Aug 24 (Reuters) – Solid demand across dry bulk vessels segments propelled the Baltic Exchange’s main sea freight index to its highest level in more than a decade on Tuesday, with larger capesizes stretching a winning streak to a 10th straight day.

* The overall index, which factors in rates for capesize, panamax, supramax and handysizeshipping vessels, rose 54 points to 4,201, its highest since mid-2010.

* Disruptions such as port congestion and global shipping constraints have contributed significantly to gains across the shipping sector, sharply cutting tonnage supply for months, Allied Shipbroking said in a weekly note.

* However, risks still remain, including headwinds from the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on the economy, the note said.

* The capesize index gained 1.5%, or 92 points, at 6,206, a near 12-year high.

* Average daily earnings for capesizes, which typically transport 150,000-tonne cargoes such as iron ore and coal, added $764 to $51,472.

Related: Rally Looks Set as Dry Bulk Shipping Rates Soar

* While robust demand for iron ore cargoes from Australia to China have boosted capesize rates, “the recent drop in iron ore prices could well play a pivotal role in coming weeks,” Allied Shipbroking said in the note.

* Benchmark iron ore futures rebounded, with Dalian prices extending overnight gains as easing worries over the COVID-19 outbreak in China helped calm nerves after several days of sell-offs driven by demand concerns.

* The panamax index advanced 37 points, or about 1%, to its highest in six weeks at 3,846.

* Average daily earnings for panamaxes, which usually carry coal or grain cargoes of about 60,000 tonnes to 70,000 tonnes, increased by $333 to $34,615.

* Among smaller vessels, the supramax index added 40 points to 3,343, an all-time high, as per Refinitiv Eikon data available since 2017.

(Reporting by Rahul Paswan in Bengaluru; Editing by Amy Caren Daniel)

(c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2021.

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Rising Tide Continues to Lift Baltic Dry Index

By Ann Koh (Bloomberg) Ships have resumed berthing operations at a halted container terminal in Ningbo, China, adding to optimism that full activity at one of the world’s busiest ports will be restored shortly after a two-week shutdown to quarantine dockworkers.

At least five container ships have left the Meishan terminal at Ningbo in the past few days after berthing there, according to shipping data compiled by Bloomberg. While container collection services were still halted on Tuesday, some ships have been allowed to berth at the terminal, an official from the Ningbo-Zhoushan port said.

The movement of ships is sparking optimism among shippers that operations will resume soon after no new cases of Covid-19 were discovered, according to local media reports.

The Meishan terminal has resumed partial vessel operations since Aug. 18 and is expected to have a gradual return to full operations in the coming weeks, shipping line CMA CGM SA said in an advisory to customers.

Two of the company’s ships — the Rivoli and the Samson — were completing cargo operations and would depart the terminal “very soon,” the French company said on Aug. 20. The ships have since left Ningbo, while a separate vessel named the Taurus traveled to Meishan on Sunday and is currently docked there, Bloomberg data showed.

CMA’s Elbe arrived at the terminal on Monday after waiting at anchorage for a week.

The Meishan terminal, which accounts for about a quarter of the Ningbo port’s container throughput, was shut on Aug. 11 after a worker became infected with the delta variant of Covid-19. The partial closure of the world’s third-busiest container port worsened congestion at other major Chinese gateways such as Shanghai, Xiamen and Hong Hong, as ships diverted away amid uncertainty over how long virus control measures in the city will last.(Adds comment from Ningbo port official in second paragraph.)

By Ann Koh with assistance from Kathy Chen and Yujing Liu. © 2021 Bloomberg L.P.

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Ships Resume Berthing At Ningbo

Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited has appointed ferry design consultancy Navalue to lead the concept design of its Small Vessel Replacement Programme.

Navalue will provide consultancy services for the concept design stage of the programme, which will see several small vehicle and passenger vessels replaced on the Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Services network.

