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Africa’s Ports Race Creates Pathways for Plunder
Ports have long been integral to Africa’s connectivity with the rest of the world. Yet over the last 15 years, a new stage in maritime infrastructure planning and development has begun. Between 2004 and 2019, over US$50 billion was spent on this infrastructure – roughly 13 times more than was spent between 1990 and 2004.Ports reflect more than simple economic imperatives. They are crucial in creating and reinforcing social, political, and cultural systems.
Thai Navy Hunts for 33 Missing Marines After Warship Sinks
Thailand's military deployed warships and helicopters on Monday to try to locate 33 marines missing after a corvette sank overnight in choppy waters in the Gulf of Thailand, the navy said.Three navy vessels and two helicopters were sent to find the missing off Prachuap Khiri Khan province, south of Bangkok, after the HTMS Sukhothai warship suffered an engine malfunction and went down just before midnight…
Cargo Volume Slide Continues at Port of Los Angeles
Cargo volumes were down in November at the Port of Los Angeles, marking another month of declines at what was once the United States' busiest seaport. The port said in its cargo update briefing this week that it handled 639,344 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) in November, a 21% decrease from the same month last year. Overall, the port has handled 7% less cargo in the first 11 months of 2022 compared to last year’s all-time record.November 2022 loaded imports reached 307…
How Do Floating Wind Turbines Work?
Northern California has some of the strongest offshore winds in the U.S., with immense potential to produce clean energy. But it also has a problem. Its continental shelf drops off quickly, making building traditional wind turbines directly on the seafloor costly if not impossible.Once water gets more than about 200 feet deep – roughly the height of an 18-story building – these “monopile” structures…
Italy's Snam to Select Offshore Site for New FSRU in Early 2023
Itay's Snam will choose the offshore site for its new floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU) in the next 100 days, Italy's special commissioner for the project said on Friday, with its initial location already facing a legal challenge.Under the government's plan to diversify energy supply away from Russian gas, Italy's gas grid operator plans to moor the newly-bought FSRU in the port of Piombino, on Italy's west coast, for the next three years.
Marine News' Top Vessels of 2022
The November edition of Marine News magazine highlighted the most notable newbuilds delivered in 2022. From sturdy and nimble workboats, to the first new Jones Act laker in a generation, each vessel on display showcases the industry’s engineering prowess and technological ingenuity, with the focus on improving efficiency in operations. The maritime industry has no shortage of challenges to overcome…
Zero-C Offshore: A New UK Firm Aiming to Address ‘Chronic’ FIV Shortage
The global offshore wind industry is staring down a potential shortage of foundation installation vessel capacity. A new UK company led by former offshore drilling executive Jon Oliver Bryce intends to help tackle this challenge as the industry’s first pure-play foundation installation vessel (FIV) firm.The number of planned offshore wind projects globally is growing, spurred by green targets and a shift away from Russian oil and gas.
Xeneta Sees Storm Clouds Gathering for 2023
After over two years of rising rates and overstretched capacity, the rapidly cooling ocean freight market looks set for an “extremely challenging” 2023, according to Oslo-based Xeneta. An in-depth analysis of the latest real-time ocean and air freight rates, combined with expert trend forecasts, suggests that ocean cargo volumes could fall by up to 2.5%, rates will drop “significantly” and weak demand will force increased idling of vessels.
The World Can Harness Trade to Save the Planet
Trade is a major cause of global warming. Think of all those goods travelling from far away on polluting ships – and raw materials and components whizzing across the world in complex supply chains.But the right trade policies can also do a lot to save the planet. The solution is to tax trade in carbon-intensive goods and get rid of tariffs on clean ones – while also subsidising green technologies and stopping aid to dirty ones.
Walrus Spotted in Normandy Port, Miles from Polar Circle Habitat
A walrus was spotted in the northern French port of Dieppe in Normandy, miles away from its natural habitat around the arctic circle, local French authorities said on Saturday.The sea mammal, usually found in Greenland, Russia or Alaska, did not show any sign of ill health, the local prefecture said in a statement. Local authorities cordonned off the area on Friday evening to protect the tusked animal, which was resting onshore, according to a picture tweeted by the prefecture.
