Maritime Industry Top News
New Handymax for Nova Marine Carriers
Nova Marine Carriers, the Lugano-based group, controlled by the Romeo and Gozzi/Bolfo families, has taken delivery of a new 38,593 dwt handymax vessel, built in 2019, in Shanghai, acquiring it from a Japanese group.This is the Iris Harmony, renamed Sider Harmony, a latest generation bulk carrier (180 meters long by 30 meters wide) which will be technically managed by the Greek company Pegasus Ocean Services Inc (of the Halkidon/Pegasus group).
Aurora Botnia - RoPax Ferry + Greentech Proving Ground
Built by Rauma Marine Constructions, in Rauma, Finland, and launched in 2021, the 150-meter-long Aurora Botnia boasts a long list of onboard equipment that help it to earn its “green” designation, a label that is confirmed via a Clean Design notation from classification society DNV. The ship is also compliant with the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) 2030 greenhouse gas reduction target.Wasaline…
Two Workers Killed at Gadani Shipbreaking Yard
NGO Shipbreaking Platform reports that on January 16 two workers lost their lives after being crushed by a heavy iron plate during the dismantling of bulk carrier Chatherine Bright at Dewan Shipbreaking PVT Ldt in Gadani, Pakistan.The vessel was linked to Oman-based Maritime International Transport & Trading and flagged Panama when it was beached, says the Platform.The National Trade Union Federation…
Singapore Registry of Ships Reaches 100 Million Gross Tonnage
The Singapore Registry of Ships (SRS) surpassed the 100 million gross tonnage (GT) milestone, with the registration of AET’s Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC), Eagle Veracruz, on January 23, 2024.SRS is administered by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA). Established in 1966 and administering about 4,000 vessels aggregating over 100 million gross tonnage, the SRS is among the world’s largest ship registries with one of the youngest quality fleets.Eagle Veracruz…
SunStone Lines Up Multi-year Charters for Two Expedition Cruise Ships
SunStone Maritime Group announced it has secured multi-year charters for two of its expedition cruise ships.The deals are for SunStone's Infinity Class vessels Ocean Explorer and the Ocean Odyssey, both built by China Merchants Heavy Industry (Jiangsu) and delivered in 2021 and 2022 respectively.Under its new charter agreement, Ocean Explorer will return to polar cruising in October 2024 for SunStone's long-term client Quark Expeditions.
Algoma Buys Two Product Tankers from Knutsen
Algoma Central Corporation announced it has acquired two 2009 built, 16,600 dwt product tankers from Norway’s Knutsen OAS Shipping.“We identified an opportunity to secure high-quality ice-class product tankers suitable for trading in Canada and in Northern Europe. These additions will strengthen our capacity to deliver reliable service to our valued customers,” said Gregg Ruhl, President and CEO of Algoma.The vessels are believed to be the Liv Knutsen an Eli Knitsen…
Passenger Ferry Grounds Near Maui
A passenger ferry has run aground near the entrance to Maui's Maalaea Harbor, the U.S. Coast Guard said. At 5:05 a.m. on Monday, Coast Guard Sector Honolulu watchstanders received notification from the 55-foot ferry Expeditions Five, which had run aground with three crew members on board.Watchstanders issued an urgent marine broadcast to mariners and dispatched a 29-foot Response Boat-small crew from Station Maui.
Diana Shipping Sells Its Oldest Vessel
Diana Shipping on Tuesday announced it has reached a deal to sell its oldest vessel, an 18-year-old panamax bulk carrier.The Greek shipowner said it has reached a memorandum of agreement through one of its subsidiaries to sell the 76,942 dwt vessel Artemis to an undisclosed third-party buyer for $12.99 million. The ship is slated to be delivered to its new owner by March 8 at the latest.Artemis was built in 2006 by Japan's Namura Shipbuilding Co., Ltd.
RRS Sir David Attenborough Begins Research Mission in the Southern Ocean
Scientists aboard Britain's high-tech polar research vessel RRS Sir David Attenborough are headed to the Weddell Sea to investigate how carbon dioxide moves and transforms in the Southern Ocean.The ship departed Tuesday from Punta Arenas, Chile for the 30-day scientific expedition.As the carbon in the seawater rises to the surface near Antarctica, it interacts with the atmosphere, ice, and microscopic plants and animals…
What Does Red Sea Disruption Mean for Europe's Economy?
