Automation, where routine tasks are handled by machines, has been talked about throughout maritime sectors for much of the 21st Century. Initially touted by suppliers of engine room and bridge management systems for its cost savings (with reduced manning levels), its value proposition was then infused with risk management (reduced human error) and remote operations, where vessels could be managed from a shoreside control room. In early 2017, Rolls Royce —an early proponent of unmanned operations—teamed with tug operator Svitzer on a remotely operated vessel, Svitzer Hermod in a well-publicized demonstration project in Copenhagen. This, and other earlier “proof of concept” exercises are now moving into true implementation phases.

Increasingly, automation of vessels is also tied into reduction of emissions (with sustainability a goal that is now top of mind across the entire business), where optimization—a machine and data based concept—is used to manage, and reduce, fuel consumption. Kevin Humphreys, Americas president for marine and offshore at Lloyds Register’s Houston office, told Marine News, “Autonomy will make a contribution to reduced emissions by identifying what may appear to small gains across multiple vessel systems and operating conditions. But when they are ‘stacked together’ they become a factor on each other; the value becomes increasingly noticeable and worthwhile.”

This trend is evidenced by traditional equipment companies teaming up with data scientists and information providers. In mid-May 2021, Alfa Laval (which joined the highly influential Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping in January, 2021), described StormGeo, which it newly acquired, as “…a global leader in weather intelligence and advanced data science solutions.” The Swedish technology purveyor added that, “The acquisition is part of Alfa Laval’s strategy to support the marine industry’s efforts to make operations more efficient.” Swirling around in the background here is 2020’s COVID-19 pandemic, with its issues of seafarer repatriations and then, as 2021 unfolded, vaccinations. Labor-saving technologies likely moved farther up on shipping company wish lists.

Svitzer Hermod remote operation proof of concept (Photo: Kongsberg Maritime)

In early 2021, Svitzer announced a partnership with Kongsberg Marine (which had absorbed Rolls Royce’s maritime business) on RECOTUG, a remote-controlled tug business that would build on its earlier efforts. In a prepared release, Kongsberg’s manager for control applications, Carl Johansson, explained, “While the 2017 demonstrator project proved the concept, the technology we have at our disposal today means that RECOTUG is no longer a simple demonstrator project. Its aim is to provide Svitzer with a commercially viable product that the company will be able to use in its operations worldwide.”

From the Svitzer side, Thomas Bangslund, group head of innovation at Svitzer, added, “The original scope of the pilot was to assess if the remote control technology would allow us export situational awareness to an off-vessel location, and in a way that the captain was comfortable operating the vessel. This proved the case and now we are challenging ourselves to develop a tug that we can operate safely and efficiently from shore, down the line, potentially without a crew on board, so it’s a completely different ballgame.”

In the States, Foss Maritime will be installing an autonomous-command and -control system from Sea Machines Robotics, for use aboard its tugboat Rachael Allen, soon to be completed at the Nichols Brothers yard. The Z-Drive tug- with 90-ton bollard pull, will be used for tanker escorts and towing in California ports. According to Boston-based Sea Machines, its SM300 system includes “… transit autonomy, as well as remote access of the tugboat’s onboard machinery, a feature that allows personnel to manage and support operations from anywhere on board the vessel or from shore,” adding that, “Navigation obstacle detection and avoidance capabilities come standard…” The tug, the last of four to be delivered from Nichols Brothers, is powered by two MTU series 4000 main engines, meeting Tier 4 emission standards, coupled to US255 azimuth thrusters from Kongsberg.

Sea Machines is also making strides on the East Coast; it has demonstrated an autonomous delivery of cargo from Boston, where it is based, to Gloucester- farther up the Massachusetts coast, and operated autonomous workboat prototype in Boston harbor. Another deployment in the works will see its SM300 on a hybrid-powered vessel handling palletized produce and food between Connecticut and the north shore of Long Island, N.Y.

