P&O Ferries Sacks 800 Staff, Threatening Union Standoff
Britain's P&O Ferries made 800 staff redundant with immediate effect and suspended crossings for the next few days, sparking a backlash from politicians and unions over reports it would hire cheaper agency workers instead.The shock move caused delays around Britain's busiest port, Dover, and drew threats of a standoff as trade unions urged their members to defy any instructions to leave P&O ships.Owned by Dubai ports firm DP Worldā¦
Capesize Dip Drags Baltic Dry Index
The Baltic Exchange's dry bulk sea freight index inched lower on Thursday as a drop in the larger capesize segment countered gains in panamax and supramax rates.The overall index, which factors in rat
NYK's First Crew Transfer Vessel Starts Northern Offshore Charter
Japan's NYK said Thursday its new crew transfer vessel (CTV) Energizer had started its charter with Northern Offshore Services AS (NOS), a subsidiary of the Sweden-based Northern Offshore Group AB (NOG).The CTV, which will be used to service offshore wind farms, is owned by NYK and is being chartered to NOS through a long-term bareboat charter contract. It will transfer crews to offshore wind power stations, mainly in Europe, under the operation of NOS.
Shore Power On, Engines Off for Heerema's Giant Crane Vessels Sleipnir and Thialf
Offshore installation company Heerema Marine Contractors said Thursday that its largest semi-submersible crane vessels, Sleipnir and Thialf, recently switched from using their engines to using Shore Power in the Port of Rotterdam."The successful commissioning of the Shore Power project is the result of a partnership between Eneco, the Port of Rotterdam Authority, and Heerema with the support of the Gemeente Rotterdam.
US Approves More Exports from Major LNG Terminals
The Biden administration said on Wednesday it had authorized additional exports of liquefied natural gas from two major facilities on the U.S. Gulf Coast, in a move that could help Europe deal with an energy crunch worsened by Russia's invasion of Ukraine.The Department of Energy (DOE) issued approvals allowing major supplier Cheniere Energy to export the equivalent of 0.72 billion cubic feet per day (bcfpd) of the supercooled fuel from its Sabine Passā¦
Russia-linked Oil, Fuel Cargoes Rush to US Before Ban Starts
At least 10 vessels carrying Russia-linked cargoes of crude and refined products were approaching the United States on Wednesday, as suppliers rushed to deliver ahead of the U.S.
Conrad Wins US Navy Barge Building Contract
Louisiana shipbuilder Conrad Shipyard has emerged as the winner of a nearly $19 million contract for the detail design and construction of a new Yard, Repair, Berthing, and Messing (YRBM) craft for the U.S. Navy.YRBM barges provide a temporary home away from home and workplace for service men and women whose vessels are in port for repairs and/or maintenance. Conrad said its design incorporates functional spaces which allow the sailors to workā¦
Sembmarine Builds Zero-emissions RoPax Ferry for Norled
Sembcorp Marine announced it has completed fabrication of the first of three identical battery-operated roll-on/roll-off passenger (RoPax) ferries for Norwegian ferry operator Norled.The newly built Hella will be launched into operation for Norledās shortsea Hella-Vangsnes-Dragsvik connections in Norway.Designed by Sembcorp Marine subsidiary LMG Marin, the vessels incorporate energy-efficient solutions throughoutā¦
COVID Curbs Bite at Chinese Ports, Threatening Global Supply Chains
The queues of container ships outside major Chinese ports are lengthening by the day as COVID-19 outbreaks in manufacturing export hubs threaten to unleash a fresh wave of global supply chain shocks, ship owners, logistics firms and analysts say.China is experiencing its biggest spike in COVID-19 infections since an initial outbreak in the central city of Wuhan was contained in early 2020.The spread of the highly-infectious Omicron variant this month has led to movement controls across Chinaā¦
Spain Detains Yacht Thought to Be Owned by Rosneft CEO
Spanish authorities on Wednesday detained a mega-yacht called "Crescent" that is believed to belong to Igor Sechin, the sanctioned chief executive of Russian oil giant Rosneftā¦
World's First: Methane Oxidation Catalyst System Gets AIP
A methane oxidation catalyst system developed by Hitachi Zosen Corporation, Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (MOL), and Yanmar Power Technologies Co. (YPT) has received approval in principle (AIP) from classification society Nippon Kaiji Kyokai (ClassNK).The system reduces methane slip by placing a methane oxidation catalyst in a liquefied natural gas (LNG) fuel engine and oxidizing the methane. This is theā¦
Ince Appoints New Joint Managing Partners for Dubai Office
