Maritime News Round up – Issue 11

Bunker fuels 

Bunker Market, 16th July, 2020

Yesterday oil prices jumped 2% based on bullish inventory data. Oil prices rose nearly 2% on Wednesday after a favourable U.S. inventory report from the Energy Information Administration (EIA), an OPEC agreement to taper the production cuts, and assurances from U.S. President Trump that Washington will not levy sanctions on China for its treatment of Hong Kong. Hellenic Shipping News 

Asia Pacific: Study gets underway on the potential for methanol bunker fuel 

The Methanol Institute and the China Waterborne Transportation Research Institute (CWTRI) are collaborating on a project to develop a roadmap for the use of methanol as a marine fuel in China. 

The study is supported by Methanex, the world’s largest methanol producer and distributor and Shanghai Huayi Energy Chemical Co., Ltd., one of the largest methanol producers and distributors in China. Bunkerspot 

Singapore ex-wharf low sulfur marine fuel spread to gasoil widens on slow demand 

The Singapore ex-wharf Marine Fuel 0.5%S against the Mean of Platts Singapore 10 ppm gasoil assessments widened to an eight-month high of $53.99/mt on July 13 on subdued demand, S&P Global Platts data showed. The spread was last widest on November 5, 2019 at $54.31/mt. BunkerWorld/ S&P Platts

IBIA casts doubt on paraffinic VLSFO black carbon theory 

Bunker Industry group IBIA has cast doubt on the idea that paraffinic components within very low sulfur fuel oil (VLSFO) may cause heightened levels of black carbon emissions. Ship & Bunker 

New ISO standard coming for marine fuels  

With the varied parameters in VLSFO there is a need to revise the ISO 8217 marine fuel standard, which could take three years to complete. International marine fuel standards are set to be revised over the next three years in reaction to the increased use of very low sulphur fuel oil (VLSFO). The uptake of VLSFO with less than 0.5% sulphur content was driven by IMO legislation that came into force on 1 January 2020. Riviera 

Marine lubricants 

Keeping engines running amid 2020 fuel challenges

Early reports on the variable quality of very low-sulfur fuel oils confirm research highlighting the need for robust cylinder lubrication when using the new fuel blends. Lubrizol360 

WinGD brings greater transparency to cylinder oil decisions

Engine designer Winterthur Gas & Diesel (WinGD) has prioritised collaboration and transparency in its new cylinder lubrication guide, to ensure that selecting the right oil is easy and straightforward. The new documentation provides ship operators with consolidated, at-a-glance information highlighting the specific usage conditions for each and every approved cylinder oil.  VPO Global

Climate Change/Future Fuels 

Oil giants including Exxon set first joint carbon target 

A group of the world’s top oil companies including Saudi Aramco, China’s CNPC and Exxon Mobil have for the first time set targets to cut their combined greenhouse gas emissions as a proportion of production, as pressure on the sector’s climate stance grows. LONDON Reuters 

Dunkerque joins “Getting to Zero” coalition  

Dunkerque-Port has just joined the “Getting to Zero” Coalition, in order to support the decarbonisation of the shipping industry by working in conjunction with companies from the shipping, energy, infrastructure and finance sectors. Freight Week 

Digitalization  

Sniffer drone monitors ships’ sulfur emissions in Denmark  

The Danish authorities are using a sniffer drone to monitor sulphur emissions within their waters. The authorities have requested the use of a drone from the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) to monitor emissions around the Great Belt area, EMSA said in a statement on its website Wednesday. Ship & Bunker

Seafarer Welfare App to Launch by Isle of Man Ship Registry

The Isle of Man Ship Registry is set to launch what is reported to be the first seafarer welfare app designed by a ship registry. Set to launch in July 2020, the app will be free to around 11,000 seafarers sailing on more than 400 vessels under the Isle of Man flag. Marine Link 

FX roll-out completed on Roxana Shipping tanker fleet

Roxana Shipping has completed a major technology upgrade project on all 10 vessels in its tanker fleet, installing Inmarsat’s Fleet Xpress VSAT service on the ships to provide access to a wider range of online applications. Smart Maritime Network

Maritime Startup Ecosystem map 2020 – Q2

The latest startup and scaleups ecosystem map has been released: Download

Maritime  

Carnival to Raise $1.26 Billion in Debt for COVID-19 Relief  

Carnival Corp is planning to raise about $1.26 billion in a bond offering, the beleaguered cruise operator said Wednesday as it struggles to stay afloat after the COVID-19 pandemic impacted its business. Reuters / GCaptain 

FrontM partners with Inmarsat and VIKAND to launch COVID -19 Telemed Service for maritime workforce  

FrontM, a collaboration software provider to the maritime and aviation industries, announced their collaboration with global satellite telecommunications giant Inmarsat and VIKAND, a global, maritime medical operations and healthcare solutions provider, to provide seafarers with immediate access to a COVID-19 healthcare hotline. MaritimeNewsWire 

Events 

Global Bunkering Summit, September 2020 – Virtual Event 

Shipping and bunkering are true ‘contact sports’, where personal interaction and shared experience are every bit as important as the information gathered from industry events – or given the current restraints caused by the coronavirus – online seminars. But while travelling to attend overseas conferences is impossible at present, the need and desire to communicate with the outside world has never been stronger.  

That is why Petrospot has launched the Global Bunkering Summit 2020 (GBS), the world’s first global online bunker conference that offers so much more than a webinar or online meeting, by including:  

• • live debate and Q&A sessions 
  • 1-to-1 meetings with fellow attendees 
  • private access to speakers, sponsors and exhibitors 
  • a virtual exhibition 
  • and a wide range of other ways to communicate with your peers. 

Register for this free event: https://www.petrospot.com/events/gbs-2020 

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