Canada’s First All-electric, Zero-emissions Ferry Enters Service
A newly retrofitted electric ferry is the first in Canada to enter service powered by a zero-emissions, lithium-ion power and propulsion system containing no diesel fuel components.PortsToronto’s 96-foot Marilyn Bell I, used for transporting passengers, vehicles and supplies the short distance to and from Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport on Toronto Island, returned to operations last week following a 20-week conversion, and is now sailing 100% emissions free.St.
Tech File: Hatenboer-Water Develops "Plastic Free @Sea" Concept
While much of the maritime world's tech chatter focuses on emissions and fuel choice, Dutch water company Hatenboer-Water developed the Plastic Free @Sea concept as a smart solution to reduce plastic waste on board ships at sea.Reducing plastic waste has become key in environmental protection, including in the shipping industry. Answering the call is Hatenboer-Water with its Plastic Free @Sea concept…
New Marine Terminal Commissioned in Houston
Vopak Moda Houston, LLC announced that its marine terminal in the Port of Houston is fully operational. Formed in 2016, Vopak Moda Houston is a joint venture between Royal Vopak and Moda Midstream. Located in Houston’s refining and petrochemical corridor and in close proximity to multiple ammonia, hydrogen and nitrogen pipelines, Vopak Moda Houston is the first greenfield terminal development in the Port of Houston in more than a decade.Designed to handle very large gas carriers (VLGC)…
Drydocks World Completes Bokalift 2 Conversion
Dubai shipyard Drydocks World said it recently completed its latest conversion project for Dutch dredging and heavy lift company Boskalis.The former drillshipship, now a crane vessel named Bokalift 2, has been converted in preparation for carrying out a variety of offshore operations. Its maiden project will be the transport and installation of wind turbine foundations off the coast of Taiwan.The conversion scope included the fabrication and installation of 9…
Austal USA Orders Dry Dock for New West Coast Yard
Austal USA on Monday revealed it has ordered a new dry dock that it said will become the centerpiece of its new repair facility in San Diego.Construction on the dry dock began Monday at Sedef Shipyard in Turkey, and the completed vessel is scheduled to be fully operational in Austal’s new West Coast yard by August 2023.The dry dock will have a 9,000 light ton lifting capacity. It will be 531 feet (162 meters) long…
Offshore Wind Market Set to Accelerate in North America
While many challenges remain to deliver the full promise of U.S. offshore wind, so too do opportunities. Robert Galinski, DNV’s Offshore Wind Director, Americas discusses the pace and direction of the U.S. offshore wind market from the perspective of class.While Robert Galinski has served as DNV’s Offshore Wind Director, Americas, for just about one year, he is well-versed and long-tenured in the offshore wind sector in Europe and the U.S.
Dozens Test Positive for Omicron Variant on Royal Caribbean Cruise Ship
Royal Caribbean Group said on Monday 48 people on its Symphony of the Seas cruise ship tested positive for COVID-19, fueling concerns that the new Omicron variant of the coronavirus could put a damper on a recovery in the cruise industry.The cruise operator said it had 6,091 guests and crew members on board the ship, which ended a week-long cruise in Miami on Saturday after setting sail on December 11.The passengers who tested positive were asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic, Royal Caribbean sai
WFW Announces New Athens Office Head
Watson Farley & Williams (WFW) announced that, following the election of George Paleokrassas as the firm’s senior partner, partner Alexia Hatzimichalis will be taking over as Athens office head.Hatzimichalis, who joined the firm in 2001 and made partner in 2014, also heads the assets and structured finance team in Athens. Qualified in England and Wales, originally as a barrister and then as a solicitor…
Does the US Have the Right to Sail Warships Through the South China Sea?
