MarineLink News Search
Search term • Up,-Up-and-Away?
Create an email alert for Up,-Up-and-Away?
IMO Sec Gen: The Crew Change Crisis Remains a Challenge
Even after concerted efforts from leaders in the maritime community and some improvement in the numbers, the crew change crisis caused by COVID-19 restrictions continues to create challenges, the Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization has warned.In a statement, IMO Secretary General Kitack Lim said that based on industry analysis, the numbers of seafarers requiring repatriation after finishing their contracts had declined—from a high of around 400…
Congress Provides Last-minute Help for Small Inland and Coastal Ports
In two major pieces of legislation passed by Congress at the end of 2020 and the beginning of this year, Congress addressed the difficulty that many smaller inland and coastal ports have in obtaining funding for their infrastructure projects. First, on December 11, 2020 Congress passed the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (NDAA), and on January 1, 2021 overrode President Trump’s veto.
Hapag-Lloyd Avoids Forecast Due to Coronavirus Uncertainty
German container shipper Hapag-Lloyd said on Thursday it almost tripled its net result in 2020 due to lower costs and higher freight rates, but shied away from specifying 2021 results due to uncertainty in the coronavirus crisis.The net result in 2020 amounted to 935 million euros ($1.12 billion) compared with 373 million euros in 2019 after revenue rose 3% and freight rates increased 4%, it said in a statement.Hapag-Lloyd…
Interview: Jennifer Carpenter, AWO President & CEO
Jennifer Carpenter joined The American Waterways Operators (AWO), the national trade association representing the inland and coastal tugboat, towboat and barge industry, in August 1990 and became its president and CEO in January 2020. She weighs in on the unprecedented challenges encountered over the past year and addresses top priorities along the uncertain path ahead.The world has changed drastically in the year since you took the helm at AWO.
Five New Ships Poised to Transform US Maritime Training
For professional maritime training, the 2020 holiday season was bright indeed. In a world clutching for optimism, officials from the U.S. Maritime Administration (MARAD) made a series of announcements that will strengthen, expand and intensify America’s maritime academic programs—really the maritime industry—for at least the next decade, likely much longer. Consider this string of news:On December 15…
You’re Going to Need a Bigger Fleet
The U.S. is going to need a fleet of Jones Act-compliant vessels to support its budding offshore wind industry. The good news is that several of these vessels are currently operating or on order. Even better, there are plenty more in the pipeline.In 2016, Rhode Island-based Atlantic Wind Transfers (AWT) put into service the U.S.’ first-ever vessel purpose-built for offshore wind services. The 21-meter…
Equinor Awards Long-term Frame Deals to Seismic Players PGS and Shearwater
Offshore seismic survey contractors PGS and Shearwater GeoServices have been awarded framework agreements with Equinor for 4D towed streamer seismic acquisition on the Norwegian continental shelf (NCS) in what Equinor said was a new way of working with seismic contractors.The agreements have a total estimated value of around NOK 700 million (~USD 82,7 million).“This is a new way of working with seismic suppliers.
Equality for Women Means Progress for All
A challenged world is an alert world. Individually, we're all responsible for our own thoughts and actions—all day, every day.We can all choose to challenge and call out gender bias and inequality. We can all choose to seek out and celebrate women's achievements. Collectively, we can all help create an inclusive world.From challenge comes change, so let's all choose to challenge.In this guest blog…
Sterling PlanB Gains DNV Type Approval for Preventing Thermal Runaway
Marine energy storage company Sterling PlanB (SPBES) said it is now fully certified under new 2020 class rules for commercial vessel batteries set out by classification society DNV.As an early adopter of the certification, SPBES becomes one of the first energy storage solutions (ESS) providers to adhere to the new testing standard, which substantially mitigates the risk of the spread of fire by eliminating…
Future Prospects of Shipping COVID-19 Vaccines by Sea
The lucrative prospect of transporting COVID-19 vaccines by sea has intensified the spotlight on the maritime industry’s cold supply chain and its ability to carry high-value pharmaceuticals.At present, speed to market is critical to stemming the spread of the pandemic, so the vaccines are being shipped by air to international destinations. Delivering them by sea is a longer-term strategy; certainly…
Navy to Remove Island on Fire-stricken USS Bonhomme Richard
The U.S. Navy has begun the process to remove the island from the USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) as part of an ongoing inactivation availability for the warship that was destroyed by a major fire in 2020.Salvage contractor Smit Americas started the removal process Tuesday, the Navy said. Workers will reduce the island's height down to just above the flight deck to improve the ship’s structural integrity…
RECOTUG: Development Starts on 'World-First' Remote-Control Tugboat
Svitzer, Kongsberg Maritime and the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) signed a deal to jointly develop the RECOTUG, touted as the world’s first commercial tug to be fully operated from a remote operations center on shore.Each organization delivers a unique perspective: Svitzer brings operational experience; Kongsberg brings remote control systems and autonomous technology; and ABS brings guidance for…
Castor Maritime Buys Kamsarmax Dry Bulk Carrier for $14.8M
Dry bulk shipping firm Castor Maritime has struck a deal to buy a 2010 Korean-built Kamsarmax dry bulk carrier from an unaffiliated third-party for $14.8 million. It did not reveal the identity of the seller.The acquisition is expected to be consummated by taking delivery of the vessel sometime in the end of the first quarter or beginning of the second quarter of this year and is subject to the satisfaction of certain customary closing conditions.
