Qatar Signs Pact to Expand Maritime Transport Sector
Qatar signed the Indian Ocean Memorandum of Understanding (IOMOU) on Portal State Control during its participation in the 21st Port State Control Committee Meeting held last week in Australia…
Genco Shipping & Trading Adds Two Vessels to its Fleet
Genco Shipping & Trading announced that it has taken delivery of the Genco Endeavour and the Genco Resolute, both of which are 2015-built 180,000 dwt Capesize vessels.The…
DryShips Sells Panamax Drybulker
Greece-based DryShips announced that it has entered into an agreement with an unaffiliated buyer for the sale of one of its 2001-built Panamax drybulk carrier.The…
Signs of Recovery in the US Gulf of Mexico
![© Theerapong / Adobe Stock](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w100h1500/theerapong-adobe-stock-89430.jpg)
Today's U.S. auction of Gulf of Mexico exploration leases drew tepid response from oil companies, but marked notable progress for an industry still in a state of recovery.“While not a barn burner, Lease Sale 251 tops the previous Gulf sale in terms of increased participation, increased competition for offerings, and bid amounts,” said Randall Luthi, president of the National Ocean Industries Association (NOIA).
Barge Capsizes Near Surfside Beach, SC
![(U.S. Coast Guard photo)](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w100h1500/us-coast-guard-photo-89428.jpg)
The U.S. Coast Guard said it is responding to a 30-foot barge which capsized near Surfside Beach, S.C., Wednesday.Coast Guard Sector Charleston is working closely with the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control and the barge's owner to identify any potential environmental impacts.The cause of the incident is under investigation.
ASA Names First Honorary Maritime Academy Member
![Rebecca Garcia-Malone, ASA Education Committee Chair, presents Dr. Richard J. Burke, ABS Professor of Naval Architecture & Engineering, SUNY Maritime College, with an official invitation to join the ASA as the very first honorary maritime faculty member representative, July 20, 2018 at SUNY Maritime College. (Photo: ASA)](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w100h1500/cca-garciamalone-asa-education-committee-89426.png)
On July 20, 2018, The American Salvage Association (ASA) welcomed Dr. Richard J. Burke, of SUNY Maritime College as the Association’s very first honorary maritime academy faculty member representative. This initiative is designed to broaden the knowledge about the marine salvage and emergency response industry, and the academic community’s access to it.The ASA’s Education Committee was established…
Oil Companies Make Few Bids in US Offshore Lease Auction
![© flyingrussian / Adobe Stock](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w100h1500/flyingrussian-adobe-stock-89425.jpeg)
Oil companies bid on less than 1 percent of the parcels offered in a sweeping U.S. auction of Gulf of Mexico exploration leases on Wednesday, showing tepid interest in the region for the second time this year.Oil giant Exxon Mobil Corp was awarded 25 blocks, the largest of any company, followed by BP Plc with 19 high bids and Hess Corp and Equinor, which each had 16.Smaller companies, including Talos Energy Offshore, Houston Energy and W&T Offshore were among the top ten high bidders.
Vard Selected to Build Autonomous Ship Yara Birkeland
![YARA signs deal with VARD to build Yara Birkeland. L-R: President and CEO of YARA, Svein Tore Holsether; COO of VARD, Magne O. Bakke; President & CEO of KONGSBERG, Geir Håøy (Photo: KONGSBERG)](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w100h1500/yara-signs-deal-with-vard-89422.jpg)
Norwegian shipbuilder VARD has secured a contract worth approximately NOK 250 million ($29.5 million) to build the world’s first autonomous and electric container vessel, Yara Birkeland. VARD will deliver the groundbreaking ship for launch in early 2020, and the vessel will gradually move from manned operation to remote-controlled voyages and then fully autonomous sailing by 2022.Yara Birkeland is the result of a partnership between Norwegian chemicals company YARA and technology firm KONGSBERG…
IMCA Issues Reactivation of DP Vessels After Layup Information Note
![Andy Goldsmith (Photo: IMCA)](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w100h1500/andy-goldsmith-photo-imca-89405.jpg)
Following a period of improving industry metrics during 2017, the International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA) has recognized that member companies could now consider reactivating their owned and managed DP vessels following a period of layup, and has issued a focused information note on this.IMCA’s Technical Adviser – Marine, Captain Andy Goldsmith, said, “In the right circumstances there is…
Marlink Japan Celebrates 40 Years
![Photo: Marlink](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w100h1500/photo-marlink-89418.png)
Marlink Japan, the Tokyo-based arm of global maritime communications specialist Marlink is celebrating 40 years in business this month. Established in 1978 as SAIT Marine, Marlink Japan is the second-longest serving foreign-owned satcom company in the country, and has been delivering communication services and support to maritime clients in the region for longer than any other company.With deep cultural understanding and local knowledge…
Strong July Across Great Lakes Gets Seaway Tonnage
![Photo:Chamber of Marine Commerce](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w100h1500/photochamber-of-marine-commerce-89410.jpg)
Great Lakes-St. Lawrence shipping continues to bounce back after a slow start. With strong tonnage numbers in July, particularly shipments of U.S. grain, liquid bulk and project cargo, the 2018 shipping season is right on par with the healthy statistics posted last year.Overall cargo shipments on the St. Lawrence Seaway between March 29 and July 31 totaled 16.5 million metric tons. Areas of strength included U.S. grain shipments totaling 888,000 metric tons, up 32 percent over last year.
