MARAD Designates Four New Marine Highway Projects
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD) today announced the immediate designation of four new Marine Highway Projects as part of the America’s Marine Highway Program (AMHP). Projects in North Carolina, Alaska, and Puerto Rico will receive these designations. They can now apply for record levels of funding through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to help address supply chain challenges.A Marine Highway Project is a planned service…
Venezuela's Oil Exports Plummet to Lowest in 19 Months on Port Delays
Venezuela's oil exports last month fell to the lowest level since October 2020 as repairs at the country's main oil port added to delays shipping cargoes, documents from state-run PDVSA and vessel tracking data showed.Exports from the U.S.-sanctioned country were recovering this year following a pact with Iran that provided a stable supply of diluents needed for producing exportable grades and lighter crudes for making refined products.But shipping delays linked to oil quality issues…
Echandia Scores €5 Million Naval Order for ESS
Echandia, a developer of heavy-duty energy storage solutions (ESS) for maritime and industrial applications, has received an initial order for battery systems in the naval segment.
Refurbished Ferry Delivered to CalMac
A newly refurbished ferry has been delivered to provide additional capacity for operator CalMac Ferries on the west coast of Scotland.Purchased out of Norway in 2021 and renamed Loch Frisa, the vessel departed Dales Marine Services in Leith on May 29 for repositioning to Oban where it is undertaking familiarization and entry-in-to service activities.Starting in mid-June, the double-ended RoPax ferry will be phased into the Oban-Craignure timetable, in tandem with Coruisk.
MISC Makes Leadership Change
MISC Group’s President/Group Chief Executive Officer (CEO), YBhg. Datuk Yee Yang Chien announced his plan to retire effective September 30, 2022. Datuk Yee will turn the helm over to Captain Rajalingam Subramaniam, MISC’s Chief Operating Officer and AET’s President & CEO, who will assume the role of MISC Group’s President/Group CEO effective October 1, 2022.Datuk Yee said, “It has been a great honour for me to be given the responsibility to lead MISC Group back in 2015.
Jan De Nul Group Orders Crane Simulator for Next-Gen Offshore Installation Vessels
Offshore installation specialist Jan De Nul Group has ordered a high-end crane simulator for two of its Next Generation Offshore Installation Vessels Voltaire and Les Alizés.According to Jan De Nul, the crane simulator will be based on real physics and the actual vessel models, enabling Jan De Nul to train its crewmembers and realistically simulate complex offshore installations in a completely safe environment, in the most severe conditions.
Hyundai Heavy Delivers VLCC to Okeanis Eco Tankers
Oslo-listed tanker firm Okeanis Eco Tankers has taken delivery of the VLCC Nissos Nikouria. South Korean shipbuilder Hyundai Heavy Industries delivered the tanker and this is the second, Gas Ready (MEc), ECO-design, open-loop scrubber-fitted 300,000 DWT VLCC crude tanker delivered to Okeanis Eco Tankers following the purchase deal announced in mid-2021.The first was Nissos Kea, delivered in March 2022.According to the information on the company's website…
New U.S. Hurricane Outlook Sees Five Major Storms
Forecasters on Thursday amped up their outlook for the U.S. Atlantic hurricane season, saying warm sea temperatures and the absence of a moderating wind shear portend a "well-above average" number of storms.Colorado State University researchers raised their estimate for tropical storms, hurricanes and major hurricanes by one apiece to 20, 10 and five, respectively. There is a 50% chance or more of at least one major hurricane apiece hitting the East and Gulf Coasts…
Boskalis Management Says HAL's Offer Not Unreasonable, But Also Not Convincing Enough
Dutch marine services and dredging firm Boskalis said Friday that the price proposed by HAL Holding for the acquisition of all remaining shares of Boskalis wasn't unreasonable, but also not sufficiently convincing to recommend the price to its shareholders. HAL Holding on March 10 announced plans to launch a takeover offer for Boskalis' all remaining shares. The company said it planned to launch an…
LNG Carrier Sails from US to South Korea Using Autonomous Navigation
A 180,000-square-meter-capacity liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier is said to be the world's first large cargo ship to cross the Pacific using autonomous navigation.Built by Hyundai Heavy Industries in 2021 and delivered to SK Shipping in South Korea, the vessel Prism Courage is equipped with HiNAS 2.0, Level 2 autonomous navigation solution developed by Avikus, a subsidiary of HD Hyundai (former Hyundai Heavy Industries Group).According to Avikus…
As Shanghai Reopens, California Ports Prepare for Cargo Surge
California port leaders expect imports to rise as Shanghai, home to the world's busiest seaport, emerges from a two-month COVID-19 lockdown.The question is whether that release of pent-up goods will again swamp West Coast ports that have recently emerged from the pandemic's massive cargo wave, they and other experts said.The Port of Shanghai was open during the city's shutdown, but cargo flows still slowed.
