Maritime Industry Top News
Gulf Marine Services Strikes New Debt Deal with Banks
Gulf Marine Services, a UAE-based provider of self-propelled, self-elevating support vessels serving the offshore oil, gas, and renewables industries, has struck a deal with banks to reduce the interest rate on its loan."Under the revised agreement the rate of interest payable by the Company on its borrowings will decrease from LIBOR +5% to LIBOR +3%, retrospectively from the beginning of this year.
Coatings Giant Hempel Buys Wattyl Australia and New Zealand
Coatings manufacturer Hempel has completed the acquisition of Wattyl Australia and New Zealand, increasing its footprint in Australia and New Zealand.On 18 February 2021, Hempel A/S signed an agreement to acquire leading paint and coatings manufacturer Wattyl Australia and New Zealand from The Sherwin-Williams Company, the worldâs largest paint and coatings company and headquartered in the United States.HempelâŠ
Merkel Ally Calls for Moratorium on Nord Stream 2 Construction
Germany's coordinator for transatlantic relations called on Wednesday for a moratorium on the construction of the Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline from Russia to Europe, breaking ranks with many in Chancellor Angela Merkel's government.The United States is opposed to the project, saying it increases Europe's reliance on Russian energy and U.S. President Joe Biden is dangling the threat of sanctions."The project is a serious obstacle for a new start in transatlantic relationsâŠ
NOAA Launches West Coast, Gulf of Mexico Coastal Models
NOAA on Wednesday announced two new coastal condition forecast models intended to help enhance decision making for mariners along the West Coast and Northern Gulf of Mexico. The models provide continuous quality-controlled data on water levels, currents, water temperature and salinity out to 72 hours.Forecasts from both models are used by commercial and recreational mariners, fisherman, emergency managersâŠ
Biden Administration Aims for US Leadership in Offshore Wind -Official
The Biden administration aims to transform the United States into the worldâs leading producer of energy from offshore wind after years of lagging behind Europe, a senior official said on Wednesday.President Joe Bidenâs cabinet earlier this week unveiled a plan to boost the industry that promised new acreage, faster permitting, and billions of dollars in financing - part of his sweeping plan to fightâŠ
Canada Steamship Lines to Test Biodiesel
Montreal-based shipping company Canada Steamship Lines (CSL) said it will test second generation biodiesel on half of its fleet over the course of the 2021 navigation seasonâa first for the Great Lakes shipping industry.These tests, which follow the trials of B100 biodiesel fuel on the main engines of two CSL ships last year, come as CSL explores the use of green fuels and technologies to reduce its vessel emissions and overall environmental footprint.ElsewhereâŠ
Chinese State Shipping Giant COSCO Holds Stake in Bank of Kunlun
Chinese state-run shipping giant COSCO Shipping Development Co said on Tuesday that it holds a 3.74% stake in Bank of Kunlun, which has acted as a key official channel for money flows between China and Iran.The statement was made by the shipping firm on the e-interview platform of the Shanghai Stock Exchange, in response to an investor question on whether it held a stake in the bank.COSCO did not elaborate on when it acquired its holdingâŠ
Pakistan's Port Qasim Orders Four Tugs and Two Pilot Boats
Turkey's Sanmar Shipyards said it has won contracts worth $33.46 million to supply four new tugs and two new pilot boats for the Port Qasim Authority (PQA) in Pakistan. The tugs are scheduled to be delivered in 12 months and the pilot boats in 10.The contracts were awarded following an international tendering process during which Sanmar championed its new Kocacay range of escort and harbor tugs, basedâŠ
Investigator Boards Ever Given in Suez Canal Blockage Probe
Divers inspected the hull of the Ever Given on Wednesday as the man tasked with investigating how the giant container ship ran aground, choking off international trade through the Suez Canal for almost a week, boarded the vessel.Lead investigator Captain Sayed Sheasha, who boarded the Ever Given on Wednesday afternoon, told Reuters that the investigation would include examining the seaworthiness ofâŠ
Lloyd's of London Sees 'Large Loss' Due to Suez Canal Blockage
The blockage of the Suez Canal for nearly a week will result in a âlarge lossâ for Lloydâs of London, its chairman said on Wednesday, as the insurance market recorded a 900 million pound ($1.2 billion) pretax loss in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.The Canal is working to clear the backlog after the refloating this week of a stranded giant container ship. The blockage threw global supply chains into disarray.Bruce Carnegie-Brown told Reuters it was too early to estimate the exact lossâŠ
Portland Port Welcomes New Tug
Portland Port in the U.K. said it has taken delivery of new tug Rupert Best.Built in Turkey in 2019 to a Robert Allan Ltd. design, the Sanmar Sirapinar class âRAmparts 2200â azimuth stern drive tug will increase and help support the portâs ability to welcome larger vessels. The tug has a bollard pull of 50t and her two Caterpillar engines deliver a total of 3,000 kw. The port's harbor master and general manager â marineâŠ
US Jobs from US Offshore Energy: A Goal 44 Years in the Making
I have a good friend named John Guste. He and his wife grew up in the same neighborhood as my wife, they all went to college together, and now our kids are friends. As a doctor, Iâm sure he has little concern with the messy, yet mundane, intricacies of offshore energy and maritime policy. You can imagine my surprise then when one night while I was reading the Congressional Record from 1977âIâm a blast at partiesâto see Johnâs grandfather testifying before the U.S.
