International maritime research fund endorsed 
In December, the main players in the shipping industry ecided to create an International Maritime Research Fund - IMRF to the IMO (International Maritime Organisation). Among the participants are BIMCO, CLIA, Interferry, International Chamber of Shipping (ICS), Intercargo,... more
Signal Maritime and Heidmar join forces
Athens (Greece)-headquartered Signal Maritime Services and Heidmar have entered into a partnership agreement under which Signal will manage a joint tanker fleet. Signal Maritime Services is a commercial ship management company. Founded in 1984, Heidmar is one of the world’s... more
Messina Line to ship for Dakar 2020
The Dakar 2020 (formerly Paris-Dakar) – the 42nd edition in the history of this race - will take place entirely in Saudi Arabia for the first time. In Jeddah, the “Jolly Palladio” of the Messina Line landed 140 motorcycles, 72 cars, 45 trucks, 43 SSV, 20 quad, 300 service... more
Joint development project for CSSC and Wärtsilä
The technology group Wärtsilä has signed a development agreement with the Chinese state-owned shipbuilder CSSC Huangpu Wenchong Shipbuilding Company. The five year agreement is aimed at developing a hybrid powered dredger, but could possibly extend to other hybrid vessels as... more
Quality service centre in Indian Ocean market
Hapag-Lloyd has opened a new Quality Service Centre (QSC) in Mauritius. The QSC is dedicated to serve Africa, one of the Hamburg (Germany)-headquartered carrier's fastest growing markets. These QCS are an important cornerstone of Hapag-Lloyd´s strategy 2023. They combine... more
Don’t wait 30 years 
Major shipping lines are facing agonising decisions concerning their choice of ship engines of the future and the concomitant fuel. In Hamburg we looked into the options’ pros and cons with Richard von Berlepsch, Hapag-Lloyd’s fleet management director. more
Ocean Alliance Day 4 product to take off in April
The executives of the CMA CGM Group, Cosco Shipping, Evergreen and OOCL have agreed on the launch of the Ocean Alliance Day 4 product. It will be launched in April 2020. Through Ocean Alliance, the carriers will offer shippers 38 services with a capacity of 3.8 million teu... more
Auto Terminal Gioa Tauro fully in new hands
The Italian logistics provider Automar has recently completed the acquisition of the Auto Terminal Gioia Tauro (ATGT) by taking over the remaining 50% of its corporate capital from the German group BLG Logistics. The terminal, rebranded Auto Mar Gioia Tauro, will... more
New intra-Asian service to be launched by Yang Ming
The Keelung (Taiwan)-based Yang Ming Marine Transport (Yang Ming) will extend its Intra-Asia service network by launching a new Taiwan–Japan service (JCH). The JCH service, which will provide weekly direct service between Kaohsiung, Osaka, Kobe and Hakata, will be effective from... more
Improving safety systems in vessels
In cooperation with the Norwegian, Danish and US maritime authorities, battery manufacturers, system integrators, suppliers of fire extinguishing systems, shipyards and shipowners, the classification company DNV GL has recently released a report on battery safety in ships. The... more