Electric Hybrid Vessel Electramar Delivered to AtoB@C
![(Photo: AtoB@C Shipping)](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w100h1500/photo-atobc-shipping-146675.jpg.jfif)
AtoB@C Shipping in mid-December took delivery of Electramar, the first vessel in its series of 12 highly energy-efficient plug-in hybrid vessels. These vessels reduce CO2 emissions by up to 50% compared to the present generation of vessels. Shore power connectivity and a large battery installation provide superior fuel efficiency and the possibility to minimize noise and emissions while in port."We…
Orsel Takes the Helm as ECSA's First Female President
![Karin Orsel (Photo: ECSA)](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w100h1500/karin-orsel-photo-ecsa-146678.jpg)
Karin Orsel has been appointed the first female President ever in the history of the European Community Shipowners’ Associations (ECSA), starting on January 1, 2024 for a two-year term, with Mikki Koskinen joining as the new Vice-President. She succeeds Philippos Philis, who has held the position since January 2022.Commenting on her appointment, new ECSA President Karin Orsel said, “The strategic role of European shipping for the security of the Europe has come to the forefront.
RNLI Selects SKYDEX for Shock Mitigating Kneeling Decks
![Source: SKYDEX](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w100h1500/source-skydex-146682.jpg)
The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) has selected SKYDEX Technologies to provide their shock mitigating kneeling decks to protect crews aboard their D Class Lifeboats.The D Class lifeboat is the busiest in the RNLI's fleet. However, due to its compact size and difficult operating environment, the crews aboard these craft are exposed to impacts and whole-body vibration, causing discomfort and reducing performance.
McAllister Takes Delivery of New Tractor Tug from Washburn & Doughty
![Grace McAllister (Photo: McAllister Towing)](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w100h1500/race-mcallister-photo-mcallister-towing-146680.jpg)
New York based McAllister Towing announced it has taken delivery of its new shipdocking tractor tug Grace McAllister from East Boothbay, Maine shipyard Washburn & Doughty.Equipped with 3516E Tier IV Caterpillar engines powering twin Schottel SRP 490 Z-drive units, the 93- by 38-foot vessel produces 6,770 horsepower and achieved over 85 metric tons during bollard pull certification. Markey winches are…
Researchers Develop New Path-Following Model for Autonomous Ships
![© SHUTTER DIN / Adobe Stock](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w100h1500/shutter-din-adobe-stock-146681.jpeg)
Researchers from the Korea Maritime & Ocean University have developed a new path-tracking technique for maritime autonomous surface ships (MASS).A multi-national team of researchers, led by Assistant Professor Daejeong Kim, has studied the path-following performance of MASS using a free-running computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model combined with the line-of-sight (LOS) guidance system, at low speeds under adverse weather conditions.MASS need to follow a pre-determined path at sea…
Public Hearing Scheduled for Deadly Newark Ship Fire
![New York City Fire Department personnel respond to a fire on the motor vessel Grande Costa D’Avorio in Port Newark, New Jersey, July 6, 2023. (Photo: Dan Henry / U.S. Coast Guard)](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w100h1500/new-york-city-fire-department-146672.jpg)
The U.S. Coast Guard and National Transportation Safety Board will conduct a formal public hearing this month to consider evidence related to a deadly fire that occurred aboard the Italian-flagged cargo vessel, Grande Costa D’Avorio, while docked at the Port of Newark, N.JThe hearing, slated to take place January 10-12 and 16-18 at the Union Township City Council Chambers in Union, N.J., will be open to the public, as well as broadcast live and recorded.
Houthi Drone Boat Detonates in Red Sea a Day After US Warning
![© Alex Yeung / Adobe Stock](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w100h1500/alex-yeung-adobe-stock-146676.png)
A Houthi drone boat ladened with explosives detonated in the Red Sea on Thursday but failed to cause any damage or casualties, the U.S. Navy said, as the Yemen-based group continued its attacks in defiance of international calls to stop.The latest attack came one day after 12 countries including the United States, Britain and Japan issued a joint statement cautioning the Houthis of unspecified "consequences" unless it halts its attacks, in what one U.S.
Ship Traffic Through Suez Canal Down 20% Due to Houthi Attacks
![© Hladchenko Viktor / Adobe Stock](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w100h1500/hladchenko-viktor-adobe-stock-146674.jpeg)
Shipping traffic through the Suez Canal fell 20% between Dec. 24 and Jan. 2 compared to a year earlier, according to the PortWatch platform, after shipping companies began re-routing vessels in response to attacks by Yemen's Houthis.From Dec. 15, when Maersk became the first shipper to announce diversions, until Jan. 2, the most recent date for which International Monetary Fund's PortWatch has data…
Bath Iron Works Gets $34 Million to Bolster Its Workforce
![(File photo: Bath Iron Works)](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w100h1500/file-photo-bath-iron-works-146673.jpg)
Bath Iron Works (BIW) will receive more than $34 million in federal funding for projects aimed at bolstering the Bath, Maine shipyard's workforce.U.S. Senator Susan Collins (R. - Maine), Vice Chairman of Senate Appropriations Committee and Defense Subcommittee, announced the funding has been approved by the U.S. Navy and included in the Fiscal Year 2023 Defense Appropriations bill as part of a larger initiative to make improvements to the infrastructure of the U.S.
