China delivers next GG5G newbuild 
Another Grimaldi GG5G-class hybrid ro-ro vessel: The “Eco Catania”, the fifth of the twelve hybrid ro-ro ships belonging to the Grimaldi Green 5th Generation (GG5G) class and ordered from the Jinling shipyard, has just been launched in Nanjing (China). As recently certified... more
ICS welcomes zero-emissions project
The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) has welcomed the new 'zero-emissions shipping' project. Its objective is to ensure that at least 5% of the global merchant fleet operating in transoceanic traffic is propelled by fuels with zero emissions by 2030. This project is... more
Unifeeder connects port of Cork
A new container service now calls at the port of Cork from Southampton. Shortsea operator Unifeeder launched the connection via the Southampton hub to and from the ports of Cork, Belfast and Dublin. The lift-on lift-off (lo-lo) service offers importers and exporters a route... more
More post-Brexit links
P&O Ferries is now deploying a second ship to serve the Zeebrugge-Hull route. The MV 'Freya' was added to the schedule on the North Sea lo-lo route in the post-Brexit period. The 117 m containership has the capacity to carry 650 teu. Together with its sister ship the... more
Short sea shipping is back
In Spain, shortsea shipping volumes are beginning to recover and returning to the level prior to the Covid-19 crisis in Q1/2021 compared to the same period in 2019 and 2020. According to the report from SPC Spain, international ro-ro traffic (excluding freight vehicles)... more
Rising global fleet faces staff shortfall
London-based maritime consultancy Drewry draws attention to a growing concern of the high sea shipping industry, according to the latest Manning Annual Review and Forecast report. Due to the diminishing attractiveness of a career at sea, coupled with rising man-berth ratios... more
Nordic barge service now in operation
Sweden’s first container barge shuttle service on inland waterways between Stockholm Norvik Port and the Port of Västerås set sail in June. The services are operated by German shipping company Deymann. On this EU class inland waterway, the container barge "Emelie... more
Contargo wins tender in Weil
Contargo, founded in 2004, has been awarded the contract for handling operations at the container terminal of the Rhine port of Weil am Rhein (Rheinhafengesellschaft Weil am Rhein), near Basel (Switzerland) at the end of a Europe-wide tendering process. Contargo, which has... more
High freight rates inflate prices
Copenhagen-based maritime consultancy Sea-Intelligence recently analysed the impact of the elevated freight rates on importers for a variety of consumer goods, especially on the Asia to US West Coast and North Europe trade lanes. An OECD-data-based value of consumer goods... more
Italian islands get closer to mainland
Naples-based Grimaldi Group has launched a new Naples-Cagliari-Palermo ro-pax after winning the relative tender of the Italian ministry of sustainable infrastructures and mobility for long-distance land-based services of territorial continuity. The new link will be served... more