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DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2024– 072
Number 072 *** COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS *** Tuesday 12-03-2024
News reports received from readers and Internet News articles copied from various news sites & Social Media
The Norwegian flagged ro/ro cargo vessel "SAMSKIP KVITNOS" inbound for the
Waalhaven in Rotterdam arriving from Tananger in Norway
Photo : Cees van der Kooij (c)
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The SPRING inbound for Rotterdam Photo : Paul Gerdes ©
South Korea Launches 1st Container Ship Built for

Autonomous Operations
South Korea has launched a container ship that will promote autonomous shipping operations. The nation’s Ministry of
Ocean and Fisheries described the ship as the first oceangoing vessel for Level Three autonomous shipping. There are
plans to undertake the first demonstration of autonomous shipping with this ship in the latter part of the year.The
country’s Hyundai Mip Dockyard Co. held the vessel’s christening event on Friday. The 1800 TEU vessel was named Pos
Singapore. Industry sources say it will be given to Pan Ocean Co. by the end of this month.The order for this ship was
placed in 2022. It is 172 m or 564 ft long and is registered in Liberia. The 22,200 DWT container ship will be handed to
its owner and will undergo outfitting and trials for the autonomous system.The Government of South Korea emphasised
that autonomous ships were the main goal in the Advanced Maritime Mobility Development Strategy, which was

announced in 2023. The autonomous shipping project was launched in 2020, and the government gave over $120 million
for research and development of these technologies.According to the ministry, the ship is designed to function
autonomously without any crew, and its operations would be controlled by a remote control. From its designing phase,
Hyundai Mipo and Pan Ocean completed the preparations for installing the autonomous navigation system, which would
now be installed on the ship. The system includes autonomous navigation, communication, security technologies, and
advanced digital agency monitoring systems.South Korea has tested several autonomous systems over the last few years.
In 2022, Hyundai undertook the world’s first transoceanic journey of a commercial ship using autonomous navigation.
The system was installed on the 97,500 DWT LNG Carrier, covering over 11,000 nautical miles of the Pacific.The trials for
the new version of this technological system began in 2023 onboard the comparatively small 69-ton ship Ocean Nuri. The
plan is that Pos Singapore will conduct its first trials on an international shipping route in September 2024.
Source : Yonhap News Agency
The SEVEN SEAS MARINER in Darwin Photo : Jan Willem Monster (c)
MOL and Petrobras Sign Cargo Transfer Vessels Deals
The SEALOADER 2 anchored off Singapore

Photo : Piet Sinke www.maasmondmaritime.com (c)
CLICK at the photo & hyperlink in text to view and/or download the photo(s) !
Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) and Brazil’s state-owned energy giant Petrobras have signed a charter contract for cargo
transfer vessel (CTV) SeaLoader 2, and agreed to start negotiations for a new CTV shipbuilding contract by the end of

2024.MOL signed the deal through its wholly owned subsidiary, SeaLoading Holding, which owns and operates CTVs.
SeaLoading started a CTV agreement with Petrobras for SEALOADER 2 on a trial period in January 2022, and
successfully completed more than 30 crude oil offloading operations from Petrobras' FPSOs located in the Santos Basin,
Brazil, transferring the cargo to tankers. The trials involved vessels up to VLCC size, according to MOL. After the
successful conclusion of the trial agreement, proving the CTV technology efficiency and reliability, the vessel was placed
on a time charter contract in 2023 with Petrobras.Now SeaLoading has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU)
with Petrobras to start the negotiations for a newbuilding CTV by the end of 2024.The crude oil produced from offshore
fields by a floating production, storage and offloading system (FPSO) is usually transported to the demand area via crude
oil tankers, which, in most cases, requires DP shuttle tankers with special cargo handling equipment to firstly receive the
crude oil and transport it to an oil storage terminal or calm waters where it can be offloaded (or transshipped), and then
reloaded onto a crude oil tanker.In the case of CTV, the crude oil can be directly loaded from the FPSO to the crude oil
tanker by connecting a CTV between an FPSO and the crude oil tanker. This dramatically increases the efficiency of crude
oil logistics. Currently, there are only 2 two CTVs in the world, all owned by SeaLoading, which holds the patent for the
CTV technology.The use of CTVs could also enable a significant reduction in CO2 emissions compared to the transfer of
crude oil by DP shuttle tankers.Specifically, CTVs are expected to achieve a 60% reduction in CO2 emissions off the
Brazilian coast compared to using a DP shuttle tanker for offloading in the Santos basin, and about 80% when it is used
off the coast of Uruguay, according to MOL, which pointed out that the said reduction rate will vary depending on the
actual CTV and the DP shuttle tanker's loading/offloading, fuel consumption, sea conditions, and so on. Source :
Marinelink
The UNION TOPAZ departed from Rotterdam above seen passing Poortershaven, heading for Southampton.
Photo : R & F van der Hoek ©

Empty container availability fears slide as demand

slacks
CONCERNS over the availability of equipment in Asia and the limitations on the backhaul trades on the three major east-
west routes have not materialized as expected with rates softening on both the headhaul and return legs. Growth in
empty repositioning since 2019 had seen an increase of 20 per cent in terms of TEU moved in 2023 compared to four
years ago, but also the growth in full containers has increased globally by 2.5 per cent, with an 8 per cent increase in
TEU miles, according to one analyst using Container Trade Statistics. "The need to move empty containers has grown
significantly more than the need to move full containers, with the back-haul trades growing two-and-a-half times faster,"
wrote the analyst, reports UK's Seatrade Maritime News Speaking to Seatrade Maritime News anonymously one European
freight forwarder debunked this view. "We move containers out of Asia and China to Europe and the US and we have had
no problems getting empties," he said. The forwarder said he did not use the European lines, but instead booked with
COSCO, HMM, Yang Ming and Evergreen mainly, and had no difficulties returning empties to ports either, compared to
two years ago when empties had been stored off-site from ports as the empty boxes stacked up in destination terminals.
Darron Wadey at analysts Dynamar said that the number of empty boxes was close to the 2021 record, "when everything
went supernova", with CTS figures showing a 7 per cent increase to 36.5 million TEU. "Yet, despite the similarities in size
of the global imbalance, we are not experiencing anything like the same mass hysteria of 2021 with everybody trying to
secure apparently scarce container equipment," explained Mr Wadey. This year's imbalance of the extreme nature of the
2021 experience has softened considerably as the key US imbalance, in all trades, has reduced considerably more than
Europe's imbalance has expanded. What is more the "total imports to these two regions - the headhaul routes - are also
smaller than in 2021," said Mr Wadey. "In fact global cargo volumes have shrunk or maintained station since 2021. Yet,
over the same period, the container equipment fleet has kept growing," he added. Dynamar analysis shows the growth of
the container fleet has outstripped container trade volumes by an average of 2.5 per cent a year, for the last nine years.
VLCC Market Rises Significantly Last Week

Clean
LR2
LR2 freight levels in the MEG looked to have reached a floor this week. The 75kt MEG/Japan TC1 index bottomed out at
WS144 and has since returned to WS151. The 90kt MEG/UK-Continent TC20 trip to the UK-Continent similarly reached a
floor of $4.38 million mid-week then climbing back up to $4.57 million at time of writing.
West of Suez, Mediterranean/East LR2 freight remained in the doldrums this week seen in the TC15 index going from
$4.81 million to $4.51 million.
LR1
In the MEG, LR’1’s followed the behavior of their larger sisters this week. The 55kt MEG/Japan index of TC5 stopped at
the WS166 level and is currently pegged at WS173. The 65kt MEG/UK-Continent of TC8 levelled off at $3.89 million to
then tick back up to $3.97 million.
On the UK-Continent, the 60kt ARA/West Africa TC16 trip trundled along in the mid-low WS170’s all week.
MR
MR’s in the MEG have been reportedly stable over the last few days. The TC17 index is currently marked at WS328 after
halting its previous downturn at WS317 earlier in the week Up in the UK-Continent MR’s lost steam this week. The 37kt
ARA/US-Atlantic coast of TC2 index dipped from WS231 to WS173. On a TC19 run (37kt ARA/West Africa) the index shed
50 points to WS197.
The USG MR’s made a significant resurgence this week following a plethora of enquiry into the market. TC14 (38kt US-
Gulf/UK-Continent) shot up 70 points to WS226.43. The 38kt US Gulf/Brazil on TC18 also jumped to WS307 (+W75). The
38kt US-Gulf/Caribbean TC21 added 62% to its value and is currently at $1.14 million. The Baltic round TCE for the trip
climbed by 121% to $46,000 per day as a result.
Handymax
In the Mediterranean, Handymax’s continued along the TC6 index at WS320 all week, still returning $57,000 per day
Baltic round trip.Up in North West Europe, the TC23 30kt Cross UK-Continent dipped 21.11 points to WS238.33.
VLCC
The market sharply rose early in the week, and now sentiment is lacking. The rate for the 270,000 mt Middle East Gulf to
China climbed to WS74.55 on Tuesday easing back to last be assessed at WS71.5 which is a week-on-week gain of 11
points and corresponds to a daily round-trip TCE of $48,914 basis the Baltic Exchange’s vessel description.
In the Atlantic market, the 260,000 mt West Africa/China route experienced something similar, insofar as rose to
WS75.05 and has gradually fallen back to an overall week on week gain of nine points at WS72 which shows a round

