Dole News

A fire broke out on board a refrigerated cargo ship at the Port of Wilmington, in Delaware, late Monday evening.The crew aboard the Dole containerized fruit carrier contacted U.S. Coast Guard Sector Delaware Bay at approximately midnight, reporting that an engine fire erupted shortly after leaving port.The vessel quickly activated its firefighting system, energizing a carbon dioxide system to flood the engine room and rob the fire of oxygen, and safely moored back to the pier.

It is often difficult to push through the federal government morass to focus on the issues that actually matter to the inland operator. While 2020 inevitably will be a contentious year in American politics, it is critical to stay focused on the items that will have direct impact on the U.S. maritime industry. From a potential new Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) bill to potential Jones Act challenges, 2020 will be an important year for inland operators to stay politically engaged.Work on WRDAJanuary marked the beginning of Congress’ work in earnest toward introducing a new WRDA bill.

Maritime Challenges in the 116th Congress.The 116th Congress, with its now Democrat-controlled House and 110 newly-elected members, faces a choice. On one hand, Congress can continue to pursue the status quo, supporting U.S.-flag vessel operators and domestic port infrastructure development through existing programs, with suboptimal results. On the other, the 116th Congress can choose to be bold. It can recognize that the U.S.-flag fleet, with only 83 vessels operating in international trade, clearly requires new mechanisms of support.

With a year to go before the implementation of the 2020 Sulfur Cap, few topics will be higher on the list of priorities for shipowners than complying with Annex VI of the IMO MARPOL Convention (2008). However, the reduction of sulfur content in marine fuel from 3.5% to 0.5% in time for the deadline means more than identifying a strategically suitable fuel choice. The importance of choosing the correct lubricant, coupled with incorporating the relevant supporting is also a vital consideration.As both a global lubricant supplier and as a part of the wider Total Group…

Caribbean shipyard Grand Bahama Shipyard (GBS) said it has completed work on 30 commercial vessels within first half of 2017, predominantly comprised of companies returning to the yard with repeat business including tankers, bulk carriers, containerships, tugs, dive support vessels and drilling support vessels. In what is considered a volatile market, GBS said 2017 has been a great year for repeat customers, solidifying its position as a supporter of the major U.S. East Coast…

Sponsored by the American Association of Port Authorities and hosted by the Unified Port of San Diego, a workshop examining port-related economic development programs, analyzing solutions to development/funding challenges and quantifying results will be held Feb. 20-21, 2014 (Day 1, 8:00 a.m. -5:00 p.m.; Day 2, 8:30 a.m.-12:30 noon) at the Hilton San Diego Bayfront, 1 Park Boulevard, San Diego, Calif. Among the key topics on the minds of Western Hemisphere port development…

The past week has been another active one, reports Clarkson Hellas S+P Weekly Report, with notable levels of ordering across all sectors. In Dry and whilst understood to have been contracted earlier this year, Clients of Polaris Shipping are reported to have signed three firm 250,000 DWT VLOCs as well as a single 207,000 DWT Newcastlemax at Hyundai Heavy Industries. These will be built at their Samho facility and whilst final pricing is yet to be disclosed, delivery is expected from the third quarter of 2014 and will continue through to early 2015. Parakou Shipping were reported to have contracted four firm SDARI designed 64,000 DWT Ultramax with a further four plus four options attached at Chengxi Shipyard.

The Port of San Diego to improve the air quality around its Tenth Avenue Marine Terminal by providing Alternative Maritime Power (AMP). The Board of Port Commissioners approved a non-appealable coastal development permit to bring shore power to the marine terminal, located on San Diego's waterfront. Reducing emissions using shore power benefits local air quality, with the community of Barrio Logan being the closest impacted neighborhood. The project is a part of the Port's Capital Improvement Program (CIP).

