January 12, 2021
By Muyu Xu and Chen Aizhu (Reuters) – Chinese ports and marine safety authorities are on high alert as an expansion of sea ice makes it tougher for ships to berth and discharge at key energy product import terminals along the coast of northern Bohai Bay.
A cold wave sweeping the northern hemisphere has plunged temperatures across China to their lowest in decades, boosting demand for power and fuel to historic highs in the world’s largest energy consumer.
“The sea ice situation is more severe this year than the same period in previous years,” said Wang Jun, a professor specialising in transport issues at Dalian Maritime University.
“It could impede sailing and docking for vessels, no matter how big they are.”
Weather officials warned about severe frost this week in the region, with sea ice stretching 45 to 55 nautical miles at Liaodong Bay and 10 to 20 nautical miles at Bohai Bay, close to levels that could prompt temporary bans on shipping.
Last weekend, the marine safety bureau in northern Hebei sent several tugboats to the aid of vessels, such as LNG tanker Clean Planet and coal bulk tanker Agia Eirini Force, trapped in sea ice that was one metre (three foot) thick, to help bring them to Caofeidian and Huanghua ports, state television said.
The Agia Eirini Force is seen leaving China on Tuesday but Clean Planet’s latest location has not been updated, shipping data on Refinitiv Eikon showed.
Marine authorities and ports in Tianjin, Hebei and Liaoning province are closely monitoring weather conditions and sending drones and ice-breaking tugs to clear the fairway for expected vessels, they said.
“Congestion duration is slightly higher this week,” said Rebecca Chia, an LNG analyst at Kpler, with data showing average waiting time for LNG discharge at its the highest since the start of winter in October.
But operations at Caofeidian LNG terminal, China’s largest re-gas facility, have been normal, a company executive said.
“We’re maintaining full-capacity operation, similar to the same time last year,” he said on condition of anonymity.
Sea ice ranks among the five major ocean threats considered to endanger fishery, marine transport and offshore energy production.
CNOOC Ltd said on Tuesday that 59 of its offshore oil and gas production platforms were within the area covered by sea ice in Liaodong Bay but operations at the platforms were not affected.
We’re all gonna burn up… er… freeze!
Seriously, this severe cold in China will probably kill more people than the Covid-19 flu – look up Excess Winter Mortality.
COLD WEATHER KILLS 20 TIMES AS MANY PEOPLE AS HOT WEATHER
by Joseph d’Aleo and Allan MacRae, September 4, 2015
https://friendsofsciencecalgary.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/cold-weather-kills-macrae-daleo-4sept2015-final.pdf
https://wattsupwiththat.com/2019/11/12/arctic-blast-has-arrived-in-the-eastern-usnumerous-record-low-temperatures-by-early-wednesday/#comment-2845511
Well, there it is – the perfect Trifecta – my work here is done.
In 2002, co-authors Dr Sallie Baliunas, Astrophysicist, Harvard-Smithsonian, Dr Tim Patterson, Paleoclimatologist, Carleton, Ottawa and Allan MacRae wrote:
http://www.friendsofscience.org/assets/documents/KyotoAPEGA2002REV1.pdf
1. “Climate science does not support the theory of catastrophic human-made global warming – the alleged warming crisis does not exist.”
2. “The ultimate agenda of pro-Kyoto advocates is to eliminate fossil fuels, but this would result in a catastrophic shortfall in global energy supply – the wasteful, inefficient energy solutions proposed by Kyoto advocates simply cannot replace fossil fuels.”
Allan MacRae published in the Calgary Herald on September 1, 2002, based on a conversation with Dr. Tim Patterson:
https://wattsupwiththat.com/2009/01/10/polar-sea-ice-changes-are-having-a-net-cooling-effect-on-the-climate/#comment-63579
3. “If [as we believe] solar activity is the main driver of surface temperature rather than CO2, we should begin the next cooling period by 2020 to 2030.”
Allan MacRae modified his global cooling prediction in 2013:
https://wattsupwiththat.com/2013/12/02/study-predicts-the-sun-is-headed-for-a-dalton-like-solar-minimum-around-2050/#comment-1147149
3a. “I suggest global cooling starts by 2020 or sooner. Bundle up.”
Regards to all, Allan MacRae
_______________________________________________
SELECTED REFERENCES: (deleted here for brevity – see my original post)
Sea ice in Bohai Bay in January is not unusual.
Bohai Bay 4Jan2019
Bohai Bay 18Jan2021
Much more and thicker sea ice this year, and a much colder winter in China.
https://wattsupwiththat.com/2021/01/03/putting-a-lid-on-the-most-recent-climate-decade/#comment-3160553
RECORD COLD WEATHER IN CHINA SENDS POWER DEMAND THROUGH THE ROOF
09-Jan-2021
https://news.cgtn.com/news/2021-01-09/Record-cold-weather-in-China-sends-power-demand-through-the-roof-WUM5EGQMJq/index.html
Exceptionally cold weather sweeping through China has caused a huge increase in power demand in the world’s largest energy consumer and hampered transportation.
It would be good if al the extra CO2 from burning coal could actually increase the temperature in these freezing locations but that is a fairytale. The temperature this year will be much the same as it has been for the last 5000 years. A little colder here or a little warmer there or much the same everywhere. Nothing more than noise on a well regulated thermostat that control’s Earths temperature.
The sea ice cover, fortunately, reduces the rate of cooling so it only ends up skin deep and will soon break up when the sun shows up.
The ice is reportedly 3 ft thick – not skin deep – if skin deep it would not hinder tankers.
All that coal burning that China has been binging on for the past 20 years has caused an increase in aerosols that block the Sun and cool the Earth. Coal burning stops global warming! 🌏
That wouldn’t surprise me at all.
