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Azerbaijan News

26 Nov 2023

AD Ports Expands Shipping Operations in Kazakhstan

Source: AD Ports

AD Ports Group in collaboration with KazMorTransFlot (KMTF), the national shipping company of Kazakhstan, has announced the acquisition and commencement of operations of two tankers designed for the transportation of Kazakhstan's oil across the Caspian Sea.The two oil tankers were named Liwa and Taraz - after ancient cities in the UAE and Kazakhstan, respectively, and have been acquired under AD Ports Group’s joint venture with KMTF - Caspian Integrated Maritime Solutions (CIMS).The two vessels represent a combined investment of USD35 million…

18 Apr 2023

Norway Crude Mops Up in Europe as Russia's Urals Heads East

Johan Sverdrup - Photo credit: Lizette Bertelsen and Jonny Engelsvoll - Equinor

The clear winner in the race to replace Russian oil at Europe's refineries is Norway's Johan Sverdrup crude, according to Refinitiv Eikon data and traders.Johan Sverdrup was launched in 2019, making it a relative newcomer compared to Russia's Urals grade.Initially sold mostly to Asia, an EU ban on Russian seaborne oil imports imposed in December has opened up the European market where the medium sour grade has become a primary feedstock for refiners in countries such as Germany…

22 Feb 2023

Albania Seizes Tanker Carrying Oil Suspected of Coming from Russia

©Albanian Police

Albania has seized an oil tanker carrying 22,500 tonnes of oil suspected of coming from Russia and arrested the crew for breaching a Western embargo, Albanian police said on Monday. The Liberian-registered oil and chemical tanker was seized in the coastal town of Durres. "From the first steps of investigation it is suspected that this oil shipment is coming from countries under an oil embargo, especially from Russia," police said in the statement. "The tanker departed from Azerbaijan and was allegedly loaded with oil at Greece's Kalamata port…

13 Feb 2023

First Azeri Oil Leaves Turkey's Ceyhan Since Quakes

The Nordlotus sailed from Turkey's Ceyhan oil export hub loaded with Azeri crude on Monday, the first such shipment since earthquakes hit the region on Feb. 6, ship-tracking data showed and a trading source said.The tanker carried 682,500 barrels of oil and began loading on Feb. 12, Turkish state energy company BOTAS said in a statement on Monday.The Alfa Baltica was also shown at a jetty at the Botas Ceyhan oil terminal on Monday and was loading Azeri crude, the trade source said.The earthquakes that struck Turkey and Syria halted operations at Ceyhan, which receives crude supplies from northern Iraq and Azerbaijan.Loading of Azeri oil at Ceyhan resumed on Sunday, a spokeswoman for BP said. The company declared force majeure on loadings of Azeri crude from Ceyhan on Feb.

08 Feb 2023

BP Azerbaijan Declares Force Majeure on Crude Loadings from Turkey's Ceyhan Port

©BP (File photo)

BP Azerbaijan has declared force majeure on loadings of Azeri crude from the Turkish port of Ceyhan, after a series of earthquakes on Monday, the company said on Wednesday.The notice was issued to oil shippers following a temporary suspension of loading operations from the Ceyhan Marine Terminal (CMT), BP Azerbaijan spokeswoman Tamam Bayatly told Reuters by email.BP Azerbaijan operates the Azerbaijan and Georgia sections of the Baku-Tblisi-Ceyhan (BTC) pipeline.BP did not immediately respond to a request for comment.Azerbaijan uses the Turkish port of Ceyhan as its main crude export hub…

12 Jul 2022

Could the US Ship More LNG to Europe?

© Carabay / Adobe Stock

The United States, the world's top natural gas producer, wants to send more liquefied natural gas (LNG) to Europe to help its allies break their dependence on Russian gas after Moscow invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24.But U.S. exports are limited by the country's liquefaction capacity and an ongoing outage at Freeport LNG's plant after the second-biggest U.S. LNG export facility was hit by fire in June.Russia, once Europe's biggest gas supplier, has already cut exports for various reasons this year…

03 Mar 2022

Brent Crude Tops $112. Tanker Owners "Are Having a Ball"

Credit:nattapon7/AdobeStock

Oil benchmarks are hitting multiple price and spread milestones across several key markets as the fallout from severe sanctions on key exporter Russia sows confusion and panic among global crude oil traders, shipping firms and importers.The oil industry has been gripped by acute risk aversion in the finance and shipping sectors after several nations including the United States sanctioned multiple Russian entities following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, though Washington has explicitly exempted energy products from the Russian measures.

31 Aug 2021

Russia to Hold Naval Drills with Iran, Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan

Russia’s defense ministry said on Tuesday it would hold naval drills in the Caspian Sea with small missile and artillery ships from Iran, Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan in early September.(Reporting by Maria Kiselyova; Writing by Gabrielle Tétrault-Farber; Editing by Alison Williams)

17 Aug 2021

Drones, Navies, Attack Boats: Will They be Enough to Tackle the World's Latest Piracy Hotspot?

