New Container Shipping Company Launched in Saudi Arabia
A new container shipping line has been launched in Saudi Arabia.The newly formed company, Folk Maritime, will provide feeder vessel and short-sea shipping services in the Middle East and the surrounding region.The Riyadh-headquartered company is led by CEO Poul Hestbaek, who previously served as CEO of Maersk's Hamburg Sud.Other executives include chief commercial officer Saleem Kadernani, chief financial officer Khalid Fawzi and chief human resources officer Abdulrahman Alshangiti.
Preparing for Change, ABS Enhances the Marine Vessels Rules Book
As maritime faces transcendent changes in regards to decarbonization, digitalization and automation, innovators from inside and outside of the industry will be challenged to deliver new applications and technologies with increased speed and frequency. Sitting at the center of the innovation storm are classification societies, and earlier this year the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) became the first classification society to incorporate goal-based standards throughout major rule sets…
Houthis Say They Can Reassess Red Sea Attacks if Israeli 'Aggression' Stops
Yemen's Houthis said on Tuesday they could only reconsider their missile and drone attacks on international shipping in the Red Seaonce Israel ends its "aggression" in the Gaza Strip.Asked if they would halt the attacks if a ceasefire deal is reached, Houthi spokesman Mohammed Abdulsalam told Reuters the situation would be reassessed if the siege of Gaza ended and humanitarian aid was free to enter."There…
CMA CGM, COSCO, Evergreen and OOCL Extend OCEAN Alliance to 2032
French shipping company CMA CGM and its business partners COSCO Shipping 601919.SS, Evergreen 2603.TW and OOCL said on Tuesday that they had agreed to extend their 'OCEAN Alliance' co-operation deal for another five years beyond 2027, to 2032.The 'OCEAN Alliance' partnership aims to help customers deal with their supply chains by offering up fast transit times and access to a wide range of ports, said CMA CGM.The agreement to extend the partnership was signed in Shanghai on Tuesday."The decision
Gulf Island Sells Excess Property in Houma
Gulf Island Fabrication, a steel fabricator and service provider to the industrial and energy sectors, announced on Tuesday it has completed the sale of excess property that was part of the company’s facilities located in Houma, La.Gulf Island said the sale to an undisclosed buyer generated net cash proceeds of approximately $8.5 million.“A key aspect of our strategic transformation has been to improve…
GTT Books Samsung Heavy Industries Order for 15 LNG Carriers Tank Designs
French engineering company GTT has received an order from Samsung Heavy Industries for tank designs of 15 new LNG carriers.GTT will design the tanks of these 15 vessels, which will each offer a capacity of 174,000 m3.The tanks will be fitted with the Mark III Flex membrane containment system developed by GTT.The delivery of the vessels is scheduled between the fourth quarter of 2026 and the fourth quarter of 2028.The South Korean shipyard placed an order on behalf of a leading LNG player…
GAO: Coast Guard Should Address Workforce Recruitment and Retention Challenges
The Coast Guard has struggled for years to recruit and retain a sufficient workforce. The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), the non-partisan, fact-based arm of the Congress, has published multiple reports related to the Coast Guard’s workforce including recruitment and retention challenges. Three of these reports published in 2022 and 2023 have resulted in 17 GAO recommendations to address these issues, but as of today, 16 remain open and need to be addressed.
Congo’s First LNG Cargo to Set Sail in Coming Days
The first LNG cargo from Eni's Congo LNG project is currently being loaded and will sail to Piombino’s regasification terminal in Italy in the coming days.With the first cargo, the Republic of the Congo enters the group of LNG exporting countries, opening up opportunities for economic growth while contributing to global energy balance.The Congo LNG project, sanctioned in December 2022, came on stream after just one year…
NYK Receives ClassNK Certification for Offshore Wind CTV Training
NYK has secured certification from ClassNK for Japan’s first training program for crew members of offshore wind industry crew transfer vessels (CTVs).The training is scheduled to be conducted at the Akita School of Wind and Sea training center in Oga City, Akita Prefecture, from April - offering three programs in total.The certification from Class NK is for simulator-based training for operating CTVs…
Red Sea Ship Attacks Hit Regional Economies
“During the first seven weeks of 2024, cargo volumes to and from ports in the Gulf of Aden and Red Sea declined 21% y/y. The number of ships arriving in these ports significantly declined as merchant shipping increasingly avoided transiting through the region due to concerns over attacks on ships by the Houthis,” says Niels Rasmussen, Chief Shipping Analyst at BIMCO.Since November 2023, Houthi forces have attacked ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.
