New Yangtze River Cruise Ship Under Construction
![(Image: SCHOTTEL)](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w100h1500/image-schottel-111038.jpg)
Shipbuilder China Merchants Heavy Industry (Jiangsu) is building a new cruise vessel for owner Changjiang Cruise Overseas Travel.The CSC-designed vessel is intended for operation on the Yangtze River, the largest river in China, and is scheduled to enter service in September 2021.The 150-meter-long long and 23-meter-wide vessel will reach an operating cruise speed of 14 knots. It will accommodate 600…
Future USS Delbert D. Black Completes Acceptance Trials
![The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer Pre-Commissioning Unit (PCU) Delbert Black (DDG 119) conducts the second builder's trials in the Gulf of Mexico in February. (U.S. Navy photo courtesy of HII by Lance Davis)](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w100h1500/eigh-burkeclass-guidedmissile-destroyer-111035.jpg)
The U.S. Navy's future guided-missile destroyer USS Delbert D. Black (DDG 119) completed acceptance trials on March 12, returning to Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII), Ingalls Shipbuilding Division after spending two days at sea in the Gulf of Mexico.During acceptance trials, the ship's crew performed a series of demonstrations for review by the U.S. Navy's Board of Inspection and Survey (INSURV).
EU Antitrust Regulators Suspend Fincantieri-Chantiers Probe
![Photo courtesy of Fincantieri](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w100h1500/photo-courtesy-of-fincantieri-111036.png)
European Union antitrust regulators have suspended their investigation into Fincantieri's bid for France's Chantiers de l'Atlantique while waiting for the Italian shipyard to provide requested data.The European Commission's website shows it halted the probe on March 13. Prior to that, it had been scheduled to rule on the case by April 17."This procedure in merger investigations is activated if the parties fail to provide…
Team Tankers Forms JV with V.Group
Tanker shipping company Team Tankers International Ltd. said it has formed a joint venture (JV) with ship management specialist V.Group, whereby Team will transfer its in-house managed fleet…
Viking Line Suspends Helsinki-Stockholm Service
![Mariella (Photo: Viking Line)](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w100h1500/mariella-photo-viking-line-111032.jpg)
Finnish cruise ferry operator Viking Line announced Tuesday that it will suspend service between Helsinki and Stockholm due to the developing COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic. Finnish authorities have closed the country’s borders during the state of emergency in effect in Finland.“To safeguard the security of supply between Finland and Sweden, we are maintaining service on the Turku–Åland–Stockholm route. We are also still making one sailing to Tallinn from Helsinki six days a week.
Long Beach Terminals Remain Open
![COSCO America leaving Pier J at the Port of Long Beach in February 2020. (Photo: Port of Long Beach)](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w100h1500/cosco-america-leaving-pier-j-111030.jpg)
Marine terminals at at the United States’ second-busiest seaport have remained open and operating amid the unfolding coronavirus crisis, with regular vessel calls and scheduled work shifts continuing, the Port of Long Beach said.The port said its marine terminals are receiving vessel calls and workers are transferring cargo off and on ships under the health-protective directives established by the U.S. Coast Guard and Customs and Border Protection, with guidance from the U.S.
