1. FMC issues guidance for submitting charge complaints under Ocean Shipping Reform Act
The US Federal Maritime Commission has issued guidance for parties wishing to dispute charges assessed by common carriers that they believe may not comply with the Ocean Shipping Reform Act of 2022, which became Public Law 117-146 on June 16. Shippers with charge complaints can send information to the FMC by email and the Commission will initiate an investigation, “which could ultimately result in a civil penalty and order for a refund of charges paid,” according to a statement. https://splash247.com/fmc-issues-guidance-for-submitting-charge-complaints-under-ocean-shipping-reform-act/
2. Macquarie buys into Brazilian port sector
Australia’s Macquarie has entered the Brazilian ports sector. Brazilian railway operator Rumo has sold two sugar and grain terminals at the port of Santos for $260m to local port operator Corredor Logistica e Infraestrutura (CLI). CLI, which up to the deal was wholly owned by private equity fund IG4, will receive an investment from Australia’s Macquarie Infrastructure Partners V to help fund the deal. Macquarie will share control of CLI with IG4 after acquiring a 50% stake. https://splash247.com/macquarie-buys-into-brazilian-port-sector/
3. Biden signs executive order to keep rail freight moving
US President Joe Biden has ordered the establishment of a Presidential Emergency Board (PEB) effective July 18 to help resolve an ongoing dispute between major freight rail carriers and their unions. The board is to investigate and report on the dispute. Within 30 days of its establishment, the Board must deliver a report recommending how the dispute should be resolved. https://splash247.com/biden-signs-executive-order-to-keep-rail-freight-moving/
4. Challenging conventional thinking on implementing clean tech
The maritime industry’s clean technology market has often been characterised by investments in a single technology with the value of the purchase being largely based on its promised payback period. It’s a mindset that has worked well enough in the past when there were limited options and cost reductions were the single focus of an initiative. https://splash247.com/challenging-conventional-thinking-on-implementing-clean-tech/
5. Dry bulk pins hopes on China’s economy staging a comeback in H2
China released official Q2 GDP figures today showing how damaging ongoing lockdowns have been to shipping’s most important economy. Output contracted by 2.6% between April and June compared with the previous quarter, the statistics bureau said, the poorest performance since the Wuhan lockdown at the start of the pandemic. https://splash247.com/dry-bulk-pins-hopes-on-chinas-economy-staging-a-comeback-in-h2/
6. Navy Ship Catches Fire During Massive Military Exercise Near Hawaii
US Navy crews are responding to “reports of an engine room fire and potential injuries” aboard a ship participating in the biennial naval exercise RIMPAC off Hawaii today. At approximately 8 a.m. Hawaii time, US Navy watch officers received reports of a fire and potential injuries aboard a Combined Task Force ship. The ship, which has not yet been identified, was participating in the US Navy’s RIMPAC exercise, the world’s largest international naval warfare exercise which is held every two years. It is unclear if the ship belongs to the US Navy or one of the 26 participating nations. https://gcaptain.com/navy-ship-catches-fire-during-massive-exercise-near-hawaii/
7. Fishing Vessels Account For Half Of Ocean Plastic Pollution
Ocean plastic pollution was a focus at the recent UN oceans conference, which issued a declaration in support of an earlier decision by the UN Environment Assembly to start negotiations for a global plastics treaty.
This initiative has been welcomed almost universally, but it must not distract from the fact we actually already have good international laws regulating ships that plastics overboard. We are just not enforcing them properly. https://gcaptain.com/fishing-vessels-account-for-half-of-ocean-plastic-pollution/
8. BW LPG’s journey to the world’s largest fleet of LPG-powered VLGCs
One of the world’s largest LPG gas carrier shipowners completes massive US$130M retrofit programme
Six years ago, BW LPG embarked on a journey that would create the world’s largest fleet of LPG dual-fuel-powered very large gas carriers (VLGCs) when it began planning for compliance with the IMO 2020 0.50% sulphur cap. Like many shipowners, BW LPG had to weigh commercial and technical options regarding fuel choice, engine technology and refuelling availability, crew safety and training and vessel design. https://www.rivieramm.com/news-content-hub/bw-lpgs-journey-to-the-worlds-largest-fleet-of-lpg-powered-vlgcs-72032
9. Storage hubs, ship transfers create tracking difficulties for Russian-origin barrels: analysts
Keeping track of Russian crude and oil products as barrels pass through storage hubs will be difficult amid tightening sanctions and growing attention on ship-to-ship transfers of Russian-origin liquids, analysts and data suggest. A ban in both the US and an impending one in the EU will prohibit Russian-origin products from being imported, regardless of how they get there. https://www.shippingtribune.com/news/shipping/Storage+hubs%2C+ship+transfers+create+tracking+difficulties+for+Russian-origin+barrels%3A+analysts
10. Dock workers’ strike hits cargo handling at German ports
Dock workers at Germany’s North Sea ports went on strike Friday in the latest of several walkouts that have added pressures on shipping as their union demands a hefty pay rise to counter high inflation. The 48-hour strike, which is to end on Saturday morning, has largely paralyzed cargo handling at major ports including Hamburg, Bremerhaven and Wilhelmshaven, news agency dpa reported. It follows a 24-hour walkout in June and a previous one-shift warning strike. https://www.shippingtribune.com/news/shipping/Dock+workers%E2%80%99+strike+hits+cargo+handling+at+German+ports
