Baltic States Send Ships for Stranded Citizens
Estonia and Latvia will send ships to bring back hundreds of their citizens stranded on the border between Germany and Poland, following Warsaw’s decision last week to shut its borders in response to the coronavirus outbreak, officials said.The three Baltic countries - Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia - have criticized Poland for preventing their citizens in transit from returning home.Poland’s Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki came under fire over the move during a coronavirus videocall of all 27
COVID-19 and Supply Chain Implications for Ocean Shipping
Only 10 days ago, reports indicated that China cargoes were returning to pre-coronavirus levels, and there appeared to be light at the end of the tunnel. Today, however, a barrage of new headlines has underscored the impact on the rapidly changing global supply chain, including in the United States. In addition to the aggressive spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), new economic developments indicate a decreased trend in global manufacturing.
Maersk Suspends Crew Changes
The widespread coronavirus outbreak has led the world's largest container carrier to suspend crew changes aboard its entire fleet of operated vessels until April 14, a Maersk spokesperson confirmed to MarineLink.The full statement from A.P. Moller - Maersk is below:With the continued spread of the COVID-19 pandemic and the extraordinarily fast-paced closing of borders and cancellations of airline services…
Seatronx Launches River Radar Display
Seatronx, manufacturer, distributor and designer of rugged electronics catering specifically to the military, maritime and industrial markets, launched of the sunlight-readable RRD-19T River Radar Display designed for river-based commercial vessels.The RRD-19T features a 19-inch display with portrait orientation designed specifically for river radar systems. The portrait format allows operators to see further down the river, while highlighting traffic, weather and markers in narrow channels.
Port of Virginia Providing Berth Space for Cruise Ships
The Port of Virginia said it has opened its doors to cruise ships idled by the coronavirus pandemic.Since the outbreak of the virus and the cruise industry’s voluntary suspension of U.S. operations, empty cruise ships have been seeking temporary berth opportunities at multiple ports, with Florida taking the greatest share of the vessels. For a cruise ship, it is more economical to idle at a port rather…
Bouchard Says All Back Pay Processed
Bouchard Transportation Co. reports all back pay has been processed as the company continues to work to raise capital that would allow it to return its vessels to service, the company's president and CEO Morton S. Bouchard III said Tuesday in a letter to staff, customers and vendors.The full letter is below:To Bouchard Transportation Co., Inc. Valued Staff, Customers and Vendors:On Monday, March 16, 2020 Bouchard Transportation Co., Inc.
DMC to Equip Three New TSHDs
Damen Marine Components has won an order to supply three sets of steering and rudder systems for three dual-fueled trailing suction hopper dredgers (TSHDs) currently being built at Keppel Offshore & Marine’s shipyard in Singapore for Van Oord.The vessels will be 138-meters in length and have a hopper capacity of 10,500 cubic meters. They will represent the very latest in sustainable, energy-efficient dredging and are due for delivery in 2021.
Baltic Index Falls on Softer Panamax Demand
The Baltic Exchange's main sea freight index dipped on Tuesday, weighed down by a fall in rates for panamax vessels, which registered its seventh straight day of decline.The Baltic index, which tracks rates for capesize, panamax and supramax vessels that ferry dry bulk commodities, declined 11 points, or 1.8%, to 612The panamax index dropped 40 points, or 4.1%, to 930. Average daily earnings for panamaxes…
Naval Shipyards Recruiting Robots
Inspecting fuel and ballast tanks. Sand-blasting old paint coatings and applying new ones. Removing corrosion on ships, submarines, aircraft and other vehicles.These are some of the unpleasant jobs in naval shipyards and maintenance facilities that could be made safer by pairing human workers with robots. Experts say this could improve the speed and efficiency with which the U.S. Navy sustains its…
New Yangtze River Cruise Ship Under Construction
Shipbuilder China Merchants Heavy Industry (Jiangsu) is building a new cruise vessel for owner Changjiang Cruise Overseas Travel.The CSC-designed vessel is intended for operation on the Yangtze River, the largest river in China, and is scheduled to enter service in September 2021.The 150-meter-long long and 23-meter-wide vessel will reach an operating cruise speed of 14 knots. It will accommodate 600…
Future USS Delbert D. Black Completes Acceptance Trials
The U.S. Navy's future guided-missile destroyer USS Delbert D. Black (DDG 119) completed acceptance trials on March 12, returning to Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII), Ingalls Shipbuilding Division after spending two days at sea in the Gulf of Mexico.During acceptance trials, the ship's crew performed a series of demonstrations for review by the U.S. Navy's Board of Inspection and Survey (INSURV).