Weeks of attacks by Iranian-backed Houthi militants on vessels in the Red Sea have disrupted shipping in the Suez Canal, the fastest sea route between Asia and Europe, carrying around 15% of global sea trade.For the European economy, already skirting a mild recession as it tries to shake off high inflation, prolonged trade disruption could derail plans by central banks to start cutting interest rates…
Baltic Workboats to Build Multipurpose Vessel for Estonia's State Fleet
Baltic Workboats announced it recently signed a contract to design and construct a new multipurpose vessel for scheduled delivery to the Estonian State Fleet in 2026.The new workboat will be deployed for regular buoy tender works, maintenance of waterways, scientific research, pollution monitoring and response and search and rescue missions in Estonian waters.Notably, the vessel will be Estonia’s first 100% alternatively fueled workboat that will use sustainable biomethane as the main fuel.
Offshore Wind Vessels Charging Study Gets Underway in Irish Sea
Maersk’s offshore vessel-charging venture Stillstrom has launched a collaborative study with EnBW and BP, the developers of the Morgan and Mona offshore wind farms, to assess the viability of integrating offshore charging solutions for service and crew transfer vessels for the two projects.The study will evaluate the operational, technical, and economic viability of integrating offshore charging solutions…
Aiming for Zero Waste Discharge to Sea
Advanced water treatment systems are just the start of the cruise industry’s circular waste processing ambitions.Advanced wastewater treatment systems (AWTS) were revolutionary in their day. Indeed, they still are today, but with 77% of the CLIA fleet (202 ships) already using them, and another 40 specified for vessels on order, even more ambitious waste management is coming.Martin Shutler, Principal Engineer…
INEOS FPS Picks Liebherr’s RL 650 Offshore Crane for Unity Platform
INEOS Forties Pipeline System (FPS) has selected Liebherr for the supply of a new Ram Luffing (RL) series offshore crane for its Unity Platform in the UK North Sea.After more than 30 years of service, the currently installed RL crane on the Unity Platform has run its course, and will be replaced by Liebherr’s RL 650 technology.The RL 650 crane, said to be particularly suitable for a Not Permanently Attended Installation (NPAI)…
Predictability, or “Call your Designated Responder Early and Often”
Predictability is the aim of every human, company, or society.Humanity simply strives to increase its level of predictability whether as a person, or as a group of people. When humans attain a certain level of predictability, their hope for the future goes up and their level of anxiety goes down.Oddly, conservatives and progressives both strive for predictability, they just do it in different ways. A conservative will say: If nothing changes, then my predictability for the future will go up.
Successful FAT of WINBS for UK Royal Navy
Anschütz completed the Factory Acceptance Test (FAT) of its Warship Integrated Navigation and Bridge System (WINBS) for the first ship of the new Type 31 Inspiration Class for the UK Royal Navy. Anschütz, as part of the Thales led T31 Missions Systems team, is delivering the first Integrated Bridge and Navigation System for the Babcock Type 31 Arrowhead 140 frigates in the New Year.The FAT was carried out by Anschuetz UK Ltd.…
AR Simulator Added to Pilot Training at Smartship Australia
Force Technology won a deal to deliver its SimFlex4 AR solution as part of an extensive upgrade for the Queensland-based maritime simulation and training facility, Smartship Australia, which focuses on professional pilotage training and development. Smartship's facility in Brisbane includes five marine simulators, including two full mission bridges, one Tug bridge, and two-part task simulators.FORCE…
Red Rock to Supply Cranes for New Nexans Aurora Cable Layer
Norwegian offshore crane supplier Red Rock has been hired once again by Ulstein Verft to deliver upgraded crane package for a new and updated version of the DP3 cable laying vessel (CLV) Nexans Aurora.The cable-laying vessel will feature a split turntable on deck capable of holding up to 10,000t of cable, an under-deck turntable with a 3,500t cable capacity.It will be one of the world’s most advanced cable layer vessels, measuring 31 meters in width and 149.9 meters in length.
Advanced Polymer Coatings Starts Factory Expansion
Protective tank coatings manufacturer Advanced Polymer Coatings (APC) announced an expansion of its factory, an investment central to its plans to increase its market share of the chemical and product tanker markets.APC President David Keehan said the renovation of its Avon, Ohio factory will almost double its size to 42,000 sq. ft., and a new automated manufacturing system will start production later this year…
Chemfleet to Fit 3 More Ships with Berg Upgrade for Fuel Efficiency
Turkish specialized ship manager Chemfleet has confirmed it would equip three more ships with an in-service Berg Propulsion upgrade after verifying 10% fuel savings with chemical tanker trials.According to Chemfleet, an in-service Berg Propulsion upgrade to control systems onboard the tanker YM Miranda yielded fuel savings of around 10%.Trials following the installation of Berg MPC800M control system onboard the 12…
