1. EU shipowners highlight importance of seafarers in Ukraine crisis
European shipowners are following very closely the impacts of the events in Ukraine on the crews and the safe continuation of shipping operations.
The EU fleet relies heavily on Ukrainian and Russian seafarers, which make up a significant percentage of the current shipping workforce. Ukrainian and Russian seafarers make up 14.5% of global shipping workforce.
2. Can LNG replace Russian gas in Europe?
European LNG imports reached a record high in January 2022 and could go a little higher if Russian pipeline gas supply falls, or even stops completely. But the best-connected European LNG terminals are already running at high rates, and limits to cross-border pipeline gas capacity would restrict the wider benefit of higher imports into some countries, such as Spain. https://cyprusshippingnews.com/2022/03/01/can-lng-replace-russian-gas-in-europe/
3. Geneva Declaration on Human Rights at Sea launched today
The Geneva Declaration on Human Rights at Sea has been launched today to define and defend the human rights of the global maritime population and those crossing the world’s oceans and seas. Developed by UK-based NGO Human Rights at Sea, the Declaration targets human rights abuses stemming from piracy, criminal violence, breaches of maritime labour rights, seafarer abandonment, slavery, trafficking, child labour, and failures in equality and inclusion. https://cyprusshippingnews.com/2022/03/01/geneva-declaration-on-human-rights-at-sea-launched-today/
4. bp to exit Rosneft shareholding
The bp board today announced that bp will exit its shareholding in Rosneft. bp has held a 19.75% shareholding in Rosneft since 2013. Additionally, bp chief executive officer Bernard Looney is resigning from the board of Rosneft with immediate effect. The other Rosneft director nominated by bp, former bp group chief executive Bob Dudley, is similarly resigning from the board. https://cyprusshippingnews.com/2022/03/01/bp-to-exit-rosneft-shareholding/
5. World’s Largest Shipping Lines Suspend Shipping to Russia
The world’s three biggest container lines on Tuesday temporarily suspended cargo shipments to and from Russia in response to Western sanctions on Moscow following its invasion of Ukraine, in a further blow to trade with the country. Russia’s assault on its neighbor, which Moscow says is a “special operation,” is the biggest state-to-state invasion in Europe since World War Two. https://gcaptain.com/worlds-largest-shipping-lines-suspend-shipping-to-russia/
6. Biden Takes on Container Shipping Despite No Evidence of Wrongdoing
President Joe Biden is taking on the concentrated market power of ocean shipping companies, although officials at the agency overseeing the industry indicated they lack both the jurisdiction and, for now, any evidence of wrongdoing. The White House said Biden will call on Congress at his State of the Union to address the immunity that shipping alliances have from antitrust scrutiny under current law. The Federal Maritime Commission will join with the Department of Justice in a new initiative announced Monday, to push for competition in ocean freight transportation. https://gcaptain.com/biden-takes-on-container-shipping-despite-no-evidence-of-wrongdoing/
7. Thessaloniki readies to handle megamaxes
Greece’s second largest container port, Thessaloniki, will spend EUR150m ($166.7m) developing its container terminal at Pier 6. A 513 m pier extension will be added to handle megamax container vessels. The new berth is expected to be operational by late 2025. Thessaloniki’s existing facility has an annual handling capacity of 750,000 teu. https://splash247.com/thessaloniki-readies-to-handle-megamaxes/
8. MOL’s fire-ravaged car carrier sinks off the Azores
Mitsui OSK Lines car carrier Felicity Ace that caught fire in the Atlantic on February 16 while carrying nearly 4,000 cars from Germany to the US has sunk despite previous efforts to tow it to safety. The 6,400 ceu ship sank 220 nautical miles off the coast of Portugal’s Azores Islands around 09.00 hrs local time on Tuesday having suffered a list to starboard, MOL Ship Management Singapore said. https://splash247.com/mols-fire-ravaged-car-carrier-sinks-off-the-azores/
9. Scandlines offers free transport to Ukrainian refugees
Scandlines said it wants to show its “unequivocal support” to the Ukrainian people and is therefore offering Ukrainian refugees free transport from Germany to Denmark on the company’s ferries It said in a statement, “Scandlines follows the situation in Ukraine closely and, being part of the critical infrastructure, does everything in its power to guarantee regular transport across the Baltic Sea. https://www.rivieramm.com/news-content-hub/scandlines-offers-free-transport-to-ukrainian-refugees-69996
10. UN Agencies Renew Call To Collaboratively Support Seafarers
Four United Nations agencies have issued a joint statement urging stakeholders to collaborate to prevent undue hardship to seafarers during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
The International Labour Organization (ILO), International Maritime Organization (IMO), United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and the World Health Organization (WHO) have today issued a joint statement asking stakeholders to take action to support the world’s 1.9 million seafarers from being unduly impacted by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and associated restrictions. https://www.shippingtribune.com/news/shipping/UN+agencies+renew+call+to+collaboratively+support+seafarers
