Next Week
Businessman To Discuss Titanic Replica
South African businessman Sarel Gous is expected to visit Belfast next week to discuss plans to build a replica of the Titanic and launch it as a commercial cruise liner. Gous reportedly paid Harland & Wolff, the builders of the original Titanic, to do a feasibility study and is traveling to Belfast to meet city council members and discuss his plans. In 1998 Gous secured the original plans of the Titanic, which was owned by the White Star shipping line.
Suezmax Rates Set To Soar
Surging Suezmax tanker rates are set to soar if Iraqi exports come back on stream next week, shipping brokers contend. Rates for the one million barrel tankers have lifted to around 100 Worldscale points on fixtures from West Africa and the North Sea to the U.S., and on cross Mediterranean and North Sea routes, brokers said.
Casino Boat to be Unveiled
According to the Chicago Sun Times, pending regulatory approvals, the grand opening of the new $170 million gambling vessel at the Blue Chip Casino & Hotel in Michigan City, Ind., will be celebrated next week. It will mark the culmination of a two-year on-site construction project. The new boat will feature a 65,000-sq. ft. casino on one level and is reported to have the largest hull of any casino boat in the nation.
Asian Panamax Rates Edge Higher
Asian Panamax freight rates for dry bulk cargo in the Pacific market edged higher this week on the back of pre-Lunar New Year holiday grain purchases and persistent coal shipments, shipping agents said. But brokers said they expected freight rates to show signs of weakness next week as several Asian countries would be on holiday. "Chartering activity will slow down next week as many countries in the Asian region close for the Chinese New Year," said one domestic broker
Anti-Fouling Legislation Coming From IMO
Next week at the IMO in London a Diplomatic Conference will be held to finalize the details of the Convention on the Control of Harmful Anti-fouling Systems. In particular the phasing out of tin based (TBT) anti-fouling systems will be finalized with a system put in place to assess future anti-fouling systems. INTERTANKO, together with the other main industry representatives ICS, Intercargo, SIGTTO, OCIMF and Bimco have submitted a paper to the Conference focusing on those issues which
Mississippi River Traffic Stalled
Mississippi River barge traffic near Burlington, Iowa, remained backed up on Thursday after lock 18 in Gulfport, Illinois, reopened Wednesday afternoon after a day-long shutdown, river officials said. Lock 18 was closed Tuesday morning when a breakaway barge caused two loaded barges to sink near the lock and left six other barges adrift at the dam. "We've got two barges still floating in the dam and two sunk, with the salvage unit on the way to clear it out
“Old Ship” Fears Drive Tanker Markets Higher
North Sea crude markets held steady mid last week, as a combination of high freight rates and absences at industry functions subdued trade. Dated Brent was assessed near last deal done at April Brent +95 cts, with Brent CFD swaps for this week also in that area. Next weeks CFDs are seen around April Brent +90 cts. Institute of Petroleum week in London is keeping trade to a minimum, as are high freight rates caused by an exodus of older vessels out of Europe in the wake of the Erika spillage
Valdez Port Sees Fewer Tankers After Prudhoe Problems
The Valdez crude export terminal has seen a modest decline in the number of crude tankers in recent weeks, as oil companies reduce shipments in light of the problems in Prudhoe Bay oil production, the Valdez terminal manager said Thursday. The Valdez terminal, the crude export facility at the end of the 800-mile Trans-Alaska Pipeline System, will receive four tankers this week and about the same number next week. That's a drop-off from last week's level and from typical traffic levels
U.S. Oil Prices March Forward
U.S. oil prices resumed their upward climb on Monday, egged on by word from OPEC that the cartel had a consensus to slash output output by next week, Reuters reported By early afternoon, crude oil for February delivery on the New York Mercantile Exchange was trading at $28.30 a barrel, a 35-cent rise, taking total gains in the last six trading sessions to $2.50 a barrel, or ten percent. A statement by OPEC Secretary-General Ali Rodriguez on Sunday spurred the day's advance.
