PHOTO: Heerema's Balder Vessel Removes Morpeth Platform in Gulf of Mexico
![Credit: Heerema Marine Contractors](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w100h1500/credit-heerema-marine-contractors-123193.jpg)
Heerema Marine Contractors' deepwater construction vessel Balder has recently completed the offshore removal of the Morpeth Tension-leg Platform (TLP) in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico for client Eni.The Morpeth Tension-leg Platform had reached a 20-year design life and ceased all production in August 2018.Heerema Marine Contractors' Balder mobilized to the Morpeth Field in mid-April 2021 to begin executing the TLP removal.
Furuno USA Hires Bozzelle As Commercial Business Development Manager
![John Bozzelle (Photo: Furuno USA)](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w100h1500/john-bozzelle-photo-furuno-usa-123187.jpg)
Furuno USA said it has hired John Bozzelle as commercial business development manager, based in Jean Laffite, La.Bozzelle will be tasked with establishing and developing business relationships with Furuno dealers and commercial ship owners, operators and builders around the Great Lakes and Eastern Seaboard to promote the Furuno product line.Furuno USA is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Furuno Electric Company of Nishinomiya, Japan.
Kevin Short Named CEO of Mintra
![Kevin Short (Photo: Mintra)](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w100h1500/kevin-short-photo-mintra-123186.jpg)
Norwegian maritime and offshore training software firm Mintra said it has appointed Kevin Short as CEO. Short, who has been chief commercial officer since 2018, takes over the leadership role from Scott Kerr following his decision to join the firm’s board of directors.“In these post-Covid times and as we slowly return to a world that can be considered more normal, there are tremendous prospects for both digital learning and human capital management software.
Battleship Diplomacy: Britain's New Aircraft Carrier Joins NATO
![(Photo: U.K. Royal Navy)](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w100h1500/photo-uk-royal-navy-123185.jpg)
The maiden voyage of a new British aircraft carrier will seek to show allies that post-Brexit Britain is ready to defend Western interests and eager to see China respect international rules, the vessel’s commander said.HMS Queen Elizabeth took part in NATO exercises in the Mediterranean this week, ahead of the eight-month voyage that will cross through the South China Sea in a signal to Beijing that sea lanes must remain open.The carrier is “a hugely powerful statement…
Future USS Savannah Passes Acceptance Trials
![Independence-class Littoral Combat Ship the future USS Savannah (LCS 28) constructed by Austal USA has completed acceptance trials (Images: Austal USA)](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w100h1500/ependenceclass-littoral-combat-ship-the-123184.jpg)
The U.S. Navy's future USS Savannah (LCS 28) has completed acceptance trials in the Gulf of Mexico. LCS 28 is the 14th Independence-class Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) built by Austal USA in Mobile, Ala.Paddy Gregg, CEO of Austal USA parent company Austal, noted the milestone follows the recent commissioning of the USS Mobile (LCS 26).“The Austal USA team are quite rightly filled with pride and a collective sense of achievement following the recent commissioning of USS Mobile in their home city…
Car Carrier Sinks After Collision With Tanker Off Japan; Three Missing
Japanese coast guard ships and aircraft were searching on Friday for three missing crew of a cargo ship that capsized and sank after a collision with a Marshall…
Containership Grounds in the Suez Canal
A Singaporean flagged containership has been refloated hours after running aground in the Suez Canal, a local agency said.The 366-meter, 13,100 TEU Maersk Emerald…
COSCO Hopes for Greek Deal on Piraeus Despite Delay
![© aerial-drone / Adobe Stock](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w100h1500/aerialdrone-adobe-stock-123181.jpeg)
Chinese shipping group COSCO hopes to reach a deal with the Greek government to complete the purchase of an extra stake in Piraeus, despite running out of time to fulfil a key condition, a top official at the port said.Under a 2016 Greek privatization agreement, COSCO Shipping bought a 51% holding in Piraeus Port Authority (PPA) for 280 million euros ($341 million) and committed to mandatory investments…
Russia's First LNG Bunkering Ship Completes Sea Trials
![(Photo: Gazprom Neft)](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w100h1500/photo-gazprom-neft-123178.jpg)
Russia’s first ship designed to run on liquefied natural gas (LNG) and fuel other vessels with LNG has completed its sea trials, energy firm Gazprom Neft reported on Friday.The Dmitry Mendeleev is expected to enter Gazprom Neft’s fleet in the second half of this year, the company said.“The next stage will be the testing of systems for loading, storing and discharging of LNG,” it said.The Dmitry Mendeleev is an Arc4 ice-class vessel which will be able to transport up to 5,800 cubic meters of LNG.
VIDEO: Five Minutes with Baba Devani, CEO Marine, Survitec
![Baba Devani, CEO Marine, Survitec.](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w100h1500/baba-devani-ceo-marine-survitec-123174.jpg)
As Survitec continues to grow with the recent acquisition of Hansen Protection, Baba Devani, CEO Marine, discusses the strategic important of the acquisition to the overall strategy of Survitec as well as the path ahead.Baba, to start, can you give our readers a “by the numbers” look at Survitec today.We're an organization with about 3,000 colleagues. We operate ourselves in 30 different countries with a presence across 2000 ports.
