US Charges former Boxer Over $1 Billion Containership Cocaine Seizure
A former heavyweight boxer from Montenegro was charged by the U.S. Department of Justice on Monday with trafficking in 22 tons of cocaine worth over $1 billion, most of which was part of one of the largest cocaine seizures in American history.Goran Gogic, 43, was arrested on Sunday night while trying to board a flight to Zurich from Miami International Airport, after being indicted by a grand jury…
Pacific Basin Chooses Methanol as Preferred Fuel
Hong-Kong-headquartered dry bulk shipowner Pacific Basin Shipping said it sees methanol as its best option as it pursues commercially viable zero-emissions vessels.In May 2022…
Austal USA Names Alcathie VP of Human Resources
Mobile, Ala. shipbuilder Austal USA announced it has hired Michelle Alcathie as vice president of human resources, responsible for the overall development and implementation of company-wide human resources policies, programs and services.Alcathie is a human resources administrator with over 25 years of experience leading workplace transformations that support long-term strategic business plans.Before joining Austal USA…
Container Rates: Calm Before the Storm?
Stubborn long-term container rates refuse to follow in footsteps of huge spot declines, but change is coming - XenetaWith dramatic spot rate falls, a non-existent peak season, and easing port congestion freeing up capacity, the scene was set in October for a significant decline in long-term ocean freight rates. However, the latest data from the Xeneta Shipping Index (XSI) reveals global contracted rates fell by only 0.6% this month…
U.S. Designates Offshore Wind Farm Development Areas in Gulf of Mexico
The U.S. Gulf of Mexico, best known to the offshore energy industry as an oil and gas province, is for the first time opening its doors to the offshore wind industry, with the U.S administration on Monday designating two areas for offshore wind development in the region.The U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) on Monday said it had finalized two Wind Energy Areas (WEAs) in the Gulf of Mexico…
Grain Ships Sail Despite Moscow's Pullout from Deal; Missiles Rain on Ukraine
Ships brought grain from Ukrainian ports on Monday, suggesting Moscow had stopped short of reimposing a blockade that might have caused world hunger, despite suspending its participation in a U.N. program to safely export grain from the war zone.Air raid sirens blared across Ukraine and explosions rang out in Kyiv, sending black smoke into the sky as Russia rained missiles down in renewed air attacks.
AAPA Elects Strawbridge as Next Board Chairman
Trade group the American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) elected a new Chairman of the Board of Directors, Sean Strawbridge of the Port of Corpus Christi, last week during its 111th Annual Convention and Expo in Orlando, Fla. Outgoing Chairman Mario Cordero of the Port of Long Beach made the formal announcement during his address to members and attendees.AAPA President and CEO Chris Connor remarked on the transition…
Russell Tapped to Lead USCG's Center for Arctic Study and Policy
Capt. Tony Russell (CG Ret.) has been named as the Executive Director for the Center for Arctic Study and Policy (CASP) at the Coast Guard Academy.CASP serves as a Coast Guard-focused academic think tank to promote research, broaden partnerships, and educate future leaders about the complexities of the Arctic region. Through interdisciplinary efforts across the Academy, and in collaboration with U.S.
VIDEO: Tanker Runs Aground in Singapore Strait
Djibouti-registered tanker YOUNG YONG ran aground off Takong Kecil in the Riau Islands, Indonesia in the Singapore Strait at around 2020h on 26 October, the Maritime…
Celebrity Leaps Ahead of Regs with new RWO Wastewater Treatment Systems
RWO recently completed two installations of its next-gen advanced water treatment system (AWTS); the CleanSewage Membrane Reactor (CS-MBR), for Celebrity Cruises. The sewage treatment plant on the Celebrity Solstice-class vessels, Celebrity Silhouette and Celebrity Reflection, have been upgraded to the CS-MBR system, with an additional three orders placed to complete the fleet-wide upgrade.RWO’s CS…
ABB's Shaft Generator System for Northern Lights CO2 Carriers
ABB will deliver the shaft generator system with permanent magnet technology for the first dedicated CO2-storage vessels ever to be built. The vessels will be constructed by the Chinese shipbuilder Dalian Shipbuilding Industry Company (DSIC).Due for delivery in 2024, the two vessels will support the Northern Lights carbon capture and storage (CCS) project by transporting greenhouse gas from industrial emitters to an onshore terminal in Øygarden, Norway.
