InterManager Daily News 15.03.2019

 
 
1. MUA Proposes Solutions for Australia’s Shipping Industry Crisis
Australia’s shipping industry is in crisis, putting the nation’s economic, environmental and national security at risk, according to the Maritime Union of Australia. The union has presented a detailed proposal to the Senate Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport References Committee inquiry into the Australian shipping industry in Melbourne, including recommendations that the Australian Government:
– provide tax incentives to support investment in ships, ship-related infrastructure and local seafarers;
– reform the seafarer visa system to improve maritime security and support skills investment;
– reform legislation and regulations governing coastal trading;
– create a national strategic fleet to guarantee fuel security and enhance the nation’s economic security;
– develop a strategic approach to maritime workforce development; and
– introduce better ship safety and pollution reduction measures to protect Australia’s coastlines, tourism industry and oceans. https://www.maritime-executive.com/article/mua-proposes-solutions-for-australia-s-shipping-industry-crisis
 
2. French Authorities Try to Stem Slick from Sunken Ship
PARIS, March 14 (Reuters) – French authorities battled on Thursday to contain an oil slick after the Italian Grande America ship capsized in the Atlantic this week. The Grimaldi Lines container ship capsized and sank on Tuesday, after catching fire while sailing from Hamburg to Casablanca. Britain’s Royal Navy frigate Argyll rescued all 27 crew members from the water. The ship was carrying 2,200 tonnes of heavy fuel when it sank some 330 km (200 miles) off the coast from La Rochelle in western France. Footage from the French navy showed thick black smoke pouring from the vessel. https://gcaptain.com/french-authorities-try-to-stem-slick-from-sunken-ship/
 
 
 
3. Gothia Tanker Alliance Receives Fifth Chemical Tanker
Gothia Tanker Alliance has taken delivery of Fure Ven, a 20,000 cbm product/chemical tanker. Fure Ven is the fifth in a series of six environmentally-friendly sister vessels in the alliance’s fleet. Delivered by China’s Avic Dingheng shipyard, the newbuilding has a market value of USD 17.58 million, according to data provided by VesselsValue. All 16,300 dwt Ice class 1A vessels are equipped with batteries and dual fuel engines for LNG propulsion. Each of the new ships features a length of 149 meters and a width of 22.8 meters. Members of the alliance, Furetank Rederi AB, Rederi AB Älvtank and Thun Tankers BV, ordered six intermediate-size tankers of which Furetank will own three, Älvtank two and Thun Tankers one. They will be commercially managed by Furetank Chartering. https://worldmaritimenews.com/archives/273163/gothia-tanker-alliance-receives-fifth-chemical-tanker/
 
4. MSC Cruises Firms Order for Ultra-Luxury Cruise Ship Quartet
Switzerland-based shipping company MSC Cruises and Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri signed today the final contracts for the construction of four luxury cruise ships. This announcement follows a memorandum of agreement inked between the two parties in October 2018. he contracts, subject to shipowner financing, have a total value exceeding EUR 2 billion (USD 2.2 billion). “With this now firm order, MSC is entering a new segment that bears significant potential globally,” Pierfrancesco Vago, Executive Chairman of MSC’s Cruises Division, said. https://worldmaritimenews.com/archives/273173/msc-cruises-firms-order-for-ultra-luxury-cruise-ship-quartet/
 
5. DP World Earnings Jump in 2018
Dubai-based port operator DP World expressed its optimism about future performance despite international trade tensions, as it delivered a 10.2% rise in profit in 2018. “Current year has started with trading in line with expectations and whilst the near-term outlook remains uncertain with the trade war and geopolitical headwinds, we expect our portfolio to remain resilient and see increased contributions from our recent acquisitions and investments,” Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, DP World Group Chairman and CEO, said. https://worldmaritimenews.com/archives/273146/dp-world-earnings-jump-in-2018/
 
