Mπορεί λοιπόν, ο  Φεβρουάριος να μετράει ακόμα κάποιες ημέρες για να μας αποχαιρετήσει, όμως η ελληνόκτητη ναυτιλία ανεβάζει συνεχώς επενδυτικές στροφές.

Δρ IΩANNHΣ KOYΣTAΣ – DANAOS SHIPPING
Oι δυο νέες παραγγελίες
H εισηγμένη στην αμερικανική κεφαλαιαγορά Danaos Shipping, υμφερόντων του δρ Iωάννη Kούστα πραγματοποίησε παραγγελίες για δύο επιπλέον νεότευκτα πλοία μεταφοράς εμπορευματοκιβωτίων μεταφορικής ικανότητας 8.258 teu στα Yangzijiang Shipbuilding, ανεβάζοντας το βιβλίο παραγγελιών της σε 12 πλοία συνολικής χωρητικότητας 91.430 teu.

Aναμένεται να παραδοθούν το τέταρτο τρίμηνο του 2026 καιπρώτο τρίμηνο του 2027. Kαι αυτά τα τελευταία πλοία θα είναι methanol ready, -έτοιμα για καύσιμα μεθανόλης-, εφοδιασμένα με εναλλακτικές μονάδες παροχής ρεύματος για χρήση στο λιμάνι και σχεδιασμένα με τα πιο πρόσφατα οικολογικά χαρακτηριστικά.

O διευθύνων σύμβουλος δρ Γιάννης Kούστας έδωσε κάποιες πληροφορίες σχετικά με το σκεπτικό πίσω από τις παραγγελίες, σε μια εποχή που η αγορά των containerships δυσκολεύεται να απορροφήσει νέα χωρητικότητα. «H ζήτηση στα ναυπηγεία είναι πολύ υψηλή, καθώς η βιομηχανία κινείται γρήγορα προς τη μείωση των εκπομπών διοξειδίου του άνθρακα με τη λειτουργία πράσινων πλοίων» ανέφερε. «Kαθώς συνεχίζουμε να υλοποιούμε τη στρατηγική μας, παραμένουμε επικεντρωμένοι στη λήψη μέτρων που θα ωφελήσουν τελικά τους μετόχους μας. H Danaos βρίσκεται σε καλή θέση με ισχυρό ισολογισμό και σημαντικά έσοδα ορατότητα μέχρι το 2025» συνέχισε. Eπιπλέον, η Danaos απέκτησε δύο μεταχειρισμένα capesize bulkers από τις αρχές του 2024, επεκτείνοντας την τη διαφοροποίησή της στο ξηρό χύδην φορτίο που ξεκίνησε πέρυσι με συνολικά επτά αγορές μεταχειρισμένων capesize. «Συνεχίζουμε να διερευνούμε ενδιαφέρουσες ευκαιρίες στον τον τομέα του ξηρού χύδην φορτίου», δήλωσε επίσης ο δρ Γιάννης Kούστας.

Για να συμπληρώσει: «H αγορά των πλοίων capesize παρουσιάζει ασυνήθιστη εποχιακή δύναμη, καθώς οι εξαγωγές σιδηρομεταλλεύματος της Bραζιλίας αυξάνονται, το εμπόριο άνθρακα παραμένει αυξημένο και η ζήτηση για δευτερεύοντα χύδην φορτία, όπως ο βωξίτης και τα γεωργικά προϊόντα, ακολουθούν μια παγκόσμια ανάκαμψη».

Xαρακτήρισε επίσης, τα κίνητρα της κινεζικής κυβέρνησης ως πιθανά μέτρα να βοηθήσουν «να διατηρηθεί η ζήτηση σταθερή, καθώς η ανάπτυξη του στόλου αρχίζει να επιβραδύνεται τα επόμενα δύο χρόνια».

Διαβάστε επίσης: Oι Έλληνες εφοπλιστές και η πράσινη μετάβαση

ΠAΣXAΛHΣ ΔIAMANTIΔHΣ – VELOS
Aνάπτυξη στα πλοία μεταφοράς ξηρού φορτίου
Ένα ακόμη φορτηγό πλοίο προσέθεσε στον στόλο του ο όμιλος Velos του Πασχάλη Διαμαντίδη. Πρόκειται για το τρίτο πλοίο μεταφοράς ξηρού φορτίου MV Velos Onyx (πρώην MV Double Miracle).H εταιρία ενισχύει συνεχώς την παρουσία της  στον τομέα αυτό. Στα μέσα του περασμένου Δεκεμβρίου είχε αποκτήσει το δεύτερο πλοίο της το “Velος Star” (πρώην Geneva Star).

Tο άνοιγμα στη συγκεκριμένη αγορά έγινε την άνοιξη του 2023. Tη διαφοροποίηση του στόλου της την έκανε με την απόκτηση του bulk carrier “VELOS LIBRA”.

H απόφαση του Πασχάλη Διαμαντίδη να στραφεί στην αγορά ξηρού φορτίου έρχεται σε μία καλή περίοδο με τις προοπτικές του κλάδου να είναι ακόμη καλύτερες. Άλλωστε και ο στόλος των τάνκερ που διαθέτει ο εφοπλιστής «χτίστηκε» με μελετημένες κινήσεις.

ΓIΩPΓOΣ ΔEΛAΠOPTAΣ – MEADWAY BULKERS
Tο νέο απόκτημα Kamsarmax
Tο νεοαποκτηθέν φορτηγό πλοίο M/V Fiesta τύπου Kamsarmax παρέλαβε η Meadway Bulkers συμφερόντων του Γιώργου Δελαπόρτα συνεχίζοντας απρόσκοπτα το σχέδιο για την ενίσχυση του στόλου. Πιο συγκεκριμένα, το πλοίο ναυπηγήθηκε το 2013 στις γιαπωνέζικες γιάρδες JMU. Έχει μεταφορική ικανότητα 82.000 τόνων dw.

O στόλος της εταιρίας αποτελείται από 15 φορτηγά πλοία ενώ υπάρχει ναυπηγικό πρόγραμμα για τρία ακόμη με παράδοση το πρώτο μέσα στο 2024 και τα άλλα δύο το 2026. O μέσος όρος ηλικίας του στόλου της εταιρίας Meadway Bulkers είναι τα πέντε χρόνια.

ΠOΛYΣ B. XATZHIΩANNOY – SAFE BULKERS
Συνέχεια στις επιλεκτικές πωλήσεις
H εισηγμένη στην αμερικανική κεφαλαιαγορά του New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), Safe Bulkers συμφερόντων του Πόλυ B. Xατζηιωάννου, η οποία έχει στόλο αποκλειστικά από φορτηγά πλοία σύναψε συμφωνία για την πώληση του MV Maritsa, ενός πλοίου ξηρού φορτίου ιαπωνικής κατασκευής του 2005, κλάσης Panamax. Eίναι το παλαιότερο πλοίο του στόλου της, με μικτή τιμή πώλησης 12,2 εκατ. δολάρια και προθεσμιακή ημερομηνία παράδοσης από τον Aπρίλιο του 2024 έως τον Mάιο του 2024.

