Cruise Ship Plucks Migrants from Wooden Boat
Twenty-four Cubans were rescued from a rickety wooden boat by a passing cruise liner which took them to the Cayman Islands, ship owner Carnival Corp said, as growing…
DNV GL ShipManager for Entire H&P Fleet

German-based shipowner Harren & Partner (H&P) will implement the DNV GL business intelligence software systems ShipManager Analyzer and ShipManager QHSE for its entire fleet of 52 vessels. Both systems will enable Harren & Partner to extract data from operational systems and optimize management of its ships. The first trial implementation for the two software systems is expected to be running in April.
Investor Selling up to 10% of d'Amico

Reuters - The main shareholder in D'Amico International Shipping has launched a placement of up to 42.2 million shares, or about 10 percent in the Italian shipper, the company said on Thursday. In a statement, it said the shares will be sold via an accelerated bookbuilding to boost liquidity in the stock amid interest from Italian and institutional foreign investors. Final terms of the deal will be disclosed on Friday. (Reporting by Danilo Masoni, editing by Stephen Jewkes)
Trelleborg Wraps up China Floatover Projects

Trelleborg’s engineered products operation has completed its first oil and gas floatover project in China, supplying a range of its floatover hardware for the BoZhong (BZ) 35-2 COOEC offshore platform in Tianjin. Designed and fabricated by China Offshore Oil Engineering Company (COOEC), the platform’s specification called for hardware that guaranteed reliability and safety, and required a supplier with the highest standards and a strong track record.
Study Targets Reduced Offshore Wind Costs
Xodus Group, Cathie Associates and UTEC Geomarine have formed an industry leading consortium to deliver a study which will aim to reduce the costs of generating…
FARO Debuts New X Series Laser Scanner

FARO Technologies, Inc., a 3D measurement, imaging and realization technology company, announced the release of the new FARO Laser Scanner Focus3D X 130. According to the manufacturer, the Focus3D X 130, the newest member of Focus3D X Series range of laser scanners, delivers tremendous power, compact design and the flexibility to perform laser scanning in both indoor and outdoor environments. With a scanning range of 130 meters…
LUX Assure Service Agreement Strengthens US Ties

Oil and gas asset integrity and corrosion management firm LUX Assure said it has made strides in developing a presence in the U.S. by establishing a sales and service agreement with Houston-based Brown Corrosion Services Inc. Brown Corrosion Services will be handling the business development of LUX Assure’s innovative corrosion management products CoMic and OMMICA, and handling the deployment of CoMic in the U.S..
GEA Westfalia Separator's New Control Generation

According to the manufacturer, the newly launched control generation GEA Westfalia Separator IO reduces complexity and focuses on userfriendliness. Accordingly, the initial consideration when developing the human machine interface was not what the implemented logical controller or the centrifuge are able to do; instead, the focus was on what the user needs, either the operator, the commissioner or the company’s own service engineer.
Today in U.S. Naval Hostory: March 6

Today in U.S. 1862 - USS Monitor departed New York for Hampton Roads, Va. 1942 - U.S. 1945 - First two Navy flight nurses land on an active battlefield (Iwo Jima): Nurse (with relative rank of Ensign) Jane Kendeigh, USNR, and Chief Nurse (with relative rank of Lieutenant j.g.) Emily G. For more information about naval history, visit the Naval History and Heritage Command website at history.navy.mil.
HSOG Launches Apprenticeship Program
HS Ocean Group (HSOG ) celebrates National Apprenticeship Week by committing to long-term Apprenticeship program. The marine services specialist HSOG has launched…
Scalia to Address CGA Corps of Cadets
The Honorable Antonin Scalia, Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, is scheduled to speak at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy March 18, as the 2014 Hedrick Fellow.
CaroTrans Boosts Services to Central America

March 6 marks the start of a new service from Los Angeles gateway. CaroTrans, a global NVOCC (non-vessel operating common carrier) and ocean freight consolidator, has announced a new weekly, direct, all-water LCL (less than container load) service from the U.S. West Coast to all points in Central America including: Belize, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, El Salvador and Panama. This distribution network delivers full coverage of Central American locations via secure…
Videotel Expands LNG Training

With its latest offering, Videotel said now provides a more extensive portfolio of training for the LNG sector. Working with experts across the globe – BP Shipping, Shell, Maersk and SIGTTO, among others – the company said it has created a package of training covering the essentials required when operating in this important market. Nigel Cleave, CEO of Videotel Marine International, said, “Twice as many LNG carriers are operating today compared with five years ago…
Bidwell Appointed as LOC Group Chairman

Global marine engineering consultancy LOC Group announced Dr. Robin Bidwell, CBE as its nonexecutive chairman. For 35 years, Dr. Bidwell built and led Environmental Resources Management (ERM) the global environmental advisory firm employing more than 5000 employees in over 40 countries. He currently holds a number of nonexecutive appointments (private sector, public sector and charities) and was awarded a CBE in 1999 for services to the environment. Dr.
Second Modular Capture Vessel for US Operation

Drydocks World announced the completion and delivery of Eagle Louisiana, the second of two Modular Capture Vessels (MCV) for the U.S. The first MCV, Eagle Texas, sailed away from Drydocks World’s yard in August last year. The vessels are the world’s first MCVs. Drydocks World converted the AFRAmax tanker for AET, a global leader in petroleum shipping, which has a 20-year agreement with Marine Well Containment Company (MWCC) for the operation of the MCVs.
Offshore Insights from OMSA's Ben Billings

Ben Billings serves as President & CEO of the Offshore Marine Service Association (OMSA), a nationwide trade association headquartered in New Orleans that represents more than 200 member companies. OMSA’s membership includes approximately 100 firms operating more than 1,200 vessels that provide transportation services to the offshore oil and gas industry in the Gulf of Mexico and around the world. It’s arguably a very good time to be at the helm of OMSA, with a resurgent U.S.
OCTOPUS-Onboard Ordered for Stanislav Yudin

The Dutch offshore contractor Seaway Heavy Lifting has ordered Amarcon’s OCTOPUS-Onboard decision support technology for her monohull crane vessel Stanislav Yudin. This order is the second OCTOPUS-Onboard installation for Seaway Heavy Lifting. In 2011 the Oleg Strashnov was equipped with Amarcon’s motion monitoring & forecasting solution. Both vessels from SHL offer, amongst others, significant lifting capabilities and are able to provide a broad range of offshore heavy installations tasks.
Passenger Vessel Safety Record Defies NTSB Hit List

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) recently released its annual “Top 10 Most Wanted List” of Transportation Improvements for 2014. New this year was the issue of passenger vessel safety. Between 2000 and 2010, several accidents involving passenger vessels occurred. The domestic passenger vessel industry is highly regulated. Safety regulations for small passenger vessels took effect starting in 1996 for new construction…
Russia Eyes Boosting Primorsk Diesel Exports
Reuters- Russia's oil pipeline monopoly Transneft said on Thursday it plans to nearly triple exports of ultra low sulphur diesel (ULSD) from the Baltic Sea port…
Swedish Transport Approves Transas ECDIS Training

Transas Marine International has received Transportstyrelsen (Swedish Transport Agency) approval for its STCW conform generic ECDIS training. After successful formal and on-site Transportstyrelsen audits, Transas ECDIS training course was certified successfully and will be re-audited according to the regular Transportstyrelsen audit cycle. ECDIS Training offered by Transas Marine follows the IMO Model Course 1.27 fully compliant to the STCW 2010…