By Robert Wright, Transport Correspondent, Financial Times
Near the waterline inside the Maersk Beaumont lies the main reason why this new container ship is set to spend at least the rest of this year unused on a Scottish sea loch.
Twelve cylinders, whose linings alone weigh eight tonnes each, sit ready to accelerate the ship to speeds of nearly 30 knots (55kph). They make the Beaumont and her six sister ships, built to rush Chinese goods to the US east coast, the world’s fastest modern container vessels. But fuel consumption is nearly as high as on the world’s largest container ships, which carry three times as much cargo.
Sign up for gCaptain’s newsletter and never miss an update
Essential maritime and offshore news, insights, and updates delivered daily straight to your inbox
US government agencies are tracking cyber threats against nearly 20 shipping vessels around the world, according to US officials familiar with the situation.
Brent crude futures breached $100 a barrel on Wednesday for the first time since late July, as Iran and the U.S. hit tankers in the biggest wave of attacks on shipping since the war began, threatening to worsen the ongoing impairment of energy supplies from the Middle East.
The International Maritime Organization is calling for urgent action against a resurgence of piracy in the Gulf of Aden, where six merchant ships and more than 90 seafarers are now...
Subscribe to gCaptain Daily and stay informed with the latest global maritime and offshore news
Essential news coupled with the finest maritime content sourced from across the globe.
Sign Up
Join The Club
