US Plans 12 Offshore Wind Auctions Over Five Years
President Joe Biden's administration unveiled plans on Wednesday to hold up to a dozen auctions of offshore wind development rights through 2028, including four before the end of this year.The schedule will help companies, states and others plan for projects that require massive amounts of investment and infrastructure, the Interior Department said in a statement."Our offshore wind leasing schedule will provide predictability to help developers and communities plan ahead and willâŠ
One-on-One: Rob Langford, VP, Global Offshore Wind, ABS
As the U.S. offshore wind industry endures a predictable number of stops and starts during its adolescence, common mantras are âlearn from the established European modelâ and âembrace technology transfer from the offshore oil and gas sector.â In Robert Langford, the American Bureau of Shipping has all of that and more bundled in one neat package.Rob Langford has worked in the offshore industry for more than three decades, âcutting his teethâ in a UK design firm working in the North Sea oil and gas platforms, the holy grail of rigorous conditions in offshore energy production.
Mercy Ships to Build Another Hospital Ship
The MSC Foundation, the MSC Group and Mercy Ships International have joined forces to build a new hospital ship.On 8 April, the chairman of MSC Group and MSC Foundation, Capt. Gianluigi Aponte, MSC Group President and Member of the MSC Foundation Board, Diego Aponte, and Mercy Ships Founder, Don Stephens, finalized an agreement to kickstart the new project with a generous anchor donation from MSC Foundation.The new purpose-built hospital ship will expand the impact of Mercy Shipsâ life-changing surgeriesâŠ
As Shale Oil Gains Slow, Deepwater Port Struggles for Customers
As U.S. shale oil boomed last decade, an oil pipeline company pitched an ambitious multi-billion-dollar export port off the Texas coast to ship domestic crude to buyers in Europe and Asia.In April, Enterprise Products Partners' SPOT became the first project to receive a license from the U.S. maritime regulator for a deepwater port that could load two supertankers, each of which can carry up to 2 million barrels of oil at a time.But multi-year regulatory delays, a loss of commercial backers and slowing U.S.
Navigation and Wind Farms: Competing Ocean Uses Raise Existential Questions
âWind Turbines: The Bigger, the Betterâ -USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy, August 24, 2023Last December the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) published a proposed sale notice regarding new development areas for utility scale wind projects in the central Atlantic Ocean. The notice includes an upfront issue: the need to mitigate conflicts with U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) activities. BOEM explains that in certain areas the Air Force has set an airspace floor of 1,000 feet above sea level and the Air Force asked BOEM to keep structures below that height.
ABS Publishes Advisory on Methanol Bunkering
Classification society ABS has published what it says is the industry's first advisory on methanol bunkering as the cleaner-burning fuel continues to gain interest among shipowners seeking to reduce their environmental footprint.A key component of the methanol value chain and the overall scalability of the fuel will be the ability to bunker methanol, either by truck-to-ship, ship-to-ship or land storage tank/terminal-to-ship, ABS said.The new ABS Methanol Bunkering: TechnicalâŠ
Advanced Digitalization Discussed at Singapore Maritime Week
The Maritime International Advisory Panel (IAP) held its third annual meeting on April 16, 2024, during the Singapore Maritime Week 2024. This year, the Maritime IAP held in-depth discussions on the key developments in the maritime sector, including decarbonization, green financing, digitalization and cybersecurity.Established in 2022 by the Ministry of Transport (MOT) and the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA), the Maritime IAP aims to seek international perspectives on key long-term trends and developments that will shape the maritime industry.
ABS and DOE Partner to Study Clean Energy and Maritime Decarbonization
ABS and U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) are to collaborate on clean energy development in the maritime domain and decarbonization of maritime operations after signing a new memorandum of understanding (MOU).The agreement between the DOEâs Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) and ABS is designed to leverage experience and capabilities from both organizations to support emissions reduction initiatives that benefit the maritime industry.âThis new agreement allowsâŠ
Uzmar Launches First-of-its-kind Tractor Tug
Uzmar Shipyard in Istanbul, Turkey has launched a first-of-its-kind tractor tug for Turkish operator BOTAS.The vessel, named the Sultanhani, was launched on February 27 as the worldâs first Voith propelled tractor tug with liquefied natural gas (LNG) dual fuel propulsion. It is the first of two hulls being built for BOTAS to Robert Allan Ltd.âs TRAktor V3900-DF design.The TRAktor V3900-DF builds on Robert Allan Ltd.âs experience designing both Voith tractor tugs and LNG dual fuel tugs.
Sustainable Ship Recycling Program Celebrates 500 Free Safety Awareness Sessions
The Sustainable Ship and Offshore Recycling Program (SSORP) has announced the successful completion of its 500th free safety awareness session at ship recycling yards across the Indian subcontinent.The milestone underscores SSORP's firm commitment to elevating safety standards and promoting sustainable practices within the ship recycling industry.Over 20 unique topics have been addressed in these sessions, spanning crucial areas such as emergency response, environmental hazardsâŠ
US' FTA Announces $316 Million for Ferry Service Modernization
The U.S. Department of Transportationâs Federal Transit Administration (FTA) on Wednesday announced the availability of $316 million to support and modernize passenger ferry service in communities across the country.Ferry transit is a critical mode of transportation in many regions throughout the United States. Across the country, there are approximately 3 million ferry riders each month.âI have seen firsthand how, for many Americans in many different parts of the country, ferries are the best and sometimes only way to get where they need to go,â said U.S.
