US, UK Navies Plan Future Cooperation
Leaders of the U.S. and British navies agreed on a shared vision for closer cooperation Dec. 11, the culmination of a yearlong effort that will build on a long-standing…
Tanker Markets See Storage Boon from Oil Price Collapse
The oil price drop will hand tanker markets an unexpected bonus next year, boosting demand for oil storage at sea while distant eastern markets also bargain-hunt fuel and need shipping. Supertanker rates are already close to five-year highs of over $83,000 a day - helped by a drop in shipping fuel bunker prices. Overcapacity, which has dogged owners for years, is also receding. Herbjorn Hansson, chairman and chief executive of Nordic American Tankers…
Crewman Overboard Near Texas
The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) and the crew of a nearby ship are searching for a crewman who fell overboard while painting the side of a bulk carrier at anchor about 10 miles off Sabine Pass…
Cape Horn Delivered into Service
Elliott Bay Design Group (EBDG), a naval architecture and marine engineering firm with offices in Seattle and Ketchikan, announced the delivery into service of the Cape Horn, a Specialty Oilfield Vessel. EBDG partnered with Gulf of Mexico Operator SeaMar, LLC and Gulf Island Marine Fabricators on the class design and production engineering for the ship. "We would like to congratulate our valued client…
GE Gas Turbine to Power Italian Frigate
GE Marine has received an order to supply one LM2500+G4 aeroderivative marine gas turbine to Avio Aero of Turin, Italy, a GE Aviation business. The gas turbine will power the Italian Navy’s eighth FREMM frigate. Through Avio Aero, at least 17 LM2500+G4 gas turbines are expected to provide propulsion for the Italian-French-Moroccan FREMM program, which includes eight ships each for the Italian and French navies and one ship for the Royal Moroccan Navy.
USCG Begins Northeast Icebreaking Season
The U.S. Coast Guard's (USCG) winter icebreaking season has officially kicked off in the Northeast, starting December 15 and running through March. OP RENEW is the USCG's region-wide effort to ensure Northeast communities have the security, supplies, energy and emergency resources they need throughout the winter. Coast Guard units throughout the Northeast have been busy preparing for Operation RENEW by conducting training operations and prioritizing efforts.
UASC to Open Agency in Switzerland
United Arab Shipping Company (UASC), a leading global shipping company based in the Middle East has announced that it will open a wholly-owned representation in the Swiss market as of 1st of January 2015. UASC’s new agency in Switzerland (UASAC Switzerland GmbH) will be a subsidiary of UASAC Deutschland GmbH and will take over all agency activities from Fiege Logistics LTD, which successfully represented UASC in the Swiss market for 24 years.
Delaney Joins Portwide as President
Thomas J. Delaney has been named President of Portwide Cargo Securing Co. Inc., which supplies lashing services throughout the Port of New York/New Jersey. The announcement was made by Christopher Guido, owner of Portwide. Most recently, Delaney served as Senior Director, Sales and Marketing for APM Terminals (North America) Inc., out of the Elizabeth, N.J. office. Delaney joined APM Terminals as Vice President, Labor Relations, in 2006.
Container for LNG Hybrid Barge Reaches Hamburg
In the coming year, the HUMMEL (bumblebee) LNG Hybrid Barge will enable Becker Marine Systems to supply low-emission power to cruise ships lying at port in Hamburg. The first container with liquefied natural gas (LNG) fuel has now arrived in the Hanseatic City. As part of the LNG Hybrid Barge’s testing program, the first gas container for the marine fuel was delivered on Monday. “The testing of the…
KTK Orders Two Damen Tugboats
On December 9, five years after the delivery of two ASD Tugs 2810 KTK Tribon and KTK Barakuda, Damen Shipyards Group and Kompania di Tou Korsou (KTK) signed an agreement for the delivery of two Stan Tugs 1205. The two vessels, due for delivery in April 2015, will be the first in a replacement program of KTK’s fleet of line handling/pilot launches. KTK, a 100% subsidiary of Curaçao Ports Authority (CPA), is responsible for all harbor towage and mooring services in all ports of Curaçao.
