Philippines Coast Guard Boosts South China Sea Presence
The Philippine Coast Guard has stepped up its presence in the disputed South China Sea by deploying additional vessels and conducting more sorties and overflights to protect maritime territory and the country's fishermen, its chief said on Monday.Beijing's sweeping claims of sovereignty over the waterway have drawn repeated complaints from Manila, which has ramped up its rhetoric against reported Chinese…
Ship-to-ship Loadings of Russian Oil Hit Record in January
Ship-to-ship (STS) loadings of Russian Urals blend crude oil hit a record high in January in the Mediterranean as traders moved cargos onto larger vessels to make long-haul shipments to Asia more cost effective, Refinitiv Eikon data showed.Since the European Union banned purchases of Russian sea-borne oil in December over Moscow's actions in Ukraine, the bulk of Russian oil has been diverted to Asia.STS…
Schlosser Joins Gnostech as VP of Innovation and Research
Gnostech, an applied engineering company specializing in cybersecurity, software development, C4ISR systems and GPS, announced it has hired James “Jamie” Schlosser as Vice President of Innovation and Research at its San Diego office.Schlosser brings over 44 years of experience in Naval Information Warfare operations and acquisition both on active duty and as a civil servant. He recently retired from Naval Information Warfare Systems Command (NAVWAR) after more than 23 years of service.
US Coast Guard Calls Off Search for Missing Tug Crewman
The U.S. Coast Guard on Tuesday said it has suspended its search for a missing tugboat crew member near Sabine, Texas.Emergency response crews had been searching for the mariner since watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Houston-Galveston command center received a notification at 6:10 a.m. Monday stating that a 35-year-old male had gone missing from the tugboat Smith Invader.The crew member was last seen at 10 p.m.
Photos: US Retrieves Suspected Chinese Spy Balloon Shot Down in the Atlantic
Photos released by the U.S. Navy on Tuesday show sailors collecting the remnants of a suspected Chinese spy balloon that was shot down by an Air Force fighter over the weekend off the coast of South Carolina.The U.S. military began collecting the debris after the high-altitude surveillance balloon was shot down by an F-22 fighter over the weekend at the orders of President Joe Biden. The balloon fell about six miles off the coast of Myrtle Beach…
Furetank Transforms Former Office into Ship Sim Center
Furetank turned a former office building into a maritime educational center on Donsö outside Gothenburg: a state-of-the-art ship simulator complex for training, assessment and certification. Starting in the summer of 2023 it will be available for the shipping cluster on Donsö as well as external organizations.Furetank has ordered a large range of new-built vessels to be delivered in the coming years, and crewing these ships is a challenge.
Eastern Pacific Shipping to Trial Starlink Service
Marlink is adding Starlink LEO connectivity to Eastern Pacific Shipping’s (EPS) existing smart hybrid network as the Singapore-based ship manager looks to enhance business operations and seafarer wellbeing services fleetwide.The Starlink service will initially be trialed onboard selected vessels. A Marlink customer since 2016, EPS has progressively adopted digital solutions to support the efficiency and safety of its operations.
