Cayman Island News

U.S. oil and gas companies on Friday raced to complete evacuations from offshore Gulf of Mexico platforms as Tropical Storm Ida advanced towards oilfields that provide 17% of the nation's oil production.The storm early Friday was about 50 miles northwest of Grand Cayman Island moving north at 15 miles (24 km) and expected to intensify and become near a major hurricane when it hits the central U.S. Gulf Coast this weekend, according to the National Hurricane Center (NHC). A major…

Avenir LNG on Thursday announced the launch of the Avenir Allegiance, dubbed the world’s largest dual-purpose, LNG supply and bunkering vessel, built by CIMC Sinopacific Offshore & Engineering Co. (CIMC SOE).The vessel was launched at 7 am on January 27th, 2021 at Zhoushan Changhong International Shipyard Co. Ltd. Due for delivery from CIMC SOE in the third quarter of this year, the vessel will be the first 20,000cbm vessel to join the Avenir LNG fleet and the world’s largest LNG bunkering vessel…

A fire that spread across two oil tankers in a South Korean port injured 10 people on Saturday, coastguard and fire officials said, adding the blaze had largely been put out.An explosion occurred on the Stolt Groenland, a 25,000-tonne, Cayman Island-flagged oil tanker, at the southern port of Ulsan at around 10:50 a.m. (0150 GMT), a coastguard official said.There were 25 sailors aboard, including Russians and Filipinos.The fire spread to another oil tanker docked nearby, the 9,000-tonne, South Korean-flagged Bow Dalian, with 21 aboard, he said.All of the sailors on both ships were rescued, but 10 people, most of whom were workers at the terminal, have been wounded so far, a fire official told Reuters.

Vietnam has approved a foreign consortium's plan to invest around $315 million in a seaport and industrial zone complex in northern Quang Ninh province, the government said on Saturday. The licence was handed on Friday to the consortium including CDC International Corp from Cayman Island, Asia Infrastructure Development Co from Hong Kong and Singapore's Tien Ich Trung Dong Co, said in a report on the government's website. Construction is slated to start next year with full completion in 2036, it said. While the Trans-Pacific Partnership pact, with Vietnam one of the 12 signatory nations, looks uncertain after the U.S. presidential election, the Southeast Asian nation is still receiving record foreign investment due to its numerous trade accords, cheap labour and relative stability.

The German navigation system integrator Raytheon Anschütz has won a contract to supply the latest generation of IMO-certified Integrated Navigation Systems (INS) to three car carriers built by the Croatian shipbuilder Uljanik Brodogradiliste. The Pure Car and Truck Carriers (PCTCs) will be owned by Cayman Island based Auto Marine Transport Inc. and are scheduled for entering service from end of 2016. The new PCTCs will operate under a long-term charter of Siem Car Carriers AS. Each of the vessels has capacity to carry up to 7,000 cars.

BMT Nigel Gee collaborates with Cayman Island Shipping Registry to share industry knowledge and insight. BMT Nigel Gee, a subsidiary of BMT Group, is set to launch its latest technical paper in collaboration with the Cayman Island Shipping Registry (CISR). Developed to provide insight for a wide range of industry stakeholders, the paper examines aspects of the 2010 Passenger Yacht Code (PYC) which aims to provide a Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) equivalent code for yachts wishing to carry up to 36 passengers. Prior to the development and publishing of this code, yachts wishing to carry more than 12 passengers were subject to full SOLAS and Loadline compliance with associated cost and design complexity.

Houston based SPT Inc., specialists in ship to ship (STS) transfer (lightering) of crude oil and liquefied natural gas has announced expansion of its STS service for oil majors and traders in the Caribbean. SPT Inc's President Simon Duncan has signed an initial deal with Cayman Island’s Premier Bush to revive crude oil lightering offshore Cayman Brac. This follows new ship to ship transfer capability announced last year in the Bahamas for SPT, building on its permanent ship to ship transfer location in its southern Caribbean base at Aruba. The details of the Cayman arrangements have not yet been finalised, but promise to aid Cayman Brac’s economy with the port benefiting from the additional commerce that visiting ships generate such as replenishment of stores and services.

The Maritime Administration (MarAd) has approved the sale and transfer of five vessels under section 9 of the Shipping Act, of 1916, as amended. MarAd has approved an application filed by Zapata Gulf Pacific, L.L.C., of New Orleans, Louisiana for the sale of the offshore supply Adam Tide Official No. 1062708, to Tidewater Boat Limited, New Orleans, Louisiana, a Cayman Island corporation, and the transfer of said vessel to Vanuatu registry and flag. An application has been approved filed by Twenty Grand Offshore, Inc., of New Orleans, La., for the sale of the offshore supply Ed Kyle Official No. 1135063, to Tidewater Boat Limited, New Orleans, Louisiana, a Cayman Island corporation, and the transfer of said vessel to Vanuatu registry and flag.

Seacraft Shipyard Corp. of Amelia, La. delivered M/V Cayman Aggressor IV to Aggressor Fleet Ltd. The 110 ft. aluminum luxury dive yacht was designed by Seacraft Shipyard and is Cayman Island Shipping Registry certified. Two 12V71TI main engines, closed coupled to a pair of Twin Disc 514, 2.5:1 transmissions enables Cayman Aggressor IV to cruise at 12 knots. The propeller shafts and rudders are stainless steel and were fabricated at Seacraft's machine shop. Electricity is supplied by one 30 kW and one 40 kW generator. The aft dive deck features storage lockers for diving gear, air and nitrox fill stations, fresh water dip tank, and two access ladders.

Seacraft Shipyard Corp. of Amelia, La. delivered M/V Cayman Aggressor IV to Aggressor Fleet Ltd. The 110 ft. aluminum luxury dive yacht was designed by Seacraft Shipyard and is Cayman Island Shipping Registry certified. Two 12V71TI main engines, closed coupled to a pair of Twin Disc 514, 2.5:1 transmissions enables Cayman Aggressor IV to cruise at 12 knots. The propeller shafts and rudders are stainless steel and were fabricated at Seacraft's machine shop. Electricity is supplied by one 30 kW and one 40 kW generator. The aft dive deck features storage lockers for diving gear, air and nitrox fill stations, fresh water dip tank, and two access ladders.