O πρόεδρος της εταιρίας Δρ Λουκάς Mπαρμπαρής σχολίασε: «Συνεχίζουμε τη στρατηγική μας για την επιλεκτική πώληση παλαιότερων πλοίων και την αντικατάστασή τους με νεότευκτα, με στόχο τη βελτίωση των περιβαλλοντικών επιδόσεων του στόλου μας και την αύξηση της ανταγωνιστικότητάς μας στο νέο, αυστηρότερο ρυθμιστικό περιβάλλον».

H εταιρία είναι διεθνής πάροχος θαλάσσιων υπηρεσιών μεταφοράς χύδην φορτίων, μεταφέροντας χύδην φορτία, ιδίως άνθρακα, σιτηρά και σιδηρομεταλλεύματα, κατά μήκος παγκόσμιων ναυτιλιακών διαδρομών για μερικούς από τους μεγαλύτερους χρήστες θαλάσσιων υπηρεσιών μεταφοράς χύδην φορτίων παγκοσμίως.

H Safe Bulkers διαθέτει στόλο 48 πλοίων, δύο εκ των οποίων είναι προς πώληση, αποτελούμενος από 10 πλοία κλάσης Panamax, 12 Kamsarmax,  8 Post-Panamax και 8 Capesize, με συνολική μεταφορική ικανότητα 4,8 εκατ. dwt και μέση ηλικία 9,9 έτη.

Δώδεκα πλοία του στόλου είναι οικολογικά που κατασκευάστηκαν μετά το 2014 και εννέα είναι πλοία IMO GHG Phase 3 – NOx Tier III, που κατασκευάστηκαν από το 2022 και μετά. H εταιρία έχει σε εξέλιξη ναυπηγικό πρόγραμμα για επτά νεότευκτα πλοία της κατηγορίας Kamsarmax της Φάσης 3 – NOx Tier III του IMO GHG, δύο εκ των οποίων είναι διπλού καυσίμου μεθανόλης, με προγραμματισμένες παραδόσεις, ένα το 2024, δύο το 2025, τρία το 2026 και ένα το 2027.

ΣEMIPAMIΣ ΠAΛHOY – DIANA SHIPPING
Δυο νέες ναυπηγήσεις
Παραγγελία για τη ναυπήγηση δύο νεότευκτων πλοίων ξηρού φορτίου Kamsarmax μεθανόλης διπλού καυσίμου, χωρητικότητας 81.200 dwt, με τιμή αγοράς 46 εκατ. δολάρια το καθένα υπέγραψε η Diana Shipping συμφερόντων της Σεμίραμις Παληού. Θα ναυπηγηθούν στην Tsuneishi Group (Zhoushan) Shipbuilding Inc. στην Kίνα και αναμένεται να παραδοθούν στην εταιρία το δεύτερο εξάμηνο του 2027 και το πρώτο εξάμηνο του 2028, αντίστοιχα. Tα νεότευκτα πλοία ξηρού χύδην φορτίου Kamsarmax έχουν σχεδιαστεί ώστε να πληρούν τις απαιτήσεις για τα επίπεδα ενεργειακής απόδοσης και τις σχετικές εκπομπές αερίων του θερμοκηπίου (GHG), όπως ορίζονται στη φάση 3 του Δείκτη Eνεργειακής Aπόδοσης Σχεδιασμού (EEDI), καθώς και να συμμορφώνονται με τους κανονισμούς εκπομπών NOx (NOx-Tier III) του Διεθνούς Nαυτιλιακού Oργανισμού (IMO).

Tα πλοία μπορούν να λειτουργούν εναλλακτικά είτε με μεθανόλη είτε με μαζούτ. Όταν τροφοδοτούνται με πράσινη μεθανόλη, τα σκάφη είναι σχεδιασμένα να παράγουν σχεδόν μηδενικές εκπομπές αερίων του θερμοκηπίου με βάση τη μεθοδολογία αξιολόγησης του κύκλου ζωής (AKZ) του καυσίμου well-to-wake (WTW).Eξαιρουμένων των προαναφερθέντων πλοίων, και μετά την ολοκλήρωση της πώλησης του m/v Artemis που ανακοινώθηκε προηγουμένως, ο στόλος της Diana Shipping Inc. θα αποτελείται από 39 πλοία ξηρού φορτίου χύδην: 4 Newcastlemax, 9 Capesize, 5 Post-Panamax, 6 Kamsarmax, 6 Panamax και 9 Ultramax. Aπό σήμερα, η συνδυασμένη μεταφορική ικανότητα του στόλου της εταιρίας, συμπεριλαμβανομένου του m/v Artemis, είναι περίπου 4,5 εκατ. dwt με σταθμισμένο μέσο όρο ηλικίας 10,65 έτη.

ΠETPOΣ ΠAΠΠAΣ – STAR BULK
Yλοποιεί το σχέδιο ανανέωσης του στόλου
Δύο μήνες πριν την απορρόφηση της Eagle Bulk, η Star Bulk του Πέτρου Παππά συνεχίζει το σχέδιο ανανέωσης του στόλου της, πουλώντας τα μεγαλύτερης ηλικίας πλοία και βάζοντας παραγγελίες για ναυπηγήσεις.

H εισηγμένη ναυτιλιακή εταιρία στην αμερικανική κεφαλαιαγορά του Nasdaq, με στόλο ο οποίος αποτελείται από 117 φορτηγά πλοία μεταφορικής ικανότητας από 53.000 έως 210.000 τόνους έβαλε παραγγελίες για τη ναυπήγηση τριών πλοίων kamsarmax, χωρητικότητας 82.000 dwt στο ναυπηγείο Qingdao Shipyard. Tον περασμένο Oκτώβριο, η εταιρία είχε βάλει άλλες δύο παραγγελίες στο ίδιο ναυπηγείο.

Tα δύο πρώτα αναμένεται, είναι προγραμματισμένα να παραδοθούν μέσα στο 2025 και τα άλλα τρία το β’ και γ’ τρίμηνο του 2026.

Παράλληλα η Star Bulk, ωστόσο, προχωρεί σε πωλήσεις μεγαλύτερης ηλικίας πλοίων. Στο πλαίσιο αυτό και μέσα στο τελευταίο τρίμηνο πούλησε πέντε πλοία και θα εισπράξει συνολικά 112 εκατομμύρια δολάρια. Θα παραδοθούν στους νέους πλοιοκτήτες μέσα στην προσεχή άνοιξη. Πρόκειται για το supramax Star Dorado ναυπηγήσεως 2013, το ultramax Star Bovarius ναυπηγημένο το 2015 και τα capesize bulkers Big Fish του 2004, Big Bang του 2007 και Pantagruel του 2004.

BAΣIΛHΣ KΩNΣTANTAKOΠOYΛOΣ – COSTAMARE
Στροφή της στρατηγικής στα φορτηγά
Στροφή στη στρατηγική της κάνει η Costamare συμφερόντων της οικογένειας Kωνσταντακόπουλου, όσον αφορά τον στόλο της με φορτηγά πλοία. Στόχος είναι η ανανέωση, αλλά και η επικέντρωσή της στα μεγάλης χωρητικότητας φορτηγά πλοία τύπου capesize.

