Low Water Hampers Rhine River Shipping in Germany
Low water after recent dry weather continues to prevent cargo vessels from sailing fully loaded on the river Rhine in Germany, traders said on Monday.Low water is hampering shipping in much of the river in Germany south of Duisburg and Cologne to southern regions around Maxau, traders said.Shallow water means vessel operators impose surcharges on freight rates, increasing costs for cargo owners.The Rhine is an important shipping route for commodities including grains, minerals, coal and oil prod
Eye on Maritime Design: Can Wind Propulsion Work by Keeping it Simple?
While it is starting to look like some clever wind/power sail technologies are starting to appear, too often I have looked at the cargo cranes of geared bulkers and wondered if it makes sense to rig some sort of sail on them.I think the fancier approaches fight the “build a little, test a little, learn a lot” engineering maxim in new technology development, and maybe doing more simple stuff may be…
Australia's First LNG Import Terminal Seen Ready by Late-2023
Squadron Energy, the private company building Australia's first LNG import terminal, expects its Port Kembla facility in New South Wales to be ready to take its first gas shipment by the end of 2023, its commercial director said on Tuesday.Squadron Energy, owned by Australian mining billionaire Andrew Forrest, is vying against four other proposed LNG import projects looking to fill a shortfall in gas supplies expected in southeastern Australia from as early as 2024, and across eastern Australia
Integrated Wind Solutions Orders Another Skywalker-class CSOV in China
Norway-based offshore vessel owner Integrated Wind Solutions (“IWS”) has ordered two Walk-to-Work Commissioning Service Operations Vessels (“CSOV”). The vessels are scheduled for delivery in H1 2024 from China Merchants Industry, Hong Kong. Currently, IWS has two identical vessels on order for delivery in 2023 and option agreements for up to two additional vessels for potentially H2 2024 delivery.The firm yard price for the two vessels is about EUR 48 million per vessel (around $52,76 million).
Wärtsilä Inks Service Deal for Four Knutsen OAS Ships
The technology group Wärtsilä said it has signed a service agreement with the Norway based fleet operator Knutsen OAS covering the reliquefaction plant for four liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers.The scope of the agreement includes Wärtsilä’s digital Operim (Operational Performance Improvement & Monitoring) system, which provides real-time data on Wärtsilä’s onboard equipment, thus enabling expert management and control to deliver cost-savings and more efficient operations, Wärtsilä said.
EU Split on Russia Oil Sanctions, Mulls Other Steps
The European Union's foreign ministers disagreed on Monday on whether and how to slap sanctions on Russia's lucrative energy sector over its invasion of Ukraine, with Germany saying the bloc was too dependent on Russian oil to decide an embargo.The EU and allies have already imposed hefty measures against Russia, including freezing its central bank's assets.Russia's siege and bombardment of Mariupol port…
Dredgers Working to Free Containership Stuck Near Baltimore
Dredgers are working to free a containership that has been stuck for a week after running aground in the Chesapeake Bay near Baltimore.Port of Baltimore executive director William Doyle said dredging operations to free the Ever Forward kicked off on Sunday after the required permits were issued by state and federal agencies."U.S. companies Donjon Marine and Cashman Dredging & Marine Construction will lead the surgical dredging operation…
Greenpeace Protests Against Ships Carrying Russian Fossil Fuels
Greenpeace activists have taken to the sea to protest against tankers carrying Russian fossil fuels to Europe.Traveling in rigid hull inflatable boats (RHIB), kayaks and as swimmers, protesters from Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Netherlands and Germany on Sunday went in front of supertankers Waikiki and SFC Baltica in the Baltic Sea, displaying banners with “Oil Fuels War” as Greenpeace calls on…
IT Bug Jams Baltic-North Sea Traffic
A software problem that blocked all ship traffic in the main channel between the Baltic and the North Sea on Sunday was not a hacker attack and has been fixed, a spokesperson for Germany's Kiel Canal Waterways and Shipping Authority said on Monday.The incident was caused by the installation of a new vessel traffic management software system, the spokesperson said.Fixing a small error in the code allowed the channel to go back into full operation after more than 12 hours of outage…