CMAL and Navalue will investigate and evaluate the feasibility of designing low emission ferries to be in line with the Scottish Government climate change commitments. The Emissions Reduction Targets (Scotland) Act 2019 states a 2030 target to deliver a reduction of 75% of all harmful emissions, and an ambition to achieve net-zero emissions by 2045.

Studies and design experience will be drawn on to explore the latest offshore charging technologies and identify onboard electrical energy storage systems, capable of being recharged from shore side electrical power supplies.

Jim Anderson, Director of Vessels of CMAL said: “CMAL led the way in low emission small ferries when we designed the world’s first hybrid sea-going ferries, with three hybrid vessels currently in operation on the network.

“Our aim is to ensure the next generation of small vessels is as environmentally friendly as possible by adopting further advances in battery technology and electrifying our fleet. Navalue will provide insight and expert knowledge as we embark on our highly ambitious and much-needed vessel renewal programme.”

Thomas Ritte, Partner at Navalue said: “Navalue is strongly committed to providing innovative, reliable and efficient ship design solutions for sustainable shipping. We are pleased to bring our experience in developing zero-emission transportation solutions to the CMAL small vessel replacement programme and look forward to working with CMAL in their goal towards lower emission vessels.”

The SVRP will include robust engagement with relevant stakeholders and communities to provide updates and ensure the needs of users are reflected where practical and affordable in the design and construction phases. A future phase two of the SVRP will replace vessels to serve the Sound of Barra, Sound of Harris and Sound of Iona routes; however, during phase one CMAL will investigate a vessel design that complies with changed regulatory requirements for the Sound of Iona.

By Jake Frith

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https://www.maritimejournal.com/news101/vessel-build-and-maintenance/ship-and-boatbuilding/design-consultant-for-new-low-emission-ferries

The Port of Cromarty Firth has welcomed a new independent report that positions Cromarty Firth as the prime location in Scotland for the formation of an offshore wind port cluster.

A key recommendation in the industry-led assessment, commissioned by the Scottish Offshore Wind Energy Council (SOWEC), states that Cromarty Firth’s strategic location, current and future manufacturing capabilities as well as its marshalling and assembly capacity mean it is best placed to absorb a massive increase in the volume of work created by the rapid expansion in Scotland’s offshore wind sector.

The report highlights how Scotland must prioritise its efforts quickly to grow offshore wind’s national economic value and meet climate targets. The expansion in offshore wind and floating offshore wind is seen as vital in Scotland’s ambitions to decarbonise its energy sector in order to become a net-zero economy by 2045.

The report, led by Professor Sir Jim McDonald, states: “As our analysis demonstrates, the Cromarty Firth emerges as the most suitable location in Scotland for [floating offshore wind] platform fabrication and manufacture, with the two ports of Invergordon and Nigg acting as the focus of effort to secure platform fabrication and manufacture.

“These ports have sufficient capacity available or close to being ready as well as suitable quayside facilities for construction and movement of floating platforms. The wider Cromarty Firth offers space for wet storage of platforms and close access to many potential ScotWind sites.”

By Jake Frith

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https://www.maritimejournal.com/news101/industry-news/offshore-wind-port-cluster

Ambex has completed a project to provide integrated navigation and communications systems for the UK Royal Navy.

The marine electronics company was selected by Atlas Elektronik UK (AEUK) to secure and deliver a GB£2.2m contract to provide integrated navigation and communications systems and training for all 35 of the new SEA class work boats ordered by the Royal Navy and built by Atlas UK for the MoD in a project known as Vahana.

William Smith, director of Ambex, said: “Atlas and Ambex share a common determination to deliver efficient, high quality, best-in-class projects and we are very proud to have been selected by Atlas as their electronics integrator for this significant contract.”

Virtual workboat

The first stage of the project for the modular, multipurpose workboats, all under 20m, involved the design and build of a virtual workboat in Ambex’s headquarters in West Sussex. This was used to test, debug and demonstrate the COTS suite consisting of Simrad gyro compass, autopilot, GPS & AIS, acoustic correlation speed log, Furuno radar, Cobham satellite communications, JRC Navtex and Consillium echo sounder all integrated to dual ECDIS systems on Hatteland panel PCs running OSI ECPINS software.

