European Shipowners and Maritime Technology Industry call for decisive actions against unfair trade practices

SEA Europe and ECSA, the trade associations representing respectively European shipbuilding and maritime equipment and European shipowners, welcome the recent statement of EU Trade Commission Cecilia Malmström against unfair trade practices in the Far East.

Celestyal Cruises promotes two Senior Executives and announces new appointments in key markets

Celestyal Cruises announces today internal leadership transitions following Chris Theophilides’ move from COO to CEO on July 1st.

Statement from the President: Additional tariffs on roughly $200 billion of imports from China

Today, following seven weeks of public notice, hearings, and extensive opportunities for comment, I directed the United States Trade Representative (USTR) to proceed with placing additional tariffs on roughly $200 billion of imports from China. The tariffs will take effect on September 24, 2018, and be set at a level of 10 percent until the end of the year. On January 1, the tariffs will rise to 25 percent. Further, if China takes retaliatory action against our farmers or other industries, we will immediately pursue phase three, which is tariffs on approximately $267 billion of additional imports.

We are taking this action today as a result of the Section 301 process that the USTR has been leading for more than 12 months. After a thorough study, the USTR concluded that China is engaged in numerous unfair policies and practices relating to United States technology and intellectual property – such as forcing United States companies to transfer technology to Chinese counterparts. These practices plainly constitute a grave threat to the long-term health and prosperity of the United States economy.
For months, we have urged China to change these unfair practices, and give fair and reciprocal treatment to American companies. We have been very clear about the type of changes that need to be made, and we have given China every opportunity to treat us more fairly. But, so far, China has been unwilling to change its practices. To counter China’s unfair practices, on June 15, I announced that the United States would impose tariffs of 25 percent on $50 billion worth of Chinese imports. China, however, still refuses to change its practices – and indeed recently imposed new tariffs in an effort to hurt the United States economy.
As President, it is my duty to protect the interests of working men and women, farmers, ranchers, businesses, and our country itself. My Administration will not remain idle when those interests are under attack.
China has had many opportunities to fully address our concerns. Once again, I urge China’s leaders to take swift action to end their country’s unfair trade practices. Hopefully, this trade situation will be resolved, in the end, by myself and President Xi of China, for whom I have great respect and affection.

Sembcorp Marine secures Maran Tankers contract for installing marine scrubbers and ballast water management systems on 13 ships

Singapore, September 6, 2018: Sembcorp Marine has won its biggest green technology retrofits contract to date, awarded by Maran Tankers for the installation of marine scrubbers and ballast water management systems on 13 of the Greek owner’s vessels.

A new perspective on alternative fuels: DNV GL launches Alternative Fuels Insight (AFI) platform

The rapidly approaching 2020 fuel sulphur cap and newly announced IMO greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction strategy have put the spotlight onto alternative fuels for shipping. DNV GL’s new AFI platform offers a comprehensive and continually updated overview of alternative fuel projects, bunkering infrastructure, suppliers, and technologies.
“Alternative fuels and propulsion technologies should be on the radar of every shipowner, especially those in the market for a newbuilding in the near future,” says Knut Ørbeck-Nilssen, CEO of DNV GL – Maritime. “The AFI platform has been developed to provide a clear picture not only of the fuels and the surrounding infrastructure, but to build links between suppliers and owners and charterers. The knowledge collected on the platform is expanding into a 360-degree view of the sector, allowing all stakeholders to make informed decisions.”
The AFI platform builds on DNV GL’s well received LNGi portal, but with an expanded focus that covers LNG, LPG and methanol, as well as emission reducing technologies such as scrubbers and batteries. The platform consolidates a wealth of detailed technical information on these fuels and technologies, including their bunkering infrastructure, and examines their capabilities and limitations, as well as giving practical insights into their implementation and operation. With much of the information free to access, the AFI platform is a valuable resource for owners and operators needing to research and keep up to date in this rapidly moving sector. In addition, through the Fuel Finder tool shipowners and charterers can submit requests for bunkering, specifying fuel type, location, volume and from which date they would like to bunker. DNV GL validates these requests and then makes them available to suppliers.
“The Fuel Finder tool makes it easy for owners and charterers to see how their decision to move to an alternative fuel could work out in practice,” says Martin Wold, head of the AFI platform at DNV GL – Maritime. “With one request, they can see how the operational profile of their projects match the capability of multiple suppliers. We have also been working with several leading suppliers and equipment makers who have signed on as supporters of AFI and we have opened the platform to user contributions, so that we continually expand the platform by adding bunkering and infrastructure projects.”
With interactive maps and data visualizations, it is easy for users to see where infrastructure already exists or will shortly be developed, alongside the growing alternative fuelled fleet. And new tools let users dig deeper into the data to analyse trends and screen the feasibility of their alternative fuel projects based on based on CAPEX, OPEX, and fuel prices.
About DNV GL:
DNV GL is a global quality assurance and risk management company. Driven by our purpose of safeguarding life, property and the environment, we enable our customers to advance the safety and sustainability of their business. Operating in more than 100 countries, our professionals are dedicated to helping customers in the maritime, oil & gas, power and renewables and other industries to make the world safer, smarter and greener
About DNV GL – Maritime
DNV GL is the world’s leading classification society and a recognized advisor for the maritime industry. We enhance safety, quality, energy efficiency and environmental performance of the global shipping industry – across all vessel types and offshore structures. We invest heavily in research and development to find solutions, together with the industry, that address strategic, operational or regulatory challenges. For more information visit www.dnvgl.com/maritime

Star Bulk Carriers agrees to acquire up to seven dry bulk vessels from E.R. Capital Holding

Star Bulk Carriers Corp. (the "Company" or "Star Bulk") (Nasdaq: SBLK, Oslo: SBLK-R), a global shipping company focusing on the transportation of dry bulk cargoes announced today that it has entered into an en bloc definitive agreement with entities affiliated with E.R. Capital Holding GmbH & Cie. KG (“E.R.” or “Sellers” ), pursuant to which the Company will acquire three (3) firm operating dry bulk vessels (the “Step 1 Vessels”) within 2018 ( the “Step 1 Acquisition”), and four (4) optional operating dry bulk vessels (the “Step 2 Vessels”) in 2019 (the “Step 2 Acquisition”), and together the “Vessels”. Subject to agreeing a three party novation agreement with charterers and E.R., any charterparties existing at the time of the deliveries of each of the Vessels shall be novated to Star Bulk.