Category Archives: maritime

EU’s Black Sea Maritime Safety Hub: A Strategic Initiative

Posted on June 1, 2025 by | Leave a comment

The EU is planning to create a Black Sea Maritime Safety Hub.

It’s important because of the adversarial maritime climate there. The Black Sea is used by Ukraine, Russia, Turkey, and other nations as a port to the world. It’s busy, and there is danger of interference or attacks due to the war in Ukraine.

“The EU is committed to help turn the Black Sea into a mine-free sea basin through enhanced cooperation with its member states, the Black Sea partners, like-minded countries, and partner organizations,” it declares.

The plan does not propose a specific location for the hub but outlines a role in building maritime situational awareness through monitoring efforts. It would include a focus on submarine cables and offshore assets including gas and wind energy infrastructure. It would also focus on the dangers created by the shadow fleet of tankers involved in the Russian oil trade.

These are all useful functions for international trade in the area. Kudos to the EU for stepping up.

Published May 28, 2025 2:03 PM by The Maritime Executive

https://www.maritime-executive.com/article/eu-plans-black-sea-maritime-safety-hub-seeking-to-build-regional-relations

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Posted in Leadership, Logistics, maritime, Shipping, Strategy, Supply Chains

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Is Ammonia cheapest long-term for IMO carbon rules?

Posted on May 30, 2025 by | Leave a comment

University College London has published a new study considering in detail how shipowners can comply with the IMO rules for carbon emission compliance. It’s very detailed and takes into account not only the different technologies available, such as methanol and LNG, but also the timing of implementing the various regulations. One has to consider all these factors over the 25 or so years of the lifetime of a ship.

Granted, new technologies and availability of different fuel choices can change from what we can see now, but this impartial study favors ammonia-powered ships over the longer time frame. They suggest dual-fuel ammonia ships might be the best bet for investors in new shipping.

“Although there are significant complexities and uncertainties in what was agreed [at IMO MEPC 83] in April, even conservative projections of how remaining policy details will be finalised results in a ‘no brainer’ choice for shipowners in dual fuel ammonia,” said Dr. Tristan Smith, Professor of Energy and Transport at the UCL Energy Institute. 

The report is available here.

This figure from the report indicates when different fuel choices become cheapest in terms of abatement cost. It seems that e-ammonia never outcompetes blue ammonia before 2050. And LNG remains viable for quite a while, especially with integrated carbon capture.

There are a lot of assumptions in any such study, and the IMO could change the rules in the meantime. But shipowners should be thinking hard about ammonia, and so should international bunker fuel providers.

Published May 29, 2025 9:08 PM by The Maritime Executive

https://www.maritime-executive.com/article/ucl-ammonia-is-the-cheapest-compliance-option-for-new-imo-carbon-rules

Update 6/5/2025: Fortescue is jumping on the dual-fuel ammonia bandwagon, and has some not-so-polite comments about others in shipping sticking with LNG.

Sam Chambers June 5, 2025

https://splash247.com/fortescues-mission-to-champion-ammonia-goes-global/

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Posted in maritime, Sustainability

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ILA stops negotiations with USMX

Posted on June 12, 2024 by | Leave a comment

The labor deal between US East and Gulf Coast ports and the International Longshoreman’s Association (ILA) may be unraveling. The current agreement expires at the end of September. It was a six-year deal.

The major issue at present is an Auto Gate system Maersk and APM Terminals are using that processes trucks autonomously, with no ILA labor. The union claims this directly contradicts what was agreed in the last union contract.

Automation and protection of ILA jobs have for years now been a bone of contention between the union and the alliance of container carriers, direct employers, and port associations that serve US ports, which is called the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX). The same was true on the West Coast, when the recent strike was averted by a new contract with the Pacific Maritime Association.

There’s no easy way to find resolution. Automation reduces jobs for longshoremen, though it creates support jobs, for which most union longshoremen are not qualified. And retraining these longshoremen may be difficult, even if some way could be found to fund it. Each side thinks the other ought to pay for the retraining. And in the short run, there will still be a workforce reduction.

The September 30, 2024 expiration date looks like it may not be met; however both sides have usually agreed to continue work as usual while still negotiating. However, openly violating terms of the contract, especially without full discussion with the union, is a good way to get their dander up, and prolong the negotiations.

Best to practice transparency and full disclosure.

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By Jeff Berman June 10, 2024

https://www.logisticsmgmt.com/article/ila_stops_negotiations_with_usmx_with_deal_set_to_expire_at_the_end_of_september

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Posted in Labor Economics, Logistics, maritime, Ports, Shipping, Strategy

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