US Seeks to Restore Safety Rules Sparked by Gulf Oil Spill
The Biden administration on Monday proposed offshore drilling safety measures that it said would help prevent oil spills and protect workers and the environment.The proposal aims to restore safety provisions put in place by the Obama administration in 2016 following the fatal 2010 BP Deepwater Horizon spill, the worst in United States history.The Trump administration had revised the rules in 2019 to reduce what the oil and gas industry said was a financial burden.The Interior Department…
ZF Marine Hires Lewis as Head of NA Commercial-Fast Craft Product Line
ZF Marine announced it has hired George Lewis as its new head of product line commercial-fast craft, North/Central America and the Caribbean, reporting to Wolfgang Schmid, ZF’s Industrial Division Head for North America.“ZF Marine welcomes George aboard and looks forward to the positive impact he will have upon the company’s sales across the Americas and Caribbean,” Schmid said. “With his deep industry knowledge and technical skill as a trained naval architect and proven sales leader…
Fincantieri Bags €1.7 Billion in Orders from Viking
Italian shipbuilding giant Fincantieri said it has secured another €1.7 billion in newbuild orders from luxury cruise line Viking.The two companies, which entered an agreement for six newbuild options in March 2018, have put into effect the contracts for the third and fourth ships. The companies also have signed the contract for the fifth and sixth units, subject to access to financing.Deliveries are scheduled respectively in 2026…
Wärtsilä Reports Chinese Orders
The technology group Wärtsilä on Monday informed of recent orders for engines compliant with China’s stage II, or C2 emissions standard. This legislation entered into force in July 2021 and is applicable to vessels sailing on inland waters, in coastal areas, and in most rivers. It covers domestic bulk carriers, feeder containers, oil tankers, passenger Ro-Ro ferries and government vessels.“Wärtsilä is heavily focused on making the decarbonization of shipping a reality.
Shipping Lines, Container Owners Struggle to Return Boxes to China
Shipping lines and container owners in North America (majorly in the U.S.) are finding it difficult to return containers to China. To add to the present challenges, the U.S. is also facing major trucking issues that are making cargo movement within the country difficult.The U.S. is again in the spotlight according to the monthly container logistic report published by Container xChange, a technology marketplace and operating platform for container logistic companies.“What is happening in the U.S.
Markets: Ship Scrapping Perks Up
Following the sale of Capesize bulkers for recycling last week, the trend has continued this week as well, with further transactions reportedly taking place on units – including Capes and a Suezmax tanker, as the market finally shows signs of life after an absolutely inert summer, according to GMS.All of the major ship recycling destinations are still poised rather precariously, and Pakistan has seen some further depreciations on the currency towards the end of this week…
Iran to Release Crew of Two Seized Greek Tankers
Iran has agreed to release the crews of two Greek tankers it seized in May in response to the confiscation of oil by the United States from an Iranian-flagged tanker in Greece…
US Navy Withholding Court Records in High-profile Ship Fire Case
The U.S. Navy accused a sailor of setting the 2020 fire on the USS Bonhomme Richard, but it refuses to release records in the case as the law requires.Despite a 2016 law requiring more transparency of court-martials, the U.S. Navy is refusing to release nearly all court documents in a high-profile case in which a sailor faces life in prison.Seaman Recruit Ryan Mays, 21, has been charged with aggravated arson and hazarding a vessel in the 2020 fire that destroyed the USS Bonhomme Richard.
