Maritime Safety News Archives - Page 29 of 258

BEIJING — China on Friday said it is canceling or suspending dialogue with the United States on a range of issues from climate change to military relations and anti-drug efforts in retaliation for a visit this week to Taiwan by U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

The measures, which come amid cratering relations between Beijing and Washington, are the latest in a promised series of steps intended to punish the U.S. for allowing the visit to the island it claims as its own territory, to be annexed by force if necessary. China on Thursday launched threatening military exercises in six zones just off Taiwan’s coasts that it says will run through Sunday.

Missiles have also been fired over Taiwan, defense officials told state media. China routinely opposes the self-governing island having its own contacts with foreign governments, but its response to the Pelosi visit has been unusually vociferous.

The Foreign Ministry said dialogue between U.S. and Chinese regional commanders and defense department heads would be canceled, along with talks on military maritime safety.

Cooperation on returning illegal immigrants, criminal investigations, transnational crime, illegal drugs and climate change will be suspended, the ministry said.

The actions were taken because Pelosi visited Taiwan “in disregard of China’s strong opposition and serious representations,” the ministry said in a statement.

China has accused the Biden administration of an attack on Chinese sovereignty, although Pelosi is head of the legislative branch of government and Biden had no authority to prevent her visit.

China’s actions come ahead of a key congress of the ruling Communist Party later this year at which President Xi Jinping is expected to obtain a third five-year term as party leader. With the economy stumbling, the party has stoked nationalism and issued near-daily attacks on the government of Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen, which refuses to recognize Taiwan as part of China, in order to solidify its support among the public.

China said Friday that more than 100 warplanes and 10 warships have taken part in the live-fire military drills surrounding Taiwan over the past two days, while announcing mainly symbolic sanctions against U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and her family over her visit to Taiwan earlier this week.

The official Xinhua News Agency said Friday that fighters, bombers, destroyers and frigates were all used in what it called “joint blockage operations.”

The military’s Eastern Theater Command also fired new versions of missiles it said hit unidentified targets in the Taiwan Strait “with precision.”

The Rocket Force also fired projectiles over Taiwan into the Pacific, military officers told state media, in a major ratcheting up of China’s threats to attack and invade the island.

The drills, which Xinhua described as being held on an “unprecedented scale,” are China’s most strident response to Pelosi’s visit. The speaker is the highest-ranking U.S. politician to visit Taiwan in 25 years.

Dialogue and exchanges between China and the U.S., particularly on military matters and economic exchanges, have generally been halting at best. Climate change and fighting trade in illegal drugs such as fentanyl were, however, areas where they had found common cause, and Beijing’s suspension of cooperation could have significant implications for efforts to achieve progress in those issues.

China and the United States are the world’s No. 1 and No. 2 climate polluters, together producing nearly 40% of all fossil-fuel emissions. Their top climate diplomats, John Kerry and Xie Zhenhua, maintained a cordial relationship that dated back to the Paris climate accord, which was made possible by a breakthrough negotiated among the two and others

China under Kerry’s prodding committed at last year’s U.N. global climate summit in Glasgow to working with the U.S. “with urgency” to cut climate-wrecking emissions, but Kerry was unable to persuade it to significantly speed up China’s move away from coal.

On the Chinese coast across from Taiwan, tourists gathered Friday to try to catch a glimpse of any military aircraft heading toward the exercise area.

Fighter jets could be heard flying overhead and tourists taking photos chanted, “Let’s take Taiwan back,” looking out into the blue waters of the Taiwan Strait from Pingtan island, a popular scenic spot in Fujian province.

Pelosi’s visit stirred emotions among the Chinese public, and the government’s response “makes us feel our motherland is very powerful and gives us confidence that the return of Taiwan is the irresistible trend,” said Wang Lu, a tourist from neighboring Zhejiang province.

China is a “powerful country and it will not allow anyone to offend its own territory,” said Liu Bolin, a high school student visiting the island.

His mother, Zheng Zhidan, was somewhat more circumspect.

“We are compatriots and we hope to live in peace,” Zheng said. “We should live peacefully with each other.”

China’s insistence that Taiwan is its territory and its threat to use force to bring it under its control have featured highly in ruling Communist Party propaganda, the education system and the entirely state-controlled media for more than seven decades since the sides were divided amid civil war in 1949.

