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GSL reported that the new charters comprise a first period of five years, followed by two 12-month periods at the option of the charterer, and are scheduled to commence between late 2023 and late 2024 – following the expiration of existing charters to a different counterparty.

The charters are expected to generate average adjusted EBITDA of approximately $13.1 million per ship, per year, and total adjusted EBITDA of around $393 million for the six ships over the firm charter period.

As of 30 August 2022, GLS owns 65 containerships, ranging from 1,118 to 11,040 TEU, with an aggregate capacity of 342,348 TEU.

“We are pleased to announce that we have chartered these high-quality post-Panamax containerships at rates that reflect the current market, but particularly the long-term need by liner operators for these well-specified vessels,” said George Youroukos, Executive Chairman of Global Ship Lease.

“These new forward charters provide a significant extension of our contracted revenue streams through nearly the end of the decade, and we are delighted to deepen our relationship with Hapag-Lloyd.

“So far this year, through three charter extension options, one prompt fixture, and eleven forward fixtures, we have added almost $920 million of contracted revenues, and we continue to pursue additional attractive, long-term employment for our in-demand fleet.”

The new devices will supply location data based on GPS, measure ambient temperature within the container, and monitor any sudden shocks to it. They also integrate energy-harvesting technology and low-power consumption techniques.

Source: https://www.porttechnology.org/news/hapag-lloyd-inks-new-7000-teu-ships-charter-agreement/

M1, one of Singapore’s leading Mobile Network Operators (MNO), August 30 announced that it will undertake an ambitious multi-year project that aims to provide ubiquitous 5G standalone (SA) offshore coverage for the Southern coast of Singapore, including the surrounding waters of the southern islands.

Extending 5G offshore coverage enhances connectivity in the larger maritime ecosystem and unlocks new use cases and applications. This is an important step in the maritime industry’s digital transformation efforts, and its goal of becoming the next engine of growth for Singapore.

In collaboration with, and co-funding from, the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) and the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA), M1 will provide a 5G standalone (SA) network to trial, develop and deploy new maritime 5G use cases under the IMDA Innovation and Ecosystem Testbed Program and the MPA Innovation Lab – making this the world’s first public and largest Maritime testbed at sea.

The potential 5G use cases are targeted at enhancing the efficiency and safety of maritime operations and management. The use of 5G connectivity includes telemedicine to enable crew welfare at sea, delivery drones, maritime surveillance, and autonomous vessels, as well as remotely controlled task-based robots, such as ship inspection and autonomous fire-fighting robots, that are used for more dangerous and labor-intensive tasks.

Manjot Singh Mann, CEO of M1, said: “The launch of M1’s 5G standalone network provides low-latency, responsive, secured and high-throughput mobile connectivity to ensure more precise and reliable communications between the ships and the port.

“5G has the capability to resolve long-standing pain points and it will become the natural technology of choice for the maritime industry. As the first country to extend 5G standalone coverage to sea for maritime operations, M1 is excited to partner MPA and IMDA to co-develop 5G solutions that will not only transform the industry but benefit the whole of Singapore’s maritime economy.”

The CBG 500 E crane combines drive technologies with Liebherr’s own crane control system “Master V”.

Another highlight is the energy recovery system LiCaTronic®, which makes optimum use of the energy available.

The new all-electric crane CBG 500 E expands the transshipment solutions portfolio with a reliable machine that offers a handling performance of up to 2,000 tonnes per hour.

The all-electric drives inside the crane in combination with the supercapacitors turn the rope luffing CBG 500 E into a unique handling solution in the market.

The supercapacitors used as standard in Liebherr’s own LiCaTronic® energy recovery system support the increasing requirements regarding energy efficiency.

The boom of the CBG 500 E was designed as a lattice boom. This makes it particularly stiff and light, which further improves the turnover performance and at the same time reduces the energy need.

The result is a lifting capacity of up to 105 tonnes in hook operation and a maximum grab capacity of up to 90 tonnes.

The extension of the cabin and the high positioning ensure that the crane operator has an optimal viewing angle of all processes. The crane operator is supported operationally by the new, integrated “Master V” crane control system.

