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…
Chinese Vessel Rescues 26 from Sunken Cargo Ship
Twenty-six Filipino seamen were rescued by the crew of a Chinese vessel in Camiguin hours after their cargo ship sunk the morning of Friday, January 9, the Philippines Coast Guard reported.
Damen Cutter Suction Dredger and Stan Tug for Nigeria
Damen reports two more vessels have been sold to a long term Nigerian customer. A tug, type STU2208, and a cutter suction dredger, type CSD500, have arrived at their up-river operating point where they will assist at an inlands port in keeping the river navigable. The Nigerian customer has well chosen the vessels names : “PASAM” for the tug meaning “Daddy Sam”, and “DASERAH” for the CSD500 meaning “Mummy Sarah”. Both vessels will be working alongside a CSD500 delivered by Damen previously.
SAACKE Water Boiler Ordered for FLNG
SAACKE Marine Systems received an initial order from Japan-based JGC Corporation in June 2014 to deliver a complete high temperature water boiler system – consisting…
Meercat Delivers First Workboat Under New Ownership
Meercat Workboats have delivered its first vessel under the umbrella of new owners Burgess Marine with the hand-over of a 14m. workboat to Scottish fish farming specialists Dawnfresh Farming. Meercat completed the steel build, named the Falls of Lora, at its facilities in Portchester, Hampshire, and the vessel is now in operation at Dawnfresh’s trout farming operation on Loch Etive, where it is being used for general fish farm maintenance with a particular focus on feeding operations.
Metal Shark Builds Custom Vessel for Canaveral Pilots
Metal Shark has delivered a custom 45-foot aluminum pilot boat to the Canaveral Pilots Association at Port Canaveral, Florida. The vessel was built at Metal Shark’s newly-opened shipyard in Franklin, Louisiana. For the project, the Canaveral Pilots specified a purpose-built pilot boat design by naval architect Bill Preston. The design utilizes the weight of a single bow-mounted diesel engine and a…
Hoegh Osaka Update: Weather Playing a Key Role
Car carrier vessel Hoegh Osaka, which has been refloated after running aground last week, remains held in position at anchor on the Alpha Anchorage. Salvors pumped…
Seaway Hits Post Recession Cargo Highs
The Seaway concluded the 2014 navigation season with 40 million tonnes of cargo, which represents a full recovery from the 2009 global financial crisis and its ensuing aftermath. The St.
Ezra to Supply Turret Mooring System for Libra Field
Ezra Holdings Limited’s wholly owned subsidiary, London Marine Consultants (LMC), Ezra’s Floating Production, Storage and Offloading (FPSO) Turret Design outfit…
US Ferries Are Safer, but Regulatory Burdens Grow
In recent years, ferries have been in the spotlight, in part because of growing mass transit needs and increased road congestion, but also because of concerns about the deadly South Korean ferry sinking last April. We asked Captain Terri Bernstein, the Passenger Vessel Association’s 2014 President, about the industry’s status in the United States. Based in Alexandria, VA, the PVA has over 500 member companies.
Ferry Safety in the Developing World
A convergence of forces makes for market opportunities for new safe ferry systems in the developing world. Need, policy, and funding are poised to provide a moment of opportunity. The expanding global economy has resulted in economic and population growth in developing world cities, resulting in horrendous road congestion. In response, governments and businesses have begun planning for intra-urban ferries wherever possible.
Bureau Veritas Selects New Offshore Lead
Bureau Veritas has appointed Matthieu de Tugny as Senior Vice President in charge of offshore activities within the marine and offshore operating group. He is tasked with driving forward Bureau Veritas Group initiatives in the oil and gas offshore market and enhancing Bureau Veritas’ technical leadership and recognition in this market. Matthieu de Tugny graduated from the Ecole Nationale de la Marine Marchande, France and from the Ecole Supérieure d'Electricité, France as an engineer.
Krill Systems Expands in the Far East
Despite plummeting global fuel-prices, raising inevitable questions about their impact on the fuel conservation sector of the market, Krill Systems has reported strong booth traffic and interest in its products and services at the recent Work Boat Show in New Orleans. The company believes that this seems to indicate is that demand for fuel management strategies continues throughout the global oil and gas sector, even in the present pricing environment.
New ISSA President: Innovation, Cooperation Are Top Priotities
The new President of the International Shipsuppliers & Services Association (ISSA), Abdul Hameed Hajah, has outlined his priorities for the year ahead with innovation and cross industry cooperation sitting at the top of his agenda. Hajah, who officially took over as President of ISSA on January 1, has highlighted innovation and improved productivity in the supply chain as key processes in the efficient management of today’s ships.
Damen Wraps Another Cruise Repair Project
The Saga Cruises-owned Saga Sapphire left Damen Shiprepair Rotterdam December 19 after receiving repair and refurbishment works as well as a scheduled Class Survey. The 199.63-meter vessel is now back in action, picking up passengers from Dover before heading for the Canary Islands. This latest contract signifies a period of back-to-back cruise ship repair projects that also includes work carried out on a 300-meter vessel that left the yard last month.