voyage TCE of $49,796 per day. The rate for 270,000 mt US Gulf/China ascended to $9.4 million and has since slipped
back to $9,083,333 (a weekly rise of $172,222) providing a round-trip daily TCE of $44,881.
Suezmax
Suezmaxes in West Africa remained around the WS102.5-103 level for the 130,000 mt Nigeria/UK Continent trip (a daily
round-trip TCE of about $38,000). In the Mediterranean and Black Sea region the rate for 135,000 mt CPC/Med eased
about one point to the WS108 level (showing a daily TCE of $38,200 round-trip). In the Middle East, the rate for 140,000
mt Middle East Gulf to the Mediterranean (via the Suez Canal) eased eight points to WS97.5 basis routing via the Suez
Canal.
Aframax
In the North Sea, the rate for the 80,000 mt Cross-UK Continent has fallen a solitary point to about WS125 (showing a
round-trip daily TCE of around $26,300 basis Hound Point to Wilhelmshaven).In the Mediterranean market the rate for
80,000 mt Cross-Mediterranean has managed to recover 44 points to WS151.72 (basis Ceyhan to Lavera, that shows a
daily round trip TCE of just over $39,000).Across the Atlantic, the Stateside market has risen slightly. The rate for 70,000
mt East Coast Mexico/US Gulf (TD26) rose 2.5 points WS180 (a daily TCE of $42,929 round trip) while the rate for
70,000 mt Covenas/US Gulf (TD9) firmed 2 points to WS174.69 (a round-trip TCE of $38,260 per day). The rate for the
trans-Atlantic route of 70,000 mt US Gulf/UK Continent (TD25) has 9 points added to the WS200 level (a round trip TCE
basis Houston/Rotterdam of approximately $48,700 per day).Source: Baltic Exchange
In 2022/23 Van Oord received three 8,900 tdw LNG-powered TSHD from Keppel Singmarine. The lead vessel VOX
ARIANE passed Kiel March 8th on her way from Bremerhaven to Swinoujscie while her sisters VOX APOLONIA and
VOX ALEXIA are currently employed off Rotterdam and the River Elbe areas, keeping vital sealanes at sufficient depths.
Photo : Martin Lochte-Holtgreven (c)
Non-alliance liners trump over share on Asia-Europe

over the past year
THE market share of non-alliance liners operating in the Asia-Europe tradelane has doubled in the space of one year,
reports Singapore's Splash247.New data from Alphaliner looks at the array of smaller brands who have come to fill the
gap left by global liners who have quit serving Russian markets. Carriers such as Newnew Shipping, OVP Shipping,
Safetrans, FESCO, Akkon and CStar have emerged to double the non-alliance liner footprint over the past 12 months.
Boxes shipped by companies on the tradelane outside the three mega alliances have jumped from 154,600 TEU to
308,300 TEU, accounting for around 5 per cent of the route's market share. This also includes the 1.2 per cent market
share of the fast-expanding ZIM Another rapidly growing carrier is SeaLead Shipping, Alphaliner data shows. It has a
market share of 1 per cent after growing its Asia-Med fleet by 40.6 per cent year on year to 61,400 TEU. As the alliance

members operate another 344,000 TEU for their own account on ad hoc sailings or standalone services, the combined
market share for 2M, Ocean Alliance and THE Alliance now stands at 89.7 per cent, down from 95.6 per cent a year ago.
CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE BONN & MEES MOVIE !
Capital Product Partners sells three more boxships

US-LISTED Capital Product Partners has offloaded three more containerships as it works towards becoming an LNG
carrier pure-play. The Evangelos Marinakis diversified owner is selling the 2015-built 9,300 TEU AKADIMOS and the
2008-built 5,100 TEU sister vessels FOS EXPRESS and SEATTLE EXPRESS In November last year, Capital Product
Partners announced plans to buy 11 LNG carriers from Marinakis fleet for US$3.13 billion. The move is expected to see
the partnership move away from the container segment after also exiting the dry bulk sector in July of the same year,
reports Singapore's Splash 247. The boxship sell-off campaign kicked off in December when the company agreed to sell
the 2008-built 5,100 TEU Long Beach Express for delivery within the first quarter of 2024. The latest sales should be
completed in March and April, and all four ships are expected to bring in about $81 million after repaying outstanding
debt.Capital Product Partners currently owns nine LNG carriers and 14 boxships, including those agreed for sale, and has
nine more LNG units to be delivered between the second quarter of 2024 and the first quarter of 2027.
COSTA DIADEMA arriving in Rio de Janeiro 09.03.2024

Photo : Torleif Klokset Technical Manager Solstad Offshore ASA | Macaé | Brazil ©
In 2023, 41% of port professionals participating in

ESPO work were women
In 2023, taking all ESPO board meetings and technical committees together, women represented 41% of the port
professionals participating in the meetings. This is a slightly higher level compared to the share of women participating in
2022, which was 38%. Ever since ESPO started monitoring the gender balance of its internal meetings in 2018, the share
of female participants has been increasing, including during the last year.

The Executive Committee, which is the policy-making body of the organisation, saw an attendance of 34% women on
average in 2023. This is the same figure as in 2022. The General Assembly saw a slight increase in female participation in
2023, with 37% female participants.
A closer look into the results of the different technical committees reveals that several ESPO committees have seen an
increase in the share of women attending the meetings in 2023 compared to the previous year.The level of female
participation is the highest in the Sustainable Development Committee, where 6 on 10 participants were female in 2023
(61%). Last year, more than half of the participants of ESPO’s Cruise and Ferry Port Network (54%) were women. The
Economic Analysis and Statistics Committee had 40% female participation in 2023 which is an increase compared to 2022
(30%). Last year, more than one third of participants (38%) in the Trade Facilitation, Customs and Security, and Marine
Affairs Committees were women. With this score the committee is doubling its female participation – in 2022 only 19%
were women – and bringing it to the level of the other committees.The Blue Growth and Energy Committee lost in 2023
its gender balance. This committee performed better in 2022 with 51% of meeting participants being women. However,
with a female participation of 41% it is still scoring quite well. Also, the Governance and Management Committee scored
slightly lower in 2023 with 33% female representation. The Intermodal, Logistics & Industry Committee saw a decrease
in women participation from 37% in 2022 to 32% in 2023. Looking at the ESPO secretariat, since 2023, 7 on the 9
people working at the European Port House are women. The secretariat is also led by a woman, Isabelle Ryckbost, since
2013. Out of the nine technical ESPO committees and networks, three are currently chaired by women.“Ports in Europe
are currently very active as partners in Europe’s energy and green transition. It is interesting to see that the committees
which are dealing with these important issues score very well as regards female participation. It is also important to note
that the share of women participating in the General Assembly and ESPO Board meetings is remaining stable, if not
increasing slightly.” says ESPO’s Chair Zeno D’Agostino.Since 2018, ESPO has been monitoring the gender balance
through the effective attendance of port professionals to the different meetings of the organisation. The results of this
monitoring are published each year on the occasion of the International Women’s Day. ESPO is also one of the founding
members of the European Commission’s initiative “Women in Transport – EU Platform for change”, launched in 2017.
Source: ESPO
The AKACIA arriving in Willemstad-Curacao Photo : Maxime Maanders (c)

