Breakbulk shipping

German regulators approved an alliance between Jumbo and SAL that concentrates super-heavy-lift capacity in the hands of fewer players as the project market begins to recover from both long-term and pandemic-driven doldrums.

SAL, Jumbo launch super-heavy-lift alliance after regulatory approval

Special Correspondent Keith Wallis | Apr 19, 2021, 12:00 PM EDT

Drewry’s multipurpose index bounced 15 percent and the inaugural Market Sentiment Index has revealed a wary optimism as the MPV sector benefits from container chaos.

MPV/HL boost from bulk, container vessel congestion won’t last: Drewry

Janet Nodar, Senior Editor, Breakbulk and Heavy Lift | Apr 15, 2021, 5:51 PM EDT

The MPV/HL market is on the upswing, but a lack of finance and lingering overcapacity will hold back investment in new ships.

Busy breakbulk market will not spur MPV newbuildings

Janet Nodar, Senior Editor, Breakbulk and Heavy Lift | Apr 5, 2021, 5:34 PM EDT

Breakbulk carriersProject cargo

MPV charter rate gains show no sign of slowing

Janet Nodar, Senior Editor, Breakbulk and Heavy Lift | Apr 1, 2021, 2:02 PM EDT

Toepfer's multipurpose rate index tracks recovery as container-side chaos continues to benefit the breakbulk market

The Biden administration's push for offshore wind will jumpstart the industry, but may stymie breakbulk wind imports.

Industry encouraged by renewed push for US offshore wind

Janet Nodar, Senior Editor, Breakbulk and Heavy Lift | Apr 1, 2021, 8:00 AM EDT

Energy projects

Lack of supply chain visibility particularly acute in project logistics

Janet Nodar, Senior Editor, Breakbulk and Heavy Lift | Mar 23, 2021, 9:11 AM EDT

Voyager and GSA create “line of sight” visibility tool for managing ocean transport for project cargo shippers.

A chaotic container segment, rising bulk prices, and vigorous wind energy development on- and offshore are pushing volume toward the MPV/HL sector.

Changing energy mix complicates breakbulk cargo demand rebound

Janet Nodar, Senior Editor, Breakbulk and Heavy Lift | Mar 22, 2021, 11:43 AM EDT

The breakbulk sector is likely heading into a new economic supercycle focused on renewables and metals instead of oil and created by a policy-driven energy transition, rather than by demand-driven commodities growth.

Mining, renewables to usher in next economic cycle for breakbulk sector

Janet Nodar, Senior Editor, Breakbulk and Heavy Lift | Mar 19, 2021, 1:15 PM EDT

Breakbulk shippingProject cargoEnergy projects

Jumbo, SAL form JV amid improving MPV/HL outlook

Special Correspondent Keith Wallis | Mar 4, 2021, 2:17 PM EST

A new super-heavy-lift joint venture, if approved, will benefit from an offshore wind market poised to expand through 2050.

Container market woes and a booming bulk market are cutting competition and boosting freight rates for the multipurpose/heavy-lift sector.

Toepfer’s March multipurpose forecast rebounds on demand signals

Janet Nodar, Senior Editor, Breakbulk and Heavy Lift | Mar 2, 2021, 3:25 PM EST

Project cargoBreakbulk carriers

Ro/ro carriers ordering green ships as auto demand rises

Keith Wallis, Special Correspondent | Feb 26, 2021, 1:19 PM EST

Grimaldi and United European Car Carriers are pursuing lower emissions vessels, and Wallenius Wilhelmsen is taking three more ships out cold layup to serve a rebounding vehicle cargo market

Turbine components, including 216-foot-long wind blades, crossed Vancouver USA’s docks last year bound for a regional high, wide, and heavy transport corridor to Canada.

Wind cargo surged last year at Port of Vancouver USA

Special Correspondent Chris Barnett | Feb 25, 2021, 3:03 PM EST

Breakbulk shipping

High and heavy cargo manufacturer Deere sees earnings rebound

Janet Nodar, Senior Editor, Breakbulk and Heavy Lift | Feb 23, 2021, 10:46 AM EST

High and heavy shipper John Deere's earnings spiked 137 percent year over year in the first quarter of the company’s fiscal 2021 as strong crop prices and post-pandemic inventory restocking boosted sales.

