Kyrgyzstan Joins the IMO as 176th Member State
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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).
US Invests Another $3 Billion into Clean Ports
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The Biden-Harris Administration has unveiled a $3 billion initiative to fund clean ports, aimed at reducing emissions and advancing environmental justice. Announced by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Clean Ports Program will support the transition to zero-emission operations at ports across the country.The program, part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, includes two grant competitions.
Who Are Yemen's Houthis and Why Are They Attacking Ships in the Red Sea?
![The tanker Marlin Luanda was struck by an anti-ship missile fired by Houthi forces on January 26, 2024 (Photo: Indian Navy)](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w100h1500/the-tanker-marlin-luanda-was-148337.jpg)
Yemen's Houthis have been attacking ships in the Red Sea since November, in what they say is a campaign of solidarity with Palestinians during the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, prompting retaliatory U.S. and U.K. strikes against the Iran-aligned group.In the first fatalities reported since the Houthis began their attacks on shipping in one of the world's busiest trade lanes, a Houthi missile on Wednesday killed three seafarers on the Greek-owned…
Babcock Delivers Refitted HMS St. Albans to Royal Navy Ahead of Schedule
![HMS St. Albans (Credit: Babcock International)](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w100h1500/hms-st-albans-credit-babcock-148329.jpg)
Defense company Babcock International has delivered Type 23 frigate HMS St. Albans back to the Royal Navy for sea trials three months ahead of the planned schedule, following a refit operation.Once the current sea trials are completed, HMS St. Albans, with her 178-strong crew, will return to sea as the most advanced, equipped, and capable Type 23 frigate in the Royal Navy’s fleet, boasting next-generation weapons systems and radar…
Vard to Deliver Tailor-Made Offshore Wind CSOV for Norwind Offshore
![VARD 4 19 CSOV vessel for Norwind Offshore (Credit: Vard)](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w100h1500/vard-4-19-csov-vessel-148328.jpg)
Norwegian shipbuilder Vard has secured a contract for the design and construction of one tailor-made offshore wind commissioning service operation vessel (CSOV) for Norwind Offshore, with options for two additional vessels.Vard signed the contract with Navigare Capital Partners, a shareholder in Norwind Offshore.The new CSOV vessel, scheduled for delivery in the first quarter of 2026, is of VARD 4 19 design…
MOL Installs Wind Measurement Device on RoRo Vessel in Fuel Savings Trial
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Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) has installed a long-range wind condition measurement device on one of its RoRo vessels in a trial that aims to reduce fuel consumption and contribute to safe operations.MOL partnered with Metro Weather for a demonstration of Doppler LiDAR on Musashi Maru RoRO vessel on the route between Tokyo and Fukuoka.This is the first time in the world that a Doppler LiDAR has been installed on a large seagoing vessel…
TDI-Brooks' Retrofitted Vessel Arrives to US for Offshore Wind Work
![RV Nautilus (Credit: TDI-Brooks)](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w100h1500/rv-nautilus-credit-tdibrooks-148326.jpg)
TDI-Brooks' latest dynamic positioning vessel, the RV Nautilus, has reached the shores of the East Coast of the United States ahead of work for offshore wind sector.After undergoing a six-month retrofit in Las Palmas, the 2000-built vessel will be put to work to provide support for offshore wind projects and various other subsea needs.With the length of 75-meters, the DP2 vessel is equipped with advanced technology…
Siem Offshore Secures Contract Extension for Multi-Purpose Support Vessel
![Siem Dorado MPSV (Credit: Siem Offshore)](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w100h1500/siem-dorado-mpsv-credit-siem-148325.jpg)
Norwegian offshore vessel owner Siem Offshore has been awarded a contract extension for the multi-purpose support vessel (MPSV) Siem Dorado.According to Siem Offshore, the extension secures the utilization of Siem Dorado MPSV for a period reaching towards the end of the fourth quarter in 2024.The contract is expected to start in direct continuation of the current contract with continued operations expected outside the North Sea.The Siem Dorado is a 2009-built diesel electric-driven vessel.
Adapted ME-GI Gas Engine Runs on Hydrogen
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MAN Energy Solutions’ licensee, MITSUI E&S Co. Ltd., has announced that it has successfully tested a 50-bore MAN B&W two-stroke engine up to 100% load at its Tamano facility while running on hydrogen, a world-first for the maritime industry.In collaboration with MAN Energy Solutions, MITSUI converted one of the four cylinders of an MAN B&W ME-GI (-Gas Injection) engine to hydrogen operation. The hydrogen…
S&B Names Sipes CEO
![Jeff Sipes (Photo: S&B)](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w100h1500/jeff-sipes-photo-sb-148320.jpg)
Jeffrey G. Sipes has been named chief executive officer at engineering and construction firm S&B, parent company to naval architecture and marine engineering firm TAI Engineers.“S&B has a remarkable record of growth and success over the past sixty years, and we look forward to decades of further success. The markets we serve are changing, creating new opportunities for growth. Jeff is the leader who can successfully guide the company to capitalize on these opportunities.