ST NICHOLAS (Built 2022) passing through Tilbury Ness on The Thames after a voyage from Italy 09/03/2024.
Photo : David Berg http://ukshippinglog.blogspot.co.uk/ ©
Port of Dalian in NE China resumes int'l cruise ship

activity
On Sunday, the ZUIDERDAM cruise ship operated by the Holland America Line docked in the port city of Dalian in
northeast China, marking the resumption of the Dalian terminal's international cruise shipping activity. This is the first
international cruise ship to visit northeast China since the country announced the full resumption of international cruise
ship transport to and from its ports in September 2023. It had been four years since the last international cruise ship was
received by Dalian, local authorities said.On Sunday morning, more than 2,000 tourists and staff members aboard the
ship, hailing from 47 countries and regions, arrived at the Dalian port from Shanghai. Their stay in Dalian was set to
feature visits to multiple scenic spots in the city, while they also planned to participate in cultural experience activities.
The cruise ship is scheduled to reach north China's Tianjin on Monday, as it continues its cruise around the world. Dalian
in Liaoning Province was among China's very first cities to launch international cruise tour operations. Source : Xinhua
Collaboration and technology: the dual-pronged key

to maritime safety
Wellbeing is becoming a central focus for the shipping industry. Individual companies, while having made great strides in
recent years to improve the safety of maritime industry employees, need to work across supply chains and take full
advantage of technology to truly make it a priority.Safety is in the spotlight for the maritime industry this year, with the
tone being set when the International Maritime Organisation’s (IMO) Secretary General Kitack Lim declared ‘Navigating
the future: safety first!’ as its theme of 2024. This highlighted the importance of improving crew safety amidst massive
disruption, technological change and innovation. It also stressed it is a concern that requires unity and collaboration
across the sector.
Why now?

Between 2014 and 2022, the European Maritime Safety Agency’s (EMSA) Annual Overview of Marine Casualties and
Incidents 2023 reported 23,814 reported incidents – a yearly average more than 2,500. While the shipping industry has
made progress in recent years to improve safety, even one incident is too many. Safety initiatives have been effective in
lowering the number of serious casualties from a peak of 106 in 2018 to 44 in 2022, but more still needs to be done. All
stakeholders, big and small, must take responsibility to reduce harm to those in the maritime world whom we rely the
most. Ship agents operating at ports worldwide have a major role to play in this effort. GAC’s long-running ‘safe boarding
initiative’ emphasizes maximising safety and compliance with local partners and suppliers across its global offices. It
provides overboard, pilot ladder and life raft safety training for its own boarding officers as well as launch service
providers’ crew and those of other third parties it works with in some locations. And internally, its staff undergo stringent
training that can make the difference between a safe working environment and a recipe for disaster.
New solutions
Introducing tools to boost efficiency does not shift the focus away from improving safety. As digitalisation and
automation advance, it has the dual-pronged impact of both optimising performance and enhancing safety and security.
Using drones for delivery, as GAC UK and GAC Singapore have already done, and transitioning to online vessel clearance
also reduce the need for personnel to board vessel and avoid the associated offshore safety hazards. Digital tools can
help promote awareness of Health, Safety, Security & Environment (HSSE), compliance and cyber security. Improving
staff education through online platforms like the GAC Corporate Academy’s tailor-made courses such as commercial
operations, HSSE, Compliance and Cyber Security are tried and tested means of maximising productivity and welfare.
And then there are tools like GAC’s QHSSE digital application which facilitates reporting, investigation and follow-ups,
enabling quick identification and mitigation of safety risks. It’s no longer a question of prioritising safety or cost-
effectiveness – they now go hand-in-hand.
Adapting to change
New fuels and engine types are being adopted to meet the push for decarbonisation. But the industry must adapt and
apply lessons already learned to the potential new dangers and challenges such alternatives present. These are volatile
times when reliability is more essential than ever before. Economic sanctions and constant geopolitical upheaval mean
companies have to be flexible.A service providerthey offer. That means making safety a priority through local operations,
experienced personnel and a culture of vigilance. But on’s stability, strength and competence must form the foundation
of operations alongside a comprehensive range of support solutions ly by making “safety first” the mantra for all can we
truly make it a reality throughout the global shipping community.
Source: By Shanka Fernando, GAC’s Group Vice President – Shipping, Arranged on Behalf of Hellenic
Shipping News Worldwide
The GEO OCEAN III inbound navigating the Westerschelde passing Breskens Photo : Henk de Winde (c)

The Indonesian inter-island ferry GEMILANG VIII in Lembar Port, Lombok, Indonesia. Photo : Capt. Edgar Gold
Cyprus shipping registry commemorated in Athens

The Cyprus Registry marked its 60th anniversary of participation in global shipping activities earlier this week,
highlighting its journey towards becoming a key player through a strategy focused on responsible and sustainable
growth.
Celebrated at the Great Britain Hotel in Athens, Greece, the event underscored the strong connection between Greek and
Cypriot maritime sectors.
The gathering was attended by numerous Greek shipowners, who have been instrumental in enhancing the Cypriot
shipping network, highlighting the strong ties between the two naval communities. Ioannis Koustas has further enriched
this legacy by registering seven freight vessels under the Cypriot flag. Among the notable supporters, George Prokopiou
is distinguished, having been awarded the Cyprus Maritime Award last summer. Prokopiou’s fleet, which makes up 3.5
per cent of the Cypriot registry and has an impressive average age of five years, was the first to bring advanced ice-class
LNG carriers to Cyprus.Polis Vasou Hatdjiioannou said, “The Cypriot registry should be the top choice for Greek
Shipowners. It is renowned for its quality, ranking just after the Greek registry, and is set to play a major role ahead. The
support is growing, with more shipowners joining in. As a proud Cypriot, it’s uplifting to witness our leaders making such
impactful advances.”The event was also attended by Captain Panayiotis Tsakos, Petros Pappas, Panos Laskarides, among
other prominent maritime figures, reinforcing the widespread support for the Cypriot registry.Deputy Minister of Shipping,
Marina Hadjimanoli, expressed her deep appreciation to the Greek shipping leaders for their steadfast support in her
moving speech. She highlighted the registry’s commitment to improving services and incorporating sustainability. With
notables like the Cypriot ambassador, Stavros Avgustides, and other key personalities present, the event brought
together minds dedicated to advancing Cypriot maritime interests.“Today, Cyprus proudly stands as a leading maritime
centre, attributed to the high-standard Register that has positioned us prominently on the international maritime stage,”
Hadjimanoli said. She praised the collective effort and commitment that have elevated the Cypriot merchant fleet to
among the largest and most reputable globally.Hadjimanoli also highlighted the crucial political backing that has been

essential in upholding a robust and high-quality registry, away from political disputes. This, she believes, demonstrates
the power of collective action, aiming to further enhance the Cyprus Registry with the leadership of President Nikos
Christodoulides and the Deputy Ministry of Shipping.
She detailed the advantages offered by the Cyprus Registry, including a competitive tonnage tax system and a dedication
to high safety standards, efficiency, and adaptability. “Our objective is to continually refine and augment our services,”
she added, pointing out initiatives like the “One-Stop-Shipping Centre” and the move towards completely digitalising
services by the end of the year. Regarding the green transition, Hadjimanoli announced the introduction of green
incentives to motivate ships to lower greenhouse gas emissions, offering substantial tonnage tax reductions for
sustainable shipping practices starting January 2024.The Deputy Minister concluded her speech by acknowledging the
significant contributions of Cypriot maritime veterans and the unwavering support of the Cyprus Shipowners’ Association.
She envisioned a sector sustained by decades of commitment, ready for future successes due to its community’s passion
and perseverance. Source: Cyprus Mail
The PYXIS OCEAN assisted by 2 Port Towage Amsterdam operated tugs towards the Ijmuiden Lock
Photo : Peter Maanders Port Towage Amsterdam ©
DHL decides not to buy DB Schenker

