USCG Investigating āLaser Strikesā on Commercial Ships
The U.S. Coast Guard said it is investigating multiple laser strikes during the past month aimed at commercial vessels transiting the Chesapeake Bay. Four incidencesā¦
Great Lakes Iron Ore Trade Climbs in April
![Ā© James Pintar / Adobe Stock](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w100h1500/james-pintar-adobe-stock-73447.jpeg)
Shipments of iron ore on the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway totaled 5.8 million tons in April, an increase of 8.8 percent compared to a year ago, the Lake Carriersā Association (LCA) reported. Shipments topped the monthās five-year average by nearly 21 percent. Shipments from U.S. Great Lakes ports totaled 5.3 million tons in April, an increase of 6.8 percent, while loadings at Canadian terminals in the Seaway jumped 35 percent to 507,000 tons.
Cummins Introduces Mobile App
![Cummins Guidanz Mobile App Improves Customer Uptime (Photo: Cummins)](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w100h1500/cummins-guidanz-mobile-app-improves-73441.jpg)
Without having to enter a service bay or wait for a technician to come on site, Cummins customers are now able to read prioritized engine fault codes and other key engine information within minutes wherever they are operating with the new Cummins Guidanz mobile app. Available as a free download now on the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store, the Guidanz mobile app arms customers with criticalā¦
DONG Energy Settles Platform Dispute
DONG Energy said it has reached a settlement with Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering and Technip over who bears responsibility for construction errors concerningā¦
Wagenborg Signs Multi-year Contract with Castor
![Photo courtesy of Castor Marine](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w100h1500/photo-courtesy-of-castor-marine-73437.jpg)
Castor Marine, the Netherlands based maritime communications and IT services provider, has announced that it has been awarded a multi-year contract with Wagenborg Shipping. The contract covers the delivery of 40+ new VSAT systems with satellite Internet based on Castorās global VSAT network, Inmarsat Fleetbroadband as back-up for the VSAT service and IT support for the vessel LAN infrastructure. Castorā¦
El Nino Conditions Are Developing in the Pacific
El Nino conditions are developing across the Pacific with an increasing probability that a full-fledged El Nino episode will occur during the second half of 2017.
Germany Chooses Kongsberg Research Ship Concept
![Atair II (Photo: Kongsberg Maritime)](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w100h1500/atair-ii-photo-kongsberg-maritime-73435.jpg)
A double digit multi-million Euro contract was signed by Kongsberg Maritime and Fassmer Werft on April 4th, 2017, following the German Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agencyās (BSH) approval of Kongsberg to deliver a unique technical solution based on its ground-breaking Integrated Vessel Concepts for the newbuild research vessel Atair II, which will be built at the Fassmer yard in Berne. Kongsberg'sā¦
Weaker Rates Weigh on Baltic Index
![Ā© AVD / Adobe Stock](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w100h1500/avd-adobe-stock-73434.jpeg)
The Baltic Exchange's main sea freight index, tracking rates for ships carrying dry bulk commodities, fell on Thursday as rates continued to slip across vessel segments. The overall index, which factors in rates for capesize, panamax, supramax and handysize shipping vessels, fell for the twelfth straight session and was down 30 points, or 2.9 percent, to close at 1,004 points. The capesize index lost 84 points, or 5.45 percent, at 1,458 point, its lowest in nearly a month.
Thordon, DDW-D Partner for Shaft Line Conversions
![Terry McGowan, President and CEO, Thordon Bearings (seated right), and Mohammad Rizal (left), Chief Operating Officer of Drydocks World- Dubai, sign an agreement that affirms the two companiesā efforts to convert ships to seawater lubricated propeller shaft lines from oil (Photo: Thordon Bearings)](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w100h1500/terry-mcgowan-president-and-ceo-73430.jpg)
Thordon Bearings and Drydocks World-Dubai (DDW-D) have signed an agreement under which the UAE-based shipyard will work together with Thordon Bearings Inc. to promote the conversion of shipsā oil lubricated propeller shafts to Thordonās COMPAC open seawater lubricated bearing system. The agreement will create an action plan in which a specialist team, comprised of Drydocks World-Dubai and Thordon Bearingsā personnelā¦
Maritime Piracy on the Rise -Report
![In March fuel tanker Aris 13 was attacked by armed pirates off the coast of Somalia (Photo: EU NAVFOR)](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w100h1500/in-march-fuel-tanker-aris-73427.jpg)
Pirates and armed robbers attacked 43 ships and captured 58 seafarers in the first quarter of 2017, slightly more than the same period last year, according to the latest ICC International Maritime Bureau (IMB) piracy report. The global report highlights persisting violence in piracy hotspots off Nigeria and around the Southern Philippines ā where two crew members were killed in February. Indonesia also reported frequent incidents, mostly low-level thefts from anchored vessels.
US Navy to Delay Planned Frigate Award
The U.S. Navy has decided to delay by a year until fiscal 2020 the awarding of a design and construction contract for a planned new frigate, according to congressionalā¦
Recent Vessel Sales: April 2017
Vessel sales for April 2017 (as of May 1) as prepared by Shipping Intelligence, Inc., New York.
Patrick Verhoeven to Leave ECSA for IAPH
Patrick Verhoeven will leave the European Community Shipownersā Associations (ECSA) on September 1 this year to become Managing Director Policy and Strategy at theā¦
ABN AMRO Finances Celsius BWTS Installs
ABN AMRO Transportation has concluded financing for the installation of ballast water treatment systems on several vessels for its Danish client, Celsius Shipping.
Norden Back to Profit in Q1
Danish shipping company Dampskibsselskabet Norden A/S has reported its adjusted result for the first quarter of 2017 at $1 million, against a loss of $5 million seen in 2016.
Is 'Seablindness' a Myth?
UK politicians and the general public have demonstrated overwhelmingly that they recognize shipping as the biggest mover of the nationās imports and exports, accordingā¦
FSL Q1 Earnings Rise
FSL Trust Management (FSLTM), as trustee-manager of First Ship Lease Trust (FSL Trust), reported a net profit of $3.4 million for the three months ended March 31ā¦
ESPO to Mark Maritime Year of EU
The European Sea Ports Organisation (ESPO) issued a statement to contribute to the Commissionās Maritime Year and to follow up on the Valletta Declaration, the ministerialā¦
ABS Approves Innovative Drillship Design
ABS is working with industry to improve efficiencies in offshore development. āABS is working on multiple fronts to help the offshore industry find efficiencies and streamline operationsā¦
Another Dry Bulk Ship Delivered to Golden Ocean
Golden Ocean Group Limited has taken delivery of dry bulk vessel Q Kennedy, to be renamed Golden Kennedy. The vessel is the third of 16 dry bulk vessels recentlyā¦