Venezuela's Military to Escort Iranian Tankers
Venezuela's military will escort Iranian tankers bringing fuel to the gasoline-starved country as soon as they enter its exclusive economic zone, Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino said on Wednesday.His comments came after Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido said the shipment should "alarm" Latin America. Both OPEC members are U.S. adversaries whose oil industries are under U.S. sanctions. Trump…
China to Europe Container Spot Rates in Rare Reversal -BIMCO
Throughout April, container shipping spot freight rates on the back-haul trade from North Europe to China were higher than those on the front-haul trade from China to North Europe. This is a rare occurrence that has developed in the wake of the massive supply chain disruptions in the world’s top manufacturing hub due to the COVID-19 outbreak, causing aftershocks across the Far East.“A reversal of front-haul and back-haul spot freight rates is a rare event.
Ingalls Lifts Deckhouse onto DDG125
Huntington Ingalls Industries’ (HII) Ingalls Shipbuilding division on Wednesday lifted the aft deckhouse onto guided missile destroyer Jack H. Lucas (DDG 125). The 320-ton aft deckhouse includes radar equipment rooms, main engine intake and exhaust compartments, electric shop and staterooms.“Our team has kept this first Flight III ship ahead of schedule by working collaboratively and using lessons learned from our long history of building destroyers…
FMC to Investigate Alleged Discriminatory Canadian BWMS Regulations
The U.S. Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) said it will initiate an investigation into whether ballast water regulations proposed by the Government of Canada discriminate against U.S. flag vessel operators in the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River.The FMC commissioners voted unanimously to accept a petition filed by trade group the Lake Carriers’ Association (LCA) asking the commision to perform the investigation and examine the detriment and harm to the U.S.
Ingalls Shipbuilding to Host Drive-in Hiring Event
Job candidates looking to be employed by one of the United States' largest shipbuilders will be able to interview for a job without having to leave their cars.America’s largest military shipbuilding company Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) announced Wednesday that its Ingalls Shipbuilding division in Pascagoula, Miss. will host a "drive-in hiring event" due to coronavirus restrictions. On Friday, May 22, from 9 a.m.
C&C Marine and Repair Adds Fabrication Space
Belle Chasse, La. shipyard C&C Marine and Repair said it has grown its indoor fabrication space to accommodate an expanding pipeline of newbuild and repair projects.The shipyard announced Wednesday it has acquired from Versabar, Inc. a 35,000-square-foot fabrication building complete with four 40-ton overhead gantry cranes, equipped with 10-ton auxiliary cranes. C&C Marine and Repair took possession of the building from Versabar…
Crew Training for a Future that Includes Autonomous Vessels
As we continue to contemplate a future with ships transitioning to automated and autonomous operations, the need for new and innovated crew training will only increase. Our current and future ship crews will need to straddle both new and existing vessel operation technology. This will present challenges, but ones that the industry can address in a proactive manner.Traditionally, maritime skills have changed slowly and new technology was assimilated on the fly in many cases.
US Navy's Newest Yard Tug Launched
The U.S. Navy’s first Yard Tug (YT) 808 class vessel was launched at Dakota Creek Industries' (DCI) shipyard on May 16. The Navy and DCI plan to conduct acceptance trials for the vessel in July, followed by planned delivery in August.The new tug is the first in a series of six being built by the Anacortes, Wash. shipbuilder for scheduled delivery through early 2022. The YT 808 vessels are designed by Robert Allan Ltd.
US Tells Gulf Mariners to Stay Clear of Its Warships
In an alert that appeared aimed squarely at Iran, the U.S. Navy issued a warning on Tuesday to mariners in the Gulf to stay 100 meters away from U.S. warships or risk being “interpreted as a threat and subject to lawful defensive measures.”The notice to mariners, which was first reported by Reuters, follows U.S. President Donald Trump’s threat last month to fire on any Iranian ships that harass Navy vessels."Armed vessels approaching within 100 meters of a U.S.
