1. ISWAN welcomes Karin Orsel as new chair
Shipping CEO and diversity and inclusivity advocate Karin Orsel has been announced as the new chair of international maritime charity the International Seafarers’ Welfare and Assistance Network (ISWAN). A trustee of ISWAN for seven years, Orsel is the founder and CEO of MF Shipping Group in the Netherlands. https://splash247.com/iswan-welcomes-karin-orsel-as-new-chair/
2. Certainty, communication, and connectivity raises seafarers’ satisfaction levels
Seafarers Happiness Index (SHI) Quarter 3 2022 results measure the satisfaction levels of seafarers at a time when wellbeing initiatives and investments made by companies during the pandemic have long been established. Efforts to improve life at sea for seafarers have not gone to naught as Q3 results reflects sustained optimism with an overall average of 7.3/10, a small uptick from 7.21 in the previous quarter. https://cyprusshippingnews.com/2023/01/04/certainty-communication-and-connectivity-raises-seafarers-satisfaction-levels/
3. Commodities 2023: Two-tier freight market may keep global tanker rates firm
Global tankers freight across clean and dirty products segments will likely be firm in 2023 but unlike the spectacular gains made in 2022, rates would face challenges due to possible crude production cuts and costlier oil prices, analysts said. https://cyprusshippingnews.com/2023/01/04/commodities-2023-two-tier-freight-market-may-keep-global-tanker-rates-firm/
4. Human rights protections at sea are still overlooked says Human Rights At Sea CEO
At the global strategic level, the established focus on upholding and improving fundamental individual human rights is increasingly shifting away from a progressive to an arguably regressive stance with the overt erosion of the established international rules-based order reflected by impunity running throughout many State and non-state activities. https://cyprusshippingnews.com/2023/01/04/human-rights-protections-at-sea-are-still-overlooked-says-human-rights-at-sea-ceo/
5. Hanwha Chairman Kim vows to grow DSME into a global company
In his New Year message to employees, Hanwha Group chairman Kim Seung-yeon called for efforts to grow Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME) into a major global player. The group has acquired the ailing shipbuilder, expanding its business portfolio into shipbuilding. https://cyprusshippingnews.com/2023/01/04/hanwha-chairman-kim-vows-to-grow-dsme-into-a-global-company/
6. Piraeus Port Authority back again this year with vital corporate responsibility initiatives on the occasion of Christmas
Piraeus Port Authority on the occasion of Christmas and New Year holidays, consistently and with real commitment implements for just another year its program, being part of the company’s broader social responsibility strategy, involving a range of great initiatives and actions aiming at local community, port neighboring municipalities but also employee reinforcement and broader support. https://cyprusshippingnews.com/2023/01/04/ppa-sa-bck-again-this-year-with-vital-corporate-responsibility-initiatives-on-the-occasion-of-christmas/
7. Lisbon port hit by cyber attack
The website of the Port of Lisbon is still down, 10 days after Portugal’s third-largest port was hit by a cyber attack on Christmas Day. Hackers at LockBit have claimed its ransomware has taken down the port’s website and internal computer systems, and are demanding $1.5m be paid before January 18 or else it will leak many files and data it has stolen. https://splash247.com/lisbon-port-hit-by-cyber-attack/
8. Chevron to Send First Venezuelan Crude Cargo to Mississippi Refinery Under U.S. License
U.S. oil producer Chevron Corp plans to export this month its first cargo of Venezuelan crude to its Pascagoula, Mississippi refinery following a U.S. license granted last year, according toshipping documents seen by Reuters on Tuesday. The 500,000-barrel cargo of Hamaca heavy crude, to be loaded at state-run PDVSA’s Jose port, comes from the Petropiar oil joint venture operated by both companies. https://gcaptain.com/chevron-to-send-first-venezuelan-crude-cargo-to-mississippi-refinery-under-u-s-license/
9. Massachusetts Orders Offshore Wind Projects to Push Ahead as Inflation Drives Up Costs
Massachusetts has denied requests from developers to renegotiate electricity contracts for proposed offshore wind farms after soaring inflation drove up construction costs, effectively ordering the renewable energy projects to push ahead. https://gcaptain.com/massachusetts-orders-offshore-wind-projects-to-push-ahead-as-inflation-drives-up-costs/
10. Baltic index logs worst day in decades as vessel demand wanes
The Baltic Exchange’s dry bulk sea freight index on Tuesday posted its worst decline on record, pressured by waning rates across vessel segments due to weak demand from China amid surging COVID-19 cases. The overall index, which factors in rates for capesize, panamax and supramax shipping vessels carrying dry bulk commodities, lost 265 points, or 17.5%, to 1,250, its biggest daily percentage drop since 1984. https://www.shippingtribune.com/news/shipping/Baltic+index+logs+worst+day+in+decades+as+vessel+demand+wanes
