Book Review: After the Galaxy
“Yes, Mirek. Four men huddled on the bow of the burning, 190-foot fishing vessel Galaxy as the crippled boat foundered on one of the world’s cruelest oceans. Captain Dave Shoemaker was seriously hurt. After the backdraft explosion, he made several desperate attempts to enter the smoke-filled wheelhouse, find a radio and issue a mayday call. Each foray left him puking and gasping, smoke searing his lungs and contact with the steel bulkheads charring his flesh and igniting his clothing.
Devin Names New U.S. Sales Manager
Devin International (Devin), a subsidiary of Greene’s Energy Group, has named J.H. (Trey) Miller III, U.S. sales manager, announced General Manager Joe Miller. Based in Houston, Miller will lead and manage a technical sales team covering seven U.S. domestic areas. Focusing on the main disciplines of Devin International, Miller will mentor the sales team in developing customer solutions for well intervention equipment and services and specialty motion compensation packages.
Container Shipping Rates Continue to Fall in June
The market index for Asia to North-Europe is still on the decline, and the average for a 20-foot saw a 19% drop since May 26 compared to the June 26 price comparison service for sea freight, Xeneta reported. The market average for a 40-foot in Asia to North Europe performed similar with a 20% decline in container shipping rates in the same period. The rate pressure is higher than ever with the announced general rate increase on July 1…
Registration Open for SHIPPINGInsight Fleet Optimization Conference
The producers of the SHIPPINGInsight Fleet Optimization Conference have announced that online registration is now open. Following a successful inaugural conference in 2012…
Damen Services Massive Crude Carrier
Damen Shiprepair Brest (France) returned the Ultra Large Crude Carrier (ULCC) TI Europe to its owners EURONAV (Belgium) after completing a full technical survey and service. The sheer size of the vessel represents a considerable challenge in itself, he says, with the shipyard applying more than 46,000 square meters of silicon paint. However, the yard can comfortably accommodate such vessels given that its largest drydock, at 420 x 80 meters, is one of the biggest in Europe. damen.com
Stena Bulk Reports $9.7 Million Energy Savings
At the beginning of this year, Stena Bulk initiated a project where traditional energy efficiency and reduced bunker fuel consumption were expanded by the addition of increased efficiency from a more commercial and operational perspective. The relationship between freight and bunker fuel will be maximised still further. Enhancing efficiency will also lower the environmental impact by reducing sulphur oxide emissions by around 1,400 metric tons in 2013.
Sea Star Receives New Refrigerated Containers
Sea Star Line, LLC recently took delivery of 150 new 40’ refrigerated containers in year two of a five year equipment replacement plan. The replacement plan aims to reduce the average age of the entire Sea Star Line refrigerated container fleet to less than three years. The new 40’ refrigerated containers are set to arrive at the Blount Island Terminal in Jacksonville, Florida in June 2013. The reefers will be fit with Carrier PrimeLine Machinery…
Eastern Shipbuilding Launches New Hornbeck Vessel
Eastern Shipbuilding Group, Inc. announced the christening and subsequent launching of the M/V HOS Red Rock for Hornbeck Offshore Services, LLC. The event was held at Eastern’s Allanton facility with hundreds of Eastern Employees and Guests. Attending from Hornbeck was William “Bill” Krewsky, Director of Engineering and Project Management, and Scott Siberski, Manager of Projects, along with 10 senior…
Rainmaker Signs Exclusive Representation with Meridian
Rainmaker LLC, headquartered in Mobile, Alabama with a newly opened office in Houston, Texas, signed an exclusive representation contract with subsea inspection…
Collaboration Fuels Environmental Ferry Development
SP Technical Research Institute of Sweden has long been engaged in research aimed at energy efficient vessels by increased use of lightweight shipbuilding materials. A major step forward was a recently completed concept development project where SP Fire Technology conducted life-cycle cost analysis and a comprehensive fire risk assessment for a car ferry in carbon fiber composite. The research project…
Denmark Slated to Get Its First LNG Ferry
Contracts for building the first LNG-fuelled ferry for domestic Danish trade have now been signed, a representing milestone as the ship will be the first LNG-fuelled ferry designed for domestic trade in the EU. October 1, 2014 is the date set for the ferry’s first journey between the island of Samsø and Jutland on the Danish mainland. The new ferry can carry a maximum of 600 passengers and 160 cars.
