PHOTO: Siemens Gamesa Takes 'Esvagt Dana' Back to Baltic 2 Offshore Wind Farm
Danish offshore vessel owner Esvagt has informed that its Esvagt Dana vessel has returned back to the Baltic 2 offshore wind farm in Germany to support wind turbine maker Siemens Gamesa during maintenance work.For the next three to six months, the ’Esvagt Dana’ will connect its gangway system to the offshore wind turbines in the 288MW Baltic 2 wind farm. The Baltic 2 wind farm is owned by EnBW. It…
BIMCO: U.S. Coarse Grain "Madness" Triples Ton-Mile Demand
Record high US seaborne exports of coarse grains in March of 9.2 million tonnes took total Q1 exports to 21.3 million tonnes. This is the highest ever first quarter on record and a 120% increase from Q1 2020.Of the total 21.3m tonnes exported so far this year, 68%, or 14.6m tonnes, have gone to Asia, an increase of 208.7% from Q1 2020. For years, the trade war has lowered US exports to China, but exports…
Maritime Safety: Viking Aquires HydroPen Container FiFi System
Viking Life-Saving Equipment has acquired HydroPen, the company behind the unique HydroPen container firefighting solution. HydroPen, attached to a ship’s hose and raised on a telescopic arm by a single crew member, uses water pressure alone to power its ‘drill and spray’ nozzle to penetrate a container door before switching to spray mode to extinguish a fire with water, foam or CO2 – directly at its source.HydroPen was founded in 2016 by Martin Winkel…
Case Study: Uni-Tankers Banks on Frugal Propulsion for Fuel Savings
Ten months of test sailing using Frugal Propulsion on the tanker Endelo Swan shows a fuel saving of 12.2%, which is now driving Uni-Tankers to install the system on more ships in the fleet.Danish shipping company Uni-Tankers is reaping the rewards of Frugal Propulsion, a system which provides opportunities for optimizing fuel consumption on engine-driven ships.Frugal Propulsion, which is developed by the Danish start-up Frugal Technologies…
Kongsberg Digital, BW LNG and Alpha Ori Ink Digital Deal
Kongsberg Digital, BW LNG and Alpha Ori Technologies signed a strategic digitalization partnership to realize digital capabilities that enhance efficiency and reduce the environmental footprint of LNG carriers (LNGCs) and floating storage and regasification units (FRSUs). The agreement encompasses several projects, including utilizing a common data management platform and developing a maritime digital…
Tech File: Aussie Bronze Pump Upgrade
When an old Stalker cast iron pump failed on Petuna Endeavour in the Southern Ocean, there was an urgent requirement for some fast action. The failed pump was replaced by an Aussie GMP model B3XR-A 5.5kw 3-in. NiAl bronze pump that fitted into the application area like a glove.The pump produces 1400 lpm flow and offers a maximum head of up to 26m. The 5.5kw motor means there’s loads of power to drive it and the pump…
Lebanon Wants No Preconditions for Maritime Border Talks with Israel
Lebanese President Michel Aoun said on Tuesday there should be no preconditions for talks with Israel over their Mediterranean border dispute, key to Lebanon's hopes to find gas reserves amid its worst economic crisis since its 1975-1990 civil war.Negotiations between the old foes were launched in October to try to resolve the dispute, which has held up exploration in the potentially gas-rich area…
US Trade Deficit Reaches Record High
The U.S. trade deficit jumped to a record high in March amid roaring domestic demand, which is drawing in imports, and the gap could widen further as the nation's economic activity rebounds faster than its global rivals.Manufacturers lack the capacity to satisfy the surge in demand because of resource constraints and bottlenecks in the supply chain. Inventories are very lean. Demand is being driven…
Columbia Shipmanagement, Seatrans Form Ship Management JV
Columbia Shipmanagement (CSM) announced it has partnered with Norwegian ship owner and operator Seatrans AS to form a ship management joint venture.The company will be named Stödig Ship Management AS will become operational from the beginning of May 2021, operating out of Seatrans’ offices in Bergen, Norway. All Seatrans’ staff will remain employed in the company.Mark O’Neil, president and CEO of CSM…
New LNG Bunker Barge Planned for Port of Tacoma
Puget LNG and GAC Bunker Fuels have signed a memorandum of understanding to cooperate in the supply of liquefied natural gas (LNG) marine fuel from Puget LNG’s terminal to GAC’s customers in the Pacific Northwest.When the Tacoma LNG Terminal becomes operational in the second quarter of 2021, it will be the first such terminal on North America’s west coast providing direct shoreside loading access for a bunker barge.GAC Bunker Fuels…
How Event-driven Technologies Can Transform the Shipping Industry
The Suez Canal blockage laid bare many of the challenges being faced by the global shipping industry today. With 12% of global trade passing through the canal each day, the total revenue lost from delayed, damaged or lost goods due to its blockage is estimated to be up to $10 billion. Many of the organizations that faced a logistical nightmare in the face of the Ever Given blockage struggled to respond…
Lack of Continuous Monitoring An Issue in Shipyard Fire -NTSB
A 2020 fire aboard a dive support vessel docked at a Larose, La. shipyard was able to start and spread without notice because no one was continually monitoring the vessel while fire detectors were shut off during repairs, the National Transportation Safety Board said in a report issued Tuesday.The April 16, 2020, fire aboard the Iron Maiden at the Allied Shipyard caused $900,000 in damage, and no injuries were reported.
