DFDS narrows losses Strong demand for its services in the North Sea region helped DFDS, the Copenhagen-based listed freight ferry and logistics services group, to cut its interim loss, said the company in a statement. Group net loss narrowed to DK110M ($18M) in the first quarter on revenues of DK2.85Bn, up from a
IMO discusses designing 'unsinkable ship' Technical discussions are ongoing at the IMO on how design of international ro-ro passenger and other passenger ships could be refined to enhance their survivability after accidents. EU research has found that "probabilistic damage stability methodology" could help set requirements that could
Vard clinches another order in short succession Singapore-listed Vard Holdings Limited (Vard) has won a new contract with Island Offshore Group for constructing an offshore support vessel (OSV) of Rolls-Royce design, valued at excess of NOK1B ($168M). The OSV is scheduled for delivery in the second quarter of 2016 from Vard Brevik in Norway,
Yangzhou Guoyu wins container quartet Chinese shipbuilder Yangzhou Guoyu Shipyard has won an order for up to four dual-fuel container ships for German partners Guoyu Nordic Shipping (GNS Shipping) and Nordic Hamburg. Two firm 1,400teu vessels are scheduled for delivery in 2016 and two options are attached to the order. The ships will be
Jinhai HI wins CMA CGM trio China's Zhoushan-based Jinhai Heavy Industry (HI) today said it had won an order from CMA CGM to build three 2,500teu box ships. The order for the container ships will help the yard optimise its product structure, lift its core competitiveness, and achieve strategic transfer, said the company in a
HMD wins West Africa LPG South Korean shipbuilder Hyundai Mipo Dockyard (HMD) has won an order for an LPG carrier from new shipowner West Africa LPG, founded last year and registered in the British Virgin Islands. The 38,000m³ vessel - with overall length of 174m, beam 30m, and depth 18.2m - is due for delivery in November
Finnlines orders new propulsion tech Finnlines has awarded a GBP3.8M ($6.4M) contract to Rolls-Royce to install its Promas Lite propulsion system on four Ro-Ro ships, which should make them more efficient yet let them maintain the speeds required on their routes in the Baltic Sea. Andrew Marsh, Rolls-Royce's president for services,
BW LPG tops Q1 forecasts BW LPG, the world's largest owner of VLGCs, has reported first-quarter results well above forecast, although the company sees the outlook beyond next year as hard to predict. Group net profit in the first quarter totalled $30.7M, reversing a loss of $13.7M in the same period last year. Revenues rose
Port Creation service aids 3D navigation Training provider ECDIS Ltd has created a service for ship crews to rehearse navigating in ports in three dimensions (3D). Port Creation will be launched on 11 June at the Seawork exhibition in Southampton, a company spokeswoman told IHS Maritime. Customers will be able to have a port's key
Italdraghe dredger for Ethiopia Italdraghe, the Italian dredger builder, has delivered and commissioned an SGT 250 cutter suction dredger for Lake Tana - the source of the Blue Nile - in Ethiopia. Bought by the country's National Ministry of Water and Energy, the vessel was assembled and launched in the port town Gorgora, on the
LNG America selects ABS to classify bunker barges ABS has landed the contract to classify LNG America's first LNG bunker barges, being designed by naval architecture firm Jensen Maritime. "We are pleased to be working with ABS on this important domestic initiative," said Keith Meyer, president and CEO of LNG America, a Houston-based LNG fuel supply
New propulsion system for SuperStar Virgo Star Cruises' SuperStar Virgo has become the first cruise vessel in Southeast Asia with Rolls-Royce's Promas Lite propulsion system, designed to save fuel and enhance energy efficiency. Norwegian Spirit, operated by Star Cruises' subsidiary Norwegian Cruise Line, was the first vessel in the fleet to
Rostock completes intermodal terminal It has taken two years, but today the German port of Rostock celebrated the completion of its intermodal terminal, which will "double the handling capacity to more than 140,000 units per year", said Rostock's managing director, Ulrich Bauermeister. Funded by the port - aided by 70% subsidies from
DNV GL offers advice on LNG bunkering in Middle East Middle East shipowners and operators can get advice on safe LNG bunkering in the Middle East and South Asia from classification society DNV GL's new Recommended Practice (RP), as Qatar and other Gulf Cooperation Council members gear up to supply LNG as a marine fuel. M Shahrin Osman, DNV GL regional