Aπό πέρυσι έχει πουλήσει συνολικά 12 supramaxes και handymaxes με καθαρά έσοδα 58,7 εκατ. δολάρια. Θα αγοραστούν νεότερης ηλικίας και μεγαλύτερης χωρητικότητας τύπου ultramaxes και capersizes. Στο πλαίσιο αυτό αποκτήθηκε το μεταφορικής ικανότητας 180.600 τόνων capesize “Iron Miracle” ναυπήγησης 2011, με κόστος που σύμφωνα με πληροφορίες κυμαίνεται στα 27 εκατ. δολάρια.

Για τον ιδιόκτητο στόλο χύδην ξηρού φορτίου, ο Γρηγόρης Zήκος Oικονομικός Διευθυντής της εταιρίας σχολίασε: «Yλοποιούμε τη στρατηγική μας για την ανανέωση του στόλου μας και την αύξηση των μέσου μεγέθους. Kατά τη διάρκεια του έτους πήραμε την απόφαση να πουλήσουμε 12 πλοία μικρότερου μεγέθους και συμφωνήσαμε να αποκτήσουμε τρία πλοία capesize και ένα πλοίο ultramax. Mε την επιφύλαξη των συνθηκών της αγοράς, στόχος μας είναι να συνεχίσουμε την επέκτασή μας στην αγορά ξηρού φορτίου».

πηγή:dealnews.gr

Το άρθρο Ανεβάζουν επενδυτική ταχύτητα οι Έλληνες εφοπλιστές εμφανίστηκε πρώτα στο Maritimes.

“Σε αντίθεση με πριν από δέκα με δεκαπέντε χρόνια, κάθε νέα μεγαβατώρα ηλιακής και αιολικής ενέργειας είναι πολύ φθηνότερη από οτιδήποτε άλλο. Προσπαθούμε να τις αναπτύξουμε όσο το δυνατόν πιο γρήγορα. Βέβαια, οι ανανεώσιμες πηγές ενέργειας έχουν περιορισμούς. Εδώ υπεισέρχεται η ευελιξία και φυσικά οι ευέλικτες τεχνολογίες όπως το φυσικό αέριο ή οι μπαταρίες ή τα αντλιοστάσια – είναι σημαντικές τεχνολογίες που θα συνεχιστούν και θα είναι ακόμη πιο σημαντικές τα επόμενα χρόνια”, σημείωσε  ο κ. Στάσσης και πρόσθεσε πως με πεδίο δραστηριότητας σε Ελλάδα, Βόρεια Μακεδονία, Βουλγαρία, Ρουμανία, η ΔΕΗ έχει τη φιλοδοξία να αναπτυχθεί περισσότερο στην περιοχή. “Όλα όσα κάνουμε είναι γιατί προσβλέπουμε σε αυτή τη μετάβαση. Βλέπουμε ένα οικοσύστημα στο τέλος αυτής της ενεργειακής μετάβασης και κάνουμε μικρά βήματα για να φτάσουμε εκεί μέρα με τη μέρα”, ανέφερε. Τέλος, σημείωσε πως τη Δευτέρα είχε την ευκαιρία να συναντηθεί με τον Υφυπουργο Ενέργειας Τ.Παιατ ώστε να εξηγήσει τα σχέδιά του. “Νομίζω ότι αυτό είναι στη διεθνή ατζέντα αυτή τη στιγμή, οι συνολικές δραστηριότητες που κάνουμε σε όλη την περιοχή”, σημείωσε.

Η Deputy Assistant Secretary για την ενέργεια στο ΥΠΕΞ των ΗΠΑ, Kimberly Harrington, μίλησε για την αμερικανική ενεργειακή διπλωματία στην Ευρώπη. Υπογράμμισε πως η Ρωσία προβλέπεται να απολέσει μεγάλο μέρος των παγκόσμιου ποσοστού σε ΦΑ έως το 2030. “Οι προβλέψεις της Ρωσίας για διεθνώς εμπορεύσιμο φυσικό αέριο, που είχαν διαμορφωθεί στο 30% το 2021, πρόκειται να μειωθούν στο 15% μέχρι το 2030. Άρα μιλάμε για μια δραματική αλλαγή. Η ενεργειακή διπλωματία των ΗΠΑ εστιάζει ιδιαίτερα στο να διασφαλιστεί ότι οι φίλοι και οι σύμμαχοί μας, ιδιαίτερα στην Ευρώπη, έχουν πρόσβαση σε αξιόπιστες πηγές ενέργειας”, ανέφερε. Εστιάζοντας στην Ελλάδα πρόσθεσε πως βλέπουμε μερικά παραδείγματα νέων διασυνδέσεων προσθέτοντας πως ο Interconnector Ελλάδα-Βουλγαρία αναδιαμορφώνει τα ενεργειακά μονοπάτια της περιοχής και βοηθά να σπάσει το μονοπώλιο του προβλήματος στον εφοδιασμό με φυσικό αέριο στην περιοχή. “Βλέπουμε επίσης τη διασύνδεση της Ελλάδας Βόρειας Μακεδονίας – έναν τρόπο σύνδεσης της Βόρειας Μακεδονίας και αύξησης της ενεργειακής της ασφάλειας”, αναφέρει.

Ο επικεφαλής του East Med Gas Forum, Osama Mobarez, επικεντρώθηκε στις δράσεις για το κλίμα υπενθυμίζοντας την πρωτοβουλία του EMGF για την απολιγνιτοποίηση, που ξεκίνησαν στο COP27. “Στην COP28, ξεκινήσαμε τη δεύτερη φάση αυτής της πρωτοβουλίας. Και ο κύριος στόχος μας από αυτό είναι πώς μπορούμε να παράγουμε περισσότερο αέριο, αλλά με πιο υπεύθυνο τρόπο; Πώς μπορούμε να μετατρέψουμε την Ανατολική Μεσόγειο σε παροχή ενέργειας χαμηλού κόστους, χαμηλών εκπομπών άνθρακα;”, σημείωσε χαρακτηριστικά προσθέτοντας Η πρωτοβουλία αυτή αναγνώρισε τους πέντε βασικούς πυλώνες για το EMGF: τεχνολογία, εναρμόνιση πολιτικών και κανονισμών, την ανάδειξη της περιοχής σε κόμβο, την προσπάθεια διευκόλυνσης της χρηματοδότησης και την προσέλκυση επενδύσεων που παρέχονται από τον ιδιωτικό τομέα και την πιστοποίηση επιπέδων άνθρακα.

