World Bunkering > News > Summer 2011 > Editor's Letter

David Hughes

This issue is the first following Japan’s devastating earthquake and tsunami. World Bunkering’s condolences go out to the Japanese bunkering and shipping industries as they continue the effort to restore normality.

The effects of the Japanese disaster are reported in several of this issue’s articles, including Industry News and our South East Asian and Russian features. There are of course short and long term effects of trade but the real story is the determined and methodical way Japan is picking itself up and carrying on. IMO is also doggedly carrying on with its efforts to put together a package to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in time to contribute to the UN’s next Climate Change Conference, being held in Durban at the end of the year. There is an update on developments at IMO in Environmental News.

Not surprisingly, high bunker cost are focusing the minds of owners on just what sort of marine fuel they are getting for their dollars. Our testing feature makes for fairly reassuring reading in that regard. Less reassuring at a time of volatile markets are the high financial penalties for bad decisions. Our Risk Management article looks at how companies are becoming increasingly risk averse.

This is particularly the case than with the oil majors, who we also feature this issue. They are still working under the shadow of last year’s Deepwater Horizon disaster; an event that will have lasting effects on the maritime industries.

Still on the broad theme of risk, our Surveyors feature finds that the high price of bunkers has spurred demand for surveyors’ services. Sometimes, of course, risk avoidance does not work and disputes arise and the lawyers are kept busy. This issue’s interview is with prominent shipping lawyer Jonathan Lux of Ince & Co who co-wrote the first legal book on bunkers.

Our Geographical Focus on South East Asia features the continuing and amazing rise of Singapore’s bunker industry but also looks ahead at the much-talked about possibility of switching to LNG bunkers and the prospects for going for gas in the Asian region. We also have a Regional Focus on Australia, where offshore activity seems to be pushing up bunker volumes. This issue’s Port Focus looks at Turkey, and Istanbul in particular, where the competition is becoming even fiercer. There is also, preview of the upcoming Istanbul Bunker conference, which is now a well-established feature of the bunker industry calendar.

Talking of events, it was good to see so many IBIA members at the Dinner. Take a look at the pictures on pages 16 to 19. I met quite a few members for the first time and many familiar faces. It was our new deputy editor Sandra Speares’ first chance to meet IBIA members, who will now be able to put a face to the new name appearing in our bylines.

The other big IBIA event is now drawing closer and on page 94 you will see the first details of the November Annual Convention to be held in Barcelona. Make sure you keep you diary clear for that.

Best wishes

David Hughes