Vessel Line News

In the last decade, changing U.S. Administrations have become increasingly tumultuous, as the swings in priorities and directives have a real, material impact on business. Read on for insights on the current and future of U.S. Offshore Wind.In the weeks preceding his late January inauguration, then President-elect Donald Trump referred to wind turbines (both onshore and offshore) as “garbage in a field” and described electric power produced through offshore wind as “…the most expensive energy ever…”In the same briefing…

More than 1,900 workers at Britain's biggest container port are due on Sunday to start eight days of strike action which their union and shipping companies warn could seriously affect trade and supply chains.The staff at Felixstowe, on the east coast of England, are taking industrial action in a dispute over pay, becoming the latest workers to strike in Britain as unions demand higher wages for members facing a cost-of-living crisis."Strike action will cause huge disruption and will generate massive shockwaves throughout the UK's supply chain…

The company that operates Britain's biggest container port, Felixstowe, said on Friday it believed its pay offer to workers was fair and it was disappointed strike action due to begin on Sunday had not been called off.More than 1,900 workers at Felixstowe represented by the Unite union plan eight days of strikes from Aug. 21 in a dispute over pay."The company is disappointed that Unite has not taken up our offer to call off the strike and come to the table for constructive discussions to find a resolution…

Boatbuilder Armstrong Marine USA said it has changed its name to BRIX Marine as the company looks to broaden and diversify its portfolio of welded aluminum boats.Since 1991, Armstrong Marine has crafting rugged aluminum catamarans and workboats. The company was founded in Canada and moved to Port Angeles, Wash. in 2001 before joining Bryton Marine Group in 2017.“Our team has developed strong momentum with our boat portfolios and customers. As we look to the future, Brix Marine will honor the legacy we have built and move beyond to deliver exceptional custom boats…

The first design project is the 50-m Explorer yacht, designed by Hydro TecThe Duò family, with their hundred years of experience in military, paramilitary and civil shipbuilding, has ventured into the luxury boat sector. The Vittoria Shipyard has launched Vittoria Yachts, the new division, dedicated to designing and building yachts, able to draw on the production capacity and know-how developed over almost a century of business experience, adding over 870 units to the new market segment of luxury yachting.Leading Vittoria Yachts on their journey are Paolo Duò…

Perth-based Harbor towage operator, Westug Pty Ltd (Westug) has announced their successful start with the OptiPort AI-assisted Dispatch system in its new Port Hedland operation to ensure long-term, efficient and sustainable towage services in the port on behalf of KOTUG for Fortescue Metals Group (Fortescue). The announcement was made alongside the official start of Westug’s towage operations in the world’s leading and largest dry bulk export port with an annual export volume of over 500 million tons of iron ore…

With a belief that innovation in shipping has fallen well behind other sectors, new entrant into the maritime industry Nisomar has launched a range of services for ship owners, operators, brokers, charterers and financial institutions. Nisomar said it has pioneered a method of collecting global shipping data and created proprietary technology, based upon technology that generates highly accurate business-critical data. The firm will derive insights from big data to offer analytics that support business decisions…

Inchcape Shipping Services (ISS), the world's leading maritime and logistics service provider, is driving a global roll-out of its new cargo and agency platform, YourISS2. Designed to increase efficiencies, standardise processes and documents and enhance service delivery, the innovative platform also gives ISS customers the transparency and data they need for instant, informed business decisions, cost savings, performance and trade analysis. With Canada, Mexico, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar and Mexico among the latest countries to go live, YourISS2 is now available in all ISS locations and can be used by all stakeholders in the process of cargo or husbandry services.

Kvichak, a Vigor company, delivered a fourth, 45-foot Response Boat - Medium C (RB-M C) to its longtime customer, the New York Police Department Harbor Unit. The Kvichak RB-M C is the commercial variant of the Response Boat - Medium (RB-M), purpose built for the U.S. Coast Guard. To date, 174 RB-Ms have been delivered to the Coast Guard. The vessel was designed by Kvichak in partnership with Camarc Design for high speed and high performance, including tactical handling and specialized mission capabilities, the shipbuilder said.

