Ferry Destined for Scottish Islands Launched by Cemre
The MV Isle of Islay, the first of two vessels to serve the islands of Islay and Jura in Scotland, has been launched at Cemre Marin Endustri shipyard in Turkey.The vessel, which is one of four ferries being built at the yard, marks a significant milestone in Caledonian Maritime Assets Limitedâs (CMAL) commitment to delivering new ferries to serve the Scottish islands.Scheduled for delivery in October 2024, the vessel will have capacity for up to 450 passengers and 100 cars, or 14 commercial vehicles.
Merchant Vessel West of Yemen's Hodeidah Not Hit by Missile as Earlier Reported
A daylight inspection showed that a merchant vessel was not hit or damaged in the Red Sea off Yemen's Hodeidah after initial reports it was struck by a missile, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) and British security firm Ambrey said on Friday.Iran-aligned Houthi militants in Yemen have repeatedly launched drones and missiles against international commercial shipping in the region since mid-November in professed solidarity with Palestinians against Israel's war in Gaza.Their Red Sea attacks have disrupted global shippingâŠ
Star Bulk to Avoid Red Sea After Attacks on Its Ships
Greece-headquartered Star Bulk will halt sailings through the Red Sea after Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis attacked two of its ships in recent days, the group's CEO said.The Houthis have targeted commercial vessels with drones and missiles in the Red Sea since mid-November in what they describe as acts of solidarity with Palestinians against Israel in the Gaza war."Going forward, we will not be passing the Suez Canal any more because we are obviously a target of the Houthis - being a public company registered in the U.S.," Star Bulk CEO Petros Pappas told a Feb.
Houthis Fire Missiles at Two Ships in Red Sea
Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis said on Tuesday they had fired missiles at two vessels in the Red Sea, causing damage to the ships.The Houthis have been targeting commercial vessels with drones and missiles in the Red Sea since mid-November, in what they describe as acts of solidarity with Palestinians against Israel in the Gaza war.The group's military spokesman said it had fired naval missiles at the Star Nasia and Morning Tide, identifying the Marshall Islands and Barbados-flagged shipsâŠ
Australian Livestock: Second Vessel Heads to Red Sea
A ship carrying 16,000 sheep and cows that turned back from the Red Sea due to the risk of attack off Yemen was stranded at an Australian port in a heatwave on Friday as the exporter sought to offload at least some of the animals into quarantine.Meanwhile, another vessel carrying an even larger cargo - tens of thousands of animals - from Australia sailed for a Red Sea port in Jordan, with a contingency plan to unload them in the Gulf if it fails to obtain permission to enter theâŠ
Seaspan LNG Bunkering Vessel Launched
Seaspan Energy announced the launch of Seaspan Garibaldi, the first of three 7,600m3 liquefied natural gas (LNG) bunkering vessels being built by CIMC Sinopacific Offshore & Engineering (CIMC SOE) in China.The newbuild is named after Mount Garibaldi, or âNchâḵayÌâ as the Squamish Nation has known it for thousands of years. This series of vessels will be named after iconic West Coast mountains and the first two vessels will be delivered in 2024 with the third vessel arriving in 2025.The Seaspan Garibaldi will be based in the Panama regionâŠ
Electric Hybrid Vessel Electramar Delivered to AtoB@C
AtoB@C Shipping in mid-December took delivery of Electramar, the first vessel in its series of 12 highly energy-efficient plug-in hybrid vessels. These vessels reduce CO2 emissions by up to 50% compared to the present generation of vessels. Shore power connectivity and a large battery installation provide superior fuel efficiency and the possibility to minimize noise and emissions while in port."We are proud to be at the forefront of green shipping with these innovative vessels that combine high efficiency, flexibility and sustainability.
