Flex LNG and Cheniere Enter into Time Charter Party Agreements
Liquefied natural gas (LNG) shipping company Flex LNG announced Wednesday it has entered into time charterparty agreements with Cheniere for four LNG carriers with the option for a fifth.Under the agreements, Flex LNG will employ newbuild Flex Vigilant which will be delivered to Cheniere ex-yard in May 2021. In addition, Flex LNG will deliver two of its existing LNG carriers to Cheniere during the third quarter of 2021, and a third existing LNG carrier during the third quarter of 2022.
White House Names Beaudreau as Deputy Interior Secretary
The White House on Wednesday nominated attorney Tommy Beaudreau, who oversaw energy development programs at the Interior department during the Obama administration, as the agency’s second in command.Beaudreau will return as deputy to Secretary Deb Haaland after serving nearly seven years there under former President Barack Obama, becoming the first person to lead the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management…
Sea Machines' Wireless Helm System in Use on Two ATBS
Boston-based Sea Machines Robotics revealed on Wednesday that its SM200 wireless helm system has been installed and is being used aboard two sister U.S.-flag articulated tug-barge (ATB) tugboats.Sea Machines said its dealer Rio Controls & Hydraulics, of Houston, managed the installations and technology integrations at a U.S. Gulf of Mexico shipyard. In the coming months, Rio and Sea Machines will continue…
One Dead, a Dozen Missing, Six Rescued After Lift Boat Capsizes off Louisiana
One person has died, a dozen are missing and six others have been rescued after a commercial lift boat used to service oil rigs capsized in hurricane force winds south of Louisiana’s Port Fourchon, the U.S. Coast Guard said on Wednesday.Rescuers in Coast Guard cutters, aircraft and volunteer civilian boats were hunting for the dozen missing people in the Gulf of Mexico after the 234-foot commercial vessel, Seacor Power, capsized in rough seas eight miles off Port Fouchon about 4:30 p.m.
Panama Canal Delays Fee Increases
The Panama Canal Authority (ACP) announced Tuesday that it will postpone increasing canal transit fees following calls from the shipping industry to reconsider the rate hikes amid a spate of global supply chain disruptions.The higher rates for the canal's transit reservation system were scheduled to take effect on Thursday but will now start on June 1, allowing the maritime industry more time to prepare for the adjusted booking fees, ACP said.
US Navy, Coast Guard Extend Maritime R&D Partnership
The Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) in Monterey, Calif. and the U.S. Coast Guard Research and Development Center (RDC) in New London, Conn. agreed to a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on April 14 extending for five more years their previous three-year direct collaboration on joint research projects and exchanges. The extension is a result of the Tri-Service Maritime Strategy (TSMS) released in December, which underscored the need for joint cooperation in today’s security environment.
Evergreen Studying Scope of Egypt Court Order over Suez Ship
Evergreen Line said on Wednesday that it is investigating the scope of an Egyptian court order to detain the Ever Given container ship which got stuck in the Suez Canal last month.The Suez Canal Authority (SCA) has made a $916 million compensation claim against the ship’s Japanese owner Shoei Kisen, according to UK Club, one of its insurers.The SCA has also obtained a court order to detain the ship as discussions over compensation continue.
Antarctic Supply Ship Returns to Australia After Engine Room Fire
Antarctic resupply ship MPV Everest berthed in Fremantle, Australia at 5:30 p.m. local time Tuesday, after it suffered an engine room fire earlier this month, the Australian Antarctic Division said.Australia’s chartered Antarctic resupply vessel MPV Everest was about 1,700 nautical miles south of Perth when the April 5 fire engulfed the vessel's port engine room and destroyed two inflatable rubber boats on the deck.
Coverage for Suez Canal Supply and Trade Disruptions
The six-day blockage of the Suez Canal by the Ever Given has resulted in numerous trade and supply chain disruptions for businesses that depend on timely shipments. At least 400 cargo ships were stuck and many forced to reroute. Businesses may be protected from lost profits and the costs of these interruptions and supply chain delays by insurance.Businesses that depend on the Suez Canal to deliver their cargo, commodities and products face billions of dollars of lost profits and damages.
Svitzer Americas Opens Regional HQ in Panama
Maersk's towage arm Svitzer announced it has opened a new Americas regional headquarters in Panama City.Svitzer said it decided early last year to relocate its Americas headquarters from Miami, U.S. to Panama and move into the Panama Design Center, which also houses other entities of the Maersk Group including Sealand Americas, APM Terminals, Hamburg-Sud, Twill, and Maersk Liner Operations Clusters.Arjen van Dijk…
New Zealand to End Seaborne Livestock Exports
New Zealand said on Wednesday it will stop the export of livestock by sea following a transition period of up to two years, citing animal welfare concerns for a…
Arrested Suez Ship Fit for Onward Passage, Manager Says
The cargo vessel that blocked global shipping in the Suez Canal and is caught in a legal dispute in Egypt is fit to sail once approval is given, its technical manager said on Wednesday.The Ever Given was declared suitable for onward passage from the Great Bitter Lake to Port Said, where she would be assessed again before departing for Rotterdam, Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement (BSM) said in a statement.The ship has been in the lake…
TT Line Circles Back to Rauma Shipyard for RoPax Pair
Finnish shipbuilder Rauma Marine Constructions (RMC) said on Wednesday that it has secured an order from Australian shipping company TT Line Company to build two car and passenger ferries at the Rauma shipyard.The newbuild order comes after TT Line, also known as Spirit of Tasmania, withdrew from a previous memorandum of understanding (MOU) last July while the Tasmanian government-owned company investigated…
Six Rescued, Dozen Missing After Lift Boat Capsizes in Gulf of Mexico
Six people were rescued near the coast of Louisiana after a commercial [lift boat] capsized about eight miles off Port Fourchon on the Gulf of Mexico, the U.S. Coast Guard said late Tuesday.About a dozen people are still missing after the 234-foot commercial lift vessel [reportedly Seacor Power] capsized in a storm, according to local media reports citing authorities. There was no immediate response…
Cummins Launches Remote Monitoring Solution PrevenTech Marine
Power solutions provider Cummins on Tuesday announced a remote monitoring solution for marine vessels called PrevenTech Marine.PrevenTech monitors Cummins-powered assets remotely, using connectivity, big data, advanced analytics, and IoT to help avoid unplanned downtime through the advanced detection, reporting, and diagnosis of potential engine health issues, Cummins said.Rachel Bridges, Cummins Director and General Manager of Global Marine…
IKM Acona Hires Havila PSV
Norwegian offshore vessel operator Havila Shipping has secured a contract for its platform supply vessel Havila Borg.The contract is with IKM Acona AS, a company providing well management and engineering services for the oil and gas industry.IKM Acona, created last year after IKM bought Acona, will take 78.60 meters long, Havila Borg is for one well, with the contract period estimated at between 35…
U.S. Appeals Court Affirms Atlantic, Arctic Offshore Leasing Bans
A federal appeals court on Tuesday confirmed bans on offshore oil leasing in most federal Arctic waters and in the Atlantic after the Trump Administration tried to open them up to development.The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals said President Joe Biden's reinstatement of Obama-era protections makes moot the previous administration's attempts to allow oil development there.The Trump administration pressed…
