Maritime Industry Top News
U.S. and Taiwan Navies Quietly Held Pacific Drills in April, Sources Say
![Sept. 20, 2022: Operations Specialist 2nd Class Quiana Jordan, from East Orange, New Jersey, stands tactical information coordinator watch in the combat information center of the guided-missile destroyer USS Higgins (DDG 76) transits through the Taiwan Strait. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Donavan K. Patubo)](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w200h200c/sept-20-2022-operations-specialist-150036.jpg)
The U.S. and Taiwan navies conducted joint drills in the Pacific in April that, officially, did not take place, four people briefed on the matter said, as the two militaries boost cooperation amid rising Chinese military threats.Washington and Taipei have been expanding their military cooperation in recent years amid almost daily Chinese incursions into Taiwan's air defence identification zone and drills by Chinese forces near the island.U.S.-Taiwan military engagement…
Partners Explore Medium-voltage Direct Current Power Systems on Ships
![Left tp right: Byoung-Hun Kwon, EVP, Digital Research Lab, HD KSOE; Bum-Woo Han, SVP, Initial Design Office, HD HHI; and Seong-Hun Kim, Director, Korea Business Development, ABS (Photo: ABS)](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w200h200c/left-tp-right-byounghun-kwon-150034.jpg)
Classification society ABS announced it is partnering with South Korean shipbuilders HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering Co., Ltd. (HD KSOE) and HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, Co., Ltd. (HHI) to explore the technical feasibility for medium-voltage direct current (MVDC) power systems on ships.Under a newly signed memorandum of understanding (MOU), the partners will collaborate on design assessment…
US Coast Guard Orders Two More Fast Response Cutters
![File photo: U.S. Coast Guard fast response cutter USCGC Clarence Sutphin Jr. (WPC 1147) transits the Strait of Hormuz in 2023. (Photo: Elliot Schaudt / U.S. Coast Guard)](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w200h200c/file-photo-us-coast-guard-150031.jpg)
The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) has opted to extend its Sentinel-Class Fast Response Cutters (FRC) build program, exercising a contract option with Bollinger Shipyards for two additional vessels.The move brings the total number of FRCs awarded to Bollinger up to 67 vessels since the program’s inception. To date, the U.S. Coast Guard has commissioned 55 FRCs into operational service.“We’re incredibly proud of our long history supporting the U.S.
Siem Offshore Rebrands as Sea1 Offshore Following Chairman Exit
![(File photo: Siem Offshore)](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w200h200c/file-photo-siem-offshore-150029.jpg)
Siem Offshore has changed its name to Sea1 Offshore followong an ownership change that saw the company's founder and chairman exit the Norwegian offshore support vessel (OSV) firm.Kristian Siem, longtime leader of Siem Offshore, stepped away earlier this year after reaching a deal to acquire nine vessels in exchange for his 35% stake in the company.The name has been formally registered in the Cayman Islands Registrar of Companies and change officially took effect May 7, 2024.
Orcas Sink Sailing Yacht in Strait of Gibraltar
![© Sabrina / Adobe Stock](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w200h200c/sabrina-adobe-stock-150028.jpeg)
An unknown number of orcas have sunk a sailing yacht after ramming it in Moroccan waters in the Strait of Gibraltar, Spain's maritime rescue service said on Monday, a new attack in what has become a trend in the past four years.The vessel Alboran Cognac, which measured 15 meters (49 feet) in length and carried two people, encountered the highly social apex predators, also known as killer whales, at 9 a.m.
NASSCO Christens Fifth Ship in US Navy's ESB Program
![(Photo: General Dynamics NASSCO)](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w200h200c/photo-general-dynamics-nassco-150027.jpg)
San Diego shipbuilder General Dynamics NASSCO recently christened USNS Robert E. Simanek (ESB 7), the fifth ship for the U.S. Navy’s Expeditionary Sea Base (ESB) program.The ESB ship class is a highly flexible platform designed to support multiple maritime-based missions. ESB ships are mobile sea-based assets and are a part of the critical access infrastructure that supports the deployment of forces, equipment, supplies, and warfighting capability.
