1. Passenger Vessel Arrested For Suspected Involvement in Maritime Piracy
A Sweden-flagged passenger vessel, HAWA III (registered name SAGA LEJON), has been arrested for suspected involvement in serious maritime crime and piracy. The vessel is currently anchored at Libreville Port, Komo river, near the Gulf of Guinea. https://themaritimepost.com/2020/06/15/passenger-vessel-arrested-for-suspected-involvement-in-maritime-piracy/
2. USCG Medevacs Crew Member From Bulk Carrier Ship In The Atlantic Ocean
The crew of a Coast Guard MH-65D Dolphin helicopter medevaced a crew member from the 653-feet (199-metres) Marshal Islands-flagged bulk carrier ship Yasa Jupiter on Saturday(June 14), approximately 60 nautical miles northeast of San Juan, Puerto Rico. https://themaritimepost.com/2020/06/16/uscg-medevacs-crew-member-from-bulk-carrier-ship-in-the-atlantic-ocean/
3. Pandemic sets new reality for seafarers
The COVID-19 pandemic has shone a very welcoming bright light on the crucial, but largely hidden, role that seafarers play in the world economy. It has also made their lives immeasurably tougher. They cope with long separation from their families to do a dangerous, lonely, and mentally and physically demanding job. Serious accidents, fatalities, and suicides are more common in their industry than most others, as are abandonment and piracy. https://safetyatsea.net/news/2020/the-new-reality/
4. Scrubber installation delays and maintenance incidents
Nobody cares for the unpleasant concoction of long-chain hydrocarbons at the bottom of the distillation column. With a heavy sulphur content and inconvenient properties, heavy fuel oil (HFO) would have to be disposed of one way or another even if every ship had switched to liquefied natural gas (LNG) by the end of 2019. https://safetyatsea.net/news/2020/many-moving-parts/
5. Union Backs Seafarers’ Right to Stop Work Despite Risk to Global Trade
The change in messaging comes after it says governments took insufficient action to facilitate the repatriation of around 200,000 seafarers and exempt them from Covid-19 travel restrictions by designating them “key workers.” The federation and its affiliated unions also called on crews not to agree to contract extensions starting Tuesday. https://gcaptain.com/union-backs-seafarers-right-to-stop-work-despite-risk-to-global-trade/
6. Capesizes Lead Baltic Dry Index’s Record Daily Surge
The Baltic Exchange’s main sea freight index recorded its biggest ever daily percentage jump on Wednesday, propelled by surging capesize rates due to a spike in iron-ore shipments. https://gcaptain.com/capesizes-lead-baltic-dry-indexs-record-daily-surge/
7. Peak Shipping Season Runs Aground as Ocean Lines Pull Capacity
Ocean container lines are bracing for muted demand during the usual peak shipping season heading into the fall, with supply chains still rattled by the coronavirus pandemic and retailers in the U.S. and Europe reining in restocking plans. https://www.hellenicshippingnews.com/peak-shipping-season-runs-aground-as-ocean-lines-pull-capacity/
8. BIMCO launches information page focusing on seafarers’ mental health
To assist seafarers and their mental wellbeing in coping with the challenges imposed by COVID-19 pandemic, BIMCO compiles a list of useful resources to enable seafarers to seek free, immediate and direct help. Members are highly recommended to inform their seafarers of this availability. https://www.hellenicshippingnews.com/bimco-launches-information-page-focusing-on-seafarers-mental-health/
9. Bangladesh Defers Two LNG Cargoes As Domestic Demand Falls
Bangladesh has deferred two LNG cargoes, with the capacity to carry 138,000 cu m, as a nationwide lockdown to combat the coronavirus pandemic dented domestic demand of natural gas.
https://www.shippingtribune.com/news/shipping/Bangladesh+defers+two+LNG+cargoes+as+domestic+demand+falls
10. A.P. Moller – Maersk Updates Expectations To Volumes And EBITDA For Q2 2020
Based on the market development, combined with cost measures across the organisation and significant blanked sailings in Ocean, A.P. Moller – Maersk expects an EBITDA before restructuring and integration costs for Q2 2020 slightly above the level for Q1 2020 (USD 1.5bn). https://www.shippingtribune.com/news/shipping/A.P.+Moller+–+Maersk+updates+expectations+to+volumes+and+EBITDA+for+Q2+2020