Inmarsat: Number of Distress Calls Remains High
Tankers transmitted the most distress calls in 2022, according to Inmarsat’s new report: The Future of Maritime Safety Report 2023.Inmarsat GMDSS data indicates that tanker distress incidents have risen steadily over the past five years from 80 distress calls in 2018, through 134 in 2021 to its highest peak so far in 2022 at 160. However, the cause for this remains unclear. “Whilst the gradual increase…
IMO/ILO Conference on Work at Sea Highlights Collaboration
The Joint IMO/ILO Conference on Work at Sea held on November 13 involved the sharing of best practices, views and experiences on: ensuring the rights of seafarers and fishers; identifying gaps in the current regulatory framework, including in relation to responsible management; and exploring how governments, industry, IGOs and NGOs can collaborate to improve the relevant international maritime legal…
Inside Wärtsilä’s Sustainable Technology Hub
“If we are to state our strategy in one word, it’s decarbonization,” said Juha Kytölä, director of R&D and engineering at Finnish tech company Wärtsilä. “What we are going toward is to supply the market with a portfolio of products that are ready for zero-carbon fuels.”In order to achieve its sustainability goals—including a 2030 target for carbon neutrality in its own operations—Wärtsilä has been taking big strides in research and development…
Will the Effort to Reach Zero Emissions Go Nuclear?
On December 8, 1953 President Dwight D. Eisenhower addressed the 470th Plenary Meeting of the United Nations General Assembly. The speech he delivered is often recognized as his effort to introduce “Atoms for Peace”, a program to move nuclear fission and technology away from weapons development and into clean energy.As a result of that effort and program, the NS Savannah was built and delivered as the first nuclear-powered merchant ship.
DP World Australia Back Online After Cyber Incident
DP World Australia, one of the country's largest ports operators, said on Monday operations had resumed at all its facilities after a cyber security incident forced it to suspend operations for three days.The breach had crippled operations at the company, which manages about 40% of the goods that flow in and out of Australia, affecting its container terminals in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Western Australia's Fremantle."Operations resumed at the company's ports across Australia at 9 a.m.
American Glory Completes Sea Trials
American Cruise Lines’ newest Coastal Cat, American Glory, completed sea trials and has been delivered from Chesapeake Shipbuilding on-time as scheduled.The the 100-passenger small ship is the newest ship in American’s ongoing series of 12 new Coastal Cats for exploring U.S. waterways. Additional ships in the series are already under construction, with the next two scheduled for delivery in 2024. American Glory will sail its inaugural cruise on November 28 from Maryland to Florida…
Bristol Harbor Group to Design Ferry for Casco Bay Lines
Bristol, R.I. based naval architecture and marine engineering firm Bristol Harbor Group, Inc. (BHGI) has been selected by Casco Bay Lines (CBL), located in Portland, Maine, to provide naval architecture and marine engineering services for the evaluation and design of a new sub-chapter K passenger/vehicle ferry that will be operated year round in the coastal waters of Casco Bay.The new vessel will replace the 98-foot-long…
Fincantieri Set to Grow Its Shipbuilding Footprint in Ancona
Fincantieri announced on Monday it has reached a deal that will allow it to expand its shipbuilding footprint in the port of Ancona.The Italian shipbuilding company said it has signed a program agreement with the Port System Authority of the Central Adriatic Sea (ADSP) to develop the port’s current infrastructure, including construction piers, dry dock, technological and lifting facilities, for the construction of ships of greater size and tonnage…
Seaspan to Expand Vancouver Ship Repair Operations
Seaspan is investing to upgrade and expand its Vancouver Drydock infrastructure to help grow the company’s ship repair and maintenance operations and to better serve the Pacific Northwest.Seaspan received permit approval from the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority (VFPA) in October 2023 to extend its North Vancouver drydock facilities to increase capacity and service additional vessels.The upgrades, which include a drydock expansion…
Odfjell Announces Deals to Add Six Newbuilds
Norwegian shipping company Odfjell SE announced it is expanding its fleet with six newbuildings through a combination of long-term time charter and pool agreements with Japanese shipowners and shipyards.This increases the total to twelve 25,000 - 40,000 dwt stainless steel vessels to be delivered on long-term time charters and pool agreements between 2024 and 2027.The series of newbuildings will be built at multiple shipyards in Japan and are scheduled to be delivered from 1H2026 to 1H2027.
