SMI Newsdesk Archives

Leading tanker owner Peter Georgiopoulos is confident there is still money available for fleet expansion by the larger well capitalised owners but the credit crunch could be biting for lesser quality owners.

Speaking to SMI at one of the Posidonia parties, the General Maritime boss was hopeful this would create a divide between the ‘haves and the have nots’. “Hopefully this will happen and the effect will be … Read More…

A shift from traditional fuels to natural gas is necessary if the shipping industry is to meet expectations of substantial reductions in CO2 emissions, according to DNV COO Tor Svensen

Launching its road map for how the shipping industry can reduce its CO2 emissions, he said: “Only a common effort of the industry can keep regulators from imposing damaging new requirements on shipping to achieve environmental improvements.

“The … Read More…

Greece has reiterated its claim that current negotiations on two outstanding issues relating to the third maritime safety package ‘hold no added value’ and it has urged that any future regulatory initiatives should be conducted so the purpose is achieved with minimum side effects.

It also added its support to the claim that EU member states should retain their sovereignty when debating at the IMO rather than agreeing … Read More…

Lloyd’s Register has developed a voluntary assessment programme designed to support the practical implementation of the forthcoming ILO Maritime Labour Convention (MLC, 2006) on new and existing ships.

Not yet mandatory, the MLC, a significant development in international shipping described as a ‘bill of rights’ for maritime labour, is expected to come into force by 2012. But ratification may take place even earlier.

The convention has been drafted … Read More…

Greek Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis was the most prominent of the invited VIPs as Posidonia 2008 opened its doors to the world’s shipping industry.

And he used the occasion to press home Greece’s eagerness to lure home the large number of London-based Greek ship owners who have become disillusioned with the British government’s recent non-dom tax reform plans.

Addressing invited guests at the opening ceremony, Mr Karamanlis said: … Read More…

V.Ships and Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement have agreed to open offices in the much heralded Dubai Maritime City as Dubai steps up its efforts to attract managers and owners away from established maritime clusters like Cyprus.

John Ewing, Chief Commercial Officer at the Dubai Maritime City, told SMI that the world’s top two ship managers had agreed to open up a small presence to begin with but they would … Read More…

BIMCO is to prove that the shipping industry is as green as it says it is by initiating a study aimed at documenting that the sector, preferably going back 35 years, has acted increasingly environmentally consciously and must stand out as an environmentally responsible industry with the focus on sustainable development.

The owners’ association, which is headed up by its President Philip Embiricos, also pledged to stay proactive … Read More…

There are jobs a plenty in the US maritime industry according to a survey by the US Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration, with almost two-thirds of the operators of US-registered vessels claiming they had trouble in the past year finding enough qualified people to fill all their posts.

“The maritime industry is a great place to look for long-term employment now,” said Maritime Administrator Sean Connaughton. “It used … Read More…

Jamaicaʹs flag is flying high in China with the launch of two new container ships which will operate in the Chinese coastal trade.

Jamaican ambassador to China, His Excellency Wayne McCook and Calvin Chen, deputy registrar for China, are pictured beside one of the new Jamaican‐registered ships: the newly named, 7,545 gross tonne container ship CCL Moji (ex‐Panjang).

The CCL Moji and its sister ship the CCL Osaka … Read More…

A&P Tyne, part of the A&P Group, has completed the annual refit of the 14,087gt ro/ro cargo ferry Norcape for P&O Ferries. She arrived at the Hebburn yard on March 26th and left today (May 23rd).

At peak times, over 100 personnel were employed with all contract work completed in line with the original schedule. She will return to service between Tilbury and Zeebrugge.

A significant part of … Read More…

Construction of Dubai Maritime City, the world’s first purpose-built maritime centre and a member of the Dubai World Group of companies, is one year ahead of schedule.

More than half the warehouses and workshops are operational as is the 3,000 tonne ship lift while the the larger 6,000 tonne ship lift is standing at more than 70% completion.

According to Nawfal Al Jourani, Chief Marketing Officer, Dubai Maritime City, … Read More…

Air pollution would be cut in half on the west coast of the US following a proposed $750 million, 10-year project, to redevelop the Middle Harbour in Long Beach Port, California.

According to a draft environmental impact report/environmental impact statement (EIR/EIS) released by the Board of Harbour Commissioners, the Middle Harbour Redevelopment Project would cut air pollution at two port terminals by 50% or more from existing levels … Read More…