BW and Pavilion Energy form JV BW Group and Pavilion Energy have entered into an agreement to form a joint venture - BW Pavilion LNG - to acquire, manage, and charter maritime LNG assets, including LNG carriers. Pavilion Energy is a subsidiary of the Singapore government's investment company, Temasek Holdings. BW Group CEO
India's port procedures need reform The reform of India's port sector must cover procedures at existing ports, a shipping line has told IHS Maritime. Hopes are high that India's incoming government will force through reforms, although shipping lines have outlined the big problems they face. "The only comment we have is the constrained
Eitzen Chemical losses rise in Q1 Eitzen Chemical, the listed Norwegian chemical carrier company, has reported rising losses in the first quarter of 2014 on weak markets with bad weather hitting operations and an unrealised cost item, the company said in a statement. Group net loss widened to $25.8M in the first quarter from $21.1M
Maersk Line doubles Q1 profit Maersk Line, the container shipping unit in the A.P. Moller-Maersk (APM) group of Copenhagen, more than doubled its net profit in the first quarter and has raised its forecast for the full year, APM said in a statement. Maersk Line net income rose to $454M in the quarter, up from $204M in the same
Taiwan changes shipping rules for Chinese vessels Chinese vessels will be allowed to navigate the sea around Taiwan upon filing an application 24 hours in advance under a new amendment to the Regulations Governing the Approval and Administration of Direct Cross-Strait Sea Transport between the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area. The amendment would
Crane detained for illegal salvage A crane vessel has been detained for allegedly stripping shipwrecks off Penang Island for scrap metal. A pile of ship parts was on Hai Wei Gong 889 when officials from the Marine Department of Malaysia boarded the vessel off Kendi Island. The marine department was alerted following an investigative
Golden Ocean expects loss in Q2 Golden Ocean Group, the Oslo-listed dry bulk carrier owner in John Fredriksen's business empire, forecasts a small loss for the second quarter of this year after positive market sentiment was damped by weaker rates, although these look likely to pick up. Group net profit rose year-on-year to $10.1M
MOL conducts safety drill to enhance its readiness Japanese shipping company, Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL), has successfully conducted a safety tabletop drill on 22 May 2014, with the cooperation of Japan Coast Guard's 6th Regional Coast Guard Headquarters. MOL held the drill with the goal of strengthening its emergency response structure in accordance
Tech-Savvy Truckers Search Big Data for Drivers PRINCETON, New Jersey - Trucking companies are turning to technology to recruit, train and keep truck drivers, as qualified job candidates become increasingly hard to find. Companies such as J.B. Hunt Transport are analyzing so-called Big Data - large amounts of information gathered from multiple sources - to better recruit and...
SCFI: Asia-Europe, Trans-Pacific Rates Drop The SCFI for North Europe fell 7.7 percent in the week of May 23. Full-size chart Spot container freight rates as measured by the Shanghai Containerized Freight Index dropped on the Asia-Europe lane for the second straight week, and Asia-U.S. rates declined after a week of minimal gains. Spot rates from Shanghai to...
US Toy Imports Sag Further Ocean imports of containerized toys into the United States continued to decline in the first quarter of 2014. Full-size chart Though containerized toy imports coming to the United States are down, the toy industry's bottom line doesn't seem to be hurting. Ocean imports of containerized toys into the United States continued to decline...
North American Rail Volumes Continue to Rise North American intermodal traffic is up 5.3 percent so far this year on reporting railroads. Source: AAR. Full-size chart The volumes of both carloads and intermodal units on railroads in North America continued their upward trend in mid-May, according to the Association of American Railroads. For the week ending May 17, AAR reported...
Ocean Carrier Rate Revision Roundup for May 23 Several carriers have planned general rate increases in multiple trade routes in June and July, although any gains achieved could be fleeting as overcapacity and sluggish global demand continue. Shipping lines in their global operations have lost billions of dollars in four of the past five years because of overcapacity fostered...
