INDIAN NAVY ASSISTS MSC SHIP WITH FIRE AFTER HOUTHI ATTACK
MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company confirmed that its vessel MSC Sky II suffered minor damage including a fire after it was struck by the Houthis. The Indian Navy went to the vessel’s aid after the attack and reported that they also escorted the ship to safe waters. The 30,000-dwt vessel is operating as an “extra vessel” according to MSC’s online tracking system and was sailing from Singapore due to arrive in Djibouti on March 4. The vessel was approximately 91 nautical miles southeast of Aden yesterday afternoon when the Houthis launched two missiles, with one damaging the ship and the second impacting the water. The EU’s Operation Aspides separately has warned that vessels should “make a wide detour around the southern islands of the Red Sea.” The Indian vessel Kolkata, which is patrolling the southern waters and the area in the Gulf of Aden, responded after the attack. A specialized 12-member firefighting team boarded the MSC Sky II early on March 5 to assist with the firefight. An explosive disposal team also went aboard the container ship to provide a residual risk assessment and ensure that there were no further dangers.
CMA CGM WRAPS UP $5.2BN BOLLORÉ LOGISTICS ACQUISITION
French liner CMA CGM has completed the acquisition of family-run conglomerate Bolloré Logistics for €4.85bn ($5.25bn). The Bolloré Group said that, even though the sale to CMA CGM has been completed, the transfer of Bolloré Logistics Sweden AB to the French company remains subject to obtaining foreign investment clearance in Sweden. The two agreed to the sale back in May 2023 for an initial price of €5bn. The buy did have some hurdles it had to jump over before it was completed. Competition authorities in Polynesia and the EU Commission gave the all-clear only after the divestment of certain Bolloré assets or in the case of Polynesia – the cancellation of one of CMA CGM’s Panama Direct Line service. This is CMA CGM’s largest acquisition since its creation in 1978 and, according to the French liner, is a major step in its logistics development strategy.
PORT OF ANTWERP-BRUGES TO PAY MORE THAN $44M IN DP WORLD CONCESSION DISPUTE
The port of Antwerp-Bruges will have to pay €41.3m ($44.7m) plus costs and interest to DP World under a ruling in an arbitration case at the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID). The record fine, which could ultimately amount to up to €100m, is the conclusion of a seven-year concession dispute at the Deurganck dock that started almost twenty years ago. Container shipping analysts at Alphaliner said that the judgement raised questions about whether the two sides could find an alternative solution, noting “the optimal and constructive operational cooperation and understanding of DP World, one of the most important terminal operators.”
NEW CONTAINER SHIPPING LINE ESTABLISHED IN SAUDI ARABIA
A new feeder and short-sea shipping company has been launched in Saudi Arabia to link the kingdom with other key ports in the Red Sea. The Riyadh-based Folk Maritime is headed up by former Hamburg Süd boss Poul Hestbaek, who left the Maersk company in August last year. Folk Maritime describes itself as Saudi Arabia’s first dedicated feeder operator, offering services in the Middle East and the surrounding region. In addition to Hestbaek, the outfit is run by former director at ARK Logistics & Maritime Saleem Kadernani as chief commercial officer, chief of finance Khalid Fawzi, and head of human resources Abdulrahman Alshangiti. The company has two services in the Red Sea, with a pair of 2,500 teu feeders connecting Jeddah with Neom, Yanbu in Saudi Arabia, and Ain Sokhna in Egypt weekly, while a smaller 700 teu ship links with Sudan every two weeks.