As the pace of technological advancement quickens, a certain tension exists between technology and regulation. Shipping’s regulator, the International Maritime Organization (IMO), in 2017 began a “scoping study” on how vessel automation might be regulated. Described the by IMO as a “first step” toward enabling regulation under a host of existing international treaties, the study, under the auspices of the IMO’s Maritime Safety Committee (MSC) was completed in May, 2021 at its MSC 103 meeting.

The IMO, in its scoping study, looked at multiple layers of autonomy. In announcing the study’s completion, it said, “Varying degrees of autonomy were considered: crewed ship with automated processes and decision support (Degree One); remotely controlled ship with seafarers on board (Degree Two); remotely controlled ship without seafarers on board (Degree Three); and fully autonomous ship (Degree Four).” An example of Degree One, well known in the offshore workboat realm, is dynamic positioning (DP), where seafarers can take control as needed. As IMO rules are developed, the Class Societies will play a vital role; in a submission to the just completed MSC 103, the International Association of Class Societies recommended that a new chapter of the Safety of Life at Sea convention (SOLAS) be devoted to autonomous vessels. Such a step—an alternative to the painstaking process of amending numerous international treaties—would provide a fast track for the regulators to keep up with the technologies.

The importance of the human element has not been lost in the journey to autonomy. Sea Machines asserted that, “Across all industries, autonomous technologies streamline manual, repetitive and tedious tasks, allowing personnel to focus on higher-level operations with reduced risk…” and stress that its SM300 “… allows personnel to manage and support operations from anywhere on board the vessel or from shore.” Kongsberg Marine, in describing the RECOTUG, said, “While the new tug has been designed to include the customary facilities to accommodate a crew, once the Kongsberg systems have been fully tested, the tug has the operational potential to be deployed as a remotely controlled unmanned vessel.”

Fugro Blue Essence 12m uncrewed vessel (Photo: Fugro)

The underwater sector has, by necessity, embraced autonomy, and technologies developed for underwater inspection and survey vessels are now being made available to the workboat and other surface vessels. Fugro, a leader in deepwater surveys, offers a suite of unmanned vehicles, including its unmanned Blue Essence 12-meter surface vessel which is suitable for “inspection, construction support, hydrographic and geophysical surveys.” Fugro noted, “Blue Essence’s modular design means that it can be used for a wide range of industry tasks within the energy sector and others”. Ocean Infinity, a Texas-based marine robotics provider (known for its searches for the doomed MH370 airliner), which has been deploying Kongsberg Hugin autonomous underwater vehicles (AUV) in its unmanned deepsea survey and data collection work, is now developing a fleet of 15 hybrid (battery/ Volvo Penta diesel) powered unmanned surface vessels- dubbed Armada. The vessels, being built at Grovfjord Mek. Verksted (GMV) shipyard on Norway’s west coast, will also be able to launch AUVs. Closer to home, offshore stalwart Edison Chouest, with its eye on the offshore wind sector (where sustainability is crucial in vessel choice), has extensive experience in AUV’s and ROVs, with its C-Innovation subsidiary, based in the New Orleans area.

The classification societies’ successes in developing systems for manned ships can be adapted for the unmanned surface segment. In early June DNV announced that Ocean Infinity would be deploying its ShipManager platform. DNV said, “The robotic ships in Ocean Infinity’s Armada fleet use low-emission fleet technology and are equipped with state-of-the-art sensors and pioneering navigational solutions that allow information to be gathered from the shallowest and deepest waters, whether for exploration, mapping or searching for wreckage. The marine robots use hybrid technology, cutting CO2 emissions. An Armada robotic vessel emits up to 90% less CO2 than a conventional survey vessel.” Ocean Infinity stresses its green bona fides, saying that “Armada will be the first ever carbon neutral ocean tech and data company.” But Ocean Infinity also has its sights set on logistics and cargo delivery. At Armada’s 2020 launching, Dan Hook, the firm’s managing director, said, “We will be working with several partners as we introduce on-demand low emissions logistics services.

