IMO low-sulphur regulations

Test alarm over low-sulphur fuel blends for ocean-going vessels

While most of the attention has, understandably, been on the cost of implementing the IMO’s new low-sulphur regulations, a potentially more problematic issue is how the differing blends of low-sulphur fuel can create large amounts of sediment in vessel fuel tanks, which can lead to catastrophic engine failure. Fobas, a fuel testing company owned by Lloyd’s Register, said this month it found high sediment levels in bunker fuel samples in …

The post Test alarm over low-sulphur fuel blends for...

https://theloadstar.com/test-alarm-over-low-sulphur-fuel-blends-for-ocean-going-vessels/

‘Be alert’ warning to shippers as they face new low-sulphur fuel surcharges

The Global Shippers Forum (GSF) has issued a warning to ocean freight customers as they find themselves saddled with the extra cost of cleaner fuel, compliant with the new IMO low sulphur regulations that came into effect last week.
The new global legislation stipulates that a vessel either has to burn fuel with no more than 0.5% sulphur dioxide content, or use scrubber technology to clean fuel with a higher sulphur …

The post ‘Be alert’ warning to shippers as they face new low-sulphur fuel...

https://theloadstar.com/be-alert-warning-to-shippers-as-they-face-new-low-sulphur-fuel-surcharges/

IMO 2020: the curved ball that acted as a counterweight for box shipping

The bellwether Shanghai Containerized Freight Index (SCFI), which records container spot rates from China to the major tradelanes of the world, will end 2019 on a par with last year – but, as usual, the narrative surrounding how that has been achieved is much more complex.
Global container growth has slowed dramatically, with some analysts predicting expansion for the year of just 1% to 2%, compared with the 4% of 2018.
A …

The post IMO 2020: the curved ball that acted as a counterweight for box...

https://theloadstar.com/imo-2020-the-curved-ball-that-acted-as-a-counterweight-for-box-shipping/

Are carriers boosting low-sulphur fuel surcharges to make up for low rates?

Low-sulphur surcharges announced by ocean carriers on 1 December show “significant variations”, even within alliances, according to Alphaliner analysis.
As The Loadstar reported last Friday, carriers appear to have succeeded in passing on most of the perceived cost implications of IMO 2020 to the spot market and short-term shipper contracts, but the consultant questioned the lack of transparency in setting the surcharges.
“The wide variations in the new fuel surcharge and lack …

The post Are...

https://theloadstar.com/are-carriers-boosting-low-sulphur-fuel-surcharges-to-make-up-for-low-rates/

Iceland set to join SECA regions, adding to pressure on carriers burning LSFO

IMO member states, legislating for the 0.5% sulphur cap within their territorial waters from 1 January, could go a step further and lower the maximum sulphur content in marine fuel to 0.1%.
This is potentially bad news for carriers opting for a strategy of burning maximum 0.5% LSFO (low-sulphur fuel oil) in all but the current SECAs (sulphur emission control areas) in compliance with IMO 2020.
But it’s good news for carriers …

The post Iceland set to join SECA regions, adding to pressure on...

https://theloadstar.com/iceland-set-to-join-seca-regions-adding-to-pressure-on-carriers-burning-lsfo/

MSC starts bunkering with greener blend of fuel oil as it looks to cut emissions

MSC said it has started to bunker some of its vessels calling at Rotterdam with a blend of fuel oil containing biofuels, as it strives to be seen to be reducing its carbon footprint.
The carrier did not specify how many ships are to be involved, or the cost implication.
However, today the Brussels-based NGO Transport & Environment (T&E) claimed MSC was responsible for around 11 million tonnes of CO2 emissions in …

The post MSC starts bunkering with greener blend of fuel oil as it looks to cut...

https://theloadstar.com/msc-starts-bunkering-with-greener-blend-of-fuel-oil-as-it-looks-to-cut-emissions/

Pessimism in container market recedes as 2019 comes to an end

November reversed some of the pessimistic sentiment that was emanating from carriers earlier in the year, as rates remained stronger, clinging on to the General Rate Increases (GRIs) introduced at the start of the month to a much greater degree than was previously expected by many market participants.
The reason for this firming in rates is largely split between carriers’ ongoing employment of void sailings in the market, and a slight …

The post Pessimism in container market recedes as 2019...

https://theloadstar.com/pessimism-in-container-market-recedes-as-2019-comes-to-an-end/

Happier new year in sight for ocean carriers as spot rates hold steady

Ocean carriers appear to have succeeded in recovering around 75% of their IMO transition surcharges for spot and short-term contract business from Asia to North Europe.
And on the transpacific, the container lines appear to have achieved the full quantum of their low-sulphur surcharges.
Today’s Shanghai Containerized Freight Index (SCFI) recorded a further $34 per teu uplift in spot rates to North Europe, to $800 per teu.
This followed the $64 per teu …

The post Happier new year in sight for...

https://theloadstar.com/happier-new-year-in-sight-for-ocean-carriers-as-spot-rates-hold-steady/

Carriers must train their crews for IMO 2020 or risk criminality, warns seafarer union

Seafarer representatives are increasingly worried that the forthcoming IMO 2020 low-sulphur regulations could result in a spate of criminal convictions.
Seafarer union Nautilus International said a recent case involving a P&O Cruises vessel in the North Europe special emission control area (SEVA), which extends from the Channel to the Baltic Sea, set a worrying precedent, following which seafarers could find themselves with a criminal conviction if they fail to correctly manage …

The post Carrier...

https://theloadstar.com/carriers-must-train-their-crews-for-imo-2020-or-risk-criminality-warns-seafarer-union/

Open-loop scrubber ban spreads: ‘a pain, but we can live with it’, say carriers

Malaysia has become the latest state to ban the use of open-loop scrubbers for ships operating in its waters, taking the number of ports around the world they cannot enter to more than 80.
The website of Malaysia’s maritime department, Jabatan Laut Malaysia, says ships are prohibited from discharging the washwater, used by exhaust gas cleaning systems to remove the sulphur from heavy fuel oil (HFO), back into the sea.
Ships are …

The post Open-loop scrubber ban spreads: ‘a pain, but we can live...

https://theloadstar.com/growing-port-ban-on-open-loop-scrubbers-a-pain-but-we-can-live-with-it-say-carriers/

+ More