Latest Global Shipbuilding Orders
Although somewhat quieter this week with a number of the yards in the Far East approaching their summer vacations, Clarkson Hellas Weekly S+P Bulletin reports continued…
Tankship Freight Rates in Swift Freefall
![Photo in public domain](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w100h1500/photo-in-public-domain-16808.jpg)
The biggest slump in tanker rates since January is signaling weaker U.S. oil imports, and is causing a 15-year low in the shares of one major crude-oil tankship operatore, reports Bloomberg. Rates for the biggest crude carriers tumbled 68 percent in the past two weeks, more than reversing their advance since the end of June, says Bloomberg, citing Clarkson Plc, although earnings had risen after oil cargoes to the U.S.…
New Mercy Ship Funding by PIMCO Philanthropists
![Bill & Sue Gross: Photo credit Mercy Ships](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w100h1500/bill-sue-gross-photo-credit-16807.jpg)
Mercy Ships, the charitable hospital ship foundation, is delighted to announce the leadership gift of $20 million from Laguna Beach philanthropists, Sue and Bill Gross. The funds are designated toward a new hospital ship, currently in the design phase, to join the current hospital ship, the Africa Mercy , in delivering hope and healing to the underserved poor. In honor of this generous donation, the hospital onboard the new ship will be named the Sue and Bill Gross Healing Hospital.
Wall Street Commuters Give New Ferry a Try
![Seastreak Ferry: Photo courtesy of Seastreak](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w100h1500/seastreak-ferry-photo-courtesy-of-16806.jpg)
Dozens of Brooklyn straphangers stranded by the 14-month-long R train shutdown to Lower Manhattan try out a new ferry service to Wall Street, but other commuters shunned the transit alternative as even more of an inconvenience, reports the New York Post. A total of more than 100 people hopped aboard five morning-rush-hour runs of the ferry, which began leaving the Brooklyn Army Terminal in Sunset Park at 6:20 a.m. and reached Pier 11 in Manhattan after the 15-minute trip.
Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Schedules Q2 2013 Results
![Dredger Liberty Island: Photo courtesy of GLDD](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w100h1500/dredger-liberty-island-photo-courtesy-16805.jpg)
Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Corporation (NASDAQ: GLDD) will release its financial results for the three and six months ended June 30, 2013 on Thursday, August 8, 2013 at 7:00 a.m. C.D.T. A conference call with the Company will be held the same day at 9:00 a.m. C.D.T. The call in number is 877-377-7553 and Conference ID is 20061209. The conference call will be available by replay until Monday, August 12, 2013, by calling 800-585-8367 and providing Conference ID 20061209.
Ranger Offshore Buys DP2 Vessel
![Photo courtesy of Ranger Offshore](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w100h1500/photo-courtesy-of-ranger-offshore-16804.jpg)
Ranger Offshore, Inc., a portfolio company of SunTx Capital Partners, add the 'DSV Lewek Toucan' to its fleet of vessels. The Lewek Toucan, built in 2006, is a 290’ DP-2 multipurpose offshore support vessel with a 120 ton active heave compensated crane, moon pool, helideck, 1,000 ton cargo deck, and accommodations for 100 personnel. It has arrived in Galveston, Texas, and will be outfitted with Ranger’s Hoss I 1…
Arctic Economics in 21st Century: New CSIS Publication
![Publication cover: Image courtesy of CSIS](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w100h1500/publication-cover-image-courtesy-of-16803.jpg)
Center For Strategic & International Studies' (CSIS) has published 'Arctic Economics in the 21st Century: The Benefits and Costs of Cold'. The report, with contributions by David A. Pumphrey, Terence M. Toland, and Mihaela David, explores the key economic dynamics at play in the rapidly changing Arctic region. It evaluates both the economic benefits of an increasingly open Arctic region and the costs of exploring the riches of the American Arctic.
Houston Port Commissioners Approve Bayport Dredge Funding
![Port of Houston logo](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w100h1500/port-of-houston-logo-16802.jpg)
The Port Commission of the Port of Houston Authority has approved $296,000 in increased funding for maintenance dredging of the Bayport Cruise Terminal. The special meeting was held to amend the Memorandum of Agreement with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for the maintenance dredging of the Bayport Cruise and Container Terminal berths. Meeting agendas are available on the Port of Houston Authority website: http://www.portofhouston.com/the-port commission/public-meetings/agendas.
Big Box Segment Carries Most US Loads Say IANA
![Image courtesy of IANA](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w100h1500/image-courtesy-of-iana-16801.gif)
Domestic container volume continued its steady performance in the second quarter of 2013 with 9 percent year-over-year gains, largely attributable to a strong big box segment, with total intermodal traffic rising by 2.4 percent for the quarter, reports industry trade association IANA. International volume was unable to build on its solid Q1 growth, falling 1.3 percent in Q2 after posting 3 percent gains in Q1.
WSS Opens Myanamar Office
![Bjorn Tonsberg, Wai-phyo Naing: Photos courtesy of WSS](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w100h1500/bjorn-tonsberg-waiphyo-naing-photos-16800.jpg)
Wilhelmsen Ships Service (WSS) has opened its first office in Myanmar (formerly Burma) as part of its global expansion programme. Since Burma has opened up to foreign investment following recent political reform, WSS has made plans on how to offer its customers a direct service from inside the country. The company has concluded the time is right to play a role in shaping Myanmar’s ports, shipping and offshore service sectors.
