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NEW VENUE | NEW FORMAT | NEW IDEAS | NEW OPPORTUNITIES | NEW ERA

I was in Athens last week speaking at two events (US Regulatory Update and SAFE4SEA). Both generated a lot of discussion, both enlightening and concerning.  Despite the nearly daily introduction of new products and services designed to make shipping more efficient, there still seems to be a lack of adoption of these innovations.  Part of that is due to money—since we are still in a shipping recession, there is a natural reluctance to spend money even if it will save money.  But by doing so, we are leaving our industry vulnerable to many risks.

The world is accelerating its advancements at an unprecedented pace, and we must keep up.  With the logistical expertise perfected by the likes of Amazon and Alibaba, society’s expectation is for highly efficient delivery systems.  While the maritime industry is the most economically and environmentally efficient mode of bulk transportation, we must continue to improve our efficiencies in order to maintain our viability.  Those that say shipping will never be replaced are ignoring the potential for our industry to be absorbed by external entities that will do it faster and cheaper.  We MUST adapt, not only to retain our commercial viability, but also to attract future generations to our wonderful profession.  We cannot afford to be complacent.

Another area of vulnerability is our public awareness.  Next January will bring potential impacts to domestic supplies of fuel with the implementation of Sulphur2020 which may have an impact on consumers at the gas pump.  There is a strong possibility that fingers will be pointed at the shipping industry- especially with a Presidential election in the United States.  We need to get ahead of this story by communicating the value proposition of shipping, while at the same time emphasizing our compliance with newly implemented environmental standards.

Last week in Athens, I was walking in the center of the city near the Hilton Hotel.  It was broad daylight, near a busy roadway, with people around when a man silently ran up from behind and grabbed my purse.  Unwilling to relinquish my passport, mobile phone, credit cards and cash, I hung on while yelling for help.  Our struggle ended with me on the ground and him running into the park empty handed.

I did not consider myself vulnerable to attack, but I had become complacent.  I was walking purposefully with what I thought was domain awareness.  I was wrong and can only credit my shouting for my deliverance from harm.

The shipping industry is vulnerable.  Let’s take the necessary steps to ensure we can meet the demands of tomorrow.

Keep optimizing,

Carleen

• Interview with Alexandros Glykas, PhD; Naval Architect & Marine Engineer of DYNAMARINe
• Alternative Fuels
• Scrubbers
• Ballast Water
• Zero Emissions
• Ship Recycling
• Blockchain
• New Tech
• SHIPPINGInsight Updates

Imperial College London white paper sees LNG as an interim fuel

2019-01-29 – LNG as a ship fuel will not meet shipping’s 2050 pledge to slash emissions in half, a new 126-page white paper from Imperial College London’s Sustainable Gas Institute posits. . . READ MORE

Norwegian team unveils design for liquid hydrogen bunkering vessel

2019-01-29 – The widely predicted future large scale use of hydrogen in both maritime and land-based industry will require vessels tailored for transportation and bunkering of liquefied hydrogen. In response, Moss Maritime, in cooperation with Equinor, Wilhelmsen and DNV-GL, has developed a design for a Liquefied Hydrogen (LH2) bunker vessel. . . READ MORE

MSC secures US$439 million financing to install scrubbers

2019-01-28 – Geneva-based shipping giant Mediterranean Shipping Company SA (MSC) has secured financing of US$439 million to equip its fleet with 86 exhaust gas cleaning systems (scrubbers) in view of IMO’s 2020 sulphur cap. . . READ MORE

BWMC implementation: The time for delays and denial is over

2019-01-15 – Mr. Mark Riggio, President of the Ballastwater Equipment Manufacturers’ Association (BEMA) talks about the current challenges toward BWMC implementation, highlighting that the deadline for a BWTS installation expires, thus the sooner they start planning, the better. As explained, more than 80% of the world’s fleet by tonnage flies the flag of an Administration signatory to the Convention. That means for each of these ships, starting in September 2019, when their IOPP renewal is done, they will need to install a BWTS, therefore having a plan in place is crucial.  In this regard, BEMA aims to help by rebuilding the trust between manufacturers and the shipping industry and provide a unified voice and technical support to facilitate compliance. . . READ MORE

Study: Key energy pathways to zero-carbon shipping by 2050

2019-01-30 – Lloyd’s Register (LR) and University Maritime Advisory Services (UMAS) released a new study examining three key energy pathways to help identify the actions required for the shipping industry, both at the ship and supply infrastructure level, to transition to a zero-carbon future by 2050, in line with the IMO’s Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Strategy 2050 ambition. The study demonstrates to all stakeholders what action needs to be taken now. . . READ MORE

Turkey Ratifies Ship Recycling Convention

2019-01-31 – Turkey, one of the five major ship recycling countries in the world, has ratified the IMO Hong Kong Convention, the treaty for safe and environmentally sound ship recycling. . . READ MORE

Mandarins arrive in Singapore ahead of Lunar New Year thanks to landmark blockchain shipment

2019-02-01 – Ahead of next week’s Chinese New Year, Singapore’s Pacific International Lines (PIL) has used an electronic Bill of Lading (e-BL) built on the IBM Blockchain Platform in a real-time pilot tracking shipment of mandarin oranges from China for the Lunar New Year celebrations. . . READ MORE

Understanding the Economic Impacts of Greenhouse Gas Mitigation Policies on Shipping

2019-02-04 – Eastern Pacific Shipping and Techstars announced that they are to launch the world’s first global MaritimeTech startup accelerator, ‘EPS MaritimeTech Accelerator Powered’ by Techstars. This start-up accelerator, that will be based in EPS’s headquarters in Singapore, collaboration will be the first of its kind to target the maritime industry. The ‘EPS MaritimeTech Accelerator Powered’ aspires to mentor the next generation of entrepreneurs in the industry. . . READ MORE