DHL Group has declared itself out of the running for acquiring DB Schenker following much speculation over which
company will buy the freight forwarder. The German logistics company's chief executive Tobias Meyer said on March 6

that DB Schenker was determined "not a good fit" for the business on evaluation."We have a lot of things that we can
invest in. We're very interested in the e-commerce space, so we just didn't see Schenker as a good fit for us. There will
be others who are interested, but as DHL Group we have better ways to deploy capital for our shareholders," Mr Meyer
told CNBC.He added that the Group's current net debt, which he attributed to leases of warehouses globally, is not
expected to be a barrier to any future acquisitions it is interested in making. DHL has long been considered a potential
buyer of DB Schenker following ongoing rumours of its potential sale before it was officially on the market. Former DP
DHL chief executive Frank Appel said in March 2022 that DHL would examine the potential of buying DB Schenker, but
any deal must meet three criteria: "Does that company make DHL better, is it easy to integrate and is it accretive? "If
these three questions are answered, yes, then we probably would put in a bid. If one of these questions is answered, no,
we will not put a bid in." Other companies rumoured to be interested include MSC, DSV, UPS, DP World and Abu Dhabi
Ports, reports London's Air Cargo News.
The OSCEOLA operating in Miami Photo : Frank Maanders ©
We want the industry to work smarter rather than

harder explains Klaveness Market Manager
The shipping industry, characterized by its constant volatility and thin margins, compels shipowners and charterers to
make timely decisions to capitalize on profit-making opportunities. “The imperative for our industry is to work smarter,
not harder,” says Market Manager Philip Paulsen at Klaveness, who is part of a team revolutionizing the way market
participants make decisions.The Market Manager platform, a product of Klaveness Chartering, was developed in response
to real industry challenges Klaveness itself faced. Combining extensive commercial expertise and backed by a best-in-
class research team, the platform is now quickly expanding and being taken into the operations of several major
operators and owners, with published names by the team so far including Lauritzen and Marubeni Corporation.
Pre-Vetting by Market Manager
We can no longer compare apples to apples
“The old ways of comparing apples to apples is outdated, charterers have two minutes to give you their attention and
Pre-Vetting uses those two minutes to give you a complete commercial x-ray of a vessel,” explains Paulsen. The Pre-
Vetting module is currently gaining the most traction with customers, with Paulsen explaining that it replaces existing
systems by painting the charterer with one clear picture versus using multiple sources for the same intel.
The secret sauce
Paulsen explains that what is commercially relevant for pre-vetting a ship is what Klaveness has perfected its art form in
for years, “we’re stripping out the noise, there is too much redundant data in the industry and that is time consuming for
charterers. We are only looking for the insights that are both accurate and actionable, this is what we mean we say we
are enabling customers to make more informed decisions.”With data additionally fed into the platform by the world’s

leading ESG (Environment, Sustainability and Governance) focused digital maritime platform RightShip, and the team
constantly learning and developing from the customer feedback loop, the Pre-Vetting tool is well positioned to go from
strength to strength.
Freight Optimizer by Market Manager
Your outside consultant that is not emotionally driven
The Freight Optimizer module is another cornerstone of the Market Manager platform. Designed to lower freight costs, it
enables users to navigate market fluctuations strategically. By identifying the most cost-effective moments to engage in
the market and advising when to defer expensive cargoes, it acts as an unbiased, data-driven consultant. The module’s
machine learning algorithms provide reliable market insights, particularly potent for short-term forecasts up to three
months. Paulsen explains that the algorithms are trained on a wealth of historical data, market trends, and current
market conditions, enabling them to offer predictions with a high degree of accuracy, “customers learn from our data by
gaining a direct line to the algorithms developed by Klaveness Research based on our many years of domain expertise.”
Looking ahead
What is next on the horizon?
Market Manager now has its sights set on the development of a port optimization module. The new addition targets
providing cargo owners with deeper insights by integrating data on vessel performance, laycan schedules, and real-time
port turnaround times. Paulsen explains that by combining this with Pre-Vetting and Freight Optimizer, the full suite will
offer charterers an unprecedented level of insight for decision-making power. Asked if that might create conflicts of
interest, he explains that sharing and helping the industry to progress is foundational to the Klaveness approach, “it
comes down to a question of do we stick with the status quo and only seek to improve things for ourselves, or do we try
to improve the standard of shipping?”
Meet the team
The Market Manager team, including Paulsen, is made up 12 individuals, each bringing a unique perspective to the table.
Their varied backgrounds encompass not only shipping and chartering expertise from their tenure at Klaveness, but
included diverse experiences in industrial mining, shipping journalism, and software development. Paulsen leads the team
of seven in Singapore, with further teams and support functions operating for Klaveness in Oslo and Dubai.
Source: Torvald Klaveness
WIND INNOVATION navigating the North sea Photo : Gordon Priestley ©
Chinese investment in Asia-Pacific increases 37pc in

2023
CHINA's investment in the Asia-Pacific region rose 37 per cent year on year in 2023, a new report shows, reports Nikkei
Asia.The report by Brisbane's Griffith University and Shanghai's Fudan University shows that Chinese investment totalled
nearly US$20 billion across the Asia-Pacific last year. It also logged about $17 billion in construction contracts, partly
financed by Chinese loans, marking a roughly 14 per cent increase from 2022. The numbers stand in sharp contrast to
the 12 per cent decline in overall foreign direct investment into the emerging economies of Asia last year, the report
says. The data comes the same week the Chinese government targeted gross domestic product growth of "around five
per cent" for 2024. This matches last year's target, although analysts see heavy pressure on the economy from sluggish
global and domestic demand, restrained manufacturing and a relentless property slump. Much of the overseas activity

was focused on countries aligned with the Belt and Road Initiative - Beijing's drive to build a network of infrastructure
stretching from Asia to Europe and beyond. Investment in non-Belt and Road countries plunged to an all-time low of
$120 million, down 90 per cent from what was already a record low in 2022, according to data provided by Christoph
Nedopil, director of the Griffith Asia Institute.
The ZEBRA inbound navigating the Westerschelde passing Vlissingen pilot station
Photo : Ron Zurhaar © CLICK at the photo to view the movie
Case study for onboard safety meeting Gíounding

due to GPS jamming
The vessel was nominated to call a port in the East Mediterranean region that was located within the Joint War
Committee (JWC) listed areas. Despite being in an area with heightened security considerations, the port was operating
under normal conditions and remained open to maritime trade. At around 2020 hours on 6 December, both GPS sets on
the vessel triggered alarms and displayed inaccurate positions. Simultaneously, all bridge equipment linked to the GPS
systems also raised alarms. In response, the Officer of the Watch (OOW) switched the ECDIS sensor setting to DR (Dead
Reckoning) mode and continued navigating.
The vessel maintained its course toward the pilot station at full ahead.
The vessel was quite far from land, and as such a RADAR fix could not be taken. As an alternative, the OOW opted to
reach out to the local navy to ascertain the vessel’s current position. As the vessel neared the port, RADAR fixes were
acquired using range and bearing, and these were plotted on ECDIS through the RADAR overlay function. The vessel’s
position was cross checked using the positions obtained from the local navy.
The Master was called at 2200 hours on 6 December. After arriving on bridge, the OOW briefed him on the malfunction
of the GPS. The Master took over the con at 2230 hours, and soon thereafter the OOW stopped verifying vessel’s position

with the local navy. Engines were tested and pre-arrival checks completed at 2300 hours on 6 December. The vessel
maintained various courses and speeds thereon. Meanwhile, the alarms on all bridge equipment connected to the GPS
kept on reappearing, and the crew were focused on acknowledging them each time they appeared.
Approximately 30 minutes before the scheduled pilot boarding time, the port control notified the vessel of a berthing
delay and directed her to the anchorage. Unknown to the crew, the vessel’s actual position was approximately 2 nautical
miles east of the position manually plotted on the ECDIS. The Master adjusted the course towards the anchorage with
engines on half ahead. Soon thereafter the vessel ran aground on a reef at 8 knots. The vessel listed 5 degrees to
starboard with no hull breach. As the vessel’s satellite phones and email communication were also non-functional, the
shore management was contacted via the personal mobile phone of a crew member operating on a local SIM card.
Additionally, Class was informed, and their emergency response service was activated. Salvors were engaged, and it took
48 hours for two tugs to successfully refloat the vessel.
Some of the observations noted during the investigation were:
•Shortly before the ship ran aground, the VTS alerted the vessel via VHF, cautioning that it was approaching the reef.
Unfortunately, the crew missed the message because the VHF equipment was consistently sounding alarms, being
connected to the GPS.
•GPS jamming was triggered by the local armed forces due to an ongoing conflict in the region. However, no navigational
warning was transmitted to alert the vessels in advance. It was only after this incident that the port authority published a
circular cautioning all vessels of GPS interference in the port waters.
•Recurring alarms on the bridge distracted the bridge watchkeepers. OOWs attention was therefore split between
navigation and acknowledging the alarms. The Bridge Manning level remained the same inspite of the increased workload
of the watchkeepers.
•This was the first time the bridge watchkeepers, including the Master, were calling this port.
How to impíove by lessons learnt
You should now perform an onboard risk assessment of the operation described. Learning from the case could be
obtained by identifying the contributing factors for this specific incident to occur – and discuss whether some of the
identified factors could be present onboard your ship.
Key questions or points for bridge watchkeepers to discuss:
Crew training and familiarization
•Are they able to recognize a compromised GPS environment, such as jamming?
•Has the bridge team been trained in responding to such situations?
•Actions to be taken when the GPS signal is lost, or it malfunctions.
•Familiarity with alternative means of position fixing methods on ECDIS, such as visual or RADAR fixes, and how often do
watchkeepers practice this.
Procedural
•Are there guidelines in the safety management system to identify and respond to a compromised GPS
environment?
•Does our passage plan appraisal include a voyage specific risk assessment that addresses the considerations of calling
ports operating under heightened security risk levels?
•Is contingency plan for failure of GPS formulated and its effectiveness verified during drills or actual failure?
A few key words to facilitate discussion:
•automation bias
•con rmation bias
•human factors
•GPS malfunction
•alarm management
•bridge watch keeping level
•contingency planning
•position fixes.
Source: GARD,
Please take your BOSIET, HUET training seriously as

