Fire on Staten Island Ferry Caused by Design Flaw, Lack of Training
A 2022 fire aboard the Staten Island Ferry Sandy Ground was caused by a combination of engine design flaws and insufficient training for engineering crewmembers, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) revealed on Tuesday.The incident occurred on December 22, 2022, as the ferry, carrying 884 passengers, was navigating New York Harbor between Staten Island and Manhattan. The fire ignited in the engine room, resulting in $12.7 million in damages.
Inside the USN's Maritime Expeditionary Security Force
The Navy’s Maritime Expeditionary Security Force (MESF) operates ashore, at sea and in the waters of harbors, rivers, bays and across the littorals to conduct maritime security operations across all phases of military operations by providing port and harbor security and high-value asset security inland, on coastal waterways, and ashore.According to Lt. Cmdr. Kara Handley, Navy Expeditionary Combat Command spokesperson…
Panama Canal to Increase Transit Slots as Droughts Ease
The Panama Canal expects to increase the number of daily transit slots for vessels to 36 from the current 34 beginning in September, the canal's deputy administrator said, as rains allow authorities to ease drought-imposed restrictions.Panama experienced its third-driest year on record in 2023, lowering the canal's water level and forcingits authority to limit the number of vessels using the waterway that connects the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.At times…
US Navy Takes Delivery of USS Nantucket
The U.S. Navy on Monday accepted delivery of the future USS Nantucket (LCS 27) from the Fincantieri Marinette Marine shipyard in Marinette, Wis.Delivery of the latest Freedom-variant Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) follows the successful completion of Acceptance Trials in December 2023. Nantucket will commission later this year, and will be homeported in Mayport, Fla.“The future USS Nantucket serves as…
Kongsberg Maritime Wins Contract for 11th Tärntank Wind-assisted Tanker
Kongsberg Maritime announced it has been awarded a further contract from Danish operator Tärntank to design and equip its 11th hybrid chemical tanker, which will be wind-assisted. This latest order brings the total of vessels ordered by Tärntank to 11, with the latest five featuring wind-assist technology.The new 15,000 dwt vessels are equipped with a range of Kongsberg Maritime technologies aimed at energy conservation and emission reduction.
Methanol Retrofits for MAN Four-stroke Engines Available from 2025
MAN PrimeServ – the after-sales brand of MAN Energy Solutions – will offer a retrofit package for the conversion of existing conventional MAN four-stroke engines to dual-fuel methanol operation starting in 2025. Customers will initially be able to convert existing MAN 48/60 engines to the latest MAN 51/60DF engine type with methanol capability.According to MAN Energy Solutions, the conversion package has been under development for some time and has been tested at its Augsburg…
Turn Services to Acquire Marine Fueling Service
One of the United States' largest fleeting and shifting companies, Turn Services, headquartered in New Orleans, announced it has reached a deal to acquire Marine Fueling Service, a Texas-based provider of marine support services.Owned by the Bean family for over six decades, MFS provides fleeting, shifting, towing, boat charter, fuel, and lube services, both dockside and midstream in the Golden Triangle area and the Intracoastal Waterway (ICWW) in Texas.Located at the intersection of the ICWW…
Russia Opens 2024 Arctic Route for Shipping Urals Crude to Asia
Russian shipping company Sovcomflot has started this year's transportation of Urals crude oil to Asia via the Northern Sea Route, according to market sources and LSEG data on Tuesday, as melting ice opens the Arctic route for transit shipments.Russia wants alternative routes to Asia from its western ports as Western sanctions have made it increasingly difficult for its fleet to operate in waters close to European Union countries.But the Northern Sea Route (NSR)…
South Korea's Hanwha Ocean Cleared to Perform Ship Repair for the US Navy
South Korean shipbuilding group Hanwha Ocean on Tuesday announced it has been certified to participate in vessel maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) activities for the U.S. Navy.The company said its Master Ship Repair Agreement (MSRA) signed with the U.S. Navy enables it to bid to perform MRO work for U.S. naval vessels at its Geoje Shipyard in South Korea.Hanwha Ocean applied for the MSRA in January and underwent a rigorous accelerated evaluation process…
Enterprise Expanding Houston Ship Channel Export Facility in Texas
Enterprise Products Partners LP on Tuesday said it is expanding Texas' Houston Ship Channel export facility in response to continued strong customer demand for natural gas liquids.The expanded service is expected to begin by the end of 2026, Enterprise said in a press release.The company is adding refrigeration capacity at its Enterprise Hydrocarbons Terminal, that will increase propane and butane export capabilities by about 300,000 barrels per day.The expansion will also increase instantaneous
ZIM Opens USA Headquarters in Virginia Beach
Israeli ocean carrier ZIM celebrated the grand opening of its new U.S. headquarters in Virginia Beach, Va."We are excited to open our new U.S.A. headquarters in Virginia Beach. This milestone is a testament to our commitment to growth and innovation," said Eli Glickman, ZIM President and CEO. "I extend my deepest gratitude to Governor Glenn Youngkin for creating a business-friendly atmosphere in Virginia and to Mayor Bobby Dyer for his crucial support and dedication."Nissim Yochai…
MOL Picks Dynamic Voyage Optimization Tech to Cut GHG Emissions
Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) has decided to introduce the dynamic voyage optimization platform Wayfinder, developed by Sofar Ocean, to its operating vessels, aiming to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by improving fuel efficiency.Wayfinder provides the optimal speed and route for safe and efficient navigation to each ship daily.These recommendations leverage real-time weather forecasts based on information from Sofar's global network of ocean sensors…
Mammoet Selected as Exclusive Heavy-Lift Supplier to UK’s Largest Freeport Teesworks
Heavy lift and transport services firm Mammoet has entered into agreement to become the exclusive contractor for the provision of heavy lift and transport services at Steel River Quay, which lies at the heart of the Teesworks industrial zone in Teesside.Teesworks is a 2,600-acre site, located on the banks of the River Tees in the Northeast of England, and is central to the Teesside Freeport – the largest…
