L3Harris Wins Contract to Support MSC Vessels
L3Harris Technologies said it has been awarded a five-year Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity contract from the U.S. Navy’s Military Sealift Command (MSC) to provide product support services for ship control products installed on its vessels.The work scope includes repair and maintenance of the control systems onboard the Henry J. Kaiser-class oilers (T-AO-187/199) and other MSC vessels. L3Harris will conduct appraisals…
U.S. Navy, NOAA Strike Deal to Fast-Track Unmanned Maritime Systems
The advent of autonomy in the maritime and subsea space has received a significant boost with the announcement that a pair of U.S. government titans, the United States Navy and NOAA, have inked an deal to jointly expand the development and operations of unmanned maritime systems.“With the strengthening of our ongoing partnership with the Navy, NOAA will be better positioned to transition unmanned maritime…
Shell to Charter Six Newbuild LNG Carriers
Oil and gas giant Shell has signed long-term charters for six newbuild liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers.Shell has signed separate agreements for two LNG ships each with affiliates of Knutsen LNG, Korea Line Corporation, and ICBC Financial Leasing and institutional investors advised by J.P. Morgan Asset Management.The 174,000 cbm LNG ships will be built by Hyundai Heavy Industries and Hyundai Samho Heavy Industries.
Giant SOS Leads to Rescue of Three Sailors Stranded on Pacific Isle
Three Micronesian sailors stranded on a remote Pacific island drew a giant SOS message in the sand to attract the attention of rescuers, who found them three days after they went missing at sea.Australian and U.S. aircraft located the men on tiny Pikelot island, about 200 km (124 miles) west of where they had set off in a seven-metre (23-ft) skiff before veering off course and running out of fuel."I…
Ocean Explorer Finds WWII Submarine off Hawaii
A veteran ocean explorer and his team have employed advanced underwater technology to discover and scan World War II submarine USS S-35 (SS-140) offshore Hawaii.This is the 7th US WWII submarine found by Tiburon Subsea CEO Tim Taylor and his "Lost 52 Project" team. This recent discovery utilized pioneering robotics and methods at the forefront of today's underwater technology. The explorers applied a combination of autonomous underwater vehicles (AUV)…
First of Five Newbuilds Launched for Unichart Navigation
The first of five new general cargo vessels on order for Unichart Navigation Limited has been launched by the Delta Shipyard in Chattogram, Bangladesh.M.V. Roknoor-32 is approximately 82.5 meters long with the capacity of 3,200 deadweight tons and is the first Bangladesh flag vessel being constructed under the classification of the Indian Register of Shipping (IRClass).Executive Director of Delta Shipyard…
Stena Rederi Opens New Baltic Route
From August 13, 2020, Stena Line will start a new freight focused connection between Latvia, Sweden and Germany by adding a port-call in Karlskrona on the existing ferry route between Liepaja and Travemünde.Stena Line today offers seven routes in the Baltic Sea for freight and passenger transportation. The additional service to freight customers a port-call in Karlskrona on the existing route between Liepaja and Travemünde…
Intellian Completes Its Next Gen Global Xpress Portfolio
Intellian launches the latest in its next generation GX range of antennas: the GX60NX, designed specifically and now type approved for use with Inmarsat’s Global Xpress Ka-band VSAT network. This 65cm terminal, the smallest in the range, completes Intellian’s GX portfolio. The GX60NX is suited to smaller commercial vessels, and supports customers across all markets, including leisure and fishing.The Below Deck Terminal (BDT)…
U.S. Navy's New Fast Transport Ship Passes Acceptance Trials
Shipbuilder Austal has informed that the U.S. Navy's fast-transport ship USNS Newport (EPF 12) has completed acceptance trials in the Gulf of Mexico. USNS Newport is the 12th Spearhead-class Expeditionary Fast Transport ship built by Austal USA in Mobile, Alabama, for the United States Navy (USN) in less than 8 years.Austal Chief Executive Officer David Singleton said: "Austal’s EPF high-speed catamaran is a true success story…
Newport Shipping Names Loges Managing Director for Germany
Newport Shipping said Ingmar Loges has joined the company as Managing Director, Germany, supportSing U.K.-based drydocking services firm in group financial strategy and marketing strategy for the German market.Loges comes with more than 30 years of industry experience in domestic and international marketplaces. His previous roles included Global Head of Ship and Offshore Finance for the last 15 years in financial institutions DVB BANK SE Amsterdam…
Scorpio Bulkers Plans to Buy Wind Turbine Installation Vessel
Dry bulk shipowner Scorpio Bulkers on Monday announced it has signed a letter of intent to purchase a newbuild wind turbine installation vessel (WTIV) as a “first step in a transition towards a sustainable business in renewable energy”.Scorpio said it expects to sign a $265-$290 million shipbuilding contract with South Korea's Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering (DSME) in the fourth quarter of 2020.