Images of what appeared to be U.S. warships emerged from China last month, but they were not anywhere near an ocean. In fact, they were thousands of kilometers away, in a desert in western China.Military experts said the mock-ups of U.S. warships were part of a new target range developed by the People’s Liberation Army. The images demonstrate how seriously China is taking the repeated appearances of…
Hornsea 2: First Power Achieved at World's Largest Offshore Wind Farm
Offshore wind developer Ørsted said Monday that first power on Hornsea 2 offshore wind farm in the UK was achieved after its offshore substation (OSS), the world’s largest offshore AC substation, and reactive compensation station (RCS), were installed in late October 2021.When fully operational, Hornsea 2’s 165 8 MW Siemens Gamesa wind turbines will be capable of generating 1.32 GW of clean electricity…
GC Rieber Sells Polar Onyx Vessel to Taiwanese Offshore Wind Venture
Oslo-listed GC Rieber Shipping has agreed to sell its SURF / Construction Vessel Polar Onyx to Taiwan-based offshore wind service conglomerate Dong Fang Offshore and Hung Hua Construction.The delivery of the vessel, built at Ulstein Verft in 2014, is expected to take place in the first quarter of 2022. The sale includes the VLS tower onboard the vessel. "Polar Onyx has since delivery proven herself as a solid and valuable asset in the SURF market.
ClassNK to Make Electronic Certificates, Reports Standard
ClassNK will make electronic certificates and reports issued for ships as standard service from January 30, 2022.ClassNK has been providing an environment in which documents can be used in electronic data upon request since the early 2000s for survey records and since 2017 for class certificate and statutory certificates issued on behalf of flag states. ClassNK will make the electronic documents as…
Egypt Closes Eight Ports Due to Bad Weather
Egypt has closed eight ports owing to bad weather, officials said on Monday.The ports of Port Tawfiq, El-Zayteyat and Sharm El Sheikh were shut early Monday morning, the Red Sea Ports Authority said.The ports of Adabiya, Ain Sokhna, Port Said West, Port Said East and Al Arish were also shut later on Monday, a statement from the General Authority for the Suez Canal Economic Zone said.The ports are expected to re-open as soon as weather conditions imporve, the statement said.(Reporting by Yusri Mo
Currency Crash, Dearth of Demand Define the Ship Recycle Business
Sub-continent ship recycling markets (including Turkey) remained in a precarious position this week, with the recent decline in steel plate prices mixed in with the crushing depreciation of currencies that has led to a serious dearth in the global demand for tonnage, reports GMS.As a result, there have still not been any noteworthy sales at these new lower levels to justify some of the alarming news emanating from sub-continent markets…
Solstad Nabs One-year Charter for PSV. Offloads AHTS
Norwegian offshore vessel owner Solstad Offshore has secured a one-year contract for its platform supply vessel Normand Flipper.Solstad Offshore said that the contract, starting in December 2021, is for work in the UK North Sea. It did not say who the client was.The 2003-built Normand Flipper was mentioned on OEDigital.com in February 2020, when Solstad Premier Oil chartered the PSV to support its Tolmount field operations in the UK sector of the North Sea.Also…
Ecochlor Receives USCG Type Approval for Its Filterless EcoOne BWMS
Ecochlor reports that its filterless EcoOne and EcoOne Hybrid has received United States Coast Guard (USCG) Type Approval. The EcoOne BWMS has been tested extensively to ensure that it works effectively as a single-step treatment, without a filter, under all operating conditions in brackish and marine waters in accordance with the USCG, Standards for Living organisms in Ship’s Ballast Discharged Waters, Final Rule (Final Rule).
Yinson, Enauta Pen LoI for Atlanta Field FPSO
Malaysian FPSO contractor Yinson has signed a Letter of Intent with the Brazilian oil company Enauta Energia for the provision, operation, and maintenance of an FPSO at Enauta's Atlanta field in the Santos Basin, offshore Brazil.Enauta has been producing oil from the field using the FPSO Petrojarl I as an Early Production System, and has been looking to deploy another FPSO at the field for full-field…
Prysmian Wins $900M U.S. Offshore Wind Contracts
Italian subsea power cable maker Prysmian said Friday it had secured contracts worth $900 million in the U.S. offshore wind market.Both projects have been awarded by Vineyard Wind…
SBM Offshore Secures $620M Loan for Brazil-bound FPSO
Dutch floating oil and gas production firm SBM Offshore has secured a $620 million bridge loan facility for the financing of the construction of FPSO Alexandre de Gusmão, to be deployed in Brazil for Petrobras.The FPSO Alexandre de Gusmão will be deployed at the Mero field in the Santos Basin offshore Brazil. Mero is a project under Libra Consortium responsibility, in which Petrobras is the operator with 40 percent and with the following partners: Shell Brasil with 20 percent…