Lloyd's List: The Shipping Podcast

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Lloyd's List: The Shipping Podcast Podcast

Lloyd’s List is the world’s leading source of insight, analysis and data for shipping businesses and professionals

  1. The Lloyd’s List Podcast: Why are Chinese shipyards being brought out of retirement?

    3 DAYS AGO

    The Lloyd’s List Podcast: Why are Chinese shipyards being brought out of retirement?

    This episode of the Lloyd's List podcast was brought to you by Lloyd's Register - visit www.lr.org/en/ for more information. In China, shipyards that were distressed assets just years ago are now highly sought after. And if you happened to buy into some back then, congratulations; you likely stand to make a windfall profit. Shanghai-headquartered DCL Investments made one such shrewd play more than two years ago. It invested in restructuring bankrupt Yangzhou Guoyu Shipbuilding at bargain prices, becoming the yard's controlling shareholder in July 2024. Now this facility, with over 300 acres of land, 2 km of Yangtze river frontage, and four slipways able to produce up to 18 merchant ships annually, is generating positive cashflow by leasing to other shipbuilders. It could also bring DCL Investments a hefty return if snapped up by the next buyer. Behind this story is the unfolding of the latest shipbuilding cycle: orderbooks swell, ship prices surge, yards’ profits rebound, and capacity expands. But spectres of the past haunt: will rampant overordering end in yet another devastating crash? Those who lived through the order bubble prior to the 2008 financial crisis can’t help but worry about history repeating itself. Sanguine voices, however, counter history won’t simply repeat. This cycle still has room to run, optimists say, fuelled by fleet renewal demand amid massive levels of aging tonnage and tightening emissions rules absent in the frenzied 2000s. Meanwhile, the industry outlook is intertwined with various uncertainties. Can vessel earnings justify the rising ship prices? Can shipyards resolve labour shortages? Is the International Maritime Organization able to accomplish its green ambitions? And, will excess capacity expansion re-emerge in China, the world’s largest shipbuilding nation and, disrupt markets? Discussing shipbuilding prospects on the podcast this week: Wang Linyu, managing director of DCL Investments John Cotzias, founder of Xclusiv Dimitris Roumeliotis, research analyst of Xclusiv Rob Willmington, markets editor of Lloyd’s List

    24 min
  2. The Lloyd’s List Podcast: What is the best ship money can buy right now?

    AUG 30

    The Lloyd’s List Podcast: What is the best ship money can buy right now?

    What do I build? Where do I build it? How much does it cost? And when can I get it? That’s the checklist of shipowner’s questions right now as they consider newbuildings. If you asked a shipowner what they would be looking for a decade ago the answer to those questions would be pretty standard. If money was no object they would plump for the quality of Japanese yards, they would know exactly which engine was the most efficient for their requirements and the list optional specifications would largely be a question of cost and strategy. As we have reported in previous editions of the podcast, the shipping industry’s decarbonisation strategy is largely built on a fuel mix for which availability is low, energy density is low, capital requirements are high, prices are at record levels, consumer signals are weak, and the ownership structure is fragmented with no clear market leader to drive the new market offering. And yet orders have to be placed – regardless of the regulatory uncertainty, lack of supply, scalability of availability of technology or fuels, the fleet news renewing. Decisions have to be taken and inevitably the interplay between flexibility, efficiency, and yes cost, make for a complex process, that more often then not ends up looking like a series of bets more than a strategy. So this week I want to explore how the industry is thinking about these decisions. What’s the best ship you could theoretically build today? If money were no object and you could get on a plane and find yourself in a shipyard office withal the available specs in front of you – what do you go for? Joining Richard on the podcast this week are: Claire Wright, head of Hanwha Ocean Europe Nikos Tsatsaros, construction director at Lloyd’s Register

    21 min
  3. The Lloyd’s List Podcast: The 'tepid 20s' continue for container ports

    AUG 23

    The Lloyd’s List Podcast: The 'tepid 20s' continue for container ports

    THE headline takeaway from the 2024 edition of the top 100 container port was a second successive year of muted volume growth during 2023 for the biggest container ports. The total tally of just over 690m teu handled by the top 100 ports represented a 0.8% rise on the previous year, continuing the trend of the ‘tepid 20s’ post-Covid with volume growth only marginal. Lloyd’s List deputy editor Linton Nightingale spoke to Drewry senior ports and terminals analyst Eleanor Hadland to look back on how the container port sector fared last year and how it has kicked off 2024. They discussed the factors that could upset the applecart, disrupt the sector and pose a problem for volume trajectory, including potential dock strikes and the result of the upcoming US presidential election…

    16 min
  4. The Lloyd's List Podcast: AMSA - strict but fair

    AUG 16

    The Lloyd's List Podcast: AMSA - strict but fair

    Strict but fair. That’s the description of the Australian Maritime Safety Authority from retiring chief executive Mick Kinley. Some of the world's biggest shipping companies have been named and shamed by the regulator in recent years and their vessels banned from entering ports over sub-standard conditions or not paying crew. Speaking with characteristic Australian candour and colour, Kinley reflects on the progress made by the regulator he has led for the past 10 years and offers some advice to the International Maritime Organization where he has been a key figure for some time. As Kinley sails off over the horizon after 30 years with AMSA, Lloyd’s List sits down with him to talk about his role, changes in the Australian maritime industry over the past three decades and some of the global achievements the authority has had as it seeks to protect seafarers and maintain standards in shipping.

