Iranian Ship Arrives at Venezuelan Port
An Iranian ship arrived at the Venezuelan port of La Guaira on Thursday, according to Refinitiv Eikon data, in what appeared to be a continuation of the commercial…
USCG Seeks Cruise Ship for Underway Examiner Training
The U.S. Coast Guard said it is seeking a cruise ship to host examiner training courses while underway.The contracting opportunity is for a vessel of at least 70,000 gross tons to host three Foreign Passenger Vessel Examiner (FPVE) courses for the Coast Guard's United States Coast Guard Cruise Ship National Center of Expertise (CSNCOE). The training would be conducted in 2021 on board a cruise ship departing from either Ft. Lauderdale, Miami or Canaveral, Fla.The CSNCOE, located in Ft.
Pioneering Spirit to Remove Two Morecambe Bay Platforms
Allseas' giant heavy lift vessel Pioneering Spirit will remove the DP3 and DP4 platforms in Morecambe Bay off the U.K. for independent oil and gas operator Spirit Energy.The two normally unmanned installations used to produce gas as part of Spirit Energy’s complex of eight installations in Morecambe Bay. As the field has matured, the reserves the platforms previously tapped into have been produced by the larger…
HII Begins Fabrication of Destroyer Jeremiah Denton (DDG 129)
Huntington Ingalls Industries’ (NYSE: HII) Ingalls Shipbuilding division started fabrication of the Arleigh Burke-class (DDG 51) destroyer Jeremiah Denton (DDG 129) on January 7, 2021. The start of fabrication signifies the first 100 tons of steel have been cut.“The start of fabrication for one of the U.S. Navy’s most critical assets is always a significant milestone for our shipbuilders,” Ingalls Shipbuilding President Brian Cuccias said.
US Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao to Resign
U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao said Thursday she would resign, citing the intrusion of the U.S. Capitol by violent supporters of U.S. President Donald Trump.Chao, the wife of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, is the first Cabinet secretary to announce her departure after the events. Many lower-level administration officials have announced they would resign, including several White House aides.Chao said her resignation would take effect Monday…
Digital Twins: Rivers, Oceans, Harbors Recreated
In 2001, George Burkley, a maritime educator, wrote a look-ahead article for Maritime Reporter and Engineering News, presenting the benefits and real-world payoffs from using simulators in maritime education. In the late 1990s, new tech and software advances were creating scenario programs that moved a student closer and closer to the realities demanded by, well, reality. “The future is here, and we are ready to simulate it…
Halter Marine Upgrades Launch Way for Polar Security Cutter Build
Gearing up to build the U.S.' first new heavy icebreaker in decades, Pascagoula, Miss. shipbuilder Halter Marine said it is upgrading the launch way area where the U.S. Coast Guard's Polar Security Cutter (PSC) will be constructed.The detailed design phase is "rapidly progressing", the shipbuilder said, and the 460-foot icebreaker is the heaviest vessel per foot of length that Halter Marine has constructed.
IMO2021, Not Just an IT Concern
IMO2021 came into effect on January 1, and it is vital that ship owners and managers continue to monitor the systems and processes in place to ensure vessels remain cyber secure. Mike McNally, Commercial Director at GTMaritime discusses what shipping companies can do to ensure cyber security and that they remain compliant with the new regulations.The IMO2021 guidelines on maritime cyber risk management provide the basis for a safer, more secure and resilient cyber space for shipping operations.
Baltic Index Up for Seventh Straight Session
The Baltic Exchange's main sea freight index that tracks rates for ships carrying dry bulk commodities rose for a seventh session in a row on Thursday as rates firmed across all vessel segments.The Baltic dry index, which tracks rates for capesize, panamax and supramax vessels, added 23 points, or 1.6%, to 1,448, its highest since Oct.
Australian Exports Feel China Chill
Australia's trade surplus narrowed in November as China curbs on coal and farm goods took some steam out of exports, while a rebound in the domestic economy sucked in record goods imports.Other data out on Thursday showed Australia's property market roaring back to life with approvals to build new houses hitting the highest in two decades.Figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics showed the country's trade surplus contracted to A$5 billion ($3.90 billion) in November…
Mercuria Teams Up with Envysion for Project Investment
Trading house Mercuria and Singapore-based asset manager Envysion Wealth Management have agreed to co-invest in mining and energy projects, as default-hit banks tighten their purse strings and leave commodities firms seeking other funding.The deal, signed on Wednesday, will see Mercuria present potential projects for investment to Envysion, founded and led by former Julius Baer banker Veronica Shim.
