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An oil tanker being serviced by a bunkering vessel.

Courtesy: Hafnia

If you think that life at sea is like the movie franchise “Pirates of the Caribbean,” think again.

The movies, which feature ambushes, looting and a drunken captain, are far from real life, according to shipping veteran Ralph Juhl.

“That is, of course, a lot of bollocks,” Juhl told CNBC by phone.

For starters, the consumption of alcohol is banned on many ships.

But there is one similarity with the movie, Juhl said: the code of conduct between seafarers. In the franchise, the Pirate’s Code was chronicled in a book kept by character Captain Teague, and loosely followed by some.

For those who sail for a living, there is a similar type of agreement, Juhl said.

The crew on board an oil tanker operated by Hafnia.

Courtesy: Hafnia

“Seafarers, no matter where they come from — India, Ukraine, Denmark, the Philippines — there is this conduct of how you behave on a ship … You can actually endanger both yourself and all of your colleagues if you are not playing that social game, being on board the ship. So, you take responsibility, you follow authority,” Juhl said.

Juhl, an executive vice-president at oil tanker firm Hafnia, has worked in the industry for several decades, starting as an ordinary seaman — the lowest rank of sailor — in 1983.

“When you as a seafarer [go] on board … you are a contribution to the society and you have to fit in … there is this code of the high seas,” he added.

A captain’s life

“Pirates of the Caribbean” is a seafaring stereotype familiar to Hafnia’s DSA Dixon, who has been a captain for five years. Dixon — who sails vessels known as product tankers, which transport both refined and unrefined petroleum products around the world — had to convince his parents-in-law that his role was nothing like the movie, he told CNBC by phone.

“A lot of people have a very different representation of a seafarer, looking at Pirates of the Caribbean,” he said.

Captain DSA Dixon (in black) says he invents games to keep his crew’s morale up during months at sea.

DSA Dixon | Hafnia

Dixon might be captaining a ship such as the huge Hafnia Rhine, which is about 230 meters long by 33 meters wide, with a capacity of more than 76,000 deadweight tons — a measure that includes the oil cargo, plus fuel, food, water and crew members, but not the weight of the ship itself.

Where the ship goes depends on where the demand for oil is and Dixon has sailed to every continent bar Antarctica, he said.

Dixon aims to keep to a schedule of three months at sea followed by three months at home in Mumbai, India, he said, and he started his most recent voyage on the Mississippi River in the U.S., sailing to Brazil and going on to Saudi Arabia via Gibraltar and the Suez Canal, before returning to Brazil.

The greatest part of my job is I’ve seen things that an average human being might not.

DSA Dixon

Captain, Hafnia

Compared to someone working an office job, Dixon said he spends more time with his wife and six-year-old son, as when he is at home he’s “completely” there. “I love this part of my life, because when I go back home, I’m Santa Claus,” he said. “It doesn’t get stagnated at any point – when it’s about to get stagnated, I’m back at sea.”

High days and holidays

Aside from navigation, Dixon said the most important part of his job is to keep the crew in good spirits, as they spend months at sea together.

“We have at times, 20, 25 people on board, they’re all different nationalities, different cultures, different languages … our ship is as good as the people on it,” Dixon said.

There’s no fixed daily routine, Dixon added. “There’s no one way to describe life on board. It’s challenging of course, but the challenge keeps you motivated all the time,” he said.

Along with navigation and managing the crew, Dixon might be talking to officials who come aboard when the ship is docked or coming up with ways to celebrate religious festivals.

The engine control room of an oil tanker. Hafnia Chief Engineer Dmytro Lifarenko spent around six months on board during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020.

Courtesy: Hafnia

“Irrespective of nationality, or religion, people celebrate each other’s events or festivals,” Dixon said. “I even invent something like a treasure hunt on board. The ship is massive, I divide [crew] into teams … and let them find their own way,” Dixon added.

These games might sound “kiddish,” but they serve an important purpose, Dixon said. “These are grown-up men, some might be 50 years-old, and they’re doing this, but it’s the way to bond … we need to socialize and a happy ship is always an excellent vessel,” Dixon said.

