Maritime Industry Top News
Svitzer Reports 2023 Revenue Growth of 6%
Towage and marine services company Svitzer has published its 2023 annual report, showing that total revenue grew 6% to DKK 5,786 million driven by, among other things, a record number of harbour towage tug jobs of more than 150,000.Adjusted for foreign exchange impact, total revenue grew 9.5%. Operating profit (EBITDA) was up 4% to DKK 1,690 million, corresponding to an EBITDA margin of 29.2%. In the past five years…
Oil Spotted at Bonaire's East Coast
Oil stains possibly coming from neighboring Tobago have reached the island of Bonaire, local media said on Monday, prompting authorities to begin organizing protection to beaches and mangrove areas.Since an oil spill from a capsized vessel was first spotted by Trinidad and Tobago's Coast Guard on Feb. 7, it has blackened the Caribbean nation's beaches and is threatening other countries, including Grenada and Bonaire…
Greek Frigate Departs to Join EU Red Sea Mission
Greece's frigate Hydra departed for the Red Sea on Monday to participate in a mission to protect merchant ships from attacks by Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi militia, a defense ministry official said.Earlier on Monday, the Greek government approved the country's participation in the European Union naval mission dubbed Eunavfor Aspides in the Red Sea.Many commercial shippers have diverted vessels following attacks by the Houthis who control much of Yemen and say they are acting in solidarity with th
US Coast Guard Announces New Merchant Mariner Credential
The U.S. Coast Guard announced a new merchant mariner credential (MMC) set to launch on March 1, 2024, marking the first comprehensive revision of the mariner credential in nearly a decade.The Coast Guard is the exclusive source of U.S. MMCs, which are required for U.S. mariners who serve on commercially operated vessels such as passenger boats, tug and barges, offshore supply vessels, and deep draft…
Herculaneum Port Site Cleared for Redevelopment as Intermodal Hub
A 300-acre property along the Mississippi River in Herculaneum, Missouri recently received Port District zoning making way for redevelopment as an intermodal transportation hub and industrial park.Located on the shipping lanes of the Mississippi River, the site has been utilized since the 1700s as a port. With its easy access for barge loading and offloading and the site’s proximity to early lead mines in adjacent Washington County…
Spain's Ports See Goods Traffic Rise as Red Sea Crisis Continues
The volume of goods moving through Spain's top ports rose by as much as 25% in January as attacks on shipping in the Red Sea caused companies to divert Europe-bound vessels around southern Africa instead.Spain's northern ports have also seen volumes in transit jump by up to triple as traders opt to avoid moving goods by truck through Europe because of widespread blockades by farmers, Spanish retail…
Will 2024 Settle the Turbulence of US Offshore Wind?
There is no denying that 2023 was a challenging year for the U.S. offshore wind market. Citing macroeconomic factors including high inflation, rising interest rates, and supply chain bottlenecks, Ørsted announced on October 31 that they were ceasing the development of the Ocean Wind 1 and Ocean Wind 2 projects, which were scheduled for construction off the coast of New Jersey. Unfortunately, the troubling news has continued into the new year…
Eighth 24,188 TEU Ship Joins OOCL's Fleet
Hong Kong based ocean carrier Orient Overseas Container Line Ltd. (OOCL) announced it has taken delivery of its eighth 24,188 TEU containership, OOCL Abu Dhabi.The vessel is the fourth in a series of six 24,188 TEU newbuilds to be delivered to OOCL by the Dalian COSCO KHI Ship Engineering Co., Ltd. (DACKS) shipyard in China. The ultra large containership is 400 meters long and 61.3 meters wide.OOCL Abu Dhabi was officially named during a ceremony at the shipyard on February 25.
Officials Urge EPA to Remove Toxic 'Forever Chemicals' from the Hudson River
U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand earlier this month stood with local leaders and environmental advocates at Albany City Hall to demand that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) take additional action to clean up polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) “forever chemicals” in the Hudson River.PCBs are toxic manmade chemicals that can linger in water and soil for decades. Exposure is associated with a variety of serious health conditions…
USS Hershel “Woody” Williams Maintenance Completed in Croatia
The Lewis B. Puller-class expeditionary sea base USS Hershel “Woody” Williams (ESB 4) completed its routine planned maintenance in Rijeka, Croatia Feb. 8, 2024 at Viktor Lenac Shipyard.Military Sealift Command, Europe and Africa (MSCEURAF) and Forward Deployed Regional Maintenance Center (FDRMC) executed the ship’s planned Mid-Term Availability (MTA), a depot-level maintenance period, to maintain safety…
Houthis Keep Up Pressure with Near Miss on US-flagged Tanker
Yemen's Houthis fired a missile that likely targeted the Torm Thor in the Gulf of Aden on Feb. 24 but missed the U.S.-flagged oil tanker, the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said on Monday, as the Iran-aligned militia steps up attacks on ships.Shipping risks have escalated due to repeated Houthi drone and missile strikes in the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab Strait since November in support of Palestinians in Gaza. U.S.