Ras Al-Khair SEZ Seeking Maritime Infrastructure Investment
Saudi Arabiaâs Ras Al-Khair Special Economic Zone (SEZ) said it is seeking local and foreign investors to help boost the Kingdomâs maritime infrastructure.With an initial area of 20 square kilometers, Ras Al-Khair SEZ, operated by the Royal Commission for Jubail and Yanbu, is an expanding zone with two focus areas, The King Salman International Complex for Maritime Industries and Services, and the Offshore Cluster supply chain. The SEZ is located next to Ras Al-Khair Port, the Kingdomâs newest industrial port.Ahmed M.
New Research Vessel Delivered to Thailandâs DMCR
Thailandâs Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (DMCR) has taken delivery of a new state-of-the-art research vessel. Designed by Incat Crowther and built by Thai shipbuilder Seacrest Marine, the 25-meter catamaran will be used by the DMCR to patrol Thailandâs coastal environments and monitor the nationâs fisheries and marine resources.Based the Incat Crowther 25 design, the vessel has a range of innovative features and equipment to help its crew monitor and protect sensitiveâŠ
New Agreement Targets Nordic Hydrogen Projects
Provaris Energy and Norwegian Hydrogen AS have announced a new agreement to jointly progress the identification and development of several sites in the Nordic region for the large-scale production and export of hydrogen to European markets.The projects will utilize locally available renewable energy to produce hydrogen for shipment to European ports. This will assist energy-intensive industries in making an impact on their decarbonization plans and target a scale and level ofâŠ
Optimizing Blast and Paint Processes in New Construction Shipbuilding
The efficacy of surface preparation and coating application in the new construction shipbuilding industry is fundamentally anchored in a well-coordinated, integrated approach. This intricate process, essential for achieving top-tier corrosion control, is methodically segmented into five crucial stages:Raw material entryPainting the modulesSmall partsPainting of erection joints at the module levelFinal paint and ship's completion. Each stage is crucial in its own right but achievesâŠ
Denmark Bans Discharge of Scrubber Water
The discharge of scrubber water from ships out to 22km (12 nautical miles) from the Danish coasts will be prohibited by law. The ban will come into effect on July 1, 2025, for ships with scrubbers in open operation, where the wash water is discharged into the sea. For ships with scrubbers in closed operation, the ban on water discharge will take effect on July 1, 2029.The Ministry of Environment has stated that scrubber water has contributed to excessive levels of a number of heavy metals and tar substances such as lead, cadmium, anthracene and benz(a)pyrene in the marine environment.
Ukrainian Seafarers Experiencing Increased Levels of Depression and Anxiety
Ukrainian seafarers are experiencing increased levels of loneliness and depression amid fears of conscription if they return home as the war enters its third year, seafarer charity Stella Maris warns.Stella Maris regional port chaplains for Southampton and Southern ports, Charles Stuart and Gregory Hogan, who make multiple daily ship visits report Ukrainian seafarers are under increasing strain.âThe initial stresses have been replaced by something else,â Hogan says. âAt firstâŠ
Newport News Completes Dry Dock Work for Aircraft Carrier USS John C. Stennis
HIIâs Newport News Shipbuilding division has completed the dry dock portion of the refueling and complex overhaul (RCOH) of Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74).Following the recent flooding of more than 100 million gallons of water into the dry dock, USS John C. Stennis was moved to an outfitting berth at the shipyard, where the remainder of the RCOH work and testing will be completed.During the dry dock phase of the RCOH, USS John C. Stennis received significant upgrades and began an extensive overhaul process, both inside and outside the ship.
Sanmar Launches New Tug for Rimorchiatori Laziali
Turkish tugboat builder and operator Sanmar announced it has launched a new vessel in its exclusive Kocaçay Series of high-powered escort tugs, scheduled to be delivered to Italian customer Rimorchiatori Laziali in May.Kocaçay lX is based on the RAstar 3200SX design developed especially for Sanmar by Canadian naval architects Robert Allan Ltd.The tugâs design is primarily intended for escort operations in exposed areas where exceptional seakeeping capabilities are essential. Following its launchâŠ
Insights: Jennifer Carpenter, President & CEO, American Waterways Operators
Jennifer Carpenter joined The American Waterways Operators (AWO), the national trade association representing the inland and coastal tugboat, towboat and barge industry, in August 1990 and became its president and CEO in January 2020. She highlights some of the greatest focus areas for the 80-year-old trade groupâsimultaneously looking at both the present day and the road ahead.The towboat, tug and barge industry is in a period of rapid evolution. How is AWOânow in its 80th yearâŠ
Due Diligence Needed for Maritime Tech Adoption to Minimize Risk with Digital Transformation, Says OrbitMI
Rapid technological change, complex regulation and competitive pressures are driving digital transformation in the shipping industry. But navigating a confusing software landscape can be difficult, and sound decision-making is essential to minimize innovation risk, according to OrbitMI.Industry spending has soared in recent years on intelligent process automation solutions geared to boosting efficiency, reducing costs, curbing emissions and improving safety for shipping companiesâŠ
Subrosa Group Launches Maritime Security Division
Subrosa Group (SRG) announced it is rolling out a new Maritime Security (MarSec) division, SRG Maritime Security, to deliver security services globally to the commercial shipping and offshore industries, private vessels and superyachts.SRG's CEO, Niall Burns, said, "The establishment of our Maritime Security division is a direct response to the critical need for elite armed protection for large vessels navigating increasingly perilous waters worldwide. Incidents of maritime attacks are alarmingly on the riseâŠ
US Forces Engage Houthi UAVs
The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said in a statement that its forces had successfully engaged three unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) launched from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen over the Gulf of Aden and Red Sea.There were no injuries or damage reported by U.S., coalition, or commercial ships, the statement added.U.S. forces also destroyed eight UAVs in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen later on April 10, the statement said.(Reuters - Reporting by Ahmed Tolba and Enas Alashray; Editing by Kim Coghill)