Coast Guard Mourns Passing of Shipmate
Petty Officer Third Class Travis Obendorf died in a Seattle hospital Dec. 18 as a result of injuries he sustained during search and rescue operations near Amak Island, Alaska, Nov. 11, while serving aboard Coast Guard Cutter Waesche. Obendorf’s family was by his side when he passed away in Swedish Hospital following surgery. "Our thoughts and prayers are with Petty Officer Obendorf's family and his shipmates aboard Coast Guard Cutter Waesche during this difficult time,” said Vice Adm.
Metzger Appointed Managing Director at Geodis Logistics
Andrea Metzger has been appointed Managing Director of Geodis Logistics Northern Europe, an entity grouping the logistics activities of Geodis in Belgium, Germany, Ireland and the Netherlands. Andrea Metzger is a graduate of European Business School. She began her career at Price Waterhouse then moved on to Dyckerhoff AG before joining Geodis in 1999, as Financial Director and then as Managing Director of Geodis Logistics in Germany.
Crewman Missing from Cargo Vessel
At just after 7.30 pm this evening, Humber Coastguard were alerted by VTS Humber to a crewman falling overboard from a small cargo ship moored alongside on the River Trent.
Globecomm Keeps Seafarers in Touch with Access Chat Crew
Globecomm Maritime, a provider of maritime communications solutions, is bringing crew closer to their friends and families with the launch of Access Chat Crew. Part of the Access Chat line of products, Access Chat Crew is a revolutionary way for seafarers to enjoy live video, voice chat and instant messaging – services previously considered too expensive or bandwidth-hungry to use over satellite. Globecomm…
CMA CGM Recognized for its Carbon Strategy
For the second consecutive year, CMA CGM Group scored one of the best results in the CDP (Carbon Disclosure Project) Transport and Logistics category for its policies, performance and transparency in areas related to climate change. Created in 2000, CDP is an independent nonprofit organization and an internationally recognized reference in the field of strategy and performance evaluation of companies with respect to climate change.
WISTA Russia Formed to Support Women in Shipping
WISTA President Karin Orsel announced the formation and accreditation of WISTA Russia, which has been developed under the leadership of prominent Russian executives. The inauguration of this National WISTA Association (NWA) was held during a post RUMI (Russian Union of Marine Insurers) conference reception on November 21 in Moscow. The Russian National WISTA Association becomes the 33rd Member of the WISTA organization.
Lloyd's Register Alert: New SOLAS Regulation II-1/8-1
SOLAS Regulation II-1/8-1 has been amended and will require operational information to be provided to the master after a flooding casualty to assist with decisions regarding safe return to port. The new requirement applies to passenger vessels over 120m in length or with three or more main vertical zones, constructed on or after 1 January, 2014. The operational information can be provided by onboard stability computers or through shore-based support arrangements, as follows.
Hercules Offshore December Fleet Status Report
Hercules Offshore, Inc. announced that it has published the November Fleet Status Report. The report includes the Hercules Offshore Rig Fleet Status (as of December 18, 2013), which contains detailed contract information for each of the company's drilling rigs. The report also includes the Hercules Offshore Liftboat Fleet Status Report, which contains information by liftboat class for November 2013, including revenue per day and operating days.
CSA Seeks Solution to Impending U.S. BW Discharge Regulations
On December 19, 2013 the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will implement its new Vessel General Permit (VGP), which the Canadian Shipowners Association…
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.
BP's Commitment to GofM Confirmed: New Oil Discovered
BP says it has made a significant oil discovery at its Gila prospect (which it co-owns with ConocoPhillips) in the deepwater US Gulf of Mexico. This is BP’s third discovery in recent years in the emerging Paleogene trend in the Gulf of Mexico and reflects the company’s ongoing commitment to the US offshore region. The Gila discovery was made by an exploration well on Keathley Canyon Block 93, about 300 miles southwest of New Orleans, in approximately 4,900 feet of water.
