North Island News

New Zealand ferry operator StraitNZ Bluebridge reached an agreement with Hogia Ferry Systems for delivery and implementation of its standard reservation software BOOKIT.Bluebridge operates two ropax ferries between Wellington in the North Island and Picton in the South Island, across Cook Strait. Hogia Ferry Systems is part of the Hogia Group, one of Sweden's largest software companies with 600 employees in Sweden, Finland, Norway and the United Kingdom.

Eastland Group has taken delivery of two new harbor tugs, Maki and Ika Nui, for operations in Tairāwhiti (Gisborne), New Zealand.The 21.4-meter-long, 273 GT newbuilds are RAmparts 2100-CL tugs designed by Canada's Robert Allan Ltd. and constructed at Cheoy Lee Shipyards in China. Each vessel has a 11-meter beam (molded), 4.4-meter depth (least molded) and maximum navigational draft of 4.5 meters.The Maki (orca) and Ika Nui (big fish) names were announced in the summer of 2021 after suggestions from the public.

The U.S. Navy commissioned its newest Expeditionary Sea Base (ESB) ship USS Miguel Keith (ESB 5) Saturday, at Naval Air Station North Island, Coronado, Calif.Built by General Dynamics NASSCO, the 785-foot USS Miguel Keith is the third ESB variant of the Expeditionary Transfer Dock platform (ESD). Expeditionary Mobile Base was previously known as Afloat Forward Staging Base (AFSB) in the Mobile Landing Platform (MLP) program. ESBs are highly flexible platforms that provide logistics movement from sea to shore supporting a broad range of military operations.

The Sri Lankan navy said on Tuesday an oil slick had been spotted a kilometer from a loaded supertanker carrying roughly 2 million barrels of oil that has been engulfed in intermittent fires since an explosion on September 3.Oil from the engine room of the 20-year old New Diamond tanker “appears to have leaked out to the sea” following regular bouts of water-dousing by fire-fighting vessels, the navy spokesman said.The oil slick has raised concerns about the potential of further leakage from the cargo holds…

Canadian ferry operator BC Ferries said its newest vessel, Island Aurora, officially entered service Thursday on the Port McNeill - Alert Bay - Sointula (Vancouver Island-Cormorant Island-Malcolm Island) route. This follows last week’s start of service for sister vessel Island Discovery on the Texada Island-Powell River run.The two new ferries are the first in the company’s new Island Class, based on Damen’s 81-meter Road Ferry 8117E3 design and built at Damen Shipyards Galati in Romania.

New Zealand's state-owned KiwiRail has issued a request for proposal to find a preferred shipyard to build two new RoPax ferries for operator Interislander.The international tender follows a NZ$400 Million (US$256.1 million) contribution to the 2020 Budget that enables KiwiRail to procure two new modernized vessels for service between capitol Wellington on the North Island and Picton on the South Island. When entering into operation in 2024 and 2025, the new ferries will replace the existing fleet of three ships…

On February 19, BC Ferries held a naming ceremony for the first of its two Island Class Ferries at Victoria’s Point Hope Maritime. At the event, the names of the vessels – Island Discovery and Island Aurora – were revealed for the first time. The two ferries, based on Damen’s 81-meter Road Ferry 8117E3 design and built at Damen Shipyards Galati in Romania, will enter service mid-2020, serving the Powell River-Texada Island and Port McNeill-Albert Bay-Sointula routes respectively.The vessels sponsors were selected from the BC Ferries family  and the local communities.

The economic impact of China's coronavirus lockdown is being felt across the globe, with exporters, miners and manufacturers of everything from coal and timber to meat and fruit facing delays and potential shipment cancellations.As the most populous nation and factory floor for most of the world's manufactured goods, China is normally the largest and most voracious consumer of a slew of global raw materials, fuels and foods.But the combination of an extended Lunar New Year holiday…

Napier Port, the third largest port on New Zealand’s North Island, has placed an order with Damen Shipyards Group for an Azimuth Tractor Drive (ATD) Tug 2412 Twin Fin for delivery later this year.The contract was signed by Sjoerd de Bruin, sales manager Pacific for Damen and Napier Port CEO Todd Dawson at Napier Port main office.Napier Port is currently developing a sixth wharf which, at 350 meters long, will be capable of handling the larger vessels that are expected to access the port in the near future.

