Norwegian Cruise Line Secures $2.2 Bln Funds
Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd has raised over $2.2 billion through debt and equity offerings, giving the cash-strapped cruise operator much-needed funds to survive extended voyage suspensions due to the COVID-19 pandemic.The company warned on Tuesday that it might not have funds to keep its business running for the next 12 months.
China Exports, Imports Set to Plummet
China’s exports and imports are expected to record double-digit declines in April after a tentative recovery in March as the coronavirus pandemic batters global demand and disrupts manufacturing supply chains, a Reuters poll showed on Wednesday.The pessimistic projections reinforce concerns that the collapse in global demand will restrain the recovery in the world’s second-biggest economy as it gets…
US Rearms to Nullify China's Missile Supremacy
As Washington and Beijing trade barbs over the coronavirus pandemic, a longer-term struggle between the two Pacific powers is at a turning point, as the United States rolls out new weapons and strategy in a bid to close a wide missile gap with China.The United States has largely stood by in recent decades as China dramatically expanded its military firepower. Now, having shed the constraints of a Cold War-era arms control treaty…
AAM Launches 78' Catamaran Tour Boat
Shipbuilder All American Marine, Inc. (AAM) launched the first of two 78-foot aluminum catamarans for Seattle-based customer Great Western Attractions (GWA), who will operate the passenger excursion vessels in Puget Sound. The second vessel is on track to be launched in June.Designed by Teknicraft in Auckland New Zealand, these identical Subchapter T certified vessels were constructed at AAM’s 57,000 square foot facility on Bellingham Bay…
Wärtsilä to Cut 700 Jobs in Ship Unit Revamp
Finland's Wärtsilä plans to cut 700 jobs globally as the Finnish engineering group splits its ship technology business into three separate business units."Even though the timing is challenging, implementing the new organisation and modus operandi fast is important for Wartsila's future success," Vesa Riihimaki, head of Wärtsilä's Finnish operations said in a statement.Wärtsilä said 220 of the 700 job cuts would happen in Finland.($1 = 0.9229 euros)(Reporting by Tarmo Virki, editing by Louise Hea
Hapag-Lloyd Seeks Savings to Offset Coronavirus Losses
German container line Hapag-Lloyd is to implement cost cuts to take account of the coronavirus crisis, its chief executive Rolf Habben Jansen said on Wednesday.In a call with reporters, he said the Hamburg-based firm, the world's fifth largest shipping operator, would seek cost cuts by a "mid three-digit million euro sum this year."A slump in demand and a bunching of shipments due to a disruption in global logistics meant reduced port calls and empty sailings on certain routes, while costs to ha
National WISTA Associations Offer Free Membership for Seafarers
The Women’s International Shipping and Trading Association announced a new initiative aimed at helping seafarers.WISTA Norway, WISTA UK, WISTA Singapore, WISTA Brazil, and WISTA Argentina have come together to offer free WISTA membership for seafarers through August 31, 2020. Membership allows seafarers to access the largest network of female managers in the shipping industry, as well as online seminars, webinars and workshops.
Sailors' Society Launches COVID-19 Helpline
International maritime welfare charity Sailors' Society has launched a dedicated helpline for seafarers and their families.The confidential, 24 hour service is there to offer support and welfare to those worried or adversely affected by the coronavirus pandemic.Sandra Welch, the charity's COO and director of program, said: “We’ve seen an increase in calls for help and advice of late and there’s a lot of uncertainty…
Cruise Ship to House Staff from Coronavirus-hit Novatek Site
A cruise ship has arrived in Russia's northwesterly Murmansk region to accommodate healthy staff from a construction site run by the gas company Novatek, one of Russia's coronavirus hotspots…
Early Termination for DOF's Skandi Acergy. More Work for Two Other Vessels
Offshore vessel operator DOF Subsea has received a notice of early termination of a two-year charter contract for its vessel Skandi Acergy.The notice period is 60 days, and the termination of the charter contract for the construction / flex-lay vessel will be effective on 1 July 2020.While DOF Subsea did not name the client and just said that the notice of termination came from "an international client…
X-Press Feeders Names Yoskovitz CEO
X-Press Feeders CFO Shmuel Yoskovitz will take over as CEO, the Singapore-based feeder containership operator announced.Yoskovitz replaces Tim Hartnoll who has served as CEO since 2017.
Baleària Vessels to Be Certified as COVID-19 Safe
Shipping line Baleària says it is working toward being the first in the world to obtain the Global Safe Site COVID-19 badge at the highest level (Excellence) from certification and inspection body Bureau Veritas, certifying that its ships and the ferry terminals that it manages implement specific procedures, cleaning plans, organizational and personal protective measures to prevent COVID-19. The carrier…
Maersk Supply Service Cuts Jobs
Danish offshore vessel owner Maersk Supply Service will let go 55 people in an effort to cut its onshore costs.The company said Wednesday that, in response to the negative development in the oil and gas industry, Maersk Supply Service today announced that it will reduce its onshore costs by 30 percent. "Approximately 55 people will be affected globally, with the majority being in the Headquarters in Lyngby…
Cellphones Are Helping the USCG Locate Distressed Mariners
First Coast Guard District command center crews, from Maine to Northern New Jersey, have a new tool to help distressed mariners come home to their families after being out to sea.The i911 program allows for watchstanders to use a mariner’s cellphone number to assist in finding their location for Coast Guard rescue crews to locate them faster. Once the number is entered, the mariner receives a text message authorizing them to share their location with the U.S. Coast Guard.
Sonardyne's New Forward Looking Sonar Supports Collision Avoidance
A new forward looking sonar (FLS) from marine technology company Sonardyne International Ltd. supports collision avoidance capability for vessels.Vigilant FLS offers mariners subsurface situational awareness, providing live and past vessel track, detailed 3D bathymetry out to 600 meters and automated warnings of unseen collision hazards on and beneath the waterline out to 1.5 kilometers.Compact in size and with mounting options for both new build and retrofit…
Crude Oil Tanker Earnings Drop 68% in Nine Days -BIMCO
Crude oil tanker earnings have come down sharply in recent weeks with very large crude carrier (VLCC) earnings from the Middle East Gulf to China dropping 68% in just nine days (from $222,591 per day on April 22 to $71,885 per day on May 4), according to BIMCO. In the same period, daily VLCC earnings from the Middle East Gulf to the U.S. Gulf have plunged nearly 80% (from $162,433 per day to $36,249).The…
Liebherr: Broken Hook Cause of Orion Crane Collapse
The article was updated to include a statement by a Deme spokesperson who said that the Orion delivery would be delayed following the accident.Following last week's…
Ampelmann Makes One Millionth Offshore Transfer in Middle East
Ampelmann, a Dutch company providing crew transfer gangways to the offshore energy industry, has said it has achieved a milestone of one million safe personnel transfers in the Middle East.The company said Wednesday that the milestone, which it took nearly a decade to achieve, was achieved during a project with vessel owner Halul Offshore Services, a subsidiary on Milaha.The millionth transfer crew transfer was made via Ampelmann's A-type system…
HydroWing, Tocardo Working on Tidal-Energy-to-Hydrogen Project
UK-based HydroWing and Dutch tidal energy developer Tocardo are working on a solution that will convert tidal energy into hydrogen, store it and offload it - similar to an FPSO in the oil and gas industry - to overcome the intermittency as well as the transportation issues.The concept called the THyPSO (Tidal Hydrogen Production, Storage and Offloading) includes a floating platform housing 1 – 6 conventional bi-directional tidal turbines converting the tidal flows into electricity…
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.
