By Gavin van Marle (The Loadstar) - A blanked sailing from the 2M+HMM grouping on the transpacific this week failed to halt the further erosion of freight rates to both the Asia-US west coast and Asia-US east coast destinations. The departure of the 8,500 teu Hyundai Faith, scheduled for this week, was cancelled “to rationalise capacity supply from Asia to the US west … [Read more...]
Unrelenting Midwest Rains Add to Wettest 12 Months Ever for U.S.
By Brian K. Sullivan (Bloomberg) -- The rain across the Midwest and Great Plains that’s closed refineries, flooded streets and snarled Mississippi River traffic shows no sign of abating, adding to the U.S.’s wettest 12-month stretch on record. Heavy showers will fall from Texas to the Great Lakes as a months-long pattern of storms continues for at least the next week, said … [Read more...]
2020 Fuel Clampdown Risks Nosedive for Middle East Crude
By Serene Cheong and Sharon Cho (Bloomberg) -- The global push for cleaner-burning ship fuel is threatening to drive the value of Middle East crude to a record low even as supplies are squeezed. The discount of Middle East’s Dubai crude to London’s Brent could widen beyond $8 a barrel from current levels around $4, according to Citigroup Inc. That would be the … [Read more...]
U.S. Blames Iran’s Revolutionary Guards for Tanker Attacks
By Phil Stewart, Idrees Ali and Roberta Rampton WASHINGTON, May 24 (Reuters) - The United States announced on Friday the deployment of 1,500 troops to the Middle East, describing it as an effort to bolster defenses against Iran as it accused the country's Revolutionary Guards of direct responsibility for this month's tanker attacks. U.S. President Donald Trump publicly … [Read more...]
ITF Urges Canada to Halt Lashing on St. Lawrence River After Man Overboard Fatality
The International Transport Workers Federation is calling on Transport Canada to ban foreign-crew from undertaking lashing work while vessels are underway on the Saint Lawrence River the death of a Maersk Line officer earlier this week. The Sri Lankan Second Officer, named Ravindu Lakmal Pieris Telge, fell overboard from the containership Maersk Patras at approximately 9:30 … [Read more...]