    16 min
  5. The Lloyd’s List Podcast: Can navies protect shipping?

    AUG 8

    The Lloyd’s List Podcast: Can navies protect shipping?

    Concerns around security and geopolitics intensified at the end of last year as the Houthis began targeting vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden under the cover of a show of support for Hamas. Adding to the deteriorating situation was the resurgence in Somali piracy as some actors sought to take advantage of the chaos. Since November we’ve seen nearly 90 incidents related to the Red Sea crisis and multiple piracy incidents including hijackings in the Somali basin, and an uptick in events that could potentially become piracy attacks. This is all happening with various naval operations working around the clock to defend merchant shipping and uphold the freedom of navigation. Significant resources have been deployed in response to the Houthi attacks in the Red Sea, yet, transits through the Bab el Mandeb are consistently down 60% on normal volumes and ships are repeatedly coming under fire. But it’s not just physical protection. For shipping to be able to conduct threat and risks assessments and make security related decisions they need accurate information and insight. So this week on the Lloyd’s List podcast we ask: can navies protect shipping? Joining Lloyd’s List maritime risk analyst are: Commander Knut Evensen, Royal Norwegian Navy Mike Plunkett, senior naval platforms analyst, Janes Antonio Martorell Dominguez, Spanish Navy

    14 min
  6. Lloyd’s List Shipping Podcast: Is the bunker sector doing enough to repair its image?

    AUG 2

    Lloyd’s List Shipping Podcast: Is the bunker sector doing enough to repair its image?

    A few hours after the containership Dali (IMO: 9697428) destroyed the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, there were media reports suggesting investigators would look into ‘bad bunkers’ as a potential cause of the accident. The National Transportation Safety Board ruled out that possibility after its initial investigation. But this incident alone gives us a good idea about the perception of the bunker sector in wider shipping circles. To some, the negative image of the bunker sector isn’t surprising, as some of the court cases arising from the past couple of years’ contamination issues continued until very recently. The highest profile contamination incident occurred in Singapore in 2022, when around 80 ships reported issues with their fuel pumps and engines after receiving contaminated fuel oil at the world’s biggest bunkering hub. Bunker industry executives believe there is still room for improvement as suppliers must adopt the strictest quality standards, but they also argue that shipping companies must play their part and demand such standards to accelerate the process. Joining Lloyd’s List sustainability editor Enes Tunagur this week: Constantinos Capetanakis, chair of the International Bunker Industry Association Chris Turner, bunker quality and claims manager at Integr8 Fuels

    19 min
  7. The Lloyd’s List Podcast: Is the container rate rollercoaster just getting started?

    JUL 26

    The Lloyd’s List Podcast: Is the container rate rollercoaster just getting started?

    In a market where unpredictability has become predictably common, the whole concept of accurate earnings guidance from the lines fell overboard several quarterly reports ago. Forecasts are couched in ever more provisional language as volatility and black swans continue to demand near constant expectation management amid yo-yoing sentiment. While US retailers were baulking at the return of $10,000 container shipping rates for a forty foot box from Shanghai to New York a few weeks back, the lines were more concerned about the looming long winter to follow the unexpectedly early peak season. But port congestion is easing and there’s been a rates correction, so does that mean the market is heading for some semblance of balance? Any feelings of relief may be short-lived as more and more economies get embroiled in a trade war and tariffs become a hot-button issue in the upcoming US election. There’s the Red Sea to consider, the looming union contract negotiations in the US, the Panama canal, potentially more reshuffling in the alliances… the list goes on. So what happens next? Featured on this week’s edition of the podcast: Sanne Manders, president of Flexport Chantal McRoberts, director of Drewry’s supply chain advisory team Tan Hua Joo, co-founder of Linerlytica

    25 min
  8. The Lloyd’s List Podcast: What Trump 2.0 means for shipping

    JUL 19

    The Lloyd’s List Podcast: What Trump 2.0 means for shipping

    THE prospect of a dominant Trump presidency is significantly more like than it was only a week ago. But what does that mean for shipping? Will the anticipated “Trump trade” really result in more inflation, higher interest rates and sweeping tariffs? Will the inevitable bonfire of Biden’s environmental rules put the brakes on shipping’s already hesitant energy transition? And what about the all important trading relationships with the EU and China? Are we entering an accelerated period of protectionism? Political risk is difficult for markets to price and if this week has taught us anything it is that there are few certainties when it comes to US politics generally right now and Donald trump specifically. But with Trump 2.0 now looking increasingly like the base-case scenario for business to plan for we taking a deep dive on the podcast this week into what a second term of Trump would look like for the maritime markets. Our senior US reporter Greg Miller takes the podcast reigns this week and talks to Jason Miller, a freight economist and professor of supply chain management at Michigan State University.

    25 min
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Lloyd’s List is the world’s leading source of insight, analysis and data for shipping businesses and professionals

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