Hapag-Lloyd, Maersk Cooperation Targets 90% Service Reliability
The two people leading Hapag-Lloyd and Maersk into the new Gemini Cooperation spoke at the Xeneta Summit in Amsterdam last week expressing confidence in the new alliance achieving its ambition of 90% service reliability.The Gemini Cooperation will begin operating on February 1 next year, with a new hub and spoke approach of mainliner and transshipment services designed to increase reliability.Rolf Habben Jansen…
At Least Seven Dead in US Dock Collapse
At least seven people were killed after part of a boat dock collapsed, sending at least 20 into the Atlantic waters off the coast of the U.S. state of Georgia.U.S. Coast Guard ships were searching on Saturday night for missing people.The accident, which also caused multiple injuries, happened during a celebration of Sapelo Island's tiny Gullah-Geechee community of Black slave descendants, authorities…
Ukraine Attacks Force Black Sea Fleet Relocation
Russia's Black Sea Fleet has been forced to move many warships from the naval base of Sevastopol on the Crimean peninsular, which Russia annexed in 2014, due to attacks by Ukraine, a Russian-installed official was quoted as saying on Sunday.The remarks by Dmitry Rogozin, a Russian-installed senator for the Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia region and a former head of Russia's space agency, are the first…
RSC Bio Solutions Launches FUTERRA Compressor Oils
RSC Bio Solutions launched FUTERRA Compressor Oils, synthetic lubricants designed to meet the performance demands of industrial and marine sectors while addressing sustainability needs.FUTERRA Compressor Oil is formulated with a synthetic, sustainable base oil, offering outstanding thermal stability, long service intervals, and inherent biodegradability. This product is tailored to rotary screw, reciprocating…
Conrad Shipyard Delivers First YRBM Vessel to the US Navy
Conrad Shipyard announced it has delivered the first Yard, Repair, Berthing, Messing (YRBM) vessel to the U.S. Navy. The delivery took place at Conrad’s shipyard in Amelia, La., where the final inspection by key Navy officials took place.This YRBM vessel, the first in its class, was designed and constructed by Conrad Shipyard, featuring a new and innovative design tailored to meet the U.S. Navy’s operational needs.
DSC Dredge Promotes McMahon to VP of Product Support
Reserve, La. based DSC Dredge announced it has promoted Stephen McMahon to vice president of product support. He succeeds John “Sonny” Lightsey, who dedicated over 29 years to DSC.McMahon's journey at DSC began in 2011 in the hydraulic and mechanic shop, working under Troy Redwine and Carl Ulrich. His hands-on experience in the field and passion for problem-solving quickly propelled him through the ranks.
BHGI Leaders Presented With Rosenblatt-Michigan Award
Bristol Harbor Group, Inc. (BHGI) president, Gregory Beers, and vice president, Cory Wood, have been honored with the esteemed 2024 Rosenblatt-Michigan Award on October 13, 2024, at the SNAME Maritime Convention (SMC) in Norfolk, Va.The Rosenblatt-Michigan Award is an annual accolade presented by the University of Michigan College of Engineering and the Department of Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering that recognizes alumni who demonstrate outstanding excellence…
Greek Dockworkers Halt Ammunition Cargo Bound for Israel
Dozens of members of a Greek dockworkers' union have blocked the loading of a container of ammunition destined for Israel in protest against the Gaza war, coast guard and union officials told Reuters on Friday.The container, which arrived at Greece's Pireaus port on Thursday, held 21 tons of ammunition, one of the unionists told Reuters on condition of anonymity. The cargo was trucked from North Macedonia…
Highway Construction and Engineering Ethics
Recently I came across an article that commented on the fact that many state highway departments are still promoting increased road construction. Their motivation is reduced congestion and reduced CO2 emissions due to reduced idling during congestion periods. Even tree-hugging, CO2-hating states like California are promoting increased capacity at major arteries that suffer from congestion.The article…
Boluda Grows Northern European Presence with New Acquisition
Boluda Towage has acquired Finnish harbor towage and icebreaker company Yxpila Hinaus-Bogsering (YHB), consolidating its presence in Northern Europe.The acquisitions mark another step forward in Boluda’s expansion plans as well as the entry into the Scandinavian countries by providing coverage to its clients in the Gulf of Bothnia.Operating in the ports of Kokkola, Vaasa, Raahe and Kemi, the company will add six vessels to its fleet…
High Frequency Tracking System Developed for Workboat Fleets
Nebo Global is launching its NeboFleet tracking solution for workboat fleets at the International Workboat Show, November 12, 2024.Already in operation with selected businesses in the United States and Australia, NeboFleet provides fleet managers and operational staff with a clear view of fleet and vessel status and an accurate track of where each vessel has been.Nebo Fleet is accessed via a secure online portal and app, with a self-contained, waterproof GPS tracker installed on each vessel.