Ro/ro cargo

Wallenius Wilhelmsen designing wind-propelled ro/ro ship

Special Correspondent Keith Wallis | Feb 17, 2021, 2:40 PM EST

The IMO's low-carbon standards and shippers eager to reduce their carbon footprints are pushing vessel operators toward lower-emission designs such as WW’s wind-powered ship.

Drewry's charter rate index is up 2.2 percent for February as COVID-19 lockdowns drive consumers to favor premium container cargoes.

MPV fleet will benefit from container chaos through Q2: Drewry

Janet Nodar, Senior Editor, Breakbulk and Heavy Lift | Feb 11, 2021, 2:49 PM EST

MPV/HL carriers and breakbulk ports benefited last year from record US wind cargoes as expiring tax credits, improved technology, and increasing demand accelerated development

US land-based wind installations boom in Q4 2020

Chris Barnett, Special Correspondent | Feb 9, 2021, 4:18 PM EST

Energy projects

Washington state ports see breakbulk surge in 2020

Chris Barnett, Special Correspondent | Feb 8, 2021, 3:25 PM EST

Wind energy cargoes boosted the Port of Longview’s breakbulk volumes, while high and heavy drove growth at the Northwest Seaport Alliance (NWSA) ports of Seattle and Tacoma.

Regulators have now fined ocean carriers Wallenius Wilhelmsen Ocean (WWO), NYK RORO, and “K” Line a total of $63 million for price fixing on vehicle shipping services on routes to Australia.

Final penalties handed down in Australian car carrier cartel case

Keith Wallis, Special Correspondent | Feb 5, 2021, 10:52 AM EST

Breakbulk carriersRo/ro cargo

US high and heavy imports see rebound as 2021 opens

Janet Nodar, Senior Editor, Breakbulk and Heavy Lift | Feb 4, 2021, 8:00 AM EST

As congestion and rate pressure continue to squeeze the container market, some breakbulk cargo is shifting out of boxes back to ro/ro.

Ro/ro cargo

Multipurpose index forecast up 2 percent amid renewables optimism

Janet Nodar, Senior Editor, Breakbulk and Heavy Lift | Feb 3, 2021, 4:33 PM EST

Toepfer Transport's MPV/HL rate forecast climbs to $7,146 as optimism grows in the breakbulk market amid a new US presidential administration seen as favorable to renewables.

Energy projectsBreakbulk carriers

US auto imports expected to continue rebound after late 2020 recovery

Janet Nodar, Senior Editor, Breakbulk and Heavy Lift | Feb 2, 2021, 12:36 PM EST

A microprocessor chip shortage and new COVID-19 spread could slow recovery by hampering vehicle production.

New contracts firm up heavy transport and heavy lift firm Fagioli’s 2021 outlook despite the pandemic-driven industry-wide downturn of 2020.

Fagioli spots green shoots in oil and gas sector

Special Correspondent Keith Wallis | Feb 1, 2021, 3:21 PM EST

Heavy-haul transportProject cargo

First of eight new F-type ships joins UHL fleet

Special Correspondent Keith Wallis | Jan 21, 2021, 1:05 PM EST

In a further sign of a tumultuous market, UHL's newest "Eco-Lifter" will deliver containers to Europe on its maiden voyage.

A state-wide commitment to renewables is behind a massive increase in project cargo tonnage at the Northern California port of Stockton.

Green project cargo booms at California’s Port of Stockton

Special Correspondent Chris Barnett | Jan 20, 2021, 3:22 PM EST

High box rates and congestion woes are driving container-side shippers to the breakbulk sector for relief.

Multipurpose carriers benefit from congested container market's 'whipsaw effect'

Janet Nodar, Senior Editor, Breakbulk and Heavy Lift | Jan 15, 2021, 2:41 PM EST

With the addition of dedicated installation capacity, SAL will target European offshore development, maintenance, and decommissioning.

SAL Renewables signals growing commitment to offshore wind market

Special Correspondent Keith Wallis | Jan 14, 2021, 12:59 PM EST

Energy projectsBreakbulk carriers

Cautious ro-ro carriers reactivating idled ships on firmer market

Special Correspondent Keith Wallis | Jan 11, 2021, 11:39 AM EST

Rising short-term charter rates and recovering cargo volumes are leading ro-ro carriers to reactivate ships in cold lay-up since early 2020.

