Port of Baltimore Sets Cargo Moves Record
The Helen Delich Bentley Port of Baltimore’s Seagirt Marine Terminal topped its record for most container moves from a single ship.The 5,536 container moves conducted by longshore workers handling the Maersk Edinburgh over three days was the largest number of moves for a single ship in the port’s 314-year history, surging past the previous record of 5,181 moves set last year.“This record container…
Britain to Lead Training Program for Ukrainian Navy
Britain will lead a multinational program to help train the Ukrainian navy, the Ministry of Defense said on Tuesday, seeking to bolster security in the region and improve Ukraine’s ability to defend itself against Russia.Ukraine and Russia have been foes since 2014, when Moscow seized Ukraine’s Crimea peninsula and backed a rebellion in the east.
Synergy, Norden Launch Tanker JV
Synergy Group and D.S. Norden have formed a new 50/50 joint venture to handle the technical management of Norden’s owned tanker vessels. Norden Synergy Ship Management (NSSM) will be headed by Henrik Christensen who previously managed Norden’s Technical Department.“We see great alignment when we have partnered previously and we expect that to lead to more mutual wins in the future through NSSM,” said Captain Rajesh Unni…
Many Chinese Fishing Vessels Near Galapagos Cut Off AIS, Ecuador Says
Ecuador's armed forces said on Tuesday that dozens of vessels from a predominantly Chinese fishing fleet that is operating near the Galapagos Islands have turned off tracking systems to prevent monitoring of their activities.Of around 325 ships still fishing in the waters near the ecologically sensitive Galapagos, 149 have at some point in recent months cut off communications, Navy Commander, Rear Admiral Darwin Jarrin told reporters.Some had also changed the vessels' names to avoid supervision…
Stored Crude, Condensate Could be Shipped from Shuttered Libyan Ports
A limited reopening of Libyan oil terminals could allow the export of some crude oil and condensate stored at Es Sider, Brega, Zueitina and Hariga, but leaves a months-long blockade of the ports in place, oil engineers say.East Libyan authorities said on Wednesday they would permit exports of the stored products in an effort to ease an electricity supply crisis that has resulted in increasingly lengthy…
CCGS John Cabot Starts Sea Trials
The Canadian Coast Guard’s third Offshore Fisheries Science Vessel (OFSV) has begun sea trials just six weeks after being launched by Seaspan Shipyards in Vancouver, B.C.The future Coast Guard vessel the CCGS John Cabot cruised out of English Bay on Wednesday to begin sea trials, marking another major milestone for this third OFSV built under Canada’s National Shipbuilding Strategy (NSS).Over the next…
LISCR Expands Its Leadership Team
The Liberian Registry said it has augmented its leadership team to help keep pace with nearly 12% over the last 12 months. The Liberian International Ship and Corporate Registry (LISCR) has added to its ranks Thomas Klenum as Senior Vice President of Maritime Operations, and Reynaldo Garibaldi as Senior Vice President of Maritime Operations and South America.Klenum, based at the Registry’s headquarters…
Odfjell Names Jensen as Chief Sustainability Officer
Norwegian tanker shipping company Odfjell SE said it has appointed Øistein Jensen to fill the newly created Chief Sustainability Officer (CSO) executive position. Jensen, currently Odfjell’s Chief of Staff, takes on the new role and will lead Odfjell SE’s company-wide work on environmental, social and governance matters (ESG).“Our appointment of a Chief Sustainability Officer reflects our firm commitment to ESG and the responsibility we take as a global operator.
Project Cargo and Heavy Lifts in the COVID-19 Environment
The year 2020 has presented a litany of challenges to the safe movement of global project cargo. While heavy lifts and engineered cargo movements always present challenges from a rigging and execution standpoint, we have also faced exceptional challenges on other fronts. These have included cancelled vessel bookings, port facilities as well as prefabrication/modulization yard closures, lack of vessel and facility access as well as travel restrictions.
Ocean Influencer: Graham Hawkes, HAWX Open Ocean
The July/August edition of Marine Technology Reporter, the 15th Annual "MTR100", recognizes Graham Hawkes a subsea innovator, explorer, inventor and pusher of boundaries. A pioneer in the realm of ocean engineering, he’s designed and built more than 60 manned submersibles—everything from atmospheric dive suits to flying subs. As a test pilot, he’s maintained the deepest solo dive record for more than 20 years.
