News Breakbulk & Project Cargo
Spliethoff said the new ships , which it has called “ L-type ,” will be the largest in the operator ’ s fleet when delivered between January 2028 and March 2029 .
The ice-class ships will be equipped with five side-loaders , a cargo lift system that allows breakbulk goods to be loaded via the side of the ship , three cranes , each with a capacity of 150 metric tons , combinable to 300 metric tons , and will have a deadweight capacity of 28,600 metric tons .
Van den Berg told the Journal of Commerce that the development and implementation of Spliethoff ’ s performance management system has been successful in improving the fuel efficiency of its existing ships . This involves collection of “ sensor data from our fleet to optimize operations and to have proper input for assessing further fuel efficiency measures ,” he said .
Spliethoff is staying “ fuel agnostic ” with its latest order for up to 10 28,600- dwt ships . Spliethoff email : keithwallis @ hotmail . com
is expected to keep infrastructure construction growth above average through 2026 , Höegh Autoliners said .
Global high-and-heavy sales are set to grow to $ 230 billion next year and $ 240 billion in 2026 after falling to $ 219 billion this year , according to the October edition of the S & P Mobility Global Trade Atlas . S & P Global is the parent company of the Journal of Commerce .
‘ Not a worry ’
Wallenius Wilhelmsen and Höegh Autoliners have both experienced a languid high-and-heavy market this year with lower shipment volumes of equipment , including agricultural machines and excavators . High-and-heavy volumes as a percentage of total cargo volumes have also slipped , although that has been offset by increased volumes of cars and other light vehicles , mainly from Asia .
Highlighting the downturn , Kristoffersen said Wilhelmsen ’ s high-and-heavy volumes dropped 28 % in the third quarter year over year , to 3.3 million cubic meters . Kristoffersen added that third-quarter volumes were also the lowest since the second quarter of 2020 .
“ It ’ s not a worry for us because we ’ re filling vessels with well-paying cars ,” he said .
Kristoffersen added that high-and-heavy shipments had been replaced by an increase in breakbulk cargo volumes in the third quarter due to tight capacity and elevated freight rates in the container sector .
High-and-heavy shipments accounted for 23 % of Wilhelmsen ’ s cargo mix in the third quarter , down from 25 % in the second quarter and 27 % in the third quarter of 2023 .
Höegh Autoliners ’ share of high-and-heavy and breakbulk cargoes dropped to 25 % of its total volumes in the third quarter , from 26 % in the same period last year .
Wilhelmsen ’ s logistics division has benefited from sluggish high-and-heavy equipment sales . Kristoffersen said this had increased inventory levels , leading to longer dwell
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times and higher storage revenues at its terminals and processing centers .
Both carriers forecast strong growth in vehicle exports , especially out of Asia , despite the imposition by the European Union of tariffs of up to 45.3 % on Chinese made electric vehicles ( EVs ) on Oct . 30 . The EU accounts for about 30 % of China ’ s EV exports with more than 60 % exported to Asia , South America and Africa , according to Chinese customs figures .
Even with the expected downturn in EV exports to Europe from China , Wilhelmsen and Höegh Autoliners are forecasting growth of between 2 % and 4 % for deep-sea
“ It ’ s not a worry for us because we ’ re filling vessels with wellpaying cars .”
vehicle shipments , to about 14 million to 16 million units next year . By comparison , shortsea vehicle volumes are set to grow nearly 2 % per year until 2026 , according to S & P Global forecasts .
Meanwhile , optimism about future growth and a continuing push to decarbonize led United European Car Carriers ( UECC ), jointly owned by Japan ’ s NYK and Sweden ’ s Wallenius Lines , to confirm a contract Oct . 30 for up to four multi-fuel battery hybrid pure car and truck carriers ( PCTCs ). The deal for the 4,500-car equivalent unit vessels , to be built by China Merchants Jinling Shipyard in Nanjing , comprises a firm order for two ships scheduled for delivery in 2028 , plus options for two more vessels .
email : keithwallis @ hotmail . com
November 2024 | Journal of Commerce 19