First Rim-Drive Thruster Achieves Silent-E Notation
Kongsberg Maritime’s rim-drive azimuth thruster has achieved Silent-E notation from DNV, the first of its kind to receive this certification.Installed on the new commissioning service operation vessel (CSOV) Norwind Hurricane and its sister vessels, the thruster demonstrated exceptional performance in reducing underwater noise pollution during a recent trial.To assess the noise levels of the Norwind Hurricane…
Appetite for New Container Ships is High
When only six ships with a capacity of 4,746 TEU were contracted in the fourth quarter of 2023, many might have thought that the container ship contracting spree that began in 2021 had finally cooled. However, the appetite for new ships remains high and year-to-date contracting already exceeds the 2023 full year total, reports BIMCO.The total capacity contracted since the start of 2021 is now 10.47 million TEU…
Danelec Launches Simulation Tool for LNG Carriers
Danelec has released a new simulation tool it says will bridge the gap between LNG carrier commercial and operations teams.LNG carrier operations are subject to several unique challenges, including balancing diverse factors to meet charter party requirements, meeting cargo temperature and pressure requirements at discharge, and optimizing voyage planning amidst variable weather conditions and route…
Japanese Consortium Readying to Meet LCO2 Carrier Demand
“K” Line, MOL and NYK Line have commenced a joint study with a group of Japanese shipyards for the design and specification of LCO2 carriers and the development of a supporting construction supply chain.The companies believe that as the demand for LCO2 carriers is expected to grow to support projects that transport CO2 collected in Japan to storage sites by sea, it is necessary to build LCO2 carriers stably within Japan.
NASA to Barge Key Space Flight Hardware from Alabama to Florida
NASA has transported a critical component for the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, designed for the Artemis II mission, from Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, to Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The cone-shaped launch vehicle stage adapter, which connects the rocket’s core stage to the upper stage, was moved on August 21.This adapter plays a crucial role in protecting the upper stage’s engine…
Washington State Awards $26.5 Million for Port Electrification Projects
Eleven ports in Washington have been awarded a total of $26.5 million to electrify their operations, a move aimed at cutting greenhouse gas emissions by over 140,000 metric tons over the next decade. This funding marks the inaugural round of grants from the Port Electrification Grant Program, established by the Legislature in 2023 and financed through Washington’s Climate Commitment Act.The grant program…
Birdon to Deliver Bridge Erection Boats to the Netherlands Army
Birdon America, Inc. reports its contract to supply Bridge Erection Boats (BEBs) to the Netherlands Army is moving forward on schedule.Six Birdon BEBs are in the final stages of assembly, with delivery expected by the end of September. The contract, awarded in 2023 to General Dynamics European Land Systems (GDELS), involves the provision of three sets of Wide Gap Crossing systems. Each set includes the Improved Ribbon Bridge (IRB), Bridge Adapter Pallets (BAP), and BEBs.
Silver Ships Completes Training With New Montenegrin Navy Patrol Boats
Silver Ships, a boatbuilder based in Theodore, Ala., announced the successful completion of reactivation and crew familiarization training for four Coastal Fast Response Boats (CFRBs) recently delivered to the Montenegrin Navy. The training, which spanned two weeks, concluded with a graduation ceremony attended by officials from the Montenegrin Navy, the Ministry of Defense, and the U.S. Embassy. U.S.
Reopening the Channel: A Look-back at the Key Bridge Accident Response
“The enormity of this disaster is hard to imagine without seeing it in person…It may sound dramatic but given the wreckage field created by the collapsed bridge, the environment divers are working in, and the dangers posed to them, is like cleaning the site of 9/11 with blinders on.” - Rick Benoit, Emergency Management specialist at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) North Atlantic Division (NAD), from USACE news report.Col. Estee Pinchasin is commander of the U.S.
