DNV GL Releases Class Rules for Floating Offshore Wind
The floating offshore wind industry, currently at its beginnings, is set for massive growth in the years to come, which has now led the classification society DNV GL to released the first integrated rule set for floating offshore wind structures."The rules provide both new entrants and experienced stakeholders a set of well-tested rules and standardized processes for these new structures," the company…
LNG to FSU Conversion Completed at Sembcorp
Ship managers Synergy Group converted a 1992-built, 126,000 cubic meters capacity Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) carrier into a Floating Storage Unit (FSU). The conversion was performed at Sembcorp Marine’s Admiralty Yard in Singapore.Synergy will manage, maintain and operate the FSU, which has a projected lifespan of 15 years. It will be deployed in Myanmar where it will be manned by a Synergy crew of…
Malaysia Starts LNG Bunkering Ops. Makes First Delivery
Malaysia, through state oil firm Petronas, has ventured into the liquefied natural gas (LNG) bunkering business and made its first delivery in the southern state of Johor this week, the country's marine department said on Tuesday.The maiden operation involved supplying 1,150 tonnes of LNG from bunkering vessel MV Avenir Advantage, which Petronas leased from Future Horizon, to vehicle transport vessel Siem Aristotle at the Pasir Gudang port on Monday."This makes Malaysia among a few first-mover c
Damen Delivering Tug to Cititug in Ecuador
Damen Shipyards Group is delivering an ASD Tug 2813 to Cititug in Ecuador. The vessel, to be named ASD Mater, in honour of the Virgin Mary, will operate in the bunkering terminal of the Port of Esmeraldas.The contract for the ASD Tug 2813 was signed in February this year between Xavier Game, owner of Cititug and Marnix Brouwer on behalf of Damen. The speed of the vessel’s delivery is facilitated by…
Gulf Copper Wins USNS Comfort Maintenance Work
Gulf Copper and Manufacturing has been awarded a firm-fixed contract for a value is $7.49 million, including options, from Military Sealift Command for the mid-term availability repair on the hospital ship USNS Comfort.The work will be performed pier side in Norfolk, Va. commencing in February 2021.USNS Comfort (T-AH-20) is an 894-foot U.S. Navy Mercy class hospital ship used to provide on-site emergency…
Argentina Grains Port Workers Strike Over Wages
Argentine grain port workers launched surprise strikes to protest stalled wage talks, their labor union said on Monday, delaying shipments from one of the world's top exporters."We are going to make surprise halts as much as we consider it necessary," said Juan Carlos Peralta, a spokesman for the URGARA union, which represents inspectors who check the quality of grains before they are loaded onto ships."It is a strike in one of the richest sectors in Argentina.
Working Out the Election’s Impact on the US Workboat Industry
By the time this article is published, voting will have concluded in the 2020 United States presidential election. Based on the possibility of legal challenges to the election, however, it may be some time before we know who will be occupying 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue on January 20, 2021. Additional uncertainty may linger with regard to control of the Senate. However, beyond the general spectacle of American politics, an important question remains: What does this election mean for the U.S.
Golden Ray Salvors Begin Cutting Operations
A specialized heavy lift crane vessel began cutting the first bow section of the capsized car carrier Golden Ray on Friday as salvage crews enter the next phase of operations to remove the overturned vessel from Georgia's St. Simons Sound.The Korean-owned Golden Ray, which capsized after leaving the Port of Brunswick in September 2019, will be dismantled in place and removed in sections. Salvors have installed 16 lifting lugs on the wreck to provide connection points for the U.S.-flagged VB 10…
Report Highlights Regulators' Failure to Protect Seafarers
Seafarers are left unprotected by systemic failures in the implementation of the regulatory regime for work and rest hours at sea, a newly published report finds.The World Maritime University's (WMU) new report, "A Culture of Adjustment", by Dr. Raphael Baumler, Yvette deKlerk, Dr. Michael Ekow Manuel and Dr. Laura Carballo Piñeiro confirms previous research that suggested recording malpractices are widespread…
CMA CGM Tenere Carries Out Its First LNG Bunkering
CMA CGM is carrying out the first LNG bunkering of the CMA CGM Tenere, the first of six 15,000-TEU, liquefied natural gas (LNG)-powered containerships chartered by the CMA CGM Group, the French container line announced Monday.In Rotterdam, 12,000 cubic meters of LNG will be pumped into the CMA CGM Tenere’s tanks by Total’s Gas Agility, the world’s largest LNG bunker vessel, while the containership carries out cargo handling operations concurrently.
