Statoil, PTTEP Swap Canadian Oil Sands Assets
Statoil and the Thai exploration and production company PTTEP have signed an agreement to divide their respective interests in the Kai Kos Dehseh (KKD) oil sands project in Alberta, Canada. Following the transaction, Statoil will continue as operator and 100% owner for the Leismer and Corner development projects. PTTEP will own 100% of the Thornbury, Hangingstone and South Leismer areas. As part of the transaction…
UKHO Wraps up Navigation Training Course
For a fifth consecutive year, the United Kingdom Hydrographic Office (UKHO) has delivered a successful outcome from its internationally renowned and accredited marine cartography courses to a group of students drawn from seven nations. Students from the Hydrographic Organizations of Algeria, Bulgaria, Solomon Islands, Sri-Lanka, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, and Japan arrived at the UKHO in Taunton, Somerset in September to undertake the intellectually challenging 15-week program.
ABS to Class its First Japan-Flagged Vessel
Anchor Handling Tug Supply vessel will be built to ABS class for Offshore Japan Corporation by Japan Marine United Corporation. ABS has been selected by Offshore Japan Corporation (OJC) to class its newly-ordered Anchor Handling Tug Supply (AHTS) vessel, the first Japan-flag ship built to ABS class. The vessel, featuring bollard pull of 150 tons and Dynamic Positioning-2 certification, will be built by Japan Marine United Corporation (JMU) for delivery in February 2016.
Environmentalists Critical of Draft IMO Polar Code
The new draft ‘Polar Code’ of safety and environmental rules, issued on 24, January 2014, fails to address the looming danger of having non ice-strengthened and poorly prepared ships in supposedly ‘ice-free’ polar waters, environmental organisations have warned. The final draft, drawn up by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), governs ships operating in Arctic and Antarctic waters. Increased…
St Lawrence Seaway: Proposed Regulations Amendment
Under agreement with the U.S. Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation, The St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation is proposing to amend the joint Practices and Procedures (known as "regulations" within the SLSDC). Gyro compass error greater than 2 degrees must be serviced prior to transiting the Seaway, if noted during a Seaway transit, it must be reported to the nearest Seaway station and the gyro compass must be serviced at first opportunity.
Panama Canal Traffic Controllers Get Diebold Video Wall
All seafaring vessels transiting the Panama Canal are under the watchful eye of maritime traffic controllers who will soon be using equipment installed and implemented by Diebold. Working with the Panama Canal Authority (ACP), Diebold say they designed a 20-screen, high-resolution video wall for the canal's Marine Traffic Control Center. Their system enables controllers to view multiple surveillance camera feeds at once…
Smartphones Can Morph Into Satellite Phones
Globalstar says its Sat-Fi instantly turns any smartphone, tablet or computer into a satellite phone or data device. With Sat-Fi, Globalstar customers can use their existing smartphones and existing phone numbers to send and receive communications over the Company's satellite network, offering seamless voice and data connectivity when beyond the range of cellular. This new technology means that people who find themselves outside of cell coverage…
Enteq Upstream Appoint Bridges Head of Engineering
Enteq Upstream PLC (Enteq), a provider of systems and components for Measurement While Drilling (MWD) and directional drilling, has appointed Andrew Bridges as head of engineering, announced Enteq CEO, Martin Perry. Initially based in Enteq’s West London, UK, office but with a global remit Bridges’ appointment will ensure delivery of Enteq’s development programs and grow the company’s research and development capabilities and capacity.
Ins and Outs of Tanker Spot Rate Analysis Revealed
Marine Transport Advisors, McQuilling Services, explain important elements of their forecasting process when they develop the final forecast set out in their recent '2014-2018 Tanker Market Outlook' analysis. Interestingly, of four primary observations regarding vessels that transport crude and dirty products it was observed that the historically strong relationship between monthly OPEC production and VLCC monthly average spot rates between 2005 and 2010 had disappeared.
