US Containerized Imports Up 9.7 Percent in July 2012
Faster container import growth forecasted for remainer of 2012 in Journal of Commerce/PIERS market survey. U.S. containerized imports surged 9.7 percent in July from a year earlierâŚ
LNG Carrier for Drydock in Damen's Brest, France, Yard
![LNG Sokoto: Photo credit Damen](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w100h1500/lng-sokoto-photo-credit-damen-9948.jpg)
Damen Shiprepair Brest (France) gets its first order to drydock large LNG carrier for repairs. The Bonny Gas Transport-owned, 79,822 DWT âLNG SOKOTOâ has arrived at the yard for maintenance work, including drydocking. Jos Goris, managing director of Damen Shiprepair Brest, says: âWe are very pleased with this order and we expect more LNG vessel owners to follow. The yardâs workforce is experienced in repairing LNG vessels and it is good to see this business returning to Brestâ.
Counter-Piracy Force Boosted by New High-speed Patrol Craft
![Patrol Boat 'ESPS Relampago': Photo credit EUNAVFOR](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w100h1500/patrol-boat-esps-relampago-photo-9941.png)
Specialised Spanish counter-piracy patrol vessel joins EU Naval Force in Gulf of Aden. The EUâs counter piracy task force (EUNAVFOR) has been augmented by the addition of the offshore patrol vessel ESPS RELAMPAGO of the Spanish Navy. The addition of RELAMPAGO to the counter piracy mission heralds a new generations of smaller, highly adaptable vessels which will be able to use their high speed and modern equipment to monitor ever increasing portions of the high risk area.
US Gulf Offshore Energy Tap Being Turned On Again
BSEE Hurricane Response Team monitors offshore oil & gas operators' activities in Gulf of Mexico, post TS 'Isaac'. From operator reports, it is estimated that approximatelyâŚ
Container Ship 'MSC Flaminia' Homeward Bound
![Tugboat 'Fairmount Expedition: Photo credit Fairmount](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w100h1500/tugboat-fairmount-expedition-photo-credit-9943.jpg)
'MSC Flaminia' has left its holding position 20 miles south of Lands End and is now being towed towards German territorial waters.⨠The tow has been handed over from tugboat Carlo Magno to Fairmount Expedition. The departure of the ship follows approval from the UK, France, Belgium and the Netherlands for the vessel to travel through their waters. The journey to German territorial waters is expected to take between four and five days.
Maritime Global News App Launch at SMM
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New Maritime Global News App launch at the Maritime Reporter and Engineering News at SMM in Hall B7, Stand 603. Maritime Reporter is changing the way our industry gets its news with the all new Maritime Global News App. This free mobile app is perfect for the busy maritime professional on the move. Updated regularly, the Maritime Global News app delivers all the news you need and want directly to yourâŚ
LR: LNG's Global Viability Hinges on Price
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Global acceptance of LNG as a marine fuel will depend on pricing, according to a comprehensive study conducted by Lloydâs Register; Study on LNG bunkering infrastructure also suggests some owners would be wise to consider fuel flexibility. After 12 months of research and analysis, Lloydâs Register has concluded its 2011-12 study on LNG bunkering and newbuilding demand for deep-sea shipping. Outside of the niche marketsâŚ
IHC Hydrohammer Supplies Largest Piling Hammer For Seaway
![A Seaway Heavy Lifting vessel with equipment from IHC Hydrohammer](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w100h1500/a-seaway-heavy-lifting-vessel-9938.jpg)
IHC Hydrohammer, part of IHC Merwede, has been awarded a contract by Seaway Heavy Lifting to design and manufacture the S-2500 piling hammer, which is the largest ever built by the company. IHC Hydrohammer is delighted to be chosen as the supplier of this equipment and the order highlights the strong and reliable cooperation that has developed between the two companies over more than 20 years. The order also includes a 6âŚ
First Smit Lamnalco Branded Tug Launched
![Launch SL Gabon](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w100h1500/launch-sl-gabon-9936.jpg)
First Smit Lamnalco branded tug launched. On 24 August Smit Lamnalco launched SL Gabon, the first tug branded under its new corporate identity, following the integration of Smitâs terminal handling activities with Lamnalco in July 2011. Built by Damen Shipyards Galati in Romania, SL Gabon is also the first of two newbuilds contracted for a five year period by Total Gabon to provide support in the offshore oilfields and to assist tanker operations at the onshore terminal of Cap LopezâŚ
First-In-Class Joint High Speed Vessel Completes Trials
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First-in-class Joint High Speed Vessel USNS Spearhead (JHSV 1), the high-speed catamaran transport ship under construction at Austal USA in Mobile, Alabama, successfully completed Acceptance Trials (AT) on August 17, 2012, in the Gulf of Mexico. To achieve this milestone, the Navy conducted comprehensive tests which demonstrated the successful performance of the shipâs major systems and equipment to include the propulsion plant, ship handling and auxiliary systems.
