Royal Caribbean's Odyssey of the Seas Starts Sea Trials
Royal Caribbean's latest Quantum Class cruise ship Odyssey of the Seas has set sail for sea trials in the North Sea ahead of planned delivery in the coming weeks, German shipbuilder Meyer Werft said.Trials for the 348-meter, 169,379 GT cruise ship include technical and nautical tests while final interior work remains underway on board.Meyer Weft said teams from the shipyard, its suppliers as well as…
Nine New Pilot Boats to Be Equipped with AST's Monitoring Tool
AST said it has secured an order to supply its iRAMS monitoring systems for Norfolk, U.K. boat builder Goodchild Marine Services, to install on nine new ORC fast pilot vessels being built for British ports.The Pantocarene-designed launches were ordered in November by Associated British Ports in a £9 million deal. Construction of the first vessel has already begun and it is expected to be delivered to ABP’s Humber region in 2021.
Northstar Partners with Laredo Offshore to Support US Offshore Wind
New Jersey-based Northstar Marine announced Wednesday it is gearing up to support emerging offshore wind development projects in the Northeast U.S., having recently acquired a pair of specialized support vessels and formed a partnership with with Laredo Offshore Services, based in Belle Chasse, La.The marine services provider announced Wednesday it has acquired a 145-foot class liftboat, the Northstar Voyager…
Katherine Tai Confirmed by Senate as US Trade Chief
The U.S. Senate on Wednesday voted unanimously to confirm veteran government trade lawyer Katherine Tai as the first woman of color to serve as U.S. Trade Representative, putting her to work enforcing trade deals, confronting China’s trade practices and patching up ties with U.S. allies.The rare 98-0 vote for Tai, a Yale and Harvard-educated daughter of immigrants from Taiwan, reflects support from pro-labor Democrats…
Australia Gifts Newbuild Patrol Boat to Papua New Guinea
Shipbuilding group Austal announced it has has delivered the ninth Guardian-class Patrol Boat (GCPB) to the Australian Department of Defense. The vessel, the future HMPNGS Rochus Lokinap, was then gifted by the Australian Government to the Papua New Guinea Defense Force at a ceremony held at Austal Australia’s Henderson shipyard.The vessel is the second of four Guardian-class Patrol Boats to be delivered to Papua New Guinea under the Pacific Patrol Boat Replacement Project…
Sea Ranger Service Names Pullens Managing Director
Sea Ranger Service, the Netherlands-based company that has been carrying out surveying and research tasks in the North Sea with emissions-free sailing offshore work vessels since 2018, has appointed Christel Pullens as its new managing director effective March 1, 2021.A WISTA board member with nearly 25 years of technical and commercial experience in shipbuilding and offshore, including as senior sales manager projects at Dockwise (now Boskalis)…
Carbon Emissions from Trawler Fishing on Par with Aviation -Report
Trawling of the ocean floor by fishing fleets releases roughly the same amount of carbon emissions into the water as aviation puts into the atmosphere each year, researchers said on Wednesday, calling for greater protection of the planet's seas.In a study published in the journal Nature, a team of 26 scientists and conservationists said marine protected areas (MPAs) are an effective tool for restoring biodiversity…
China’s One-sided Recovery Drives Iron Ore Market Back Up -BIMCO
In the first two months of 2021, Brazilian iron ore exports have risen by 9.1% to 53 million tonnes, driven by China. So far this year, 35.2 million tonnes of iron ore has been exported to China, representing a 15.2% increase from the same period last year and standing in contrast to slightly declining exports to all other countries: down 1.2% to 17.8 million tonnes, continuing the trend from 2020.Despite the strong growth rates in the first months of this year…
Hapag-Lloyd Acquires NileDutch
German container shipping company Hapag-Lloyd announced Wednesday it has reached a deal to acquire NileDutch, based in the Netherlands, strengthening Hapag-Lloyd's position in the African market.The sale and purchase agreement will see Hapag-Lloyd acquire all shares of Nile Dutch Investments B.V., subject to the approval of antitrust authorities.Rotterdam-headquartered NileDutch is among leading providers of container services from and to West Africa.
