Maritimedata.ai is a digital broker that provides data and analytics solutions for the maritime ecosystem. We work as an intermediary between clients in the maritime industry and solution providers to help them find the best data-driven solutions to their business challenges.

The objective of the newsletter is to provide you with up-to-date information on the most recent advancements in space and furnish you with market insights derived from data analysis.

TL;DR

• A project to create a dry bulk fixture product that would cover between 35-40% of global fixtures

• What is the Dark and Grey Fleet?

• The Current State of Ocean Supply Chain: Is the Coast Clear?

• Wheat and Corn markets - what’s changed since the war?

• Black Sea Grain Initiative: Renewal and Challenges

• Complete our supplier sentiment survey to see how 100 Buyers and Users view their solution providers

A new Dry Bulk Fixture data product

We are working with the CSBL (http://www.compshipbrokers.com) to create a dry bulk fixture product that we anticipate would cover between 35-40% of global fixtures.

The source data would come from 12-14 prominent Ship Brokers who will each contribute by updating individual data vaults at an agreed cadence, rolling up into a master vault which will be accessible to subscribers. The resulting data will be anonymized.

Deliverable: Dry bulk fixture data

Note: this will not be reports of fixtures, rather the fixtures executed by the contributing brokers.

Number of uploads: Between 10,000 - 20,000 uploads per annum

The product has 3.5 years worth of historical data with c18 month gap in coverage. Should we restart the initiative, we will backfill the gap and the product would contain a 5 year history.

Call to action: We are interested in hearing from organizations that wish to be part of a Beta User group, helping us calibrate the product through a period of feedback and testing.

Participants will then be offered to opportunity to subscribe with a period of exclusivity before wider release.

Register your interest here:

Data fields:

TC:

• Vessel Name

• Vessel Size/Category

• CP Date

• CP Type

• Laycan From

• Laycan To

• Address Commission

• Brokerage commission

• Delivery Port/Region/Country/Range

• Redelivery Port/Region/Country/Range

• Duration

• Period Optional

• Declarable Latest

• Hires (firm period/optional period)

• Index Linked and formula

• Ballast Bonus

• Redelivery Bonus

VOY:

• Vessel Name

• Vessel Size/Category

• CP Date

• CP Type

• Laycan From

• Laycan To

• Address commission

• Brokerage commission

• Cargo Type

• Cargo quantity including margin

• Loading Port/Region/Country/Range

• Discharging Port/Region/Country/Range

• Loading terms

• Discharging terms

• Freight including type of freight (eg FIO)

• Index Linked and formula

• Demurrage and despatch

What is the Dark and Grey Fleet?

A post by vegamx.net

The Automated Identification System (AIS) is a radio system which enables the exchange of navigation and other data ship to ship and with shore-based facilities. It shows the course and speed of ships in real time and contributes to collision avoidance and enhances the safety of life at sea, the safety and efficiency of navigation and the protection of the marine environment. AIS provides a global feed of publicly available vessel location and identification information, however, it is not an foolproof method for tracking vessels at sea. “Dark ships” are vessels with their Automatic Identification System (AIS) – a transponder system – switched off so as not to be detectable by public monitoring systems.

In the fishing industry, for example, the primary driver to switch the responders off is for the vessel to engage in illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing practices. It’s also a way to circumvent laws. For example, Russia, Iran and Venezuela which have been reported as shipping oil using dark ships to avoid sanctions and OFAC advisory. Unidentified tankers sailing under the flags of unwitting or careless flag-of-convenience states are transporting huge quantities of sanctioned crude, on a daily basis, with estimates as high as 2 million barrels from Iran, Venezuela, and Russia

Sanctions evasion through deceptive shipping practices like dark shipping is an increasingly common issue in maritime industries that continues to transform into a sophisticated tactic to bypass international law. Evasion tactics, outlined in deceptive shipping practices, could range anything from dark ship-to-ship (STS) transfers at sea to unmonitored and unreported port calls for illicit trade - most often involving oil, liquified natural gas (LNG), and military equipment.

There are also legitimate causes behind the switching off the AIS and “going dark” such as avoiding detection in high-risk zones for piracy risks, which is recognized by the UK OFSI guidance. In addition, there could be technical malfunction in transmission of the AIS. Satellite reception and interference can cause gaps in AIS tracks and there may be areas where no ship signals show up. Furthermore, jamming activities from local authorities may block the receipt and display of signals. AIS can be spoofed and manipulated, such as location, speed and identity, involving the use of various identities, transmitters, and even GPS manipulation. For example, In the Baltic Sea, Russia reportedly interfered with navy vessels’ AIS of Sweden, making it look as if they, too, were near the coast of Russia. Spoofing undermines sanctions and creates risks on the high seas.

Sanctions currently in force ban insurance on tankers carrying Russian oil, but the Kremlin has been able to keep its oil on the market, due to organizations still willing to do business with Moscow. It has also amassed a fleet of ships and the benefit will be ship-to-ship transfers, a deceptive practice, to disguise where its crude oil originated from. Tanker experts at BRS Brokers have argued that shipping should no longer refer to the non-mainstream flotilla of tankers as a shadow fleet and the dark fleet instead should be referred to as the grey fleet in which there are several shades. Lifting of Russian crude or refined products by oil tankers is not illegal, unlike the transport of most Iranian or Venezuelan crude or the shipping of oil into North Korea. However, in order for the transportation of Russian oil to be compliant it has to be in sync with the oil price caps and exported only to nations outside of the EU, the UK and the US.

