Furnishings News

Cracks in a muffler and the substantial use of combustible materials in accommodation spaces led to a fire aboard a towing vessel last year on the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway near Freeport, Texas, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said Thursday.On June 25, 2022, the four-person crew aboard the towing vessel Mary Dupre departed Port Comfort, Texas, for Houston, pushing a single barge loaded with bio-diesel fuel. The following day, a fire broke out, leading to a total loss of the vessel, which was estimated at $1 million.

The question on many minds this week is why did some of the world’s richest men risk death to venture to the bottom of the sea in a cold and cramped “experimental” submersible for a chance to glimpse the wreck of the Titanic?The “unsinkable” ship that sunk on its maiden voyage across the Atlantic in 1912 after colliding with an iceberg is arguably the world’s most well-known boat. The Titanic is recognisable to more of the world’s population than, say, the Niña, the Pinta, and the Santa Maria (Christopher Colombus’s fleet that launched the Spanish conquest of the Americas)…

Russia's shipping trade has plummeted since Moscow's Feb. 24 invasion of Ukraine and Western sanctions push many foreign companies to suspend sailings, adding further pressure on the country's economy, according to freight data.The world's biggest foreign container lines—including the top three MSC, Maersk, CMA CGM and others such as Hapag Lloyd—have temporarily suspended cargo shipments to and from Russia, while multiple companies including home furnishings firm IKEA have shut stores.Food companies Nestle…

The U.S. Navy’s three Global class oceanographic research ships (AGORs) have received a new lease on life. The ships-- R/V Thomas G. Thompson (AGOR 23), R/V Roger Revelle (AGOR 24) and R/V Atlantis (AGOR 25)-- which entered service between 1991 and 1998--were built with 30-year expected service lives. Thanks to extensive overhauls on all three they have been returned to service with another 15 years of useful service.AGOR 23 is operated by the University of Washington; AGOR 24 is operated by Scripps Institution of Oceanography…

From 2015 to present an estimated 250 incidents related to electric hoverboard fires have been recorded according to the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission. The same commission reports that 83,000 Toshiba laptop batteries were recalled in 2017 due to fire and safety concerns.In January 2017 a NYC garbage truck was the source of a neighborhood surprise when a Lithium ion battery exploded in the compactor of the truck. Luckily no one was injured.According to a study conducted by the National Fire Data Center branch of the U.S.

Stena RoRo said it is preparing to convert an out-of-work vehicle and passenger ferry into a hospital ship to assist in response to the coronavirus pandemic.The large roll-on/roll-off passenger vessel Stena Saga previously sailed on Stena Line's Oslo–Fredrikshamn route from 1994 but has been idled since the service was permanently suspended in March due to the COVID-19 outbreak and travel restrictions imposed by several countries.Seeking an alternative use for the vessel, Stena…

Finish shipbuilder Meyer Turku delivered liquefied natural gas (LNG)-fuelled Costa Smeralda to Italian owner Costa Cruises, a brand of Carnival Corporation.The brand's new flagship Costa Smeralda becomes Carnival Corporation's fourth new ship of 2019 and its second LNG-powered ship.Costa Smeralda is the first of two new sister ships for Costa Cruises that can be powered in port and at sea by LNG. The second vessel, Costa Toscana, is currently under construction at Meyer Turku and scheduled to be delivered in 2021.In total, following the delivery of Costa Smeralda and the launch of AIDAnova at the end of 2018 as the world's first cruise vessel to be powered by LNG…

U.S. furniture company RC Willey Home Furnishings is so concerned that new global clean air rules will cause transport disruption that it brought forward the shipment of arm chairs and sofas from China by two months.The tougher regulations, set by the United Nations shipping agency, the International Maritime Organization (IMO), come into force on Jan 1. Costs will rise for ships towards the end of this year and there will be a knock on effect for trucks and other transporters…

KNUD E. HANSEN has announced a new partnership with Danish-based Design Studio B33. The team at Design Studio B33 is comprised of internationally-acclaimed designers with a focus on timeless designs grounded in Scandinavian aesthetics. KNUD E. HANSEN employs a team of highly-skilled naval architects, marine engineers and interior designers with a staff of more than 90, spread over offices throughout Europe, Australia and North America. The partnership will enable KNUD E. HANSEN…

