Austal Delivers 11th Guardian-class Patrol Boat
Australian shipbuilding group Austal announced on Friday it has delivered the 11th Guardian-class Patrol Boat (GCPB) to the Australian Department of Defense. The vessel, the RKS Teanoai II, was then gifted by the Australian government to the government of the Republic of Kiribati during a ceremony at Austal Australia’s Henderson shipyard.The vessel is the first Guardian-class Patrol Boat to be delivered to Kiribati under the Pacific Patrol Boat Replacement Project (SEA3036-1)…
Stena Line Takes Delivery of RoPax Ferry Stena Scandica
Swedish ferry firm Stena Line has taken delivery of its RoPax ferry, Stena Scandica, the first of two Visentini vessels being lengthened and modernized by Stena RoRo at the Sedef Shipbuilding in Tuzla, Turkey. The Stena Scandica ferry will start operating on the Stena Lines route between Nynäshamn in Sweden and Ventspils in Latvia at the beginning of July.The conversion and lengthening of Stena Scandica…
Aker BP Awards 100-day Contract for PSV Viking Prince
Norwegian offshore vessel owner Eidesvik Offshore has secured a charter deal for its platform supply vessel Viking Prince.The 2012-built, LNG-powered platform supply…
Biden May Hinder Oil and Gas Drilling Despite Court Loss
U.S. President Joe Biden’s administration has the power to stymie oil and gas development on government-controlled lands and waters, industry and environmental experts said, even though a court decision ended his freeze on federal drilling auctions.Some options, they said, include offering sparse acreage or imposing more time-consuming permitting requirements."We lived through the Obama administration…
Oil Companies Evacuating U.S. Gulf of Mexico Platforms ahead of Storm
Chevron Corp and Occidental Petroleum Corp said on Thursday they were withdrawing staff and implementing storm precautions at their U.S. Gulf of Mexico offshore facilities ahead of a brewing tropical storm.A weather disturbance over the Gulf of Mexico could become a tropical storm by Friday and take aim at the Louisiana and Mississippi coasts, the U.S. National Weather Service said on Thursday.“All…
IMO Adopts Ban on Heavy Fuel Oil Use by Ships in Arctic
The United Nations shipping agency on Thursday adopted a ban on the use of heavy fuel oil in the Arctic region while green groups said the regulations contained loopholes which will allow many vessels to keep sailing without enough regulatory control.Antarctic waters are protected by stringent regulations, including a ban on heavy oil fuel (HFO) adopted in 2011, even though no cargo moves through the turbulent southern waters.
Neoline Chooses Yard to Build Sailing Cargo Ship
French shipping startup NEOLINE confirmed it has chosen NEOPOLIA Mobility and signed an LOI for the construction of its first 136-meter sailing cargo ship following a new international tender.The project is now in the financial closure phase with the objective of starting construction this Summer, aiming for a commissioning in the first half of 2024, NEOLINE said.NEOLINE's decision to select the offer…
Fincantieri Begins Building First Ship for MSC's Explora Journeys
Italian shipbuilding group Fincantieri has begun building the first of four new ships on order for MSC Group's new luxury cruise brand Explora Journeys.Built at Fincantieri shipyard in Monfalcone, Italy, the new cruise ship Explora I is scheduled to set sail in 2023, followed by its sister ships slated to be delivered in 2024, 2025 and 2026.The design incorporates provision for battery storage allowing future hybrid power generation…
HNLMS De Ruyter Gets New Gearbox Mountings
Since the beginning of May, Royal IHC has been busy replacing the propulsion gearbox mountings on the HNLMS De Ruyter. This work is part of a maintenance program for the Air Defense and Command Frigates (LCF). Royal IHC will replace the mountings on all four LCF-frigates for the Royal Netherlands Navy.Annemieke Selbach, Head of Purchasing at the Royal Netherlands Navy, said, “Royal IHC has taken on an enormously challenging project in the replacement of the mountings on the frigates.
