Somali Forces, Foreign Navies Prepare Attack on Hijacked Ship
Somali police and international navies were preparing on Monday to attack a commercial ship that was hijacked by pirates last week, the Puntland region's police force said, two days after Indian commandos rescued another cargo vessel held by pirates.The MV Abdullah was hijacked off the coast of Somalia last week, the latest of more than 20 attacks since November by Somali pirates who had laid dormant for nearly a decade.On Saturday, the Indian navy rescued another cargo vessel, the Maltese-flagged MV Ruen, which had been seized in December, freeing its 17 crew members and arresting 35 pirates.
Ship Hit by Missiles and Abandoned in Red Sea Faces Unknown Fate
A cargo ship abandoned four days ago in the Gulf of Aden after it was hit by missiles fired by Yemen's Houthis is still floating despite taking in water, and could be towed to nearby Djibouti, industry sources said on Wednesday.Shipping risks have escalated due to repeated drone and missile strikes in the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab Strait by the Iran-aligned Houthis since November. U.S. and British forces have responded with several strikes on Houthi facilities but have so far failed to halt the attacks.The crew of the Belize-flagged Rubymar abandoned the vessel after it was hit on Sunday…
Houthis Say Ship Attacked in Gulf of Aden May Sink
Yemen's Houthi militants said on Monday they had attacked another cargo vessel in the Gulf of Aden which was at risk of sinking, raising the stakes in their campaign to disrupt global shipping in solidarity with Palestinians in the Gaza war.The Iran-aligned Houthis have made repeated drone and missile strikes since November in the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab Strait, drawing U.S. and British bombing against them.Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Sarea said in a statement that the Rubymar's crew was safe but that the ship was badly damaged and at risk of sinking.
Austal USA Plans New Facility and Shiplift in Mobile
Shipbuilder Austal USA announced it is planning to boost capacity at its Mobile, Ala. shipyard with the addition of a new manufacturing facility.The infrastructure expansion, which will be to the south of Austal USA’s current waterfront facility, will include a new assembly building, waterfront improvements, and a new Pearlson-designed shiplift system. Start of construction on the project is planned for summer 2024.The construction of this new building and waterfront support area continues the expansion Austal USA began in March 2021 with the groundbreaking of the steel panel line.
Designing Ships Around Emissions: The Right Path or a Fork in the Road?
When discussing ship design, the maritime industry has been tossing around a number of new terms and definitions. Sustainability, alternative fuel “ready”, digitization and lifecycle are a few of the terms becoming more commonplace amid the industry’s search for zero emissions solutions. As IMO MEPC 80 meetings push emissions reduction to meet “well to wake” requirements, we will learn much of the challenge is tied to energy and infrastructure ashore. Electrification and the development…
Commercial Ship Still Hijacked off Somali Coast
A commercial vessel hijacked by unknown assailants remains off the coast of Somalia raising fears of further instability for global shipping as attacks escalate in the Red Sea, maritime security sources said on Monday.A Spanish navy ship was dispatched at full speed on Friday towards the Maltese-flagged Ruen vessel, which sources said had been hijacked.British maritime security company Ambrey said the vessel had reached nine miles offshore from Bander Murcaayo in Puntland, Somalia on Dec.
Galaxy Leader Crew Allowed “Modest Contact” with Families - Shipowner
The crew of the Galaxy Leader commercial ship seized by Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis last month have been allowed "modest contact" with their families while various countries push for their release, the vessel's owner said this week.The Bahamas flagged car carrier was taken to the port of Hodeidah in the Houthi controlled north of Yemen after being boarded at sea on November 19 by commandos with the group.The vessel's crew is made up of nationals from Bulgaria, Ukraine, the Philippines, Mexico and Romania, Galaxy Maritime said.
