Displaying items by tag: Shipping

Oman: Resolve Marine Group (RMG) says it has completed the wreck removal of the bulk cement carrier MV Raysut II. The ship was grounded on Fazayah Beach in May 2018 due to poor weather. The location is home to several endangered species of sea turtle which nest there and RMG worked to remove the ship without causing environmental damage.

At the time of its grounding the vessel held around 6750t of cement. After attempts to refloat the ship failed it was declared a constructive total loss. In November 2018 RMG was awarded the contract to remove the ship and its cargo. It was partially repaired and refloated with its cargo onboard in February 2019. It was then towed to the Port of Salalah where the cargo was discharged and the ship was recycled.

Bangladesh: The Bangladesh Cement Manufacturers Association (BCMA) has asked for import tariffs on clinker to be reduced. In a letter to the National Board of Revenue (NBR) it requested that the duty be cut to either US$2.40/t or a fixed rate of 5%, according to the Dhaka Tribune newspaper. Importers pay around US$6.00/t at present. The BCMA argues that the cement industry is paying more than other industries for its imports.

The association has also called for value added tax (VAT) on raw materials to be cut to 5% from 15%, reducing advance income tax to 2.5% from 5% and exempting regulatory duties for fly ash and import duties for cement bulk carriers.

Netherlands: Ferus Smit has launched MV Shetland at its Westerbroek Yard. The 8000DWT vessel is the third dedicated cement carrier built for JT Cement, a joint venture between Sweden’s Erik Thun and Norway’s Jebsen Cement.

The ship is equipped with a liquefied natural gas (LNG) fuelled propulsion system to reduce its emissions. It incorporates a 200m³ pressurised LNG tank positioned in the foreship. The cement cargo system will consist of a fully automated cement loading and unloading system, based on fluidisation of cement by means of compressed air.

Germany/China: Baltrader Capital has ordered the construction of two cement carriers from China’s Fujian Southeast Shipbuilding, who will deliver the new vessels from end of 2020. The ships will be intended for the European shortsea trade. Following the completion of the order, the Baltrader fleet will comprise 12 cement carriers with pneumatic self-discharging systems.

Each of the sister vessels, CemCoaster and CemClipper, measures 98m in length, 15.6m in width and carries 4650t at 6m draft. They will be equipped with a MaK main engine, allowing a future conversion into dual fuel operation. The ships will then be optionally run on liquid natural gas (LNG) or on marine gasoil.

The ships have been planned and designed in Germany by SDC Ship Design & Consult in cooperation with the project engineering department of the BRISE-Group. Dutch producer Van Aalst Marine & Offshore will supply the automatic self-discharging system, powered alternatively by the main engine’s shaft generator or the auxiliary generators. It can be used for the transportation of loose cement, ground granulated blast-furnace slag and fly-ash. It will have a loading capacity of 500t/hr and unloading capacity of 250t/hr. Additionally, these iceclass 1B ships are equipped with a ballast water treatment system (BWTS).

Somalia: Pejman Bahrami, the deputy head of Qeshm Free Zone Organisation for maritime transport and port affairs, says that 14,500t of cement will be exported to Somalia. It will be transported on a Tanzanian ship, the AMINA-H, that is currently being loaded, according to the Fars News Agency. The Iranian cement industry has a production capacity of 80Mt/yr. It sends its exports to countries including Iraq, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Pakistan, Qatar, Turkey, the UAE, Georgia, Oman, India, Somalia and China.

Brazil: Votorantim Cimentos has started shipping cement from its Aracaju terminal in Sergipe state to its Manaus terminal in Amazonas state to expand its business in the north of the country. It purchased the Manaus unit from Cemex in 2018, according to the Valor Economico newspaper. A 20,000t cement carrier will be used exclusively for the project.

US: Port Manatee in Florida has received its first shipment of raw materials for cement production. The Osprey I delivered 47,650t of raw materials from Europe as part of a deal with Carver Companies to renovate the port. As part of the agreement arranged in mid-2018, Carver has renovated a 7.5 hectare cargo facility with deep-water access, including the rehabilitation a 425m conveyor system on the leased site.

Fiji: The Tasman Sea, a bulk carrier, has delivered clinker from Japan for the Tengy Cement plant via the port of Lautoka. The vessel carried 26,800t of clinker, according to the Fiji Sun newspaper. It will also deliver clinker for Tengy Cement’s plant in Suva. Madulesh Lakhan, operations manager of Transam Fiji, said that his company arranges clinker imports every three months to the country. Pacific Cement also uses the service.

Iran: Abdul Reza Sheikhan, the secretary of the Cement Industry Association, has warned that an increase to maritime shipping rates is further restricting exports in conjunction with US-backed trade sanctions. He said that the country has a production capacity of 87.5Mt/yr, that 48Mt is consumed domestically and that less than 15% is exported, according to the Islamic Republic News Agency. He also identified ‘negative’ competition between cement producers over exports has damaged the industry. To counter this, export teams in the east, west and south of the country have been formed.

The country exports cement to 17 countries including Iraq, Afghanistan, the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) region, Bangladesh and countries in Africa. It is the sixth largest exporter in the world.

Sweden: Cementa says it is has supply problems delivering its Bascement product. The delivery issues have been caused by frequent power cuts to its Slite plant, weather-related delays to its shipping schedule and high cement demand. The subsidiary of Germany’s HeidelbergCement said that it was keeping its customers regularly updated.