Opus Marine Expands Fleet with Damen Fast Crew Supplier
![Credit: Damen](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w100h1500/credit-damen-123167.jpg)
Offshore logistics service provider Opus Marine, part of Zeitfracht Group, has expanded its fleet with a new Damen Fast Crew Supplier (FCS) 2710, named Allegro at a ceremony on Thursday.The vessel will begin immediate operations, transporting technicians to wind farms offshore, and according to Damen, the shipbuilder, the crews will enjoy the highest possible comfort onboard.The vessel was built by Damen Shipyards Group in Antalya.
Maersk Supply Service Orders Wärtsilä Battery for Maersk Minder AHTS Vessel
![Maersk Minder - Credit: Maersk Supply Service](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w100h1500/maersk-minder-credit-maersk-supply-123166.jpg)
Danish offshore support vessel owner Maersk Supply Service has ordered a battery pack for one of its M-class vessels, the Anchor Handling Tug Supply vessel Maersk Minder, as part of its plan to reduce the company's carbon intensity by 50% across its fleet in 2030.Mark Handin, COO of Maersk Supply Service said: "Maersk Supply Service is taking an active role in decarbonizing the offshore support vessel sector.
Wärtsilä Developing Autonomous Container Shuttle Service
![(Photo: Wärtsilä)](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w100h1500/photo-wrtsil-123159.jpg)
Finnish marine equipment and technology company Wärtsilä said on Thursday it is working to develop an autonomous, emissions-free intra-port, inter-terminal container shuttle that would help address the emerging capacity bottleneck for internal container transportation.The project is part of an international alliance headed by the Port of Rotterdam Authority, which has this month been awarded nearly €25 million in EU funding to implement projects aimed at sustainable and smart port logistics.
Relief Fund Raises $530,000 for Seafarers Impacted by COVID-19
![(Photo: Seafarers International Relief Fund)](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w100h1500/oto-seafarers-international-relief-fund-123162.jpg)
Only three weeks after launching, a relief fund established to help seafarers and the families impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic has collected $530,000 in pledges to date, nearly $400,000 of which has already been allocated to help those worst affected.The Seafarers International Relief Fund (SIRF), set up by seafarer welfare charities and the wider shipping industry, said the first three SIRF grants…
Stena Line’s New Ferry Floated Out in China
![(Photo: Stena Line)](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w100h1500/photo-stena-line-123160.jpg)
Ferry company Stena Line said its first new extended E-Flexer RoPax vessel has been launched in Weihai, China.Ordered in 2018, the newbuild is expected for delivery in 2022, though it remains unknown which route the vessel will serve. "For now, the name of the new vessel and the route on which it will operate are being kept a closely guarded secret by Stena Line," the company said in a statement.Floated out on May 24…
Ingalls Shipbuilding Names Blanchette VP of Quality and Engineering
![Brian Blanchette has been promoted to vice president of quality and engineering at Ingalls Shipbuilding. Prior to the promotion, Blanchette served as Ingalls’ director of technical and design engineering. (Photo: Derek Fountain/HII)](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w100h1500/brian-blanchette-has-been-promoted-123161.jpg)
America's largest military shipbuilder Huntington Ingalls Industries announced Thursday that Brian Blanchette has been promoted to vice president of quality and engineering of its Ingalls Shipbuilding division.Blanchette will be responsible for the management and oversight of the division’s quality program as well as all ship design, engineering, integrated logistics support and planning yard engineering efforts at the Pascagoula, Miss. shipyard.
CCRI Designated as Maritime Training Center of Excellence
![(Photo: CCRI)](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w100h1500/photo-ccri-123158.jpg)
Last week, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration announced the designation of 27 Centers of Excellence for Domestic Maritime Workforce Training and Education (CoE), recognizing community colleges and training institutions that prepare students for careers in the U.S. maritime industry.One of the 27 schools and institutions recognized is the Community College of Rhode Island…
US Urges Change in Fishing Practices to Save Endangered Whales
![(Photo: NOAA)](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w100h1500/photo-noaa-123157.jpg)
U.S. commercial fishing practices must change to prevent the extinction of North Atlantic right whales, the administration of President Joe Biden said on Thursday, as it prepares a list of new regulations to prevent whale entanglements in lobster and crab gear.The scientific assessment from the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration’s fisheries unit is a milestone in finalizing a handful…
Roll Group to Implement We4Sea Fleet Monitoring Solution
![(Photo: Roll Group)](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w100h1500/photo-roll-group-123156.jpg)
Dutch performance monitoring company We4Sea and mobile satellite communications company Inmarsat have signed an agreement for We4Sea to join a growing group of more than 40 certified providers offering applications via Inmarsat’s digital solutions Fleet Data and Fleet Connect.The announcement coincides with news of a first We4Sea-Inmarsat collaboration to secure fleet-wide uptake for We4Sea’s web-based vessel performance monitoring service.
CDC Approves Royal Caribbean Cruise for June, First Since COVID-19
The Centers for Disease Control said it had approved one cruise ship from Royal Caribbean to resume sailing in June, more than a year after U.S. cruising was suspended…