Rm 9 News

Marine News spoke to leaders at three North American naval architecture and marine engineering firms about some of the latest trends impacting their business today. Mike Fitzpatrick, president, Robert Allan Ltd.; Jeff Bowles, director, DLBA Naval Architects; and Rich Mueller, president and CEO, NETSCo., weigh in on topics such as digitalization, decarbonization and the naval architect talent pool.How do you view the maritime industry’s ongoing shifts in areas such as digitalization and decarbonization…

The Commander of the 13th Coast Guard District has received a request for a preliminary navigation clearance determination (PNCD) from the Interstate Bridge Replacement Program, aka Portland, Ore., to Vancouver, Wash., I-5 twin bridge (LLNR 11258).A PNCD is a first step in the U.S. Coast Guard Bridge permitting process. At the request of the Coast Guard the IBR team has prepared a navigation impact report (NIR) for the proposed new IBR Bridge. Based off an analysis of the NIR…

An ailing mariner was medevaced from a Liberian-flagged bulk carrier anchored off Corpus Christi, Texas, the U.S. Coast Guard said.Coast Guard Sector/Air Station Corpus Christi command center watchstanders received a medevac request at 1:03 p.m. Friday from the agent of the 260.4-meter Richard Oldendorff off Port Aransas, Texas, stating a crewmember was suffering from a possible leg infection. Watchstanders consulted with the duty flight surgeon, who recommended a medevac.The Coast Guard Cutter Pelican and a Coast Guard Station Port Aransas 45-foot Response Boat–Medium crew diverted to assist.The Pelican crew took aboard the crewmember and transferred him to the RB–M once it arrived on scene.

A new 168-foot double-ended passenger, truck and automobile ferry has been launched for service on Lake Erie.Designed by TAI Engineers, LLC and built in Houma, La. by Thoma-Sea Marine Constructors, LLC (TMC), the new ferry Carmen Lee is expected to enter service in early 2022 for a partnership between the Lorain Port Authority (LPA) and Kelleys Island Ferry Boat Line in Ohio. It can hold 149 passengers and 36 trucks and automobiles, providing service between Marblehead, Ohio and Kelleys Island…

Royal Marines from the UK Navy's HMS Montrose Frigate have seized  £11 million (USD 15,3 million) worth of illegal drugs in two raids of suspect vessels in the Arabian Sea, the UK Ministry of Defence and the Navy said in statements on Wednesday.The Royal Marines seized 2.4 tonnes worth of illegal drugs from a suspect boat in the Northern Arabian Sea, on a counter-narcotics patrol. This was the second drug bust by the HMS Montrose crew in two days.According to the statement by the UK government…

Associated British Ports (ABP) has secured new business handling 40,000 tonnes of steel each year at the UK’s biggest port, the Port of Immingham.Freight forwarding company R.M. Maritime, has chosen ABP to expertly handle steel destined to be used in the construction industry in the UK.The first shipment saw ABP successfully discharge over 12,579 tonnes of steel beams from the 147-metre-long New Age vessel.The steel imported from United Arab Emirates will be stored externally and then distributed by road to Rainham Steel based in Scunthorpe.Simon Bird, ABP Humber Director, said: “We’re proud to be able to offer our customers expertise…

Velesto Energy was awarded a RM 101 million (USD 25 million) contract from Sarawak Shell Bhd (SSB) and Sabah Shell Petroleum Company Ltd (SSPC) for the provision of jack up drilling rig services.Velesto Energy was formerly known as UMW Oil & Gas Corp  and a wholly owned subsidiary Velesto Drilling Sdn Bhd (VED). SSB/SSPC are subsidiaries of Royal Dutch Shell Plc.Velesto said it would deploy the Naga 7 jack-up rig for the contract, with the start date to be between August 1, 2018, and  September 30, 2018.The Naga 7, designed by Gusto MSC, was built in China in 2015. It’s a three-legged jack-up capable of operating at water depths of up…

Malaysia International Shipping Corporation Berhad (MISC)'s net profit plunged 87.1% to RM 68.2 million (USD 17.36 mln) for the fourth quarter ended December 31, 2017 compared with RM 529.8 million (USD 134.88 mln) in the previous corresponding period. MISC said the oversupply of tonnage and cut in global oil production by OPEC in 2017 will continue to weigh on the petroleum shipping segment in 2018. However, a smaller order book for tankers and robust oil demand projections amidst declining global crude inventory will help improve tanker supply-demand balance. “Similarly, the liquid natural gas shipping segment faces an ongoing tonnage oversupply situation and the difficult market will persist in 2018.

