FMC Commissioner Doyle Gives Qualified Thumbs Up to P3 Network
"I am in favor of not taking any further action to delay the implementation of the P3 Network Vessel Sharing Agreement," announced FMC Commissioner William P. Doyle. (The P3 Network Alliance consists of container shipping companies A.P. Moller-Maersk A/S trading under the name of Maersk Line, CMA-CGM S.A. and MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company, S.A.). "I have reviewed all the comments submitted by the public…
LEEVAC Shipyard Launches PSV for Aries Marine Corp.
LEEVAC Shipyards Jennings, Louisiana, inform of the successful 'splash' launch of the Platform Support Vessel (PSV) 'M/V Ram Nation', pictured here. The Ram Nation is a LEEVAC-designed 270 ft., diesel-electric, DPS-2, FI FI 1 Platform Supply Vessel that will be certified for worldwide operations. Chris Vaccari, owner and CEO of Leevac, explained that the Ram Nation is the first of four LDS-designed vessels currently under construction.
Corvus Energy Systems Get More Scandline Hybrid Ferry Orders
Corvus Energy informs it has again been selected as the Energy Storage System (ESS) of choice by Scandlines for their next three hybrid ferries. Based on successful operation of Scandline’s first hybrid, the 'MF Prinsesse Benedikte', the next 3 hybrids will use a 2.7MWh ESS consisting of Corvus Energy AT6500 advanced lithium polymer batteries integrated with Siemens drive systems. Corvus add that the ferries M/V Deutschland…
Tanzania: The Next Hotbed of Construction & Energy Activity?
Representatives of Mammoet and other Dutch companies visited Tanzania to explore potential construction projects and investment opportunities in the East African country which has impressive growth rates and large stocks of underseas gas it is looking to develop. Tanzania is shaping up to be a big opportunity for Dutch companies that are active in energy, infrastructure and transport. Mammoet, Shell…
IRPT: Missouri River Showing Progress
Inland Rivers, Ports and Terminals (IRPT) has anounced the newly formed working group “MO River Basin – Navigation Revitalization Committee”, designed to increase freight traffic and business on the Missouri River. IRPT has encouraged and received cooperation with associated marine, economic development and trade organizations to promote the healthy growth and operation of ports, terminals and intermodal centers along the Missouri River to boost foreign and domestic commerce…
Höegh St. Petersburg Assists in Search for Missing Jetliner
Höegh Autoliners confirmed that the vessel Höegh St Petersburg was asked by the Australian Authorities to divert and assist in the search of the missing airplane MH370. The vessel followed the request and diverted towards the search area and has now reached the destination.
Topaz Revenue up 22%
Topaz Energy and Marine, a offshore support vessel company, announced the results of its subsidiary Nico Middle East Ltd. for the 12 months ended December 31, 2013. The period has seen continued strong and profitable growth across the group’s activities with revenues up 22% and EBITDA up 17%. This growth is primarily attributable to the additional vessels that have joined the fleet and the improved utilization (94.5%) it achieved across its core fleet.
Meet the BWTBoat: Innovative Solution to the BWT Issue?
Shipowners continue to face major challenges with the impending ratification of the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) Ballast Water Management Convention (BWMC). As BWMC edges towards its required ratification numbers and comes into force, it will have significant impact on merchant shipping and in particular owners operating in regional and coastal trades, the conference, which is part of the Asia Pacific Maritime (APM) event taking place at Marina Bay Sands, heard.
Vessel Owner Fined for Illegally Manning U.S. Flagged Vessels
Coast Guard Sector Guam has levied fines against the South Pacific Tuna Corporation for eight separate violations of Title 46 United States Code, Section 8304 for using unlicensed foreign personnel to illegally fill the roles of chief mate and chief engineer on U.S. flagged vessels. Crewmembers from Sector Guam determined in March 2012 that the violations had taken place on five of the company’s 14 purse seine vessels while conducting dockside vessel safety examinations in Pohnpei…
USN Continues to Help in Search for Missing MH370
A U.S. Navy P-8A Poseidon patrol aircraft completed its transition from Kuala Lumpur to Perth March 18 to continue the search for Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 in the southern Indian Ocean. "The search has expanded to the southern portions of the Indian Ocean and the P-8A has the range required to reach those waters," said Lt. Clayton Hunt of Patrol Squadron (VP) 16, the search and rescue detachment mission commander.
