Maritime Industry Top News
Rain Lifts Rhine River Levels in Germany but Shipping Still Limited
Rain has raised water levels on the Rhine in Germany but most of the river remains too shallow for cargo vessels to sail fully loaded, commodity traders said on Wednesday, following a bout of dry weather in August.Ship operators imposed surcharges on freight rates to compensate for vessels sailing partly empty, increasing costs for cargo owners.Shallow water continues to hinder shipping on most of the Rhine in Germany including Duisburg, Cologne and the chokepoint of Kaub, but vessels are able t
Corvus' Pelican Fuel Cell System Awarded DNV Type Approval
Corvus Energy announced that the Corvus Pelican Fuel Cell System has received Type Approval from DNV. The system, which was developed through the three-year-long H2NOR project, is the first Fuel Cell System (FCS) designed to be inherently gas-safe.Receiving type approval from DNV, a leading maritime classification society, confirms that the Corvus Pelican Fuel Cell System meets the most stringent performance and safety standards required by the maritime industry.
South Korea's Hanwha Ocean Awarded First US Navy Repair Contract
Hanwha Ocean on Wednesday announced it has secured a contract that makes it the first Korean shipbuilder to provide maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) services for the U.S. Navy.The 40,000-ton U.S. Navy dry cargo and ammunition ship USNS Wally Schirra is undergoing maintenance and inspection at Hanwha Ocean’s Geoje shipyard, with additional onshore maintenance work being conducted using the shipyard’s…
Austal USA Launches USNS Point Loma (EPF 15)
Mobile, Ala. shipbuilder Austal USA launched USNS Point Loma (EPF 15), the U.S. Navy’s 15th Expeditionary Fast Transport (EPF).The ship was christened in the beginning of August and is now docked pier side for final outfitting and system activation in preparation for sea trials later this year.During the launch process, self-propelled modular transporters (SPMT) lifted the ship almost three feet and moved it approximately 400 feet onto a deck barge moored adjacent to the final assembly bay.
Aize and SBM Offshore Forge Long-Term Fleet Digitalization Partnership
Aize and SBM Offshore have entered a strategic five-year partnership aimed at integrating Aize software into vessels across SBM Offshore’s global fleet.The collaboration will encompass both the Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) and Operations and Maintenance (O&M) phases, enhancing efficiency and operational excellence.The implementation plan will be guided by the digital readiness of vessels and lead with the integration of Aize into vessels in production…
DNV Clears Ocean Infinity’s Remotely Supported Vessel Operations
Ocean Infinity has received a Statement of Compliance (SOC) from DNV for its remotely supported vessel operations, marking industry's first such achievement.The approval from DNV, the world's leading classification society, establishes Ocean Infinity as the industry's first organization to reach the required standard of technology and operations for large vessels, and permits the beginning of onshoring…
MOL Launches LNG-Fueled Ferry
Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) has held the naming and launching ceremony for the LNG-fueled ferry Sunflower Pirka, under construction at Naikai Zosen Corporation.The LNG-fueled tugboat Ishin, operated by MOL Group company Nihon Tug-Boat, assisted with towing operations during the launch of the ferry.MOL will proactively adopt LNG, a low-carbon fuel that can be put to practical use immediately, and lead…
Alfa Laval Gets DNV’s AiP for Hydrogen Carriers Gas Combustion Unit
Alfa Laval has secured Approval in Principle (AiP) from the classification society DNV for its Gas Combustion Unit (GCU) technology for hydrogen boil-off gas to be used on liquid hydrogen carriers.The AiP affirms the technical feasibility and safety mechanism of the GCU design and concept.The boil-off gas technology is essential for liquid hydrogen carriers, as venting cargo is restricted and a GCU…
Vard to Deliver Design and Equipment to Cochin Shipyard for Two SOVs
Norwegian shipbuilder Vard has secured a contract to provide design and equipment to Cochin Shipyard in India for two Service Operation Vessels (SOVs), one of VARD 4 07 and one of VARD 4 19 design, being built for North Star.Vard has previously delivered 12 designs to the Cochin Shipyard. The first hybrid electric SOV to be delivered by Cochin Shipyard is of VARD 4 07 design and is tailored to meet…
First Offshore Wind Turbine Stands Tall at US Revolution Wind Project
The first 11 MW Siemens Gamesa offshore wind turbine, out of total 65 planned, has been installed at Ørsted’s 704 MW Revolution Wind offshore wind farm in the United States.Once in operation, Revolution Wind will have the capacity to generate 400 MW of clean power for Rhode Island and 304 MW for Connecticut, enough to power more than 350,000 homes and bring both states closer to reaching their climate targets.Meanwhile…
NTSB Continues to Push for Safety Management System Mandate
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is once again calling for safety management systems (SMS) to be required for all U.S.-flagged passenger vessels.On the fifth anniversary of the 2019 Conception dive boat fire that killed 34 people, Jennifer Homendy, chair of the federal safety watchdog, held a media availability with the families of the victims and again called on the U.S. Coast Guard to mandate SMS on passenger vessels such as ferries…
Fierce Competition Drives Down the Cost of US Dredging Projects
Heavy competition within the U.S. dredging sector helps to save American taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars each year, as highlighted by a recent industry report.According to the "U.S. Dredging Report: An Analysis of the FY23 U.S. Federal Dredging Market", compiled by dredging industry insider Michael Gerhardt, highly competitive U.S. dredging companies saved taxpayers $707 million for contracts awarded by the U.S.
