Daily Briefing December 23 2020
Free to read: Seafarer abandonment cases at record high | Sri Lanka eases crew-change ban | France agrees limited reopening of border with UK
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 | Markets | In other news
What to watch
Cases of seafarer abandonment are at a record high, exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic.
Sri Lanka has begun to allow crew changes through chartered flights as the country increases efforts to relieve seafarers stranded on ships.
France has agreed to partly lift its blockade of UK ports as disruptions caused a queue of around 1,500 lorries waiting to leave the port of Dover.
Analysis
The capesize market has moved out of its depressive state, soaring by 50% since a six-month low on December 9.
From the News Desk: Time will tell what lessons shipping has learnt from the pandemic-led disruption of this year, but 2021 will bring issues such as the transition to decarbonisation and digital integration closer to the fore.
Weekly briefing: The pre-Christmas surge in demand for containerised goods has resulted in heavy congestion at key import hubs and sent freight rates soaring higher. Meanwhile, China’s de facto ban on Australian coal imports has left a large number of bulkers stranded outside Chinese ports.
Markets
Boxships will now constitute a standalone category for purposes of the International Group’s General Excess of Loss programme.
In other news
Maersk is facing a call to drop its threat of forced redundancy against 24 Dutch seafarers and offer them redeployment within the company instead.
Sierra Leone-flagged dredger Dong Yang (IMO: 9010101) has sunk off the coast of Vietnam, with its 10 crew members having abandoned ship and awaiting rescue in a life raft.
Oslo-listed BW LPG has bought into rival very large gas carrier owner Avance Gas, giving it a greater hold in the gas shipping market.
Matson has taken delivery of the 3,500 teu Matsonia (IMO 9814612), the second of two new Kanaloa Class combination container ro-ro ships built by General Dynamics Nassco of San Diego, California.
South Korean shipbuilders are winding up the year with a rush of liquefied natural gas carrier orders, with both Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering and rival group Samsung Heavy Industries winning orders for a total of five vessels.