Maersk Expects Pre-COVID Container Demand in 2021
Shipping group Maersk on Wednesday issued full-year earnings guidance above its forecast at the beginning of the year and said it expects demand for moving containers at sea to return to pre-COVID levels in the first half of next year.The company's share price jumped more than 7% in early trade to an eight-month high, and has doubled in value since March, as cost cuts and the prospect of a global economic…
K Line, Airseas Get AiP for Seawing Kite System
Classification society ClassNK has granted an Approval in Principle (AIP) for the Seawing system, an automated wind-powered kite capable of towing commercial ships and improving a vessel's fuel economy by 20%.ClassNK granted the approval to the shipping company Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd. (K Line) and Airseas, the developer of the Seawing system.Seawing is a kite system that assists vessel propulsion by towing commercial ships using wind power…
Wakashio Owner Apologizes, Says it Supports Crew after Arrests over Mauritius Oil Spill
Japan's Nagashiki Shipping, the owner of a bulk carrier that ran aground in Mauritius, causing an oil spill in one of the world's most pristine environments, said Wednesday it awaited judicial decisions after two of the ship's officers were arrested.Nagashiki issued a statement on Wednesday after the arrest overnight in Mauritius of the captain and of the bulk carrier, MV Wakashio, and another of the ship's officers on charges of endangering safe navigation.
Wakashio Bow Towed to Deeper Waters
The bow section of the stricken bulk carrier Wakashio has been towed to deeper waters eight nautical miles off Mauritius after the grounded vessel broke apart atop a coral reef near Pointe d'Esny off the Indian Ocean island's east coast. The Japanese-owned Wakashio struck the reef on July 25 and began spilling oil on August 6, triggering the country's worst ecological disaster and prompting the government to declare a state of environmental emergency.About 1…
Subsea Mining: The Race is On, But Effects are Unclear
Mining the ocean floor for submerged minerals is a little-known, experimental industry. But soon it will take place on the deep seabed, which belongs to everyone, according to international law.Seabed mining for valuable materials like copper, zinc and lithium already takes place within countries’ marine territories. As soon as 2025, larger projects could start in international waters – areas more than 200 nautical miles from shore…
Op/Ed: Government Response Should be Investigated After Wakashio Spill
The stranding of the MV Wakashio is one of the biggest environmental disasters in the history of the western Indian Ocean. While the full scale of the disaster is not yet known, the 1,000 tons of oil and diesel that leaked close to one of the greatest marine treasures of Mauritius threatens to destroy this precious habitat. Recovery will be long and the disaster will occupy Mauritius for years to come.Questions now arise: could the accident and the spill have been prevented?
US Navy Decommissions USS Champion
The U.S. Navy decommissioned the mine countermeasures ship USS Champion (MCM 4) during a ceremony at Naval Base San Diego on Tuesday.Due to public health safety and restrictions of large public events related to the novel coronavirus pandemic, plankowners and former crew members of the Avenger-class ship virtually celebrated its distinguished history.Commander, Naval Surface and Mine Warfighting Development Center, Rear Adm. Scott Robertson was the guest speaker, with Capt.
US Navy Awards Unmanned Vessel Contract to L3 Harris
L3Harris Technologies said it has received a contract from the U.S. Navy for the Medium Unmanned Surface Vehicle (MUSV) program. The $35 million initial award is part of a $281 million program that includes a prototype and options for a total of nine MUSVs. The program is the Navy’s first for a USV to support the Navy’s Distributed Maritime Operations strategy.L3Harris will integrate the company’s…
Henshaw Named Connecticut Port Authority Executive Director
The Connecticut Port Authority (CPA) approved the appointment of John Henshaw as its new executive director, effective September 8, 2020.Henshaw comes to the CPA after serving as the executive director of the Maine Port Authority for over 10 years and after serving as commissioner for the Board of Harbor Commissioners for the Port of Portland.He was selected for the position following an extensive search by the CPA board for a candidate with a specific set of skills and experience.
Mauritius Arrests Captain of the Stricken Wakashio
Mauritius has arrested the captain of a Japanese bulk carrier that ran aground off its coast, causing a devastating oil spill in one of the world's most pristine maritime environments, police said on Tuesday.The MV Wakashio struck a coral reef off the Indian Ocean island on July 25 and began spilling oil on August 6, prompting the government to announce a state of environmental emergency.Mauritius' National Crisis Committee said two companies…