it will help in emergency situations such as these.
On the evening of Wednesday 28 February 2024, a Sikorsky S-92A helicopter, LN-OIJ, operated by Bristow Norway AS,
crashed during SAR training in night conditions departing from Flesland (ENBR). The downed chopper wreckage has been

recovered from 220m water depth by NORMAND OCEAN vessel. The helicopter took off from Flesland (ENBR) with the
aim of carrying out SAR training west of Løno, Sotra.
All six who had been on board the helicopter were picked up from the sea by a rescue helicopter and transported to
Haukeland University Hospital. One person was seriously injured and one person has been confirmed dead. Norwegian's
Accident Investigation Board (Statens havarikommisjon (SHK)) has sent accident inspectors to Bergen and to the
helicopter operator's main base in Stavanger to start initial investigations. Talks have been held with the operator and
with the crew from the accident helicopter. Offshore Survival Training is very important especially to us Oil and Gas
Workers. RIP to the fallen crew.
The Hurtigruten ms NORDNORGE and the Hurtigruten Expedition ms SPITSBERGEN moored in Tromsø, Norway
Photo : Ed de Graaf ©
Singapore's SeaLead Shipping acquires new owners

A GROUP of four investors has acquired Singapore-based liner operator SeaLead Shipping, leading to the appointment of
an interim leader as Henry Schmidl departs from the company, reports Singapore's Splash 247. Established in 2017 and
currently ranked 16th by Alphaliner, SeaLead operates a fleet of 32 chartered-in vessels serving routes connecting Asia to
the Indian Subcontinent, the Middle East, the Mediterranean, and the US west coast. Effective immediately, SeaLead will
be under the ownership of Singapore's Eurasia Capital, Cayman Islands-registered Access Capital Funds, and Mauritius-

based HCP Investments and Saral Incorp VCC SubFund. These investors will establish a new board of directors for the
company. "The transition to new ownership is driven by SeaLead's consistent performance and potential for further
development in the container shipping industry," said the company.

The 2020-built chemical/oil product tanker LILAC RAY outbound Rotterdam with destination Montoir (Fr.)
Photo : Dirk Nootenboom (c)
LOCATIONS MENTIONED IN THE NEWSLETTER ARE

HYPERLINKED TO GOOGLE-MAPS FOR YOUR EASY
REFERENCE OF THE LOCATION
The law enforcement vessel PHOCA stationed in the port of Den Oever. Photo: Wim Albers (c)
Air Liquide and Vopak sign MoU to collaborate on

infrastructure for ammonia import
Air Liquide and Vopak have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to collaborate on the development and operation of
infrastructure for ammonia import, cracking and hydrogen distribution in Singapore, according to Vopak's release.
The parties will study and explore the joint development of low carbon ammonia supply chains in Singapore, including
the potential development of ammonia cracking facilities, associated ammonia storage and handling infrastructure at
Vopak’s Banyan terminal, and the distribution of low-carbon hydrogen through a hydrogen pipeline network. This

collaboration aims to support Singapore’s National Hydrogen Strategy, focusing at driving advanced hydrogen
technologies with high commercial readiness to establish low-carbon hydrogen supply chains.
About Air Liquide Air Liquide is a world leader in gases, technologies services for industry and healthcare. Present in 72
countries with 67,800 employees, the Group serves more than 4 million customers and patients. Oxygen, nitrogen and
hydrogen are essential small molecules for life,matter and energy. They embody Air Liquide scientific territory and have
been at the core of the Group’s activities since its creation in 1902.
Vopak Terminals Singapore is a joint venture between Royal Vopak (69.5%) and PSA International Pte Ltd (30.5%). With
over 40 years of heritage locally, Vopak Terminals Singapore is experienced and dedicated in providing storage, handling
and transshipment solutions for oil, gas and chemical industries. It operates five terminals with a combined storage
capacity of more than 3 million cbm. With a storage capacity of close to 1.5 million cbm, Vopak Banyan terminal is an
integrated oil, chemical and gas hybrid storage terminal. The terminal is strategically located on Jurong Island.
Port of Vancouver expects record breaking cruise

season in 2024
The first cruise ship of the season, the DISNEY WONDER, arrived in Vancouver on Monday, March 11—kicking off what
is expected to be another record season for the industry locally. There are 329 cruise ship visits currently scheduled for
the Canada Place cruise terminal at the Port of Vancouver between March 11 and October 29, 2024.
This could mean a record 1.27 million passengers would travel through the Canada Place cruise terminal at the Port of
Vancouver in 2024, about 2% more than last year’s record. Cruise ships deployed during the winter in other parts of the
world return to the West Coast in March and April to prepare for the Alaska season. On March 11, the Disney Wonder will
embark passengers heading to San Diego before coming back in May to start its weekly itinerary from Vancouver to
Alaska.
Vancouver has been a homeport for Alaska cruises for more than 30 years, acting as the base for one-way and round-trip
cruises through the Inside Passage. As a homeport destination, the Vancouver cruise industry injects an average of
almost $3 million into the local economy for each ship visit, supports nearly 7,000 jobs across Canada and $300 million in
wages, and contributes $840 million to Canada’s GDP. The suite of environmental programs and initiatives for cruise at
the Port of Vancouver includes:
Shore power, which offers shore power-enabled visiting ships to shut down their diesel-powered auxiliary engines and
plug into B.C.’s low-emission, hydro-powered electrical grid. It has helped reduce port-related greenhouse gas emissions
by more than 38,000 tonnes since being introduced at the Port of Vancouver in 2009, the equivalent of taking about
8,500 gasoline-powered cars off the road for one year.
ECHO Program, a world-leading program that encourages cruise ships and other large commercial ships to slow down or
move away from key areas of critical habitat for at-risk whales such as the southern resident killer whales. The cruise
industry has actively participated in the program since 2017, with cruise ship operators slowing down on 83% of all
transits through key areas of southern resident killer whale critical habitat in Haro Strait, Boundary Pass, and at Swiftsure
Bank in 2023.
EcoAction Program, which provides discounts of up to 75% off harbour dues for ships that are cleaner and quieter,
including by using alternative, low-emission fuels or plugging into shore power.Pacific Northwest to Alaska Green
Corridor, which will be the world’s first cruise-led, zero-emission green corridor and connect Washington, Vancouver and

Alaska. The green corridor is being advanced in partnership with global cruise lines, ports, governments and
environmental groups.
Discharge restrictions that prohibit cruise ships from discharging scrubber wash water while at berth or at anchor within
the Port of Vancouver, in addition to restrictions on black and greywater
The first ship of the season, the DISNEY WONDER, arrived at the Canada Place cruise terminal west berth at 7:00
a.m. on Monday, March 11, 2024. The next ship of the 2024 season will be the NORWEGIAN BLISS arriving overnight
on April 4. Full 2024 details are available in the cruise schedule. The last cruise ship of the season, the NORWEGIAN
JEWEL, will depart Canada Place on Tuesday, October 29, 2024
The following five ships will visit Canada Place at the Port of Vancouver in 2024 for the first time : EXPLORA I, SILVER
NOVA, CELEBRITY EDGE , PACIFIC WORLD, HANSEATIC SPIRIT
The Canada Place cruise terminal at the Port of Vancouver welcomes the following cruise lines in 2024: Celebrity Cruises,
Crystael Cruises, Cunard, Disney Cruise, Explora Journeys, Hapag-Lloyd Cruises, Holland America, Hurtigruten, Norwegian
Cruise, NYK Cruises, Oceania Cruises, Peace Boat, Ponant, Princess, Regent Seven Seas, Royal Caribbean, Seabourn,
Silversea Cruises, Victoria Cruises, Viking Ocean Cruises
In 2023, nearly 75% of cruise calls were shore power-enabled, compared to 50% in 2019. Demand for shore power has
steadily increased since 2009, when the Port of Vancouver became the first port in Canada and the third in the world to
introduce shore power for cruise ships.
The Vancouver Fraser Port Authority is the federal agency responsible for the shared stewardship of the Port of
Vancouver. The port authority oversees the use of port land and water, which includes more than 16,000 hectares of
water, over 1,500 hectares of land, and approximately 350 kilometres of shoreline. Located on the southwest coast of
British Columbia in Canada, the Port of Vancouver extends from Roberts Bank and the Fraser River up to and including
Burrard Inlet, bordering 16 municipalities and intersecting the traditional territories and treaty lands of more than 35
Coast Salish Indigenous groups. The Port of Vancouver is Canada’s largest port, and the third largest in North America by
tonnes of cargo. Enabling the trade of approximately $305 billion in goods with between 140 and 170 countries each
year, port activities sustain 115,300 jobs, $7 billion in wages, and $11.9 billion in GDP across Canada. Source :
PortNews
MacGregor receives a large order for cranes to be

