World Maritime News
WMNF 2018/10/04
IMO SG calls for collaboration on decarbonization
Kitack Lim, secretary-general of the IMO, has told senior members of the maritime industry that shipping is entering a new era on green house gas emissions and that all shipowners have a clear obligation to play their part. Addressing the meeting at the UK Chamber, Lim called on IMO members to maintain the momentum started in April at MEPC 72, when National governments agreed to cut shipping’s total annual greenhouse gas emissions by at least 50% by 2050 and to decarbonize completely as soon as possible. The agreement will be revised in 2023. Given the scale of the challenge facing the industry, there was general agreement that all options should be explored and the need to think ‘outside the box’.
More details: https://www.ukchamberofshipping.com/events/imo-ghg-forum/
Sulphur cap demands 2020 vision
The 0.5% Sulphur cap to be introduced in 2020 and Union of Greek Shipowners have thrown their weight behind shipping industry proposals for an ‘experience-building phase’ to smooth the industry’s looming jump to low-sulphur fuels that as yet are generally unavailable and untested. The proposal, which is being circulated within the industry, calls for a ‘pragmatic enforcement approach’ to the low-sulphur regulations. The UGS says it remains firmly committed to the dates that have been agreed at the IMO, at the same time it is concerned about the uncertainties regarding the availability and supply of Marpol-compliant fuels which are also Solas-compliant, safe, fit for purpose and available worldwide. Liberia has called for early reporting on the availability of low-sulphur fuel necessary for ships after January11, 2020
Under the IMO’s global Sulphur cap. The Atlantic Basin will likely see heavy fuel oil surplus and compliant fuel shortages in 2020, according to Fearnley Securities.US Coast Guard officials contend it is too early to take a position on the issue. Maersk cannot support the proposal, primarily because of its vague language and lack of sufficient explanation on how the experience building phase would work.
More details:
https://lloydslist.maritimeintelligence.informa.com/LL1124303/Sulphur-cap-demands-2020-vision
Maersk confirms integration of Damco into Maersk Line
Maersk has confirmed that it is to bring its business lines closer together as part of its efforts to become an integrated container transport and logistics service. The move will see Damco’s supply chain services and Maersk Line’s ocean services integrated from January 2019. The integrated business will operate under a single management team headed by Maersk chief commercial officer Vincent Clerc. The announcement heralds the latest phase in the largest global container line’s effort to reinvent itself as an integrated container transport and logistics provider.
More details:
https://www.supplychaindive.com/news/maersk-line-damco-merge-restructuring/532734/
US ports join campaign against Trump’s tariffs
US port managers have joined a campaign against the tariffs announced by the Trump administration. The Tariff Hurt the Heartland coalition aims to highlight the tariff’s negative impact on business and trade, and to promote the benefits of international trade to the US economy. It has been formed by more than 80 trade associations representing thousands of business, including American Association of Port Authorities. The groups are planning a media campaign across TV, radio and online to raise awareness of the impact of tariffs.
Other members of the coalition include the American Petroleum Institute, the National Retail Federation and Farmers for Free Trade. A statement from American Petroleum Institute suggested increasing protectionism from the US and retaliations from China may jeopardize the strength of US energy exports. Many of the statements expressed hope that the disputes at the heart of US-China trade tensions can be quickly resolved, but frustration with both the tariffs imposed with effect from September 24 and the looming threat of additional tariffs on USD 267 billion worth Chinese goods.
More details:
https://www.aapa-ports.org/advocating/PRdetail.aspx?itemnumber=22168
https://www.wallacesfarmer.com/farm-policy/tariffs-hurt-heartland-campaign-launched
Shell greenlights Canadian LNG export project
Royal Dutch Shell and its partners have announced an agreement to invest US$ 31billion LNG project in western Canada. LNG Canada will allow LNG to be shipped to Asian markets far faster than from the US Gulf. It will be located in Kitimat, British Columbia, and will initially consist of two processing units that will produce 14 million tons of LNG per annum.
LNG Canada is the single largest private sector investment project in Canadian history, prime minister Justin Trudeau said in a statement issued by LNG Canada. A deep-water port, roads, rail and power suppliers already surround the site where the project will be built, according to LNG Canada.
More details:
https://www.lngcanada.ca/latest-news/
Port of Long Beach advances Pier B on-dock rail project
The Port of Long Beach has advanced plans to increase its container operational efficiency with the approval of an US$ 875 million budget for construction of the Pier B On-Dock Rail Support Facility Project. The Clean Air Action Plan calls for increased use of on-dock rail, and The Pier B development is expected to meet the environmental goals by diverting some 20 million teu away from trucks to on-dock railcars onto the Alameda Corridor, the 30.6 km express railway line that connects the San Pedro Bay ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach with the Los Angeles rail yards, over a period of 20 years. By eliminating trucks from the process, the on-dock rail facility will streamline the ship-to-shore movement of container traffic for destinations farther east, currently about 35% of Long Beach total throughput.
More details:
http://www.polb.com/civica/filebank/blobdload.asp?BlobID=14299
http://www.polb.com/civica/filebank/blobdload.asp?BlobID=14299
http://www.polb.com/news/displaynews.asp?NewsID=1765&TargetID=1