US Grants BWTS Extension Due to COVID-19
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The U.S. Coast Guard is giving additional time for vessels impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic to comply with regulations requiring ballast water treatment systems (BWTS) to be installed on board.Recognizing the impact of public health policies and the importance of a the continued flow of maritime commerce, the Coast Guard said vessels with BWTS compliance dates before April 1, 2021 will have an extra 12 months to comply.In some instances…
Coronavirus: Cargo Loss Prevention Measures
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The pandemic has brought about sudden changes for cargo transportation, impacting shippers and transport companies around the world and potentially increasing the risk environment, particularly for high-value and temperature-sensitive goods. In a new risk bulletin AGCS highlights steps for cargo owners to consider when developing contingency plans.While in most cases initial government directives have established cargo transportation as an essential activity…
Shipbuilding: Good Data Quality Pays Off
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Improved data quality offers enormous financial benefits and can even increase work satisfaction, says Dutch shipbuilding software firm Shipbuilder.“Nevertheless, we see that many maritime companies do not work on data quality and that costs a lot of money and time. Some millions of euros (and a lot of man-hours) slip away while problems, caused by poor quality of your project data, are being solved…
An NYK First: Internally Trained Seafarer Promoted to Captain
![Akihiro Mori, NYK’s first internally trained captain. Photo: NYK](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w100h1500/akihiro-mori-nyks-first-internally-111874.jpg)
In its storied 135-year history of NYK, Akihiro Mori now holds a distinguished place in the company, as effective April 1, 2020, Mori becomes the first internally trained seafarer promoted to captain.The story is an important one for the maritime industry as a whole, as the plight of the seafarer and the ongoing quest to find and groom the ‘next generation’ is universally shared in 2020.In fiscal 2006…
COVID-19: DEME Charters Flotel to Pre-Quarantine Offshore Workers
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Belgium-based offshore installation and construction company DEME has chartered a hotel ship where it will pre-quarantine its offshore crews ahead of deployment to offshore projects."To ensure safe crew changes on board dredgers and offshore vessels during the COVID-19 pandemic, DEME will charter a hotel ship for pre-quarantining as of this weekend. The ship is moored in Ostend, [Belgium]" DEME said this week.As part of its COVID-19 response measures…
The Numbers Tell the Story of Oil Industry Crisis
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Global oil producers and refiners are struggling with a series of unprecedented dislocations as the simultaneous epidemic and volume war between Saudi Arabia and Russia rip through every element of the supply chain.Some idea of the extraordinary speed and scale of the disruptions was evident in the "Weekly Petroleum Status Report" published by the U.S. Energy Information Administration on Wednesday.The United States is the world's largest oil consumer and producer…
Orsted Hopes COVID-19 Will Not Slow Japan's Offshore Wind Projects
![Illustration; Orsted's offshore wind farm - Image by Orsted](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w100h1500/illustration-orsteds-offshore-wind-farm-111864.jpg)
Orsted, the world's largest offshore wind farm developer, is concerned the coronavirus may delay auctions for offshore projects as it prepares to enter the market, the head of its Asia-Pacific unit said. "The pandemic will not influence investment decisions and general confidence in offshore wind, but it could delay the projects' timeline," Matthias Bausenwein, president of Orsted Asia-Pacific, told Reuters in a telephone interview. "We hope that we won't see any major delays," he said.
BW Offshore's FPSO Stuck in New Zealand
![FPSO Umuroa - Image: BW Offshore](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w100h1500/fpso-umuroa-image-bw-offshore-111862.jpg)
FPSO-leasing company BW Offshore has been unable to remove the Umuroa FPSO from the Tui field in New Zealand following the contract termination, client liquidation, and the country's court and environment regulator intervention.The company was in October 2019 informed by the client Tamarind Taranaki (TTL), a subsidiary of Tamarind Resource, the FPSO contract would not be extended after December 31…
Petrobras Idles Six Platforms in Campos Basin Due to Coronavirus
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Brazil's state-run oil company Petroleo Brasileiro SA said in a letter to the workers union on Thursday that it will idle six oil and gas platforms in five fields of the Campos basin due to the coronavirus epidemic.The company said the idling was aimed at reducing costs in the middle of the crisis hitting the oil industry, the letter seen by Reuters said.It comes at a time when Petrobras is trying to adapt to the new scenario of oil prices that have fallen about 50% this year due to the retreat
Eastern Gets Green Light to Build Second Offshore Patrol Cutter
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Eastern Shipbuilding said the U.S. Coast Guard executed a modification to the contract to build the second Offshore Patrol Cutter (OPC) and Long Lead Time Materials for the third OPC. These accomplishments result from successful completion of a Production Readiness Review (PRR) in February 2020.Eastern’s President Joey D’Isernia said, "Today represents not only the continuation of production for the USCG’s future replacement of their 210-foot and 270-foot class Medium Endurance Cutters…
OPEC+ Outlines Record Oil Production Cut; Mexico Balks
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OPEC, Russia and other allies outlined plans on Thursday to cut their oil output by more than a fifth and said they expected the United States and other producers to join in their effort to prop up prices hammered by the coronavirus crisis.But the group, known as OPEC+, said a final agreement was dependent on Mexico signing up to the pact after it balked at the production cuts it was asked to make.
