1. Cochin port slaps extra charges on crew changes
Crew change activity at the outer anchorage of India’s Cochin Port Trust (CPT) is poised to become more expensive for global shipowners with the announcement of additional user charges. CPT has been a sought-after gateway for the movement of Indian seafarers caught up in the COVID-19 pandemic-linked turmoil. https://safetyatsea.net/news/2020/cochin-port-slaps-extra-charges-on-crew-changes/
2. CMA CGM main e-commerce sites still down after cyber attack
The main e-commerce websites of CMA CGM, including APL, ANL, and CNC, are still unavailable 12 days after a malware attack on 28 September 2020.
Only two CMA CGM subsidiaries, Mercosul and Containerships, are now fully functional with their online services working. https://safetyatsea.net/news/2020/cma-cgm-main-ecommerce-sites-still-down-after-cyber-attack/
3. Two bulk carrier groundings in the US in one week
Two bulk carriers ran aground after losing their power off the coasts of Virginia and Oregon, US, on 30 September and 1 October, respectively.The recent incidents, including the Wakashiogrounding, have caused speculation over whether COVID-19 is leading to a rise in ship accidents. https://safetyatsea.net/news/2020/two-bulk-carrier-groundings-in-the-us-in-one-week/
4. Dredger collides with tanker in Malacca Strait
The tanker was moored alongside a supply vessel and sustained damage above the waterline on its portside hull and the cargo deck. The Sierra Leonne-flagged TSHD was not damaged in the incident. No crew injuries and incidence of pollution were reported. The vessels remained stuck together for several hours before being separated. https://safetyatsea.net/news/2020/dredger-collides-with-tanker-in-malacca-strait/
5. Aframax mine blast off Yemen puts shipping on alert
Shipping has been put on alert to be highly vigilant when transiting the Gulf of Aden with news of an aframax tanker suffering sizeable damage after it struck a sea mine in Yemeni waters. https://splash247.com/aframax-mine-blast-off-yemen-puts-shipping-on-alert/
6. Campaign launches giving Asian governments specific crew change recommendations
A host of the world’s leading shipping organisations have started a campaign, writing letters to governments of Asian nations, in a bid to unlock the crew change crunch. The campaign has started with the Philippines, the country that supplies more crew than anywhere else. https://splash247.com/campaign-launches-giving-asian-governments-specific-crew-change-recommendations/
7. Murmansk Shipping Company declared bankrupt
Murmansk Shipping Company has been officially declared bankrupt by a local arbitration court in Russia this week, bringing to a close an 81-year chapter in Arctic maritime history. Bankruptcy proceedings will be carried out through to the end of March led by a court-appointed manager. https://splash247.com/murmansk-shipping-company-declared-bankrupt/
8. Container Freight Rates May Remain Elevated Through 2020: BIMCO
Peter Sand, chief shipping analyst at international shipping association Baltic and International Maritime Council, or BIMCO, expects container freight rates to remain elevated up to the end of 2020 on account of COVID-19 related uncertainties. https://www.shippingtribune.com/news/shipping/Container+freight+rates+may+remain+elevated+through+2020%3A+BIMCO
9. Secondhand Container Prices Surge On Asian Box Shortage
A combination of container lines rolling back blanked sailings on the transpacific trade and a spike in imports from Asia into Europe in July and August as lockdowns eased has left lines struggling to return equipment to Asia. The result is lines are suffering a shortage of containers at Asian load ports for exports. https://www.shippingtribune.com/news/shipping/Secondhand+container+prices+surge+on+Asian+box+shortage
10. Baltic Exchange Expands Its Escrow Service Offering To Support Chartering Deals
The Baltic Exchange is expanding its escrow service with an offering to mitigate counter party risk during the chartering process. Amongst various uses, the service can support a chartering deal by facilitating and holding a security sum in a dedicated escrow account. https://www.shippingtribune.com/news/shipping/Baltic+Exchange+Expands+its+Escrow+Service+Offering+to+Support+Chartering+Deals
