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22 Aug 2016
Fire-stricken Ferry Moored Safely
The fire aboard the passenger vessel ferry Caribbean Fantasy has been extinguished, and the vessel has been moored safely at Pier 15 in San Juan Harbor, the U.S. Coast Guard said. The fire broke out Wednesday, August 17, leading to the evacuation of 511 people from the ship. The Puerto Rico Fire Department put out the blaze around 6 p.m. Saturday using 3,000 gallons of seawater from the San Juan Harbor. The single source of the fire was contained within the vessel’s engine room.
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11 Aug 2016
CMA CGM Shipped 17,000 Tons of Goods for the Rio Olympics
Before the Olympic flame was lit in the Maracanã stadium on Saturday, August 6, worldwide shipping group CMA CGM had transported thousands of containers of goods and equipment to Rio, having begun its shipments for the 2016 Olympic Games in December 2015. From perishable goods in refrigerated containers, to vegetables, luxury yachts, pharmaceutical products, industrial equipment and even safety barriers for the track cycling event…
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05 Aug 2016
SS United States Will Not Return to Service
A comprehensive technical feasibility study has determined the SS Unites States to be structurally sound, but a number of insurmountable obstacles will keep America’s Flagship from returning to seagoing service. In February, Crystal Cruises reached a deal with the SS United States Conservancy to restore what was once the world’s fastest, safest and largest passenger liner to a fully operational modern luxury cruise ship, pending the results of a technical feasibility study.
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05 Aug 2016
Fennica Grounding Caused by Inaccurate Charts
The July 2015 grounding of icebreaker Fennica near Dutch Harbor, Alaska was found to be caused by inaccuracy of nautical charts in the area, according to the U.S. Coast Guard’s Report of Investigation (ROI). The Finnish multipurpose icebreaker, owned by Arctia Offshore, was carrying the capping stack for Shell’s planned arctic drilling when it ran aground and suffered a gash in its hull on July 2, 2015. The event did not cause any injuries or damage to the environment.
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02 Aug 2016
New Plan Would Make Seattle One of US’ Deepest Ports
A new report published by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in partnership with the Port of Seattle outlines a plan that would make the port one of the deepest harbors in North America. Within the Seattle Harbor Navigation Improvement Project Draft Feasibility Report and Environmental Assessment, the two parties have outlined a tentatively selected plan that would deepen the East and West Waterways to 57 feet Mean Lower Low Water (MLLW)…
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28 Jul 2016
Concordia Maritime Posts Q2 Profit
Facing a “gradually deteriorating market,” Sweden based tanker shipping company Concordia Maritime said it was able to post a profit in Q2 2016 based on high vessel employment and successful chartering, though still coming in under its Q2 2015 results largely due to an arbitration settlement and lower daily income for its vessels. The company reported a profit before tax of SEK 12.4 (44) million for the second quarter 2016…
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15 Jul 2016
SOLAS VGM: Concerns, Impacts and the Road to Compliance
Shipping industry veteran Dan Gardner is director of Mobileweight, which helps to streamline processes and create efficiencies for the container shipping industry. The firm’s first-of-its-kind mobile application and online portal Mobileweight aims to offer a reliable, fast and easy way to comply with SOLAS and electronically file the VGM with ocean carriers. Gardner weighs in on the latest SOLAS VGM requirements which entered force on July 1…
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24 Jun 2016
New Zealand: Maritime Trade is Key
Globally, shipping is on the rise – already 80-90 percent of the world’s trade is by ship; that is more than 12 billion metric tons of goods annually, shipped by 1.5 million seafarers on 50,000 merchant ships. Without shipping, the import and export of goods on the scale necessary to sustain the modern world simply would not be possible. Shipping is especially important to New Zealand, an island that relies heavily on its vibrant maritime sector.
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21 Jun 2016
Suezmax Tanker Delivered to NAT
Nordic American Tankers Limited (NAT) has today taken delivery of Nordic Castor, the second of four secondhand Japanese-built Suezmax tankers acquired in May 2016.
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17 Jun 2016
Russia Launches ‘World’s Largest’ Nuclear Icebreaker
Russia has unveiled Arktika, touted as the world’s largest and most powerful nuclear icebreaker, during a launching ceremony on June 16 at Baltic Shipyard in St Petersburg. The 173 meter long, 34 meter wide Arktika is the lead nuclear icebreaker ordered by Russia's Rosatom state nuclear agency for navigation through the Northern Sea Route, and more specifically the delivery of hydrocarbons to Asian markets.