Legislation Introduced to Establish Great Lakes Authority
New legislation introduced in Congress aims to create a federal entity dedicated exclusively to advancing solutions to the challenges faced by the eight states of Great Lakes region.Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin together, contain a large core of the United States’ commercial and defense industrial base, as well as the largest freshwater system anywhere on Earth…
ABS Updates RoRo Vessel Rules in Response to Fires
Classification society ABS announced it has updated its rules addressing electric vehicles on board RoRo vessels in response to "industry concerns" over a number of recent ship fires.U.S.-based ABS said the new requirements introduced within its marine vessel rules apply to supplemental fire detection, alarms and firefighting equipment as well as provisions associated with vehicle recharging. They take effect for newbuild vessels on July 1…
Russia Docks Landing Support Ship Near Ukraine's Mariupol
Russia's armed forces said on Monday they had docked a large, beachable landing support ship, the Orsk, in the occupied Ukrainian port of Berdyansk, 70 km (45 miles) southwest of the besieged Ukrainian port of Mariupol on the Sea of Azov.As part of what Moscow calls a "special military operation" launched almost a month ago, Russian forces have seized most of the Ukrainian coast along the Sea of Azov…
American P&I Club Announces Leadership Change
After 27 years’ service as Chief Executive Officer of Shipowners Claims Bureau, Inc. (SCB), the Managers of the American P&I Club, Joe Hughes will stand down from that role on August 1, 2022. Dorothea Ioannou, currently Deputy Chief Operating Officer of SCB, will succeed Hughes as CEO from that date, making history as the first woman to ascend to the top executive position of an International Group P&I club in the 167 year history of the marine mutuals.At the same time…
Euroseas Orders Trio of 1,800 TEU Feeder Ships
Shipowner Euroseas announced on Monday it has signed a contract for the construction of three 1,800 TEU feeder containerships from Hyundai Mipo Dockyard Co. in South…
Carboline: 'Bigger and Better' at 75 Years
St. Louis-based coatings specialist Carboline is celebrating its 75th year in business in 2022. From humble beginnings in 1947, Carboline has grown into a global organization that has launched more than 500 products, with more than seven research facilities, 20 manufacturing facilities and hundreds of warehouses. Still, the company has remained laser-focused on quality, innovation and top-notch service.“Our offering to the maritime market is very unique…
Ukraine Says All Its Ports Remain Closed to Ship Traffic
All Ukrainian its ports on the Black Sea and Azov Sea remain temporarily closed to ships seeking to enter or exit, Ukraine’s infrastructure ministry said on Monday.Soon after Russia’s invasion on Feb. 24, Ukraine’s military suspended commercial shipping at its ports, stoking fear of supply disruption from leading grain and oilseeds exporters.(Reuters - Reporting by Natalia Zinets, Writing by Alessandra Prentice, Editing by Timothy Heritage)
Yacht Linked to Russian Oligarch Docks in Turkey
A superyacht linked to Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich docked in the Turkish tourist resort of Bodrum on Monday, after skirting the waters of European Union…
Mercuria Joins Tankers International VLCC Pool
The Mercuria-operated Seaways Kilimanjaro has joined Tankers International’s specialist VLCC Scrubber Pool.The Seaways Kilimanjaro (296,999 DWT / Built 2012) was…
Great Lakes Reports $132.3 Million in Dredging Contracts
Houston-based dredging services provider Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Corporation announced it has received several major dredging awards totaling $132.3 million.The awarded work includes:Coastal Storm Risk Management Rockaway Inlet Beach Fill Subcontract (Coastal Protection, New York, $37.2 million)South Atlantic Division Regional Harbor Dredging Project (Maintenance, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina…
Ships at Risk as Mines from Ukraine Drift into the Black Sea
Several hundred mines have drifted into the Black Sea after breaking off from cables near Ukrainian ports, Russia's main intelligence agency and shipping market participants said.The Black Sea is a major shipping artery for grain, oil, and oil products."Due to storm weather, the cables connecting the mines to anchors were broken," Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB), the main successor to the Soviet-era KGB…