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TODAY’S BULLETIN OF MARITIME NEWS

These news reprts are updated on an ongoing basis. Check back regularly for the latest news as it develops – where necessary refresh your page at www.africaports.co.za

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FIRST VIEW:   ALP STRIKER

• Kenya’s ‘ship in a box’ marine security simulator
• WHARF TALK: delivering a cargo of fertiliser – OCEAN VENUS
• ITF Dockers unite against Putin’s Ukraine invasion
• Russian invasion of Ukraine brings concern for South Africa’s fruit industry
• Grindrod presents positive results for 2021
• Significant upgrading taking place at Luanda’s Sogester Container Terminal
• WHARF TALK: Russian visitor to Cape Town – SCF PRIME
• President Biden’s claims not indicative of maritime industry or market dynamics – WSC
• Significant increase in Suez Canal traffic during February 2022
• Suez Canal rates to further skyrocket after 15.1% jump in profits in February
• XENETA: long-term ocean freight rates on the rise again
• IN CONVERSATION: How the US and UK worked together to recolonise the Chagos Islands and evict Chagossians
• Russian ships and ports are frozen out
• WHARF TALK: gearless bulker in Cape Town – OCEAN PRINCE
• Ukraine and Russia poses a danger to ailing African economies: need for African refineries
• IN CONVERSATION: African states need a vision for relations with the Indo-Pacific
• UN Bodies call for further action to end seafarer crisis
• World Shipping Council attacks President Biden speech ahead of State of the Union Address
• Tanker Tresta Star aground off Reunion starts breaking up, as salvors walk away over payment
• WHARF TALK: another class of tanker – FAIRCHEM FORTITUDE
• Five essential commodities that will be hit by war in Ukraine
• Port of Douala to build bypass roads for easy access & security
• NATO Allies boost support to Ukraine
• Unconfirmed report says Russian Navy detains two Ukrainian merchant ships
• The global shipping workforce: Russian and Ukrainian seafarers’ contributions
• Ukraine – IMO Secretary-General speaks of shipping & seafarers
• WHARF TALK: specialised offshore support ship – NORMAND NAVIGATOR
• SA calls for Russian withdrawal from Ukraine
• France intercepts Russian-bound ship in English Channel
• IN CONVERSATION: How Russia-Ukraine conflict could influence Africa’s food supplies
• Nigeria importing large quantities of petrol to address shortage
• Chinese trawlers with forged documents threatening Madagascar’s waters
• Transport unions call for immediate ceasefire and withdrawal of Russian military from Ukraine
• Dryad reports of ships being targeted off Ukraine

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• EARLIER NEWS CAN BE FOUND HERE AT NEWS CATEGORIES…….

The week’s mastheads:

Monday: Port of Cape Town Dry Dock
Tuesday: Port of Cape Town 
Wednesday: Port of East London
Thursday: Port of East London
Friday: Port of Durban Container Terminal (night)
Saturday: Port of Tin Can
Sunday: Port of Tema

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FIRST VIEW:   ALP STRIKER

The Anchor Handling Towing Supply (AHTS) vessel, ALP STRIKER (IMO 9737230) arrived in Durban port last week towing the barge identified only by CH1244. This tow appears to have been picked up at the Mozambique port of Pemba and on arrival off Durban three harbour tugs, LOTHENI, UMSUNDUZI and the recently returned to service UMVOTI, bustled out to assist with the barge’s safe delivery.

The X-bow design ALP Striker is one of four sister vessels, of which three, ALP Striker, ALP Keeper, and ALP Sweeper, recently towed the new FLNG CORAL SUL from South Korea to a position in the Rovuma Basin off northern Mozambique, where the FLNG will soon go into production over this huge offshore gas field.

All the technical data for ALP Striker may be found in Africa Ports & Ship in the report of a few week’s ago, which covered her sister vessel, ALP Keeper, when she called at Cape Town.

You can read that report by CLICKING HERE.

These pictures of ALP Striker show her on arrival in the port of Durban.

Pictures are by Keith Betts

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NEWS

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Kenya’s ‘ship in a box’ marine security simulator

Kenya has introduced an unusual if not unique training facility that will aid in the enforcement of maritime security and the countering of transnational crime.

Comprised of steel shipping containers, the facility will be used by Kenya’s Coast Guard Service and the Kenya Navy and others for training on how to board, search a ship and undertake seizures, all with the aim of enhancing the country’s capacity for the enforcement of maritime security.

According to Shipping and Maritime Affairs Principal Secretary Nancy Karigithu, the ‘ship in a box’ demonstrates the government’s commitment towards enforcing maritime security on the Kenya coast.

She described the training aid as not only benefiting Kenya’s officers but also the Bandari Maritime Academy in being able to deliver specialised courses in the region. “This equipment gets to deliver the real experience in a ship,” Karigithu said.

Because of its location facing the north-western Indian Ocean and a neighbour of Somalia, Kenya has faced various crimes and threats, including Islamist terrorism, weapons proliferation, transnational crimes, piracy, and illegal wildlife and drugs trafficking.

With the availability of a specialist training facility to law enforcement agencies, it will tighten their skills and knowledge while encountering the crimes.

“In order to realise the lofty ideals of developing a sustainable maritime sector, there is an urgent need for highly skilled and qualified maritime law enforcement personnel,” said Karigithu at the official launch of the facility which is located at the Bandari Maritime Academy on Mombasa Island.

The ‘ship in a box’ has been designed and constructed by the United States Department of State, Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (US INL) and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) under the Global Maritime Crime Programme.

The ‘building’ is constructed of standard shipping containers assembled to take the design of the bridge of a merchant ship, in order to provide as near-to-real experiences for coastguard and other law enforcement personnel agencies to train on boarding procedures and the conducting of inspections aboard merchant ships.

UNODC deputy regional representative Sylvie Bertrand said the facility provided an opportunity for Kenya to beat transnational organised crime in the Indian Ocean.

“The Global Maritime Crime Programme of UNODC supports Member States in strengthening maritime law enforcement capacities to counter illicit activities at sea,” Bertrand said. source KBC

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WHARF TALK: delivering a cargo of fertiliser – OCEAN VENUS

Story by Jay Gates
Pictures by ‘Dockrat’

The state of South Africa’s agricultural industry is vibrant, and in order to ensure that it remains that way, farmland requires applications of fertiliser to ensure that the fertility of the land, and the crop yields, remains high. For this to happen, especially during the upcoming winter, when fields are turned over in anticipation for the next season’s crop, there is regular importation of fertilisers, from all around the globe, to help South African farmers prepare for the growing year ahead.

On 27th February at 05h00 the Ultramax bulk barrier OCEAN VENUS (IMO 9604964) arrived off Cape Town, from Durban, and entered Cape Town harbour to go alongside B berth in the Duncan Dock. She had previously discharged the majority of her fertiliser cargo in Durban, over a three day period, berthed at Maydon Wharf 9.

Built in 2012 by Shin Kasado Dockyard at Kudamatsu in Japan. She is 200 metres in length and has a deadweight of 61,464 tons. To be classed as an Ultramax bulk carrier, a vessel must have a deadweight between 60,000 and 65,000 tons. She is powered by a Kawasaki MAN-B&W 6S50MC-C8 6 cylinder 2 stroke main engine producing 11,332 bhp (8,450 kW), driving a fixed pitch propeller for a service speed of 15 knots.

Her auxiliary machinery includes three generators providing 600 kW each, and an emergency generator providing 165 kW. She has a Miura Auxiliary Economiser boiler. With five holds, serviced by four 30 ton, grab equipped, cranes, she has a cargo carrying capacity of 77,674 tons.

She is an Imabari I-Star-61 design of bulk carrier, the first of which was delivered in September 2010. A popular Ultramax vessel, over 50 were subsequently delivered within the first three years. She carries the ubiquitous bluff bow of the I-Star design.

As with other vessels reported in this column, she has a pilot flag painted on her bow to indicate where the pilot ladder will be located when the freeboard is greater than 9 metres, and the boarding set-up is a composite mixture of a pilot ladder, and the accommodation ladder.

Another unusual hull marking on ‘Ocean Venus’ is that she has a composite Plimsoll Line marking, in that she has not one, but she has two additional load lines. They are used when, for a period of time, the vessel has to operate temporarily with a greater freeboard in accordance with the International Load-Line regulations. This is often due to the fact that a number of ports have special requirements for maximum draft, and deadweight restrictions, for vessels. The use of the letters NK, marked on each Load Line, show that her classification society is the Japanese Nippon Kaiji Kyokai, or ClassNK.

She is owned by Wadatsumi Line/DTK Shipping of Kagoshima in Japan, operated by Kobe Shipping of Kobe in Japan, and managed by Kobe Ship Management Co. Ltd., also of Kobe.

Her small, remaining, parcel of fertiliser was discharged in just over two days, and on 1st March at 11h00, ‘Ocean Venus’ sailed from Cape Town, and a short voyage up the Western Cape coast to the St. Helena Bay anchorage, where she will await her berth at Saldanha Bay, to load her next bulk cargo. Her slow steam up the coast took over a day to cover the almost 90 nautical miles, and she arrived at the anchorage at 15h00 on 2nd March.

She has received 34 Port State Inspections in the course of her career, and in August 2021 ‘Ocean Venus’ was detained in the port of Portland in the American state of Oregon. Her detention was for a period of 2 days, and was due to two major deficiencies. The first was a failure of the SMS and the maintenance of the foam firefighting System, and the second deficiency was linked, with a lack of ready availability of the vessel’s firefighting equipment.

Her original loading port in China, Longkou, is located in Shandong Province, and is 89 nautical miles west of the major port of Yantai. The port was originally founded in 1914, but it is now considered to be an artificial, deepwater port, due to the massive reclamation projects that have been developed at the port. There are 27 available berths, with fertiliser being one of her major export bulk cargoes.

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ITF Dockers unite against Putin’s Ukraine invasion

Following last week’s call (of 25 February) from transport unions for an immediate ceasefire to the conflict in Ukraine, the global labour movement and international community has stood steadfast in their condemnation of the war and call for peace.

ITF President and Dockers’ Section Chair Paddy Crumlin commented on 3 March: “As we enter day eight of hostilities in Ukraine, we urge leaders on all sides to show restraint, diplomacy and urgently de-escalate the conflict to minimise the loss of innocent lives.”

He added: “Workers around the world are defiant in opposition to Russia’s invasion including thousands of dock workers showing solidarity with the people of the Ukraine and contempt for Putin’s aggression.”

UK

In the United Kingdom, ITF Dockers’ affiliate Unite the Union announced late last week that its docker members would refuse to load and unload Russian-owned or controlled vessels in British ports.

Unite Assistant General Secretary Steve Turner said: “Unite proactively sought UK-wide action from government to ban Russian vessels from docking in our ports. On Monday (28 February) UK’s Transport Secretary prohibited Russian flagged, registered, owned or chartered vessels entry into UK ports.”

Canada

The International Longshore and Warehouse Union of Canada (ILWU Canada), also wrote to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau calling for a UK-style ban. Yesterday the Transport Canada announced they will have a ban in place this week.

ILWU Canada President Rob Ashton said: “Our workers stand firmly with workers worldwide. They demand that Canada immediately choke off any trade that finances this brutal Russian regime and its aggression.”

New Zealand

In Aotearoa New Zealand, ITF affiliates Maritime Union of New Zealand (MUNZ) and the Rail and Maritime Transport Union (RMTU) joined forces this week to hand letters of protest to the captains of visiting Russian-flagged and Russian-owned vessels in the country’s ports. RMTU General Secretary, Wayne Butson, said it was important to note that any protest was not directed at Russian crews, but against the aggression and decisions of President Putin.

Australia

The Maritime Union of Australia (MUA) has also written to the Australian Prime Minister issuing an urgent call for meaningful steps be taken to place pressure upon Russia’s economic, social, and strategic interests across the Asia Pacific region.

Crumlin, who is National Secretary of the MUA called on Prime Minister Scott Morrison to: “join other governments around the world in refusing to provide economic succour to the Putin regime.”

Ukraine

Marine Transport Workers’ Trade Union of Ukraine (MTWTU) Chairman, Oleg Grygoriuk, said: “We are thankful to brothers and sisters in the ITF Dockers’ family for their actions and support. This growing movement of solidarity brings us the confidence to keep fighting this outrageous invasion from Putin. We will prevail.”

Reuters reports that the Port of Mariupol in the south of Ukraine has been under constant Russian artillery assault for almost a week. Ukraine’s Maritime Administration has said that all Ukrainian ports will remain closed until Russia’s invasion ends.