Together with a more efficient software architecture, it forms the basis for integrating future assistance and automation systems into the crane in the long term.

The crane can be configured with 43 metre and 50 metre boom. The longer boom variant offers the decisive advantage of enabling direct transshipment between two vessels in sheltered and open water.

The modes of operation range from bulk to container handling and are independent of the area of operation.

For installation on a barge, the crane can be equipped with additional counterweights, enabling safe cargo handling. Optional configuration options such as a comfort ascent or additional platforms and boom walkways for maintenance purposes can also be configured.

Source: https://www.porttechnology.org/news/liebherr-unveils-first-all-electric-transshipment-crane/

The 20th annual Southeast Asia Cooperation and Training (SEACAT) exercise concluded Aug. 20, following 10 days of in-person and at-sea engagements that enhanced collaboration among Indo-Pacific partners and focused on shared maritime security challenges of the region.

SEACAT is a multilateral exercise that brought together 21 partner nations, interagencies, international and non-government organizations, designed to provide mutual support and a common goal to address crises, contingencies, and illegal activities in the maritime domain using standardized tactics, techniques, and procedures.

Ashore, the exercise involved a command post exercise at Singapore’s Changi Naval Base that served as a centralized hub for information sharing in the tracking of contracted merchant vessels simulating suspicious vessels of interests (VOIs) in seas throughout Southeast Asia.

Capt. Tim LaBenz, deputy commander of Destroyer Squadron 7 (DESRON 7), served as the Officer in Tactical Command, overseeing the operations in Singapore.

“Integrating U.S. Navy personnel and liaison officers from across the region and beyond, the multilateral collaboration required during SEACAT continues to build on well-established relationships in the maritime domain,” said LaBenz. “Exercises like these showcase the daily strides and highlight our shared focus to promote maritime security, all in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific.”

By aggregating information through maritime domain awareness (MDA) tools, cueing was provided to participant countries’ operations centers and maritime patrol and reconnaissance aircraft or surface assets. These assets made use of that information across the region to track, find and simulate boarding of the VOIs, with the goal of practicing and advancing a collective ability to enforce international rules, laws, and norms.

The exercise scenarios were designed to encourage countries to share information to enhance understanding of the operational environment, build capacity for humanitarian support missions, and uphold international laws and norms. As Indo-Pacific Command’s executive agent for counter-narcotics, Joint Interagency Task Force (JIATF) West provided intel support to participating countries, demonstrating their shared commitment to the international rules-based approach to address transnational organized crime.

“As the U.S. Department of Defense lead agency for counternarcotics in the Indo-Pacific, Joint Interagency Task Force West remains honored to participate in SEACAT year after year,” said Rear Adm. Charles Fosse, director, JIATF West. “SEACAT 2021 strengthened our intelligence-sharing partnerships with other military and law enforcement operational centers, enabling a unified effort to maintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific.”

Signifying the largest iteration to date, 21 nations participated, including Australia, Bangladesh, Brunei, Canada, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Maldives, New Zealand, Philippines, South Korea, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Timor-Leste, United Kingdom, United States, and Vietnam.

In all, SEACAT included 10 ships and more than 400 personnel. U.S. Navy participants included USS Tulsa (LCS 16), staff of DESRON 7, P-8A Poseidon aircraft assigned to Task Force 72, and personnel from Task Forces 73, 76, U.S. 7th Fleet, U.S. Pacific Fleet, Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) and JIATF West. Other organizations included United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime (UNODC), EU Critical Maritime Route Wider Indian Ocean (CRIMARIO), and Global Fishing Watch, with application of Women, Peace, and Security (WPS).

As the U.S. Navy’s destroyer squadron forward-deployed in Southeast Asia, DESRON 7 serves as the primary tactical and operational commander of littoral combat ships rotationally deployed to Singapore, functions as Expeditionary Strike Group 7’s Sea Combat Commander, and builds partnerships through training exercises and military-to-military engagements.

Under Commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet, 7th Fleet is the U.S. Navy’s largest forward-deployed numbered fleet, and routinely interacts and operates with 35 maritime nations in preserving a free and open Indo-Pacific region.