Panama Canal Prepares for Potential Drought with $2 Billion Expansion
The Panama Canal expects to be ready to combat a possible new drought, which could hit the world's second-largest waterway within four years, by accommodating larger vessels, securing dedicated passage for some ships and expanding its water reservoirs' capacity, its chief, Ricaurte Vasquez, said on Monday.The canal authority has announced a return to 36 vessel transits per day and a maximum draft of 50 feet (15 meters) for vessels to pass…
Australia Conducts First Maintenance of US Nuclear Submarine
A U.S. nuclear-powered submarine will undergo maintenance in Australia for the first time on Friday, a key step by AUKUS partners to deter aggression in the Indo-Pacific, the defense ministers of Australia, Britain and the United States said.Australian personnel trained with the United States and Britain over the past year ahead of the submarine maintenance at HMAS Stirling in Western Australia, involving…
Relic from Third-century Naval Battle Found Off Sicily
An ancient Roman relic from the almost 2,300-year-old naval battle in which Rome defeated its archenemy Carthage has been recovered from waters off western Sicily, regional authorities said on Friday.The 3rd-century B.C.
New Fire/Rescue Boat Delivered to Monroe Township
Annapolis, Md. based boatbuilder Ocean Craft Marine (OCM) reports it has delivered a new firefighting/search and rescue (SAR) boat for first responders in Michigan.Built for water-related incident management and rescue operations on Lake Erie, the 9.5-meter newbuild is aimed at reestablishing the emergency response capabilities of the Monroe Township Fire Department and the neighboring agencies.“This…
Greek Coastguard Opens Fire on Migrant Boat, One Person Killed
A 39-year-old migrant was found dead on Friday after the Greek coastguard opened fire on a vessel carrying migrants off the island of Symi in the eastern Aegean Sea, authorities said.In a statement, the coastguard said the man died "probably from a bullet" and that shots were fired at the outboard engine of the migrant boat in an effort to immobilize it after it ignored warnings to stop.An investigation has been launched, a coastguard official told Reuters, without elaborating.
Azerbaijan-managed Vessel Is First to Head to China Via Northern Sea Route
An oil tanker managed by an Azerbaijan-based firm is travelling the Northern Sea Route to China for the first time, taking a route so far dominated by vessels managed by Russian shipping giant Sovcomflot, according to LSEG data and two traders.The vessel Prisma is managed by a private company Vista Vvave Shipmanagement based in Azerbaijan, one of the traders said, citing the vessel's documents.Moscow wants to increase traffic via the Northern Sea Route (NSR)…
Orcas Attack! Vessel Towed to Shore After Rammed Off Spanish Coast
Orcas rammed a sailboat off the coast of northwestern Spain and damaged the vessel's rudder, prompting the maritime rescue service to tow the boat ashore, the service said on Monday.The incident was the latest in a series of boat rammings by orca pods off the coasts of Spain and Portugal. Scientists have yet to reach a consensus on the reasons for this recent behaviour.One of the sailboat's two crew…
Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Reports $256.2 Million in New Contracts
Houston-based dredging contractor Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Corporation, on Monday announced the receipt of several dredging awards totaling $256.2 million.The awarded work includes:Mobile Harbor, Alabama Deepening and Widening – Phase 2A Dredging Project (Capital, Alabama, $65.9 million)The Mobile Harbor, Alabama Deepening and Widening Dredging Project 2A, involves deepening the channel by six feet…
Østensjø Rederi Orders Offshore Support Vessel from Gondan
Norwegian-headquartered offshore vessel owner Østensjø Rederi has placed an order with Spanish shipbuilder Gondan for a new offshore support vessel (OSV).The 120-meter vessel was designed by Salt Ship Design of Norway and will be built at Gondan's facilities in Asturias, Spain, for scheduled delivery in the second half of 2027. Featuring a 23-meter beam and accommodations for up to 180 personnel in daylight cabins…
Ammonia Fuelled Platform Supply Vessels to Cut GHG Emissions 70%
Eidesvik Offshore will refit its platform supply vessel (PSV) Viking Energy with an ammonia dual fuel engine, targeting 2026 as the year that the vessel will operate on ammonia for Equinor, effectively cutting GHG emissions by 70% or more.Viking Energy will switch to ammonia operations, in a move that should make it the world’s first in-service vessel to adopt the fuel as a primary energy source."This conversion is made possible by the support and investment from Equinor.
Equinor Bullish on Offshore Oil
Equinor plans to invest 60 billion-70 billion crowns ($5.7 billion-$6.7 billion) per year offshore Norway towards 2035 as it expects continuing strong demand for oil, it said on Monday.Norway is Europe's largest gas supplier and a major producer of oil, pumping some four million barrels of oil equivalent per day, but many of its largest offshore fields are in decline and there are currently no new developments scheduled for the 2030s.At the same time, oil and gas investments are expected to hit