Video: USNS Charlton Arrives at Philly Shipyard for Repairs
The Watson-class vehicle cargo ship USNS Charlton (T-AKR-314) has arrived at Philly Shipyard for a scheduled repair program. The work scope is expected to be completed by the third quarter of this year.The USNS Charlton is one of Military Sealift Commandâs (MSC) large, medium-speed, roll-on/roll-off ships. With a displacement of 69,000 tons and a length of 950 feet, the vessel carries prepositioned U.S.
Video: Eastern Launches Third Staten Island Ferry
Eastern Shipbuilding Group, Inc. launched Dorothy Day, the third of three new Staten Island Ollis Class ferries, on Friday, March 26, at its Allanton shipyard in Panama City, Fla.The three 320-foot Ollis Class double-ended 4,500 passenger ferries are being built for the City of New York Department of Transportation (NYCDOT) Staten Island Ferry Division. Designed by Elliott Bay Design Group, each ferryâŠ
Investigation Begins Into How Ever Given Got Stuck in Suez Canal
Formal investigations into how the giant container ship Ever Given ran aground in the Suez Canal, shutting down shipping in the major global waterway for almost a week, begin on Wednesday, a canal official told Reuters.The six-day blockage threw global supply chains into disarray after the 400-metre-long (430-yard) ship became jammed diagonally across a southern section of the canal, the shortest shipping route between Europe and Asia.Egyptâs Leth Agencies said on Wednesday that a total of 163 s
Suez Canal Says 81 Ships Transit in Both Directions on Wednesday
The Suez Canal said the total number of ships transiting the waterway in both directions on Wednesday was 81 as the waterway tries to clear a backlog caused by the grounding of a containership last week.Suez Canal Authority (SCA) Chairman Osama Rabie said the canal was working round the clock to deal with the build-up.(Reporting by Yusri Mohamed; Writing by Aidan Lewis Editing by Louise Heavens)
Royal Caribbean's New Cruise Ship Odyssey of the Seas Delivered
Royal Caribbean Group on Wednesday took delivery of its newest cruise ship Odyssey of the Seas, built at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Germany.The 169,000 GT, 347.1-meter vessel is the last of five Quantum Ultra class cruise ships started in January 2013 with the launch of Quantum of the Seas."Royal Caribbean Group commissioned us in 2011 to build the first two units of the Quantum class, which have been very popular with passengers since day one.
International Seaways to Buy Diamond S Shipping in $416 Million Deal
Tanker operator International Seaways Inc said on Wednesday it will buy Diamond S Shipping Inc for about $416 million, as it aims to expand its crude shipping capacity and create one of the largest U.
New Cruise Ship Ordered at Meyer Werft
A new cruise ship order placed at Meyer Werft this week marks the first since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the German shipbuilder said.The 229-meter, 51,950 GT cruise ship is scheduled for delivery in 2025 to Asuka Cruise, a joint venture between Japanese firms NYK Group and Anchor Ship Partners. It will be fueled by liquefied natural gas (LNG).The order is significant for the cruise industry and specifically for the Meyer GroupâŠ
Royal IHC Gets AIP for Hydrogen-fueled Dredge Design
Dutch shipbuilder and equipment supplier Royal IHC said it has received an approval in principle (AIP) from classification society Bureau Veritas for the design of a hydrogen-fueled trailing suction hopper dredger (TSHD) engineered to reduce emissions from coastal protection projects.The new dredge design, referred to as the âLEAFâ (low energy adaptive fuel) hopper, is the result of a partnership betweenâŠ