Crumlin added: “As in any war, dockers and other transport workers find themselves on the front line, despite the enormous risks to keep the country moving,

“We are witnessing indiscriminate attacks on civilian and commercial infrastructure by the Russian forces. The situation is dire. Our hearts go out to the people of the Ukraine. We condemned this war and continue to call on all parties to seek peaceful solutions immediately.”

About the ITF Dockers’ Section

The ITF Dockers’ Section is made up of 229 affiliated unions, representing almost half a million dockworkers across every region of the globe. Along with the seafarers and river workers, dockers were some of the first workers to come together to form the ITF. ITF Dockers have a bastion of international solidarity ever since.

About the ITF

The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) is a democratic, affiliate-led federation of transport workers’ unions recognised as the world’s leading transport authority. It fights passionately to improve working lives; connecting trade unions and workers’ networks from 147 countries to secure rights, equality and justice for their members. It is the voice of the almost 20 million women and men who move the world.

Edited by Paul Ridgway
London

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Russian invasion of Ukraine brings concern for South Africa’s fruit industry

The South African deciduous fruit industry organisation, Hortgro, says it is keeping a close eye on the tense situation in Ukraine and Eastern Europe. Hortgro said the industry notes the suspension of financial services (SWIFT), as well as global economic sanctions imposed against Russia given that it poses logistical and payment risks to the industry.

The deciduous fruit industry exports about 5.5 million cartons of fruit to Russia annually and the war in Ukraine could not have come at a worse time.

In particular, it says, the exports of pears have increased markedly in recent years and are currently at risk. Russia received about 21% of South African pears in the 2021 season.

Stone fruit has also started to do well in the Russian market in recent years, with plum exports being 47% higher (YTD) compared to the previous season.

As a result of these developments, Hortgro says it is particularly concerned about a possible rollover effect on markets other than the earmarked fruit for Russia.

Hortgro’s comments some at a time when almost all of the shipping lines of the north-south bound trades that go on to Russian ports are suspending their services, making it difficult if not impossible to ship fruit into Russia.

South African exporters are reported to have stopped packing fruit for Russia following the withdrawal of credit insurance cover.

There is some South African fruit destined for Russia that is currently on its way and it is understood that efforts are being made to divert this cargo.

Late last week all containers with destination Russia were blocked in EU ports, according to FreshPlaza. However, that decision was reversed on Monday evening with essential products, including fruit, being cleared for delivery after inspection for sanctioned cargo.

It is understood that priority will now be given to perishable cargo and that shipping lines will now be able to continue a limited service carrying non-sanctioned categories of cargo.

The South African citrus season hasn’t yet started but is expected to commence early in April (weeks 14 or 15). Russia takes about 8% of South Africa’s citrus exports.

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Grindrod presents positive results for 2021

Durban-based logistics and banking provider, Grindrod, announced on Wednesday 3 March its provisional results for the year ending 31 December 2021, with headline earnings increasing 166% from R333 million in 2020, to R886 million in 2021.

In a statement Grindrod said that the global economic recovery and global demand for commodities contributed to the strong results. “The Port and Terminals operations handled record mineral volumes and the coastal shipping and container depot business delivered consistent and robust performance. Grindrod Bank performed well and continued its focus on quality lending and maintaining healthy capital and liquidity ratios.”

Grindrod’s core business is found in ports and terminals. Overall, Port and Terminals reported robust earnings growth of 70% on 2020, comfortably surpassing its pre-Covid-19 performance level.

In Mozambique, the Matola dry bulk terminal yielded positive results in the second half of the period, handling a record 8.3 million tonnes, which is up 50% on the previous year. In September 2021 the terminal reported a monthly record volume of one million tonnes.

At the Port of Maputo volumes grew by 21% to a record 22.3 million tonnes, compared to the year ended 31 December 2020. The berth rehabilitation and dedicated rail siding capital projects are now complete, with the dredge of the quayside having commenced.

Grindrod says the focus for Port and Terminals in 2022 is to grow volumes handled by securing additional rail, continuing berth optimisation, further unlocking Mozambique bottlenecks, ramping up the manganese solution, and taking advantage of inland terminals as part of the supply chain.

“Our terminal operations are ideally positioned to benefit from PSP opportunities. The fire in the Richards Bay port precinct late last year impacted the ability to meet increased customer demand. Still, a contingency operation was implemented through collaboration with Transnet and other port users, and full recovery of the operation is expected. Expansion plans for the drybulk terminals in Maputo are approved and further studies on infrastructure and equipment upgrades will commence.”

Logistics

The report says that coastal shipping and container depot business achieved earnings growth for Grindrod of 33%, with the remaining businesses delivering consistent performance for the period. The coastal shipping and container depot business offered shipping lines alternative solutions for creating efficiencies in delivering cargo. The operation also increased its reefer capacity to meet the demand for increased fresh produce exports.

In November 2021, Grindrod announced a joint venture with Maersk, in which the logistics activities of Grindrod’s Intermodal business will complement the current Maersk operations, subject to various conditions.

Grindrod’s clearing and forwarding business delivered solid results and secured the extension of key customer contracts during the year.

Impairments in Cabo Delgado

In 2021, Grindrod’s activities relating to the liquified natural gas project in Northern Mozambique came to a sudden stop, due to the insurgency in the Cabo Delgado province, which necessitated impairments and provisioning of R78.2 million. The reports says it continues to monitor the region to ensure readiness should operations resume. “The impact of the indefinite stoppage was mitigated by the resumption of the graphite logistics business in Nacala.”

Rail business

The Rail business redeployed eight of its ten locomotives at Sierra Leone’s Tonkolili iron ore mine following its reopening and successfully completed the disposal of four locomotives for US$11.3 million (Grindrod’s share is US$4.8 million) to Uganda Rail. Further value may be extracted through the disposal and or the deployment of locomotives.

Bank

Grindrod Bank’s earnings improved by 157% from the prior year despite remaining cautious in its lending activities and retaining surplus liquidity in excess of R5 billion as at 31 December 2021. Current period earnings more than doubled in comparison to the prior period. The Bank’s lending and core deposit books increased by 5% and 20% to R8.3 billion and R10.3 billion, respectively, from December 2020.

During the period, Grindrod Bank concluded an agreement with Shoprite Checkers as a key new platform partner.

Car and Fuel carriers

Grindrod has completed its disposal of the car carrier business and is progressing with the disposal of the fuel carrier businesses. ” This process necessitated the impairment of goodwill and assets of R266.6 million in the current period.”

Grindrod Shipping shares

Grindrod sold its Grindrod Shipping shares, generating proceeds of R338.1 million, with a fair value gain of R238.2 million recorded in the current period.

Non-core

Among its non-core activities, Grindrod says management is continuing to work with the Marine Fuels management and co-shareholder to exit this investment. This involves the projected liquid fuel depot at the Ngqura port.

Overview:

Grindrod’s core operations inclusive of joint ventures generated revenue of R5.2 billion and a trading profit of R1.8 billion.

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Significant upgrading taking place at Luanda’s Sogester Container Terminal

The Sogester container terminal has been significantly upgraded with the addition of two new Liebherr mobile cranes delivered to Luanda during December 2021, says Frans Jol Managing Director at Sogester (Sociedade Gestora de Terminais).

“With additional cranes we are now able to perform double cycling, which means loading and discharging the same container bay on the vessel at the same time. Higher productivity will also mean that we will be able to perform twin lift (lifting two containers at the same time) on both empty and full containers, which was not possible in the past.”

The Liebherr MHC 800 series cranes are able to reach 23 rows of containers, compared to 15 or 16 rows reachable by cranes available at other facilities elsewhere in Angola. They are the largest terminal cranes available in the region.

The Sogester container terminal is run by a joint venture between APM Terminals (51%) and the Gestor de Fundos of Angola.

The terminal now has three mobile cranes in operation in addition to various new equipment that arrived during 2021. These include terminal trailers and tractors, empty handling equipment and Ram twin lift spreaders, with a total investment value of $25 million.

In addition to this new cargo handling equipment, Sogester has also progressed with the implementation of digital solutions at the terminal. During 2022, a new automatic gate software will be installed in Luanda, significantly facilitating the work of truckers who arrive to pick up or drop off containers.

“Gate automation is a major milestone reducing queues at gates, allowing truckers to save time and our customers to better plan their cargo flows,” says Jol.

In addition, a new customer portal is being implemented in the first quarter of 2022, allowing customers to manage all payments, container releases or other transactions directly from their computers, without having to come to the terminal in person.

In parallel with operational improvements, Sogester is continuing with a strong focus on cargo safety, with the upgrade of its terminal security system, which now includes CCTV in the yard and gate.

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WHARF TALK: Russian visitor to Cape Town – SCF PRIME

Story by Jay Gates
Pictures by ‘Dockrat’

Slava Ukraini, Geroyam Slava.    With the war in the Ukraine getting more intense, and the world letting President Putin know, in no uncertain terms, what the cost of his invasion is going to be, one tends to forget that this means that the Russian Merchant Fleet is a major target of the sanctions that are being applied all across the globe to Russian interests, and to Russian assets.

With the American government imposing financial sanctions directly on the Russian Sovcomflot (SCF) shipping company, and prohibiting any US entity from dealing with the company, and the British government announcing a ban on any vessel, with any Russian connections, from entering any UK ports or harbours, it means the world is getting smaller for any vessel from Sovcomflot to trade. As yet, South Africa has not gone as far as the US or UK governments.

Back on 9th February at 18h00, despite tensions on the Ukraine border, but well before any invasion got underway, the LR1 Panamax tanker SCF PRIME (IMO 9577082) arrived at the Table Bay anchorage, from Antwerp in Belgium and, inexplicably, was held out in the anchorage for a full twelve days, before she finally entered Cape Town harbour and proceeded to the long tanker berth in the Duncan Dock.

Built in 2011 by Hyundai Mipo Dockyard at Ulsan in South Korea, ‘SCF Prime’ is 229 metres in length and has a deadweight of 74,581 tons. She is powered by a single HHI MAN-B&W 6S60MC-C8 6 cylinder 2 stroke main engine producing 14,439 bhp (10,620 kW), driving a fixed pitch propeller for a service speed of 15 knots.

Her auxiliary machinery includes three Hyundai 6H21/32 generators providing 800 kW each, and a Cummins 6CT8.3DM emergency generator providing 140 kW. She has a Donghwa Pneumatic boiler, and a Kangrim Composite boiler. She has twelve cargo tanks, with a cargo carrying capacity of 82,360 m3.

One of a series of seven sisterships, ‘SCF Prime’ is effectively owned by Sovcomflot (SCF) of St.Petersburg in Russia, with the acronym in her name being that of her parent company. She is operated by ST Shipping and Transport Pte. Ltd. of Singapore, and managed by SCF Management Services of Dubai in the UAE.

Sovcomflot (SCF) is a major Russian shipowner, with a current fleet of 133 vessels, of which 108 are tankers. The balance of the rest of the fleet is made up of LNG vessels, and polar class offshore support vessels, that work in the Arctic LNG gas fields. SCF also have 30 vessels that are currently under construction, and with financial sanctions beginning to bite, it means that SCF being able to receive financing, and loans, from international banks, for payment of the newbuilds, is going to get ever more difficult.

For those wondering about the connection of SCF to the Russian State, it becomes quite obvious how deep that connection is, when you realise that the board of SCF is headed by an appointee, directly made from within the Presidential Administration of Russia. Currently, that person is Sergey Naryshkin, who is not only holds the position of the Chief of Staff of the Presidential Administration, but he also holds the position of the Head of the SVR, which is the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service, the equivalent of both the American CIA, and British MI6.

Once she had completed her discharge, instead of sailing from Cape Town, she merely shifted across to the Landing Wall on 27th February. This indicated that all was not mechanically well, and she required some shoreside attention to fix the problem. By 1st March, her problem has been resolved, and at 02h00 in the morning she sailed from Cape Town, bound for Equatorial Guinea, but not for an onshore oil terminal, but rather for a direct ship-to-ship oil transfer from an offshore oilfield facility, namely the FPSO Aseng.

The FPSO Aseng is not a modern, and newly built, FPSO (Floating Production and Storage Offshore) unit, as seen recently being delivered to Angolan oilfields. She started life as a VLCC tanker, named ‘Yukong Frontier’ (IMO 8617213), built in 1988 by Hyundai Heavy Industries, at Ulsan in South Korea, and 322 metres long, with a deadweight of 255,346 tons.

