Global Container Freight Still Stalled
Global industrial production and containerised freight flows remained in the doldrums at the start of the third quarter, confounding predictions earlier in the year for a strong rebound.Manufacturers and distributors in North America and Europe were struggling to reduce excess inventories after the post-pandemic rotation from goods to services spending.Rising interest rates and a cost-of-living squeeze…
Interview: Dave Lee, Maritime Partners
Dave Lee recently joined Louisiana-based maritime leasing and financing company Maritime Partners as its new vice president of technology and innovation. A well-known figure in the U.S. maritime sector, Lee has previously held leadership positions at ABB, American Commercial Barge Line (ACBL) and Jeffboat. His next task: help guide one of the nation’s leading maritime companies through the next chapter of technological advancement.“Right now…
Onboard CO2 Capture and Storage System by CSPI Earns ClassNK's Stamp of Approval
ClassNK has issued an Approval in Principle (AiP) for an onboard CO2 capture and storage (OCCS) system developed by China Shipbuilding Power Engineering Institute Co., Ltd. (CSPI), a member of CSSC Power (Group) Co. Ltd. (CPGC).In addition to fuel transition, interest in capturing CO2 from ships' exhaust gas is growing as a way to reduce GHG emissions, and the development of onboard systems for capturing and storing CO2 is being undertaken.
GMS Debuts Ship Recycling Portal
GMS launched a Ship Recycling Portal digital platform that aims to revolutionize the ship recycling industry by making the sales and purchase of end-of-life vessels more convenient, transparent, and efficient.The Ship Recycling Portal is a specialized vessel auction platform designed to streamline the sale of ships directly to shipyards for recycling. With it, GMS claims, ship recyclers have the flexibility…
Austal Wins Landing Craft Utility Contract with U.S. Navy
Shipbuilder Austal USA was awarded a $91,535,551 fixed-price incentive and firm-fixed-price type modification to definitize a previously awarded contract for the detail design and construction of three Landing Craft Utility (LCU) 1700 class craft.The contract also includes options for nine additional craft and associated support efforts."Austal USA is honored to be able to build this important connector for the U.S. Navy,” commented Dave Growden, vice president of new construction projects.
HiNAS Control for Safer and Greener Maritime Voyages
DNV has granted a design verification report (DVR) for the AI-based autonomous navigation system "HiNAS Control". This system was a joint project between Avikus, a navigation specialist, and HD Hyundai Heavy Industries. Following the evaluation, the Liberian International Ship and Corporate Registry (LISCR) has also given an Approval in Principle (AiP) for this system. The "HiNAS Control" system employs…
KR Grants AiP to SHI’s Ultra-Large Ammonia Carrier
Korean Register (KR) granted an Approval in Principle (AiP) for a 200,000cbms ultra-large ammonia carrier fueled by ammonia created by Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI). The design was unveiled at Gastech 2023 in Singapore.The carrier is a green ship designed to carry large quantities of ammonia, using the cargo as fuel, and has zero carbon dioxide emissions during operation.Ammonia, known for its distinctive odor that aids quick leak detection is also relatively lightweight…
ABS Approves Jiangnan Shipyard’s BrilliancE II Containment System
ABS has awarded Jiangnan Shipyard approval in principle (AiP) for its BrilliancE II IMO Type B cryogenic liquefied gas containment system for very large ethane carriers (VLEC).The BrilliancE II advances the original BrilliancE system first seen in the ABS-classed VLEC Pacific Ineos Belstaff, which was launched at Jiangnan Shipyard in 2021.“Jiangnan is not content with repeating the previous design of VLEC for identical construction.
15 Nations Sign Beijing Convention
The United Nations Convention on the International Effects of Judicial Sales of Ships (also known as the Beijing Convention) was signed by 15 nations and regions at a signing ceremony in Beijing on September 5, 2023.Signatories were: China, Burkino Faso, Comoros, El Salvador, Grenada, Honduras, Kiribati, Liberia, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Switzerland and Syria. It will come into force when it is ratified by three state parties.