Dixon makes sure the crew take Sundays off, spending it as they choose: perhaps playing PlayStation, chatting or sleeping. “I make sure there’s an excellent lunch,” Dixon added.

Traveling across oceans means getting to experience some of the world’s natural spectacles, with Dixon seeing the light phenomenon aurora borealis — also known as the northern lights — while sailing near Norway.

An aurora borealis light display in the southern part of Norway, one of the natural spectacles seen by oil tanker captain DSA Dixon during his seafaring life.

Heiko Junge | Afp | Getty Images

“The only regret I have is what I see I’m not able to share it, I want my family to see [things] at that very point, at that very moment, a photograph won’t capture it,” Dixon said. How did he feel seeing the lights? “You feel complete, I will say. You feel abundant,” he said.

“The greatest part of my job is I’ve seen things that an average human being might not,” he added.

Rough waters

Alongside enjoying scenes of wonder, life as a seafarer can be tough.

Hafnia Chief Engineer Dmytro Lifarenko is from Ukraine and was at home when Russia invaded the country in February 2022, fleeing with his wife and children across Europe to Valencia in Spain.

“I don’t know how I would handle … knowing that the bombs were there and I’m on board,” he told CNBC by phone, speculating about how he would have felt if he had been at sea when war broke out.

While his most recent voyage was five months long — sailing from Singapore to France and then Australia — he has recently taken extended leave to settle his family in their new home.

Chief Engineer Dmytro Lifarenko is from Ukraine and was at home when Russia invaded the country in February 2022. He has since moved with his family to Spain.

Dmytro Lifarenko | Hafnia

“I miss my family a lot during the voyage,” Lifarenko said — he and his wife have three children: a daughter of six months, six-year-old son and a 12-year-old daughter.

“Being two parents for three kids, this is fine. Being [effectively] a single mom for our kids, that’s very difficult … to be honest, this is the worst part of the job.”

This is something Juhl is sympathetic to: “That’s a big ‘uncomfort’ for many seafarers, that they are now so involved in their family [while at sea], even though they can’t do anything about it,” he said.

The boiler suit dressed man with a big spanner — it’s not the sailor that we’ll need in the future.

Ralph Juhl

Executive vice president, Hafnia

During the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, Lifarenko spent about six months onboard, which is longer than his usual voyage. He said guided meditations sent to him by Hafnia were useful to deal with an uncertain situation.

“You keep thinking about the things that you actually cannot change, and that’s quite close to depression, but this [was] like a helpful hand,” he said.

But, despite some downsides, Lifarenko said he loves his job because of its variety. “You cannot say what is your routine, because the routine part is quite small. Most of the time, you are solving some situation, which requires you to use your brain, and you’re thinking, how to fix this … or how can we maintain this in a better way,” he said.

He has also enjoyed seeing the natural world while onboard, including spotting whales and sailing close to the volcanic Canary Islands.

Future sailors

Juhl spent more than a decade as a seafarer, starting at age 16 and sailing to places such as Honduras and South Korea, and becoming a navigator on chemical carrier ships before captaining ferries. He came onshore in 1997 and is now responsible for Hafnia’s technical operations. He described those onboard as “working their butts off.”

“They never go ashore anymore, there are terminals far away from cities and so on. So, this romantic life and impression of seafarers, it is pretty much gone. It’s hard work,” he said.

Oil tanker crew prepare mooring ropes to secure a bunker barge to their vessel for refueling.

Courtesy: Hafnia

This means attracting the next generation of crew is potentially tougher. “It’s a lonely life from time to time. And today you cannot offer young people loneliness,” he said.

Juhl wants to encourage more women to become seafarers and Hafnia is working on a pilot program to operate two ships where half the crew are female, to understand how the culture onboard might change, both positively and negatively, and how to solve that.

However, issues remain: Authorities in countries where women are discriminated against might not deal with female captains, for example, so Hafnia has had to temporarily assign a male captain for port stays in such places, Juhl said.

There has been internet access on board tankers for just a couple of years, Juhl added, and he wants to get creative about what might be possible as technology involves. 

He’s especially keen for sailors to be able to communicate with their families at home, he said.

