Terror Threat to Primary Supply Chain

15 Jan 2024 News

The events of the last month have again drawn the world’s attention to the vulnerability of a major supply chain and maritime trade choke point to terrorism. Not since the Suez Canal was closed following the 6 day war between Israel and her neighbours in 1967 have so many ships trading between Asia and Europe been re-routed via the Cape of Good Hope. Between 1986 and 1985 the Canal was of course closed to all shipping but now it is Iranian financed and armed Houthi terrorists based in Yemen that are creating havoc by launching attacks, primarily aimed at container shipping when transiting the 20 mile wide Bab al Mandab Strait at the southern end of the Red Sea, an area which hosts close to 12% of world trade including 30% of container traffic on a daily basis. The stated objective is to punish vessels having trading links with Israel, however the range of vessels being targeted goes well beyond this.

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Ecuador on the brink

15 Dec 2023 News

A recent BBC headline ran “Ecuadoreans are voting in the run-off of a presidential election that has been overshadowed by a crime wave which has turned the country into one of the most violent in the region.

The first round of the election was held just days after presidential candidate Fernando Villavicenio, an outspoken opponent of organized crime and corruption, was shot dead in the capital city of Quito. Seven suspects were arrested in connection with his assassination but have themselves been murdered in jail”.

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The Challenge for the Fuels of the Future

15 Nov 2023 News

Despite the many regulatory, operational and practical hurdles to be overcome, green methanol, ammonia and hydrogen are all seen as promising (non fossil) fuels for the future of shipping.

Earlier this year, the Greek Shipowner Avin International took delivery of the 156,700 tonnes DWT Suezmax tanker Kriti Future, having the world’s first ammonia powered main engine. While currently running on conventional fuel she is classed by ABS as Ammonia Ready Level 1. Meanwhile, Rio Tinto and AngloEastern have joined a consortium of 34 companies formed by Itochu to build a Newcastlemax bulk carrier having similar dual fuel engines. It is also known that China is working on the design of ammonia powered container ships.

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Offshore wind generation faces headwinds.

16 Oct 2023 News

The expansion of demand for wind energy is no more evident than in the European Union which is in the process of finalizing a legally binding requirement to produce 42.5% of energy from renewable sources by 2030. The current requirement is 32% but to meet the new target will require 420 gigawatts (GW) of wind energy including 103 GW offshore. This is more than double current capacity of 205 GW including an estimated 17 GW offshore.

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panama canal expansion

Panama Canal expansion faces climate change challenges

15 Sep 2023 News

When the expanded Panama Canal opened for commercial operations in 2016, the prospects for easier access between Asia and the U.S. East Coast looked set to provide a major boost to east-west trade. Initial trial runs using the 13,100 TEU capacity Maersk Edinburgh proved successful and a combination of vessel design enhancements and adjustments to permitted vessel beam and draft have gradually allowed the benchmark to be tweaked upwards.

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Carriage by sea of Electric Vehicles

Carriage by sea of electric vehicles

15 Aug 2023 News

The recent operation in the North Sea to salvage the car carrier Freemantle Highway has further underlined the potential hazards involved in shipment of electric cars. The vessel’s charterer, Japan’s K Line has confirmed that of the 3,738 new and second-hand vehicles onboard, there were 498 new electric cars.

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Vehicle manufactures seek green supply chains.

14 Jul 2023 News

As a Volvo owner and enthusiast of many years, I noted the recent headline “Volvo shifts to renewable fuels for ocean freight”. The article went on to explain that every year tens of thousands of containers of production material destined for Volvo factories are carried across the world’s oceans on container ships. In the future, most of these voyages are to be executed using renewable fuel instead of traditional fossil fuel. In so doing the company aims to achieve an immediate reduction in fossil fuel CO2 emissions from ocean freight of 55,000 tons over a year and spark increased demand for carbon-efficient ocean transportation. 

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Crew welfare in drydock and during extended maintenance periods

15 Jun 2023 News

The Nimitz-class nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS George Washington rejoined the U.S. Navy last month following an extended six-year overhaul. Her 6 year extended absence from active service, 2 years longer than scheduled, was itself controversial. However, the death of 9 crew members during that time, several on account of suicides including 3 in a tragic single week, prompted calls for a significant improvement in onboard conditions during maintenance periods.

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