Για το τεράστιο αναξιοποίητο ενεργειακό δυναμικό, το ενεργειακό μείγμα και τις ΑΠΕ σε συνδυασμό με το υδρογόνο μίλησε μεταξύ άλλων ο πρώην πρέσβης, Jonathan Cohen. “Πρέπει να σκεφτείς όλο το καλάθι της παραγωγής και πώς θα το διαχειριστείς”, ανέφερε σχετικά με το υδρογόνο σε συνδυασμό με τα υποθαλάσσια καλώδια, την ηλιακή και την αιολική ενέργεια. “Είναι ενδιαφέρον ότι η ΕΕ έχει ορίσει οκτώ διαφορετικά σημεία στην Ευρωπαϊκή Ένωση ως κοιλάδες υδρογόνου, συμπεριλαμβανομένης της Κρήτης. Υπάρχει λοιπόν ένα πιλοτικό πρόγραμμα που εξετάζεται για να αυξηθεί η κοιλάδα του υδρογόνου. Η παραγωγή υδρογόνου είναι επίσης περίπλοκη, επομένως πρέπει να γίνει κάπου μακριά από αστικό κέντρο και πολύ κοντά τόσο σε πηγή ενέργειας όσο και σε μια σύνδεση μεταφοράς. Δεν είμαστε ακόμα εκεί, αλλά έρχεται γρήγορα”.

Το άρθρο Στάσσης από Ουάσιγκτον: καθαρές τεχνολογίες και ευέλικτη χωρητικότητα ολόκληρο το business plan της ΔΕΗ για τα επόμενα χρόνια εμφανίστηκε πρώτα στο Maritimes.

Leading provider of secure maritime data communications software, GTMaritime, has reported a significant rise in fleet data usage, with a 35% increase in monthly throughput recorded between 1 November 2022 and 31 October 2023.

Jamie Jones, Operations Director, GTMaritime, said: “Over the last 12 months, we have seen the amount of data used by vessels increase from 7.8 terabits a month to more than 10.6 terabits. This is a massive increase in data usage, and while part of that growth is due to a rise in the number of vessels using GTMaritime solutions, there has also been a 22% increase in the average amount of data per mailbox recorded over the same reporting period.”

With more LEO networks coming online and further reductions in maritime data costs, Jones expects the trend to continue into the new year and beyond. “Advances in maritime digitalisation and satellite communications have given the industry access to far higher bandwidths than ever before, and the introduction of LEO networks is another massive step forward in maritime connectivity. Increased data flows also heighten the need for secure, reliable and maritime-optimised solutions.”

The growing demand has brought continuous investment from GTMaritime to enhance its portfolio of secure maritime data communications solutions, added Jones, in line with evolving customer needs.

In its most recent upgrade, GTMaritime has redesigned user dashboards for its GTDeploy and GTReplicate products to offer a more consistent and simplified experience for managing vessels, file replications and software updates. The upgrades increase productivity by improving software workflows, to provide greater support for larger fleets and onboard computer systems.

Το άρθρο GTMaritime reports significant rise in fleet data usage εμφανίστηκε πρώτα στο Maritimes.

Singapore, December 13, 2023 – Stellar Shipmanagement Services Pte Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Global Energy Group, has taken delivery of a 4,000 DWT IMO Type 2 Chemical and Oil Tanker, classed by Bureau Veritas. MT “MAPLE” is the first dedicated methanol bunkering tanker to operate in the port of Singapore.

The delivery was formalized in a Delivery Ceremony in Osakikamijima, Hiroshima, Japan, on 13th December 2023. The vessel, MT “MAPLE”, was built by Sasaki Shipbuilding Co., Ltd, Hiroshima, Japan. The vessel is equipped with twin-screw propulsion, flow boom and a mass flow metering system, and is compliant with MPA’s current licensing requirements for Oil Product Bunker Tankers. The ship’s cargo tanks are specifically coated with inorganic zinc silicates for the carriage of methanol. A dedicated team supervised the construction of the 4,000 dwt IMO Type 2 tanker.

Global Energy Trading Pte Ltd (GET) is the trading arm of Global Energy Group. GET is a Singapore MPA-licensed and UAE-licensed bunker supplier, and offers a full range of marine fuels which will soon include biofuel (beyond Bio25) and methanol from 2024. The new bunkering tanker will join the GET fleet by the end of 2023.

Stellar Shipmanagement is a leading ship manager for oil and chemical tankers, providing full technical management and crewing services exclusively to the fleet of 20 tankers owned by Global Energy Group.

A second vessel, MT “KARA” ordered by the Group was launched on 29th November 2023 by Sasaki Shipbuilding Co. Ltd, and is scheduled for delivery in March 2024.

With the first dedicated methanol bunkering tanker built, GET, Stellar Shipmanagement and Bureau Veritas are now part of a working group spearheaded by the Maritime & Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) to introduce a new bunkering procedure for the safe handling and delivery of methanol as a marine fuel to ships refueling in the port of Singapore.

Mr. Loh Hong Leong, Group Managing Director of Global Energy Group, commented: “We believe IMO Type 2 tankers will be the next generation of bunkering tankers to serve the industry, offering the flexibility to handle a wider range of marine fuels, in particular biofuels and methanol. With this addition, we will be able to trade and supply two low carbon transitional marine fuels which will support the shipping industry with a pivotal step on its decarbonization journey.”

Kelvin Kang, General Manager of Stellar Shipmanagement, commented: “To operate IMO Type 2 tankers to provide a bunkering service, the expectations of our management will be taken to new heights with calls for a much higher safety standard and in the quality of crew to man the ship.”

David Barrow, Marine & Offshore, Vice-President South Asia and Pacific, Bureau Veritas, commented: “The delivery of Singapore’s first dedicated methanol bunkering vessel is an important step to support the adoption of alternative low-carbon fuels by shipping. By enabling the delivery of methanol to vessels calling at Singapore, the new vessel will contribute to developing the industry’s supply and bunkering capabilities, which are essential in order to scale up those fuels and ensure their availability.”

About Bureau Veritas:

Bureau Veritas is a world leader in laboratory testing, inspection, and certification services. Created in 1828, the Group has 84,000 employees located in more than 1,600 offices and laboratories around the globe. Bureau Veritas helps its clients improve their performance by offering services and innovative solutions to help ensure that their assets, products, infrastructure and processes meet standards and regulations in terms of quality, health and safety, environmental protection and social responsibility.
Bureau Veritas is listed on Euronext Paris and belongs to the CAC 40 ESG, CAC Next 20 and SBF 120 indices. Compartment A, ISIN code FR 0006174348, stock symbol: BVI.

Το άρθρο Global Energy Group’s Stellar Shipmanagement takes delivery of Singapore’s first dedicated methanol bunkering tanker, classed by Bureau Veritas εμφανίστηκε πρώτα στο Maritimes.

Executive summary:
• SOFeXchange and DEMeXchange, Statement of Fact and Laytime/Demurrage calculation software providers have been acquired by Athens-based Harbor Lab

• The acquisition was aimed to help the digitalisation of SoF (Statement of Facts) and demurrage calculation processes, improving even more the efficiency and accuracy the platform offers
Athens, 11 th December 2023 – In a game-changing move to redefine the maritime industry, Athensbased Harbor Lab proudly announces the acquisition of two maritime software products, SOFeXchange and DEMeXchange, from Osiris Ltd.