“Hopefully we can soon make holograms where the captain can go to his cabin with his supper, and then he can open his hologram and he can sit and eat with his wife … we have to think that way,” Juhl said. And new technology will mean seafarers need different skills. “The boiler suit dressed man with a big spanner — it’s not the sailor that we’ll need in the future,” he said.

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RadRunner e-bikes from $999, EcoFlow DELTA Pro 3 with solar panels $2,999, Anker Everfrost review, more

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2 mins ago

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April 18, 2025

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RadRunner e-bikes from 9, EcoFlow DELTA Pro 3 with solar panels ,999, Anker Everfrost review, more

Well folks, the weekend is nearly here and before it officially arrives we’ve pieced together the latest roundup of Green Deals. Leading the pack today are RadRunner 2 and 3 Plus e-bikes from $999 as well as an EcoFlow flash sale that takes the brand’s robust DELTA Pro 3 with four 125W solar panels down to a new $2,999 low. We’ve also went hands-on with Anker’s SOLIX EverFrost 2 58L Electric Cooler, and the full review is waiting for you to scope out right here. There are also plenty of other deals from earlier in the week that are still live, so head below and we’ll get you caught up on what you may have missed.

Head below for more and, of course, Electrek’s best EV buying and leasing deals. Also, check out the new Electrek Tesla Shop for the best deals on Tesla accessories.

Rad’s ‘jack-of-all-trades’ RadRunner 2 and RadRunner 3 Plus e-bikes provide utility with mobility at low prices from $999

Having begun back in February, and now continuing with Rad Power’s current Earth Day Sale running through April 23, the brand still has two of its three RadRunner series e-bikes down at the lowest prices in their history, while the RadRunner Plus model has run out of stock. Starting with the lowest priced, you can hop aboard the brand’s RadRunner 2 Utility e-bike for just $999 shipped, bringing costs down from its $1,499 post-2024 tariff pricing. Before this price cut began, things had only ever fallen as low as $1,199 before the summer of last year, with discounts following July only ever dropping to $1,299. But with this shake-up, you’ll score $500 off the going rate for as long as supplies last, gaining a versatile means to commute and run errands at the lowest price we have tracked.

Given the moniker of Rad’s “jack-of-all-trades” model, the RadRunner 2 is an affordable means to get around during commutes, joyrides, errand running, and more. I see them, and their counterparts in the series, parked outside my local grocery store frequently, as more and more folks in Brooklyn seem to be finding them as a solid alternative to owning a car. You’ll get up to 50 miles of travel here with its four PAS levels activated at up to 20 MPH top speeds with its combination of a 750W brushless gear hub motor and the 672Wh battery. Along with the simplified control panel for its riding settings, it also comes stocked with a rear-mounted cargo rack that offers a 120-pound payload, puncture-resistant fat tires, a standard LED headlight, and an integrated taillight with both brake light and flash mode capabilities.

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The upgraded RadRunner 3 Plus e-bike, meanwhile, is also still down at it’s newest all-time low of $1,699 shipped, brought down from $2,199. It sports the same 750W motor and 672Wh battery combination for achieving 45+ miles of travel through its five PAS levels at up to 20 MPH speeds. There are some notable differences here, like the Tektro hydraulic disc brakes that provide better stopping power (over the RadRunner 2’s mechanical ones), as well as a 350-pound payload (50 pounds more total), and a longer step-thru design for a more ergonomic riding position. There are also other features like puncture-resistant fat tires, fenders over both wheels, the LED headlight and brake-light capable integrated taillight (with the auto-on functionality), and LCD screen for settings.

EcoFlow’s latest flash sale gives you the multi-capable DELTA Pro 3 with four 125W solar panels at a new $2,999 low, more

As part of its ongoing Mega Sale through April 25, EcoFlow has launched the next round of its flash offers lasting through the rest of the day. The main deal here is the DELTA Pro 3 Portable Power Station bundled alongside four 125W solar panels for $2,999 shipped. Coming down off its usual $4,598 price tag, we’ve only ever seen discounts take it down as low as $3,199 before today. For the rest of the day, you can take advantage of this lower-than-ever pricing to score one of the brand’s newer solar generator packages at a 35% markdown, giving you $1,599 in savings at a new all-time low price. It even beats out Amazon, where it still sits $300 higher.