Source: https://maritimefairtrade.org/southeast-asia-maritime-exercise-puts-cooperative-maritime-security-first%EF%BF%BC/

Full maritime 5G coverage will be deployed in major anchorages, fairways, terminals, and boarding grounds.

Delivery is scheduled to be delivered by mid-2025.

The announcement was made as part of the MPA’s 9^th edition of the International Safety@Sea Week, launched by Chee Hong Tat, Senior Minister of State for Transport and Finance.

A 5G network has the potential to unlock a full suite of maritime solutions leveraging complementary technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, Internet of Things, big data, drones and autonomous vehicles, to improve safety, effectiveness and efficiencies in maritime operations.

Quah Ley Hoon, Chief Executive, Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore said: “Digitalisation continues to shape and transform the maritime industry, acting as a key driver for global trends such as logistics and supply chain efficiency and decarbonisation.

“MPA is taking the lead to help build a robust digital maritime ecosystem for Maritime Singapore, with fast, secure and high capacity 5G connectivity as one of the cornerstones to support real-time data exchanges in the maritime domain.”

Elsewhere in the port, MPA’s incident response management and safety enforcement capabilities across the full spectrum of operations will be further strengthened through the development of the Integrated Port Operations C3 (Command, Control and Communications) system (IPOC system).

The system is developed in collaboration with the Defence Science and Technology Agency (DSTA) and will enhance situational awareness and improve the efficiency and effectiveness of incident responses.

The IPOC system will be progressively phased in from 2023 to 2026 as MPA upgrades its systems.

The port will also further develop its online booking and clearance platform, digitalPORT@SG.

The second phase of the port will include the Active Anchorage Management System (AAMS).

The AAMS taps on various data sources to optimise allocation of limited anchorage space for vessels. It ensures that the vessel is anchored safely taking into consideration various conditions including the wind, tide, depth and proximity to hazards.

The AAMS is scheduled to be launched in in the third quarter of 2023.

Source: https://www.porttechnology.org/news/port-of-singapore-to-install-major-5g-network/

Three new cruise lines are set to be unveiled this September as new investors and new money enter the business.

A combination of available ships, funding and fear of missing out is the driving force behind these three projects.

Major Hotel Chain: According to multiple sources speaking to Cruise Industry News, a well-known hotel brand will announce its intention to start a cruise line with new, (comma) small luxury ships sometime in September.

French Start Up: A French start up has acquired the former Maasdam from the laid up Seajets cruise fleet and will be announcing more details shortly. Seajets has yet to put any of its cruise vessels into service, having already sent ships to be recycled. If the deal works out, look for the more of the Seajets fleet to find new homes. Seller financing is said to be playing a key role.

Exploris: The Silver Explorer will be heading to a new home in late 2023 at Exploris, which is targeting the high-end expedition market with a small ship. A press conference is scheduled for early September with more details set to be announced then.

Source: https://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/28123-three-new-cruise-lines-set-to-reveal-themselves-in-september.html

Many Filipinos dream of becoming seafarers. Hiring companies make it a point to highlight not only the economic benefits but also the chance to travel all over the world. The popular image of a seafarer is one of a healthy, clean-uniformed individual who gets to travel around the world meeting interesting people and being in glamorous locations.

Still, like other employments, working as a seafarer also has its share of problems, among them workplace bullying. Workplace bullying has become a difficult management problem as company turnovers increase when seafarers can no longer cope. Human resource departments ill-equipped to address cases of bullying tend to let incidents go unresolved.

Concerned Seafarers of the Philippines calling for a stop to bullying.

Racial discrimination, Asian seafarers face bullying

A veteran seafarer George Ramirez, 54, told Maritime Fairtrade that he experienced bullying in the early years of his career in the early 1990s. He used to work in the engine room of a cruise ship, but has since moved on to work on industrial freight ships.

“Maritime laws to regulate seafarers’ behavior were not strictly enforced in those days. I experienced bullying on board some of the ships I worked on, and I also heard of different stories from other seamen about how they got into fights when they stood up against bullies,” George said.