New CO2 Vessel, Tank and Cargo Handling Concept Unveiled
A new tank concept for liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and carbon dioxide (CO2) transportation promises to more than double current vessel cargo capacity, representing a step forward in the development of maritime transport solutions for the expanding carbon capture and storage (CCS) market, which will require maritime transport of liquefied CO2 to scale up rapidly. The new design, which is based on existing…
Biden Expected to Roll Back Trump's Offshore Energy Rollbacks
Joe Biden could erase much of President Donald Trump’s four-year legacy of energy and climate deregulation with the stroke of his pen, according to regulatory experts, but replacing it with something new and durable may prove trickier.Trump’s rollbacks are on shaky ground because most were done not through Congressional lawmaking but via presidential executive orders that can be easily torn up by a new administration.
JAXPORT Hires Collins as Security Director
The Jacksonville Port Authority (JAXPORT) announced Monday that retired United States Coast Guard (USCG) Captain Dwight Collins has joined the port as Director of Public Safety and Security.Captain Collins directs all law enforcement, physical security, safety, and emergency management and preparedness services in support of more than 200,000 port employees, tenants and customers. He is also responsible for ensuring enforcement of seaport security initiatives in compliance with all federal…
China October Iron Ore Imports Dip
China’s iron ore imports slipped 1.7% in October from a month earlier, but still hovered well above 100 million tonnes, official customs data showed on Saturday, propped up by firm demand at Chinese mills and shipments from major miners.The world’s top iron ore consumer imported 106.74 million tonnes of the steelmaking ingredient in October, 14.9% more than in October 2019, but still below the 108.55 million tonnes brought in during September…
Gallery: Ulstein Launches Nexans Aurora Cable Layer
Norwegian shipbuilder Ulstein on Sunday launched Nexans’ new cable-laying vessel, the ‘Nexans Aurora’.The hull of the vessel, built at CRIST, Poland, arrived at Ulstein Verft in June 2020. It has since been fitted with electrical installations, insulation work was carried out, the remaining main equipment (e.g. engines, thrusters, main switchboards, winches) and cable lay equipment was installed. The work at the Norwegian shipyard also included other minor and major installations…
Methanol-operated Fuel Cell System Gets DNV GL AIP
A methanol-operated fuel cell system from Freudenberg Sealing Technologies has received approval in principle (AIP) from classification society DNV GL, setting the course for further testing aboard the cruise ship AidaNova as soon as 2021.Converting the approximately 100,000 commercial ships on the world’s oceans to CO2-neutral propulsion systems is one of the maritime industry's greatest challenges.
Singapore Launches Its First 'Cruise to Nowhere'
Hit by cabin fever, hundreds of Singapore residents itching to get out of the tiny country boarded a “cruise to nowhere” on Friday, a rare chance to sail the seas after the coronavirus pandemic shut down much of the cruise industry.Before starting their short “seacation” on the 335-meter World Dream, passengers underwent coronavirus swab tests before boarding the vessel, which was operating at half capacity to prevent crowding.Retiree Ang Sen Hock…
NAT Expects Tanker Market Lull Will Be Short Term
The recent slowdown in the oil tanker market is expected to be short-lived, shipowner Nordic American Tankers (NAT) said Friday in a letter to shareholders.NAT,…
MESPAS Revamps its Technical Ship Management Software
Swiss IT and engineering firm MESPAS informs it has completely redesigned its Technical Ship Management software, resulting in a user interface that is more modern, intuitive and user-friendly.The new look is based on Microsoft design guidelines, says, noting the new software solution feels familiar and easy to use for those who know Microsoft Office products. Meanwhile, the interface itself uses…
Baltic Index Edges Higher on Stronger Capesizes Rates
The Baltic Exchange's main sea freight index, which tracks rates for capesize, panamax and supramax vessels, edged up on Friday on stronger rates for the capesize vessel segment.The Baltic dry index was up 2 points, or 0.2%, at 1,196.However, the index lost 6.9% this week, its fifth straight weekly loss.The capesize index rose 30 points, or 1.8%, to 1,739, but declined about 8.8% for the week.Average daily earnings for capesizes, which typically transport 150,000-tonne cargoes such as iron ore a
