Breakbulk News

UHT will represent a fleet of five semi-submersible heavy transport vessels under a partnership agreement with China-based owner Guangzhou Salvage and commercial agent GS-Pango.

The Taiwanese government plans to develop 5.5 gigawatts of offshore wind energy by 2025, and add another 10 GW between 2026 and 2035.

Caterpillar says production and demand for high-and-heavy equipment were flattened by the COVID-19 shutdown during the first quarter of 2020.

Ro-ro and multipurpose carriers are exploring wind-assisted propulsion systems to cut emissions and boost efficiency.

Intermarine will serve as exclusive commercial agent in North America for United Heavy Lift, though UHL ships are not expected to operate in Intermarine's liner services.

Dutch carrier Spliethoff expands its multipurpose/heavy-lift fleet and opens an office in Singapore.

Supply chain bottlenecks could delay US wind farm development and endanger tax credit subsidies.

Toepfer's Multipurpose Index falls as COVID-19 effects hamper trade and plummeting oil prices shrink capital investments.

Breakbulk steel imports are expected to decline further this year after falling in 2019, as sinking demand for vehicles and other steel-based products adds to tariff woes.

Already under severe pressure as coronavirus lockdowns sap global demand, oil prices fell to a 20-year low last week amid what may be the single most ill-timed game of production chicken in history.

A global economy hammered by pandemic control measures and an oil price war is bad news for the MPV/HL sector, maritime consultancy Drewry reports.

Cosco delivered a 3,700-mt bridge to Sweden even as the oil price crash hamstrings the spot market for the heavy transport sector.

Forwarders are scrambling to preserve project schedules as transport capacity, equipment availability, and personnel are affected by efforts to control the spread of coronavirus.

Torbjørn Wist will be leaving SAS to join the ro-ro carrier Wallenius Wilhelmsen group, now grappling with the effects of COVID-19 as automotive production and demand wither globally.

With information on ISPM 15 violations still difficult to come by, shippers are investigating and educating wood packaging materials (WPM) makers, increasing requirements for heat treatments, and turning to non-WPM materials for dunnage.

COVID-19 and sliding oil prices add up to a "double whammy" for forwarders specializing in project cargo, as transport capacity shrinks near-term and planned energy projects are undermined.

With little cargo to transport amid the COVID-19 pandemic, carriers are reviewing schedules and service networks and angling for substitute cargoes.

Global car and roll-on, roll-off (ro-ro) carrier Wallenius Wilhelmsen Group is laying up ships and sending others to the scrap yard to preserve cash and liquidity as the spread of coronavirus causes automotive production to shut down worldwide.

The Exporter’s Competitive Maritime Council (ECMC) newest committee will focus on safety in project transport logistics and on project sites.

Following recent guidance from health officials and in light of the rapid growth in global cases of COVID-19 over the past few days, as well as increasing travel restrictions and other circumstances, IHS Markit has canceled the Breakbulk & Project Cargo Conference scheduled for April 27–29, 2020.

As export markets in China thaw following the reopening of manufacturing facilities closed due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), project owners face short-term vessel shortages and carriers fear a potential drop in demand due to falling oil prices.

South Dakota, Illinois, and Virginia are among the US states at the head of the pack in terms of automating route analysis and permit issuance for oversized cargo moves.

Because there is no national permitting standard for moving oversized loads across the US, obtaining permits can be an expensive, time-consuming process for trucking operators, or it can be a breeze.

Dutch heavy transport carrier Roll Group is looking to take advantage of the growing Asian offshore decommissioning and fabrication markets with a new facility at Bintan Island.

Multipurpose carrier G2 Ocean is expanding in Africa and Asia to support the joint venture company’s quest to double project cargo’s contribution to annual revenues.

Project cargo bound for industrial projects is trapped in China due to measures to control coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), triggering project delays and endangering a normally reliable cargo market.

A new $38 million berth will boost Port Canaveral's capacity for handling breakbulk cargo, including cargo bound for the space industry.

Retired executive and ex-Wilhelmsen group board chair Wilhelm Wilhemsen, fourth generation to run the family business, has died at age 82.

MPV/HL carrier Zeamarine files for insolvency in Bremen court as the Zea Gold is arrested for bunkers on board.

Within just a few days in early December, Bremen-based multipurpose/heavy-lift (MPV/HL) carrier Zeamarine saw the sudden departure of founder Jan-Hendrik Többe and CCO Dominik Stehle, prompting the firm to bring in restructuring expert Sven Lundehn.

Charterer's legal liability insurance is intended to cover the potential legal liabilities and costs of defending or reimbursing a ship's owner, cargo owner, or other damaged party for incidents during the charter period.

The Journal of Commerce's 2020 Breakbulk and Project Cargo Conference will continue to build on the spirit of the original event as a content-led, high-level information sharing and networking gathering for the industry.

Stringent environmental regulations require biosecure conditions before ships and cargo can call South Georgia and the Antarctic.

Evolution continues in the MPV/HL fleet as AAL adds a global semi-liner service and an ex-Zeamarine executive plans a new US Gulf breakbulk service.

Richard Seeg has been named CEO of the newly-revived Intermarine brand, which will operate the Americas Line project and breakbulk cargo service out of Houston and New Orleans.

Wind turbine maker Vestas, citing the growing complexities of moving special project cargo, has linked with DSV Panalpina in an attempt to “scale [its] business efficiently.”

Officials say the funding will help complete the Oregon river port’s partially finished breakbulk terminal and expedite project cargoes for two ambitious wind energy projects in the state.

Wind developer Ørsted and the Virginia Port Authority will develop an offshore wind terminal at Portsmouth, enabling Ørsted to service planned projects throughout the Northeast.

US ports are expanding their ro-ro capacity as they look for a competitive edge, betting on growth despite tariff threats.

Some US ports handling “high and heavy” equipment reported seeing minimal impact from the US-China trade war last year, while others said they had been considerably affected.