What increases and decreases is variability, and this affects winds, humidity and thus T.
Is this counted as part of NSIDC NH sea ice..?
… maybe in MASIE as part of The Sea of Okhotsk ?
While there was a decrease in the amount of sea ice in the Sea of Okhotsk from the cold 1970s to about 2005, MASIE shows a distinct +ve trend since 2006…
….with 2021 day 17 being above every year back to 2006 except 2007 and 2013.
(oh, and for those panicking about the Kara Sea, its sea ice extent is now above the 15 year average in MASIE)
Fred,
The Sea of Okhotsk is the real place to watch. It is the exit point into the Pacific for cold Siberian air. The meteorology there at this time of the year is truly spectacular.
The sea ice extends out for 250 miles from the coast.
At the point where the cold air reaches the unfrozen water it immediately picks up moisture and you can see the long trains of cumulus cloud extending and growing down wind. This evaporation, as well as the cold air that chills the sea water, is a process that is in effect “Blast Freezing” the sea.
“Sea ice in Bohai Bay in January is not unusual.”
True, but it is a bit nippy out…
This is just seasonal weather obviously, but the interesting point for me is just how much harder it is to live in a colder world.
We will survive much better in a “warming” world than a “cooling” one.
Thank you CB for your post and temperature data from Beijing.
Air temperatures at Beijing are about 10 degrees C colder than usual – that is a lot, especially in terms of energy demand to heat homes etc. It is well known that cold homes are a significant cause of Excess Winter Deaths, and China is unable to keep up with energy demand during this cold winter.
As I wrote elsewhere:
“This severe cold in China will probably kill more people than the Covid-19 flu – look up Excess Winter Mortality.”
I would have no problems with global warming if Southern Ontario was like Kuta Beach in Bali all year round. Oh, the memories of the pastel coloured boats and being a tourist while getting to know my beautiful “ex-fiancee”.
Not referring to Exxon, but it is correct that USA oily shale plays have generally been “Over-promise and under-deliver”, resulting in hundreds of billions of investor losses and write-downs.
If Biden had any common sense, he would not shut down any oil pipelines from Canada. The USA needs Canadian oil.
________________
FINANCIAL REGULATOR QUESTIONS VALUE OF U.S. SHALE RESERVES
By Kevin Crowley And Rachel Adams-Heard on 1/18/2021
https://www.worldoil.com//news/2021/1/18/financial-regulator-questions-value-of-us-shale-reserves
[excerpt]
HOUSTON (Bloomberg) –The Securities and Exchange Commission has been largely silent on the financial wreckage of the U.S. shale industry in recent years, but that may be about to change.
The top U.S. financial regulator’s reported investigation into how Exxon Mobil values shale assets follows years of concerns about the industry’s rosy projections, which have left hundreds of billions of dollars of investor losses and writedowns.
No comment required
“The sea ice situation is more severe this year than the same period in previous years”
Proof positive of global warming. Obviously, more warming means more, er, sea ice…
Greenpeace Blame Cold Weather On Global Warming
https://notalotofpeopleknowthat.wordpress.com/2021/01/19/greenpeace-blame-cold-weather-on-global-warming/
What is very reassuring, is that basically every comment is heckling and mocking GreenPiss and the AGW meme
China has so many people and so few natural resources…that is their big problem…….barely able to feed itself….not independent in energy….depends on stealing technology…just say no to buying any Chinese goods.
An even bigger problem is their foolish belief in socialism, the goal of which is to make everybody sufficiently equal. Of course, if everybody is made sufficiently equal, why should anyone bother to work hard? You will be made sufficiently equal no matter how much or how little you produce.
Nah.
China dropped socialism in 1979.
They’re just another dynastic dictatorship with a splash of capitalism.
“just say no to buying any Chinese goods.”
That’s my intention. Anyone who doesn’t like how the Chicoms have behaved over the handling of the Wuhan virus, should do the same. Money talks.
Reality isn’t important, intentions aren’t important, the only thing about CAGW that is important is stated intentions, because, you know, they are based on feelings. China? Waiting for the Biden Crime Family?
I find it amazing there is sea ice in a bay that is at approximately the same latitude as Ohio. Now I know why are lakes here in southern Michigan are not frozen – China has the cold weather.
Yes definitely! It’s been warmer than normal here nextdoor in Southern Ontario, in spite of El Nina, December and January.
No estuarine ice in Texas since 1989, wasn’t that way in 19th century, even into 20th. Also 1899 such report
https://texasreader.com/2020/12/texas-history-newsletter-when-galveston-bay-froze-over%e3%80%80%e2%80%af%e2%80%88%e2%80%84%e2%80%8a%e3%80%80%e2%80%82/
So sorry. Sum ting wong?
Maybe reading my favorite Chinese book will help?
“Chinese Rupture” by Wan Hung Lo
The next minimum has already been named the Eddy Minimum:
https://wattsupwiththat.com/2009/06/11/jack-eddy-discoverer-of-the-maunder-minimum-and-lia-1932-2009/
The cold spot in Siberia has dropped to ever lower temps in recent days. For most of the current winter the low temps were around 55+F. In the last 4 days the low has dropped to 61+F. Generally the Siberian cold region should be getting slightly warmer by now as compared to recent years. This cold region is still expanding and deepening from what I can see. … https://earth.nullschool.net/#current/wind/surface/level/overlay=temp/orthographic=-248.48,66.32,672/loc=103.982,66.609
and I forgot the minus sign on the temps mentioned above. That was supposed to read from -55F down to -61+F.
Still the warmest January evuh, though.
And 2021 will the the warmest year evuh.