MSC builds 1 million TEU lead over Maersk
05.07.2023
Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) has extended its capacity lead over Maersk Line, 1.5 years after surpassing its Danish rival as the largest liner operator.
Following aggressive newbuilding orders, long-term vessel charters and acquisitions of secondhand vessels, MSC's fleet now stands at around 5.13 million TEUs, nearly 1 million TEUs more than Maersk Line's 4.14 million TEUs.
In its report, Alphaliner said that on average, MSC’s lead over Maersk has grown by a whopping 12,800 TEU every week since January 2022.
Orderbook projections suggest that MSC will further expand its lead at the top of the mainline operators' league over the rest of 2023.
Currently, the Swiss-Italian carrier is one of the main drivers of overall fleet growth.
Encouraged by the Covid-19-induced boom, the overordering of container ships in 2021 and 2022 is beginning to manifest itself in ever-increasing tonnage deliveries, with June setting a record for deliveries in a single month. Of the 277,873 TEU delivered in June, MSC alone accounted for 39% of this at 111,474 TEU, including two 24,000 TEU ships and five 15,000-16,000 TEU ships.
Alphaliner noted that MSC has steadily expanded both fleet and network since the company was established in 1970, but the carrier’s growth has accelerated notably in the late 2010s and it went into overdrive in 2020, when Covid-19-related logistical bottlenecks pushed freight rates to historical highs.
Alphaliner said, "Not only does MSC have the largest vessel orderbook (1.5 million TEUs) of all carriers, but it also acquired far more secondhand vessels than any other shipping line. MSC bought well over 300 ships in the last three years. About two-thirds of this capacity came as a net addition to MSC’s fleet."
Newbuilding deliveries are expected to remain high in 2023 and 2024, fuelled by an orderbook of 7.6 million TEUs - or 28.5% of the existing fleet.
Alphaliner continued, "Although new environmental regulations have created some ’artificial’ tonnage demand though mandated slow-steaming, cargo volumes will most certainly not grow enough to absorb all of these new ships. Alphaliner therefore believes that large chunks of today’s vessel newbuilding pipeline will be for fleet renewal, rather than fleet growth."
Rotterdam World Gateway to increase capacity by 1.8 million TEUs
29.06.2023
Dutch container terminal Rotterdam World Gateway (RWG) has agreed to a gradual extension of its terminal at the Prinses Amaliahaven on the Maasvlakte in the port of Rotterdam with its shareholders DP World, CMACGM/Terminal Link, HMM and MOL, and the Port of Rotterdam Authority.
Currently, RWG has access to approximately 1 million m² of land, 1,150 metres of deep-sea quay and 550 metres of barge/feeder quay. The Port of Rotterdam Authority (PoR) started construction of the quay walls in the Prinses Amaliahaven in the spring of 2021, expected to be completed by mid-2024.
The expansion of the current terminal consists of about 450,000m² in terms of terminal site and 920 metres of quay wall, which is expected to increase RWG's container capacity by 1.8 million TEUs.
In the first phase, an extra berth for the deep‐sea activities will be realised and, in addition to further capacity expansion, the focus will also be on future‐oriented facilities in which automation, sustainability and connectivity remain central.
The extra berth is an extension to RWG's existing terminal based on the same proven concept; fully automated, CO2 neutral and dedicated handling facilities for all modalities. In addition, the terminal will also be prepared for shore power and be connected to the Container Exchange Route (CER).
The berth is scheduled to be operational by the end of the fourth quarter of 2025, with commercial operations beginning in 2026.
The total investment will be approximately €500 million (US$550 million) and initially includes civil works, quay cranes, storage modules with automatic stacking cranes and electrical automatic guided vehicles.
Dry season threatens Panama Canal
21.06.2023
The Panama Canal will implement water conservation measures during the rainy months to help recover water in all the surrounding lakes.
The Canal is closely monitoring the development of weather events affecting water availability in the canal watershed, which according to forecasts, could worsen with the arrival of the El Niño phenomenon.
"Current estimates indicate that the economic impact is unavoidable," said Panama Canal in a statement.
"This is an issue that the Panama Canal has been warning and preparing for however, we could not have predicted exactly when the water shortage would occur to the degree that we are experiencing now," commented Canal administrator, Ricaurte Vásquez Morales.
The Panama Canal has implemented water-saving measures to maintain maximum capacity in its reservoirs during May through December rainy season, however, the current conditions are creating an unprecedented drought, and thus far has produced the driest year on record since 1950.
Consequently, since January, the canal has implemented a series of water-saving measures within its operations which will guarantee that ample water resources will be available to supply the population and offer a reliable and competitive service to customers throughout the dry season.
Moreover, Panama Canal specialists with the United States Corps of Engineers have evaluated alternatives as part of a study for the Water Sustainability System, studying different scenarios and growth projects to find long-term solutions that will allow the canal to guarantee this resource for the next 50 years.
Earlier, in April 2023, the Panama Canal had announced that a temporary draft level adjustment for Neopanamax vessels transiting the interoceanic route would come into effect due to the recent drought, which has led to low levels in the lake system.
As a result of this adjustment for the current dry season, vessels making the transit will be offered a draft of 14.4 meters instead of the maximum allowable draft of 15 meters.
London court fines British firm around US$1 million over Beirut blast
14.06.2023
London court has ordered a British-registered company Savaro to pay over GB£800,000 (US$1 million) in compensation to the victims of the Beirut port explosion on 4 August 2020, when more than 220 people were killed after a huge shipment of ammonium nitrate fertiliser that had been sold by Savaro exploded.
The information was confirmed on 12 June by a group of lawyers in Lebanon in the first verdict on the explosion, according to Reuters.
More specifically, the court ordered Savaro to pay GB£100,000 plus interest each to three relatives of deceased victims, and slightly over GB£500,000 to a wounded woman, according to a statement by the Beirut Bar Association.
Reuters report says that on 31 January 2023, the High Court in London found Savaro liable for death, personal injury and property damage in a case brought by the Association on behalf of blast victims.
Power disruption halts operations at APM Terminals Pipavav in India
05.06.2023
A power failure at APM Terminals Pipavav in India, caused by strong winds, impacted the port operations.
On 29 May evening, strong winds uprooted the power transmission towers of Gujarat Electricity Transmission Company Limited (GETCO) outside the port area resulting into disruption of the grid power supply.
According to GETCO, the complete restoration of the grid power supply is expected to need seven days approximately. Meanwhile, the port has commenced partial operations through its captive power plant and the DG sets.
"We are content to inform that no damage is reported to personnel and infrastructure at the port," noted APM Terminals in a statement.
The global operator said the quay side operation is halted completely, but the rail and gate operations continue.
"We are maintaining back up power supply to the reefer cargoes," added APM Terminals.
According to APM Terminals' statement, the container berth will remain non-operational till 2359 hours on 5 June. "The port may handle the container vessel earliest by 6th June 2023 subject to regularizing power supply. The Company shall keep the trade updated once the port gets back to normal operations," said the company.