Constucution Starts on 10 Incat Crowther Ferries for Majestic Fleet
Singapore’s Majestic Fast Ferry Pte Ltd has commissioned Incat Crowther to design a new second generation 39-m passenger ferry as the basis of its future fleet. Incat Crowther’s range with PT Cahaya Samudra covers four vessels lengths; 29-, 32-, 39- and 42-m.
Damen, Portuguese Navy Co-Develop Multi-Purpose Support Ship (MPSS)
Damen Shipyards Group has unveiled a new ship design based on modern defense and security requirements. The Multi-Purpose Support Ship (MPSS) has been co-developed with the Portuguese Navy, the vessel’s launching customer. It is a solution for the increasing use of drone technology in combat and surveillance. In addition to its primary function, the MPSS is designed to fulfil a wide range of additional tasks…
Wallenius Wilhelmsen Orders Four More Dual-Fuel Carrier Vessels
Wallenius Wilhelmsen, the world’s largest RoRo vessel operator, has declared options to build four additional next-generation Shaper Class pure car and truck carrier (PCTC) vessels. The 9,300 CEU methanol dual fuel vessels can utilize alternative fuel sources, such as methanol, upon delivery.They will also be ammonia-ready and able to be converted as soon as ammonia becomes available in a safe and…
New Fuel Supply System Set to Ease Ammonia Adoption by Shipping Industry
Wärtsilä Gas Solutions, part of technology group Wärtsilä, has introduced a new ammonia fuel supply system (AFSS) for ships able to operate with ammonia fuel.The system is available for both liquid and gaseous fuel, enabling the use of ammonia as a marine fuel, according to Wärtsilä.In line with shipping’s transition to decarbonized fuels, ammonia is widely seen as one of the most promising new fuel candidates.
IMO’s PPR11 Agrees Guidance on Key Environmental Issues
The IMO’s Sub-Committee on Pollution Prevention and Response (PPR 11) agreed new guidance on several key environmental issues.Meeting from February 19 to 23, 2024, the following guidance will now be submitted to the Marine Environment Protection Committee for approval this March (MEPC 81) and October (MEPC 82):• the safe transport of plastic pellets by sea• best practices for cutting black carbon emissions…
Pelagus 3D and Doosan Enerbility Forge Additive Manufacturing Alliance
Pelagus 3D, a joint venture company of thyssenkrupp and Wilhelmsen, and Doosan Enerbility signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to advance the adoption of on-demand additive manufacturing (AM) in Korea’s maritime and offshore industries.The MOU was signed by Kenlip Ong, Chief Executive Officer of Pelagus 3D, and Yongjin Song, Executive Vice President of Strategy & Innovation of Doosan Enerbility…
Svitzer Reports 2023 Revenue Growth of 6%
Towage and marine services company Svitzer has published its 2023 annual report, showing that total revenue grew 6% to DKK 5,786 million driven by, among other things, a record number of harbour towage tug jobs of more than 150,000.Adjusted for foreign exchange impact, total revenue grew 9.5%. Operating profit (EBITDA) was up 4% to DKK 1,690 million, corresponding to an EBITDA margin of 29.2%. In the past five years…
Oil Spotted at Bonaire's East Coast
Oil stains possibly coming from neighboring Tobago have reached the island of Bonaire, local media said on Monday, prompting authorities to begin organizing protection to beaches and mangrove areas.Since an oil spill from a capsized vessel was first spotted by Trinidad and Tobago's Coast Guard on Feb. 7, it has blackened the Caribbean nation's beaches and is threatening other countries, including Grenada and Bonaire…
Greek Frigate Departs to Join EU Red Sea Mission
Greece's frigate Hydra departed for the Red Sea on Monday to participate in a mission to protect merchant ships from attacks by Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi militia, a defense ministry official said.Earlier on Monday, the Greek government approved the country's participation in the European Union naval mission dubbed Eunavfor Aspides in the Red Sea.Many commercial shippers have diverted vessels following attacks by the Houthis who control much of Yemen and say they are acting in solidarity with th
US Coast Guard Announces New Merchant Mariner Credential
The U.S. Coast Guard announced a new merchant mariner credential (MMC) set to launch on March 1, 2024, marking the first comprehensive revision of the mariner credential in nearly a decade.The Coast Guard is the exclusive source of U.S. MMCs, which are required for U.S. mariners who serve on commercially operated vessels such as passenger boats, tug and barges, offshore supply vessels, and deep draft…