Also in Norway, Yara International (active across agriculture and more recently, in developing ammonia fuels for shipping ) took delivery in late 2020 of the battery powered Yara Birkeland from the Vard Brattvåg yard. The 3,200 dwt 120 TEU vessel has been tested for stability and is now docked at Horten (down the Fjord from Oslo) being further prepared for autonomous operation.

An Ocean Infinity robotic survey vessel (Image: Ocean Infinity)

Autonomy in the maritime world is a gradual process implemented in phases, similar to that underway for automobiles. Sea Machines, outfitting the Foss tug, said, “While the Rachael Allen will be delivered with the SM300 and supporting hardware fully integrated into the vessel, the capability of the technology will be activated in stepped phases over the course of six to nine months to ensure full visibility and acceptance from all operational stakeholders.”

The people on board are not going away so fast. As the pace of autonomy quickens, the human elements continue to be addressed. In early June, the U.K.’s Royal Navy, training specialist SeaBot XR and the U.K.’s National Oceanography Center signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to create the National Center for Operational Excellence in Marine Robotics, a training center that will be located in Southampton, U.K.

But as all the maritime sectors are now racing toward a greener future, the all-encompassing and role of automation, an ingredient in what is becoming a “virtuous circle”, is now being revealed. LR’s Humphries reiterated this, saying, “Digitization of autonomous vessels can enable transit optimization. Sailing routes, speeds and all destination port handling can be optimized in both financial and emission value terms to the shipowner/operator. Autonomy will also give understanding of vessel health, including predictive maintenance, that can support a marked reduction in emissions through its operational life.”

Fugro remote operations center (Photo: Fugro)

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My brother, who is the executive editor of my favorite boating magazine (Soundings), and I occasionally send strange tidbits to each other by email. For some reason he sent me an email about the 17th Century ship Vasa and focused on one of the causes of the vessel’s failure to float properly.

This is the Wikipedia paragraph he focused on:

“The use of different measuring systems on either side of the vessel caused its mass to be distributed asymmetrically, heavier to port. During construction both Swedish feet and Amsterdam feet were in use by different teams. Archaeologists have found four rulers used by the workmen who built the ship. Two were calibrated in Swedish feet, which had 12 inches, while the other two measured Amsterdam feet, which had 11 inches.”

My brother more or less suggested that it might make a good column subject for me.

Since brothers mince no words when they can slag each other I was going to dismiss his idea along the line of: “Oh Please, an article on the Vasa? And next you want me to write yet another article about the cause of the loss of the Titanic?”

But I didn’t, because on rereading the note I realized he was probably referring to the Amsterdam foot, which had only 11 inches and that made me wonder. Was it shorter than other 12 inch feet (made of shorter inches) or was it actually divided in 11 inches? I checked and, I kid you not, that foot has only 11 Amsterdam inches!

The Vasa Museum in Stockholm, Sweden, displays the Vasa ship, fully recovered 17th century viking warship, on October 27, 2019.
Photo © warasit/AdobeStock

Ever since coming to the United States I have had to submit to living with fractions of 12 in feet and 32nds of inches, but working in units that are fractions of a prime number? That must have started as a joke, or somebody set that measure for very nefarious purposes and then it did not disappear by common sense, just like in the US, where we are still stuck with the English system of measurement.

But that is not what this column is about. It is about ship construction. Untangling ship construction furballs has been a big part of my life, and while we can argue whether to use English units, or metric units, or warp fractions, the real cause of the Vasa failure is not measurement units; the real cause sits higher up. What it is really related to is a failure to communicate.

There is only one glorious truth about ship construction:

Ship construction is a Communication Exercise

Nothing beats this glorious truth. A good spec will help, a good design will help, committed builders will help, knowledgeable purchasers will help, but, in the end, only good communications can make the project succeed.