© remipiotrowski / Adobe Stock

Helicopters hover above a patrol vessel in Nigeria's frenetic Apapa port as attack boats zoom past. On the dock, drones emblazoned with the Nigerian flag sit ready to deploy – all part of a $195 million U.S.-backed "Deep Blue" initiative to deter pirate attacks in the world's most dangerous area for seafarers.The more than 2.35 million square kilometer (910,000 million square mile) expanse of the Atlantic Ocean that borders some 20 West African nations is known as "pirate alley"…

05 Jul 2021

Report: SOCAR Says Platforms Safe after Fire Offshore

Illustration/ michalz86/Adobestock

Azerbaijan’s state energy company, SOCAR, said on Sunday its offshore gas platforms in the Caspian Sea were safe after media reports of a large fire in the area.Videos and photos published online showed smoke rising above the sea off the coast. Russia’s RIA news agency cited SOCAR as saying that an eruption of mud was the most likely reason for that, although it did not explain how it could cause a fire.“No incidents have happened at the offshore fields and industrial structures controlled by SOCAR…

13 Jan 2020

ASCO Completes Irgiz Overhaul

Azerbaijan Caspian Shipping Company (ASCO) announced that its towing and supply vessel Irgiz, belonging to the Caspian Sea Oil Fleet, has been accomplished major overhaul. The vessel was repaired at the “Bibiheybat” Ship Repair Yard.The main and auxiliary steering gears and engines, oil and water coolers, air cylinder fittings, pumps for various purposes, separators, and piping systems were repaired. Also, the necessary electrical equipment, main and emergency lighting were checked and repaired.The parts under the floor In the machine-boiler and auxiliary steering gear compartments were cleaned and washed, the mechanisms and the tank with drinking water were cleaned and painted.The necessary repair works were carried out in the living rooms…

16 Jan 2020

Subsea Robots in the Splash Zone

New model tool: the iCon inspection robot searches for cracks. CREDIT: OceanTech

From their base deep within a former World War II U-boat pen, Norwegian outfit, OceanTech, is developing a set of robot tools that cling to offshore structures in order to effect inspection, maintenance and repair, or IMR. Old submarine anchorages are now subsea testing and training sites, but the North Sea is still the target. Hundreds of aging platforms and subsea structures require IMR that’s too costly, complex or hazardous for divers or remotely operated vehicles, or ROVs.As he walks us through Dora II…

10 Dec 2020

East Med Dispute: Erdogan Unmoved by EU Sanctions Threat

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan (File Photo: Turkish Presidency)

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan accused the European Union on Wednesday of never acting honestly towards his country and said Ankara was not concerned by any economic sanctions the bloc might impose on it.EU foreign ministers said on Monday Turkey had failed to help end a row with Greece and Cyprus over potential gas resources in the eastern Mediterranean, but they left a decision on sanctions for a summit of EU leaders that starts on Thursday.NATO ally Turkey has been at odds with EU members Greece and Cyprus over the extent of their continental shelves in the east Mediterranean.

23 Feb 2020

ASCO to Prevent Environmental Damage

Azerbaijan Caspian Shipping Company (ASCO) considers environmental protection as one of the key criteria for sustainable development, claimed the company.ASCO constantly pays attention to minimizing the environmentally negative impact of oil sludge, used oils, other liquid and solid emissions resulting from the operation of ships and coastal facilities on water sources, soil and atmosphere. During operations, the ASCO takes necessary preventive measures within its own capabilities.According to the results for 2019, 207967,5 tons of domestic wastewater generated at ASCO coastal and offshore facilities, 13392,2 tons of bilge oil-containing water…

19 Oct 2020

Philippe Named Commercial Director of Bureau Veritas Marine & Offshore

Mathieu Philippe, Commercial Director of Bureau Veritas Marine & Offshore (Photo: Bureau Veritas)

Mathieu Philippe has been appointed to the new position of Commercial Director – Marine at classification society Bureau Veritas. Returning to Paris, where he started his career in shipping, Philippe brings extensive experience in commercial ship operations, markets and management to Bureau Veritas. He reports to Marine & Offshore President Matthieu de Tugny, and leads the marine markets team, providing expertise and technology leadership across all major ship types, ship fuel and propulsion technology.With growing compliance requirements and demands for transparency…

12 Feb 2021

Pirates Release Crew of Containership Mozart

Fifteen Turkish sailors kidnapped by pirates last month in the Gulf of Guinea have been freed in Nigeria and will head home, a shipping company executive said on Friday, two weeks after the attackers made contact to discuss a ransom.One sailor, a citizen of Azerbaijan, was killed in the raid on January 23 which crew, family members and security sources described as a sophisticated and well-orchestrated attack. Those kidnapped were from Turkey.Speaking to state TV broadcaster TRT Haber, Levent Karsan from Istanbul-based Boden Shipping said the sailors were all in good health in Nigeria and would be brought to Turkey in the coming days.“This wasn’t a political kidnapping. This kind of kidnapping happens in that region unfortunately and is completely aimed at getting ransom,” Karsan said.

