Harbor Tug Grounds After Collision Near Corpus Christi
A harbor tug has run aground after colliding with an oil tanker near Corpus Christi, Texas.The U.S. Coast Guard said its watchstanders at the Sector Corpus Christi command center received a call at 4 p.m. Sunday from the agent of G&H Towing stating that the tug Mark E. Keubler had grounded outside the channel near the South Texas Gateway refinery and was taking on water.Before grounding, the tug was reportedly involved in a collision with the Saudi-registered oil tanker Nisalah.
US Limits Vessel Calls at BP Cherry Point Marine Terminal
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will modify the Department of the Army permit for the BP Cherry Point Marine Terminal’s North Wing dock to ensure complies with the Magnuson Amendment’s restrictions regarding the handling of crude oil at Puget Sound facilities, and Endangered Species Act and other applicable legal requirements through additional permit conditions. This comes from the Record of Decision issued Monday…
Saudi Arabia Remains China's Top Crude Supplier
Russia remained China's second-largest source of crude oil in 2022, following repeat top supplier Saudi Arabia, as Chinese refiners snapped up low-cost Russian barrels while Western countries shunned them after the Ukraine crisis.China's crude oil imports from Russia jumped 8% in 2022 from a year earlier to 86.25 million tonnes, equivalent to 1.72 million barrels per day (bpd), data from the General…
Maryland Pilots Order New Launch from Gladding-Hearn
The Association of Maryland Pilots has ordered its fifth Chesapeake Class launch from Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding, Duclos Corporation. Delivery is scheduled for early 2024.With a deep-V hull designed by Ray Hunt Design, the new all-aluminum launch measures 52.6’ overall, with a 16.8’ beam and a 4.8’ draft. Powered by twin Volvo Penta D16, EPA Tier 3-certified diesel engines, each producing 641 Bhp at 1800 rpm; the vessel’s top speed is expected to reach over 26 knots.
Australia Speeds Up Purchase of Sea Mines to Shore Up Maritime Defense
Australia said on Monday it would accelerate plans to buy advanced sea mines to protect its maritime routes and ports from "potential aggressors" amid China's plans to increase its influence in the Pacific region.The so-called smart sea mines are designed to differentiate between military targets and other types of ships, a defence department spokesperson said in a statement."(Australia) is accelerating the acquisition of smart sea mines…
St. Johns Lays Keel for Second Atlantic Wind Transfers CTV
Palatka, Fla. shipbuilder St. Johns Ship Building held a keel laying ceremony on January 18 for the second in a series of up six new aluminum crew transfer vessels (CTVs) for Rhode Island-based Atlantic Wind Transfers (AWT) to service the offshore wind farm industry."This is another milestone for Atlantic Wind Transfers as we lay the keel for our second crew transfer vessel at St. John’s as AWT continues to expand its CTV fleet to support offshore wind construction and O&M in the U.S.…
Marine Services Exec Chad Verret Starts New Consultancy
Chad Verret, a former executive in the offshore marine services business, has started a new marine consultancy called Verret Marine Consulting, LLC. The Louisiana-based company has offices in the Houston area and in Morgan City, La. and will be focused on areas such as liquefied natural gas (LNG) as a marine fuel, alternative fuels and marine based liquefaction projects.Verret got his start in the offshore industry nearly 40 years ago…
Glosten to Design New Station Boats for San Francisco Bar Pilots
Naval architecture and marine engineering firm Glosten announced it has been hired by San Francisco Bar Pilots to design new station boats that will meet California…
New Probe into Estonia Ferry Sinking Reveals Construction Flaws
A new investigation into the sinking of ferry Estonia that claimed 852 lives in 1994 revealed flaws in its bow visor construction missed during its certification, officials said on Monday.If necessary examination was carried out, the Estonia-registered ship would not be approved as seaworthy to serve the Tallin-Stockholm route it operated, investigators from Estonia, Finland and Sweden told a news conference in Tallinn.In 1997…
Vessel Conversions Gaining Favor in US Offshore Wind
With the creation of a full-fledged U.S. offshore wind industry undoubtedly comes many opportunities for those that own, operate, build and service relevant vessels as developers work toward the nation’s goal of 30 gigawatts (GW) of offshore wind by 2030.But for every opportunity there are at least a handful of challenges, many of which have recently been amplified by supply chain volatility, inflation…
RoRo ferry MV Tennor Ocean sets off for Test Voyage
MV Tennor Ocean, newbuilding 782, from Germany's shipyard Flensburger Schiffbau-Gesellschaft recently set off on test voyage on the North Sea and Baltic Sea. The 210-m RoRo ferry is on the move to Dock 3 at Lloyd Werft. During its week-long stay there, the shipbuilders of Flensburger Schiffbau-Gesellschaft (FSG) will carry out the remaining work on the ship’s hull to optimize the performance data.