Aircraft, Ships Continue Search for Missing Jetliner
Reuters reported that aircraft and ships continued to brave rough weather conditions in search of objects floating in remote seas off Australia, generating what…
USN Photo of the Day: USS James E. Williams
The guided-missile destroyer USS James E. Williams (DDG 95) transits the Atlantic Ocean en route to Scotland to participate in Joint Warrior 14-1. Joint Warrior is a semiannual, United Kingdom-led training exercise.
Transas: New Liquid Cargo Handling Simulator
Transas Marine launched its new liquid cargo handling simulator LCHS 5000 TechSim LNG which reportedly is the first one in the market to boast ship-to-ship transfer functionality. The new Transas LCHS 5000 TechSim product line includes simulators for LNG tanker, LNG terminal and LPG carrier. Ship-to-ship transfer is a complex operation which requires adequate training to minimise the risks of damage to personnel, environment and assets.
Georgia Increases Funding for Port Deepening
The $35 million in additional port deepening funds proposed by Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal has been approved by the state legislature and now awaits the governor’s signature. Along with previous funding, Georgia has now allocated $266 million, fulfilling the state’s portion of the Savannah Harbor Expansion Project (SHEP). “Lawmakers across Georgia recognize that improving the Savannah Harbor is critically important to the continued economic health of this state and region,” Deal said.
KR Launch New CSR-H Ship Design Software
IACS member classification society the Korean Register (KR) informs of the release of SeaTrust-HullScan, its ground-breaking software solution to analyze and appraise a vessel’s hull structure in accordance with the new harmonized common structural rules (CSR-H). (CSR-H is an integrated set of rules in which CSR-BC (Common Structural Rules for Bulk Carriers) and CSR-OT (Common Structural Rules for Oil Tankers) are brought together…
China Shipyard Delivers Offshore Pipelay Heavy Lift Vessel
COSCO (Nantong) Shipyard a subsidiary of the COSCO Shipyard Group informs it has delivered a pipelay heavy lift vessel, "SapuraKencana 1200", to its Asian buyer. The pipelay heavy lift vessel is designed to carry out multiple functions including oil piping processing, laying, installation and heavy lifting. Classed by ABS, the vessel is capable of working in shallow water of up to 200 meters with a ten-point mooring system.
HK Firm Gets Ship Arrested, Shines Light on Debtor's Operations
Hong Kong company Shagang Shipping has successfully obtained an order for the arrest of the HNA Group controlled vessel 'MV Bulk Peace' from the Western Australia District Registry. The move is part of a long-running legal campaign seeking payment of USD 66.4m from HNA Group. The claims arise from 2008 when Shagang Shipping chartered a capesize bulk carrier MV Dong-A Astrea, owned by Dong-A Tankers, to a HNA Group company, Grand China Shipping Company Limited, for a period of seven years.
WSS Starts Asia Expansion with Thailand Opening
Wilhelmsen Ships Service (WSS) says it is expanding its network of supply points across Asia as it responds to an increasing level of offshore oil and gas exploration and production. The first new WSS supply point, at Songkhla, southern Thailand opened in January 2014 and other locations have been identified to enable WSS to work closer to areas of emerging demand. New supply sites are under consideration in Kemaman, Malaysia, Balikpapan, Indonesia and in Myanmar.
Sovcomflot Reports on Slippery 2013 Financial Slope
SCF Group (Sovcomflot)
 has released its audited financial results for the year ending 31, December 2013, indicating a slip in profitability during what they describe as another challenging year for the international tanker industry. Further implementation of programme of commercial voyages along the Northern Sea Route, involving ice-class tankers SCF Yenisei and Viktor Bakaev (first transit completed by the Group in an East-West direction) and the bulk carrier NS Yakutia.
Making Sense of it in China: Navis DP Simulator Plus Chinese Script
Navis informs it has commissioned the first dynamic positioning (DP) simulator with Chinese language interface at Dalian Maritime University, one the world’s largest training facilities, where more than 60,000 people have been trained to form the backbone of China’s shipping industry. “Successful implementation marks a major step forward in China for maritime training programmes for future DP operators and watch-keeping officers…