DNV GL Advises ‘Mind the (Safety) Gap’ as Maritime Transforms
A new approach to safety is necessary along the maritime industry's rapid transition to a decarbonized, digitally smart future, says classification society DNV GL in a new white paper released this week, and as discussed on Maritime Reporter TV with Knut Ørbeck-Nilssen, CEO of DNV GL - Maritime and Fenna van de Merwe, Principal Consultant at DNV GL, the report’s author.The white paper entitled “Closing the Safety Gap in an Era of Transformation”…
Some Containerships Sent North as Port of Los Angeles Hits Capacity
The Port of Los Angeles and cargo shipping lines are diverting some ships to other West Coast ports as a six-month import surge strains capacity at the busiest gateway for ocean trade in the United States.Container lines such as Hapag Lloyd and CMA CGM are temporarily diverting some sailings to Oakland and other West Coast ports to ease record backlogs at the Port of Los Angeles and the adjacent Port of Long Beach.
Thome Group Introduces Digital Payment Solutions for Crew Wages
All Thome Group seafarers will now have access to a wide range of digital payment solutions, including crew payroll payments, international remittances, money transfers, mobile tops-ups, payroll advances and onboard expenses.Maritime Payment Solutions, LLC (d/b/a ShipMoney), a global provider of payment solutions for maritime companies, said Wednesday it will be facilitating Thome Group’s crew payments.Thome…
Subsea Defense: Navy Deepens Commitment to Underwater Vehicles
The U.S. Navy uses unmanned and robotic underwater vehicles for a multitude of functions, including environmental sensing, mine hunting, and salvage. The Navy plans to evolve an unmanned systems operating concept that is platform agnostic and capable of operating in highly complex contested environments with minimal operator interaction.The most recent edition of the Navy’s Unmanned Systems (UxS) Roadmap was issued in 2018, and a new version is expected in the near future.
Autonomy: Inside the Building of Ocean Infinity’s Armada Fleet
Back in 2017, Ocean Infinity made a novel move; deploying six autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs), instead of just one, from a single vessel, vastly increasing the ground that could be covered in a single survey. Now the firm is taking the use of remote, robotic systems a significant step further.Back in 2017, Ocean Infinity made a novel move; deploying six autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs), instead of just one…
Petronas' Floating LNG Facility PFLNG Dua Produces First LNG
Malaysian oil and gas giant Petronas said Monday that its PFLNG Dua floating LNG facility has recently produced its first LNG. This is the company's second FLNG Unit, and its first deepwater FLNG facility.The PFLNG Dua is located at the Rotan gas field, 140km off Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia. "In collaboration with its upstream Production Sharing Contract partner, PTT Exploration and Production…
VIDEO: BP's Argos Platform Sails Away from S. Korea
Oil major BP has informed that its Argos oil platform, built by Samsung Heavy Industry, has set sail from South Korea and is en route to Texas.The platform, which will be capable of producing up to 140,000 gross barrels of crude oil per day from up to 14 production wells, will be deployed in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico as part of the Mad Dog 2 development.As previously reported, the Argos platform weighing almost 70…