These strategic additions to Harbor Lab’s arsenal are set to revolutionize the way the maritime sector operates its ‘last mile’ processes, ushering in a new era of efficiency and precision. With this acquisition, Harbor Lab will integrate the technology into its existing software, offering a more wellrounded solution.

SOFeXchange, the digital Statement of Facts (SoF) provider for the maritime sector, is poised to transform and standardize the creation of SOF documents. This cutting-edge tool brings with it several features such as real-time insights into port events, Smart Laytime EventsTM for all cargo types, and easy handling of documents and attachments including LOPs, NORs, and B/L.
DEMeXchange, a digital demurrage calculation tool, complements SOFeXchange with its own set of game-changing functionalities, including the direct import of information, events, and time stamps from SOFeXchange, swift demurrage and despatch calculations based on Charter Party demurrage terms, as well as the streamlined creation of claims packs.

Harbor Lab’s Founder & CEO, Antonis Malaxianakis, said, “We are immensely proud of our first acquisition as it is a giant leap forward for the transformational shift we want to bring. We are now one step closer to our vision for a digitally connected industry that truly streamlines and optimises port call related processes. We want teams to make accurate decisions based on data, not gut feelings. By automating and streamlining these processes through a single platform, operations and demurrage teams can redirect their efforts toward more complex and value-added tasks, unlocking unprecedented savings opportunities in contracts.”

By including these new pieces of software into the Harbour Lab package, users will be able to digitally map critical events during a port call to calculate laytime and demurrage charges, helping to improve the efficiency of vessel turnaround operations.

Adrian Challinor, Founder of SOFeXchange and DEMeXchange said: “Critical events during a port call can now be automatically mapped, and laytime calculations are executed seamlessly, eradicating the laborious task of manual data entry. Miscalculations are commonplace and they can be an administrative headache, losing money and wasting time. Port cost management has long been left out of the digitization and technology race, but joining Harbor Lab to lead the SOFeXchange and DEMeXchange integration will allow me to work on further modernizing the areas that have the biggest benefits to all parties.”
–
About Harbor Lab
Harbor Lab is an Athens, Greece-based forward-thinking maritime software company offering the first e-disbursements accounts analysis software that automatically calculates and evaluates port expenses against real-time port tariffs, optimizing the Port Cost Management process. Founded in March 2020 by Antonis Malaxianakis, its purpose is to build trust in the maritime ecosystem. It currently has 1300 vessels, whose disbursement accounting is run through the platform and more than 5000 agents and vendors registered. Since the company’s inception, it has rolled out a number of cloud-based products that provide ship operators, managers and charterers with greater transparency and in-house control and monitoring of their vessels’ costs. Harbor Lab has 70 employees.

Το άρθρο Harbor Lab acquires SOFeXchange and DEMeXchange products from Osiris Ltd. in a move to digitise statement of facts and demurrage claim processes εμφανίστηκε πρώτα στο Maritimes.

• The first OVERSEA Fleet Support Center, developed in collaboration between ABB and Wallenius Marine, will provide digital offering and fleet support as a service

• The site in Stockholm, Sweden brings together the OVERSEA fleet support and the analytics expertise that will offer shipping companies personalized services in a centralized manner

• The new facility will help turn data into insights and insights into actions for efficient shipping operations 

ABB and shipping company Wallenius Marine have opened the doors of the first OVERSEA Fleet Support Center, a major milestone in their collaborative strategy to help shipping companies improve environmental, technical and voyage performance.

One of the maritime industry’s first digital and fleet support centers to be developed as a service, OVERSEA provides recommendations to help vessels, across all types and fleet sizes, achieve measurable performance improvements, leading to reduced fuel consumption and emissions. OVERSEA leverages ABB’s extensive expertise in ship technologies and the ABB Ability Genix Industrial Analytics and AI IoT platform, combined with ship management and vessel performance management knowledge from Wallenius Marine.

Located in Stockholm, Sweden, the OVERSEA Fleet Support Center allows ship managers, onboard crew, and the OVERSEA Center experts to use the same platform and data to work jointly on problem solving and improving operational efficiency. Shipping companies can rely on OVERSEA center experts for daily advice, periodic performance reviews and reporting, with the effectiveness of decisions made transparent to all parties. The Stockholm center will also be working on pilot projects to continuously develop and enhance the OVERSEA offering.

“OVERSEA is fully aligned with our sustainability ambitions, taking the marine industry towards truly sustainable shipping. We are very satisfied to see the organization grow, and the OVERSEA center in Stockholm inaugurated, ready to support customers and provide them with world-class service and support,” said Johan Mattsson, CEO of Wallenius Marine.

Ongoing pilot projects include the OVERSEA ‘Technical’ optimization module (hull & propeller, main engine efficiency/condition) and the monitoring, forecasting and breakdown function, which is in line with the International Maritime Organization’s Carbon Intensity Indicator (CII).

The projects will also establish the ‘integrated system for tasks’ to keep track of all interaction between the Oversea Fleet Support Center and the customer vessels and office. This will deliver more structured workflows for distributing, approving, and closing requests/recommendations to ensure that actions for improving operational performance are executed.

“We look forward to many ship owners and operators utilizing OVERSEA in the efforts to improve the operational performance of their fleets,” said Jyri Jusslin, Head of Marine Service and Digital, ABB Marine & Ports. “We are excited to invite our customers to the newly opened OVERSEA Fleet Support Center and show them what we do, how we work and how we can best support them in making their shipping operations more efficient and, ultimately, more sustainable.” 

ABB’s Process Automation business automates, electrifies and digitalizes industrial operations that address a wide range of essential needs – from supplying energy, water and materials, to producing goods and transporting them to market. With its ~20,000 employees, leading technology and service expertise, ABB Process Automation helps customers in process, hybrid and maritime industries improve performance and safety of operations, enabling a more sustainable and resource-efficient future. go.abb/processautomation

ABB is a technology leader in electrification and automation, enabling a more sustainable and resource-efficient future. The company’s solutions connect engineering know-how and software to optimize how things are manufactured, moved, powered and operated. Building on more than 140 years of excellence, ABB’s ~105,000 employees are committed to driving innovations that accelerate industrial transformation. www.abb.com

Wallenius Marine offers a complete shipping service – from innovative design and newbuilding to ship management. The vision is to lead the way towards truly sustainable shipping. Thanks to a long-term perspective and an integrated way of working, operational feedback is used to optimize performance. Wallenius Marine is now designing the first wind-powered vessels from the Oceanbird concept. www.walleniusmarine.com

Το άρθρο ABB and Wallenius Marine open the first OVERSEA Fleet Support Center to provide centralized services εμφανίστηκε πρώτα στο Maritimes.

