MSC 107: SOLAS Amendments Adopted and Titanic Remembered
The IMO Maritime Safety Committee (MSC) held its 107th session from May 31 to June 9, 2023.Highlights of the meeting included the adoption of amendments to the LSA Code and MSC.81(70) Revised recommendation on the testing of life-saving appliances for the ventilation of totally enclosed lifeboats. ABS reports that the Committee adopted Resolution MSC.533(107) introducing amendments to the LSA Code…
New Turbocharger Series Adapted for Fuel Flexibility
Accelleron has unveiled its next generation of turbochargers for two-stroke engines, the X300-L series. The platform-based and easy-service concept offers ship operators the flexibility to respond to uncertainty around the fuels they will use and how they will operate their vessels in the future.The benefits of the X300-L series, which currently comprises the ACCX365-L and ACCX370-L models, stem from its platform-based compact design…
Indigenous Protesters in Peru's Amazon Release Captured Oil Tankers
Indigenous protesters in the Peruvian Amazon have released two oil tankers and their crew members being held since last week in protest over changes to a development fund, a source at the company operating the vessels, PetroTal, said on Monday.The firm's marine shipments in the area also resumed earlier on Monday, the source added.The two ships were hijacked on Tuesday, one with 40,000 barrels of crude aboard.
Maersk Secures Fuel for First Methanol Containership Journey
Denmark's Maersk said on Monday it has secured fuel for the first container vessel able to run on carbon-neutral methanol on its inaugural journey, from South Korea to Denmark.The 21,500 km long summer trip from Ulsan to Copenhagen will be fuelled by bio-methanol fuel produced from biogas captured from decomposing organic landfill waste. This will be delivered from a U.S. plant by Dutch company OCI…
A2B-online Orders Two 'Green' Containerships
The Netherlands-based A2B-online announced it has ordered a pair of environmentally friendly container vessels at Sedef Shipyard in Turkey.Each of the new 650 TEU vessels will be equipped with a multi-fuel methanol propulsion system, shore power and battery capacity to operate emission free during port and inland water operations.
UN Chief Concerned Russia Will Quit Black Sea Grain Deal in July
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Monday he is concerned that Russia will on July 17 quit a deal allowing the safe wartime export of grain and fertilizers from three Ukrainian Black Sea ports.Moscow has been threatening to walk away from the deal known as the Black Sea grain initiative - brokered by the United Nations and Turkey in July last year - if obstacles to its own grain…
USACE Awards More than $100 Million in Dredging Work
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) on Friday awarded three contracts totaling more than $100 million for dredging projects in Puerto Rico, Oregon and Pennsylvania.USACE Jacksonville awarded Long Beach, Calif. based Curtin Maritime Corp. a $54,204,676 firm-fixed-price contract for San Juan Harbor construction and maintenance dredging. Bids were solicited via the internet with seven received. Work will be performed in San Juan, Puerto Rico, with an estimated completion date of July 31, 2024.
Recognizing and Meeting the Challenges of Autonomous Vessels
Uncrewed surface vessels (USVs), automated vessels, maritime autonomous surface ships (MASS), remote controlled vessels, and the employment of artificial intelligence and smart marine technology to navigate and operate civilian and military vessels have created a lively debate over utilizing and regulating such technology. Recent articles addressing artificial intelligence (AI) have questioned the…
Three Missing After Tourist Boat Fire in the Red Sea
Three British tourists were missing and 12 had been rescued after a motor boat caught fire on Sunday off the Egyptian Red Sea coast, Egyptian officials and security sources said.The survivors were brought to safety in the nearby diving resort of Marsa Shagra, about 21km (13 miles) north of the town of Marsa Alam, along with 12 Egyptian crew and guides, according to a statement from the Red Sea State…
Monjasa Acquires Two Tankers
Oil and shipping group Monjasa announced it has acquired the oil and chemical tankers Monjasa Thunder (19,991 dwt) and Monjasa Shipper (7,991 dwt) for bunkering and cargo operations across West Africa and in the Arabian Gulf. Both tankers will assume operations during this month.Monjasa said it has already taken delivery of Monjasa Thunder (formerly Solando) in Riga, Latvia and Monjasa Shipper (formerly Pearl Mercury) in Singapore…
Work Starts on New Navy Floating Dry Dock
Austal USA began construction on the Navy’s Auxiliary Floating Dry Dock Medium (AFDM) at the company’s Gulf Coast ship manufacturing facility last week. AFDM is the third program to begin construction on Austal USA’s steel assembly line following T-ATS 11 and 12 - the first two of four U.S. Navy Towing, Salvage, and Rescue (T-ATS) ships the company is under contract to build. The AFDM is a “Rennie”…
Ocean Wilsons Says Reviewing Investment in Brazil's Wilson Sons
Brazilian shipping company Wilson Sons' controlling shareholder said on Monday it is conducting a strategic review of its investment in the firm, sending shares in both companies soaring 12%.London-listed Ocean Wilsons said in a statement that "all potential strategic options" would be considered as part of the review, but noted the move was at an early stage and there was still no certainty as to its outcome.It was responding to a Sunday piece by Brazilian newspaper O Globo saying that Swiss sh
Norwind Offshore Expands Fleet with Versatile Offshore Wind Support Vessel
Norwind Offshore, an offshore vessel company formed in late 2021 by Norway's Farstad, Volstad, and Kleven to be focused purely on offshore wind, has taken delivery of the first of four Commissioning Service Operation Vessels (CSOVs) built by Vard. The delivery ceremony took place Monday, in Ålesund, on the west coast of Norway. The naming ceremony was attended by representatives of Norwind Offshore…