The Woodmac report we saw offered us cause for pause — “Strong activity from the (major oil companies)” while “national oil companies have tightened their purse strings.” What Maritime Reporter found, was that national oil companies — nation-builders, for many — are putting their money in affiliate shipyards. The hope of two, new shipbuilding giants is jobs, innovation, national survival and export security. The model is to invite those who have done it before: Koreans, Japanese, French and a contractor with offshore and marine experience.

Huntington Ingalls Industries Inc. (HII) has agreed to a $9.2 million settlement of allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by knowingly overbilling the government for labor on U.S. Navy and Coast Guard ships at its shipyards in Pascagoula, Miss. Under the settlement, HII will make a payment of $7.9 million which, combined with earlier repayments, will result in the settlement recovery of approximately $9.2 million. “Contractors that knowingly bill the government in violation of contract terms will face serious consequences,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Chad A.

Malaysian shipping line MISC Berhad has recorded a 58.7% drop in its earnings for the second quarter of this year compared to the previous corresponding quarter. The company announced a net profit of RM 556.5mln in its quarter ending June 30, 2017, compared to RM 1.34bln in the last corresponding quarter. The decrease in profit was in part owing to an impairment loss on ships, property, plant and equipment of RM 133.6mln. Group revenue for the quarter ended 30 June 2017 of RM 2.303 bln was 3.8% lower than the corresponding quarter’s revenue. The decrease in Group revenue was mainly due to lower freight rates and earning days for Petroleum segment as well as lower revenue from Heavy Engineering segment as most on-going projects are nearing completion.

Two new mobile apps designed for Sailors to complete required Navy General Military Training (GMT) on Records Management (RM) and Privacy and Personally Identifiable Information (PII) Awareness became available April 19. PII and RM are annual GMT Standardized Core Training (SCT) requirements. PII must be completed by August 31 every year. The records management training app has been updated to include current topics and new focus areas. RM must be completed by December 31 every year. The apps are designed to provide Sailors with anytime, anywhere access to the mandatory training as well as links to key resources. "The mobile apps are an extension of our training to offer alternate methods to our workforce," said Rear Adm. Mike White, commander, Naval Education and Training Command.

Veritas Petroleum Services (VPS) expressed reservations about some of the proposed revisions to the international ISO 8217 specifications of marine fuels. Areas of significance include proposed changes that may be unfavourable to ship owners and operators. Clause 5.3 of the current ISO 8217:2012, the fifth version, states that “fuels shall be free from any material that renders the fuel unacceptable for use in marine applications”. There is also explicit mention in Clause 5.5 that “The fuel shall not contain any additive at the concentration used in the fuel, or any added substance or chemical waste that jeopardizes the safety of the ship or adversely affects the performance of the machinery, or is harmful to personnel, or contributes overall to additional air pollution”.

A fire broke out due to a suspected leakage in an oil pipeline passing through a land owned by the Mumbai Port Trust (MbPT) in Wadala in central Mumbai, but no one was injured. Fifteen fire tenders and 12 water tankers eventually doused the flames after a five-hour fight around 11pm. There were no casualties. Sources said the flames were spreading fast in the evening because of the strong monsoon winds blowing from the southwest. Dark smoke could be seen from up to 7km away in Lower Parel. The fire began at 5:50 pm. "An oil leakage was detected this morning and we had taken all the necessary precautions. But at 6 PM, we were informed of a fire," MbPT chairman RM Parmar said. He added that no casualties have been reported in the incident so far.

