Eye on Design: Repair and Conversion Conundrums in Hybrid Propulsion
I recently built a 35 foot Solar Hybrid Electric Wheelchair Accessible Catamaran for my wife who became wheelchair bound a few years ago. (In typing this sentence, I just realized that this vessel can be referred to as a SHEWAC)It is only a 35 foot recreational vessel, but it contains all the propulsion pieces that are found in any other modern hybrid propelled vessel.I have operated the vessel for…
Nautilus Labs Opens London Offiice, Taps Wilhelmsson as CCO
Nautilus Labs is expanding to the United Kingdom, opening an office in London to be led by Jan Wilhelmsson, an experienced shipping executive and Nautilus Labs' new Chief Commercial Officer (CCO).Wilhelmsson has more than 30 years of diverse shipping industry experience. Prior to Nautilus, as a former Master Mariner, he moved into commercially operating institutional-sized fleets before focusing on…
Ship Manager USC Barnkrug Digitizes fleet with Kaiko
Berlin-based Kaiko Systems announced a partnership with USC Barnkrug, with the ship management company rolling out Kaiko Systems' solution to its entire fleet. USC Barnkrug is a ship management company that operates 27 feeder containerships, opting to 'digitize' its fleet using Kaiko Systems, which is designed to enable shipping companies to collect structured and verified inspection data and process the data into actionable insights using AI.
Indonesia Considers Coal Levy as Easing of Export Ban Calms Markets
Chinese thermal coal futures fell on Tuesday after Indonesia, the world's biggest thermal coal exporter, eased a ban on overseas shipments that surprised buyers at the start of the year, alleviating concerns about supply disruptions.The export ban was introduced after state power utility Perusahaan Listrik Negara (PLN) reported critically low coal stockpiles amid complaints miners were not fulfilling their responsibilities to supply fuel to the company.
Report: Venezuela to Export Diluted Crude after 9-month Pause
Venezuelan state-run oil firm PDVSA this week will resume exports of diluted crude oil (DCO) for the first time in nine months, according to a document seen by Reuters.Since U.S. trade sanctions were imposed on PDVSA in 2019, a lack of diluents, especially heavy naphtha, has hurt its ability to produce exportable grades from its largest production region, the Orinoco Belt. Its extra heavy oil must…
Sanctions on Nord Stream 2 Could Harm Relations with Germany, U.S. Senators Say
Several Democratic U.S. senators said late on Monday, after meeting with Biden administration officials, that they believe sanctions on Russia's Nord Stream 2 pipeline backed by Republican Senator Ted Cruz could harm relations with Germany.Under Secretary of State Victoria Nuland and President Joe Biden's global energy security adviser Amos Hochstein met on Monday behind closed doors with about 10…
Dry Bulk: Heavy Rains Disrupt Shipping in Southeast Brazil
Heavy rainfall in southeastern Brazil has prompted miners including Vale SA to suspend some operations, they said on Monday, after downpours caused deadly floods in the northeast and threatened to delay harvests in the midwest.Rainfall is expected to remain heavy this week in most of top mining state Minas Gerais, after runoff closed roads and railways.The rains may also have contributed to the dramatic collapse of a canyon rock face in the state on Saturday…
Ingram CEO O’Loughlin to Retire; Roberts to Take the Helm
Nashville-based Ingram Marine Group, one of the largest barging companies in the U.S., announced Monday that David O’Loughlin will retire from his role as CEO. He will be succeeded by John Roberts, the company’s current chief operating officer, who will take the helm as the new president and CEO on February 1. O’Loughlin will stay with the company as vice chair for the remainder of 2022 to assist with the transition.
