BOEM Advances Offshore Wind in Central Atlantic
The US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has announced the availability of its final Environmental Assessment (EA), which considers possible impacts from issuing leases for potential offshore wind development off the Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia coasts, including site assessment and site characterization activities such as geophysical, geological, and archaeological surveys.The EA concluded…
New Zealand to Introduce Bill to Reverse Oil and Gas Exploration Ban
New Zealand's government said on Sunday it would introduce legislation to remove a controversial ban on offshore petroleum exploration to attract investment to the country's oil and gas sector.The bill would end the ban, in place since 2018, on exploration outside onshore Taranaki, an energy-rich region on New Zealand's North Island, Resources Minister Shane Jones said in a statement.The bill will be introduced to parliament before the end of 2024, he said."As well as removing the ban, we are pr
Chinese Fighter Jets Approached Dutch Ship 'Unsafely'
Chinese air force jets circled a Dutch frigate and approached a Dutch helicopter in the East China Sea in a way that "caused a potentially unsafe situation," the Netherlands' Defense Ministry said on Saturday.In a statement, the Ministry said the HNLMS Tromp was patrolling on Friday in support of U.N.
China Says US Provoking Arms Race in South China Sea
The U.S. poses the largest security challenge in the South China Sea as its military deployment there is turning it into "the whirlpool of an arms race", Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong said in remarks published on Sunday.Recent maritime run-ins between China and the Philippines, a U.S. treaty ally, have made the highly strategic South China Sea a potential flashpoint between Washington and Beijing."At present…
UK Dismisses Statement by Houthis Saying They Attacked Destroyer
Britain's defence ministry said on Sunday a statement by Yemen's Houthis that they had fired ballistic missiles at a British destroyer in the Red Sea was false.The Houthis did not say whether the attack they said they had carried out on the HMS Diamond had caused any damage, but described it as "accurate"."These claims are untrue," a British Ministry of Defence (MoD) spokesperson said.The Houthis said they had also attacked two commercial vessels which they identified as the Norderney and Tavvis
Two Vessels Catch Fire After Missile Strikes off Yemen
Two ships caught on fire after being hit by projectiles off Yemen's Aden, two UK maritime agencies reported on Sunday.The British security firm Ambrey said on Sunday an Antigua- and Barbuda-flagged general cargo ship was struck by a missile 83 nautical miles southeast of Aden and caught fire. The fire was later contained.Earlier, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said it had received…
Driveline Considerations When ‘Going Hybrid’
As emission reduction mandates sweep through maritime and hybrid solutions become the norm rather than the exception, special consideration must be paid to the drive train. Bob Lennon, with more than 40 years of maritime drivetrain experience, shares insight from Regal Rexnord on special areas to consider to ensure a long, efficient life of the propulsion machinery, cradle to grave.
Two Dead After Vessels Collide in Alaska
One person is dead after two vessels collided near Wrangell, Alaska Wednesday morning, authorities said.U.S. Coast Guard Sector Southeast Alaska Command Center received a mayday call over VHF radio at approximately 8:52 a.m. reporting a person in the water.A 58-foot fishing vessel collided with a 20-foot skiff, throwing one person from the skiff into the water, who was recovered by good Samaritans on-scene.The U.S.
Bulk Carrier Crew Rescues Sailors Stranded in Rough Seas
A Panamanian registered bulk carrier came to the aid of a sailboat that was stranded in heavy seas 250 nautical miles off the U.S. East Coast.On April 24, 2024, the crew of CSL's self-unloader Sheila Ann received a mayday call from a sailboat stranded 16 nautical miles away in rough seas and strong winds. The ship's master and crew relayed the distress call to the U.S. Coast Guard, which said it could…
Court Approves Hornblower's Financial Restructuring Plan
Hornblower Group on Friday announced its financial restructuring plan has gained court approval, clearing way for the marine transportation and experiences company to emerge from Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the coming weeks.Under the plan approved by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas, majority ownership of San Francisco-based Hornblower will transition to funds managed by investment firm Strategic Value Partners (SVP)…
Houthis Say They Targeted Two Cargo Ships in the Red Sea
Yemen's Houthis on Friday said they targeted two vessels in the Red Sea with drones and missiles, but there was no independent confirmation of the purported attacks.The group targeted the Elbella and AAL Genoa vessels with "a number of drones and ballistic and naval missiles", the Iran-aligned group's military spokesman Yahya Saree said in a televised speech.Saree did not specify the date on which the strikes were carried out.
