Austal to Develop Hydrogen-fueled High-speed Ferry
Australian shipbuilding group Austal will develop a high-speed that runs on hydrogen fuel under a recently signed memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Sweden's Gotlandsbolaget (Gotland Company).A 130-meter-long high-speed catamaran able to operate on hydrogen and other fossil-free fuels, the new vessel Horizon X will be able to run at 35 knots, while transporting 1,650 passengers and up to 450 vehicles.Håkan Johansson, CEO of Gotland, said, ”This is an important step in our climate journey.
A Proposal for a Small Change in Lloyds Open Form
In February Gard published the results of its review of Lloyds Open Form (LOF). Their review indicated a disturbing reduction in the number of LOF contracts, and noted some other concerns with regard to loss of use of LOF in salvage situations.Lloyds Open Form is a classic and, in my mind, cherished, example of the core beauty of maritime. It combines a large number of maritime concepts into a simple…
Credit Suisse Wins $41 Million Superyacht Lawsuit Against Saudi Prince
Swiss lender Credit Suisse has won a $41 million lawsuit against a member of the Saudi royal family over a loan to refinance a super yacht, with London’s High Court ruling there was no viable defense to the bank’s case.Prince Fahad bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz al Saud is liable to pay his company Burgundy Sea Ltd’s debts to Credit Suisse, Judge Robert Bright said in a written ruling.The judge had ruled in Credit Suisse’s favor without a trial at a hearing last month…
Turkey Launches Its First Amphibious Assault Ship
Turkey launched its first amphibious assault ship on Monday, aiming to extend its drone capabilities from land-based to naval operations amid increased regional tensions as war rages in Ukraine on the other side of the Black Sea.The TCG Anadolu can handle only light aircraft, chiefly helicopters and jets that can take off from shorter runways. It is 232 meters long and 32 meters wide, and can carry some 1…
Truckable Tug Joins the Curtin Maritime Fleet
California-based Curtin Maritime Corp. announced it has added a truckable tug to its fleet.The vessel, Edna C, will initially be deployed in Houston, where it will work alongside the DB Ironbound, a multi-functional ABS barge paired with a Lima 2400B 150-ton crawler crane.After several months, the tug will be transported to California for a repower, and it will eventually be used to support Curtin Maritime's operations in San Diego…
CMA CGM Places $3 Billion Shipbuilding Order in China
French container shipping line CMA CGM has ordered 16 containerships from China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC) in a record-setting deal worth upward of $3 billion.The 21 billion Yuan ($3.06 billion) shipbuilding order, said to be the largest ever placed for containerships in China, is for 12 methanol dual-fuel 15,000 TEU vessels and four liquefied natural gas (LNG) duel-fuel 23,000 TEU vessels.The 15…
Fishing Vessel Catches Fire in Tacoma, Wash.
