Shipping

How would you like your entire container fleet to be made up of smart containers..?? It is a reality and a possiblity..

If you are a shipping line operating at least 1 service and have no more than 150,000 containers, you can enter a competition to convert your shipping containers into smart containers..

No this is not a myth or a joke..

It was expected and would have been just a matter of time.. 

We reported previously that part of the 16-year-old Yantian Express the 7,510 TEU, 320m German-flagged ship of Hapag Lloyd went up in flames on the 3rd of Jan 2019 while on its way from Colombo to Halifax via the Suez Canal..

The container fire that broke out was largely contained and brought under control after one week and the ship sailed to the Port of Freeport (Bahamas) for further recovery and cargo damage assessment. when it arrives in Freeport around the 1st of Feb 2019.. 

On January 25, 2019, Hapag Lloyd declared "General Average" for the Yantian Express..

On the 3rd of January 2019, part of the 16-year-old Yantian Express the 7,510 TEU, 320m German-flagged ship of Hapag Lloyd went up in flames while on its way from Colombo to Halifax via the Suez Canal..

The container fire that broke out was largely contained and brought under control after one week through the launching of immediate fire-fighting efforts.. Since then, the remaining salvage operations have made considerable progress as per updates from Hapag Lloyd..

Here is some update..

As container shipping has evolved over the years, so have the methods of carrying cargo and types of cargo being carried.. Open Tops and Flat Racks are two of the container types that are used in the carriage of (OOG) Out of Gauge cargo (also called (ODC) Over Dimensional Cargo in certain countries)..

This type of carriage has its own individuality and one unique feature of this type of carriage are the Lost Slots which occurs in the carriage of this type of cargo and this is explained in detail in this article..

There is a new shipping jargon in town and it is called Street Turn.. It is a charge about to be implemented by a few of the shipping lines..

This has the shippers up in arms with some terming it as insane, appalling and a huge mistake.. Read about it here and join a short poll on what your opinion is about the street turn..

Misdeclaration in weight or misdeclaration of hazardous content has been the bane of the shipping industry and the carriers who have suffered several consequences due to misdeclarations..

When such misdeclarations are done, it does not just affect the ship, the carrier involved and the person who chose to misdeclare their cargo.. These misdeclarations result in cargo damage and affect everyone else's cargo, especially when entire ships are lost..

Millions of dollars worth of goods and assets are lost due to this, not to mention the huge impact on the environment and the loss of life (human or otherwise)..

IMO and other stakeholders took these misdeclarations seriously and SOLAS VGM came into effect.. Life after SOLAS VGM seems to be hunky dory and no major incidents have been reported in relation to weight misdeclarations..

However, the recent spate of maritime disasters is causing some worries to the container lines.. Having had first-hand experience with such misdeclarations and maritime disasters, the world's largest container line - Maersk Line - has put its foot down on these misdeclared cargoes..

India measures around 2,933 Kms from West to East and around 3,214 km from South to North and boasts a coastline of around 7,516..

Given such distances and the volume of goods handled, rail transport was found to be one of the cheaper options for all cargoes over medium to long distances..

Indian Railways entered the cargo market for moving door-to-door domestic cargo in special DSO containers starting in 1966..

Container Corporation of India Ltd. (CONCOR), was incorporated in March 1988 under the Companies Act, and commenced operation from November 1989 taking over the existing network of 7 ICDs from the Indian Railways..

Amid increasing competition, inadequate rail and road infrastructure, a rapidly changing market driven by weak demand and digitization, Concor has decided to enter the coastal shipping market in India..

The update about the Yantian Express on fire since the 3rd of January 2019, is that the fire is under control and some of the crew are back on board the ship..

There has been some news about the cargo damages..

The update about the Yantian Express on fire since the 3rd of January 2019, is that the fire is under control and some of the crew are back on board the ship..

Read more about the progress..

Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), operators of the MSC Zoe from which around 281 containers went overboard, confirms that significant progress has been made in an unprecedented clean-up operation in the North Sea and on the beaches of the Netherlands and Germany..

Apart from the salvage efforts, there seems to be some interesting developments brewing..

The world of shipping and logistics never rests.. It is one project after another.. And when it comes to one of the world's most expensive sports, the F1 races, logistics efforts and requirements goes up several notches equalling the sounds of the reverberating engines..

This article details the efforts and processes followed by Renault's F1 logistics team to get their machines to the racetrack, in time, in good shape and condition..

For many logisticians, this could be as thrilling (if not more) than the race itself..

On the 4th of Jan 2019, we reported that there was a fire on board the Yantian Express.. Here is an update on the current situation on the ship..

MSC has reassured authorities and members of the public in the Netherlands and Germany that the company will pay the full costs of the clean-up of the 2 January MSC Zoe container spill..

Here is an update as of 05.01.2019 about the status of the MSC Zoe and the over 270 odd containers that went overboard..

It is only Day 4 of 2019 and we have already had containers going overboard, search for survivors from a car carrier fire has been called off and now a fire on board the Yantian Express a container ship operated by Hapag Lloyd..

2019 certainly seems to be challenging the norm..!!! 🙂 While we certainly don't need more of this, let's see what else 2019 is about to throw at the world of shipping and freight..

Here is an update about the status of the MSC Zoe and the over 270 odd containers that went overboard..

The regulations surrounding the IMO 2020 sulphur cap are here to stay..

Several shipping lines like Maersk, MSC, CMA-CGM, ONE, OOCL and APL had announced in late 2018 that these costs for compliance will have to be passed on to customers/trade through the implementation of new or adjustment to existing fuel surcharges, which may vary based on the trade lanes..

These new bunker surcharges are set to kick in as of this week..

Barely a day into the new year, 2019 has already claimed its first casualty in terms of containers lost at sea..

MSC Zoe, a 396m long containership capable of carrying 19,224 TEU was the unfortunate ship which got caught in heavy seas between Vlieland, Netherlands and the German Bight in the North Sea on New Year’s Day as per the Dutch Coastguard..

Although the exact number is to be verified, the coastguard is indicating that as much as 270 odd containers may have gone overboard in tough weather conditions..

As you maybe aware, the Federal Maritime Commission initiated investigation, Fact Finding 28, in March 2018 to look into the question whether demurrage and detention charges in the shipping industry were justified..

Industry stakeholders raised a petition to address the question whether demurrage and detention fees charged to shippers for storing containers and using equipment beyond the carrier's or terminal's allowed "free time" were just and reasonable..

This question arose on the back of demurrage and detention charges levied by the port, terminal and shipping lines to the shippers especially in the key USA gateways of Los-Angeles/Long Beach on the West Coast and New York-New Jersey on the East Coast..

Here are the results of the investigation and its findings..

In April 2018, more than 100 Member States met at the International Maritime Organisation in London and adopted an initial strategy on the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from ships by at least 50% by 2050 compared to 2008 levels..

The current global limit for sulphur content of ships’ fuel oil is 3.50% m/m (mass by mass)..

The regulations to reduce sulphur oxide emissions has introduced a new global limit for sulphur content of ships and as from 1st of January 2020 the new global limit on the sulphur content will be 0.50% m/m..

The LSS or Low Sulphur Surcharge is as a consequence of this meeting..