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04 Mar 2024

ABB Azipod DI Propulsion System Gets ABS Approval

(Image: ABB)

The American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) has granted approval in principle (AIP) to ABB for its Azipod DI with a capacity of up to 4.5 MW and ice class PC3.ABB called the approval "a significant milestone", as the Azipod DI propulsion system is now ready to power future icebreakers in the North American market as demand for icebreakers on the rise."Our long-standing and fruitful cooperation between ABB and ABS has been instrumental in developing cutting-edge propulsion systems for icebreaking ships.

30 Aug 2023

ABB to Supply Ice-Classed Azipod Propulsion for Research Vessel

Illustration of the polar research Icebreaker. Image credit: Guangzhou Shipyard International Company Limited.

ABB has received an order from the Guangzhou Shipyard International to supply an Azipod® DI propulsion system for the new compact icebreaker of China’s Institute of Deep-sea Science and Engineering. The ship is expected to be delivered in 2025, after which it will begin to carry out operations in the Arctic and Antarctic Ocean.A complete electric propulsion system including two 4.5MW Azipod® units will drive the vessel through harsh weather and thick first-year ice to enable research on behalf of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

22 Aug 2023

Asian Buyers May Seek US LNG if Australian Disputes Worsen

© moofushi / Adobe Stock

Major Asian buyers of LNG could seek US cargoes in the coming weeks if worker-related disputes at key LNG facilities in Australia escalate, analysts said, as electricity demand continues surge due to warm weather.Uncertainty over labour disputes at western Australian facilities run by Woodside Energy Group and U.S. major Chevron have spurred Asian LNG prices to their highest in five months, and analysts say they could rise further.As many as 700 workers at the Australian facilities could potentially down tools over pay and job security, the first of them as early as Sept.

21 Jul 2023

Italian Authorities Seize Record 5.3t Cocaine Haul Off Sicily

For illustration -. Credit: 4kclips/AdobeStock

Italian authorities have seized a record 5.3 tonne cocaine haul being transferred between ships off the southern coast of Sicily, police said on Friday.The consignment had an estimated value of 850 million euros  ($946 million) and five people have been arrested, the Guardia di Finanza said in a statement. Police had been tracking a ship that sailed from South America and swooped in the early hours of Wednesday, when a surveillance aircraft spotted packages being thrown from its…

18 Jul 2023

Bow Section of French Navy LSS Launched at Fincantieri

Image courtesy Fincantieri

The launch of the bow section of the second logistic support unit LSS (Logistic Support Ship) ordered from Fincantieri by Chantiers de l'Atlantique under the FLOTLOG ("Flotte logistique") program took place at the Castellammare di Stabia shipyard.The FLOTLOG program envisages the construction of four Logistic Support Vessels (LSS) for the French Navy by the temporary consortium formed by Chantiers de l'Atlantique and Naval Group under the French-Italian LSS program led by OCCAR (Organization for the joint armaments cooperation) on behalf of DGA…

24 Mar 2023

First LNG Bunker Ship Launched in China for Fratelli Cosulich Group

Image courtesy Fratelli Cosulich Group

Alice Cosulich, the first of two Small Scale & Bunker Vessels for Fratelli Cosulich Group was recently christened and luanced at the CIMC SOE shipyard in China.Giulia Cosulich, ESG Corporate Director at Fratelli Cosulich Group, acted as the godmother of the vessel.Alice Cosulich and will sail under the Italian flag with Captain Vincenzo Scotto at the helm.The vessel, which has a 5,300 DWT and can carry 8,200 m3 of LNG and 500 m3 of MGO, will be fitted with Wartsila’s Dual Fuel technology.

13 Mar 2023

Washington State Ferries' Cathlamet Repaired After Terminal Allision

(Photo: Everett Ship Repair)

A Washington State Ferries (WSF) vessel has been repaired after it allided into the Fauntleroy dock in Seattle last summer.Everett, Wash. repair yard Everett Ship Repair (ESR) served as the prime contractor for emergency repairs to WSF's Cathlamet, and it subcontracted sister-company Nichols Brothers Boat Builders (NBBB) to construct a new steel pickle fork at its facility on Whidbey Island. A pickle fork is the area of a passenger deck extending above the end of the car decks…

13 Mar 2023

MAN's Methanol-ready 32/44CR Engine Earns RINA Approval

(Image: MAN Energy Solutions)

MAN Energy Solutions announced it has received an approval in principle (AIP) certificate from classification society RINA for its methanol-ready MAN L/V 32/44CR engine. The AIP covers an upgrade concept for the four-stroke engine for conversion to dual-fuel running on methanol.The maritime industry is currently exploring the use of methanol as marine fuel as it seeks to minimize its environmental impacts.Methanol has several physical advantages as a fuel, including a liquid state at ambient temperatures and its accordingly easy handling aboard vessels, compared to gaseous fuels.

