Ukraine Claims Responsibility for Offshore Explosion
Ukraine's navy and military intelligence have attacked and damaged a former offshore gas platform used by Russian forces in the Black Sea, the navy spokesman said on Saturday."The occupiers used this location for GPS spoofing to make civilian navigation dangerous. We cannot allow this to happen," Dmytro Pletenchuk said on Facebook.He posted a video taken at night showing an explosion on an offshore platform and the ensuing fire.
Australia Blitzes Illicit Drug Operations involving Car Carriers
Transnational organised criminals are attempting to import hundreds of kilograms of illicit drugs into Australia by paying associates to conceal them inside imported vehicles.The Australian Federal Police (AFP) and Australian Border Force (ABF) have identified a significant increase in attempts to smuggle illicit drugs into Australia inside cars, vans and trucks, with a total of 303kg seized on arrival…
ACBL Promotes Piccioni to Business Development VP
Jeffersonville, Ind. based marine transportation company American Commercial Barge Line (ACBL) announced it has promoted George Piccioni to vice president of business development.As ACBL's senior director of business development since 2016, Piccioni has helped to maximize the company's land holdings and assets, including leading the $1 billion transformation project at the site of its former Jeffboat shipyard.In his new VP role…
Iran Shipping Oil to New Destinations as Tehran Pushes Exports
Iran has sent small shipments of crude oil to new destinations such as Bangladesh and Oman, according to shipping sources and data, the latest sign of Tehran pushing to sustain output at close to its highest in five years.Oil sales are Iran's major revenue source and the country has been looking for ways to sidestep U.S. sanctions on its crude exports that former president Donald Trump re-imposed in 2018 over Tehran's nuclear program.Iran…
Chinese Port Blast Raises Serious Safety Concerns for Container Shipping
A major explosion on board a containership berthed at the port of Ningbo-Zhoushan in China raises serious safety concerns, a shipping analyst said.The incident took place Friday, with video footage showing a massive explosion on board Taiwanese shipping firm Yang Ming Marine Transport Corp's vessel YM Mobility. There are no reports of casualties.The blast follows other major incidents in 2024, including…
VIDEO: Explosion Rocks Yang Ming Containership YM Mobility in Chinese Port
Taiwanese shipping firm Yang Ming Marine Transport Corp said one of its cargo ships caught fire on Friday at China's Ningbo-Zhoushan Port, one of the world's busiest.Earlier, Chinese state media said an explosion was reported at the port and shockwaves were felt a kilometer away.Yang Ming Marine Transport said a fire occurred on board the YM Mobility while it was operating in the port. No casualties or injuries were reported after the blast at around 1:40 p.m.
Oil Tanker Attacked Four Times off Yemen
A crude oil tanker has reported four attacks off Yemen's port of Mokha during the last 24 hours, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations agency said on Friday, and the vessel's manager said the ship and its crew were safe.Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthi militants have launched attacks on international shipping in the Red Sea region since November in solidarity with Palestinians in the war between Israel and Hamas.On Thursday…
WETA Reveals New Details for San Francisco's Battery Electric Ferry Builds
San Francisco’s Water Emergency Transportation Authority (WETA), operator of the San Francisco Bay Ferry system, is moving forward with plans to introduce the United States' first fleet of zero-emission, high-speed, battery electric ferries, this week unveiling design renderings and announcing a battery systems supplier.The newbuilds, to be procured as part of SF Bay Ferry's Rapid Electric Emission Free (REEF) Ferry Program…
New Product: ATS203 Engine Air Starters
Austart launched the ATS203 Engine Air Starters. Designed to meet the demands of marine, industrial, and oil & gas applications, the ATS203 Engine Air Starters are engineered to provide unmatched starting power for diesel and gas engines. Key features include:High Power-to-Weight Ratio: Ensures efficient starting of large engines with minimal air consumption.Durable Construction: Built to withstand harsh environments…
Kongsberg to Design and Equip Danish Operator’s New Wind-Assisted Chemical Tanker
Kongsberg Maritime has secured a contract from Danish operator Tärntank to design and equip its eleventh hybrid chemical tanker, which will featured wind-assisted propulsion system.The latest contract brings the total of vessels order 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.These hybrid tankers can operate on diesel…
Scotland's Largest Commercial Shore Power System Enters Construction Phase
Construction of Scotland’s largest commercial shore power system has started at Port of Aberdeen as part of a $5 million (£4 million) project designed to supply clean electricity to vessels at seven berths.The ‘Shore Power in Operation’ demonstrator project is one of the first of its kind in the U.K. and was awarded match funding as part of the Department for Transport’s (DfT) Zero Emissions Vessels and Infrastructure (ZEVI) competition.The shore power system…
Canadian-led Research Project Reveals Ways to Reduce Underwater Noise from Ships
As the international shipping industry continues to explore measures to conserve and protect underwater life, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) is proposing the future monitoring of Underwater Radiated Noise (URN), which may lead to the establishment of thresholds combined with long-term monitoring requirements for certain regions.Underwater noise from ships can significantly impact marine life by disrupting communication, navigation, and feeding behaviors in various species.