In every single ship construction disaster that we have been involved in, the actual cause of the failure was a failure to communicate.

A cost overrun is a failure to communicate. Cost overruns are a reality in ship construction. Someday I would like to see a ship built without a cost overrun, but building one-of-a-kind ships is really really difficult, and therefore there will be cost overruns whether paid for by the builder, paid for by the purchaser or shared. Not talking about a cost overrun the moment it raises its ugly head results in after the fact hyperventilating, paranoia, polarization, and all kinds of other mean and nasty things.

An argument over the color of the curtains in a cabin is a failure to communicate. In ship construction one can never assume that the builder and the purchaser have the same esthetics and therefore the color of the curtains needs to be locked down before material is ordered.

One may conclude that the onus to communicate is on the builder, but this is untrue. It is a complete and total two way street. A purchaser and a builder need to spend a significant amount of time before construction starts to become familiar with each other’s expectations.

I am not talking about specifications; I am talking about emotional expectations. What is fair to me, and what is fair to you? Not just in terms of money, but also in terms of hull fairness. What is my biggest concern? What is your biggest concern?

Some of these discussions may be quite awkward, but once these issues have been established, it will be possible to reach back to them and develop fair and reasonable solutions when things get difficult.

When I was young, I worked with somebody who always asked very sharp, almost rude, questions at the start of the project. Even I would feel a little uncomfortable and felt it would upset the customer. Today I know that it is not important to be friends at the start of the project; what is important is to be friends at the end of the project. Therefore, ask the difficult questions at the beginning, and tell your project partners that you ask those questions so the project can be finished as friends, and siblings at arms, instead of enemies.

Ship construction projects never are easy. There will always be complications, some rational, and some totally unexpected and wackadoodle, but not talking about them will not solve them.

Getting back to the Vasa, while it may have been inefficient to use two different measurement systems in the construction of the Vasa (something we still do today in ship construction), it did not have to result in a failure to float. As long as, at some stage, somebody pointed out to everybody else that there will be two measurement systems during construction. This may have been just before contract signing, or may at the cocktail party celebrating the signing, or maybe in the sauna.

Later in the game it would have been particularly annoying, but if there was no alternative, it would not automatically result in a failure to float. Communication will save the day.

Since I started with trivia I will end with trivia. Not everyone may remember it, but in 1981, Ronald Reagan, “The Great Communicator”, pulled the plug on earlier efforts to get rid of the English Measurement System in the US. A pointless move that, among others, resulted in a failed Mars Climate Orbiter Mission in 1998. We need an actual great communicator who can get the US to finally buy into the metric system.

For every column I write, MREN has agreed to make a small donation to an organization of my choice. For this column I nominate the US Metric Association.  https://usma.org/#information-about Metric; Let’s get it done.

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The Crimson Polaris wood-chip carrier that ran aground and split up off Japan Thursday, spilling oil into the ocean, carried about 1,550 MT of heavy oil and about 130 MT of diesel oil for fuel at the time of the grounding, NYK, the charterer of the ship, said Friday.

As previously reported, the 199.9-meter vessel, chartered by NYK from MI-DAS Line ran aground off Hachinohe on August 11. On August 12 at 4:15 a.m. the vessel’s hull split into two pieces and began spilling oil.

“We are continuing our efforts to control the oil spill and monitor the split hull […] As of August 11, when the vessel ran aground, the ship had about 1,550 MT of heavy oil and about 130 MT of diesel oil for fuel. The amount of oil that has been spilled into the ocean has not been identified,” NYK said.

“The Maritime Disaster Prevention Center is continuing to control the oil spill using oil-treatment agents and adsorption mats. In addition, as soon as oil is confirmed to have drifted to the coast, oil recovery companies are prepared to perform beach cleaning,” NYK said.