Taiwan residents overwhelmingly favor maintaining the status quo of de facto independence and reject China’s demands that the island unify with the mainland under Communist control.

On Friday morning, China sent military ships and war planes across the mid-line of the Taiwan Strait, the Taiwanese Defense Ministry said, crossing what had for decades been an unofficial buffer zone between China and Taiwan.

Five of the missiles fired by China since the military exercises began Thursday landed in Japan’s Exclusive Economic Zone off Hateruma, an island far south of Japan’s main islands, Japanese Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi said. He said Japan protested the missile landings to China as “serious threats to Japan’s national security and the safety of the Japanese people.”

Japan’s Defense Ministry later said they believe four other missiles fired from China’s southeastern coast of Fujian flew over Taiwan.

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said Friday that China’s military exercises aimed at Taiwan represent a “grave problem” that threatens regional peace and security.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said China’s actions were in line with “international law and international practices,” though she provided no evidence.

“As for the Exclusive Economic Zone, China and Japan have not carried out maritime delimitation in relevant waters, so there is no such thing as an EEZ of Japan,” Hua told reporters at a daily briefing.

In Tokyo, where Pelosi is winding up her Asia trip, she said China cannot stop U.S. officials from visiting Taiwan. Kishida, speaking after breakfast with Pelosi and her congressional delegation, said the missile launches need to be “stopped immediately.”

China said it summoned European diplomats in the country to protest statements issued by the Group of Seven industrialized nations and the European Union criticizing the Chinese military exercises surrounding Taiwan.

Its Foreign Ministry on Friday said Vice Minister Deng Li made “solemn representations” over what he called “wanton interference in China’s internal affairs.”

Deng said China would “prevent the country from splitting with the strongest determination, using all means and at any cost.”

The ministry said the meeting was held Thursday night but gave no information on which countries participated. Earlier Thursday, China canceled a foreign ministers’ meeting with Japan to protest the G-7 statement that there was no justification for the exercises.

Both ministers were attending a meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in Cambodia.

China has promoted the overseas support it has received for its response to Pelosi’s visit, mainly from fellow authoritarian states such as Russia, Syria and North Korea.

China had earlier summoned U.S. Ambassador Nicholas Burns to protest Pelosi’s visit. The speaker left Taiwan on Wednesday after meeting Tsai and holding other public events. She traveled on to South Korea and then Japan. Both countries host U.S. military bases and could be drawn into a conflict involving Taiwan.

The Chinese exercises involve troops from the navy, air force, rocket force, strategic support force and logistic support force, according to Xinhua.

They are believed to be the largest held near Taiwan in geographical terms and the closest in proximity — within 20 kilometers (12 miles) of the island.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Friday called the drills a “significant escalation” and said he has urged Beijing to back down.

U.S. law requires the government to treat threats to Taiwan, including blockades, as matters of “grave concern.”

The drills are an echo of the last major Chinese military drills aimed at intimidating Taiwan’s leaders and voters in 1995 and 1996.

Taiwan has put its military on alert and staged civil defense drills, but the overall mood remained calm on Friday. Flights have been canceled or diverted and fishermen have remained in port to avoid the Chinese drills.

In the northern port of Keelung, Lu Chuan-hsiong, 63, was enjoying his morning swim Thursday, saying he wasn’t worried.

“Everyone should want money, not bullets,” Lu said.

Source: https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/china-summons-european-diplomats-statement-taiwan-87981101

The NSW Government has committed a one-off $2 million funding program to support maintenance and repair works to boating infrastructure as part of a $28 million Boating Now Program.

Minister for Transport and Veterans David Elliott said the NSW Government allocated the additional funds to help boating infrastructure owners across NSW undertake maintenance works to boat ramps, pontoons, wharves, jetties, boat ramps and car and trailer parks.

“NSW boasts some of the best waterways in the world which are not only enjoyed by recreational water users but vital for local tourist operators and commercial vessels, therefore it is important to ensure boating communities have easy access to modern maritime facilities,” Mr Elliott said.

“We understand the challenges of maintaining boating facilities and recognise that repairs can be costly for asset owners and managers.

“We’ve listened to feedback from boating stakeholders and as a result we’ve made up to $2 million available as part of Round Four of the Boating Now Program to help owners return boating assets to their optimal operational condition,” Mr Elliott said.

