New Dredge Monitoring System for UKD Bluefin
The UKD Bluefin has undergone a complete refit of the Dredge Monitoring System in which Damen delivered all required software and hardware for trailing pipe and loading process monitoring, making use of the existing sensors on board. The refit was done within two weeks during a scheduled docking resulting in zero downtime. As the Damen Dredging Instrumentation system allows full customization, extensive…
Lamprell Issues Pre-close Trading Update
Lamprell published a trading update ahead of its results for the year ending December 31, 2014, stating it has delivered a robust operational and financial performance in 2014 as a result of strong project execution, favorable phasing of rig construction cycles and some one-off elements. The group reports it has seen a strong rate of conversion of its bid pipeline with six new build jackup rig orders won and several smaller awards signed recently.
Diana Shipping Announced Vessel Delivery, Time Charters
Diana Shipping Inc. Diana Shipping Inc. announced that, through a separate wholly-owned subsidiary, it has taken delivery of the m/v Santa Barbara (formerly Hull No.
USNS Trenton JHSV 5 Christened
Austal christened USNS Trenton (JHSV 5) January 10 at its shipyard in Mobile, Alabama. USNS Trenton is the fifth of 10 Joint High Speed Vessels (JHSV) that Austal has under contract with the U.S. Navy as part of an overall 10-ship block-buy contract worth over $1.6 billion. The 338-foot catamaran vessel was named Trenton by Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus, after the capital of the state of New Jersey…
Great Ships of 2014: Quantum of the Seas
Meyer Werft delivered the latest in a long line of cruise ships that grow ever larger and more spectacular in their outfit, final finish and performance. The 167,800-gt cruise ship Quantum of the Seas was built for and delivered to Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (Miami). This is the first ship of the Quantum class. It features highly energy-efficient systems, optimized hydrodynamics, heat recovery, an effective underwater paint coating…
Great Ships of 2014: The Hybrid-Powered Semper Fi
The MV Semper Fi from the Netherlands is an innovative European inland waterway vessel measures 361 x 37.7 x 12.1 ft. (110 x 11.5 x 3.7 m). In cooperation with MARIN, the Netherlands Maritime Research Institute in Wageningen, the Dutch shipping company Carpe Diem Shipping developed the novel concept of Semper Fi , which reportedly is the first inland vessel that can simultaneously be propelled by a diesel engine and an electric motor – a unique combination…
Aalesund University College Upgrades Navigation Simulator
Aalesund University College has become one of the first Kongsberg Maritime simulator users to migrate to the new simulator technology platform, K-Sim Navigation. In a contract signed on January 6, 2015 following an open tender by the college, Kongsberg Maritime will deliver a new K-Sim Navigation aft and forward bridge configuration, which is DNV Class B compliant with an integrated DP2 simulator. Installation is scheduled for May 2015.
APM Terminals Furthers Equipment Investment
APM Terminals placed an order for 16 new advanced Rubber-Tire Gantry cranes (RTGs) as part of an ongoing program of upgrading and expanding container handling capabilities…
LR to Class First Methanol-powered Sea Vessel
Ropax vessel Stena Germanica will soon be converted to a dual-fuel methanol propulsion system at Poland's Remontowa shipyard. The 240-meter-long, 1,500-passenger ferry, which will be converted over a 45-day period from 28 January, 2015, will reportedly be the world's first ever methanol-powered sea vessel. Approval and classification will be by surveying teams from Lloyd's Register (LR). Preliminary…
LCA Calls for New Icebreaker on the Great Lakes
The ice that brought shipping on the Great Lakes to a virtual standstill last winter cost the economy more than $700 million and nearly 4,000 jobs and has prompted Lake Carriers’ Association (LCA) to call for construction of a second heavy icebreaker to partner with the U.S. Coast Guard’s Mackinaw to keep the shipping lanes open in the harshest of conditions. The winter of 2013-14 was so brutal that U.S.-flag cargo movement between December 1…
Great Ships of 2014: Harvey Energy
In 2011 Harvey Gulf International Marine became the first U.S. vessel operator to contract for construction of vessels by LNG. The first of these vessels to be delivered is the Harvey Energy. In addition to being able to operate on cleaner burning natural gas, the Harvey Energy has “ENVIRO+, Green Passport” Certification by the ABS. The requirements for this certification include that the vessel be continuously manned with a certified Environmental Officer…
Great Ships of 2014: CSCL Globe - world’s largest containership
Hyundai Heavy Industries Co., Ltd. (HHI) has built and delivered the world’s largest containership, the first of five 19,000 TEU containerships ordered from China Shipping Container Lines (CSCL) in May 2013. The first containership in the series was named CSCL Globe, and it measures 1312.3 ft. (400 m) x 192.3 ft. (58.6 m) wide with a 100 ft. (30.5 m) depth. It will be deployed on the Asia-Europe trade loop.
SeaRiver Names New US-flag Tanker
Eagle Bay, the second of two new U.S.-flag crude oil tankers for Exxon Mobil Corporation’s marine affiliate SeaRiver Maritime, Inc., was named at a ceremony at Aker Philadelphia Shipyard.
Great Ships of 2014: Allseas’ Pieter Schelte
In a word, Pieter Schelte is BIG. Founded in 1985, Swiss-based Allseas Group S.A. is specialized in offshore pipeline installation and subsea construction. The company employs more than 2,500 people worldwide and operates a fleet of specialized, in-house designed and developed pipelay and support vessels. The company is known for its daring and imagination in ship design and technological innovation.
Great Ships of 2014: Al Kout Environmental, Piracy Protected, Proven
The KOTC operated crude oil tanker Al Kout is the fourth sister Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC) of 317,300 DWT, part of the KOTC Phase III of the fleet newbuilding projects. The vessel has been designed and built under the survey of NK class and distinguished in the register by the following notations: NS*(CSR, TOB, PSPC-WBT) (PS-FA) (ESP, PSCM, IWS) (EA, BWTS, HMS, BRS1), MSN*, M0, Prime Ship-Hull care.
New Orleans’ 2014 Cruise Passenger Total Tops Record
Port of New Orleans cruise terminals handled more than 1 million cruise passengers in 2014 for the first time in its history. For the 12 months, embarkations and disembarkations totaled 1,014,325, an increase of more than 2.6 percent over 2013, a fourth straight record year for the port. Cruise Lines International Association ranked the port the sixth-largest cruise port in the United States with direct industry expenditures in Louisiana totaling $406 million…
Prestige Cruises Withdraws IPO Plan
Prestige Cruises International Inc, which was bought by Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd in a $3 billion deal in September, filed with U.S. regulators to withdraw its plan for an initial public offering. Prestige Cruises, which operates under the Oceania and Regent Seven Seas brands in the upper premium and luxury segments, was created by Apollo Global Management LLC in 2007 to hold its luxury cruise investments.
Rescue at Sea Guidelines Updated
The updated and revised “Rescue at Sea: A guide to principles and practice as applied to refugees and migrants” is now available for download. The guidelines, jointly…
McMurdo Awarded $6m in SAR Contracts
Techno-Sciences, Inc. (TSi), the recently-acquired company of McMurdo Group, the end-to-end search and rescue (SAR) and maritime domain awareness division of Orolia…
Bleavins Named CFO at Port of LA
The Port of Los Angeles has appointed Marla Bleavins as its Chief Financial Officer. Bleavins will oversee the port’s financial affairs, which include accounting, financial management, debt and treasury, risk management and audit functions. She will manage approximately 60 employees and report to Molly Campbell, Deputy Executive Director of Finance and Administration. Bleavins replaces Karl Pan, who retired last week after 11 years with the City of Los Angeles…