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16 Jun 2016
Dry Bulk Recovery will Require a Team Effort
Experts believe the dry bulk market is positioned to become profitable by 2019 – but only if a series of sustained measures are taken year on year by the ship owning community as a whole, according to a report recently published by BIMCO. Peter Sand, Chief Shipping Analyst at BIMCO, discussed the recently published analysis of the dry bulk market - the “Road to Recovery” in an interview at BIMCO House.
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15 Jun 2016
Norden Sells 4 Handysize Bulk Carriers
As Dampskibsselskabet NORDEN A/S further tightens its focus in the dry cargo segment to medium-sized Supramax and Panamax vessels, the company has sold four Handysize dry cargo vessels. Following the sale of Nord Hong Kong (32,282 tdw built in 2011), Nord Houston (32,389 tdw built in 2011), Nord London (32,312 tdw built in 2011) and Nord Vancouver (32,353 tdw built in 2011), the shipper now owns eight Handysize vessels.
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14 Jun 2016
NOL Appoints New CEO, CFO
Amid a takeover by France’s CMA CGM, Singapore container shipper Neptune Orient Lines (NOL) has named a new chief executive officer and chief financial officer. Nicolas Sartini will take over as chief executive officer, succeeding Ng Yat Chung, who has served as NOL president and CEO since 2011. New chief financial officer Serge Corbel will join Sartini as executive directors of the newly constituted 10-member NOL board.
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09 Jun 2016
Panama Canal Expansion: Test Runs Begin
Initial test runs through the expanded Panama Canal began Thursday as tugs led a bulk carrier into the first set of locks on the Atlantic side of the canal, AP reports. Chartered to perform the test operation is the 836-foot-long bulker Baroque, which is not as large as the New Panamax ships (measuring up to 1,200 feet) due to transit the waterway following its formal opening on June 26. The Malta-flagged Baroque wasn't carrying cargo on the first run through the Agua Clara locks.
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03 Jun 2016
G6 Alliance Cancels Some Asia-Europe Sailings
Facing less-than-expected market demand, members of the G6 Alliance announced additional void sailings within the container shippers’ Asia-Europe service, suspending its Loop 6 service until further notice. The G6 Alliance, which consists of APL, Hapag-Lloyd, Hyundai Merchant Marine, Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Nippon Yusen Kaisha and Orient Overseas Container Line, said it continues to offer various services between Asia and Europe covering major port pairs with weekly sailings.
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01 Jun 2016
Nordic American Tankers Expands Suezmax Fleet
Nordic American Tankers Limited (NAT) has taken delivery of Suezmax tanker Nordic Luna, the first of four secondhand sister vessels purchased as part of the company’s plans for fleet expansion.
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27 May 2016
NASSCO Lays Keel for Jones Act Tanker Liberty
U.S. shipbuilder General Dynamics NASSCO hosted a keel laying ceremony on Thursday, May 26 for the Liberty, one of three new ECO Class Jones Act tankers under a construction contract with SEA-Vista LLC, a partnership between SEACOR Holdings, Inc. and Avista Capital Partners. Construction on the Liberty began at NASSCO’s San Diego shipyard in October 2015. Once completed, the vessel will be a 610-foot…
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27 May 2016
Defense Appropriations Bill Includes $1 Bln for US Icebreaker
The U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee’s FY2017 Defense Appropriations Bill has included $1 billion in funding to accelerate construction of a new polar icebreaker for the U.S. Coast Guard, reported Senator Thad Cochran (R-Miss.). Cochran, who chairs the Senate Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, said the bill recommends $1 billion in Navy shipbuilding funds to procure the first U.S. Coast Guard-operated icebreaker in more than 25 years.
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25 May 2016
Fleet Week Underway in New York
Now in its 28th year, New York Fleet Week has commenced, with ships from the U.S. Navy, U.S. Coast Guard and Royal Canadian Navy sailing into New York Harbor. The weeklong Fleet Week celebration has been held nearly every year since 1984, providing an opportunity for New Yorkers to witness firsthand the capabilities of today’s maritime services, as well as meet sailors, marines and coastguardsmen.
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20 May 2016
Subsea 7 Secures EPCI Contract
Subsea 7 S.A. announced it has been awarded an engineering, procurement, construction and installation (EPCI) contract for offshore execution in 2017 and 2018. The…