As we move past the vertex of a U-shaped dip in the global shipping sector caused by supply chain restrictions arising from the COVID-19 pandemic, it is worthwhile to look back at the UAE maritime industry’s growth, lessons learned, and development outlook. Although international maritime trade dropped by 4.1 per cent in 2020, the UAE made significant achievements during this period, ranking third globally in the Bunker Supply Index, and fifth globally as a key competitive maritime hub.
Leveraging the capabilities of hybrid propulsion systems to achieve decarbonisation goals
Over the years, sustainability has pushed many players and stakeholders in the maritime industry to explore ways to reduce their carbon footprint without sacrificing comfort and functionality. The rising rollout of hybrid propulsion systems in marine vessels is one of the ways that the sector has responded to calls for stricter carbon emission monitoring within the community.
Some of the world’s largest gas producers are behind moves to cut greenhouse gas emissions along every link in the LNG supply chain – from well to consumer. They are also supporting initiatives that could see every LNG cargo consignment assigned not only a calorific content but also a label, detailing its emissions footprint.
Maritime security is essential to support the Blue Economy in various ways. It refers to protection from threats such as maritime inter-state disputes, terrorism, crimes, narco-trafficking, illegal fishing, arms trafficking, crimes related to the marine environment, and maritime piracy, which is one of the most significant threats to the growth of ocean-based economies.
The maritime industry is facing an unprecedented challenge of complying with the IMO’s targets for decarbonization, but the milestones of 2030 and 2050 are only part of the story.
The steady rise of eco-friendly superyachts anywhere in the world points to how sustainability has found its way in the global yachting community. Given the mounting sustainability movement, the future of the industry now lies in its ability to reduce its environmental impact. Overall, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) targets to decrease the carbon footprint of international shipping by at least 40 per cent by 2030 compared to 2008 levels, and by 70 per cent by 2050. The yachting sector has a role to play in meeting and complying with the IMO targets put in place to protect our oceans and marine life.
While LNG carriers have a relatively short history, they have been subject to a continuous evolution in their design and operational parameters over the last decade. Many of the design changes reflect the natural maturity of the industry, others have come in response to technical, operational and regulatory changes. So will the LNG ship of 2030 still have the design speed we see today? For an answer, it is necessary to look first at what we can expect from the key areas of the LNG vessel design and operation.
Today 80 per cent of ammonia produced is used exclusively for the fertiliser industry. However, as pressure is placed on the shipping sector to decarbonise and shift away from reliance on fossil fuels, ammonia is looking like an attractive alternative. If 30 per cent of shipping switched to ammonia as a fuel, then the current production would have to nearly double.
Classification society now leads the industry with the scope of remote survey services available and is providing practical support too, Chris Greenwood, ABS Director of Regional Business Development - Middle East and Africa speaks only to Marasi News on how ABS has responded to challenges faced by the marine and offshore industries during the COVID-19 pandemic besides the post-covid-19 industry outlook.
As we move past the vertex of a U-shaped dip in the global shipping sector caused by supply chain restrictions arising from the COVID-19 pandemic, it is worthwhile to look back at the UAE maritime industry’s growth, lessons learned, and development outlook. Although international maritime trade dropped by 4.1 per cent in 2020, the UAE made significant achievements during this period, ranking third globally in the Bunker Supply Index, and fifth globally as a key competitive maritime hub.
by Roberto Cazzulo, RINA
Ships will be required to carry on-board an approved “Ballast water management plan” and a “Ballast water record book”. Ships ≥ 400GT will have also to carry on board an “International Ballast Water Management Certificate” issued for a period not exceeding five years and subject to annual, intermediate and renewal surveys.
by Arvind Ahuja
2016 was a challenging year, with tight financial markets with low liquidity, restricted cash flows limiting investments in new projects and expansions, a high number of payment defaults, low crude prices hurting the oil and gas industry, removal of subsidies and introduction of taxes or higher interest rates by the oil exporting countries.
For the maritime industry, with its overcapacity choking the freight rates, bulk carriers and dry cargo fleets were the worst hit with Hanjin’s failure highlighting the severity of the crisis.
Ali and Sons Marine Engineering Factory is a multi-business facility that caters for the marine and oil and gas industry. The facility has been driving various initiatives to be one of the leading Emirati facilities in the region.
Is it time to call it a new world order when it comes to automation and robotic use in the marine and oil and gas industry? For many years we saw how movies painted a picture of an automated world with robots and human-less services.
Omar Abu Omar, President for Gulf Navigation Maritime and Operation in the UAE, believes it may be time to fundamentally review the role of class for flag states. For example, in the currently depressed shipping market there is “huge competition among class societies on prices,” says Abu Omar “to the extent that some services are being offered virtually for free.”
As one of the most sensitive commodities to global change, the current state of black gold remains a mystery to scholars. A gradual build-up of factors including monopolies, natural disasters, supply and demand, credit bubbles, market cycles, global warming and last but not least geopolitics have all come to bear on oil prices. These combined dynamics are far more complex than they in previous recessions.
