Erika Captain: Tight Budgets Overrode Safety
The captain of the tanker Erika, which sank off France's west coast in December causing a huge oil spill, has said crews had to work to such tight budgets that safety…
Carnival, Wärtsilä Clearing The Air
As the world's cruise lines grow exponentially larger and are increasingly falling under the gaze of environmental and regulatory bodies, the push to ensure that ships are run safely…
Shell Announces Strong Results
Oil giant Royal Dutch/Shell Group announced record fourth quarter profits, after a more than twofold jump in oil prices and as the benefits of its restructuring program continued to show through.
French Hook-Up Eyes Intl. Navy Market
French defense electronics group Thomson-CSF will form a joint venture with naval shipbuilder DCN, reportedly to better positioning itself to compete internationally…
VLCC Scrapping Up
With intense international attention focused on older ships, many interested parties are waiting to see if the resultant pressure to utilize new tonnage will result in a scrapping/build boom.
Bulk Carriers Collide On Mississippi
The Panamanian bulk carrier El Flamenco and Liberian bulker China Spirit reportedly collided on the Mississippi River on February 4. The 70,046 dwt China Spirit was contacted by the El Flamenco (69…
Jamaican Cruise Port Development Steams Ahead
Managers of Jamaica's delayed Port Royal Development Project expect to begin construction by year-end on a cruise ship pier central to the restoration of the one…
Seacor Smit To Acquire Boston Putford
Seacor Smit has signed a letter of intent to acquire all of the issued share capital of Putford Enterprises Ltd. and associated companies. Boston Putford’s standby safety vessels (SBSV)…
South Korean January Ship Orders Increase
New orders received by South Korean shipbuilders in January totaled 1.06 million gt, up 165 percent from the same month a year earlier, provisional figures from…
Singapore Shiprepair Yards To Report Only Modest Gains
Singapore's two ship-repair yards, Keppel Hitachi Zosen Ltd. and SembCorp Marine Ltd., are expected to report modest profit growth after almost two years of restructuring and consolidation.
France Wants Tighter Rules For Ships Near Europe
France plans to press for tougher maritime safety rules within a 200-mile radius of Europe, said French transport ministry officials, adding that they would like…
RINA Says Hull Crack Caused Erika's Doom
Italian ship safety inspector RINA, which passed the tanker that sank off France in December and caused an oil spill that polluted beaches, said the vessel broke…
Lifeboat Group Burglarized
A British lifeboat crew was left high and dry after thieves stole the keys to their boathouse, pocketed their tea and biscuit fund and made off with the crew's whisky.
Litton Marine Creates Machine Automation Unit
Litton Marine Systems has established a new strategic business unit for machine automation, as announced per Dr. Clark Graham, the company's president. In addition, Patrick T. Enright, Jr.
Gdynia May Take Stake in Kvaerner Masa-Yards
Poland's Gdynia shipyard is likely to take a percentage of shares in the Finnish Kvaerner Masa-Yards, Gdynia's officials said. Negotiations with other investors are still under way…
Australian Tugboat Crewing Dispute Escalates
A dispute between Australian towage operators and the Maritime Union of Australia (MUA) over tugboat manning numbers escalated as MUA officials said a crew-reduction…
Bureau Veritas To Suggest Safety Rules To French Government
French ship classification society Bureau Veritas will make a number of tanker safety proposals to the French government at a meeting this week. The proposals will…
Carnival, Wärtsilä Clearing The Air
As the world’s cruise lines grow exponentially larger and are increasingly falling under the gaze of environmental and regulatory bodies, the push to ensure that ships are run safely…
Seized Tanker Awaits Unloading
A Russian oil tanker seized in the Gulf for what the U.S. said was the smuggling of Iraqi oil docked in Oman on Monday (today), and its cargo will be unloaded soon…
Erika Captain Says Tight Budgets Overrode Safety
The captain of the tanker Erika, which sank off France's west coast in December causing a huge oil spill, said crews had to work to such tight budgets that safety standards could not always be met.