Port of Corpus Christi Buys New Police Boat
The Port of Corpus Christi Authority (PCCA) has added a new patrol boat to its security force.The new 44-foot port security boat was purchased using a combination of Port Security Grant Program funds from the Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA) and U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), as well as matching funds from the PCCA. The new boat replaces one existing police vessel that…
New Banking Payment Platform for Seafarers Launched
A new touch-free payment platform for the maritime industry has been launched by Secure Seas.Secure Seas says its electronic payment platform is designed to provide financial security to seafarers by transferring their pay electronically, removing the antiquated and problematic system of cash distribution in U.S. dollars. This provides seafarers with basic facilities the rest of us take for granted: full access to their funds in their preferred currency…
IMO Adopts New Measures to Cut Ship Emissions
The U.N. shipping agency approved further measures on Thursday to boost the energy efficiency of commercial vessels although critics said the move fell short of what was needed to cut the industry's carbon footprint.The International Maritime Organization (IMO) formally adopted the rules to reduce the carbon intensity of existing ships after member states reached agreement on the plans at a virtual…
Argentine Port Unions Plan Strike Over Vaccine Access
A coalition of nine Argentine port worker unions will go on a nationwide 24-hour strike starting at midnight to press for vaccinations against the coronavirus, the labor groups said in a statement on Thursday.Workers including tugboat captains and customs officers have held similar work stoppages recently, as the South American grains powerhouse gets hit by a second wave of COVID-19 cases."We have…
Spain Detains Tanker for Dumping Oil off Canary Islands
Spain has detained a tanker ship for illegally dumping fuel in waters off the Canary Islands and creating a 55-square km (21 square miles) oil spill, the Transport…
Elcome Opens Algeciras Office
Elcome International, provider of maritime systems integration, technical support and shipboard service, announced the opening of another office in Europe. Based in the Spanish port city of Algeciras, the facility will offer sales and technical support for the company’s growing portfolio of ship navigation, communication, satellite connectivity and coastal surveillance systems. Shipboard services will include annual radio surveys and annual testing of Automatic Identification Systems (AIS)…
Diamond Bulk Taps Inmarsat's Fleet Data Premium Solution
Inmarsat's Fleet Data provides data acquisition, processing, uploading, and interface links between engine and Nautilus Labs’ fleet optimization solution so that Mitsubishi Ore Transport and Diamond Bulk Carriers reap rewards of big data without hardware expense.Satellite communications company Inmarsat says it is helping to connect digital stakeholders for Asia Pacific’s first Fleet Data Premium project.
Harren Bulkers Buys Its First Handysize
Bremen-based ship owning and ship management company Harren Bulkers announced it has acquired its first Handysize bulk carrier. The company's fleet now counts 23 ships.The 37,000 dwt Pabari (ex Western Aida) was built in 2012 at Hyundai Mipo Dockyard, in South Korea. With an overall length of 186.96 meters, 28.60-meter beam and 15.6-meter depth molded, Pabari is currently the smallest ship in the Harren Bulkers fleet.
US CDC Eases Warning for Cruises
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) eased its warnings for cruise ships from level 4, the highest, to 3 as operators prepare for summer trips from U.S.
Baltic Dry Index Surges to 11-year Peak
The Baltic Exchange's main sea freight index soared to its highest in 11 years on Thursday as rates across all vessel segments were lifted by strong demand for dry bulk commodities.The Baltic dry index, which tracks rates for capesize, panamax and supramax vessels, added 91 points, or 2.9%, to 3,267, its highest level since June 2010.The capesize index was up 202 points, or 5%, at a one-month high of 4,212.Average daily earnings for capesizes, which typically transport 150,000-tonne cargoes of c
Callan Marine Building New Cutter Suction Dredge
Callan Marine announced the construction of its newest dredge, an 18” cutter suction dredge named the General Marshall, scheduled to join the Galveston-based dredging contractor’s fleet in late 2022.At 194 feet long and 41 feet wide, the General Marshall will have a maximum digging depth of 60 feet, a dredge pipe diameter of 18 inches, and a 300 horsepower cutter. Manufactured by DSC Dredge in Reserve…