Lower Mississippi River to be Deepened to 50 Feet
The ports at Baton Rouge, New Orleans, South Louisiana, St. Bernard and Plaquemines are slated to have deep draft access after Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards and other state officials signed a formal agreement with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Friday to begin construction on the deepening of the Lower Mississippi River to 50 feet from 45 feet. The overall project will provide a draft of 50-feet from the Port of Baton Rouge to the Gulf of Mexico over 256 miles of the Mississippi River.
Ship Believed to Have Spilled Oil off Venezuela
An oil slick washed up over the weekend on the coastline of Venezuela's western Falcon state, known for pristine beaches and nature preserves, two opposition lawmakers said on Monday, though there was no official comment on the spill's provenance.Maria Hernandez, who chairs the opposition-held National Assembly's environmental committee, said she was concerned about the effect of pollution on marine…
75 Flee Sinking Cruise Ferry in Thailand
All passengers and crew managed to escape from a sinking passenger vessel on Thailand's Chao Phraya River on Sunday evening, The National Thailand reports. The three-story vessel High Season 1 was said to be carrying 60 passengers, mostly Thai and Chinese tourists, plus 15 crew when it sank near a private pier in Soi Somdet Chaophraya 1 in Bangkok’s Khlong San district. There were no reported injuries…
Venezuela's Oil Exports Stagnant in July
Venezuela exported about 388,100 barrels per day of crude and fuel in July, almost unchanged versus the previous month, as U.S. sanctions on PDVSA continued limiting sales, according to Refinitiv Eikon and internal data from the state-run company.Washington has ramped up pressure this year on PDVSA’s customers, trade partners and shippers aiming to stop the re-sale of Venezuelan oil and block efforts…
Norway Suspends Cruises Carrying 100+ People After Outbreak
Norway stopped all cruise ships with more than 100 people on board from disembarking at its ports from Monday, after an outbreak of COVID-19 was reported late last week on a ship that had already disembarked at the port of Tromsoe.At least 41 passengers and crew who were on board the cruise ship MS Roald Amundsen, operated by Norwegian company Hurtigruten, have so far tested positive for the coronavirus…
Baltic Index Ticks Upward
The Baltic Exchange's main sea freight index climbed on Monday, as demand for capesize and panamax vessels rose.The Baltic dry index, which tracks rates for ships ferrying dry bulk commodities and reflects rates for capesize, panamax and supramax vessels, was up 35 points, or 2.6%, at 1,385.The Baltic capesize index rose 91 points, or 4.1%, to 2,297.Average daily earnings for capesizes, which typically transport cargoes of 170,000 tonnes to 180,000 tonnes, including iron ore and coal, were up $7
Ship Emissions: ABS Spearheads the Future of EEDI for Ships
A team led by ABS has been awarded a contract by the European Commission (EC) to explore future directions for the IMO’s Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI) for ships.The landmark study will look at ways to improve and accelerate the integration of low-carbon fuels and innovative technologies into the requirements of the index, which was originally created to reduce emissions from ships by promoting design improvements and the adoption of more energy-efficient power systems.The EC…
Leadership Development in the Merchant Marine: The Growing Significance for the Future
How many times have you heard someone say, “Oh, that person is a born leader; I could never do what they do as I am not a born leader”? That train of thought has recently come under increased scrutiny and debate as the U.S. Merchant Marine enters the 21st century. As part of this focus, the International Maritime Association (IMO) updated the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW) with the 2010 Manilla Amendments.
Ship Power: Inside WinGD's X-DF2.0 Technology
Developments in marine power today are centered on ever tightening legislative mandate which increasingly aim to dramatically reduce and eventually eliminate greenhouse gas emissions to the environment. While the holy grail of being truly ‘emissions free’ is still not feasible, there is much concurrent work in industry and academia to develop and source the fuels, the machinery technology, the logistical…