Congress Sends WRRDA to Obama The Senate's vote for the Water Resources Reform and Development Act has sent the long-delayed port and waterway bill to President Obama for his likely signature. The bill would authorize major port and inland waterway projects, accelerate harbor deepening by streamlining approvals, allow Harbor Maintenance Tax collections to be used for...
Six From ILA Admit 'Christmas' Extortion Six former International Longshoremen's Association officials and members have admitted participating in a "Christmas tribute" racket in which dockworkers were pressured into making annual payments that were funneled to organized crime. The six pleaded guilty this month in U.S. District Court in Newark, New Jersey, to extortion conspiracy. They are scheduled...
'P2' Alliance Takes Shape In the face of looming competition from new or expanded ocean shipping alliances among the biggest carriers, smaller lines are taking steps to ensure their own long-term survival. United Arab Shipping Co. is a case in point. In the last year it has ordered 17 new post-Panamax container ships to replace...
ILWU Seeking Three-Year Contract The International Longshore and Warehouse Union is seeking a contract for just three years, according to Agriculture Transportation Coalition Executive Director Peter Friedmann, significantly shorter than shippers would like. Issues at the center of the negotiations include jurisdiction and health care, and the latter figures into the length of the contract....
Consolidation Ahead for China's Fragmented Express Market HONG KONG - The huge revenue being generated by China's fast-growing e-commerce business is masking a decline in the price per parcel that is expected to spur consolidation in the fragmented express courier market. There are an estimated 8,000 companies offering express delivery in China, ranging from one-man-and-a-moped outfits covering part...
Ardmore lands loan Irish product and chemical tanker operator Ardmore Shipping has lined up a $39m loan backed by Credit Agricole CIB.
SFL seals box charters Ship Finance International Ltd has lined up long-term charters for four containerships under construction at Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering in South Korea.
SFL buys bulkers Diversified Norwegian operator Ship Finance International Limited has acquired a pair of kamsarmax bulkers.
Riding high Emanuele Grimaldi - showjumping's loss, shipping's gain
The man with the golden run Lucy Hine talks to the Korean shipyard worker with the world at his feet
Officer class Dodging disaster at every turn, Julian Peter finds out if he has what it takes
Blockbuster will have you on the edge of your seat A high-tech maritime chair from a tiny Norwegian design company has become one of the hottest seats in Hollywood, thanks to the upcoming summer blockbuster Transformers: Age of Extinction.
The joy of sextant David Barrie first heard the word sextant as a nine-year-old watching Mutiny on the Bounty in a darkened cinema.
How Maersk nearly missed the bus The group took its time committing to containerisation before making the decision that changed the face of shipping. Paul Berrill traces the events that transformed the company into today's behemoth
Back to basics An island-hopping trip half the length of Indonesia recalls the delights and drawbacks of an earlier era of travel. By Jonathan Boonzaier
Samba night fever Sober shipping executive by day, Sergio Leal marches to a different drummer when he's off duty. Rob Ward reports from Rio de Janeiro
An 'inspector calls Eric Martin follows Coast Guard officer Rebecca Grimes as she runs the rule over a visiting Taiwanese ship
Buy, buy baby Owners who heeded Morten Arntzen's positive Posidonia message of 2012 are a collection $4.12bn in the black. Andy Pierce analyses the figures
Namura takes over Sasebo Namura Shipbuilding is set to take over Sasebo Heavy Industries in an acquisition that will create Japan's second largest shipbuilding group.
Barbaro sells to Rosneft Russian energy group Rosneft has signed a deal to take over Pietro Barbaro's Russian tanker business.
The TW+ guide to... Posidonia
A true brew, no bull What best-sellers with a maritime connection leave you wanting more? Well TradeWinds, the shipping news provider, of course, and also... the beer.