Keel-Laying for NOAA's Discoverer at Thoma-Sea
NOAA, the U.S. Navy and Thoma-Sea Marine Constructors (TMC), LLC., recently held a keel-laying ceremony today in Houma, La., for Discoverer, a new oceanographic research vessel being built for NOAA.The keel-laying ceremony marks the beginning of a ship’s construction. Second Gentleman Douglas C. Emhoff was named the ship’s sponsor. In keeping with maritime tradition, the initials of the ship’s sponsor…
Training the Next Generation of Maritime Cyber Warriors
The 2022 Maritime Risk Symposium scheduled to be held November 15-17, 2022, hosted by Argonne National Laboratory, will feature a panel discussion entitled "Training the Next Generation of Maritime Cyber Warriors."The cyber threats to the maritime environment are increasing in scope and magnitude while the talent stream struggles to keep up. This panel will address some of the innovative ways in which…
What is Known About the Drone Attack on Crimea?
Russia suspended participation in the U.N.-brokered Black Sea grain deal after what it said was a Ukrainian drone attack on vessels in the Bay of Sevastopol in the early hours of Saturday. What do we know so far? WHAT HAPPENED? Russia said 16 air and maritime drones attacked civilian and Black Sea Fleet vessels in the Bay of Sevastopol in Crimea at 0420 Kyiv time on Saturday. Russia said all nine of the air drones were destroyed.
COSCO Shipping to Buy $2.7B Port Assets from Parent. Enters $2.9B Shipbuilding Deal
COSCO Shipping Holdings Co Ltd said on Monday it has agreed to buy port assets from its parent for an aggregate 19.7 billion yuan ($2.7 billion) as it aims to build a global digital supply chain for its customers. The Chinese shipping group said it would buy 14.9% of Shanghai International Port (Group) from its indirect controlling parent China COSCO Shipping Corp Ltd for 18.9 billion yuan, and a 3.2% stake in Guangzhou Port for 778.7 million yuan.
Russia Suspends Participation in Grain Deal Citing Black Sea Fleet Drone Attack
The United Nations, Turkey, and Ukraine are pressing ahead to implement a Black Sea grain deal with a transit plan in place for 16 ships on Monday, despite Russia suspending its participation in the pact that has allowed the export of Ukrainian agricultural products to world markets.Russia, which invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24, halted its role in the Black Sea deal on Saturday for an "indefinite term"…
Russia Ramps Up Seaborne Urals Oil Exports to Asia ahead of EU Embargo
Russia ramped up seaborne Urals oil exports to Asia to 50% of the total over the Oct. 1-20 period ahead of a December EU embargo on the state's oil and products, according to traders and Refinitiv Eikon data.EU countries which have been primary consumers of Russian crude oil for decades will stop buying it from Dec. 5 due to the embargo imposed by the bloc.Bulgaria is the only state allowed to continue seaborne imports beyond the date…
Rauma Shipyard Lays Keep for Spirit of Tasmania IV
Finnish shipyard Rauma Marine Constructions held a keel laying ceremony of Spirit of Tasmania IV, a car and passenger ferry being built for the Tasmanian TT-Line Company.TT-Line, which operates between mainland Australia and Tasmania, has commissioned two identical Spirit of Tasmania vessels from RMC. The large-scale project is the biggest individual foreign sale between Australia and Finland.”Despite the Covid-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine…
NOAA Sued Over Whale Injuries from Drift Gillnets off California
Environmentalists on Thursday sued the agency overseeing U.S. fisheries, claiming it had failed to protect endangered humpback whales from entanglement in drift gillnets - sprawling curtains of nylon mesh - used in commercial fishing off California.The lawsuit accuses the National Marine Fisheries Service of violating the Endangered Species Act by allowing drift gillnets without safeguards and failing to take into account the harm posed to whales already at risk of extinction.The suit…
Ingalls Awarded $2.4 Billion Deal to Build US Warship LHA 9
HII’s Ingalls Shipbuilding has been awarded a $2.4 billion U.S. Navy fixed-price-incentive contract for the detail design and construction of amphibious assault ship LHA 9. The award includes options, that if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of the contract to $3.2 billion. Ingalls was awarded the original long-lead-time material contract for the fourth ship in the America (LHA 6) class on April 30…