Ship Recycling ticks up; Supply Needed
A degree of increased positivity has entered recycling markets this week, said GMS, as prices push on in both India (off the back of firming steel and settling currencies) and Bangladesh (off of a rising demand and a currency that has recently found its stability around BDT 105).In fact, a number of sales have reportedly even taken place at increasingly firm numbers, giving ship owners a greater sense of confidence to offer their recycling candidates up for sale…
Marlink to Provide Hybrid Network Connectivity to 100 Ships operated by Thome Group
Maritime communications specialist Marlink has signed an agreement to provide hybrid network connectivity services to at least 100 ships operated by shipmanager Thome Group. The contract will guarantee that the vessels are equipped with Marlink’s high speed VSAT service as well as L-band back-up to ensure flexible guaranteed bandwidth at all times. Based in Singapore, the Thome Group provides integrated ship management services…
Baltic Index Posts Fourth Weekly Fall
The Baltic Exchange's main sea freight index, tracking rates for ships carrying dry bulk commodities, fell for the fourth straight week as rates for capesize vessels slumped.The overall index, which factors in rates for capesize, panamax and supramax shipping vessels, was down 38 points, or about 4.7%, at 763 — its lowest in over two-and-a-half years.The index lost about 19.3% during the week.The capesize index lost 106 points, or about 11.9%, at 787.
Euronav VLCCs Named at Hyundai Samho
South Korean shipbuilder Hyundai Samho Heavy Industries on January 10 hosted a naming ceremony for a pair of new very large crude carriers (VLCC) it is constructing for Belgian shipowner Euronav.The Cassius and Camus are being built as liquefied natural gas (LNG) ready with the ability to cut CO2 emissions compared to current market standards. Each is also fitted with exhaust gas scrubber technology and a ballast water treatment system.The 299…
Konecranes Inks Licensing Deal with Larsen & Toubro
Konecranes and Larsen & Toubro (L&T) have signed a licensing agreement for the manufacturing and distribution of Konecranes port cranes in India. The first products have been sold under this agreement: two shipyard jib cranes will be delivered to the Cochin Shipyard in Cochin, Kerala province.The agreement between Konecranes and L&T’s Minerals & Metals business unit covers manually operated Ship-to-Shore cranes…
First Cruise Ships Tap Shore Power at Port of San Diego
On January 13, two cruise ships plugged into the newly completed shore power expansion at the Port of San Diego cruise ship terminal for the first time – a doubling of the previous capacity.The Disney Wonder and the Insignia were able to simultaneously use shore power rather than running their diesel engines while at berth. Previously, only one cruise vessel could plug in.The recent addition of the…
SMST to Deliver Equipment for First Asia-designed CSOV
Marco Polo Marine, the Singapore-based marine logistics company, has awarded SMST the contract for the delivery of a gangway and a crane for its offshore wind Commissioning Service Operations Vessel (CSOV). The vessel will be used in commissioning works during the construction of offshore wind farms, as well as maintenance operations. SMST’s mission equipment consisting of an Access & Cargo Tower with a motion-compensated gangway…
Insolvency at European Storage Terminal Supports Tank Storage Rates
The insolvency of a major storage terminal planned in northwest Europe has supported regional tank storage rates for diesel and gasoline, just as European traders rush to fill up diesel tanks ahead of a Feb. 5 ban on Russian fuel.Earlier this month, the district court in Rotterdam declared the insolvency of the long-delayed HES Hartel Tank Terminal, to be developed in Europe's major trading port of…
US Fines Greek Ship Owner for Environmental Crimes
The U.S. has imposed a $2 million fine on the owner and operator of a bulk carrier that knowingly committed pollution crimes on the Mississippi River. Greek-based Empire Bulkers and related company Joanna Maritime were sentenced Thursday for committing "knowing and willful violations" of the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships (APPS) and the Ports and Waterways Safety Act related to their role as the…
