China Crude Processing Spikes to All-time High
Chinese refinery crude oil throughput has reached its highest level ever, with total processed volumes up 12% in the first five months of this year compared to 2020, and up 10.9% from the same period in 2019. In total 292.7m tonnes have been processed so far this year according to the National Bureau of Statistics China.Despite the 12.0% growth in crude oil processing, Chinese crude oil supply, which includes imports and domestic production…
15 Companies make the cut in PortXL Maritime Acceleration Program
Fifteen companies from 11 countries were selected by a panel of industry experts, investors and entrepreneurs for the 6th PortXL acceleration program in Rotterdam. Starting in September, they will spend three months in Rotterdam. The PortXL team and its large network of expert mentors and partners will support them in validating their technologies and scaling their businesses. The program will end on December 2…
Brunswick to Acquire Navico for $1B
Brunswick Corporation entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Navico for $1.05 billion, bringing to Brunswick's Advanced Systems Group (ASG) well-known marine electronics brands such as Lowrance, Simrad, B&G and C-MAP."The acquisition of Navico and its award-winning brands will immediately accelerate Brunswick’s ACES (Autonomy, Connectivity, Electrification and Shared-Access) strategy, and support our vision to deliver distinctive new products and technology-enabled experiences…
Shipbuilding; NSRP Elects New Officers
The National Shipbuilding Research Program (NSRP) has announced the election of new officers to its Executive Control Board (ECB).Tom Perrine, Vice President of Engineering at Austal USA in Mobile, Ala. has been elected as ECB Chair for a two-year term, effective May 2021. Perrine earned his undergraduate degree in Naval Architecture from the University of Michigan and is a licensed professional engineer.
Keppel, Sembcorp Marine in Talks to Merge Offshore and Marine Units
Temasek-backed Singapore conglomerate Keppel Corp and smaller rival Sembcorp Marine are exploring a potential tie-up which would see them combine their struggling offshore and marine (O&M) businesses after years of losses in an industry downturn.A successful deal would see Keppel spin off the new business into a listed entity and ultimately exit from the legacy business. Temasek would become the largest shareholder in the combined unit…
Seaspan Orders Two More Containerships
Container shipping company Seaspan announced on Wednesday it has ordered another two vessels, increasing the number of ships it has on order to 39 amid continued heightened shipping demand and vessel shortages. Seaspan said the two 12,000 TEU containerships will be built by a "major shipyard" and are expected to be delivered during the fourth quarter of 2022.The newbuilds will enter service under long-term charters with a global liner…
Marine News is Now Accepting Applications for the MN100
The application period for this year’s MN100 edition is officially open and underway!Each year, Marine News magazine profiles 100 of the top firms in brown water, workboat space.Here's your chance to tell Marine News why your company is one of the best in the business. The selected 100 companies will be featured in the October edition of the largest BPA-audited b-to-b publication in this genre. OEMs…
Marine Jet Power Expands Its X-Series Waterjets Lineup
Marine Jet Power (MJP) revealed three new sizes in its X-Series range of waterjets. Expanding upon the proven 280, 310 and 350 X sizes, the new 400, 450 and 500 X feature MJP’s duplex stainless-steel, mixed-flow pump design and welded aluminum intake.The new additions to the range will service vessels ranging in size from 26m – 40m / 85-ft – 131-ft and up to 2070 kW / 2775 bhp. Well suited for high-speed applications the X-Series is built for fast patrol craft…
Russia Says it Chases British Destroyer Out of Crimea Waters
Russia said on Wednesday it had fired warning shots and dropped bombs in the path of a British warship to chase it out of waters Moscow claims in the Black Sea off the coast of the Crimea peninsula.Britain rejected Russia’s account of the incident, saying it believed any shots fired were a pre-announced Russian “gunnery exercise”, and that no bombs had been dropped. But it confirmed that its destroyer…
Carnival to Add Two More Cruise Ships by 2023
Carnival Cruise Line announced plans today to grow its fleet by two additional ships by 2023, taking the delivery position of an Excel-class ship that had previously been assigned to sister line AIDA Cruises that will arrive in late 2023, as well as taking ownership of Costa Magica from another of its European sister lines, with that ship going through a dry dock, renaming and Carnival-branded conversion…
Severe Weather Led to Barge Breakaway, Bridge Damage -NTSB
Severe rainfall and flooding from a tropical storm led to barges breaking away from their moorings and striking the Interstate 10 bridge in Channelview, Texas, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said in a marine accident brief released Tuesday.On September 19, 2019, 11 barges broke free from a San Jacinto River barge fleeting area north of the I-10 bridge in Channelview during Tropical Storm Imelda, the fifth-wettest tropical cyclone on record in the continental United States.
