The Disappearance of the Service Contract in Ocean Shipping and Resurgence of Ocean Tramp Practices
The below e-mail recently received by the author paints the picture we are seeing a thousand fold in the current ocean shipping marketplace in the inbound/outbound Asia trade lanes which underscores the serious disconnect currently between ocean common carriers and shippers in these U.S trade lanes:“Carlos:We are seeing examples where there was a rate agreed upon and the cargo was tendered to the carrier.
World’s First Floating Fire Boat Station Comes to San Francisco
Seemingly overnight, a new structure appeared on San Francisco’s waterfront. Situated at Pier 22½ just behind historic Firehouse 35 and nestled beside the Bay Bridge, this floating building is San Francisco’s new Fire Station 35. The facility is an answer to the city’s long-awaited need for updated fire and marine safety on the Bay.The overnight materialization of Fire Station 35 on San Francisco’s waterfront was due to the method in which it was built.
CMA CGM Earnings Jump as Shipping Rush Continues
CMA CGM, one of the world's largest container shipping groups, on Friday posted a jump in first-quarter earnings and said it expected strong demand for transporting consumer goods to continue for the rest of the year.French-based CMA CGM's net profit rose to $2.1 billion in the first quarter from $48 million in the same period last year, while core EBITDA earnings rose to $3.2 billion from $973 million, the group said in a statement.Container lines such as market leader Maersk have seen a boom i
AVEVA, IMI Extend Collaboration
AVEVA and International Maritime Industries (IMI) extended their existing long-term collaboration with a new strategic partnership, a partnership designed to advance…
USA Sliding Doors Chosen for Canada’s Joint Support Ships
AdvanTec Marine said its USA Sliding Doors division has been awarded a contract from Seaspan Shipyards to supply Fire-Rated, Class II and III Watertight doors for both Joint Support Ships (JSS) that Seaspan is building for the Royal Canadian Navy under Canada’s National Shipbuilding Strategy.The order includes USA-1005 Cargo Doors and the USA-1003 Personnel Doors. Both models have remote (wheelhouse) and local controls, both electric, while the drive system is electro-hydraulic.
Two Sovcomflot Tankers Chartered to the Sakhalin-2 Project
On 4 June 2021, Sovcomflot (SCF Group) and Sakhalin Energy, the operator of the Sakhalin-2 project, signed long-term time-charter contracts for two existing liquefied natural gas (LNG)-fueled Aframax tankers. The vessels Korolev Prospect and Vernadsky Prospect, part of SCF’s ‘Green Funnel’ series, will be delivered to the charterer in 2024 and employed to shuttle crude oil for the Sakhalin-2 project for 10 years, with an extension option for up to three years.
Tanker Operators File Against Winson Oil in Latest Hin Leong Fallout
Maersk Tankers Singapore Pte Ltd and Scorpio LR2 Pool Ltd have filed separate claims in the Singapore High Court against Winson Oil Trading Pte Ltd for failing to fulfil its contractual obligations, court documents show.The filings are the latest fallout in the unravelling of Hin Leong—once one of Asia's top oil traders—which has left creditors scrambling to recoup about $3.5 billion in debt.Hin Leong's…
Sri Lankan Fishermen 'Helpless' After Ship Sinking Leads to Fishing Ban
Sri Lankan fishermen say they feel helpless after a cargo ship carrying tonnes of chemicals and plastics caught fire and later sank, resulting in a ban on fishing along an 80 km (50 mile) stretch of the island nation's west coast.The Singapore-registered MV X-Press Pearl, carrying 1,486 containers, including 25 tonnes of nitric acid along with other chemicals and cosmetics, was anchored offshore when…
First Line of Nord Stream 2 Pipeline Completed, Putin Says
Russia's Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline is set to be completed as the United States wants good ties with Europe, President Vladimir Putin said, as the ill-fated project is nearly complete and ready to start pumping gas to Germany.Russia's Gazprom was left without a western pipe-laying company in late 2019 following U.S. sanctions, and has since continued alone.The United States last month waived some sanctions on the Nord Stream 2 - a move U.S.
