US Designates Three Marine Highway Projects
U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx has designated three new Marine Highway Projects. The Mississippi and Illinois Rivers, previously designated as the M-55 and M-35, connecting Chicago and Minneapolis to New Orleans, will serve as the primary routes for a new container-on-barge service being developed by communities along the rivers. The M-495 Potomac River Commuter Ferry Project will connect work and residential centers located along the Potomac…
Bollore Consortium Misses out on Cameroon's Kribi Port Shortlist
A consortium led by France's Bollore failed to make the final shortlist of firms vying to manage a new container terminal in Cameroon's southern port of Kribi, according…
BV Upgrades RAM Software
To help offshore operators and contractors get more out of their assets and develop projects more cost-effectively, Bureau Veritas has supercharged its reliability, availability and maintenance (RAM) software suite Optimize.“Low and falling energy prices focus attention onto the reliability, availability and maintenance (RAM) of both existing assets and plant and ongoing developments,” said Matthieu de Tugny, Senior Vice-President and head of offshore, Bureau Veritas.
Hospital Ship Up to Speed with AMOS
SpecTec will work with Mercy Ships to migrate its current system Business Suite to AMOS Enterprise Management Suite (EMS). Mercy Ships’ Africa Mercy, the world’s largest hospital ship, will receive a new update of the latest version of AMOS EMS, installing the Quality Management module. This will be followed with the migration of its existing modules from the current system. At the end of the project, the Africa Mercy will be fully integrated with new and existing modules.
ExxonMobil Debuts Premium AFME 200
To help shipowners meet strict new emission mandates, ExxonMobil expanded its range of fuels for use within Emission Control Areas (ECA) with the introduction of ExxonMobil Premium Advanced Fuel Marine ECA 200 (AFME 200). The fuel joins ExxonMobil Premium HDME 50 as part of a new category of marine fuel that has emerged as a result of the 2015 ECA sulfur limit of 0.10 percent. These low sulfur fuels help engineers safely and efficiently operate their main and auxiliary engines and boilers.
SENER Debuts Latest FORAN Release
At Sinaval-Eurofishing in Bilbao, Spain, Sener will present enhancements in the shipbuilding CAD/CAM system FORAN, in all disciplines (forms, naval architecture and general arrangement…
ABB's New Azipod Thruster
ABB has released details on its latest generation Azipod thruster, a unit which ranges in power from 1.6 megawatts to 7 megawatts (MW) and is intended to serve a growing electric propulsion market. (According to Clarkson’s Research, the number of vessels with electric propulsion has been growing at a pace of 12% per year over the last decade). ABB said a significant development is the fact that Azipod D will allow for a wider range of vessel types to use the innovative propulsion system.
Long Beach Picketers Not Striking -Port CEO
Port of Long Beach CEO Jon Slangerup issued a statement addressing the status of picketing truckers at the harbor, pointing out that the demonstration is not a strike.
Ecochlor BWTS
Ballast water treatment technology developer Ecochlor Inc. presented a project case study at CMA Shipping 2015, a case study which covered the retrofit of Ecochlor’s ballast water treatment system (BWTS) aboard the 2007-built RoRo car carrier vessel M/V Green Bay following an order from International Shipholding Corporation (ISH) in 2013. ISH ordered Ecochlor systems for seven of its ships, including vehicle carriers and bulk carriers, to be installed between 2014 and 2016.
GEA UV Ballast Water Treatment
Earlier this year GEA won the first contract for equipping cruise liners with its UV ballast water treatment system, BallastMaster marineX, powered by Trojan Marinex. The contract is to equip two new vessels with one BallastMaster marineX each, as well as an option for equipping a third. The IMO-certified system, with a throughput capacity of 500 cu. m./hr., features two-phase operation with mechanical pre-filtration and subsequent disinfection of the ballast water by UV treatment.
New Water Maker
ACO Marine launched a new water recovery system that is designed to give vessel owners greater capacity to reuse the treated effluent from wastewater treatment plants.
Sludge Management System
Scienco/FAST has introduced a new way to deal with sludge with its standard MarineFAST Marine Sanitation Device, which meets MEPC.159(55) or providing secondary treatment, incorporating about one month of internal sludge storage or three months with larger systems. For vessels requiring a longer period, the MarineFAST BMS provides an aerobic sludge digester with long term internal storage to extend the sludge storage.
Baltic Index Flat on Muted Shipping Activity
The Baltic Exchange's main sea freight index, which tracks rates for ships carrying dry bulk commodities, remained flat on Monday on muted shipping activity. The overall index…
Ballast Water Technology Installation & Innovative Drive Contols
Specifying for ballast water treatment systems can be a difficult process. Ian Hamilton, sales manager for marine electrical wiring control and instrumentation specialists CMR Group, offers guidance. Ballast water, which is used to maintain balance and stability when a ship is empty of cargo, has been identified as a key factor responsible for bringing invasive species of microorganisms into non-indigenous environments, causing a major threat to marine ecosystems.
E-Procurement Streamlined via the Cloud
Marine Procurement Solutions (MPS) has built an electronic platform that aims to enhance the purchasing cycle for the maritime industry. MPS provides software, consultancy services and other customized solutions through its Direct Connect e-procurement trading platform that is designed to unite buyers, vendors and other members of the supply chain via a cloud-based interface that allows users to electronically process requests for quotations…
IMO Forum Aims to Rebuild Somalia's Maritime Sector
A three-day Stakeholders Forum will be held April 27-29 to review draft guidelines for the establishment of a Somalia Maritime Administration, coordinated and funded by the International Maritime organization (IMO), is being hosted by the Kenya Maritime Authority at the Sarova Whitesands Beach Hotel, Mombasa, Kenya. According to the IMO, the event aims to develop a framework for establishing a Somalia…
Online BWM Tools Launched
A new online learning portal including a free e-learning course on the Operational Aspects of Ballast Water Management (BWM) was launched today by the GEF-UNDP-IMO GloBallast Partnerships Program and the Global Industry Alliance (GIA). The online tools have been developed by the GloBallast project, with financial support from the GIA to assist with the wider implementation of the International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships' Ballast Water and Sediments, 2004 (BWM Convention).
AAPA Elects Quinn as Chairman of the Board
The American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) elected Jim Quinn, president and CEO of New Brunswick, Canada’s Port Saint John, to serve as the international trade association’s chairman of the board for the 2015-16 activity year. Elected at AAPA’s 2015 Spring Conference on April 21, Quinn is slated to be installed as AAPA’s chairman for a one-year term on the final day of the association’s 104th Annual Convention, set for Nov. 2-4, 2015, in Miami.
BHGI-designed ATB Unit Under Construction
Bristol Harbor Group, Inc. (BHGI) informs it is currently completing the detail design phase of a 399’ x 74’ x 30’ 80,000 BBL double hull oil tank barge and a 120’ x 40’ x 18’- 6” twin screw ocean service tug. Both vessels are currently being built under ABS survey at Conrad Shipyard, L.L.C. in Amelia, La. with a 2015/2016 delivery date. The new ATB Gulf Venture and Gulf Carrier will be operated domestically and internationally by John W.
Scorpio Bulkers Sells Three Newbuilds for $111m
Scorpio Bulkers Inc. announced that it has entered into agreements to sell three newbuild dry bulk vessels, including two Capesize ships and an Ultramax ship, for…