Applications are now open for the Boating Asset maintenance sub-program, which will fund up to $30,000 per asset and up to a maximum of $60,000 per applicant for multiple assets.

To be eligible, the boating asset must be available for general boating public use and provide direct benefits to recreational boaters. The asset must also be included in an existing annual maintenance schedule or have its own asset maintenance plan in place at the time of application.

Source: https://www.marinebusinessnews.com.au/2022/08/nsw-government-provides-2-million-to-improve-boating-infrastructure/

In spring, a little more than 400 years after the original Mayflower set sail across the Atlantic Ocean with roughly thirty crew members and one hundred pilgrims, the historic ship’s successor launched westward from Plymouth, England. This modern voyage involved fewer passengers. Zero, in fact.

When the Mayflower Autonomous Ship, propelled primarily by renewable sources, reached the shore of North America roughly six weeks after setting off, it became the first fully autonomous commercial vessel to complete a transatlantic crossing. “If anything, the Mayflower shows there is still space for exploration,” says Brett Phaneuf, whose marine research nonprofit, ProMare, managed the initiative, with support from IBM. Instead of a weathered captain, it was a complex system of sensors, cameras, and artificial-intelligence commands that navigated the 50-foot-long trimaran. And where crew members might have slept, eaten, and used the facilities, a cargo bay housed 1,500 pounds of scientific gear. The venture represents a full reimagining of how a ship functions, propels itself through the water, and stores freight.

“Studies show that human error is responsible for around 70 percent of maritime accidents.”

Across the world, the autonomous revolution has taken to the high seas, quietly surpassing better-known efforts on land. Along the Gulf Coast, remote-controlled tugboats are pushing oil barges. In Norway, the world’s first fully electric self-propelled container ship will soon be transporting fertilizer through the fjords with only a skeleton crew (and eventually none at all). A Japanese freight company recently sent a 313-foot uncrewed vessel through 236 miles of crowded coastal waters. The Mikage even docked itself, with the aid of drones, at its final destination. Digitization is revolutionizing maritime operations, creating new opportunities for both transoceanic and domestic shipping that could reduce human risk, environmental harm, and logistical inefficiencies. Perhaps even more significant, experts say, these developments are prompting companies and governments to rethink how they transport goods and deliver services. “We’re changing how we interact with and benefit from our waterways,” says Moran David, chief commercial officer of Boston-based Sea Machines, which is building autonomous command-and-control technology as well as long-range computer-vision programs.

As in many other areas of society, the last few years have hit fast-forward on advancements in maritime enterprise. Market-research firm Thetius forecasts that the global maritime digital-technology industry will be worth $345 billion by the end of the decade. Demand for innovation is largely a response to supply-chain vulnerabilities and labor shortages due to the pandemic, war in Europe, and recent climate-related disasters. During lockdowns, crews have sometimes been stuck at sea for up to a year, with ports unable to process freight when workers became ill. Meanwhile, the pool of qualified seafarers has been shrinking rapidly. The solutions to each of these issues are multifaceted, but relying more on water transportation and automation will be key to building supply-chain resiliency and efficiency.

“Experts say it will also open a new market, as freight haulers migrate from land to water.”

Of course, with new technology comes new risks—and new regulations. “Autonomous shipping is not about technology anymore; it’s a matter of willingness,” says Phaneuf. Just as self-driving cars have faced many setbacks, self-driving seaborne craft are likely to encounter their own snags. For instance, how do you resolve gaps in satellite connectivity in the middle of the ocean? Who is liable in the event of an accident? Will piracy migrate from attacks on the open seas to hacking? The biggest threat is the water itself. Unlike roadways, which are highly structured grids, the ocean is inherently corrosive and always changing in unpredictable ways. For autonomous shipping to expand from limited applications to ubiquity will require significant political and commercial investment.

Experts say the immediate future of shipping innovation will likely follow a trajectory similar to that of vehicles. First, there will be driver-assisted applications. Then remote-controlled coastal uses, followed by remote-controlled ocean crossings, and, eventually, fully autonomous ocean crossings. “It’s going to be a very, very slow adoption pathway,” says Ken Bloom, a senior client partner in Korn Ferry’s Global Infrastructure Construction and Services practice. “We’ll start by supplying oil rigs with bananas and picking up their dirty laundry. Slowly, the use cases will broaden and get riskier and more complex. Right now, we’re at the end of the beginning.”