Ports' Coronavirus Roadblocks Put Seafarers at Risk
![© Kalyakan / Adobe Stock](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w100h1500/kalyakan-adobe-stock-111025.jpg)
The COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic taking hold around the world may leave seafarers without vital medicines and provisions as well as important spare parts, according to the International Shipsuppliers & Services Association (ISSA).Some ports have been refusing certain vessels entry because of previous port calls at coronavirus-affected areas, causing some to sail off without taking on the vital supplies they need to operate.ISSA…
Glencore Charters World's Largest Tanker to Store Crude
![ULCC Europe (Photo: Euronav)](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w100h1500/ulcc-europe-photo-euronav-111021.jpg)
Trading house Glencore has chartered the 3 million barrel crude carrier Europe to store oil at sea for at least 6 months, trading sources on Tuesday.The vessel is one of two so-called ultra large crude carriers (ULCC), the largest tankers in the world.Glencore booked the vessel at a rate of $37,000 a day for the first six months, according to the sources.A Glencore spokesman declined to comment.Sources told Reuters last week that Royal Dutch Shell had provisionally booked at least three supertan
Jumbo Sends Employees to Work from Home to Cut COVID-19 Risk
![A Jumbo vessel - Credit: Jumbo](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w100h1500/a-jumbo-vessel-credit-jumbo-111020.jpg)
Jumbo, a Dutch heavy lift shipping and offshore transportation company, has said it will close it office locations and send office employees to work from home until further notice, to reduce the risk of coronavirus infection.The marine company said it was acting in response to the Dutch Government guidance to slow down and prevent the spread of COVID-19 (Coronavirus). It also said that its vessels would continue with their schedule."Our teams (sales…
Chembulk Tankers to Join Womar
Chembulk Tankers signed commercial management agreements for its entire fleet of owned and chartered stainless-steel chemical tankers to enter commercial pools managed by Womar Logistics.
USCG National Vessel Documentation Center Suspends Walk-In Service.
The National Vessel Documentation Center (NVDC) made this announcement regarding changes to its operations in light of the growing COVID-19 threat:The National Vessel…
Posidonia Rescheduled to October 2020
![© zicksvift/AdobeStock](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w100h1500/zicksviftadobestock-111018.jpeg)
This morning it was announced that the Posidonia 2020 exhibition, scheduled from June 1-5, 2020 in Athens, Greece, has been rescheduled to October 26-30, 2020.
Total Makes 'Encouraging' North Sea Discovery
![Noble Sam Hartley jack-up - Credit: Noble Corporation](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w100h1500/noble-sam-hartley-jackup-credit-111011.jpg)
Total has made a hydrocarbon discovery at the Isabella exploration well in the UK Central North Sea, Neptune Energy, Total's partner in the project has informed.Neptune Energy has described Isabella as "an encouraging hydrocarbon discovery" which encountered hydrocarbons in Upper Jurassic and Triassic sandstone reservoirs, with 64 meters net pay encountered, consisting of lean gas and condensate and…
Deepwater Acreage to Attract Investments
Deepwater acreage will continue to attract significant company interest through 2020, said a report.According to GlobalData, a significant portion of the acreage…
Neptune Pacific Acquires Pacific Direct
Neptune Pacific Line, the provider of ocean freight services between Australia, New Zealand and Fiji, said that it has acquired Pacific Direct Line(PDL) from its…
San Felice Completes Retrofit Ahead of Schedule
SeaQuest Shipmanagement announced that a client’s handysize bulk carrier completed her second special survey, dry-dock and Ballast Water Treatment System (BWTS)…
Sovcomflot Updates Fleet Status
PAO Sovcomflot (SCF Group), a Russian maritime shipping company specializing in petroleum and LNG shipping, announced that it has taken delivery of four newbuildings…
NYK Intros World’s 1st Onboard Digital Currency
Japanese shipping giant NYK unveiled what it claims to be the world’s first onboard use of digital currency through the MarCoPay fintech platform, which is operated…
HHLA Estonia Names Riia Sillave New CEO
The container and multipurpose terminal HHLA TK Estonia, the subsidiary of Hamburger Hafen und Logistik AG (HHLA), said that Riia Sillave has taken over as the new…
New Vessel Delivered for Navimag Ferries
![Navimag Ferries’ new ship Esperanza (Photo: Wärtsilä)](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w100h1500/navimag-ferries-new-ship-esperanza-110989.jpg)
Navimag Ferries’ newest vessel, Esperanza, has been delivered.The 150-meter-long vessel can carry up to 274 passengers and has 1,800 vehicle lane meters. It will operate exclusively in Chile, sailing between Puerto Montt and Puerto Natales, and providing a transportation link with Chile's south, in addition to ferry cruising in the Patagonian fjords.The newbuild's propulsion system includes two Wärtsilä 20 main engines, two Wärtsilä controlled pitch propellers (CPP) and two Wärtsilä gearboxes.