After passing through a few owners, in 2008 she was purchased for conversion to an FPSO, which was carried out by the Keppel Shipyard in Singapore. She was completed by late November 2011, and towed to her current position, which is on the Aseng Oilfield, in Block 1, off the east coast of Bioko Island, in Equatorial Guinea. In 2013, she was also tied back to the Alen Oilfield, which is a subsea connection, made by a 24 km undersea pipeline.

FPSO Aseng is capable of processing 80,000 barrels of oil per day, and can store 1.5 million barrels of oil. She lies in 945 metres of water, and is expected to remain on station for another 5 to 10 years. She is operated by SBM, on behalf of Noble Oil.

As well as her upcoming visit to West Africa, this has not been the first time that ‘SCF Prime’ has been in African waters over the last few months, as she called in to Luanda, in Angola, back in November 2021. Historical connections between the ANC and the Russian government means that, despite the ever increasing sanctions being applied elsewhere in the world, it is not expected that the departure of ‘SCF Prime’ from Southern African waters, will make her the last Russian vessel to call at a South Africa port. Slava Ukraini, Geroyam Slava.

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President Biden’s claims not indicative of maritime industry or market dynamics – WSC

Disruptions in America’s supply chain have thrust container shipping, the industry’s finances, and its operations into the public eye – including during tonight’s [Tuesday 1 March, US] State of The Union Address.

But the claims made by President Biden during his speech are not indicative of the industry or market dynamics, says the World Shipping Council (WSC).

To see report in Wednesday 2 March edition of Africa Ports & Ships CLICK HERE

“Here are the facts: container shipping is a competitive industry with multiple ocean carriers actively challenging one another in the global marketplace and on the shipping lanes most relevant for U.S. trade,” said John Butler, President and CEO of the World Shipping Council.

“It is disappointing that unfounded allegations are being levied against an industry that is moving more cargo right now than at any time in history in order to meet the unprecedented demand for imported goods during the pandemic.

“The truth is that with demand for ocean transportation services into the U.S. at record levels, market dynamics are influencing prices – not carrier alliances. These vessel sharing agreements (VSA) are purely operational compacts that enable carriers to share space on one another’s ships, which increases efficiency and supports more service to more ports than would otherwise be the case.”

Butler said the operational agreements do not include commercial cooperation. Each member of a VSA or alliance determines its own commercial terms, including prices, which are not discussed between alliance members, he said. Every VSA is filed, reviewed, and continuously monitored by the FMC.

“The legislative proposals currently before Congress would upend the global transportation system, reducing service for U.S. importers and exporters and raising costs for American consumers and businesses.

“We urge the administration and Congress to enact measures that will relieve the current congestion and set America’s supply chain up for long-term success.”

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Significant increase in Suez Canal traffic during February 2022

The Suez Canal Authority (SCA) generated revenues amounting to US$ 545.5 million during the month of February 2022, Osama Rabie, chairman and MD of the SCA has revealed.

Announcing this on Tuesday (1 March), Rabie said this compared with $474.1 million for February 20221, marking an increase of $71.4 million. This is equivalent to a 15.1% hike year-on-year for the month.

Rabie said that with respect to navigational movements in the canal during February 2022, new and unprecedented records in terms of vessel transit rates and net tonnage involving the movement of 1713 vessels in both directions, and a total net tonnage of 100.1 million tons were recorded.

This compared to the crossing of the canal of 1532 vessels and a net tonnage of 97.6 million tons being recorded for the same month of 2021.

According to Rabie, the performance rates during February 2022 are the highest compared to the same month over the successive years throughout the history of the canal.

These increases were reflected across several types of ships crossing the canal. The number of bulk carriers increased by 29%, container ships went up 11.8%, and car carriers increased by 22.2%.

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Suez Canal rates to further skyrocket after 15.1% jump in profits in February

In spite of the increased revenue generated by a record number of ships using the Suez Canal during February this year (see Africa Ports & Ships’ report above), the Suez Canal Authority intends hiking toll fees by up to 10% on certain vessel types.

This follows another hike of 6% announced in November last year which became applicable just one month ago. That increase excepted cruise ships and LPG tankers.

The latest tolls just announced this Sunday came into effect on Tuesday 1 March 2022.

The biggest hike will affect container ships where the new toll goes up by 10% on northbound ships (i.e. usually fully or heavily laden). Southbound box ships will cross with no changes in rates applying – this to discourage ship operators from using the longer Cape route which with slow steaming can prove cheaper.

Chemical, liquid bulk tankers and LPG tankers (the latter was excepted a month ago) now face 10% hikes. For most other types the increase is between 5 and 7%. These hikes apply to both laden and unladen ships.

In a series of circulars from the Suez Canal Authority, the SCA states this to be “in line with the significant growth in global trade, the improvement of ships’ economics, the Suez Canal waterway development and the enhancement of the transit service.”

The SCA began a project to widen another section of the canal following the blocking of the southern part by the Ever Given container ship. In February Rabie was on record saying that it would cost too much to widen the entire length of the canal. He also said the February increase in toll fees would bring in an additional $400 million a year.

The anticipated value of the latest March hike has not been disclosed.

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XENETA: long-term ocean freight rates on the rise again

 

Demand, congestion and geopolitical uncertainty squeeze shippers

After a rare dip in long-term contracted ocean freight rates in December and January, container shipping costs are rising once again, with a 3.9% increase in February.

The development, revealed in the latest Xeneta Shipping Index (XSI®) Public Indices, means rates have risen across 15 of the last 17 months. They currently stand 87.9% up year-on-year. Furthermore, notes Oslo-based Xeneta, ongoing congestion, high demand and a new level of geo-political angst are unlikely to reverse that trend any time soon.

From bad to worse?

“It’s a worrying time for shippers,” states Patrik Berglund, CEO of Xeneta, which compiles the unique XSI® by crowd sourcing global rates data.

“Pandemic disruption is, to some extent, abating, but demand remains high and capacity maxed out. The congestion we continue to see, particularly at US ports, is a sign of this, with waits of approximately 35 days at Long Beach and 25 days at Los Angeles. Carriers looking to deploy tonnage on the East Coast to avoid this are simply transferring the problem, with recent reports of 31 vessels waiting to berth at Charleston.”

Berglund continues: “And, of course, away from the US we have the distressing situation unfolding in Ukraine. The wider geopolitical concerns of this are one thing, the immediate impact on energy prices another. Crude oil costs have obviously rocketed and the carrier community will, no doubt, look to pass this on to customers to protect their own bottom lines. So, in addition to the already astronomical freight costs, shippers can expect to see bunker adjustment factors (BAFs) leading to new surcharges, exacerbating their pain.”

Intelligence pays

Nevertheless, Berglund adds that future predictions are almost impossible to make in this fast moving market. He notes that regulators from across the globe are now investigating potential cartel activities by the carriers, which could have enabled the unprecedented rates rise, but that, despite shipper allegations of profiteering and collusion, no evidence has yet come to light.

“In this situation, the options facing those looking to move freight are limited,” he states. “You can either charter vessels, a solution only available to the biggest players, or networks of shippers, or simply keep abreast of the latest intelligence and work to gain the most value out of increasingly difficult negotiations. One thing’s for sure, there’s more change on the horizon, so it’s essential for all parties to stay tuned, stay limber and stay focused on the best ways to achieve business objectives.”

Regional perspectives

Xeneta’s XSI® delivers insights into the latest rates developments on all major trade corridors, with February’s intelligence revealing near universal rates rises on key import and export benchmarks.

In Europe, imports climbed by 8.0% across the month (up 86.3% year-on-year) while exports rose by 6.1% (up 9.9% since the end of 2021 and 68% year-on-year). Far East imports and exports followed a similar pattern. The import index now stands at an all-time high, up 2.2% this month (32% year-on-year), and exports climbed by a healthy 5.2%. This latest increase pushed the benchmark a staggering 116.9% higher than in February 2021.

In the US, imports and exports bucked the trend somewhat, both registering declines, albeit seen against significant year-on-year gains. Imports dropped by 4.8% with exports declining 2.2%, leaving the respective benchmarks up 83.2% and 23.6% year-on-year.

Xeneta’s XSI® is compiled from the latest crowd-sourced ocean freight rate data aggregated worldwide.

To get the full XSI® Public Indices report for the long-term market, CLICK HERE

For daily XSI® short-term market rate movements for 12 main trade lanes, GO HERE

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IN CONVERSATION: How the US and UK worked together to recolonise the Chagos Islands and evict Chagossians

Anamika Twyman-Ghoshal, University of Gloucestershire

On 15 February 2022 the Mauritian flag was raised on two Indian Ocean atolls, Peros Banos and Salomon, both belonging to the Chagos archipelago. This was the first time that Mauritius’ flag was raised in the Chagos Islands, even though there is clear evidence that these 60 islands form part of its sovereign territory.

Currently, the UK maintains control over the archipelago. The whole of Mauritius used to be a British colony, the Chagos islands were detached in 1965, from the Crown Colony prior to granting Mauritius independence. A new colonial territory was created – effectively recolonising the archipelago – under the name ‘British Indian Ocean Territory’ (BIOT).

The largest and most heavily populated island in the archipelago is Diego Garcia. This island was home to the majority of the nearly 2,000 exiled Chagossians who are prohibited from returning. Today, this island is home to a US Naval Communication Station with a few thousand US troops and international support staff.

I’ve carried out research on the recolonisation of the Chagos Archipelago, the forced eviction of the Chagossians, and the role of both the UK and US governments in this.

Despite the archipelago’s name – which indicates it is a British colony – the forcible eviction of the Chagossians was set in motion in the US. As part of the US strategy to expand its military bases around the world, Diego Garcia was identified in 1958, as an ideal location for a future military base by a US naval officer.

The island was considered particularly desirable both because of its location in the Indian Ocean and its small population that could easily be removed. Bases are a critical element of the US hegemon, a hidden empire, which benefits US defense and intelligence interests. The base in Diego Garcia has been a vital location for manoeuvres across the Indian Ocean, including enabling the invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq.

The removal of the local population would ensure that there would be no political calls for sovereignty or social movements that could curtail military operations. In 1960, the process of acquiring the islands began with a secret conversation between the US Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara and the British Minister of Defense Peter Thorneycroft.

According to communication between British government officials:

the primary objective in acquiring these islands…was to ensure that Her Majesty’s Government had full title to, and control over, these islands so that they could be used for the construction of defense facilities without hindrance or political agitation and so that when a particular island would be needed for the construction of British or United States defense facilities Britain or the United States should be able to clear it of its current population.

Americans in particular attached great importance to the freedom of manoeuvre that comes from operating on an depopulated island.

Circumventing laws

The 1960 conversations resulted in the UK detaching the Chagos Islands from Mauritius for the purpose of recolonisation. This separation from Mauritius was unlawful and went against a UN resolution and the UN charter.

In order to circumvent international law, the British Parliament, and the US Congress, the British Indian Ocean Territory was created using an Order in Council. This uses Royal Prerogative, a discretionary power to implement actions without parliamentary authority.

In 1965, in what became known as the Lancaster House Agreement, Mauritius was granted independence on the condition that it relinquish the Chagos Islands to Britain.

The following year, the US drafted an agreement for the lease of the islands from the UK. The agreement took the form of an Exchange of Notes, where the Chagos Islands were leased to the US for an initial 50-year term with an option for a 20-year extension. This option was exercised in 2016, extending occupation to 2036.

Notably, the two countries avoided using a treaty for this purpose, bypassing the need for domestic legislative approval in both countries.

Having secured ownership, the relocation of the indigenous people that lived there commenced.

Forced evictions

Chagossians, who were forcibly evicted from Diego Garcia, are prohibited from seeking employment on the US Naval Base. Chagossians can’t even visit the island of Diego Garcia.

The forced eviction of the Chagossians, who it is estimated had a population of nearly 2000, occurred in four stages between 1967 and 1973.

The first stage was the prevention of re-entry of Chagossians who left Diego Garcia for medical or tourist purposes in 1967. This was done without any notice.

The second stage was the implementation of import restrictions that created scarcity and made remaining on the island difficult.

The third stage involved threats and coercion. This took two forms. First, in poisoning, shooting, gassing, and burning all pet dogs on the island. Second, in demolishing the homes of Chagossians. These actions were ordered by the British Commissioner of the British Indian Ocean Territory, Sir Bruce Greatbatch. The orders were carried out with the assistance of the US Naval Construction Battalions.

