Iron Ore Under Pressure as China Port Stockpiles Grow
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Iron ore futures slipped on Monday on rising port inventory of the steelmaking ingredient in China, though optimism over prospects of strong domestic steel demand for the rest of the year kept losses in check.The Dalian Commodity Exchange's most-traded September iron ore contract closed down 0.3% at 817 yuan ($116.91) a tonne, stretching losses into a third consecutive session.Iron ore's August contract on the Singapore Exchange dropped 0.7% to $106.31 a tonne in afternoon trade, extending losse
Posidonia 2020 Canceled
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Another major maritime trade fair has been called off due to health concerns and travel challenges brought on by the coronavirus pandemic. Posidonia 2020, originally planned for June 2020 and subsequently postponed to October 2020, has been canceled."We have reached this difficult decision following close consultation with many exhibitors and with our shipping community stakeholders, after assessing the current state of COVID-19 in countries around the world…
Halter Marine Wins US Navy Contract for the T-AGOS Program
![Artist’s rendering of the new T-AGOS vessel (Image: Halter Marine)](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w100h1500/artists-rendering-of-the-new-114844.jpg)
Pascagoula, Miss. shipbuilder Halter Marine Inc. said Monday it has been awarded a contract for industrial studies for the auxiliary general ocean surveillance ship (T-AGOS(X)) program.The U.S. Navy awarded the $981,000 contract for the T-AGOS class series of vessels, which ultimately will replace the existing fleet of four T-AGOS 19 and one T-AGOS 23 small waterplane area twin hull (SWATH) ships, which are reaching the end of their service lives.
ABS Unveils New Mobile App
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Classification society ABS launched a new suite of fleet management and vessel compliance services powered by its smart functionality and advanced analytics which will also be available through a new mobile app.An enhancement to the ABS MyFreedom client portal, the new portal and digital tools are designed to simplify access to operational, technical and compliance fleet intelligence and all ABS Class…
River Cruising Returns on the Danube
![NickoVISION (Photo: Nicko Cruises)](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w100h1500/nickovision-photo-nicko-cruises-114841.jpg)
River cruises are making a quiet comeback on the Danube after the COVID-19 pandemic brought global tourism to a standstill and forced companies to suspend voyages.Holiday makers are adapting to strict new safety measures on the elegant ships with Germany’s Nicko Cruises the first to restart Danube trips on June 22.The company is now operating three vessels for the six to eight-day trips from Passau…
Trelleborg Names Nilsson as New CFO
![Fredrik Nilsson (Photo: Trelleborg Group)](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w100h1500/fredrik-nilsson-photo-trelleborg-group-114840.jpg.jfif)
Fredrik Nilsson has been hired to take over as the new Chief Financial Officer of Sweden-based engineered polymer solutions company Trelleborg Group, replacing Ulf Berghult who is leaving the role to take a position outside the company.Berghult, Trelleborg's CFO since 2012, will stay on until Trelleborg's 2020 year-end report is completed, leaving Nilsson to assume the position during the first quarter of 2021.Nilsson most recently worked at vegetable oil company AAK for nearly 14 years…
Crew Kidnapped from Tanker in the Gulf of Guinea
Armed pirates have reportedly kidnapped 13 seafarers from a Liberian-flagged product tanker in the Gulf of Guinea off West Africa, continuing a rise in attacks on…
Maritime Cyber Attacks Increase 900%
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Cyber-attacks on the maritime industry’s operational technology (OT) systems have increased by 900% over the last three years with the number of reported incidents set to reach record volumes by year end.Addressing port and terminal operators during an online forum last week, Robert Rizika, Naval Dome’s Boston-based Head of North American Operations, explained that in 2017 there were 50 significant OT hacks reported, increasing to 120 in 2018 and more than 310 last year.
Gallery: Heerema's Sleipnir Breaks Offshore Jacket Removal Record
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Heerema Marine Contractors' giant heavy-lift vessel Sleipnir has broken a record for the largest single lift jacket removal. HMC said Monday that the record was broken in the Norwegian North Sea, where Sleipnir removed the 8100-tonne Jotun-B jacket for client Vår Energi. The platform was installed in 1998 by Heerema's Thialf, which returned to the Jotun Field last year to remove the topsides and conductors.For the jacket removal…
Video: High-speed Ferries Sprint Side-by-side
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Two high-speed trimaran ferries built by Austal Australia recently sprinted side-by-side off the coast of Perth, Western Australia.As the 118-meter Bajamar Express was departing Australia on her delivery voyage to the Canary Islands, she was joined by the 83-meter Queen Beetle undergoing sea trials, in an historic moment capturing two Austal trimaran ferries.The two vessels are the latest designs of a proven hull form first developed for Fred.