17 Oct 2019

European Ports Get EcoPorts’ PERS

European Sea Ports Organisation (ESPO) congratulates Port of Barcelona (Spain), Port of Vigo (Spain) and Port of Baku (Azerbaijan) for getting EcoPorts’ environmental management standard (PERS).Isabelle Ryckbost, ESPO’s Secretary General, handed over the PERS certificates to the ports’ representatives during the Green Port Congress in Oslo.“I would like to congratulate Port of Barcelona and Port of Vigo for renewing EcoPorts’ environmental standard and Port of Baku for obtaining it for the first time. Ports in Europe are more than ever investing to improve their environmental performance and to get their “licence to operate” from the local community…

11 Oct 2019

DSC Dredge Wins USACE Dredge Bid

Photo: DSC Dredge

DSC Dredge, LLC wins bid for a new, non-propelled, cutter suction head dredge solicited by The Marine Design Center (MDC) of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) earlier this month. When completed, the new cutter suction head dredge will operate out of Astara, Azerbaijan to not only maintain the harbor depth and harbor entrance but the US Government is purchasing this dredge for the country of Azerbaijan as a part of Azerbaijan’s support of the US in anti-terrorism efforts.

23 Sep 2019

Topaz Extended Drydocking Scheme with ABS

Topaz Energy and Marine, the offshore support vessel company providing marine solutions to the global energy industry, and ABS have, together with the State Maritime Agency under the Ministry of Transport, Communications and High Technologies of the Republic of Azerbaijan (ASMA), announced the implementation of a pioneering project enabling a condition-based survey approach."This achievement, which resulted from the visionary approach between Topaz, ABS and ASMA, marks a significant step in Topaz’s journey to transform its fleet to a condition-based class model," said a press note from ABS, the provider of classification and technical advisory services to the marine and offshore industries.The entry of Caspian Voyager…

03 Oct 2019

ACS Completes Giant Crane Ship

Overhaul of the hull of the General Aliaga Shikhlinsky crane vessel has been completed. The vessel is on the balance of the Caspian Sea Oil Fleet of Azerbaijan Caspian Shipping (ACS). It is one of the giant ships in the Caspian Sea and is.After completion of the repair work on the floating dock in the Bibi Eybat Ship Repair Yard, the ship was launched into the sea.The overhaul of the vessel with carrying capacity equal to 600 tons included the repair of the bottom and side fittings, replacement of metal boards and protective metal belts on the underwater and surface parts of the vessel, updating of the protective wheels (fenders) on each side…

06 Jan 2020

P&O Ferrymasters Expands in Turkey

European providers of transportation and logistics services P&O Ferrymasters has announced plans to open five new offices across Turkey over the next two years as it continues the expansion of its pan-European logistics services into Asia.In addition to its existing base in Istanbul, P&O Ferrymasters will develop a comprehensive network across the strategically vital country by opening offices in Izmir on the Aegean coast, the capital city Ankara, Mersin on the south coast, Bursa in the Marmara region and Gaziantep near the border with Syria.Murat Bog, Freight Management Director at P&O Ferrymasters, said: “This expansion will further…

20 Dec 2019

First Tanker Built at Baku Shipyard Launched

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has attended a ceremony to launch the first tanker built at Baku Shipyard on the order of the Azerbaijan Caspian Sea Shipping Closed Joint-Stock Company (ACSC).The first oil tanker 'Lachin' was built by local specialists on the design of the Odessa Bureau of Marine Engineering. The 7,875-ton tanker is 141 meters long and 16.9 meters wide.The tanker can pass through the Volga-Don canal and has the maximum load capacity. Unlike others, it is capable of passing through this canal with a cargo of more than 4,000-5,000 tons."The Lachin tanker will not only provide transportation of oil and oil products in the Caspian, but also the transportation of liquid cargo to other basins through the Volga-Don and Volga-Baltic canals.

26 Nov 2019

Baku Port Signs Major Asia-Europe Freight MoU

The Port of Baku,  Austrian ÖBB Rail Cargo Group and Cabooter Group (NL) signed an agreement to strengthen and expand the freight traffic from Europe to Central Asia and China via the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (Middle Corridor). The Federal Minister of Transport, Innovation and Technology of Austria, Mr. Andreas Reichhardt, and Ambassador of the Republic of Azerbaijan to Austria, Mr. Galib Israfilov were also present at the signing ceremony.The parties have decided to jointly promote the Middle Corridor in Europe and strengthen the connections between the existing  European freight networks and logistics hubs in Europe with the Port of Baku. Federal Minister of Transport, Innovation and Technology of Austria, Mr.

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