A shelter in place order has been lifted as a large fishing vessel fire begins to die down in Tacoma, Wash.Fire broke out on board the factory trawler Kodiak Enterprise early Saturday morning, progressing throughout the ship while moored at Trident Seafoods in the Hylebos Waterway, according to the U.S. Coast Guard.The City of Tacoma Fire Department is issuing a temporary shelter in place order for Northeast Tacoma…
BAE Systems Begins Building UK's New Frigate in Scotland
Construction on the U.K. Royal Navy's future HMS Birmingham has officially commenced at BAE Systems’ Govan shipyard in Glasgow.Work on the first three Type 26 ships is well under way with HMS Glasgow now at BAE Systems’ Scotstoun shipyard to have her complex systems installed, HMS Cardiff currently being assembled and HMS Belfast in its early construction phase. HMS Birmingham is the first ship to be constructed under a £4.2 billion contract for the remaining five ships secured in November…
LNG Dual-fuel Chemical Tanker Launched for Fairfield
Japan's Fukuoka Shipbuilding has launched a new chemical tanker for U.S. based shipping company Fairfield Chemical Carriers (FCC).The newly built Fairchem Pioneer is FCC's first liquefied natural gas (LNG) dual-fuel stainless steel chemical tanker. According to FCC, the vessel's LNG propulsion technology reduces carbon dioxide emissions by up to 25% compared to traditional marine fuels.The ship is the first of two 26…
Italy's Coastguard Works to Rescue 1,200 Migrants Drifting at Sea
The Italian coastguard is carrying out operations to rescue two boats carrying a total of 1,200 people, it said on Monday, after a surge in the number of migrants crossing the Mediterranean from North Africa over the weekend.One of the boats, which is carrying 400 people and is in the Ionian Sea off the coast of Calabria, southern Italy, had previously been sighted in Maltese waters.Earlier on Monday, German NGO Sea-Watch International, which had located the fishing boat with one of its planes,
Brennan Named Director of NOAA’s National Hurricane Center
NOAA has selected Mike Brennan, Ph.D., to serve as the next director of NOAA’s National Hurricane Center (NHC) in Miami, as preparations continue ahead of the 2023 hurricane season. He will assume this new role effective today, April 10, 2023.“The NHC director is one of the most visible and important jobs in the nation, and Mike possesses the right combination of experience, leadership and personal traits to prepare and guide us through major storms…
HOST Names Adams Director of HSE
T. Parker Host (HOST) announced it has appointed Jarred Adams as its new director of health, safety and environment (HSE). Adams is a native of the New Orleans region and brings with him more than a decade of experience developing standardized safety systems and programs to strengthen workplace safety.Adams will oversee the company’s workplace safety programs, ensure proper employee training and manage compliance with federal, state, and local regulations.
Ailing Towboat Captain Medevaced in Texas
An ailing towboat captain was medevaced from a U.S. flagged vessel near Port Aransas, Texas, Sunday, the U.S. Coast Guard said.The Coast Guard said its watchstanders at Sector Corpus Christi received a medevac request at 10:49 p.m. Saturday from the Corpus Christi Harbor Master's Office stating the 59-year-old captain of the towing vessel Endurance was experiencing abdominal pain and nausea. Watchstanders consulted with the duty flight surgeon…
Top US Shipping Gateway Mostly Closes Due to Port Worker Shortage
A shortage of West Coast port workers has forced the busiest U.S.
Pascagoula River Dredging Underway
Dredging operations are underway on the Pascagoula River in Pascagoula, Miss., and the U.S. Coast Guard is urging mariners in the area to exercise caution.The Mike Hooks cutter suction dredge E.
Critical Thinking Matters on the Bridge
One of the most important skills a ship’s officer should possess is their ability to recognize when something is out of place. If you don’t apply a lot of thought to what you are doing, recognizing your mistakes becomes nearly impossible. Thought is required in every step of every process performed on the bridge.With all the modern appliances we use for navigation and collision avoidance today, it…
ICS Publishes New Medical Guide for Ships
Given the remote nature of shipping, seafarers know that their life may sometimes depend on at-hand practical information readily available during the first crucial moments after an on board medical emergency arises. Medical guidance covering illness, injuries and other health issues needs to be readily available as a vital aid to saving lives, in fact, international regulations call for a medical guide to be carried on commercial ships that do not have a doctor on board…
Chinese Fishing Crews Ensnared in Taiwan Tensions
As China sends warships and fighter jets to the Taiwan Strait after a U.S. visit by Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen, deemed a separatist by Beijing, fishing crews plying the narrow waterway say they fret more about their livelihood than politics.For years, Chinese fishermen trawling for fish, shrimp and crab have played cat and mouse with Taiwanese authorities as they closely track boats that near the…
Malaysia Defends Its Energy Ops in the South China Sea
Malaysia said on Saturday it was firmly committed to protecting its sovereign rights and interests in the South China Sea after China expressed concern about Malaysian energy projects in a part of the sea that China also claims.Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said China was worried about activity by the state energy firm Petronas in a part of the South China Sea that Malaysia says is its territory.Anwar said he was open to negotiations with China…
