Research Icebreaker Sails for Arctic
The research vessel Polarstern has left Bremerhaven on course for the Arctic with 44 expedition participants from institutions from Germany, Belgium, USA and the United Kingdom who will spend around one month on board. Their main study area is the Fram Strait between Spitsbergen and Greenland where they will conduct long-term oceanographic measurements. The Fram Strait is the only deep sea water connection between the Arctic Ocean and the Atlantic.
Battleship 'Texas' Closes for Repairs
Ship manager Andy Smith told the 'Houston Chronicle' the ship will remain open to visitors this weekend, but is set to close Monday, reports Associated Press. The battleship…
Russian Navy to Order Supply Ships
Severnaya Verf shipyard won the governmental contract in the Russian Defense Ministry's online open auction for three ARC4 ice-class seagoing supply vessels. The auction was held by the Federal Agency for Military Procurements Rosoboronpostavka. Once the contract is signed, Severnaya Verf will start metalworking for the first supply ship no later than in Dec 2012. The shipyard will deliver the first vessel in Nov 2014, the second one – in Nov 2015, and the third one – in Nov 2016.
Northern Sea Route Ice-free Soon?
The Northern Passage, the sea route along the North coast of Russia, is expected to be free of ice early again this summer. The forecast was made by sea ice physicists of the Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research in the Helmholtz Association based on a series of measurement flights over the Laptev Sea, a marginal sea of the Arctic Ocean. Amongs experts the shelf sea is known as an “ice factory” of Arctic sea ice.
Biofuel Replenishment for 'Great Green Fleet'
USNS 'Henry J. Kaiser 'loads biofuel for RIMPAC 2012's Great Green Fleet Demo by the U.S. Military Sealift Command (MSC) fleet replenishment oiler USNS Henry J.
Australian Warship Propulsion Problem
HMAS Choules departed Sydney on 13 June 2012 for Queensland where it was scheduled to support Exercise Hamel in the Shoalwater Bay Training Area. The next day a defect occurred on one of the six transformers which form part of the ship’s propulsion system which reduced the ship’s propulsion power by 50 per cent. The ship’s Commanding Officer decided to return to Sydney in order to have the defect rectified.
Coastguard Surfboats in the Spotlight
Guardians of the Gate: The Surfboats, a documentary by director David Wittkower, gives audiences a peek at a day in the life of Coast Guardsmen at Motor Lifeboat Station Golden Gate in San Francisco. Most people know little about the missions performed by service members whom Wittkower calls 'the Green Berets of the ocean'. “The intended audience was the general public,” Wittkower said. Wittkower captured search-and-rescue operations…
Panama Canal Emission Reduction Plan
ACP has signed a Technical Cooperation Agreement with the National Environmental Authority (ANAM) and the German Agency for International Cooperation to apply mechanisms…
Major China Terminal Signs Up with APM
Leaders from the Ningbo Port Group and APM Terminals were on hand in Copenhagen to sign a major agreement that creates a new level of cooperation in the fastest growing…
Oil Companies to Establish Arctic R&D Center
Rosneft and ExxonMobil agreed to expand and expedite joint efforts to develop oil reserves in tight low-permeability formations in Western Siberia using advanced…
GE Engines for Panama Canal Tugboats
This marks the third order by the authority for GE Marine engines to power its fleet. The first order for 26 GE Marine Model 12V228 engines was placed in 2008 to…
GL Asked to Comply with Iran Sanctions
UANI points out that GL’s Iran business violates EU sanctions banning both transactions with IRISL and the provision of ancillary services, including certification…
IMO Exceptional Bravery Awards
The IMO Council has decided that the award will go to Sergeant Janick Gilbert (posthumously), Master Corporal Max Lahaye-Lemay and Master Corporal Marco Journeyman…
Voyage Planning, Monitoring, System for MSC Fleet
MSC Cruises has worked with independent software design company Quality Positioning Services (QPS) on a high performance, real-time vessel track, trace and emergency monitoring system.
Ultra-Deepwater Program Funding for Remora
The Statement of Work (SOW) covers a 1 year study involving US operators and execution of Industry related work shops addressing various HiLoad DP offloading scenarios in the US Gulf of Mexico (GoM).
Thai Offshore Supplier Gets Chevron Contract
The 3 year firm contract with plus 2 x 1 year extension options is to provide coil tubing marine support services to Chevron`s production activities in the Gulf of Thailand.
Choi Lee Delivers OSV
OSV Almojil 60 is the first delivery in a pair of sisterships for the Mohammad Al Mojil Group in Saudi Arabia to a design by Wartsilla Ship Design Singapore Pte. Ltd. Construction is to ABS class, with the notation +A1 circle E, +AMS Offshore Support Vessel. Propulsion power comes from a pair of Caterpillar 3512C diesels, each developing 1575hp at 1800rpm, turning 2m diameter fixed pitch four bladed propellers to provide a top speed of 12 knots.
RV Tiburon’s New ROV Named “Otis”
R/V Tiburon added a custom built Spectre ROV capable of working depths of up to 600m. It is named “Otis”, after Otis Barton the inventor of the Bathysphere and holder of world record 4500 ft. tethered dive in 1949. “We see this as a time to concentrate our skills to the important mission of collecting important environmental data in the wake of the BP Gulf oil spill” said Tim Taylor CEO of RV Tiburon, Inc.
Shipbuilding Rebound Due in 2014
According to a report on Yonhap News, South Korea's shipbuilding industry will possibly start to turnaround in 2014. The news agency cited findings from the BOK…
Vigor Completes Conversion of Barge Klamath
Vigor Marine, a Vigor Industrial subsidiary, recently completed work on Barge Klamath, converting the vessel from a petroleum tank barge to an OSVR measuring 350’ x 76’ x 22’. The barge is owned by Crowley and leased to Shell as part of its comprehensive Alaskan oil spill response fleet in the Beaufort and Chuckchi seas. “Vigor’s extensive expertise in ice classing vessels for arctic waters, combined with the geographic proximity of their facilities…