Alert Systems Failed to Notify Crew in Fishing Vessel Fire -NTSB
![(Photo: U.S. Coast Guard)](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w200h200c/photo-us-coast-guard-150026.jpg)
A fishing vessel's fire detection and notification system failed to notify crewmembers when the stern trawler caught fire in Tacoma, Wash. last spring.The Kodiak Enterprise was docked at a Trident Seafoods facility in Tacoma when a fire broke out in its the dry stores room on April 8, 2023, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said in its recent report on the incident.A deckhand from a nearby vessel first saw the fire and reported it to a Trident security guard…
Salvors Set to Blast Collapsed Baltimore to Pieces
![Salvors prepare charges for upcoming precision cuts to remove section 4 from the port side of the bow of the containership Dali on May 7, 2024 (Photo: Christopher Rosario / USACE)](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w200h200c/salvors-prepare-charges-for-upcoming-150025.jpg)
U.S. crews in Baltimore plan to set off controlled explosions on Monday to allow them to remove a portion of the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge from the bow of the massive container ship that toppled the span in March.The detonations will break the bridge's truss into small sections, enabling salvage crews to use cranes and barges to haul away the twisted metal wreckage, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said.
Tianjin Port Adds Two New 'Intelligent' Tugs
![(Photo: Robert Allan Ltd.)](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w200h200c/photo-robert-allan-ltd-150024.jpg)
China's Tianjin Port last month held a naming ceremony for its two latest "intelligent" tugs, Jingang Lun 36 and Jingang Lun 37.The new RAmparts 3500 ASD tugs were designed by Robert Allan Ltd. and built by Jiangsu Zhenjiang Shipyard, and their delivery makr sthe culmination of a project initiated between the designer and the port technical department back in 2022.The 34.6-meter-long (LOA) vessels…
Stena Line Announces Management Changes
![Paul Grant and Johan Edelman (Photo: Stena Line)](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w200h200c/paul-grant-and-johan-edelman-150023.png)
Swedish ferry operator Stena Line on Monday announced changes to its management team amid a shift to a two-region structure in its Irish Sea operations, effective June 1, 2024. Paul Grant will assume responsibility as Trade Director for Irish Sea North, overseeing operations from Belfast. In addition, Grant will join the main board of Stena Line (UK) Ltd. and serve as Stena Line’s representative on…
Elliott Bay Design Group, ioCurrents Partner to Drive Maritime Innovation
![From left to right: Cosmo King, co-founder & CIO, ioCurrents; Mike Complita, director of strategic expansion, EBDG; Will Roberts, CEO, ioCurrents; and Robert Ekse, president, EBDG (Photo: EBDG)](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w200h200c/from-left-to-right-cosmo-150021.png)
Naval architecture and marine engineering firm Elliott Bay Design Group (EBDG) on Monday announced it is teaming up with data analytics company ioCurrents to help drive innovation in the maritime industry.Under a newly signed memorandum of understanding (MOU), the partners have established a collaborative framework to explore new ideas for collecting and evaluating operating and performance data to reduce vessel cost, emissions and other potential benefits to the maritime industry.