A gentleman bows out On the eve of his final Posidonia as RBS shipping boss, Lambros Varnavides reflects on four decades in the business. Joe Brady says the bank's recent travails should not be allowed to cloud a magnificent career
Going in for the krill The reefer trade may be in run-off mode, but it's a 'slow, profitable run-off', thanks in large part to Antarctica's billions of tons of plankton, Thanassis Laskaridis tells Gillian Whittaker
Traditions old and new Never be afraid to move with the times, but don't lose touch with the past, Captain Panagiotis Tsakos tells Gillian Whittaker
Behind every successful man you'll find... Well, in George Procopiou's case, you'll find three hard-working daughters. Gillian Whittaker talks to the proud father
It's all adding up nicely 'I think in numbers,' admits Navios boss Angeliki Frangou. And as Gillian Whittaker explains, those numbers are looking pretty good
Remote run The UK is seeking a brave liner company ready to take on the challenge of serving one of the world's most remote islands.
Leave it to the professionals John Angelicoussis has trenchant views about the influx of new money into shipping, as Gillian Whittaker finds out
Accidents, waiting to happen The Sewol tragedy raises the question: are there better ways to rescue passengers at sea? Paul Berrill examines what is going wrong
Enjoy the party, but don't lose sight of the basics It's Posidonia time again. And thoughts turn towards the Greek shipping market as we approach the event where deals are done behind closed doors and its public face emerges at the multiple parties.
DFDS edges down Danish ro-ro owner DFDS has blamed a late Easter break for a slight downturn in first quarter earnings.
Kurdish crude coup The Kurdistan region of Iraq has exported its first crude cargo on a Greek suezmax from the Turkish port of Ceyhan.
Vards adds another Fincantieri-owned Vard Holdings has won another big new offshore order, its second in a week.
TMT ship on the block A car carrier owned by Nobu Su's embattled Today Makes Tomorrow (TMT) is to be auctioned off next month in Antwerp, Belgium.
Rem ramps it up Norway's Rem Offshore has lifted earnings in the first quarter as the spot market improved.
Another delay for Eimskip Icelandic container line Eimskip has revealed another delay to its second newbuilding in China.
Fiori's high hopes d'Amico International Shipping (DIS) has chartered out two eco-MR newbuildings launching this week in Vietnam.
Seaspan eyes new funds New York-listed Seaspan Corporation is plotting more fundraising after registering a potential share sale worth up to $75m.
BW teams with Temasek BW Group is teaming with the Singapore government to jointly invest in the maritime LNG sector, it emerged Friday.
Buy, buy baby Morten Arntzen cut a positive figure the last time the shipping world assembled for Posidonia.
Wishful thinking We take a look at what was said in the market over the past week.
Golden eyes SGX exit Golden Ocean says it may consider de-listing from the Singapore Stock Exchange due to poor investor response.
BW LPG in clover BW LPG has made a strong start to 2014 with the strong VLGC freight rate environment helping it to post a net profit of $31m.
Headland strike averted Fears that Australia's Port Hedland may be brought to a standstill by a strike have been temporarily suspended.
Best in class American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) has landed a contract to class what will likely be the first LNG bunker barges in North America.
Cape deal sealed DryShips of Greece has completed the acquisition of capesize bulker that has been the subject of speculation for several months.
DRYS narrows loss DryShips turned in a first-quarter loss Thursday but the diversified Greek operator's chief executive remains confident that the tides will turn in the second-half of the year.
Lack of surge capacity could magnify West Coast port disruption North American supply chains will be strongly affected over the next three months by the negotiations for a new contract between the ILWU and employers, said Noël Perry, managing director and senior consultant at FTR.
Crude transport safety: Is it the oil or the mode? This week's report that oil harvested from the Bakken shale formation isn't more dangerous for rail transport than any other light, sweet crude stands in contrast to statements that Bakken light crude may be more flammable.
NYK Line expands Jacksonville ro/ro service
Sea Star implements chassis program in Southeast Sea Star Line, which operates a liner service between the U.S. mainland and Puerto Rico, said Thursday that effective June 2, it will introduce a new chassis program for shipments moving to and from the Southeast United States.
Protest ceases operations at Kenya port
Livingston International adds new CTO
WRRDA clears Senate Two days after an overwhelming vote in the House for the Water Resources Reform and Development Act, the Senate voted 91-7 to send the measure to President Barack Obama to be signed into law.
AMPORTS being repurchased by Lincolnshire
Alphaliner: Number of idle containerships dropping
The Suez Canal Authority has announced that it will introduce surcharges on transit tariffs through the Egyptian canal for most major cargo vessels, effective July 15.
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