US DOT Publishes Final Testing Rule, Amends Oral Fluid Drug Testing
Final Rule is Effective Today, 5 November.Today, November 5, 2024, the Department of Transportation (DOT) published a final rule in the Federal Register to provide temporary qualification requirements for mock oral fluid monitors, provide for consistent requirements by identifying which individuals may be present during an oral fluid collection, and clarify how collectors are to document that a sufficient volume of oral fluid was collected.
Orsted Addresses Swedish Baltic Sea Wind Concerns
Orsted CEO assures Sweden that the offshore wind industry has solutions that would address defense concerns. At issue: Sweden's rejection of a proposed 13 offshore wind farms in the Baltic Sea.Swedish Defense Minister Pal Jonson said on Monday that building wind farms in the Baltic Sea would pose defense risks, by making it harder to detect and shoot down missiles. As Europe turns to renewable sources to diversify energy supplies away from Russian oil and gasâŠ
Beating the Heat: R.W. Fernstrum & Company Celebrates 75
R.W. Fernstrum & Company was founded by Robert W. Fernstrum in Menominee, Mich., 75 years ago, a quintessential U.S. manufacturing story. The company was born in the aftermath of WWII, founded on an invention developed during the war by Robert W. Fernstrum to help solve an engine overheating problem that was plaguing U.S. Navy landing craft. Family owned and operated from day one, today the company includes a fourth generation of family that aims to continue the legacy of its founder.
Philippines Plans $442M Buy of 40 Coast Guard Patrol Boats
The Philippines will acquire 40 fast patrol craft for its coast guard to boost its maritime security, the economic planning agency said on Tuesday.The purchase, to be funded by official development assistance from the French government, was approved by the National Economic and Development Authority Board, chaired by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.(Reuters - Reporting by Mikhail Flores and Karen Lema; Editing by Martin Petty)
Mega Machines: Itâs [Menck] Hammer Time
Driven by a âmassive step change in offshore wind turbine technologyâ premised on growth of the per unit size and output, Menck â an Acteon brand â last month unveiled what it touts as a âgame-changingâ MHU 6000W Wind Hammer, the largest hammer in its repertoire and a continuing a legacy of innovation since 1868 from this north Germany industrial company.We recently visited with Fabian Hippe, Marine Foundations Sales DirectorâŠ
Orsted CEO Addresses Swedish Concerns about Wind Farms in the Baltic Sea
Orsted's CEO said that there are solutions to Swedish defense concerns in the offshore wind industry. This was after Sweden refused applications for 13 offshore wind farms on Baltic Sea.Swedish Defence Minister Pal Jonson stated on Monday that the construction of wind farms along the Baltic Sea could pose a threat to national security, as it would make it more difficult to detect and intercept missiles.WhileâŠ
N-O-S Focuses on Crew Comfort with CTV Newbuild
As global offshore markets evolve to create a more sustainable future, rising up to meet these challenges is Sweden-based Northern Offshore Services. Offshore engineers wonât be the only beneficiary â but they might be the most important. In August, Northern Offshore Services (N-O-S) unveiled its unique I-Class Crew Transfer Vessel (CTV), powered by the first commercial application of Volvo Pentaâs IPS Professional Platform.
When it Comes to Workboat Engines, the Future is Flexible
Vessel owners are making new fuel choices, but increasingly, they have options to help reduce the risk of doing so.The latest engine developments aim to make it easier for owners to avoid the chicken-and-egg fuel price and availability risks of new fuels.As Roger Holm, President of Wärtsilä Marine and Executive Vice President at Wärtsilä Corporation recently pointed out, the challenge is that owners wonât commit to a fuel today that is expensiveâŠ
Green Marine UK Scales Up Environmental Monitoring Services for Offshore Wind
Orkney-based marine services firm Green Marine UK has expanded its environmental monitoring offering for offshore wind to deliver âfull-scopeâ projects following a surge in contracts with Scotland's Marine Directorate.This follows 18-months of continuous work, largely involving the collection of PAM (Passive Acoustic Monitoring) devices. Operations have lasted up to 20-days retrieving circa 40 devicesâŠ
Navtor Touts "Compliance without Complexity"
The regulatory landscape is about to get a whole lot more complicated, with the advent of FuelEU Maritime from January 1, 2025. This ambitious framework, focusing on the âwell-to-wakeâ GHG intensity of vessels trading within Europe, laughs in the face of traditional methods of calculating and tracking emissions, making Excel sheets strictly yesterdayâs news. However, argues NAVTORâs Director of Performance Jacob ClausenâŠ
DFDS Debuts Ferry Service Between Italy and Egypt
DFDS launched a new direct ferry service between Damietta, Egypt and Trieste, Italy, integrating Egypt into its service network for the first time and launching the first freight ferry service between these markets in around a decade.âThe new route aligns perfectly with our commitment to organic growth and solidifies our strong presence in the Mediterranean region," said Mathieu Girardin, Head of Ferry Division, DFDS.