Fairlead Licenses Rafnar's ÖK Hull for US Builds
Portsmouth, Va.-based Fairlead said it signed an exclusive agreement with the Icelandic company Rafnar to build its patented ÖK Hull in the U.S. for both manned and unmanned applications.“This is very exciting news for Fairlead,” said Fairlead president, Fred Pasquine. “Rafnar has similar agreements with companies in several other countries, but Fairlead is the first company to partner with Rafnar…
US Coast Guard Rolls Out New Mentoring Program
The U.S. Coast Guard launched an innovative and modernized approach to mentorship Saturday, to offer expanded leadership opportunities to the Coast Guard active duty, reserve and civilian workforce. The program goes beyond traditional mentoring and provides four types of mentoring tracks or connections tailored specifically to individual needs and scheduling preferences. Additionally, program participants…
Gibbs & Cox Wins $20 Million Contract from NSWC Philadelphia
U.S.-based naval architecture and marine engineering firm Gibbs & Cox, Inc. announced Tuesday that the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Philadelphia Division (NSWCPD) awarded the company a $20 million prime contract.The NSWCPD provides the Navy's primary technical expertise for naval machinery research and development and in-service engineering, as well as machinery cybersecurity and lifecycle engineering.Gibbs…
Egyptian Court Rejects Appeal Against Ever Given Detention in the Suez Canal
An Egyptian court on Tuesday ruled that the containership which blocked the Suez Canal in March could continue to be held in the waterway, rejecting an appeal by its Japanese owner against its detention, a judicial source said.The Ever Given, one of the world's largest container ships, got jammed across the canal on March 23 and remained stuck for six days, stopping traffic in both directions.It has been held in a lake between two stretches of the canal since being dislodged on March 29…
Atlas Copco Compressors Provide Air Power for RRS Sir David Attenborough
One of the world's most advanced polar research vessels is equipped with Atlas Copco marine-duty compressors.The RRS Sir David Attenborough, commissioned by Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), built by Cammell Laird and operated by British Antarctic Survey, is a research platform engineered to transform how shipborne science is conducted in the Polar Regions. Its commissioning is part of a…
Rio Tinto Charters Up to Six Bulkers from Eastern Pacific Shipping
Singapore-based tonnage provider Eastern Pacific Shipping (EPS) said on Tuesday it has entered into an agreement with mining and metal producer Rio Tinto to charter three newly built liquefied natural gas (LNG) dual-fueled Newcastlemax bulk carriers, with an option for three more.The 210,000 DWT ships will be built in China at New Times Shipbuilding and are scheduled for delivery starting from the second half of 2023.EPS CEO…
Elliott Bay Design Group Promotes Reeves and Complita
Naval architecture and marine engineering firm Elliott Bay Design Group (EBDG) announced changes to its executive leadership team following the recent appointment of Robert Ekse as president.John Reeves, PE, PMP has been promoted to principal in charge, responsible for overseeing technical projects and providing direction and engineering support. He will maintain his current duties and responsibilities as director of business development.Michael Complita…
UK Hydrographic Office Appoints Peter Sparkes as Chief Executive
The U.K. Hydrographic Office (UKHO) announced the appointment of Rear Admiral Peter Sparkes as the new chief executive and accounting officer. Sparkes will be leaving the Royal Navy to take up the role.As chief executive, Sparkes will continue to lead the organization’s important work in supporting safe, secure and thriving oceans. This includes the UKHO’s work in support of Defense and merchant shipping.