Hydrogen Fuel Cell Ferry Project Moves Forward in Norway
Sweden-based PowerCell said it has signed a letter of intent to negotiate final terms concerning one of the marine industry’s largest hydrogen fuel cell projects. Headed by Norwegian electrical integrator SEAM, the project comprises a pair of hydrogen fuel cell powered ferries for passenger and cargo transport in northern Norway, scheduled to enter service in 2025.Torghatten Nord in January 2022 won…
Shipping Containers Ablaze at Turkey's Iskenderun Port, Operations Halted
Hundreds of shipping containers were ablaze at Turkey's Iskenderun Port on Tuesday, shutting down operations and forcing freight liners to divert vessels to other ports.Turkey's maritime authority said on Monday that the port, located on the Mediterranean coast in the southern province of Hatay, was damaged due to the earthquake that struck Turkey and neighbouring Syria.Drone footage showed fierce flames blackening hundreds of containers on the dock…
Brennan Buys IAI's Dredging and Dewatering Division
Specialty marine contractor J.F. Brennan Company, Inc. announced it has finalized a deal to acquire the assets of Infrastructure Alternatives, Inc.'s (IAI) dredging and dewatering division, effective February 1, 2023.La Crosse, Wis.-headquartered Brennan said environmental services account for 50% of Brennan’s work, and that the purchase brings dewatering, water treatment and treatability testing services…
Tuas Port Phase 1 Reclamation Project gets Engineering Award Nod
For the engineering innovations behind the Tuas Port Phase 1 (TPP1) Reclamation, Wharf Construction & Dredging Project, the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) and project partners were awarded the 2022 World Federation of Engineering Organizations (WFEO) H.J. Sabbagh Prize for Excellence in Engineering Construction.Key design innovations included large-scale reuse of recyclable materials such as dredged seabed material and land-excavated materials…
WSM, Affinity Shipping Team on Emission Reporting
Wilhelmsen Ship Management (WSM) and Affinity Shipping signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to establish an independent company that will provide compliance services related to the EU ETS (European Union Emission Trading System).When created, the company’s offering is envisioned to be the first of its kind, offering a complete outsourcing service for shipping ETS management. The service integrates technical ship management and carbon allowance procurement to support shipowners…
Maritime Transport: Fuels, Emissions and Sustainability
International trade by sea has long been a key part of the world economy and approximately 90% of traded commodities is reliant on shipping. Once wind-propelled in the days of sail, the current generation of ships now heavily rely on fossil fuels. Fossil fuel propulsion contributes to global warming with carbon emissions approximating 940 MtCO2e per year and also has health implications for communities surrounding ports through the release of air pollutants.
James Fisher Names New Head of Energy Division
Offshore services firm James Fisher and Sons has appointed Neil Sims as its new Head of Energy. Sims will report to Chief Executive Officer, Jean Vernet, as part of the James Fisher executive team.Sims joins James Fisher from Expro, where he most recently served as Product Line Vice President and was responsible for their well flow management portfolio and sustainability and ESG transitional strategy.
Sea Otter Features Meet Offshore Wind Technology in NOV's Enhydra MSOV
NOV's Marine and Construction business unit has come up with a "new and flexible" Modular Service and Operations Vessel (MSOV) concept to "optimize offshore wind farm operations and maintenance." NOV says the vessel's features resemble those of a sea otter."The Enhydra series design characteristics resemble the sea otter's (Enhydra) unique and physical behavioral features. The sea otter is the sole marine mammal to use tools…
Brazil Govt Will Promote Recovery in Shipbuilding, Oil & Gas, President Lula Says
Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said on Monday his government would promote recovery in the country's shipbuilding and oil and gas sectors, with more investment from state-run oil firm Petrobras SA and development bank BNDES. "Petrobras will return to invest here in Rio de Janeiro and the BNDES will invest more in the country's productive sectors," he said during the inauguration of a health facility in Rio de Janeiro state.
US Great Lakes Fleet Set for $126 Million in Winter Work
The U.S. Great Lakes shipping fleet has begun the annual transition from sailing to scheduled periods in regional docks and ship repair facilities for repair, maintenance and modernization.This year alone, U.S. Great Lakes shipping companies will invest more than $126 million in their vessels—from over 1,000-feet to smaller tug and barge combinations—at shipyards and facilities across the Great Lakes, according to trade group the Lake Carriers’ Association.
Russian Oil Heads East as EU Embargo Takes Hold
The European Union's full embargo of Russian oil products came into effect on Feb. 5, but data from traders and Refinitiv show that the bulk of Russia's fuel oil and vacuum gasoil (VGO) is already being shipped to other regions, mostly in Asia.In January, less than 5% of Russian fuel oil and VGO was shipped to EU countries, including some 100,000 tonnes to Agioi Theodoroi in Greece, about 80,000 tonnes to the Latvian port of Ventspils and 30…
Tugboat Crew Member Missing Near Sabine, Texas
Emergency response crews are searching for a tugboat crew member that has gone missing near Sabine, Texas, Monday.U.S. Coast Guard Sector Houston-Galveston command…
Tanker Assists Sailor in Distress in the Caribbean Sea
A Marshall Islands registered chemical tanker came to the aid of a sailor in distress Saturday morning in the Caribbean Sea, approximately 57 nautical miles southeast of Puerto Rico.U.S. Coast Guard watchstanders in Sector San Juan received a VHF-Channel 16 communication from the sailing vessel Tao at 1:45 a.m. Saturday reporting the vessel lost steering and the sole boater on board, an 80-year-old man…