McDermott Signs Shipyard Contract
![McDermottâs Lay Vessel 108 will be built at the Vigo, Spain, shipyard with vessel delivery expected around the third quarter 2014.](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w100h1500/mcdermotts-lay-vessel-108-will-9933.jpg)
McDermott International, Inc. (NYSE: MDR) (âMcDermottâ) announced that it will build another high capacity reeled pipelay vessel with top-tier payload capacity, tentatively named Lay Vessel 108 (âLV108â). The vessel will be a sister ship to the recently completed subsea construction vessel the Lay Vessel North Ocean 105 (âLV105â), and is to be built to similar specifications at Metalships and Docks S.A.U. shipyard in Vigo, Spain.
Ocean Tug & Barge Designing AT/B Dredge Tug
Ocean Tug & Barge Engineering Corp. will design the tug portion of a new AT/B dredge to be built at Signal International, in Orange, TX, for Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Co.
Boat-towed Detectors Assist Researchers and Salvors
![Russell Bennett (r) prepares to survey for shipwreck sites in Panamaâs old harbor area with his JW Fishers Proton magnetometer. Presidential Palace is visible in the background between the two men.](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w100h1500/russell-bennett-r-prepares-to-9931.jpg)
A number of archaeological groups and marine service companies are acquiring boat-towed metal detectors to assist in locating shipwrecks and to perform geophysical surveys. These devices can locate a variety of targets including the piles of magnetic ballast stones found on many old wrecks, gold and silver bars, cannons, anchors, pipelines, cables, and various metal debris which must be removed from an area before dredging.
Dual-fuel PSV Chartered Before It's On the Stocks
Siem Offshore Rederi contracts with TOTAL for the long-term charter of its newbuild PSV from delivery in 2014. The contract with TOTAL E&P NORGE AS is for a newâŚ
Salvage Update on Rena Wreck Removal
Salvors, Resolve Salvage & Fire report a highly productive past week. The past seven days has been highly productive for Resolve Salvage & Fire - wreck reductionâŚ
Port Management IT System Launched by Transas
Transas Marine launches its Port Management Information Systems (PMIS) solution for the real-time port management. Developed in accordance with the port industry best practiceâŚ
China Shipyard Starts NOR LInes LNG-powered Cargo Ship Build
![Image credit NOR Lines](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w100h1500/image-credit-nor-lines-9929.jpg)
Tsuji Heavy Industries Jiangsu begins construction the first of two LNG-powered 5,000 dwt vessels for NOR Lines. The contract to build the two 5,000 dwt vessels was signed in October 2011 and construction has now begun with owner's representative and classification society DNV surveyor in attendance. NOR Lines operates a fleet of 16 cargo ships and 11 express vessels in Norwegian/Scandinavian coastal waters serving more than 70 ports.
Australia Ends Indian Ocean Refugee Boat SAR
![Image courtesy of AMSA](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w100h1500/image-courtesy-of-amsa-9930.jpg)
Australian Maritime Safety Authority calls off search & rescue (SAR) as no further realistic prospect of finding any more survivors. On the final day of the operation four merchant vessels and HMAS Maitland recovered 55 survivors. All survivors, including three with injuries, have been taken to Merak, Indonesia where they are receiving medical attention. One body was recovered during the operation.
Asian Shippers Face Rise in Ocean Container Freight Rates
All Asian shippers wil have to pay higher freight charges to European container ship operators from September 2012. From September 1, Denmark-based Maersk, the world's largest container lineâŚ
Ignore the Bluster â Wind Farm Power is Effective
A UK Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) research paper dismisses illusions about wind power as an energy resource. Much opposition to wind power appearsâŚ