Iran has sent small shipments of crude oil to new destinations such as Bangladesh and Oman, according to shipping sources and data, the latest sign of Tehran pushing to sustain output at close to its highest in five years.

Oil sales are Iran’s major revenue source and the country has been looking for ways to sidestep U.S. sanctions on its crude exports that former president Donald Trump re-imposed in 2018 over Tehran’s nuclear program.

Iran, which is exempt from output quotas set by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), is striving to maximize production and exports.

Oil Minister Javad Owji said in July that Iran was selling crude oil to 17 countries, including those in Europe, according to the semi-official Mehr News Agency. The details could not corroborated.

In one new trade, the Golden Eagle tanker sailed near the port of Chittagong in Bangladesh earlier this year after receiving oil from another vessel that loaded it from Iran’s Kharg Island according to available evidence based on shipping data, Claire Jungman, from U.S. advocacy group United Against Nuclear Iran, told Reuters.

The Golden Eagle offloaded parts of the cargo to smaller tankers in ship-to-ship transfer operations around Chittagong in April, said Jungman,…

As the international shipping industry continues to explore measures to conserve and protect underwater life, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) is proposing the future monitoring of Underwater Radiated Noise (URN), which may lead to the establishment of thresholds combined with long-term monitoring requirements for certain regions.

Underwater noise from ships can significantly impact marine life by disrupting communication, navigation, and feeding behaviors in various species. This noise pollution can cause stress, disorientation, and even physical harm to marine animals, particularly those that rely on sound, such as whales, dolphins, and fish, leading to potential long-term consequences for their populations and ecosystems.

In the HyPNoS (Hydrodynamic Propeller Noise Monitoring System) research project, international propulsion specialist SCHOTTEL, together with project funder Transport Canada and partner BC Ferries, investigated the emission of URN from ship propulsion systems in the waters off Vancouver, Canada. The focus was on developing methods for measuring, predicting and reporting URN and deriving optimized design measures to reduce it. The research now culminates in the development of an on-board, real-time URN reporting…

A.P. Moller – Maersk (Maersk) is in the process of signing newbuilding orders and time-charter contracts for LNG dual-fuel container ships.

The new orders for 50-60 vessels will match its planned renewal pace of around 160,000 TEU per year.

The new orders are a continuation of its fleet renewal program initiated in 2021 which has seen orders placed for 25 methanol dual-fuel vessels, five in service and 20 on order providing around 350,000 TEU of dual-fuel capacity.

The exact split of propulsion technologies for the new vessels will be determined considering the future regulatory framework and green fuels supply.

Maersk has commenced the work of securing offtake agreements for bio-LNG to ensure that the new dual-fuel gas vessels provide greenhouse gas emissions reductions in this decade.

Maersk says its mix of methanol and LNG dual-fuel propulsion choices will ensure the long-term competitiveness of the fleet and its ability to deliver on the decarbonization goals. While green methanol is likely to become the most competitive and scalable pathway to decarbonization in the short term, Maersk also foresees a multifuel future for the industry which includes liquified bio-methane.

Once the vessels have been delivered, around 25% of the Maersk fleet will…

The Pilbara region of Australia has achieved a record 758.3 million tonnes of exports passing through its ports in the 2023-24 financial year.

This marks the fifth consecutive year of record-breaking throughput for Pilbara Ports.

The Port of Port Hedland contributed significantly to this achievement with a throughput of 573.6 million tonnes.

The commodities exported through Pilbara Ports in 2023-24 were valued at an estimated A$173.2 billion.

Pilbara Ports play a crucial role in facilitating Australia’s iron ore trade, handling approximately 80% of the national trade and 43% of the global trade.

Salt exports through the ports of Port Hedland and Dampier totalled 7.1 million tonnes in 2023-24, accounting for about 51% of Australian salt production.

The strong financial result was achieved with more than 7,700 safe vessel visits, equating to an average of 21 vessel visits each day across four operational ports.

Ardmore Shipping has announced a series of leadership changes and updates to its commercial organization following news of the upcoming retirement of Founder and CEO, Anthony Gurnee, and the appointment of Gernot Ruppelt and Bart Kelleher to CEO and President roles respectively.

These key promotions and new hires will keep organizational focus centered on enhancing operational efficiency, service delivery, and driving continued performance innovation.

Promotions

Effective September 16, 2024, Robert Gaina will join the Ardmore Senior Management Team (SMT) as Senior Vice President, Commercial, thereby succeeding the current CCO, Gernot Ruppelt upon his advancement to CEO. Ardmore’s respective Chartering Heads (East & West) and the Director, Commercial Operations will report to Robert, ensuring strong integration between these vital business functions.