Workshop to Examine Baltic Sea's Operational and Geopolitical Challenges
![The Polish Naval Academy in Gdynia will host the 2024 Littoral OpTech workshop. (Photo: Polish Naval Academy)](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w200h200c/the-polish-naval-academy-in-150020.jpg)
Experts to convene in Poland to examine operational and geopolitical challenges in Baltic Sea at Littoral OpTech WorkshopThe Polish Naval Academy in Gdynia, Poland will host the 2024 Littoral OpTech workshop to explore the current trends regarding the operational, economic and geo-political environment in and around the Baltic Sea.The Polish Naval Academy was established in 1922, and has been in continuous operation since then…
Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Net-Zero Maritime Center Adds Academia Partners
![(Credit: Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping)](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w200h200c/credit-mrsk-mckinney-mller-center-150019.jpg)
The Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping has welcomed new, including University of Michigan, Maritime Research Alliance, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) and World Maritime University, in a move to foster interdisciplinary collaboration between industry and academia.The introduction of Academic Partners marks a strategic expansion of the center's partnership platform…
Cyan Renewables, Hyundai to Set Up Offshore Wind Vessel Suply Chain in South Korea
![(Credit: Cyan Renewables)](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w200h200c/credit-cyan-renewables-150016.jpg)
Cyan Renewables, a portfolio company of Seraya Partners, has entered into a strategic collaboration with Hyundai Asset Management to establish a robust vessel supply with strong local content for South Korea's offshore wind market.Cyan Renewables, an international maritime operator specializing in offshore wind support vessels, has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Hyundai Asset Management…
Fit for Refit: Castoldi Launches 400HCT Turbodrive Waterjet
![Castoldi launched the latest in a new range of hydrodynamically optimized waterjets; the Turbodrive 400 HCT. Image courtesy Castoldi](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w200h200c/castoldi-launched-the-latest-in-150014.jpg)
Castoldi launched the latest in a new range of hydrodynamically optimized waterjets; the Turbodrive 400 HCT.With a 400 mm jet housing, hydraulic gearbox/clutch and high thrust efficiency, the Turbodrive 400 HCT was designed using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) software.The development of the new family of Castoldi HCT waterjets started 12 years ago and according to Giacomo Castoldi, owner at Castoldi S.r.l.
Maris Fiducia Finds Industry Partners for Hydrogen-Powered Bulk Shipping
![(Credti: Hav Group)](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w200h200c/credti-hav-group-150012.jpg)
Maris Fiducia Norway has entered into cooperation agreements with maritime technology company HAV Hydrogen and the hydrogen producer and distributor Norwegian Hydrogen with the objective of developing, building and operating hydrogen-powered dry-bulk vessels in Europe.The vessels are being designed by the Dutch ship designer Ankerbeer. Upon successful completion of the project, the vessels will go on hire through a zero-emission time charter agreement with Schulte & Bruns…
Black & Veatch Completes Feasibility Study for Colombia’s New LNG Terminal
![© Photopia Studio / Adobe Stock](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w200h200c/photopia-studio-adobe-stock-150009.jpeg)
Black & Veatch has completed a feasibility study for the planned Andes Energy Terminal, a liquefied natural gas (LNG) regasification terminal and power plant.The study assessed site suitability, project design requirements, capital and operating costs, financial viability, financing options, climate resilience, and implementation and construction plans.Beginning with a site assessment that focused on the landscape of the area…
Cadeler Secures Up to $140M in Vessel Agreements with Equinor and Polenergia
![(Credit: Cadeler)](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w200h200c/credit-cadeler-150007.jpg)
Danish offshore wind installation firm Cadeler has secured vessel reservation agreements with Equinor and Polenergia joint ventures MFW Bałtyk II and MFW Bałtyk III, marking the first contract between the companies.Both MFW Bałtyk II and MFW Bałtyk III are 50% owned by Equinor and 50% by Polenergia.The aggregate potential value of the contracts to be negotiated during the pendency of the vessel reservation…
Eco Edison: First US-built SOV Christened
![ECO Edison (Photo: Ørsted)](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w200h200c/eco-edison-photo-rsted-150033.jpg)
The first-ever American-built, owned, and crewed offshore wind service operations vessel (SOV) was christened during a ceremony on Saturday in the Port of New Orleans.Edison Chouest Offshore's (ECO) recently completed ECO Edison will play an integral part of the operation and maintenance of Ørsted and Eversource’s South Fork Wind, Revolution Wind and Sunrise Wind projects as the U.S. offshore wind industry continues to ramp up in the U.S.
Body Camera Video Captures First Reactions to Baltimore Bridge Collapse
![(Photo: Theodore C. Lee / U.S. Navy)](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w200h200c/photo-theodore-c-lee-us-150002.jpg)
Body camera video captured the shocked reactions of first responders in the aftermath of the collapse of a Baltimore bridge in March in which six men were killed.The recordings, obtained by local media on Friday, offer a snapshot of the incredulity of officers from the Maryland Natural Resources Police as they approached the site where the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore collapsed."Dude, this is fucking bad…