Business Insights From The Maritime And Logistics Ecosystem – Maritime Weekly 20 October 2017

Greetings from Maritime Weekly, a newsletter published by Apex Group for Maritime World Services, a business advisory, executive search, and events management platform for the global maritime ecosystem. Our editorial board comprising reputed maritime, logistics, and media leaders curates key maritime news and analysis once a week to support you in making informed decisions in the week ahead. 15,000 senior executives and officials from the global maritime and logistics ecosystem benefit from the insights shared by Maritime Weekly.

What is topical this week

Trade Lanes – China’s exports and imports expected to grow by double digits in 2017; India-Japan cargo swapping pact expected to have an impact on global LNG trade; Challenging outlook for container shipping as rates continue to drop

Maritime Infrastructure – Manila Terminal of ICTSI has achieved an operations record on berth handling; Cargo movement at Qatar ports have witnessed a steep rise; Thailand’s leading private port operator is expanding

Multimodal Connectivity – BTK Railway project completes a crucial rail link between Turkey and Azerbaijan; India’s Adani Group is expected to break ground on Carmichael rail link in Australia soon; South Africa’s Transnet is making progress with SA-Swaziland rail link

Shipbuilding – India’s debt laden ABG Shipyard has 3 reputed suitors already; Turkey would have its first landing helicopter dock ship by 2021; South Australian shipbuilders apprehend missing out on jobs to build SA’s next generation naval vessels

Maritime Exhibitions, Conference and Conversations – The 2nd International tradeshow ‘Maritime Nation India 14-16 September 2017 and the Maritime Nation India Awards 2017. continue to draw positive feedback from the industry and government organizations globally. This week we are happy to announce ACTUALIDAD Maritima y Portuaria (i.e. Maritime and Port News) of Spain as our Media Partner

Maritime Capital – Malaysia’s MISC is disposing non-core businesses including tank terminals; Richard Branson’s Virgin is investing in Hyperloop One; Oman’s Duqm port has signed an MoU with Adani Ports

People and Technology – Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia agreed to continue to map the Straits of Malacca and Singapore leveraging multi-beam sonar technology; The shipping industry could be returning to wind power; Freight forwarders need to digitise to continue to compete-a perspective

Leisure and Cruise – The World’s Largest Cruise Ship would have robot bartenders; A chartered Carnival Cruise Ship would house relief workers; 20 Reasons to book a cruise vacation-a perspective

Have a great week ahead.
The Maritime Weekly Editorial Board.

Global Maritime Trade

China’s exports and imports expected to grow by double digits in 2017 China Daily, 14th October, 7 min read Thanks to rising demand as a result of improvement in the domestic and global economies, China’s foreign trade volume jumped by 16.6 percent year-on-year to USD 3.08 trillion in the first three quarters of this year. Trade surplus shrank by 17.7 percent from the same period a year earlier. Growth in exports and imports is expected to see double-digit gains this year. Read More

India-Japan cargo swapping pact expected to have an impact on global LNG trade Sputnik, 14th October, 6 min read As a part of a bilateral pact to create a gas exchange that could reduce India’s logistical costs for natural gas imports, the agreement also aims a bringing about the abolition of the “destination clause” in the global LNG trade which restricts where gas imported from a source can be sold. Japan and India are the world’s largest and fourth largest LNG importer Read More

Challenging outlook for container shipping as rates continue to drop The Loadstar, 13th October, 10 min read Container spot rates from Asia to North Europe have dropped to $686 per TEU, while for Mediterranean ports, rates slid 5.8% to $652 per TEU as against January freight rates for both, in excess of $1,000 per TEU. For the first time in 18 months the long-term and short-term markets are on the same level. Read More

Maritime Infrastructure

Manila Terminal of ICTSI achieves operations record Hellenic Shipping News, 14th October, 6 min read International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI) has achieved new records in productivity and berth activity at its flagship Manila International Container Terminal (MICT) has grown by 22% in August and 13% in September. The terminal operator is expected to spend another $80 million to expand and modernize MICT. Read More

