Baltic Dry Index Records Fourth Consecutive Weekly Drop
The Baltic Exchange's main sea freight index, tracking rates for ships carrying dry bulk commodities, marked its fourth consecutive weekly fall on Friday as capesize demand remained numb.The overall index, which factors in rates for capesize, panamax and supramax shipping vessels, was down one point to 676, levels last seen during June 2020. The index was down 11.4% for the week.The capesize index lost 15 points, or about 2.7%, at 534, a near five-month low.
Ship Traffic Resume at Turkey's Dardanelles Strait After Brief Suspension
Ship traffic at Turkey's Dardanelles Strait is set to resume after a brief suspension due to a vessel's engine failure, the Tribeca Shipping Agency said on Friday.Northbound traffic will resume at 1500 GMT and southbound traffic will resume at 1545 GMT, it said.
Anglo American's First LNG Dual-fuel Bulk Carrier Enters Service
Mining company Anglo American announced that its newly launched liquefied natural gas (LNG) dual-fueled Capesize+ vessel, the Ubuntu Harmony, has loaded its first cargo of iron ore from its Kumba operations in South Africa.The 190,000 tonne bulk carrier, flagged in Singapore, is the first of 10 LNG dual-fueled newbuilds that Anglo American will introduce to its chartered fleet during the course of 2023 and 2024…
OneLearn Partners with UK P&I Club for Seafarer Training
OneLearn Global (OLG), the Cyprus-based full services learning technology, content and services provider, has enhanced and expanded its catalogue of seafarer training material, under a collaboration agreement signed with global insurer the UK P&I Club.Under the terms of the agreement, OLG will host 50 video and webinar courses developed by the UK P&I Club, on its Learning Management System (LMS), including a series of short (5-minute max) animations on such topics as vessel collisions…
ADNOC's New LNG Carriers to Feature Silverstream Air Lubrication
U.K.-based Silverstream Technologies announced it has secured an order to supply its air lubrication system for a series of six new liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers being built for Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) by China's CSSC Jiangnan Shipyard Group Co. Ltd.Scheduled for delivery in 2025 and 2026, the six new 175,000-cubic-meter-capacity (CBM) vessels will be the first LNG carriers built…
NES' Energy Design, Smart Control Systems for GC Rieber's Windkeeper Vessels
Turkish Cemre Shipyard has awarded HAV Group ASA’s subsidiary Norwegian Electric Systems AS (NES) a contract to deliver energy design, and smart control systems for two “Windkeeper” service operations vessels (SOV).The Turkish shipyard is building the Windkeeper for the Norwegian firm GC Rieber Shipping. NES’ scope of work is to manage the complete energy design plus act as system integrator for the vessels’ power system and smart control set-up.
Bio-UV Group Reports 31% Increase in Bio-Sea Revenue
BIO-UV Group reported a 31% increase in revenues from its maritime business segment, contributing to full-year consolidated revenues of $56m for the 2022 financial year, confirming the sale of more than 200 BIO-SEA ballast water treatment systems throughout the course of the year."2022 was another year of very strong growth for BIO-UV Group, for both the Land and Marine divisions," said Benoît Gillmann…
S5 Inks Deal with Deutsche ReGas to Manage Shuttle Tankers
S5 Agency World (S5) signed a contract with Deutsche ReGas to act as terminal agent at its new Deutsche Ostsee LNG terminal at Lubmin Port, on Germany’s Baltic Sea coast. The new LNG terminal will process LNG imports into Germany and has a regasification apacity of up to 5.2 bcm of natural gas per year. The agreement will see S5 Agency World managed the incoming clearance, pilot coordination and necessary…
Chief of Naval Operations Visits Austal USA
Austal USA welcomed U.S. Navy Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Admiral Michael Gilday at the company’s Mobile, Ala. shipyard. The CNO toured the shipyard’s facility and discussed the company’s growing diversity of design and shipbuilding contracts. During his tour, the CNO witnessed the production of both steel and aluminum ships in the company’s 867,000-sq. ft. module manufacturing facility, including…
NYK to Build Fifth LPG Dual-Fuel VLGC
NYK ordered its fifth liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) dual-fuel very large LPG/liquefied ammonia gas carrier (VLGC) from Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd. (KHI). The ship will be built at the KHI Sakaide Works shipyard and is set for delivery in 2026.This vessel is the seventh in NYK's fleet of LPG-fueled LPG carriers and the fifth in a new type of vessel that is also capable of carrying ammonia and will…
Fatigue Led to OSV Striking GoM Production Platform -NTSB
Crew fatigue led to an offshore supply vessel striking an oil and gas production platform in the Gulf of Mexico in 2021, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said Thursday.The offshore supply vessel (OSV) Elliot Cheramie was on its normal route between Port Fourchon, La. and the oil and gas production platform VR-397A in the Gulf of Mexico on June 25, 2021, with a crew of four and five offshore workers.