Delaware River Port Community schedule a one-day donation drive. Organizers from private and public sector port businesses and agencies throughout the tri-state region have scheduled a one-day donation drive for Saturday, November 17, 2012, from 8:00am – 5:00pm, to help those affected by Hurricane Sandy. There are drop-off locations at Philadelphia's Wholesale Produce Market, Gloucester's Marine Terminal, and Wilmington's Chase Center on the Riverfront. The efforts will support several New Jersey charitable and relief organizations, such as the Salvation Army, and the United Way of Monmouth County. “We in the Delaware River Valley were extremely lucky that Sandy caused little to no damage in our area,” said Kurt Ferry, of Greenwich Terminals.

Port of San Diego's Tenth Avenue Marine Terminal proposes shore-to-ship power provision (subject to project's public approval). The project would allow vessels such as container ships and refrigerated cargo ships to "plug in" and use electrical power from San Diego Gas & Electric , rather than run off their own diesel engines while at berth. The Port has accordingly prepared a Draft Mitigated Negative Declaration for the shore power project, per the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).

Capt. Jeffrey Monroe, MM, Chairman of the United States Department of Homeland Security Secretary’s National Maritime Security Advisory Committee, and former Chairman of the US Coast Guard’s National Maritime Safety Advisory Council, completed the first seminar for US port executives at the Philadelphia Maritime Exchange in Pennsylvania. This was the first program offered in the US by Canadian interests. Capt. Monroe, a licensed master mariner with a Master’s Degree in Transportation management…

Reflecting the shipping industry’s continued trend in the adoption of energy efficient equipment which reduces lifecycle costs, Carrier Transicold reported that its PrimeLINE® container refrigeration unit has surpassed previous records, selling nearly the same number of units in 2011 as in the prior three years combined. “For four successive years, the PrimeLINE unit has outsold all competitive models, and 2011 – a record year for the industry – accelerated this trend,” said David Appel, president, Carrier Transicold. Appel credited the PrimeLINE unit’s success with its industry-leading efficiency, which responds to the market’s need for more sustainable solutions. Carrier’s ThinLINE® unit, the historic market leader, also surpassed previous-year sales in 2011.

Elizabeth Dole will serve as godmother to Carnival Cruise Lines' new Carnival Spirit, the first in a new series of 88,500-ton vessels for the line. Mrs. Dole will officially name Carnival's newest ship at ceremony held dockside at the Port of Miami Friday, April 27. A former president of the American Red Cross who resigned her position in 1999 to pursue her own campaign for the U.S. presidency, Mrs. Dole's public service career began with her appointment as Deputy Assistant to President Nixon for Consumer Affairs in 1971. Over the years, she has directed U.S. public policy serving as a member of the Federal Trade Commission, Secretary of Transportation under President Reagan, and Secretary of Labor under President Bush. Mrs.

Crowley Maritime Corporation said that Tommy Thompson has joined the company's liner service group as director of maintenance and repair (M&R). Thompson is domiciled in Jacksonville and reports to Rob Grune, senior vice president and general manager, Puerto Rico and Caribbean and John Hourihan, senior vice president and general manager, Latin America. In this position, Thompson is responsible for overseeing domestic M&R. He is charged with introducing best practices and new technologies along with process review and change intended to further improve current operations and garner greater efficiencies. He will also support the company's new build program…

Maritime training centers and schools offering maritime safety courses will be inspected by the Philippines Maritime Training Council of the Department of Labor and Employment to ensure they produce seafarers who meet the standards of the global maritime industry. DOLE said in a statement over the weekend that the MTC will inspect maritime training providers in accordance with the 1978 Standards of Training, Certification, and Watchkeeping Convention. MTC has begun inspecting the maritime training providers' facilities for maritime safety courses and applications for the mandatory management training courses for the Filipino seafarers.

Winners of the Lloyd’s List-SMM 2002 Awards for innovation in shipbuilding and marine technology were announced in the Hamburg Congress Centre last night (September 24) at a gala ceremony which brought day one of the world’s biggest maritime fair to a glittering conclusion. Several hundred leading industry figures gathered for the final stage of an initiative launched in March by Lloyd’s List and SMM organisers Hamburg Messe to recognise the technical advances which enable maritime commerce and defence. With 13 awards in three merchant and naval categories, the inaugural scheme attracted a massive wave of nominations for ships and support systems reflecting the cutting edge of ingenuity in improving performance, reducing costs and protecting the environment.