ABS Updates Offshore Wind Guidance
Classification society ABS said it has updated its guides addressing both floating and bottom-founded offshore wind turbines.The revised guides incorporate updated industry best practices and industry feedback, lessons learned from a range of projects in Europe and North America as well as latest developments in International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) standards for offshore wind turbines.“As the global market for offshore wind energy continues to grow…
Callan Marine Orders New Dredge General Bradley
Galveston, Texas-based dredging contractor Callan Marine announced Thursday it has ordered a new 28-inch cutter suction dredger that's due to join its fleet in 2021.The new dredge, General Bradley, is currently being built by Hagler Systems at the Halimar Shipyard in Morgan City, La. It will be 341 feet long with a 6.6-foot draft.Main dredge design and engineering work was performed by APT Offshore BV, who is also supplying key dredge components.
Tanker Crewmember Medevaced in US Gulf
An ailing seafarer was medevaced from a tanker vessel in the Gulf of Mexico, approximately 35 miles offshore of Freeport, Texas, Thursday.U.S. Coast Guard Sector Houston-Galveston watchstanders received a report from the captain of the Liberian-flagged tanker vessel Tosna Star of a 36-year-old man who was experiencing shortness of breath. Watchstanders consulted with the duty flight surgeon who recommended…
Bollinger Delivers USCGC Oliver Henry
Bollinger Shipyards has delivered the USCGC Oliver Henry to the U.S. Coast Guard in Key West, Fla. This is the 163rd vessel Bollinger has delivered to the U.S. Coast Guard over a 35-year period and the 40th Fast Response Cutter (FRC) delivered under the current program.The new cutter is the second of three FRCs to be homeported in Apra Harbor, Guam, increasing the presence for the U.S. Coast Guard in the Indo-Pacific Theater.
Op/Ed: Federal Support for Ports is Critical
Florida’s seaports are one of the state’s greatest economic assets, positively affecting every region and every resident. Our seaports have a $117.6 billion economic impact across Florida and account for more than 900,000 direct and indirect jobs, while linking our communities to vital national and international markets.During the COVID-19 crisis, ports across the country have sustained mounting losses.
Remote FATs Fill COVID-19 Service Gaps
With the coronavirus crisis continuing with no end in sight, Techcross says it is using various solutions to solve customer service issues. Videoconferencing has already become the most basic contactless activities, and the engineering team is filling on-site service gaps through new methods such as training local engineers or providing remote commissioning service.The pandemic has made it difficult for Techcross staff to visit clients and conduct factory acceptance tests (FATs)…
BMT Names de Bruin Managing Director for Europe
BMT announced Dennis de Bruin has been appointed Managing Director for BMT’s Commercial Shipping Europe business, with immediate effect.A BMT employee since 2004, de Bruin has more than 20 years of experience in the maritime industry. He has served for the last seven years as Marine Director for BMT's nautical and cargo department of the Rotterdam office.He will succeed Jeroen de Haas as Managing Director of our European offices in the Netherlands…
OHT Enters Offshore Wind Turbine Installation Business
Offshore Heavy Transport (OHT), a company specializing in, well, offshore heavy transport, has decided to diversify its offering and dive into the offshore wind turbine generator installation business.OHT said Thursday it had entered into a binding Heads of Agreement with China Merchants Heavy Industry (CMHI) in Jiangsu, China for the construction of two wind turbine generator (WTG) installation vessels.The company will have options to order two more vessels of the same type.
The Advantages of Variable Speed Gensets
Due to economic necessity, commercial ship operators have become increasingly focused on finding cost-optimized solutions to operate their vessels. In turn, power solutions providers like Rolls-Royce have been dedicated to finding ways to deliver the right technologies that will meet an operator’s specific requirements.In recent years, interest in variable speed units as a driver of certain commercial vessels has gained interest.
