New Studies Highlight Offshore Wind Energy Potential in the Gulf of Mexico
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has released two new studies on offshore wind energy in the Gulf of Mexico.The first study, “Gulf of Mexico Offshore Wind Energy Hurricane Risk Assessment” analyzed hurricane risk to wind turbines operating in the Gulf of Mexico. This study concluded that as a minimum, an IEC ”Typhoon Class” wind turbine would be needed for the design of offshore wind turbines in more hurricane prone areas…
Video: Wreckage Removal Needed Before Dali Refloat
Unified Command officials continue to evaluate the M/V Dali in preparation for refloating the vessel and clearing the channel.Officials have evaluated sonar and lidar imagery but are awaiting results from a dive survey before proceeding with plans to refloat and move the Dali to Seagirt Marine Terminal in the Port of Baltimore.The diver inspection is a necessary step in the complicated process of reopening…
Empire Wind 1 Gets New York Construction Approval
Norwegian energy company Equinor has received approval from the New York State Public Service Commission to start building its Empire Wind 1 offshore wind farm, Governor Kathy Hochul said on Thursday.Electricity generated from offshore wind farms is important to U.S. and state goals of cutting greenhouse gas emissions.But the industry has been hit this year by inflation, higher interest rates and supply chain delays.
'Tug Drone': KOTUG Pilots Innovative Line Transfer Solution
The Netherlands based marine towage provider KOTUG announced it has successfully piloted its innovative Tug Drone technology, performing a line transfer using an aerial drone.KOTUG said it worked with another Dutch company, unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) experts SKEYE, to perform a line transfer over 400 meters from a tugboat to the helideck of Heerema’s crane vessel Thialf.For serveral years, KOTUG has been exploring the use of aerial drones to improve safety and efficiency…
Silverback Marine Unveils All-electric Landing Craft
Pacific Northwest boatbuilder Silverback Marine has added to its lineup of electric powered workboats with the launch of a new 24- by 8.5-foot landing craft.Powered by twin Photon 300 electric outboards, the all-electric Sherpa 24 offers clean, quiet access to beaches and estuaries, making it an optimum platform for marine biology, survey and other noise-sensitive operations in sea-to-shore applications, according to Silverback.
Oil Spill Contained After Barge Slams Bridge in Galveston
An oil spill from a runaway barge that struck a bridge near Galveston has been contained, the U.S. Coast Guard said on Thursday.At approximately 10 a.m. Wednesday, Martin Marine's barge MMLP 321 broke loose due to a break in the coupling and allided with the Pelican Island Causeway bridge, which connects Galveston Island and Pelican Island in Texas.There were no reports of injuries or any people in the water…
Austal USA Names Santamaria CFO
Austal USA, a U.S. shipbuilding subsidiary of Australia's Austal Group, announced it has named Mark Santamaria as its new chief financial officer (CFO).“Mark’s extensive background in government and commercial contracting environments is a valuable asset to Austal USA,” stated Austal USA president Michelle Kruger. “We are excited to have him on our senior leadership team and look forward to benefiting…
New LCO2 Carrier Design Unveiled
Greece-based mid-stream carbon capture, utilization and sequestration (CCUS) service provider ECOLOG has teamed up with Finnish naval architecture and marine engineering firm Deltamarin to develop a LCO2 carrier designed for tendering at shipyards worldwide.The new design is intra-EU, short range, low pressure and shallow draft.During the initial design, various solutions have been carefully studied in order to optimize the vessel for LCO2 transportation…
Electric RIB Delivered to San Francisco Bay Area Marina
A new commercial rigid inflatable boat (RIB) delivered to a San Francisco Bay Area marina operates 100% on electric power.The commercial RIB, a 5.5-meter SeaDog from electric marine technology specialist Vita Power, will support the daily operations of the Westpoint Harbor in Redwood City, located in the heart of Silicon Valley.Designed for high performance and practicality, the vessel features compatibility with fast DC charging and boasts a charge time of under an hour.
