Global Seaborne Coal Trade Up Nearly 6% in 2021
Global seaborne coal trade rose by 5.7% last year, driven by rising demand from steelmakers for coking coal and its products as economies began to recover from the coronavirus crisis, Germany's VDKi coal importers lobby group said.Imports and exports of hard coal across the globe stood at 1.18 billion tons in 2021, up from 1.116 billion in 2020, the Verein der Kohlenimporteure (VDKi) estimated.Trade…
Baker Hughes Finds US Drillers Add Most O&G Rigs Since April
U.S. energy firms this week added the most oil and natural gas rigs in a week since April as rising oil prices prompt more drillers to return to the wellpad.The oil and gas rig count, an early indicator of future output, rose 13 to 601 in the week to Jan. 14, its highest since April 2020, said Baker Hughes in its weekly report. The total count was up 228, or 61%, over this time last year.U.S. oil rigs rose 11 to 492 this week…
Equinor, BP Hit Key Milestone for New York Offshore Wind Projects
Equinor and BP on Friday announced the finalization of the Purchase and Sale Agreements (PSAs) with the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), for Empire Wind 2 and Beacon Wind 1 offshore wind projects.Empire Wind is located 15-30 miles southeast of Long Island and spans 80,000 acres, with water depths of between 65 and 131 feet. The lease was acquired in 2017 and is being…
VesselsValue Buys Norwegian Shipping Research firm ViaMar
Online valuation and data provider, VesselsValue, said Friday it had acquired the Norwegian shipping research and advisory company, ViaMar.ViaMar, based in Oslo, is becoming part of VesselsValue which has over 200 employees across eight offices worldwide in the UK, Singapore, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Seoul, and Manila.The Norwegian company provides market research and advisory services in shipping, energy and financial markets…
Senator Cruz's Nord Stream 2 Sanctions Bill Fails in U.S. Senate
The U.S. Senate on Thursday failed to pass a bill to slap sanctions on Russia's Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline sponsored by Republican Senator Ted Cruz, a day after Democrats unveiled their own legislation.The tally was 55 in favor and 44 against the bill that needed 60 votes to pass, a major hurdle in the 50-50 Senate. The vote spanned nearly seven hours as Majority Leader Chuck Schumer considered…
Baltic Index Extends Losses as Vessel Demand Wanes
The Baltic Exchange's dry bulk sea freight index fell for a sixth straight session on Friday, weighed down by weaker rates across vessel segments.The overall index, which factors in rates for capesize, panamax, and supramax vessels, fell 109 points, or 5.8%, to 1,764, its lowest since early March 2021. The index has lost nearly 23% this week.The capesize index dropped 250 points, or 14.3%, to 1,496, its lowest since late Feb. 2021.
BOEM Preparing Draft EA for Future Offshore Wind Operations in Gulf of Mexico
The U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has this week said it is preparing a draft environmental assessment (EA) to consider the impacts of potential offshore wind leasing in federal waters of the Gulf of Mexico.The area that will be reviewed in the EA includes almost 30 million acres just west of the Mississippi River to the Texas/Mexican border. This is the same area for which BOEM requested…
Nergård Havfiske Orders $57M Stern Trawler from VARD
Shipbuilder VARD said Friday it had secured a new contract to design and build one stern trawler for Nergård Havfiske, the fishing arm of the Nergård group in Norway. The contract value is in excess of NOK 500 million (~$57,35 million)."The VARD 8 02 trawler design is a well-proven design that VARD has continuously developed to meet the latest demands for fish health management, efficiency, and environmentally friendly operations.
Bumi Armada Winds Up Dormant Subsidiaries
Bumi Armada, a Malaysian offshore service firm and FPSO provider, has decided to wind up its two dormant subsidiaries.The company said that its subsidiaries Offshore…
Indonesia to Improve Coal Delivery Checks as Export Ban Weighs on Economy
Indonesia's state utility Perusahaan Listrik Negara (PLN) said on Friday that together with the energy ministry it was strengthening a coal delivery monitoring system to ensure enforcement of domestic sales rules and energy security.The world's biggest thermal coal exporter introduced an export ban on Jan. 1 as coal inventories at local power plants were at critically low levels, amid low compliance with a so-called Domestic Market Obligation (DMO).Under the DMO…
SMS Group Investment Pays Off with 'Record Breaking' 2021
As COVID continues to create business hurdles globally, the SMS Group, based within the Port of Southampton in the UK, announced that it has recorded its busiest year in company history. Traditionally a ship repairer, SMS Group invested in a team of industry professionals to establish, develop and deliver in the challenging interior outfit and marine refurbishment sector within the cruise industry – and 2021 was the defining year.Dan Lockyer, who heads up the team, said: “2021 was our year.
Kepler Confirms Launch, Deployment of Four New GEN1 Satellites
Kepler Communications confirmed the successful launch and deployment of four new satellites into its constellation yesterday, expanding the active its constellation to 19 satellites in total. "Every satellite we add to our constellation increases our capacity and transfer frequency of remote and maritime connectivity, increasing the quality of our service and ensuring that our customer's data ends up where they want in a timely manner…
Prysmian Group Wins MidEast Submarine Cable Contract
Prysmian Group entered into a Limited Notice to Proceed (LNTP) for the supply of power cables in the context of a landmark HVDC submarine cable project in the Middle East, worth around $252m. The LNTP was awarded to Prysmian by Samsung C&T as part of its EPC consortium with Jan De Nul Group. The new link, part of the strategic HVDC transmission system for the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) Abu Dhabi National Energy Company PJSC (TAQA) Lightning Project…
Training Tips for Ships: Are Mariners Knowledge Workers?
What is the difference between knowledge and skills? Which should we focus more on in our training, and how does one influence the other?When we think about the most important mariner quality, often the first thing that comes to mind is skill. Can the officer or crewmember safely perform the skills required of him or her? After all, if everyone performs their necessary skills correctly, what more is there?There is, in fact, much more. Let’s see what the experts have to say:“A study by the U.S.
Maersk Q4 Earnings Beat Expectations
Shipping group Maersk on Friday posted better than expected fourth-quarter revenue and earnings, fuelled by record freight rates for container shipping.A fall in ocean-going container volumes by 4% in the last three months of the year was more than offset by freight rates improving 80% compared with a year earlier."The strong result in the quarter reflects the continuation of the exceptional market situation within (the) Ocean (division) caused by global disruptions to supply chains…
DOF Subsea Secures Work for Skandi Acergy, Skandi Constructor Vessels
Norway-based offshore vessel owner DOF Subsea has secured a contract extension for the Skandi Acergy construction support vessel. It has also won a new contract…
BP Files Petrojarl Foinaven FPSO Removal Plan
British oil major BP has filed a decommissioning plan for the removal of the Petrojarl Foinaven FPSO and the recovery of associated mooring systems, the risers and…
Making Shipping Greener: Michelin in Deal to Test Inflatable Sail
French tire maker Michelin and Compagnie Maritime Nantaise said on Thursday they will jointly test Michelin's inflatable wing sail this year on a merchant ship for the first time, in a move that may help the shipping industry cut its emissions.The Wing Sail Mobility (WISAMO) project is centered on an inflatable, retractable and automated wing that can be fitted on commercial vessels and pleasure boats…
