U.S. Coast Guard Opens Arctic Base of Operations
The Coast Guard opened its seasonal forward operating location in Barrow Monday in preparation for the anticipated increase of maritime activities in the Arctic. FOL Barrow is part of Arctic Shield 2012, which focuses on operations, outreach and an assessment of the Coast Guard's capabilities above the Arctic Circle. The FOL in Barrow consists of two Kodiak-based MH-60 Jayhawk helicopters with supporting air, ground and communications crews.
WSS Japan to manage Harmony Cruise port calls
Harmony Cruise, Korea’s newest cruise operator, has chosen Wilhelmsen Ships Service (WSS) to provide ships agency services at ports on its Japan itinerary. Harmony Cruise was launched in February 2012 by Seoul-based Polaris Shipping, offering a variety of three and four-day cruises in the South Korean, Chinese, Japanese and Russian markets. Its Japanese itinerary will include calls at Tokyo, Yokohama, Kobe, Osaka, Hakata, Nagasaki and Kagoshima, representing ship’s agency services for WSS.
IHC Merwede Launches Pair of Dredges
Successful launch ceremonies for DOHUK and KARBALA by IHC Merwede. IHC Merwede has successfully launched the 500m3 grab hopper dredger, DOHUK, and the 3,500m3 trailing suction hopper dredger, KARBALA, in two ceremonies on 25 July 2012 at the company’s shipyard in Krimpen aan den IJssel, The Netherlands. The DOHUK was launched early in the morning, followed later by the ceremony for the KARBALA. The vessels were named by breaking a jar of yoghurt over the bow.
New secretary for Platform Broadband@Sea
HME has outsourced the executing activities of Platform Broadband@Sea to Ron Vollenga of Outsource-IT Management. HME remains the owner of the Platform, Ron Vollenga will coordinate the activities and events on behalf of HME. Broadband@Sea promotes transparency in the maritime broadband market, and aims to promote the broadband usage on board of seagoing vessels. The platform organizes meetings where market developments are discussed as well as issues regarding maritime broadband communication.
Stranded GOM Drill Barge Refloated
Inland Salvage Inc. Successfully Refloats Stranded Drill Barge from the Caillou Island Oilfield in the Gulf of Mexico. Inland Salvage Inc. (ISI) recently demonstrated its diversified capabilities with the offshore deployment ISI salvage and emergency response equipment and personnel in the successful fuel removal, partial dismantlement and refloat of a stranded 2,500 ton posted drill barge. The drill…
OCENS Upgrades its 'WeatherNet' Weather on Demand Service
OCENS announces version 3 of its award-winning WeatherNet Weather-on-Demand service. The manufacturers explain that WeatherNet 3 transforms the product selection…
Wärtsilä Contracted to Supply PSV Ship Designs, Propulsion Systems
Wärtsilä has been contracted to supply the ship designs for three new platform supply vessels (PSVs). The contracts have been signed with Kleven Maritime AS, the…
Braemar Howells Perform 'Rena' Cargo Recycling Coup
The Braemar recovery team recovered 167 tonnes of butterfat from the wrecked containership 'Rena' – now repackaged for recycling into biodiesel fuel. Braemar Operations…
Rolls-Royce to Power High-tech Drillships
Rolls-Royce awarded contracts worth over £70-million to supply large thrusters for offshore drilling vessels. These latest orders, which include options for additional thrusters, are from a variety of customers who are expanding their drillship fleets and are driven by greater demand in oil and gas exploration in deep water and harsh conditions. These high specification drillships operate in dynamic positioning (DP) mode…
'MSC Flaminia' Fire Under Control
The tugboat ANGLIAN SOVEREIGN is constantly monitoring temperatures onboard the vessel via a laser thermometer and is ready to resume cooling if necessary. Due to…
China Shipyard Contracted to Build Four Bulk Carriers
Asia Pacific Shipping Enterprises, is the shipping subsidiary of Queensland Nickel Group, owned by Australian magnate Clive Palmer. Jinling Shipyard say the four…
Way Clear for First Wind Farm in U.S. Waters
Fishermen’s Energy announce that it has received approval from the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers for its Individual Permit under the Clean Water Act, for the Fishermen’s Atlantic City Windfarm (“FACW”).
Shipping Company Lays-off Seafarers, Re-flags Ships
As part of this and in agreement with the Maritime Officers' Association, TransAtlantic is to lay off 25 Swedish seafarers and also reflags four ships to Gibraltar and the Netherlands.
ICS Tells IMF Time Not Ripe for Industry Fuel Charges
International Chamber of Shipping chairman, Masamichi Mooroka, has written to Christine Lagarde, the Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF),…
Port of Long Beach Awards Bridge Contract
The Long Beach Board of Harbor Commissioners has approved a $649.5 million contract with a joint venture team headed by Shimmick Construction Co. Inc., FCC Construction S.A. and Impregilo S.p.A. (SFI) for the design and construction of a replacement for the Port of Long Beach’s obsolete and deteriorating Gerald Desmond Bridge. Final design and engineering will begin shortly, and construction of the new bridge is to start in 2013 and is scheduled for completion in 2016.
Sohar Port Receives 1,000th Vessel
The 9,000 metric tonne MV Maria, owned and operated by SAL Heavy Lift GmbH, berthed at the container terminal C Steinweg Oman (CSO). On board was a 300-tonne gas…
Acta Marine Gets Shallow-water Supply Work Contracts
Mittelplate is Germany’s largest oilfield and is located in the Wadden Sea tidelands, a unique and sensitive natural environment. Already for many years Acta Marine have been engaged with providing marine support for Mittelplate. The new charter contracts awarded by RWE-Dea involve a total of five Acta Marine vessels and extend over a period of multiple years. Two state-of-the-art supply vessels, customly designed for Mittelplate, will replace the three units currently in service.
Vizinex RFID Introduce Long Range Asset Tags
(Radio-frequency identification (RFID) refers to the use of a wireless non-contact system that uses radio-frequency electromagnetic fields to transfer data from a tag attached to an object…
Thailand, Burma, Sign Dawei Port Development Agreement
Presidents of Thailand & Mynamar (Burma) agree on port development for deep-sea port to enable Malacca Strait bypass route. Thailand and Myanmar agree to set up…
Navy Researches Find Way to Track AIS 'Silent' Vessels
The Navy will soon get a leg by using 'Rough Rhino', an electronic system for locating illegal fisherman, drug smugglers, pirates, human traffickers and others at sea who don’t want to be found and thus switch off their Automatic Identification System (AIS). Today’s technology only allows ships to track other vessels not transmitting AIS if they are within the horizon, or about 25 to 35 miles, according to Dr. Michael Pollock, director for the electronics, sensors and networks division at ONR.