COULD THE DAYS OF THE DARK FLEET BE NUMBERED? Amid growing concerns about the size and the operation of the ‘dark fleet’, rapid geopolitical developments resulting from policies adopted by the new US Administration policies could change the backdrop. In its most recent Tanker Opinion, New York broker Poten & Partners points out that Russia, Iran […]

HSFO SPOT PREMIUMS DIP BUT BACKWARDATION HOLDS Spot premiums for high sulphur fuel oil (HSFO) eased further in Asia on Tuesday, although backwardation retained its strength in the prompt trading months. The March/April backwardation spread for 380-cst HSFO closed at $15.50 per metric ton on Tuesday, widening from the previous session in volatile trade, according […]

MAN DUAL-FUEL METHANOL ENGINE PASSES TYPE APPROVAL TEST Genset receives approval from all major class societies in attendance at CSSC Marine Power event. MAN Energy Solutions (MAN ES) announced that its MAN 7L21/31DF-M dual-fuel methanol engine passed its Type Approval Test (TAT) at licensee CSSC Marine Power’s (CMP) production facility in Zhenjiang, China. The genset […]

VPS: 2024 MARINE BUNKER FUELS REVIEW 2024 saw the continuing evolution and widening of available maritime fuel types and grades, as the global shipping industry continues to gather decarbonisation momentum to reduce its emissions to meet current and future legislation targets. Existing CII and EEXI requirements, plus EU ETS legislation, saw increasing demand for additional […]

MORE ACTIVITY IN THE S&P MARKET The market for second hand ships has been expanding so far this year, with more deals being reported. In its latest weekly report, shipbroker Banchero Costa said that “in the dry bulk segment, SENTOSA CHALLENGER 81,600 dwt 2020 Imabari built (SS and DD due Apr 2025) and SENTOSA SPIRIT […]

IRAN INSTALLS ELECTRONIC LOCKS ON OIL TANKERS TO STOP FUEL SMUGGLING Iran has introduced a new initiative to enhance security and monitoring in its oil transportation sector by installing electronic locks on oil tankers. The National Iranian Oil Engineering and Construction Company (NIOEC) has launched a comprehensive project titled “Real-Time Monitoring of the Supply and […]

WOMEN WHO CHANGE THE MARITIME WORKPLACE AT THE PANAMA CANAL Today, there are more women in shipping than ever before. We profile the diverse range of roles undertaken by women in the operations of the Panama Canal and the services connected to it. During recent international maritime conferences, there has been a lot of talk about […]

BERTH NO. 5 AT LẠCH HUYỆN PORT CAN ACCOMMODATE CONTAINER SHIPS UP TO 165,000 DWT WITH REDUCED LOAD The Vietnam Maritime Administration has recently adjusted the announcement regarding the opening of Berth No. 5 at Lach Huyen Port, Hai Phong (Phase 1). Located in the Lach Huyen area on Cat Hai Island, Hai Phong City, […]

REWRITING WOMEN INTO MARITIME HISTORY INITIATIVE GOES GLOBAL The Lloyd’s Register-backed Rewriting Women into Maritime History initiative to uncover and showcase the critical role of women in the maritime sector, past and present has entered a new, international phase. Launched in the UK and Ireland in 2023, the programme uses archival material held by maritime […]

SEAFARER SALARIES AND RETENTION RATES ON THE RISE Retaining seafarers has improved slightly over the past year, thanks in part to salary raises, the annual Crew Managers’ Survey by Danica Crewing Specialists has revealed. In its survey of in-house crew managers in shipowning and shipmanagement companies, almost 90% reported that they had increased salaries in […]