The US Navy will commission its newest guided-missile destroyer, the future USS Rafael Peralta (DDG 115), during a 10 a.m. PDT ceremony Saturday, July 29, at Naval Air Station North Island in San Diego. The future USS Rafael Peralta honors Marine Corps Sgt. Rafael Peralta, who was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross for actions during combat operations in Operation Iraqi Freedom. Peralta is credited with saving the lives of fellow Marines during the second battle of Fallujah in 2004. Gen. Robert Neller, commandant of the Marine Corps, will deliver the ceremony's principal address. Ms. Rosa Maria Peralta, Sgt. Peralta's mother, serves as the ship's sponsor. "This commissioning memorializes the life of Sgt.

The aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70), Ticonderoga class guided-missile cruiser USS Lake Champlain (CG 57), Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Wayne E. Meyer (DDG 108), along with embarked Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 1, Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 2, and Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 1 arrived in San Diego June 23, following a five-and-a-half-month deployment to the Western Pacific. Carl Vinson, Lake Champlain, Wayne E. Meyer and embarked air wing and staffs departed San Diego for a regularly-scheduled deployment with the Carl Vinson Carrier Strike Group as part of the U.S. Pacific Fleet-led initiative to extend the command and control functions of U.S. 3rd Fleet into the Indo-Asia-Pacific region, Jan.

Following an extensive, multi-phased international tender process, Canadian ferry operator BC Ferries has awarded Damen Shipyards Group a contract to construct two 81-meter ferries. The vessels are part of BC Ferries’ ongoing fleet renewal program. BC Ferries operates 24 ferry routes along the coast of British Columbia, Canada. The new vessels will be able to cover many of the company’s routes to the Northern and Southern Gulf Islands off the coast of Vancouver. Part of a fleet renewal program…

USS Nimitz (CVN 68), USS Kidd (DDG 100) and USS Shoup (DDG 86) departed their homeports of Naval Base Kitsap and Naval Station Everett, respectively, for a regularly scheduled deployment. This is a previously planned, routine deployment and is not in response to any specific incident or regional event. This deployment is an example of the U.S. Navy's routine presence in waters around the globe displaying our commitment to stability, regional cooperation and economic prosperity for all nations. "This deployment is the culmination of months of intensive training and preparations," said Rear Adm. Bill Byrne Jr., commander, Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 11. "The Nimitz Strike Group stands ready to respond to a wide variety of contingencies, be that a humanitarian disaster or a regional incident.

Within a few weeks of unveiling a new compact tractor tug jointly designed with Robert Allan Limited, Turkish shipbuilder Sanmar has secured an order from a port on the west coast of New Zealand. Port Taranaki has awarded the Sanmar a contract to build the very first of its exclusive Delicay series, a compact, under 24m rule length design conceived as an off-the-shelf unit with numerous variations to suit customer needs. This vanguard of the series will measure 25.3m x 12m and…

1814 - During the War of 1812, the British invade Md. and burn Washington, D.C. Commodore Thomas Tingey, superintendent of the Washington Navy Yard, burns the Navy Yard to prevent British access during the invasion. 1862 - During the Civil War, Capt. Raphael Semmes takes command of CSS Alabama at sea off the island of Terceira, Azores, beginning his career of raiding American commerce. 1912 - The collier, USS Jupiter, is launched. The vessel is the first electrically-propelled Navy ship.

1836 - Charles H. Haswell is commissioned as the first regularly appointed Engineer Officer. In Oct. 1844, he is promoted to Engineer in Chief of the Navy. 1916 - The AB-3 flying boat, piloted by Lt. Godfrey de Chevalier, is catapulted from USS North Carolina (ACR 12) while underway in Pensacola Bay, Fla. The launch completes calibration of the first catapult designed for shipboard use. 1943 - USS Taylor (DD 468) sinks Japanese submarine (RO 107), east of Kolombangara, Solomon Islands.

