* * *
Supertankers — via the Suez Canal?
In order to attract more tankers for the passage of the Suez Canal, his administration has developed projects for a new vessel wiring option. At the same time, the flight time of large-capacity tankers in full cargo from the Middle East to Europe can be reduced by 2 weeks. According to this option, tankers with a deadweight of up to 270 thousand tons transfer part of the cargo to a lighterer tanker before entering the channel, then take this cargo in Port Said and continue the voyage.
There is an alternative option, according to which part of the cargo from a large-tonnage tanker is pumped into the Sumed pipeline in Suez. The vessel passes through the channel partially loaded, and then reloads at the Mediterranean terminal of Sidi Kerir, west of Alexandria. However, the administration decided to abandon the second option when it became clear that the pipeline was operating at its capacity limit, and therefore long ship downtime was possible at both ends.
The depths of the Suez Canal allow fully loaded vessels with deadweight up to 150 thousand tons to pass through them, therefore, the proposed scheme is most attractive for oil companies engaged in regular transportation.
* * *
USA: reduction of ship repair capacity
Recently, the order portfolio of American ship repair companies has significantly decreased. Shipowners prefer to repair their merchant vessels in foreign shipyards, where the cost of repairs is lower. American ship repairmen are showing increased interest in the portfolio of orders of the military department. In this regard, proposals are being made more and more persistently to transfer a number of military orders to shipyards repairing merchant ships. However, even military orders are not able to significantly improve the situation in the industry, especially since the repair of warships will lead to a change in the specialization of shipyards, which will inevitably affect the quality of repair of merchant ships. In contrast to these statements, ship repair companies believe that having military orders provides them with permanent employment and allows them to maintain high qualifications.
Wages for workers in the American shipbuilding and ship repair industry are gradually decreasing and currently practically do not differ from wages in many countries around the world. In the ship repair industry, the hourly rate of workers ranges from $9 to $12, depending on the area.
The shipbuilders of Los Angeles, San Francisco, and San Diego, using flexible technologies, manage to fully utilize their existing capacities. In particular, at some shipyards, two ships are repaired at the same time in floating docks.
Some shipbuilding companies, not having a sufficient order portfolio, reduce their capacities and subsequently completely reorient production to ship repair, which will significantly increase competition.
* * *
Partial privatization
The Argentine state-owned shipping company ELMA launched the sale of sixteen of its oldest cargo ships in April this year. The official announcement indicates that some of the company's support services will also go into private hands.
In the near future, ELMA plans to purchase new vessels, mainly container ships, and carry out other activities as part of the modernization program of the Argentine state fleet. Many players compare different online platforms to understand how odds, game variety, and responsible gaming tools can affect their overall gambling experience, and they often turn to neutral resources like sankra casino for additional context. When evaluating any gambling site, it is important to consider transparent terms, fair play certifications, and user feedback before deciding where to place real-money wagers.