Cowes Breakwater Catalyzes Harbor Investment
The main aim of Cowes Harbor Commission’s (CHC) investment into the new Cowes Breakwater was to provide a true sheltered harbor, thereby unlocking its full potential and creating a catalyst for major inward investment and employment generation. The protection provided by the Cowes Breakwater has now enabled the planned marina element of the Cowes Outer Harbor Project (OHP) to move forward. The OHP is a long-standing strategic partnership between CHC and the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA).
RINA Expands Into Canada
Italy’s growing engineering, testing, marine services and ship classification group RINA has acquired a majority stake in Montreal-based marine survey company Hayes Stuart. The move gives RINA Services a platform for further expansion into the growing market in Canada. Stefano Socci, General Manager Americas, RINA Services, said, “Hayes Stuart is a well-established Canadian marine survey company with expertise that complements ours.
Nordic Prince On-hire in Israel for Noble Energy
Nordic Maritime’s MKIII subsea service vessel, Mokul Nordic, has been renamed Nordic Prince and has started a long term charter for Noble Energy after arriving in Haifa, Israel. Nordic Maritime was awarded a five-year charter for the DP2 IMR Subsea vessel from Noble Energy in October. “We are glad to announce that our vessel Nordic Prince had arrived at Haifa Port and on-hire for the highly reputable international oil company…
Braemar Named Engineers for Brownsville LNG Project
Braemar Engineering, the marine and LNG technical consultancy arm of the Braemar Shipping Services PLC group, has been appointed as Owner’s Engineers by Texas LNG Brownsville LLC (Texas LNG) for the proposed Brownsville LNG project. The project will be constructed in a deepwater frontage site along the Port of Brownsville shipping channel, South Texas, and is anticipated to export more than 2 million metric tons per annum (MTPA) of LNG, with the first shipments planned for export in 2019.
Six Japanese Bulkers Fitted with BWMS
Six new bulk carriers being built at the Namura and Onomichi shipyards in Japan are to be fitted with 12 Wärtsilä Aquarius UV ballast water management systems (BWMS). The Wärtsilä systems will enable the vessels to comply with anticipated International Maritime Organization (IMO) regulations. The contracts were signed in October. Japan has recently ratified the IMO's Ballast Water Management Convention…
Hempel Acquires Schaepman
Hempel has acquired Schaepman’s Lakfabrieken B.V, a Dutch supplier of specialized industrial, protective and decorative coatings. The acquisition is part of Hempel’s five-year growth strategy.
Aschmann to Take CEO Helm at BSM
Rajaish Bajpaee will hand over CEO responsibility of Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement (BSM) to his current deputy, Capt. Norbert Aschmann, through planned succession at the end of December 2014 after more than 27 at the Schulte Group. Bajpaee will then take up the position of Chairman in a nonexecutive capacity, with effect from January 1, 2015, where he will support the continued success of BSM. Bajpaee joined the Eurasia Group of Companies in 1987…
Bill Introduced to Protect Great Lakes from Invasive Species
The Guarding Our Great Lakes Act, a bipartisan legislation designed to protect the Great Lakes from the threat of invasive Asian carp, has been introduced by U.S.
Luxembourg Authorizes KR for Statutory Services
Korean Register (KR), an IACS member classification society, announces that it has signed an MOU governing the delegation of statutory certification services for vessels registered in the Grand-Duchy of Luxembourg. KR is now fully authorized by the Government of Luxembourg to deliver statutory services and is Luxembourg’s 7seventh Recognized Organization (RO). KR is now able to conduct relevant surveys…
Boskalis, KOTUG Merge Harbor Towage Operations
Royal Boskalis Westminster N.V. and KOTUG International B.V. have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to merge the companies’ European harbor towage operations. The companies will establish a 50/50 joint venture for this purpose, combining the European harbor towage activities of SMIT, a Boskalis subsidiary, with the European harbor towage activities of KOTUG. This merger is the concluding step…
