Maritime Industry Top News
Ukraine Warns of Mines Drifting Along Black Sea Coast Due to Storm
Shipping and coastal communities around Ukraine's major seaport hub of Odesa received a warning from military officials on Tuesday over the high risk of naval mines drifting along the coast and washing ashore. Ukraine and Russia have accused each other of using mines off the Ukrainian coast, which prevents safe navigation in the region. The Soviet-made mines were anchored, but in a storm some of them could come loose and be carried by the current.
Training Tips for Ships: Is it ‘Real’ or is it …
We’ve all been hearing so incredibly much about ChatGPT - its abilities, limitations, potential, promise and risks. So, let’s talk about it as it relates to maritime training.ChatGPT is an application developed by OpenAI that can generate human-like text. It uses deep learning algorithms to understand and generate text and can be fine-tuned to specific tasks such as language translation, question answering, and text summarization.
Austal USA Opens San Diego Ship Repair Facility
Austal USA celebrated the opening of its new San Diego waterfront ship repair facility.The shipyard, located adjacent to Naval Base San Diego, will provide full-service repair, maintenance and modernization services for small surface combatants, unmanned and autonomous vessels, and auxiliary ships.Since finalizing an agreement for the property over a year ago, Austal USA has invested more than $100 million in facility upgrades and a new floating dry dock to transform the facility.
Eco Marine Power Inks Deal on Joint Eco Ship Study
A "major shipping company" based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Eco Marine Power Co., Ltd. (EMP) of Japan have agreed to undertake a joint Eco Ship technical study related to renewable energy solutions for ships including Aquarius Marine Solar Power, EnergySail and Aquarius MRE, according to EMP. The study will also include investigating innovative methods to improve energy efficiency onboard…
VR Headsets Provide 'Immersive' Training for Royal Navy
A new suite of navigation simulators for the Royal Navy will be rolled out this year as part of Project Selborne’s modernization of Royal Navy training.The Kongsberg Digital simulation technology is designed to ensure that Royal Navy personnel can maximize operational effectiveness in all types of situations, from single unit pilotage through to Replenishment at Sea and Task Group maneuvers, day and night and in all weather conditions.
KOTUG Canada, GIT Team to Cut Underwater Radiated Noise
KOTUG Canada has applied "revolutionary non-toxic noise reduction coatings" to the hull of one of its vessels, the K.J. Gardner.KOTUG Canada used Graphite Innovation and Technologies' (GIT) XGIT-URN coating to help reduce underwater radiated noise emitted from the ship’s hull and the vibrations that disturb marine life.K.J. Gardner is the first of three vessels using the GIT applications in support of KOTUG Canada’s mission to reduce the impact on the environment…
Feeder Container Sectors Helps Turn Ship Recycle Market
An increase in the flow of tonnage has begun to buoy recycling markets and all potential locations are increasingly trying to secure vessels, in order to satisfy an progressively rampant demand that has built up over a record low influx of tonnage during a dreadfully quiet 2022.India continues to remain the primary focus due to their far more stable market conditions and ability to finance new L/Cs…
Kongsberg Kit for Italy's Submarine Rescue Ship
Kongsberg Maritime will provide a suite of equipment to a newbuild ship dubbed SDO-SuRS (Special and Diving Operations - Submarine Rescue Ship) to be built by the Italian shipyard T.Mariotti for Marina Militare Italiana (The Italian Navy).Central to this order are a pair of Kongsberg Elegance propulsion pods, direct electric permanent magnet motor driven pods matched with a Kongsberg electric power system…
Shipbuilding: ACBL Inks Deal to Build Tier 4 Towboat
Jeffersonville, Ind. based American Commercial Barge Line (ACBL) announced it has signed a contract with Bayou La Batre, Ala. shipbuilder Steiner Construction Company for the design and construction of a new EPA Tier 4 retractable towboat.“Investing in our future is a key part of ACBL’s strategy. We are proud to introduce the first Tier 4 Mitsubishi engines to the marine industry,” said Mike Ellis, CEO, ACBL.