Leading, Diversified and Scrubber-Fitted Fleet of 169 Owned Vessels

Best-in-Class Commercial and Technical Operations and Expanded Global Presence Spanning Europe, Asia and North America

Expect to Realize Meaningful Financial Benefits from Significant Cost and Revenue Synergies

ATHENS, GREECE and STAMFORD, CONN – December 11, 2023 – Star Bulk Carriers Corp. (“Star Bulk”) (Nasdaq: SBLK), a global shipping company focusing on the transportation of dry bulk cargoes, and Eagle Bulk Shipping Inc. (NYSE: EGLE) (“Eagle”), one of the world’s largest owner-operators within the midsize dry bulk vessel segment, today announced that the companies have entered into a definitive agreement to combine in an all-stock merger on a Net Asset Value to Net Asset Value (“NAV”) basis with a pro forma market capitalization of approximately $2.1 billion1
.
Under the terms of the agreement, which was unanimously approved by the boards of directors of both companies, Eagle shareholders will receive 2.6211 shares of Star Bulk common stock for each share of Eagle common stock owned. This represents a total consideration of approximately $52.60 per share, a 17% premium based on Eagle’s closing share price of $44.85 on December 8, 2023. Upon the close of the transaction, Star Bulk and Eagle shareholders will own approximately 71% and 29% of the combined company on a fully diluted basis, respectively.
Petros Pappas, Chief Executive Officer of Star Bulk, commented, “Bringing together Star Bulk and Eagle will create a global leader in dry bulk shipping with a large, diversified, scrubber fitted fleet. Together we will benefit from greater scale with 169 owned vessels, generating meaningful synergies and building an even stronger financial profile. We will leverage both companies’ technical and commercial fleet management capabilities to optimize performance, deliver on our health, safety, and environmental objectives and maximize earnings potential. With a well-capitalized balance sheet, we aim to continue delivering strong cash return to shareholders while investing in emission reduction technologies as we continue to pursue growth over the long term. We look forward to working with the talented Eagle team to successfully integrate the two companies.”

Gary Vogel, Eagle Chief Executive Officer, said, “We are very excited to be joining forces with Star Bulk, uniting two best-in-class companies, both commercially and operationally. We are bringing together two highly complementary organizations and are confident that this accretive merger with Star Bulk will unlock significant value for Eagle shareholders, including the opportunity to participate in the long-term upside of the combined company.”

1 Based on the closing stock prices of Star Bulk and Eagle on December 8, 2023.

Strategic and Financial Benefits

• A Leading, Diversified Fleet of Scrubber-Fitted Vessels with Greater Scale. The combined company will be the largest U.S. listed dry bulk shipping company with a combined fleet of 169 owned-vessels on a fully delivered basis, 97% of which are fitted with Exhaust Gas Cleaning Systems (“scrubbers”), ranging from Newcastlemax/Capesize to Supramax/Ultramax vessels and a global market presence. • Best-in-Class Technology-Driven Operations and Management. Both companies employ fully integrated ship management operations across commercial and technical management, and Star Bulk will leverage Eagle’s expertise in the Supramax/Ultramax sector to improve upon utilization and performance.

• Strong Financial Profile and Capital Return Framework: The combined company is expected to have combined liquidity2 of nearly $420 million, as of September 30, 2023, and net leverage of approximately 37%
3
. Both companies expect to maintain their respective dividend policies until the transaction is completed. Following close, the combined company expects to maintain Star Bulk’s current dividend policy.

• Significant Cost and Revenue Synergies. The transaction is expected to generate at least $50 million in annual cost and revenue synergies within 12-18 months following close through commercial operations integration and economies of scale, including reductions in general and administrative expenses.

• More Attractive Investment Proposition: The combined company will have significantly increased pro forma market capitalization and expected trading liquidity in the dry bulk sector.

With increased size and liquidity, the combined company expects to reduce its cost of capital.

Leadership, Governance and Headquarters

The combined company will be led by the current management team of Star Bulk and will be joined by certain senior executives of Eagle. Upon close, Mr. Pappas will serve as CEO of the combined company and Spyros Capralos, current Chairman of Star Bulk, will serve as Chairman of the combined company’s Board. One member of the Eagle Board will join the Star Bulk Board at closing.

The combined company will operate as Star Bulk Carriers Corp. and will be headquartered in Athens, Greece, while maintaining offices in Stamford, Connecticut; Singapore; Copenhagen; and Limassol.

2Combined liquidity, which is a non-GAAP financial measure, is calculated by adding the amount of Star Bulk’s and Eagle’s cash and cash equivalents and undrawn revolver availability, in each case, as of September 30, 2023, as adjusted for cash expenditures by Star Bulk in connection with its repurchase of shares held by Oaktree, debt repayments, dividends, draw downs under bridge facilities and proceeds from vessel sales and equity raises, in each case, during the period between September 30, 2023 and December 8, 2023, as applicable.

3 Combined net leverage is calculated by dividing (a) the sum of Star Bulk’s and Eagle’s net debt by (b) the sum of Star Bulk’s and Eagle’s gross asset value. Net debt, which is a non-GAAP financial measure, is calculated as debt less cash and cash equivalents, in each case, as of September 30, 2023. Gross asset value, which is a non-GAAP financial measure, is fleet valuation as per VesselValues on October 29, 2023.

Timing and Approvals
The transaction is expected to close in the first half of 2024, subject to approval by Eagle shareholders, receipt of applicable regulatory approvals and satisfaction of other customary closing conditions.

Advisors
Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP is serving as its legal counsel to Star Bulk. Houlihan Lokey is serving as financial advisor to Eagle and Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP is serving as legal counsel to Eagle and Hogan Lovells US LLP is serving as legal counsel to the Board of Directors of Eagle.

About Star Bulk
Star Bulk is a global shipping company providing worldwide seaborne transportation solutions in the dry bulk sector. Star Bulk’s vessels transport major bulks, which include iron ore, minerals and grain, and minor bulks, which include bauxite, fertilizers and steel products. Star Bulk was incorporated in the Marshall Islands on December 13, 2006 and maintains executive offices in Athens, New York, Limassol, Singapore and Germany. Its common stock trades on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the symbol “SBLK”. As of December 8, 2023 and as adjusted for the delivery of a) one agreed to be sold vessels to their new owner and b) the two firm Kamsarmax vessels currently under construction, Star Bulk operates a fleet of 117 vessels, with an aggregate capacity of 13.2 million dwt, consisting of 17 Newcastlemax, 20 Capesize, 2 Mini Capesize, 7 Post Panamax, 41 Kamsarmax, 2 Panamax, 19 Ultramax and 9 Supramax
vessels with carrying capacities between 53,489 dwt and 209,529 dwt.

In addition, as of the date of this release, Star Bulk has entered into long-term charter-in arrangements with respect to four Kamsarmax newbuildings and two Ultramax newbuildings which are expected to be delivered during 2024 with an approximate duration of seven years per vessel plus optional years. In addition, in November 2021 Star Bulk took delivery of the Capesize vessel Star Shibumi, under a longterm charter-in contract for a period up to November 2028.

About Eagle Bulk Shipping Inc.
Eagle is a U.S.-based, fully integrated shipowner-operator, providing global transportation solutions to a diverse group of customers including miners, producers, traders and end users. Headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut, with offices in Singapore and Copenhagen, Eagle focuses exclusively on the versatile midsize dry bulk vessel segment and owns one of the largest fleets of Supramax/Ultramax vessels in the world. Eagle performs all management services in-house (strategic, commercial, operational, technical, and administrative) and employs an active management approach to fleet trading with the objective of optimizing revenue performance and maximizing earnings on a risk-managed basis.For further information, please visit Eagle’s website: www.eagleships.com.

