Tag: shipping industry

The European Commission adopted a proposal to optimize ship reporting requirements when calling at ports within the EU. 13 EU Member States called the EU Commission to present a proposal for the revision of the Reporting Formalities Directive. The aim is to reduce the administrative burdens on shipping.

WWF-Canada released a new guide designed to help mariners in the eastern Arctic identify and avoid marine mammals. The guide recommends what to do in Arctic waters in order not to affect the animals, as well as maps of the most concerning areas. Passing ships can often drive marine mammals away from their usual habitat.

One of the issues that the shipping industry has been criticized is for allowing vessels to be broken up on beaches. Campaigners say that this method risks workers' safety and is the sea. Now, the industry's financial backers are also criticizing it, as many of them are reconsidering their investments over ethical and green considerations.

The Transport Minister of Ghana launched the Ghana Chamber of Shipping, a new trade association in the country. The new association will try to win the interest of the shipping industry and gather the main stakeholders in the industry from both the demand and supply side. The Ministry of Transport will cooperate with the Ghana Chamber of Shipping to find solutions for maritime problems.

During his presentation at GREEN4SEA Conference, Mr. Aleksey Nikulin, Chief Technology Officer, Humble Energy, noted that a greener and cheaper fuel alternative is available to the shipping industry using current technology. Humble Energy’s initiative builds on their extensive Energy from Waste expertise and research into solid fuel propulsion systems that use Solid Recovered Fuel Energy Pellets.

Stelios Koroneos, CEO at Soldecom, talks about the effects of digitisation in the shipping industry, highlighting that shipping has gone through a number of disruptions since the past, which required changes to the way that the whole sector is operating. Digitisation is now the new trend, but it requires vessels to be extensively retrofitted to comply with regulations, or else they will be scrapped.

Søren Skou, CEO of Maersk urged governments to end their financial support for shipping lines’ subsidies. He explained that subsidies result in overcapacity and reduced profit in the shipping sector. Mr. Skou noted that there are cases where companies are building vessels that are not needed, for companies who don’t have decent profit.

Owners in Singapore are about to receive the most vessels ever by the end of 2018. This is result of a large number of order for various ship types. The previous record was 10 years, in 2008, when the asset value was at its peak. The record 2018 will see Singapore jump into number two of expected deliveries this year.

The European Economic and Social Committee called the European Commission to adopt a strong mutual policy, in order to make sure that the European maritime technology industry will survive competition from Asian shipyards. The EESC urged the Commission to focus on the LeaderSHIP 2020 strategy'and to forward key recommendations for the sector's new LeaderSHIP 2030 strategy.

A recent report surveyed 6,000 seafarers, asking them questions regarding the new technologies and digitalization. The seafarers were called to answer questions regarding digital transformation with regard to the shipping industry. 92% of seafarers surveyed, said that Internet access strongly affects their decision on where to work.