China News

Between January and April 2024, China’s electricity generation from renewables surged 12% year on year, significantly outpacing the 6% growth in generation from fossil fuels. While steam coal shipments to China rose 29% year on year, they are starting to feel the pressure from stronger renewables. Between March and April, the shipments fell 7% as electricity generation from fossil fuels only rose 1%,” said Filipe Gouveia, Shipping Analyst at BIMCO.So far in 2024, electricity generated from renewables in China accounted for 25% of the country’s electricity production.

SCHOTTEL will equip Guangzhou Port Group’s latest e-tug with two RudderPropellers type SRP 360 in the LE-Drive variant. The new harbor tug measures 37.9 x 10.5m and will be mainly used for berthing assistance, escorting and towing in the Port of Guangzhou, China. Each SRP has an input power of 1,500 kW and a propeller diameter of 2.2m. The 360-degree steerable thruster combines maximum maneuverability and bollard pull with outstanding efficiency during free sailing, providing…

Asia's imports of crude oil are expected to rise to the highest in 10 months as heavyweights China and India lifted arrivals from Russia, but impending maintenance schedules and rising prices mean such levels may not be sustained.The world's top importing region is forecast to see arrivals of 27.48 million barrels per day (bpd) in March, up from 26.70 million bpd in February and January's 27.18 million bpd, according to data compiled by LSEG Oil Research.The bulk of oil arriving in March was arranged before the current increase in prices…

The U.S. military will not be involved in development of a port in the Philippines' remote northernmost islands near Taiwan, the local governor said, removing a potential source of friction with China over the U.S. presence in the region.The governor of the Batanes islands, less than 200 km (125 miles) from Taiwan, said in August she had sought U.S. funding for a new port there. The U.S. embassy had at the time confirmed its diplomats and U.S. Army Pacific (USARPAC) experts had…

“The reshaping of global crude tanker markets continued in 2023. In 2022, sanctions shifted Russia’s exports from Europe to Asia while OPEC production cuts in 2023 increased the Americas’ share of exports. Brazil’s oil production increased by 12% year-on-year in 2023 while crude tanker exports rose 19%,” said Niels Rasmussen, Chief Shipping Analyst at BIMCO.According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), Brazil’s oil production reached 3.49 million barrels per day (mbpd) in 2023, up from 3.12 mbpd the year before.

The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) has announced the inauguration of a new ICS Representative Office in Shanghai.This strategic move follows the admission of the China Shipowners’ Association as a full ICS member in January 2023 and extends the presence of the ICS China Liaison Office which will continue to have a presence in the Hong Kong SAR.The new ICS office, within the offices of the China P&I Club, is located in the North Bund area of Hongkou District, Shanghai…

Appetite for Iranian crude is growing in China, the world's biggest oil importer, after the extension of supply cuts by Saudi Arabia and Russia boosted global prices, while Tehran is stepping up output and exports despite U.S. sanctions.Although China's "teapots", or small independent refiners, are stocking up on Iran's discounted oil as they exploit robust margins to fill strong seasonal demand, big state refiners are still keeping away.Iran's crude exports of about 1.5 million barrels per day (bpd) stand at their highest in more than four years…

A liquefied natural gas (LNG) cargo from Russia's Gazprom being sent via the Northern Sea Route (NSR) for the first time is destined for the Chinese port of Jingtang, Refinitiv ship tracking data shows.The Velikiy Novgorod tanker was loaded at the Portovaya LNG plant on the Baltic Sea on Aug. 14, according to the data.As of Wednesday, it was moving in the Kara Sea in the Arctic with the data showing an estimated arrival at Jingtang on Sept. 12.Earlier this month, Russia also shipped a rare naphtha cargo via the North Sea route, according to traders and Refinitiv data.(Reuters - Reporting by Oksana Kobzeva; writing by Vladimir Soldatkin; editing by Jason Neely)

Russia is shipping a naphtha cargo via the North Sea Route (NSR) as Moscow seeks to increase supplies using the route to major trade partner China, cutting its way through European waters, traders said and Refinitiv data showed.SCF Irtysh is loaded with with 37,000 tonnes of naphtha onboard, loaded at Ust-Luga port on August 5, 2023, for delivery to China. It is the first such loading since at least the late 2000s, according to two traders.The supplier of the cargo was Gazprom Neft, the traders said.

China has overtaken Greece to become the world's largest shipowning country in terms of gross tonnage, according to information released over the weekend by the Shanghai-based China Shipowners' Association.China Daily reports that data from Clarksons Research shows the fleet size of Chinese shipowners has reached 249.2 million GT, accounting for a global market share of 15.9%, about $180 billion in fleet value. This is slightly higher than the 249 million GT of Greek shipowners' fleet…

COSCO SHIPPING Special Carriers has taken delivery of its second 68,000ton ice-class multi-purpose general cargo and pulp carrier, Green Kotka.The methanol-ready ship is the second in a series of ships built by Dalian COSCO SHIPPING Heavy Industry, a subsidiary of COSCO SHIPPING Heavy Industry. The series of ships are claimed to be the world's largest ice-class multi-purpose pulp ship built and delivered in China.The Green Kotka is 226.8 meters (744 feet) long and has a design speed of 14.8 knots.