Maritime Partners Promotes Livingston to COO
Metairie, La. based Maritime Partners, LLC has promoted Eric Livingston to the position of COO.Livingston joined the towboat leasing company as executive vice president in 2019 and has previously held leadership positions at Citizens Asset Finance, GATX Corporation and ATEL Capital Group.In December, Maritime Partners announced it acquired the towboat and barge fleet of J. Russell Flowers, Inc., making…
Port of Mobile Posts Record Container Growth
The Alabama Port Authority said calendar year 2021 containerized cargo volumes climbed to a record 502,623 TEUs up nearly 19% from 2020 volumes. To date, the terminal has handled over 3.6 million TEUs since containerized operations began in 2008. Since, 2015, the Port of Mobile’s volume has grown by 120% making the gateway one of the fastest growing container ports in the United States. “Mobile continues to perform…
Bollinger to Build Pontoon Launcher for Electric Boat
Bollinger Shipyards on Monday announced it will construct a new pontoon launcher for General Dynamics Electric Boat to support the construction and launching of the U.S. Navy’s Columbia Class Ballistic Missile Submarines.The concept and contract design for the 496- by 95-foot pontoon launcher was performed by the Bristol Harbor Group in Rhode Island. The detail design engineering will be performed at the Bollinger facility in Lockport, La.
Fincantieri Begins Work in Northeast Florida
Fincantieri Marine Repair, a division of Fincantieri Marine Systems North America (FMSNA), welcomed its first commercial customer to Commodores Point in downtown Jacksonville last week, marking the start of operations in northeast Florida.FMSNA announced last month that they were ready to provide repair and maintenance services to military, commercial, and large private vessels on the East Coast beginning in 2022.
Perfecting Provision Stores and Layouts on Ships
Antonio Ferrando,Provision Store Expert at ALMACO Group, explains the key factors behind creating optimal provision stores and layouts.What are the three most important things to consider when creating provision stores and layouts?Let me start by emphasizing these three things: flow, maximum food preservation, and customization. These three are really the key when we are taking about creating an optimal…
Oldendorff Testing Second-generation Biofuels
German shipowner Oldendorff Carriers announced a trial voyage using biofuel for the CBH Group, the largest agricultural cooperative in Western Australia, is being performed on the Edwine Oldendorff from Australia to Vietnam. The vessel loaded 30,000 tonnes of sustainably certified malting barley from the Albany Grain Terminal in Western Australia for discharge in Vietnam using biofuel, supplied by BP.
OCIMF and PIANC Ink Memorandum of Understanding
The World Association for Waterborne Transport Infrastructure (PIANC) and the Oil Companies International Marine Forum (OCIMF) have signed a memorandum of understanding…
Fairbanks Morse to Supply Engine Parts for USCG Icebreaking Tugs
Fairbanks Morse Defense announced on Monday it has been awarded a five-year indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) requirements contract by the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Surface Forces Logistic Center. The agreement, worth up to $13 million, makes FMD the required source of supply for all Opposed Piston (OP) Engine Parts listed in the contract’s schedule of supplies. These parts primarily support OP engines on nine 140-foot Bay Class Icebreaking Tugboats (WTGBs).Since 1977…
4,400 Migrants Lost at Sea Bound for Spain in 2021, Double Previous Year
More than 4,400 migrants, including at least 205 children, were lost at sea trying to reach Spain in 2021, a monitoring group said on Monday - more than double the figure from the previous year and the most since the group began counting in 2018.The group, Walking Borders, or Caminando Fronteras, blamed increasingly dangerous routes, inferior boats and the fear of some vessels to help migrants at sea for the surge in deaths.
ABS and HHI Team Up for Autonomous Vessel Projects
U.S.-based classification society ABS and South Korean shipbuilding giant Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) will work together on a series of projects aiming to advance and integrate autonomous vessel technologies.ABS specialists will work with HHI’s Korea Shipbuilding and Offshore Engineering (KSOE) and its autonomous navigation subsidiary, Avikus, to integrate autonomous and remote-control functions into vessels.
Seaward Marine Adds New Tug Dock
Norfolk, Va.-based marine services company Seaward Marine Corporation has added a new 260-foot workboat pier to accommodate its seven-boat fleet of tow and tug vessels in Chesapeake, Va.The pontoons for the Seaward Marine project were made in SF Marina Systems' Norfolk, Virginia production facility and towed by water to the installation location. Because of their intimate familiarity with SF Marina products…
BIMCO Urges Gulf of Guinea States to Crack Down on Piracy
Shipping organization BIMCO is urging states in the Gulf of Guinea region to take responsibility and step-up prosecution efforts when pirates are apprehended by international navies, following the release of three suspected pirates held in custody on board Danish frigate Esbern Snare.“The presence of international navies is a very important step in the right direction to keep seafarers safe but establishing…
