Changing the Landscape of LNG Production
Successful completion of the Petronas Floating LNG facility (PFLNG) Satu is a milestone for the oil and gas industry and for the Malaysian energy giant. Designed by consortium leader TechnipFMC and fabricated at the Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering yard in South Korea, PFLNG Satu achieved the first-ever production of LNG offshore in December 2016. The 365-meter by 60-meter facility processes, produces and offloads LNG in situ, directly above natural gas reservoirs.
North River Boats Charts its Future as Newly Formed ESOP
North River Boats, one of the largest private employers in Roseburg, Ore., has new partners – more than one hundred of them. CEO Brent Hutchings informed his entire company of a newly formed employee stock ownership plan (ESOP) that will help him transfer over time a third of his ownership to eligible employees – the vast majority of his team of 131. The structure, Hutchings says, helps share the privately held company’s success with the people who deserve it most…
AWO Testifies on Carrier Alliance, Tug Negotiations
AWO testifies before Congress on dangers of foreign carrier alliances negotiating collectively with U.S. Tom Allegretti, President & CEO of The American Waterways Operators, testified before the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee's Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation on the dangers posed by the Federal Maritime Commission's (FMC) decision to allow foreign carrier alliances to collectively negotiate with U.S. tugboat operators.
Port Houston Box Volumes Continue to Rise
“Port Houston handled close to 10 million tons of total tonnage, reflecting an increase of eleven percent over 2016,” Port Houston Executive Director Roger Guenther announced during the April meeting of the Port Commission of the Port of Houston Authority. During the first quarter of this year, Port Houston facilities handled 607,000 TEUs. Guenther said the majority of this increase is largely due to an increase in container volumes, which showed an increase of 18 percent.
Royal Caribbean Will Return to New Orleans
Royal Caribbean International announced it will return to New Orleans with a seasonal home-based cruise ship in late 2018. The 915-foot Vision of the Seas will sail seven-night itineraries to destinations across the Bahamas and Yucatan Peninsula from the Port of New Orleans’ Julia Street Cruise Terminal. The ship will sail on Saturdays. “The Port of New Orleans is thrilled to welcome back Royal Caribbean.
Maritime Professionals Ask the Hard Questions
More than 80 maritime professionals attended two unique one day events focused on the sub IMO / sub 24 meter sector in Southampton this April. The fast moving and dynamic one day workshops brought together an international group of experts armed with the latest knowledge to identify problems that affect the maritime sector worldwide. The superb team of presenters shared unique insights and highlighted potential solutions for a changing world.
Gail India Seeks Three LNG Cargoes in H2
Gail India has launched a tender to buy three liquefied natural gas (LNG) cargoes in the second half of 2017, trade sources said. The importer is seeking a cargo for July…
Leonhardt & Blumberg Chooses Sealink Business VSAT
Hamburg-based Leonhardt & Blumberg (L&B), one of Germany’s independent charter owner of handysize containerships, has become the first customer for Marlink’s new Sealink Business VSAT service.
Brunswick Expanding Its Boat Building Facility
Brunswick Commercial & Government Products (BCGP) has officially broken ground on a facility expansion at the company's Edgewater, Fla. headquarters. The addition includes a new large-boat building with added manufacturing space and other facility improvements. The new 10,500-square-foot facility will be located on the east side of the commercial boats manufacturing campus and will increase the company's manufacturing capacity by 50 percent.
Great Lakes Limestone Trade Falls 16.3% in April
Shipments of limestone on the Great Lakes totaled 1,630,081 tons in April, a decrease of 16.3 percent compared to a year ago, the Lake Carriers’ Association (LCA) reports. Loadings also trailed the month’s five-year average by 22.4 percent. Loadings at U.S. quarries totaled 1,332,839 tons, a decrease of 14 percent compared to a year ago, while shipments from Canadian docks totaled 297,242 tons, a decrease of 24.7 percent, LCA said.
NCL Makes Inaugural Call to Cuba
Norwegian Cruise Line’s first ship to sail to Cuba, Norwegian Sky, has made her maiden call in the capital city of Havana. “Today is a momentous day for Norwegian Cruise Line, our guests and our travel agent partners, as we open our doors to Cuba’s natural beauty, warm people and historical treasures,” said Frank Del Rio, president and chief executive officer for Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, who was on board Norwegian Sky with other NCL executives to celebrate the voyage.
Damen InvaSave BWSM Makes World Premiere
On April 25 Damen’s IMO certified InvaSave ballast water management system (BWMS) received its world premiere in front of an invited audience courtesy of Groningen Seaports at the harbour of Delfzijl and Eemshaven, The Netherlands. This marks the culmination of a seven-year program to develop an effective mobile BWMS for use in ports. The premiere was a joint presentation between Damen Shipyards, the designated operator MariFlex and Groningen Shipyards, as well as Royal Wagenborg.
Chinese Vessels Detained off West Africa for Illegal Fishing
West African countries have detained eight Chinese ships for fishing illegally and the boats' owners could be subject to millions of dollars in fines, environmental…
London P&I Club Reports Increased Free Reserves for 2016/2017
The London P&I Club has issued an advance summary of its result for the 2016/2017 financial year, ahead of the publication of its annual report. The Club recorded an overall surplus of $27.3 million, increasing the free reserve to $188 million. The combined ratio was 97.9 percent. The positive technical performance was supplemented by an investment return of 8.4 percent. Ian Gooch, CEO of the Club’s management team commented…
Baltic Index Sags Again
The Baltic Exchange's main sea freight index, tracking rates for ships carrying dry bulk commodities, fell for an eleventh straight session on Wednesday as rates across vessels segments weakened.
U.S. FMC Unanimously Rejects Proposed Tripartite Pact
U.S. Federal Maritime Commissioner William P. Yesterday, I voted to reject the Tripartite Agreement proposed by Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd. (K Line); Mitsui O.S.K. Lines Ltd.
Wärtsilä 34DF Engines Certified EPA Tier III
Wärtsilä said it has been awarded model year 2017 certification of emissions compliance from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for its Wärtsilä 34DF dual-fuel engine family. The EPA Tier III certification and the corresponding EIAPP certificate were both issued in March 2017. The Tier III certification of conformity covers the Wärtsilä 34DF engines manufactured from the date of issue until the end of 2017.
Dry Bulk Shipping Remains Positive: Drewry
The outlook for dry bulk shipping remains positive given the shrinking supply-demand gap, according to the latest edition of the Dry Bulk Forecaster, published by global shipping consultancy Drewry.
What’s Next for Ballast Water Management?
Latest developments on the entry into force of the Ballast Water Management (BWM) Convention took centre stage at the 8th International Conference on Ballast Water…
DNV GL Eyes Dynamic Risk Assessment
Traditional risk management practices involves operators navigating large static risk reports, in addition to handling massive amounts of data, with a limited timeframe…
