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06 Mar 2024

Explosion Reported Near US-Owned Cargo Ship Off Yemen

© Kalyakan / Adobe Stock

An explosion in the vicinity of a Barbados-flagged, U.S.-owned cargo ship off the port of Aden in southern Yemen was reported by a nearby vessel, British security firm Ambrey said on Wednesday.The ship, located approximately 57 nautical miles southwest of Aden, was hailed by an entity declaring itself to be the "Yemeni Navy" and ordered to alter course, Ambrey said.Vessels in the vicinity reported a loud bang and a large plume of smoke, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) agency said.Houthi militants in Yemen have launched drone and missile attacks on shipping in the Red Sea…

12 Feb 2024

Future Ships: Picture Perfect

(Image: Siemens)

Big data, advanced computers and AI are allowing vessel designers to prepare models that leave essentially nothing to chance.“Lastly, it may be of considerable importance to form from the draught a block model of the vessel from which a still more accurate judgment may be formed of the fitness and beauty of the body. And should any defect be discovered, farther alterations must still be made, till the draught and the model are perfectly approved of. These different alterations and repeated calculations may appear very tedious…

30 Dec 2023

UKMTO Receives Report of Incident Near Hodeidah Port

© AytugAskin / Adobe Stock

United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) on Saturday received a report of an incident approximately 55 nautical miles (nM) south west of Yemen's Hodeidah port where "the master reported a loud bang and a flash on the port bow of the vessel."The vessel is proceeding to the next port of call, UKMTO said in an advisory note.Authorities are investigating and vessels are advised to transit with caution, UKMTO added.Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis, who control much of Yemen including the capital Sanaa…

09 Aug 2023

The "KISS Principle" & Managing, Measuring Ship Emissions

Copyright Vitaly/AdobeStock

HydroComp is a well-established, small engineering firm focused on hydrodynamic and propulsion system simulation, providing design tools for engineers and naval architects to focus on vessel performance, including emissions. Don MacPherson, HydroComp’s long-tenured Technical Director, discusses the impacts of tightening emissions regulations, with insights on maximizing new vessel designs and refits.Don, maritime has been in the crosshairs of regulators to reduce emissions. What do you see as the top new regulatory issues that are impacting ship and boat design…

25 May 2023

Wrong Size Bearing Led to Engine Failure and Fire on Supply Vessel

Ocean Guardian pictured before the fire. (Source: Stabbert Maritime Group)​

An incorrectly sized bearing led to an engine failure and fire last year onboard the offshore supply vessel Ocean Guardian, reports the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).On May 27, 2022, the vessel was conducting a sea trial in Shilshole Bay when its no. 3 diesel generator engine suffered a mechanical failure, resulting in an engine room fire that caused $1.1 million in damages.After maintenance was completed on all four main diesel generator engines in January and February 2022, full-function tests of vessel systems were conducted in open waters.

01 Mar 2023

India Coal is Back in Business

Copyright Parilov/AdobeStock

India's coal industry celebrated the return of its major conference after a three-year pandemic hiatus by presenting a bullish view of demand, rising supply from new mines and strong demand for imports."King coal is coming back and coming with a big bang," Anil Kumar Jha, the chairman of Jindal Power Ltd., told the Coaltrans India conference, held this week for the first time since February 2020.The sentiment was echoed by virtually every speaker at the event, although there was a wide variety of views as to how successful India will be at ramping up coal domestic coal output…

28 Mar 2022

Turkey Defuses Stray Naval Mine in the Black Sea

© Grispb / Adobe Stock

A military diving team deactivated a stray naval mine off Turkey's northwest coast on Monday, Turkey's defense ministry said, the second such device to be defused in the area in days amid the war in Ukraine.NATO member Turkey borders the Black Sea, as does Russia and Ukraine, which Moscow invaded on February 24.Russia's main intelligence agency last week accused Ukraine of laying mines to protect ports and said several hundred of the explosives had broken off from cables and drifted away.

17 Feb 2022

Want to stop a Drug Smuggling Boat? Try out a High Power Microwave Weapon Systems

Nhan Bui, a statistician with the High Power Microwave (HPM) Weapon Systems Division at Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division, works on an HPM system. HPM is designed to be a safer alternative to other vessel stopping mitigations, using nonlethal methods.  Phouto courtesy Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division

Videos of U.S. military personnel stopping drug-smuggling boats are exhilarating and frightening. They are not Hollywood movies but real-life, dangerous encounters on the high seas. In each of those instances, the use of force applies. The High Power Microwave (HPM) Weapon Systems Division at Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division (NSWCDD) makes those encounters safer for everyone involved.“A significant portion of what we do focuses on vessel stopping,” said Kevin Cogley, HPM Weapon Systems Division head.

