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Business Network News

03 Oct 2023

Offshore Wind: Support Vessel Bottlenecks Loom in the US

(© David Maddock / Adobe Stock)

An offshore wind industry is growing in the U.S. with an aim to meet the Biden Administration’s goal of 30 gigawatts (GW) of offshore wind by 2030, and eventually 110 GW by 2050.But as is the case for any new industry that is building up, there are going to be bumps along the way. The U.S. offshore wind industry is currently grappling with rising costs amid unprecedented supply chain issues and inflation, among other issues.One of the main challenges unique to offshore wind is a shortage of vessels.

02 Oct 2023

Big Money Needed to Develop US Offshore Wind Ports

(Source: Business Network for Offshore Wind, “Building a National Network of Offshore Wind Ports: A $36B Plan for Domestic Clean Energy Infrastructure”)

Much has been written about potential bottlenecks in store for various parts of the U.S. offshore wind industry, from vessels to monopiles. A new report published by the Business Network for Offshore Wind (BNOW) outlines the need for significant investment in and development of port infrastructure to support the industry in its goal of 30 gigawatts (GW) of offshore wind power by 2030 and 110 GW by 2050.The good news is that more than 35 new offshore wind port projects have gone into development or began commercial operations in the U.S.

31 May 2023

Career Moves: US Offshore Wind Powering Up

(Photo: STAR Center)

In addition to wind, offshore wind demands human energy, individuals with knowledge and skills first to build and then operate and maintain the dozens of projects required to meet President Biden’s 2030 goal of 30 GW of offshore generation. In an October 2022 National Renewable Energy Laboratory report – “U.S. Offshore Wind Workforce Assessment” – the authors estimate that it will require, on average, between 15,000 and 58,000 employees annually, depending on domestic content scenarios, to build out a huge new wind machine.Mariners and mariner training are integral to offshore wind.

06 Feb 2023

Ports & Logistics: Building A New Energy Industry

Sorting out infrastructure, ports and logistics issues will be key as the offshore wind industry scales up to meet the United States’ ambitious targets. (© Solosupremoira / Adobe Stock)

2022 closed with significant developments to advance offshore wind (OSW) and the necessary, related work required at U.S. ports – on the east and west coasts and the Great Lakes. Some of these developments included:Funding – MARAD’s Port Improvement Development Project (PIDP) grants provided over $100 million for wind at four ports.Corporate leadership – Marine giants Foss and Crowley stepped up to lead development projects in California and Massachusetts.New industry focus – The American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) started a program called POWERS – “Port Opportunities With Energy


11 Aug 2022

California Sets Big Offshore Wind Targets

Credit: Untrakdrover/Wikimedia Commons/CC BY-SA 3.0

California on Wednesday set ambitious new targets for offshore wind development, saying turbines along its storied coastline would power some 25 million homes by 2050.In a unanimous vote, the five-member California Energy Commission (CEC) adopted a goal of 3,000 to 5,000 megawatts (MW) of offshore wind by 2030 and 25,000 MW by 2045, the agency said in a statement.California has among the most aggressive climate change goals in the country, but its foray into offshore wind has lagged that of East Coast states like New York


13 Jul 2022

North Joins Maritime Anti-Corruption Network

Paul Jennings, CEO, North P&I Club (Photo: North P&I Club)

Marine insurer North P&I Club announced it has joined the Maritime Anti-Corruption Network (MACN), a global business network that aims to tackle corruption and enable fair trade in shipping.As an MACN member, North joins more than 165 global companies in working toward the elimination of all forms of maritime corruption. The Network’s activities include raising awareness of the issue; implementing the MACN Anti-Corruption Principles and establishing best practices; collaborating with governments


07 Apr 2022

US Offshore Wind: Figuring Out the Business

© Collin Gravois / Adobe Stock

If awards were given for dominating the sustainable energy spotlight, offshore wind (OSW) would surely be in line for top honors.Consider:Big money: BOEM’s February sale of New York Bight offshore wind development rights drew a record $4.37 billion in developers’ bids. Not only is that real money, but just as critically, “This week’s offshore wind sale makes one thing clear: The enthusiasm for the clean energy economy is undeniable and it’s here to stay,” exclaimed Interior Secretary Deb Haaland.Off Broadway: In January


08 Feb 2022

Royal Wagenborg renews contract with Castor Marine

Egbert Wagenborg, an open top, ice-class general cargo vessel with a load capacity of 14,300 tonnes and a hold capacity of 625,000 cubic feet. Photo courtesy Royal Wagenborg/Castor Marine

Royal Wagenborg renewed and extended Castor Marine’s Global Ku VSAT connection for multiple years.Since 1898 the Dutch family-owned shipping company has been crossing the oceans, evolving to a fleet operator with about 200 vessels. Besides the extension of 52 Global Ku VSAT contracts, Castor Marine will equip an additional 15 Wagenborg vessels, currently on 4G, with VSAT. For more than eight years the company has provided VSAT, Iridium, Inmarsat FBB, and IT services to the Wagenborg fleet.

