Category Archives: Shipping

IMO’s Carbon Intensity Indicator comes in for further criticism

Posted on September 12, 2022 by | 1 comment

A critique of the International Maritime Organization (IMO)’s new Carbon Intensity Indicator (CII) which comes into effect January 1, 2023.

The CII assigns a rating to ships based on their carbon efficiency. It takes into account their actual trips rather than just design. It also can change over time, as the ship encounters actual use and those measures are reported back.

For ships sailed by owners this is not so bad. But for chartered ships, the charter agreement could place the owner at a disadvantage, since the charter operator may use the vessel on routes or with sailing practices that reduce the measurements for the ship’s CII.

The article is interesting and quotes several commentators who think the problems will result in less sustainable shipping instead of more.

Sam Chambers September 12, 2022

IMO’s Carbon Intensity Indicator comes in for further criticism – Splash247

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Posted in Logistics, Shipping, Sustainability

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Sulphur cap has resulted in a 77% drop in SOx emissions from ships: IMO

Posted on September 8, 2022 by | 1 comment

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) is blowing its horn about the last set of rules they put forth. The sulfur cap rules began on January 1, 2020.

On January 1, 2023 a new set of rules will go into effect. These two regulations, the Energy Efficient Existing Ship (EEXI) and the Carbon Intensity Indicator (CII), will provide greater impetus for cleaning up ocean shipping. Splash has put together a more in-depth article on these two regulations here.

The article has an excellent chart showing when different IMO regulations come into effect.

Ocean shipping is making attempts to help promote sustainability of ocean shipping.

Sam ChambersSeptember 8, 2022

Sulphur cap has resulted in a 77% drop in SOx emissions from ships: IMO – Splash247

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Midwest soybean farmers to help pay for Pacific Northwest export terminal; rail service is risky for harvest this year.

Posted on September 2, 2022 by | 1 comment

Soybean exports are one of the US major sources of export revenue. China is the biggest consumer of soybeans that are exported, about half the US crop. The US competes with Brazil for the Far East soybean market.

Most soybeans to China are for pig feed. However, they can be used to produce biofuel as well.

The new port, in Aberdeen, WA, near Seattle and Tacoma, will export soybean meal. Six state Soybean Associations will chip in to cover the cost, along with the Soy Transportation Coalition. They’ll contribute $900K of the cost.

The terminal will have rail service, involving an interchange between the BNSF and UP main lines, which are predominant in service to Midwest farmers and their elevators, and the Puget Sound and Pacific line, which goes right to the port.

Like the agricultural shipping terminal near Oakland, CA, this facility ought to be of great value in exporting soybean products.

Elsewhere, corn farmers in the US Midwest are worried that railroad inefficiency and poor reliability will prevent grain exports from being shipped as the harvest comes on. A good summary of the situation is in the second article.

Many elevators rely on rail transport to get their grain to a port for export. Some can use barges down the Mississippi, but others, in locations more than 200 mi. from a Mississippi port, use rail at local sidings at elevators. Railroads will need to up their game to support the US export market for agricultural products.

Joanna Marsh Thursday, September 1, 2022

Midwest soybean farmers to help pay for Pacific Northwest export terminal – FreightWaves

 Joanna Marsh Friday, September 2, 2022

Grain shippers eye hiccups on rail network

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Posted in Logistics, Rail, Shipping, Supply Chains

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