Ukraine Shipping Hub Cheers as Kherson Win Foils Russian Black Sea Hopes
In Mykolaiv's blast-cratered district of Korabel, close to Ukraine's southern front, Pavel Salohub, a teacher of history and boxing, has not heard a single explosion in four days - the first such respite from war since Russia invaded.Friday's recapture of the city of Kherson has shunted the frontline dozens of kilometres to the east, and with it Russian artillery, spurring hopes that almost nine months of regular shelling and strikes are ending…
Freeport LNG Restart Delay Causes Vessels to Seek Other Ports
A few liquefied natural gas (LNG) vessels have turned away from the Freeport LNG export plant in Texas over the past few days on expectations the plant's restart…
Germany Completes Construction of Floating LNG Terminal
Germany on Tuesday completed construction of its first floating terminal for liquefied natural gas (LNG) at the North Sea port of Wilhelmshaven as it scrambles to secure more LNG and move away from Russian pipeline gas."The new LNG landing place is a big step towards a secure energy supply," said Lower Saxony economy minister Olaf Lies in a statement.A floating storage and regasification (FSRU) unit…
Crude Exports Lift Port of Corpus Christi to Q3 Tonnage Record
The Port of Corpus Christi reports it set another tonnage record in the third quarter of 2022, driven in large part by record exports of crude oil.The new quarterly tonnage record of 48.3 million tons surpassed the previous tonnage record set in the second quarter of 2022 of 46.4 million tons, a 4% increase on overall tonnage. The growth primarily was a result of strong exports of United States produced crude oil to Western European buyers who have moved away from Russian crude imports. The U.S.
Speed Reduction Led to Vessel Collision on the Neches River
A pilot's decision to reduce the speed of a liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) carrier resulted in reduced rudder effectiveness, ultimately leading to a collision with a moored tug on the Neches River, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) found.In November 2021, a state licensed pilot from the Sabine Pilots took navigational control of the 754-foot-long Gas Ares as it was heading to load a cargo of propane and butane at the no.
Russian Oil Cap Doubts Spur Fears of Ships Stranded at Sea
Oil-laden tankers risk being left languishing at sea if insurers do not urgently get clarity on an unfinished G7 and European Union plan to cap the price of Russian crude, two senior industry executives told Reuters.The Group of Seven (G7), which includes the United States, Britain, Germany and France, agreed in September to enforce a low price on sales of Russian oil.U.S. officials said the move, which is due to start on December 5…
Strong Offshore Quake Rattles Italy
A strong earthquake of magnitude 5.7 struck off Italy's Adriatic coast early on Wednesday, but caused no serious damage or injuries but was felt as far away as Rome and northern parts of the country. The quake, which occurred shortly after 7 a.m. (0600 GMT), was followed by more than 50 aftershocks of weaker intensity, the Italian Geophysics and Volcanology Institute (INGV) said. Its epicentre was 35 kilometers (21.7 miles) offshore from Pesaro…
Ghana's Historic Slave Forts are Being Swallowed by Rising Seas
For 21 years, Fort Prinzenstein's caretaker James Ocloo Akorli has watched the Gulf of Guinea's tempestuous waters eat away at both his livelihood and his heritage.The 18th century Danish citadel, set along Ghana's palm-fringed coastline, was once the last stop for captured Africans before they were forced onto slave ships bound for the Americas.Today, three-quarters of the UNESCO World Heritage site…
Container Rates: Calm Before the Storm?
Stubborn long-term container rates refuse to follow in footsteps of huge spot declines, but change is coming - XenetaWith dramatic spot rate falls, a non-existent peak season, and easing port congestion freeing up capacity, the scene was set in October for a significant decline in long-term ocean freight rates. However, the latest data from the Xeneta Shipping Index (XSI) reveals global contracted rates fell by only 0.6% this month…
What is Known About the Drone Attack on Crimea?
Russia suspended participation in the U.N.-brokered Black Sea grain deal after what it said was a Ukrainian drone attack on vessels in the Bay of Sevastopol in the early hours of Saturday. What do we know so far? WHAT HAPPENED? Russia said 16 air and maritime drones attacked civilian and Black Sea Fleet vessels in the Bay of Sevastopol in Crimea at 0420 Kyiv time on Saturday. Russia said all nine of the air drones were destroyed.
