Maritime Industry Top News
Grains Export Push to Boost Dry Bulk Shipping Market
Bumper soybean harvests in Brazil and unsold grains stocks in the United States are set to boost dry bulk shipping rates as buyers including China restock after supply shocks last year, leading freight operators said.The dry bulk shipping market has been hit in recent months by slow activity, partly driven by the COVID lockdowns in China, one of the world’s biggest generators of seaborne commodities…
Herman Senior Acquires ST Marine Support
Netherlands-based tug and workboat company Herman Senior has acquired all shares of maritime and offshore services provider ST Marine Support. The acquisition includes ST’s three existing vessels and their upcoming newbuild, a Damen Multi Cat 3313SD, which is expected to be delivered at the end of March this year. With the formal handover completed on February 23, the acquisition has come into effect retroactively as of January 1…
Techcross Establishes a 'Smart Factory'
Techcross is accelerating the completion of its smart process and the establishment of an AI-based database.Techcross completed the automation of its coating liquid mixing process at the end of last year after being selected for the ‘2021 Smart Factory Establishment and Advancement Project’, which was hosted by the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, and funded with approximately $550k. The key objective was to reduce errors by introducing an automation process for making the coating mixture…
SSY Acquires Westshore, Enters Offshore Sector
Simpson Spence Young (SSY) agreed on the terms to acquire Norwegian Westshore Shipbrokers AS, part of SSY’s strategy to enter into the global offshore sector. Based in Kristiansand, Norway, Westshore was launched in 1987.“This acquisition marks the first step in realising one of SSY’s key strategic objectives, to become a major global player in offshore," said tanko Jekov, SSY Managing Partner. "We…
OSK Group Fortifies Strategic Segment of OSK Defense
Danish ship designers OSK continue to cement its position within naval ship design with the establishment of OSK Defense – a strategic department solely designated to specialized naval design, both nationally and internationally. Heading the new department will be Commander Lars Povl Jensen, who has more than twenty years’ experience in international and arctic naval operations.In October 2022, the Danish government earmarked €5 billion for investments in the Royal Danish Navy.
Top Threats for the Marine Industry in 2023
Allianz just released its 12th Risk Barometer, an annual corporate risk survey incorporating the views of 2,712 risk management experts in 94 countries and territories, including CEOs, risk managers, brokers and insurance experts. The overall global results reveal Cyber incidents and Business interruption as the biggest company concerns for the second year in succession. Macroeconomic developments such as inflation…
VIDEO: Inmarsat's Latest Satellite Takes Flight from Cape Canaveral
Inmarsat has launched its latest I-6 F2 spacecraft from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.According to the mobile satellite communications specialist, which offers communications services in the air, at sea, and on land, the satellite launch saw I-6 F2 lift off from Cape Canaveral, Florida, reaching a top speed of almost 40,000km/h as it left Earth above central Africa.
Saipem to Use Biofuels on Drilling and Construction Vessels in Mediterranean Sea
Eni's subsidiary Eni Sustainable Mobility and offshore services company Saipem have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to utilize biofuels on Saipem's drilling and offshore construction vessels, focusing on operations in the Mediterranean Sea.Saipem, based in Italy, has a global fleet of 45 vessels for construction and drilling."The MoU represents an important milestone for Eni and Saipem…
ABS Verifies Non-flammable Blue G Battery System Design
Classification society ABS announced it has issued New Technology Qualification (NTQ) for non-flammable battery technology for use at sea.Called Blue G, the vanadium redox flow battery system from Gennal Engineering PTE LTD is now planned to move into prototype testing later this year.The Blue G battery is comprised of a water-based electrolyte solution, storage tank, stack cell and regulating pump.
Amogy to Test Maritime Ammonia-to-power Platform in Norway
Amogy Inc., developer of emissions-free ammonia power solutions, announced it has signed a letter of intent and a lease with Sustainable Energy Catapult Center to initiate testing operations for its 200kW ammonia-to-power platform at its recently-launched testing facility for new and sustainable energy solutions in Stord.Amogy announced the opening of its Stavanger, Norway headquarters and the appointment of Christian Berg as Managing Director of Amogy Norway in September 2022.
