New Ro/Ro Facility Coming to Alabama
Plans are in motion to develop a new vehicle processing roll-on/roll-off (RO/RO) facility at Alabama’s Port of Mobile in the U.S.Today in Buenos Aires, Argentina, the Alabama State Port Authority signed a Memorandum of Understanding with AutoMobile International Terminal, a joint venture of Terminal Zárate S.A. and SAAM Puertos S.A., to develop and operate the new $60 million facility, which is expected…
Retlif Celebrates 40 Years
Retlif Testing Laboratories, a global strategic compliance organization, is celebrating its 40th year of operations which will be marked with recognition events throughout 2018.In conjunction with its milestone anniversary, Retlif President Walter Poggi announced expanded ballast wastewater testing to reduce risks associated with the spread of aquatic invasive species in U.S. coastal waters, lakes and rivers, as well as expanded nuclear RS-105 EMP testing services.
Grindrod Sells Off Bunker Division
South African ship owner Grindrod has sold its bunker division, Unicorn Bunker Services (Pty) Ltd., for an undisclosed sum to new co-owners WOESA (Women in Oil and Energy South Africa) and Linsen Nambi.Financed through the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC), the deal creates the nations first 100 percent black ship owners and facilitates the participation of black women and black youth in the…
2020 Low-sulfur Rule to Trigger Huge Disruptions -IEA
The shipping industry and oil refineries are not doing enough to prepare for new rules cutting the amount of sulfur that vessels can emit from 2020, according to the head of the International Energy Agency's (IEA) oil industry and market division.The new rules drastically cut the amount of sulfur that the world's ships can emit, from 3.5 percent currently to just 0.5 percent. Ships that install "scrubbers" that remove sulfur as the fuel is burned can continue to use higher sulfur fuels…
US-flag Great Lakes Shipping Down in March
Cargo moved by U.S.-flag Great Lakes freighters in March decreased 13 percent compared to a year ago, the Lake Carriers’ Association reported. However, the March float of 1.8 million tons topped the month’s five-year average by more than 15 percent.Iron ore cargos for steel production dominated the month. Cargos totaled 1.4 million tons, a decrease of 17 percent. That no iron ore moved from Escanaba, Mich., is a factor in the decrease.
Queen Elizabeth 2 Reopens as Floating Hotel in Dubai
The Queen Elizabeth 2 (QE2) ocean liner has been given a new lease of life as a floating hotel in Dubai, 10 years after the Gulf Arab emirate bought it for $100 million.State-owned Dubai World bought the QE2 from Cunard Line in 2007, but the 2008 financial crisis delayed any plans for the 40-year-old vessel, one of the world's most famous ships.Now the QE2, permanently moored at Mina Rashid port, has been refurbished based on the original design…
Eni has no plans to pull out of Rosneft deal after sanctions
Italian oil major Eni has no plans to pull out of its joint venture with Russia's Rosneft despite escalating sanctions against Russia, the head of Eni said on Wednesday."We certainly have not pulled out, we're working with them," CEO Claudio Descalzi said on the sidelines of a conference.Eni, one of Europe's biggest importers of Russian gas, extended a cooperation agreement with Rosneft last year to explore the Russian Barents Sea and the Black Sea, and to consider further opportunities together
LNG Tanker Sailing to Netherlands' Gate Terminal
Liquefied natural gas (LNG) tanker Vladimir Rusanov set to arrive at Netherlands' Gate terminal on April 25, according to Reuters shipping data.The tanker has a capacity of 170…
Singapore Sets Out to Curb Ship Collisions
Singapore is set to get new technology to help in preventing ship collisions.The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) said it has engaged the services of the Agency for Science…
BIMCO’s Market Analysis Team Launch Supply Side Graph Section
BIMCO’s Market Analysis Team launches a graph section, where BIMCO members can get an overview of a specific sector and how the supply side of that sector develops. “We have structured the data and made it easily available through our website. In this way our members will follow the most recent developments affecting their core interest. This gives them an unbiased and transparent tool for their decision-making process.
FRC Richard Snyder to Be Commissioned Friday
The U.S. Coast Guard is scheduled to commission Fast Response Cutter, the Richard Snyder, during a ceremony in Atlantic Beach, N.C. on Friday.The vessel was built…
Damen Delivers Third Shoalbuster to Kazmortransflot
National Maritime Shipping Company Kazmortransflot LLP has taken delivery of its third Damen Shoalbuster 2709, the last in the current order.The vessels are ideal for operations in the shallow waters of the Caspian Sea and are now playing a role in the development of oil fields in the Kazakh section of the inland sea and significantly expanding the range of services that Kazmortransflot can offer its clients.
Baltic Index Jumps 7%
The Baltic Exchange's main sea freight index, tracking rates for ships carrying dry bulk commodities, surged about 7 percent on Wednesday to register its biggest one-day percentage gain since November 2016, boosted by improving capesize activity. The overall index, which factors in rates for capesize, panamax and supramax shipping vessels, was up 72 points, or 6.8 percent, at 1,124 points, the highest since March 26. The index has risen for the eighth straight session.
New Japanese-built LNG Carrier Named
A naming ceremony was held for a new liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier, Diamond Gas Orchid, at Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd.’s Nagasaki Shipyard.The newbuild, owned by Diamond LNG Shipping 1 Pte. Ltd., a 50/50 joint venture company between NYK and Mitsubishi Corporation (MC), will sail under a long-term time-charter contract with MC’s wholly owned subsidiary in Singapore, Diamond Gas International Pte.
Langh Tech Warns of Sulphur Fuel Carriage Ban Impact
Finland-based exhaust gas cleaning firmLangh Tech has explained how last week’s decision to prohibit the carriage of noncompliant fuel oil will have a material and technical impact on commercial ship operations.In a special panel session during the Sulphur Cap 2020 conference in Amsterdam, Langh Tech Managing Director Laura Langh-Lagerlof told delegates, “If such measures are adopted, any shipowner…
Gas Pipeline Fire Closes Intracoastal Waterway
The United States Coast Guard said it responded to a natural gas pipeline fire near Port O'Connor, Texas, on Tuesday evening.The agency was notified of the incident by vessel Jonathon King Boyd, which
Carnival Horizon Delivered to LR Class
In March, Carnival Cruise Line took delivery of its new 133,500 GT cruise ship, Carnival Horizon, designed and built to Lloyd’s Register (LR) class. Constructed by Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri at its yard in Marghera, the 323-meter Carnival Horizon has a capacity of 3,960 guests, plus 1,450 crew. The ship is the 26th in Carnival’s fleet and second in the Vista-class following Carnival Vista delivered in April 2016.
Egypt Ports to Work 24/7 to Expedite Cargoes
Egypt will keep its ports running for 24 hours a day, up from 16 currently, in an effort to cut down on "long waiting times" for shipments, Transportation Minister Hesham Arafat said on Wednesday.
Ballast-free LNG Carrier Project Advances
GTT, Lloyd's Register (LR) and Dalian Shipbuilding Industry Corporation (DSIC) today launched the second phase of the "30,000m³ B-FREE LNG carrier" Joint Development Project (JDP). A meeting was held today at Lloyd's Register premises in Shanghai to commence Phase II of the project, and to welcome Exmar as a new partner to the JDP.The first phase of the project performed by DSIC, GTT and Lloyd's Register developed a new design of ballast-free medium-sized LNG carrier…
Greek Ferries Idled as Mariners Strike
Greek ferries remained docked at the country's ports on Wednesday as seamen, marine engineers and ship cooks walked off the job to protest against planned government…
