Räsänen Joins Foreship
Foreship has appointed Jan-Erik Räsänen as its Head of New Technology effective from March 1, 2017. The new role expands Foreship’s energy-saving consulting services at a time when the cruise industry is considering the best way of harnessing fast-emerging hybrid, battery and fuel cell technologies. Based in Helsinki, Mr Räsänen will focus on helping owners implement energy-saving measures already developed by Foreship.
Cross-Bay Ferry Reports Ridership Gains
The Cross-Bay Ferry carried a record 6,000-plus paying passengers in February, and experienced significant ridership growth in February for both weekday and weekend service between Tampa and St. Petersburg. During February, Cross Bay Ferry sold 6,070 tickets, a 57-percent rise from January, and a record for the 6-month test. The ferry has now carried nearly 23,000 people since the pilot project began.
Damen Plunges into LNG Market
Damen Shipyards Group’s range of Liquefied Gas Carriers is a response to the changes seen in the maritime LNG market in recent years. The Dutch company’s designs meet a variety of capacity requirements, from 500 m3 to 7,500 m3. The maritime LNG market has long been faced with the conundrum around the subject of supply and demand. Ship owners have been reluctant to make the switch to LNG because of the lack of bunkering infrastructure.
ClassNK Earns EU MRV Accreditation
After undergoing extensive assessments, classification society ClassNK has received accreditation from the UK-based national accreditation body UKAS (United Kingdom Accreditation Service) as an EU MRV verifier, effective as of March 1, 2017. EU MRV is an EU regulation on the monitoring, reporting and verification of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from vessels, which first entered into force on July 1, 2015.
DFDS Sees Little Effect from Brexit So Far
Ferry and logistics operator DFDS has many activities and 2,200 employees in the U.K., placing it at the heart of the ongoing “Brexit” process following the U.K.’s vote to leave the EU and making the firm an early indicator of changes in trade and passenger movements. In a post on its website, the Danish based firm addressed Brexit’s immediate and long-term impact, stating that it has seen little to no effect on trade so far.
Baltic Index up on Stronger Rates Across All Segments
The Baltic Exchange's main sea freight index, tracking rates for ships carrying dry bulk commodities, rose on Thursday as rates for all vessel segments strengthened…
A Case for LNG-fueled Mobile Offshore Units
GustoMSC, a Dutch design and engineering company focused on offshore energy, says the offshore industry has much to gain from examining the feasibility of using liquefied natural gas (LNG) to fuel mobile offshore units such as construction vessels, drillships, jack-ups and semi-submersibles. GustoMSC has been monitoring the development of LNG as a marine fuel for several years, culminating in a recently finished R&D project into LNG for its design portfolio.
SocGen Arranges Financing for Oman Shipping's Tanker Play
Oman Shipping Company, wholly owned by the government of Oman, raised $227 million in debt to back the purchase of 10 tankers, Societe Generale said on Thursday.
Biofuels Can Cut Some Transport Emissions
Growing use of electric vehicles around the world is helping lower climate changing emissions, but some means of transport will be hard to electrify, particularly air travel and shipping…
Vard Secures Trawler Build Contract
Vard Holdings Limited said it has secured a contract to build a pelagic trawler for Research Fishing Company, based on Shetland. The contract value is approximately NOK 350 million (roughly $41.4 million USD). In close cooperation with the ship owner, the vessel is designed by Skipsteknisk in Ålesund, Norway. It will also be built, equipped and completed in Norway. Delivery is scheduled from Vard Langsten in 3Q 2018.
12th Pacific Partnership Mission On to Strengthen Indo-Asia-Pacific Ties
The U.S. Navy is joining allied and partner nation forces for the 12th Pacific Partnership mission, scheduled to begin March 1. This annual maritime operation will…
DNV GL Launches Analytics Platform Lumina
Today’s organizations are facing a complex business environment. With increasing demands from stakeholders to operate sustainably, and with international standards…
Shipowners Caught in the Middle of Free Trade Battle
Protectionism and long hauled free trade negotiations can be an expensive battle for the Danish shipowners, if the market outside the European Union are not included in free trade negotiations.
Genco Shipping Reports 4Q Loss
Genco Shipping and Trading (GNK) has reported a loss of $24.5 million in its fourth quarter of 2016. The transporter of drybulk cargo said that its basic and diluted loss per share is $3.35.
More Room for Asian VLCC Rates to Fall
VLCC rates on the AG/Japan route tumbled by nearly w10 points within a day to w60 on Tuesday, after news of S-Oil placing Australis on subs for an AG/Onsan run at w54.75, loading March 13-15 basis 274kt, broke. Charterers went for the jugular, with at least four older vessels fixed within the range of w55-w58 for an AG/East voyage. We believe that VLCC rates will remain depressed in the short term due to the upcoming refinery turnaround season in Asia…
Marine News Boat of the Month: February 2017
Damen Shipyards Group recently unveiled a new line of Trailing Suction Hopper Dredgers (TSHD). The new product range, comprising of the Marine Aggregate Dredger (MAD) 4000 and 5600 vessels, was introduced in response to extensive market research and customer consultation. The MAD vessels are potentially important to an aggregate industry that, today, faces rising demand and an aging fleet. Designed in collaboration with Maritime Design and Engineering Services (MD&ES)…
Offshore Innovation: A Real ‘Riverboat’
Central Asia is a booming oil region not far from the Persian Gulf. Energy companies ply the big lake to rack up staggering barrel counts at elephantine oilfields with names like Tengiz (Kazakhstan) or Kashagan (Azerbaijan). Painstaking, oil-fueled nation-building is underway across an oil province, where very shallow water hinders plant and equipment moves by platform supply vessels. Until now — new module-carrying vessels…
KVH Is On 'Watch'
Conceived in its never-ending drive to progressively service its customers, KVH is working on a proprietary Internet of Things (IoT) solution for the commercial maritime market. Code-named “Watch,” KVH’s IoT application is designed to collect, compress, process, transport and analyze system data from ships, with the promise to deliver a broad swath of customizable efficiency solutions. Robert Balog…
Burgess Marine: 3 Refits Complete in 3 Months
Britain’s largest independent ship repairer and marine engineering services provider Burgess Marine said it has recently completed its winter refit season in Cherbourg, completing three ferry refit projects over the three-month time span. Despite Brexit, Burgess Marine said business has boomed as the company has completed two refits for Wightlink and one for Condor Ferries at its 5,000T syncrolift facility in the French port.
The Looming sVGP Deadline
The sVGP and recent ballast water treatment system approvals create another headache for small vessel owners. Steve Candito provides a primer. The long delayed Small Vessel General Permit (sVGP) legislation is scheduled to come into force on December 18, 2017. Despite some confusion and inconsistencies on this issue generally, there is currently no serious effort to delay the sVGP requirement. Thus, vessel owners should be preparing now for compliance.
