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According to Alphaliner, the US Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) announced a new, streamlined procedure for shippers who wish to file complaints against shipping lines for unfair charges.

This announcement is received as a result of the numerous complaints that shippers or exporters had presented in the United States due to the collections in detention and delays of the containers of the maritime lines that in past news involved Hapag-Lloyd. The ruling, favorable to the shipper, resulted in a large fine to the shipping line for excessive charges during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In a notice published last week enacting the provisions of the new Shipping Reform Act, the new guidance will allow shippers to open a dispute by sending a single email to the FMC detailing the alleged violations along with supporting documents.

If enough information is received, the FMC will launch an investigation. Shipper representatives claimed that the guidance would give the FMC enforcement strength, similar to that of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). An FMC investigation could result in possible civil penalties for carriers and an order for reimbursement of the charges.

The FMC notice follows the enactment of the Shipping Reform Act on June 16, the first update to US shipping law since 1998. Shippers must show that the alleged violation took place after of June 16 and that contravenes the new Law.

Taking this announcement into account, exporters and NVOCCs will now have a little more negotiating capacity against shipping lines in the United States. However, the possible sanctions that this would entail are not yet known, but it is stipulated that they be compensation or monetary fines.

Source: Alphaliner

(OTTAWA, Ontario) — U.S. grain and coke exports boosted overall shipping volumes through the St. Lawrence Seaway in June.

Total cargo tonnage shipments (from March 22 to June 30) via the St. Lawrence Seaway totaled 11.9 million metric tons, down 8.3 percent compared to 2021 but gaining ground in comparison to April, when they were down 18 percent at the start of the season. Other systemwide highlights include an increase in project cargo such as wind energy components and a 55 percent increase in coke shipments, including exports to Europe for cement production.

U.S. grain shipments via the Great Lakes-Seaway system totaled 414,000 metric tons from March 22 to June 30, up 37 percent compared to the same period in 2021. Much of the increase is due to exports of corn and soybeans.

The bulk carrier Labrador takes on a load of potash at the MobilEx Terminal in the Port of Thunder Bay, Ontario, in June. Michael Hull photo

The rise in shipments, which are predominantly heading to Europe and North Africa, are in part due to shifting global grain trading patterns as the conflict between Russia and the Ukraine — both major grain exporters — continues.

“International trade has been a major driver of Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway shipping this season, with corn, soybeans, coke and containerized goods heading out and steel and wind energy components being shipped in,” said Bruce Burrows, president and CEO of the Chamber of Marine Commerce. “American businesses recognize that it is more important than ever to have this reliable, cost-efficient trade and transportation route, particularly in these high-inflation, uncertain times.”

June was a strong month for the Port of Toledo as shipments for the year surpassed 4.5 million short tons, up 22 percent over the same period in 2021. “We enjoyed increases in every cargo category other than liquid bulk,” said Joseph Cappel, vice president of business development for the Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority. “Our grain tonnage is more than double what it was at the same time last year and iron ore and coal are also up significantly. With all three of our major staple commodities ahead of last year, we should expect a strong second half of our shipping season.”

The port also shipped petcoke to other U.S. ports as well as Portugal, the Netherlands and Ontario. The Port of Toledo is also in peak construction season with capital improvement projects occurring at the Toledo Shipyard, General Cargo Facility and dredge material processing center. The Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority is also working with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources on several water quality improvement projects involving the creation of wetlands in the Maumee River and its tributaries.

At the Port of Duluth-Superior, limestone and general cargo shipments provided the June highlights. For the month, Duluth-Superior welcomed 433,143 short tons of the versatile chalky rock from Michigan, which pushed the season-to-date limestone total above 1 million short tons and 14.3 percent ahead of the five-season average. Limestone has numerous purposes, including being used as a building stone for construction and in the manufacturing of cement.

Inbound wind energy cargoes and bagged minerals delivered the general cargo boost in June, with nearly 13,000 short tons arriving at the Duluth Cargo Connect facilities. That float lifted the season-to-date general cargo tonnage total past 27,280 short tons, which exceeds the five-season average pace through June 30 by a robust 33 percent.

– Chamber of Marine Commerce

Seafarers are an integral part of the shipping industry, and Ardmore Shipping is committed to supporting individuals from Cadet to Captain. As the shipping industry navigates the energy transition, Ardmore believes that people will need to collaborate and share knowledge agility and experience to make this era an opportunity for positive change. Even deeper investment in talent will be key to the success today and in the future.

To get insight from the team at sea, Ardmore Shipping hears from Enache Marian Alexandru, 2^nd Officer, who has just finished his latest voyage onboard the Ardmore Seavaliant and reflects on his experiences at sea, the importance of connectivity and the lifestyle offered by seafaring.