WTO's Goods Trade Index at Record Low Amid COVID-19 Disruptions
The World Trade Organization (WTO) said on Wednesday its goods trade indicator fell to the lowest level since its launch, indicating global trade was likely to fall “precipitously” in the first half of 2020 due to disruptions caused by COVID-19.The indicator, launched in July 2016, fell to 87.6 from 95.5 in February, the Geneva-based body said. Readings of less than 100 indicate trade below medium-term trends.“The current reading captures the initial phases of the COVID-19 outbreak…
Tech File: Automating Ballast Ops When Installing BWMS
Installing ballast water treatment systems to comply with new regulations will require owners to automate ballast operations on board their vessels or barges. Retrofitting ballast water treatment systems generally requires modifications to the existing ballast systems. Many older vessels have remote operated valves, but no automation of the ballast system. EMI has been working with parent company W&O…
After US Warning, Iran Says its Navy Will Still Operate in Gulf
The Iranian navy will maintain regular missions in the Gulf, the ISNA news agency reported on Wednesday, a day after the United States warned mariners there to stay away from U.S. warships.“The naval units of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman will continue their regular missions in accordance with professional principles as in the past,” ISNA quoted an unnamed military official as saying.The U.S. warning to mariners followed U.S.
Royal Caribbean Warns of Second-quarter Loss
Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd forecast a loss in the second quarter on Wednesday as the cruise operator struggles with mounting debt amid trip cancellations due to travel curbs imposed to check the spread of the coronavirus.The company, which posted a bigger-than-expected loss in the first quarter, has faced the brunt of the COVID-19 pandemic as major outbreaks in cruises were blamed for spreading the disease.In the past few months, Royal Caribbean has borrowed more than $5 billion, some by pledgi
Ukraine's Odessa Gets First WTI Oil Cargo from US
Ukraine's Black Sea port of Odessa is set to receive on Wednesday its first ever West Texas Intermediate (WTI) oil cargo from the United States, according to industry sources and shipping data…
Daniels Tapped to Lead Port Everglades
Port of Gulfport (Mississippi) executive director Jonathan Daniels will move east and take the top spot as the Chief Executive & Port Director at Port Everglades, as announed by Broward County Administrator Bertha Henry. Broward’s seaport is a gateway for cargo, cruise and petroleum that is undergoing a $1.6 billion port expansion effort. Daniels comes to Port Everglades from the Port of Gulfport,…
Frontline Says Floating Oil Storage May be Close to Peak
The volume of crude stored on oil tanker vessels is currently estimated to around 200 million barrels and may be close to a peak, tanker group Frontline said in…
Seastema Autopilot Achieves DNV GL Type Approval
Naval automation and navigation systems supplier Seastema said its SEAS-PILOT HCS autopilot system has been certified with the MED/4.16 Type Approval Certificate of Conformity by DNV GL.With this result, Seastema, a Fincantieri company, becomes the only Italian manufacturer, and one of the first worldwide, of a certified autopilot system in conformity with the new European regulation MED (Marine Equipment Directive) 2019/1397…
The Final Word: COVID-19 & the Treatment of Seafarers
Frank Coles, CEO, Wallem Group, is known to “call ‘em like he sees ‘em”. We caught up with Coles via video conference from Hong Kong last month to discuss the impact of COVID-19 on maritime, the future of digitalization and autonomy, and the shameful treatment of seafarers. “The only shock to my system that was at the same level was 9/11, because of its impact on the world,” is how Frank Coles puts the current COVID-19 pandemic in perspective.
Le Havre Pilot Ops Enhanced with Wärtsilä Simulator
Wärtsilä will supply a complete navigational simulator upgrade for the Le Havre pilot station in France, providing the pilot station with a new simulator adapted to the requirements of the pilots’ operations.The order with Wärtsilä was placed in February 2020.The new unique visualization system to be supplied is based on 14 DP projectors, comprising seven main circular and seven ground projection systems. It features a panoramic 350-degree screen.
#WeatheringtheStorm: American Club, Eagle Ocean Video Salutes Seafarers
“Weathering the Storm” salutes heroes of the sea in turbulent timesThe American Club and Eagle Ocean Marine (EOM) have produced a video entitled ‘Weathering the Storm’ which salutes the service of seafarers in these turbulent times as they seek to protect themselves in their vital work, at sea and in port, against the ravages of COVID-19.The video can be accessed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MVTBZ0v1w4Q“As seafarers labor in their essential role of enabling global trade…
