- As HMM Sees Surge in Asia-US West Coast Volumes
The 76,436 dwt dry bulk vessel Melite has run aground off the coast of Pulau Laut, Indonesia, according to data provided by the ship’s owner, Athens-based shipping firm Diana Shipping.
The company informed that the crew is in no danger as a result of this incident and there has been no pollution.
Although the situation is still under assessment, Diana Shipping said that it appears that the vessel has suffered damage to its hull as a result of the grounding.
Built in 2004, the Panamax bulker is currently chartered to Düsseldorf-based Uniper Global Commodities.
Diana Shipping said that the ship’s employment has been temporarily disrupted due to the incident.
The company did not provide any details related to the possible salvage operations.
Meanwhile, South Korean shipping major Hyundai Merchant Marine (HMM) saw a 77 percent surge in its Asia-US west coast (USWC) volume in June 2017, compared to the same month a year earlier.
HMM’s Asia-USWC handling cargo rose year-on-year from 7,953 TEU per week to 14,055 TEU per week at the end of the month, the company said citing PIERS Data. Additionally, the shipping firm improved its rank, reaching the fourth place in terms of market share, up from 12th in the previous year.
The company’s Asia-all US route cargo handling also rose by 49 percent year-on-year from 11,626 TEU to 17,291 TEU per week in June 2017.
HMM’s USWC market share reached 7.4 percent, up by 3.4 percent from the same month last year, while all US route market share grew to 5.8 percent, up by 2 percent year-on-year.
The company’s cargo processing at Busan Port, the largest sea gateway in Korea, increased by 91 percent last month from a year ago. Its volumes at Busan port jumped from 78,039 TEU to 148,950 TEU per month in June 2017, the second-largest volume after Maersk.
The total includes 76,376 TEU per month of imports and exports cargo, an increase of 83 percent compared to the same period a year earlier, and 72,574 TEU per month of transshipment, representing a 100 percent rise.
“HMM’s volume has dramatically increased, as it has regained customer trust through a successful restructuring and has expanded shipping networks through ‘2M+H strategic cooperation’ and ‘HMM+K2’ consortium,” HMM official said.
The official added that HMM expects even higher volumes in the third quarter of 2017 as the peak season approaches.
World Maritime News
