Gaza Aid Ship Waiting to Sail
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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?
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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…