Advanced Notation Awarded For Green Steel Use
ClassNK has granted the class notation ‘a-EA (GRS)’ to Bright Queen, the bulk carrier operated by NYK Bulk & Projects Carriers, certifying the use of green steel in its construction.This is the world’s first case of a notation being affixed for using green steel in a ship.For Bright Queen, built by Higaki Shipbuilding, ClassNK confirmed the use of JFE Steel Corporation’s green steel JGreeX, for which…
CORSICA linea Adopts AI Voyage Optimization Tool
Since April 2024, CORSICA linea has deployed the voyage optimization solution from French start-up Spinergie, a maritime technology company specializing in monitoring ship performance using big data and artificial intelligence (AI).CORSICA linea plans to achieve a 40% reduction in its CO2 emissions by 2030.The Voyage Optimizer is a decision-support tool that helps choose the most fuel-efficient and CO2-reducing voyage plan.
Insurer Releases Heavy Weather Alert Tool
Maritime insurance specialist The Swedish Club reports that it registered claims exceeding $25million attributable to heavy weather over the past five years. In response, it has developed a Heavy Weather Alert tool as an addition to its existing loss prevention tool.Heavy weather can cause structural damage, shifted cargo, broken mooring lines, wet damage, lost cargo overboard, and more. The Club says…
Port Milwaukee Expands Cruise Business
After a seven-year hiatus, Port Milwaukee has announced the return of Victory Cruise Lines in 2025. The cruise line will call on Milwaukee once again with the vessel Victory I which has a passenger capacity of approximately 200 people. Over 13,500 global cruise passengers visited the City of Milwaukee this year, marking another successful season for the city’s growing cruising industry.The season saw…
New Tug Delivered in Brazil
A new RAmparts 2300 series tug designed by Robert Allan Ltd. and built at Estaleiro Rio Maguari (ERM) in Belém, Brazil was delivered to Sulnorte Serviços Maritimos in August 2024. SN Cariri is the seventh RAmparts 2300 built by ERM in recent months.The RAmparts 2300 series features compact yet powerful Azimuth Stern Drive (ASD) tugboats measuring around 23 meters in length. Despite their small size…
NAT Fixes Tanker on Five-year Charter
Nordic American Tankers (NAT) announced it has secured a five-year time charter contract for one of its vessels.The NYSE-listed company did not disclose the names of the vessel and charterer, but said the contract was with a "major international energy company". The contract is expected to commence in November 2024.The charter rate is in the mid to high $30,000s, NAT said.
Ukraine Asks IMO to Monitor Odesa Ports Amid Russian Attacks
Ukraine has asked the International Maritime Organization to send a monitoring mission to ports in the southern Odesa region amid intensified Russian attacks, Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said on Wednesday.In recent weeks, Russian troops have ramped up missile strikes on Ukraine's southern port infrastructure and damaged a total of four foreign-flagged civilian vessels since Oct. 6."Amid increased Russian terror…
NSMV Patriot State Delivered to Massachusetts Maritime Academy
Massachusetts Maritime Academy (MMA) officially took custody of its new training ship Patriot State during a handover ceremony on October 11.The vessel is the second of five being built by Philly Shipyard under the U.S. Department of Transportation Maritime Administration’s (MARAD) National Security Multi-Mission Vessel (NSMV) program, designed to provide a purpose-built, state-of-the-art training ships for the nation's state maritime academies.During the handover ceremony…
Offshore: Feedering for the Win(d)
With clean energy projects maturing in U.S. waters, the nation’s offshore wind industry is poised to grow substantially, requiring a robust industrial base. A feedering model using domestic tugs and barges to transport turbines to offshore wind sites, is positioned at the heart of this emerging growth.Currently, the entire global fleet of wind turbine installation vessels (WTIV)—except for Dominion Energy’s Charybdis currently under construction at the Seatrium AmFELS yard in Brownsville…