Great Eastern Buys MR Tanker
The Great Eastern Shipping Company Limited announced it has contracted to buy a medium range (MR) product tanker of about 49,999 dwt on February 14, 2024. The 2010-built vessel is expected to join the company’s fleet by Q1 FY25.The proposed ship will be financed entirely from internal accruals, the Mumbai-based company said, noting that the purchase is part of a wider effort to modernize and expand its fleet.Excluding the newly acquired vessel…
UK Chamber of Shipping names Hatcher Chief Executive
The UK Chamber of Shipping announced the appointment of Rhett Hatcher as its next chief executive, replacing Sarah Treseder.Hatcher has recently retired from the Royal Navy. He brings with him a broad wealth of experience. His last role was as the UK National Hydrographer and Deputy Chief Executive at the UK Hydrographic Office. He gained a thorough understanding of Whitehall while in senior appointments at the Ministry of Defense…
Mauritius Stops Norwegian Cruise Line Ship from Docking, Cites Health Risk
Mauritius stopped a ship belonging to Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings from docking at its ports due to what it said was a health risk and took samples from about 15 passengers who were in isolation on board, its port authority said on Sunday.The Norwegian Dawn had been scheduled to dock in Port Louis on Sunday, but since it had not gone to Reunion Island, it arrived in Port Louis a day earlier, the…
US Coast Guard Boards Chinese Fishing Boats Near Kiribati
The U.S. Coast Guard and Kiribati police boarded two Chinese fishing boats during a patrol against illegal fishing in the Pacific Islands nation's vast exclusive economic zone this month but found no issues aboard, a coast guard official said.The United States is seeking a bigger role for its coast guard in helping remote Pacific Islands nations monitor millions of kilometres of ocean - a rich tuna…
Caribbean Officials Search for Missing Couple After Yacht Hijacking
Police from two countries in the eastern Caribbean are investigating the possible murder of two people believed to be U.S. citizens who owned a catamaran that was hijacked by three fugitives in the waters off the island of Grenada.The yacht's alleged owners, Kathy Brandel and Ralph Hendry, were last seen Sunday night, when three men escaped from the custody of Grenadian authorities. Police in St. Vincent…
Ignazio Messina & C Adds Secondhand Containership to Its Fleet
Ignazio Messina & C announced it has taken delivery of a secondhand 4,400 TEU containership, now renamed Jolly Clivia.Built in 2010 at the South Korea's Hyundai Samho Heavy Industries, the vessel measures 262 meters in length by 32 meters in width, and was previously owned by a German company.The ship will now set sail from Singapore toward Europe with scheduled calls at Mundra (India), Jebel Ali Dubai (United Arab Emirates)…
New Agreement to Kickstart Salem Offshore Wind Terminal
The Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC), Crowley Wind Services and the City of Salem announced the transfer of ownership and an agreement for site improvements and ongoing operations for the Salem Offshore Wind Terminal.The agreement will kickstart the transformation of the site into the second port built specifically to support the construction of offshore wind farms in Massachusetts. The…
Many Different Vessels but One Goal – Passenger Safety
Because there are so many different kinds of passenger vessels, the critical topic of passenger safety can sometimes appear as a set of niche topics, each one just distantly connected to another. After all, passengers aboard a cruise ship in the Caribbean face safety issues that are much different than a commuter going from Jersey City to Manhattan or a tourist crossing from the Mukilteo, Wash. ferry terminal to Whidbey Island or a family on a fishing vessel in Miami.Importantly…
Swire Shipping Opens Branch Office in Japan
Swire Shipping commemorated the opening of its new Japan branch office in Tokyo on February 21,2024 with an event at The Palace Hotel in Tokyo, marking Swire Shipping’s official return to Japan with a physical presence.A highlight of the evening was the Kagami-biraki ceremony – the customary breaking open of a sake barrel – a tradition steeped in respect and appreciation. Esteemed long-serving former employees of Swire…