Tanker Safe After US Navy Responds
A U.S. Navy warship responded to a distress call from a commercial tanker in the Gulf of Aden that had been seized by armed individuals and is now safe, U.S. officials said on Sunday.The tanker, which had been carrying a cargo of phosphoric acid, was identified as the Central Park by the vessel's company. The officials did not identify the attackers.In a statement, the U.S. military said the USS Mason, with help from allied ships, demanded that the commercial ship be released by the attackers. Five armed individuals tried to escape on a fast boat but were chased by the U.S.
Hijacked Galaxy Leader Ship in Yemen's Hodeidah Port Area
The Galaxy Leader commercial ship was "illegally boarded by military personnel via a helicopter" on Nov. 19 and is now in the Hodeidah port area in Yemen, the vessel’s owner said on Monday."All communications were subsequently lost with the vessel," Isle of Man registered Galaxy Maritime Ltd, owner of the pure car carrier Galaxy Leader, said in a statement."The company, as a shipping concern, will not be commenting further on the political or geopolitical situation."Yemen's Iran…
US Shipyards Investing to Add Serious Lifting Power
Shipyards across the U.S. are investing in new equipment to increase lift capacity, opening up the door for more projects and improved efficiency.Southern California-based Marine Group Boat Works, which performs a mix of yacht, commercial and government vessel repair work, in 2022 repowered its 665-ton Marine Travelift mobile boat hoist—the largest on the West Coast—with a Tier 4 John Deere engine. And earlier this year it was awarded a MARAD Small Shipyard Grant worth more than…
Romania Bids to Clear Danube Logjam after Ukraine Attack
Romania expects around 30 ships from Ukraine to clear customs on the Danube River over the next two days as it bids to clear a logjam in the aftermath of Wednesday's Russian attack on Ukraine's main river port at Izmail.The river and its mouth, now Ukraine's last waterborne grain export route, are backed up with vessels travelling to and from Ukrainian ports, commercial ship tracking data shows.Romanian authorities managing the waterway still expect a "peak" in traffic in August…
OSG Pledges $90,000 for Women at SUNY Maritime College
U.S.-based shipping company Overseas Shipholding Group (OSG) announced its support for women at SUNY Maritime College with a three-year pledge totaling nearly $90,000, in an effort to make strides in reducing the gender gap in the maritime industry and create equal opportunities for all. The funding will go towards scholarships for women and a student government organization at the college, Women of Maritime, which cadets launched to build community and bring more awareness to…
Iran Seizes Commercial Ship in the Gulf
Iran's Revolutionary Guards "forcibly seized" a commercial ship in international waters in the Gulf on Thursday and the vessel was possibly involved in smuggling, a U.S. Navy spokesperson said.The U.S. Navy had monitored the situation and decided not to make any further response, U.S. 5th Fleet spokesperson Commander Tim Hawkins said.British maritime security company Ambrey said it was aware of an attempted seizure by Iranian forces of a small Tanzanian flagged tanker, around…
Iranian Boats 'Harass' Merchant Ship in the Strait of Hormuz
U.S. and British naval forces on Sunday came to the aid of a commercial ship that was "harassed" by the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy in the the Strait of Hormuz, the U.S. Navy said.Civilian crew aboard the merchant vessel reported three Iranian fast-attack craft with armed personnel approached and followed their vessel at close distance while it transited the narrow strait. The radio distress call was made at 4:56 p.m. local time.U.S. Navy guided-missile destroyer USS McFaul (DDG 74) and U.K.
Profile: Stars Align for Wallem Commercial Services
Market drivers have created a significant opportunity for Wallem to grow a specialised area of business, according to Capt. Anurag Mathur, Managing Director, Commercial Services, Wallem Group.Wallem’s portfolio of commercial services is ideally placed for expansion across a full range of vessel types, according to the executive appointed to drive for growth in January 2023. And Capt. Anurag Mathur, whose previous roles include senior managing directorships at leading ship owning and ship management companies…
Ukraine-bound Commercial Ship Sinks off Turkey
Turkish coast guards were searching for nine missing crew members of a Ukraine-bound commercial ship that sank close to Turkey's southern province of Antalya. The Guinea Bissau-flagged ship had sailed from Turkey's Iskenderun port for Ukraine's Izmail port, the coast guard said. Five crew members were rescued by helicopters and other ships passing by the area, it said in a statement. The ship had in total 14 crew members of Syrian origin and sunk some 37 km off the coast of Antalya province. The coast guard did not say what caused it to go down.