NYK said that a crack that first occurred between the No. 5 cargo hold and the No. 6 cargo hold at the rear of the 2008-built vessel had worsened, and the hull eventually split into two.

“The bow is floating and held by an anchor chain, and the stern appears to have become stranded on the seabed. The shipowner and ship-management company are currently in discussions with relevant authorities and salvage companies concerning towing and treatment of the separated hull, with the prevention of environmental pollution being given the highest priority. We are carefully monitoring the situation,” NYK said.

The charterer further said that the cause of the accident was “currently being confirmed, and investigative authorities are conducting an interview with the vessel captain.”

“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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Helicopters hover above a patrol vessel in Nigeria’s frenetic Apapa port as attack boats zoom past. On the dock, drones emblazoned with the Nigerian flag sit ready to deploy – all part of a $195 million U.S.-backed “Deep Blue” initiative to deter pirate attacks in the world’s most dangerous area for seafarers.

The more than 2.35 million square kilometer (910,000 million square mile) expanse of the Atlantic Ocean that borders some 20 West African nations is known as “pirate alley”, where nearly all the world’s kidnappings at sea now take place since the water off Somalia in East Africa has become more secure.

Bashir Jamoh, head of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), said “Deep Blue” had stemmed recorded kidnappings in the second quarter, after a record 130 sailors last year, compared with five in the rest of the world.

But there have already been 50 kidnappings logged this year and the U.S. navy is helping with training and European navies are assisting in patrols, a mark of their concern for a region that is a key global supplier of crude oil.

“If the threat to their ships is not addressed, the entire international trade is affected.” Jamoh said.

Unlike in Somalia, which had no navy and limited government capability and thus allowed foreign navies to fire on ships and arrest pirates, only Nigerian security forces are allowed to be armed in the country’s large territorial waters.

“Nigeria is going to take the lead,” Jamoh said.

Lurking beneath the government’s new show of maritime strength is poverty in the Niger Delta, where nearly all West Africa’s pirates originate.

Pollution in the region where international and local firms churn out Nigeria’s oil means people cannot farm or fish and 70% of its roughly 30 million people earn less than $1 per day, according to the United Nations, making piracy attractive.

The U.N. Officer on Drugs and Crime (UNDOC) said collusion between some members of the security forces and pirates as well as scant prosecutions for kidnappings must also be tackled.

“The issues that caused this in the Niger Delta have not been addressed,” said Max Williams, chief operating officer at security firm Africa Risk Compliance. “They still have the weapons, they have the boats, they have the fuel to kidnap people from these vessels.”

The Nigerian navy said this year it would strengthen measures to root out and punish security personnel who collude with kidnappers and criminals.

Cost of billions
Piracy is nothing new to Nigeria, but the number and range of kidnappings has shot up, with oil tankers, container ships and fishing boats at risk even 210 nautical miles offshore.

Kidnappings for ransom accounted for only 15% of attacks in 2009, according to UNDOC; by 2020, these made up nearly all attacks as ransoms became more lucrative than any cargo.

The cost of freeing a group of hostages roughly doubled to up to $300,000 from 2016 to 2020, according to UNDOC, which estimated that Niger Delta-based pirates netted $4 million in ransom payments last year.

The sum pales compared with Somali pirates’ more than 1,000 captives in 2010, but Nigeria’s vice president put the economic cost in the billions, stifling much-needed development in a region disproportionately dependent on seaborne imports.

Jakob P. Larsen, head of maritime and cyber security at shipowner association BIMCO, said many ship owners simply refuse to ply the waters, pushing up costs, while crew also refuse to sail in the region – and can demand double pay if they do.

Pirates typically take kidnapped sailors to the Delta’s swampy, snaking creeks, where they face malaria, typhoid and attacks from rival bands of kidnappers. Nationwide, kidnappings have spiked over the past year as the economy faltered.

In January, a seafarer from Azerbaijan died during a kidnapping, and two others of unspecified nationality died of sickness during abduction in 2020.

