World Maritime News
WMNF 19/04/2023
Box shipping is down but far from out
The end of the pandemic boom was inevitable. But industry discipline and capacity management will mean it is well placed to benefit from a recovery in the second half of this year. The container shipping sector is nowhere near as bad a shape as some think. Shippers should be wary of trying to “nickel and dime” carriers in contract negotiations ahead of a possible upturn in demand.
Read more: Lloyd’s List
SIPG sees record profit for 2022 despite slow container growth
Shanghai International Port Group (SIPG), the major operator of the world’s busiest container port, reported record profit for 2022, despite its second-lowest box growth level for a decade. Shanghai handled more than 47.3m teu of containers in 2022, representing a 0.6% increase from the previous year. Although the minor growth still enables Shanghai to hold the title of the world’s busiest container port for 13 consecutive years, it represents the second-slowest level of throughput growth since 2010.
Read more: Lloyd’s List
US ports keen on new funding, but less so on proposed reforms: AAPA
According to the US port industry’s main policy advocate, the US Federal Government will provide more funding for US ports for their future volume growth and a “hedging strategy” if shippers need to use additional ports in case of congestion. However, Chris Connor, president of the American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA), said that while the whole industry welcomes the new investment, many of his members are less supportive of a proposed update of the Ocean Shipping Reform Act of 2022 (OSRA-22) that increases oversight of ports and marine terminals.
Read more: JOC
Cargo owners benefit from lower contract rates
Shippers and beneficial cargo owners could see a fall in shipping costs between 55% and 85% compared with 2022 as they conclude annual contract negotiations. Nevertheless, despite the falling price of freight and improving reliability, Mr. Damas warned that shippers should not push too hard as this risked carriers removing capacity, which in turn threatened to reap the benefits.
Read more: Lloyd’s List
Rising US imports to remain below pandemic highs
Imports at key US ports are forecast to rise steadily in the near term but will remain below the pandemic’s record-setting peaks. A report by the National Retail Federation and Hackett Associates says imports at the nation’s 12 largest ports last month were at 1.68m teu, a 28.2% decrease yearly.
Read more: Lloyd’s List
Rising capacity prompts ‘tough freight war’ on Japan-US trade
Shippers are seeing tougher competition among carriers on the trans-Pacific trade between Japan and the US due to an influx of shipping capacity amid a rebound in export volumes from Japan to the US, maritime executives say. Forwarders said the capacity increase is due to carriers no longer skipping or blanking calls at Japanese ports to maintain trans-Pacific service levels following the normalization of demand and easing port congestion in the US.
Read more: JOC
Shipping needs energy efficiency, CII tweaks to align with 1.5°C goals, argues a new report
The shipping industry requires a more ambitious energy efficiency drive by 2030 to align with 1.5°C goals, according to a new report that calls for revisions to the International Maritime Organization’s carbon intensity indicator measures. The study, authored by UK-based consultancy UMAS, outlines three scenarios that align shipping with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s goals of limiting global temperature rises to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. It suggests emission reductions required this decade can be met mainly by energy efficiency measures such as slow steaming, larger vessels, and wind assistance.
Read more: Lloyd’s List
Methanol-fuelled boxships can be economically viable
The price of methanol could see slot costs rise by more than 50%. But if the proper steps are taken, the ‘cost of decarbonization’ could reduce to just 20%. Container lines are betting heavily on methanol as the future fuel, with 68 vessels on order and the first methanol-fuelled feeder ship soon to be delivered. But questions remain about the availability of true carbon-neutral green methanol and its cost.
Read more: Lloyd’s List
HMM halves emissions per teu
HMM has cut its carbon emissions per teu by more than half over the past decade using larger, more energy-efficient vessels and optimized operations. The company said that CO2 emissions generated by transporting 1teu for 1km fell from 68.7g in 2010 to 29.05 g in 2021, a decline of 57.7%. HMM formed a dedicated task force in 2015 for effective energy-efficiency management and opened a fleet control center in 2020, which analyses data about vessel operations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The improvement in per teu emissions has happened alongside a doubling fleet capacity, from 337,400 teu to 755,200 teu in the same period.
Read more: Lloyd’s List
CMA CGM orders 16 new alternative fuel mega-ships: report
CMA CGM is set to expand the world’s fleet of alternative fuel container ships. The Marseille-based carrier signed the order — for 12 15,000-TEU ships capable of running on methanol fuel and traditional bunkers and four 23,000-TEU dual-fuel liquefied natural gas (LNG) ships — with China State Shipbuilding Corporation. According to Xinhua, at a reported 21 billion yuan ($3.05 billion), it is the largest container ship order ever placed with a Chinese shipbuilder by value. However, CMA CGM, which has yet to confirm the order, did not respond to a request for comment.
Read more: JOC