A congested container shipping market is pushing cargo toward breakbulk shipping as Toepfer Transport's MPV/HL rate forecast climbs to $7,005, signaling recovery from 2020's COVID-19 slump.

Multipurpose vessel index returns to pre-COVID-19 five-year average

Janet Nodar, Senior Editor, Breakbulk and Heavy Lift | Jan 7, 2021, 11:25 AM EST

Breakbulk shipping

New shipbroker to specialize in breakbulk, heavy-lift market

Janet Nodar, Senior Editor, Breakbulk and Heavy Lift | Dec 30, 2020, 3:37 PM EST

Former SAL executive Justin Archard has departed the super-heavy-lift carrier and will be a founding partner with Hamburg-based One World Shipbrokers.

Project cargoBreakbulk carriers

Outlook 2021: Breakbulk eyes green energy recovery after 2020’s ‘double black swan’

Janet Nodar, Senior Editor, Breakbulk and Heavy Lift | Dec 28, 2020, 4:14 PM EST

Breakbulk and project logistics providers are adapting to a market in which the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated a shift away from traditional oil and gas projects and toward more carbon-neutral energy sources and related industries.

US-based project forwarders say they’re struggling to secure capacity as rebound demand and multipurpose and heavy-lift capacity is tapped by container lines in reaction to even stronger container demand.

Cargo shifts complicate MPV liner service offerings

Special Correspondent Keith Wallis, Senior Editor Janet Nodar | Dec 21, 2020, 1:41 PM EST

Fluor grinds its way out of a long run of financial trouble, but the EPC is facing an anxious oil and gas segment struggling with COVID-19-driven demand declines and an evolving market.

Fluor returns to profit, but COVID-19 blurs project pipeline

Janet Nodar, Senior Editor, Breakbulk and Heavy Lift | Dec 16, 2020, 12:45 PM EST

Indices forecast rising rates for MPPs through the end of the year as breakbulk demand improves and container shippers searching for alternatives underpin a strengthening market.

Drewry, Toepfer indices optimistic as tight container market boosts MPP sector

Janet Nodar, Senior Editor, Breakbulk and Heavy Lift | Dec 3, 2020, 3:44 PM EST

Escalating box rates and tight capacity in the container carrier market are pushing service providers to bring in ships from the multi-purpose sector.

Capacity crunch forces shift to MPP ships for container services

Special Correspondent Keith Wallis | Dec 2, 2020, 1:04 PM EST

Breakbulk carriersMaritime

EU to spend nearly $1 trillion on offshore wind

Janet Nodar, Senior Editor, Breakbulk and Heavy Lift | Nov 23, 2020, 2:17 PM EST

The European Commission's Green Deal will add 288 gigawatts (GW) of offshore wind capacity to Europe's grid by 2050, along with 40 GW in tidal and floating solar energy generation.

Energy projects

COVID-19, capital spending cuts drive project logistics recalibration

Janet Nodar, Senior Editor, Breakbulk and Heavy Lift | Nov 16, 2020, 11:21 AM EST

Faced with the COVID-19 pandemic, shrinking investment in capital projects, and a slow-but-game-changing global shift towards a lower-carbon future, the industry is again recalibrating its project logistics relationships.

In the short term, EPCs see a painful gap growing in the oil and gas “project pipeline” because capital projects worth billions of dollars were delayed, with a few canceled or downsized.

Breakbulk sector mulls long-term fallout from COVID-19

Janet Nodar, Senior Editor, Breakbulk and Heavy Lift | Nov 16, 2020, 11:15 AM EST

Breakbulk shipping

Wallenius Wilhelmsen’s Q3 ocean volumes jump 33 percent

Janet Nodar, Senior Editor, Breakbulk and Heavy Lift | Nov 16, 2020, 10:12 AM EST

Wallenius Wilhelmsen turns in a positive third quarter as pent-up demand boosts auto sales while high and heavy cargo wavers.

Ro/ro cargo

G2 Ocean expanding breakbulk services despite COVID-19

Keith Wallis, Special Correspondent | Nov 10, 2020, 2:18 PM EST

Multi-purpose carrier G2 Ocean's African and Indian semi-liner breakbulk services, established just as COVID-19 exploded, are flourishing despite lockdowns.