UASC Places Huge Containership Order
United Arab Shipping Company (UASC) closed a $1.3 biillion (USD) multi-tranche syndicated loan facility for the partial financing of seven 14,000 TEU container ships and five 18…
Direct Kiel-Duisburg Rail Link to Open
The Port of Kiel is getting an additional direct intermodal train service. From February 3, 2014, a complete block train will operate three times a week in both directions between the Port of Kiel and Duisburg. The trains are 490 meters long which means that 24 slots will be available per departure for loadable trailers or 48 slots for containers and swap-bodies. The train will be operated by Kombiverkehr KG, Frankfurt, which will serve both Kiel’s Schwedenkai Terminal and Ostuferhafen.
Astrium, Inmarsat Sign Distribution Agreement
Astrium and Inmarsat have reached a strategic distribution partnership agreement which will see Global Xpress services made available to Astrium Services’ large partner and customer base. Astrium Services will deliver Global Xpress high-speed broadband services through its worldwide distribution channels. The strategic agreement will cover key vertical markets, including the maritime as well as the government and defense sector, initially in Europe.
Optimized Voyage Planning in PC Maritime ECDIS
PC Maritime’s Navmaster ECDIS is able to combine with MeteoGroup’s SPOS weather routing service to provide optimized voyage planning. Navigating officers can create a route in Navmaster and load it into SPOS for optimization. Weather limits, speed profile, bunker profile, voyage speed, fixed ETA, track types and delays are all taken into account and, with this information, the route can be quickly adjusted. The route is then transferred back to Navmaster ECDIS and rechecked for safe navigation.
New Kongsberg DP Simulator DNV Class A Certified
The latest version of K-Sim DP, a Dynamic Positioning (DP) Maneuvering simulator from Kongsberg Maritime, has received Class A Certification from Det Norske Veritas (DNV). This makes it compliant with the highest DNV standard for DP simulators according to Standard of Certification of Maritime Simulators number 2.14 (January 2011). K-Sim DP Maneuvering is the most advanced in a long line of Dynamic Positioning simulators developed by Kongsberg Maritime.
Harvey Gulf Launches New Website
New Orleans based Harvey Gulf International Marine, has announced the launching of its completely remodeled corporate website: www.HARVEYGULF.com. The website has been updated to reflect the growth and presence of Harvey Gulf as one of the leaders in the U.S. oil and gas industry as well as being the leader in LNG powered offshore support vessels. Visitors to the website will be able to access detailed specification sheets for the fleet…
Maritime Safety: Two EU States on Paris MOU 'Grey List'
Certain European Union (EU) Member States are struggling to meet their commitment to ratify international maritime conventions, according to a recent European Commission report on compliance with flag state requirements. Despite good progress for many EU flag states, Bulgaria and Slovakia remain on the grey list of flag states in terms of the number of their ships detained, or the number of deficiencies detected on board, whilst being checked when in port.
SES Gain 40,000 Tons in Seaweed Deal
Seaweed Energy Solutions (SES) says it has reached an agreement to buy all of Norway's Biotrål AS in a deal that transforms SES' position as one of Europe's leading producers of seaweed. The combination of SES and Biotrål, a leading harvester of wild seaweed, opens up new business opportunities by immediately increasing volumes to supplement SES' growing seaweed farming operations, improving logistics, boosting economies of scale and reducing the seasonal impact on production.
Viking Supply Ships Open Canadian Office
Sweden's Viking Supply Ships (VSS) have opened an office in St. John’s, Newfoundland, Canada. They say they have had several vessels working in Canada over the past few years and the opening of the Canadian office will strengthen their strategic position in the Canadian market. Mr. Gerard Dunphy, who has been in the Offshore Business for over 20 years in Atlantic Canada, the Canadian Arctic, Alaska, Greenland and the North Sea, has been employed as the Managing Director.
Greenpeace Arctic 30 Back Home for Christmas Soon
The Greenpeace activists who spent two months in jail after their protest in the Arctic have expressed relief after the Russian parliament voted to grant them amnesty. The Russian parliament, the Duma, has voted for an amendment that extends an amnesty decree to defendants who have been charged with hooliganism. It therefore includes the Arctic 30 - the 28 activists and two freelance journalists who were arrested following a protest at a Gazprom-operated Arctic oil platform three month ago.
