Américo Vespúcio - New Ship for Aliança

Press Release

 

Aliança: Naming ceremony for “Américo Vespúcio” in Pecém

Third ship in the “Explorer” series bolsters the cabotage fleet

 

Hamburg, 23 October 2013. With the “Américo Vespúcio” the Hamburg Süd subsidiary Aliança christened the third of four identical 3,800 TEU container ships for its cabotage fleet on 22 October 2013 in Pecém (Brazil). The Naming Ceremony was held as part of a customer event at the port of Pecém. The Sponsor of the ship is Consuelo Dias Branco, Member of  the Senior Management of Moinho Dias Branco, one of Aliança’s customers.

 

Before the “Américo Vespúcio” Aliança had already held naming ceremonies for two ships in the “Explorer” series: for the “Sebastião Caboto” (in May 2013) and for the “Fernão de Magalhães” (in September 2013). This newbuild series allows Aliança to progress with the modernisation of its
cabotage fleet. The “Américo Vespúcio” is named after the explorer Americo Vespucci, who explored large parts of the East coast of South America during his travels in the 15th and 16th centuries.

 

Like the first two newbuilds, the “Américo Vespúcio” was also built at the Shanghai Shipyard Co., Ltd. and was delivered on 23 August 2013. After completion of import formalities the ship was loaded with the first containers for the Aliança cabotage service on 14 October in Manaus. With each ship having a slot capacity of 3,800 TEU, the ships of the “Explorer” series have almost twice the number of container capacity as the previous Aliança ships employed on this service. The Naming Ceremony for the “Pedro Álvares Cabral” will take place at the start of next year in Brazil. 

 

 

Technical data of the “Américo Vespúcio”:

 

Capacity                                              52,065 dwt

Container capacity                               3,800 TEU

Reefer plus                                          500

Length overall                                      228.0 m

Length between perpendiculars             217.5 m

Width                                                  37.3 m

Draught max.                                       12.5 m

Speed                                                 19.5 kn

Main engine output                               22.890 kW

 

 

 

For further information please contact:

Hamburg Süd Corporate Communications

Eva Graumann

Willy-Brandt-Straße 59-61

20457 Hamburg

Phone: +49 40 37 05-26 27

Fax: +49 40 37 05-26 49

Beware False Shipping Papers

Great article which appeared in our local paper.  AP writer is based in Wichita, KS (I guess).

This is more for domestic U.S. shipping, but it's something everyone need to be aware of.

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — To steal huge shipments of valuable cargo, thieves are turning to a deceptively simple tactic: They pose as truckers, load the freight onto their own tractor-trailers and drive away with it.
It's an increasingly common form of commercial identity theft that has allowed con men to make off each year with millions of dollars in merchandise, often food and beverages. And experts say the practice is growing so rapidly that it will soon become the most common way to steal freight.

click here for link to complete article

Sorry for not posting

To all my readers, sorry for not posting these last few months.   Dealing with a health
crisis (not mine).

Hope to get back to posting soon.

Containership MOL Comfort - CORRECTION

This is really unusual.  The vessel broke in two and sunk.
CORRECTION
The vessel apparently has not sunk.  The 2 halves of the ship are each floating (which
I find rather amazing).

From gCaptain

MOL Comfort Suffers Broken Back

New Service between South Africa and South America

New direct service between South Africa and Argentina and Brazil.  Only problem is it operates only fortnightly (which is every 2 weeks).

Press Release from Hamburg Sued

Press Release

 

Hamburg Süd launches a new service between South Africa – Argentina/Brazil

 

Hamburg, 12 June 2013. From July 2013, Hamburg Süd will be offering a new service from South Africa to Argentina and Brazil (SABR Service) in cooperation with Nile Dutch. The new fixed-day fortnightly service will provide shippers with a regular and reliable westbound link from South Africa to South America with connections to Europe and North America.

 

The new service rotation will be: Durban – Port Elizabeth – Buenos Aires – Rio Grande – Itajai – Santos – Rio de Janeiro.

 

Further destinations in South America, North America and Europe will be offered in transhipment.

 

The first westbound call at Durban will be with “Buxfavourite” on 21 July 2013.

 

In the opposite direction to the SABR Service Hamburg Süd serves the trade from South America to South Africa with its New Good Hope Express Service offering twice-weekly direct links from Brazil and the River Plate to South Africa.

 

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How Long Before Recovery in International Shipping?

I was always told that international shipping had one of the longest business cycles out of all types
of industries.   I never experienced this myself, as apparently the last really bad downturn was
in the 1960's, and I'm a bit old, but not that old.

I guess we are in the 5th year of the downturn, and many people have said there is a 7
year business cycle, which would mean 2 more years of tough times.  Of course, one
cannot know for certain (for if I did, I would be quite wealthy!).

Carriers want to continue replacing old ships with new, bigger and more efficient tonnage.
The scrapping rates of older tonnage has increased a bit, but the carriers have been a bit
too optimistic, expecting business to pick up at a brisk pace (rather than picking up at a slow
pace).  So once again the carriers have shot themselves in the foot, have too much space,
and now they find it difficult to raise rates up to levels which are required to make a profit.

Some carriers are looking for financing for new ships, which I expect will be difficult to come
by.   Only the carriers with their own money, or ones who are secure enough to issue their
own bonds  will have the funds for new buildings.   But, considering charter rates are
once again quite low (rumours of 10,000 TEU vessel chartered at USD 6,000 per day),
the benefit of new buildings is reduced.

This continued downturn will force carriers to become more efficient, as when times are
tough, they must trim the fat.   It would be really nice if the carriers would take this time
and invest and implement extremely efficient computer systems, but so far everyone is
pretty much stuck with their 1970 computer systems.  

Perhaps Federal Express will buy an ocean carrier, and really shake up the industry.

Hamburg Sud and Hapag-Lloyd merger talks halted

Press Release from Hamburg Sud

 

Suspension of project work relating to a merger of Hapag-Lloyd and Hamburg Süd

25-Mar-2013

Press Release

The shareholders of Hapag-Lloyd and Hamburg Süd have jointly arrived at the conclusion to discontinue talks temporarily.
Hamburg Süd does not wish to comment publicly on the subject matter of the points under discussion. It does, however, expressly point out that the owners of Hamburg Süd – unlike the impression conveyed in various press articles – positively favour a flotation of the merged new company if certain conditions are met.
The Advisory Board and Executive Board of Hamburg Süd remain firmly of the view that the merger of Hapag-Lloyd and Hamburg Süd would be of enormous benefit for both companies as well as for Hamburg as a shipping location.

Hum.  It would be interesting be to a "fly on the wall" during these discussions.