“On my first job as a seafarer, there were three of us who were Filipinos, and we were with Indonesians and Burmese. It was a new ship, and the higher officials were all white. We felt that those who were brown-skinned were treated differently, with less respect, compared to those who were white.”

George shared that there were times when Asian seafarers were not allowed to enter the pantry the white staff used, but the latter were allowed to freely enter and use the pantry that the Asians used.

“We also noticed how the ship kitchen staff kept the pantry used by the white seafarers well-stocked with cheese, fruit, and chocolates. In contrast, our pantry was practically empty – the refrigerator mostly had only water,” he recollected.

The treatment at work was also disheartening for George.

“My white supervisors would have me woken up very early even if I was off duty or during my rest hours, and they would also order me to fix them coffee or fetch something from the refrigerator. I was new on board, so I just went along with it,” he said.

George was also made to run personal errands for supervisors, including the captain and chief engineer, like washing their underwear and uniforms. What was even more difficult for George was not allowed to suggest recommendations at work, and whenever he made the smallest mistake, he was immediately yelled at and even cursed at.

“There were even times when I was slapped or punched,” he said.

Like George, other Asian crew members were subjected to bullying in the form of discrimination. During BBQ parties or other public gatherings, they were not invited to eat at the tables which were occupied mostly by white crew members.

“The rest of us Asians just got food and we took it elsewhere. The gatherings were supposed to be open to everyone, but it was hard to enjoy them when we were being treated like we were second or even third-class people,” George said.

Throughout those first years, George gritted his teeth and took all the bullying in stride. He said all he wanted was to keep his job.

“I considered the bullying as a challenge I just had to overcome,” he said. At the same, however, George prayed and hoped for changes. Change finally began to happen when a new captain came aboard the ship George was assigned to. The man appeared open to feedback, so George mustered his courage to finally speak out about how he and the other Asian seafarers were treated.

“I told the captain about the bullying and the discrimination we were often subjected to, and I spoke of all these in front of the white crewmen. I didn’t care what the white crewmen would say or do to me afterward, I just spoke out. It was a gamble on my part, but I thought either things could go worse or get better,” he said.

George’s gamble paid off. The new captain wrote a report on everything George said, with recommendations for stronger policies to be enforced against acts of bullying, whether verbal or physical. He sent the report to the manning agency as well as to the shipping company.

“The captain also called for a meeting of all the crew and announced that changes had to be made. He stood up for all of us Asian seafarers and said that the white crewmen should immediately change their behavior towards us or face sanctions,” he said.

Source: https://maritimefairtrade.org/seafarers-face-bullying-working-aboard-ships/

The most definitive thing the Australian Maritime Safety Authority’s Mick Kinley can say about the shipping industry’s quest for decarbonisation is that nothing is clear.

Speaking at the Ports Australia conference in Brisbane on Wednesday, Mr Kinley told the audience there is no obvious green energy source to replace fossil fuels as the industry works toward decarbonisation.

“Our simple world … where ships pretty much universally have burned the black stuff that came out of the back of refineries, is coming to an end,” he said.

“All of the alternative fuels that you’ll hear about with decarbonisation … come with their own different risks.”

In 2018, The International Maritime Organisation adopted a strategy to cut greenhouse gas emissions from international shipping by at least half by 2050, compared to 2008 levels.

And while the top 10 per cent of the industry are leading the way and investing money to address the net zero challenge, Mr Kinley believes the bulk may need “someone to push them along with a pointy stick” to do what’s needed.

Ammonia is one possibility, but it is very toxic and very explosive, he says.

“How are you going to feel about ships bunkering ammonia, or ships being fuelled by ammonia, coming in and tying up next to an apartment block?” he said.

Another option is hydrogen, and while it’s not toxic, it is highly flammable.

“There’s still trials being worked out on how you’re actually going to carry hydrogen in bulk. It’s another level of difficulty from LNG and the low temperatures you have to carry it.”

Liquid natural gas, which is being used as a transition fuel by some ships now, comes with similar hazards to hydrogen.

These points raise significant questions for how ports will keep a global fleet moving if the ships are running on different and potentially volatile fuel sources.

“How many ports are going to be able to be those energy hubs in the future?” Mr Kinley said.