WAGO Promotes Cox to New Automation Position
WAGO, a developer of connection systems in electrical engineering and electronics, announced it has named Jesse Cox as Director of Automation Sales Engineering and Development.Cox has been with WAGO for 10 years, most recently as the Senior Sales and Application Engineer for Linux and IIoT.In his new role, he will continue to serve WAGO’s sales force as they focus on a highly technical, solutions-based…
Hydrogen One: Innovative Towboat Set to Shake Things Up in the US
Rarely does a vessel come along with the potential to radically change the way an industry operates, but one such vessel is set to hit the water in 2023.This new vessel, a towboat named Hydrogen One, is being developed by Louisiana-based Maritime Partners, the largest lessor of marine equipment in the U.S. It will be the first of its kind globally to run on emissions-reducing methanol-to-hydrogen generator…
Royal IHC Hands Over Converted Amazon J-Lay Vessel to McDermott
Dutch maritime equipment and technology firm Royal IHC has handed over the converted J-lay vessel Amazon to McDermott International.Royal IHC said: "For this project, Royal IHC has converted Amazon into the modern and state-of-the-art J-lay vessel it is today. The patented system, with dynamic top tension capacity of 1.500 tonnes, can handle a variety of pipes, including normal flowlines, export lines…
Congress: Short-term Funding Decisions Create Long-term Domestic and National Security Issues
Year after year, America’s shipyards that make up the defense industrial base get their hopes up that the annual federal government funding process will produce stable and predictable budgets for the U.S. Navy and Coast Guard acquisition programs. Every year, the yards are disappointed as the U.S. Government bounces from spending crisis to spending crisis.At the same time, the yards look favorably upon the shipbuilding plans that significantly grow our Nation’s fleet beyond today’s 296 ships.
NTSB Issues Recommendations Following Fire on Laid Up Laker
The United States' National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) issued three safety recommendations following its investigation into the February 1, 2021, engine room fire aboard the bulk carrier Roger Blough.The Roger Blough was docked in winter layup at the Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding facility on Sturgeon Bay, Wis. when a fire started in the engine room. The cargo-unloading conveyor belts then ignited, causing extensive damage throughout the aft section of the vessel.
DNV Grants AIP to MOL and Mitsubishi Shipbuilding for LCO2 Carrier
Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (MOL) and Mitsubishi Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. have received approval in principle (AIP) for their jointly developed liquefied CO2 (LCO2) carrier from the Norwegian classification society DNV. The presentation ceremony took place on September 5 at the Gastech 2022 conference in Milan, Italy.The LCO2 carrier that underwent a Hazard Identification Study (HAZID) and received an AIP is a 50…
Baltic Dry Index Rises on Higher Rates for Larger Vessels
The Baltic Exchange's main sea freight index, tracking rates for ships carrying dry bulk commodities, rose on Monday as rates for larger vessel segments increased.The overall index, which factors in rates for capesize, panamax, supramax shipping vessels, was up for the fourth consecutive session, gaining 43 points, or about 3.5%, at 1,256.Market conditions are expected to improve for the rest of 2022 and further in 2023 as the EU's ban on Russian coal will add tonne miles…
GTT Develops Balast Water-Free LNG Feeder & Bunker Vessel Concept
French firm GTT has developed a versatile LNG feeder & bunker vessel concept for worldwide operation without the use of ballast water.Every day, many ships carry on board a considerable quantity of seawater as ballast over the oceans. Technically, this is needed in empty or partially loaded conditions, in order to maintain seaworthiness, reach sufficient draft for propeller immersion, and avoid excessive…
Amplify Energy to Pay $5M to Settle Criminal Charges over California Oil Spill
California officials [last] Thursday said Amplify Energy Corp agreed to plead no contest to six criminal charges and pay nearly $5 million in penalties and fines in connection with a crude oil spill last year that killed birds and fouled beaches.The announcement was the latest legal effort to hold the Texas-based oil company accountable for a subsea pipeline leak that released some 558 barrels (25…
Exmar Pens LNG Carrier Deal with Eni. Closes Tango FLNG Sale
Belgian shipowner Exmar said on Friday it had signed a 10-year charter deal for the liquefied natural gas (LNG) vessel Excalibur with Eni as the Belgian shipowner…
Edda Breeze CSOV Visits Oslo
Edda Breeze, the first of seven of Norway-based Edda Wind's offshore wind service vessels, is visiting Oslo this week.Edda Wind took delivery of the CSOV earlier this year. The vessel was built by Astilleros Gondán shipyard in Spain.The vessel is 88.3 meters long with a beam of 19.7 meters. It can accommodate up to 120 persons onboard.Kenneth Walland, CEO of Edda Wind, said: "It is special for us to take Edda Breeze to Norway, where Edda Wind was established in 2015.
