OCEAN ACCESS

Sustainable Marine Technologies (SMT) Restructures

‘SMT WILL LEAD THE DEVELOPMENT OF INNOVATIVE AND COST EFFECTIVE DEPLOYMENT SOLUTIONS TO ENSURE MARINE RENEWABLE ENERGY BECOMES A REALITY’ SAYS MD Innovative renewables company, Sustainable Marine Technologies (SMT), is restructuring its operations to take on today’s greatest challenge to ocean renewable energy – the high costs of device deployment and maintenance access. The dynamic marine integration engineering company, which only last year was nominated for Best Newcomer in the international Tidal Awards, will now become a technology developer. It has set itself the specific goal of developing a new generation of deployment and access solutions to create a major step change in reducing costs, thereby helping enable marine energy to become commercially viable. To achieve this SMT is reshaping its business and investing in new technology, strengthening its team with additional senior personnel and developing the company’s own unique key enabling technologies. Already Sustainable Marine Technologies has started work on driving down deployment and maintenance access costs for horizontal axis tidal turbines, and Jason Hayman, Managing Director, and David Stoddart-Scott, Operations Director, are set to reveal exciting and innovative developments for tidal stream energy on SMT’s stand at All Energy 2011 in May.

Globalstar Partners with OCENS

Globalstar, Inc., will with software and communications company, OCENS, to launch a new suite of data services. OCENS Mail, WeatherNet and GRIB Explorer products are now available to Globalstar subscribers in the United States, providing optimized email transfer speeds and important weather and ocean information services via the Globalstar satellite network. OCENS Mail for Globalstar will provide satellite customers with the capability to transfer emails 20 times faster than when using

FMC Assesses Civil Penalty of $1.5 Million Against Foreign NVOCC

The Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) released its Report and Order affirming Initial Decision finding that a non-vessel-operating common carrier (NVOCC) based in Taiwan had violated the Shipping Act of 1984 on various occasions and assessing a civil penalty of $1,530,000. The NVOCC was found to have knowingly and willfully obtained ocean transportation at less than applicable rates by accessing service contracts to which it was neither a signatory nor an affiliate of a signatory

U-Ocean Adds Oceanfreight Consols

Less than a year after U-Ocean, the oceanfreight arm of global freight forwarder the U-Freight Group (ufl) launched scheduled oceanfreight export consolidation services from New York, Chicago and Los Angeles to Hong Kong, the global operator is undertaking a major expansion of the services that will boost its coverage of key markets throughout South East Asia. Early in 2008, weekly oceanfreight operations were established to serve markets in South East Asia via transhipment through the Hong

Fugawi X-Traverse Supports Online Charts

Software manufacturer Northport Systems Inc. announced the addition of Hilton’s Realtime-Navigator support to its online Fugawi X-Traverse collection for use with Fugawi navigation software, Apple iPhone and MacENC for Apple OS X. The combination of Fugawi X-Traverse and Hilton’s Realtime-Navigator gives users an unparalleled set of ocean condition tools to identify fish holding locations. The ultimate saltwater fishing tool, Fugawi X-Traverse provides users of the iPhone

NOIA Urges Senate Action to Facilitate Expanded Offshore Access

The National Ocean Industries Association (NOIA) joined with the American Petroleum Institute (API), the International Association of Drilling Contractors (IADC), the Independent Petroleum Association of America (IPAA), the American Exploration and Production Council (AXPC), and the U.S. Oil and Gas Association (USOGA) in sending the following letter to leaders of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee urging Senate consideration on an alternative 2012-2017 OCS Leasing Plan that

SeaMobile Wins NOAA Contracts

SeaMobile Enterprises has beeen awarded two major contracts by the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). SeaMobile has signed a three-year contract to provide global VSAT satellite services to the entire fleet of ships operated by NOAA throughout the globe. SeaMobile has also been awarded the integration, installation, operations and maintenance of a 3.7m VSAT terminal system for the new NOAA ship, Okeanos Explorer. NOAA is an agency of the U.S

BOW Completes FBB Testing

Blue Ocean Wireless (BOW), a company delivering GSM communication capability for the merchant maritime sector, has completed full FleetBroadband (“FBB”) testing. The FBB service is now fully operational and commercially available to existing and potential BOW customers. This system was designed to allow officers and crew to make and receive voice calls, send and receive text messages and emails and access the internet. BOW also announces that Smart Communications, Inc

U.S. Navy Opens Nominations for ORAP Membership

The Ocean Research Advisory Panel (ORAP) is soliciting nominations for new members.   Nominations should be submitted no later than September 15, 2011. Nominations should be submitted via e-mail to CDR Stephen D. Martin, U.S. Navy, at stephen.d.martin@navy.mil. Contact Information: Office of Naval Research, 875 North Randolph Street Suite 1425, Attn: ONR Code 322B Room 1075, Arlington, VA 22203, telephone 703–696–4395. For further information contact Dr. Charles L

LA Port Chief Wins Conservation Award

Port of Los angeles Executive Director Receivs Peter Benchley ‘Excellence in Solutions' Ocean Conservation Award.     Port of Los Angeles Executive Director Geraldine Knatz, Ph.D., has been named the 2012 recipient of the Blue Frontier Campaign’s Peter Benchley Ocean Award for  “Excellence in Solutions.” The Blue Frontier Campaign is a national marine conservation activist organization working to improve ocean policies in coastal states