Meet ‘Super GPS’: XONA Ups the Space Race Ante
With a mission to power the current and next-generation of GPS-enabled products and systems, XONA Space Systems keeps the mantra ‘precision, power and protection’ in all that it does as this 2020-start-up designs, builds and launches its fleet of low earth orbit satellites. We spoke with XONA CEO Brian Manning for his insights on how this could impact the maritime, offshore energy and subsea sectors.The following was excerpted from Maritime Reporter TV’s interview with XONA CEO Brian Manning.
Damen to Build Sixth Dual-Fuel Hydrogen CSOV for Windcat
Dutch shipbuilder Damen has secured a contract to build the sixth commissioning service operation vessel (CSOV) for offshore personnel transfer provider Windcat.The contract marks the further strengthening of the working relationship between Damen, Windcat and CMB.TECH, working on the 'Elevation Series' of CSOVs.Windcat will deploy the ‘Elevation Series’ to provide in-field technical and maintenance…
Vard-Built Cable Layer for NCT Offshore Hits Water
Vard has launched the cable laying vessel (CLV) being built for Danish offshore services firm NCT Offshore, ahead of delivery planned later in 2024.The newbuild CLV, named Freja, has been launched at Vard Shipyards in Tulcea, Romania.The vessel features VARD 9 01 design, and is especially equipped for subsea cable laying operations and developed in close collaboration with NCT Offshore.According to Vard…
Eric Grégoire Appointed CEO of Scandlines
Eric Grégoire has taken up the position of CEO at Scandlines effective from July 8.The executive management team now consists of CEO Eric Grégoire, COO Michael Guldmann Jensen and CFO Mikael Koch.Grégoire comes from a position as CEO of Goodpack in Singapore. He is an experienced business leader with a solid track record in business process improvements from several international companies such as General Electric and DuPont.“It is a pleasure to welcome Eric Grégoire to Scandlines.
EFI: Shorthorn Express Headed Back to Israel Despite Earlier Attack
Ethical Farming Ireland (EFI) has raised concerns that the livestock carrier Shorthorn Express is currently sailing to Israel from Greenore despite having previously been subject to a Houthi attack in the Red Sea region in June. The Shorthorn Express was travelling to Haifa port from Portugal with 12,000 sheep on board at the time.EFI continues to raise other concerns about the trade. The organisation…
Ukraine Says Russia is Losing Crimean Hub in Black Sea
The Russian navy's Black Sea Fleet has been forced to rebase nearly all its combat-ready warships from occupied Crimea to other locations, and its main naval hub is becoming ineffectual because of attacks by Kyiv, Ukraine's navy chief said.Vice-Admiral Oleksiy Neizhpapa said Ukrainian missile and naval drone strikes had caused heavy damage to the Sevastopol base, a logistics hub for repairs, maintenance…
Panama Canal Expects New Water Reservoir in Six Years
The Panama Canal expects to complete a billion-dollar construction of a new water reservoir within six years that will help ensure the passage of 36 ships a day, the administrator of the global waterway said on Monday.The Indio River reservoir project would become part of the network of existing artificial lakes that allow for safe passage through the canal and provide water for human consumption."We are looking at six years…
Avangrid to Sell Kitty Hawk North Offshore Wind Lease Area to Dominion Energy
Avangrid, the U.S.
Columbia Group and Crowley Partner
Columbia Group and Crowley are teaming up to enhance their ship management solutions, leveraging their expertise across the maritime, logistics and energy sectors.The alliance will enable customers to better capitalize on the capabilities of both organizations for more efficient and greater scale of international management services, the companies said, noting initial focus areas for the partnership will include ship management services…
NSMV Empire State Suffers Technical Issues
The first in a series if brand new training ships for the U.S.' state maritime academies has had to alter course on its inaugural summer training voyage after running into technical issues. The National Security Multi-Mission Vessel (NSMV) Empire State, built by Philly Shipyard and delivered to SUNY Maritime Academy in September 2023, made it through about half of the 2024 summer sea term before the problems arose…
Uncertainty Clouds US Offshore Wind in the Near Term
U.S. offshore wind aspirations, both federal and state, have resulted in excitement about the potential opportunity of a large U.S. offshore wind market. But uncertainty, initially financially driven and increasingly a result of political uncertainty, is leading us into a challenging period, which will undoubtedly impact short-term activity, according to the latest market report from Intelatus Global Partners. A darkening cloud for the U.S.
