Spliethoff Orders Six Vessels from China
Amsterdam-based shipping company Spliethoff has placed an order for six multipurpose vessels at the Zhejiang Ouhua Shipbuilding Co., Ltd., shipyard in China. The 165-meter-long, approximately 18,000 dwt vessels of this new R-Class are designed in accordance with the Polar Code for trade in remote areas such as the Arctic. With a hold length of over 100 meters and heavy lift cranes which are combinable, the vessels are engineered for operations within the specialized breakbulk market with heavy and outsized cargoes.
U.K. Defense Secretary Marks Creation of Carrier
British Secretary of State for Defense, Philip Hammond, signaled a key moment in the creation of aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth during his visit to the assembly site, Babcock’s Rosyth Dockyard. While Aircraft Carrier Alliance workers looked on, Mr. Hammond started the final stage of the operation to lower the ship’s iconic bridge section—also known as the forward island—into place, completing the bow end of the 65,000-ton aircraft carrier. The Defense Secretary said, "The addition of the forward island is a significant milestone for HMS Queen Elizabeth…
Ballast Water Exchange: Is There A Better Way?
There are a few other topics gathering more information than ballast water exchange, as the chorus of environmental damage from the scientific community and howls of reform from the legislative community grow louder each day. Two naval architects working with Teekay Shipping in Japan were recently involved in a study and have issued a paper on a more efficient way to handle the ballast water conundrum. Ballast Water and Sediment Discharge is prohibited into coastal waters to minimize the risks of introduction of harmful marine organisms. Since management of ballast water discharge becomes mandatory, a ship is obliged to exchange ballast water in open ocean and as far as possible from coast. Two methods are introduced in IMO Resolution A.868 (20) adopted November 27, 1997.
