Page 50 - ΝΑΥΤΙΚΑ ΧΡΟΝΙΚΑ - MARTIOS 2023

ON THE SEAFRONT

MAERSK SOUNDS THE ALARM reasons has shaken the international
DESPITE HIGH PROFITS shipping industry.
Danish shipping giant Maersk posted According to a recent analysis by Xclu-
record profits in 2022; however, its siv Shipbrokers, India is a “small mari-
financial report predicts a possible time trade giant” responsible for 17% of
four-fold reduction in revenues in the world’s seaborne iron ore trade, 19%
2023 due to lower freight rates and of the world’s seaborne coal trade, and
container volumes. 2% of the world’s seaborne grain trade.

Maersk expects underlying earnings Furthermore, regarding liquid bulk car-
before interest, taxation, depreciation, goes, India is responsible for 12% of the
and amortisation (EBITDA) of $8-11 world’s crude oil trade and 7% of the
billion in 2023, compared with $36.8 world’s seaborne oil product trade.
billion last year. In addition, it expects At the same time, MarineTraffic has
global demand for shipping containers released some interesting data on the
to fall by as much as 2.5% as a build-up arrival of 25+-year-old ships in India in
in inventories is unwound. 2022. A total of 3,802 bulkers and tank-
“Freight rates have stabilised at a ers built before 1998 arrived in Indian
lower level that is not catastrophic ports last year.
for us,” Maersk’s CEO Vincent Clerc At the same time, the ban will also sig-
told journalists. He added that the nificantly impact ships over 20 years
company’s strategic pursuit is to keep of age that are/will be registered in
costs low at a time when it has been the Indian registry. MarineTraffic data
buying up warehouses and distribu- shows that 5% (or 753) of the vessels
tion networks to offer an end-to-end under the Indian flag were built before
transportation service rather than just 2003. Of these, 133 are tankers, and 61
container shipping. are bulkers.
However, the ban will have mini-
INDIA, A NO-GO ZONE FOR mal impact on containerships, as the
OVERAGE SHIPS: THE BAN’S number of containerships approaching
EFFECTS ON TANKERS AND or exceeding 30 years is very small. In
BULKERS addition, Xclusiv noted that the large
India’s decision a few weeks ago to ban number of orders placed in recent years
ships over 25 years old from entering would renew the fleet.
its ports for environmental and security

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