Hengli Plans $1.3 Billion Investment in Shipbuilding
Hengli Group, privately-controlled Chinese oil refiner and petrochemicals producer, said on Monday it will invest 9.2 billion yuan ($1.3 billion) in shipbuilding in northeast China, two years after it acquired South Korean shipyard STX's assets.The group's unit Hengli Heavy Industry expects to build annual steel processing capacity of 1.8 million metric tons as well as 7.1 million tons annually of shipbuilding capacity in Changxing island of Dalian city, according to a posting on the company's o
Spire Wins Canadian Government Contract for Ship Tracking Data
Spire Global, a provider of space-based data, analytics and space services, announced it has been awarded a CA $1.41 million contract by the Government of Canada for the provision of global automatic identification system (AIS) ship tracking data.The one-year contract includes options for two additional years, extending the total potential contract value to nearly CA $4.23 million, Spire said.Under the contract…
Volvo Penta Expands Remanufacturing Offer
Volvo Penta announced it has expanded its range of remanufactured drivelines for marine customers, including D13, D8, D4 and D6 engines as well as the entire Inboard Performance System (IPS) range. The D13 and D8 have been available to the market since the first half of 2024, while the D4 and D6 will follow in fall 2024. The remanufacturing process of complete marine engines reuses up to 60% of components…
Sanmar Delivers Escort Tug
Sanmar delivered a tug designed for escort, ship-handling, and towage work to Italy-based operator Rimorchiatori Laziali as part of its on-going expansion outside the Mediterranean.Known as KOCAÇAY IX while under construction in Turkiye, the tug has been renamed Pellegron by its new owners and will operate in the Arabian Gulf.Based on the exclusive-to-Sanmar RAstar 3200SX design from Canadian naval architects Robert Allan Ltd.…
Fratelli Cosulich Orders Pair of Chemical Bunkering Tankers
Fratelli Cosulich Group placed an order for two 7,999 dwt IMO2 chemical bunkering tankers at Taizhou Maple Leaf Shipbuilding Co., Ltd., with options to build two…
Marine Electrification Companies Vita and Evoy Merge
Electric marine technology companies Vita and Evoy announced they are merging to consolidate their positions in high-power electric marine propulsion in both commercial and recreational markets.In coming together, the companies said they plan to leverage scale to drive down prices for the end user, fast tracking development, and providing immediate access to territories across Europe and North America with active operations in the U.K.…
Bollinger Names Hinkebein Director of Government Affairs
Bollinger Shipyards announced that Andrew Hinkebein has been named Director of Government Affairs and will lead all state and local government relations efforts. Hinkebein will join the Government & External Affairs division of Bollinger Shipyards under EVP Geoffrey Green, where he will collaborate with community and economic development partners to continue driving the company’s growth and success across the Gulf Coast.The announcement was made by Ben Bordelon…
Texas Energy Industry Assesses Damage After Hurricane Beryl Batters Gulf Coast
The Texas energy industry was evaluating the impact from Hurricane Beryl on Monday after the powerful storm lashed the U.S. Gulf Coast, closing key shipping ports and hitting the oil refining and production sectors.Beryl made landfall near the coastal town of Matagorda, Texas, on Monday morning, packing maximum sustained winds of 80 miles per hour (129 kilometers an hour) and posing problems for the…
Petrobras' Transpetro Launches Process to Commission Four Vessels
Brazilian logistics firm Transpetro, a subsidiary of state-run oil firm Petrobras, has launched a procurement notice to commission four new coastal vessels, Transpetro's chief executive announced on Monday.The four vessels would be of the 'handy' class with a capacity of 15,000 to 18,000 deadweight tonnage, Transpetro CEO Sergio Bacci said at an event on Monday in Rio de Janeiro.Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva is pushing Petrobras to help strengthen the country's naval industry, wh