Biden's Transportation Secretary Pick Buttigieg Supports the Jones Act
Pete Buttigieg, President Joe Biden's nominee to head the U.S. Department of Transportation, has voiced his support for the Jones Act, a federal law that regulates maritime commerce in the United States.Buttigieg's comments came in response to questioning by Sen. Maria Cantwell (Dem.-Wash.) during a nearly three-hour confirmation hearing held by the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee on Thursday."I am a big Jones Act supporter…
Biden Administration Suspends Federal Oil and Gas Permitting
The Biden administration has temporarily suspended oil and gas leasing and permitting on federal lands and waters while it evaluates the legal and policy implications of the program, according to a Department of Interior memo.The move appears to be a first step in delivering on newly sworn-in President Joe Biden's campaign promise to ban all new federal drilling permits, part of his wider agenda to…
New Tug Built for Port of Shanghai
China's Sanlin Shipyard has built and delivered a new harbor tug for the Port of Shanghai.The Robert Allan Ltd.-designed workboat Hai Gang 501 will be used by Shanghai Harbor Fuxing Shipping Service Company for berthing and unberthing in harbor as well as coastal towing services and firefighting duties in China’s busiest port.The 498 gt tug is 32 meters long with a 12-meter molded beam and 5.29-meter maximum draft.
Greensea Receives US Navy Award
Greensea's open architecture technology on Remotely Operated Vehicles furthered by Small Business Innovation Research Phase II grantGreensea Systems, Inc. creator of OPENSEA, an open architecture robotics platform for the marine industry, won a Phase II Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) ASAP grant totaling $1,100,000, with option for additional funding, for the continued development of Standoff Command and Control of Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs).
Expedition Cruise Ship Ocean Victory Ready for Sea Trials
Expedition cruise vessel Ocean Victory, under construction at the CMHI Haimen shipyard in China, is slated to commence sea trials by the end of the week, Norwegian designer Ulstein revealed Thursday.The newbuild is the third in the Ulstein-designed CX103 INFINITY series for U.S.-based owner SunStone Ships.The 104.4-meter-long vessel offers capacity for 200 passengers in 93 suites, 68 with balconies, nine with French balconies and 16 with panoramic windows.
Stolt Tankers Develops Unique Shallow-draft Tanker for BASF
Stolt Tankers said it has been commissioned by chemicals company BASF to help design and build a unique new tanker capable of operating when extremely low water levels hamper river shipping on the Rhine.The Rhine, which starts in Switzerland and flows through Germany and the Netherlands before emptying into the North Sea, is a key waterway for transportation in Europe. During dry weather, barges are often unable to fully load…
Phoenix Debuts New Navigation Lights
Phoenix Lighting has introduced the SturdiSignal Series of navigation lights- a fully modular and serviceable LED navigation light.Phoenix said its design allows for tool-less repair in minutes, without any electrical work. With a spare LED module kept onboard for field repairs, a vessel can always remain safe and compliant."For years, operators and naval architects have asked Phoenix for navigation light options that are modular and as durable as our other marine LED fixtures…
Cashman to Expand Its Fleet with New Hopper Dredge
Cashman Dredging and Marine Contracting Co., LLC said it has signed a design contract with IHC America Inc. for a new 6,500 cubic yard trailing suction hopper dredge (TSHD).The new vessel will join Cashman Dredging’s current fleet of specialized dredging equipment and will primarily service the coastal protection and navigation maintenance markets when it enters service in 2024, the company said. Cashman has not yet determined which shipyard will build the new dredge…
Biden Administration Names Lessley as MARAD Deputy Administrator
Lucinda Lessley has been named Deputy Administrator of the U.S. Maritime Administration (MARAD), the Biden Administration announced Thursday among a number of key appointments to its Department of Transportation (DOT) leadership team.Lessley will lead MARAD until an Administrator is nominated by the Biden Administration and confirmed by the Senate. She takes over from Doug Burnett, MARAD's Chief Counsel…
Wagner Named Managing Director of SCHOTTEL Middle East
With effect from April 1, 2021, Dirk Wagner will take over as Managing Director at SCHOTTEL Middle East (SME) assuming the responsibilities of Andrew Bull, who will be leaving the company to pursue other interests outside of SCHOTTEL.Wagner has extensive experience and expertise in the area of ship propulsion. He joined SME when it was founded in 2011. Since then, he has been able to put this expertise…
Sovcomflot, Total Ink Timecharter Deal on LNG Transport
PAO Sovcomflot (SCF Group) and Total have concluded a time charter agreement for up to seven years for a newbuild 174,000-cubic-meter-capacity liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier, scheduled to be delivered Q3 2023 and to be owned and operated by SCF, with options for up to two additional vessels.The new vessel will be the latest in a series of SCF’s new-generation conventional Atlanticmax LNG carriers…
Boluda Towage Acquires Iskes Towage & Salvage
Boluda Towage SL on Thursday signed an agreement to acquire Iskes Towage & Salvage's port towage activities in Eemshaven, the Netherlands; Lubeck, Germany; and Lisbon, Portugal, as well as its offshore activities, together with the management and office staff in the head office in IJmuiden, the Netherlands.Iskes will remain a separate entity under Boluda's headquarters in Valencia, Spain, and it will continue to manage the aforementioned harbor towage activities.
China Low-sulphur Marine Fuel Exports Hit New Heights
China's exports of clean marine fuels rose in December to a record since shipments began a year ago, taking 2020 exports of the ship fuel to 15.45 million tonnes, customs data showed on January 20, 2021.Chinese oil refineries began exporting very low-sulphur fuel oil (VLSFO) in January to comply with emission rules set by the International Maritime Organization (IMO), after Beijing granted tax incentives to boost production and help create a regional bunkering hub.
