1. Chinese heavy lift ship carrying cranes contacted Curacao Bridge
Heavy cargo carrier WISH WAY with two container gantry cranes on board arrived at Willemstad, Curacao, Caribbean, from China, in the morning Feb 16. Cranes contacted Queen Juliana Bridge when the ship was passing under the Bridge, though the cranes height was 2/3 of projected, specifically with the purpose of safe passing under the Bridge. The Bridge traffic was suspended for some time, but later re-opened, damages weren’t serious. http://www.maritimebulletin.net/2020/02/17/chinese-heavy-lift-ship-carrying-cranes-contacted-curacao-bridge/
2. May she rest in peace on the rocks? Ghost ship beached by storm, Ireland.
Abandoned and unmanned general cargo ship ALTA (ELIAS), anchored off Cork coast, Ireland, was pushed aground on Feb 16 by storm Dennis, and remains beached on the rocks. The ship is hard aground in a legal sense also, for quite some time. There’s dispute over her ownership and a mystery story of hijacking behind it. Understood Coast Guard is trying to find out owner, to task him with refloating or wreck removal. The ship made quite a story last year, being distressed in the Atlantic and drifting for about a year: The mystery of cargo ship found in the Atlantic a year after she was abandoned http://www.maritimebulletin.net/2020/02/17/may-she-rest-in-peace-on-the-rocks-ghost-ship-beached-by-storm-ireland/
3. Cargo ship fire at Tuzla, Turkey
Fire erupted in Master’s cabin of general cargo ship SUZZY, dry-docked at Tuzla, on Feb 16. Not clear if fire was restricted by cabin only, or started somewhere else in superstructure, and spread to Master’s cabin. Fire was extinguished by firefighting teams, 15 crew were evacuated, no one was injured. The ship sustained some unspecified damages. http://www.maritimebulletin.net/2020/02/16/cargo-ship-fire-at-tuzla-turkey/
4. Spanish tuna seiner sank in the Atlantic
Tuna purse seiner ALBACORA SEIS sank at night Feb 15 south of Abijan, Ivory Coast, due to incontrollable water ingress. All 29 crew rescued by MONTELAPE, sister ship of the same owner, all are safe. http://www.maritimebulletin.net/2020/02/16/spanish-tuna-seiner-sank-in-the-atlantic/
5. WESTERDAM toll of virus prisoners rising, 14 Dutch tourists stuck in Phnom Penh
At least 14 Dutch passengers who disembarked from cruise ship WESTERDAM in Cambodia, can’t leave the country after the news on WESTERDAM American tourist, 83-year old woman, found virus positive in Malaysia, where she and a group of other American tourists arrived on their way home from Cambodia. All 14 tourists are to remain in a hotel until virus tested and health screened, some of them said they felt more secure and safe on board of the ship, than locked in Phnom Penh hotel, however luxury. http://www.maritimebulletin.net/2020/02/16/westerdam-toll-of-virus-prisoners-rising-14-dutch-tourists-stuck-in-phnom-penh/
6. IMO 2020: What’s The Implication in the Tanker Market So Far?
In the weeks leading up to 2020, a lot of analysts were predicting a solid rebound in product tanker market freight rates, a scenario which, for the most part, was materialized. So, how has the market reacted in the weeks after the start of 2020? In its latest weekly report, shipbroker Gibson said that “2020 was always going to create a more complex fuel oil market as trade flows shifted and new grades emerged. https://www.hellenicshippingnews.com/imo-2020-whats-the-implication-in-the-tanker-market-so-far/
7. European Shipping Week 2020 opens with the latest figures on European shipping
The European Shipping Week 2020 – the biggest shipping event in Brussels and the flagship event of ECSA – opens today with the release of the latest figures on European shipping by Oxford Economics. According to the latest information from 2018, European shipping directly contributed € 54 billion to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the EU. Taking into account the spill over effects to other sectors of the EU economy, the total contribution stands at €149 billion. https://www.hellenicshippingnews.com/european-shipping-week-2020-opens-with-the-latest-figures-on-european-shipping/
8. Qatari ports witness significant rise in cargo handling last month
Starting the new year on a positive note, Qatari ports have delivered strong performance in January. Hamad Port, Doha Port and Ruwais Port have witnessed significant rise in cargo handling in the first month of this year. These ports handled over 50 percent more vehicles in January this year compared to same month in 2019, according to Mwani Qatar. General cargo volumes increased 22 percent, while container traffic increased by five percent during the month, said Mwani Qatar in a tweet. https://www.hellenicshippingnews.com/qatari-ports-witness-significant-rise-in-cargo-handling-last-month/
9. Oil storage firm Brooge plans major expansion of Fujairah capacity
Oil storage firm Brooge Holdings has signed a land lease agreement with the Fujairah Oil Industrial Zone (FOIZ) for an additional 450,000 sq m of space, as part of plans to expand its operations at the UAE’s East Coast hub. https://www.hellenicshippingnews.com/oil-storage-firm-brooge-plans-major-expansion-of-fujairah-capacity/
10. Saudi Arabia aims to export gas, petrochemicals soon: energy minister
Saudi Arabia, the world’s biggest crude exporter, plans to add gas and petrochemicals to its slate of exports and will soon make a major announcement on the topic, the country’s energy minister said. “Soon you will hear about the ability of the kingdom to be a gas exporter and a petrochemical exporter,” Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman said in a televised speech. He didn’t provide further details. https://www.hellenicshippingnews.com/saudi-arabia-aims-to-export-gas-petrochemicals-soon-energy-minister/