The depopulation was finalised with the 1971 Immigration Ordinance No.1. It prohibited Chagossians from entering or remaining on the islands.

The exiled Chagossians were mostly left homeless and destitute in the Mauritius, some were sent to Seychelles. They were left to live in dilapidated shacks in slums, without support or employment opportunities. Although some meager compensation was handed down, this came years after lengthy court battles and amounted to about £1000 (about US$1300) per person, although not all received this sum. The resulting insecurity and trauma has had a profound impact on those directly affected and on subsequent generations of Chagossians.

What next?

On the request of the UN General Assembly, the International Court of Justice, on 25th February, 2019, deemed the detachment of the Chagos Islands from Mauritius and their incorporation into a new colony unlawful. The UN General Assembly passed Resolution 73/295 on 22nd May, 2019 obligating the UK to withdraw its colonial administration within six months.

These decisions demonstrate that international attention is on the UK to relinquish its unlawful colonial hold on the archipelago. What is missing is an acknowledgement of the enduring role of the US in these international crimes. Beyond holding the US responsible for its role in depopulating the islands, it is clear that without the participation of the US, the harm caused, especially to the Chagossian people, will not be repaired.

Mauritius has already offered the US a 99-year lease of Diego Garcia in an effort to shore up US support for its efforts around the return of the Chagos Islands. It’s still not clear whether the US will allow the Chagossian people, that it insisted be removed, to return.

Anamika Twyman-Ghoshal, Senior Lecturer, University of Gloucestershire

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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Russian ships and ports are frozen out

As the war in Ukraine intensifies, the maritime industry is not unaffected and in certain areas, the Black Sea in particular, general shipping has become severely impacted, with the waters approaching the coast of southern Ukraine and Sea of Azov now no-go areas.

Elsewhere, the conflict is having repercussions, and several shipping companies and cruise operators have suspended all Russian-bound operations.

This includes several of the world’s largest container lines, with Maersk announcing on Tuesday 1 March to suspend new bookings within ocean, air and intercontinental rail to and from Russia. The only exception involves foodstuffs, medical and humanitarian supplies.

The Maersk suspension of services commenced immediately from Tuesday and covers all Russian gateway ports.

“It is key for Maersk that we minimise supply chain disruption and do not add to the global congestion in ports and depots. For cargo already underway and bookings placed before this suspension was announced, we will do our utmost to deliver it to its intended destination. Consequently, we will still call Russia although we will not accept new bookings unless they belong in the exception categories mentioned above,” the statement reads.

“However, please expect significant delays as countries such as the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany are holding back vessels en route to Russia in search of restricted commodities, primarily dual-use items. The inspections of export and transshipment cargo bound for Russia are related to implementing procedures to comply with sanctions and export controls recently imposed by different jurisdictions.”

Other container lines to impose suspensions on shipping services to and from Russia include MSC, Hapag-Lloyd, and ONE (Ocean Network Express).

MSC said it has been closely monitoring the advice from governments about new sanctions, and has been operating shipping and inland services to and from Russia in full compliance with international sanctions measures.

Japanese container carrier ONE suspended its container services to and from Russia on Monday 28 February,

“Booking acceptance to and from St Petersburg, Russia is suspended with immediate effect until further notice whilst we evaluate the operational feasibility,” the Singapore-headquartered ONE said in a customer advisory.

The first of the line’s to react to the outbreak of hostilities was the German carrier, Hapag-Lloyd, which suspended bookings for Russia and sailings for Ukraine on Thursday 24 February.

The various international container liens employ hundreds of people in their respective Russian offices.

Cruise cancellations

Cruise ship operators have also begun suspending or cancelling cruises to or from Russia as it became inappropriate if not dangerous to continue with planned cruise schedules.

In the Baltic MSC Cruises suspended calls to St Petersburg in Russia involving four ships – MSC Grandiosa, MSC Grandiosa, MSC Poesia. The line is busy making arrangements with alternative ports in the Baltic, such as Stockholm, Helsinki and Tallinn.

Other operators and ships include Oceania Cruises (Insignia, Marina and Sirena) and Regent Seven Seas Cruises (Seven Seas Splendor, Seven Seas Navigator and Seven Seas Voyager) who are dropping all Russian ports for the rest of 2022.

Russian ships denied access to ports

In the United Kingdom Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has advised UK ports to deny access to “any Russian flagged, registered, owned, controlled, chartered or operated vessels.”

In a communication to the ports, Shapps said: “The maritime sector is fundamental to international trade and we must play our part in restricting Russia’s economic interests and holding the Russian government to account.” He called Russia’s invasion of Ukraine an “unprovoked, premeditated attack against a sovereign democratic state.”

He said the British government will “seek to support UK ports in identifying Russian ships within scope of the above, and will communicate directly with relevant ports when we identify ships bound for UK ports who fall within scope of the above.”

Reports say a number of Russian vessels were scheduled to call at UK ports in the coming days. One of these is a Russian-owned tanker, NS Champion, listed to call at the Flotta oil terminal in Orkney, Scotland on Tuesday 1 March. The tanker is owned by Russian majority state-owned Sovcomflot.

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WHARF TALK: gearless bulker in Cape Town – OCEAN PRINCE

Story by Jay Gates
Pictures by ‘Dockrat’

Cape Town harbour is not geared, excuse the pun, to work gearless bulk carriers, and certainly not those of Panamax size. Generally speaking, if a large gearless bulk carrier arrives at the port, it is in need of shoreside engineering support, or needs a bunker uplift whilst en-route to another destination. If it is the latter, they nearly always conduct a quick bunker uplift and then continue onwards with their voyage.

What they don’t normally do is arrive in a lightship condition, complete a bunker uplift, and then leave harbour merely to go to anchor for more than three weeks, and with no indication as to why it was that they took bunkers in the first place, as they appear not to have a destination to sail to. It would appear to be a case of ‘Table Bay for orders’.

Back on 4th February at 07h00 the Panamax gearless bulk carrier OCEAN PRINCE (IMO 9279771) arrived, in ballast, at the Table Bay anchorage, from Kakinada in India, where she had delivered a cargo of coal.

She remained out at anchor for just under two days, and then on 6th February at 05h00 she entered Cape Town harbour, and proceeded directly to the Eastern Mole in the Duncan Dock. This identified the fact that she had not arrived for maintenance support, but rather for an uplift of bunkers, and a stores replenishment.

Built in 2004 by the Tsuneishi Shipyard at Tadotsu in Japan, ‘Ocean Prince’ is 225 metres in length and has a deadweight of 76,423 tons. Any bulk carrier with a deadweight of between 65,000 and 80,000 tons falls into the Panamax category, due to their ability to fit into the original Panama Canal locks.

She is powered by a single Mitsui MAN-B&W 7S50ME-C 7 cylinder 2 stroke main engine producing 11,882 bhp (8,860 kW), which drives a fixed pitch propeller for a service speed of 14 knots. Her auxiliary machinery includes three Daihatsu 5DC-17 generators providing 400 kW each, and an emergency generator providing 80kW. She has an Osaka 183 composite boiler.

A gearless bulk carrier, ‘Ocean Prince’ has seven holds, with a cargo carrying capacity of 91,357 m3. She is known as a TESS 76 class of bulk carrier, where TESS is an acronym for Tsuneishi Economical Standard Ship, and 76 indicates her deadweight tonnage, i.e. 76,000 tons.

The TESS class bulk carrier has been quite a success story for the Tsuneishi shipbuilding group. The first TESS vessel built was a TESS 40, delivered in 1984, and by 2020 they had delivered their 500th vessel, a TESS 64. The TESS 76 version was first introduced in the late 1990s.

At the time of the introduction of the first TESS 76 vessel, it was considered to be the world’s largest Panamax class vessel by deadweight, and had the lowest fuel consumption of similar sized vessels. Tsuneishi claim to hold the Number 1 share in the world, for the construction of Panamax class bulk carriers.

Her stay in Cape Town was brief, at 30 hours, with her bunkers being provided by the bunker tanker ‘Al Safa’. At 11h00 on 7th February, Ocean Prince sailed from Cape Town, but instead of proceeding to her next loading port, she went straight back to the Table Bay anchorage, and there she has remained. As the first day of Meteorological Autumn begins in the Southern Hemisphere, which is 1 March to those who need to know, ‘Ocean Prince’ is beginning her fourth week lying idle at anchor of Cape Town.

Nominally owned by Coral Bay Shipping of Athens in Greece, ‘Ocean Prince is both operated by, and managed by, Oceanfleet Shipping Limited (OSL), also of Athens, and whose houseflag she displays on her funnel.

In her 18 year career, ‘Ocean Prince’ has received 55 port state inspections. One of those resulted in her port detention. When inspected at the Western Australia port of Kwinana, in March 2010, she was detained for one day. Her detention was for deficiencies found in her safety equipment maintenance, the availability of her firefighting equipment, and the readiness of her lifesaving apparatus.

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Ukraine and Russia poses a danger to ailing African economies: need for African refineries

South African Mineral Resources and Energy Minister, Gwede Mantashe, said Tuesday the current conflict between Ukraine and Russia poses a danger to ailing African economies.

The Minister was speaking at the Africa Energy Indaba.

“The present situation regarding Ukraine, that pits the Russian Federation against the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation [NATO] and its allies, threatens our already battered economies. It further postpones our reach for the Africa We Want,” Mantashe said.

The conflict between the two countries has reached its sixth day after the Russian military invaded Ukraine last week in a move which received widespread criticism and sanctions against the country.

Russia accounts for some 10% of crude oil supply globally and sanctions have severely disrupted exports subsequently leading to higher oil prices.

Widespread consequences

Mantashe said the violent conflict and supply disruptions have widespread consequences for South Africa.

“When the price of crude [oil] moved and reach US$100 a barrel, we didn’t read that in the research, we met it at the pump because we don’t have our own oil. We import it. Then when it is shooting up because of conflict in Ukraine, we pay for the price in the pump.

“[The] rising price of crude that translates in severely high fuel prices for our individual countries. The relief on fuel taxes, announced by our government in last week’s budget, is already corroded by the petrol costs,” he said.

The Minister said the conflict and other uncertainties in the “global supply and security of petroleum” must spur African countries on to own oil refinery infrastructure.

“Such capacity guarantees national security. For us, this is further hastened by global, multi-national companies that have signaled their intention to close refineries and import petroleum products into our country. Many other African countries are facing similar realities,” he said.

The minister spoke against a background of both refineries in Durban having shut down or intending to shut down production.

Joint venture partners Shell & BP signalled the intention to stop refining and instead import petroleum products in future, while the older nearby Engen refinery has already ceased production and is now a storage and distribution centre.

Meanwhile the Astron Energy refinery at Milnerton, Cape Town remains closed after several years, although its owners state their intention of reopening the refinery later this year.

Foster stronger ties

Most of South Africa’s petrol, diesel, jet fuel and other distillates are now imported directly from overseas refineries.

Mantashe encouraged African countries to “foster stronger ties” on oil and gas trade.

“Already, South Africa imports the bulk of its crude requirements from African producers, including Nigeria and Angola. There is ample opportunity for a massive expansion of gas trade, especially from the Gulf of Guinea and the broader West Coast of Africa, where we have many producers and some already exporting.

“We collaborate closely with the African Petroleum Producers Organisation and urge more meaningful engagement with this continental body,” Mantashe said.

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IN CONVERSATION: African states need a vision for relations with the Indo-Pacific

Yu-Shan Wu, University of Pretoria and Maxi Schoeman, University of Pretoria

This year sees the 25th anniversary of the Indian Ocean Rim Association. Nine of the organisation’s member states are African, ranging from Somalia in the north west to South Africa in the south. It also includes islands, such as Mauritius, off the western seaboard. It brings together governments, business and academics and researchers across the Indian Ocean Region.

Set up to strengthen regional cooperation and sustainable development, the association has grown from 14 member states initially in 1997 to 23 in 2022. It has adopted the ‘Blue Economy’ as a focus area. It is also increasingly paying attention to climate change and environmental issues as well as the regulation of fishing and other threats of growing importance to the maritime realm.

In recent years the organisation’s member states have increasingly been confronted by the geopolitical rivalry between China and the US in the mega-region, referred to as the Indo-Pacific.

The Indo-Pacific is home to more than half the world’s population and seven out of the 15 biggest economies in the world are located here.

For the US and its allies, who have largely appropriated the Indo-Pacific concept, the region is first and foremost of geo-economic concern. The economic interaction is crucial, as seen by the Build Back Better World initiative, although it remains vague on practicalities.