GD Bath Iron Works Awarded Zumwalt-class Modules Contract
![Rendering courtesy of GD](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w100h1500/rendering-courtesy-of-gd-16799.jpg)
The U.S. Navy has awarded General Dynamics Bath Iron Works a $212-million contract for design and construction of a steel deckhouse and hangar and construction of aft Peripheral Vertical Launching System (PVLS) modules for integration into 'Lyndon B Johnson' (DDG 1002), the third ship of the U.S. Navy's 'Zumwalt-class' of guided missile destroyers. The Zumwalt-class deckhouse includes the ship's bridge…
Clarkson Port Services Director Celebrates 30 Years Service
![Barry & Sheila Stokes: Photo credit CPS](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w100h1500/barry-sheila-stokes-photo-credit-16798.jpg)
Barry Stokes, a director of UK-based Clarkson Port Services (CPS) recently celebrated 30 years' service with the company. Barry was one of the very first CPS staff members, when, in 1983 he opened a Genchem Shipping office in Runcorn to provide vessel agency support to Genchem Chartering (ICI), British Fuels and Arklow Shipping. He built up a profitable and successful operation, integrating it with Vopak and Clarkson Brothers & Casper to further develop the UK agency representation.
OWET Conference Program Announced
Oregon Wave Energy Trust (OWET) has announced the program for the eighth annual Ocean Renewable Energy Conference presented by the Northwest National Marine Renewable Energy Center (NNMREC).
Enclosed Dry Dock Opened on U.S. West Coast
Bay Ship & Yacht Co., an American service, refit and new construction yards for superyachts and commercial vessels, recently expanded its capacity and capabilities…
Catamaran Capsizes Near Ocean City, Md.
![Petty Officer 3rd Class Jason Dahl, a rescue swimmer stationed at Coast Guard Air Station Atlantic City, N.J., swims near a capsized catamaran about 30 miles east of Ocean City, Md., Aug. 5, 2013. He deployed into the water from an MH-65 Dolphin Helicopter to search for two missing boaters. (U.S. Coast Guard photo)](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w100h1500/petty-officer-3rd-class-jason-16797.jpg)
The Coast Guard and two good Samaritans rescued two men and recovered two men Monday after the 28-foot catamaran the four boaters were on capsized near Ocean City, Md. A good Samaritan aboard the Lori M contacted Coast Guard Sector Hampton Roads watchstanders at approximately 9 a.m., reporting a catamaran had capsized approximately 32 miles northeast of Ocean City with four people aboard. The Just Right Five rescued two men, both age 55, who were responsive.
CMA CGM Add New VSAT Services from Marlink
![CMA CGM Jules Verne](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w100h1500/cma-cgm-jules-verne-16795.jpg)
Marlink has been chosen by the CMA CGM Group, the world’s third largest container shipping group, to upgrade the majority of its fleet to WaveCall, Marlink’s standardized Ku-band VSAT service. In combination with the XChange solutions platform from Astrium Services, WaveCall will be installed on over 35 CMA CGM vessels, including the CMA CGM Marco Polo, CMA CGM Alexander Von Humboldt and CMA CGM Jules Verne, one of the largest container vessels in the world.
Drilling of Relief Well Begins at South Timbalier 220
The Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE), U.S. Coast Guard, and Walter Oil & Gas Corporation (Walter), through the Unified Command, continue to…
IYC Signs Surina as New Central Listing
![Surina](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w100h1500/surina-16794.jpg)
IYC announced that Frank Grzeszczak has signed the 147’ (44.81m) Trident motoryacht SURINA as a new central listing. Surina sports a complete refit (2012) under the direction of Claudette Bonville Associates and evokes a fresh, contemporary feel starting with the exterior and extending to interior woodwork and flooring, softgoods, entertainment consoles and most all interior accents. She is virtually a new yacht with the kind of stunning amenities found on new builds.
Miller Expands Metal Cutting Offering
![Photo: Miller Electric](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w100h1500/photo-miller-electric-16790.jpg)
Miller Electric Mfg. Co. announced that it has consolidated the Smith Equipment oxy-fuel cutting equipment product line under the Miller brand. The consolidation expands the current Miller metal cutting offering, which includes a variety of portable plasma cutting packages. The oxy-fuel product line will continue to be manufactured in Watertown, S.D., to the same high quality standards. The only difference is that the name on the product will change to Miller, the company said.
USCG: Charter Boat Hits Bonner Bridge
![Sandra D (Photo: Pirate's Cove Marina)](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w100h1500/sandra-d-photo-pirates-cove-16789.jpg)
The Coast Guard responded Monday to an allision between a 58-foot charter boat with nine people aboard and the Bonner Bridge in Oregon Inlet, N.C. A concerned boater aboard the vessel West Wind witnessed the allision and contacted Coast Guard Sector North Carolina watchstanders via VHF-FM marine radio channel 16 at approximately 5:45 a.m., stating that the charter boat, Sandra D, struck one of the support pilings of the bridge…