Argentine Grain Inspector Strike Ends, Exports to Flow
The union representing Argentine port-side grain inspectors said on Thursday it had ended a month-long wage strike after reaching a contract deal with export companies that will allow international soy, corn and wheat shipments to return to normal.The deal was struck after a marathon negotiation session with Argentina's private ports chamber on Wednesday. The work stoppage by the union, known by its Spanish acronym Urgara, started on Dec.
United Overseas Group to Acquire United Arab Chemical Carriers
Investment company United Overseas Group (UOG) is to acquire Dubai-based shipping company United Arab Chemical Carriers (UACC), the two companies said on Thursday.The…
Schottel Invests in New Crane System for Wismar Manufacturing Facility
SchottelGmbH Wismar has invested neary $615,000 in a new crane system, a system designed to provide faster and more efficient production process, replacing an old system from 1979.Its two new cranes are double-girder overhead travelling cranes with a load bearing capacity of 50 tonnes each, representing an approximate 10 tonnes more load bearing capacity. “The Wismar subsidiary focuses on the development and assembly of propulsion units for special purpose vessels.
TECH FILE: The SERO SHPmarine Pump for Dual Fuel Propulsion Systems
While the maritime industry steams toward alternative and dual fuel solutions, much of the focus, rightfully so, remains on the main movers as well as the overall vessel design and logistics considerations. Here we look at the SERO PumpSystems’ SHPmarine side channel pump, a pump integrated into the “Secondary Fuel Supply Systems” (SFSS) of hybrid ship propulsion units pumping LPG (propane) to the main shipboard engine.
Japan Faces LNG Shortage Amid Supply crunch, Cold Weather
JERA, Japan's biggest electricity generator and the world's largest buyer of liquefied natural gas (LNG), is operating gas- power plants at lower rates as it runs down inventories amid rising heating demand as temperatures drop.The company joins other Japanese power generators reducing run rates on their gas plants as they compete with LNG buyers across northern Asia scrambling to secure supplies, sending prices higher.Tight fuel supplies are also highlighting vulnerabilities in Japan's electric
Yxney Maritime, Inmarsat Strike Data Deal
Norwegian-based scale-up Yxney Maritime and Inmarsat signed an agreement for Yxney Maritime to join the group of certified application providers to provide a dedicated application for Inmarsat’s Fleet Data service.Fleet Data collects data from onboard sensors, pre-processes that data, and uploads it to a central cloud-based database, equipped with a dashboard and an Application Process Interface (API).Yxney Maritime has developed the Maress software…
Svitzer Europe Buys Damen Tugboat for Port of London
Svitzer Europe signed a contract with Damen Shipyards Group for the delivery of Svitzer Thames, an 80-ton bollard pull azimuth stern drive (ASD) tug, to support its operations in the Port of London.Svitzer Thames will arrive in London by the end of the first quarter of 2021, and will start operating immediately upon arrival. At more than 32m long and with a beam of almost 13m, Svitzer Thames will be equipped with both power and manoeuvrability…
BIMCO: Global Container Volumes Projected to be Down 1.5% for 2020
Despite the alarming headlines in the spring of last year, container shipping proved remarkably resilient in 2020 in terms of volumes as well as freight rates. After a 5.0 million TEU (7.3%) drop in volumes in the first five months of the year, volumes were down by only 1.7% - a loss of 2.6 million TEU – by the end of November.Of the three largest trades, Far East to North America has been the best performing, up by 1.1m TEU (6.4%) in the first 11 months of the year.
Viking Line Gears Up for a Rebound in 2021
At the stroke of midnight on December 31, 2020, the calendar turned and put one of the more 'exceptional' years in the rearview mirror. While COVID-19 related challenges remain, Viking Line reports seeing the proverbial 'light at the end of the tunnel.'In a recent report Viking Line said that only four of its seven vessels were in regular service during the year, and passenger volume fell 70 percent compared to 2019.
