Daily Briefing December 2 2020
Free to read: Dissent in European shipping circles over EU’s green rules | Greek shipowner lifts Venezuelan crude after sanctions deletion | Countries commit to completely sustainable management of domestic waters by 2025
Good morning. Here’s our quick view of everything you need to know today.
The Lloyd’s List Daily Briefing is brought to you by the Lloyd’s List News Desk.
What to watch | Analysis | Opinion | Markets | In other news
What to watch
Europe’s shipowners are not taking a uniform approach to the European Commission’s intention to include shipping in the Emissions Trading System.
Another tanker from the Gotsis-family owned fleet was among six briefly sanctioned in June for shipping Venezuelan oil, in a shock move that also targeted three more prominent Greek shipping families.
The 14 countries of the High Level Panel for Sustainable Ocean Economy made the commitment for their waters and called on all other coastal nations to pledge the same goal by 2030.
Nautilus International has urged governments not to forget the crew-change crisis as Christmas approaches, with thousands still stranded on land and at sea.
Analysis
Speakers at the Lloyd’s List forum were united in their desire to see a push for decarbonisation, and they believed a renewed focus on crews and their needs had emerged from the pandemic.
The coronavirus outbreak has highlighted some home truths about the shipping industry, according to a panel at the second Capital Link Hong Kong Maritime Forum.
Despite being among some of the people most drastically affected by the coronavirus outbreak, shipmanagers in Hong Kong emerged remarkably positive from the experience and maintain their confidence in the city as a top centre for shipmanagement.
Opinion
Top 10 shipmanagers 2020: All the top shipmanagers explored new technologies for vessel performance optimisation and streamlined business practices. However, the greatest concern for every manager in the coronavirus year was finding ways to get the seafarers home, and bringing fresh crews on board.
Markets
Container availability in China remains at a record low as the length of time equipment is sitting in depots is increasing.
Severe congestion at Colombo appears to be easing following several weeks of difficulties that have led to service cancellations, cargo rollovers and disruption to supply chains.
In other news
Scorpio Bulkers, the US-listed company that is exiting dry bulk to set up in offshore wind, is continuing its fleet reduction programme.
Yemen’s Houthi rebels stand to gain more by helping prevent a huge oil spill on a rusting Red Sea tanker than by blocking such efforts, a security expert says.
Australia-based mining giant BHP has awarded its first liquefied natural gas bunkering contract to Shell. The deal will cover fuel supply to five newcastlemax bulk carriers.
Samsung Heavy Industries has secured contracts to build a liquefied natural gas carrier and a suezmax crude tanker worth a combined Won266bn ($241m).
Shipowners with a long-term view and confidence in the intra-regional container shipping market have placed newbuilding orders for a variety of vessels worth $226m at Yangzijiang Shipbuilding despite short-term uncertainty from coronavirus disruptions.