Norway’s BOA Group Orders Two Damen Tugs
![(Image: Damen)](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w100h1500/image-damen-148367.jpg)
Dutch shipbuilding conglomerate Damen Shipyards Group announced it has signed a contract with BOA Group for two ASD Tugs 3010 ICE. Due to Damen’s practice of constructing vessels in series for stock, the tugs were already under construction at the time of order and will be delivered later this year.BOA’s fleet consists of specialized offshore vessels, semi-submersible barges and harbor tugs. The order…
OpEd: Focusing on Green Fuels Takes the Focus Off Shipping's Major Problems
![Morten Brandborg, CEO of Green Instruments (Credit: Green Instruments)](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w100h1500/morten-brandborg-ceo-of-green-148365.jpg)
Shipyard order books show that more and more ships are being built that can run on methanol or liquified natural gas (LNG). Major shipping companies are investing in green fuels for their fleets, and researchers around the world are working intensely to find new solutions that can make the shipping industry greener.This is all good news that strengthens the belief that shipping is reducing its emissions of greenhouse gases, among others.
Coast Guard Will Not Enforce New California Rule, Citing 'Safety Concerns'
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(The Center Square) - The U.S. Coast Guard says it “will not enforce” a new California Air Resources Board regulation, citing “safety concerns.”The Coast Guard and business organizations oppose CARB's requirement that commercial harbor craft install diesel particulate filters (DPF) linked to a number of fires. Seventeen states are suing the Environmental Protection Agency for giving an exemption to California alone to enact its own air standards that…
Port Houston Promotes Mariacher, Soares
![© Oleksii Fadieiev / Adobe Stock](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w100h1500/oleksii-fadieiev-adobe-stock-148357.jpeg)
Earlier this year, 30-year Port Houston veteran Jeff Davis announced his retirement as Chief Port Operations Officer. The port's Executive Director Roger Guenther has subsequently announced the promotion of two long-term, well-regarded members of Port Houston’s executive leadership team to vital roles to ensure sustained operations and exceptional service.Ryan Mariacher, a 20-year employee and formerly Director of Container Terminal Operations, was promoted to Chief Port Operations Officer.
Callan Marine Awarded Houston Dredging Contract
![General Arnold (Photo: Callan Marine)](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w100h1500/general-arnold-photo-callan-marine-148356.jpg.jfif)
Galveston-based dredging contractor Callan Marine has been awarded a $136 million contract from Port Houston to dredge segment 1C of the Houston Ship Channel Expansion, under the port's Project 11 program.Callan will use its recently christened 32-inch cutter suction dredge, the General Arnold, among the newest, largest and most environmentally friendly cutter suction dredge in the U.S. fleet for the undertaking.
Strategic Marine Delivers Support Vessel for Yunlin Offshore Wind Farm
![Support vessel for Yunlin offshore wind farm (Credit: Strategic Marine)](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w100h1500/support-vessel-for-yunlin-offshore-148355.jpg)
Singapore’s Strategic Marine and Taiwan’s Prosperous Wind Shipping have delivered the hybrid-ready support vessel for the Yunlin offshore wind farm in Taiwan.The StratCat 27 hybrid-ready vessel is designed for the transfer of technicians and cargo, essential for the construction, operation, and maintenance of offshore wind farms.Owned and operated by Prosperous Wind Shipping, the vessel will be able…
Norway Offers $193 Million Funding to Arctic Floating Wind Farm Project
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A floating offshore wind farm planned in Arctic waters on Friday received 2 billion Norwegian crowns ($193 million) in state funding, with Norway viewing the still costly technology as a key contributor for industry development and emission cuts.The GoliatVind project in the Barents Sea, consisting of five 15 megawatts turbines and seeking to supply power to the Arctic town of Hammerfest, beat out six other applicants in a tender by government agency Enova.Norway hopes that floating offshore win
Biden's Pier for Gaza Aid Might Not be Ready for 60 Days
![File photo: A temporary floating pier built by U.S. armed forces in South Korea as part of an exercise in 2015 (Photo: Maricris McLane U.S. Army)](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w100h1500/file-photo-a-temporary-floating-148352.jpg)
U.S. President Joe Biden's plan to build a floating U.S. military port to speed up aid to Gaza could take up to 60 days to become a reality and involve more than 1,000 American troops, the Pentagon said on Friday.The Pentagon offered the timeline a day after Biden announced the initiative in his State of the Union speech, as he seeks to cool anger in his Democratic Party over his staunch support for Israel's offensive in Gaza since Oct.
