US Navy Awards Huntington Ingalls Industries $273 Million Maintenance Contract
America’s largest military shipbuilding company Huntington Ingalls Industries on Tuesday announced its Technical Solutions division has been awarded a five-year contract with a total value of $273 million to support the U.S. Navy’s carrier engineering maintenance assist team, surface engineering maintenance assist team for west coast surface ships, and other maintenance and material readiness programs.Work…
USCG Awards Bollinger Four More Fast Response Cutters
The U.S. Coast Guard has exercised a contract option to award Bollinger Shipyards four additional Sentinel-Class Fast Response Cutters (FRC). This announcement brings the total number of FRCs awarded to Bollinger up to 64 vessels since the program’s inception. To date, the U.S. Coast Guard has commissioned 43 FRCs into operational service.All four FRCs will be built at Bollinger’s Lockport, La. facility…
DARPA Funds Tech to better Detect Whales
Charles River Analytics won a $1.5 million follow-on contract from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to develop a multi-sensor fusion module that incorporates deep learning to autonomously and accurately detect whales and other aquatic mammals.To protect marine mammals from collisions and sonar exposure, sailors must keep a vigilant lookout. Operators of remotely operated vehicles must also stay alert…
Video Interview: Dominicana Caribbean Shipyards Opens
Last month Ciramar Shipyards signed a strategic alliance with Fassmer Technical Projects to build and repair ships in the Dominican Republic under the Dominicana Caribbean Shipyards name.“There’s been a need for a long time for a new shipyard to rise within the Caribbean region and the Americas in general, to be able to professionally service various ship types that transit the area,” said Craig R. Gundry, GM, Fassmer Technical Projects.
Containership Rescues Migrants from Capsized Boat
A containership rescued 11 migrants from a capsized boat approximately 20 nautical miles northwest of Mona Island, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Coast Guard said.The survivors…
The Future of MASS is Drawing Closer
An automated vessel is one where advanced decision support systems onboard the vessel, like the Global Positioning System (GPS) and auto pilot, undertake operational decisions independent of direct human control. A Maritime Autonomous Surface Ship (MASS) involves both automated systems and remote control operations. In August 2016, The Wall Street Journal published an article titled “Ship Operations…
Callan Marine Hires Dearing as Engineering Director
Galveston, Texas-based dredging contractor Callan Marine announced it has hired Chris Dearing as its new director of engineering. Dearing brings extensive experience in the development and management of production and field engineering programs at some of the leading dredging companies in the nation. In his new role at Callan Marine, he will lead the development and training of engineering personnel assigned to field-based and office-based roles.
Golden Ocean Exits CCL Pool Joint Venture
Dry bulk shipping company Golden Ocean Group Limited on Tuesdat announced it has terminated its relationship with Capesize Chartering Ltd. (CCL), a joint venture…
Sea Machines Bags $3.1 Million Contract for US Navy Autonomous Supply Stations
Autonomous command and control systems developer Sea Machines Robotics announced it has advanced its multi-year Other Transaction (OT) agreement with the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD)’s Defense Innovation Unit (DIU). Phase 2 of the multiphase contract delegates $3.1 million to the deployment of a full-scale oceangoing replenishment platform.In October 2020, Boston-based Sea Machines was enlisted by the DoD to engineer…
Smaller Vessel Gains Buoy Baltic Dry Index
The Baltic Exchange's main sea freight index, which tracks rates for ships ferrying dry bulk commodities, edged up on Tuesday, supported by gains in rates of panamax and smaller vessel segments.The overall index, which factors in rates for capesize, panamax, supramax and handysize shipping vessels, was up four points at 3,375, the highest since Aug.
VLCC Owners Avoid Scrapping ... For Now
During the first seven months of 2021, only three actively trading Very Large Crude Carriers (VLCCs) have been sold for demolition. The current market for seaborne transportation of crude oil is weak and has caused freight rates to drop to multi-year lows. Despite this, crude oil tanker shipowners are not seizing the opportunity to reduce capacity and send less efficient units to the demolition yards.The subdued demolition activity is seen at a time when steel prices offered in Bangladesh…
Jan De Nul Sells Offshore Wind Installation Vessel
Offshore installation firm Jan De Nul has recently sold its jack-up installation unit Taillevent, to make room for higher-spec vessels that will soon join its fleet.The sale includes the Taillewent vessel only, with the crew deployed to other Jan De Nul vessels. Jan De Nul did not share the sale price.During her time at Jan De Nul Group, the vessel has successfully executed offshore wind projects in Europe and Asia…
Harland & Wolff Names General Manager for Appledore site
Belfast-based shipyard Harland & Wolff has appointed a new General Manager, Tom Hart to its Appledore site.Harland & Wolff, famous for building the Titanic, is today a multisite fabrication company, operating in the maritime and offshore industry through five sectors: commercial, cruise and ferry, defense, oil & gas, and renewables and six services: technical services, fabrication and construction…
VADM Connor tapped to Tackle Autonomous Maritime Systems at MRS 2021
Vice Admiral (ret) Mike Connor, CEO of ThayerMahan, Inc., will discuss the use of autonomous maritime systems in minimizing risk for vessel operators, infrastructure owners, and port authorities. Admiral Connor has over 30 years of experience in the maritime security arena. He is the former commander of the US Submarine Force.
Workforce Development: Apprenticeship Programs Help Build the Fleet
Naval shipyards and industry partners see business growing, but finding enough trained and qualified workers is a challenge.General Dynamics Electric Boat will invest $1.7 billion to modernize and upgrade its Quonset, R.I. and Groton, Conn., facilities over the next ten years,” said Sean Davies , vice president for EB’s Quonset Point Operations. “Here at Quonset, we are investing $700 million that will increase our outfitting space by 13 acres…
Desmi Opens New Office in Japan
Desmi opened its own office in Tokyo, Japan. The new office, which is a legal entity of DESMI Ocean Guard A/S, will be headed by Noribumi Suganuma as of August 1, 2021.
