Around 16% of the ocean carrier global fleet – equating to 36% in terms of teu capacity – will be equipped with exhaust gas cleaning scrubber systems to comply with the IMO 2020 0.5% sulphur cap. Ships with approved scrubber systems installed will be allowed to continue to burn heavy fuel oil (HFO) after 1…
May 22, 2019 /
Tightened energy efficiency targets and a commitment to further discuss proposed speed reduction rules were the key outcomes of the International Martime Organisation's (IMO) latest round of talks, held in London last week. But environmental campaigners were quick to argue the results showed a "total lack of ambition" on the part of the shipping industry, which…
May 15, 2019 /
The Clean Arctic Alliance has issued a call for international shipping operators and national governments to cut maritime black carbon emissions. Black carbon particles are predominantly produced by ships burning heavy fuel oil; when black carbon is released by vessels operating in the Arctic region, the particles reduce the reflectivity of ice and snow –…
Policy director of the UK Chamber of Shipping Anna Ziou has slammed French proposals to impose speed limits as a way to cut shipping emissions. She claims it would give a “false impression” of the industry taking action. Ms Ziou’s objection follows an outcry from container lines following the French IMO delegation’s proposals becoming public last month. “To achieve a 50%…
Japanese merged carrier Ocean Network Express (ONE) recorded a net loss of $586m in its first year of operation, however it said it expected to move into the black in its second year. ONE, formed from the container businesses of K Line, MOL and NYK,was supposed to produce synergistic returns for its parents. Instead it has dragged down the P&L…
April 24, 2019 /
The International Maritime Organisation has been urged to clarify four areas of IMO 2020, as carriers scramble for compliance with the forthcoming low-sulphur fuel limit. The “once-in-a-generation disruptor to shipping’s commercial environment” takes effect on 1 January 2020: a fuel sulphur content limit of 0.5%, down from 3.5% in some parts of the world, at…
April 17, 2019 /
LNG is the most environmentally friendly, readily available fuel for shipping today – and in the foreseeable future, according to a new study. With the IMO’s 0.5% sulphur cap regulations coming into force next January, along with its target of halving C02 emissions from shipping by 2050, decisions need to be taken on alternative fuels.…
April 10, 2019 /
The port of Shanghai has maintained its position as the world largest container port. However, new data from Alphaliner today shows its lead over second-placed Singapore narrowed last year. Shanghai posted 2018 throughput of 42.01m teu, 4.4% growth on 2017, while Singapore handled 36.6m teu, representing growth of 8.7%. And the 5.41m teu differential between…
Asia-Europe ocean carriers from have announced further hikes in their FAK rates this month after successfully pushing through 1 January spot rate increases. Alphaliner said rates on the route “remained firm in December, despite the resumption of the 2M’s AE2/Swan service”. Hapag-Lloyd said that on 16 January, “due to strong demand”, it was increasing its…
The prospect of unmanned container vessels serving global container supply chains has taken another step forward. Sea Machines Robotics, a US developer of autonomous vessels, announced it had raised $10m from venture capital funds. The investors were led by Accomplice VC and Eniac Ventures, but also include Toyota AI Ventures, TechNexus Venture Collaborative, NextGen VP, Geekdom Fund,…