Bulk Carrier Reportedly Boarded by Armed Individuals off Somalia
![© Lukasz Z / Adobe Stock](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w100h1500/lukasz-z-adobe-stock-146671.jpeg)
British maritime security firm Ambrey said on Thursday that a Liberia-flagged bulk carrier had reportedly been boarded by armed individuals 458 meters southeast of Eyl, Somalia.The vessel was destined for Khalifa bin Salman in Bahrain, according to Ambrey's statement.(Reuters - Reporting by Clauda Tanios and Enas Alashray; Writing by Tala Ramadan; Editing by Jan Harvey)
LR Greenlights Canadian Ship Recycling Facility’s Standards Compliance
![(Left to right) Darren Webster, Vice President, RJMI and Laura Donahue, Professional Services Manager, LR (Credit: Lloyd’s Register)](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w100h1500/left-to-right-darren-webster-146670.jpg)
Lloyd’s Register (LR) has certified Nova Scotia recycling facility, R.J. MacIsaac (RJMI), according to the requirements of the Hong Kong International Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships.RJMI has become first Canadian facility to be issued a Statement of Compliance (SoC) to the Hong Kong Convention for international ship recycling standards, which is scheduled to enter into force in June 2025.RJMI was required to demonstrate that its environmental protection…
ClassNK Updates Its GHG Emissions Management Tool
![© Yellow Boat / Adobe Stock](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w100h1500/yellow-boat-adobe-stock-146669.jpeg)
ClassNK has released new features for its GHG Emissions Management Tool, "ClassNK ZETA (Zero Emission Transition Accelerator)".ClassNK ZETA is a tool for visualizing GHG emissions and CII ratings of ships and is used for more than 5,000 ships. Based on data submitted to "ClassNK MRV Portal", a system for fuel consumption reporting in compliance with regulations such as IMO-DCS and EU-MRV, ClassNK ZETA…
Collision Between Containership and Fishing Vessel Caused by Failure to Keep Watch
![Tremont bow awash during the abandonment as seen from the Atlantis. (Source:
Lance Wills, courtesy NTSB)](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w100h1500/tremont-bow-awash-during-the-146652.jpg)
A fishing vessel mate not maintaining a proper lookout and conducting maintenance on critical equipment while underway led to the collision of a containership and fishing vessel, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said Wednesday. No injuries were reported. Damage to the vessels was estimated at $6.25 million.On October 28, 2022, while the containership MSC Rita was transiting southbound in the Atlantic Ocean…
Argentina’s Grain Exports Could Jump 40%
![Chart courtesy BIMCO](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w100h1500/chart-courtesy-bimco-146664.jpg)
“Argentina is on track to boost grain exports by 40% in 2024, recovering from last year’s drought which afflicted crops, but still below the 2019-2022 average. Climate patterns and government policy are shaping the outlook,” says Filipe Gouveia, Shipping Analyst at BIMCO.El Niño has brought improved weather conditions for Argentina’s grain crops. The wheat harvest is nearly complete and estimated to be 20% larger than a year ago.
Seatrium Responds to Empire Wind 2 Project Cancellation
![Source: Empire Wind](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w100h1500/source-empire-wind-146655.jpg)
Seatrium has issued an announcement confirming its contract for a 1,260MW offshore substation (OSS) platform for Empire Wind 2, valued at more than S$250 million, has been cancelled.Seatrium was awarded two contracts from Empire Offshore Wind LLC for the engineering, procurement, construction, offshore hook-up and commissioning of two OSS platforms for the Empire Wind 1 and 2. The offshore wind farms…
Top Industry Organizations Thank 12 Nations
![© FER737NG / Adobe Stock](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w100h1500/fer737ng-adobe-stock-146654.jpeg)
The World Shipping Council, International Chamber of Shipping and BIMCO have expressed their thanks to the 12 nations that have jointly condemned the ongoing illegal attacks on ships in the Red Sea and unlawful detention of vessels and crews there.“As the governments of the United States, Australia, Bahrain, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom have all stated…
Dominguez Raises Concern for Seafarers at UN Security Council
![Source: IMO](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w100h1500/source-imo-146653.jpg)
Arsenio Dominguez, Secretary-General of the IMO, addressed the United Nations Security Council at its 9,525th meeting reiterating his condemnation of the attacks against international shipping in the Red Sea.“Attacks against international shipping in the Red Sea area are not acceptable,” he said. “Ships must be allowed to trade worldwide unhindered and in accordance with international law.”Since the beginning of November…
Vineyard Wind Supplies First Power to Grid
![(Photo: Vineyard Wind)](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w100h1500/photo-vineyard-wind-146645.jpeg)
Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners and Avangrid said on Wednesday their joint venture Vineyard Wind began generating power for the first time, supplying five megawatts (MW) to the New England grid.The project is expected to have five turbines operating at full capacity in early 2024, the companies said.The announcement comes after offshore wind projects in the United States faced financial troubles in recent months on account of soaring inflation, interest rate hikes and increased project costs
Ocean Cargo Rates Climb After New Red Sea Ship Attacks
![© Sergey Novikov / Adobe Stock](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w100h1500/sergey-novikov-adobe-stock-146651.jpeg)
Ocean freight rates are surging after a missile attack and attempted hijacking of a Maersk ship this weekend prompted carriers to suspend plans to restart transits through the Red Sea, a key artery to the vital Suez Canal trade route.Yemen-based Houthi militants have been attacking high-value cargo vessels in the Red Sea since November in a show of support for Palestinian Islamist group Hamas fighting Israel in Gaza.
US, Partners Reiterate Call for End to Houthi Attacks in Red Sea
![© momentscatcher / Adobe Stock](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w100h1500/momentscatcher-adobe-stock-146650.jpeg)
The United States and eleven other countries issues a joint statement on Wednesday reiterating a call for an end to Houthi attacks in the Red Sea, according to the White House."Let our message now be clear: we call for the immediate end of these illegal attacks and release of unlawfully detained vessels and crews," said the statement, issued by the U.S.