Philly Shipyard Lays Keel for Great Lakes' Subsea Rock Installation Vessel
Philly Shipyard has laid the keel for Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Corporation's subsea rock installation vessel, Acadia—the first Jones Act compliant rock placement vessel for the U.S. offshore wind industry.A May 2 keel-laying ceremony saw the vessel's first grand block loaded into the building dock, marking a significant milestone in the shipbuilding process.Great Lakes' CEO, Lasse Petterson, said…
Trump Supportive of AUKUS, says Morrison
Donald Trump gave the AUKUS defense pact a "warm reception", during a meeting with former Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, the latter said. Morrison, who left office in 2022, met Trump this week at the former president's home in New York for talks that covered AUKUS, China's assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific, and the threat to Taiwan, he said in a post on X."Once again, the former president…
South China Sea a 'Major Victory', Phillippine Group says
A Philippine group leading a civilian supply mission in the South China Sea reportedly delivered food and fuel to Filipino fishermen despite being shadowed by Chinese vessels, its officials said on Thursday, calling it a "major victory".A 10-member team was sent by the Atin Ito (This is Ours) group to the Scarborough Shoal a day ahead of a commercial flotilla of five commercial vessels and 100 small fishing boats that departed on May 15.
Part of Philippine Subic Bay Shipyard Leased Out for Offshore Wind
Cerberus Capital Management agreed to lease part of its 350-hectare Philippine shipyard in Subic Bay to HD Korea Shipbuilding and Offshore Engineering, which plans to build a facility there to manufacture offshore wind platforms.The shipyard was run by Hanjin Philippines before it defaulted on loans worth $1.3B in 2019.
New Petrobras CEO Pressed on Shipbuilding Reboot, Jobs
The next chief executive of Petrobras, Magda Chambriard, arrives with the résumé and mandate to make Brazil's state-run oil firm what it was under prior Workers Party governments: an engine of job creation and industrial development, said people familiar with the matter.President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva - who used Petrobras to spur domestic shipbuilding and major refinery projects during his earlier…
Spain Denies Port Call for Ship Taking Arms to Israel
Spain has refused permission for an Israel-bound ship carrying arms to call at the southeastern port of Cartagena, Transport Minister Oscar Puente said on Thursday.The Marianne Danica was carrying a cargo of arms to Israel and had requested permission to call at Cartagena on May 21, Puente said on X.It was carrying nearly 27 tons in explosive material from India's Madras, El Pais reported.The Foreign Ministry…
US Anchors Aid Pier to Gaza Beach. Aid Delivery Faces Tough Road Ahead
The United States anchored a temporary floating pier to a beach in Gaza on Thursday to boost aid deliveries, but Washington is facing the same challenges that have beset the United Nations and relief groups for months when it comes to distributing assistance to the war-torn enclave.These include working in a war zone to stave off a looming famine and a dire shortage of fuel for aid trucks. The United…
No Shortage of Good Ideas to Address the Mariner Shortage
The U.S. mariner shortage continues to be a strategic national security concern for all maritime industry stakeholders. So what can the Maritime Administration (MARAD) and U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) do to address the problem?Subcommittees on Readiness, and Seapower and Projection Forces on the “Posture and Readiness of the Mobility Enterprise.” Both Administrator Phillips and Gen. Van Ovost focused on the mariner shortage as a key readiness concern. Gen Van Ovost stated, “The U.S.
Southern Dredging Wins St. Marys Dredging Job
Charleston, S.C. based dredging contractor Southern Dredging Co. Inc. has been awarded a $9.6 million contract to perform maintenance dredging in St. Marys, Ga.The firm-fixed-price contract was awarded by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Jacksonville District.Work is expected to be completed by March 26, 2025.
US Says Warship Intercepted Houthi Missile, Merchant Vessel Untouched
The U.S. navy's destroyer the USS Mason intercepted an inbound Houthi anti-ship missile over the Red Sea on Monday, U.S. Central Command said in a statement, after Yemen's Houthis said on Wednesday that they had targeted the warship.The U.S. forces also destroyed two drones, Central Command said.On Wednesday the Houthis said they had also targeted a vessel called "Destiny" in the Red Sea, as part of…
Efficiency Gains from Eliminating the Hub Vortex
There is hydrodynamic solution that delivers multiple benefits for ship owners facing increasingly tough regulatory requirements and rising operational costs, writes Dr. Batuhan Aktas*One area of ship operations that has attracted much attention in recent years due to the possibilities it represents for emissions reduction is that of cavitation. During ship operations, cavitation occurs because of vortices that build up and cause bubbles to collapse under the ship’s propeller.