Russia Says West is Deaf to Moscow's Diplomatic Signals
Russia said on Thursday that the United States should not be nervous about Russian warships in Cuba but that the West appeared deaf to any diplomatic signals from Moscow and only took notice when the army or navy took action.A Russian navy frigate and a nuclear-powered submarine churned into Havana harbor on Wednesday, a stopover the U.S. and Cuba said posed no threat but which was widely seen as a…
HamiltonJet Launches Data-technology Platform Overwatch
New Zealand-based HamiltonJet has unveiled its new fleet monitoring solution, Overwatch, designed to provide shore-side staff with detailed multi-vessel information in real-time, delivering operational efficiencies and increasing levels of safety for crew and passengers.The platform has been four years in the making - two years development, working out how to harness the power of vessel digitization…
BSEE Conducts First Offshore Wind Turbine Inspection
The United States' Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) said it has conducted an inspection at the South Fork Wind project, marking the agency’s first inspection of an operational offshore wind turbine in U.S. waters. Located offshore New York and Rhode Island, 130 megawatt South Fork Wind is the nation’s first commercial wind farm on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS).“This first wind turbine inspection is critical for industry…
US East Coast Port Union Strike Threat to Test Shippers' Nerves
Labor talks at U.S. ports on the East Coast and Gulf of Mexico are a looming risk for retailers, manufacturers and other shippers already grappling with longer transit times and higher costs.The International Longshoremen's Association contract covering 45,000 dockworkers at three dozen ports stretching from Maine to Texas expires on Sept. 30. If there is no deal by then, the union could call a strike that would hit during the vital holiday container shipping season and labor-friendly U.S.
NAVTOR Acquires Masterloop
Norwegian-headquartered NAVTOR announced it has acquired specialist software development company Masterloop.“Masterloop provides another piece of the digital puzzle as we continue our mission to make life easier, safer and more profitable for shipping companies worldwide,” said Tor Svanes, NAVTOR Founder and CEO. “The team’s industrial IoT strength and maritime understanding, highlighted by their Bluekey vessel efficiency application…
The Evolution of Modern-day Shipbuilding
In the grand tradition of American innovation, we've long been masters of the maritime domain, building advanced ships for our Navy, the preeminent force in the world. But times have changed, and seas are more treacherous than they used to be. With this, there are ample opportunities for innovators to launch a new era of shipbuilding for the 21st Century.When people think of American shipbuilding, they often look to U.S. shipyards’ historic shipbuilding in World War II.
American Cruise Lines Announces Three More Newbuilds
American Cruise Lines has confirmed orders for three more newbuilds, extending its number of ships on order to seven.Scheduled delivery before the end of 2026, the new ships from Chesapeake Shipbuilding in Salisbury, Md. include six Project Blue series ships and a brand-new American Riverboat.“The domestic cruise industry is the healthiest it has ever been. Demand for modern river products, new small ships, and unique exploration in the U.S.A. continues to grow,” said Charles B.
Fire Erupts on Vessel Hit by Projectiles East of Yemen
Missiles fired by Yemen's Houthi militants struck the Palau-flagged Verbena cargo ship in the Gulf of Aden on Thursday, sparking a fire and severely injuring one of her crew, U.S. Central Command said.The Iran-allied Houthis have launched dozens of attacks on international shipping in the Red Sea region since November in solidarity with the Palestinians in the war between Israel and Hamas.Thursday's attack marked their second direct hit on a merchant ship in two days…
Brazil's Container Port Operator Seeks to Avert 'Congestion' Surcharge
TCP, an arm of China Merchants Port, is working to dissuade a logistics firm from applying a surcharge on outgoing cargos at South America's largest container terminal, TCP Commercial Director Carolina Brown said.France-based logistics firm CMA CGM's $150 surcharge, which would take effect on July 1, could impact the cost of shipping goods through Brazil's main refrigerated container terminal, which is also the world's biggest chicken export corridor."We have already contacted CMA…
MacGregor to Supply AHC Crane for MMA Offshore’s PSV
MacGregor, part of Cargotec, has received a large order for its 50-tonne active heave compensated (AHC) crane to be installed on board MMA Valour, a multi-purpose platform supply vessel (PSV).The vessel has a proven track record in servicing a broad range of offshore work scopes across the energy and offshore wind sectors.The contract has been booked into Cargotec’s second quarter 2024 order intake…