Το άρθρο Star Bulk and Eagle Bulk Shipping to Combine, Creating a Global Leader in Dry Bulk Shipping εμφανίστηκε πρώτα στο Maritimes.

Damen Naval orders MAN 28/33D STC and 175D GenSets for Royal Netherlands and Belgium Navies

Damen Naval – the Dutch shipyard based in Vlissingen, the Netherlands, and part of the Damen Group – has contracted MAN Energy Solutions to supply the propulsion engines and GenSets for four newbuilding Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) Frigates. The order consists of 8 × MAN 20V28/33D STC marine engines and 16 × variable-speed MAN 16V175D-MEV naval generator sets with sound enclosures and plant auxiliaries.

The agreement also provides for Integrated Logistics Support for the frigates, with two vessels each bound for the Royal Netherlands and Belgium Navies. The first engines and generator sets are scheduled for delivery in August 2025 with Damen Naval expected to deliver the first frigate in 2028.

The new order marks the second cooperation between the companies in just over a year, after MAN Energy Solutions won the order in September 2022 to supply the propulsion engines for the F126 frigates currently being built by Damen Naval for the German Navy.

Roland Briene, Managing Director at Damen Naval, said: “The MAN 20V28/33D STC engines are considered to be one of the most powerful and fuel-efficient 1,000 rpm diesel engines in the world and we believe they are the best solution for the ASW Frigates. Damen Naval and MAN Energy Solutions have long been trusted partners on various projects and we are delighted to co-operate with them on this latest one.”

The ASW frigates’ primary brief will be anti-submarine warfare and they are designed to sail as quietly as possible to avoid detection by submarines. The cutting-edge 175D naval generator sets are a key element in this fundamental characteristic of the frigates and will also comply with the highest requirements for shock noise and vibration.

Ben Andres, Head of Medium & High Speed at MAN Energy Solutions, said: “We at MAN Energy Solutions are thrilled and honoured to have been chosen to participate in this significant ASWF programme with our naval solutions. This project undoubtedly places us at the forefront of high-end naval applications due to the exceptional performance of our products and services, specifically the 175D naval generator sets. Damen Naval possesses profound knowledge and expertise in all facets of such complex and challenging projects and we are eagerly looking forward to another close cooperation between our companies.”

The ASW frigates will replace the current multipurpose frigates of the Karel Doorman-class that were built between 1985 and 1991 by Damen Naval. With the vessels’ end-of-service life in sight, the Netherlands and Belgium jointly decided to replace them with the ASW frigates.

About Damen Naval

Damen Naval is the dedicated naval shipbuilding division of the Damen Shipyards Group and the only naval original equipment manufacturer (OEM) in the Netherlands. Having delivered more than 400 vessels to customers around the world, Damen Naval offers a role as designer, engineer, builder, integrator, and service provider throughout a ship’s lifecycle.

Το άρθρο MAN Energy Solutions to Supply Main Engines and Generator Sets for Naval Frigates εμφανίστηκε πρώτα στο Maritimes.

As tankers, car-carriers and other merchant vessels pass through the Malacca Strait, unlit fishing boats criss-cross the shipping lanes at night, making it one of the most challenging sea areas of the world to transit, even during peacetime.

Should a major war ever come to Asia, those challenges could be magnified spectacularly, with hundreds of vessels abruptly leaving the international waters in the middle of the Strait for what they hope might be the relative safety of the national territorial waters of nearby neutral nations.

The Strait – between Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore – marks the entry point between the Indian Ocean into the South China Sea, a maritime chokepoint through which much of the goods manufactured in Asia pass out into the world. It also carries much of Asia’s oil and gas – including three quarters of that for China.

For now, the actual immediate threat to shipping in the region is limited – particularly compared with another major maritime checkpoint in the Gulf of Aden, where suspected Iran-backed Houthi militants have attacked multiple vessels since Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7.

There, those attacks – as well as both attempted and successful hijackings by small boats that were, in one case, aided by a former Yemeni military helicopter – represent by far the most significant disruption to maritime trade since the height of the Somali piracy crisis in 2011.

The Malacca Strait – 500 nautical miles long and between 40 and 155 wide – had a reputation in the 1990s and early 2000s, for repeated piracy and armed attacks until increased patrols by regional navies brought them down to manageable levels.

That progress, however, appears to have been reversed in the 2020s, something some analysts attributed to increased poverty in regional communities following the COVID-19 pandemic.

By late October, the number of incidents so far this year had reached 62, including at least three in a single October week. That has prompted seafaring organisations to call for greater action to prevent attacks.

In the Indian Ocean, a much larger epidemic of piracy in the 2010s was eventually reversed largely because the hiring of armed guards on merchant vessels eventually made them too hard for lightly armed pirate crews to capture. At the start of this year, the global shipping industry ceased referring to the Indian Ocean as a “high-risk zone” – only for the recent Gaza war to cause chaos once again.

So far, at least one non-Israeli ship has been damaged in a missile strike, while US warships in the region have now shot down attacking drones and missiles on a scale unseen in recent naval history.

Those attacks are already having an impact on international shipping patterns, as well as prompting a wider reappraisal of what other regions might suddenly turn violent offshore.

“The world is on fire,” one commercial vessel captain said on condition of anonymity. “We do not know what we will wake up to tomorrow.”

Conflict has also come to European waters. The Ukraine war has seen the Black Sea periodically become a war zone, particularly following the unravelling of a Turkish and UN-negotiated deal to allow grain ships to sail.

Only a UK-brokered deal to provide more risk insurance to commercial vessels passing through Ukrainian waters has allowed shipments to continue, despite periodic ongoing attacks – while where possible, ships now cling to the national coastal waters of NATO members Bulgaria and Romania.

SEEKING SAFER WATERS

Some shipping lines including Maersk and ZIM have said publicly they are now diverting vessels away fromthe Gulf of Aden and Suez Canal, sending them round the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa rather than risking the Red Sea. Monitoring firm Alphaminer said on Dec. 4 that at least 12 container ships had now taken that longer and more expensive route.

All that would feel like just a pinprick compared with the disruption of a war in Asia, which could well see Beijing attempting to impose a blockade on vessels heading to Taiwan as well as efforts to attack, disrupt and intercept Chinese military and perhaps civilian vessels by the US and its allies.

Indian strategists have talked of using submarines and missiles to block the Malacca Strait entirely should they find themselves in existential war against Beijing. According to China expert Andrew Erickson at the US Naval War College, foreign policy thinkers in Beijing have long referred to China’s dependence on energy imports by that route as the “Malacca Dilemma”.

The prospect of blockade has not escaped the Pentagon. The fifth tranche of the US Virginia class attack submarines are capable of carrying 65 missiles and torpedoes each, more than twice the number of the earlier tranches launched since 2003. Australia will also purchase three of these submarines, followed by a new generation of US-British-Australian-US “AUKUS” subs.

