On a windswept island 50 miles north of Seattle sits a U.S. Navy monitoring station. For years, it was kept busy tracking whale movements and measuring rising sea temperatures. Last October, the Navy gave the unit a new name that better reflects its current mission: Theater Undersea Surveillance Command.The renaming of the spy station at the Whidbey Island naval base is a nod to a much larger U.S.
A new council aiming to improve the way U.S. government does business in ship acquisition and ship maintenance convened at the Coast Guard Yard in Baltimore on Thursday.In kicking off the inaugural meeting of the Government Shipbuilders Council (GSC), Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro underscored the council’s mission to address common and singular challenges among those that contract in
On Feb. 10 last year, the cable ship CS Dependable appeared off the coast of the island of Diego Garcia, an Indian Ocean atoll that’s home to a discreet U.S. naval base.Over the next month, the ship’s crew covertly laid an underwater fiber-optic cable to the military base, an operation code-named “Big Wave,” according to four people with direct knowledge of the mission
As the ship recycle market enters a period of contraction going into the traditionally weaker and quieter summer / monsoon months, sentiments have declined across the sub-continent markets (and even Turkey) this week, according to GMS. To compound the bearish ship recycling sentiments
Recycling markets remain firmly poised for another week, following a stunning resurgence by the Bangladeshi market (in particular) that leaves them atop the price rankings board.Levels close to and even over $600/LDT are now being regularly presented on various vessels and this is inducing more Ship Owners to sell their vessels
It is the Bangladeshi market that has been impressing everybody of late (and for yet another week) with a lot of pent-up demand being realized and even news of some choice purchases at decent numbers on units that have managed to receive L/C approvals.Indeed, we have once again seen levels over $600/LDT in Bangladesh for the first time since the same time last year
This week, several more sales have registered as sub-continent ship recycling markets come roaring back – and a previously subdued Bangladesh starts to seemingly find some form once again, with some workable L/Cs from privately financed (rather than state controlled) banks.Despite the ongoing discussions about an IMF loan in the amount of about USD 2 - 3 billion
An increase in the flow of tonnage has begun to buoy recycling markets and all potential locations are increasingly trying to secure vessels, in order to satisfy an progressively rampant demand that has built up over a record low influx of tonnage during a dreadfully quiet 2022.India continues to remain the primary focus due to their far more stable market conditions and ability to finance new
Another solid showing from sub-continent markets has given encouragement to ship owners and cash buyers, to start testing potential prices with firm candidates. Indeed, several deals have been concluded off the back of these improved numbers, including one more Capesize bulker at firm levels basis an ‘as is’ Singapore delivery.
Following a virtually inert 2022 and a slightly busier start to 2023 at the various recycling destinations, much of the Far East was off celebrating Chinese Lunar New Year holidays this week and it has expectedly been a quieter period - in terms of sales and activity.A larger number of container vessels have so far been sold for recycling at the start of the year
A degree of increased positivity has entered recycling markets this week, said GMS, as prices push on in both India (off the back of firming steel and settling currencies) and Bangladesh (off of a rising demand and a currency that has recently found its stability around BDT 105).In fact, a number of sales have reportedly even taken place at increasingly firm numbers
As we close out another year, sub-continent markets remain suspended at their weakest point for some time now. Pricing remains firm (given the historical price average has been around $350/LDT or so), but sentiments and conditions on the ground across all locations remain somewhat precarious.