Massive explosion rocks Ningbo Port
An explosion occurred on the boxship YM Mobility at a container terminal in the Beilun Port area of Ningbo.
The cause of the accident was initially determined to be an explosion of a container on the ship, and there were no reports of casualties. According to timestamps from surveillance footage videos posted online, the explosion occurred around 1:46 pm on Friday.
The video first showed a large amount of smoke coming from the ship followed by a huge blast which started a fire and scattered debris. The vessel was reportedly berthed at the Ningbo Phase 3 Terminal.
Some reports suggest that the cargo that exploded was glycerin. The Ningbo Maritime Search and Rescue Center has started an emergency plan and assigned patrol boats to the scene.
Three fire tugboats and shore-based fire department forces were also deployed. It’s unclear what impact this will have on schedules in and out of Ningbo, but similar to the Tianjin Port Explosion in 2015, it is likely that there will be tighter controls around the movement of Hazardous Cargo in and out of the region.
Further updates to follow soon.
Panama Canal to ease traffic restrictions
The number of ships allowed through the drought-hit Panama Canal each day will be increased thanks to signs of an improvement in water levels, authorities said Monday. The interoceanic channel is a key transit point for international cargo, but low water levels blamed on climate change and the El Nino phenomenon last year led officials to limit the number of vessels using it.
The Panama Canal Authority said Monday that it had informed clients it would gradually allow up to 32 ships through per day, compared with a limit of 27 announced a month ago.
In 2022, it had welcomed an average of 39 ships a day.
“The management and administration of water has been very efficient,” canal administrator Ricaurte Vasquez told AFP. The arrival of the rainy season was also expected to help, he added.
Restrictions on the maximum draft (water depth) of ships passing through the largest locks will be increased in mid-June to 13.71 meters, from 13.41, authorities said.
The century-old maritime channel, which usually handles about 6% of global maritime trade, uses rainwater stored in two artificial lakes. The canal has a system of locks to raise and lower ships. For each vessel that passes through it, 200 million Liters of fresh water are released into the sea, so rainfall is crucial to keeping water levels high enough to support marine traffic.
More rate increases looming from the 1st September
Further rate increases have been announced by the major carriers servicing the NEASIA and SEASIA regions effective 1st of September.
Space constraints continue to put pressure on shippers with over 30,000 TEUS being taken off the berth via an overwhelming blank sailing program at a time where cargo demand remains strong.
Larger vessels are steadily being taken out of the Oceania trade and being replaced with smaller vessels whilst regular port omissions are increasing as carriers try to rectify schedule integrity, adding to a continued build-up of congestion in the major hubs.
Port congestion remains a significant issue globally as of August 2024, with several key factors contributing to delays and inefficiencies across major shipping hubs. Singapore is experiencing substantial congestion, primarily due to ships rerouting around the Red Sea to avoid conflict zones, resulting in delayed schedules and increased container volumes in the port area.
Consequently, ships are waiting longer to berth, with some delays stretching to over 8 days before they can access a free berth at the port. Other ports in the region, like Shanghai and Qingdao, are also facing increased wait times, aggravated by severe weather conditions.
It is important that shippers allow lead times of 3 weeks and to ship orders as soon as possible in order to avoid further increases as the rush prior to Golden Week has begun earlier than expected.
Swire Shipping completes biofuel trial
Swire Shipping has announced the successful trial of a biofuel on one of its transpacific services.
A sustainable B24 biofuel trial was conducted on Swire’s Sun Chief Express Ocean service.
A collaboration with UWL, the Sun Chief Express Ocean service directly connects Vietnam to the United States, with express connections into North America and Cambodia, Indonesia and Thailand. MV Suva Chief, a vessel on the Sun Chief Express Ocean service, was bunkered in Hong Kong with the B24 biofuel, a blend of sustainable biodiesel of waste origin and conventional fuels.
The trial was conducted in partnership with Hong Kong-based marine fuel supplier, Chimbusco Pan Nation Petro-chemical Co., and Swire Shipping’s bunkering partner, the Hafnia Bunker Alliance.
Harry Stones, president of Swire Shipping North America, said:
“This initiative reflects our commitment to exploring sustainable shipping solutions in response to increasing demand for greener options. The use of sustainable B24 biofuel in our Sun Chief Express Ocean service is projected to reduce well-to-wake emissions for our customers by an estimated 15%. We look forward to continuing such efforts to minimise our environmental impact and contribute to a more sustainable future for the maritime industry.”