Danica Boss Says Safer for Crews to Stay on Board
A crew specialist has urged ship operators to exercise caution when making crew changeovers while the coronavirus outbreak continues to rampage across the globe.Responding to industry calls for seafarers to be given special travel dispensation, Henrik Jensen, managing director of Danica Crewing Services, warns that crew face a bigger risk of catching the virus while they travel to and from postings using public transport networks.Better to extend contracts where possible…
31 Years Ago Today: The Exxon Valdez Oil Spill
On March 24. 1989, the single-hull tanker Exxon Valdez was departing the Port of Valdez, Alaska with a full load of North Slope crude oil (approximately 1.26 million barrels) destined for Long Beach when it grounded on Bligh Reef in Prince William Sound. The resulting oil spill (approximately 258,000 barrels), while not the largest in US history, was clearly the most important. It engendered much litigation.
Work from Home: Energy Traders Swap Shouts for Babies, Barking Dogs
SINGAPORE, March 24 -- From banks of screens and giant phones in the office, energy traders worldwide are adapting to a laptop in the bedroom -- and it's going surprisingly well.Working from home has become the new norm in the oil trading hubs of Singapore, London and New York as governments encourage physical distancing to curb the spread of coronavirus.While some energy companies have long had facilities in place to allow off-site access to trading platforms and other technology…
Teekay Offshore Changes Name
Teekay Offshore Partners L.P., a provider of offshore oil production and storage vessels for the offshore oil and gas industry, has changed its name.The company announced Tuesday its name has changed to Altera Infrastructure L.P. effective March 24, 2020. The move comes following the recent acquisition of the company by Brookfield Business Partners L.P.The group of entities comprising of the company's…
42 People Sick on Cruise Ship Zaandam
Passengers aboard the cruise ship Zaandam are being quarantined after 42 people on board exhibited "influenza-like symptoms", the ship's operator Holland America Line said.As of Sunday morning, 13 passengers and 29 crew reported to the ship’s medical center, but it is unknown whether these are coronavirus cases as there is no COVID-19 testing available on board.Holland America Line said it asked passengers to self-quarantine "out of an abundance of caution"…
Coronavirus-related Inspections Delay Venezuelan Oil Exports
At least two cargoes of Venezuelan crude have been delayed due to health inspections aboard tankers to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, according to an internal…
HII Promotes Jones, Fuller at its Newport News Shipbuilding
Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) announced changes to its leadership team at its Newport News Shipbuilding division, effective March 13.Julia Jones was promoted to vice president of manufacturing and facilities, where she is responsible for all manufacturing and facilities operations. She has served as the acting vice president since January. Jones has more than 22 years of shipbuilding experience…
Total Lubmarine's Talusia Universal Gains NOL from WinGD
Total Lubmarine’s Talusia Universal (BN57) has received a No Objection Letter (NOL) from WinGD for all fuels (liquid and gas) with a sulphur content 0.00%S - 1.50%S.The…
Port of Hamburg Says Containers Are In Good Supply
The Port of Hamburg, responding to reports of bottlenecks in the supply of empty containers, conducted a flash poll this week asking shipping lines about the current situation and found that shipping lines see no appreciable scarcity of equipment in Hamburg and other German seaports, with no shortages expected to arise.According to Port of Hamburg Marketing (HHM), the shipping lines mentioned several factors that provide for a stable supply of empty equipment.