04 Nov 2021

Maritime Cybersecurity: Prepare, Detect and Respond

© pinkeyes / Adobe Stock

At a time when the world has become more aware than ever before about the vital importance of the world’s ocean shipping fleet, which carried supplies, merchandise and much needed personal protective equipment during the COVID-19 pandemic, an increased risk from a different threat, cyberattacks, presents a set of new challenges. According to Israeli cybersecurity specialist Naval Dome, since February 2020, there has been a 400% increase in attempted hacks on the maritime realm


03 Dec 2020

Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Plans First Jones Act Rock Installation Vessel

Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Corporation's planned subsea rock installation vessel could be operational and available to the U.S. offshore wind market as early as 2024. (Image: Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Corporation)

U.S.-based Great Lakes Dredge & Dock is developing a first-of-its-kind vessel to support America's burgeoning offshore wind industry.The nation's largest dredging services provider announced Thursday it is working with Ulstein Design and Solutions B.V. to design and develop the first U.S.-flagged Jones Act compliant, inclined fallpipe vessel for subsea rock installation. The specialized vessel would be built at a U.S. Gulf Coast shipyard and could be operational as early as the first quarter of 2024, GLDD said.

17 Sep 2020

Opportunities Gust Off US Shores

© Daniël Leppens / Adobe Stock

Throughout the world, offshore wind is on a growth trajectory. With green energy mandates from states in New England and the mid-Atlantic, the U.S. is joining the fray. Consultants Wood MacKenzie, in its U.S. Offshore Wind Outlook 2020-2029, suggested that as much as 25 gigawatts (GW) of capacity could be deployed in the U.S. by 2030 (though estimates range from 14 GW to as much as 34 GW), accounting for a hefty portion of incremental capacity coming online.Shipyards in New England have already seen the tip of the offshore wind iceberg


23 Apr 2020

What Will COVID-19 Mean for US Offshore Wind?

© Bragapictures / Adobe Stock

What will COVID-19 mean for the offshore wind industry? An industry not yet spinning on its own.Epitomized by the roller coaster ride that defined the stock market over the last few weeks, unpredictability has emerged as one of the few certainties of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) crisis. Every industry has seen the effects of the pandemic, from hospitality, to travel, and even to the renewable energy sector. Indeed, even though the US offshore wind industry is not yet fully established


24 Mar 2020

Ransomware: The IT Danger on the Horizon

© arrow/AdobeStock

Two decades into the 21st century, we’re seeing a growing and pernicious threat to global information security: ransomware. Even non-technical folk have loosely heard of it, but the broader implications haven’t yet penetrated the public consciousness. In different industries, that general lack of awareness could be a big problem—and the maritime sector is a good example.Ransomware hits at the confluence of two critical trends in modern technology: the ever-increasing integration of IT systems into daily life, and the interconnectedness of those IT systems.

20 Mar 2020

U.S. Clean Energy Sector Seeks Subsidies to Keep Projects Moving

© Federico Rostagno

Wind and solar energy companies on Thursday called on Congress to pass tax incentives that would help the sector avoid project delays and keep financing flowing amid a pandemic that has choked off supply chains and slowed construction.In a letter to House and Senate leadership, seven clean energy trade groups asked lawmakers to extend deadlines that would allow their projects to qualify for generous wind and solar federal tax credits despite delays caused by the spread of the coronavirus across the globe.The American Wind Energy Association


07 Feb 2020

Are OSVs Fit for Refit for Offshore Wind?

BEFORE: Island Clipper: Island Offshore of Ulsteinvik, Norway, has had success with conversions.  “before” and “after”.  Photos: Island Offshore

While it is generally agreed that the nascent offshore wind energy market in the U.S. will be a newbuild market, there is a repair and conversion possibility for some stacked OSVs.Though estimates on the pace of the offshore wind energy market in the U.S. vary widely, the direction is clear: offshore wind will be a huge marketplace for construction and support vessels to be deployed in U.S. waters over the next decade. The starting point for estimated vessel demand is the raft of projects along the U.S. East Coast, and to a lesser extent, in the Pacific waters, now in the pipeline.

