SMI Newsdesk Archives :

The latest line in coating technology was unveiled by International Paint this week, promising cuts in cleaning bills, fuel costs and the ability to carry over 25% more cargoes on chemical tankers.

Interline9001 is the result of 12 years of development work in the Gateshead-based company’s laboratory and will bring a multitude of welcome solutions to the growing chemical tanker market.

Existing coating systems such as epoxy phenolic and zinc … Read More…

Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics has reported a cut in its CO2 emissions by 21% for 2010 in comparison to 2009, in a positive change attributed to increased fleet optimisation and utilisation.

The company has also reported the results of its low-sulphur fuel policy, which has also allowed for some impressive reductions in sulphur emissions by 151,000 between 2000 and 2010.

The company includes these figures in its 2010 Environmental Sustainability Report, … Read More…

A ship manager has been asked to pay $436,000 in communication costs following an error in which a crew were unintentionally granted unrestricted internet access for a three month period, leading to hefty airtime charges.

Reporting the incident in its Claims Review, mutual insurance company the International Transport Intermediaries Club (ITIC) stated that the shipping company had a policy of upgrading communications packages on all its time-chartered and owned vessels, … Read More…

Shanghai-based Graig China, part of the UK’s Graig group, has won a 10-ship order to supervise newbuildings for Chinese leasing company Minsheng Financial Leasing Co. The supervision contract brings to 23, the number of Chinese-owned vessels building in Chinese shipyards under the supervision of Graig.

The new contract is to supervise the construction of 10 x 76,000 dwt bulk carriers to be built at Jiangsu Rong Sheng Heavy Industries, with … Read More…

Overall confidence levels in the shipping industry dropped for the third successive quarter in the three months ending February 2011, to reach their lowest level for 15months, according to the latest survey by leading accountant and shipping adviser Moore Stephens.

Over-tonnaging and the uncertainty created by political unrest in the Middle East and North Africa were the dominant themes running throughout the responses to the survey, which also revealed an … Read More…

Wilh. Wilhelmsen has marked its 150th anniversary in style by launching what it claims is the most sophisticated vessel ever built in the roll-on, roll-off segment.

“We expect the Mark V will strengthen our position as the global market leader within deep sea roll-on roll-off transport”, said Jan Eyvin Wang, president and CEO of Wilh. Wilhelmsen, representing the owner of the vessel.

“The Mark V class is the most sophisticated … Read More…

Much more than a ripple of applause spread around the conference hall at this year’s CMA 2011 event in Stamford when Bimco President Robert Lorenz-Meyer told delegates that the shipping industry needed an icon to highlight the plight of the piracy problem and who better to do the job than that old Caribbean pirate himself Jack Sparrow, aka Johnny Depp.

You can imagine the gasps that erupted when it emerged … Read More…

Decision-making needs to go back to the hands of crew and away from shore-based managers, InterManager President Alastair Evitt, has told delegates attending this year’s CMA 2011.

 “I regret to say it – but in many cases shipboard management teams have to be retrained to think for themselves, to understand the commercial issues and to have an awareness of product and service delivery,” he said.

Taking part in the opening … Read More…

International Transport Intermediaries Club (ITIC) has warned that failure to pay ship agents promptly in accordance with contractual agreements can have serious consequences for shipowners, and can potentially involve them in costs which far exceed any unpaid invoices. 

In the latest issue of its Claims Review, ITIC cites the case of a South American ship agent which was owed $25,000 by the owners of a cruise ship in respect of … Read More…

Following the earthquake that struck on Friday 11th March, six Japanese refineries are reportedly closed. The plants in question, detailed in the table below, have a combined capacity of 1.34m bbl/day, or around 28% of Japan’s total. The immediate effects of the earthquake are likely to cause a drop in oil demand, but it is likely that in the long-run, oil and product demand could rebound to levels that surpass … Read More…

Koichi Muto, President of Mitsui OSK Lines, has confirmed his company has embarked on a number of support activities to assist victims of the devastating earthquake which struck on 11th March off the coast of Japan, creating tsunami waves of up to 10 metres.

In addition to a charity donation program within the MOL Group, the company will donate ¥50 million to aid support and rescue of victims. Mr Muto … Read More…

Trials of a unique online catalogue which transforms the way ship owners, ship managers and ship suppliers select and order their onboard and onshore stores are proving a great success with more than 3,000 vessels already taking part.

One Maritime, the revolutionary new way to select and order ship stores from both onboard ship and ashore became available to the shipping industry from January 1st 2011. Already live trials of … Read More…