Given the inherent complexity of detecting and tracking dark and grey fleets, over vast oceans, it is imperative to deploy the full arsenal of artificial intelligence and massive data management which is wired for consuming space, airborne, surface as well as legal, financial, EU,UK,US sanctions data bases.

- Vivek Mital, CEO of VegaMX

The Current State of Ocean Supply Chain: Is the Coast Clear?

A post by gatehousemaritime.com

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a significant impact on the global supply chain, leading to disruptions and delays in container movements. The maritime industry has faced numerous challenges in addition to this, from port congestion to strikes. The question remains: Is the supply chain getting back to normal?

One of the major cause of disruptions in the ocean supply chain is port congestion. There are several reasons ports can experience congestion, such as weather, port issues, and wrong estimation of demands. The pandemic has only added to this problem, leading to delays in container movements and congestion at ports around the world due to soaring global demands, not to mention the many short-staffed ports as a result of Covid-19.

Port strikes are another reason why the supply chain can experience disruptions. We are all waiting to see how the port strikes will turn out in Hamburg, but we do not have to go that far back in history to learn from previous experiences. From September to November 2022, Felixstowe, England showed a great example of how operations can suffer in case of a strike.

The workers were dissatisfied with their payments, leading to a massive disruption in the port’s operations. Export dwell time reached up to 325 hours during the strike, while import dwell time was up to 225 hours at its peak. The situation improved significantly after the strike ended, with export dwell time now at 200 hours and import dwell time at 75 hours which is considered fairly normal.

It is essential to note that port congestion is a recurring event that can happen anytime, even without a pandemic. The supply chain may be returning to normal in some ways, but disruptions will continue. To mitigate the impact of such events, the industry needs to take proactive measures, such as investing in technology and improving communication between different stakeholders.

In conclusion, the supply chain is gradually recovering from the impact of the pandemic, but the industry still faces numerous challenges. Port congestion, strikes, and other disruptions will continue to happen, and the industry needs to be prepared to handle them efficiently.

It is crucial to monitor movements, delays, and congestion closely and to learn from previous events and historical data to take proactive measures to minimize their impact. By doing so, the industry can ensure that the supply chain remains resilient and robust, even in the face of unforeseen obstacles.

Wheat and Corn markets - what’s changed since the war?

A post by agflow.com

Ukraine’s Corn Exports Remain Significant Despite the War

Ukraine is a world-leading exporter of Corn, ranking as the second-largest exporter at the beginning of 2023. Despite a YoY increase of 12 Mmt in Corn production in the MY 2021/2022, exports decreased by 2.6 Mmt YoY to 22.7 Mmt, mainly due to the disruption caused by the Russian war in Ukraine on the global supply chain. At the beginning of the MY 2022/2023, Ukraine’s Corn exports decreased to 12.5 Mmt between Oct 2022 and Feb 2023, 5.9 Mmt lower YoY. Despite the war, Ukrainian exports remained at a significant level, albeit lower YoY, thanks to the Black Sea Grain deal. Which were the most affected Ukraine Corn destinations by the war?

Brazil Overtakes Ukraine in Spanish and Chinese Corn Markets

In the MY 2021/2022, China was the leading destination for Ukraine’s Corn with 6.2 Mmt, followed by Spain with 3 Mmt and Turkey with 2.4 Mmt. However, between Oct 2022 and Feb 2023, Ukraine's exports to China decreased by 1.5 Mmt, while Turkey's imports from Ukraine increased by 0.34 Mmt YoY to 1.7 Mmt, making it the second top destination. Conversely, Spain decreased its imports from Ukraine by 0.73 Mmt YoY and ranked as the third destination between Oct 2022 and Feb 2023. During the same period, China and Spain increased their imports from Brazil by 2.1 Mmt and 0.5 Mmt YoY, respectively. As Brazil is becoming more competitive at the beginning of the MY 2022/2023, it raises the question of how Brazil's Corn prices compare to Ukraine's in the same period.

In a Nutshell

Ukraine is a world-leading producer and exporter of Corn despite the challenges posed by the war with Russia. While Ukraine's Corn production was estimated to decrease due to the war, the USDA has revised its estimates upwards, thanks to increased yields. Despite lower exports in the MY 2021/2022, Ukraine has remained a significant player in the global Corn market, with China being the leading destination.

Brazilian Corn prices were higher than Ukrainian Corn at the beginning of the MY 2022/2023. However, despite the lower FOB prices, Ukrainian Corn exports have faced obstacles due to the war, resulting in lower exports than Brazil, which overtook Ukraine on the Spanish and Chinese markets.

On March 18th, 2023, the Black Sea new deal was extended for 120 days. This extension will enable Ukraine to continue exporting its agricultural commodities. However, uncertainties persist due to the ongoing war.