Shipping Will Need a Third of World’s Carbon Neutral Fuel by 2030
According to the latest edition of DNV’s Maritime Forecast to 2050, the shipping industry will find it challenging to secure enough supply of carbon-neutral fuels.To meet the anticipated demand of 17 million tonnes of oil equivalent (Mtoe) annually by 2030, the maritime sector would need to access 30-40% of the projected worldwide carbon-neutral fuel supply.As the shipping industry will compete for these fuels with aviation and road transportation…
KR and Partners Sign LCO2 Carrier Design MoU
Korean Register (KR) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with K Shipbuilding, Sunbo Industries and Dongsung Finetec to jointly develop a 12,000cbm liquefied CO2 (LCO2) carrier design during Gastech 2023 in Singapore.The companies believe that as carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) technologies become increasingly important in decarbonization policies, the demand for LCO2 carriers…
Great Lakes Iron Ore, Limestone Trades Rise in August
Shipments of iron ore and limestone on the Great Lakes for the month of August both increased compared to 2022, up 8.6% and 4.4% respectively, according to latest figures from the Lake Carriers’ Association (LCA).The 5.5 million tons or iron ore shipped in August was 3.5% above the month’s five-year average, while limestone cargos were above the month’s five-year average by 3.7%, LCA said. Limestone loadings from U.S. quarries totaled 3.3 million tons, an increase of 5% compared to 2022.
TDI-Brooks Breaks Ground on New Technical Building
TDI-Brooks announced it has broken ground on a new 16,000 square foot technical building at its headquarters in College Station, Texas, north of of Houston.The building is designed with 5,000 square feet of new office space along with technical work spaces, fabrication shops and storage areas. TDI-technical staff plan to move into the building by the end of the year.“This new location will not only…
Man Drowns After Being Pushed off Ferry Departing Piraeus
A 36-year-old man who tried to board a passenger ship as it sailed from Greece's Piraeus port on Tuesday drowned after being pushed back by crew members off the vessel's stern ramp…
Panama Canal Water Levels at Historic Lows, Restrictions to Remain
The Panama Canal's water levels have not recovered enough as the end of the rainy season approaches and limits on daily transit and vessel draft will stay in place for the rest of the year and throughout 2024, the waterway's authority said on Tuesday.The restrictions, implemented earlier this year to conserve water amid prolonged drought, triggered a backlog of ships waiting to pass the key global waterway…
HMD Gets LR AIP for Dual-fuel 45,000cbm LPG Carrier
Classification society Lloyd’s Register (LR) announced it has granted approval in principle (AIP) to South Korean shipbuilder Hyundai Mipo Dockyard (HMD) for its new 45,000cbm liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) carrier design, with availability to be ordered with ammonia dual-fueled propulsion. The dual fuel system equipped on HMD’s LPG carrier allows operators and owners to prioritize their environmental…
Port of Corpus Christi Promotes CFO Kent Britton to CEO
The Port of Corpus Christi on Wednesday named Chief Financial Officer Kent Britton as its new chief executive officer to head the largest U.S. oil-export port by volume.The appointment comes nearly four months after Sean Strawbridge, the previous chief executive, abruptly resigned after he was questioned about his business expenses.Strawbridge has said all his expenses were in compliance with port policies and state statutes…
New Tug Delivered to the Thai Navy
The Royal Thai Navy has taken delivery of the new tug H.T.M.S. Ta Chai built by Asian Marine Services PCL. The vessel, having already undergone sea trials, was officially handed over on August 21.The newly completed RAmparts 3200-SD tug was designed by Canada's Robert Allan Ltd. to serve the navy’s surface ships and submarines.The design features a slightly wider hull form with improved features compared…
Russia In Talks with China, India to Develop More Ice-class Vessels
Russia must boost production facilities for the construction of ice-breaking vessels in order to meet its targets for increasing trade via the Northern Sea route, Moscow's official in charge of Arctic development has said.The government has been in talks with India and China on such projects, Alexei Chekunkov, the head of Russia's Ministry for the Development of the Russian Far East and Arctic, told RBC media.Russia has long viewed the route…
Floating Wind: What Opportunities Exist for Installation Companies and Vessel Owners?
Global floating wind capacity will have grown from less than 200 MW at the end of 2022 to around 61 GW of grid connected capacity by 2035. This activity will require over $250 billion in capital expenditure. Over 75% of the forecast activity is expected to come from four countries. The global forecast translates demand to a requirement to pre-lay more than 6,000 mooring spreads within the forecast period and the hook-up of around 5,400 turbines.