Caledonian Towage Tugs Receive Engine Overhauls
Marine engineering specialist Royston said it recently completed the extensive inspection, overhaul and service of the main and auxiliary engines and associated components, as well as both azimuth propulsion units, on two tugs operated by Caledonian Towage in the Cromarty Firth.A special survey was carried out on both the Strathdon and Strathdee coastal and harbor towage vessels. The scope of works…
Army Corps and Dredging Industry Sign MOU to Improve Safety Culture
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) is working with industry partners to create and sustain an injury-free workplace and safety-first culture for the men and women who work in dredging and marine construction.On June 3 in Washington, D.C., the USACE inked a strengthened partnership agreement with the national safety voice for the dredging and marine construction industry, the Council for Dredging and Marine Construction Safety (CDMCS)…
UK Royal Navy Tests AI at Sea to Counter Missile Threats
The U.K. Royal Navy recently trialed the use of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies at sea to counter supersonic missile threats.The operational experiment was carried out on the Type 45 Destroyer (HMS Dragon) and Type 23 Frigate (HMS Lancaster), using the AI applications Startle and Sycoiea as part of Exercise Formidable Shield, which wrapped up on Thursday off the coast of Scotland.As part of the Above Water Systems program…
Conrad Cuts Steel for GLDD's New Dump Scows
Conrad Shipyard held a steel cutting ceremony for for three new 7,100 cubic yard dump scow barges for Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Company, LLC (GLDD) at its shipyard in Morgan City, La.Dump scows are barges with a hopper type cargo carrying compartment and a split hull design to facilitate bottom dumps to discharge dredged material. Each of the three identical barges will measure 277’ by 63.5’ by 27.25’.
American Seafoods Taps Vikand for Medical Management Services
Maritime medical operations and public health provider Vikand Medical Solutions, LLC said it has been appointed by American Seafoods, the world’s largest at-sea processor of wild Alaska pollock…
Suez Canal Controlled Ever Given's Speed Before It Grounded, Insurer Says
The speed of a container ship that blocked the Suez Canal in March was controlled by the Egyptian waterway’s operator before it ran aground, the vessel’s insurer said on Thursday.The statement from UK Club came after the head of the Suez Canal Authority (SCA) said the ship was sailing too fast when it became grounded, but that the canal bore no responsibility.The Ever Given, one of the world’s largest container ships, is still being held in the canal while both sides continue compensation talks.
BMT Designs New Vessels for Isles of Scilly Steamship Company
Naval architecture and marine engineering firm BMT has introduced new passenger and cargo vessel designs to replace older tonnage in the Isles of Scilly Steamship Company fleet.Designed to replace the 44-year-old Scillonian III, a new 72-meter vessel Scillonian IV will carry 600 passengers over three decks with a contemporary, comfortable seating arrangement, onboard coffee shop and retail area. It will be capable of a speed of 18 knots…
US Corn Exports On the Rise -BIMCO
Many agricultural trades have been exceptionally strong in 2021, and several grain types have experienced record high exports, says shipping industry organization BIMCO. U.S. corn exports are no exception, reaching a record high of 49.1 million tonnes between September 1 (when the marketing year started) and May 20. This is 77.6% higher than in the 2019/2020 marketing year which recorded exports of 27.7m tonnes and finished the season at 43.3m tonnes (September to end-May)…
Kongsberg Debuts New Waterjet Control Systems
Kongsberg Maritime launched a pair of waterjet control systems based on its new JCS (Jet Control System) common technology platform: JCS Compact and JCS Extended. JCS Compact is a tailored, closed-loop control system solution designed to manage the steering, reversing bucket and optional interceptor functions on small- to medium-sized waterjets. It can be used with either one or two control stations and a single waterjet propulsion unit or…
Humphreys to Lead LR's Maritime Business in the Americas
U.K.-based classification society Lloyd's Register (LR) has appointed Kevin Humphreys as its new Marine and Offshore President for the Americas. Humphreys, who has more than 30 years of maritime and government experience in commercial and operational roles, joins from Wärtsilä where he was General Manager for Market Innovation and Global Merchant Segment Shipping Sales.Succeeding John Hicks, who has taken up the role of LR Strategic Implementation Director…
Damen, Hydromaster Develop New Ferry Thruster
In 2020, Damen signed a contract with Blue Amigo for the delivery of nine passenger vessels to operate between Rotterdam and the Drecht cities in the Netherlands in a service known as the Waterbus. Damen identified that six of the vessels – hybrid carbon fiber water buses that will operate fast, inter-city routes – would require a unique thruster solution, a fully azimuthing, 360-degree thruster to…