28 Feb 2023

Italy: Police Arrest Three Alleged Traffickers after Fatal Migrant Boat Wreck

Wooden boat that smashed apart on rocks off southern Italy on Sunday - Credit: Italian Coast Guard - Screenshot

Italy has arrested three people who they believe trafficked up to 200 migrants aboard a wooden boat that smashed apart on rocks off southern Italy on Sunday, killing at least 64 people, police said on Tuesday. Lieutenant Colonel Alberto Lippolis said a Turkish man and two Pakistani nationals had sailed the boat from Turkey to Italy despite the terrible weather, and were identified by survivors as "the main culprits of the tragedy"."According to initial investigations, they allegedly asked the migrants for about 8…

27 Feb 2023

Italy Urges 'Stop' to Migrant Boats as Shipwreck Death Toll Hits 63

(Photo: Italian Coast Guard)

Rescuers recovered four more bodies on Monday, a day after a wooden sailboat carrying migrants to Europe smashed onto rocks in stormy weather off southern Italy, bringing the death toll to 63, including at least 14 children.Rescuers said most of the migrants came from Afghanistan, as well as from Iran, Somalia, Syria and elsewhere. Pakistan's foreign ministry said 20 Pakistani citizens were on the boat, with four missing and 16 survivors of the nighttime shipwreck.Many of the victims washed ashore close to where the vessel sank near Steccato di Cutro…

15 Feb 2023

Adding a Flap Improves Flettner Performance -Study

(Image: Blue Wasp Marine)

Adding a flap to a Flettner rotor can lead to improved performance and significant reductions in both emissions and fuel consumption, according to a recent assessment.The study, conducted by wind-assisted ship propulsion specialist Blue Wasp Marine on behalf of the Technical University Delft (TU Delft) and the Sea Axe Fund, leveraged in-house developed Pelican software to assess the potential of a straightforward adjustment to a Flettner rotor, a vertical cylinder that spins and develop lift due to the Magnus effect.In the circumstances covered by Blue Wasp’s tests…

23 Dec 2022

Italy's LNG Import Capacity and New Terminals

Italy plans to boost its liquefied natural gas (LNG) import capacity to 27 billion cubic metres (bcm) from nearly 17 bcm currently as it seeks to completely replace Russian gas supplies following Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.In 2021, Moscow provided Rome with 29 bcm of gas via pipelines, equal to around 40% of Italy's total imports but Russian supplies have fallen in recent months to around 10% of total imports. Italy, which can now count on three LNG terminals, has mandated gas grid operator Snam SRG.MI to buy and set up two additional floating storage and regasification units (FSRU) near the cities of Piombino and Ravenna.A timely start for the Piombino FSRU is crucial to allow Italy to fill gas storage facilities in time for winter 2023…

28 Nov 2022

Marine News' Top Vessels of 2022

Mark W. Barker (Photo: Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding)

The November edition of Marine News magazine highlighted the most notable newbuilds delivered in 2022. From sturdy and nimble workboats, to the first new Jones Act laker in a generation, each vessel on display showcases the industry’s engineering prowess and technological ingenuity, with the focus on improving efficiency in operations. The maritime industry has no shortage of challenges to overcome, and each of Marine News’ top vessels will, in one way or another, aid efforts to tackle them.Mark W.

09 Sep 2022

Aurelia’s 100% Hydrogen-powered Design Gets RINA Approval

(Image: Aurelia)

Aurelia Green Ship Concept Design's newly unveiled ship design featuring 100% hydrogen propulsion has received approval in principle (AIP) from RINA based on the newly published RINA Rules for Hydrogen Fueled Ships and the RINA Guide for the Approval in Principle of Novel Technologies.The new design concept is the ACD01 1000, a RoRo vessel with electric propulsion using highly compressed H2 as fuel. Beyond the green design, the difference is marked by the ship's hydrogen-based engine system…

18 Aug 2022

Bigger, Better Charity Ship Makes Its First Migrant Rescue

(Photo: Open Arms)

Four times the tonnage of the original Open Arms rescue tugboat and with a capacity to carry up to 1,000 people, the Open Arms Uno made its first rescue on Wednesday, picking up 101 migrants stranded on a wooden boat off the Tunisian coast."Sit down, if you don't sit down we don't continue," a crew member shouted to the excited migrants from a speed boat launched from the vessel operated by the Spanish charity Open Arms before all were taken aboard.One had jumped into the water to try to reach the speed boat…

22 Jul 2022

All American Marine Delivers Whale-watching Vessel to Puget Sound Express

(Photo: All American Marine)

Bellingham, Wash. shipbuilder All American Marine (AAM) has delivered the new whale-watching vessel Swiftsure to Puget Sound Express (PSE).The vessel was modeled after the All American Marine built and Teknicraft designed Saratoga, delivered in the Spring of 2018. The larger 77’ Swiftsure will maintain performance while adding space to Puget Sound Express’ whale watch and eco-tourism business, the builder said.The 150-passenger, semi-displacement catamaran hull for this vessel was developed by Nic de Waal of Teknicraft Design in Auckland, New Zealand.

