Viking Line Plans to Restart Passenger Service
Ferry operator Viking Line said Tuesday it will restart passenger service for essential travel after the Finnish government annouced plans to gradually ease some restrictions related to the coronavirus pandemic.Passenger service will be restricted to travel for work and other travel defined by the authorities until at least May 31, the cruise ferry operator said.Four of Viking Line’s seven vessels will continue their service between Finland and Sweden, the Åland Islands and Estonia.
Kirby Reports Q1 Loss, Withdraws 2020 Guidance
America's largest tank barge operator Kirby Corporation on Tuesday announced a net loss of $248.5 million for the first quarter, down from $44.3 million earnings for the same period last year. The company also withdrew its full year earnings guidance.The sharp deceline in energy prices and oil and gas activity negatively impacted the revenue and operating income of Kirby's distribution and services segment…
Pirates Kidnap 10 Crew from Tanker off Nigeria
Pirates have reportedly kidnapped 10 crew members from an oil tanker off the coast of Nigeria, maritime security consultancy Dryad Global reported.An uknown number…
Ingalls Awarded $187 Mln Advance Procurement Contract for LHA 9
Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) announced Tuesday that its Ingalls Shipbuilding division has received a $187.46 million advance procurement contract from the U.S. Navy to provide long-lead-time material and advance procurement activities for amphibious assault ship LHA 9.“This contract allows us to maintain the health of our critical nationwide shipbuilding supplier base while continuing our serial production of large-deck amphibs,” Ingalls Shipbuilding President Brian Cuccias said.
Hexcel’s HexPly M79 Prepregs Receive Type Approval
Hexcel has announced the Type Approval Certification of its HexPly M79 prepreg materials by DNV GL. This important third party verification allows HexPly M79 materials to be used in all DNV GL classed vessels and provides ship and boat builders with additional independent assurance of the product’s quality, performance and consistency.Hexcel has supplied advanced composite materials to the marine industry…
Norwegian Cruise Line Flags Doubts About Its Ability to Stay Afloat
Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd, the world’s third-largest cruise operator, raised doubts about its ability to continue operating on Tuesday, the first in the sector to signal it may succumb to the coronavirus crisis.The company’s shares closed down more than 20% as it launched a $1.6 billion offering of shares and bonds in a scramble to raise money, and announced a $400 million investment in a…
Crowley Signs Up to Inmarsat’s Fleet Xpress
Crowley Maritime Corp. has agreed a contract to install Fleet Xpress from satellite communications provider Inmarsat on a majority of its vessels.The 128-year old Florida-headquartered business owns, operates and manages a diverse fleet of close to 200 vessels, including conventional and dual fuel (LNG) containerships, tankers and articulated tug-barges, and ship assist and offshore services tugboats…
Tallink Passenger Traffic Down 96% From Last Year
Estonian shipping firm Tallink on Tuesday reported a 96% drop in April passenger traffic and 14% drop in cargo traffic as countries around Baltic Sea locked down to limit the spread of the coronavirus.Tallink operates large ferries between Estonia and Finland, and from Latvia, Estonia and Finland to Sweden.The Estonian government has said it was ready to invest 150 million euros ($164 million) in the convertible debt of Tallink as the company provides crucial transport links.Finland and Estonia
French Wheat Shipments Remain High Despite Lockdown
French soft wheat shipments outside the EU last month reached a four-year high for April, Refinitiv data showed, as exporters continued to ship high volumes during the coronavirus pandemic.Soft wheat exports to destinations outside the European Union totalled 1.56 million tonnes, the highest April volume since the 2015/16 season, an initial estimate based on Refinitiv loading data showed.The April volume was about 70,000 tonnes lower than non-EU soft wheat exports the previous month, which marke
Eastern Lays Keel for OPC USCGC Argus
Eastern Shipbuilding Group reports that the keel laying ceremony for the U.S. Coast Guard’s first-of-class Offshore Patrol Cutter (OPC) Argus (WMSM-915) was held on April 28, 2020 at Eastern’s Nelson Street facility in Panama City, Fla. USCGC Argus is scheduled to be delivered in 2022.The ceremony was performed and recorded without audience to comply with CDC guidelines to combat the spread of COVID…
EvoLogics Modems Authorized for US Navy Use
ANU listing granted after favorable USBL accuracy testsEvoLogics underwater acoustic modems were recently listed as Authorized for Navy Use (ANU), following a lengthy period of testing and technical evaluation by Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) and The Emergency Ship Salvage Material (ESSM) System. The ANU Program provides a list of selected diving equipment, tools and accessories which have undergone design safety reviews…
SMM Exhibition Rescheduled to February 2021
One of the world's largest shipbuilding exhibitions, SMM, held bi-annually in Hamburg, Germany and scheduled to take place in September 8-11, 2020, has been postponed to 2-5 February 2021 in response to the Coronavirus pandemic and its global impact on major events and international travelling.“The continued highly dynamic development of COVID-19 and the resulting ban on major events have left us no other choice but to postpone SMM to next year.