The Danish, Italian and Portuguese navies are also sending assistance and early this month, a hulking U.S. expeditionary base – the USS Hershel “Woody” Williams – docked to help train regional security to use the new kit.

Commanding Officer Captain Chad Graham, asked about the underlying issues, told Reuters piracy was a “shore-based problem” but he and U.S. Consul General Claire Pierangelo both said they were hopeful kidnappings would fall as the economy recovered from last year’s coronavirus body blow.

Some pirate kingpins are well connected and have serious regional clout, UNDOC found.

The navy also offers shippers, who are not allowed private armed security, navy escorts and extra protective services, an economic link Larsen said was unfortunate. “It introduces a conflict of interest because there is a money stream,” he said.

NIMASA and the navy did not respond to requests for comment.

Insurance companies, led by underwriters Lloyd’s Market Association (LMA), expanded the size of the area in the Gulf of Guinea included in the highest-level risk last year.

Neil Roberts, LMA’s head of marine and aviation, said despite Deep Blue, they were unlikely to change their assessment. He cited social unrest in the Niger Delta and the “distressed fabric of the Nigerian economy”.

“As long as that’s there, the extra risk will remain,” he said.

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Production at U.S. factories surged in July, boosted by an acceleration in motor vehicle output as auto makers either pared or canceled annual retooling shutdowns to work around a global semiconductor shortage.

Manufacturing output jumped 1.4% last month after falling 0.3% in June, the Federal Reserve said on Tuesday.

Economists polled by Reuters had forecast manufacturing production rising 0.6%.

Last month, production at auto plants soared 11.2%. The shortage of semiconductors has forced auto companies to adjust their production schedules. The Fed noted that “a number of vehicle manufacturers trimmed or canceled their typical July shutdowns,” when they retool their plants.

Despite the surge, production of motor vehicles and parts in July was about 3.5% below its recent peak in January 2021, the Fed said.

Excluding autos, manufacturing output rose 0.7% in July. Overall manufacturing in July was 0.8% above its pre-pandemic level. Manufacturing, which accounts for 11.9% of the U.S. economy, is being underpinned by strong domestic demand. But that is straining the supply chain, leaving manufacturers struggling with shortages of raw materials and labor.

The situation could be worsened by the resurgence in COVID-19 infections from the Delta variant of the coronavirus.

The increase in manufacturing output and a 1.2% rise in mining combined to boost industrial production by 0.9% last month. Industrial output rose 0.2% in June. Mining was driven by higher oil prices, which are supporting drilling activity. Utilities output fell 2.1%.

Capacity utilization for the manufacturing sector, a measure of how fully firms are using their resources, increased 1.1 percentage points to 76.6% in July. Overall capacity use for the industrial sector rose 0.7 percentage point to 76.1%. It is 3.5 percentage points below its 1972-2020 average.

Officials at the U.S. central bank tend to look at capacity use measures for signals of how much “slack” remains in the economy — how far growth has room to run before it becomes inflationary.
Source: Reuters (Reporting by Lucia Mutikani; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)

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U.S. manufacturing production accelerates on autos in July

Tokyo Steel Manufacturing Co Ltd, Japan’s top electric-arc furnace steelmaker, said on Tuesday it will raise prices of pickled and oiled sheets by 2.4% in September while keeping other product prices unchanged.

The company raised prices by up to 4.7% for some of its steel products including its main H-shaped beams in August to reflect a tight market situation.

Prices for pickled and oiled sheets — hot rolled steel is pickled in acid to remove the mill scale and then oiled to keep it from rusting — will increase by 3,000 yen ($27) a tonne to 12,6000 yen ($1,153) a tonne next month.

“Inventories of sheet products remain low, with shortages seen in some products,” Tokyo Steel said in a statement.

“We anticipate increased production activity in the automobile, industrial machinery, shipbuilding and other manufacturing industries in October-March period, and we expect the market will stay tight,” it said.