Propeck Joins Global Diving In Gulf Of Mexico
Global Diving & Salvage, Inc. say they have hired John Propeck as General Manager for their Gulf Coast regional office, located in Houston, TX. The company adds that Propeck brings with him over forty-five years of multi-faceted experience in the commercial diving and maritime industry. He began his career as a commercial diver, logging over 1,000 days in saturation. He has over twenty years of program and project management experience…
Ramp-Up of NTV Oil Spill Resoures in Alaskan Waters
The Marine Spill Response Corporation (MSRC) and Alaska Maritime Prevention and Response Network (Network) have formed a "Strategic Alliance" to support Non-Tank Vessels (NTVs) in meeting new Federal regulations and enhance oil spill response in Western Alaska and Prince William Sound. The announcement was made at the recent Alaska Regional Response Team meeting in Anchorage. As a part of this Alliance…
New Tankship Joins Rapidly Expanding Scorpio Fleet
Scorpio Tankers Inc. inform they have taken delivery of another MR product tanker newbuilding in their ambitious newbuilding programme, 'STI Opera', from Hyundai Mipo Dockyard Co., Ltd. of South Korea. The owners add that the new vessel will be chartered-out for up to 120 days at approximately US$19,000 per day. Scorpio Tankers Inc. Of these newbuildings, 43 are expected to be delivered to the Company in 2014, 16 in 2015 and four in 2016. The Company also owns 30% of Dorian LPG Ltd.
Latest Cruise Ship Sickness Outbreak: Congressman Comments
“At times, the cruise industry seems like the Wild West on the high seas. Most trips are fine, but when things go wrong, passengers are often left confused, bewildered, and at the mercy of cruise lines for any compensation or reimbursement for the untimely and premature termination of their voyage. And that’s just not right. Cruise ship passengers have a right to know in advance whether they are booking passage on the ‘Love Boat’ or on a voyage to despair.
Freeze-Stricken Port of New Orleans Reopens
The Port informs that gatehouses at the Napoleon Avenue Container Terminal reopened at noon Wednesday and will operate as usual beginning at 7 a.m. Thursday (Jan. 30), following the winter weather affecting south Louisiana. In addition, the cruise ship Carnival Elation will arrive as scheduled Thursday morning to disembark passengers and embark on its routine four-day cruise. Cargo operations were ongoing today at Port wharves…
Seatankers Takes PSV Delivery
On January 27, 2014, three weeks after the last delivery in the Seatankers twelve series, Zhejiang delivered the seventh platform supply ship, Sea Spider, to the Seatankers Group. All twelve PSVs are designed by Ulstein. Sinopacific’s Zhejiang yard in Ningbo, China, entered into a contract with Ulstein for the delivery of twelve design packages for platform support vessels of the PX105 design for Seatankers Group. The first delivery was in Q1 2013.
Obama Notes Need for Port Investment
Continuing the trend of greater attention being paid to America’s seaports in the national media, among policymakers on Capitol Hill and top officials within the Administration…
USCG Searching for Overboard Cruise Ship Crewmember
A U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) HC-130 Hercules aircrew is searching for a man who reportedly fell overboard from the Celebrity Constellation cruise ship in the vicinity…
ABS Advises on Northern Sea Route Navigation
ABS, a provider of global maritime classification services, today released its Navigating the Northern Sea Route Advisory to support shipowners and operators intending to transit the increasingly popular commercial shipping routes through the Arctic seas. The comprehensive advisory, which was developed with assistance from Russia's Central Marine Research and Design Institute, provides owners with…
Two RA-designed Tugs for PSA Marine
PSA Marine of Singapore, one of the largest harbor tug owners and operators in Asia, took delivery of the RAmparts3200 class tugs Rubicon and Righteousfrom Cheoy Lee Shipyards, Hong Kong and Yuexin Ocean Engineering Co. Ltd., Guangzhou, PR China respectively. The RAmparts Class tugs from the design portfolio of Robert Allan Ltd., Naval Architects of Vancouver B.C. are a series of well-proven ASD tug designs.
DOT Provides $7 Million for Maritime Education
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration today announced that America’s six state maritime academies – California Maritime Academy, Great Lakes Maritime Academy, Maine Maritime Academy, Massachusetts Maritime Academy, SUNY Maritime College and Texas Maritime Academy – and the United States Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA) in Kings Point, N.Y., will each receive $1 million from a government program that recycles obsolete vessels.
