#Ports&Shipping –The latest IMDO Weekly Shipping Market Review includes the following stories as detailed below.
Industry Sentiment: Improved shipping optimism -Current market conditions were described as 'positive' by 69% of shipping industry respondents to the latest Norton Rose Fulbright annual transport survey. While this figure marked an increase in optimism from one year ago, it remains below confidence levels in the aviation and rail industries, which stand at 75% and 81% respectively.
Cruise Industry: 2014 to see positive growth - With the global economy expected to continue its recovery throughout 2014, Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) has projected its cruise line members (representing 95% of global capacity) will see total passenger numbers rise to 21.7million in the year, representing 2% growth on 2013.
Innovation: Rolls-Royce push forward with unmanned cargo ship design -The marine innovation engineering department at Rolls-Royce have created a virtual-reality prototype of an unmanned, or 'drone', cargo ship, which simulates a 360-degree view from the vessel's bridge. Bloomberg Businessweek reported that this technology could one day be used by land-based captains to control an entire fleet of drone ships.
For more on each of the above and other stories click the downloadable PDF IMDO Weekly Markets Review (Week 9). In addition to coverage on Afloat.ie's dedicated Ports & Shipping News section.