Tokyo Steel’s pricing is closely watched by Asian rivals such as South Korea’s Posco 005490.KS and Hyundai Steel 004020.KS, and China’s Baoshan Iron & Steel Co Ltd (Baosteel).
Source: Reuters (Reporting by Yuka Obayashi; Editing by Jacqueline Wong)

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Tokyo Steel to raise prices for pickled and oiled sheets in September

The Nippon Foundation-GEBCO Seabed 2030 Project and Kongsberg Maritime have entered a Memorandum of Understanding in support of the global initiative to produce the complete map of the ocean floor. Under the terms of the MOU, the two parties will work together to advance understanding of ocean bathymetry. The effort complements the goals of the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development.

Seabed 2030 is a collaborative project between The Nippon Foundation and GEBCO to inspire the complete mapping of the world’s ocean by 2030, and to compile all bathymetric data into the freely available GEBCO Ocean Map. GEBCO is a joint project of the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) and the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC), and is the only organisation with a mandate to map the entire ocean floor.

Kongsberg Maritime provides solutions for safe, efficient and sustainable maritime operations. The solutions are suitable for offshore energies, seaborne transportation, hydrography, science, navy, coastal marine, aquaculture, training services and more. Kongsberg Maritime is the largest business area within Kongsberg Gruppen ASA. The Group has an integrated portfolio of solutions for businesses, partners and nations operating from the depths of the sea to outer space and to the digital frontier.

Kongsberg Maritime’s extensive subsea portfolio includes high performance multibeam and single beam echosounders, and several autonomous platforms such as the Sounder USV (pictured)

“Seabed 2030 greatly welcomes the support of Kongsberg Maritime,” commented Jamie McMichael-Phillips, Director of the Seabed 2030 Project. “KONGSBERG’s prominent capabilities in providing sustainable maritime operations closely align with our ethos and aim here at Seabed 2030.”

Bjørn Jalving, Senior Vice President Technology, Kongsberg Maritime said: “As an organisation committed to offering the best marine technology, we are delighted to support Seabed 2030 in its mission of producing the definitive map of the seafloor.

“We envisage our systems for surveying, positioning and navigation to contribute rewardingly to this imperative global effort. We will specifically develop freely available functions for Kongsberg Maritime multibeam echo sounders, single beam echosounders and AUVs that ease the process of contributing bathymetric data to the Seabed 2030 data centres. The development will be collaboratively with the University of New Hampshire and Stockholm University.

“A complete map of the seafloor is a critical first step in understanding our planet through ocean exploration. We’re proud to support the Seabed 2030 Project.”

All data collected and shared with the Seabed 2030 Project is included in the GEBCO global grid, which is free and publicly available.
Source: Nippon Foundation

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The Nippon Foundation-GEBCO Seabed 2030 Project and Kongsberg Maritime enter partnership as the race for a complete map of the world’s seabed accelerates

Loadings of Nigeria’s key crude grade Forcados are on force majeure due to some operational issues at the export terminal, Shell said Aug. 16.

Force majeure was declared effective Aug. 13 due to “the curtailment of production and suspension of export operations as a result of some sheen noticed on the water around the loading buoy,” Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Ltd. said in a statement.

Forcados is a gasoil-rich sweet crude blend and is one of Nigeria’s top export grades. Output has averaged around 200,000 b/d over recent months compared to its full capacity of 250,000 b/d.

Nigeria oil output has been hampered by operational and technical problems in the past few months.

Key crudes such as Bonny Light, Escravos, Forcados, Qua Iboe have all faced production issues due to operational and technical reasons.

Forcados, which relies heavily on oil pipelines, has also faced persistent sabotage in the past few months.

S&P Global Platts Analytics expects Nigeria to be one of the largest risks for OPEC+ production growth in end-2021.