ECOLOG LCO2 Carrier Design Earns ABS Approval
ECOLOG's low pressure, shallow-draft, low carbon footprint 40,000 cbm liquid carbon dioxide (LCO2) carrier design has been awarded an approval in principle (AIP) from ABS, the classification society announced.This AIP is the result of cooperation within a joint industry project (JIP) on the detailed design development, taking into account LCO2 critical characteristics, including operational requirements with respect to low pressure and shallow draft.
Amphibious WW2 'Duck' Vehicle Reenacts Normandy Landing on D-Day Anniversary
With a single piper playing bagpipes on deck, a restored World War Two amphibious vehicle landed on Gold Beach in Normandy on Thursday, exactly 80 years after the allied landing that started the liberation of France from Nazi occupation.The son of a World War Two soldier, British lawyer and vehicle historian Nigel Stoate, 55, steered the craft ashore after driving off a Royal Marines ship that had picked it up in Portsmouth harbour earlier this week."We landed at 7:25 a.m.…
Rhine in South Germany Reopens to Shipping
The river Rhine in south Germany reopened to cargo shipping on Friday after being closed by high water since the weekend, navigation authorities said.Falling water levels after dryer weather this week mean Rhine river shipping has re-started around Maxau in south Germany, the German inland waterways navigation agency said. This means sailings to Switzerland are again possible.The river had been closed…
Sovcomflot Says Revenues Took a Hit from Western Sanctions
Russia's leading tanker group Sovcomflot said western sanctions and changing market conditions may cut its revenues this year, a rare admission from a major Russian business of the damage western restrictions against Moscow are having.The U.S. imposed sanctions on Sovcomflot, which was previously one of the world's leading tanker operators, in February, in an attempt to reduce Russia's revenues from…
Russia Starts Wheat Shipments to Brazil from Baltic Terminal
Russia has started wheat shipments to Brazil from Vysotsky Port on the Baltic Sea, the quality inspection arm of Russia's agricultural watchdog said on Friday."Grain was shipped to Brazil from Russian Baltic Sea ports for the first time," the grain quality assessment centre said.It said a 31,000-ton shipment of wheat had undergone quality checks and was shipped at the start of June.The grain terminal at Vysotsky Port…
US Coast Guard Aids Supply Ship Taking on Water in the Caribbean Sea
A U.S. Coast Guard aircrew came to the aid of a Vanuatu-flagged supply vessel that was taking on water in the Caribbean Sea, approximately 22 nautical miles south of Puerto Rico.On May 25, the Sea Falcon was transiting to Tortola, British Virgin Islands with four people on board when the vessel's master reported to watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector San Juan that the 121-foot-long ship was taking on water through a crack in its hull.
Great Lakes Trade: Limestone Up, Iron Ore Down in May
Great Lakes shipments of limestone rose and iron ore fell in the month of May, according to latest figures published by industry trade group the Lake Carriers' Association (LCA).Shipments of limestone on the Lakes totaled 3.9 million tons in May, an increase of 33.9% compared to a year ago. May’s loadings were also above the month’s 5-year average by 6%.Limestone loadings from U.S. quarries increased 42.2% compared to 2023 to 3.2 million tons…
World’s Largest Car Carrier Receives LR Approval
Classification society Lloyd’s Register (LR) reports it has awarded approval in principle (AIP) to the Marine Design & Research Institute of China (MARIC) for a dual-fuel 12,800 CEU capacity pure car and truck carrier (PCTC) design - the world’s largest car carrier. The ship is part of a new generation of Ultra-Large environmentally friendly roll on-roll off (ro-ro) car carriers with a load capacity of around 12,800 vehicles. The vessel is equipped with an advanced ammonia-fuel power system.
Port of Antwerp Closes a Dock and a Lock Due to Oil Spill
Authorities at the port of Antwerp have closed a dock and are using drones to monitor the fallout from an oil spill that occurred while a ship was bunkering at one of its docks, a port spokesperson said on Friday."We are doing everything we can to make sure the oil stays locally," the spokesperson said.Belgium's biggest port closed its Deurganck Dock as well as the Kieldrecht lock, the largest lock in the world when considering water volume…