installed onboard a state-of-the-art cable layer due
delivery from VARD
MacGregor, part of Cargotec, has received a large order for three cranes that will be installed onboard a state-of-the-art
cable layer due delivery from global shipbuilder VARD, according to the company's release.
The contract has been booked into Cargotec's first quarter 2024 order intake, with crane supply scheduled for the third
quarter of 2025. MacGregor will deliver a 100-tonne active heave-compensated (AHC) crane, a 20T Offshore crane and a
3T deck crane to Prysmian, to equip the Italian owner’s third NB970 cable laying vessel from VARD. In addition,
MacGregor has been contracted to supply its OnWatch solution, including 24/7 technical service support worldwide.
Developed for advanced subsea operations, the 191-metre long Prysmian cable layer will be capable of complex
installation works, including simultaneous lay and burial with heavy-duty ploughs. It is equipped with cutting-edge DP3
positioning and seakeeping systems. At 19,000 tonnes, the vessel will take its place among the highest cable loading
capacity ships in the market.
MacGregor’s wide range of well proven AHC cranes, including its subsea cranes, offer accurate lifts in all conditions,
including extreme environments with temperatures from plus to minus 40°C. They can be delivered with hydraulic or
electric winch drives.The initial phase of construction on the new vessel will take place at Vard Shipyards Romania –
Tulcea, with completion in Norway and handover to the owner due by the beginning of 2027. Source : PortNews
China's harassing ships in disputed waters are

leaving
MOST of the Chinese vessels that took part in the recent harassment of Philippine ships on a resupply mission in Ayungin
Shoal have left, reports the Manila Times.Philippines Western Command commander Vice Admiral Alberto Carlos said only
one China Coast Guard (CCG) and two militia ships remained near Ayungin Shoal, down from the 26 vessels a few days
before. Admiral Carlos said not all 26 vessels took part in the blocking maneuvres and the water cannoning of a supply
boat. One of the Chinese vessels collided with and slightly damaged a Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) ship. Admiral Carlos
was among the four Navy personnel aboard the PCG ship who was injured after he was hit by pieces of glass when a

high-pressure jet of water fired by a Chinese vessel shattered a glass casing. He said that the number of Chinese vessels
near Ayungin Shoal usually surges whenever a resupply mission is underway. The Philippines maintains a military station
on the derelict navy ship BPS Sierra Madre, which was deliberately grounded near the shoal. Said Admiral Carlos: "The
morale of men is still very high and their commitment is unwavering. We will continue doing our operation in the West
Philippine Sea, particularly at Ayungin Shoal."He stressed that "we will follow the instruction of President Ferdinand
Marcos Jr that the BRP Sierra Madre will stay there and continue to fly the Philippine Flag."China has been demanding
that the Philippines tow away the ship from the shoal, in keeping with what it claimed was an earlier commitment by
Philippine authorities.
MILITARY NEWS
Tsai oversees ceremonial launch of Taiwan-built
offshore patrol vessel
President Tsai Ing-wen (eighth left in front) and Vice President Lai Ching-te (seventh left in front) pose with other
Taiwanese officials and coast guards in front of a 4,000-tonne Chiayi-class Coast Guard offshore patrol vessel. CNA
photo President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) oversaw the launch Saturday of the 4,000-tonne Coast Guard ship "Taipei," one

of the Chiayi-class offshore patrol vessels ordered from Taiwan's CSBC Corporation. At a ceremony in Kaohsiung, Tsai
said that Taiwan hoped its domestic shipbuilding program would underline the country's resolve to defend freedom and
democracy.Tsai also observed the delivery of the Taipei's sister ship "Yunlin," which was ceremonially launched in
December 2022.Both ships are equipped with an operating theater and negative pressure rooms, meaning Taiwan can
provide more assistance in international humanitarian rescue missions, Tsai noted. Taiwan's Coast Guard force is
expected to receive a significant boost once the two ships enter service, Tsai said, as she successfully smashed a bottle
over the Taipei's hull to mark its ceremonial launch. The government has set aside a budget of NT$42.6 billion (US$1.35
billion) for an initiative to boost the local shipbuilding industry and beef up Taiwan's maritime patrol capacity, Tsai
added.According to the Ocean Affairs Council (OAC), 141 Coast Guard ships will be built by 2027 under the initiative,
which began in 2018.
In a statement on Saturday, the OAC said the Yunlin can withstand level-10 winds and has a range of 10,000 nautical
miles.It is armed with three water cannons for expelling targets and is equipped with field hospital-grade medical
stations, the OAC said.The vessel also has a helicopter pad that can be used by the National Airborne Service Corps when
transporting injured personnel.Su Tzu-yun (蘇紫雲), a research fellow at Taiwan's Institute for National Defense and
Security Research, told CNA that the Chiayi-class Coast Guard patrol vessels had good range and maneuverability.The
ships were designed to escort Taiwan-registered fishing boats working in contested waters and protect civilian ships from
pirates, Su said.They can also be deployed against Chinese coast guard ships if necessary, Su said.The vessels'
displacement is comparable to that of the United States Coast Guard's (USCG) Legend-class national security cutters --
the largest patrol vessels in the USCG fleet, Su noted. In light of China's brazen "gray zone" activities near Taiwan-
controlled waters, Su said he believed the ships would boost morale among Taiwan's Coast Guard officers enforcing the
law, Su said.Also in attendance for Saturday's ceremony were Vice President Lai Ching-te (賴清德), OAC Minister Kuan Bi-
ling (管碧玲), and CSBC Corp, Taiwan Chairman Cheng Wen-lon (鄭文隆).Lai, who won the presidential election in
January, is scheduled to take office in May. Source : Enditem (By Lin Chiao-lien, Chang Jung-hsiang and Sean
Lin)
A Elbit Systems Hermes 900 Kochav ("Star") spotted above the Philippine island Palawan Photo : Hans Semeins ©
The Elbit Systems Hermes 900 Kochav ("Star") is an Israeli medium-size, multi-payload, medium-altitude long-
endurance unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) designed for tactical missions. It is a successor to the Hermes 450 series of
drones, one of the most widely used military drones in the world It has an endurance of over 30 hours and can fly at a
maximum altitude of 30,000 feet (9,100 m), with a primary mission of reconnaissance, surveillance and communications
relay. The Hermes 900 has a wingspan of 15 m (49 ft) and weighs 970 kg (2,140 lb), with a payload capability of 300
kg (660 lb). Payload options include electro-optical/infrared sensors, synthetic-aperture radar/ground-moving target
indication, communications and electronic intelligence, electronic warfare, and hyperspectral sensors. The drone is
stationed at the Antonio Bautista Air Base which is a military airbase of the Philippine Air Force (PAF), located in
Puerto Princesa, Palawan, Philippines. The base shares the single 2,600 metres (8,530 feet) long runway with Puerto
Princesa International Airport. In August 2020, Philippine Air Force received full delivery of three Hermes 900 and one
Hermes 450 unmanned aerial systems (UAS) as part of a contract worth approximately $175 million. Each system
consists of three unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), a ground control system and support equipment. Elbit Systems also
included a spare used Hermes 450 UAV as part of the deal, for a total of 9 Hermes 900 UAVs and 4 Hermes 450 UAVs
Indian Navy Conducts Dual Carrier Operations

In the past three weeks, the Indian Navy showcased both of its aircraft carriers at exercise MILAN 2024
and at a biannual naval conference.
By : Adithya Krishna Menon

