Paul Watson Walks Free
Denmark released anti-whaling activist Paul Watson from detention on Tuesday and said it had rejected a Japanese request to extradite him over criminal charges dating back more than a decade.U.S.-Canadian Watson, 74, founder of the Sea Shepherd conservationist group and the Captain Paul Watson Foundation, was released in Greenland's capital Nuuk, police in the autonomous Danish territory said.Watson was apprehended when his ship docked in Greenland in July."I'm certainly relievedā¦
MSC 109 Advances Autonomous Ship Code
The Maritime Safety Committee met for its 109th session at IMO Headquarters in London from December 2 to 6, 2024. The outcomes include:Amendments to mandatory IGC and IGF Codes adoptedThe Committee adopted amendments to Chapter 16 of the IGC Code, related to the use as fuel of cargoes identified as toxic products, in the context of alternative fuels and new technologies. The amendments are expected to enter into force on July 1, 2026.
ClassNK Releases Guidance on Evacuation of Vehicle Carriers
ClassNK has released guidance to assist in the safe evacuation of crew members from vehicle carriers in the event of a cargo hold fire. Additionally, the worldās first notation, AMEVC(EV), has been established to indicate vessels equipped with additional measures to facilitate safe evacuation.Vehicle carriers often have accommodation areas and life-saving equipment, such as lifeboats and liferaftsā¦
Biden's DoE LNG Export Study Tepid on New Permits
The administration of U.S. President Joe Biden released a long-awaited study on the economic and environmental impacts of liquefied natural gas exports on Tuesday, saying the results underscored the need for a cautious approach to new permits.Biden in January had paused the Department of Energy's approvals of U.S. LNG exports to big consumers in Asia and Europe so that his administration could conduct the reviewā¦
Oil Falls on Demand Worries, Market Awaits Fed Advice
Oil prices eased about 1% to a one-week low on Tuesday on demand worries following the release of negative economic news from Germany and China, while investors remained cautious ahead of a U.S. Federal Reserve decision on interest rates.Brent futures fell 90 cents, or 1.2%, to $73.01 a barrel by 1:36 p.m. EST (1836 GMT), while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude slipped 86 cents, or 1.2%, to $69.85. That puts both crude benchmarks on track for their lowest closes since Dec.
Mandatory Turbine Upgrade Mandate Upsets Wind Industry
Wind parks operating in the Spanish region of Galicia will be obliged to replace ageing turbines after 25 years under a package of measures approved by the regional parliament on Tuesday, sparking an outcry from the renewables industry.Under the rules which come into force on Jan. 1, developers risk losing their operating permits unless they begin replacing 25-year-old turbines with new, more efficientā¦
SC Ports Expands Inland Port to Meet Market Demand
SC Ports has expanded its container yard at Inland Port Greer to handle customers' growth.South Carolina Ports is enhancing its intermodal connections in South Carolina with the ongoing expansion of Inland Port Greer and construction of the Navy Base Intermodal Facility.SC Ports is investing to expand Inland Port Greer with more cargo and rail capabilities to support customersā growth in the Upstate and beyondā¦
Baltic Index Retreats Across All Segments
The Baltic Exchange's dry bulk sea freight index, which tracks rates for ships carrying dry bulk commodities, retreated on Tuesday rates dipped across all vessel segments.The index, which factors in rates for capesize, panamax and supramax shipping vessels, fell 18 points to 1,053 points.The capesize index shed 32 points to 1,308 points. Average daily earnings for capesize vessels, which typically transport 150ā¦
Western States to Ramp up Pressure on Russian 'shadow fleet'
Vessels of Russia's so-called shadow tanker fleet will be boarded or put on a sanctions list if they do not provide proof of insurance, Estonia's prime minister said on Tuesday.'Shadow fleet' refers to vessels used by Russia to move oil, arms and grains around in violation of international sanctions imposed on it over the Ukraine war. The vessels are not regulated or insured by conventional Western providers.A dozen Western countries - Britainā¦
Damen delivers 2nd OPV 2600 to Pakistan Navy
Collaboration between the two parties advances with MoU.Damen Shipyards Group has delivered the second in a series of two Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPV) 2600 to the Pakistan Navy. The vessel, named PNS Yamama, follows the delivery of the PNS Hunain in summer 2024. This latest delivery marks a milestone moment in a long-term relationship beginning with Damenās earlier construction of the two Yarmook Class vessels, based on the Damen OPV 1900, in 2020.