Freight Traders Ltd arranged the duty free importation of two Dillmec drilling rigs into New Zealand.   This included various mobilizations and demobilizations to remote New Zealand locations in the central north island. With the drilling campaigns complete, Freight Traders Ltd successfully completed re-export formalities from New Zealand over two (2) x  ship charters. The most recent ship charter sailed early May 2016 from Tauranga port in New Zealand.

1861 - The Civil War begins with Confederates firing on Fort Sumter, S.C. The Union Navy plays an integral part blockading Confederates, keeping them diplomatically and economically contained from other nations. 1911 - Lt. Theodore Ellyson completes his aviator training at the Glenn Curtiss Aviation Camp at North Island, San Diego, Calif., and becomes Naval Aviator No. 1944 - USS Halibut (SS 232) sinks Japanese army passenger/cargo ship Taichu Maru despite the presence of at least three escort vessels. 1945 - President Franklin D. Roosevelt dies at Warm Springs, Ga.

Ports of Auckland Chief Executive Tony Gibson has announced a ‘solid’ half year result for the company, achieved despite a fall in volumes and revenue. The port produced an interim net profit of $31.6 million for the six months to December 31, a 9.5 per cent increase, despite falling revenue and container volumes. Revenue was down 2.2 per cent and container volumes fell 3.3 per cent. The port company declared an interim dividend of $25.9 million, up from $25.5 million a year earlier. "The first half of the year has been anything but plain sailing. Global trade trends and shipping changes have affected container volumes, while China’s slowdown has impacted bulk volumes, particularly iron sand exports," said Gibson.

The U.S. Navy on Wednesday launched its first carrier strike group powered partly by biofuel  to conduct operations in the Pacific. The "Great Green Fleet"  warships powered by alternative energy is a milestone toward easing the military's reliance on foreign oil. Most of the group's ships will run on a mix of 90 per cent petroleum and only 10 per cent biofuels, though that could change. The Navy originally aimed for the ratio to be 50/50. Navy Secretary Ray Mabus and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack kicked off the deployment in a ceremony at Naval Air Station North Island near San Diego, saying the use of biofuels would improve the Navy's operational flexibility while boosting the U.S. rural economy.

A passenger ferry, Pee Jay V,  carrying 60 people caught fire off the coast of New Zealand on Monday, officials say, but all those on board were rescued safely. The incident began at about 3:45 p.m. local time on Monday when a call came in from a White Island tour boat in the vicinity of the Whakatane Harbour, located on the North Island of New Zealand. Live pictures showed large flames coming from the vessel, and black smoke continued to billow from the ferry at 5 p.m. Police spokeswoman Kim Perks said all 53 passengers and seven crew members were forced overboard to escape the fire and smoke. Transport Accident Investigation Commission will look into what caused the blaze on the boat when the trouble at sea occurred on Monday afternoon.

Terex Port Solutions (TPS) continues to systematically strengthen its position in the Asia Pacific region with four new mobile harbour cranes. Two additional Terex Gottwald Model 6 mobile harbour cranes from the large crane family, ordered earlier this year, have been in use in the Port of Napier on New Zealand’s North Island since November. On 4 December, Northport Ltd. (Northport) not only officially launched its container hardstand area, but also a Terex Gottwald Model 4 mobile harbour crane from the medium-sized crane family at Marsden Point, also situated on the North Island. Finally, the world’s first Terex Quaymate M50 mobile harbour crane from the small crane family of TPS…

CMA CGM has made a service upgrade in New Zealand by adding a new call in Wellington on its Panama Direct Line (PAD) service starting November 23rd. The PAD service offers a connection between Europe, the US East coast, Australia and New Zealand via the Panama Canal. The CMA CGM Group is the first and only maritime carrier to provide a direct connection from Wellington to Europe and the US East Coast. CMA CGM answers its clients’ needs by offering a unique and innovative product on the market. This new call is in line with the Group’s development strategy and global presence reinforcement in New Zealand. The new rotation will be as follow: Tilbury…