Ambex ensured continuity and traceability in the process by writing its own software applications and QR coding every piece of equipment. The QA and kitting process was completed in West Sussex, scrutinising the system and software before starting the installation process. The whole offering was then ready for installation on delivery to Horizon, Atlas’ purpose-built boat building facility in Dorset.

Thirty-five sets of equipment have now been delivered including bespoke pre-assembled cable assemblies and most have now been installed, with AEUK completing the physical installation and cable runs and Ambex providing dedicated engineers to connect, power up and factory test before the boats left the facility. The setting to work took place in Portland, Dorset, where HATs and SATs were completed to naval standards. Ambex also developed a new app-based system to record the 100+ pages of documentation needed per boat.

By Rebecca Jeffrey

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https://www.maritimejournal.com/news101/onboard-systems/navigation-and-communication/ambex-delivers-navy-project

Nagasaki University and Kyocera Corporation have announced their joint development of an Energy Harvesting Smart Buoy.

The new technology combines Nagasaki University’s tidal current power generation technology with Kyocera’s IoT technology to collect reliable ocean data.

Prototype buoys can collect a wide range of data on the marine environment using self-generated energy. A pilot program gathered information from 21 sensors, monitoring everything from water temperature and humidity to current direction. Future development may include sensors for temperature-related salinity variation, chlorophyll turbidity, and temperature related variations in dissolved oxygen concentrations, to name a few.

Marine pollution and climate change have become serious societal issues. To solve these issues and help create a more sustainable world, scientists need more reliable ways to monitor and visualize various sea conditions. However, maintaining a stable power supply is a big challenge for continuous data collection at sea. Therefore, Nagasaki University and Kyocera developed the “Energy Harvesting Smart Buoy,” which generates its own electric power for continuous ocean data collection using a tidal-current power generation system in the buoy.

The new Smart Buoy combines tidal-current power generation technology from Nagasaki University and IoT-related technology from Kyocera. In addition, Kyocera has future plans to monitor fisheries and aquaculture, conduct ocean surveys, and more.

Each prototype is equipped with two different tidal-current power generation systems:

SLTT (Small Lens-type Tidal Turbines) – The buoy and power generation are separate, and a diffuser is installed around the turbine. In addition to protecting the turbine, the diffuser has the effect of increasing the flow of water for better power generation.

VTT (Vertical-axis Tidal Turbines) – The power generation element is directly connected to the buoy. Its AI-guided design incorporates a tilted axis to optimize turbine rotation amid heavy ocean swells and waves.

By Jake Frith

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https://www.maritimejournal.com/news101/ocean-sciences/energy-harvesting-smart-buoy-prototypes

Tallink shuttle vessel ‘Megastar’ will soon be plugging into the local grid for quiet and emission-free overnight layovers in the Estonian Port of Tallinn.

Fueled by low-emission liquefied natural gas, passenger and car ferry Megastar makes three return journeys between the Estonian and Finnish capitals per day, with an overnight stay in Tallinn where it needs to keep generators running to ensure energy availability for onboard systems. With Seawork Connect exhibitor ABB’s shore connection solution, the vessel will be able to cover its energy needs in port by drawing on land-based power.

SECOND CONNECTED
With commissioning due to take place in January 2022 while the ferry is in operation, Megastar will become the second vessel in the Tallink fleet to feature ABB’s shore connection solution. The second vessel is MyStar, currently under construction in Rauma Marine Constructions shipyard in Rauma, Finland, will have the technology pre-fitted upon its delivery in 2022. Both ferries will leverage the ABB shore power systems installed at the Old City Harbor, Port of Tallinn in 2020. Designed in compliance with international regulations, the plug-in solution automates the ship-to-shore connection process and offers a high level of safety and reliability.

