1. Stella Maris Life at Sea Report: a world in lockdown
Stella Maris – Life at Sea Report highlights seafarers’ need for human contact. A new report by global maritime charity Stella Maris is highlighting the vital need of personal, human contact to seafarers in a world operating amid the Covid-19 pandemic. “Our Life at Sea Report observes that in a maritime world of increased digitalisation and automation, smaller crews and faster port turnaround times, the need for basic human contact remains paramount,” says Stella Maris CEO Martin Foley. https://cyprusshippingnews.com/2021/08/09/stella-maris-life-at-sea-report-a-world-in-lockdown/
2. Stena Line’s new ferry Stena Scandica completes its maiden voyage
Continuing the strengthening and expansion of its services in the Baltic Sea, Swedish ferry company Stena Line is deploying two new large and modern ferries on the route between Ventspils in Latvia and Nynäshamn in Sweden this year. The first of the two vessels, Stena Scandica, arrived in the port of Nynäshamn in the morning of 27 July when it completed its overnight maiden voyage from Ventspils. The vessel adds another 70% more cabins and 30% more freight capacity compared to the existing vessels and offers an attractive alternative way to travel on the Baltic Sea. https://cyprusshippingnews.com/2021/08/10/stena-lines-new-ferry-stena-scandica-completes-its-maiden-voyage/
3. Freight rates continue to rise due to the container shortage and the economic pull of the USA
The Valencia Containerised Freight Index (VCFI) continues its upward trend and grew by 9.19% in July. It stands at 427,43 points, the highest figure since the start of the series in January 2018.The idle fleet stands at 51 vessels, with a total of 161,821 TEUs, representing 0.7% of the total active fleet.The VCFI is growing in all geographical areas except the Eastern Mediterranean. Aurelio Martínez reiterated the need to expand the infrastructures of ports such as València with the forecast that the future of maritime transport depends on “a few powerful port hubs”. https://cyprusshippingnews.com/2021/08/10/freight-rates-continue-to-rise-due-to-the-container-shortage-and-the-economic-pull-of-the-usa/
4. EU Proposals to regulate shipping GHG emissions
On 14 July 2021 the European Commission adopted the EU’s “Fit for 55” package. This package consists of a set of inter-connected proposals that will together deliver the EU’s ambition of reducing its greenhouse gas (“GHG”) emissions by at least 55% by 2030, compared to 1990 levels, and for the EU to become a climate neutral continent by 2050. To achieve climate neutrality by 2050, a 90% reduction in overall transport emissions is needed. https://cyprusshippingnews.com/2021/08/10/eu-proposals-to-regulate-shipping-ghg-emissions/
5. Azane Fuel Solutions: Ammonia is the way to go
Two Norwegian companies ECONNECT Energy and Amon Maritime recently established a joint venture Azane Fuel Solutions looking to fill an existing gap in the ammonia fuel value chain by developing ammonia ship bunkering terminals. André Risholm founder of Amon Maritime and Morten Christophersen co-founder and CEO of ECONNECT Energy told Maritime CEO they started working on what eventually became Azane Fuel Solutions because they did not see anyone creating solutions for small-scale ammonia bunkering in ports, so they decided to start developing it themselves. https://splash247.com/azane-fuel-solutions-ammonia-is-the-way-to-go/
6. Valenciaport to develop 2030 strategic plan
The Port Authority of Valencia (PAV) has put out to tender the technical assistance for the preparation of the Valenciaport 2030 Strategic Plan – this will include a mid-term review in 2025, a joint proposal for Valenciaport and the ports of Valencia, Sagunto and Gandia, and a longer-term vision for 2050. The five themes to be included within the strategic plan programme are: new business opportunities and technological development including traffic forecasts and the evolution of containers; energy transition, decarbonisation and the fight against climate change; digital transformation; innovation; and the port-city relationship. https://splash247.com/valenciaport-to-develop-2030-strategic-plan/
7. Harrowing Video Shows Residents Fleeing Burning Greek Island by Ferry
Residents on the Greek Island of Evia were forced to flee over the weekend as wildfires raged unabated. Harrowing video shows residents being evacuated by a ferry as flames could be seen overtaking the hillside, turning the sky a bright orange hue. Wildfires have burned across Greece for the past week fueled by dry conditions and one of the country’s worst heatwave in three decades.
https://gcaptain.com/harrowing-video-shows-residents-fleeing-burning-greek-island-by-ferry/
8. Golden Ray Wreck Removal: Source of Oil Spill Located and Secured
The St. Simons Sound Incident Response says crews have located and secured the source of oil discharges from the Golden Ray wreck which had complicated the salvage for about a week. Wreck removal personnel capped a venting pipe after it was raised above the waterline during a partial lifting operation of Section Six of the Golden Ray wreck on Friday. The submerged vent was very likely the source of the oil discharges during lifting operations which started on Saturday, July 31. https://gcaptain.com/golden-ray-wreck-removal-source-of-oil-spill-located-and-secured/
9. Baltic Index Flat As Smaller Vessel Gains Counter Capesize Dip
The Baltic Exchange’s main sea freight index, which tracks rates for ships ferrying dry bulk commodities, was unchanged on Monday near the one-month peak it scaled last week as gains in rates of smaller vessels offset a dip in capesizes. The overall index, which factors in rates for capesize, panamax, supramax and handysize shipping vessels, was flat at 3,371. The index hit a more than one-month high of 3,376 on Aug. 5. https://www.shippingtribune.com/news/shipping/Baltic+index+flat+as+smaller+vessel+gains+counter+capesize+dip
10. Colombo Container Volume Recovers To 3.57 Million TEU
CONTAINER throughput at Colombo port has hit pre-Covid crisis levels in the first half of 2021, recovering 9.1 per cent year on year to 3.57 million TEU compared to pre-Covid crisis 3.59 million TEU, reports Colombo’s Daily Mirror. The port handled 6.3 per cent more transshipment volumes year on year, standing at 2.86 million TEU while the domestic container volume was up 19.2 per cent to 617,353 TEU. https://www.shippingtribune.com/news/shipping/Colombo+container+volume+recovers+to+3.57+million+TEU