EU Antitrust Regulators Suspend Fincantieri-Chantiers Probe
European Union antitrust regulators have suspended their investigation into Fincantieri's bid for France's Chantiers de l'Atlantique while waiting for the Italian shipyard to provide requested data.The European Commission's website shows it halted the probe on March 13. Prior to that, it had been scheduled to rule on the case by April 17."This procedure in merger investigations is activated if the parties fail to provide…
Team Tankers Forms JV with V.Group
Tanker shipping company Team Tankers International Ltd. said it has formed a joint venture (JV) with ship management specialist V.Group, whereby Team will transfer its in-house managed fleet…
Viking Line Suspends Helsinki-Stockholm Service
Finnish cruise ferry operator Viking Line announced Tuesday that it will suspend service between Helsinki and Stockholm due to the developing COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic. Finnish authorities have closed the country’s borders during the state of emergency in effect in Finland.“To safeguard the security of supply between Finland and Sweden, we are maintaining service on the Turku–Åland–Stockholm route. We are also still making one sailing to Tallinn from Helsinki six days a week.
Long Beach Terminals Remain Open
Marine terminals at at the United States’ second-busiest seaport have remained open and operating amid the unfolding coronavirus crisis, with regular vessel calls and scheduled work shifts continuing, the Port of Long Beach said.The port said its marine terminals are receiving vessel calls and workers are transferring cargo off and on ships under the health-protective directives established by the U.S. Coast Guard and Customs and Border Protection, with guidance from the U.S.
Ports' Coronavirus Roadblocks Put Seafarers at Risk
The COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic taking hold around the world may leave seafarers without vital medicines and provisions as well as important spare parts, according to the International Shipsuppliers & Services Association (ISSA).Some ports have been refusing certain vessels entry because of previous port calls at coronavirus-affected areas, causing some to sail off without taking on the vital supplies they need to operate.ISSA…
Glencore Charters World's Largest Tanker to Store Crude
Trading house Glencore has chartered the 3 million barrel crude carrier Europe to store oil at sea for at least 6 months, trading sources on Tuesday.The vessel is one of two so-called ultra large crude carriers (ULCC), the largest tankers in the world.Glencore booked the vessel at a rate of $37,000 a day for the first six months, according to the sources.A Glencore spokesman declined to comment.Sources told Reuters last week that Royal Dutch Shell had provisionally booked at least three supertan
Jumbo Sends Employees to Work from Home to Cut COVID-19 Risk
Jumbo, a Dutch heavy lift shipping and offshore transportation company, has said it will close it office locations and send office employees to work from home until further notice, to reduce the risk of coronavirus infection.The marine company said it was acting in response to the Dutch Government guidance to slow down and prevent the spread of COVID-19 (Coronavirus). It also said that its vessels would continue with their schedule."Our teams (sales…
Chembulk Tankers to Join Womar
Chembulk Tankers signed commercial management agreements for its entire fleet of owned and chartered stainless-steel chemical tankers to enter commercial pools managed by Womar Logistics.
USCG National Vessel Documentation Center Suspends Walk-In Service.
The National Vessel Documentation Center (NVDC) made this announcement regarding changes to its operations in light of the growing COVID-19 threat:The National Vessel…