Cargo movement at Qatar ports witness a steep rise The Peninsula, 14th October, 9 min read Ports in Qatar have witnessed a strong surge in the movement of general cargo, containers, livestock and aggregates. The movement of containers from ports has jumped by around 81 percent during April- September period this year to 83,260 Twenty Foot Equivalent Units (TEUs) in September compared to 46,056 TEUs in April. Mwani Qatar in cooperation with its partners have inaugurated a number of new direct shipping lines between Hamad port and a number of ports in the region and beyond. Read More

Thailand- Leading private port operator looking at expansion Port technology International, 13th October, 6 min read Sahathai Terminal in Thailand, one of Thailand’s leading private port operators, plans to become a complete logistics solution provider with port and terminal services, warehousing, distribution, transportation and freight forwarding, by 2020. The terminal has also expanded its capabilities to support future business growth driven by the government’s EEC [Eastern Economic Corridor] and other Mega Projects Read More

Port Connectivity

BTK Railway project completes crucial rail link between Turkey and Azerbaijan Daily Sabah, 14th October, 8 min read The rail link connects the eastern Turkish province of Kars with the Azeri capital Baku on the Caspian Sea through the Georgian capital Tbilisi and the first train in Baku-Tbilisi-Kars Railway (BTK) will depart from Azerbaijan’s capital Baku on October 30. The railway is expected to boost the freight transport between Turkey and landlocked Central Asian countries, while serving as an alternative trade route for the recently developing rail transport between Asia and Europe like OBOR/BRI. Read More

Adani Group expected to break ground on Carmichael rail link soon The Guardian, 13th September, 10 min read A potential shortfall in coal throughput at Abbot Point meant the prospect of the Carmichael mine filling that gap was critical to Adani’s refinancing bid on the port. The pre-construction work, funded by $400m from Adani Enterprises in India, included teams doing “cultural heritage inspections and recordings” at the mine and rail sites. Read More

South Africa’s Transnet progresses with SA-Swaziland rail link SABC, 14th October, 6 min read The feasibility study report for the ambitious project has received a green light from both companies to proceed to the next phase as a public-private partnership (PPP) and the process of finding suitable partners has already been initiated. The new line will be 50 km long in South Africa and 100km in Swaziland and will also require the revamping of adjacent existing lines to align and provide support to the new link. When completed, the new line will support up to 26 tons/axle, 2.5km long/200 wagons trains and provide capacity for 12 trains per day and create thousands of jobs in each country. Read More

Shipbuilding

India’s debt laden ABG Shipyard has 3 reputed suitors already The Economic Times, 13th October, 12 min read Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M), Shapoorji Pallonji Group and Liberty House of the UK have evinced interest to acquire debt-laden ABG Shipyard, by separately bidding for the assets with offers ranging around USD 460-500 Mln. Lenders led by ICICI Bank have recently increased their stake in the company to 51% and took control of the debt laden ship builder upon converting part of their debt into equity under the strategic debt restructuring scheme. Read More

Turkey to have its first landing helicopter dock ship by 2021 Telegraph, 14th October, 4 min read Turkey’s first aircraft carrier will have similar features as a Spanish carrier with helicopter deployed on board, F-35 aircraft can be moved up, battle tanks can be transported. This ship would be designed for use in any natural form or in any way friendly, allied countries where Turkey assists. Read More

South Australian shipbuilders apprehend missing out on jobs to build SA’s next generation naval vessels News.com.au, 13th October, 5 min read The $35 billion future frigate program is expected to begin construction in Adelaide in 2020 and there are fears hundreds of local jobs could be lost as foreign companies have been allowed to use overseas workers Read More

Maritime Exhibitions, Conferences and Conversations

Maritime Nation India 14-16 September 2017 and the Maritime Nation India Awards 2017 continue to receive inspiring feedback from the industry and government organizations globally for its theme and quality content. Highlights included its 15 conferences with 80 speakers, 50 exhibitors and 3500 visitors, proactive participation by industry associations, charity dinner for seafarers , a round table of supply chain leaders and launch of a start-up incubator for the logistics technology sector.

Taking forward the overwhelming response of Maritime Nation India September 2017, the 3 rd edition of Maritime Nation India is being held at the same venue from the 20th to 22nd September 2018. This 3-day international exhibition and conference would provide a unique global platform for exhibitors and other participants to demonstrate their expertise and explore business opportunities in the Indian Maritime Sector and is already receiving good enquiries for participation from our readers. Ref https://maritime-world.com/mni2018/

This week we are happy to announce ACTUALIDAD Maritima y Portuaria (i.e. Maritime and Port News) of Spain as our Media Partner. ACTUALIDAD is a well-known initiative of the Students and Professors of the International Masters in Maritime and Port Administration.