Equinor Hires Havila’s Three PSVs
Norwegian offshore support vessel owner Havila Shipping has secured contracts with Equinor for three of its platform supply vessels (PSVs).Contracts with Equinor are the PSV vessels Havila Clipper, Havila Fanø and Havila Herøy.Each contract is for a firm period of twelve months, with six optional periods, each of one month.The start of the contracts will be within end of July 2024, according to Havila…
Strategic Marine Inks MoU with Mainprize Offshore for Six New Supa Swath CTVs
Singaporean shipbuilder Strategic Marine has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Mainprize Offshore for the delivery of six new Supa Swath crew transfer vessels (CTVs) with options for six additional ones.Following the recent successful delivery of two Supa Swath Vessels to the UK based operator Mainprize Offshore, the two companies signed the MoU for the acquisition of six Supa Swath vessels…
Trans Mountain Pipeline to load 22 Tankers in Vancouver
Twenty-two oil tankers are scheduled to load this month in Vancouver with crude from the expanded Trans Mountain pipeline, which is running around 80% full with a "little bit" of spot capacity also being used, a Trans Mountain executive said on Wednesday.Speaking with Reuters six weeks after the C$34.2 billion ($24.94 billion) project started commercial operations, Trans Mountain Corp's chief financial…
Brazil's Lula Backs Petrobras Bid to Explore Offshore Equatorial Margin
President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on Wednesday threw his weight behind a push by state-run oil company Petrobras to explore the environmentally sensitive offshore Equatorial Margin, saying Brazil cannot give up such an opportunity.The offshore region along the northern coast is seen as Brazil's most promising frontier for oil exploration as it shares geology with nearby Guyana, where Exxon Mobil is developing huge fields."When we start exploring the so-called Equatorial Margin…
Weathernews Names Craig West European CEO
Weathernews Inc. announced it has appointed Craig West as its new European CEO, effective immediately. West will join the company's Executive Leadership Team, bringing experience from the cloud, data, analytics and AI industries."Leading Weathernews in Europe is an incredible opportunity," West said. "Our unique value proposition, serving millions with real-time weather information and critical decision-support analytics…
Shipbuilding Prices Climb to Highest Level in 16 Years
The prices for newbuild vessels have risen to their highest level in 16 years, according to latest figures from shipping association BIMCO.“Since the start of the year, newbuilding prices have risen 3% to their highest level since 2008. Compared to their most recent low in late 2020 they are up 53%. During the same period, the order book has grown by 72%, reaching its highest level since early 2012 and is up 2% year-to-date…
Officials Tout Quick Baltimore Channel Reopening
This week's reopening of Baltimore's main shipping channel - less than three months after the Key Bridge collapse - was due to expertise gained from a COVID-era task force, a highway overpass collapse and the 2021 infrastructure law, government officials said.The deadly March 26 collision of the cargo ship Dali into the Francis Scott Key Bridge had paralyzed a major transportation artery for the U.S.
Russian Warships Enter Havana Harbor Under Washington's Watchful Eye
Russian navy ships churned into Havana harbor on Wednesday, a stopover the U.S. and Cuba said posed no threat but which was widely seen as a Russian show of force as tensions rise over the Ukraine war.Small groups of fishermen and curious onlookers lined the Malecon seafront boulevard in light rain to welcome the ships as they passed the 400-year old Morro castle at the harbor's entrance.The first to arrive was a fuel ship…
Solstad Offshore Scoops $240M in Contracts with Petrobras
Norwegian offshore vessel owner Solstad Offshore has secured multiple contracts with Petrobras, whose combined value is approximately $240 million (NOK 2.6 billion).The contracts are scheduled to start in the second half of 2024 and first half of 2025.Petrobras has contracted the construction support vessel (CSV) Normand Poseidon and two anchor handling tug supply (AHTS) vessels Normand Sagaris and Normand Ferking…
Berg to Supply Propulsion Kit for LDA's Wind-Assisted Airbus RoRos
Berg Propulsion has won a contract to deliver the hybrid propulsion solution for three wind-assisted Louis Dreyfus Armateurs (LDA) Ro-Ro vessels.Following delivery by China’s Wuchang Shipbuilding from 2026 onwards, the innovative vessels will carry Airbus A320 Family jetliner subassemblies from France to the final assembly line in the United States.The ships have been designed by Deltamarin with the…