22 Jun 2022

Union Calls 24-hour Warning Strike in German Ports

© Marco2811 / Adobe Stock

German trade union ver.di called on several thousand employees at German ports to take part in a 24-hour warning strike from Thursday morning, potentially further increasing difficulties at already strained ports.Workers in Emden, Bremerhaven, Bremen, Brake, Wihelmshaven and Hamburg were called on to take part, after a fourth round of wage negotiations fell through.

22 Jun 2022

First Steel Cut for TUI Cruises' LNG-powered Cruise Ship

Credit: Fincantieri

The first steel cutting ceremony was held for the first of two LNG-powered ships for the cruise ship operator TUI Cruises.Shipbuilder Fincantieri said Wednesday that the construction start-up ceremony had taken place in the presence of Wybcke Meier, CEO of TUI, and Luigi Matarazzo, General Manager Merchant Ship Division of Fincantieri, in San Giorgio di Nogaro (Udine) at Centro Servizi Navali, a company specialized in logistics and production of sheet metal for the Fincantieri yards located in northeastern Italy.

09 May 2022

Italy Seizes Luxury Yacht Scheherazade Linked to Putin

The Italian government ordered police on Friday to impound a luxury yacht worth some $700 million that has been linked in the media to Russian President Vladimir Putin.The sleek, six-deck Scheherazade had been undergoing repairs in the Italian port of Marina di Carrara since September, but recent activity at the dockside suggested that the crew might be preparing to put to sea.A source with direct knowledge of a weeks-long investigation into the vessel said police believed the owner was Eduard Khudainatov, the former chief of Russian energy giant Rosneft who is not currently a target of EU sanctions.In a statement announcing the seizure order…

22 Mar 2022

Ukraine's Zelenskiy Urges Italy to Seize Yacht Believed to Belong to Putin

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy urged Italy on Tuesday to seize a mystery yacht worth some $700 million that has been linked to Russian President Vladimir Putin.In an address to the Italian parliament, Zelenskiy said Putin and his wealthy backers often went to Italy on holiday and should have all their assets frozen to put pressure on them to end the invasion of Ukraine."Don't be a resort for murderers. Block all their real estate, accounts and yachts - from the Scheherazade to the smallest ones," he said, referring to a superyacht that is moored in the Italian port of Marina di Carrara.The sleek, six-deck vessel has two helicopter landing pads and can host up 18 guests and 40 crew.

18 Mar 2022

Fincantieri Delivers Multipurpose Offshore Patrol Ship to Italian Navy

(Photo: Fincantieri)

Fincantieri’s shipyard in Muggiano on Friday delivered Paolo Thaon di Revel, the first of seven new Multipurpose Offshore Patrol ships (PPA – Pattugliatore Polivalente d’Altura) for the Italian Navy.The 143-meter-long PPAs are built at the Integrated Shipyard of Riva Trigoso and Muggiano, with deliveries expected until 2026. They are part of the renewal plan of the operational lines of the Italian Navy vessels, approved by the Government and Parliament and started in May 2015 (“Naval Act”) under the aegis of OCCAR (Organisation Conjointe de Cooperation sur l’Armement…

14 Jun 2022

Optiwise HORIZON Project Aims to Improve Ships with Wind Power

Image courtesy MARIN

MARIN, joined by the consortium outlined below, has successfully initiated the project Optiwise, an EU funded research and innovation project aiming to improve and demonstrate energy savings using wind propulsion and hydrodynamic improvements in propulsion.Partners working together in this MARIN coordinated project:MARIN, CORE IC, SSPA, AYRO, CHANTIERS DE L'ATLANTIQUE, FLIKKEMA INNOVATION MANAGEMENT & CONSULTANCY, WARTSILA NETHERLANDS, UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI GENOVA, EURONAV…

16 Jun 2022

Ban on Russian Commodity Exports to Accelerate LNG Growth, Energy Transition - Wood Mackenzie report

Copyright tarikdiz/AdobeStock

War in Ukraine is transforming the outlook for the supply, demand and price of hydrocarbons and the pace and cost of the energy transition. While the precise timing and implementation of future bans on Russian commodity imports are difficult to predict, a rewriting of energy trade flows is now underway. With the global economy on a knife edge and energy prices structurally higher, there a real risk of some global supply being lost. Europe’s push for more liquified natural gas…