15 Feb 2022

Let’s Get One More National Multi Mission Vessel, but Let’s Add Some Grit

SE Louisiana middle and high school students aspiring to learn more about the local maritime industry tour the docks and terminals along the Mississippi River in St. Bernard Parish as part of the first ever Maritime Field Trip organized by Crescent River Port Pilots Association (CRPAA), the New Orleans-Baton Rouge Steamship Pilot Association (NOBRA), the St. Bernard Port Harbor and Terminal District and Associated Terminal. Pictured (L to R): Damien Lee, 10th grader; Kaybre Cuhsenberry, 8th grad

The new maritime academy school ships being built at Philly Shipyard (officially designated as National Security Multi-Mission Vessels) are an exciting development and provide a significant boost to our national maritime educational system. The technology on our existing school ships has very little relevance to the present marine industry, and these new vessels will not only provide the students with a better educational setting, in their multi-role deployment, they will also provide more exposure to maritime education.Maritime education is one of the country’s educational gold standards.

20 Jan 2022

Wakashio Wreck Removal Completed

(Photo; bMC Group)

Technical operations to remove the wreck of the Wakashio bulk carrier that ran aground and broke up off Mauritius wrapped up this week as salvors recovered final sections of ship debris that were lying up to 500 meters away from the site of the stern section.On July 25, 2020, the 300-meter Wakashio struck a reef near Pointe d'Esny off the Indian Ocean island's east coast, triggering an ecological disaster and prompting the Mauritian government to declare a state of emergency.

28 May 2021

Maersk Supply Service Orders Wärtsilä Battery for Maersk Minder AHTS Vessel

Maersk Minder - Credit: Maersk Supply Service

Danish offshore support vessel owner Maersk Supply Service has ordered a battery pack for one of its M-class vessels, the Anchor Handling Tug Supply vessel Maersk Minder, as part of its plan to reduce the company's carbon intensity by 50% across its fleet in 2030.Mark Handin, COO of Maersk Supply Service said: "Maersk Supply Service is taking an active role in decarbonizing the offshore support vessel sector. This requires both behavioral changes in the way we operate our vessels, as well as technological upgrades to our fleet.

24 Mar 2021

Stranded Suez Ship's Owner, Insurers Face Millions in Claims

(Photo: Suez Canal Authority)

The owner and insurers of one of the world's largest container ships stuck in the Suez Canal face claims totaling millions of dollars even if the ship is refloated quickly, industry sources said on Wednesday.The 400-metre, 224,000-tonne Ever Given ran aground on Tuesday morning after losing the ability to steer amid high winds and a dust storm, the Suez Canal Authority (SCA) said in a statement, threatening to disrupt global shipments for days.GAC, a Dubai-based marine services company…

15 Dec 2020

The Estonia Disaster: A Bottomless Source of Learning

© Karl Allen Lugmayer / Adobe Stock

The sinking of the Estonia ro-ro passenger ferry stands out as one of the most disastrous accidents in modern times. The tragedy claimed 852 lives and the wreck was declared a marine graveyard. At first glance, the sinking seems to have been triggered by a single technical failure only minutes before the point of no return, with no warning signs. The first objective of this review was to verify whether the pattern of typical major accidents can be found in the Estonia disaster. The usual pattern involves multiple human errors combined with an immature organizational culture.

21 Oct 2020

Stena Line's New Irish Sea RoPax Completes Sea Trials

Stena Embla (Photo: Stena Line)

Ferry company Stena Line announced that Stena Embla, the last of its three new ferries destined for the Irish Sea, has completed its sea trials in China’s Yellow Sea and is set to arrive in Belfast at the end of 2020.Stena Embla is the latest new Stena Line next generation RoPax vessel that is being constructed at the CMI Jingling Weihai Shipyard in China, marking the end of significant recent investment on the Irish Sea by the Swedish owned ferry company. The global pandemic did not delay the build of the vessel…

07 Aug 2020

Auckland Port and Pilot Fined for Excessive Speed

(Photo: Maritime NZ)

Ports of Auckland Limited (POAL) and the master of one of its pilot boats have been fined a total of $432,400 (US$286,000) after they admitted exposing people to risk of death or serious injury because pilot boats traveled at excessive speed in the Waitemata Harbor over a period of time involving thousands of voyages.Maritime NZ Director, Keith Manch, said POAL has also agreed to pay $220,000 (US$144,000) to the family of a swimmer, Leslie Gelberger, who died after being struck by POAL pilot boat, Wakatere.