BAE Autonomous RIB Awarded LR Unmanned Marine Systems Certification
BAE Systems Autonomous Pacific 24 (AP24) Rigid Inflatable Boat (RIB) has been awarded Lloyd’s Register Unmanned Marine Systems (UMS) Certification. It is the first uncrewed naval vessel to achieve this certification, which verifies stringent safety and operational performance standards. The AP24 RIB was developed by BAE Systems for the UK Royal Navy under funding from the NavyX autonomy and lethality accelerator program, which aims to deliver new technology at pace.
Lack of Spotter Led to Crane Toppling Off Barge -NTSB
An incident involving a crane toppling off a barge in Virginia could have been avoided if a spotter was present to notice the crane being driven too far aft, and the cable system securing the crane to the barge failed, according to a recent report from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).While working on the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel expansion project near Norfolk on February 8, 2022, an onboard crawler crane fell off the construction barge Carolyn Skaves and into Willoughby Bay.
Supreme Court Sides With Offshore Worker in Overtime Case
An oil rig supervisor who earned more than $200,000 a year working for Houston-based Helix Energy Solutions Group Inc is entitled to overtime pay, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled on Wednesday in a decision with costly implications for the oil and gas industry.The court in a 6-3 decision authored by liberal Justice Elena Kagan decided that because the rig supervisor, Michael Hewitt, was paid a daily rate of $963 and not a salary…
Wilhelmsen Completes Vopak Agencies Acquisition
Wilhelmsen Port Services has completed its acquisition of Vopak Agencies first announced in October 2022.Vopak Agencies, which has now become a Wilhelmsen group company, is a specialist within both hub services and port agency in the tanker segments in Europe and has extensive experience within their field. As part of the transaction, Wilhelmsen has also acquired 50% of diize, a Vopak developed digital…
ABS Taps Koutsourakis to Head Its Sustainability Team
ABS has appointed Panos Koutsourakis to head its global sustainability team. Koutsourakis is an 18-year industry veteran who has key industry experience with shipping companies, classification, operations, design and new construction, decarbonization technologies and strategic planning.As Vice President, Global Sustainability, Koutsourakis heads-up a global network of sustainability centers in key maritime locations, including Singapore, Athens, Houston, Copenhagen and Shanghai.
Terminal Expansion Boosts Port of Vancouver Container Capacity
A recently completed terminal expansion project at Canada's Port of Vancouver is set to boost capacity amid projected cargo volume growth at the Canadian West Coast seaport.The Construction on the Centerm Expansion Project—delivered by the the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority in partnership with terminal operator DP World—allows Centerm to handle 60% more containers by increasing the terminal footprint by 15%.
UK Royal Navy's Experimental Ship Starts Sea Trials
The U.K. Royal Navy’s NavyX trials ship, XV (eXperimental Vessel) Patrick Blackett, left Portsmouth Naval Base to undergo sea acceptance trials - ensuring the vessel and its onboard equipment is fully functioning and ready to support innovative experimentation.The ship will be used by NavyX innovation and autonomy team to independently test and trial novel technologies, including unmanned underwater vehicles and unmanned surface vehicles…
U.S. Gov't Proposes First-ever Offshore Wind Lease Sale in Gulf of Mexico
The U.S. administration on Wednesday proposed the first-ever offshore wind lease sale in the Gulf of Mexico, as part of the government's plan to spur offshore wind deployment beyond the East Coast.The proposed sale is part of the leasing path announced by Secretary Haaland in 2021 to meet the Biden-Harris administration’s goal to deploy 30 gigawatts (GW) of offshore wind energy capacity by 2030 and…
MGBW Workers Complete In-house Welding Program
Marine Group Boat Works (MGBW), a family-owned boat repair and construction facility, is pleased to announce that 30 of its boatbuilders recently graduated from MGBW’s in-house Welding Certification Program. The Welding Program was launched in 2021 with support from a Small Shipyards Grant awarded by the U.S. Department of Transportation Maritime Administration (MARAD). In total, $859,250 was spent to develop the curriculum…
Squire Patton Boggs Partners with The Baltic Exchange
Law firm Squire Patton Boggs (SPB) has partnered with freight market information organization The Baltic Exchange to provide a vessel sale and purchase (S&P) transaction closing service for the global shipping industry. The service will be led by SPB’s 30-strong Commodities & Shipping Group co-chaired by Chris Swart and Barry Stimpson, and will be underpinned by the Baltic Exchange’s independent Singapore…
