Epoch News

NYK and NYK Group company MTI Co., Ltd. (“MTI”), together with the American Bureau of Shipping (“ABS”) and Winterthur Gas & Diesel Ltd. ("WinGD"), have started joint research for optimization of ship design by utilizing a battery-hybrid system to aid ship propulsion and thus reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from vessels.A vessel’s main-engine revolutions may increase significantly when a vessel tries to maintain its sailing speed during strong waves and winds.This phenomenon is called “load fluctuation.” The shaft generator may also increase the burden on the main engine.

Japanese shipping company Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha (NYK) is testing a navigation and collision avoidance system in another step toward autonomous cargo ship operations.NYK and MTI Co. Ltd. (MTI) have installed Orca AI’s Automatic Ship Target Recognition System onto an NYK Group ship to assess the system's ability to automatically recognize dangerous targets and other vessels that may be overlooked by the human eye, especially at night and in congested waters through vision sensors and thermal cameras…

Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd., (“K” Line) has delivered the Tohoku Maru, a 91,000 DWT-type special coal carrier at Oshima Shipbuilding Co., Ltd.Tohoku Maru is same type as “K” Line’s specialized fleet for transport of thermal coal known as the “Corona-series”. The “Corona-series” consists of epoch-making coal carriers equipped with wide beam and shallow draft, which are said to be the most suitable type to enter ports of Japanese Thermal Power Stations to discharge cargo.Tohoku Maru is equipped with Advanced Flipper Fins and Rudder Fin which promote her propeller efficiency.

Japanese shipping giant Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha (K Line) has taken delivery of a 88,000 dwt coal carrier from compatriot shipbuilder Imabari Shipbuilding in Marugame.Named Corona Citrus, the vessel was delivered on September 11 for electric utility Electric Power Development Co. Ltd.The new Corona coal carrier will be principally involved in carrying thermal coal to thermal power plants for the company.Corona Citrus is equipped with WAD (Weather Adapted Duct) in front of the propeller which promotes her propeller efficiency and Hybrid Fin behind the propeller which accelerates energy savings, said the company.It has the latest ecological technology such as ballast water management system which protects marine ecosystems…

Japanese ship owner Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha (K Line) has received its second Corona-class coal carrier, Corona Zenith, in a single month.The 88,000 dwt special coal carrier is built at the Marugame Shipyard of Imabari Shipbuilding Co Ltd in Japan, said a press release.Corona Zenith is same type as “K” Line’s specialized fleet for transport of thermal coal known as the “Corona-series.”The Corona-series consists of epoch-making coal carriers equipped with wide beam and shallow draft, which are the most suitable type to enter ports of domestic Thermal Power Stations to discharge cargo.Corona Zenith is equipped with latest energy saving and…

"K” LINE's newest vessel to deploys Binary Cycle Power Generation System and will starts the onboard trial.“K” LINE announced that one of its new 91,000-DWT-type coal carriers, “CORONA YOUTHFUL,” was delivered with a binary cycle power generation system developed by KOBE STEEL, LTD. at OSHIMA SHIPBUILDING CO., LTD. on 1 February 2019 with operational trial having commenced in order to confirm performance and durability at sea as joint research between KOBE STEEL and “K” LINE.Binary…

Rolf A. Sandvik is leaving his position as CEO of The Fjords. Sandvik, who has led the company since its formation in January 2015, has informed the board of his intention to step down. Vidar Hauståker, the Chief Financial Officer of The Fjords and Flåm AS, will act as interim general manager until a permanent replacement is recruited.The Fjords has delivered a strong performance since its launch, in addition to launching a new breed of environmentally friendly, passenger focused and multi-award winning vessels. The company’s first three operating years (2015-2017) generated a combined profit before tax of $6.2m million against a total turnover of $44.8 million.