Geoquip Marine Adds Retrofitted Vessel to Its Geotechnical Fleet
Geoquip Marine, a Njord Partners portfolio company, has added a seventh vessel to their fleet, which is being converted from a platform supply vessel (PSV) to the geotechnical services platform for the offshore energy sector.The Geoquip Silvretta vessel, originally built as PSV by Green Yard Kleven (Green Yard), is being converted in Norway.The conversion, scheduled for completion in spring 2025, will include the installation of Geoquip's largest drilling rigā¦
Tanco adds $8.2 million to IA Port Investments
Tanco Terminals is constructing a $8.2 million expansion of its liquid tank farm at Ports of Indiana-Burns Harbor to support growth in Lake Michigan shipments. Tanco is a third-generation, family-owned business operated at the port since 1977.The company stores and performs value-added services for liquid cargoes, from petroleum to food-grade oils.As part of the expansion, Tanco is adding a sixth rail loading trackā¦
Third Russian Tanker Issues Distress Signal as Oil Washes Up on Black Sea Coast
Spilled oil has washed up along "tens of kilometres" of the Russian Black Sea coast after two tankers were badly damaged in a storm at the weekend, a regional official said on Tuesday, and state media said a third vessel was now in trouble.TASS news agency said the third ship, also a tanker, had issued a distress signal off the port of Kavkaz, but its hull was still intact, there was no oil spillage and the crew was safe.The first shipā¦
Vale VLOC gets Anemoi Rotor Sails
Anemoi Marine Technologies completed the installation of five Rotor Sails onboard the 400,000 dwt Very Large Ore Carrier (VLOC), Sohar Max, making it the largest vessel to receive wind propulsion technology to date. Sohar Max is a first generation Valemax, built in 2012 in Chinaās Rongsheng shipyard, and is a project that showcased collaboration between Brazilian mining giant Vale S.A., Omani shipowner Asyad and UK-based Rotor Sail provider Anemoi.The five 35 m tallā¦
On the Bookshelf: Managing Risks of Stowaways on Vessels
Stowaways are an ongoing issue for the security of ships and the safety of crew members, as well as incurring substantial associated costs for shipowners and insurers. Worldwide, information about stowaways is incomplete and incidents are under-recorded, but the financial cost per incident is known to be rising, costing the industry millions of US dollars every year. In recent years, increasing globalā¦
Penta-Ocean Orders Its First CLV to Expand Offshore Wind Service Offering
Japan-based Penta-Ocean Construction has signed a shipbuilding contract with PaxOcean Group for the construction of a self-propelled large-scale cable laying vessel (CLV), expanding its capabilities from offshore wind turbine construction to power cable laying for the industry.The new CLV will be self-propelled, mounted with two 5,000 t cable carousels (a total of 10,000 t) also known as cable storageā¦
Just Do It! NIKE Commits to CMA CGM's New E-Barge Vessel Project
CMA CGM will build and deploy a zero emissions inland transport solution in Vietnam, a solution the company says is a "100% green electricity barge coupled with dedicated charging infrastructures" supplied by a new solar farm at Gemalink terminal in Cai Mep (25% owned by CMA CGM Group). A new dedicated solar farm on the premises of Gemalink will produce 1GWH of green electricity annually to recharge the e-barge.From Binh Duong Province to the deep-sea terminal of Gemalinkā¦
Seaway7 Gets Inch Cape Transport and Installation Job
Seaway7, part of Subsea7 Group, has secured a contract for the transport and installation of pin-pile jacket foundations and transition pieces for the 1.1 GW Inch Cape offshore wind farm in Scotland.The contract, valued between $150 million and $300 million, has been awarded to Seaway7 by Cape Offshore Limited, a joint venture between ESB and Red Rock Renewables.The 1.1GW Inch Cape project offshore site is located in the Scottish North Seaā¦
US Hits North Korea and Russia with More Sanctions
The United States hit North Korea and Russia on Monday with new sanctions that the Treasury Department said targeted Pyongyang's financial activities and military support to Moscow.The sanctions, which list North Korean banks, generals and other officials as well as Russian oil shipping companies, are the latest U.S. measure aimed at disrupting North Korea's support to Russia's war in Ukraine.The North Korean banks targeted include Golden Triangle Bank and Korea Mandal Credit Bankā¦
Russia Testing NATOās Baltic Security
Russia is disrupting mobile communications and ship-tracking data across the Baltic Sea, endangering vessels and energy supplies to test how Western powers will respond, a Polish admiral overseeing the area said.Vice Admiral Krzysztof Jaworski said Moscow was systematically using such tactics to hide the movements of its own vessels and disrupt the operations of others in the sea which is borderedā¦