For China, the Indian Ocean forms an important part of the maritime component of its Belt and Road Initiative. This emphasises economic development over geopolitics.

That China is increasingly taking note of developments in the Western Indo-Pacific is reflected in the January 2022 Africa visit of foreign minister Wang Yi. His tour focused on Africa’s eastern seaboard. It included Eritrea, Kenya, and the Comoros (and even further afield to the Maldives and Sri Lanka).

The Indo-Pacific is crucial for the interests of all these states and their regional organisations or informal forums and alliances. The two oceans have been at the heart of world trade for centuries. An estimated 80% of the world’s oil is moved across the Indian Ocean.

In addition, oceans and coastal environments are becoming the next frontier of expansion for sustainable development. Fishing, mineral and energy sources and tourism are drawing investment as countries realise the potential in ocean and coastal resources.

And ownership of these resources may turn contentious. This was illustrated recently in the maritime boundary dispute between Kenya and Somalia.

Another reason for the growing importance of the Indo-Pacific is related to increased transnational organised crime. This includes human and drug trafficking, illegal fishing and harvesting and trafficking of wildlife and timber and the illicit trade in electronic waste.

Africa has been a long-time supporter of the idea of the Indian Ocean as a ‘zone of peace’. This was first confirmed in a UN resolution in 1971. But the current geopolitical contention in the Indo-Pacific is reminiscent of gunboat diplomacy and is raising many concerns.

What is clear, though, is that Africa and the littoral states in the western Indo-Pacific don’t have a vision for the super-region. The African Union’s 2050 Integrated Maritime Strategy could serve as a starting point. But even then, those states that are on the western Indo-Pacific need to think through their own interests in such a continental approach to this evolving super-region.

Growing importance of the region

The past few years have seen a spate of policy and strategy documents setting out the positions of organisations and states for the Indo-Pacific.

The ‘Quad’ – the informal alliance of the US, Japan, Australia and India – has already developed and formalised individual state strategic perspectives. Although their geographic imaginations of the Indo-Pacific vary. India and Australia are also big players in the Indian Ocean Rim Association.

ASEAN (the Association of Southeast Asian Nations), Indonesia, France and the European Union all have policy documents relating to the Indo-Pacific.

One logical explanation for Africa’s silence might lie in the fact that the focus of the Indian Ocean Rim Association from the start was economic development. Security concerns are a much more recent development. Yet, this is the organisation that perhaps best lends itself to African agency in developing common positions on the Indo-Pacific based on shared interests and principles.

Relations with external powers outside of the association are mostly bilateral. This is particularly true at the level at which infrastructure projects – including military bases – are negotiated.

Using the association for the development of a vision that reflects the African agenda would be ideal. This is because it provides a platform with global reach. More than half the members are from the central and eastern Indian Ocean, while several are members of ASEAN and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) organisation. In addition, the association’s dialogue partners include the US, China, Russia, the UK, Egypt, Germany, Italy, Turkey and South Korea.

But it all starts with a national vision. Since 2021, for instance, Kenya has began to formulate a position on the Indo-Pacific and explored the opportunity to work with partners such as India. But it has yet to put out a clear foreign policy statement or strategy document. Neither has South Africa.

The year ahead offers an excellent opportunity for states such as South Africa to develop its approach to the Indo-Pacific. How to steer a position that would serve the country and the continent’s interests in the context of these developments, has become a serious challenge. At the same time, it could promote a broader multilateral discussion within the African Union.

Failing to do so will mean that Africa will be running the risk, yet again, of being an onlooker while others make policy for the continent.

A developmental agenda remains important, yet there is an increasing realisation that there is no escaping the reality of an increasingly politicised and militarised region.

Yu-Shan Wu, Postdoctoral research fellow, University of Pretoria and Maxi Schoeman, Emeritus Professor of International Relations, University of Pretoria

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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UN Bodies call for further action to end seafarer crisis

From Geneva on 28 February it was reported that four UN organisations have called for continued global collaboration to address the crew change crisis that at times during the Covid-19 pandemic has left more than 400,000 seafarers stranded at sea.

In a JOINT STATEMENT issued on 28 February, the International Labour Organization (ILO), the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and the World Health Organization (WHO) say new challenges and variants of concern like Omicron threaten to worsen the plight of the world’s seafarers, who play a vital role in global trade.

They note that as Covid-19 travel restrictions eased and vaccination rates increased among maritime personnel, the humanitarian crisis at sea showed signs of improvement before the Omicron variant appeared.

According to the Neptune Declaration Crew Change Indicator, which is based on data from ten major ship managers employing some 90,000 seafarers, the percentage of seafarers on board vessels beyond their contracts decreased from 9% in July 2021 to 3.7% in December 2021.

But the share bounced back up to 4.2% by mid-January 2022. Following Omicron’s designation as a “variant of concern” (VOC), many countries quickly re-imposed measures such as travel bans that have affected the world’s seafarers, most of whom are from developing countries.

Restrictions to fight the spread of the pandemic have meant many seafarers could not leave ships. They remained stranded at sea far beyond the expiration of their work contracts and often beyond the default eleven-month maximum period of continuous service on board, as required by the Maritime Labour Convention of 2006.

Over 80% of the volume of global trade in goods is carried by sea. And throughout the pandemic, the world’s 1.9 million seafarers have played a vital role in keeping ships moving and ensuring critical goods such as food, medical equipment and vaccines are delivered.

Edited by Paul Ridgway
London

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World Shipping Council attacks President Biden speech ahead of State of the Union Address

In his annual State of the Union address later today (Tuesday), US president Joe Biden is expected to speak out against the world’s top container shipping companies. In July last year the Biden administration criticised the container alliances and their global market share of 80 per cent, indirectly accusing them of extorting exorbitant shipping rates post the outbreak of the Covid pandemic.

According to a White House media briefing given a day ahead of the speech, Biden will say that price increases threaten the US national economy. He will target the major container shipping alliances and will probably point to the enormous profits taken by these companies.

Biden is expected to announce a new large-scale collaboration between the US Department of Justice and the US Federal Maritime Commission (FMC), which will be aimed at securing competitiveness in the supply chains to the US market.

He will say that the new collaboration will seek to ensure “that large ocean freight companies cannot take advantage of US businesses and consumers,” reads a White House briefing prior to Biden’s speech Tuesday.

“The President is announcing an historic agreement between the Department of Justice and the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) to make sure that large ocean freight companies cannot take advantage of U.S. businesses and consumers,” the statement reads.

Alliances based on foreign companies

“Right now, three global alliances, made up entirely of foreign companies, control almost all of ocean freight shipping, giving them power to raise prices for American businesses and consumers, while threatening our national security and economic competitiveness.

“These companies have formed global alliances— groups of ocean carrier companies that work together— that now control 80% of global container ship capacity and control 95% of the critical East-West trade lines. This consolidation happened rapidly over the last decade. From 1996 to 2011, the leading three alliances operated only about 30% of global container shipping. Significant consolidation occurred in the years running up to the pandemic.”

“Since the beginning of the pandemic, these ocean carrier companies have been dramatically increasing shipping costs through rate increases and fees. They increased spot rates for freight shipping between Asia and the United States by 100% since January 2020, and increased rates for freight shipping between the United States and Asia by over 1,000% over the same period.

“Oftentimes cargo owners are charged fees— known as ‘detention and demurrage’ fees— even when they can’t get access to their containers to move them. The FMC estimates that from July to September of 2021, eight of the largest carriers charged customers fees totaling $2.2 billion— a 50% increase on the previous three-month period.”

Biden’s State of the Union speech will be delivered today, 1 March at 21h00 EST.

WSC reaction

In response to Biden’s expected comments, the World Shipping Council (WSC), which claims to speak on behalf of liner shipping, calls the attack on the container carriers a mistake.

“It is unfortunate that the President is demonizing ocean carriers, the industry that is the backbone of the U.S. and global economy and that has been working around the clock through the pandemic to move more cargo than at any time in history.

The WSC says allegations that the container shipping industry is highly concentrated and uncompetitive are factually incorrect. “Ocean carriers actively compete against one another in the global marketplace, including on the shipping lanes most relevant for U.S. trade, while concentration levels in many other U.S. industries are markedly higher than those in container shipping.”

The lobby organisation says that the numbers show that container shipping is a very competitive industry. “Regulators in the U.S. and Europe have repeatedly and recently confirmed that this is the case.”

– trh

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Tanker Tresta Star aground off Reunion starts breaking up, as salvors walk away over payment

The salvage team assembled on the Indian Ocean island of Reunion has abandoned the project of salvaging the bunker tanker TRESTA STAR, which went aground on the south-eastern corner of the island during the passing of Cyclone Batsirai on 3 February.

See the report in Africa Ports & Ships by CLICKING HERE and also reported HERE

The crew of the vessel were safely evacuated via a zip line rigged between the tanker and the shore.

The reason why the salvage people from the Chinese Lianyungang Dali Underwater Engineering company and the Greek firm Polygreen, have abandoned the salvage and are leaving the island is reported to be a default in payment by the Indian ship owner, Tresta Trading.

Meanwhile, the small tanker has now developed a widening breach on the port side of the vessel, the side exposed to the open sea and waves that have crashed constantly across the vessel.

The starboard side of Tresta Star lies firmly on the black rocks of the island.

The hole in the port side is said to be several metres in length, through which the sea is entering the ship and further damaging its structure.

The Préfet of Reunion Island, Jacques Billant, says it is feared that, with parts of the hull breaking away due to the pounding of the waves, that the vessel may move off the rocks and sink on the spot.

There are also reports of an oily substance being discharged from the tanker, which was empty of cargo but carrying a small quantity of its own engine room fuel when the Tresta Star went aground.

“A trail of brownish water, symptomatic of an oily substance emulsified with sea water is the proof of a sea pollution,” said Billant.

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WHARF TALK: different class of tanker – FAIRCHEM FORTITUDE

Story by Jay Gates
Pictures by ‘Dockrat’

The regular flow of product tankers in to South African ports is generally limited to those of the MR class for all ports, or the LR class for Durban and Cape Town. But of course there are other classes of tankers designed to carry base oils, such as edible oils. Occasionally, the product being imported is in such small quantities, compared to fuel products, that the tanker falls outside that of the MR or LR class.

On 19th February at 08h00 the fully laden Handy tanker FAIRCHEM FORTITUDE (IMO 9805810) arrived off Cape Town, from Varna in Bulgaria, and proceeded into Cape Town harbour, to berth at the small tanker berth in the Duncan Dock. A tanker arrival from any port in Bulgaria, which is not known as a fuel producer, fuel exporter, or fuel storage terminal, is a clue that she was probably not carrying fuel products.

Built in 2020 at Shin Kurushima shipyard at Onishi in Japan, as one of two sisterships, ‘Fairchem Fortitude’ is 159 metres in length and has a deadweight of 25,995 tons. As she falls below 35,000 dwt, she is below that of an MR1 class tanker, and falls into the Handy class of tankers. She is powered by a single MAN-B&W 6S50ME-B9 6 cylinder 2 stroke main engine producing 12,342 bhp (9,078 kW), to drive a fixed pitch propeller for a service speed of 15 knots.

She has 26 cargo tanks, and a cargo carrying capacity of 29,152 m3. She had arrived at Cape Town with a near full load of 24,000 tons of refined sunflower oil. The cargo was made up of a small parcel of 3,000 tons, and a major parcel of 21,000 tons. Her discharge is Cape Town was completed in only 27 hours, which indicates the smaller parcel was bound for the Cape, and at 11h00 on 20th February, ‘Fairchem Fortitude’ sailed from Cape Town, bound for Durban.

After a three day passage, she arrived at Durban on 23rd February at 19h00, and she entered Durban harbour, going alongside Island View 4 to continue her South African coastal discharge. Her offload in Durban was a major parcel of sunflower oil, as she remained alongside for over three and a half days, finally sailing at 11h00 on 27th February.

Nominally owned by Grace Ocean Pte. Ltd. of Singapore, ‘Fairchem Fortitude’ is operated by Fairchem Chemical Carriers, of Wilton in Connecticut in the USA, whose houseflag she flies on her funnel. She is managed by Synergy Navis Marine Pte. Ltd. of Pune in India.

Her operators, Fairchem Chemical Carriers, operate a large fleet of specialised chemical and edible oil tankers, for the carriage of IMO 2/3 cargoes. The company also operates a class of four chemical tankers, known as the South African Flower class, and named as Fairchem Fynbos, Fairchem Restio, Fairchem Rooibos and Fairchem Protea. They also manage their African operations from an office in Glenwood, Durban.

