There are numerous ways in which fires can start onboard – anything from electric sparks or fuel oil leaks, to overheating engines. For containerships, however, one of the biggest safety uncertainties on board can be the cargoes they carry. Containerships transport a hugely diverse mix of products that extends far[…]
For decades, reducing the costs of production was manageable. A firm simply had to outsource manufacturing to developing countries, which were often eager to provide a low-tax, low-regulation environment to attract investment from foreign firms. However, in recent years, the status quo has been shaken. From the ongoing impact of[…]
We don’t usually have to think about supply chains, unless we work in one. For the most part, manufacturers and raw material suppliers do a good job of securing smooth trade flows upstream at the manufacturing stage, with logistics providers and retailers providing the infrastructure downstream to keep product availability[…]
The Lion City is a significant centre of global trade. Keen to further solidify its position, the island nation of Singapore formally opened the first phase of its massive new Tuas Port in September last year (2022) after ten years of planning. The PSA Singapore-operated port, which underwent three years[…]
In February this year (2023), nine container carriers committed to 100% adoption of electronic bills of lading (eB/Ls) by 2030. These container shipping heavyweights – MSC, Maersk, CMA CGM, Hapag-Lloyd, ONE, Evergreen, Yang Ming, HMM and ZIM – together form the membership of the Digital Container Shipping Association (DCSA). And[…]
Supply and demand for ships will always be governed by the ebbs and flows of global trade, but pressure on ports and charterers to offer fast and efficient vessel turnarounds is constant. Indeed, when there is less cargo to share between ports they have to fight harder to capture and[…]