1. Greece remains the world’s largest shipowning nation
With a fleet of 4,901 vessels, Greek shipowners control 19.42% of global deadweight tonnage (dwt). In 2020, the Greek-owned fleet grew by over 4% to approximately 364 million dwt. The backbone of EU shipping: Greece continues to increase its share of the European Union (EU)-controlled fleet. The Greek-owned fleet represents 58% of the EU-controlled fleet. More than a third of the Greek-owned fleet or 1,706 vessels, fly an EU Member State flag3 https://cyprusshippingnews.com/2021/09/03/greece-remains-the-worlds-largest-shipowning-nation/
2. Crowley and Shell to Build and Charter Largest LNG Bunker Barge in US
Crowley Maritime Corporation has signed a long-term time charter with Shell providing for the building and operation of a new, U.S.-built, LNG bunker barge. Upon construction, the barge will be the largest Jones Act-compliant vessel of its kind, helping to expand current network capacity and meet demands for cleaner energy. https://cyprusshippingnews.com/2021/09/03/crowley-and-shell-to-build-and-charter-largest-lng-bunker-barge-in-us/
3. LGBT rights sailor rewarded for championing diversity in maritime
Two trailblazing activists promoting the rights of women and LGBT+ members in the maritime community have today (3 September 2021) been recognised for their achievements. Second Officer Paul Owen is the first ever recipient of the prestigious Merchant Navy Medal for his efforts in promoting LGBT+ rights across the maritime sector. https://cyprusshippingnews.com/2021/09/03/lgbt-rights-sailor-rewarded-for-championing-diversity-in-maritime/
4. North Carolina Ports partners with Cold Summit Development
North Carolina Ports has reached an agreement with Sun Valley, Idaho-based Cold Summit Development to further expand its cold chain and cold storage capabilities. Plans for the development of a 280,000 square foot multi suite cold storage facility located on the Ports Raleigh Street property. The facility would offer 40,000 pallet positions and could house a broad range of product categories, including pork, poultry, produce, grocery as well as life sciences at temperatures ranging from negative 20 degrees Fahrenheit to 57 degrees Fahrenheit. https://cyprusshippingnews.com/2021/09/03/north-carolina-ports-partners-with-cold-summit-development/
5. Russia Gearing Up for First LNG-fueled Icebreaker as Arctic Shipping Grows
Metals miner Nornickel said it will participate in the design and building of Russia’s first dual-fuel liquefied natural gas (LNG) and diesel icebreaker to prepare for more capacity in the environmentally sensitive Arctic region. Russia, which has a fleet of nuclear-powered icebreakers, has long considered LNG-powered icebreaking ships to develop the Northeast Sea Route into an international shipping lane from Arctic waters. https://www.marinelink.com/news/russia-gearing-first-lngfueled-icebreaker-490364
6. ECDIS still in ‘implementation phase’ after two decades
In a report titled Application and usability of ECDIS, the UK’s Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) and the Danish Maritime Accident Investigation Board (DMAIB) investigated a perceived mismatch in the way Electronic Chart Display and Information Systems (ECDIS) were used and the intentions of system manufacturers. The report was built on interviews with 155 ECDIS users and data from sea voyages in Europe between February and July 2018 on 31 ships. Feedback gathered from the report suggested that “although ECDIS has been in development for about 25 years, it was still seemingly in an ‘implementation’ phase’,” said the report. https://www.seatrade-maritime.com/accident-investigations/ecdis-still-implementation-phase-after-two-decades
7. Ikea goes from flat-packed boxes to steel containers in bid to ease shipping crunch
The king of the flat-packed box has bought its own containers and become the latest major retailer to reveal it is chartering in boxships amid today’s uniquely tight, pricey ocean shipping space. Ikea, the world’s largest furniture retailer, has joined the likes of Walmart and Home Depot in taking some of its ocean supply chain needs into its own hands, revealing to American and Swedish news outlets this week that the decision to buy boxes and charter ships came in the wake of the growing port congestion around the world and the lengthy fallout the company suffered from the Ever Given Suez Canal blockage earlier in the year. https://splash247.com/ikea-goes-from-flat-packed-boxes-to-steel-containers-in-bid-to-ease-shipping-crunch/
8. Long wait for tanker demand to return to pre-pandemic levels
Tanker owners, suffering one of their worst years in a decade, will have to wait until the end of next year for demand to return to pre-pandemic levels, multiple analysts suggest. Alphatanker is estimating that by the end for this year, global tanker demand will stand around 2.3% below its pre-pandemic peak and even by the end of 2022, the lag will stand at 0.6%. Alphatanker projects that clean tanker demand will recover ahead of crude tanker demand. https://splash247.com/long-wait-for-tanker-demand-to-return-to-pre-pandemic-levels/
9. Divers To Locate Source Of Reported Oil Spill in Gulf
A private dive team will try to locate the source of a suspected oil spill spotted in the Bay Marchard area of the Gulf of Mexico on Sunday, afterHurricane Ida wreaked havoc in the region this week, the U.S. Coast Guard said on Saturday. U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration satellite images, first reported by the Associated Press on Wednesday, showed a miles-long brownish-black slick spreading in coastal waters about two miles off Port Fourchon, Louisiana, an oil and gas hub. https://gcaptain.com/divers-locate-source-reported-oil-spill-gulf/
10. Days After Ida, Storm’s True Impact on Energy Sector Emerges
The challenges for companies to get out and inspect has been as much on land as at sea. Roads have not only been inundated with water, but trees and even oilfield equipment have blocked trucks from getting through to begin the cleanup. Fixed platforms and mobile rigs have been slow to get inspectors back into the U.S. Gulf of Mexico because the helicopter companies that take them have been tackling issues at their own facilities. https://gcaptain.com/days-after-ida-storms-true-impact-energy-sector-emerges/
