Australia’s Marine Economy Grew Through COVID
The economic output of Australia’s marine industry continued to grow despite the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions on some sectors, a new report released by the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) shows. The AIMS Index of Marine Industry 2023 is the latest assessment of the contribution of Australia’s marine sector to the national economy, using data from the 2018-19, 2019-20 and 2020-21 financial years.
AI-Driven Maritime Custody Service Now Available Commercially
BlackSky Technology and Spire Global have teamed up to create a real-time, commercially available Maritime Custody Service that can automatically detect, identify and track more than 270 thousand vessels worldwide in open water, along rivers and canals, and while docked at port.The system uses data from Spire’s radio frequency-monitoring satellite constellation to detect emissions from maritime targets…
Ørsted Breaks Ground on FlagshipONE E-Methanol Project
Ørsted broke ground on Europe’s largest e-methanol project, FlagshipONE, on May 24.FlagshipONE will start production in 2025 and will produce 50,000 tonnes of e-methanol annually. The maritime sector is a key target for the methanol. Currently, over 110 e-methanol vessels have been ordered or are in operation, up from 80 vessels at the end of 2022.Originally developed by the Swedish e-fuels company Liquid Wind…
Wrong Size Bearing Led to Engine Failure and Fire on Supply Vessel
An incorrectly sized bearing led to an engine failure and fire last year onboard the offshore supply vessel Ocean Guardian, reports the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).On May 27, 2022, the vessel was conducting a sea trial in Shilshole Bay when its no. 3 diesel generator engine suffered a mechanical failure, resulting in an engine room fire that caused $1.1 million in damages.After maintenance was completed on all four main diesel generator engines in January and February 2022…
Baltic Dry Index Extends Slide for 10th Straight Session
The Baltic Exchange's main sea freight index of shipping rates for dry bulk commodities logged its 10th consecutive decline on Wednesday, hitting its lowest in two-and-a-half months as rates fell across all vessel segments.The overall index, which factors in rates for capesize, panamax and supramax shipping vessels, dropped 53 points, or 3.9%, to 1,295 points, its biggest drop since February.The capesize index was down 110 points, or 5.4%, at a one-month low of 1,930 points, marking its biggest
Waypoints Projects Launches to Provide Project Support and Training Services
A new maritime and industrial project management firm, Waypoints Projects, has officially launched. Founded by Thomas van Tol, Waypoints Projects offers expert project support and training for businesses before, during and after projects. Van Tol started his career as a project manager at Damen, and over the years rose to project director, heading up large projects worth over €100 million and 100 of staff.
Tall Ship Topples Over in Drydock
A 112-year-old tall ship has toppled over during a drydock maintenance period in South Africa.The Netherlands-registered Europa fell over during an attempt to transfer the steel-hulled barque back into the water from drydock at a Cape Town ship repair facility, leaving one crewmember with minor injuries."The injured sailor is receiving the necessary medical care and is doing well, given the circumstances," the ship's operator Bark Europa said.
Fire Breaks Out Aboard 80-year-old Great Lakes Freighter
A fire broke out aboard a Canadian-registered bulk carrier transiting on Lake Erie near Pelee Island in the overnight hours on Tuesday, the U.S. Coast Guard said.The fire, which originated in the engine room of the 80-year-old laker Cuyahoga, is said to have been contained, with no injuries reported.U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Detroit, Ohio Department of Natural Resources, TowBoatUS and the Canadian…
Russia: Warship Attacked by Ukrainian Drones While Guarding Black Sea Gas Pipelines
Russia's Defence Ministry said on Wednesday that the Russian warship Ivan Khurs had been attacked unsuccessfully by three Ukrainian uncrewed speedboats in the Black Sea, on the approaches to the Bosphorus strait.In a statement posted on Telegram, the ministry said the warship had been protecting the TurkStream and Blue Stream gas pipelines - which carry gas from Russia to Turkey, partly across the…
China Scales Down Rescue Effort as Hope Fades for Missing Crew of Capsized Fishing Vessel
China scaled down a rescue effort for crew missing from a capsized fishing vessel, after concluding that very few air pockets remained to keep alive any trapped survivors, state media said on Tuesday.Seven bodies were retrieved from the fishing vessel, the "Lupeng Yuanyu 028", after it capsized last week in a central area of the Indian Ocean with a crew of 39 aboard, state media have said.The ministries of transport and agriculture…
BIO-SEA BWTS Developed for U.S. Navy
BIO-UV Group said that a BIO-SEA Ballast Water Treatment System (BWTS) designed for the Unites States Navy (USN) completed Factory Acceptance Tests (FAT) at the production facility in France. BIO-UV Group now has approval to ship the system to a USN facility for operational testing.BIO-UV Group is working with The Columbia Group, Inc. (TCG), a U.S.-based engineering partner, and prime contractor in the development project.