03 Jan 2020

For Fireboats, The Heat is On

These days, cost-conscious municipalities across the fruited plain, from sea to shining sea, are ordering new waterborne assets to cover their many local responsibilities. When they do, they want ‘more bang for their buck,’ combining multiple missions – and the equipment that makes it all possible – onto one hull. That’s a tall order on the typically compact patrol boat style hulls that tend to be big on performance, but short on space for equipment that can demand a significant physical footprint. One such shipbuilder stepping up to plate to deliver on a raft of promises is Gulf Coast-based Metal Shark. Significantly expanding its presence in the fireboat market with a diverse range of fireboats currently in production for multiple customers…

11 Jul 2019

Shipping Losses Lowest This Century as New Dangers Emerge

The Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty AGCS) Safety & Shipping Review 2019 provides a unique and in-depth look at the emerging risks facing international shipping stakeholders.Large shipping losses are now at their lowest level this century having declined by over 50% year-on-year, according to Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty SE’s (AGCS) Safety & Shipping Review 2019. The annual study analyzes reported shipping losses over 100 gross tons (GT). AGCS provides global marine and shipping insurance for all types of marine risk, from single vessels and shipments to the most complex fleets and multinational logistics businesses. All told, the Marine Line of Business contributed 11% to AGCS overall premium volume of EUR 8.2bn in 2018.

25 Feb 2019

Wind Provides 14% of European Electricity

Wind energy provided 14% of the European Union’s electricity last year, according to figures published by the region’s wind energy trade body, WindEurope, with 11.7 gigawatts (GW) of new capacity added, including 2.65 GW of offshore wind. Continued growth in capacity and the use of more powerful turbines are helping to drive up wind’s share in the electricity mix. Denmark had the highest share of wind in its electricity last year (41%) followed by Ireland (28%) and Portugal (24%). Wind was 21% of Germany’s electricity.Wind accounted for 49% of all the new power generation capacity in Europe in 2018. But the amount of new wind capacity was down a third on 2017 (a record year).

12 Feb 2019

Europe Offshore Wind Capacity Up 18% in 2018

Europe installed a total of 2.6 gigawatts (GW) of new offshore wind capacity in 2018, an 18% increase which takes the region to a total capacity of 18.5 GW.According to new figures published this week by the region’s wind energy trade body, WindEurope, 15 new offshore wind farms came on line. The UK and Germany accounted for 85% of the new capacity: 1.3 GW and 969 MW respectively.Europe now has 105 offshore wind farms across 11 countries with a total capacity of 18.5 GW. This is around 10% of the total installed wind energy capacity in Europe – the rest is onshore.The size and scale of offshore wind continues to rise. The average size of the new turbines installed last year was 6.8 MW, 15% up on 2017.

06 Dec 2018

The Top 10 Maritime Stories for 2018

Choosing the ‘top stories of 2018’ was, this year, a difficult task. Many compelling story threads played out, dramatically impacting the North American waterfront, and in particular, the workboat sector – each in their own unique way. Read on to find out how and why.Autonomous Vessels: Ready or Not, Here They ComeFuturistic, remote-controlled autonomous marine vehicles aren’t coming. They are here. As the pace of change quickens, autonomous vessels are already providing service and value on the water. Out ahead of the rulemaking process, autonomous technology providers already churn out not just prototypes and designs, but also countless workboats, many already in service.

07 Sep 2018

Stena Bulk Charters Out MR Tanker Pair to Petrobras

Stena Conqueror (Photo: Stena Bulk)

Stena Bulk said it has signed a contract with Brazil's state-owned oil company to charter out a pair of MR product tankers for transporting refined products along the Brazilian coast. The two-year deal includes the option to extend the charters for another 11 months.The 47,000 dwt tankers, Stena Conqueror and Stena Conquest, were built in 2003 and 2004 respectively.“We have a long-standing, highly-valued relationship with Petrobras when it comes to both Suezmax and MR tankers and we are committed to continue to provide them with safe and efficient deliveries.

29 Jun 2018

Innovation Starts @ Marine Hub Cornwall

Matt Hodson. Photo: Marine Hub Cornwall

Marine Hub Cornwall are on a mission to showcase the UK’s southwest coast as a world class center for marine technology and innovation. Working alongside Invest in Cornwall, which manages inward investment into the region, Marine Hub’s Operations Director, Matt Hodson, explains why he believes Cornwall is best positioned to be a global hub for the marine renewable industry.To kick off, can you give the readers a brief overview of your experience and what led you to become the…

27 Mar 2018

Maritime to Get Biggest Bang for VW Settlement Bucks

© tarasov_vl / Adobe Stock

Imagine a settlement over falsifying emission levels in another transportation sector dropping money onto your deck. Who knew? But it’s true. The $2.9 billion settlement fund Volkswagen agreed to capitalize for distribution across all 50 states, tribal lands and Puerto Rico, as a result of “dieselgate,” its criminal dodging of required auto emission levels, presents an unparalleled opportunity to maritime companies that want to move their noxious diesel engines up a couple of EPA notches, and stick someone else with close to half the bill or more.

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