6. Scorpio seals sale and leaseback with CMB for seven bulkers
Monaco-headquartered Scorpio Bulkers has agreed a deal for the sale and leaseback of seven vessels. Scorpio is selling three ultramaxes (SBI Pegasus, SBI Subaru and SBI Ursa) and four kamsarmaxes (SBI Lambada, SBI Macarena, SBI Carioca and SBI Capoeira) to China Merchants Bank’s CMB Financial Leasing. The vessels will be leased back for a period of seven years, with purchase options available after year three. Scorpio will pocket around $57.2m from the deal, comprising $45.4m after the repayment of debt attached to the vessels and an additional tranche $11.8m for installation of scrubbers on the vessels. https://splash247.com/scorpio-seals-sale-and-leaseback-with-cmb-for-seven-bulkers/
 
7. Call for enforcement of ship wastewater discharge performance
German wastewater treatment specialist ACO Marine, together with a group of competing wastewater treatment system manufacturers and environmental organisations, has called for a revision to MARPOL Annex IV in order to verify the ongoing performance and discharge criteria of sewage treated systems onboard ship. While there are rules in place for verifying discharge parameters, these relate only to type-approval testing in land-based establishments. There is currently no enforcement of the wastewater discharge criteria once a system has been installed and becomes operational onboard ship. https://splash247.com/call-for-enforcement-of-ship-wastewater-discharge-performance/
 
8. Brightoil VLCC to be sold by court
The High Court of Hong Kong is going to sell the 2013-built VLCC Brightoil Glory, as the owner, Brightoil Petroleum, has been unable to pay off its debts related to the vessel. The vessel was detained by the court in January at the request of German bank Nord/LB, which demanded Brightoil pay off its debts under a ship mortgage agreement related to the Brightoil Glory. Brightoil has another three vessels detained by courts – VLCC Brightoil Grace and aframax tanker Brightoil Lion detained in Singapore and VLCC Brightoil Gem arrested in Haikou. According to shipbroking sources, the deadline for submission of bids for the Brightoil Glory is March 28, with validity until April 4. https://splash247.com/brightoil-vlcc-to-be-sold-by-court/
 
9. South Africa Trade Returns to Growth, But East Africa Rising
Industry analyst Dynamar has released its East and Southern Africa (worldwide) Container Trades 2019 by Darron Wadey, noting South Africa struggled in 2017 but has now seen a return to growth. The East Africa, Southern Africa and Indian Ocean Islands trade, abbreviated as ESAf, has a coastline stretching some 21,000 kilometers, with fronts on the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. Only part of South Africa and all of Namibia possess South Atlantic coastlines. In 2017, the total value of the ESAf economies reached $737 billion, less than one percent of the global economy. Southern Africa is dominant in the region regularly accounting for around 60 percent of the total. East Africa is however growing quickly and has seen its share rise from 34 percent in 2013 to 40 percent in 2017. https://www.maritime-executive.com/article/south-africa-trade-returns-to-growth-but-east-africa-rising
 
10. 95% of lies. On Arctic ice “melting”.
Arctic is melting, Northern Sea Route soon to be ice-free all year-long, Global Warming is here and now – look at Arctic ice… so on and so forth. One can’t look through news headlines not to bump into this or that “warming” prediction, forecast or fear-mongering. Read latest horror stories “95 percent of the Arctic Ocean’s old sea ice is gone”, published by such paragons of trustworthiness and fact-checking, as Washington Post and SALON, dated Dec last year:
…NOAA’s latest report showed, among other disconcerting findings, that the oldest and thickest ice in the Arctic has declined by 95 percent over the past three decades. It is one of a handful reports from various agencies over the last couple months sounding the alarm regarding climate change.
In 2018, old ice constituted less than 1% of the ice pack, meaning that very old Arctic ice has declined by 95% in the last 33 years,” the report states… http://maritimebulletin.net/2019/03/14/95-of-lies-on-arctic-ice-melting/?fbclid=IwAR063GjuSQGs-2pu2uKo88yIooC-wsjXW1d3JH5ZbvzO1JhWBRnKI8WHBdI