ICS Issues Guidance on Managing Ship and Seafarer Certificates Amid COVID-19
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The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) has issued new guidance to support the shipping industry in its essential role of ensuring essential goods and commodities, such as energy, food and medical supplies, can be carried to the world during the coronavirus pandemic.The guidance, available on the ICS website, provides information for shipowners and operators on managing ship and seafarer certificates required by international regulations.
David Roodenburg Takes Over as Huisman CEO
![David Roodenburg (Photo: Huisman)](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w100h1500/david-roodenburg-photo-huisman-111855.jpg)
David Roodenburg is the third generation from the Roodenburg family to become CEO of the Netherlands-based equipment manufacturer Huisman.His father, Joop Roodenburg, is currently active as President after he appointed Theo Bruijninckx CEO in April 2018, with the objective to prepare the company for the next generation. Bruijninckx will remain active in Huisman in his role as the company’s CFO.Since 1980…
Wärtsilä to Power New Scottish Fishing Trawler
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Wärtsilä said it will supply a propulsion and power package for a new 75-meter-long fishing trawler being built at the Karstensen shipyard in Denmark for Scottish owners and operators Wiseman Fishing Co and Northbay Fishing Co.The vessel will feature a Wärtsilä 31 main engine, two Wärtsilä 14 power generating sets, a gearbox and a controllable pitch propeller (CPP), the combination of which represents the latest engine and power generation technology.
ABS Accepting 3D Models for Class Surveys
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Classification society ABS said it completed a pilot project with U.S. shipbuilder General Dynamics NASSCO that used 3D digital models for class surveys. This project means ABS is able to fully support 3D model integration into engineering and now survey.The pilot saw surveyors use 3D digital models instead of traditional 2D drawings for the simulation of new construction surveys on several steel blocks.
Saudi, Russia Closing in on Record Oil Cut Deal
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OPEC and it allies held talks on Thursday on record oil output curbs of about 15 million barrels per day (bpd) or more, roughly 15% of global supplies, to support prices hammered by the coronavirus crisis, sources involved in the discussions said.They said the plan included cuts of about 5 million bpd from producers outside the group known as OPEC+ and could be made gradually, as the group seeks to…
WMU Calls On Communities To Protect Seafarers’ Rights
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As the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) apex institution for maritime and ocean education, the World Maritime University (WMU) adds its voice to widespread concerns over the serious effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the health, wellbeing, and safety of seafarers.As countries around the world retreat to fight the pandemic, travel restrictions and financial losses are hitting shipping and other ocean-related industries hard.
First YM Efficiency Containers Retrieved
![The first container loaded onto the MV Pride contains furniture products.(Photot: AMSA)](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w100h1500/the-first-container-loaded-onto-111850.jpg)
Work is underway to retrieve dozens of containers lost from a containership off the coast of Australia, with the first boxes raised to the surface this week. The first container was recovered from the seafloor on Monday using a hydraulic crane and rigging, remotely operated underwater vehicles (ROV) and a specially manufactured steel basket, the Australian Maritime Safety Authority said. Another two…
Kline Joins Martin & Ottaway
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James “Jim” Kline, USCG (Ret)., has joined Martin, Ottaway, van Hemmen & Dolan, Inc. as an engineering and surveying consultant.Martin, Ottaway, van Hemmen & Dolan, Inc. is a New York area maritime consulting firm that has been in continuous operation since 1875. The firm provides engineering, operational, and financial analysis/ship valuation services to the worldwide maritime community. Each year the firm performs hundreds of projects related to new construction…
Theodore Roosevelt Sailor with Coronavirus Taken to ICU
![Aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) in the Philippine Sea in February 2020. (U.S. Navy photo by Sean Lynch)](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w100h1500/aircraft-carrier-uss-theodore-roosevelt-111849.jpg)
A sailor from the aircraft carrier Theodore Roosevelt was admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) in Guam after testing positive for the coronavirus last month, the U.S. Navy said on Thursday, as the number of coronavirus cases on the ship jumped to over 400.The case comes after Thomas Modly resigned as acting Navy secretary on Tuesday, following a mounting backlash for his firing and ridiculing the commander of the Theodore Roosevelt…