Harvey Gulf Converts Fifth Vessel for 'Tri-Fuel' Operations
U.S.-based offshore vessel owner Harvey Gulf announced on Thursday it has converted its fifth offshore supply vessel for tri-fueled operations.Harvey Gulf's feet of carbon-neutral tri-fuel vessels operates on battery power backed by renewable liquefied natural gas (LNG) and diesel.Harvey Gulf said it also completed a sixth vessel with battery power, creating the world’s largest fleet of tri- and dual-fueled oil and gas service vessels and the only ones in the U.S.Harvey Gulf CEO…
SAAM Towage Receives New Tug in Chile
SAAM Towage received a new tug in Valparaiso, the Mataquito II, which passed its seaworthiness testing in Turkey, supervised by the crew that will operate it.SAAM Towage Technical Manager Pablo Cáceres explained that “this tug allows safe and effective control of the maneuver in complex operations where it is necessary to assist ships at a speed of up to 10 knots, thanks to its installed capacity and…
Deltamarin Designing Train Ferry for Fennorail
Finnish ship designer Deltamarin said it has signed a contract with Oy Fennorail Ltd for conceptual design of a train ferry capable of carrying both train and truck cargo.The so-called EUROCARRIER train ferry is being engineered to connect Finland to the European TEN-T railway networks and create a connection across Eastern Europe to Central Europe and the Mediterranean. Approximately 400,000 trucks per year, or almost 1,100 trucks per day travel on car ferries between Finland and Estonia.
Harland & Wolff Returns to Action with First Newbuild Order
The historic Belfast shipyard Harland & Wolff announced it has secured its first newbuild order since being bought out of administration in 2019.The shipyard, best known for having built the Titanic, is returning to action after being purchased by London-based InfraStrata. The yard said on Wednesday that it was awarded an initial contract worth approximately £8.5 million to build 11 barges for U.K.-based waste management and recycling company Cory…
Overpressurized Fuel System Led to Towboat Fire -NTSB
The engine room fire aboard a towing vessel was caused by overpressurization of the fuel day tank and a main engine fuel return system when a fatigued chief engineer inadvertently left the day tank overflow valves to the storage tanks closed, the National Transportation Safety Board said in Marine Investigation Report 22/17 released Wednesday.On May 18, 2021, the towing vessel Mary Lynn was pushing two barges near mile 176 on the Upper Mississippi River near St.
BIMCO Hires Damsgaard to Lead Its New Houston Office
BIMCO announced it has hired Thomas Damsgaard to head its new office in Houston, as the shipping organization expands its global reach to better provide services to members in the Americas.Damsgaard has extensive experience working in shipowning companies, agency business, and is engaged in training activities. The main part of Damsgaard’s career has been in the United States, including in the Houston area.
UN Security Council Calls for Crackdown on Gulf of Guinea Piracy
The UN Security Council last week called for greater action to prevent piracy in the Gulf of Guinea, a region posing significant danger for commercial shipping as a hotbed for maritime kidnappings and armed robbery at sea.The council unanimously adopted Resolution 2634 (2022), which calls upon member states in the region to criminalize piracy and armed robbery at sea under their domestic laws, and to investigate…
EU Bans New Insurance of Ships Carrying Russian Oil
The European Union's sixth package of sanctions against Russia, approved on Thursday, includes an immediate ban on new insurance contracts for ships carrying Russian oil and existing contracts are to be phased out over 6 months, an EU official said."It is a 6-month phase out for ship insurance. The six months are counted from the entry into force of the sanctions package, and it is only for existing contracts.
Hapag-Lloyd Acquires DAL's Container Liner Business
Hapag-Lloyd announced it has closed its acquisition of the container liner business of German carrier Deutsche Afrika-Linien (DAL), as the German liner shipping…