One of the brand’s newer models that has been quite popular since releasing back in June, the EcoFlow DELTA Pro 3 starts off with an already impressive 4,096Wh LiFePO4 battery capacity with a steady 4,000W of power output that surges up to 6,000W. It comes with some equally impressive expansion capabilities up to 48,000Wh with additional equipment, with its output also expanding up to 12,000W when three of these power stations are connected together, covering major home backup needs. Among the many units under the brand’s flag, this one offers the widest amount of ways to recharge its own battery, with seven solo options and 18 combination options. A standard wall outlet will have it back at an 80% battery in 50 minutes, while also offering other options like solar charging (with a max 2,600W input), EV, automotive auxiliary outlets, dual PV charging, and much more.

It’s been given 14 output ports, divided up amongst seven ACs, two USB-As, two USB-Cs, and three DCs, and offers up the complete array of smart controls accessed through the companion app to monitor and adjust settings as it keeps your devices and appliances running. It was the first unit to be given the latest X-Core 3.0 tech, expanding its surging capabilities and charging speeds while also running at quieter decibels and cooler temperatures, as well as improving upon the battery and smart home management, providing “explosion-proof” battery packs, and upgrading its parallel capacity expansion performance.

The second of today’s flash savings gives you the brand’s 800W Alternator Charger at $349 shipped, coming down from its regular $399 pricing during this sale and its full $599 rate. With this device, you’ll be able to recharge any power station you have via your car’s alternator, juicing the battery back up while on the move – which makes a perfect companion for those who may be taking their setups on the road.

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Tesla Odometergate: is it Tesla’s own Dieselgate or nothing burger?

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April 18, 2025

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Tesla Odometergate: is it Tesla's own Dieselgate or nothing burger?

A lawsuit alleging that Tesla is inflating mileage to avoid warranty claims is already being compared to Dieselgate and referred to as ‘Tesla Odometergate.’

Is Tesla having its own Dieselgate, or is it a nothing burger?

A new class action lawsuit filed in California against Tesla alleges that the automaker is using “predictive algorithms” to inflate mileage at the odometers, allowing Tesla to claim higher mileage past warranty limits.

Lawyers for the plaintiff wrote in the lawsuit:

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Rather than relying on mechanical or electronic systems to measure distance, Plaintiff alleges on information and belief that Tesla Inc. employs an odometer system that utilizes predictive algorithms, energy consumption metrics, and driver behavior multipliers that manipulate and misrepresent the actual mileage travelled by Tesla Vehicles. In so doing, Defendants can, and do, accelerate the rate of depreciation of the value of Tesla Vehicles and also the expiration of Tesla Vehicle warranties to reduce or avoid responsibility for contractually required repairs as well as increase the purchase of its extended warranty policy.

The lawsuit refers to patents filed by Tesla regarding its mileage counter, but it primarily relies on the experience of its lead plaintiff.

Nyree Hinton, a data professional from Los Angeles, is the lead plaintiff in the lawsuit and shared his own experience that led to making these allegations.

In December 2022, Hinton purchased a used 2020 Tesla Model Y with 36,772 miles on the odometer. He received Tesla’s Basic Vehicle Limited Warranty, which covers repairs for four years or 50,000 miles, whichever comes first.

Shortly after, Hinton noticed that his vehicle’s mileage increased at an unexpected rate. Despite driving approximately 20 miles per day, based on his own estimate, the odometer indicated an average of over 72 miles per day. This rapid mileage accumulation led to the warranty expiring sooner than anticipated, resulting in Hinton incurring a $10,000 suspension repair bill that he believed should have been covered under the warranty otherwise.

Other than Hinton’s experience, the lawsuit is light on data, but it does cite other Tesla owners claiming to have similar experiences on forums and social media.

Here’s the full lawsuit:

Tesla’s own Dieselgate or a nothing burger

If the allegations in this lawsuit are factual, it would indeed be a significant scandal. However, it is light on proof.

Hinton appears to have closely tracked his own experience, and he has some credibility as a data analyst. We have no reason not to believe him, but the case would need a lot more evidence to move forward.

Electrek reached out to ‘Green’, a well-known Tesla hacker who frequently discovers new features and specifications in Tesla’s software and firmware.