Like cars and airplanes, most ships already have some form of autopilot that can be relied upon when it’s smooth sailing. Instead of activating the brakes, these systems serve as alerts. And for the near term, even outfits with the capability to be fully autonomous will mostly continue relying on skeleton crews. Bloom predicts the technology will first be deployed in workboats and smaller vessels before spreading to large merchant ships, which are more complex to maneuver.

So what will these robot ships of the future look like? They will be steered by onboard weather stations that collect real-time meteorological data, sensors that observe the movement of waves, radar that scans the horizon, and collision-avoidance systems that rely on algorithms based on the International Maritime Organization’s guidelines for preventing crashes. All this information will help Captain AI make decisions, be it how to navigate a hurricane or avoid hitting a kayaker. Should any of these onboard systems fail, the craft can be remotely controlled or an onboard officer can hit the manual-override button.

The maritime industry is among the most dangerous of all industries, with seafarer death rates more than 20 times higher than those of onshore workers. Sailors are often required to undertake high-risk tasks, from oil-spill cleanup to search-and-rescue operations to underwater hull inspections. AI can take over such perilous jobs, and even make the mundane ones safer. Studies show that human error is responsible for around 70 percent of maritime accidents. “Automation doesn’t get tired, or drunk, or emotional,” says Pia Meling, vice president of sales and marketing at Massterly, a full-service autonomous-shipping venture. In this new construct, humans will essentially back up computers.

While captains do spend some time scanning the horizon from the bridge, much of their time is spent doing office work and analyzing weather, fuel, and other reports to make real-time decisions. With a hybrid approach, captains will oversee operations from shore, allowing them to delegate certain tasks and manage multiple vessels at one time. That has the added benefit of allowing for more inclusivity in the labor force. Parents or those with physical disabilities would no longer be excluded from doing the job. At the same time, the small crew that is onboard will be able to focus on a new variety of tasks. “Autonomous solutions are a tool for the mariner,” says David at Sea Machines. “It’s offering a reprieve from doing the dull, dirty, and dangerous tasks and allowing the mariner to focus on more important tasks that can only be done by humans.”

The seafarer’s life is not an easy one, and the industry is facing a recruitment crisis. In Japan, for instance, roughly 40 percent of the nation’s domestic-tanker workforce is 55 years or older, according to a recent survey. As one generation retires, the next has not stepped up to replace it. Developing the skills needed to safely navigate the open waters can take decades. Automation allows engineers to encode the wisdom and expertise of veterans, while creating the technological jobs that appeal to younger generations. Shipping academies are already reimagining their training programs for an automated future.

Even as this changing of the guard takes place, recent environmental initiatives have compelled the industry to reduce emissions. Huge container ships are testing alternative fuel types which require significant financial investment in new systems and worker training. The hybrid-crew model allows companies to save money on labor and better use highly specialized workers, such as engineers, by keeping them docked on land. And because autonomous ships can be redesigned with more space for cargo instead of humans, “they’re intrinsically green things,” Phaneuf says. “Saving 10 percent [of emissions] from container ships is like erasing cities from earth.”

Robo-shipping is a matter of optimization. In order to control costs, emissions, and logistics, more and more cargo owners are opting to become shipowners. Eventually that will lead to economies of scale at fleet and company levels. Experts say it will also open a new market, as freight haulers migrate from land to water.

Traditionally, domestic transportation has been dominated by trucking, which is cheaper but also has drawbacks, such as traffic, crumbling road infrastructure, and a skill shortage. In Norway, it’s not only the fertilizer company that’s moving its operations to the water: soon the country’s largest grocer will begin delivering 16 electric supply trucks from a warehouse on one side of Oslo’s main fjord to a distribution site on the other. “If we design different vessels with more cargo room and reduced operating costs, then all of a sudden those vessels become competitive to trucks,” Meling says. Nearby, in the Netherlands, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology is collaborating with local teams to produce a fleet of autonomous vessels that will be outfitted for household waste removal, logistics movement, and ferry operations.

These are all limited domestic case studies, however. It remains to be seen how the industry will approach oversight globally. The rules of the seas, some of which were written back in the 1800s, are based on having humans at the helm. While the International Maritime Organization is working on its guidelines, different countries and regulatory bodies are likely to issue their own conflicting regulations. One country might allow certain technologies and ban others; another might do the opposite. These potential conflicts are causing some companies to be wary of making significant investments. In some ways, the situation is similar to the quagmire that has kept self-driving cars in permanent beta mode.