US to Build Temporary Port to Deliver Gaza Aid
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President Joe Biden will announce in his State of the Union speech on Thursday that the U.S. military will construct a temporary port on Gaza's Mediterranean coast to receive humanitarian aid by sea, senior administration officials said.Planning for the operation, initially based on the island of Cyprus, does not envisage the deployment of U.S. military personnel in Gaza, the officials told a news…
Harvey Gulf Upgrading Liquid Mud Tanks on Five OSVs
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Offshore vessel owner Harvey Gulf International Marine announced it is modifying its fleet of five dual fuel liquefied natural gas (LNG)/diesel electric powered offshore supply vessels (OSV).A key enhancement includes the segregation of Liquid Mud tanks into six isolated independent tank systems, each equipped with dedicated pumping, valve, loading, and discharging systems with zero chance of cross contamination.The first vessel to undergo these modifications…
Oil Leak from Capsized Barge Off Tobago Stopped After a Month
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An oil leak from a barge carrying up to 35,000 barrels of fuel oil that capsized in early February off the Caribbean island of Tobago has stopped, said the twin islands' government on Thursday.The spill, which was first spotted off the coast of Tobago's Atlantic coast on Feb. 7, damaged some of the island's mangrove and threatened its tourism and fishing sector. The spill also entered the Caribbean Sea…
Electric Hydrofoil Ferries Set to Hit the Water in Abu Dhabi
![(Photo: Candela)](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w100h1500/photo-candela-148315.jpg)
Candela, manufacturer of zero-emission, electric hydrofoil boats, and Al Seer Marine, a global maritime organization headquartered in Abu Dhabi, announced a partnership to revolutionize waterborne public transportation within the emirate.The partners will work together to introduce Candela's electric hydrofoil boats for public transport use. They will also establish a sales and service network within…
Ship Evacuated After First Civilian Fatalities in Houthis' Red Sea Attacks
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India's navy evacuated all 20 crew from a stricken vessel in the Red Sea on Thursday, after a Houthi attack killed three seafarers in the first civilian fatalities from the Yemeni group's campaign against the key shipping route.The Iran-aligned militants fired a missile at the Barbados-flagged, Greek-operated True Confidence on Wednesday about 50 nautical miles off the southern Yemeni port of Aden…
Sharp Uptick Seen in Crude Tanker Ordering
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Contracting activity for for crude tanker newbuilding has risen sharply to start 2024, driven by a steep rise in orders for very large crude carriers (VLCC), according to shipping organization BIMCO.In the first two months of 2024, crude tanker newbuild contracting surged to 7.4 m DWT, a 490% leap y/y. Notably, the 19 VLCCs ordered in January and February is more than was ordered for the entirety of 2023.Freight rates for crude tankers spiked at the start of the war in Ukraine…
Tanker Liteyny Prospect, Hit by Sanctions, Docks in China to Offload Russian Oil
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The Russian tanker Liteyny Prospect, hit by sanctions, has docked at the Chinese port of Huanghua to discharge its 700,000-barrel Russian Sokol crude cargo, two sources familiar with the matter said, clearing part of a backlog of cargoes disrupted by sanctions on Moscow's oil trade.The tanker is one of six ships carrying Sokol crude, which India has not been able to import due to payment issues. The six ships had been sailing to China but five of them are floating at sea early this week…
Briggs Marine Adds New Pilot Boat in the UK
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Briggs Marine announced its is adding a new pilot vessel to its fleet in response to demand for pilot services within the U.K.Built by Goodchild Marine and scheduled for delivery in March, the Forth Navigator is a 12m version of the now well-established ORC design, incorporating the high levels of performance and crew comfort, Briggs Marine said.From March 2024, the Forth Navigator will be available for charter for a range of activities…
ClassNK Grants Innovation Endorsement for Cassandra Monitoring Platform
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Classification society ClassNK announced it has granted an Innovation Endorsement for Products & Solutions to a vessel and voyage performance monitoring platform called Cassandra, developed by Deep Sea Technologies SMPC.Cassandra integrates performance data from vessels with AI technology, and then enables real-time monitoring of the ship’s current status. It is cloud-based and designed to monitor fuel consumption…
SCHOTTEL to Equip Med Marine's Six New ASD Tugs
![The SCHOTTEL RudderPropeller (Image: SCHOTTEL)](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w100h1500/schottel-rudderpropeller-image-schottel-148304.png)
SCHOTTEL is to equip six new ASD tugs of the Turkish Med Marine Group with the SCHOTTEL RudderPropeller (SRP). The new vessels will be built by Med Marine’s Ereğli Shipyard and will be available in 2025 to meet the constantly growing demand for Med Marine tugs. A total of 12 SCHOTTEL RudderPropellers in the SRP 360, SRP 430 and SRP 490 series will be built for the new vessels by the German manufacturer of marine propulsion systems.