“We are delighted to continue driving environmentally-friendly ferry operations across our fleet,” said Captain Tarvi-Carlos Tuulik, Head of Ship Management at Tallink Grupp. “From next year, both shuttle ferry Megastar and our newbuilding MyStar – the most environmentally friendly vessel on the Baltic Sea  –  will be able to leverage the ABB shoreside infrastructure that already exists at the Port of Tallinn’s Old City Harbour, to cut down harbour emissions and noise during overnight stays. This is another important step for Tallink Grupp towards achieving greener energy use and eco-friendliness for our shipping operations close to city centres, and it will make a big difference to local community in terms of minimizing noise and air pollution.”

“The Baltic Sea is a global hub for sustainable shipping initiatives, and we are honoured to support Tallink on its sustainability journey,” said Jyri Jusslin, Head of Service, ABB Marine & Ports. “Our shore connection solutions comprise onboard and shoreside infrastructure and will allow Tallink to reduce the overall impact of its operations and contribute towards a cleaner port environment in a historical part of Tallinn.”

SCOPE
Delivered by the Meyer Turku shipyard, Finland in 2017, Megastar carries up to 2,800 passengers and 646 cars at a time. ABB’s scope of supply for the retrofit includes switchboard, shore connection cabinet and a shore connection control board with three separate ship-to-shore communication links to safeguard against loss of connection – redundant Wi-Fi, optical fibre and hardwired serial data communication. Megastar also features ABB’s propulsion motors, medium voltage generators and thruster motors.

Having executed its first shipside installation in 2001, ABB has a long history in shore connection technologies. To date, ABB has commissioned, or is contracted to commission, shore connection technology on 150 vessels of various types, including ferries, cruise ships, container ships, gas carriers and more. The company has also equipped several newbuild cruise ships with shore connection switchboards, in readiness to connect to shore power as soon as it becomes available in ports of call.

AS Tallink Grupp is one of the leading providers of passenger and cargo transport services in the northern Baltic Sea region. The company’s fleet consists of 15 vessels and the company operates various routes under the brands of Tallink and Silja Line. Tallink Grupp’s shares are listed on the Nasdaq Tallinn Stock Exchange and Nasdaq Helsinki Stock Exchange.

Connect with ABB at Seawork Connect 5^th – 7^th October

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https://www.maritimejournal.com/news101/seawork/ferry-to-gain-shore-connection-for-emission-free-port-stays

Japanese shipping firm NYK has sent ten employees to assist with the area clean-up after the NYK-chartered Crimson Polaris wood-chip carrier last week grounded and split up off the coast of Hachinohe, Japan, spilling oil into the sea.

The 2008-built wood-chip carrier that ran aground off Japan last Thursday carried about 1,550 MT of heavy oil and about 130 MT of diesel oil for fuel at the time of the grounding.

The 199.9-meter vessel, chartered by NYK from MI-DAS Line split into two pieces and began spilling oil on August 12 at 4:15 a.m.

NYK, which sent its workers to help with the cleanup on Thursday, August 18, said that under the guidance of the Maritime Disaster Prevention Center, the clean-up contractor arranged by the shipowner “has continued the clean-up of oil and cargo adrift and on the shoreline.”Credit: Japanese Coast Guard (Image from August 12)

“As the charterer of the vessel, NYK has dispatched company personnel to the site to assist with the clean-up of the cargo and other debris that has washed ashore. The first group of 10 people were dispatched for two days and one night, and we plan to continue these dispatches of employee groups. In order to prevent the spread of the COVID-19, NYK workers take appropriate infection-control measures and work under the guidance of the cleaning contractor,” NYK said.

“NYK has organized a crisis management center led by NYK president Hitoshi Nagasawa to rapidly address the situation. Company personnel have been sent to the site, and necessary support will be provided to the shipowner and ship-management company. We hope the situation will be bought to a safe and timely conclusion,” NYK said.

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https://www.marinelink.com/news/nyk-sends-employees-help-cleanup-vessel-490003

A.P. Moller-Maersk said on Tuesday it had ordered eight vessels which are able to run on carbon-neutral methanol to accelerate the decarbonization of its fleet and meet increased customer demand for greener transportation.

