Category: Shipping

The maritime side of the war: Crisis in the Black Sea Part I

Crews and ships trapped The Russian invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022 had a profound impact on shipping in the Black Sea. To prevent the Russian navy from entering their harbours and attempting to capture them in a coup d'état, Ukrainian tugs and naval support vessels mined the waters along the coast of the Gulf of Odessa. This was a trap for many ships. Examples include the bulk carrier MV Riva Wind, registered in the Marshall Islands, and the Hong Kong-flagged COSCO container ship Joseph Schulte. The problem was getting vital raw materials out of the port of Odessa. What we Central Europeans have so far...

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Sailing again

The Danish ferry operator Scandlines has installed a Norsepower rotor sail on another ferry. The company is increasingly focussing on wind-assisted propulsion systems in order to reduce fuel consumption and greenhouse gases. Since 2013, Scandlines has invested more than 300 million euros in the construction and conversion of conventional ferries into hybrid ferries. On the hybrid ferry "Copenhagen", which operates on the Rostock-Gedser route between Germany and Denmark, the ferry operator installed its first Norsepower Rotor Sail in 2020, which has been proven to achieve an average CO2 reduction of four per cent - on days with optimal wind conditions even up to 20 per cent. With the aim of becoming emission-free by 2040, the...

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Shanghai's economic activity: the long road back

Shanghai port recovers after lockdown easing, but congestion remains Shanghai faces weeks, if not months, of slow recovery until economic activity can fully recover from the crippling Covid lockdown that began in March. Based on the experience of other Chinese cities, such as Wuhan in 2020 and Jilin earlier this year, it will take some time before shops can reopen or factories can secure supplies and ramp up production. Although most of Shanghai's 25 million inhabitants have been able to move freely around the city again since Wednesday and some...

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What shall we do with the drunken sailor?

The history of a shanty Seafaring has always been associated with the use of alcohol on board ships, and for good reason, as we will see later. Naturally, this custom has also been immortalised in maritime songs. One of the most popular sailor songs of all time is the traditional shanty "What shall we do with the drunken sailor". The old seafarers' work song in medieval (Doric) tune is said to come from an Irish melody called "Oró Sé do Bheatha 'Bhaile", which means something like "Óró, welcome home" - but that doesn't fit the drunken sailor at all! The tradition of the...

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China pushes for co-operation agreement

Ten Pacific states to sign it China is seeking to get 10 small Pacific states to agree to a far-reaching agreement that covers everything from maritime security to fisheries. There is a danger that Beijing will use the agreement to seize control of the region. A draft of the agreement published by AP shows that China wants to train police officers for the Pacific region and expand co-operation in law enforcement. China also wants to jointly develop a marine plan for fishing, which also includes the lucrative tuna fishery in the Pacific. Cooperation in the operation of the internet in the region is to be strengthened and...

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