“We forecast August crude supply to average 1.36 million b/d down from 1.48 million b/d in July and 1.66 million b/d as recently as February,” it said in a recent note.

“Our outlook for growth to 1.75 million b/d by December faces notable uncertainty, even without rising risks of coordinated attacks on oil infrastructure.”

Growing threats by militants to renew attacks on oil infrastructure in the restive Niger Delta also pose a huge concern for Africa’s largest oil producer.

Nigeria has the capacity to produce around 2.2 million-2.3 million b/d of crude and condensate, but production has averaged only around 1.62 million b/d in the first seven months of 2021, according to Platts estimates.

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Shell declares force majeure on Nigerian Forcados crude loadings

With bunker pricing moving upwards a new revision of Worldscale rate is expected to transpire. In its latest weekly report, shipbroker Gibson said that “the past couple of years have been very turbulent in many international markets due to the global pandemic. We have seen very wide swings in prices of different raw materials, including crude oil. Brent futures dived from $66/bbl in December 2019 to $22/bbl in March 2020, while WTI front month futures briefly dipped in late April 2020 into an unprecedented negative territory as desperate traders paid to avoid taking physical delivery of oil. Thereafter, oil prices staged an impressive rebound, despite a sluggish recovery in oil demand. By December last year, Brent climbed above $50/bbl and has continued to firm this year, largely trading within the $70- 75/bbl range over the past couple of months, as most of OPEC+ production cuts, implemented in spring last year, remained in place”.

According to Gibson, “the extreme volatility in crude oil prices and hence bunker prices has meant that we have consistently seen large-scale changes in WS flat rates. In 2021, WS flat rates on long haul voyages dropped by around 16-17%, reflecting a dramatic collapse in oil prices in spring 2020. This year the picture is similar. The rebound in international bunker prices that took place between October 2020 and July 2021 implies that in 2022 we are bound to see yet another significant change in WS flat rates”.

The shipbroker added that “as the bunker element included in the WS flat rates formula is computed between October and September each year, we already have over 10 months of data that will go into 2022 WS100 calculations. These figures on their own show a nearly 12% increase in bunker prices compared to the corresponding period in the previous year. If we combine these numbers with the current forward bunker price indications for the rest of August and September, this suggests that next year WS100s will need to appreciate to compensate for higher bunker expenses, with the biggest revisions expected on long haul voyages. All in all, this means that in 2022 WS flat rates are likely to rise by 8-10% on long haul routes and by 6-8% on short haul voyages. Sadly for owners, however, these expected increases in nominal flat rates are cosmetic and will not have any impact on the dire spot tanker market reality… “, Gibson concluded.

Source: GIBSON SHIPBROKERS LTD

Meanwhile, in the crude oil tanker market this past week, in the Middle East, it was “a fairly active start to the week gave VLCC Owners the faint hope that they were about to see a revival in fortunes, but as the week progressed it turned out like most other weeks, with Charterers pulling back and quietly going about their business without too much fuss. We end the week worryingly slightly down from the previous one, with last done for a modern approved unit fixing at 270,000mt x ws 30.75 to China. A voyage West remains illiquid with rates estimated to be around 280,000mt x ws 18.25 to the US Gulf (via Cape). A more buoyant week for Suezmax Owners that has seen rates dip to 140,000mt x ws 25 to Europe early in the week only to see levels rebound to ws 27.5 towards the end. Rates to the East hover around 130,000mt x ws 60. Now that we have a busier Atlantic market we will see more Owners deciding to ballast West. Continued activity paired with tight lists has seen rates and sentiment in the AGulf on Aframaxes continue to firm. A few pockets remain tight such as the Red Sea region and with that Owners are in a healthy position for the first time in recent memory. AGulf-East rates are hovering around the 80 x ws 102.5 level”.
Nikos Roussanoglou, Hellenic Shipping News Worldwide

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Bunker Prices Are Edging Higher and Could Impact the Tanker Freight Rate Benchmarks