That ‘Fairchem Fortitude’ arrived with a full load of Sunflower Oil, from Bulgaria, is neither an unusual occurrence, nor the first such cargo from Bulgaria in the last year. Bulgaria is the fourth largest producer of Sunflower Oil in the world, with 3.4% of the world export market, valued at US$293.1 million (ZAR4.51 billion) per annum to the Bulgarian economy.

The number one exporter of Sunflower Oil in the world is Ukraine, with a market that covers a massive 54.5% of the world’s demand, at an annual value to the Ukrainian economy of US$4.71 billion (ZAR72.42 billion). With Russia being the second largest exporter, it remains to be seen how the current imperial expedition by Russia against Ukraine will affect the 2022 crop. The two largest export markets for Ukrainian Sunflower oil are India and China, in that order.

The actual cargo of ‘Fairchem Fortitude’ was provided by Oliva AD, based in Sofia, who are the largest processor of oilseeds in Bulgaria. The Sunflower Oil is shipped by rail directly to the PCHMV Base Oil Terminal in the Port of Varna. The terminal has sixteen tanks, of which three are set aside solely for the storage of Sunflower Oil, offering a storage capacity of 5,332 m3 for the oil. The oil is loaded via a pipeline, that connects the storage terminal in the port to the adjacent tanker berth. The single berth is capable of handling vessels only of Handy size.

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Five essential commodities that will be hit by war in Ukraine

Sarah Schiffling, Liverpool John Moores University and Nikolaos Valantasis Kanellos, Technological University Dublin

The war in Ukraine is threatening further disruption to already stretched supply chains. Ukraine and Russia may only account for a small proportion of the imports of major manufacturing nations like Germany and the US, but they are essential suppliers of raw materials and energy for many crucial supply chains.

Though the economic consequences of a war that threatens the lives and livelihoods of many Ukrainians will always be secondary to the looming humanitarian crisis, here are five areas likely to see trouble ahead:

1. Energy

Many European countries are heavily dependent on Russian energy, particularly gas through several vital pipelines, and this may have coloured their approach to the crisis. Russian gas reliance has been suggested as the reason Europe has been reluctant to remove Russia from the international payments system SWIFT, for example, though it’s worth pointing out that the Germans have indefinitely suspended new Baltic gas pipeline Nord Stream 2.

While a complete suspension of Russian gas flows is unlikely at the moment, even small disruptions will have a significant impact. Global gas reserves are low due to the pandemic and energy prices are already rising sharply, impacting consumers and industry.

Natural gas price (UK spot, pence per therm unit of heat energy)

With gas an essential input to many supply chains, disruptions to such a fundamental supply will have widespread economic consequences. When gas prices first surged in autumn of 2021, for instance, fertiliser plants in the UK shut down as high energy cost made production untenable. This led to shortages of carbon dioxide, which is essential for everything from medical procedures to keeping food fresh. Such consequences are likely to magnify with rising oil and gas prices.

2. Food

Global food prices already rose sharply during 2021 due to everything from higher energy prices to climate change. Food producers are likely to come under further pressure as prices of key inputs rise now.

Russia and Ukraine together account for more than a quarter of global wheat exports, while Ukraine alone makes up almost half of exports of sunflower oil. Both are key commodities used in many food products. If harvesting and processing is hindered in a war-torn Ukraine, or exports are blocked, importers will struggle to replace supplies.

Some countries are particularly dependent on grain from Russia and Ukraine. For example, Turkey and Egypt rely on them for almost 70% of their wheat imports. Ukraine is also the top supplier of corn to China.

Wheat prices (US$/bushel)

Stepping up production in other parts of the world could help to reduce the impact of interruptions to food supplies. However, Russia is also a main supplier of key ingredients for fertilisers, so trade sanctions could affect production elsewhere. Meanwhile, we can also expect diversions to trade flows: China has already said it will begin importing Russian wheat, for instance.

3. Transport

With global transport already severely disrupted in the aftermath of the pandemic, a war could create further problems. The transport modes likely to be affected are ocean shipping and rail freight.

Since 2011, regular rail freight links between China and Europe have been established. Recently, the 50,000th train made the journey. While rail carries only a small proportion of the total freight between Asia and Europe, it has played a vital role during recent transport disruptions and is growing steadily.

Trains are now being rerouted away from Ukraine, and rail freight experts are currently optimistic that disruptions will be kept to a minimum. However, countries like Lithuania are expecting to see their rail traffic severely affected by sanctions against Russia.

Even prior to the invasion, ship owners started to avoid Black Sea shipping routes, and insurance providers demanded notification of any such voyages. Although container shipping in the Black Sea is a relatively niche market on the global scale, one of the largest container terminals is Odessa. If this is cut off by Russian forces, the effects on Ukrainian imports and exports could be considerable, with potentially drastic humanitarian consequences.

Rising oil prices due to the war are a worry to shipping more generally. Freight rates are already extremely high and could rise even further.

There is also a worry that cyber attacks could target global supply chains. As trade is highly dependent on online information exchange, this could have far-reaching consequences if key shipping lines or infrastructure are targeted. The ripple effects from a supply chain cyber attack can be enormous.

4. Metals

Russia and Ukraine lead the global production of metals such as nickel, copper and iron. They are also largely involved in the export and manufacture of other essential raw materials like neon, palladium and platinum.

Fears of sanctions on Russia have increased the price of these metals. With palladium, for example, the current trading price of almost US$2,700 per ounce, up over 80% since mid-December. Palladium is used for everything from automotive exhaust systems and mobile phones to dental fillings. The prices of nickel and copper, which are used in manufacturing and building respectively, have also also been soaring.

The aerospace industries of the US, Europe and Britain also depend on supplies of titanium from Russia. Boeing and Airbus have already approached alternative suppliers. However, the market share and product base of leading Russian supplier VSMPO-AVISMA make it impossible to fully diversify away from it, with some of the aerospace manufacturers having signed long-term supply contracts up to 2028.

For all these materials, we can expect disruptions and potential shortages, threatening to lead to increased prices for many products and services.

5. Microchips

Shortages of microchips were a major problem throughout 2021. Some analysts had been predicting that this problem would ease in 2022, but recent developments might dampen such optimism.

As part of the sanctions towards Russia, the US has been threatening to cut off Russia’s supply of microchips. But this rings hollow when Russia and Ukraine are such key exporters of neon, palladium and platinum, all of which are critical for microchip production.

About 90% of neon, which is used for chip lithography, originates from Russia, and 60% of this is purified by one company in Odessa. Alternative sources will require long term investments prior to being able to supply the global market.

Chip manufacturers currently hold an excess of two to four weeks’ additional inventory, but any prolonged supply disruption caused by military action in Ukraine will severely impact the production of semiconductors and products dependent on them, including cars.

Sarah Schiffling, Senior Lecturer in Supply Chain Management, Liverpool John Moores University and Nikolaos Valantasis Kanellos, Lecturer in Logistics, Technological University Dublin

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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Port of Douala to build bypass roads for easy access & security

Cameroon’s Port of Douala is planning to build bypass roads in order to better facilitate access to the port.

The Douala port is the main gateway to goods being shipped into the country.

No details have been provided about the bypass roads, which are considered important in the port avoiding congestion.

In connection with the roads project, Cyrus Ngo’o, the managing director of the Port Autonome de Douala (PAD), Cameroon’s port authority, has again called on those who are illegally occupying land belonging to the port, asking them to remove themselves as soon as possible.

If this request to move off PAD property is again ignored, the offenders will be forcefully evicted, PAD has warned.

According to Ngo’o, the construction and rehabilitation of roads in and out of the Port of Douala are necessary not only for ease of access but will help improve port security, access control, and to improve the safety of ships, goods, and personnel working within the precinct.

He said that overall, the project will help fight corruption and fraud that seriously damaged the port’s image in the past. source: Business in Cameroon

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NATO Allies boost support to Ukraine

NATO Allies are boosting their political and practical support to Ukraine as it continues to defend itself against Russia’s full-scale invasion.

Thousands of anti-tank weapons, hundreds of air-defence missiles and thousands of small arms and ammunition stocks are being sent to Ukraine.

Allies are also providing millions of Euros worth of financial assistance and humanitarian aid, including medical supplies to help Ukrainian forces. This news was issued by NATO on 27 February.

Significant deliveries of equipment

Belgium, Canada, the Czech Republic, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, the United Kingdom and the United States have already sent or are approving significant deliveries of military equipment to Ukraine.

Ukraine has already received critical weapons, including Javelin missiles and anti-aircraft missiles, from NATO Allies, as well as millions of Euros of financial assistance.

Humanitarian aid offered

Albania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Denmark, Hungary, Iceland, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, the United Kingdom and the United States are offering humanitarian aid or opening their borders to Ukrainian refugees.

Croatia, Poland and Romania are already welcoming Ukrainian refugees. Italy is also providing immediate financial assistance to the Ukrainian government, and Turkey has deepened its defence ties with Ukraine and offered humanitarian aid.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said: ‘I welcome that Allies are stepping up to support Ukraine, with additional military equipment, financial assistance and humanitarian aid. Self-defence is a right enshrined in the UN Charter, and Allies are helping Ukraine uphold that right. This sends a clear message of NATO’s full support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.’

These additional contributions build on many years of NATO assistance to Ukraine. NATO has helped to train, fund and reform Ukraine’s armed forces and defence institutions since 2014. In the current crisis, the Alliance is helping to coordinate Ukraine’s requests for assistance and is supporting Allies in the delivery of humanitarian and non-lethal aid.

To quote NATO Secretary General on 24 February: ‘NATO and the EU stand with the brave people of Ukraine.’

Edited by Paul Ridgway
London

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Unconfirmed report says Russian Navy detains two Ukrainian merchant ships

An as yet unverified report from the Ukrainian government states that two Ukrainian ships, the bulk carriers PRINCESS NICOLE (IMO 8319392) and AFINA (IMO 8029272) have been apprehended by a ship or ships of the Russian Navy and forced to sail to a position 18 n.miles north-west of Sevastopol on the Crimea Peninsula.

The report states the two bulkers were intercepted in proximity to Snake Island while sailing in Romanian waters from the port of Constanta. This, the report says, is in defiance with norms and convention of international law.

The Afina was 22n.miles off Ukraine’s Snake island on Saturday when the ship received a command to approach a Russian warship for inspection. The shipowner of the Athena immediately informed all the competent authorities in Ukraine.

It is believed that a second ship, the Princess Nicole, was similarly captured and ordered to Crimean waters. Both turned off their AIS shortly after the approach by the Russian ship and further communication ceased.

On Sunday morning their respective AIS were turned back on, showing them to be drifting 18 n.miles off Sevastopol.

The Ukraine statement condemned both incidents for acts of piracy under the guise of a self-proclaimed counter-terrorist operation. The statement continues that the vessels have 50 civilians on board, as well as thousands of tons of diesel fuel and grain.  source: Ukrainian Government & Dryad Global

Act of defiance

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The global shipping workforce: Russian and Ukrainian seafarers’ contributions

On 24 February the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS), representing 80% of the world’s merchant fleet, warned of supply chain disruption should the free movement of Ukrainian and Russian seafarers be impeded.

The Seafarer Workforce Report *, published in 2021 by BIMCO and ICS, reports that 1.89 million seafarers are currently operating over 74,000 vessels in the global merchant fleet.

Of this total workforce, 198,123 (10.5%) of seafarers are Russian of which 71,652 are officers and 126,471 are ratings. Ukraine accounts for 76,442 (4%) of seafarers of which 47,058 are officers and 29,383 are ratings. Combined they represent 14.5% of the global workforce.

Shipping is currently responsible for the movement of near 90% of global trade. Seafarers have been at the forefront of the response to the pandemic, ensuring essential supplies of food, fuel and medicine continue to reach their destinations.

Importance of crew change stressed

To maintain this unfettered trade, seafarers must be able to join and disembark ships (crew change) freely across the world. With flights cancelled in the region, this will become increasingly difficult. The ability to pay seafarers also needs to be maintained via international banking systems.

ICS has previously warned of a shortage of merchant sailors to crew commercial ships if action is not taken to boost numbers, raising risks for global supply chains. This has been compounded by draconian travel restrictions, brought on by the pandemic, that saw seafarers unable to crew change and resulted in hundreds of thousands overstaying contracted periods at sea.

Mix of nationalities and languages

Research carried out by ICS reported that the average ship has a mix of at least three nationalities on board, and sometimes as many as thirty. Three languages were the minimum spoken on the average ship.