Crowley Cargo Lightering Ops in Port-au-Prince
Crowley Maritime Corporation, working under contract with the U.S. Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM), successfully discharged 12 20-foot containers of relief supplies across a beach in Port-au-Prince, Haiti on Jan. 22 in an experimental lightering operation. The success of this operation, which involved lifting the containers from a Crowley container ship anchored in the harbor to a smaller, shallow-draft landing vessel for transport and discharge over the beach
Hong Kong's New Cruise Terminal Damp
New cruise ship passenger terminal at Kai Tak in Kowloon is functionally ready, but not in the best form to welcome first travellers next week. A week before the HK$8.2 billion Kai Tak Cruise Terminal welcomes its first vessel heavy rain penetrated the roof
McDonough Launches New Ocean-going Barge
McDonough Marine Service announced the launching of a new barge, Marmac 303 (300 feet by 100 by 20), the second in a series of new ABS ocean classed deck barges commissioned by the barge and marine transportation company. The Marmac 303 barge was designed with an ABS Load line maximum
Flooding Halt Mississippi River Barge Service
The U.S. Coast Guard and Army Corps of Engineers said that record floods will continue to obstruct barges on the Illinois River and parts of the Mississippi River until at least early next week, Reuters reported. Ten locks were closed on the Mississippi River and four on the Illinois River
'USS Guardian' Latest News
The M/T Jascon, due to arrive from Singapore next week, intends to lift the heavy section of the grounded USS Guardian clear of the reef. The Jascon is equipped with a DP system which will enable it to maintian position without anchoring. Meanwhile another Singapore vessel Smit Borneo is
US Aircraft Carrier Overhaul Deferred
The aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln's refueling complex overhaul (RCOH) will not start due to insufficient funding. Lincoln was expected to move to Newport News shipyard next week to begin the overhaul. However, as a result of the fiscal constraints resulting from the ongoing continuing
NRF: Imports Rising as Strike Looms
Retail Imports to Increase 2.3 Percent in January as Port Strike Threat Continues. Import cargo volume at the nation’s major retail container ports is expected to increase 2.3 percent in January over the same month last year as retailers continue to urge labor and management to
Durbin: Demolition of Rock Pinnacles Could Begin Next Week
At the request of Midwest Senators, Army Corps fast tracked process to keep water and goods moving on the Mississippi River. U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) praised the news that a contract has been awarded for the demolition of rock pinnacles in the Mississippi River and the work could
Topaz Signs Contract with Kuwait Oil Company
Renaissance subsidiary, Topaz Marine Engineering (“Topaz”), a UAE-based full service ship building, ship repair and engineering services company, confirms it has been commissioned by the Kuwait Oil Company (“KOC”) to design
Rock Pinnacle Removal Work Could Begin Next Week
But Without Water, Effective Shutdown of Mississippi River to Commerce Still Looms The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports today that two contractors named to remove rock pinnacles at Thebes, Illinois are en route and are expected to arrive on location on December 13 and 17
New York's One WTC Spire Nears End of 1,500 Mile Tow
The spire that will crown the jewel of the Manhattan skyline is making its way over the holiday weekend towards One World Trade Center. A barge carrying eight of the 18 sections of spire for One WTC is en route to New York City on a 1,500 nautical-mile journey south from Canada down the
Long Voyage for Largest UK Aircraft Carrier Module
The largest section of future carrier 'HMS Queen Elizabeth' is now complete & embarks on 1,230 mile barge trip. This gigantic segment - officially known as Lower Block 04 and weighing 11,300 tonnes - was towed on a barge down the Clyde on Sunday to begin a 1,230-nautical-mile (2
America's Cup Contestant AC72 Launched
The launch of Artemis Racing’s first AC72 catamaran marks a major milestone in the team’s quest for the America’s Cup. Thousands of design and build hours came together when the Artemis Racing AC72 was launched at the team’s base in Alameda
GOM Sheen Investigation Plan Approved
FOSC for the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in New Orleans approved a joint plan from BP and Transocean. The Federal On-Scene Coordinator for the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in New Orleans approved a joint plan from BP and Transocean Thursday.
Conciliator Reports on US Ports Labor Contract Talks
Statement by FMCS Director on United States Maritime Alliance & International Longshoremen's Association Labor Negotiations. Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS) director George H. Cohen, issued the following report on the progress of talks:
DoD Officials Tour Warship's Hybrid-electric Propulsion Plant
Deputy Secretary of Defense, Secretary of the Navy, pay a visit to 'USS Makin Island' (LHD 8). Deputy Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter and Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus met recently with several flag and general officers in the area on board USS Makin Island (LHD 8) for a leadership