NYK has signed a memorandum of understanding with Toyokoh Inc. to examine a joint business development utilizing Toyokoh’s "CoolLaser" technology in the maritime field.NYK aims to reduce the maintenance workload of crew on deck, in addition to dry-dock costs for repairs, and will discuss development of a business to provide a more efficient and environment-friendly maintenance method using Toyokoh’s epoch-making laser technology.Steel used on a ship’s deck is always susceptible to rust due to the harsh outdoor ocean environment that can lead to corrosion arising from severe salinity, temperatures, humidity, and ultraviolet rays, all exacerbated by scratches resulting from wear from cargo loading…

Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha (“K” Line) is proud to announce the delivery of “Corona Xanadu,” an 88,000 DWT-type special coal carrier at Shin Kasado Dockyard of Imabari Shipbuilding Group Japan on May 23, 2018. Corona Xanadu is same type as “K” Line’s specialized fleet for transport of thermal coal known as the “Corona-series”. The Corona-series consists of epoch-making coal carriers equipped with wide beam and shallow draft, which are the most suitable type to enter ports of domestic Thermal Power Stations to discharge cargo. Corona Xanadu is equipped with latest energy saving and ecological technology such as WAD (Weather Adapted Duct) which promotes her propeller efficiency and ballast water management system which saves marine ecosystems.

A top 10 list of regulatory concerns is by no means all-inclusive, but it does bring to light the full weight of the regulatory hammer on the collective domestic commercial waterfront. “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us...” – Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities, 1859.

Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd., Tokyo, (“K” Line) has announced the delivery of Corona Victory, an 88,000 DWT-type special coal carrier at Marugame Shipyard of Imabari Shipbuilding Co., Ltd., Japan on May 24, 2016.   Corona Victory  is same type as “K” Line’s specialized fleet for transport of thermal coal known as the Corona-series, which consists of epoch-making coal carriers equipped with wide beam and shallow draft, which are the most suitable type to enter ports of domestic Thermal Power Stations to discharge cargo.   With this new latest deployment, the Corona-series now consists of 19 carriers. Specifications 　 　 　 LOA 229.98 M Beam 38.00 M Depth 19.90 M Deadweight Tons 88,909 MT Gross Tons 　49,721   T Net Tons 28,535   T Full Draft 13.904 M Hold/Hatch 5/5

ABS, a provider of classification services to the global offshore industry, has granted Mitsui Engineering & Shipbuilding Co. Ltd. (MES) approval in principle (AIP) for a floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel design and an epoch-making construction concept, the classification society announced today. This work is the result of an ABS/MES joint development project that began in March 2015. The "noah-flex modular design" for the FPSO and the flexible construction procedure, "noah-flex modular construction," were granted AIP on September 15. The noah-flex modular construction processes consists of multiple steps that take place in parallel to shorten the construction time efficiently, with keel laying marking the commencement of construction.

Japanese shipbuilder Mitsui Engineering & Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. (MES) announced it has developed a next generation hull platform for floating production, storage and offloading system (FPSO) that aims to offer improved flexibility between projects. Offshore oilfields vary in environmental conditions and oil properties relative to geographical location, requiring shipyards to frequently change hull design and construction scheme to satisfy varying requirements for each project. Though some concepts of standardized FPSO or simple generic FPSO have been proposed as possible solutions for this issue, MES said it seems essentially difficult to use a single and simple fixed design across various projects.

Software specialists The Acclaimed Software Company Ltd. announced the development of EPOCH , a marine management system on behalf of Offshore Marine Management Limited (OMM). EPOCH is an ESRI-GIS, web-based management system, providing reporting from offshore sites to onshore bases. For example, OMM’s German subsidiary uses EPOCH to manage and control guard vessel operations for offshore wind interconnector installations in the German sector of the North Sea. The Acclaimed are inviting visitors to Oceanology International in March at London’s Excel Center to try out this novel management tool on their Stand Number H555. EPOCH allows operators to manage their offshore assets, vessels, operations, personnel and data from  one comprehensive system.

BP says it has made a significant oil discovery at its Gila prospect (which it co-owns with ConocoPhillips) in the deepwater US Gulf of Mexico. This is BP’s third discovery in recent years in the emerging Paleogene trend in the Gulf of Mexico and reflects the company’s ongoing commitment to the US offshore region. The Gila discovery was made by an exploration well on Keathley Canyon Block 93, about 300 miles southwest of New Orleans, in approximately 4,900 feet of water. The well, which penetrated multiple Paleogene-aged reservoir sands, was drilled to a total depth of 29,221 feet.