Most, if not all, of the experts working to bring autonomous shipping to fruition agree that the greatest impediments are no longer technological; they’re human. But the unanswered questions and unforeseeable obstacles pale in comparison to the possibilities. “We’re seeing a revolution in how humans interact with our waterways that we haven’t seen since we started to cross oceans,” David says. “Autonomy is not a revolution of the future; it’s here.”

source: https://www.kornferry.com/insights/briefings-magazine/issue-55/aye-aye-ai-captain

The Waypoint programme is dedicated to improving the commercialisation of revolutionary safety and risk management technologies in the marine industry.

Throughout the 12-week process, ShipIn will collaborate with experienced mentors to refine its market positioning, expand customer reach and receive support for piloting the use of its FleetVision platform with a broad range of vessels to gain valuable feedback from owners and operators.

FleetVision uses visual analytics to improve ship-to-shore collaboration for maritime fleets by alerting shipowners, managers and seafarers to onboard events in real-time, reducing losses by 40 per cent and increasing efficiency by 8 per cent. The technology taps into a vessel’s live camera footage and overlays it with analytics powered by machine learning to reduce the risk of incidents and improve cargo operations across the global international shipping fleet.

The platform provides insights into operations including navigation, security, cargo handling and maintenance, enabling vessels owners, managers and crew to collaborate and make smarter decisions to improve fleet safety, efficiency and profitability.

“The sharing of real-time operational data between ship and shore is one of the latest tech developments that will help deliver a safer and lower-risk marine professional environment,” said Osher Perry, co-founder and CEO of ShipIn Systems.

Perry added: “We are thrilled to be working with like-minded tech and maritime experts who share our passion for making safer shipping operationally and commercially attractive, and look forward to fast-tracking our significant growth plans.”

Nadia Echchihab, head of innovation programmes at Safetytech, commented: “Entry onto the Waypoint programme is highly competitive, which signals a strong tranche of innovation coming into the maritime market. As we work to make operations safer and more sustainable, the potential of ShipIn’s offering stood out due to the tangible impact its insights have already made on improving onboard processes, preventing incidents and finally connecting crew and shore-based teams more closely.”

This article has been posted as is from Source

A new concentrated inspection campaign (CIC) has been announced by the Paris and Tokyo MOUs (Memoranda of Understandings), specifically focusing on STCW compliance.

The campaign will run for three months, from September to November. The CIC inspections will be applicable for all ships and conducted in conjunction with the regular Port State Control inspection. A ship will be subject to only one inspection under this CIC during the campaign period.

The campaign on STCW aims to confirm that the number of seafarers serving onboard and their certificates are in conformity with the relevant provisions of the STCW Convention and Code and the applicable safe manning requirements are as determined by the flag state administration.

All seafarers serving onboard, who are required to be certificated in accordance with the STCW Convention, will be checked to ensure they hold an appropriate certificate or a valid dispensation, or provide documentary proof that an application for an endorsement has been submitted to the flag state administration. Seafarers onboard must also hold a valid medical certificate as required by the STCW Convention. Watchkeeping schedules and hours of rest will also be scrutinised.

Source: https://seafarertimes.com/2020-21/node/7544

The UK Club is a founding member of Together in Safety, which has a core objective to protect seafarers’ lives while delivering improved business efficiency and commercial effectiveness. Together in Safety is a non-regulatory industry consortium connecting the maritime sector with the common purpose of working together to improve safety performance. The Together in Safety Coalition was formed three years ago and has since developed a Framework for any shipping company as the basis for their safety management programme, and comprises three key strategic drivers. A key aspect of Together in Safety is that companies can move quickly to delivery. There is no need to spend time and incur high costs in preparing materials, with the many proven good practices free to use to deliver sustained improved safety and business performance.

The first strategic driver is leadership. Together in Safety includes modules and guidelines that will help improve leadership through developing a vision and plan, leading by example, and improving engagement and collaboration. Importantly, it also requires verification that what you think is happening is actually happening in practice. So often when a major incident occurs, the procedures have been found to be in place, but the application is found wanting.

