Suspect Involved in N. Korean Oil Smuggling Released on Bail
A court in Taiwan has released on bail a man prosecutors allege to have made false declarations in the case of a Hong Kong-flagged tanker suspected of transferring oil to North Korea in violation of international sanctions. The man, surnamed Chen, said the vessel was bound for Hong Kong, despite knowing it was bound for international waters to traffic oil products, the prosecutors' office in the southern city of Kaohsiung said on Wednesday.
US Firm Gets Go-ahead to Resume MH370 Search
Malaysia will allow a U.S.-based exploration firm to resume the search for Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, an airline support group told families of the victims on Friday, in a bid to solve one of the world’s greatest aviation mysteries. Flight MH370, carrying 239 people, disappeared en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing in March 2014. Australia, China and Malaysia ended a fruitless search in January last year.
Insights: Emissions Control and Compliance
Bob Kunkel needs no introduction to Marine News readers. Kunkel, President of Alternative Marine Technologies, previously served as the Federal Chairman of the Short Sea Shipping Cooperative Program under the Maritime Administration and Department of Transportation from 2003 until 2008. A past Vice President of the Connecticut Maritime Association, he is a contributing writer for Maritime Logistics Professional magazine and of course, Marine News.
Fotland Named COO at Odfjell
Odfjell SE has appointed Harald Fotland as chief operations officer (COO), effective January 5, 2018. The Norwegian tanker shipping firm said it is introducing a COO function to ensure full integration between ship management and commercial operations. “With the new structure, Odfjell Tankers will have common and aligned goals across all functions relating to chemical tankers,” the company said. Fotland joined Odfjell as chief of staff in 2010…
Orsetd, Formerly Dong Energy, Sued over Name Change
The descendants of Danish scientist Hans Christian Orsted will take legal action on Friday against one of Denmark's biggest companies over its decision to change its name to Orsted, their lawyer said. DONG Energy, the world's largest developer of offshore wind farms, in October renamed itself Orsted as part of its shift to renewable energy from oil and gas. DONG was short for Danish Oil and Natural Gas.
Great Lakes Limestone Trade Up in 2017
Shipments of limestone on the Great Lakes totaled 28 million tons in 2017, an increase of 6.4 percent compared to 2016, the Lake Carriers’ Association (LCA) reported. 2017’s loadings were also 2.1 percent above the trade’s five-year average. LCA said loadings from U.S. quarries inched passed their five-year average, totaling 23.2 million tons, an increase of 8.4 percent compared to 2016. Meanwhile…
Hong Kong to Host Global Maritime Forum Inaugural Annual Summit
Hong Kong is chosen to host the Global Maritime Forum’s inaugural Annual Summit on 3-4 October 2018. The high-level meeting will convene key industry leaders with policymakers…
Qatargas-RasGas Merger
The integration of RasGas with Qatargas will enable the world’s largest LNG exporter to save QR2bn ($550 million) a year, Qatar Petroleum (QP), the state-owned energy giant, announced.
NYK Line Focuses on Green and Digitalization
NYK president Tadaaki Naito called for promoting environmental issues and the utilization of IoT. "I hope to advance the group’s activities with a focus particularly…
Record Volume for Viking Line in 2017
The total number of passengers who travelled with Viking Line in 2017 was 6,881,149 (6,502,191) or nearly 6 per cent more than in 2016. That figure is the highest in Viking Line’s history.
MOL CEO Optimistic on 2018
President & CEO of Mitsui O.S.K. Lines Junichiro Ikeda says that his company is strongly determined to shape the future of the industry. Looking at the shipping market…
USS Hopper Arrives in 7th Fleet
The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Hopper (DDG 70) entered the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations Jan. Hopper will conduct evolutions involving theater security cooperation…
DryShips Adds Fourth VLGC
DryShips, a diversified owner of ocean going cargo vessels, announced today that it has taken delivery of its fourth high specification very large gas carrier (VLGC) newbuilding.
Westports Records Throughput of 9m TEUs
Malaysian port operator Westports Holdings Berhad recorded FY17 container throughput of 9m TEUs which declined 10% YoY, in-line with our expectation of a poorer throughput outlook for the year.
BAE Systems Wins US Navy Modernization Work
BAE Systems said it has received contracts from the U.S. Navy for the modernization of guided missile destroyers USS Oscar Austin (DDG 79) and USS Howard (DDG 83), valued at $41.6 million and $47.8 million respectively. Oscar Austin will undergo 12 months of work at the company’s shipyard in Norfolk, Va., the ship’s homeport. The contract includes options that, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value to $117.1 million.
New Platform for Managing Liquid Terminal Product Movements
Oceaneering International, Inc. announced that its TerminalSmart platform can now be used to manage all liquid terminal product movements across the entire facility from the dock to tanks and pipelines. Proven at the dock where it has been used by major oil and gas companies and liquid storage terminals to significantly improve efficiency during a period of unprecedented growth in vessel transportation traffic…
US-flag Great Lakes Fleet Will Get $65 Mln Winter Tune-up
U.S.-flag Great Lakes vessel operators will spend $65 million maintaining and modernizing their vessels at Great Lakes shipyards this winter. When complete, the fleet will be ready to meet the needs of commerce come the spring break-out in March. “Winter is the one opportunity our members have to renew and upgrade their vessels,” said James H.I. Weakley, President of Lake Carriers’ Association, the trade association representing the major U.S.-flag carriers.
TMS Cardiff Gas Places Order at HHI
TMS Cardiff Gas said it signed a contract with South Korean shipbuilder Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) for the construction of one 174,000 cubic meter liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier, with an option for a second vessel. The newbuild is scheduled for delivery in 2020, when she will enter into a seven year time charter contract with TOTAL Gas & Power Chartering, Limited. This order is the first in the company’s X Carrier Series…
Coast Guard Searching for Missing Aircraft in GoM
The U.S. Coast Guard is searching for an unresponsive aircraft that went missing in the Gulf of Mexico approximately 118 nautical miles north of the Yucatan Peninsula, Thursday. The Coast Guard said its watchstanders at the Eighth District command center in New Orleans received a report from the North American Aerospace Defense Command, Wednesday evening that one person aboard a privately owned Cirrus plane was unresponsive likely due to hypoxia.
Suez Canal Revenues Rise to $5.3 Bln
Egypt's Suez Canal revenues rose to $5.3 bln in 2017 from $5 bln in 2016, a statement by the Canal authority said on Thursday. The canal is the fastest shipping route between Europe and Asia and one of the Egyptian government's main sources of foreign currency. Its revenues were at $462.7 million in Nov. 2017. Reporting by Youssri Ahmed; Writing by Nadine Awadalla
