Pakistan and Danish officials this week reviewed the progress of Denmark’s $2 billion investment in south Asian country’s maritime sector
As per a statement, the development occurred during a high- level meeting between Federal
Minister for Maritime Affairs, Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry and the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Denmark to Pakistan, Jacob Linulf .
During the meeting, both sides discussed the implementation of the $2 billion investment plan under the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed last year between Pakistan and Denmark. read the statement.
The investment aims to modernize Pakistan’s maritime infra- structure, enhance port efficiency and promote sustainable practices in the shipping and logistics sector The minister emphasized the strategic importance of this partnership, highlighting how Danish expertise in maritime technology can contribute to Pakistan’s economic growth and global trade competitiveness
Moreover, the discussion also covered potential future investments in green shipping, renewable energy solutions for ports, and capacity-building initiatives to strengthen Pakistan’s maritime workforce, read the statement.
Beyond economic cooperation, the meeting also focused on strengthening cultural ties and promoting tourism between Pakistan and Denmark.
Ambassador Jacob Linulf expressed Denmark’s strong interest in expanding its footprint in Pakistan’s maritime sector and reiterated his government’s commitment to supporting sustainable and innovative solutions.
Pakistan’s maritime minister welcomed this interest and assured full cooperation in facilitating Danish investors.
Both sides agreed to acceler ate the implementation of the MoU and explore further opportunities for collaboration in trade, investment, and cultural exchange, strengthening the longstanding friendship between Pakistan and Denmark.
16,828-TEU OOCL Iris biggest to dock at Savannah
THE 16,828-TEU OOCL Iris is now the largest capacity vessel to ever call the Port of Savannah, the Georgia Port Authority announced, reports the American Journal of Transportation.
The CMA CGM Marco Polo held the previous maximum capacity record at the Port of Savannah. at 16,022 TEU.
The Port of Savannah will perform more than 2,800 container moves on and off the Iris, mostly FEUS.
In 2026, the Georgia Department of Transportation will begin construction on a project to replace existing cables on the Talmadge Bridge, lifting its height. This will allow even larger vessels to serve the Port of Savannah.
CMA CGM's first 13,000- TEU methanol ship delivered
THE 13,000-TEU CMA CGM Iron, the French shipping giant’s first methanol-powered dual-fuel new build has been delivered reports Rotterdam’s Offshore Energy
CMA CGM Iron made its maiden call at the Port of Singapore on March 4 and the Malta-flagged vessel features a length of 335 metres and a beam of 51 metres
Built by South Korea’s ship building player HD Hyundai Samho at the yard in the city of Geoje, CMA CGM Iron is the inaugural vessel in a series of 12 methanol-powered dual-fuel units that CMA CGM Group booked in February 2023 in a deal worth a staggering KRW2 52 trillion (US$2 billion).
According to the Marseille- based shipping company, the new build’s sisters vessels-named CMA CGM Cobalt, Argon, Platinum, Mercury, Helium, Krypton, Thorium, Osmium, Silver, Copper and Gold – will be handed over gradually, throughout the remain der of 2025 and in 2026
The worldwide clean fuel-powered fleet has been on a steady upward trajectory, with ammonia and methanol ships attracting more and more attention from maritime industry stakeholders.
In fact, data from the Norway- based classification society DNV’s Alternative Fuels Insights (AFI) platform showed that 2024 saw 166 methanol orders (accounting for 32 per cent of the AFI orderbook) Most of the contracts (85) in- volved container vessels
“Thanks to our long-standing collaboration with the South Korean shipyard Hyundai Samho Heavy Industries, we have met the challenge of this new propulsion system. This feat of engineering brings us closer to the Net Zero Carbon goal, complementing our dual-fuel gas-powered vessels.” said CMA CGM vice president Xavier Leclercq
Turkish cargo revenue up 35pc in 2024 on the back of 20pc hike in volume.
TURKISH Airlines has reported that its 2024 cargo revenue grew by around 35 per cent year on year as it continued to invest in specialist product handling and fleet expansion.
Total cargo revenue was US$3.5 billion, up from $2.6 billion the previous year. Plus, annual cargo volumes were up more than 20 per cent, reports London’s Air Cargo New.
“Strengthening Turkiye’s position as a global transfer hub through its strategic initiatives and state-of-the-art infrastructure, Turkish Cargo increased its annual cargo volume by over 20 per cent, becoming the world’s third-largest air cargo carrier according to data published by the International Air Transport Association (IATA),” said Turkish in a press release.
