Total imports of iron ore and soya beans were lower in 2018 than in 2017, down 1% and 7.9% respectively, and although imports of coal grew 3.7% in 2018, this was slower than the growth in 2017.
The AMSA Marine Notice 7/2017 addresses the following areas; Software quality assurance, Anomalies, ECDIS data presentation and performance check dataset, Chart carriage requirements, Mode of ECDIS operation, ECDIS training requirements and Port state control inspections.
US seaborne coal exports are up 57% in total volume and 61% in terms of tonne-miles for the first five months of 2017 compared to the same period last year. If US coal exports remain high throughout 2017 it will have a solid effect on the global seaborne coal trade and support the overall improvement in the dry bulk shipping industry.
China's import of iron ore will continue to be a key driver for the demand growth in 2017 for the dry bulk shipping industry, alongside shipping of grains.
BIMCO has established a new subcommittee to develop a Dynamic Positioning (DP) Annex for the SUPPLYTIME 2017. The DP Annex is expected to be the next addition to the library of specialist pro-forma Annexes, which is being developed by BIMCO in collaboration with industry experts. It will provide a framework for the use of DP systems in the offshore and other relevant sectors.
The dry bulk fleet exceeded 800 mill DWT in January 2017, as the dry bulk fleet grew by 2.6% year on year. BIMCO’s Chief Shipping Analyst Peter Sand expects the dry bulk fleet to grow 1.6% for the full year in 2017, if the projected demolition activity of 19 mill DWT is realised. The declining growth rate from the panamax, supramax and handysize segments was absorbed by a growing capesize fleet; the total fleet growth was stable in 2016.