Raymond As News

For Cheryl “Cherrie” Felder, the path to the maritime industry was both untraditional and seemingly meant to be. After studying African art, she began her career working in a museum in New Orleans before landing a role directing professional rodeo in the Big Easy.“It was a lot of fun, and I learned a whole lot,” Felder said. “But as you may imagine, New Orleans is not a rodeo town. After the third year, the board of directors decided, okay, that's it. No more rodeo.”And that’s when Felder’s doorway to the maritime industry swung open…

SAFE Boats International (SBI) reports it signed a contract with the Royal Bahamas Defense Force (RBDF), adding another four 41-foot Interceptors to its current fleet of existing SAFE Boat vessels.This latest contract, signed January 11, is the result of collaborating efforts over the past three years between RBDF and SBI, the Pacific Northwest boatbuilder said. This contract is a fully funded, direct purchase by the RBDF to supply four vessels, trailers and support vehicles.Signing the contract for the Bahamian government was the Honorable Wayne Munroe…

Saronic, a maritime autonomy company focused on surface vessels, has announced a $55 million Series A funding.The round was led by Caffeinated Capital, with participation from 8VC, U.S. Innovative Technology Fund, Andreessen Horowitz, Lightspeed Venture Partners, Point72 Ventures, Silent Ventures, Overmatch Ventures, Ensemble VC, and Cubit Capital.With this raise, Saronic will accelerate research and development while expanding in-house manufacturing capacity for rapid production.The need for these autonomous surface vessels is clear, says Saronic.

The state of California has sued major oil companies including Exxon Mobil, Shell PLC, and Chevron, accusing them of playing down the risks posed by fossil fuels, according to a court filing on Friday.The lawsuit, which also targets BP and ConocoPhillips, alleges the energy giants' actions have caused tens of billions of dollars in damages and accuses them of deceiving the public, the filing in a superior court in San Francisco showed.The American Petroleum Institute, an industry trade group…

Transport Nanuk inc. and the NEAS Group Inc. ("NEAS") (Nunavut Eastern Arctic Shipping Inc./Nunavik Eastern Arctic Shipping Inc. /NEAS Inc.), marine services providers specializing in Eastern Arctic marine resupply, announced the appointment of Daniel Dagenais as president and chief executive officer, effective October 10, 2023. A seasoned maritime executive, Dagenais will bring his strategic mindset and strong operational knowledge to the NEAS Group. Dagenais will replace Suzanne Paquin, who announced her decision to retire."We are pleased to welcome Mr. Dagenais to the NEAS Group," said Leo Charriere, chairman of the board of Transport Nanuk inc., managing partner of NEAS Group Inc.

U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor on Thursday rejected a bid by a businessman to block his extradition to South Korea to face embezzlement charges that stemmed from a 2014 ferry sinking that killed 304 people.Sotomayor rejected Yoo Hyuk-Kee’s request to prevent his extradition from going forward while he appeals lower-court rulings rejecting his effort to avoid being sent to South Korea to face trial on the seven embezzlement charges against him.Sotomayor is the justice assigned to review emergency appeals from a group of states that include New York…

For many, the ocean is life. It provides transportation, work, commerce, food, recreation—tales as old as time and shared by people across the globe. These stories are lived day to day, passed down between generations, and shared with the public through various media. Maritime museums assume responsibility to share these histories while honoring the communities shaped ocean exploration and commerce. In a decade where ocean health and climatic events have become a primary focus…

The U.S. Department of Transportation announced that Rear Admiral (Rear Adm.) Ann Phillips, USN, Ret., has been confirmed and sworn in as the 20th Administrator of the Maritime Administration (MARAD). Nominated by President Biden on October 21, 2021, Rear Adm. Phillips was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on May 10, 2022. She is the first woman to lead MARAD as administrator.“From her distinguished naval service to her leadership on coastal infrastructure, Rear Admiral Ann Phillips has championed America’s maritime sector throughout her career,” said Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.

A U.S. judge has allowed Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. (NCLH.N)todemand that passengers show written proof of coronavirus vaccination before they board a ship, dealing a major blow to Florida Governor Ron DeSantis's effort to ban "vaccine passports."In a preliminary ruling issued on Sunday, U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams in Miami said Norwegian would likely prevail on its argument that the "vaccine passport" ban, signed into law by DeSantis in May, jeopardizes public…

One of the world's most advanced polar research vessels is equipped with Atlas Copco marine-duty compressors.The RRS Sir David Attenborough, commissioned by Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), built by Cammell Laird and operated by British Antarctic Survey, is a research platform engineered to transform how shipborne science is conducted in the Polar Regions. Its commissioning is part of a significant government polar infrastructure investment program designed to keep Britain at the forefront of world-leading research in Antarctica and the Arctic.

French submarine cables services company Orange Marine has ordered a new cable repair vessel for delivery in 2023.The specialized newbuild was designed by VARD in Norway and will be built at Sri Lankan shipyard Colombo Dockyard. The 1,800 dwt vessel is 100 meters long with a beam of 18.8 meters and a depth of 7.15 meters. It will have accommodation facilities for 76 persons.The VARD 9 03 design for Orange Marine is designed for the maintenance of submarine cables, both fiber-optic…

Savannah-based Colonial Group Inc. has announced a new era of leadership as it prepares to mark a major milestone in the company’s history in 2021.Christian B. Demere (Demere) has been named chief executive officer, succeeding his father, Robert H. Demere, Jr. (Demere Jr.), who had been in the position since 1986. Colonial Group has continued to operate as a privately held business since 1921 through the chairmanships of its founder, Raymond Demere; his son, Robert H. Demere Sr.; and Robert’s son, Demere Jr.“The time has come to pass the torch to the fourth generation,” said Demere Jr.