Garamendi Advocates for Rebuilding USCG Fleet
Congressman John Garamendi (D-Fairfield, Calif.), the Ranking Member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation, announced his strong concern regarding the critical need to provide reliable and sufficient funding to recapitalize the Coast Guard’s aging fleets of surface ships and aircraft. At this morning’s subcommittee hearing, Coast Guard Readiness: Examining Cutter…
Dual Fuel LNG Carriers to be Built in China
Lloyd’s Register (LR) has signed the classification contract for six 174,000 m3 liquefied natural gas (LNG) tankers to be built by Hudong Zhonghua Shipbuilding (Group) Co. Ltd. When delivered, the ships will load LNG in Gladstone, Australia for a number of Chinese import terminals - Qingdao, Beihai, Tianjin, Lianyungang and Wenzhou. Steel cutting on the first ship will be in January 2014. The final ship will be delivered in the fourth quarter, 2017.
Synapsis for German Containership Newbuildings
The German navigation system integrator Raytheon Anschütz was selected by the German-based shipowner NSC to supply the latest generation of the IMO-certified Synapsis Integrated Navigation System (INS) to a series of 9,000 TEU Containership newbuildings. The new containerships are built by Korea's Hanjin Heavy Industries and Construction’s Subic Shipyard in Subic Bay, Philippines and are scheduled for entering service in 2014.
Coast Guard-AWO Vessel Rider Program Kicks Off Second Year
For the second consecutive year, cadets from the U.S. Coast Guard Academy are spending time on board tugboats and towboats this summer as part of a program under the auspices of the Coast Guard-American Waterways Operators (AWO) Safety Partnership. The Coast Guard Academy Cadet Towing Vessel Rider Program was established in February 2012 to educate cadets on the tugboat, towboat and barge industry through a week or more of shoreside and onboard training.
Hydrogen Fuel Cells May Power Seaports
Providing auxiliary hydrogen power to docked or anchored ships may soon be added to the list of ways in which hydrogen fuel cells can provide efficient, emissions-free energy. Hydrogen fuel cells are already powering mobile lighting systems, forklifts, emergency backup systems and light-duty trucks, among other applications. Now, researchers at Sandia National Laboratories have found that hydrogen fuel cells may be both technically feasible and commercially attractive as a clean…
Dynamic Oil Trading Plans Dubai Expansion
Dynamic Oil Trading, the global trading company for marine fuels and lubricants, has unveiled plans to launch a new operation in Dubai later this year to meet growing customer demand in the Middle East. The expansion into the UAE, one of the world's most important bunkering hubs, marks another milestone in the growth strategy of Dynamic Oil Trading, just nine months after the company was established in Singapore…
U.S. Diplomat Named IEA Deputy Executive Director
Kenneth J. Fairfax, a career diplomat in the U.S. State Department currently serving as U.S. Ambassador to Kazakhstan, has been designated for the post of Deputy Executive Director of the International Energy Agency. Mr. Fairfax will take up his full duties at the end of September 2013. He will succeed Richard H. Jones, another former U.S. career diplomat who has served as Deputy Executive Director since October 1, 2008. In a career that spanned over 25 years at the U.S. Department of State, Mr.
MOL Enhances Safety on Containership Comfort’s Sister Vessels
Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (MOL), together with shipbuilder, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and the classification society (Nippon Kaiji Kyokai, ClassNK), said it will…
Minesto Develops Simulator for Underwater Vehicles
Nordic marine energy technology company Minesto has developed a simulator to aid the development of its Deep Green marine power plant. According to Minestro, Deep Green is the only marine power plant that is able to cost efficiently produce electricity from low velocity tidal and ocean currents. The simulator has been developed in-house by Minesto’s own research and development department, and is in…