The Danish company has vowed to only order new vessels which can use carbon-neutral fuel as it seeks to deliver net-zero emissions by 2050. As vessels typically have a lifetime of 20-35 years, this means it must have a carbon-neutral fleet by 2030.

The eight vessels, which can each carry 16,000 containers, will be build by South Korea’s Hyundai Heavy Industries and are expected to be delivered by early 2024.

The vessels will be 10-15% more expensive than normal ones and will each cost $175 million, Maersk’s head of fleet technology Ole Graa Jakobsen said.

The new vessels will be fitted with engines which can run on both green methanol, which is produced by using renewable sources such as biomass and solar energy, as well as normal bunker fuel as there is still not enough carbon-neutral fuel available in the market.

So-called green methanol can be produced either directly from biomass or via renewable hydrogen combined with carbon from either biomass or carbon capture.

Maersk said more than half of its 200 largest customers, such as Amazon, Disney and Microsoft, had set or were in the process of setting targets to cut emissions in their supply chain.

“We’re in it for our customers … and thankfully they are very appreciative of this and demand is really growing,” Maersk’s head of decarbonization Morten Bo Christiansen told journalists.

Maersk said the new vessels would result in annual CO2 emissions savings of around 1 million tonnes or close to a 3% reduction. Last year Maersk emitted 33 million tonnes of CO2.

With around 90% of world trade transported by sea, global shipping accounts for nearly 3% of the world’s CO2 emissions.

The Danish firm said this month it had signed a contract securing green methanol to operate its first carbon-neutral ship in 2023 in a first step to tackle the challenges in securing the adequate supply.

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https://www.marinelink.com/news/maersk-accelerates-fleet-decarbonization-490107

A bridge team’s lack of effective monitoring of their position while at anchor led to a cargo ship colliding with an anchored bulk carrier and striking a chemical dock on the Lower Mississippi River near New Orleans, according to a National Transportation Safety Board Marine Accident Brief released Thursday.

Marine Accident Brief 21/15 details the NTSB’s investigation of the May 8, 2020, collision of the anchored general cargo ship Nomadic Milde with the anchored bulk carrier Atlantic Venus. The Nomadic Milde then struck a nearby chemical dock and grounded on the bank. The accident resulted in about $16.9 million in damages. There were no injuries.

The Nomadic Milde anchored in the Lower Mississippi River just upriver of the Atlantic Venus during high water conditions. After setting the starboard and port anchors, the vessel’s positions and headings suggest that the ship did not hold in its original anchor position and likely dragged towards the bank while the ship’s pilot was departing the ship. It then dragged for a second time downriver and closer to the Atlantic Venus, to about half the original distance between the two vessels.

In its report, NTSB said there was no evidence of either watch officer of the Nomadic Milde checking the ship’s position at frequent intervals or by means other than the electronic chart and information display system (ECDIS) watch alarm to determine if the ship was secure at anchor. According to NTSB, there was sufficient evidence to alert the bridge team that the Nomadic Milde was not holding well, and had this been detected, the master could have been alerted earlier. This would have allowed for sufficient time to undertake necessary measures to address the problem.

The NTSB determined the probable cause of the collision was the bridge team on the Nomadic Milde not effectively monitoring the vessel’s position, and therefore not detecting that the vessel was dragging anchor and had moved from its original position during high water conditions in proximity to other vessels.

“Monitoring a ship at anchor, especially in an area where the risks of nearby hazards and weather and current are present, requires a continuous state of vigilance and the use of all available means to determine whether a vessel is dragging or not,” the report said. “Although ECDIS is a useful tool in determining a ship’s position at anchor, the ship’s radars would have provided information for the crew to determine or crosscheck if the range to a vessel or object had decreased, or if the ship had moved while at anchor.”

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https://www.marinelink.com/news/lack-monitoring-anchor-led-million-490013