US House Passes Ocean Shipping Reform Act
The U.S. House of Representatives approved legislation Monday to improve oversight of ocean shipping, which supporters say will help curb inflation and ease export backlogs. The bill was approved 369-42 and will head to the White House for President Joe Biden's signature. Biden said in a statement he looked forward to signing it into law.The bill would boost the investigatory authority of the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC), the U.S.
Barge Sinks in Kentucky Lock
Officials are working to clear a barge that sunk in Kentucky Lock’s chamber on Saturday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said.The barge carrying gravel hung on the miter sill of the lock, which caused the bow to tip and take on water, lockmaster Caleb Skinner said.Both deckhands that were working at the time remained unharmed during the incident, which occurred at approximately 7:30 a.m.The owner of the barge…
WETA's New Ferry Enters Service in San Francisco
A new high-speed passenger vessel entered service for the San Francisco Bay Area Water Emergency Transportation Authority (WETA) on Monday.The newbuild, Dorado, is the first in a series of four new ferries being built for WETA by Mavrik Marine in La Conner, Wash. Construction on the second vessel in the Dorado class, Delphinus, is underway. Vessel construction was funded through the Federal Transit…
UN Launches Public Fundraiser to Prevent Yemen Tanker Oil Spill
The United Nations has launched a public crowdfunding drive that aims to raise $5 million towards an operation to avoid an oil spill from a decaying tanker stranded off the coast of Yemen, a U.N. official said on Monday.The United Nations has secured some $60 million out of $80 million needed to initially offload the Safer tanker which holds 1.1 million barrels - four times as much oil as spilled during…
Lyon Shipyard Wins USNS Narragansett Repair Work
Lyon Shipyard Inc., in Norfolk, Va. has been awarded a $13,489,440 firm-fixed-price contract to provide the management, technical, procurement, production, testing and quality assurance necessary to plan, prepare and execute all maintenance, repair and alterations required to complete the docking phased maintenance availability onboard the USNS Narragansett (TSV-4), the U.S. Department of Defense announced.Work will be performed in Norfolk…
Port of Helsinki Aims to Be Carbon Neutral by 2030
The Port of Helsinki announced it is tightening the timeline for its carbon neutrality program and is now aiming to be carbon neutral by 2030.“We will minimize our own energy consumption through modernizing heating, moving to LED lighting and increasing self-produced solar power,” said Andreas Slotte, head of sustainable development at the Port of Helsinki.“Furthermore, we will acquire the additional energy we need from zero-carbon sources.
Ocean Yield Buys Methanol-ready Containership
Norwegian shipowner Ocean Yield announced it has agreed to purchase a 5,500 TEU containership under construction at HJ Shipbuilding in South Korea. The vessel is built with a design enabling it to be converted to dual fuel operation with methanol as fuel.The newbuild is scheduled to be delivered in November 2023.Upon delivery, the vessel will commence a seven-year time charter contract to Israeli ocean carrier ZIM…
New Hybrid Self-discharging Coaster Will Offer "Zero Emission" Port Calls
EST-Floattech has been contracted by Hoogendijk Electric to design and deliver the complete battery system for Hagland Pioneer, the third newbuild hybrid coaster for Norwegian shipping company Hagland, currently being built at Royal Bodewes shipyard and due for delivery halfway 2023.EST-Floattech’s battery system enables the 5,000-DWT self-discharging bulk carrier to make zero-emission port calls.
Alabama Pilots Order Second Launch from Gladding-Hearn
The Alabama Pilot, Inc. in Mobile, Ala., has ordered its second Chesapeake Class high-speed pilot boat from Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding, Duclos Corporation. Delivery of the new 53-footer is set for mid-2023. Delivery of its first Chesapeake launch, Dixey, was in 2017.With a length overall of 53.6’, a beam of 17.8’, and a draft of 4.6’, the all-aluminum pilot boat features the Ray Hunt Design deep-V hull.