Stay tuned to our newsletter to remain updated on key developments and events that MaritimeWeekly supports.

Maritime Capital

Malaysia’s MISC disposing non-core businesses The Star Online, 14th October, 4 min read Malaysia’s energy shipping and maritime solutions provider MISC would focus on its core business segments – petroleum and products shipping, liquified natural gas (LNG) shipping, offshore operations as well as the heavy engineering business. As part of the streamlining of the business, MISC has been gradually exiting the non-core businesses, including the profitable tank terminal business. Read More

Richard Branson’s Virgin invests in Hyperloop One

The Daily Mail Online, 12th October, 15 min read

Richard Branson’s Virgin Group has formed a partnership with Los Angeles-based Hyperloop One, that is developing a method of propelling passengers and freight in pods through low pressure tubes at high speed. The investee company is aiming to achieve speeds of up to 1,000 kph and have ‘operational systems’ ready by 2021 and will be re-branded as Virgin Hyperloop One and Sir Richard will join the board of directors. Read More

Oman’s Duqm port signs MoU with Adani Ports

The Maritime Standard, 15th October, 4 min read

The MoU is aimed at exploring investment opportunities in the Duqm Special Economic Zone in Oman, and it established a framework for cooperation between the two parties. Adani Ports would submit a detailed list covering the projects it intends to set up in Duqm and the investment topics that should be discussed over coming months. Read More

Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia agree to continue to map the Straits of Malacca and Singapore

The Straits Times, 13th October, 9 min read
The agreement includes using multi-beam sonar technology that produces high-resolution 3D models of the seabed to map the straits of Malacca and Singapore. The Singapore port receives an average of 380 vessels a day, or nearly 139,000 vessels a year and the seabed is dynamic – it is prone to siltation and erosion…hence surveys are necessary to keep the maps updated for advanced tracking technology like the Vessel Traffic Information System (VTIS) and radars, so that vessels can be monitored and guided past dangerous spots – shallow areas, or places with wrecks or rocks. Read More

The shipping industry could be returning to wind power

Vice News, 11th October, 5 min read

The Rotor Sail is the wind-power technology enabling the wide-scale experiment to green the shipping industry. These sails, which are spinning cylinders fitted to a ship’s deck, harness wind power and produce forward thrust, so the ship needs less fuel It is estimated that if all 50,000 merchant ships adopted Rotor Sails, the costs saved on fuel would be over $7 billion a year, and the emissions prevented would equal to the output from more than 12 coal-fired power plants Read More

Perspective-Freight forwarders need to digitise to continue to compete

Supply Chain Dive, 13th October, 7 min read

With the onslaught of technology offerings like online load boards, cloud-based freight marketplaces, connected containers, and online customs processing, traditional freight forwarding is getting disrupted. Further, logistics companies are inventing their own digital platforms to simplify the freight forwarding process, such as CILLOX by DHL, a digital transporter search and quote service for shipments. Freight forwarders must digitize or risk getting left behind. Read More

The World’s Largest Cruise Ship to have robot bartenders


Bloomberg, 12th October,15 min read
Symphony of the Seas is scheduled to hit the water in April 2018 and will offer robot bartenders, a 10-story-high slide, and a duplex family suite with its own movie theatre and floor-to-ceiling Lego wall. Read More

A chartered Carnival Cruise Ship will house relief workers

Miami Herald, 12th October, 7 min read
The Miami-based cruise line concluded an agreement with the US Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for a four-month charter of the Carnival Fascination, which typically home ports in San Juan, Puerto Rico to house relief workers in St. Croix, in the U.S. Virgin Islands, that was one of several Caribbean islands severely hit by Hurricane Irma last month. Read More

Perspective: 20 reasons to book a cruise vacation


Stuff, 15th October, 19 min read
There are several experiences to be enjoyed in places that are virtually impossible to reach other than by ship. Some more reasons include value for money, good food, resort travelling with the vacationer, learning new things. Read More