NATO Leaves Black Sea Exposed as Russia Invades Ukraine
When Russia attacked Ukraine, the nearest naval vessel of a major NATO ally was in the Mediterranean. The last such ship from a major naval member of the Western military alliance left the Black Sea – an area roughly the size of California bordering Russia, Ukraine and NATO members Turkey, Bulgaria and Romania – over a month ago.A French warship completed a tour in early January and no major NATO naval ally has patrolled its waters since…
USCG's First Polar Security Cutter to be Named Polar Sentinel
The first ship in the U.S. Coast Guard's Polar Security Cutter program will be named Polar Sentinel, Commandant Admiral Karl Schultz revealed in his 2022 State of the Coast Guard Address, delivered Thursday in Clearwater, Fla.The Polar Security Cutter program is planned to replace the Coast Guard's aging fleet of icebreakers, including the 46-year old heavy icebreaker USCGC Polar Star and 23-year-old medium icebreaker USCGC Healy.Pascagoula, Miss.
Ailing Mariner Medevaced from Car Carrier off Georgia
An ailing crew member was medevaced from the car carrier Morning Capo approximately 12 miles east of Brunswick, Ga., the U.S. Coast Guard said.Marine Safety Unit…
GTT Tallies Tank Design Order from Hyundai Samho
French engineering firm GTT announced it has received an order from Korean shipyard Hyundai Samho Heavy Industries for the tank design of two new liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers on behalf of an African ship-owner.As part of this order, GTT will design the tanks of the vessels which will offer a cargo capacity of 174,000 cubic meters. Each will be fitted with the GTT Mark III Flex membrane containment system.The vessels are scheduled for delivery in the first quarter of 2025.
Cargotec, Konecranes Win EU Antitrust Approval for $5 Billion Merger
Cargotec and Konecranes on Thursday won EU antitrust clearance for their 4.5-billion-euro ($5 billion) deal to create a global leader in industrial machinery after agreeing to divest some businesses.The companies, which provide road and sea-cargo handling machinery and services to industries, factories, ports and terminals, announced their tie-up in October last year.The European Commission said the…
Germany's HHLA Pays Odessa Port Employees Month in Advance
German logistics and transportation company Hamburger Hafen und Logistik (HHLA) is paying its 480 employees at the port of Odessa a month’s salary in advance so they can stock up on goods after the Ukrainian port was closed on Thursday.“HHLA as a group is not endangered in its substance by the events in Odessa,” said Chief Executive Angela Titzrath in a statement, adding that all HHLA employees had left the terminal.Titzrath added that the company expected that its employees would be able “to co
Ukraine Shuts Ports as Conflict Threatens Grain Supplies
Ukraine's military has suspended commercial shipping at its ports after Russian forces invaded the country, an adviser to the Ukrainian president's chief of staff said, stoking fear of supply disruption from the leading grain and oilseeds exporters.Russia earlier suspended the movement of commercial vessels in the Azov Sea until further notice, but kept Russian ports in the Black Sea open for navigation…
Turkish-owned Ship Hit by Bomb off Coast of Odessa
A Turkish-owned ship was hit by a bomb off the coast of Ukraine's port city Odessa on Thursday, Turkey's Maritime General Directorate said, adding there were no casualties and the ship was safely en r
HII Promotes Hughes and Jacobs
Global engineering and defense technologies provider Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) announced today the promotion of Edmond Hughes to executive vice president and chief human resources officer. Hughes, formerly the vice president of human resources and administration contracts at HII’s Ingalls Shipbuilding division and at Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding since 2006, will replace William “Bill” R. Ermatinger, who will retire on April 1 after 35 years of service.