The United States' Department of Navy (DoN) Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Experimentation Cell (DoN SEC) connects SBIR innovators with the DoN experimentation community to deliver innovative solutions for the warfighter.“Our mission is to support the SBIR community from the first idea to experiment execution by offering beginning-to-end facilitation, mentoring, and training in all aspects of experimentation,” said Scott Bartlett, the DoN SEC program manager,Naval experimentation can validate or inform concepts of operations…

On a windy August afternoon in 2017, Akitsinnguaq Ina Olsen was relaxing in the old harbor of Nuuk, Greenland's capital, when a Chinese icebreaker sailed unannounced into the Arctic island's territorial waters."I saw it by chance," Olsen, 50, told Reuters. "My first thought was: 'They're already here!' They're pretty cheeky, those Chinese."She pulled out her phone and took a picture of the 167-meter long Chinese icebreaker Xue Long (Snow Dragon), before it turned around and disappeared.The…

George Raymond Duclos, age 86, died peacefully on February 15, 2020 surrounded by his family. The son of the late Raymond and Albertine (Bertha Chenard) Duclos. Born in 1933 in Fall River, MA, George spent most of his life in Westport, MA spending summers on the Watuppa Pond and moving to the Pond permanently in the 1960's.George is survived by his wife and life-long partner in adventure, Pauline D. (Duperre) Duclos, and his four children: John (Kimberly), Peter (Kimberly), Carol Hegarty (Steven) of Westport…

U.S. Transportation Secretary Announces New Members of U.S. Merchant Marine Academy Advisory Board.U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao today announced the appointment of seven new members to the United States Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA) Advisory Board. The USMMA Advisory Board serves as an independent body whose primary purpose is to examine the course of instruction and management of the Academy to further the accomplishment of its mission, execute its strategic plan…

The City of Pittsburgh River Rescue Unit selected Lake Assault Boats to build a 30-ft.EMS river rescue vessel, for delivery later this year.The boat’s catamaran style hull is engineered for enhanced stability and maneuverability, and it is powered by two Yamaha 425 hp outboard engines . Slow speed maneuvering is controlled by Yamaha’s Helm Master joystick steering and digital anchoring system. The vessel also will feature a 74-in. hydraulically operated bow door, a heated front deck…

MarineLink was given the opportunity to ride aboard the Virginia Pilot Association's new pilot boat Hampton Roads.The newly-built Chesapeake class MKII launch from Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding was delivered earlier this summer, equipped with a range of state-of-the-art technologies for improved safety, stability, reliability and efficiency.Chief among Hampton Roads' high-tech features is its Volvo Penta propulsion system. The vessel is powered by twin D13-700, EPA Tier 3-certified diesel engines…

New Kāpena Class Tug Ready to Enter Service in Hawaii.The first of four new ocean-going tugs designed by Damen USA, and built by Louisiana-based Conrad Shipyard, has been delivered to Young Brothers – an independent subsidiary of Foss Maritime. The Kāpena Jack Young completed sea trials in Fourchon, Louisiana and was delivered on August 22, 2018. The new twin-screw tugs are 123-feet in length with a 36.5-feet beam and powered by G.E. 8L250 engines rated at 6,000 horsepower. Designed for high stability and maneuverability, the tug has a maximum bollard pull in excess of 83 metric tons and a top speed of 12.5 knots. In addition, the tugs are EPA Tier 4 compliant - the first tugs in Hawaiian waters to meet the new requirements, and substantially reduced emissions.

Capital Product Partners (CPLP), a Greek shipping company engaged in the seaborne transportation, has agreed to acquire three 10,000 TEU sister container ships for USD 162.6 million from Capital Maritime & Trading Corp.The ships, M/V Athos, the M/V Aristomenis and the M/V Athenian, were built in 2011 at Samsung Heavy Industries S. Korea.The vessels are under long-term time charters with Hapag-Lloyd which will expire in April 2024, said a press note from the shipping company.The gross charter rate for each vessel currently amounts to $27,000 per day, increasing to $28,000 per day for the M/V Aristomenis from October 2020, and from July 2021 onwards for the M/V Athos and the M/V Athenian.

Singapore-based offshore contractor Swiber has signed a $200 million deal with box ship player Seaspan Corporation, just days after it announced the expiry of a term sheet for a share swop arrangement with Australian power generation firm, Interlink Power & Energy Holdings.In a stock exchange announcement, the offshore construction and services group said that it has signed with Seaspan a binding term sheet on October 3, 2018, which is subject to definitive agreements being entered into on mutually agreed terms. Under the terms, Seaspan proposes to invest up to $200 million in two stages.The first stage is an initial $20 million in cash for new ordinary shares in Swiber which will give it control of 80 percent of Swiber’s enlarged share capital…

The Virginia-based pilots say that this Gladding Hearn-built workhorse checks all the boxes: safety, stability, reliability, service support, speed and efficiency.This is not your grandfather’s pilot boat. The 55-foot Chesapeake class MKII launch built by Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding was delivered to its station in Virginia Beach this summer, equipped with a range of state-of-the-art technologies for improved safety, stability, reliability and efficiency.Chief among Hampton Roads’ high-tech features is its Volvo Penta propulsion system.

Humphree makes inroads in North American markets with vessel stabilization technology.If you haven’t yet heard of Humphree – the Sweden-based supplier of vessel stabilization systems – then, more than likely, that’s about to change. The firm’s penetration into the North American commercial and leisure marine market has seen its equipment on several vessels, including high-profile deployments like the new Seastreak high-speed commuting ferry.Founded in 2002 by a team of hydrodynamic and marine engineers…