APM Terminals Pipavav terminal recently received a first block train for Maersk, carrying goods for rice exporter D.D. International, from ICD Panipat. The new service, operated by DP World, is expected to help hinterland customers connect with global markets.

The train was flagged off from ICD Panipat in the first week of August and reached the port less than two days later. The containers, all carrying rice, are destined for Jeddah and Dammam in the Middle East.

Commenting on the occasion, Jakob Friis Sørensen, Managing Director, APM Terminals Pipavav, said, “The connection helps our customers in moving their containers safely, quickly and sustainably and offers our hinterland customers an additional mode to expand their business in the global markets. Moving the consignment by rail not only reduces congestion on the road but also helps in reducing carbon footprint.”

Source: https://www.themaritimestandard.com/apm-terminals-pipavav-receives-block-train-from-icd-panipat/

The Government says a vessel from Brazil that appears to be headed towards the Strait carrying reportedly toxic materials will not be permitted to enter British Gibraltar Territorial Waters if it attempts to do so.

The vessel, named Sao Paulo, is said to be laden with toxic paints, asbestos, and cancer-causing chemicals. It’s on its way to Turkey to be scrapped.

The Government says that unless a vessel (or its tug) schedules a call at the Gibraltar Port, the Port Authority is unable to prevent its transit through the Strait.

The shipping of the vessel goes against an injunction from the Brazil Federal District Court and international laws, according to several NGOs.

For its part, the Environmental Safety Group says it has been contacted by an NGO from Brazil hoping to raise maximum awareness of the passage. The ESG has also contacted the Port and local environmental authorities about this.

Some recent reports say that Turkey has refused entry to the vessel, however it has not agreed to turn around and appears to be slowly heading towards the Strait. It is being towed by another vessel named Alp Centre.

Source: https://www.gbc.gi/news/ship-carrying-toxic-cargo-would-not-be-permitted-enter-bgtw-says-government

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.

It is official: the former 47,000-ton Horizon is being scrapped in Turkey’s Aliaga.
After two years of languishing in Greece, the vessel departed from Elefsis Bay for the scrap yard last week.

Out of service since 2020, the 1990 vessel will be dismantled with some other classic cruise vessels at the Turkish recycling facility.

During the procedure, the vessel’s fixtures, systems, building materials, and engines will be removed and sold off for reusing or repurposing.

After debuting in the New York-Bermuda route, the 1,450-guest vessel reportedly served the upscale brand in multiple destinations, including Alaska, Canada, and the Caribbean.

Before quitting the firm’s fleet, the Horizon became the first Celebrity vessel homeported in Norfolk and Philadelphia.

Transferred to Island Cruises in 2005, the ship became the Island Star.

Collaboration between First Choice Holidays and Royal Caribbean focused on the UK family market in the summers while targeting Brazil’s younger audiences, especially in winter.

The vessel was transferred three years later to the final operator, Pullmantur Cruceros. The latter is also a Royal Caribbean brand; the Spanish firm used the ship for itineraries in the Caribbean, Latin America, and Europe.

During its career with Pullmantur that spanned 12 years, the Horizon sailed for Croisières De France – the firm’s French brand.

With the ongoing pandemic bringing the cruise fleet to an unforeseen stop in 2020, the Horizon sailed its last cruise in 2020 (March).

A few weeks later, the ship was used to repatriate the crew members of Pullmantur before reaching Greece’s Elefsis Bay – where it stayed for the last two years.

In 2020 (July), after Pullmantur reportedly filed for insolvency, the vessel was returned to the Royal Caribbean Group with fleet mates Sovereign and Monarch, which were beached for scrapping immediately.

References: Cruise Industry News, Cruise Hive

The first-ever container vessel on the first-ever China-Scotland direct sea shipping channel has embarked on a journey back to China. It is carrying Scottish items back to the Chinese market, underscoring the earlier success of the new shipping channel in boosting trade between Scotland and China irrespective of global headwinds.

The route connects Ningbo-Zhoushan Port in Zhejiang Province of East China and Dongguan Port in Guangdong Province of South China — two significant export hubs — with the UK’s Greenock and Liverpool.

The service is expected to reduce the shipping time by one-third of that of more conventional lines, Peel Ports Group, which operates Greenock Ocean Terminal, reported to the Global Times on Monday.

The new channel aims to reduce the journey time to nearly 33 days by eliminating unscheduled port congestions and delays in Rotterdam. The track will be operated by six vessels of approximately 1,600 containers each month.

Per the details offered by Peel Ports, the vessel arrived at Greenock port on Saturday and docked for almost 12 hours. It finished loading and unloading goods before they returned to the Ningbo-Zhoushan Port.

Items carried by ship to China included beer, paper, candy, gin, oil, gas, shortbread, water, machinery, and over one million whisky bottles, Peel Ports said.

Chinese products unloaded from the first vessel included packaging materials, textiles, furniture, fitness equipment, beauty supplies, Christmas decorations, bathroom appliances, toys, and footwear.

Jim McSporran, Clydeport Peel Ports’ director, mentioned that it’s great to welcome the vital service to the Greenock Ocean Terminal.

McSporran mentioned that they believe that the collaboration will be a positive development for customers and businesses and boost the wider supply chain. We look forward to working with our partners on the service in the coming months.

It was known that China Xpress (Ningbo-Greenock channel) was a service much needed by several sectors, yet the level of immediate interest is amazing. The direct trading link to China cuts through the immensely frustrating transhipment delays. This acts as a massive boost for Scotland-based businesses and can help consumers in these trying times, commented David Milne, the MD of KC Group Shipping, one of the new shipping route operators.

Meanwhile, several Chinese freight bookers have been closely monitoring the new shipping channel amid massive European port congestions.

The new route will be thoroughly inspected. We may try if can keep the present journey time and frequency. So far, there are no bookings for the route as shipments are covered between Germany and China, a Yiwu-based logistics agent reported to the Global Times.

The agent observed that Germany’s maritime ports were suffering from congestion, which increased the sea shipping costs and extended the time to almost 40 to 50 days.

The introduction of the new route reflects that it’s in line with the fundamental interests of firms and that it’s not possible for some Britain-based politicians to intervene in the operations of the economic market, or decouple from China on trade, the deputy chairman with the Expert Committee of the China Association of International Trade, Li Yong, informed the Global Times on Monday.

Li mentioned that the UK sought a trading position in Europe after Brexit. Opening the new direct logistics route will help British ports boost their importance. It is also an ideal solution that firms came up with during massive congestion at the major European ports.

Milne also called for the support of Scottish exporters and importers to safeguard the long-term future of the new service, as it has been a massive success for KC Group Shipping, but this is just one of the first of several journeys.

References: Global Times, BBC