UK P&I Club Announces Positive Renewal
Estimated increase of renewal premium of seven percent. For many UK Club Members, subdued earnings and a lingering shipping recession remain an unwelcome fact of life.
Today in U.S. Naval History: February 25
Today in U.S. Naval History - February 25 1861 - Saratoga, member of U.S. African Squadron, captures slaver sloop Express 1933 - Launch of USS Ranger, first U.S. ship designed as an aircraft carrier before the keel was laid 1959 - USS Galveston fires first Talos surface-to-air missile For more information about naval history, visit the Naval History and Heritage Command website at history.navy.mil.
Seafarer Security Certification Guidance Reached
Guidance on training and certification requirements for ship security officers and seafarers with designated security duties has been agreed by IMO, to address practical difficulties seafarers have reportedly experienced in obtaining the necessary security certification under the 2010 Manila amendments to the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW) and STCW Code.
Mermaid Marine to Buy Jaya Offshore Businesses
Reutrs - Australian marine logistics firm Mermaid Marine Australia Ltd. said on Tuesday it had agreed to buy the offshore businesses of Singapore's Jaya Holdings Ltd.
Yemen's Maarib Oil Pipeline Blown up Again
Reuters - Unidentified assailants blew up Yemen's Maarib oil pipeline on Monday night, halting crude flows to the Ras Isa oil terminal on the Red Sea, a local official said.
India Essar's Oil Imports from Iran Jump Sharply
Essar Oil, a key buyer of Iranian oil, in January sharply raised imports from the Islamic state and also became the first Indian refiner to ship in the Brazilian heavy grade Polvo…
Subsea Crane Ordered from China for New AHTS
MacGregor has secured an order from Wuchang Shipbuilding Industry for a 100-metric-ton SWL active heave-compensated subsea crane. The MacGregor crane will be installed…
HHI Orders Two MacGregor Subsea Cranes
MacGregor, part of Cargotec, saidi it won an order for two subsea cranes from South Korean shipyard Hyundai Heavy Industries Co Ltd. The active heave-compensated cranes will have an SWL of 100 and 25 metric tons, respectively. They will be fitted on board a new 160-meter heavy construction vessel being built at the yard for global offshore specialist, Subsea 7. The MacGregor subsea cranes will support…
Record Volumes at Port Metro Vancouver
Canada's largest and most diverse port has released its 2013 year-end results showing continued growth, including a repeat of record volumes in the container and bulk sectors. In 2013, Port Metro Vancouver also advanced several ongoing capacity building infrastructure projects, updated and extended environmental initiatives and participated in substantial community engagement activities. The 2013 year-end statistics report shows that Port Metro Vancouver handled 135 million metric tons of cargo…
TUI Cruise Ship Keel Laid at STX Finland
On 25 February 2014, approximately nine months after the keel laying of TUI Cruises’ first newbuilding Mein Schiff 3, TUI Cruises and STX Finland celebrated the keel laying of Mein Schiff 4 in the Turku shipyard. Following the old shipbuilding tradition, the lucky coins were placed under the keel block of the ship. In the lucky coin ceremony, held on the bottom of the drydock, the shipowner was represented by Richard J.
MTN Delivers OceanPhone Mobile
Calling, Messaging and Voicemail Solution, Specially Designed for the Crew. MTN Communications (MTN) announces the general availability of the first calling app for maritime crew. MTN OceanPhone Mobile leverages the Wi-Fi infrastructure on vessels, as well as the MTN network, for calling and messaging. The app runs independently of other subscribed services. MTN OceanPhone Mobile, an extension of MTN’s OceanPhone calling solution for crew…
Golden Ocean Sees Dry Bulk Market Upswing
Reuters - Dry bulk shipping firm Golden Ocean reported fourth-quarter earnings broadly in line with expectations on Tuesday and said it expects the market to continue…
Issues Linger for Trans-Pacific Trade Deal
Reuters - Ministers in 12-nation Trans-Pacific trade talks said on Tuesday they have made progress trying to finalize a deal during a four-day meeting in Singapore…
Qatar's Nakilat Q4 Profit Falls 13%
Reuters - Qatar Gas Transport Co (Nakilat), one of the world's largest shippers of liquefied natural gas, posted a 13 percent drop in fourth-quarter net profit on Tuesday. The company made a fourth-quarter profit of 176.5 million Qatar riyals ($48.5 million), down from 203.3 million riyals a year earlier, according to Reuters calculations based on its financial statements. QNB Financial Services had forecast Nakilat would make a quarterly profit of 201 million riyals.
MOL's Net Profit Halves in Q4
Reuters - Hungarian oil group MOL's net profit halved in the fourth quarter due to a squeeze on gasoline margins as well as big impairment charges related to its…
Maritime Charity Amassing Stories for History Book
A national maritime charity is set to publish a commemorative book in celebration of its 150th anniversary and is calling for people to come forward with their stories and memories.
Quest for More Lethal U.S. Warship Could Raise Cost
Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel's decision to stop building the current class of coastal warships after 32 vessels and focus on ships with more firepower and protection will result in higher costs, U.S. defense officials said on Monday. Hagel said that given the new threats, he had "considerable reservations" about building all 52 coastal warships as planned, which would account for one-sixth of the future 300-ship Navy.
Latest on Proposed Scania Buyout
The Independent Committee of the Scania Board of Directors has begun its work to consider Volkswagen's buyout offer and confirms it has noted that Volkswagen does not foresee any significant changes with regards to Scania and that Scania’s headquarters and its development centers will remain where they are today. Deutsche Bank and Morgan Stanley have been retained as financial advisors to the Committee. Mannheimer Swartling has been retained as legal advisor and JKL as communication advisor.
Navy Updates Plans for a Changing Arctic
"This updated Navy Arctic Roadmap prepares the U.S. Navy to respond effectively to future contingencies, delineates the Navy's Arctic leadership role within the Defense Department, and articulates the Navy's support to achieve national priorities," writes Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Adm. Jonathan Greenert in the Roadmap introduction. In the coming decades, as multi-year sea ice in the Arctic Ocean recedes, previously unreachable areas may open for maritime use for a few weeks each year.
DP World's Rio de la Plata Terminal Switches to Navis N4 TOS
Cargo movement technology experts Navis inform that DP World’s Terminales Rio de la Plata (TRP), the largest container facility in Argentina, successfully went live on the Navis N4 terminal operating system (TOS). A Navis SPARCS and Express customer since 1994, Buenos Aires-based Terminales Rio de la Plata handles containers from deep-sea vessels from Europe, Asia and North America, as well as feeders vessels to both the East and West coasts of South America and barges upriver to Rosario.