27 Dec 2019

INSIGHTS: Niels Aalund

Niels Aalund was elected President of the International Propeller Club at their 93rd International Convention and Conference. The prominent maritime industry stakeholder will serve a two-year term, commencing from October 17th. Aalund, a well-known maritime subject matter expert and executive, also serves as an Officer and as Senior Vice President of the West Gulf Maritime Association (WGMA). WGMA communicates and coordinates with various governmental entities throughout the West Gulf


28 Oct 2019

Aalund Named International Propeller Club's President

Niels Aalund, President, International Propeller Club

Niels Aalund was elected at the 93rd International Convention and Conference in New Orleans on October 17th.New Orleans, LA: Prominent maritime industry stakeholder Niels Aalund has been elected President of the International Propeller Club. Mr. Aalund will serve a two-year term, commencing from October 17th. Aalund, a well-known maritime subject matter expert and executive, currently serves as an Officer and as Senior Vice-President of the West Gulf Maritime Association (WGMA).

12 Jul 2019

Shipping Majors Join CargoSmart Digital Initiative

The provider of software-as-a-service based shipping and logistics solutions, CargoSmart has announced the official execution of the Global Shipping Business Network (GSBN) Services Agreement with shipping majors.According to a statement from the shipment management software company, CMA CGM, COSCO Shipping, COSCO Shipping Ports (CSP), Hapag-Lloyd, Hutchison Ports, OOCL, Port of Qingdao, PSA International and Shanghai International Port Group have signed up with it.As per the agreement, each signatory commits to provide resources to support preparatory work required to establish the GSBN, a not-for-profit joint venture to accelerate the digital transformation of the shipping industry.The preparatory work includes obtaining all necessary regulatory


04 Jul 2019

MACN's Port Integrity Campaign in India

The Maritime Anti-Corruption Network (MACN) has announced the launch of a groundbreaking Port Integrity Campaign in India, with the support of the Government of India.The global business network of over 110 companies working together to tackle corruption in the maritime industry said that the campaign, which aims to reduce and (in the long term) eliminate integrity issues and bottlenecks to trade during operations in Indian ports, is a collective action of MACN, the Government of India, international organizations, and local industry stakeholders.The pilot of the campaign will take place in Mumbai ports (MbPT and JNPT) and will run until October this year.

01 May 2019

Propeller Club Names Cullather as EVP

The Board of Directors of the International Propeller Club of the United States has selected Mr. John M. Cullather as its new Executive Vice President.In the role of Executive Vice President, he will be responsible for the day-to-day operations of the International Propeller Club, will oversee all activities and functions of the International Propeller Club of the United States, and will serve as the primary liaison to the Club’s 70 port chapters worldwide. Along with the Board of Directors


01 May 2019

Port of Baku Pact with European Logistics Hub

The leading companies operating in the city of Venlo in the Dutch province of Limburg, which is one of the largest logistics and transport hubs in Europe, have started cooperation with Baku International Sea Trade Port CJSC.Last week, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the government of the state of Limburg, which includes the city of Venlo and leading companies with the Port of Baku.The Memo envisages cooperation with the government of the province of Limburg, companies Cabooter Group, SMART Logistics Centre, the Limburg Development & Investment Company, Greenport Venlo, KLG Europe, the Council for the Development of Northern Limburg


19 Mar 2019

Hapag-Lloyd Collaborates with XVELA

German-based global cargo container shipping line, Hapag-Lloyd AG Hapag-Lloyd set to implement XVELA’s collaboration services to increase transparency throughout the transportation supply chain and more efficiently employ assets and resources.A press release from XVELA, the world’s first maritime business network for ocean carriers and terminal operators, said that both companies plan to initiate the global rollout on one of Hapag Lloyd’s premier Latin American services and will continue to broaden throughout its terminal partners. XVELA is an affiliate of Navis.This ‘Phase One’ rollout will leverage XVELA’s services to further enhance communication and collaboration between Hapag-Lloyd planners and terminal partners.

31 Dec 2018

International Propeller Club Looks for new Executive VP

The International Propeller Club of the United States is looking for a new Executive Vice President to lead its Fairfax, Virginia office in early 2019.The International Propeller Club is an international business network dedicated to the promotion of the maritime industry, commerce, and global trade. It has 5,000 members in more than 75 ports around the world who represent a cross-section of the maritime industry. The Propeller Club is ninety-one years old and serves as the premier