International legal and professional services firm Ince has appointed partners Mohamed El Hawawy and Alastair Holland as new joint managing partners of its Dubai office to lead Inceās business in the Middle East.Mohamed El Hawawy is a UAE shipping lawyers, specializing in litigation and dispute resolution. He assists local and multi-national companies on shipping disputes in the Middle East and has advised on numerous high-profile cases and casualties in the UAEā¦
Ukrainian Ambassador Calls on Greece to Shut Ports to Russia
Ukraine urges Greece to shut its ports to Russian vessels and stop doing business with Russian companies to increase pressure on Moscow to end the war, Ukraine's ambassador to Greece said on Wednesday."We ask Greece in particular to close the ports to Russian vessels... stop doing business with them and stop sending your ships to Russia," Sergii Shutenko told reporters.New talk of compromise from bothā¦
'Largest Ever': Huge Leg Encircling Crane Installed on Jan De Nul's New Jack-Up
Offshore installation contractor Jan De Nul has informed that its newbuild offshore jack-up installation vessel Voltaire has been fitted with what it says is the world's largest leg encircling crane.The vessel, being built for offshore wind and decommissioning work, was recently launched at the COSCO Shipping Shipyard in Nantong, China.The Voltaire has been designed to install the offshore wind turbines of the future, with turbines over 270 meters high and blades 120 meters long.
River Cruise Ship American Symphony Launched
American Cruise Lines announced its new river cruise ship American Symphony was launched last week at Chesapeake Shipbuilding in Salisbury, Md. The new riverboat was positioned in Chesapeakeās East Outfitting Basin where it will receive its upper decks and outfitting.The fifth ship in the new riverboat class American first introduced in 2018, American Symphony will begin cruising the Mississippi River in August 2022.A sister ship American Melody commissioned in 2021ā¦
Baltic Dry Index Down as Bulker Rates Slide
The Baltic Exchange's dry bulk sea freight index dipped on Wednesday as rates dropped across all the vessel segments.The overall index, which factors in rates for capesize, panamax, supramax and handysize shipping vessels, fell 98 points to 2,591 points.The capesize index fell 191 points to 2,632 points.Average daily earnings for capesizes, which typically transport 150,000-tonne cargoes such as iron ore and coal, decreased $1,583 to $21,830.Benchmark Dalian and Singapore iron ore futures reboun
Geogas' New LPG Carriers Are āAmmonia Preparedā
A pair of 40,000-cubic-meter-capacity liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) carriers being built for Geogas at Hyundai Mipo Dockyard (HMD) in South Korea are the first to received Bureau Veritasā (BV) āammonia preparedā notation, the classification society said on Wednesday.The HMD hull numbers are 8350 and 8351 and the first delivery will be in June 2023.Ammonia-prepared is applicable to newbuildings, and was developed to support ship owners, designers, shipyards and charterers.
Ukraine Seeks Tougher Restrictions at Russian Ports Over Oil
A top economic adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy called on the White House to block American companies from all trade in Russian oil and urged Western oil and gas companies to stop handling the commodity, the New York Times reported on Wednesday.In an interview with the U.S. news outlet overnight, Oleg Ustenko said the companies should hire independent accountants to verify no Russian oil is loaded onto their ships, the Times said."We need a full embargo, a full boycott.
Massachusetts Maritime Academy Teams Up with Union Apprentice Program for Offshore Wind
With the passing of the historic infrastructure bill in August 2021, the backbone of the United States will undergo a transformation over the next several years, and for this, workers will be needed in all facets of the construction industry.Building Pathways South (BPS), a pre-apprenticeship program in Southeastern Massachusetts, is preparing young adults for opportunities available today as well as down the road, including in the growing U.S.
Marco Polo Marine, Seatech Solutions Move to Develop Offshore Wind Service Vessels
Singapore-based offshore shipping, shipbuilding, and ship maintenance company Marco Polo Marine has partnered up with green tech ship design company Seatech Solutions International to co-develop two new specialized offshore wind service, operation, and maintenance vessel and the commissioning Service Operation Vessel (CSOV), for the global offshore wind farm market. When completed, these vessels will be the first SOV and CSOV designed in Asia, Marco Polo Marine said.