Great Ships of 2023: Icon of the Seas
âTurku is building the real big ships,â said Meyer Turku CEO Tim Meyer.Meyer is not exaggerating. The yardâs latest newbuild, Icon of the Seasâthe first ship of Royal Caribbeanâs Icon classâis 248,655 GT, making it the largest cruise ship ever constructed.In general, the cruise ships rolling out of the nearly 300-year-old Finnish shipyard have been steadily increasing in size since the Meyer Group took full ownership in 2015. âWe are proud to say Turku has been a first-mover in building these big new classes for Royal CaribbeanâŠ
NCDOT Awarded Federal Grant to Study Second Ferry Maintenance Facility
The North Carolina Department of Transportationâs Ferry Division is looking into whether a second vessel maintenance facility could improve service to customers.Currently, the NCDOT Ferry Division has one maintenance facility, the Manns Harbor Shipyard in Dare County.The new planning studyâfunded by a $400,000 Federal Transit Administration grant, plus a $100,000 match from Ferry Divisionâwill explore the conceptual site design for a larger, better equipped depot-level maintenanceâŠ
Marine News' Top Vessels of 2023
The November edition of Marine News magazine highlighted a selection of the most notable American newbuilds delivered of 2023âfrom a first-of-its-kind green towboat, to the lead vessel in a series of game-changing ships to train U.S. mariners.Empire StateAs the lead vessel in a series of five new training ships being constructed to serve America's state maritime academies, Empire State is easily one of the most important U.S.-built vessels delivered in recent memory.Built by Philly Shipyard for the U.S.
VARD and Windward Select Brunvoll Propulsion for New Series of CSOVs
Brunvoll has received an order for the delivery of propulsion and manoeuvring packages for Windward Offshore's new Commissioning Service Operation Vessels (CSOVs). The order is for two vessels, with two additional vessels as an option.Windwardâs new vessels will have two propulsion azimuth thrusters in the aft, and two retractable azimuth thrusters and a tunnel thruster in the bow. All azimuth thrusters feature the latest and greatest improvements to meet the increasingly stricter requirements for rapid, safe, and accurate DP operations for SOVs/CSOVs.
RMC Launches and Christens Spirit of Tasmania IV
Rauma Marine Constructions celebrated the launch and christening of Spirit of Tasmania IV, the first of two identical car and passenger ferries the Finnish shipyard is building for Tasmania's TT-Line.Built to replace similarly Finnish-built sister ships, the new vessels are specially designed to operate on a challenging route across the Bass Strait between Geelong, Victoria, and Devonport, Tasmania.The Spirit of Tasmania IV was christened at the RMC shipyard. The vesselâs godmotherâŠ
Converted OSV Enters Service in the UK as an Underwater Surveillance Ship
A converted offshore support vessel has taken on a new life as a dedicated underwater surveillance ship for the U.K.'s Royal Navy.Christened during a ceremony in London on October 10, RFA Proteus will be operated by the Royal Fleet Auxiliary as a launchpad for remotely operated underwater vehicles (ROV) and a home to a suite of specialist capabilities similar to those found in the offshore oil and gas industry.The ship, built in 2017 as a subsea construction vessel named Topaz Tangaroa, was acquired by the U.K.
Tanker Hits Mine in Black Sea
A Liberian-flagged oil products tanker hit a mine on Sunday in the Black Sea off the coast of Romania and sustained minor damage, but the crew was safe, sources said on Monday.It is the second vessel this month to have been hit by a floating mine in the Black Sea, in a reminder of the continued perils faced by commercial ships in the region.The Ali Najafov tanker was sailing near to the Sulina channel near Romania when the blast occurred on Sunday, Yoruk Isik, head of the Bosphorus Observer consultancy, told Reuters.A Ukrainian source separately confirmed the vessel had struck a mine.The vessel's Istanbul-based manager Palmali, listed in shipping databases, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
SECNAV Names Ship After Harriet Tubman
Secretary of the Navy (SECNAV) Carlos Del Toro announced that a future John Lewis-class oiler, T-AO 205-class, will be named after American abolitionist and social activist Harriet Tubman.SECNAV Del Toro made the announcement during an Emancipation Celebration at Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Visitor Center in Church Creek, Md. National Park Service Director Chuck Sams, who is also a U.S. Navy veteran, joined Secretary Del Toro for the announcement at the park.The futureâŠ
First NSMV Empire State Delivered
Philly Shipyard on Friday delivered Empire State, the lead vessel in a series of five new training ships being built to serve America's state maritime academies. Delivered to the U.S. Department of Transportation's Maritime Administration (MARAD) under its National Security Multi-Mission Vessel (NSMV) program, Empire State will serve SUNY Maritime College.Scheduled to be delivered through 2026, each of the five purpose-built NSMVs will feature instructional spaces, a full training bridge and space for up to 600 cadets.