First Azeri Oil Leaves Turkey's Ceyhan Since Quakes
The Nordlotus sailed from Turkey's Ceyhan oil export hub loaded with Azeri crude on Monday, the first such shipment since earthquakes hit the region on Feb. 6, ship…
Passenger Vessels: Rising to the Challenge
Interferry CEO Mike Corrigan explains the driving forces behind the global trade association’s imperative to keep its foot on the gas.Interferry and its members scaled some demanding peaks in 2022 but, to state the obvious, our work is never done. Facing an equally busy schedule of challenges and opportunities in the year ahead, we need to keep climbing – a truism that has been memorably expressed…
Maersk Sues Evergreen Over Suez Canal Blockage
Shipping group Maersk said on Monday it had filed a lawsuit against the owner and operator of container ship Ever Given, which blocked the Suez Canal for six days in 2021, claiming compensation for delays caused by the incident.The Danish company did not disclose the size of the claim or when it was filed. The news was first reported by industry media ShippingWatch.dk."Maersk has raised a claim against Evergreen…
Venezuela to Contract for Two Iran-built Oil Tankers to Expand Fleet
Venezuela will contract with an Iranian shipyard to build two oil tankers under an existing construction agreement bedeviled by payment delays and difficulties with needed certifications, according to people familiar with the matter and documents.Venezuela’s state-run energy firm PDVSA since last year has redoubled efforts to buy and lease oil tankers to rebuild its own fleet. Its maritime operations have suffered from a long-standing lack of capital and U.S.
Austal Delivers Fourth Evolved Cape-class Patrol Boat to Australian Navy
Austal Limited is pleased to announce Austal Australia has delivered the fourth of eight Evolved Cape-class Patrol Boats (ECCPB’s) to the Royal Australian Navy. The vessel, ADV Cape Capricorn, was officially accepted by the Commonwealth of Australia.Austal CEO Paddy Gregg said the delivery of the fourth ECCPB highlighted Austal’s consistency in production and efficiencies at the Henderson shipyard.“Austal…
Miller Boat Line Receives Grant for Ferry Genset Refits
Great Lakes ferry operator Miller Boat Line announced it has received grant funding from the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that will help it to reduce diesel emissions from its vessels.The $239,339 grant will cover approximately 40% of the replacement cost for seven (model year 1982-1996) diesel generator sets with Northern Lights model M50T13L generators on four ferries, the Ohio-based company said.The ferry Islander will receive one new genset…
AIMS Selects Naval Architects to Design its New Research Vessel
The Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) has selected a team of naval architecture and engineering firms to design its new state-of-the-art research vessel. The design team, led by U.S.-based Glosten, includes One2three Naval Architects from Sydney and Maritime Survey Australia (MSA) from Melbourne.The new vessel will be bigger and more capable than its predecessor, with a larger working deck…
OCIMF Updates Safety Guide for Tank Barges and Terminals
Oil Companies International Marine Forum (OCIMF) and the inland navigation sector with the support of the Central Commission for the Navigation of the Rhine (CCNR) have collaborated with other European organizations to produce the second edition of the International Safety Guide for Inland Navigation Tank-barges and Terminals (ISGINTT).The purpose of ISGINTT is to improve the safe transport of dangerous…
New York Offshore Wind Facility Could Create 420 Direct Jobs
Wind turbine maker Siemens Gamesa said Monday it planned to build a major offshore nacelle manufacturing facility in New York state. The construction of the plant depends on Siemens Gamesa's wind turbines being selected by the New York authorities in their third offshore wind solicitation. The planned facility would be located at the Port of Coeymans. According to Siemens Gamesa, the facility would create up to about 420 direct jobs…
Golden Ocean Acquires Six Bulk Carriers
Dry bulk shipowner Golden Ocean Group on Monday announced it has entered into an agreement to acquire six 208,000 deadweight tons (dwt) Newcastlemax vessels for a total consideration of $291 million.
Offshore Support Vessels in High Demand as Solstad Secures New Deals, Extensions
Norwegian offshore support vessel owner Solstad Offshore said Monday it had secured multiple new contracts and contract extensions.The contracts and extensions are for various platform supply vessels and anchor handling tug supply vessels."The contracts have a combined firm duration of approximately 10 vessel years and will support various clients in the global markets. The contracts will be executed…