Cruisezilla? Modern Cruise Ships Now Dwarf the Titanic
The number and size of cruise ships globally has doubled since the start of the millennium, T&E’s new ‘Cruisezillas: How much bigger can cruise ships get?’ report reveals. If they continue to grow at this rate, the biggest cruise ships in 2050 could be a staggering 345,000 gross tonnage, making them almost eight times bigger than the Titanic.In January 2024, the world’s largest cruise ship to date, the Icon of the Seas, was launched.
AI Anti-Collision Technology Installed on Fast Ferry
Fred. Olsen Express, a Canary Island-based ferry company, is installing SEA.AI anti-collision technology on its ships to boost navigational safety at sea. The move is a world first for fast passenger ferries.At present AIS can display and identify maritime traffic superimposed over an electronic chart that in turn indicates fixed features such buoys, beacons and other navigational marks.SEA.AI can…
Coalition Forms to Combat US Offshore Wind
U.S. activists opposed to offshore wind development are forming a national coalition aimed at fighting projects from California to New England, according to the effort's founder and two other organizations.The National Offshore-wind Opposition Alliance, or NOOA, aims to bring a national profile to what is currently a fractured movement of dozens of local groups, according to its president, Mandy Davis.Offshore wind is a nascent industry in the United States and a key pillar of U.S.
Captain Says Vessel Attacked with RPGs Near Yemen
The captain of the Delta Blue crude oil tanker reported an attack from two small craft 45 nautical miles south of Yemen's Mokha, with a rocket-propelled grenade exploding near the vessel, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) agency said on Thursday.Iran-aligned Houthi militants have launched attacks on international shipping near Yemen since November in solidarity with Palestinians in the war between Israel and Hamas.The Liberia-flagged Delta Blue and its crew are safe…
BLRT's Tallinn Shipyard Commissions New Floating Dry Dock
On August 8, BLRT Repair Yards' Tallinn Shipyard in Estonia on Thursday commissioned a new floating dry dock, enabling it to maintain, repair and modernize larger vessels.Built to accommodate Handysize vessels, ranging from tankers to passenger ships, the new floating dock measures 180 meters in length, 30 meters in width, and has a lifting capacity of 10,000 tons. It replaces an older floating dock…
Moose Boats to Build New Fireboat for San Francisco Airport
California shipbuilder Moose Boats announced it has secured a contract with the City and County of San Francisco to build an M1-46 fireboat to service the San Francisco International Airport (SFO). The vessel will be operated by the San Francisco Fire Department’s Airport Division.The 46-foot catamaran will be the rescue boat used by the San Francisco Fire Department in case of emergency at the airport—the 13th busiest in the U.S.According to San Francisco Fire…
Baltic Dry Index Snaps Four-day Winning Streak
The Baltic Exchange's dry bulk sea freight index, tracking rates for ships carrying dry bulk commodities, snapped its four-day gaining streak on Thursday, as rates declined across all vessel segments.The overall index, which factors in rates for capesize, panamax and supramax shipping vessels, lost 15 points, or 0.9%, to 1,683.The capesize index fell 14 points, or 0.6%, to 2,459.
Alternative Fuels: Many Possibilities But a Clear Path is Evasive
“It was the best of times, it was somewhat confusing times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of the learning curve, it was the season of light, it was the season of, uh, still not enough light.” ― Deepest apologies to Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities, 1859As the world zeroes in on alternative energy sources and products that can deliver power and performance, there are advances that could sway even the most hardened skeptic.