Overall, Turkish Airlines’ total revenues in 2024 increased by 8.2 per cent year on year to $22.7 billion.
At the beginning of last year, Turkish Cargo expanded its pharma offering with three new standards, TK Pharma Standard, TK Pharma Extra and TK Pharma Advanced, each offering various levels of service.
The airline also invested in its fleet last year, announcing in July an order for four 777Fs to add to its existing fleet of eight of the air- craft.
This is in addition to an order in 2023 for five Airbus A350F freighters, with the right to order
20 more.
Singapore's Tuas port on course to meet expectations
SINGAPORE’s Tuas mega port is well on its way to meeting its planners’ expectations to be the world’s biggest fully automated container terminal when its four phase development is complete, reports Melbourne’s New Atlas,
So far, the Tuas mega port has handled 10 million containers since it kicked off operations in September 2022, and is expected to increase that to 65 million a year in the 2040s completed.
A command center near the port sees humans monitor and remotely operate vehicles and cranes from large screens displaying a digital twin of the facility.
That includes a fleet of fast charging electric automated guided vehicles (AGV) moving through the terminal, autonomously transporting containers atop their flat chassis (each can carry up to two TEU or a single FEU) at speeds up to 15.5 mph (25 km/h).
Tuas port’s fleet currently includes more than 200 AGVs, which se RFID to communicate with underground transponders and hare their location in real time for precise positioning and collision
avoidance.
Nikkei Asia reported that on a recent tour of the mega port, one could hardly spot a human worker he facility among the bunch of driverless yellow AGVs going about their business.
The AGVs operate via a central fleet management system, and can run for up to six hours on a 20- minute charge. These vehicles are said to feature an always-on communications design, which means even if some port networking systems fail, they’ll still be available online to be controlled safely.
Singapore’s Maritime and Port Authority will digitize Tuas port’s operations further with a “Next Generation Vessel Traffic Management System,” which will monitor terminal traffic in real-time using Al and satellites. PSA Singapore, which operates the port, plans to grow the AGV fleet by another 200- and-some vehicles as the facility nears completion.
Peter Döhle firms up boxship newbuilds in China
Germany’s Peter Döhle Schiffahrts has moved fast to complete its containership orders in China
Shipbuilding sources say the Hamburg-based box ship and bulker owner and operator has exercised options for a pair of 8,400 newbuilds at CSSC Guangzhou Shipyard International (GSI) after signing up for three firm units earlier this year.
Brokers have placed a price tag of $121m on each LNG dual-fuel vessel with deliveries scheduled between 2027 and 2028
Last year, Peter Döhle, which claims control of more than 300 tramp-owned containerships, or- dered four newbuilds at CSSC-al- filiated Hudong-Zhonghua after a break of nearly nine years.
Those ships, costing about $150m each, will have a capacity of 14,000 teu, be scrubber-fitted. methanol-ready, and delivered in 2027.
The inactive box ship fleet falls below 200,000 TEU
THE world’s inactive containership fleet remains at a very low capacity below 200,000 TEU, representing 0.6 per cent of the world’s total of 31 million TEU, according to Alphaliner, reports Milan’s Transporto Europa.
A key factor influencing this trend is the increase in average sailing distances due to the Red Sea crisis, which has diverted ships around the Cape of Good Hope.
The extended routes led to a rise in freight rates in 2024, encouraging shipping companies to minimise idle vessels. The break for the Chinese New Year and the temporary truce between Israel and Hamas have so far had no significant impact on global maritime trade, said Alphaliner.
While the Paris-based consultancy recorded an increase of six idle vessels in the two-week period covered by the report, bringing the total to 71, the rise in capacity was marginal, amounting to just 5,228 TEU.
This confirms the trend observed over the past year, during which the inactive fleet has consistently remained below one per cent of total capacity.
At the same time, the number of ships undergoing repairs in ship- yards is increasing, reaching 170 vessels with a combined capacity of 731,872 TEU
This is the highest level in the past three and a half months, though it is not considered unusual, as many carriers take advantage of the traditional post-Chinese New Year slow down to carry out maintenance.
If the Gaza truce holds. containerships could resume transiting the Suez Canal, reducing journey times and thus lowering the demand for capacity. Addition ally, new vessels are expected to enter service this year, prompting companies to retire older or smaller ships.