Guy Platten, Secretary General of the International Chamber of Shipping commented: ‘The safety of our seafarers is our absolute priority. We call on all parties to ensure that seafarers do not become the collateral damage in any actions that governments or others may take.

‘Seafarers have been at the forefront of keeping trade flowing though the pandemic and we hope that all parties will continue to facilitate free passage of goods and these key workers at this time.’

* SEE HERE

Edited by Paul Ridgway
London

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Ukraine – IMO Secretary-General speaks of shipping & seafarers

“Shipping, particularly seafarers, cannot be collateral victims in a larger political and military crisis – they must be safe and secure”

Shortly after 12h00 GMT on 26 February IMO Secretary-General Kitack Lim issued a statement:

“As the humanitarian crisis continues to unfold in Ukraine, I fully support and stand with UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ call for hostilities to cease immediately.

“I am gravely concerned about the spill over effects of the military action in Ukraine on global shipping, and logistics and supply chains, in particular the impacts on the delivery of commodities and food to developing nations and the impacts on energy supplies.

“Along with the people of Ukraine, innocent ships, seafarers and port workers engaged in legitimate trade should not be adversely impacted by this growing crisis.

“Shipping, particularly seafarers, cannot be collateral victims in a larger political and military crisis – they must be safe and secure.”

Reported by Paul Ridgway
London

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WHARF TALK: specialised offshore support ship – NORMAND NAVIGATOR

Story by Jay Gates
Pictures by ‘Dockrat’

It would seem that the season for the large specialised offshore support ships may be underway as the South African coast is seeing a lot of transit traffic of them proceeding from one offshore sector to another, with West Africa, Brazil and South East Asia showing the most movement.

That means that the Cape gets to see some of these behemoth, yet beautiful, vessels, and especially those naval architect designs that put the offshore market way ahead of the run of the mill designs. Recently an example of an Ulstein X-Bow vessel passed through, and now a lovely example of the equally characteristic Vard Optimised Bow has made an appearance.

On 24th February at 0500 the large Field Support Vessel NORMAND NAVIGATOR (IMO 9687356) arrived off Cape Town, from Singapore, and immediately entered Cape Town harbour. She went alongside the Landing Wall which is an indicator that she requires some shoreside engineering, and maintenance, support whilst en-route to her next contract role.

Entering service in 2015, the hull of ‘Normand Navigator’ was built in Vard Tulcea SA shipyard at Tulcea in Rumania, and she was towed around to the Vard Langsten shipyard at Tomrefjord in Norway for outfitting and completion. She is 143 metres in length and has a deadweight of 9,200 tons. She is a Vard 3-07 design, and her pedigree shows in her characteristic Vard optimised hull form and bow shape.

She is of diesel electric propulsion, and has four Bergens Rolls-Royce B32:40L9P 9 cylinder 4 stroke main engines producing 5,700 bhp (4,190 kW) each, driving two AZP120 nozzled, azimuth propellers, providing 2,500 kW each, and a centreline 86A/41B propeller, providing 3,700 kW for a service speed of 11 knots, and a maximum transit speed of 17 knots. She has a Scania DI12 emergency generator providing 240 kW, and a further Cummins QSK38M harbour generator providing 974 kW.

For additional manoeuvrability, ‘Normand Navigator’ has three bow TT2650 transverse thrusters providing 1,900 kW each, and a forward TCNS92/62 azimuthing thruster providing 2,000 kW. All of this propulsive power gives her the highest DP3 dynamic positioning classification, all managed by a Rolls-Royce DP system.

Her aft deck area covers 1,800 m2, and she can carry a load of 5,850 tons on deck. Her main offshore crane is a NOV 350 ton crane, capable of operating down to a depth of 3,000 metres. This is supported by a NOV 50 ton crane, also capable of operating down to 3,000 metres. She operates up to three Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs), with one utilising an internal 7.2m x 7.2m moonpool, and two further ROVs from two hangars, located on each side of the vessel.

All of this allows ‘Normand Navigator’ to be utilised for subsea construction, inspection, maintenance and repair (IMR) operations, drilling support and intervention for subsea umbilicals, risers and flowlines (SURF) operations. To conduct these operations, she has accommodation for 130 persons. She has a helideck of 26 metres, which allows for operations by helicopters up to Sikorsky S-92A in size.

Built at a cost of US$109 million (ZAR1.65 billion), ‘Normand Navigator’ was named by the Royal Institute of Naval Architects (RINA) as one of their ‘Significant Ships of 2015). Owned by Solstad Rederi AS of Skudeneshavn in Norway, she is operated by Solstad Offshore ASA, and managed by Solstad Shipping AS, also of Skudeneshavn.

On entering service in 2015, ‘Normand Navigator’ immediately went on contract in West Africa, and from 2017 to 2020 she remained under contract to Total Congo, operating out of Pointe Noire as a field support vessel. In November 2020 she transferred to Eastern India, where she remained until August 2021. From there she proceeded to Malaysia until December 2021.

Her operating base in Malaysia was in Eastern Malaysia, from the Malaysian Federal Territory of Labuan, located off the island of Borneo. Interestingly, a glimpse into the British colonial past of this part of Malaysia, and of North Borneo itself, is that the capital city of Labuan Territory is still called Victoria.

From Labuan, ‘Normand Navigator’ positioned back to Singapore to demobilize, prior to her Indian Ocean transit to Cape Town. It is expected that on completion of her scheduled works in Cape Town, that she will mobilise once more for a contract in West Africa.

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SA calls for Russian withdrawal from Ukraine

South Africa on Friday 25 February urged Russia to withdraw its forces from the Ukraine amidst the conflict between the countries.

“South Africa calls on Russia to immediately withdraw its forces from Ukraine in line with the United Nations Charter, which enjoins all member states to settle their international disputes by peaceful means in such a manner that international peace and security, and justice are not endangered,” said the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) on Thursday.

This as Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a “military operation” in the Ukraine in a televised statement earlier on Thursday.

South Africa expressed its dismay at the escalation of the conflict in Ukraine.

“South Africa emphasises respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of states.

“As a nation birthed through negotiation, South Africa is always appreciative of the potential dialogue has in averting a crisis and de-escalating conflict. In line with our strong commitment to the peaceful resolution of conflict, South Africa urges all parties to devote increased efforts to diplomacy and to find a solution that will help avert further escalation.”

It added that the armed conflict will result in human suffering and destruction, the effects of which will not only affect Ukraine but also reverberate across the world.

“We regret that the situation has deteriorated despite calls for diplomacy to prevail,” said DIRCO which also highlighted that no country is immune to the effects of this conflict.

“As the United Nation Secretary-General has indicated, the conflict will have a huge impact on the global economy in a moment when we are emerging from the COVID-19 pandemic and so many developing countries need to have space for the recovery.”

DIRCO said the door of diplomacy should never be closed even as conflict has broken out.

“We also urge all parties to approach the situation in a spirit of compromise, with all sides respecting international law. In light of the escalating conflict, we call on all parties to resume diplomatic efforts to find a solution to the concerns raised expressed by Russia.”

South Africa also called on all parties to uphold and protect human rights and abide by their obligations in terms of international law and international humanitarian law.

“South Africa continues to support and encourage regional initiatives such as the Minsk Agreements, and we welcome the work of the Normandy Format, the Trilateral Contact Group and the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).”

In addition, the South African government has called on the United Nations Security Council to play its role in the search for peace.

The Security Council remains the primary body tasked with the mandate to maintain international peace and security and it must exercise its responsibility fully in this regard.

“We also believe that the Good Offices of the UN Secretary-General could also make a positive contribution in finding a lasting solution to this conflict.”

Meanwhile, the South African Embassy in Kyiv is monitoring developments closely and is also assisting South African nationals in Ukraine.

It’s reported that SA President Cyril Ramaphosa was not consulted about this communique and is said to be unhappy with its strong tone calling for Russian military to withdraw. The release from DIRCO was overseen by international relations minister Naledi Pandor. It’s understood that the presidency now intends issuing its own statement.

Even when the ANC government gets something right, it will still manage to turn it into another cock-up (pardon the language -trh).

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France intercepts Russian-bound ship in English Channel

Dryad Global relays a report from Federal News Network that French naval forces have intercepted a cargo ship sailing under the Russian flag and escorted it to the port of Boulogne-Sur-Mer for an investigation.

The interception of the car carrying ship, early Saturday (26 February), was triggered by financial sanctions levied days ago against Russia for its invasion of the Ukraine. Maritime spokesperson Veronique Magnin said it appeared to be the first such action in the English Channel.

The 127-metre long ship was headed from Rouen, in Normandy, to Saint Petersburg, and was stopped near Honfleur, Magnin said.

Customs officials carrying out the investigation were verifying if the vessel is indeed linked to Russian financial interests, the spokesperson said. The process could take up to 48 hours.

The French government has given maritime officials the power to intercept vessels suspected of contravening the sanctions, she said.  source: Federal News Network

Dryad adds that the vessel has been identified as the MV BALTIC LEADER (IMO 9220639). The vessel is understood to be registered to TransMorFlot LLC with a registered commercial manager as PSB Leasing LLC. The vessel had a reported destination of St. Petersburg.

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IN CONVERSATION: How Russia-Ukraine conflict could influence Africa’s food supplies

Wandile Sihlobo, Stellenbosch University

No man qualifies as a statesman who is entirely ignorant of the problems of wheat.

The words of the ancient Greek philosopher, Socrates.

Wheat and other grains are back at the heart of geopolitics following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Both countries play a major role in the global agricultural market. African leaders must pay attention.

There is significant agricultural trade between countries on the continent and Russia and Ukraine. African countries imported agricultural products worth US$4 billion from Russia in 2020. About 90% of this was wheat, and 6% was sunflower oil. Major importing countries were Egypt, which accounted for nearly half of the imports, followed by Sudan, Nigeria, Tanzania, Algeria, Kenya and South Africa.

Similarly, Ukraine exported US$2.9 billion worth of agricultural products to the African continent in 2020. About 48% of this was wheat, 31% maize, and the rest included sunflower oil, barley, and soybeans.

Russia and Ukraine are substantial players in the global commodities market. Russia produces about 10% of global wheat while Ukraine accounts for 4%. Combined, this is nearly the size of the European Union’s total wheat production. The wheat is for domestic consumption and well as export markets. Together the two countries account for a quarter of global wheat exports. In 2020 Russia accounted for 18%, and Ukraine 8%.

Both countries are also notable players in maize, responsible for a combined maize production of 4%. However, Ukraine and Russia’s contribution is even more significant in exports, accounting for 14% of global maize exports in 2020. Both countries are also among the leading producers and exporters of sunflower oil. In 2020, Ukraine’s sunflower oil exports accounted for 40% of global exports, with Russia accounting for 18% of global sunflower oil exports.

Russia’s military action has caused panic among some analysts. The fear is that intensifying conflict could disrupt trade with significant consequences for global food stability.

I share these concerns, particularly the consequences of big rises in the price of global grains and oilseed. They have been among the key drivers of global food price rises since 2020. This has been primarily because of dry weather conditions in South America and Indonesia that resulted in poor harvests combined with rising demand in China and India.

Disruption in trade, because of the invasion, in the significant producing region of the Black Sea would add to elevated global agricultural commodity prices – with potential knock on effects for global food prices. A rise in commodities prices was already evident just days into the conflict.

This is a concern for the African continent, which is a net importer of wheat and sunflower oil. On top of this there are worries about drought in some regions of the continent. Disruption to shipments of commodities would add to the general worries of food price inflation in a region that’s an importer of wheat.

What to expect

The scale of the potential upswing in the global grains and oilseed prices will depend on the magnitude of disruption and the length of time that trade will be affected.

For now, this can be viewed as an upside risk to global agricultural commodity prices, which are already elevated. In January 2022, the FAO Food Price Index averaged 136 points up by 1% from December 2021 – its highest since April 2011.

Vegetable oils and dairy products mainly underpinned the increases.

In the days ahead of Russia’s move, there was a spike in the international prices of a number of commodities. These included maize (21%), wheat (35%), soybeans (20%), and sunflower oil (11%) compared to the corresponding period a year ago. This is noteworthy as 2021 prices were already elevated.

From an African agriculture perspective, the impact of the war will be felt in the near term through the global agriculture commodity prices channel.

A rise in prices will be beneficial for farmers. For grain and oilseed farmers, the surge in prices presents an opportunity for financial gains. This will be particularly welcome given higher fertiliser costs which have strained farmers’ finances.