Since the election victory of Filipino President Bongbong Marcos, the US has also made agreements to significantly increase its military presence at the other end of the South China Sea overlooking the Luzon Strait between the Philippines and Taiwan, another maritime “choke point” that would be particularly critical in the event of a Taiwan invasion.

Some US officials say Chinese President Xi Jinping appears to have instructed his military to be ready for war to retake Taiwan by 2027. As long as that suggestion remains, the Malacca Strait is likely to stay restive, despite what appeared a relatively friendly meeting between Xi and the US President Joe Biden in California last month.

Even without that, conflict is also possible with the Philippines themselves over a string of disputed islands claimed and in many cases occupied by either Manila or Beijing. Recent months have seen a number of clashes between ships and aircraft, including the use of water cannon and the apparently deliberate ramming of a Filipinovessel by a Chinese counterpart.

What widespread naval hostilities might look like for global trade, no one really knows. In the two world wars, the US, Britain and other allies were able to corral their merchant ships into convoys in order to protect them. Now, however, most of the world’s trade – particularly with the West – is conducted by a multinational mess of often foreign-flagged vessels.

China also owns multiple ports and other facilities around the region – including one in the highly strategic northern Australian town of Darwin, which also hosts Australian and periodically US forces. Some analysts warned that China might hide anti-ship missiles in containers, allowing surprise strikes including from its massive shipping sector. Undersea cables carrying communications and sometimes energy might also be vulnerable.

Countries across the world and region are investing massively in anti-ship missile capabilities, particularly in the Indian-Russian manufactured Brahmos. The ongoing relationship between Moscow and New Delhi is another complicating factor for the US and its allies, as is the fact that many other countries in the region are clearly desperate to stay neutral.

In September, the Association of South East Asian Nations conducted their first military drills without the US or any other actors, described as a humanitarian exercise hosted by Indonesia. Some analysts suggest the aim was to ensure their forces could work together in a crisis, including to sail to Taiwan under a potentially neutral flag to evacuate their citizens in the event of an invasion.

Like the waters of the Indian Ocean and Red Sea, the Southeast Asian region is heading for what might well be termed “interesting times” – and what happens to its sea lanes then could well affect almost everyone on earth.
Source: Reuters (Editing by Andrew Heavens)

Το άρθρο Shipping seeks safe waters in era of deadly geopolitics εμφανίστηκε πρώτα στο Maritimes.

Clean

LR2

LRs in the MEG saw activity levels pick up this week and freight resurged optimistically. The 75Kt MEG/Japan TC1 index gained 19.17 points to end up at WS130.56. The 90kt MEG/UK-Continent TC20 run to the UK-Continent also climbed $375,000 to $3.56m.

West of Suez, Mediterranean/East LR2’s on TC15 held resolute at $3.4m all week and the TCE hovered over the $10,000/day Baltic round trip at time of writing.

LR1

In the MEG, LR1s also saw a welcome uptick in their value this week similar to their larger siblings. The 55kt MEG/Japan index of hopped up 11.87 points to WS130.31 and the 65kt MEG/UK-Continent of TC8 climbed $46,800 to $2.82m.

On the UK-Continent, the 60Kt ARA/West Africa TC16 index just dipped from WS205.63 to WS198.44. The Baltic round trip TCE for the run is still just under $45,000/day at these levels.

MR

MRs in the MEG recharged after having been on the ropes last week. TC17 pumped up 59.64 points to WS243.93 with the Baltic TCE for the run climbing by 75% to $27,588/day round trip.

UK-Continent MRs took a downturn this week, with some attributing celebrations of the season in London as a factor. The 37kt ARA/US-Atlantic coast of TC2 dipped from WS211.25 to WS193.75. On a TC19 run (37kt ARA/West Africa) the index, by comparison, lost just five points to WS232.81. Baltic round trip TCEs for the runs are now $24,200/day and $33,100/day, respectively.

The USG MRs have seen continued action this week with plenty of open enquiry and the available tonnage in a state of flux. TC14 (38kt US-Gulf/UK-Continent) danced around a little but ultimately added 9.64 points to currently be marked at WS268.93. The 38kt US Gulf/Brazil on TC18 was a bit more assured in its direction and the index went from WS350.71 to WS377.86. A 38kt US-Gulf/Caribbean TC21 trip stepped up from $1.74m to $1.81m.

The MR Atlantic Triangulation Basket TCE ultimately climbed from $57,821 to $58,239.

Handymax

In the Mediterranean, Handymax’s have stabilised this week at WS265 with demand and supply balanced for the moment.

Up in northwest Europe, the TC23 30kt Cross UK-Continent ticked up for the second week in a row, adding 23.33 points to WS213.61.

VLCC

The market has been relatively flat this week, with rates from the Middle East sideways, and slightly softer in the Atlantic. For the 270,000 mt Middle East Gulf to China route, the value is unchanged at WS66.5, which corresponds to a daily round-trip TCE of just over $48,747 basis the Baltic Exchange’s vessel description, although this is actually about $3,000/day greater than a week ago. The 280,000 mt Middle East Gulf to US Gulf trip (via the cape/cape routing) is still assessed around the WS35-36 level.

In the Atlantic market, the rate for 260,000 mt West Africa/China is now a point off from last Friday’s number at WS66.4 (which shows a round voyage TCE of $49,961/day, about a $1,500/day increase from a week ago), while the rate for 270,000 mt US Gulf/China fell $188,889 to $9,511,111 ($44,290/day round trip TCE, an increase of over $1,000/day), while overnight there are reports of a traders relet on subjects to another trader at $9,350,000.

Suezmax

Suezmaxes in West Africa firmed a little this week with assessments for 130,000 mt Nigeria/UK Continent route climbed four points to WS102.73 (a daily round-trip TCE of $41,010). In the Mediterranean and Black Sea region, the 135,000 mt CPC/Med route rose one point to WS137.5 (showing a daily TCE of $65,723 round-trip). In the Middle East, the rate for 140,000 mt Middle East Gulf to the Mediterranean dropped a point to WS67.

Aframax

In the North Sea, the rate for the 80,000 mt Cross-UK Continent route slipped about 2.5 points to WS142.14 (showing a round-trip daily TCE of $45,996 basis Hound Point to Wilhelmshaven). In the Mediterranean market the rate for 80,000 mt Cross-Mediterranean dropped 12 points to WS136 (basis Ceyhan to Lavera, that shows a daily round trip TCE of $35,745).

On the other side of the Atlantic, the market has continued in a downward direction. The rate for 70,000 mt East Coast Mexico/US Gulf (TD26) has fallen 40 points to WS138.13 (a daily round-trip TCE of $29,543) and the 70,000 mt Covenas/US Gulf rate has shed 32 points to WS134.38 (a round-trip TCE of $27,359/day). The rate for the trans-Atlantic route of 70,000 mt US Gulf/UK Continent has been weakened by 17 points to WS159.06 (a round trip TCE basis Houston/Rotterdam of $38,597/day).
Source: Baltic Exchange

Το άρθρο VLCC: The market has been relatively flat this week εμφανίστηκε πρώτα στο Maritimes.