Panamax Bulk Carrier Rates Hit Over 10-year High
The Baltic Exchange's main sea freight index on Wednesday climbed to a near 1-1/2-year high as panamax rates scaled a more than 10-year peak on China grain demand.The Baltic dry index…
As Defense Cuts Loom, Reimagining Maritime Security Could Help Reform Defense Spending
It is widely expected that cuts in defense and security budgets are coming as governments across the world grapple with the fiscal fallout from the COVID-19 crisis. To ensure that these cuts do not undermine global security, policymakers should approach their defense budgets with a scalpel, not a sledgehammer.In navigating the tough choices that lay ahead, government decision-makers should pursue spending reforms that enable states to operate both leaner and smarter…
Interview: Jennifer Carpenter, AWO President & CEO
Jennifer Carpenter joined The American Waterways Operators (AWO), the national trade association representing the inland and coastal tugboat, towboat and barge industry, in August 1990 and became its president and CEO in January 2020. She weighs in on the unprecedented challenges encountered over the past year and addresses top priorities along the uncertain path ahead.The world has changed drastically in the year since you took the helm at AWO.
France-based TSM Adds Two New Tugs
Dutch shipbuilding group Damen reports it has delivered two RSD Tugs 2513 to France-based Thomas Services Maritimes (TSM) for operations on the River Seine in the port between the Ports of Rouen and Honfleur (HAROPA – Port de Rouen).Like Damen, TSM is a family-owned company, something which played a part in Damen’s securing of the order, according to TSM CEO, Loïc Thomas: “We were looking for new tugs with the latest in vessel technology and we heard about Damen’s quality and reliability.
Survitec to Acquire Hansen Protection
U.K.-based safety and survival solutions provider Survitec on Wednesday said it has signed an intent to purchase Hansen Protection, a Norwegian provider of specialist survival suits and protective equipment.Ron Krisanda, Survitec's executive chairman, said, "Hansen Protection has a reputation for consistently delivering excellent products and services.
Drone Swarms Sent from Uncrewed Vessels Could be Used for Offshore Wind Farm Inspections
U.S.-based seabed survey company Ocean Infinity, is, together with the University of Portsmouth, Airborne Robotics, and Bentley Telecom, working to develop an autonomous offshore wind farm inspection capability utilizing aerial drone swarms deployed from an uncrewed marine robotic vessel.Using 5G and satellite connectivity, the project will see a swarm of drones autonomously inspect wind turbines subsequently removing the need for manual…
The Path to Zero: Study Shows Hydrogen-Based Ship Fuel Projects on the Rise
The Getting to Zero Coalition’s updated Mapping of Zero Emission Pilots and Demonstration Projects uncovers emerging trends, sees a strong climb in the number of identified projects as well as increased activities in Asia.The 'fuel of the future' debate is one of the hottest topics in maritime circles, as shipowners eye ever tightening emission regulations through 2050. While there is no 'silver bullet' solution…
Kongsberg to Deliver $40M Tech Package for First Jones-act WTIV
Norway's Kongsberg Maritime has secured a $40 million contract to supply an integrated technology solution for the first U.S.-built wind turbine installation vessel (WTIV) - the Charybdis.The vessel, being built at Keppel AmFELS shipyard in the U.S., is being constructed for US energy company Dominion Energy. The vessel is expected to be delivered by the end of 2023 and will be among the largest of…
VIDEO: North Star to Deliver SOV Trio for Dogger Bank Wind Farm in $375M Deal
Aberdeen-based offshore vessel owner North Star Renewables has won contracts worth around £270 million (~$375 million), to deliver three service operation vessels (SOVs) to be used on what will be the world’s largest offshore wind farm, the 3.6GW Dogger Bank Wind Farm in the UK North Sea.North Star said its contract award followed a highly-competitive tender process, in which it had beat off strong…