GD Electric Boat Scores $1B for Submarine Modifications
General Dynamics Electric Boat, a business unit of General Dynamics (NYSE: GD), was awarded a $1.076 billion contract modification from the U.S. Navy to provide long-lead-time material and advanced construction for Virginia-class fast-attack submarines.Electric Boat is presently under contract for construction of submarines in Block V of the class. The $1,075,896,000 in advance procurement funds from…
Glamox LEDs Helps Stena Line Ferries Cut Electricity Use
Glamox AS is undertaking a major project to retrofit Stena Line’s fleet of passenger ferries with energy-efficient LED lighting. Replacing mainly fluorescent luminaires with LED luminaires will enable Stena Line to reduce electricity used for lighting by 60 percent. This shift to LED technologies corresponds with Stena Line’s sustainability strategy which includes reducing CO2 emissions from existing vessels by 30 percent.To date…
World's Biggest Aircraft Carrier Sails into Oslo for NATO Exercises
The world's largest aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald R. Ford, sailed into Oslo on Wednesday, a first for such a U.S. ship, in a show of NATO force at a time of heightened tension between NATO and Russia over the war in Ukraine.The ship and its crew will be conducting training exercises with the Norwegian armed forces along the country's coast in the coming days, the Norwegian military said."This visit is an important signal of the close bilateral relationship between the U.S.
Hanwha Completes Purchase of DSME
The Hanwha Group has completed its take over of Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME), renaming it Hanwha Ocean.Hanwha Vice Chairman Kwon Hyuk-woong has been appointed as CEO of the shipyard.The Korea Times reports that DSME suffered a 1.6 trillion won operating loss last year and 1.7 trillion won the year before. During the first three months of this year, it suffered 62.8 billion won in…
BVS and ENGIE Announce Low-Carbon Advisory Partnership
Bureau Veritas Solutions Marine & Offshore (BVS) and ENGIE have established a partnership to provide advisory and hedging services to support shipowners, operators, and charterers with reducing GHG emissions.The partners will develop a suite of advisory and market access services to help shipping interests to understand upcoming regulatory requirements, manage their risk and identify the optimal low…
InterManager Urges European Commission to Employ Polluter Pays Principle
Ship management association InterManager is urging the European Commission to follow the polluter pays approach when finalising legislation intended to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from shipping in European waters.Shipowners are concerned that proposed EU-ETS legislation could miss its mark if it holds ship management firms accountable for emissions reductions rather than target the parties who control key pollution-related aspects of ship operation such as fuel…
NASSCO Awarded $736 Million to Build T-AO 213
San Diego shipbuilder General Dynamics NASSCO announced it has been awarded a $736 million modification to the existing T-AO contract for construction of a ninth ship (T-AO 213) in the John Lewis-class fleet oiler program. Construction is scheduled to begin in the third quarter of 2025.In 2016, the U.S. Navy awarded NASSCO with a contract to design and build the first six ships in the next generation of fleet oilers…
Ukraine Says Russia Prevents Black Sea Grain Deal Port Operating
The Ukrainian port of Pivdennyi has halted operations because Russia is not allowing ships to enter it, in effect cutting it out of a deal allowing safe Black Sea grain exports, a Ukrainian official said on Tuesday.The Black Sea Grain Initiative signed by Russia and Ukraine last July, and extended last week for two months, is intended to guarantee the safe wartime export of grains and foodstuffs from three Ukrainian ports - Odesa…
ABS Uses Simulation and Modeling to Tackle Ammonia’s Safety Challenge
Classification society ABS said it is using advanced modeling and simulation technologies to develop emergency response methods to assist ports and crew in responding to ammonia leaks or spills.It is the first step toward a comprehensive and fast ammonia release response system, capable of predicting the behavior of an ammonia plume and directing emergency mitigation services accordingly.Thanks to its potential for zero-carbon emissions…