Shipments Resume from Pemex FPSO After Collision
![File photo: El Señor del Mar FPSO (Photo: Pemex)](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w100h1500/file-photo-el-seor-del-114818.jpg)
An oil production and storage vessel operated by Mexican state oil firm Pemex in the Gulf of Mexico has resumed crude shipments after a tanker collision halted exports earlier this month, according to a person with knowledge of the matter and data from Refinitiv Eikon.The FPSO facility (floating production, storage and offloading), which has the capacity to store up to 2.2 million barrels of crude…
ProZero Wins Order for High-speed Inspection Workboat
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ProZero International says it has signed a contract for a new ProZero 15m FR Workboat set up for inspection and workboat operations in Norwegian waters.The Danish boat builder will deliver the Prospero 15m FR Workboat though the Norwegian subsidiary ProZero Norway AS. The client is a main contractor to the aquaculture business in Norway, offering services within environmental surveys, impact assessments…
Oldendorff Presses on With Its Newbuild Program
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German shipowner Oldendorff Carriers says it has recently taken delivery of two new bulk carriers, continuing a string of newbuild deliveries from Chinese and Japanese shipyards.The 63,000 tdw Ultramax Britta Oldendorff and 100,000 tdw Post-panamax Diane Oldendorff, both built by Japanese yard Oshima Shipbuilding and handed over during the second quarter of 2020, are among 23 bulk carrier delivered to Oldendorff since early 2019.
GTT Inks Services Deal with Knutsen
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France-based GTT said it signed in June a global technical services agreement (TSA) with the Norwegian shipowner Knutsen OAS Shipping AS. This new agreement covers a fleet of 17 vessels by 2022, including 12 currently in service and five under construction, all equipped with Mark III Flex or NO96 technologies, developed by GTT.GTT will support Knutsen with the maintenance and operation of the vessels.
USNS Brittin Arrives at Port of Vancouver USA for Extended Stay
![USNS Brittin (Photo: Port of Vancouver USA)](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w100h1500/usns-brittin-photo-port-of-114816.jpg)
U.S. Navy vehicle carrier USNS Brittin arrived at the Port of Vancouver USA Friday for a stay that will last approximately 90 days while the ship undergoes annual maintenance and inspections required by the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) and the U.S. Coast Guard. The ship and approximately 30-member civilian crew will be docked at the port’s terminals 13 and 14.The USNS Brittin is returning from a six month deployment in the Persian Gulf.
VOS Contracts Three Vessels with Total
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Vroon Offshore Services (VOS) Aberdeen has secured contracts with Total E&P UK Ltd. for three emergency response and rescue vessels (ERRV) in the U.K. North Sea.The vessels VOS Enterprise, VOS Prospector, and VOS Vigilant will support Total’s North Sea operations in the Dunbar, Culzean, and Elgin/Franklin fields, respectively."The contracts, which will commence in June and July, are for an initial period of three years…
Dubai Reopens For Crew Changes
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The Dubai Maritime City Authority (DMCA) announced it is allowing crew changes to resume across all ports and anchorage areas in the region after crew changes in the major global shipping hub had been paused due to the coronavirus outbreak.Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, travel restrictions and border closures imposed by governments around the world have caused significant hurdles to…
Holland Shipyards Group Delivers Hybrid Ferry
![Gaarden (Photo: Holland Shipyards Group)](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w100h1500/gaarden-photo-holland-shipyards-group-114812.jpg)
Holland Shipyards Group recently delivered a newbuild hybrid ferry Gaarden to Schlepp- und Fährgesellschaft Kiel (SFK) in Germany. The vessel will operate as a cycle- and footferry within the waters of the Kieler Fjord.Gaarden, measuring 32.4 by 8.8 meters, is equipped with a hybrid drivetrain that can be powered by either generators or by means of a battery bank. The battery system will be used for…
Bulgaria in Talks with Lürssen on Two Patrol Ships
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Bulgaria is in talks with Lürssen to finalize in October a deal for the German shipyard to build two patrol ships for its navy for 984 million levs ($574.90 million), Defense Minister Krasimir Karakachanov said on Friday.The Black Sea country is looking to replace its three ageing Soviet-made patrol ships with the new vessels and improve its compliance with NATO standards."Both of the ships will be built in Bulgaria, which means that about 20% of the project's budget will stay here," Krakachanov
USA: Orsted-bound Windserve Odyssey CTV Hits the Water
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WindServe Marine's offshore wind crew transfer vessel Windserve Odyssey, built by its sister company Senesco Marine, is embarking upon sea trials on the U.S. East Coast.The news of the vessel launch was shared Thursday by the world's largest offshore wind developer Orsted, via social media.The Windserve Odyssey will support Orsted's U.S. offshore wind projects along the U.S. the East Coast. "After sea trials at Ørsted’s Block Island Wind Farm…