Tag: US

US  Senate Democrats are questioning the legality of the Trump administration’s plan to continue work on its five-year offshore drilling plan during the partial federal government shutdown, according to Reuters. The Senators sent a letter to David Bernhardt, the Department of Interior’s acting secretary, and Walter Cruickshank, acting director of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) asking why the latter updated its plan to enable 40 employees to work on the offshore leasing program.

Due to the US government shutdown, the processes regarding application and confirmation of Certificates of Financial Responsibility (COFRs), that are needed for ships entering US waters under regulations issued pursuant to the Oil Pollution Act of 1990, are now being affected. Operators should consult with their COFR issuers and/or Qualified Individual’s for a detailed guidance.

The volume of inbound containers from China to the US will reduce this February, because of the Chinese Lunar New Year. Namely, Chinese ports will close for three days, while factories and employees will have a one-week holiday. This situation will lead to a longer slowdown in freight markets, while an uncertain trade outlook might affect the freight business.

More ships than ever are switching to landside electricity at the Port of Oakland to cut emissions. According to the Port, 75% of all ships visiting in 2018 used so-called shore power. That was up from 68% the year before. Specifically, 1,543 ships tied up in Oakland during 2018. Of those, 1,157 plugged into the landside grid to power onboard systems.

Due to unprecedented pre-Lunar New Year inbound volumes, Los Angeles and Long Beach ports are experiencing extreme congestion, APL reported. The volume increase is creating many problems such as port delays, increased dwell times and terminal congestion. To deal with the severe congestion and enable better cargo flow, operators are called to: Pick up containers as soon as possible, after they have been discharged; Timely return of the chassis, to avoid chassis shortage for yourselves and others.

Drewry's Container Port Throughput Indices are a series of volume growth or decline indices based on monthly throughput data for a sample of over 220 ports worldwide, representing over 75% of global volumes. The base point for the indices is January 2012 = 100.

Pilbara Ports Authority reported a new record tonnage on a single tide at the Port of Hedland. Namely, on 15 January 2019, 10 vessels left the port in convoy carrying a total of 1,754,741 tonnes of bulk product, surpassing the previous record from December 2017 by 165,680 tonnes. Before that, an Expression of Interest has been completed for the building and operation of a new general cargo facility at the Port of Port Hedland.

Overseas Shipholding Group, a provider of energy transportation services for crude oil and petroleum products in the US , exercised an option to build a second 204,000 barrel Oil and Chemical ATB Barge at Gunderson Marine’s Portland, Oregon facility. The barge is planned to be delivered in the second half of 2020, complying with the latest safety and environmental requirements.

The bulk carrier 'Strategic Explorer' ran aground on January 21 on Delaware river, which is located in Wilmington USA. The vessel is, for the time being, anchored after its unmooring. The vessel was anchored after its unmooring and placed in Wilmington from January 17. The vessel was refloated with the help of at least two tugs on January 22, at around 06.00 hours (UTC).

Port of Vancouver published its 'Port Information Guide' focusing on practises and procedures applicable to all vessels operating  within defined vessel operating areas in the port authority’s jurisdiction to support the safe and efficient movement of trade. The port authority makes amendments, in accordance with Section 56 of the Canada Marine Act.