US Announces More Grant Funding for Ferry Upgrades
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration (FTA) has announced $384.4 million in federal funding from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for expanding and improving the nation’s ferry service in communities across the country, as well as accelerate the transition to zero emission transportation.In total, FTA is awarding 23 grants across 11 states and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Freeport Gets US OK to Begin Steps to Restart LNG Plant
Freeport LNG, the second-biggest U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG) exporter, got approval from federal regulators on Thursday to take early steps to restart its fire-idled LNG export plant in Texas.Freeport, however, has not yet sought permission to restart the liquefaction trains that turn natural gas into LNG for export. That resumption of LNG production will have to come in a later request with federal…
US Navy Accepts Delivery of Future USS Carl Levin
The U.S. Navy accepted delivery of the future guided missile destroyer USS Carl M. Levin (DDG 120) from General Dynamics Bath Iron Works, Jan. 26.Delivery represents the official transfer of the ship from the shipbuilder to the Navy. Prior to delivery, the ship conducted a series of at-sea and pier-side trials to demonstrate its materiel and operational readiness.“Delivery of this ship will provide critical capacity to our surface fleet today and well into the future,” said Capt.
MOL's Ammonia-powered Bulk Carrier Design Gets AIP from ClassNK
Japanese shipping company Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (MOL) and trading company Mitsui & Co., Ltd. announced they have received approval in principle (AIP) from classification society ClassNK for the design of a large ammonia-powered bulk carrier.MOL and Mitsui jointly determined the size and specifications of the vessel, and both companies entrusted Mitsubishi Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. for design of the vessel.
Interview: Brendan Smith, President, Seaward Services
Brendan Smith brings more than a decade of maritime experience to his role as president of Seaward Services, a marine services company specializing in the operation, maintenance and repair of government and privately owned vessels. The company is part of the Hornblower Group.During his 6.5 years with the U.S. Navy, he served aboard the nuclear-powered submarine USS Santa Fe, and his roles included chemistry and radiological controls assistant (CRA)…
Mark Heward Named Director at MITAGS
The Maritime Institute of Technology and Graduate Studies (MITAGS) announced that Mark Heward has joined its team as Director. Heward came aboard with MITAGS in October 2022, after retiring from a 22-year active service career in the Royal Navy.“We are thrilled to welcome Mark Heward aboard as the Director of MITAGS. Mark’s underway time, leadership, management and training experience together with being fully STCW qualified and his continuing education experience are a rare combination…
TORM Buys Seven LR1 Tankers
Danish tanker shipping company TORM announced it has entered into deals to acquire seven secondhand LR1 vessels. The company said on Thursday that it reached a deal on January 25 to acquire three vessels after purchasing four vessels earlier this month. The seven ships were built at Korean and Chinese shipyards from 2011 to 2013.Aggregate cash consideration for the seven vessels is $233 million, the company said…
Alma's Ammonia Fuel Cell System Gets AIP from DNV
Norway-based Alma Clean Power announced its design of a 1 MW ammonia fueled marine solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) system received approval in principle (AIP) from classification society DNV.The SOFC system design has been evaluated for compliance with DNV class rules and IMO guidelines for fuel cell installations. The AIP is granted for a containerized module that includes safety systems to handle ammonia…
Swan Hellenic's SH Diana Floated Out at Helsinki Shipyard
Swan Hellenic announced that SH Diana, the newest and largest ship in its fleet, was floated out of dry dock this week at Helsinki Shipyard.SH Diana’s fitting out is now already under way, leaving the luxury expedition cruise ship on schedule for her maiden cruise leaving Palermo, Italy for Lisbon, Portugal on April 15. The 125-meter-long, 12,100 GRT vessel will then make its way up the West Atlantic seaboard of Europe for explorations of the Arctic.Andrea Zito…