One Year Later: War Effects on Ukraine Wheat Exports

Since February 2022, the war has affected Ukrainian Wheat exports, but early 2023 saw decreased prices and higher exports YoY..

Ukraine Wheat Exports Are 0.5 Mmt higher YoY in Jan 2023

Ukrainian Wheat exports reached 21.4 Mmt in MY 2021/2022, increasing by 4 Mmt YoY. However, 20.8 Mmt of these exports occurred between Jul 2021 and Feb 2022. Since the war started in late Feb 2022, exports only reached 0.6 Mmt between Mar and Jun 2022, a 2.5 Mmt decrease YoY. The Russian war in Ukraine caused exports to stop partially for the rest of MY 2021/2022. However, at the beginning of MY 2022/2023, thanks to the grain corridor agreement in late Jul 2022, Wheat exports reached 10 Mmt between Jul 2022 and Jan 2023, with a 1.8 Mmt decrease YoY. Nevertheless, In Jan 2023, notably, exports reached 1.6 Mmt, a 0.5 Mmt increase YoY. Thus, what are the leading destinations for Ukrainian Wheat in January 2023?

Turkey Remains the Main Destination for Ukraine Wheat in Early 2023

The leading destination for Ukrainian Wheat in MY 2021/2022 was Egypt, reaching 3.8 Mmt, an 0.9 Mmt increase YoY, followed by Indonesia with 2.7 Mmt, 0.65 Mmt higher YoY. In MY 2022/2023, Ukrainian exports to Egypt and Indonesia reached 0.5 Mmt and 0.4 Mmt, respectively, between Jul 2022 and Jan 2023. Meanwhile, Turkey ranked as the leading destination during the same period, reaching 3 Mmt, and increasing by 1.2 Mmt YoY. Spain ranked second with 1.5 Mmt, followed by Italy with 0.5 Mmt, rising by 1.1 Mmt and 0.2 Mmt YoY, respectively. So far in February 2023, Ukrainian exports reached 0.6 Mmt, with 0.3 Mmt heading to Turkey and 0.2 Mmt to Spain.

Black Sea Grain Initiative: Renewal and Challenges

A post by www.ww3.maritrace.com

Full post: www.ww3.maritrace.com/post/in-turkey-s-back-garden-trade-continues-expect-delays

The Black Sea Grain deal was renewed on 18th March for at least 60 days, allowing for the export of grains, food, and fertilizers (including ammonia), from the ports of Odesa, Chornomorsk and Yuzhnyi. Transit times across the Black Sea are typically under 24 hours, with all vessels inspected in Istanbul. Created in July 2022, the deal is perhaps unprecedented as a maritime humanitarian corridor. To date the deal has facilitated exports to 45 countries worldwide - mostly to China, Spain, and Turkey. Mediated by Turkey and the UN, the deal has been successful in promoting diplomatic efforts between Russia and Ukraine, despite their ongoing conflict. However, it is fragile, with arguments among vessel inspectors delaying vessel movements through the corridor. Russia has threatened to suspend participation next month if it perceives no progress on removing obstacles to its food exports. Vessel movements within the Deal may also be impacted by wider market disruptions in the Black Sea for wheat and bulk cargo. Container availability is shaping the regional context for trade, with container movements in the Black Sea dropping by about 28% through 2022, according to Lloyd’s.

Ibrahim Berkay Doğan, a First Officer on contract to Turkish carrier companies, notes that while delays waiting for clearances are tiresome and sometimes stressful for embarked crew, there have not been significant changes in company operations and the labour market over the past year. Trade continues - but it is slower and with smaller vessels. Waiting times at anchorage can be as long as 45 days in Romanian waters, and two to three in Ukrainian waters, "waiting for paperwork." Waiting adds to the stress for embarked crew, while crew changes in Ukraine are very difficult. The very long waiting time for vessel inspections has become expensive for owners and traders, who have moved to ports on the Danube to ease their costs. However, access to these ports is limited by maximum permissible draught and vessel size. The high volumes seen at Constanta are likely to be repeated this year, while infrastructure challenges are compounded by a block on exports via Poland and Hungary. Alternative routes can handle perhaps 30% of pre-war capacities; workarounds may yet be found. But Ukraine's maritime logistics are likely to continue in war mode long after the kinetic conflict ceases.

Container vessels (loaded) arrivals in selected Black Sea ports, February 2021 - April 2023 (source: MariTrace)

Container vessels (loaded) departures in selected Black Sea ports, February 2021 - April 2023 (source: MariTrace)

How do 100 Buyers and Users of Maritime Data and Analytics view their solution providers

Calling all buyers and users of maritime data, analytics and platforms 📢

As part of our mission to help source, evaluate and purchase maritime data - We’re running a survey on supplier sentiment 📈

We’re going to set a baseline for how buyers and users of data view their current suppliers based on 3 main categories:

· Data Quality
· Price
· Engagement

We will be anonymising and aggregating the results and will share the report with the first 100 valid participants who complete the survey, so you can get a view how your peers have evaluated their solution providers.

To fill out the survey click here:

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Best regards,

Rory Proud

Co-Founder

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