The Russia-Ukraine conflict also comes at a time when the drought in South America and rising demand for grains and oilseeds in India and China has put pressure on prices.

But rising commodity prices are bad news for consumers who have already experienced food price rises over the past two years.

The Russia-Ukraine conflict means that pressure on prices will persist. The two countries are major contributors to global grain supplies. The impact on prices from developments affecting their output cannot be understated.

Some countries on the continent, such as South Africa, benefit from exporting fruit to Russia. In 2020 Russia accounted for 7% of South Africa’s citrus exports in value terms. And it accounted for 12% of South Africa’s apples and pears exports in the same year – the country’s second largest market.

But from Africa’s perspective, Russia and Ukraine’s agricultural imports from the continent are marginal – averaging only US$1,6 billion in the past three years. The dominant products are fruits, tobacco, coffee, and beverages in both countries.

Ripple effects

Every agricultural role-player is keeping an eye on the developments in the Black Sea region. The impact will be felt in other regions, such as the Middle East and Asia, which also import a substantial volume of grains and oilseeds from Ukraine and Russia. They too will be directly affected by the disruption in trade.

There is still a lot that’s not known about the geopolitical challenges that lie ahead. But for African countries there are reasons to be worried given their dependency for grains imports. In the near term, countries are likely see the impact through a surge in prices, rather than an actual shortage of the commodities. Other wheat exporting countries such as Canada, Australia and the US stand to benefit from any potential near term surge in demand.

Ultimately, the goal should be to deescalate the conflict. Russia and Ukraine are deeply embedded in the world’s agricultural and food markets. This is not only through supplies but also through agricultural inputs such as oil and fertiliser.

Wandile Sihlobo, Senior Fellow, Department of Agricultural Economics, Stellenbosch University

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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Nigeria importing large quantities of petrol to address shortage

According to a report posted in the West African country, Nigeria is receiving abnormally large quantities of petrol, some 1.7 million tonnes in February alone (2.3 billion litres).

This unusually large import is a result of the need to restore reserve stocks of a month’s supply for the West African country.

By way of comparison, this exceeds the amount of petrol held in reserve by independent storage companies in the Amsterdam/Rotterdam/Antwerp trading hub, says a report in Bloomberg.

Apparently the reason for this over-large import is that an earlier batch imported contained too much methanol, making it unsuitable for domestic use and resulting in lengthy queues at petrol stations across the country.

On Saturday (26 February), angry motorists were still pointing fingers towards the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) for not only the shortages at the pumps but also for misinformation about the problem.

Motorists including taxi operators said the federal government should take the necessary steps to address the problem. They said the shortages did not augur well for Nigeria’s economy.

The federal government should address the problem with urgency, they said.

YouTube video: Nigeria’s petrol shortage – House of Reps discusses [2:22]

and….

YouTube video: Economy Bleeds As Fuel Scarcity Persists Across Nigeria [13:52]

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Chinese trawlers with forged documents threatening Madagascar’s waters

A fleet of Chinese vessels which was previously caught fishing illegally in West Africa has been approved for trawling by the Malagasy authorities. Under Malagasy regulations, no vessel with a history of illegal fishing should be allowed to fish in the country’s waters unless there is proof of a change in ownership. However, vessel documents used by the ships, which were obtained by the Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF), appear to be forged, raising major issues regarding the ownership of the trawlers.

EJF has urged the Malagasy government to safeguard local livelihoods and food security by rescinding the licences before the trawl season begins in March.

Madagascar’s industrial shrimp trawling season

Madagascar’s industrial shrimp trawling season is expected to begin 1 March, with exports geared toward markets in Europe, North America and China. The Chinese fleet in question, made up of eight vessels, is understood to have entered Madagascar under a licence issued to Mada Fishery, a company linked to Chinese ownership that registered in Madagascar just last year.

In 2020, authorities in the Gambia arrested three of the fleet — Gorde 105, Gorde 106, and Gorde 107 — for fishing illegally in waters reserved for small-scale fishers. Two of the three were also ‘double-bagging’ their nets, in violation of Gambian fisheries regulations.

The vessels’ journey to Madagascar, which was facilitated in part by the Chinese navy, was punctuated by a stop in the Seychelles in May 2021, when they anchored without permission and were brought in for inspection. At the time, the captains produced documents to claim that they had legitimate business in the region; however, EJF has now found that the documents were forged, raising questions about the vessels’ true identity.

EJF found that the identification numbers were invalid for each of the four Gorde boats (105-108) in the Chinese vessel registration certificates. The numbers in fact correspond to a separate fleet of ships. The Gorde vessel documents, which state they were issued by the Chinese government in 2019, list a company called Shandong Roncheng Dafa Fisheries Co Ltd as the owner. However, no such company is listed in Chinese records.

Likewise, the Unified Social Credit Identifier — a unique number assigned to each corporation in China — does not correspond to any existing companies. Similarly, the vessel codes, a 16-digit identifier number used by the Chinese government for fishing vessels, appear to be incorrect. Furthermore, the documents state that the Gorde ships are licensed by the Chinese government to fish in its territorial waters, not abroad, and a separate set of ship documents issued by China, known as International Tonnage Certificates, are unsigned by the relevant authorities.

When intercepted in the Seychelles, the Gorde ships also displayed the same Call Sign as one another on their hulls and in their documents, further obfuscating their identity.

Madagascar fisheries code

The Madagascar fisheries code states that the fisheries ministry ‘must refuse’ to grant a licence to any foreign vessel that ‘has in the past participated in illegal, unregulated or unreported fishing operations.

“Madagascar’s government should adhere to its well-designed fisheries code and investigate and suspend the licences of all Mada Fishery vessels linked to illegal fishing,” said Steve Trent, CEO of the Environmental Justice Foundation.

“It is vital that the Fisheries Ministry acts now, before the trawl season begins, to protect the livelihoods and food security of local coastal communities who have been badly hit by the recent cyclones. There is every indication that this company is using the woeful lack of transparency in global fisheries to obscure its history of illegal offences.”

Trent said it is crucial that vessel operators are held accountable for their fishing practices, but such accountability will not be possible so long as companies about which so little is known, like Mada Fishery, are allowed to fish in Madagascar’s waters.

“Transparency measures – such as making illegal histories publicly available and publishing clear ownership details – matched by strict enforcement of fisheries laws, are urgently needed around the world.”

The mysteries surrounding Mada Fishery have added to the opacity of a trawl sector already under scrutiny for its social and environmental impacts.

AIS data shows that several trawling companies likely fished in waters reserved for small-scale fishers in Madagascar last year, — not just occasionally, but systematically. This industrial activity threatens the livelihoods and food security of small-scale fishers and coastal communities.

Mada Fishery

Mada Fishery has eight licenses to trawl in Madagascar’s waters through to 2025. Civil society groups say the tendering process was not transparent.

Mada Fishery is apparently under the control of Chinese nationals. It is either a partner company or a subsidiary of Cote d’Or, another Madagascar-based company founded by ten Chinese nationals in 2019, according to local registration documents and civil society findings.

The Chinese navy appears to have escorted the fleet through the Gulf of Aden en route to Madagascar in early May 2021, several weeks before their detention in the Seychelles.

In total, eight ships were escorted by the navy according to a Chinese military press release. Photographs of the fishing boats from the deck of a warship appear to resemble the Gorde boats.

EJF
The Environmental Justice Foundation is an international non-governmental organisation working to protect the environment and defend human rights and is a charity registered in England and Wales.

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Transport unions call for immediate ceasefire and withdrawal of Russian military from Ukraine

On 25 February the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) and the European Transport Workers’ Federation (ETF) called for an immediate ceasefire in hostilities, for the conflict to return to the diplomatic level, and respect for international human rights and humanitarian law, following the military escalation in Ukraine.

A joint-declaration was signed by the following:

Paddy Crumlin: President of the International Transport Workers’ Federation
Frank Moreels: President of the European Transport Workers’ Federation
Stephen Cotton: General Secretary of the International Transport Workers’ Federation
Livia Spera: General Secretary of the European Transport Workers’ Federation.

The declaration reads:

“All our thoughts are with the people of Ukraine. The hearts and minds of transport workers around the world weigh heavily as we witness war breaking out.

“We stand alongside the global labour movement and the international community in condemning the war, and call on all parties to adhere strictly to international humanitarian and human rights law. This conflict must stop now.

“We know that transport workers are particularly under threat. We have received confirmed and unconfirmed reports coming through of military targeting transport infrastructure, the change of control of airports and railways, and the shut down of airspace and ports.

“We stand in solidarity with the people of Ukraine, Russia and neighbouring countries calling for peace, dialogue and diplomacy. We are in communication with our affiliates and will do whatever is necessary to help protect and support their members and their families.

“The ITF and ETF support calls from the UN Secretary-General António Guterres for peaceful settlement of the conflict in eastern Ukraine in accordance with the Minsk agreements.

“We urgently need leaders on all sides to show restraint, diplomacy and urgently de-escalate the conflict to minimise the threat to civilian lives and livelihoods.

“Further escalation would not only result in mass loss of life and displacement, but would also devastate the livelihoods of transport workers across the region and wreak more havoc on already strained supply chains.

“All parties, including Russia and Ukraine, as well as across Europe and the NATO States, must do all in their power to de-escalate tensions and seek a peaceful, diplomatic end to this crisis, and ‘not start what may be the most devastating war since the start of the century’ as UN Secretary-General António Guterres said yesterday.”

Edited by Paul Ridgway
London

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Dryad reports of ships being targeted off Ukraine

A report by Dryad Global on Friday said at least two ships had been targeted presumably by Russian forces in the sea approximately 23 nautical miles East South-East of the port of Odessa.

Details remained sketchy but it appears there was at least two casualties among the crew.

These two incidents follow a report of the attack on Thursday (24 February) of the bulk carrier YASA JUPITER (IMO9848132) – SEE HERE in which the Marshall island-registered bulker was struck by a missile about 50 n.miles south of Odessa.

One of the Friday reports came from the port captain of the southern branch of Administration of the Seaports of Ukraine (AMPU) who said that at 12h55 (Ukraine time) the Panama-flagged bulk carrier NAMURA QUEEN (IMO 9841299) was struck in the stern by a missile. The tug P&O STAR was alongside and provided assistance in the rescue while another P&O service vessel was also in the vicinity.

The other report, from the Odessa port captain, states that two missiles hit the Moldovan-flagged bunker tanker, MILLENIAL SPIRIT (IMO 7392610) at approximately 12h10 local time.

The Ukrainian port authority reported the bunker vessel had 600 tons of fuel oil and diesel on board. The vessel was reportedly hit twice, one missile hitting the superstructure, and another missile hitting the middle of the vessel. These reports appear to be corroborated by unverified footage that has appeared online showing a fire onboard the vessel.

Several vessels attended the location of the Millenial Spirit including Tugs Breeze-1, Victory, PK-888, KPL-99, SAR02. Dryad Global said it was able to confirm that Victory and PK-888 operated in vicinity to the vessel at the time of the alleged attack.

Another vessel, the SAR 02, was sent to rescue the crew. Two of the crew members are believed to have been seriously injured, including the master. The victims were taken to the port of Chernomorsk at 14h15 and were taken to a local hospital by ambulance.

Additional unconfirmed reporting has indicated that the vessel had a crew of 10 all of which are understood to have been Russian nationals.

Dryad Global issued advice that any vessel currently within Ukrainian Ports should seek to leave immediately if deemed safe to do so. Vessels should ensure they are broadcasting on AIS and clearly state their intentions across VHF. Any vessels challenged by Russian military vessels should comply fully with instructions.

Dryad Global is also advising all commercial operators to avoid any transit or operation within the EEZ of Ukraine or Russia, in the vicinity of the Crimean Peninsula within the Black Sea. The Black Sea ports of the Russian Federation are functioning normally.

All transits inbound Western terminals should be made out with Ukrainian and Russian EEZ south of the Crimean Peninsula. Commercial operations within the EEZ of Turkey, Bulgaria and Romania remain unaffected at this time however the Romanian Ministry of Defence has also announced that Russian military ships are diverting and stopping commercial ships en-route to Ukrainian ports north of Romania’s EEZ and as such vessels are advised to avoid transiting within 50 n.miles of the NE extremity of the Romanian EEZ.

source: Dryad Global, edited by Africa Ports & Ships

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THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK

“The fight is here, I don’t need a ride, I need ammunition.”

– Volodymyr Zelenskyy (Ukraine President)

after the US offered to evacuate him from the Ukraine capital

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