Wilhelmsen Ships Service (WSS) is aiming to consolidate its position within the Ships Agency segment by building stronger agent-customer relationships. By doing so, Frederic Fontarosa believes the firm can offer enhanced efficiency, understanding and value. Frederic Fontarosa is a people person. Mixing an easy going, laid back French-American drawl with suddenly energetic outbursts on subjects close to his heart, he’s engaging to talk to and easy to like. Seated  in his Houston office…

GAC announced a new add-on to its GACtrack, aiming to give more job transparency and greater job control to ship agency customers. As well as being able to view job information from multiple offices on one screen, customers can check costs and export service information; view (and query if necessary) vessel line-up information; see updates on job status, including estimated timings of arrivals, departures and services to be provided and advise changes to services where required. Details can be viewed by clicking the ‘Jobs’ screen, which contains information about the supplier, the person who requested the service and a remarks section. Services provided are listed with estimated and actual costs, in real time, ensuring no surprises when the final bill arrives.

The Greece based agent Franman SA, has been appointed exclusive representative for TUCO Marine’s ProZero vessel line in Greece, Cyprus and Egypt, where Franman SA will be promoting the ProZero line of patrol boats, interceptors and workboats. Tuco Marine has recently appointed the Greek based agent, Franman SA, to be exclusive representative for the ProZero boats Series in Greece, Cyprus and Egypt. Franman SA was founded in 2007 as an agent and distributor of powerboats, engines and marine equipment. Franman SA has since 2010 specialized in the security and defense industry.

Export hulls – through the FMS Program, as well as Direct Sales – are a key piece of the business model. Even as the crash in energy prices feeds the oversupply of offshore support vessels – a key staple of U.S. boatbuilding diets – and the dwindling backlogs of some so-called ‘second tier’ yards,  a number of U.S. boat builders are still seeing robust demand for security vessels. Separately, tightening federal, state, municipal and overseas budgets are being trumped by the increased need for security craft that can perform more than one function.

The unique berth at D44 in Long Beach, Calif., designed in partnership by Seabulk and Bellingham Marine, was developed in response to a need for an environmentally friendly, low cost berthing system designed specifically for the docking of Panamax-class, self-discharging bulk carriers. The berthing system developed by the team for Eagle Rock Aggregates includes two stifflegs supported by match-cast, post-tensioned floating concrete platforms. The legs position the self-unloading bulk carrier and provide a load path to bearing walls at the top of the bank.

3.MAJ Brodogradiliste of Rijeka, Croatia has delivered Chaleur Bay - the second of its four-part oil/products carrier series. The Liberian-registered vessel group, which was ordered by Inter Shipping is formatted for transportation of crude oil and oil products, with cargo space divided by one corrugated longitudinal bulkhead. Double sides protect the cargo space, and in addition to conventional double bottom within cargo space, double sides were applied in fuel oil tanks, in compliance with strict international environmental requirements. Kvichak Marine, Seattle, Wash. delivered the 54 ft. (16.4 m) all-aluminum catamaran M/V Thresher to California Fish & Game.

catalyst for a significant redeployment of tonnage in Canada Maritime's three different weekly services in the North America-Europe trade lane via the Montreal Gateway. Le Havre. Canada Maritime operates these vessels in the St. partnerships. route. September. transAtlantic. Route 2, displacing those vessels to Route 3. (ex-OOCL Canada), Cast Prominence (ex-Canmar Courage). and Cast Power will be deployed elsewhere within CP Ships services. Ships with overall responsibility for Canada Maritime. the industry as a whole. and make them available for Route 2 and Route 3. through Montreal. industrial heart of Canada and USA. the Northern Service," continued Mr Burrows.