AET Names Dual-fuel VLCC Eagle Valence
Tanker operator AET announced it has named its new dual-fuel very large crude carrier (VLCC) Eagle Valence.Named during a virtual ceremony at Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI) in Geoje, South Korea, the 300,000 dwt newbuild is the first of two liquefied natural gas (LNG) dual-fuel VLCCs being built for long-term charter to Chartering and Shipping Services SA, a wholly owned subsidiary of TotalEnergies SA…
Equinor, Altera Pen Deal to Deploy Petrojarl Knarr FPSO at Long-stalled Rosebank Project
Norway's Equinor has confirmed to Offshore Engineer that it has signed an agreement with FPSO owner Altera Infrastructure that could see the Petrojarl Knarr FPSO redeployed at the long-stalled Rosebank project in the UK North Sea. The FPSO is currently producing oil from Shell's Knarr field, offshore Norway, where it has been since early 2015. In April 2020 Shell extended the Knarr contract to March 2022.The Rosebank field…
Offshore Wind Development Moves Forward in the New York Bight
The New York Bight auction is made up of six leases containing an estimated 5.6 GW of bottom-fixed offshore wind capacity that can serve New York and New Jersey offshore wind requirements, amongst others. Till now, New York and New Jersey have secured a combined capacity of 8.1 GW from offshore wind developers from a target to install 16.5 GW of offshore wind by 2035.On Wednesday, bidding started at $24…
U.S. Sanctions Nord Stream 2 AG and its CEO
The United States on Wednesday imposed sanctions on the company in charge of building Russia's Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, expanding penalties on Moscow after it recognized two breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine.The sanctions, which target the Nord Stream 2 AG company and its CEO, Matthias Warnig, add to pressure on the Baltic Sea project that was designed to double the gas flow capacity from Russia to Germany.Europe's most divisive energy project…
Distressed Venezuelan Supertanker Discharging Oil Cargo in Asia - Sources
A U.S.-sanctioned Venezuela-owned supertanker that had mechanical problems since January is transferring its 2-million-barrel cargo of heavy crude to other vessels in Asia…
U.S. Offshore Wind Lease Sale Bids Top $1.5B, with More to Come
The largest-ever U.S. sale of offshore wind development rights - for areas off the coasts of New York and New Jersey - attracted a record $1.5 billion in bids on Wednesday, supporting President Joe Biden's plan to create a new domestic industry.The auction, which will continue on Thursday, is the first offshore wind lease sale under Biden, who has made expansion of offshore wind a cornerstone of his plans to tackle global warming and decarbonize the U.S.
Ocean Infinity Orders Six 85m Robotic Offshore Vessels from VARD
U.S.-based seabed survey and ocean exploration firm Ocean Infinity has hired VARD to design and build a new series of six multi-purpose offshore vessels that will all be operated from shore and will eventually run on green ammonia.This order of six, 85-metre, optionally crewed robotic vessels will take Ocean Infinity’s remote vessel fleet to 23 vessels, which the company says is the largest in the world.
LPD 30 Keel Authenticated at Ingalls Shipbuilding
HII announced that the company’s Ingalls Shipbuilding division ceremonially authenticated the keel of the San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock Harrisburg (LPD 30). The ship’s sponsor, Alexandra Curry, a resident of Middletown, Pa., and wife of the Middletown mayor, was unable to attend the ceremony so Program Executive Officer Ships Rear Adm. Tom Anderson, stepped in to declare the keel “truly and fairly laid.”“While she could not join us, we welcome Mrs.
Vallianz to Build All-electric, Zero Emissions Harbor Tug
A new all-electric, zero carbon emissions harbor tug currently being built at the Vallianz PT USP shipyard in Batam, Indonesia is expected to be the first of its kind in the Asia Pacific region.Based on the “E-Volt Electric Tug” design by SeaTech Solutions International Pte Ltd, the e-tug will be driven by a fully-classed electric battery system provided by Canadian-based Shift Clean Energy. This follows…
US to Award $450 Million Port Infrastructure Development Grants
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD) announced nearly $450 million in newly available grant funding for port-related projects through the Port Infrastructure Development Program (PIDP)—by far the largest investment in the program ever. These grants can help ports expand capacity and improve the movement of goods through the supply chains.This funding is made possible…
First Shore-to-ship LNG Bunkering for SIEM Car Carrier
Eagle LNG marked a series of firsts when it fueled the 7,500-car carrier SIEM Aristotle from its Talleyrand LNG Bunker Station at the Jacksonville Port Authority (JAXPORT) in Jacksonville, Fla. It was the first time SIEM has refueled the vessel from a landside bunkering facility and the first ship that Eagle LNG refueled of that size from the bunkering facility.SIEM Aristotle is the first deep-sea pure car…