E-Commerce The e-commerce division of India's leading express distribution and supply chain solutions group grew at a rapid rate in the latter half of 2013, and is expected to continue that momentum in coming years, reflecting the advancing importance of e-commerce in India's economy in general. Gati's e-commerce segment reported revenue jumped...
Container Throughput Falls at India's Major Ports The number of containers shipped via major ports in India slipped 4 percent year-over-year in the first 10 months of fiscal year 2013-14, but overall cargo tonnage inched up 1.4 percent, according to the latest traffic data released by the Indian Ports Association. Total container volume was estimated at 6.2 million...
Chinese New Year Impact to Extend Through February Air and ocean trades to and from China will remain slow until next month due to the Lunar New Year shutdown, according to a survey by JOC of leading transport operators and analysts based in Asia. China's official holiday for New Year ran from Jan. 31 to Feb. 6, but many...
Warehouse Markets Tightening Around US Craig Meyer, president of Jones Lang LaSalle's industrial brokerage team, advises clients that are looking for warehouse space in hot markets such as Southern California, Northern New Jersey and Dallas to focus on the property that best suits their needs and to move decisively to close the deal. Demand for industrial...
Baltimore ILA Local Votes 'No' After Daggett Letter An International Longshoremen's Association local in Baltimore voted down a proposed local contract for autos and breakbulk cargo after a top official from ILA headquarters urged members to reject the employers' proposal. Local 333's 416-140 "no" vote on Feb. 11 came a day after Dennis Daggett, president of the ILA's Atlantic...
Calgary Harnesses Its Logistics Energy Calgary, AlbertaCALGARY, Alberta - Here between the Canadian Rockies and plains, it's not hard to see why major shippers are setting up shop or expanding their distribution operations in Calgary. The Trans-Canada and CANAMEX highways systems intersect at Calgary, giving shippers access to a population of roughly 50 million within...
FreeSeas firms sale Greek operator FreeSeas appears to be moving forward with the sale of an ageing handysize bulker.
NNA follows suit Navios Maritime Acquisition on Thursday announced plans to pursue a follow-on fundraiser that has the potential to top nearly $50m.
NewLead lands term sheet Shares NewLead Holdings soared Thursday after investors learned that the Greek operator landed the cash it needed to complete the acquisition of two handysize bulkers.
Equity looks enticing Overseas Shipholding Group's (OSG's) bondholders to not appear to be pleased with the key components of a proposal aimed at completing its Chapter 11 reorganisation.
Refuge call unites industry Shipowners, salvors and insurers have joined forces to call for international action to help stricken vessels find ports of refuge.
$100m boost for P&I clubs An improved protection and indemnity market should produce a $100m surplus across the 13 International Group clubs, according to a review of the sector by the Standard & Poor's rating agency.
3 Maj plunges into red Croatian shipyard 3 Maj has posted a loss for 2013 after a big drop in revenue.
Otto ends JV Otto Marine is paying $1 for a 51% stake in Aries Offshore that cost $15m in 2010.
WBULK shares hammered Shares in Norwegian bulker owner Western Bulk slumped today as investors digested a disappointing set of final quarter results.
Public pain The cost of operating as a public company has contributed to US-listed tanker owner Ardmore Shipping's wider loss in the fourth quarter.
Sinotrans back for more Sinotrans Shipping has taken its 2014 spending past the $250m mark with orders for six more newbuildings at Chinese shipyards.
GOS denies sale - again India's Global Offshore Services (GOS) has been forced to issue another denial that its controlling Garware family has put the shipowner up for sale.
Ardmore raising another $75m Ireland-based tanker owner Ardmore Shipping has lined up a share sale worth $75m to further finance its newbuilding drive.
Samsung bags FLNG job Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI) has won the race to build the second floating LNG (FLNG) production unit for Malaysia's Petronas.
Dorian tipped for trio Dorian LPG is being hotly tipped to take out options on a trio of VLGC newbuildings after its latest call on investors took its fund-raising from the capital markets well beyond $500m.