Container Vessel Deliveries Soar
Just ten months into 2024, shipyardsâ deliveries of container ships have reached a new annual record. A total of 410 ships with a capacity of 2.5m TEU have been delivered, surpassing the previous full year high of 2.3m TEU in 2023,â says Niels Rasmussen, Chief Shipping Analyst at BIMCO.As recycling of older ships has remained low, the deliveries have increased the size of the container fleet by 2.4m TEU (8.7%) since the beginning of 2024.
Cadeler Gets Turbine and Foundation Installation Job for UK Offshore Wind Farm
Danish firm Cadeler has signed firm contracts, valued up to $415 million, for the transport and installation of turbines and foundations for East Anglia TWO offshore wind farm, being developed by ScottishPower Renewables, part of Iberdrola Group.The contracts, valued between $390 million and $415 million, are for the transportation and installation of 64 turbines, each rated at 15 MW, along with theirâŠ
ï»żEDGE and Fincantieri Join Forces to Develop Advanced Subsea Defense Systems
EDGE and Fincantieri have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to collaborate on the design, development, and creation of advanced manned and unmanned underwater systems solution capability through their recently launched UAE-based shipbuilding joint venture MAESTRAL.The preliminary agreement will pave the way and boost for developing sophisticated solutions tailored to the unique underwater needs of navies worldwide.The collaboration marks EDGEâs first venture into underwater domainâŠ
IMO Secretary-General Visits Yemen
IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez has completed a series of visits to countries in the Red Sea area to discuss the current situation and express support for freedom of navigation as well as concern for innocent seafarers, particularly those who remain captive with the MV Galaxy Leader.Yemenâs Houthis seized the roro Galaxy Leader and its 25 seafarers in the Red Sea on November 19, 2023.DominguezâŠ
Danes Granted Visa-Free Entry to China
China has granted visa-free entry for Danish citizens.The move was announced earlier this year when Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen met with his Chinese colleague Wang Yi during the UN General Assembly in New York.From November 8, 2024 to December 31, 2025, Danish passport holders can travel visa-free to China for up to 15 days for business trips, tourist visits, family visits or transit.China is Danish shipping's largest marketâŠ
General Dynamics Mission Systems to Develop Clandestine Mine Delivery System
General Dynamics Mission Systems has been awarded a $15.9 million contract by the U.S. Navy to develop its Mining Expendable Delivery Unmanned Submarine Asset (MEDUSA) system.MEDUSA is a tactical, clandestine mining system using an expendable Unmanned Underwater Vehicle (UUV) that can be launched from a submarine torpedo tube. The U.S. Navy is developing MEDUSA to address the need for an advanced maritimeâŠ
Windward Launches AI Threat Investigation System
Maritime AI company Windward has launched a new system: Advanced Intelligence, an AI-powered solution designed to empower intelligence and security organizations to uncover and handle threats more efficiently.The solution streamlines the entire investigation process from early anomaly detection and strategic investigations to vital context provided by MAI Expertâą, Windwardâs generative AI-powered virtual analyst.
EUREKA! High-Speed AIRCAT SES for Military Missions
Eureka Naval Craft is introducing its suite of high-speed AIRCAT (air cushion catamarans) surface effect ships (SES), already in use with the offshore energy industry, to the defense market.According to Bo Jardine, CEO of Eureka Naval Craft, a newly formed U.S.-based naval defense company, the versatile suite of AIRCAT naval vessels can serve as a patrol craft, rescue craft, medical evacuation vesselsâŠ
Vancouver Port Employers to Lock out Workers
The BC Maritime Employers Association said it would lock out workers on Monday at Canada's Port of Vancouver after a negotiating deadline passed, potentially disrupting exports of coal, potash and beef.The association, which includes private-sector waterfront employers, said it would lock out foremen and other members of International Longshore and Warehouse Union Local 514 at the country's largest port starting at 4:30 Pacific time (0030 GMT).