County Council News

Corvus Energy, a company providing zero-emission solutions for the maritime industry, said Monday it had won a contract with Hvide Sande Shipyard in Denmark to supply a complete hydrogen fuel cell system for the training vessel “MS Skulebas.” "This marks a historic milestone for Corvus Energy," Corvus Energy said."The 35-meter fishing and training vessel has the latest technology and commercial fishing systems installed and sets an example of innovation and cooperation within the maritime and education sectors.

Renewable energy developer Vattenfall has selected the port at Great Yarmouth, run by infrastructure specialists Peel Ports, as the preferred location for the operations and maintenance base for the Norfolk Offshore Wind Zone.When completed, Vattenfall’s Norfolk Offshore Wind Zone will be able to power around 4.6 million households.According to Peel Ports around 130 new jobs would be created with staff directly employed for the lifetime of the project which is around 35 years.

Long queues of holidaymakers and lorries built up on Saturday outside the Port of Dover, Britain's main gateway to Europe, and officials said the disruption could be worse than the logjam seen on Friday.Travelers setting out at the start of the British school summer holidays, as well as the usual flow of goods lorries, have faced long delays because of slow border checks.The Kent Resilience Forum, which brings together local councils and emergency services, declared a "major incident"…

The St. Charles County Port Authority said it has secured $3.5 million in funding to improve the river terminal in the City of St. Charles and at Klondike Park near Augusta, Mo.The funding comes a year and a half after formal organization of the Port Authority’s Board of Commissioners. County Councilman Mike Elam, District 3. worked for three years to convince fellow Council members to pass an ordinance to create the Port Authority.“After I learned that by not having a Port Authority…

An abandoned cargo ship landed on the coast of Ireland this week after more than a year drifting alone at sea.The Irish Coast Guard said it responded to a merchant vessel aground near Ballycotton, Cork on Sunday, only to discover there was no one was on board.It turns out that the mysterious vessel is the 250-foot Tanzanian-flagged Alta, which had been left crewless and adrift on the other side of the Atlantic when the U.S. Coast Guard rescued all 10 crew members on board after the vessel lost power while en route from Greece to Haiti in September 2018.At the time of the rescue, the U.S.

Port of Blyth, one of the UK’s leading offshore energy support hubs, and its partner, Energy Central, has supported the announcement from the UK Government of a 10-week consultation on its ‘freeports vision’.The Port of Blyth and businesses working on the estuary could benefit from the establishment of UK Freeports and recognizes the potential benefits of a free trade zone could bring to the region, particularly given the development of Energy Central in Blyth.Designed to create the perfect environment for inward investment from the offshore and renewable energy sector, Energy Central is a unique partnership between the Port, Northumberland County Council…

As maritime digests a number of historical changes, Norway’s Fjellstrand shipyard wants to put aside the rule book and look at the whole process in a new way, reducing engineering costs up to 70% and production costs up to 20%.The process of designing and building a ship, even in today’s highly standardized mass manufacturing environment, remains largely a one-off, one-of-a-kind design and build. Ships are most often built to a shipowner’s or operator’s specific requirements, which are often based on fixed parameters such as speed…

Associated British Ports (ABP), owner and operator of the Port of Lowestoft, has launched a consultation on the Port of Lowestoft Master Plan, a document that sets out ABP’s future vision for growth and development at the port from now until 2036, inviting stakeholders to have their say on the port’s future.Together with ABP's other two East Anglian ports, King’s Lynn and Ipswich, it contributes £360 million to the UK economy every year, supporting 5,300 jobs nationally.Coupled with ABP’s ongoing investment in its infrastructure, the Port of Lowestoft’s key location, makes it ideal to service important offshore wind developments off the East Anglian coast.The port supports construction and operational facilities for developments including the East Anglia One project…

As maritime digests a number of historical changes, Norway’s Fjellstrand shipyard wants to put aside the rule book and look at the whole process in a new way, reducing engineering costs up to 70% and production costs up to 20%.The process of designing and building a ship, even in today’s highly standardized mass manufacturing environment, remains largely a one-off, one-of-a-kind design and build. Ships are most often built to a shipowner’s or operator’s specific requirements, which are often based on fixed parameters such as speed…

Birkenhead, Merseyside based maritime engineering company SeaKing Electrical has won a tender from Cumbria County Council to repair the electrics on the council-owned car ferry the Mallard following a fire earlier this year.The ferry’s engine room caught fire in March following a hydraulic leak causing an evacuation of 80 people from the vessel while it was operating on Lake Windermere in England’s Lake District. The Mallard has capacity for 100 passengers and 18 cars.SeaKing…

Breaking new ground: the all-electric, zero-emissions Future of The FjordsNorwegian cruise vessel offers amazing tourist experience while protecting fragile UNESCO World Heritage environmentFuture of the Fjords, the world’s first all-electric and completely emissions-free ship, launched in April this year by Norwegian tours operator The Fjords, is now operating as a cruise vessel on the spectacular Gudvangen to Flåm route along the Nærøyfjord, Sognefjord and Aurlandsfjord of western Norway.