Texas DOT Christens New Ferry Esperanza 'Hope' Andrade
![(Photo: TxDOT)](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w100h1500/photo-txdot-148351.png)
On Friday, March 8, the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) christened its new ferry in Galveston Bay.Named for the first female chair of the TxDOT and first Latina Secretary of State, Esperanza “Hope” Andrade, the vessel was designed by the The Shearer Group and built by Gulf Island Fabricators in Louisiana.Stretching 293 feet, the double-ended ferry showcases cutting-edge propulsion technology…
Sleepy Week for Ship Recyclers
![Source: GMS](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w100h1500/source-gms-148350.jpg)
Even though the Indian sub-continent ship recycling markets have taken on a collection of smaller vessels of late, the week remains “sleepy” says cash buyer GMS.Virtually no deals have been concluded, and this has put the squeeze on the global ship recycling sector.“Dry bulk charter rates have been pushing on by the week as ship owners monetize the most from this sector. Containers and tankers too remain oddly off the recycling buffet…
Esgian Week 10 Report: Additional Backlog Secured
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Esgian reports that offshore drilling contractors secured additional backlog in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico, Egypt, Nigeria, and Brazil and operators confirmed new discoveries in Indonesia, Côte d’Ivoire, and China in its Week 10 Rig Analytics Market Roundup.ContractsDiamond Offshore has executed a two-year contract extension with a subsidiary of bp in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico for the 12,000-ft drillship…
Corvus Energy Develops Data-Driven State of Health Test
![Source: Corvus Energy](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w100h1500/source-corvus-energy-148347.jpg)
Corvus Energy has developed a DNV-accepted method for data-driven state of health (SOH) testing.SOH tests for marine battery systems are mandatory and give an overall assessment of the condition, performance and safety of the batteries over time. These tests help determine the battery's capacity, efficiency and remaining life. Using data-driven approaches in these tests enhances accuracy and efficiency in monitoring and maintaining marine battery systems.
No Remaining Recoverable Oil Sheen Seen off California
![Source: U.S. Coast Guard](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w100h1500/source-us-coast-guard-148346.jpg)
The U.S.
Gaza Aid Ship Waiting to Sail
![Source: World Central Kitchen](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w100h1500/source-world-central-kitchen-148344.jpg)
A ship carrying tonnes of food for Gaza remained docked in a Cyprus port on Sunday as preparations were underway to launch a yet untested maritime aid route to the enclave, where the United Nations estimates a quarter of the population faces starvation.The Open Arms, a salvage vessel, plans to tow a barge with 200 tonnes of food, mostly funded by the UAE. The supplies were sourced by charity World Central Kitchen (WCK)…
Vessel Off Yemen Reports Explosions in Sea, Vessel and Crew Safe
![(Image: UKMTO)](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w100h1500/image-ukmto-148342.png)
A vessel travelling 50 nautical miles southeast of Yemen's city of Aden reported on Friday two explosions in the sea ahead of it, but the vessel and crew were reported as safe, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said.Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi group has launched drone and missile attacks on shipping in the Red Sea, Bab al-Mandab Strait and Gulf of Aden since November.
Third Sanmar ElectRA Tug Arrives in Vancouver
![(Photo: Sanmar)](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w100h1500/photo-sanmar-148341.jpg)
A third electric-powered tug built by Sanmar Shipyards in Turkiye has arrived in Vancouver, Canada, to join HaiSea Marine’s fleet.HaiSea Brave will work in Vancouver alongside its sisters HaiSea Wamis and HaiSea Wee'git before all three – along with two Sanmar-built liquefied natural gas (LNG)-fueled tugs – are transferred to LNG Canada’s new export facility in Kitimat, British Columbia.Based on the ElectRA 2800 SX design by Canadian naval architects Robert Allan Ltd…
EH Group's 250kW Marine Fuel Cell System Earns AIP from DNV
![(Image: EH Group)](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w100h1500/image-eh-group-148340.jpg)
EH Group said its EH Fuel Cell System TRACE-M250, designed for high power and maritime applications, has been awarded approval in principle (AIP) following an assessment by classification society DNV to confirm that the fuel cell design meets all the applicable maritime rules, regulations, codes and standards.Based on EH Group’s stack technology, the 250kW EH TRACE-M250 module is designed to improve efficiency and safety…
Autonomous Shipping Company Massterly Opens Operations Center in Norway
![Left to right: Bjørn Jalving, CTO at Kongsberg Maritime; Christina Maria Bratli, Mayor of Horten Municipality, Norway; Tom Eystø, CEO at Massterly; Espen Gjerde, SVP at Wilhelmsen New Energy and Board Member at Massterly (Photo: Massterly)](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w100h1500/left-to-right-bjrn-jalving-148330.jpg)
Massterly has opened its new Remote Operation Center (ROC) in Horten, Norway as the company transitions from the testing phase to fully-fledged autonomous vessel operational capabilities."The opening of the ROC is a milestone in Massterly's history and represents a big step forward for autonomous shipping," said Tom Eystø, General Manager of Massterly, a jointly owned venture between Kongsberg Maritime and the Wilhelmsen Group formed in 2018.
Gram Car Carriers Refinances Viking Adventure
![(Photo: Gram Car Carriers)](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w100h1500/photo-gram-car-carriers-148339.jpg)
Norwegian shipowner Gram Car Carriers announced it has refinanced the Viking Adventure with an undisclosed Japanese bank.The new $41 million loan has a duration matching the vessels current charter ending in mid-2028 and a margin of SOFR +1.73%. This compares a margin of SOFR +4.26% under the previous lease financing which was repaid earlier this year, the company said.“We are pleased to welcome one…
Kyrgyzstan Joins the IMO as 176th Member State
![(Photo: IMO)](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w100h1500/photo-imo-148338.jpg)
The Kyrgyz Republic has joined the International Maritime Organization (IMO). The United Nations agency, responsible for regulating shipping, now has 176 Member States.  Kyrgyzstan deposited its instrument of acceptance to the IMO Convention with the United Nations with effect from  February 27, 2024.  IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez announced the new Member State to delegates attending the Sub-Committee on Ship Systems and Equipment (SSE 10).