Maritime News Round Up – Issue 19

Bunker fuel

MABUX: Bunker market, Sep.11

MABUX World Bunker Index (consists of a range of prices for 380 HSFO, VLSFO and MGO (Gasoil) in the main world hubs) did not have firm trend and changed irregular on Sep.10:

380 HSFO – USD/MT – 291.27 (+0.89)
VLSFO – USD/MT – 332.00 (-2.00)
MGO – USD/MT – 409.80 (+0.70)

Meantime, world oil indexes also changed irregular on Sep.10 after U.S. data showed a surprise build in crude stockpiles last week.

Brent for November settlement fell by $0.73 to $40.06 a barrel on the London-based ICE Futures Europe exchange. West Texas Intermediate for October delivery decreased by $0.75 to $37.30 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The Brent benchmark traded at the premium of $2.76 to WTI. Gasoil for September delivery gained $5.50 – $322.75. Mabux 

ExxonMobil completes sea trials of its first marine biofuel oil 

The marine biofuel oil – described as a 0.50% sulphur residual-based fuel (VLSFO) processed with a second generation waste-based FAME component (ISCC certified) – will be available later this year at Rotterdam before a wider roll-out across ExxonMobil’s port network. Bunkerspot 

Second Wave of Floating Storage Triggered by Ailing Oil Market

A stalled global economic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic is leading to a fresh build-up of global oil supplies, pushing traders including Trafigura to book tankers to store millions of barrels of crude oil and refined fuels at sea again. The use of so-called floating storage onboard tankers comes as traditional onshore storage remains close to capacity as supplies outpace demand. Marine Link 

Marine Lubricants 

Gazpromneft Marine Lubricants steps up presence in the Asia Pacific 

Gazpromneft Marine Lubricants carried out the first bunkering in the port of Hong Kong. The vessel was supplied with Gazpromneft Ocean CCL40 oil specially developed for engines operating on low-sulfur fuel. Hellenic Shipping News 

Decarbonisation 

Engie Teams Up With Rocket Maker on Hydrogen Shipping Fuel

French energy giant Engie SA teamed up with rocket maker ArianeGroup to develop hydrogen production equipment and promote the gas as a clean fuel for the shipping industry. The partnership comes as France and other European nations step up subsidies for research into cleaner and cheaper hydrogen development. While the gas could help replace dirtier fuels in transport and industry, producing it from water using clean power is more expensive than extracting it from fossil fuels. Bloomberg 

Why hydrogen lies at the heart of future fuels 

Hydrogen Europe’s Grzegorz Pawelec explains why hydrogen will form the basis of most future fuels and confirms that liquid hydrogen and ammonia offers the most promise for the maritime industry. Riviera 

DFDS advances methanol use plans for shipping fleet as part of climate goals 

Shipping company DFDS plans to introduce small amounts of methanol in the existing propulsion machinery on many of its vessels as part of its climate action plan to curb its carbon footprint. S&P Global

MSC Takes on “Always Clean” Antifouling Robot to Improve Fuel Efficiency 

The system will be installed at a shipyard in China at the same time as the vessel undergoes class renewal and has a scrubber fitted. Ship & Bunker 

Digitalization

COMSAT sign distribution agreement with Orbit 

COMSAT, the global satellite connectivity solutions provider and member of the Satcom Direct family, is expanding its international terminal, hardware and service footprint following the signing of a new distribution agreement with global provider of airborne and maritime satellite solutions, Orbit Communications Systems.  The Digital Ship 

New gas containment tank gets ‘Digital Twin Ready’ AiP 

South Korean shipbuilder Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) has been awarded an approval in principle (AiP) by Lloyd’s Register for its digital health management (DHM) system for a Type B gas containment tank. Riviera  

SeaOwl plans remotely controlled OSV fleet 

SeaOwl intends to order a fleet of unmanned vessels for underwater inspection of offshore oil, gas and renewables infrastructure between 2023 and 2028 following completion of the Remotely Operated Service at Sea (ROSS) development project. Riviera

South Korean Collaboration to Develop Smart Ship Technologies 

In the latest effort to leverage technology and systems aboard the ship, two of South Korea’s leaders in shipping announced a new collaboration to develop smart ship technologies. Shipping company HMM and shipbuilder Samsung Heavy Industries signed a memorandum of understanding to pursue smart ship technology. Maritime Executive
 

Maritime 

Shipping Execs Call for Action to Resolve Maersk Etienne Standstill 

Several shipping industry executives have voiced their support for Maersk Tankers and are demanding government action to debark nearly 30 migrants from one of its tankers stranded off Malta. Marine Link 

Search for missing Gulf Livestock 1 crew ends 

The search off southern Japan for the missing crew from the Gulf Livestock 1 has been called off. The converted livestock carrier was carrying 43 crew members and more than 5,800 cows when it lost power in a typhoon, capsized and sank eight days ago. Three people were found, two were alive but one man was unconscious and later died. Splash247

Bunker Industry Warms to Wider Application of MFMs and Licences  

The bunker industry may be coming around to the idea of applying Singapore’s system of MFMs and bunker licences more widely. Ship & Bunker 

UK Chamber of Shipping welcomes new UK shipping minister 

The UK Chamber of Shipping Chief Executive has warmly welcomed the announcement of Robert Courts MP as the new Shipping Minister at the Department for Transport, replacing Kelly Tolhurst MP. UK Chamber of Shipping 

Events 

Maritime Week Americas 2020 Virtual conference, 21-22 October 2020 

Petrospot are launching the first Maritime Week Americas Virtual Conference, an amazing event designed to recreate the unique sounds, colours and fun of the onsite conferences that hundreds of delegates from all over the Americas have grown to love for more than a decade. Register  

Posidonia Web Forum Week 2020 

The Week replaces the planned live Podisonia event and brings together leading media for a series of web conferences and forums taking place from 26-30 October 2020. Register