The South Carolina Ports Authority announced plans to pursue a second inland port facility, driven by the success of Inland Port Greer and demand for enhanced efficiency of international container movements between the Port of Charleston and growing markets in South Carolina and North Carolina. "Inland Port Greer is one of SCPA's most successful investments, as the growth of intermodal container volume movement in our state and region requires appropriate facilities in the interior to ground loaded and empty containers and to leverage the efficiency and sustainability of rail transportation," SCPA president and CEO Jim Newsome said. "If it is feasible, an additional inland port will be a great diversification of our logistics footprint.

Egdon Resources plc has received consent of the Planning and Regulation Committee during the Meeting of Lincolnshire County Council yesterday. The planning consent was granted for the drilling and any subsequent testing of the North Kelsey-1 exploration well in Lincolnshire licence PEDL241. The North Kelsey Prospect is located approximately 10 kilometres to the south of the Wressle-1 discovery well in PEDL180. The prospect is defined on 3D seismic data and has potential for up to four stacked conventional reservoir intervals in the Chatsworth, Beacon Hill, Ravensthorpe and Santon sandstones. The gross mean combined Prospective Resources for these multiple objectives, as calculated by Egdon are estimated to be 6.7 million barrels of oil.

The public is invited to bid “bon voyage” to Washington State Ferries’ (WSF) oldest ship, the 87-car 'Evergreen State', with one last ride from Friday Harbor to Anacortes Sunday, June 29, 2014. Crews will decommission the vessel and retire it from service following this final sailing. The Evergreen State was the first vessel custom built for Washington State Ferries in 1954.“This remarkable ferry has served our customers well for six decades,” said Interim Assistant Secretary for Ferries Division Capt. George Capacci. In the recent past she plied the waters of San Juan County between Anacortes and Sidney B.C. The ferry currently serves the interisland route.

Irish Minister for Transport, Tourism & Sport Leo Varadkar has today opened the newly-built Coast Guard Station in Killybegs which provides the voluntary crew with top-class accommodation and training facilities. It’s the third new Coast Guard building opened by Minister Varadkar since the election, and a fourth new premises will open at Doolin in the next few months. Minister Varadkar is hoping to open at least one new Coast Guard facility every year for the life-saving Coast Guard volunteers. Minister Varadkar also confirmed that the Coast Guard has commenced a new round of recruitment for radio officers for its three monitoring stations in Dublin, Valentia and Malin.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx today administered the oath of office to former U.S. Congresswoman Betty Sutton who becomes the tenth Administrator of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation (SLSDC). “We are pleased to welcome Betty Sutton to the Department as the new Administrator of the Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation,” said SLSDC Deputy Administrator Craig H. Middlebrook. “She brings a wealth of experience from her years of service at the city, county, state and federal levels of government.

The Los Angeles-class, fast-attack submarine USS Providence (SSN 719) and residents celebrated their namesake relationship during "USS Providence Day" June 9. "USS Providence Day" is a one-day community outreach effort designed to foster the relationship between residents and their namesake submarine. "We've enjoyed a long and prosperous relationship with the city of ," said Cmdr. Michael Holland, commanding officer. "USS Day" was composed of numerous outreach events, including engagements with area business and civic leaders and visits to local organizations. During a visit to the , crew members toured the facility and spoke with patients. "This is just a great day for me," said Army veteran and patient Thomas Quartino.

The MSC Napoli was deliberately beached in Lyme Bay in January 2007 after it was damaged in storms. The inquiry is considering whether the protected coastline should be a place of refuge for shipping in emergencies, the BBC reported. It is also looking at salvage and public disorder issues. The Devon County Council-led inquiry has a dedicated webpage for online submissions during the initial evidence-gathering phase. Inquiry response packs will also be available to allow people to make submissions via the council's community roadshow vehicle at local events. The Napoli's hull was damaged in a Channel storm off the coast of Cornwall on January 18 last year when it was enroute from Antwerp to South Africa.

The cutting machine, which has been secured to the deck since it listed to approximately 40 degrees in storms last month, has been successfully removed and is now on board the SMITBARGE 2. The machine will be tested to make sure it is working properly and is hoped will continue to cut through the remaining structure above the water line. The Sheerlegs, used to lift the cutting machine, will be demobilised and towed to Rotterdam. Weather permitting, the scap material currently stored in Hold 7, will be removed onto the BOA BARGE for onward transfer and recycling. Onshore, contractors DRS continue to maintain the shoreline. This week about 5 to 6 tonnes of scrap metal has been collected between Sidmouth and Axmouth…

With less than a year until its first trip between islands, Hawaii Superferry has moved operations into high gear. According to the Honolulu Advertisers, while ferry officials were making preparations to move into their new 10,000-sq. ft. office space at Restaurant Row and start hiring what will eventually be about 300 employees, critics were equally busy making plans to delay the July 1, 2007, startup date of ferry operations. Maui County Council members on July 21 debated whether the county should join a civil lawsuit that could effectively block ferry operations until a lengthy environmental review of harbor plans is conducted. Despite the lawsuit and other potential obstacles…