Daily Briefing January 29 2021
Free to read: Second Greek shipowner linked to Venezuelan oil cargo transfer off Malaysia | Economou buys out MatlinPatterson stake in four LNG carriers | External pressure seen driving shipping’s decarbonisation
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
Another Greek shipowner has been linked to the shipping of US-sanctioned Venezuelan crude.
Greek shipowner George Economou has acquired four liquefied natural gas carriers.
Analysis
Public opinion is likely to compel the shipping industry to decarbonise more quickly, according to senior executives.
The root cause of a container stack collapse can frequently be back up the supply chain and long before any box has been loaded on a ship.
Emissions from ships lying at anchor outside the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach over the past few months have had an adverse impact on the two facilities’ clean air action plan, according to port officials.
Opinion
From the News Desk: Research into mini-nuclear reactors and cutting-edge fuel cells is ambitious, but it must be. In the meantime, regulatory and financial carrots and sticks are driving operators to seek emissions cuts wherever they can find them.
Weekly briefing: Tankers tackle shrinking demand; China looms large for bulk trades.
Markets
Asia is the next big hot spot for offshore wind development, with Taiwan leading the race to clean energy.
Wärtsilä, the marine and energy technology company, expects global vaccination programmes to combat coronavirus will have “a positive effect” on its business following a challenging 2020.
In other news
Europe’s green financing rules should not impede shipping’s energy transition and should embrace transitionary options, such as liquefied natural gas, according to a shipping finance expert.
Manager of a Borealis Maritime containership which was boarded by pirates in the Gulf of Guinea said it has made contact with those holding its missing crew members.
Thailand’s state-owned energy group PTT is pressing on with a trial to support a plan mooted by its military-led government to develop the country into a regional liquefied natural gas trading hub.
Idan Ofer’s Eastern Pacific Shipping said that the company has surpassed its carbon dioxide reduction targets two years ahead of its own sustainability commitments.
Small-scale liquefied natural gas-focused Kanfer Shipping has placed an order for its first pair of tankers with Chinese shipyard Taizhou Wuzhou Shipbuilding Industry.
Stanford Marine, a Dubai-based offshore services company, has completed a restructuring exercise that protects 1,800 jobs.
Dry bulk carrier owner Globus Maritime has agreed with outside institutional investors to sell 2.6m of its common shares accompanied by warrants to purchase a further 1.95m shares.
Polarcus, a Dubai-based seismic survey company, said it will carry out a further restructuring after losing control of its vessels following a default on bank loans and convertible bonds.
Thomas Miller Specialty, the marine and offshore insurer, has switched its claims handling services to the UK from mainland Europe with immediate effect.