News

Chinese officials released figures for the shipbuilding industry in the first nine months of 2024 reporting that its yards have dominated new orders and expanded their global leadership. The numbers will undoubtedly further fuel the growing global sentiment against China’s shipbuilding dominance and the specific protests by trade groups in the United States and Canada.

In a unique collaboration, a ship designed to transport spent nuclear fuel operating for the UK government will also become the first to trial a new wind-assisted propulsion technology. 

Amasus, a European shortsea, bulk, and general cargo company, and Spain’s bound4blue have agreed to a second installation of the company’s suction sail technology, eSail, on one of the company’s cargo ships.

A freighter at the port of Dakar, Senegal sank at the pier last week after it was hit by an arriving bulker, according to the local port authority. That bulker, named by Senegalese officials as the Zografia, appears to be a Greek-owned vessel that survived a Houthi missile attack in January.  

The United Kingdom is living up to its promise to establish green shipping corridors to decarbonize the maritime sector. In December last year, the country made a pledge in the Clydebank Declaration at COP26 to establish six green shipping corridors by the middle of this decade through a coalition of like-minded countries.

Russian authorities are reporting that three crewmembers were recovered but that four others were missing after a small general cargo ship capsized near Korsakov port at the southern end of Sakhalin Island in the Far East. 

Ukrainian officials are reporting multiple deaths and injuries in the Odesa port region as Russia intensifies its attacks on the Black Sea ports. The reports indicate that the third foreign vessel, a containership, was also damaged during the overnight attacks which appeared timed to Ukraine’s harvest and exports to increase exports.

Further demonstrating the growing interest in wind-assisted propulsion emerging in the industry, Anthony Veder, a leading operator of gas carriers, completed the first installation of wind-assisted propulsion on an LPG gas carrier.

Russia is reportedly expanding its shipbuilding cooperation with India, with two Indian shipyards being considered for construction of four non-nuclear icebreakers. The project is estimated to cost a total of $713 million.

MONTHLY LIST OF THE VESSELS BEACHED AT THE INDIAN DEMOLITION YARDS; JULY - AUGUST - SEPTEMBER 2024

South Korea highlights that the first containership designed with an integrated automation system has completed its installation and testing and is now starting international service. The project which was supported by South Korea’s Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries is designed to advance and commercialize autonomous shipping.

There is a strong need for more offshore vessels according to the joint venture launched a year ago by Schoeller Holdings and Deutsche Offshore Schiffahrt. The companies announced the order of four special-purpose vessels, construction commissioning service operation vessels (C-CSOV) which they believe will fill the need with a more versatile and capable design.

Wärtsilä highlights that it has been contracted for one of the first retrofit projects preparing in-service ships for the future adoption of carbon capture and storage integrated into the vessel’s emissions scrubbers.

The Biden administration continues to move forward aggressively to realize its plans for offshore wind energy generation scheduling the second auction planned for October 2024. The Department of the Interior set October 29 for the first auction of Gulf of Maine areas which would be just two weeks after the scheduled sale on the Oregon coast.

The Port Argentia in the eastern reaches of Canada’s Newfoundland is using its strategic position and available land to develop a business in staging for U.S. offshore wind farms. Port officials reported they have signed a contract with Denmark’s Scan Global Logistics which is responsible for transporting the wind turbine blades which will be staged in 2024 and 2025 before installation.

The saga of the bulker Ruby, laden with a potentially explosive cargo, continues with the authorities in Northern Europe closely tracking the vessel’s movements. The resolution of the situation remains unclear as the ship continues to hold 20,000 tons of ammonium nitrate which is causing concern over the dangerous nature of the cargo under certain conditions.

The cargo ship which caused concerns in Norway when it was discovered to be carrying seven times the amount of ammonium nitrate that caused the devastating explosion in Beirut in 2020 is again underway creating new mysteries.

With no apparent progress to break the impasse between the International Longshoremen’s Association and the US Maritime Alliance, carriers are announcing surcharges to help address potential disruptions while they expect continued strength in the peak season and warn of congestion already at ports around the world.

As part of its ongoing strategy to hone its operations to improve financial results, UK-based Rolls-Royce is selling its naval propulsors and handling business to Fairbanks Morse Defense, a leading U.S. defense contractor.

Federal safety inspectors reported that they found a long list of violations during an inspection of an Ohio shipyard after a March 2024 fire aboard a Laker that was being prepared for the summer season.