The Shipowners’ P&I Club is sponsoring the Mark Boyle Memorial Thames Sailing Barge Match which takes place on July 13, 2013 in this its 150th anniversary year. The event is held this year in memory of Captain Mark Boyle, who revived the event in 1995 and organized it each year until his untimely death last year aged 55. The Match was the brainchild of Henry Dodd a wealthy London businessman from humble origins who built his business on waste transportation by sailing-barge from London to refuse works along the river supplying ash for the brick-making industry. He was a good friend of Charles Dickens, who used him as the model for Mr. Boffin, the refuse magnate of the novel, Our Mutual Friend.

“Nearly everything that can be said about this ship must be done in superlatives or in terms of the first, the largest, the fastest, greatest striking capability and highest operational flexibility.” - Secretary of the Navy John Connally, USS Enterprise commissioning ceremony, Nov. The USS Enterprise (CVN 65) is used to being first, biggest, fastest, and best. Now she can add “last” to her impressive list of accomplishments, as she has returned to her homeport of Norfolk, Va., for the final time. She completed her 22nd and final overseas deployment on Nov. 4, 2012.

Offshore Marine Management GmbH (OMM GmbH) has announced the appointment of Managing Director Klaus Klingelhöller to the company. Klaus joined OMM GmbH in early July of this year, bringing to the role over 25 years’ experience of working within the renewables industry both on and offshore. Klaus has worked in senior management roles with a number of offshore companies, most recently at RWE Offshore Logistics Company from where he joined OMM GmbH. In his role at OMM GmbH Klaus will head up the company’s operations in Germany…

Exactly 100 years ago, the Danish ship Selandia set an example for international shipping as a pioneer within CO2 reduction. Now we are ready for yet another environmental quantum leap. The most distinctive feature of the M/S Selandia was the fact that it had no funnel emitting black smoke up into the sky. The M/S Selandia marked the beginning of the end of steamships. As the first ocean-going ship, she sailed on diesel instead of coal. A technological revolution built at the B&W shipyard. And at the same time, a major gain for the environment.

Rickmers-Linie, breakbulk, heavylift and project cargo specialist headquartered in Hamburg, has launched a new service linking North Asia with South America and the US East Coast. Four vessels, each capable of lifting 120-tonne indivisible loads and featuring stern ramps for rolling cargo, will maintain the monthly schedule. • Savannah, Charleston and Philadelphia on the US East Coast. Additional ports can be called on inducement. In Asia, for example, the schedule permits calls in Northern China (Shanghai – Dalian range) and in South Korea.

How many great ships have graced the front page of The New York Times? In a century and a half of publication, the newspaper of record has featured plenty. Ships were once the technological measure of civilization, like the automobiles and aircraft and TVs and PCs and Gameboys that followed. All of them characterized and defined an epoch, an age, a generation. Each changed the things people did, the way they saw, how they thought, spoke, and behaved. Yet of all those technological inspirations, the most truly regal, the most romantic were ships. They are the most embracing. People dine and sleep aboard. Some earn their livings and some play. All go to the bathroom, many recreate, perhaps even procreate on ships. People are sometimes born on ships.

Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd. announced the launch of the Corona Lions, a new 85,600 DWT-type coal carrier at Oshima Shipbuilding Co., Ltd., Japan. The Corona series, which K Line originated and continues to develop, consists of epoch-making coal carriers equipped with wide beam and shallow draft, which is the most suitable type to enter the ports of domestic thermal power plants to discharge cargo. With this new deployment, the Corona series now consists of 10 carriers, and by the further increase of another new building in 2007 and 4 more having been ordered to respond to the demand for this type of vessel to carry thermal coal, the series will total 15 carriers.

Greek shipping company DryShips Inc., which specializes in dry bulk carriers, has sold a pair of older ships and added two newer vessels to its fleet. The company sold its 24-year-old Panamax bulk carrier MV Striggla for $12.1 million and its 17-year-old Panamax bulk carrier MV Daytona for $25.3 million. DryShips expects to book a combined gain of about $15 million from the divestitures. Meanwhile, the company bought a 10-year-old Capesize bulk carrier, MV Cape Venture, for $62 million. The vessel is scheduled for a charter-free delivery in the first quarter of 2007. DryShips also purchased MV Sea Epoch, an 8-year-old Panamax bulk carrier, for $38 million. It is scheduled for a charter-free delivery in the second quarter of next year.