All-Solar Vessel: "Ambassador for Clean Energy"
The world’s largest all-solar ship has been circumnavigating the globe since 2010. In May 2012, the vessel completed a 584-day, 37,000-mile global journey through three oceans and 11 seas with 52 stopovers in 28 countries. But most impressively, the vessel did it all without consuming any fuel. Now on its second world tour, Switzerland’s MS Tûranor PlanetSolar is docked in New York’s Battery Park City…
New Operations Manager at SENER
Rafael Martínez-Abarca was appointed Operations Manager of the Marine Strategic Business Unit (MaSBU) of SENER, an engineering and technology group that has a workforce of about 5,500 professionals and offices in four continents. Rafael Martínez-Abarca replaces in this position Rafael de Góngora, newly appointed MaSBU General Manager and Head of SENER’s Engineering and Marine Systems Departments. As Operations Manager…
WSS Offers Free Welding Safety Inspections
Wilhelmsen Ships Service (WSS) is currently running a campaign to promote safe onboard welding across the Asia Pacific region. The Welding Safety Inspection Service, launched earlier this year in Singapore, deals head-on with the challenges faced by vessel owners and operators in maintaining welding equipment onboard and ensuring operational practices are up to date with regulations. At this time, the inspection service is offered free of charge to existing customers.
Container Ship Trading Dips 20%
The ratio of container TEU capacity on-order compared to the trading fleet dropped below 20% in June, reports Braemar Seascope. The broker advises that, as the container…
Simulation Trends of Tomorrow
In the middle of the summer more than 200 maritime professionals from marine simulation training centers from around the world will migrate to the U.S. east coast for four days of hands-on demonstration, topical conferences and a full slate of social events courtesy of Transas’ third user’s conference, Transas SIM UC 2013 – “Future Trends and New Challenges in Maritime Simulation” – to be held July 15-19, 2013 in Maryland.
Sail Safe BC Ferries’ Safety Initiative
BC Ferries cut time loss injuries in half; it reduced serious injuries by two-thirds; it slashed annual insurance claims costs by more than three-quarters. What are you waiting for? Can a vessel operator completely reshape its safety culture? Can it transform communications, training, operational practices and even employee engagement? And most importantly, if an operator is able to make such sweeping changes, what measurable difference will it make?
Non-Tankers Next on OPA 90 List
In 2008 the USCG issued the tanker final rule for salvage and marine firefighting (SMFF) under the Oil Pollution Act of 1990. This rule primarily required tank ships and barges carrying oils as defined in the 33 CFR 155 as cargo to pre-contract qualified salvors to promptly respond to a marine casualty in U.S. waters. While tankers were the primary focus of the new rules, Non-Tankers – defined by the…
Newpark Drilling Fluids Opens New World Headquarters
Newpark Drilling Fluids, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Newpark Resources, has opened its new world headquarters and laboratory facility in Katy, Texas. Newpark Drilling…
QinetiQ Updates Ship Design Software
QinetiQ Maritime’s Paramarine software, a ship and submersible design tool, has released its latest version of software including a number of new capabilities. The new functionality in Paramarine V8…
NAUTIS Simulators Introduce Interface to PC Maritime ECDIS
VSTEP and PC Maritime have jointly developed a software interface which they say makes high quality, yet affordable ECDIS and radar training possible. Following…
DNV Launches New Offshore Safety Training
DNV is to deliver new courses in offshore safety which aim to advance the critical role of elected safety representatives (ESRs) in minimizing the risk of accidents and improving safety. Following a series of successful pilot courses earlier this year, DNV is now accredited by OPITO to run courses which will be available to more than 2,000 ESRs working across the industry. This is the first recognized standard applied to any safety representative training since the creation of the basic course…
Bibby Makes Two Staff Appointments
Bibby Offshore’s newest division, Bibby Remote Intervention Limited (BRIL) Recently increased its workforce following the creation of two new positions. David Howe joins the firm as project director and Robin Longstaff as survey manager. BRIL was established at the end of 2011 to manage the increased market demand for ROV services and has since expanded from support of the company’s own vessels and diver-less intervention services to external clients.
ABB to Play Role in Protecting Venice
ABB’s Symphony Plus control system to help protect Venice from high water flooding at the long Venetian Lagoon Malamocco inlet. Every four years or so, text messages, church bells and sirens alert the Venetians to what they call an "Aqua Alta" or the imminent arrival of an exceptionally high tide. These are high waters of more than 140 cm, which cover around 54 percent of the city. More frequent, but no less worrying…
LNG Changeover Log-jam in N. American ECA
The IMO (International Maritime Organization) has chosen DNV to gather knowledge about the potential of LNG powered international shipping in the North American Emission Control Area (ECA) and identify the necessary conditions for the successful implementation of LNG as a fuel source in the region. Natural gas is a widely available fuel across North America, but availability of LNG is limited, as the demand and supply side are waiting for each other, partly held up by logistical problems.
Navy Shipyard Puget Sound Seeks Volunteer Workers
Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility (IMF) are seeking shipyard volunteers to help overcome a staffing shortage of more than 600 mechanics, a result of the Navy-mandated hiring freeze. Despite being exempt from Defense Department-wide employee furloughs, Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and IMF is struggling to minimize the hiring shortfall on planned availabilities for the submarine USS Jimmy Carter (SSN 23)…
Containership Operators Respond to Market Decline, Form Alliance
Maersk Line, MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company S.A. and CMA CGM have in principle agreed to establish a long-term operational alliance on East – West trades, called the P3 Network. The aim is to improve and optimise operations and service offerings. The P3 Network will operate a capacity of 2.6 million TEU (initially 255 vessels on 29 loops) on three trade lanes: Asia – Europe, Trans-Pacific and Trans-Atlantic.
GLTT to Receive WIRE-Net Mission Builder Award
WIRE-Net has selected The Great Lakes Towing Company and Great Lakes Shipyard as one of the four local manufacturing companies to receive this year’s Mission Builder Awards. WIRE-Net is a Cleveland, Ohio company whose mission is to strengthen manufacturing to create healthy communities and fuel economic growth by providing support for manufacturing improvement and human resource management, training and education.
ABB Appoints Ulrich Spiesshofer CEO
The Board of ABB has appointed Ulrich Spiesshofer, head of its Discrete Automation & Motion (DM) division, as Chief Executive Officer. Ulrich Spiesshofer will succeed Joe Hogan in this role in an orderly transition on September 15, 2013. Hogan will continue with ABB for some months as Senior Advisor to the Board. Spiesshofer joined ABB’s Executive Committee in 2005 and was named responsible for DM in 2009.
Wärtsilä to Provide Harvey Gulf Vessels Integrated Package
Wärtsilä has been awarded a contract by Eastern Shipbuilding Group, of Panama City, Florida to supply an integrated solution for a new multipurpose support vessel (MPSV) for Harvey Gulf International Marine of New Orleans. This offshore vessel is the first in a series of three MPSVs being built for Harvey Gulf. The Wärtsilä contract includes an option for the supply of equipment to the remaining two vessels of the series.
Maritime London Appoints Jeffrey Evans Chairman
Maritime London has appointed shipbroker Alderman & Sheriff Jeffrey Evans as its chairman to follow David Moorehouse CBE. Made up of professional UK maritime service firms, Maritime London showcases the breadth and depth of the cluster. The UK’s maritime industry accounts for 2.1% of the British economy, contributing £13.8bn to the UK economy directly. Jeffrey Evans is managing director, gas, at Clarksons…
