White House: No Change in Crude Oil Exports Regulations
The White House said on Tuesday there has been no change in the U.S. ban on crude oil exports, responding to a question about whether an impending change might be behind price moves in oil markets. "There has been no change in regulations regarding crude oil exports," White House spokesman Josh Earnest said, noting the Commerce Department was in charge of export regulations. "I'm not going to speculate about any sort of policy change that may or may not be contemplated at this point…
Traders Book Oil Tankers to Store 25m Barrels at Sea
Some of the world's biggest oil traders have booked supertankers to store at least 25 million barrels at sea in recent days, seeking to take advantage of the crash…
GDF Suez to Boost Focus on Marine Energy
French utility GDF Suez aims to double its power generation capacity from renewable energy in Europe between 2015 and 2025 and will focus in particular on marine energies, the company said on Tuesday.
Cargo Ship Disabled near Great Barrier Reef
A general cargo vessel experiencing mechanical issues near the Great Barrier Reef is under tow, the response coordinator Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) reported.
Paddle Wheel Riverboat for Sale
A 260-foot fully operational paddle wheel riverboat, recently used as a large casino, is available for sale by negotiation. Asset management company Stuart B. Millner & Associates (SBMA) said it is currently accepting offers for the vessel before making plans to sell it through an auction in March. The riverboat is currently located on the Ohio River in Metropolis, Ill. More photos and information are available on SBMA’s website: sbmac.com.
ULSTEIN to Build 2 Offshore Wind Service Vessels
Ulstein Verft has signed a shipbuilding contract with the Germany-based Bernhard Schulte for two service operation vessels (SOVs) of the ULSTEIN SX175 design developed by Ulstein Design & Solutions. The final detailed arrangements and equipment for the vessels have been developed and specified in cooperation with WINDEA Offshore GmbH & Co. KG, which is the Bernhard Schulte’s affiliate for offshore wind projects.
Cold and Calculating: Dealing with Ice in Domestic Waterways
Army research laboratory helps vessels deal with ice in domestic waterways. Ice, snow and extremely low temperatures can put a big chill on maritime operations in ports, lakes, rivers and waterways. Thanks to the U.S. Army’s Corps of Engineers Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory (CRREL) in Hanover, New Hampshire, mariners have a better understanding regarding phenomena such as icing on superstructures, brash ice and propulsion systems and controlling ice dams.
Taming the Arctic, One Ferry at a Time
Ferries for Alaska’s harsh conditions, built in Alaska by Alaskans. Vigor and Elliott Bay Design Group team up for a winning combination as the new Alaska Class Ferry Project takes shape. With its network of islands and fjords, rugged mountains and spectacular tidewater glaciers, Alaska’s Inside Passage may make a perfect summer cruise destination, but locals can’t choose when they travel. So when Alaskans need transport, the Alaska Marine Highway System (AMHS) must find a way to move them.
Great Ships of 2014: Harvest Frost
The first of three bulk carriers was delivered to Archer Daniels Midland Company (ADM), unique in that the ship features a host of innovative technologies, including the Mitsubishi Air Lubrication System (MALS), which reportedly helps the ship to achieve a 27% reduction in CO2 emissions as compared to conventional bulk carriers of the same capacity. Developed by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI) and built at Oshima Shipbuilding Co., Ltd.