SERTICA Live on the First EURONAV Vessel
![Photo: EURONAV](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w100h1500/photo-euronav-89409.jpg)
EURONAV has converted its first vessel to Sertica. Coming up next, is the entire EURONAV fleet consisting of more than 50 vessels. The roll-out is expected to be completed in four months.EURONAV has offices in both Antwerp and Athens. The tanker vessels are managed from the Athens office whereas the FSO and VPLUS vessels are managed from Antwerp. It is therefore essential that SERTICA can be operated from both offices without any problems.Rudi Vander Eyken…
Stena Drilling Streamlines Safety Equipment with VIKING
![VIKING offshore evacuation system (Photo courtesy of Stena Drilling)](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w100h1500/viking-offshore-evacuation-system-photo-89408.png)
U.K.-based offshore drilling company Stena Drilling has placed a significant part of its safety equipment and servicing management under a VIKING Offshore Safety Agreement.In early 2018, an extensive review done by VIKING Life-Saving Equipment for its long-time customer revealed the potential for major cost and administration savings in placing much of the company’s safety equipment sourcing and administration under a VIKING Offshore Safety Agreement (OSA)…
Some Russian Ships Stop Cargoes to Ukraine After Tanker Detained
Some Russian ships have stopped transporting cargo to Ukraine, deeming it risky after a Russian tanker was detained in a Ukrainian port as Kiev made good on sanctions against Moscow…
Heijermans Joins Boskalis Management Board
![Bart Heijermans (Photo: Boskalis)](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w100h1500/bart-heijermans-photo-boskalis-89411.jpg)
During today's Extraordinary General Meeting of Shareholders, Bart Heijermans was appointed to the Board of Management of Royal Boskalis Westminster N.V. for a term until the Annual General Meeting of Shareholders in 2022.Heijermans will be responsible for the company’s offshore energy division, effective September 1, 2018.Heijermans brings to the board extensive experience in the offshore industry, having recently served as CEO and board member of subsea services provider DeepOcean.
At Least 22 Drown after Boat Sinks in Sudan
At least 22 students drowned on Wednesday when a boat carrying more than 40 people sank while crossing the Nile in northern Sudan, state news agency SUNA said.Civil…
BP Offloads Last Two Stranded Oil Cargoes in China
Oil major BP on Tuesday offloaded about 1 million barrels of Angolan crude from supertanker Olympic Light to an independent Chinese refiner after holding the oil at sea for about three months…
Migrant Rescue Ship Arrives in Malta Following Standoff
The Mediterranean rescue ship Aquarius arrived at Valletta harbour in Malta on Wednesday to disembark 141 migrants, ending a five-day tug-of-war between European Union countries which had seen the ves
Rolls-Royce Launches Battery System for Ships
![Jens Hjorteset (right) is the Technical Product Manager for SAVe Energy. Erling Johannesen (left) is the Site Manager at Rolls-Royce Power Electric Systems department in Bergen, Norway. (Photo: Øystein Klakegg/Rolls-Royce Marine)](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w100h1500/jens-hjorteset-right-is-the-89397.jpg)
Rolls-Royce has been delivering energy storage systems for ships since 2010, but the actual energy storage units were previously supplied by an external party. The company announced today it is launching its own lithium-ion based energy storage system.Energy storage can be a major green investment for a ship owner, with maximized returns when the system is correctly dimensioned for the specific ship…
South Korea Tops Global Shipbuilding Industry in July
South Korea maintained its number one ranking in the global shipbuilding market in July. The South Korean yards were responsible for almost half of all new orders…