MiG-29K fighters taking off from both INS VIKRANT(foreground) and INS VIKRAMADITYA (background)
\The Indian Navy’s aircraft carriers, the Russian origin INS VIKRAMADITYA (R33) and the indigenous INS VIKRANT
(R11), were on full display during the last week of February and the first week of March as the two carriers along with
escorts conducted joint operations on multiple locations along the Indian coastline. Both carriers conducted simultaneous
launching of MiG-29K fighters in the first week of March, during which INS Vikramaditya was hosting the first half of
Indian Navy’s Biannual Naval Commanders’ Conference 2024. The carriers also hosted and transported multiple
journalists to cover the commissioning of the Navy’s latest base, INS Jatayu in Minicoy Island of the Lakshadweep
archipelago off the south-western coast of mainland India.The base has strategic significance due to its proximity to the
Maldives, with which India recently has strained ties due to a newly elected anti-India administration in the island state.
Minicoy island is eventually planned to get an airstrip and expand to support more substantial naval and air operations.
Earlier, the carriers had sailed to Visakhapatnam on India’s east coast and home to the Navy’s Eastern Naval Command
for international exercise MILAN 2024.
MILAN is a biennial exercise first held in 1995. The 2024 edition witnessed over 50 participating nations, 35 vessels and
50 aircraft. INS Vikramaditya berthed at Visakhapatnam for the first time, while it was Vikrant’s first visit to her eventual
homeport. INS Vikrant sported its MFSTAR primary radar panels and MRSAM launchers, which were fitted in recent
months at Cochin Shipyard Limited. These equipment were absent when the two carriers last sailed together in mid-
2023. At MILAN 2024, both carriers launched various sorties and participated in a group sail with ships and aircraft from
Australia, Bangladesh, France, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, Malaysia, Mauritius, Myanmar, Russia, Seychelles, Sri Lanka,

Thailand, U.S.A and Vietnam. Delegations from these nations, among multiple others, were also hosted onboard the
carriers. It is notable that India’s Ministry of Defence had stated that there is export interest for the Vikrant carrier
design.
The Indian Navy has long maintained that it requires three carriers for sustained operations, with a large CATOBAR
equipped design being the eventual choice. However, the associated costs and technological maturity levels has seen the
Navy seek a follow-on carrier based on the Vikrant. Discussions regarding this potential acquisition are still ongoing. This
project as well as the development of a Twin Engined Deck Based Fighter (TEDBF) is also expected to be sanctioned in
the coming years.The Navy will meanwhile acquire up to 26 Dassault Rafale-M naval fighters from France to complement
and partially replace the suboptimal MiG-29K fleet. A contract for the same is likely to be signed in the near future. The
possibility of the Navy purchasing a few LCA-Navy aircraft for training purposes also remains open.
During the naval conference, the Indian defence minister had underscored the Indian Navy’s role as a net security
provider in the Indian Ocean Region, especially in the backdrop of recent events around the Gulf of Aden. The highly
publicised twin carrier operations are intended to highlight this role, even as India seeks to counter the ever-increasing
naval presence of China in the region. Source : Naval News
US military ship heading to Gaza to build port

The General Frank S Besson is carrying the first load of equipment to build a floating harbour
By Tiffany Wertheimer
Personnel board US Army Vessel GENERAL FRANK S. BESSON

A US military ship is sailing towards the Middle East, carrying equipment to build a temporary pier off the coast of Gaza,
the army says. The support ship, GENERAL FRANK S. BESSON , set sail from a military base in the state of Virginia on
Saturday.It comes after President Joe Biden said the US would build the floating harbour to help get aid into Gaza by sea.
The UN has warned that famine in the Gaza Strip is "almost inevitable" and children are starving to death.The US and
Jordan carried out an airdrop on Sunday, parachuting in more than 11,500 meals that included rice, flour, pasta, and
canned food, the US military said.Aid deliveries by land and air have proved difficult and dangerous.The World Food
Programme had to pause land deliveries after its convoys came under gunfire and looting. And on Friday, there were
reports that five people had been killed by a falling aid package, when its parachute failed to open properly.The US ship
departed "less than 36 hours" after Mr Biden made his announcement, US Central Command wrote on X.It is "carrying
the first equipment to establish a temporary pier to deliver vital humanitarian supplies" to Gaza, the statement continued.
The Pentagon has said it could take up to 60 days to build the pier with the help of 1,000 troops - none of whom would
go ashore. Charities have said those suffering in Gaza cannot wait that long.Meanwhile, an aid ship laden with some 200

tonnes of food had been expected to set sail from a port in Larnaca, Cyprus on Sunday afternoon, Cypriot media
reported.However, as of around 1700 GMT, Cypriot authorities said the vessel remained in port. It was repositioning
within the harbour but was not expected to leave "for some time", they said. It follows an EU announcement that a new
sea route would be opened over the weekend to allow aid to sail directly from Cyprus - the closest EU country to Gaza.
The OPEN ARMS aid ship has been ready to depart for weeks, the charity's founder has said
The ship, OPEN ARMS belongs to the Spanish charity of the same name, and the food on board has been provided by
US charity World Central Kitchen.It is unclear how any aid delivered by sea would get safely to shore before the US pier
is built. Gaza has no functioning port and its surrounding waters are too shallow for large vessels.However Oscar Camps,
the founder of Open Arms, told the Associated Press that at the destination point - which remains a secret - a team from
the World Central Kitchen has been building a pier to receive the aid.Israel has welcomed the ocean initiative, and said
aid would be delivered after security checks were carried out in Cyprus "in accordance with Israeli standards".Israel's
military launched an air and ground campaign in the Gaza Strip after Hamas's attacks on Israel on 7 October, in which
about 1,200 people were killed and 253 others were taken hostage.More than 30,900 people have been killed in Gaza
since then, the territory's Hamas-run health ministry says.The conflict has created a growing humanitarian crisis, and the
UN has warned that at least 576,000 people across the Gaza Strip - one quarter of the population - are facing
catastrophic levels of food insecurity.Western countries have pressed Israel to expand land deliveries by facilitating more
routes and opening additional crossings.
Lorries have been entering the south of Gaza through the Egyptian-controlled Rafah crossing and the Israeli-controlled
Kerem Shalom crossing. But the north, which was the focus of the first phase of the Israeli ground offensive, has been
largely cut off from assistance in recent months. An estimated 300,000 Palestinians are living there with little food or
clean water.Israel has been accused of hampering aid efforts, and an independent UN expert last week accused it of
mounting "a starvation campaign against the Palestinian people in Gaza".Yeela Cytrin, a legal adviser at the Israeli
mission to the UN, responded that "Israel utterly rejects allegations that it is using starvation as a tool of war", before
walking out in protest. Source : BBC
The Dutch MOD chartered Ro-Ro vessel NEW AMSTERDAM spotted departing form Den Helder naval base navigating
the Marsdiep Photo : Roy Flem ©

SHIPYARD NEWS
Korean Gov’t, Shipbuilders to Make Massive

Investment in Future Tech
The Korean government and three major Korean shipbuilders — HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering (KSOE),
Samsung Heavy Industries, and Hanwha Ocean — will invest 9 trillion won to secure future super-wide gap technologies
for the Korean shipbuilding industry.
The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE) announced on March 5 that it has launched the K-Shipbuilding Next
Generation Initiative, a platform for government-public-private cooperation, in order to discuss the direction of the
Korean shipbuilding industry’s transformation and to review export and current strategies in the Korean shipbuilding
industry.
At the first meeting of the Next Generation Korean Shipbuilding Initiative, the Korean government, the three major
Korean shipbuilders and the Korea Offshore & Shipbuilding Association signed a joint response agreement to secure
super-wide gap technological competitiveness for the Korean shipbuilding industry. Through the agreement, the Korean
government and the three Korean shipbuilders agreed to invest 9 trillion won over the next five years to secure super-
wide gap technologies in shipbuilding.In order to secure next-generation technologies from a mid- to long-term
perspective, the public-private sector will jointly set up a road map for super-wide gap R&D in the shipbuilding industry in
the first half of this year.Based on this, it will develop the world’s first liquefied hydrogen carrier by 2030 and lead
international standards on autonomous sailing ships.The government will also establish a system to forecast the supply
and demand of human resources. It will train 2,000 Korean shipbuilding professionals and production workers every year
through the Future Innovation Human Resources Development Center and a training program for job seekers. In this
regard, the three shipbuilding companies will jointly pilot the Overseas Shipbuilding Human Resources Cooperation
Center in the first half of this year to secure a system to train overseas workers locally and bring them to Korea. The
Korean government also decided to set up investment desks and field desks at the Korea Offshore & Shipbuilding
Association and five regions nationwide after reviewing strategies to increase order intake and exports with the Korean
shipbuilding industry at the meeting.
“Challenges facing the Korean shipbuilding industry must be overcome by teamwork of the public and private sectors
beyond the level of individual companies,” said Ahn Duk-geun, minister of trade, industry and energy. “The Korean
shipbuilding industry’s roles are vital to helping Corporate Korea attain US$700 billion in exports this year.”
Source: Business Korea
Sirena Yachts opens new shipyard for superyacht

