Baltic Index Nudges Up
The Baltic Exchange's main sea freight index rose on Friday, buoyed by an uptick in demand across all vessel segments, but still posted its third straight week of losses.* The Baltic index…
NOAA Increases Odds for 'above-normal' Hurricane Season
The end of El Nino could boost Atlantic hurricane activity.August 8, 2019 NOAA forecasters monitoring oceanic and atmospheric patterns say conditions are now more favorable for above-normal hurricane activity since El Nino has now ended. Two named storms have formed so far this year and the peak months of the hurricane season, August through October, are now underway.Flooding is always a significant threat during tropical cyclones.
23,756 TEU “MSC Gulsun" Transits Suez Canal
Admiral Mohab Mameesh, Chairman of the Suez Canal Authority and Suez Canal Economic Zone, announced the successful transit of MSC GULSUN, the world’s largest container vessel, on its first trip through the New Suez Canal. The Panamanian ship transited the Canal with the northbound convoy, heading to North Western Europe from the Port of XINGANG.As per protocol in the Suez Canal Authority on receiving mega vessels transiting for the first time…
Birdon America Wins USCG MLB Contract
Birdon America Inc. has been awarded a $190 Million dollar contract to perform a Service Life Extension Program (SLEP) for the U.S. Coast Guard’s (USCG) fleet of…
Balearia Launches Florida-Bahamas Fast Ferry
Baleària Caribbean has launches a new fast-transport service linking Fort Lauderdale (Florida) with the island of Bimini in the Bahamas. The fast ferry connecting…
JAXPORT Welcomes FDOT Secretary
The Jacksonville Port Authority (JAXPORT), Florida, said that its Chief Executive Officer Eric Green and other port executives welcomed Florida Department of Transportation…
DOF Subsea Wins UKCS Decom Job
Norwegian vessel provider DOF Subsea has been awarded a contract to decommission subsea infrastructure within the UK Continental Shelf (UKCS).The Oslo-listed subsea…
Saga Sells Sapphire Vessel to Turkish Firm
Turkish-based tour operator Anex Tour is entering the cruise business with the acquisition of Saga Cruises' Saga Sapphire.Anex chairman Neset Kockar said the acquisition…
USS Porter en Route to Black Sea
The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Porter (DDG 78) began its north-bound transit to the Black Sea August 8, to enhance regional maritime stability and a show of support for our NATO allies and partners in the region.This is the sixth time a U.S. ship has visited the Black Sea since the beginning of 2019. The last ship to visit the Black Sea was USS Carney in July. During its time in the Black Sea…
Genting HK Sells Stake in Dream Cruises
Genting Hong Kong, a member of the Malaysian Genting Group, has reached an agreement to sell a 35% stake in global cruise ship company Dream Cruises to Canada’s TPG Darting…
Rotterdam Port Lunches PortXchange
Port of Rotterdam Authority has launched new company PortXchange Products BV to make digital shipping app Pronto available to ports worldwide.PortXchange is set…
Cyprus Approves Russian Maritime RS
Russian Maritime Register of Shipping (RS) has signed a new agreement with the Maritime Administration of the Republic of Cyprus (the Cyprus MA).The new agreement…
Tanker Demand Weakens, Says Euronav
Demand forecasts in the tanker sector have weakened modestly over 2019 with the three core agencies (IEA, EIA and OPEC) cutting 2019 demand growth forecasts from 1.4m bpd to 1.2m bpd…
U.S. LPG Exports Grow by 22%: Dorian LPG
U.S. liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) exports have grown year-over-year by 22% to 22.5 million tons year-to-date (YTD) and Middle East exports have grown on the same basis 3.5% to 22.6 million tons…
CSL Launches 2 Ro Pax Vessels for IWAI
India's Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) has launched two Ro Pax vessels designed and built for Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI).The vessels launched at present…
Grindrod Takes Delivery of Ultramax
Grindrod Shipping Holdings announced that it took delivery of the IVS Okudogo, the first of the two owned ultramax “eco” newbuildings that the Company agreed to…
DNV GL Can Issue IECRE Certificates Now
The international accredited registrar and classification society DNV GL has become the world’s first certification body approved to issue IECRE - International…
China Trade Data Calms Jittery Investors
Stronger-than-expected Chinese export data helped push global stock markets higher on Thursday following a volatile week that had investors scrambling for safety on fears of a worldwide economic pullback.Investors were encouraged by data showing Chinese exports rose 3.3% in July from a year earlier, beating an expected decline of 2%. Chinese imports fell less than forecast, despite the U.S.-China trade…
Armstrong Marine Delivers R/V to University of AK
The 40’ x 13’ research vessel Nanuq recently entered service for the University of Alaska Fairbanks College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences. In a competitive solicitation process last year, the University selected Armstrong Marine’s proposal to design and build the vessel.Nanuq is customized for research and teaching operations. The monohull features 28 – 32 knot cruise speed, hydraulic A-frame, overnight accommodations for five…
Baltimore CBP Hits Agriculture Threat Trifecta
CBP Intercepts Five Destructive Asian Gypsy Moth Egg Masses on Three Vessels.According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Asian Gypsy Moths are one of the most destructive insect pests in the world. They are not known to occur in the United States, yet they are knocking on our doorsteps. Three recent U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) interceptions in Baltimore prove how hard CBP agriculture…