Ulstein Designing Non-fossil Fuel Containership
Naval architecture and marine engineering firm Ulstein Design & Solutions AS said it is designing a unique, energy efficient containership that will run 100% emissions free and without the use of fossil fuels. The concept is being developed for Oslo-based EDGE Navigation, a maritime start-up focused on developing commercial ships with non-fossil propulsion. Ulstein did not reveal details on the alternative propulsion system, but said the ship would feature its patented X-BOW hull lines.
China Condemns Latest US Warship Transit of Taiwan Strait
China condemned the United States on Wednesday as the region's greatest security "risk creator" after a U.S. warship again sailed through the sensitive waterway that separates Taiwan from China.The U.S. Navy's 7th Fleet said the Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer USS Curtis Wilbur conducted a "routine Taiwan Strait transit" on Tuesday in accordance with international law."The ship's transit through the Taiwan Strait demonstrates the U.S.
Agreement in Principle Reached Over Ever Given
A representative for the owners and insurers of a giant cargo ship that blocked the Suez Canal in March on Wednesday said that an agreement in principle had been reached in a compensation dispute with the canal authority.Work was under way to finalize a signed settlement agreement as soon as possible and arrangements for the release of the Ever Given vessel would be made after formalities had been dealt with…
AR Glasses Allow Yara Marine Technologies to Provide Remote Service
Augmented reality (AR) provides interactive access to vessel environments, like a ship’s engine room. With limited vessel access during COVID-19, Yara Marine Technologies implemented AR technology for virtual vessel access."We have been experimenting with AR glasses for some time. When the pandemic stopped our service engineers from boarding vessels, we had the alternative ready. With AR technology we have the visual field of the ship’s crew members on our monitors.
Solstad Offshore Bags UK North Sea PSV Charter
Norway-based Solstad Offshore has secured an 18-month charter for its platform supply vessel Sea Falcon.The offshore vessel owner said the contract, with an unnamed client, included a one-year extension option.Solstad did say that the client was a UK operator and that the platform supplier would support the operator's assets in the UK North Sea.The charter will begin during the third quarter of 2021."Sea Falcon will join sister vessel Sea Forth and work for the same UK operator," Solstad said.So
Tillberg Design of Sweden and COLUMBIA blue Launch Ship Design Partnership
Maritime leisure management company COLUMBIA blue – The Leisure Group said it has teamed up with cruise and yacht interior designer Tillberg Design of Sweden (TDoS)…
Iran says US to Lift Oil and Shipping Sanctions, US Says Nothing Agreed
Iran said on Wednesday the United States had agreed to remove all sanctions on Iran's oil and shipping but Washington said "nothing is agreed until everything is agreed" in talks to revive the 2015 Iran nuclear deal.The remarks by outgoing President Hassan Rouhani's chief of staff Mahmoud Vaezi echoed previous assertions by officials in Rouhani's pragmatist camp that Washington is ready to make major…
Austal Nets Deal with U.S. Navy for Light Amphibious Warship Design
Shipbuilder Austal USA has won concept studies and a preliminary design contract by the United States Navy for the Light Amphibious Warship (LAW) program.The USN’s new Light Amphibious Warship (LAW) program envisions procuring a class of 28 to 30 new amphibious ships to support the Marine Corps, particularly in implementing a new Marine Corps operational concept called Expeditionary Advanced Base Operations (EABO).
Taiwan: Refiner CPC Cleaning Up Offshore Oil Spill
Taiwan's state-owned refiner CPC Corp has started cleaning up an offshore oil spill caused by a pipeline that cracked during the discharging of oil from a vessel at its Talin refinery, the company's spokesman said on Wednesday.The oil leak occurred on Tuesday at 2:18 a.m. (1818 GMT) and was likely caused by bad weather, the company said in a statement. CPC immediately halted oil discharge following the incident…