construction
Written by Ellen Ranebo
After renovating three build halls in the Turkish town Yalova, Sirena Yachts has opened a new shipyard that will be used
to construct their latest superyacht series, beginning with the 42 Steel. Originally based in Istanbul, Turkey, the company
Sirena Yachts have boasted their fair share of economic success lately. Thanks to the consistent growth of their sales and

model sizes, they are able to branch out their production facilities throughout the rest of the country. Now, with an extra
150,000 square-metres of building space on their hands, as well as a workforce consisting of 1,200 more employees than
before, the fast-growing Sirena is all set to produce their Steel 42 superyacht at the new facility. “Yalova is an area
renowned for its commercial shipbuilding, so it is appropriate that we should be building the new 42 Steel there,” Chief
Operations Officer Ali Onger explained. Not only that, but Yalova’s proximity to the sea means they can “launch [their]
growing range of big yachts directly from the production halls, with no need for transportation to the water’s edge,” Ali
Onger added.Moreover, the new shipyard will also serve as the setting for the Steel 42 superyacht’s outfitting and interior
fit-out. Source : superyachtimes
ROUTE, PORTS & SERVICES
PSA Singapore Expands Jurong Island Terminal to

Enhance Sustainable Supply Chain Offerings for the
Jurong Island Ecosystem
PSA Singapore (PSA) has announced a strategic expansion of its Jurong Island Terminal (JIT) to meet growing demand
for sustainable, efficient and resilient supply chain solutions from industries based on Jurong Island.
Located on the northwestern seafront of Jurong Island, JIT offers twice-daily barge sailings that connect beneficial cargo
owners (BCOs) on Jurong Island with PSA’s main hubs at Tuas, Pasir Panjang and Brani, from where they can leverage
Singapore’s connectivity for unparalleled access to global markets.
Jurong Island is the nucleus of Singapore’s Energy and Chemicals sector. Managed by JTC, it spans 3,000 hectares and
hosts more than 100 global companies carrying out refining, olefins production and chemical manufacturing operations.
While containerised raw materials and finished products can be trucked to and from Jurong Island by road, barging is
less labour intensive, does not contribute to road congestion, and generates about 30% less carbon emissions.
Demand for barging has grown steadily in recent years, with JIT volumes recording year-on-year growth of 13% in 2023
to reach a record-breaking 149,000 twenty-foot equivalent units of containers (TEU).In partnership with JTC, PSA will
expand JIT to increase its annual handling capacity to 300,000 TEUs to cater to projected demand. New Dangerous
Goods (DG) handling and cargo transloading facilities will also be developed to complement PSA’s growing suite of
physical and digital solutions designed to help BCOs manage their inventories and supply chains more efficiently.
To be completed by 2025, the expansion of JIT will also support Jurong Island’s transformation into a sustainable Energy
and Chemicals park, in line with the Singapore Green Plan 2030. A commemorative event, attended by key stakeholders
and partners, was held at PSA’s corporate office, PSA Horizons, today. Mr Nelson Quek, Regional CEO Southeast Asia,
PSA International, said, “The port has always been a gateway and enabler for other pillars of Singapore’s economy,
offering reliable, resilient and competitive access to global sources and markets. The collaboration between PSA and JTC
to expand JIT ensures that current and future enterprises in Singapore’s Energy and Chemicals sector will continue to
reap these benefits in the years ahead, and do so in more sustainable ways.”Mr Alvin Tan, ACEO, JTC, said, “Barging
volumes on Jurong Island are set to rise with increasing demand for sustainable logistics. JIT’s expansion is poised to
meet this growth, and collaboration with partners like PSA is key in our journey to make Jurong Island a sustainable
Energy and Chemicals park.”Source: PSA Singapore

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Scrubber wastewater debate at IMO PPR
The 11th meeting of the IMO’s Sub-Committee on Pollution Prevention and Response (PPR 11) was held from 19 to 23
February and was attended by Rhona Macdonald and Bruce Anderson (Starcrest). The key agenda item of note for ports
was the further developments on the evaluation and harmonisation of the rules and guidance on the release of discharge
water from exhaust gas cleaning systems (EGCS – also known as ‘scrubbers’) into the aquatic environment. The Sub-
Committee recalled that the target completion year of this output was previously extended to 2025, thus adding
additional pressure to finalise decisions on regulatory matters. Tasked to identify and develop, as appropriate, regulatory
measures and instruments, the sub-committee discussed several submissions which highlighted significant diverging
views amongst delegations on the need for more stringent regulations on the discharge of EGCS discharge water.
Whilst some argued that there was growing scientific evidence of the harmful effects of EGCS discharge water and a
need to amend MARPOL Annex VI to allow coastal States to regulate the use of EGCS in national waters, others opposed
proposals to tighten regulations, noting that this was unduly penalise compliant ships and that further scientific research
into possible negative environmental impacts was required. Given these diverging views, the Sub-Committee, ultimately
invited Member States and international organisations to submit further proposals to PPR 12 on regulatory measures.
Finally, PPR 11 also considered proposals on the development of a database containing local/regional
restrictions/conditions on the discharge water from EGCS in light of evidence of a growing number of local restrictions
across the globe. These submissions, notably by ICS and BIMCO, were widely accepted by delegations and the Sub-
Committee invited Member States to submit further details on local or regional restrictions. Source: IAPH
MARITIME ARTIST CORNER
Watercolor (32,8 x 50,5 cm) of Heerema’s AHT HUSKY is the latest creation of maritime artist Willem Johan
Hoendervanger. for more info visit https://www.oceanlinerart.com/husky.html

…. PHOTO OF THE DAY …..
The Dutch flagged container vessel "A2B SPIRIT" (ex "NOR FEEDER" and ex "JAN FABIAN”) owned by the A2B-online
shipping line seen here leaving the Brittanniëhaven in Rozenburg, Rotterdam before passing the Calandbrug on her way
to Teleport in the UK. Photo : Cees van der Kooij (c)
Your feedback is important to me so please drop me an email if you have any photos /
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DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2024– 072

Distribution : daily to 45000+ active addresses -01-2024 Page 1

EVENTS, INCIDENTS & OPERATIONS

The SPRING inbound for Rotterdam Photo : Paul Gerdes ©

South Korea Launches 1st Container Ship Built for

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MOL and Petrobras Sign Cargo Transfer Vessels Deals

The SEALOADER 2 anchored off Singapore

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Empty container availability fears slide as demand

VLCC Market Rises Significantly Last Week

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Non-alliance liners trump over share on Asia-Europe

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CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE BONN & MEES MOVIE !

Capital Product Partners sells three more boxships

COSTA DIADEMA arriving in Rio de Janeiro 09.03.2024

In 2023, 41% of port professionals participating in

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The AKACIA arriving in Willemstad-Curacao Photo : Maxime Maanders (c)

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Port of Dalian in NE China resumes int'l cruise ship

Collaboration and technology: the dual-pronged key

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Cyprus shipping registry commemorated in Athens

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DHL decides not to buy DB Schenker

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The OSCEOLA operating in Miami Photo : Frank Maanders ©

We want the industry to work smarter rather than

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WIND INNOVATION navigating the North sea Photo : Gordon Priestley ©

Chinese investment in Asia-Pacific increases 37pc in

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Case study for onboard safety meeting Gíounding

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Please take your BOSIET, HUET training seriously as

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Singapore's SeaLead Shipping acquires new owners

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LOCATIONS MENTIONED IN THE NEWSLETTER ARE

Air Liquide and Vopak sign MoU to collaborate on

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Port of Vancouver expects record breaking cruise

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MacGregor receives a large order for cranes to be

China's harassing ships in disputed waters are

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Indian Navy Conducts Dual Carrier Operations

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US military ship heading to Gaza to build port

Personnel board US Army Vessel GENERAL FRANK S. BESSON

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Korean Gov’t, Shipbuilders to Make Massive

Sirena Yachts opens new shipyard for superyacht

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ROUTE, PORTS & SERVICES