The second is incident prevention. Together in Safety has undertaken a detailed review of shipping incidents and the conclusion is the same types of incidents keep happening. It is important to note that these are not accidents. Instead, they are repeatable events that could and should have been avoided. Together in Safety focuses on 14 categories of major incident types. For each incident type, a set of ‘Golden Safety Rules’ has been outlined, including guidelines and best practices, training and engagement tools, and checklists of areas that have highlighted major issues.

The third area is well-being and care. Together in Safety believes that ensuring wellbeing and care is fundamental to developing a healthy, happy and high-performing team of seafarers. The Together in Safety imitative includes references to deliver a high-quality wellbeing and care programme and improve seafarer mental health.

With safety incidents increasing, Together in Safety offers an opportunity to reverse this trend by every shipping company being a role model in adopting the Together in Safety programme.

Source: https://www.ukpandi.com/news-and-resources/articles/2022/the-uk-club-is-proud-to-be-a-part-of-together-in-safety/

he latest bullish report comes from Castor Group in the US, who forecasts vessel supply destruction for large crude tankers to be among the largest ever recorded in the coming few years, second only to the period following the re-opening of the Suez Canal in 1976.

“Obsolete tonnage will not be replaced in the foreseeable future by new buildings as the last few years’ skyrocketing costs and the lack of feasible alternative fuel technologies have caused the longest hiatus of newbuilding orders in almost 40 years,” Castor analysts noted.

A structural bull market lasts for a long time and provides for a time tested and profitable investment strategy

Castor data suggests that at the end of 2025, almost 25% of current aframax supply will be lost. Moreover, in only one year’s time, the VLCC sector is expected to shed 6% of its vessel supply, while the Suezmax sector will lose almost 9% of its tonnage capacity.

The Ukrainian war has caused significant changes in trade patterns in all three crude sectors, resulting in large increases in vessel demand. Since early June, volumes in the VLCC sector are ahead 33.3% and actual vessel demand has risen 30%, according to Castor. The fleet has also become significantly more geographically fractured which in conjunction with higher vessel demand, have pushed earnings almost $35,000 per day higher. During the same time, global suezmax vessel demand has jumped 20% with increases recorded in most export regions. Geographical fragmentation of the fleet has also provided support for higher earnings. Aframax vessel demand rose almost 24% during the same time with the vast majority of increases recorded in the West.

Tankers, Castor argued, are in the early stages of a structural bull market.

“While no bull market follows a straight linear path higher, a structural bull market lasts for a long time and provides for a time tested and profitable investment strategy; buy dips,” Castor advised.

In a widely read recent report entitled ‘Medium-term tanker fleet fundamentals to support a golden age’, brokers BRS looked at the low tanker orderbook, something it said was down to a combination of a tanker market in the doldrums, technological uncertainty and high shipbuilding prices.

“It is becoming extremely difficult for an owner to today place a tanker order at a shipyard with a proven track record for building tankers, for delivery before 4Q25,” BRS stated, predicting that this should see the VLCC fleet contract by 1-2% per annum over 2024-26.

Joakim Hannisdahl, who oversees the Cleaves Shipping Fund, wrote earlier this week of the start of the long-awaited cyclical expansion in oil tankers.

“We now see a dual positive effect on tanker demand due to implications from the invasion and from a general improvement in global oil supply,” Hannisdahl wrote, going on to discuss the very low orderbook.

Norwegian bank DNB has also turned bullish. In a report issued at the end of last month, DNB stated it saw considerable upside potential for many of the tanker stocks it covers.

“As the earnings inflection point appears to be nearing, we have upgraded most of them to buy,” DNB stated.

“We find all-time low orderbook-to-fleet ratios of 5.1% for crude tankers and 4.7% for product tankers, versus high average fleet ages of 11.3 years and 12.1 years, respectively. Against a tightening regulatory backdrop and higher fuel costs, this should offset part of the already limited deliveries and we forecast 2.9% average supply growth for crude tankers and 3.1% for product for 2022–2025e,” the DNB report forecasted.

DNB’s rate forecasts have been substantially upgraded and now stand at $41,400 a day for 2023, $54,400 a day for 2024 and $60,700 a day for 2025 for VLCCs and $23,600 a day, $26,500 a day and $26,800 a day for modern MRs, respectively.

Based on these rate estimates, DNB sees a 13% upside potential to average secondhand VLCC values one year forward, with a five-year old VLCC valued at $93m versus today’s quote of $82m. For MRs, DNB sees 18% upside potential on average, and values a five-year old at $40m one year forward – 20% above the $33.5m current broker quote.