What do you enjoy most about your job?

Few jobs offer the chance to see a multitude of places around the world and to meet so many different people from different countries. Working in a close environment for long periods of time enables you to connect, listen and explore other cultures and ways of life. These experiences help build better relationships and enable you to become more of a well-rounded person. The experience of being at sea helps people learn about themselves, discover hidden strengths and talents, and understand the value of teamwork.

Describe your experience on board Ardmore vessels.

I had the opportunity to start my career with Ardmore Shipping, learning from the beginning to have high standards in everything I do. Working with passionate and hard-working teammates is a unique and unforgettable experience, and very difficult to compare to a land-based job. Ardmore Shipping is an extremely professional company with proficient and well-trained crew. Having access to good quality internet while at sea makes a big difference to wellbeing onboard. Being in touch with our family at all times makes it easier to be far away from them.

What was your experience of Ardmore’s cadet program?

I spent an extensive amount of time on a single vessel as part of my training, during which I was involved in all the jobs you are required to do as an officer. I had a very supportive and experienced crew teach me and was willing to answer every question I had. It was a great experience being supported from shore and sea staff during this process and I spent many evenings writing in my cadet training book because there’s a lot of information you need to know to do the role safely. It formed part of my portfolio when I went for my final examination and I am very grateful for the value this experience brought to my education platform.

What is your opinion on the importance of safety onboard?

We need to avoid incidents from happening so Ardmore’s approach to providing fleet training sessions and drills ensures we are always testing our team and refreshing our processes. We have access to regular training online via the Seagull CBT platform and regular video and in person conferences with the Ardmore shore team which helps support our development and connection with the land based team.

It is important to recognize that safety comes down to decision-making. Sometimes the decisions might be emergency related, or they might be to do with high-value cargo, so you have to have the confidence to present yourself and know that what you’re going to do is what you were trained for and, therefore, is the right choice to make.

Source: https://ardmoreshipping.com/crew-insights-2nd-officer-enache-marian-alexandru-shares-his-experiences/

The US yard of Keppel Offshore & Marine delivered the 2,525 teu, LNG-powered, George III, built to a propriety design by the Singapore-headquartered group.

A second vessel the Janet Marie is currently under construction at the yard and the two containerships will be the first LNG-powered vessels to serve the US West Coast. They will be deployed by Pasha Hawaii on the Hawaii – US mainland Jones Act trade.

George III is also the first IGF compliant vessel certified by the United States Coast Guard.

David Wedgeworth, President of Keppel AmFELS, said, “We are pleased to deliver Pasha Hawaii’s first LNG-powered containership, which extends Keppel O&M’s track record in providing solutions for the gas value chain. By working closely with Pasha Hawaii, we were able to resolve operational challenges posed by Covid-19 and deliver the vessel to their satisfaction.

George Pasha, IV, President and CEO of The Pasha Group, said, “We look forward to beginning service to Hawaii in August and taking delivery of the Janet Marie later this year.”

Keppel AmFELS’ Wedgeworth added: “We are supporting the Jones Act market and are currently building Pasha Hawaii’s second LNG-fuelled containership, as well as other vessels for the offshore wind and dredging sectors.”

The Texas yard is building a wind turbine installation vessel in the US for Dominion Energy, as well as a high-specification Trailing Suction Hopper Dredger for Manson Construction.

Keppel Offshore & Marine is in the process of finalising a merger with its Singapore compatriot and rival yard group Sembcorp Marine, and returned to the black in the first half of 2022.

Source: https://www.seatrade-maritime.com/shipyards/keppel-delivers-first-lng-fuelled-containership-pasha-hawaii

The Philippines-based firm is buying a majority stake in PT East Java Development from Indo Port Holding Pte Ltd. and Eastlog Holding Pte Ltd. PT East Java Development has the concession rights, with 47 years remaining, to operate a multi-purpose terminal located in Lamongan Regency, East Java, Indonesia.

ICTSI is buying a 66.7% stake in the multipurpose port for $46.5m, the company announced in a filing to Securities and Exchange Commission.

The deal was inked was on 27 July.

“The purchase will increase ICTSI’s footprint in the growing Asia Pacific region and provide further service offerings to its global and local customer,” said ICTSI.

Source: https://www.seatrade-maritime.com/ports/ictsi-buys-indonesian-port-47m-deal

Using data from 2019, the study developed a methodology to identify where bunkering occurs and track resulting pollution. Focussing on Singapore—the world’s largest bunkering hub accounting for around a fifth of global marine fuel sales in 2019—the study found “residual marine fuel sales in Singapore leave a global air, water, and climate pollution footprint.”

