InterManager Daily News 05.04.2024.

1. Forecast impact on US East Coast container port calls following collapse of Francis Scott Key Bridge in approach to Baltimore Port Handling diverted Baltimore container cargo as well as the anticipated market growth in 2024 may prove challenging for US East Coast ports, many of which are already at reasonably high utilisation levels.On March 26th 2024 at 1:28am the MV Dali, a 10,000teu containership, collided with one of the support columns of the Francis Scott Key bridge, which spans the Patapsco River between Baltimore and Dundalk. https://cyprusshippingnews.com/2024/04/04/forecast-impact-on-us-east-coast-container-port-calls-following-collapse-of-francis-scott-key-bridge-in-approach-to-baltimore-port/
2. Euroseas announces one year time charter contract and completion of retrofits for its intermediate containership, M/V Synergy Antwerp Euroseas an owner and operator of container carrier vessels and provider of seaborne transportation for containerized cargoes, announced a time charter contract for its 4,250 teu intermediate containership, M/V Synergy Antwerp, for a minimum period of 11.5 to a maximum period of 14 months at the option of the charterer, at a gross daily rate of $26,500. https://cyprusshippingnews.com/2024/04/04/euroseas-announces-one-year-time-charter-contract-and-completion-of-retrofits-for-its-intermediate-containership-m-v-synergy-antwerp/
3. Baltimore bridge collapse to cause logistics headaches, not supply chain crisis The catastrophic bridge collapse that closed the Port of Baltimore to ship traffic on Tuesday is causing some logistics headaches, but is unlikely to trigger a major new U.S. supply chain crisis as competing East Coast ports are poised to handle more cargo, economists and logistics experts say. https://cyprusshippingnews.com/2024/04/03/baltimore-bridge-collapse-to-cause-logistics-headaches-not-supply-chain-crisis/
4. QatarEnergy to charter 19 LNG more vessels expanding fleet further QatarEnergy.UL CEO Saad Al Kaabi announced on Sunday that the company has finalised a number of charter contracts with several Asian ship owners to bolster its shipping fleet by 19 LNG vessels ahead of a massive expansion in LNG output. https://cyprusshippingnews.com/2024/04/03/qatarenergy-to-charter-19-lng-more-vessels-expanding-fleet-further/
5. Aframax Dirty Tonne Days Cross Med As March draws to a close, the crude freight market is witnessing a softening momentum in VLCC MEG-China rates, juxtaposed with continued weekly growth in demand tonne days. Notably, the Aframax cross Mediterranean rates have rebounded, spurred by an accelerated pace of growth in dirty tonne days since mid-March (refer to the image above). https://cyprusshippingnews.com/2024/04/03/aframax-dirty-tonne-days-cross-med/
6. CMA CGM earmarks 100 ships for upgrades French liner giant CMA CGM has tapped Damen Shipyards Group to modify around 100 of its ships. The modifications are aimed to deliver fuel efficiencies of more than 10%. The upgrades will take place at Damen Shiprepair Dunkerque (DSDu) and Damen Shiprepair Amsterdam (DSAm), which between them have some of Europe’s largest drydocks. https://splash247.com/cma-cgm-earmarks-100-ships-for-upgrades/
7. Giant new Iraqi port touted as alternative gateway to Europe Abu Dhabi’s AD Ports Group has entered into a preliminary agreement with the General Company for Ports of Iraq (GCPI) to establish a joint venture to develop Al-Faw Grand Port and its economic zone. The agreement also encompasses the potential investment, management, and operation of ports, economic zones, and related infrastructure in other cities in Iraq. https://splash247.com/giant-new-iraqi-port-touted-as-alternative-gateway-to-europe/
8. PGS scores 4D survey contract in Northern Europe Oslo-listed seismic player PGS has won a 4D contract in Northern Europe for an independent energy company.The company is scheduled to mobilise its Ramform Tethys vessel for the survey in late April. The project will have a total duration of approximately 30 days. https://splash247.com/pgs-scores-4d-survey-contract-in-northern-europe/
9. U.S. Could Revoke Houthi Terrorist Label if Group Halts Attacks on Ships The US said it would consider revoking its recent designation of Yemen’s Houthis as terrorists if the Iran-backed militants cease their shipping attacks in and around the Red Sea.“My hope is that we can find diplomatic off-ramps,” Tim Lenderking, President Joe Biden’s special envoy for Yemen, told reporters in an online press briefing on Wednesday. “To find ways to deescalate and allow us to pull back, eventually, the designation and of course to end the military strikes on Houthis’ military capability.” https://gcaptain.com/u-s-could-revoke-houthi-terrorist-label-if-group-halts-attacks-on-ships/
10. German customs detains ship with Russia cargo at Baltic Sea port German customs authorities have detained a cargo ship that arrived from Russia at the German Baltic Sea port of Rostock because of suspicions about the ship’s contents, authorities announced on Tuesday.The ship, a 193-metre-long freighter, had arrived at the port on March 4 for repairs due to technical problems with its propeller, likely caused by voyaging through icy seas, German authorities said. https://www.shippingtribune.com/news/shipping/German+customs+detains+ship+with+Russia+cargo+at+Baltic+Sea+port