VLCC newbuilding prices have increased from $88.4m in January 2021, to $119m, an increase of 35%, according to the New York-based tanker broker Poten & Partners. Secondhand prices have shown a similar trend. The last time asset prices increased like that was during the tanker supercycle from 2004 to 2008.

So far, newbuilding prices have increased faster than secondhand values in the current cycle. However, Poten argued in its most recent weekly report that this will likely change if rates continue to recover.

Talking changing tanker prospects yesterday was Hugo De Stoop, the boss of Euronav, one of the world’s largest tanker players. Unveiling Q2 results, De Stoop discussed the ongoing counter-seasonal recovery in the markets

“Recent trading data points – such as China’s return to crude procurement, vessel supply metrics and improved oil supply – have underpinned a recovery in the freight markets which is unusual for the season. Euronav is ideally placed to benefit from the shorter-term cyclical recovery but also the robust medium-term fundamentals of our market,” De Stoop said.

The counter-seasonal run comes despite falling demand in key market, the US.

“Demand destruction is by now a reality in much of the Western world, most visibly witnessed in the US with the Energy Information Administration releasing figures showing implied demand for gasoline plunging by 7% last week to just over 8.5m barrels per day, around 11% under the five-year average for this time of the year, even as prices at the pump are coming off fast,” a markets update from Norwegian broker Lorentzen & Co today stated.

However, there are wide differences between the Western Hemisphere and the European continent, propping up the tanker markets, both for crude and products.

“While the US is seeing plenty of extra crude as a result of refineries accepting lesser volumes amidst higher domestic production and releases of the Strategic Petroleum Reserves, Europe is more hungry than ever for supplies, not only for crude but also for distillates,” analysts at Lorentzen & Co pointed out.

Oil tanker supply/demand and fleet utilisation

Global coatings pioneer Nippon Paint Marine has added a new anti-corrosive universal primer to its E-Marine range of paints.

E-Marine 2000 is the Japan-headquartered company’s first general-purpose epoxy primer manufactured in China for the Chinese newbuilding market.

While the universal primer is suitable for application to all areas of a newbuild ship, such as the underwater hull, boot tops, topsides, decks and cargo holds, it has been specially formulated to meet market demand for a MSC.215(82)-compliant preparatory primer. The IMO resolution, adopted in 2006, governs the performance standards for protective coatings (PSPC) for ships’ ballast tanks.

Taking two years to develop the formulation, E-Marine 2000, available in grey, red or cream, is an abrasion-resistant, high-volume, epoxy coating with an 80% solid content and capable of providing long-term corrosion protection.

For ballast water tanks, the required nominal dry film thickness of 320µm can be achieved in two coats but for other parts of ships a range of film thicknesses can be applied in one coat. E-Marine 2000 has a minimum and maximum dry film thickness of 80µm and 1800µm respectively.

Gerald Mao, Senior Director, Nippon Paint Marine (Shanghai), said: “A general purpose, universal primer is a key priority for shipyards as a primer that can be applied to all parts of ship – including ballast water tanks – offers significant commercial technical advantages. As this anti-corrosion paint has been certified for use as a ballast tank coating, more than 70% of a newbuild’s undercoat requirement can be met with just one system.”

Another key benefit, compared to other primers in the marine marketplace, is its curing and short coating interval time. Depending on the temperature, a full cure can be achieved in seven days.

A low temperature version of the primer, E-Marine 2000 LT, is also available for application in ambient temperatures between -5°C and 10°C. At 0°C a full cure can be achieved within 18 days.

Since its market introduction last year, more than 640,000 litres of E-Marine 2000 and E-Marine 2000 LT have been ordered from Chinese shipyards for 26 newbuilds scheduled for delivery in 2023 and 2024. These include 15 bulk carriers,11 PCTCs, four 7000TEU containerships and a 6300m3-capacity LPG carrier.

Source: https://www.seanews.co.uk/maritime-events/new-universal-primer-for-newbuilds-is-released/

Chula Vista Calif., headquartered Marine Group Boat Works (MGBW) recently completed a contract valued at more than $4.6 million for the Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District. The work involved the service and repair of four San Francisco Bay area high speed, aluminum passenger ferries, the M/V Del Norte, M/V Mendocino, M/V Golden Gate and M/V Napa.