Charred Passenger Vessel Spirit of Norfolk Towed to Shipyard for Inspection
The fire-stricken passenger vessel Spirit of Norfolk was towed on Sunday to Colonna's Shipyard where U.S. Coast Guard and National Transportation Safety Board investigators will continue work to determine what ignited the blaze.The fire, which broke out aboard the 169-foot-long yacht style passenger vessel last Tuesday, was confirmed extinguished as of 9:58 a.m. Saturday, the Coast Guard said. Officials…
Avenir Delivers LNG & BioLNG to TT-Line in Lübeck
Avenir LNG announced its wholly owned subsidiary Avenir Marine has organized the first LNG and BioLNG delivery in the Port of Lübeck, Germany. On June 10, the chilled fuel was bunkered into TT-Line’s new RoPax ferry Nils Holgersson at the Scandinavian quay of the Baltic Sea port.To execute the operation Avenir teamed up with LIQUIND 24/7 GmbH, a leading German LNG infrastructure provider, and Landwärme GmbH, one of Europe’s leading biomethane traders.
Innovative CTV Launched for Seacat Services
A first-of-its-kind crew transfer vessel (CTV) has been launched by U.K. shipbuilder Diverse Marine for offshore crew transfer specialist Seacat Services.The multihull newbuild, Seacat Columbia, is the first BARTech30 CTV designed by BAR Technologies in partnership with Chartwell Marine. The 30-meter-long features BAR Technologies' FOSS (foil optimized stability system), which enhances seakeeping and reduces fuel usage and emissions…
Ship Recycling Markets Settles at the $600/ton Range
After the recent falls sustained across all sub-continent recycling markets, there does seem to be a new floor in the low $600s/LDT that has been reached.As expected, there have been instances of opportunistic offerings below the $600/LDT mark. However, very few sales (if any) have taken place in the high $500s/LDT, as there remain virtually no potential units to offer to Recyclers at these lower levels.If any new sales do take place in the weeks ahead…
Argentinian Polar Icebreaker Project Kicks Off
Finnish engineering firm Aker Arctic announced it has signed a deal with Argentinian shipbuilder Tandanor Shipyard to finalize the basic engineering design of a new polar vessel for Argentina. The project officially kicked off in Buenos Aires in May 2022.Aker Arctic had developed the concept design in 2014, but the project was shelved while awaiting the most appropriate way to follow on into the shipbuilding phase.Recently…
Richard M. McCool Jr. (LPD 29) Christened
HII announced that its Ingalls Shipbuilding division christened the company’s 13th amphibious transport dock, Richard M. McCool Jr. (LPD 29), constructed for the U.S. Navy.“For nearly two decades, we have had the opportunity to build these amphibious ships, and we look forward to continuing this journey with such a valued partner,” Ingalls Shipbuilding President Kari Wilkinson said. “Today we reflect on Richard M.
Suez Canal Says LNG, LPG Carrier Rebates Extended to End of 2022
Egypt's Suez Canal has extended rebates on canal tolls for liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers from July until the end of the year, the canal authority said in circulars published on its website.LPG tankers operating between the American Gulf and ports west of India, on the Maldives islands and at Kochi will receive a rebate of 20% on the canal's normal tolls, according to a circular published on its website on Monday.Those operating from ports east of Kochi to
Demand Grows for OSVs in the Offshore Floating Production and Storage Energy Sector
Over the last year we have seen an upswing in floating production and storage systems ordering after many years of low activity. According to our colleagues at World Energy Reports, “The global oil and natural gas markets are contending with rebounding energy demand on top of supply disruptions from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. As a result, activity and business sentiment in the floating production…
CTO in Focus: Henrik Stiesdal, Wind Power Pioneer
Wind power pioneer Henrik Stiesdal built his first wind turbine in 1978. It was one of Denmark’s first step towards becoming a wind energy powerhouse, with Stiesdal regularly at the helm. He’s now got wider climate initiatives in his sights, including industrializing floating offshore wind. He reflected with OE’s Elaine Maslin.By 2021, a total of 35 GW of offshore wind had been installed across the world.