Gaina joined Ardmore Shipping ashore in August 2015 after serving as Master on Ardmore vessels. Throughout his extensive seagoing career, he has sailed on oil and chemical tankers chartered by BP, Cargill and Vitol. After coming ashore, Gaina held multiple commercial roles and was promoted to Director, Commercial Operations, in 2017.

Gaina is a graduate of the Maritime Academy in Constanza, Romania,…

“We see geopolitical events take center stage across all shipping sectors (trading and recycling) for yet another week,” reports cash buyer GMS. It is expected to continue through Q3 and likely well into Q4.

GMS cites events such as the assassination of one of the founding members of Hezbollah in the heart of the Iranian capital city of Tehran, rockets fired into Israel and expected continued attacks on shipping by Houthis.

Added to that is national unrest in Bangladesh where several hundred deaths have been reported.

“India’s ongoing fallout from its general election and its recent budget announcement has left Alang recyclers increasingly on edge about the immediate economic future of their country, especially as Indian fundamentals continue to suffer for weeks on end,” says GMS. “Even Pakistani buyers, despite being atop the market rankings, seem to have nothing to show for it as for nearly four weeks now, there have been no fresh arrivals at Gadani’s waterfront.”

Local steel plate prices have remained volatile and the currencies of ship recycling nations have registered declines against the U.S. dollar, driving ship recycling sentiments further into the abyss of uncertainty. “As such, the slowdown in tonnage driven by…

Salvors have lightered bulk diesel fuel from a luxury yacht that grounded on a reef just off Flamenco Beach in Culebra, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Coast Guard said.

The 72-foot sailing catamaran Obsession was reportedly traveling with four people on board from Puerto Rico to the British Virgin Islands when it struck a reef during a stop in Culebra on July 21. No injuries were reported.

The fuel removal was conducted by Resolve Marine and Clean Harbors, LLC crews and consisted of the estimated 800 to 1,500 gallons of diesel aboard the four fuel tanks and day tank onboard the vessel.

Throughout the response, personnel from the Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources and NOAA conducted preliminary underwater assessments to determine the impacts on the reef caused by the vessel grounding. Thus far, they have been able to recover and safeguard various species of live corals that will be used to rehabilitate the impacted area.

“We are pleased that this significant milestone to remove the substantial pollution threat presented by the bulk fuel onboard has been successfully completed, however, this response is far from over as we continue working with the owner and the interagency team to quantify and remove the remaining pollution…

Italian state-controlled shipbuilding giant Fincantieri announced public finance expert Biagio Mazzotta has been appointed as chairman of its board of directors. The move follows the untimely death of General Claudio Graziano, who had been appointed in May 2022.

Mazzotta’s appointment comes at the recommendation of shareholder CDP Equity S.p.A., which submitted Mazzotta’s candidacy for independent evaluation in a letter dated August 1, 2024.

Mazzotta has previously served as the State Accountant General of Italy since 2019. He has a long career in public finance, holding various positions within the Ministry of Economy and Finance. According to available information, he does not hold any Fincantieri shares.

As chairman, Biagio Mazzotta will oversee institutional representation, corporate security, and the internal control and risk management system. He will collaborate with Fincantieri CEO Pierroberto Folgiero to manage communication and institutional relations activities, develop national and international strategies, and advance the company’s internationalization efforts.

One of the largest shipbuilders in Europe, Fincantieri is known for its design and construction of a wide variety of vessels, including cruise ships, naval vessels, offshore…

The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) has launched a new report identifying that heavy Industry sector are expected to dominate global hydrogen demand to 2050, with South Korea, Japan and Europe being the first markets for hydrogen.

The report titled “Turning hydrogen demand into reality: Which sectors come first?” highlights that to meet just 30 million tonnes of annual global green hydrogen demand, the world would require up to 411 new hydrogen vessels and the equivalent of the yearly electricity production of South and Central America combined.

The report focuses on the potential of clean hydrogen to function as an energy carrier and feedstock to decarbonize multiple sectors, especially hard to abate sectors. The report identifies that to meet future hydrogen demand, the scale of renewable electricity demand for green hydrogen production is unprecedented and leads to once-in-a-generation opportunities and challenges.

The report, produced in collaboration with Professor Stefan Ulreich, Professor of Energy Economics at Biberach University of Applied Sciences, and ICS, seeks to better assess the future supply and demand dynamics of the new zero emission fuels that industrial sectors, including shipping, will use in the coming decades.

Guy…