A Coast Guard crew responded to a fishing vessel trapped in ice in Woods Hole Passage, Woods Hole, Massachusetts, Saturday. At about 3 p.m., the crew of the fishing boat Capt. RM Chase notified watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Southeastern New England that they became lodged in ice while returning to New Bedford, Massachusetts after a fishing trip. A Coast Guard aids-to-navigation team aboard a 49-foot Stern Loading Buoy Boat from Woods Hole was breaking ice nearby and diverted to assist the four-person crew. They arrived on scene, and at about 3:30 p.m., the Coast Guard crew freed the the Capt. RM Chase from the ice. “Even with today’s higher temperature…

Total Lubmarine is a global business unit of the oil major Total Group specialized and dedicated to marine lubricants and greases. Providing marine lubricants since 1952, Total Lubmarine is fully integrated from product development, supply chain, marketing and sales. Lubmarine offers a complete range of marine lubricants to meet the needs of the international shipping industry, based on technologies developed by the Total Research Center at Solaize, tested and approved by all the major marine engine manufacturers.

International Yacht Collection (IYC) iannounced that Frank Grzeszczak and Barbara Stork Landeweer are the company’s  2013 Yacht Broker and Charter Brokers of Year, respectively. Representative of a banner year for IYC, both brokers played a pivotal role in promoting the superyacht lifestyle and helping their clients achieve results in the global market. “I have the privilege to again congratulate Frank and Barbara on their exceptional performance,” said Bob Saxon, IYC President.

Klϋber Lubrication, a worldwide manufacturer of specialty lubricants, announces that its Klüberbio EG 2 gear oil for thrusters and Klüberbio RM 2 stern tube oil now carry the European Ecolabel, signifying compliance with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) 2013 Vessel General Permit (VGP). The EU Ecolabel is a label of environmental excellence that is awarded to products and services meeting high environmental standards throughout their life-cycle: from raw material extraction, to production, distribution and disposal. Klüber’s gear oils for thruster and CPP propulsion units and its stern tube oils are approved for use by leading thruster and seal system OEMs and now have independent assurance, from the EU Ecolabel Program, that the products achieve the U.S.

Structured and analytical risk management have direct effects on a company’s ability to build a competitive advantage. To support organizations with one complete solution for managing operational, project and enterprise risk DNV Software has now incorporated the risk management tool EasyRisk Manager with the Synergi Life risk and QHSE-management solution. It provides a real time snapshot of a company’s risk picture. The focus of organizations on risk management has increased due to extended governmental requirements, increased demands for transparency and sustainability and compliance towards standards. As structured and analytical risk management has direct effects both on profit…

The entry into force of the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC 2006) in August 2013 will set regulations specifying the need to maintain high quality drinking water standards onboard ship which protect crew from waterborne health risks. In response, Wilhelmsen Ships Service (WSS) launched the Nalfleet Potable Water Test Kit, which enables sea staff to monitor the quality of the potable water network onboard ship, providing tests for common infectious bacteria and in the process reduce the risk of possible risk to health by bacteria proliferation.

Whether their job is in the international transport of goods, the extraction of oil or gas, or in the cruise business – ships operating at sea or on inland waterways are exposed to high stresses. Many factors work simultaneously toward the degradation of vessel and systems, factors such as extreme cold or heat, high mechanical loads, corrosion, rising and falling temperatures, micro-movement, and the contact with salty air and sea water, all make maintenance and repair a perpetual task.

Silk subsidiary, Jasa Merin Sdn Bhd, signs up to buy two Anchor Handling Tug Supply (AHTS) vessels from previous owners. The vessels named IDS Darul Ehsan and IDS Darussalam are 70-metre 120-tonne bollard pull AHTS with an engine rating of 10,800 break horsepower and were acquired from their previous owners for a total consideration of RM 240.6 million funded by internally generated funds and bank borrowings. Jasa Merin has partly settled a total of RM 16 million of the purchase price for the vessels. Dato’ Mohd Azlan bin Hashim, Executive Chairman of SILK Holdings said, “The Group is delighted with the additions to the fleet, bringing the total number of owned-vessels in the fleet to 18 vessels. The vessels are ready-built and are immediately able to contribute to earnings.

Midé Technology Corp., founded in 1989 by MIT PhD. Marthinus van Schoor, is a company created around the design and engineering of smart material based systems and solutions. Historically, the company has not served any specific industry, in fact, it has served many of them, including: work on the international space station; energy harvesting systems on trains; underwater thermally controlled buoyancy systems; and, most recently, work with the U.S. Navy and the commercial marine industry. In 2004, Midé won a contract from the U.S. Navy to develop a novel bulkhead shaft seal using one of its smart materials, hydrogel embedded foam, a need born out of a situation where a worn out bulkhead seals nearly led to catastrophe.