Marine Power - CEO in Focus: Chris-Marine’s Jens Groth
Malmö, Sweden-based Chris-Marine is long-tenured in the business of keeping engines running smoothly, efficiently. Led by its energetic young CEO Jens Groth, this 60-year-old- company finds itself in transition: firmly rooted in its traditional business of creating the tools and technique to keep commercial ship engines running smoothly, but at the same time transitioning its revenue to include services, particularly as ships at sea increasingly run with fewer, less experienced crew.
Divers Aid Tanker with Propeller Damage in Corpus Christi
Commercial divers recently helped a tanker return to service after suffering major propeller damage in the Port of Corpus Christi.Phoenix International Holdings, Inc. said its commercial ship husbandry division recently responded to a call from the stricken 330-meter vessel in 60-feet of water in Corpus Christi, Texas.Upon mobilizing a fly away dive spread and dive team, the project manager Errol Gritten performed the complex mathematics involved in calculating the mass loss of the damage to restore hydrodynamic balance.
Maritime Transport: Fuels, Emissions and Sustainability
International trade by sea has long been a key part of the world economy and approximately 90% of traded commodities is reliant on shipping. Once wind-propelled in the days of sail, the current generation of ships now heavily rely on fossil fuels. Fossil fuel propulsion contributes to global warming with carbon emissions approximating 940 MtCO2e per year and also has health implications for communities surrounding ports through the release of air pollutants. The environmental impact of fossil-fuelled engines is further compounded by their use in port infrastructure…
New Shiplift Will Expand Capacity & Flexibility at BAE Systems Jacksonville
BAE Systems announced it will spend $200 million for upgrades aimed at increasing capacity and flexibility at its Jacksonville, Fla. ship repair yard. The investment covers the preparation, construction, procurement and installation of a modern Pearlson shiplift and land-level ship repair facility, giving the yard the capability to service a greater number of vessels more efficiently.Located two miles from the Atlantic Ocean, at the intersection of the St. Johns River and the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway…
Great Ships '22: With Ships, Great or Not, Beauty is in the Eye of the Beholder
My father was on the new construction team of the 1958 SS Rotterdam V, a visually iconic passenger liner that is presently a static hotel and event space in Rotterdam Harbor. When she entered service, her looks were much discussed and generally compared to her very graceful older running partner, the 1936 SS Nieuw Amsterdam II.I have pictures of both vessels in my office and I think the older vessel is the prettier vessel. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but, regardless…
Wind Propulsion: Kite System Trialed on Transatlantic Voyage
An innovative kite system is being put through its paces on board a cargo ship crossing the Atlantic as wind propulsion takes off for commercial shipping as a means to reduce fuel burn and harmful environmental emissions.The system, called Seawing, has been developed by France-based Airseas, and is currently being trialed on the 154-meter ro-ro vessel Ville de Bordeaux, which is operated by Louis Dreyfus Armateurs (LDA) and chartered by Airbus, Airseas' minority shareholder and launch customer.As the ship transports aircraft components between Europe and the United States…
“Welcome to a Dying Industry (1988)”
While pundits have long proclaimed the U.S. maritime industry dying or dead, the recent delivery of Great Lakes laker Mark W. Barker suggests an innovative future instead.Jacksonville Shipyard was a well-known repair yard that was particularly well known for servicing the Jones Act tanker fleet and Gino Ferrari was its New York representative. Each Christmas season Gino hosted a reception at the Four Seasons restaurant for tanker Owners.Gino Ferrari was a close friend of the company and my father always received an invite.