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Berge Bulk Orders Ammonia-fueled Newcastlemax Pair

Berge Bulk informs it has placed an order for two ammonia dual fuel vessels from China's Qingdao Beihai Shipbuilding Heavy Industry as part of a push by the dry bulk shipowner to decarbonize its operations. The two 210,000-DWT Newcastlemax vessels will meet the International Maritime Organization's (IMO) Tier III NOx (nitrogen oxides) standards and Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI) Phase 3 compliance for greenhouse gas emissions. The Singapore-headquartered company has been leveraging a number of green technologies—from auxiliary wind propulsions systems and carbon capture to alternative fuels such as methanol and ammonia—to meet its goals of carbon neutrality by 2025. It also aims to operate a zero-emissions vessel by 2030 ahead of a full zero emissions fleet by 2050. James Marshall, Berge Bulk founder and CEO, said, “The use of ammonia fuel represents an important milestone in our commitment to operate a zero emissions vessel by 2030 and an essential pillar in our plan to decarbonize. We continue to take urgent action in all four areas of our strategy to effectively reduce our current emissions and achieve carbon neutrality by 2025.” Paolo Tonon, Chief Technical Officer, Berge Bulk,…

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MOL Signs Long-Term Charter with Tokyo Gas for LNG Carrier Newbuilding

Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) has signed a long-term charter contract for a newbuilding LNG carrier with Tokyo LNG Tanker (TLT), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Tokyo Gas. This is the eighth contract, following a time charter contract for seven LNG carriers that were signed for TLT. The 174,000-cbm ship will be 294.9 meters long, with the bread of 46.4 meters. The vessel will be built at the Geoje Shipyard of Hanwha Ocean in South Korea, and is scheduled for delivery in 2026. It will be managed by MOL and will transport LNG for TLT. The new vessel will be equipped with the cutting-edge MAN Energy Solutions engine (ME-GA), which improves fuel consumption efficiency, with specifications that enhance its environment friendliness, compared to conventional LNG carriers.

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Houthi Minister Says Vessels Entering Yemeni Waters Must Get a Permit First

Misfer Al-Numair, the Houthi Telecommunications Minister, said on Monday that vessels will need to secure a permit from the Yemeni Houthi-led Maritime Affairs Authority before entering Yemeni waters. Houthis have launched several drones as well as missiles against the global commercial shipping in the waters of the Gulf of Aden from last year, around mid-November, declaring that they were acting in solidarity with the Palestinians against the Israeli offensive in Gaza. The daily attacks have compelled firms into costly and lengthy diversions via southern Africa. Those have also stoked apprehensions that the Israel-Hamas war might destabilize the Middle East. The US as well as Britain forces have bombed Houthi targets in reply. The relevant bodies are prepared to assist with the requests for permits and also identify vessels with Yemen’s Navy, and they confirm this is out of concern for their security and safety, per Al Masirah TV, the main television news outlet run by the Iran-led Houthi movement, reported Al-Numair to be saying. The territorial waters impacted by Yemen’s order extended halfway out into the 20-km wide Bab al-Mandab Strait, the relatively narrow entrance of the Red…

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