Heroic Idun Released from Nigeria
The Nigerian Navy announced the release of the VLCC Heroic Idun on Saturday, and the crew and vessel are now reportedly sailing for South Africa.The navy said the āgrave infractionsā of the vessel were prosecuted by the Federal Government of Nigeria at the Federal High Court, Port Harcourt on January,10 2023. The 26 foreign crew pleaded guilty and elected voluntarily to enter into a plea bargain thatā¦
South Africa to Investigate U.S. Allegations of Arms Shipment to Russia
South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa has appointed a panel to investigate U.S. allegations that a Russian ship had collected weapons from a naval base near Cape Town last year, the presidency said in a statement on Sunday.The U.S. ambassador to South Africa Reuben Brigety said on May 11 that he was confident that a Russian ship, which docked at a naval base in Simonstown in the Western Cape in December last year, took aboard weapons from South Africa.
Malaysia Detains Chinese Ship Linked to Suspected Illegal Salvage of British WW2 Wrecks
Malaysia's maritime authorities on Monday said cannon shells believed to be from World War Two have been found on a China-registered bulk carrier ship detained at the weekend for anchoring in its waters without permission.The discovery comes amid reports this month that scavengers have targeted two British World War Two wrecks off the coast of Malaysia - the HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Repulse - which were sunk by Japanese torpedoes in 1941ā¦
PowerX Unveils 'First-ever' Battery Tanker
Japan-based company PowerX has unveiled the detailed design of the first-ever āBattery Tankerā at an exhibition in Imabari City, Japan. The inaugural ship āXā aims for completion by 2025, with domestic and international field testing planned to start in 2026. This electric propulsion vessel will be 140 meters long and will be equipped with 96 containerized marine batteries, providing a total capacity of 241MWh.
RINA and Eni Set Sail on a Journey to Decarbonize Maritime Operations
RINA, an international company specializing in inspection, certification, and engineering consultancy, and Italian energy company Eni have signed an agreement to jointly develop initiatives that can contribute to the energy transition and decarbonization of their respective operations and particularly maritime transport.The agreement focuses on the use of HVO (Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil) biofuel produced by Eni in its Venice and Gela bio-refineriesā¦
Cyprus Wants Shipping Corridor to Export Mediterranean Gas to Europe
Cyprus wants to establish itself as a gateway from east Mediterranean gas resources to Europe via a shipping corridor of LNG carriers, its president said on Monday. Cyprus's new centrist government, which came to power in February, has cooled to the idea championed by its predecessors of an "EastMed" pipeline transferring gas to Europe.Instead, authorities now want to transport, via pipeline, naturalā¦
Four Bidders Vie For Stake in Exxon LNG Terminal Offshore Italy - Sources
Four international groups are competing to buy Exxon Mobil Corp's majority stake in a liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal offshore Italy, two sources familiar with the matter said. The deal could value the entire LNG terminal at around 800 million euros ($881 million), the sources said. Exxon said in March it was considering selling its majority stake in Adriatic LNG, Italy's main regasification terminal, as part of a wider strategy to divest non-core assets. The U.S.
Ocean Yield Firms Up Newcastlemax Order
Norwegian shipowner Ocean Yield on Friday announced it has finalized order details for a series of new Newcastlemax bulk carriers.The company announced in December 2022 that it had agreed to acquire a minimum of five and a maximum of 10 vessels with expected delivery dates between Q1 2025 and Q2 2026.Ocean Yield now revealed it has agreed with the charterer that the final transaction scope will be eight or nine vesselsā¦
Asian Spot LNG Prices Slide for Fifth Straight Week
Asian spot liquefied natural gas (LNG) prices have weakened for the fifth consecutive week on muted demand due to healthy stocks, remaining at their lowest level in two years.The average LNG price for July delivery into north-east Asia was down 3% from the previous week at $9.50 per million British thermal units (mmBtu), the lowest since early May 2021, industry sources estimated."North Asia remains largely void of demand.