MGBW competed with an out-of-state yard to win the complex contract that required highly technical and unique experience and skills.

MGBW—one of the few remaining boatyards on the West coast with the facilities, resources, and skilled labor necessary for such a project—successfully hauled, serviced and launched all four U.S. Coast Guard-inspected vessels ahead of a very demanding schedule. This was accomplished, in part, by using its 665-ton mobile travelift, one of the most environmentally friendly of its kind in the world, with a CARB Tier 4 engine.

The Del Norte and Mendocino were serviced consecutively followed by the Golden Gate and Napa which were serviced simultaneously.

Each of the vessels was delivered by MGBW crew, including MGBW president Todd Roberts—a Cal Maritime graduate with a USCG license for vessels up to 1,600 tons — who brought the Napa among others down from San Francisco.

While all vessels received routine maintenance and inspections required by the USCG and upgrades to some of its systems, the Del Norte and Mendocino projects were considerably more extensive and complex.

The Del Norte was the first vessel to be serviced and took three months to complete. The scope of work involved a major removal and replacement of four MJP waterjet engines, updating communication systems, servicing shaft seals and seawater cooling systems, performed minor engine repair, and application of new paint to the hull. The vessel was launched in early 2021.

MGBW removed superstructure from hull — Work on Mendocino required removal of the superstructure from the catamaran hull

The Mendocino was completed in mid-December 2021 and took more than 20,000 labor hours to complete. The Mendocino had the most work done with major structural repairs that required MGBW to carefully remove the superstructure from the hull. This involved MGBW crew using the 665-ton travelift to lift the vessel and block it high off the ground. They then placed longitudinal beams and support stands under the superstructure. After unbolting all 100 raft mounts, they used the travelift to lower the hull away from the superstructure, separating them so that work could be performed between the two structures.

Golden Gate and Napa were the third and fourth vessels to arrive at MGBW and each took about four months to complete. These two vessels required the least amount of work with only routine maintenance and inspection from the U.S. Coast Guard. Golden Gate launched in mid-May 2022 while Napa launched at the end of June 2022.

MGBW has an impressive track record of servicing more than 275 passenger vessels in the last four years. Other passenger vessel companies it has serviced include the San Francisco Water Emergency Transportation Authority (WETA), Catalina Express, Flagship Cruises, City Cruises (formerly Hornblower), Long Beach Cruises, Harbor Breeze Ferries and San Diego Maritime Museum.

Source: https://www.marinelog.com/passenger/ferries/mgbw-completes-complex-four-ferry-overhaul-project/

S Iswaran, Minister for Transport and Minister-in-charge of Trade Relations, launched the ‘50 Years of Singapore’s Container Shipping Journey Exhibition’ at Singapore Polytechnic (SP) August 4. This year marks 50 years since Singapore received its first 300 containers from the then newly opened Tanjong Pagar Terminal on 23 June 1972.

To commemorate the 50th anniversary of Singapore’s container shipping journey, the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) is organizing a roving exhibition to five institutes of higher learning (IHL) from August to September 2022.

Featuring three zones – Past, Present, and Future – the exhibition will take students through the progress of Singapore’s development into a global hub port and vibrant international maritime center, pay tribute to our pioneers, unions, and industry professionals who made it possible, and highlight the exciting opportunities in the maritime sector.

To attract and grow talent to support the maritime sector, more than 30 maritime companies across the maritime ecosystem comprising port terminal operators, shipping lines, harbor craft operators, ship broking, marine insurance, and marine-tech start-ups, will also be participating in the roving exhibitions.

The companies will be sharing with students and youths about the exciting developments of the maritime industry and the rewarding maritime careers.

MPA Chief Executive, Quah Ley Hoon, said, “Our founding fathers had the strategic vision and courage to make the bold decision to build a container terminal at a time when containerization was still a tentative idea.

“50 years on, Singapore has become a leading global transhipment hub port. Today, the maritime sector is at the cusp of transformation, catalyzed by a digitalization and decarbonization agenda. We hope this exhibition will inspire that same bold spirit in our youths, and have them come onboard, join the maritime sector, and be part of the exciting work to make the sector more sustainable and resilient.”

Source: https://maritimefairtrade.org/singapore-organizes-container-shipping-exhibition-for-youths-to-attract-new-blood/

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