Ameropa taps Zacharias to serve as CEO

: Agriculture, Fertilizers, Freight
24/04/15

Swiss agribusiness Ameropa has tapped fertilizer subsidiary head Josh Zacharias to serve as chief executive starting today.

Zacharia succeeds former chief executive William Dujardin, who resigned 30 November for personal reasons after nearly four years in the role.

Zacharias was promoted from chief executive of Ameropa's subsidiary Azomures, a nitrogen fertilizer producer in Romania.

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24/05/20

Australia’s cropping conditions mixed: GPA

Sydney, 20 May (Argus) — Australia's cropping regions show an imbalance as the winter crop planting period progresses, according to the Grain Producers Australia (GPA) latest 2024 season update. The report, which collected perspectives from GPA representatives in different cropping regions, revealed how dryness in Western Australia (WA) and Southern Australia (SA) is in contrast to favourable soil moisture and rainfall levels in the east Australia cropping regions of Queensland, New South Wales (NSW) and Victoria. WA growers are continuing to dry sow crops awaiting a significant rainfall event or "break" to germinate their crops. While some rain had fallen in May, most of the WA grain belt remains dry. Planting decisions in WA were influenced by the lack of rainfall, anticipated yields and future prices, according to the GPA report. Some growers are considering reducing their canola crop as the future price per tonne was unappealing, while others had already cut back their intended crop because of a dry rainfall outlook until June and the cost of canola seed. Others have withheld canola planting as they wait for a material seasonal break. These perspectives are consistent with the Grain Industry Association of Western Australia's May crop report that projected canola area in 2024 would be down overall from 2023 because of dry conditions. The GPA report also stated anxiety among WA growers were heightened because of a relatively poor season last year, along with the ability of some growers to diversify income streams with a government decision to ban live sheep exports by May 2028. Northern and central western NSW had good rainfall and a positive start to the season, while growers in southern NSW were looking for rain to germinate dry sown crops. Victoria has good soil moisture for seeding, although one GPA member said access to some fertilisers was an issue for growers who wanted it on hand for winter. Queensland has had wet weather for its summer crop harvest. The sorghum harvest period, usually finished during February–March, according to GPA, was disrupted by heavy rainfall around Easter. This reduced crop quality and could potentially delay winter crop planting, according to a GPA member. The US Department of Agriculture crop calendar for Queensland indicates the typical planting period for winter crops of barley and wheat is May and April-July respectively. By Edward Dunlop Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Houston Ship Channel open after storms

24/05/17

Houston Ship Channel open after storms

Houston, 17 May (Argus) — The Houston Ship Channel reopened to all traffic around 1am ET Friday after strong storms closed a portion of the waterway late Thursday, according to the US Coast Guard. A roughly eight-mile portion of the Houston Ship Channel from the Sidney Sherman Bridge to Greens Bayou closed from 9pm ET to 1am ET due to two ship breakaways and a probe into a potential fuel oil spill, the Coast Guard said. That span of the channel offers access to Chevron's 112,000 b/d Pasadena refinery, Valero's 215,000 b/d Houston refinery and LyondellBasell's 264,000 b/d Houston refinery, as well as Targa's Galena Park LPG marine terminal and Kinder Morgan's refined product terminal in Galena Park. A storm brought winds up to 74mph to the Houston area on Thursday night, according to the US National Weather Service. By Tray Swanson Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Japanese bank Mizuho boosts support for H2, ammonia