CMA CGM Sees Profit Easing as Demand Wanes, New Ship Supply
CMA CGM expects its profit to ease further for the rest of the year after a first-quarter decline, as an uncertain economy and influx of new vessels cool the container shipping market after a record 2022.The company, based in Marseille and privately controlled by the founding Saade family, on Friday reported a first-quarter net profit of $2.0 billion, compared with $7.2 billion in the year-earlier period, and said in a statement it expects the first quarter to be its most profitable of 2023.CMA
Canadian Coast Guard Plans to Order Up to 61 Small Vessels
The Canadian Coast Guard has revealed big plans to invest in its fleet of small vessels.Joyce Murray, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, on Thursday announced $2.5 billion CAD (roughly $1.8 billion USD) for the construction of up to 61 new small vessels and the ongoing replacement of small craft, barges and workboats within the Canadian Coast guard fleet.āThis is a critical investment that will help modernize the Canadian Coast Guardās small vessel fleetā¦
Mass. Maritime Holds Change of Command Ceremony
Massachusetts Maritime Academy conducted its annual regimental Change of Command Ceremony in conjunction with the celebration of National Maritime Day on Wednesday, May 24.The Change of Command Ceremony is both the symbolic and physical transfer of leadership responsibilities from the graduating senior class to members of the junior class. During the ceremony, held at the Clean Harbors Athletic Stadium on the Academyās campusā¦
Chinese Ships Ignore Vietnam Demand to Leave Area Close to Russian-run Offshore Gas Fields
A Chinese research ship and five escort vessels were in Vietnam's exclusive economic zone (EEZ) on Friday, close to gas blocks operated by Russian firms in the South China Seaā¦
NORDEN to Acquire the Thorco Projects Business
Danish shipping company NORDEN announced Friday it has entered into an agreement to acquire the Thorco Projects business, providing access to new customers within the general cargo segment such as break bulk, steels and wind energy.Denmark-based Thorco Projects, part of Thornico Group, has in recent years transformed into an asset light business operating a chartered fleet of 30-40 vessels, including mostly Handysize vessels, where NORDEN is a significant operator.
Cargo Vessel Completes Complex Autonomous Journey Off Coast of Norway
Norway's Kongsberg Maritime said Friday it had successfully demonstrated a range of remote and autonomous technologies on a cargo vessel operating off the coast of Norway.The test cruise has been named one of the most complex autonomous journeys at sea so far, Kongsberg Maritime said.The Eidsvaag Pioner is one of the two vessels that are equipped for remote-operated and autonomous transport demonstrations for the AUTOSHIP projectā¦
Mediterranean Boat Carrying 500 Migrants has Disappeared, Rescuers Say
A boat carrying about 500 migrants, including a newborn baby and pregnant women, has disappeared in the central Mediterranean, two charities said on Friday. Alarm Phone, a group that picks up calls from migrant vessels in distress, said it lost contact with the boat on Wednesday morning. At the time, the boat was adrift, with no working engine, in high seas about 320 km (200 miles) north of the Libyan port of Benghazi and more than 400 km away from Malta or Italy's southern island of Sicily.
Bollinger Launches OSU's New Oceanographic Research Vessel
The first of three new oceanographic research vessels dedicated to advancing marine science along U.S. coasts was successfully launched Thursday.The ship, R/V Taani, is being constructed as part of a project, led by Oregon State University (OSU) and funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF), to provide scientists with valuable new tools to study critical issues such as rapidly changing oceanā¦
US Coast Guard Ready to Move New Anti-SASH Policy
In May, the U.S. Coast Guard will start a strengthened and pointedly direct anti-SASH campaign that will extend across the maritime industry. SASH is an acronym for sexual assault/sexual harassment, and this new effort adds muscle to Marine Safety Information Bulletin (MSIB Number: 1-23) "Reporting Sexual Misconduct on U.S. Vessels" released in February. The new bulletin supersedes a previous one fromā¦
Port of Rotterdam Names Siemons Interim CEO
Boudewijn Siemons will become interim CEO of the Port of Rotterdam Authority effective July 15, 2023, taking the reins from Allard Castelein, who is stepping down as CEO this summer after nearly a decade in the position.Siemons, who currently serves as the port's COO, will combine both positions until a new CEO has been appointed.In addition, Vivienne de Leeuw will stay on as CFO. Her term of office has been extended by four years.Miriam Maesā¦
Maryland Pilots Order Another Launch from Gladding-Hearn
The Association of Maryland Pilots has ordered a new pilot boat from Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding, Duclos Corporation. The high-speed vessel is a sistership to its first Baltimore Class launch, delivered less than two years ago. Delivery is scheduled for 2024. With a length overall of 48.5ā, beam of 15.6ā, and draft of 4ā, the all-aluminum pilot boat features the Ray Hunt Design deep V hull. It will be powered by twin Volvo Penta D13ā¦