Highlighting the difficulty of tracking and assigning emissions from international shipping, the report said that if emissions from bunkers sold in Singapore were added to its national GHG emissions, the country’s per-capita emissions would quadruple to be six times the world average.

“While Singapore’s marine fuel sales exert a global environmental footprint, much of the pollution is concentrated in seas and coastal areas neighbouring the country,” said the report.

ICCT

Emissions are at their highest around Singapore and Southeast Asia, with further hotspots in the South China Sea, Indian Ocean and across Oceania.

For Singapore and its neighbours, emissions from shipping have a tangible impact on premature deaths in coastal regions. As well as improving the health of their populations, nations could find commercial benefits from a move to less polluting fuels for shipping.

“Countries like China, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Australia could win twice by producing and selling renewable marine fuels at their ports: first by reducing local air and water pollution and second by capturing the economic benefits of new renewable marine fuel markets,” said the report.

The incentive to develop bunkering infrastructure is further improved by the nature of future fuels for the maritime industry; the power density of residual fuels means some container ships can sail for three months before bunkering, but the lower power density of future fuel contenders like LNG, methanol, ammonia and hydrogen may mean ships need to bunker more frequently and in more locations.

“As the preeminent seller of bunker fuel globally, Singapore will need to transition to low-carbon bunkering if it wants to remain an important bunkering port… Several steps should be considered. Singapore could halt further investment in fossil fuel bunkering infrastructure, for example by no longer registering new fossil fuel bunker barges.” said the study.

The report also suggested that Singapore advance green shipping corridors. “Relevant corridors may be along northward along coastal China and then extending to East Asia; westward to India, the Middle East, and then Europe; and throughout the ASEAN region to Australia (IAP, 2021). International agreements like the 2021 Clydebank Declaration could help structure that involvement.”

Source: https://www.seatrade-maritime.com/bunkering/singapore-bunkering-leaves-global-air-water-and-climate-pollution-footprint

According to China Association of the National Shipbuilding Industry (CANSI_, Chinese yards’ shipbuilding volume was 18.5m dwt for the first half of this year, declining 11.6% year-on-year; newly-received shipbuilding orders were 22.46m dwt, dropping 41.3%; orders on hand were 102.74m dwt, an increase of 18.6%.

Shipbuilding export volume was 15.81m dwt, dropping 11.6%; newly-received export shipbuilding orders were 20.44m dwt, falling 40.2%; export orders on hand were 91.13m dwt, growing 18.2%, accounting for 85.5%, 91% and 88.7% of national volume respectively.

The total shipbuilding exports value was $10.43bn, dropping 5.7%. Bulk carriers, tankers, gas carriers and containerships were the major export ship types, accounting for 68.2% of the total export value.

In the first six months, China’s shipbuilding output, newly-received shipbuilding orders and orders on hand in deadweight tonnage accounted for 45.2%, 50.8% and 47.8% of global market share, and the amount in gross tonnage accounted for 42%, 47.7% and 41.5% the world volume, ranking the country’s yards in first place globally according to CANSI.

The association forecasts that further external uncertainties will the affect shipbuilding industry’s development, with the global shipping market activity expected to remain strong the newbuilding market should deliver a high volume in the second half of this year.

Source: https://www.seatrade-maritime.com/shipyards/chinese-shipyard-newbuilding-orders-drop-41-h1

Yantian International Container Terminal (YICT) is expanding daily gate-in quotas for export containers for a two-month period during the peak season.

From 1 August to 30 September the South China terminal run by Hutchison Ports is increasing daily in-gate quotas to 13,000 boxes for export containers.

In the first seven months of this year YICT said lines had added 14 new weekly calls at the port including America, Europe, Intra-Asia, and Australia services.

On 18 July the terminal handled six 400-metre-long vessels simultaneously, something it expects to become a norm.

Source: https://www.seatrade-maritime.com/ports/yantian-port-gears-peak-season

FMC Introduces New Complaint Procedure For Shipping Lines

US grain boosts Seaway volumes amid Ukraine war

Crew Insights: 2nd officer, Enache Marian Alexandru, shares his experiences.

US shipyards close to completing tugboats

DNV receives AiPs for LH2 tank and carrier designs

Keppel delivers first LNG-fuelled containership to Pasha Hawaii

ICTSI buys into Indonesian port in $47m deal

Singapore bunkering leaves ‘global air, water, and climate pollution footprint’

Chinese shipyard newbuilding orders drop 41% in H1

Yantian port gears up for the peak season

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