24/05/17

Japanese bank Mizuho boosts support for H2, ammonia

Tokyo, 17 May (Argus) — Japanese bank Mizuho Financial aims to provide ¥2 trillion ($12.8bn) in financial support for domestic and overseas cleaner fuel projects by 2030 to support Japan's plan to build a hydrogen supply chain. Private-sector Mizuho is offering financing to low-carbon hydrogen, ammonia and e-methane projects related to production, import, distribution and development of hydrogen carriers. Mizuho said it has in the past offered project financing for large-scale overseas low-carbon hydrogen and ammonia manufacturing projects, as well as transition loans. Japan is focusing on cleaner fuel use in the power sector and hard-to-abate industries, as part of its drive to reach net zero CO2 emissions by 2050. Japanese firms are getting involved in overseas hydrogen projects because domestic production is bound to be comparatively small and costly. They are looking to co-fire ammonia at coal-fired power generation plants to cut CO2 emissions and examining use of the fuel as a hydrogen carrier . Japanese companies have also partnered with several overseas firms on e-methane. Mizuho has to date offered $1bn for cleaner fuel projects. The bank has set a goal to accelerate the setting up of a clean fuel supply chain by addressing the financial challenge faced by projects requiring large investments. Mizuho has attempted to help Japan's decarbonisation push by tightening biomass and coal financing policies. Mizuho has also stopped investing in new coal-fired power projects, including existing plant expansions. The bank has a plan to reduce the ¥300bn credit available for coal-fired power development projects by half by the April 2030-March 2031 fiscal year and to zero by 2040-41. By Nanami Oki Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

India’s Gail signs 14-year time charter for LNG carrier

24/05/17

India’s Gail signs 14-year time charter for LNG carrier

Mumbai, 17 May (Argus) — India's state-controlled gas distributor Gail has signed a 14-year time charter agreement with US-based LNG shipping firm CoolCo for an LNG carrier, the former said on 16 May. The time charter for the LNG carrier will start operating from early 2025 as it is currently under construction. Gail is likely to receive the carrier during October-December in the Gulf of Mexico, CoolCo said. The charter will be the fifth LNG carrier in Gail's vessels that are intended to secure long-term supply of LNG in India. Gail will have an option to extend the charter by two additional years beyond its contracted 14-year period. The LNG carrier will likely be used to ship LNG volumes from the US, Russia, and from its recent contracts with Abu Dhabi's state-owned Adnoc and trading firm Vitol , a company official told Argus . (See table) "Long-term cargoes are there and there are a few lifts from the spot markets as well," the source added. "It is how the consumption pattern of the country is now shaping more towards LNG since domestic volumes are constrained." The firm also planned to add an LNG tanker to ship cargoes from the US, Argus exclusively reported in February. Gail expects India's gas demand to rise and has been looking to secure more term deals . Gail is seeking an additional 7mn-8mn t/yr of LNG for its portfolio with a further 1mn-2mn t/yr, the firm said in January. This reiterates targets set in August last year . Gail's portfolio growth aligns with the government's plan to increase the share of gas in its primary energy mix to 15pc by 2030 from around 6pc in 2022. By Rituparna Ghosh Gail contracts mn t/yr Supplier/terminal Volume Fob/des Dates Sabine Pass 3.5 fob 2018-38 Cove Point 2.3 fob 2018-38 SEFE 2.5 des 2018-41 Vitol 1.0 des 2026-36 Adnoc 0.5 des 2026-36 Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Texas barge collision shuts GIWW section: Correction

24/05/16

Texas barge collision shuts GIWW section: Correction

Corrects volume of oil carried by barge in fourth paragraph. Houston, 16 May (Argus) — Authorities closed a six-mile section of the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway (GIWW) near Galveston, Texas, because of an oil spill caused by a barge collision with the Pelican Island causeway bridge. The section between mile markers 351.5 and 357.5 along the waterway closed, according to the US Coast Guard. A barge broke away from the Philip George tugboat and hit the bridge between Pelican Island and Galveston around 11am ET today. Concrete from the bridge fell onto the barge and triggered an oil leak. The barge can hold up to 30,000 bl oil, but it was unknown how full the barge was before the crash, Galveston County county judge Mark Henry said. It was unclear when the waterway would reopen. An environmental cleanup crew was on the scene along with the US Coast Guard and Texas Department of Transportation to assess the damage. Multiple state agencies have debated the replacement of the 64-year-old bridge for several years, Henry said. The rail line alongside the bridge collapsed. Marine traffic does not pass under the bridge. By Meghan Yoyotte Intracoastal Waterway at Galveston Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

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