Royal Caribbean Hires Chief Medical Officer
Royal Caribbean Group has hired Dr. Calvin Johnson as Global Head, Public Health and Chief Medical Officer, a new role created to lead the cruise line operator's global health and wellness policy, manage its public health and clinical practice and determine the strategic plans and operations of its global healthcare organization.Johnson will also collaborate with the Healthy Sail Panel assembled in response to COVID-19…
Pump Tech Focus: Leistritz FlexCore Screw Pump Series
Leistritz Pumpen GmbH is a long and storied name in maritime business, and with its FLEXCORE screw pumps the company claims to provide an unusually wide application window and more freedom of installation. “With FLEXCORE, Leistritz has created a groundbreaking innovation – a pump class that unites qualitative, functional and economic aspects in a flexible, quickly available series product,“ said Philipp Rossow…
Sea Machines Bringing Marine Autonomy to the Classroom
Boston-based Sea Machines Robotics, a developer of autonomous command and control systems for surface vessels, has partnered with Maine Maritime Academy (MMA) and representatives of the U.S. Maritime Administration (MARAD)’s Maritime Environmental and Technical Assistance (META) Program to bring hands-on education about autonomous marine systems into the MMA curriculum.The Academy will provide instruction to cadets using MMA’s 41-ft Coast Guard cutter-class workboat R/V Quickwater…
Stalled Cruise Industry Targets Repeat Passengers
Retired New Yorkers Mahlon and Kim Russell have taken 15 cruises over the past 15 years, visiting destinations from Tahiti to St. Petersburg, primarily with Norwegian Cruise Line.After canceling a fall trip to Europe, in July the Russells booked a 10-day cruise around Australia and New Zealand—for January 2022.“We love cruising,” said Mahlon Russell. “But we don’t love it enough to be the first ones out of the gate.”The cruise industry has been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic…
Congress Responds to COVID19 and Other Challenges for the Maritime Industry
In response to the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic, the Congressional Research Service released a report that stated global economic growth has declined by 3% to 6% in 2020 with a partial recovery predicted for 2021. Also, the GDP of the U.S. has fallen by 5% in the first quarter 2020. According to the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the maritime industry, and seafarers themselves, have not…
Rig-building Impairments Drag Keppel to 1H Loss
Singaporean conglomerate Keppel Corp reported a loss in the first half of 2020 due to impairments in its offshore and marine business that has been battered by low global oil prices.Keppel posted a net loss of S$537 million ($390 million) for the six months to June, compared with a net profit of S$356 million a year ago.The company, whose businesses range from property development to rig-building, said it incurred impairments of S$930 million during the period mostly related to its offshore and
CrossWind Hires Van Oord for 759 MW Offshore Wind Farm Construction
Dutch offshore services giant Van Oord has won a construction contract for the Hollandse Kust (noord) offshore wind farm from CrossWind.The contract follows the announcement on Wednesday that CrossWind, a Shell-Eneco JV, had won a tender to develop the 759 MW subsidy-free offshore wind farm off the coast of the Netherlands.Van Oord’s activities will encompass the engineering, procurement, construction…
Envoy Acquires Avantis Marine
UK-based Envoy Group has acquired a marine engineering company, Avantis Marine, to target carbon reduction and clean energy solutions for offshore markets.Avantis specializes in marine engineering with a focus on environmental performance and clean technologies for the shipping, oil and gas and passenger transport markets. The business is headquartered in the Marshall Islands, and operates from bases in the UK, Monaco, Dubai, Singapore and Miami.
US to Help Japan Monitor 'Unprecedented' Chinese Incursion Around Disputed Islands
The U.S. military will help Japan monitor “unprecedented” Chinese incursions around East China Sea islands controlled by Tokyo but claimed by Beijing as Chinese boats prepare to begin fishing in nearby waters, the commander of U.S. Forces Japan said on Wednesday.“The United States is 100 percent absolutely steadfast in its commitment to help the government of Japan with the situation,” Lieutenant General…
US Appoints Coordinator for Arctic Policy as Mineral Race Heats Up
The Trump administration appointed a coordinator for policy in the Arctic on Wednesday, as Washington prepares to compete with Russia and China on resource extraction in a region quickly melting due to climate change.The State Department said Jim DeHart, a 28-year diplomat who most recently served as a senior adviser in South Korea, is now U.S. coordinator for the Arctic region.Washington has not had a top policy maker for the Arctic since Robert Papp…