N-Sea Charters Offshore Support Vessel from Rederij Groen
Subsea services firm N-Sea Group has agreed to charter Rederij Groen's Dutch-flagged vessel 4-WINDS, an offshore support vessel built in 2012. The 4-WINDS is 60.25 meters long, with a 14.95-meter beam and a draught of 5 meters.According to N-Sea Group, which offers survey, IRM & construction, subsea cable repair & installation, and UXO ID and disposal services, the 4-WINDS is the ideal vessel to execute survey and other subsea tasks in the North Sea.
Seacontractors Acquires Anchor Handler Pair from Boskalis
Dutch marine services provider Seacontractors announced it has acquired two secondhand anchor handling tugs from Boskalis.Classed by Bureau Veritas with an unrestricted sailing area, the 2013-built Seraya and Sentosa each offer 120 tons bollard pull capability. They are able to carry 860m3 of fuel and provide a generous deck space of 200m2. Both 51.8-meter-long vessels have accommodation on board for 24 persons.
Eqva to Sell Havyard Leirvik Yard in Norway to Turkish Buyer
Eqva, an owner of industrial service companies, said Monday it would divest Havyard Leirvik Yard in Norway to a Turkish buyer.“The sale of Havyard Leirvik will free up important resources, both human and financial, enabling a concentrated focus on further development of Eqva’s current industrial portfolio, and look for new investment opportunities,” said Even Matre Ellingsen, Chair of the Board of Eqva. Havyard Leirvik is being sold to Tersan Shipyard, a Turkish-based shipbuilder.
Ship Recycling Markets Remain Muted
Markets remain precariously poised as Diwali holidays occupy the sub-continent markets and the industry heads into the final months of the 2023, says cash buyer GMS. Although several sales have reportedly registered into India at some impressive levels, sentiments and pricing here remains muted overall.“On the Eastern end and in the lead up to the Bangladeshi elections due in mid-January 2024 - disruptions…
NYK Roundtable Highlights Ship-to-Shore Communications
On October 23, NYK held its annual roundtable discussion on current conditions and issues on board vessels, highlighting the role of communications in ship safety.The meeting was held at the NYK head office in Tokyo in a hybrid format and attended by more than 150 participants, including three captains and three chief engineers on leave, the captain and chief engineer on board the car carrier Iris Leader…
CMA CGM Reports Drop in Quarterly Profit
CMA CGM said on Friday its profit fell in the third quarter as a COVID-era boom in shipping continued to fade, but its volumes picked up as a destocking trend in the United States was offset by brisk demand in other parts of the world.The French-based shipping giant was cautious about next year's outlook, with the prospect of a recovery in global trade - as U.S. firms finish destocking - tempered by expectations of modest economic growth and an influx of new vessels.CMA CGM…
Australia Says DP World Cyber Incident 'Serious'
The Australian government on Sunday described as "serious and ongoing" a cybersecurity incident that forced ports operator DP World Australia to suspend operations at ports in several states since Friday.DP World Australia, which manages nearly half of the goods that flow in and out of the country, said it was looking into possible data breaches as well as testing systems "crucial for the resumption…
Reach Subsea Partners with Agalas for New IMR/Survey Vessel
Reach Subsea, a Norwegian subsea services company, has signed a long-term charter contract with Agalas for a modern IMR/Survey vessel to be built in Turkey.According to Reach Subsea, to be hired on three or five-year charter, will has a low emission, smart lifting arrangement and a state of the art equipment package that can be adapted to several market segments, with delivery early 2026.Reach Subsea…
Turkey Sends Field Hospital Aid Ship to Egypt for Gaza
Turkey said on Friday it had sent a ship loaded with field hospital equipment, ambulances and generators to Egypt to treat war casualties from Gaza, where Israeli's devastating siege has caused a humanitarian crisis with medical care collapsing."A total of 51 containers of medical supplies, generators and 20 ambulances, with necessary permissions, were loaded onto a ship from Izmir's Alsancak port and sent to Egypt…
Baltic Index Logs Weekly Gain as Rates Across Vessels Rise
The Baltic Exchange's dry bulk sea freight index rose on Friday, marking a weekly rise, steered by higher rates across vessel segments.The overall index, which factors in rates for capesize, panamax and supramax shipping vessels, rose 45 points, or 2.8%, to 1,643. The index added 12.4% this week.The capesize index added 103 points, or 4.1%, to 2,589, up 21.4% for the week. Average daily earnings for capesize vessels…