Great Ships of 2014: Linda Oldendorff
Norwegian ferry operator Norled AS received the battery-driven car ferry ZeroCat 120, an aluminum catamaran which is light-weight with slender twin hulls. Its electric power train was designed by Norway’s Fjellstrand shipyard with battery technology from Germany’s Siemens. The ZeroCat 120 does not discharge greenhouse gases, CO2, methane or nitrogen oxides to the environment. In addition to the environmental benefits…
World’s Largest Containership Arrives in Hamburg
The Port of Hamburg will handle a 19,100-TEU vessel for the first time, as CSCL Globe, currently the world’s largest containership operating in a liner service, is ported in Hamburg from January 13-15 on its maiden voyage deployed in the Europe-East Asia trade. This year, China is due to again further expand its position as Hamburg’s leading trading partner for container traffic, the port noted. On the basis of the first evaluation of 2014 throughput figures for container traffic with China…
Great Ships of 2014: CSAV Tyndall
CSAV Tyndall is an 8600 TEU containership built by Daewoo Mangalia Heavy Industries (DMHI) and is part of a series of four containerships delivered to Zodiac Maritime Agencies Ltd. (UK) between 2013 and beginning of 2014. These projects are the biggest containerships ever built in the Black Sea and Mediterranean Sea area. The vessel measures 299.9 x 48.4 x 14.5 m and has a maximum speed more than 25 knots powered by a MAN B&W licensed main engine rated at 64,485 HP.
Great Ships of 2014: Linda Oldendorff
The 208,000 DWT Bulk Carrier Linda Oldendorff built at Hyundai Heavy Industries Co., Ltd. (HHI) was delivered to Oldendorff in Germany on September 30, 2014. It is the first in a series of six. The vessel has flush deck with forecastle, bulbous bow, transom stern, single rudder (full-spade) and single screw propeller directly driven by a slow speed diesel engine. It measures 300 x 50 x 25m, with a 16-m draft.
Great Ships of 2014: Top Coral Do Atlantico - A 'Mega' Pipelayer
TOP Coral do Atlantico is the first of two, characterized by a high ppelay tension capacity of 550 tons and a storage capacity of 4,000 tons, designed to install umbilical and flexible flowlines and risers to connect subsea wells to floating production units in water up to more than 2,500m deep off the coast of Brazil, including the pre-salt area. A long-term charter agreement has already been made with Petrobras.
Great Ships of 2014: R/V Neil Armstrong - Multifaceted Sea Explorer
The Ocean Class Auxiliary General Oceanographic Research (AGOR) vessel hull number 27 started its official life as the R/V Neil Armstrong, the first research vessel named after a space explorer. The ship was designed by Guido Perla and Associates and built at Dakota Creek Industries (DCI). R/V Neil Armstrong will replace the R/V Knorr, in service since 1968, one year before Armstrong’s walk on the moon.
N-Sea, Siem Offshore Extend Charter Agreement
Inspection, maintenance and repair (IMR) specialist N-Sea has extended its charter agreement with Siem Offshore following three years of operations. The renewed agreement, concerning Siem Offshore’s offshore subsea construction vessel, Siem N-Sea (previously Siem Stork), has a duration of up to six years, having begun on January 1, 2015. The Siem N-Sea, a dive, multi-support and construction vessel designed to meet the needs of the offshore subsea industry…
Great Ships of 2014: Ceona Amazon
Dramatic changes to the global oil and gas landscape over the last decade have led the industry to encounter increasingly challenging and remote environments including emerging yet largely unexplored new provinces and more complex deepwater territories. But true to its industrious and adventurous spirit, the sector is turning these challenges into opportunities and underpinning this shift to new frontiers is adding significant tangible value to the way in which hydrocarbons are recovered.
Bahamas Approves Indian Register of Shipping
Indian Register of Shipping Approved as Recognized Organization by Flag State Bahamas. Indian Register of Shipping is pleased to announce that it has obtained authorization…
Jensen Bags Fireboat Contract
Jensen Maritime, a wholly owned Crowley Maritime Corp. subsidiary, has been selected to provide detail production engineering and construction management on an 88' x 25' Super Pumper NFPA Type II Fireboat for the San Francisco Fire Department. Jensen completed the fireboat contract-design for the city in 2012. “We are proud to work with the San Francisco Fire Department again,” said Johan Sperling, Jensen vice president. Vigor Industrial will build the vessel at its 27-acre facility in Seattle.
Salvors Work to Free Grounded MOL Express
Seaspan Corporation reports the MOL Express, a 4,600 TEU container vessel went aground in Tateyama Harbour, Japan on January 11, 2015. There were no reported crew…
