Intercargo sees reversal in consolidation

Intercargo sees reversal in consolidation    The International Association of Dry Cargo Shipowners said there has been a reversal in industry consolidation, finding 1,536 dry bulk companies compared to 1,313 a year earlier (160 are members of Intercargo).
   The report cautions “there is potential for inexperienced companies to adversely impact on safety trends.”
   The association said all 44 fatalities on bulk carriers lost during 2010 were caused by cargo-related issues such as liquefaction, nickel ore problems and non-adherence to the International Maritime Organization’s International Maritime Solid Bulk Cargoes (IMSBC) Code.
   In May, Japanese classification society Nippon Kaiji Kyokai issued an advisory, Guidelines for the Safe Carriage of Nickel Ore.
   Class NK said from October to December 2010, three ships loaded with nickel ore capsized after departing ports in Indonesia. Intercargo also noted that growth in shipping flagged or owned in China “means that 50.01 percent of all dry bulk shipping is now Asian.”
   It made the observations in a press release announcing the availability of an annual publication, Benchmarking Bulk Carriers 2010-11.