Second Vessel Leaves Odesa Through Temporary Black Sea Corridor
A vessel carrying steel products to Africa has left Ukraine's Odesa port through a temporary Black Sea corridor, the second ship to do so since Russia withdrew last month from a U.N.-brokered deal that allowed for grain to be safely exported, a senior Ukrainian government official said on Sunday.Deputy Prime Minister Oleksandr Kubrakov said the Liberian-flagged ship Primus had begun sailing through a temporary corridor set up for civilian vessels, confirming a report on Saturday by a Ukrainian lawmaker."The second vessel blocked due to the war has left the port of Odesa and is now sailing through a temporary corridor," Kubrakov posted on the social media platform X, formerly called Twitter.Kubrakov said the ship had been at the port since Feb.
Future Proof Shipping Converting Second Vessel to Run on Hydrogen
Future Proof Shipping's inland container vessel FPS Waal has arrived at Holland Shipyards Group's yard in Werkendam, the Netherlands for the start of its conversion to enable operations on zero-emissions hydrogen power.Building upon the foundation laid by Future Proof Shipping's previously converted FPS Maasânow H2 Barge 1âall the vesselâs internal combustion engines will be removed and a new fully zero-emissions propulsion system, including PEM fuel cells, hydrogen storage, battery packs and an electric drive train will be installed.
Rescuers Find Four Australian Surfers Missing off Indonesian Coast
Four Australian surfers have been found alive after their boat went missing in bad weather off the east coast of Indonesia's Aceh province on Sunday, however at least one of three Indonesian crew members is believed to still be missing.The seven were aboard a 10-metre (30 foot) wooden vessel travelling from Nias Island to Aceh province's Banyak Islands when they were separated from a second vessel during bad weather around 6 p.m. on Sunday, according to Indonesia's national rescue agency.All four surfers had been found safeâŠ
Sri Lankan Shipyard Delivers Cable Layer to European Owner
Colombo Dockyard PLC recently delivered the first-ever Cable Laying and Repair Vessel (CLRV) to the European market from Sri Lanka.The vessel was built for Orange Marine, a France-based specialist in submarine telecommunications, whose fleet represents a 15% of the global fleet in this sector."Colombo Dockyard delivered the first Cable Layer (CLV) to Japan in 2019. Now, with the delivery of "C/S Sophie Germain," this becomes the second vessel of its category delivered by the shipyardâŠ
New Hybrid Ro-pax Vessel Delivered to Finnlines
Finnlines announced it has taken delivery of Finnsirius, the first in a series of two Superstar hybrid freight-passenger (ro-pax) vessels built by China Merchants Jinling Shipyard in Weihai, China.The vessel will enter service on Finnlinesâ FinlandâSweden (NaantaliâLångnäsâKapellskär) line from September 2023, followed by the series' second vessel, Finncanopus, expected to be delivered by the end of this year.The two shipsâpart of Finnlines' âŹ500 million green newbuilding program comprising both ro-pax and ro-ro vesselsâare equipped with air lubricationâŠ
World's Largest Cruise Ship Starts Sea Trials
Royal Caribbean's Icon of the Seasâthe world's largest cruise shipâhas commenced sea trials in the Baltic Sea.The 250,800 GT vessel, the first in Royal Caribbean's new Icon-class, has been under construction at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Finland since June 2022. The fully assembled ship was floated out in December and is now undergoing final outfitting and testing.This first set of sea trialsâwhich tests the performance of the ship's propulsion systems, navigation systems and other ship featuresâŠ
Norwind Offshore Expands Fleet with Versatile Offshore Wind Support Vessel
Norwind Offshore, an offshore vessel company formed in late 2021 by Norway's Farstad, Volstad, and Kleven to be focused purely on offshore wind, has taken delivery of the first of four Commissioning Service Operation Vessels (CSOVs) built by Vard. The delivery ceremony took place Monday, in Ålesund, on the west coast of Norway. The naming ceremony was attended by representatives of Norwind Offshore, as well as from Vard, various suppliers and business partners.âThis is a red-letter day for us,â said Norwind Offshoreâs CEO, Svein Leon Aure.