OOCL’s 24,188 TEU ultra-large container ship OOCL Felixstowe has been officially named at COSCO Dalian Kawasaki shipyard.The Oriental Felixstowe is the fourth of 12 ultra-large container ships which are among the world’s largest. They are being built by COSCO Shipping Heavy Industry for OOCL, and the third, OOCL Piraeus, entered operation on May 30.Yang Zhijian, Chief Executive Officer of OOCL, said: “We ordered this series of ultra large container vessels not only to provide better services to our customers…

China Classification Society (CCS) has completed the first approval in principle (AiP) for the design of a methanol bunkering ship in China.The AiP was issued by CCS Wuhan Rules and Research Institute to Zhejiang Seahead Ship Design and Research Institute.The ship, with a maximum capacity of 7,500t and capable of bunkering fuel oil and methanol, is designed to service large ships. The design fully considers the risks of methanol bunkering and the future development of demand in Zhoushan…

China's first domestically-built large cruise ship, the Adora Magic City, has departed from Shanghai for sea trials.The 135,500 gross tonne vessel was built by China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC) Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding. It is being classified by Lloyd’s Register and China Classification Society.The vessel has 2,125 guest rooms and can accommodate up to 5,246 passengers. The public entertainment area is over 40,000 square meters (nearly six standard football fields) over 16 floors.

China celebrated its 19th National Maritime Day on July 11, with celebrations taking place in museums and schools along with a range of technical conferences.The Ministry of Transport released the 2022 China Shipping Development Report which showed that container throughput at ports increased by 4.7% and the volume of rail-water multi-modal transport routes increased by 16% year-on-year.China Daily reports Vice-Transport Minister Fu Xuyin saying: “By the end of last year, the Chinese fleet reached a carrying capacity of 370 million deadweight tons…

French, Canadian, and U.S. Forces, along with local responders, successfully conducted a search and rescue operation to save the operator and passengers of a distressed vessel off the coast of Rota, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, on July 10.All 11 people from the center console fishing vessel are now safely in Rota.At 5:05 p.m. on July 10, Watchstanders at U.S. Coast Guard Forces Micronesia/Sector Guam's Joint Rescue Sub-Center Guam received a distress from the operator of the 21-foot vessel Full 20 Horizon…

On July 2, COSCO Shipping Bulk's 400,000-ton ore carrier Yuanyihai successfully completed what the company claims is the fasters unloading of iron ore in the world.The unloading operation took place in Dongjiakou Port Area of Qingdao Port. It took only 30.7 hours to complete the unloading of 375,500 tons of cargo.COSCO Shipping Bulk coordinated with the port to formulate a plan to speed up the unloading and arranged for the representative of COSCO Shipping Bulk Beijing Branch in Qingdao and the ship’s crew to cooperate on the effort.After the Yuanyihai berthed…

“Despite China’s strategy of pursuing increased domestic coal production, which has meant that year-to-date production stands 5.8% higher than last year, its seaborne imports of coal have nevertheless surged 73% y/y so far,” said Niels Rasmussen, Chief Shipping Analyst at BIMCO.The Chinese government target for domestic coal production is 4.6 billion tonnes in 2025, which is 2.5% higher than in 2022. As production year-to-date has already increased by 5.8% compared to 2022, Chinese…

COSCO Shipping Ship Services has launched a Smart Sailing platform which includes a CII digital toolbox, an intelligent anti-collision solution, and a crew behavior recognition solution.The Smart Sailing platform aims to improve ship service levels and capabilities. Initial focus has been on low-carbon operations, navigation safety and smart supply chains. The platform uses artificial intelligence, big data, Internet of Things and other new-generation information technologies.In the future…

The major shipyards in China are operating at full capacity, resulting in potential order backlogs, reports China Daily.The value of China's ship exports rose by over 21% year-on-year to $8.86 billion in the January-May period, according to China Association of the National Shipbuilding Industry data. Orders rose by 50% over that time, giving China a 67% world share.Orders have included container ships, bulk carriers, LNG carriers, vehicle carriers and offshore vessels. The growth in orders has been partially attributed to shipowners looking to meet decarbonization goals.CSSC subsidiary…

MAN Energy Solutions has announced the sale of its gas turbine business to China’s CSIC Longjiang GH Gas Turbine.CSIC Longjiang GH Gas Turbine (GHGT) develops small and medium-sized gas turbines in a 5 to 50 MW range as well as high performance and combustion technologies. The company is a subsidiary of China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC) and is headquartered in Harbin (China).With this portfolio adjustment, MAN Energy Solutions is continuing its strategic focus on solution offerings for decarbonization and opening up long-term growth prospects for the product area.

DNV and China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC) have established a Future Ship Joint Innovation Center in Shanghai.The Center will allow both companies to cooperate on ship and offshore field technical innovation. The Center will set up three joint work groups on decarbonization, digital twin/digital ship, and smart shipping, focusing on developing future-proofed vessel holistic solutions.The Center will be established and operated by SDARI and DNV China following the Strategic…

According to the latest figures from DNV’s Alternative Fuels Insight (AFI) platform, 19 vessels with alternative fuel propulsion were ordered in May - seven for LNG and 12 for methanol.This brings the year-to-date total for alternative fuel vessels to 73. Martin Wold, Principal Consultant in DNV’s Maritime Advisory business, commented: “In May container vessels and car carriers continued to dominate the orders for ships equipped to use alternative fuels. Following the normalisation of gas prices…