Western Supply Chains Buckle as Coronavirus Lockdowns Spread
Freight carriers are struggling to deliver goods by land, sea or air as the coronavirus pandemic forces Western governments to impose lockdowns, threatening supplies of vital products including medicines into the most affected areas, such as Italy.While China's draconian steps to stop the spread of the virus are now allowing its economy slowly to come back online, supply chains are backing up in other…
Viking Continues Operations on Main Freight Lines
Finnish cruise ferry operator Viking Line announced Monday it will continue service on its "most important" routes despite concerns about the coronavirus outbreak."Taking the security of supply for Finland and Åland as well as the cargo transport demands into consideration, we continue freight traffic between Helsinki and Tallinn as well as on the Turku–Åland–Stockholm route," it said in a statement.“To safeguard the security of supply between Finland and Sweden…
Insights: Gavin Higgins, CEO, Everett Ship Repair
Everett Ship Repair (ESR) is a relatively new name in the U.S. ship repair business. Established in October 2019, the Pacific Northwest shipyard is owned by Ice Cap Holdings, LLC, which is also the parent company to another shipyard not too far away: Nichols Brothers Boat Builders (NBBB).Both ESR and NBBB are headed up by CEO Gavin Higgins, who is responsible for the development of new business opportunities and cultivation of new business relationships…
Baltic Index Falls On Waning Panamax Rates
The Baltic Exchange's main sea freight index hit an almost one-week low on Monday, dragged down by weaker demand for panamax and supramax vessels.The Baltic index, which tracks rates for capesize, panamax and supramax vessels that ferry dry bulk commodities, dipped 8 points, or 1.3%, to 617. This is its lowest level since March 17.The panamax index fell 33 points, or 4.1%, to 774, posting its 11th successive decline.Average daily earnings for panamaxes…
Wärtsilä Simulation Technology for SAMK
The technology group Wärtsilä has delivered a navigation simulator and specific mathematical models to the Satakunta University of Applied Sciences (SAMK) in the city of Rauma, Finland. These will be used as an essential enabler in the Intelligent Shipping Technology Test Laboratory (ISTLAB) project, which aims at creating a technically precise testing environment for remotely controlled, autonomous vessels.
Saudi Arabia's Tanker Power Play Could Backfire
Top exporter Saudi Arabia has chartered an armada of ships to flood the market with additional oil, but in the process has driven freight costs so high refiners are reluctant to take the shipments.That could leave the kingdom stuck with tens of millions of barrels in expensive ships at anchor when the coronavirus outbreak has destroyed oil demand and international prices have lost more than half their…
US Supreme Court Maroons Filmmaker in Blackbeard Video Piracy Fight
The U.S.
Could Coronavirus Disruption Offer an Opportunity for China Shipyards?
A decline in the rate of infections in China provides yards with the opportunity to reorganize their delivery schedules to address an approaching output slump, says Maritime Strategies International (MSI)The welcome news of declining rates of coronavirus infections in China, together with steps already in place and still to come in terms of government intervention, provide the barest glimmer of good…
Wallenius Wilhelmsen Withdraws Dividend, Mothballs Vessels
Shipping firm Wallenius Wilhelmsen, which transports cars and other vehicles from factories to markets, has cut its dividend to zero and will mothball up to 10 vessels as demand plunged amid the coronavirus outbreak, it said on Monday.The company also plans to scrap up to four older vessels, it added.Oslo-listed Wallenius Wilhelmsen, which operates around 125 vessels, had originally proposed to pay dividends of up to $60 million, divided into two tranches."The world has changed dramatically over
Dock Workers at Brazil's Santos Port Call off Strike Vote
A union representing the on-demand dock workers has called off a vote that had been scheduled for Monday on whether to hold a strike at Latin America's largest port over concerns about risks from the coronavirus outbreak.In a statement on Sunday, the union - which said it represents about 5,000 people - said the cancellation of the vote was due to a request from government officials.
Cochin Shipyard Suspends Operations Due to COVID-19
India's Cochin Shipyard Ltd. (CSL) said it has suspended shipbuilding and repair operations amid the coronavirus pandemic. It said "essential services' would continue.Seven people have died and more than 400 have tested positive for COVID-19 in India, according to the health ministry, with more than 80 cities and districts placed under lockdown.The full statement from the shipbuilder is below: In pursuance of the instructions of instructions of Govt of India dated 22 March 22…