He told us that he doubts Tesla would have been able to hide something like that from him and the broader whitehat hacking community, but he admits they weren’t looking for it.

Green believes that it is likely that Tesla uses predictive algorithms for its odometer, but it could be as simple as accounting for tire wear, since tire rotation is used to calculate odometer mileage.

Odometers are not perfect, and there can be some discrepancies, but the one described by the lead plaintiff in this case is undoubtedly higher than what would be expected or allowed.

Electrek’s Take

I think it’s too light on data and proof right now to make a big deal out of this. I have no reason not to believe Hinton, but it could also be a specific problem with his vehicle rather than a broader issue and active deception from Tesla.

If the lawsuit is allowed to proceed, we may gain more insight, and it could encourage others with similar experiences to join in – resulting in more data.

In the meantime, I’ll remain in the skeptical camp on this one.

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Tesla (TSLA) brand damage is destroying used car value: ‘People don’t want them anymore’

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3 hours ago

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April 18, 2025

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Tesla (TSLA) brand damage is destroying used car value: 'People don't want them anymore'

Tesla

Tesla’s brand damage is eroding the value of used Tesla vehicles at a rapid rate, as owners rush to sell theirs.

It is breaking the used Tesla market as prices are plunging just as the broader used car market is recovering.

After a few tough years for the used car market following the pandemic, it is finally starting to recover over the last month.

Economic uncertainty and a fear of higher inflation due to Trump’s tariffs are prompting some buyers to shift from the new car market to the used car market.

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From March 2024 to March 2025, average used car prices decreased by 2.68% in the US, but the trend has finally reversed.

According to Car Guru‘s used car index, used car prices have risen an impressive 2.17% in the last 30 days alone.

However, there’s an exception: Tesla.

The price of used Tesla vehicles has been falling, like the rest of the used car market, since the pandemic; however, it is not benefiting from the reversal in the current macroeconomic situation.

While average used car prices rose more than 2% in the last 30 days, Tesla’s used car prices decreased by 1.34% in the US.

That’s due to oversupply, as many Tesla owners are selling their vehicles to distance themselves from the Tesla brand, which is associated with CEO Elon Musk and his increasingly divisive political views.

The demand to sell used Tesla vehicles is so high that many used car dealers, who had been fighting to acquire inventory just a year prior, are starting to be reticent about buying Tesla vehicles as the value decreases so rapidly.

In Quebec, Le Journal de Montréal spoke with local used car dealers and attended a car auction where many Tesla vehicles were up for sale, with some selling for half the price they were selling for just over a year ago.

Éric Piuze, owner of a used car dealership on Montreal’s South Shore, said (translated from French):

“People don’t want them anymore. The Elon Musk effect is very real in Quebec.”

The used car dealers at the auction noted that they are not confident they can sell the used Tesla quickly enough to avoid further value decreases.

Furthermore, they note that potential buyers are lowballing on Tesla vehicles because they are aware that inventory is high, creating a buyer’s market.

Dealers are also seeing higher defaults on Tesla car payments, as buyers who took on debt to purchase them just a few years ago struggle to make payments.

Piuze added (translated from French):

People paid a lot of money for Teslas. During the pandemic, we saw many people remortgaging their homes to buy a Tesla. Those days are over.

At its peak, the average used Tesla price was over $60,000 in 2022. Now, the same vehicles are worth a fraction, but their car payments are still high.

Electrek’s Take

Even with the used car market finally getting a breather from crashing prices, Tesla vehicles are not benefiting at all. This highlights a significant issue in the used Tesla market. It’s broken.

The market can’t absorb the surge in people selling their Tesla vehicles.

I wouldn’t want to be a company holding a fleet of Tesla vehicles right now. The value erosion is impressive.

I thought that maybe the Cybertruck was dragging the entire Tesla market down, with a 6.64% decrease in used value over the last 30 days. However, the Model Y alone saw a 1.67% decrease during the same period.

The good news is that the vast majority of people selling their used Tesla vehicles are purchasing other electric vehicles, thereby boosting the EV market. It’s also giving people the chance to get into Tesla vehicles for cheaper, although they should expect the value of those vehicles to decrease rapidly.

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