Breakbulk News

A shift in focus by the Tioga Marine Terminal (TMT) to handling forestry products five years ago has drawn enough business that the terminal and the Port of Philadelphia are now building a new $12 million, 100,000-square-foot warehouse to handle wood and paper products.

The Jones Act requires that a US fleet build offshore wind farms, but that fleet does not exist as yet.

Heavy-lift carriers open a shared office and will cooperate to offer more choices in a consolidating shipping segment.

Consolidation through mergers and acquisitions among heavy-lift and project carriers and a rebound in demand in the mining and energy markets have the heavy transport sector “on the cusp of a boom,” according to industry executives.

Despite being incredibly complex and heavily reliant on personal relationships, certain elements of project cargo logistics can be streamlined through digitization.

US wind energy is growing, but tariffs could slow a booming industry.

Ro-ro high and heavy imports are strong into the United States despite gathering economic storm clouds.

Ulrich Ulrichs takes the helm of prominent global MPV/HL carrier BBC Chartering as Svend Andersen steps down.

The Memphis-based freight forwarder has hired long-time project forwarding veteran Michael Confessore to help build a dedicated project team from the ground up.

Toepfer’s multipurpose index posted a slight gain as of mid-August as competitors stayed occupied elsewhere and one large freight contract was awarded.

Heavy lift and multi-purpose vessel owners eager to expand have a difficult time securing financing for newbuilds, particularly if they’re used for oil and gas projects.

Blockchain technology has the potential to improve communication across supply chain stakeholders by creating a single, immutable record of all documents and data.

The merger of Mammoet and ALE, two of the three largest heavy-lift transport providers, raises major questions for competitor Sarens.

Members of the Project Logistics Contracts Model Rules Initiative say it can be difficult to have a meaningful discussion about inappropriate terms and conditions within contracts, as service providers can be kicked out of negotiations if they protest.

Specialized carrier Zeamarine has published an IMO 2020-driven bunker clause announcement for its tramp and semi-liner multipurpose and heavy-lift fleet as it looks to offset the coming jump in fuel costs.

A recent uptick in pest presence in properly treated and marked wood packaging materials (WPM) has US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) rethinking its ISPM 15 enforcement policies.

Violations of ISPM 15, which maintains strict guidelines for treatment of all wood packaging materials (WPM) to prevent the accidental introduction of invasive pests, can result in the re-exportation of entire shipments of goods and large fines, even if importers and carriers have followed the regulations to the best of their abilities.

Multipurpose vessel/heavy-lift (MPV/HL) analysts Dynamar, Drewry, and Toepfer all have slightly different in-house methods for parsing out the specialized MPV/HL fleet that focuses on breakbulk, project, and heavy-lift cargoes.

US importers say they face a lack of alternatives, feedback, and proactive sourcing information from enforcement officials when treated and apparently compliant wood packaging materials (WPM) fail ISPM 15 inspection.

Although improvements in operational efficiencies alone will not meet IMO 2050 emissions targets, industry experts say they are the most feasible short-term measures to transition to a low-carbon shipping sector.

In a surprise move, Zeaborn co-founder Ove Meyer joins a string of executives to leave the carrier group, now one of the largest in the multipurpose/heavy-lift fleet.

Two key components of the under-construction Amur gas processing plant were delivered to the project site in Russia’s remote far east; it will be another four or five years before all oversized cargo arrives on location.

New Jersey’s approval of an 1,100-megawatt offshore wind project could be the start of a wave of offshore wind projects that the Port of New York and New Jersey believes will eventually require a specialized terminal to support the wind energy supply chain.

Older vessels and jockeying for cargo are crimping the health of the breakbulk sector, which can be seen in recent rate data.

Massive wind investments are expected offshore and on over the next five years

Industry executives say the ExxonMobil-Saudi petchem joint venture building a $10 billion plant near Corpus Christi could spend as much as a half-billion dollars on logistics, although nailing down a more precise figure is difficult in the project’s early stages.

Burgeoning Midwestern wind development will add thousands of megawatts to the US power grid.

Chartering specialist leaves EPC company Fluor for Bremen-based super-heavy-lift carrier.

EPC execs talk labor, modularization and tech at Downstream 2019 conference

Tendering activity to ease lackluster ‘summer slowdown’

Trucking companies hauling oversized heavy freight saw revenue jump by double digits last year, but bigger and bigger shipments challenge specialized capacity.

Worried about compatibility problems, some multipurpose and heavy-lift carriers will stick with marine gasoil despite a likely price bump in the wake of the IMO 2020 low-sulfur fuel regulations.

CMA CGM is placing a bigger focus on breakbulk and project cargo shipments to and from India.

A tight talent supply, persistent vessel oversupply, and a “procurement mindset” will continue to challenge the project cargo market, according to speakers at the Breakbulk Europe conference in Bremen.

Uncertainty about the supply, availability, and compatibility of low-sulfur fuel with ship engines is complicating the breakbulk fleet's transition to LSFO under IMO 2020.

The rise of populist governments is crimping the outlook for free trade, according to Boris Glass, senior economist with S&P Global Ratings.

Carriers long busy with Asian and European offshore wind installations see strong potential in the United States emerging offshore market.

The automotive trade is waiting with bated breath for any tariffs coming out of the US Commerce Department’s investigation into the potential national security implications of imports of vehicles and parts.

Higher tariffs and slowing manufacturing growth are among the factors weighing on heavy machinery demand.

Despite NIMBY friction and logistics challenges, offshore installations are expected to take off.