ALG faces loss UK cruiseship owner All Leisure Group (ALG) says it expects to post a substantial loss for its latest financial year.
MISC better by half Malaysian shipowner MISC has reported a 50% jump in fourth quarter earnings despite a drop in revenue.
Commerzbank cuts deeper German lender Commerzbank is speeding up its disposal of shipping loans as loss provisions look set to continue at the same level in 2014.
Strong finish for WW Norwegian shipping group Wilh Wilhelmsen has more than doubled earnings in the fourth quarter, but its annual result was well down on 2012.
Green leaves Clarksons Philip Green is stepping down as chairman of the board at Clarksons barely six months after joining the world's largest shipbroker.
Duo battle for Bijela Two big European yard groups are going head-to-head in the race to take over Montenegrin shiprepairer Jadransko Brodogradiliste Bijela.
Shreyas earnings shredded India's Shreyas Shipping & Logistics has fallen to a loss in its third quarter despite higher revenue.
Odfjell impaired Norwegian tanker owner Odfjell has plunged to a "disappointing" fourth quarter loss after booking an impairment for its Rotterdam terminal.
WBULK jumps in Q4 Western Bulk has reported a strong end to the financial year with a net profit of $7.1m versus the $5.2m seen a year ago.
Vroon PSVs extended Peterson Den Helder has extended its charter of four more Vroon platform supply ships (PSVs) for another year.
Imoto inks green feeder Japanese feedership operator Imoto Lines has ordered a containership newbuilding at domestic shipbuilder Kyokuyo Shipyard.
Let them eat cape! A bulker controlled by Vista Shipping of the Ukraine has emerged as what is widely believed to be the first capesize sold for scrap in 2014.
Acquisition boosts SSC Singapore Shipping Corp (SSC) has reported a 28.4% jump in third quarter profit on the back of its expansion moves last year.
Aker explains fire alarm Aker Philadelphia Shipyard is pouring cold water on reports that there was a fire at its shipbuilding facility in South Philadelphia Wednesday morning.
East Coast storm halts flights, shutters cities, ports A massive snow storm slammed much of the East Coast Wednesday and Thursday, shutting down entire cities, transportation systems and governments, as well as ports.
Long Beach to test ship emissions-control technology The Long Beach Board of Harbor Commissioners has agreed to fund a $2 million pilot test of a mobile, barge-mounted emissions-control system for cargo ships at berth. The new technology would provide an alternative to shore power.
New maritime cyber security analyst emerges The chief executive officer and founder of the container shipping analyst SeaIntel Consulting, Lars Jensen, has launched a new company focusing on cyber security in the maritime industry.
Wilhelmsen measures improved ro/ro volumes
Cathay sees decline in January cargo
Portland OKs incentive program
Proposal to require U.S. ships to carry LNG exports nixed Rep. John Garamendi, D-CA, withdrew a proposed amendment to the Coast Guard Reauthorization Bill that would have required all export of liquefied natural gas (LNG) to be carried on U.S.-built, flagged- and crewed-ships.
European prices lack direction Supplies for prompt LS tight in Rotterdam, according to reports.
Prices soften across Middle East hubs But are firm in South African ports.
Indian port plan gets extra push Government wants the process behind port project to speed up.
Cold-corrosion test kit gets results in under 5 minutes Monitors corroded iron in cylinder oil.
LNG demand will trigger growth Russian minister says development in Baltic ports will be based on growing LNG market.
Fuel oil stocks down Singapore inventories slide after previous week's surge.
Coastal owner orders green ship Feedership design offers range fuel-saving attributes.
Asian bunker market broadly steady Tokyo Bay traders warn of potential tight supplies.
Gibraltar: Bunker vessels meet with 'incursion' Background of tension between Spain and UK.
Hybrid scrubber launched in Japan Technology combines a freshwater and seawater system.
Istanbul player deploys another newbuild Energy Petrol has 'youngest bunker fleet' in region.
Scrubber effluent treatment system ready for commercial use Technology is able to remove more than 99% of petroleum hydrocarbons from effluent, claims maker.
WFS profit up But quarterly marine segment earnings were down.
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