Tag Archives: ocean shipping

Back to the future – TOWT to become ship owner-operator with growing cargo schooner fleet

Posted on August 30, 2022 by | 1 comment

ARe sailing cargo vessels the wave of the future? The French company TOWT thinks so.

Sailing cargo vessels reduce emissions by 90%. That’s a draw for some European shippers. But they also offer the ability to visit ports that don’t have deep channels, and they provide cargo space that is equivalent to around 100 containers. The cargo may also receive better handling than it would in a cargo slot on a megaship.

TOWT says they are targeting transatlantic routes for their runs, and they are building more vessels.

Others are experimenting with sail. Hyundai’s Hi-Rotor sail has obtained approval from the Korean Register to be used on ships.

By Charlie Bartlett, Technology Editor 30/08/2022

TOWT to become ship owner-operator with growing cargo schooner fleet – The Loadstar

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Posted in Logistics, Shipping, Sustainability

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Drought and power shortages bring crucial factories in China to a standstill

Posted on August 22, 2022 by | Leave a comment

Here is the latest in a long series of supply chain catastrophes. China’s drought has severely affected hydroelectric power, and in the area of Sichuan province, factories have had mandatory power shutoffs. A number of these are chip factories and solar panel makers, as well as battery makers. All these are much-needed products for integration into items for consumers.

Shipping prices from China by ocean continue to fall, and these shutdowns will reduce the number of export containers. And according to Container xChange, the demand for empty containers for export is also lower than expected.

By Sam Whelan 22/08/2022

Drought and power shortages bring crucial factories in China to a standstill – The Loadstar

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Posted in Logistics, Shipping, Supply Chains

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Crew abandonment cases closing in on another dire record

Posted on August 22, 2022 by | 1 comment

Abandoning your crew is an awful thing to do. Yet around the world there are frequent cases. This year has been one of the worst. The usual motivation is a cash shortage, or bankruptcy.

Most ships are incorporated as separate companies. That allows the owner to declare bankruptcy of the ship without jeopardizing his wealth. But guess who is paying the seamens’ wages? The ship. It’s too easy.

The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) has been working hard for seafarers for many years. They count the number of seafarers whose wages go unpaid for more than two months. That’s the definition of abandonment of the seafarers.

Maritime is a wild world; seafarers deserve fair treatment, and it’s useful that some group is trying to look out for them.

Sam ChambersAugust 22, 2022

Crew abandonment cases closing in on another dire record – Splash247

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Posted in Labor Economics, Logistics, Shipping

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