BRIX Marine Delivers Whale Watching Vessel for Allen Marine Tours in Alaska
Aluminum boatbuilder BRIX Marine announced it has launched a new custom-built whale watching vessel for Allen Marine Tours, in Alaska.The new vessel, Raven, a 4818-HTC passenger catamaran, is the second vessel BRIX Marine has developed for Allen Marine, following the launch of the Eagle in September 2023.According to the builder, Raven is designed to enhance the whale-watching experience in Alaska’s waters, focusing on passenger comfort, safety, and sustainability.
KNOT Makes Tanker Swap
KNOT Offshore Partners announced that its wholly owned subsidiary, KNOT Shuttle Tankers, has entered into agreements with parent ocompany Knutsen NYK Offshore Tankers AS (KNOT), to simultaneously acquire from KNOT the 2021-built, industry-standard Suezmax shuttle tanker Tuva Knutsen and sell to KNOT the smaller-scale, 2011-built shuttle tanker Dan Cisne.These transactions will be effected by the purchase and sale of the entities which own the respective vessels.
Scorpio Sells Two Tankers
Shipowner Scorpio Tankers on Tuesday announced it has entered into agreements to sell two vessels and a new time charter-out agreement.The company said it recently entered into agreements to sell two 2014 built scrubber fitted MR product tankers, STI San Antonio and STI Texas City, for $42.5 million per vessel. These sales are expected to close within the fourth quarter of 2024.The New York-listed…
Salvors Say It's Unsafe to Tow Tanker Sounion Hit by Houthis in the Red Sea
Private companies involved in salvaging the Sounion tanker, which was attacked by Yemen's Houthis in the Red Sea, are exploring other options after the towing operation was deemed unsafe, the European Union's naval mission said on Tuesday.The Sounion, which was struck on Aug. 21 and which the Houthis and maritime sources have said has been rigged with explosives, is laden with about one million barrels…
Stretched US Navy Eyes Risky New Waters in South China Sea
As two U.S. aircraft carrier battle groups patrolled the Indian Ocean this week in an explicit effort to deter Iran from striking Israel and sparking a major regional conflict, a very different military messaging effort was underway in a luxury conference centre in Manila.The 35th annual Military Law and Operations Conference organised by the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command – running from Aug. 27-30 – is…
Power Outage Hits Port of Rotterdam; Issue Resolved
A power outage in the Rotterdam port area in the Netherlands briefly interrupted operations at one of Europe's biggest oil refineries on Tuesday, the plant's operator BP said.Electricity grid operator TenneT said the problem was solved shortly after 1000 GMT.
Russian 'Spy Whale' Hvaldimir Found Dead Near Norway
A beluga whale that was suspected of spying for Russia after being discovered in Norwegian waters five years ago has been found dead, according to the non-profit organization that had been monitoring the whale.The body of Hvaldimir - a combination of the Norwegian word for whale and the first name of Russian President Vladimir Putin - was spotted floating in the sea by a father and son fishing in southern Norway over the weekend…
Houthis Attack More Oil Tankers in the Red Sea, US Military Says
Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels attacked two crude oil tankers - the Saudi-flagged Amjad and the Panama-flagged Blue Lagoon I - in the Red Sea on Monday, the U.S. military said, calling the assaults "reckless acts of terrorism".The Houthis late on Monday claimed responsibility for targeting the Blue Lagoon with multiple missiles and drones but did not make any mention of the Saudi tanker.The U.S.