The pilot house of the tug Huntington recently returned to the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum after extensive metal refurbishing and repair.All restoration work was performed by E. H. Harvey Metal Working Co. of Easton, Md., and included sandblasting the exterior, removing lead paint, and preparing the exterior for final painting. The pilot house is currently stored in one of CBMM’s off-campus locations, in anticipation of restoring Huntington’s wood trim and interior during the warmer weather.With generous support from Chesapeake Shipbuilding…

Irish Ferries’ flagship craft, the WB Yeats, is finally due to set sail after months of delays that disrupted much of the company’s schedule this year.The maritime transport company that operates passenger and freight services on routes between Ireland, Britain said in a press note that this vessel will provide passengers with a unique and memorable cruise-style travel experience. Offering up to four sailings a week directly from Dublin to France, this flagship cruise ferry will travel 125,000 nautical miles per annum, which is the equivalent of circumnavigating the globe nearly 6 times."Sailing from mid-March to the end of September…

Nichols Brothers Boat Builders (NBBB) was contracted by Lindblad Expeditions in December 2015, to construct two (2) new 100 guest passenger cruise vessels for exploratory cruising in Alaska; Baja, California; Pacific Northwest; Costa Rica & Panama, and Belize. Both vessels have joined the Lindblad Expeditions fleet.The first vessel, National Geographic Quest, was delivered in July 2017 and has voyaged to Alaska, Costa Rica and Panama. The National Geographic Venture was delivered on November 1…

Two newbuild next generation CrewZer Class catamarans, SEACOR Puma and SEACOR Panther, have been delivered and have entered service for SEACOR Marine. The vessels were designed by Incat Crowther and built by Astillleros Armon in Spain and are unique in their capability to transfer personnel and equipment to offshore platforms at maximum speeds in excess of 40 knots. The design features 30 percent more deadweight capacity than its predecessor, while offering equivalent service speeds, Incat Crowther said.

The second ship in the MSC Cruises’ Seaside class, MSC Seaview, has entered the final phase of construction at the Monfalcone shipyard in Italy, where MSC Cruises and FINCANTIERI celebrated the vessel’s float out. MSC Seaview is the second of MSC Cruises’ Seaside generation of cruise ships, based on a prototype designed to bring guests closer to the sea, for warmer climates and the ultimate sun and sea cruise experience. She is set to come into service in June 2018, just six months after MSC Seaside will first come into service in December 2017 with her Grand Voyage from Trieste…

Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) announced that its Newport News Shipbuilding division has been awarded a $219 million modification to a previously awarded contract to execute maintenance and modernization efforts on the submarine USS Columbus (SSN 762). Contract work includes maintenance, repair, alterations, testing and routine work on the ship’s hull structure, tanks, propulsion systems, electric plant, auxiliary systems, armament and furnishings. Work will begin immediately and is expected to be completed in August 2019.

Step into MPT’s new state-of-the-art S.M.A.R.T. simulation center in Fort Lauderdale and Captain Ted Morley lights up. While the center is packed with the very latest in maritime simulation software and hardware, his eagerness to usher us through the new building transcends any new technology, because at MPT mariner training is personal; it always has been, and if Captain Morley has his way it always will be. It is clear to see that MPT’s new simulation center in Fort Lauderdale is a source of pride for Captain Ted Morley.

Building of Containerships’ new Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) vessels is progressing at Wenchong Shipyard, Guangzhou. The construction of three upcoming vessels is in action in the Chinese shipyard. For the first vessel, two double bottom blocks are already under erection on slipway. In addition, six blocks have been painted and over 80 blocks are accepted. Over 60 blocks for the first vessel are under construction. Two blocks of the second vessel have been accepted, and almost 50 are under construction. Steel cutting of the third vessel also started on May 2017. Only the exterior of the vessel is built in the slipway. After the launch…

Canadian non-resource exports should post healthy gains this year, the country's trade financing agency said on Monday, a development the central bank is counting on to help revive an economy hobbled by weak global energy prices. Export Development Canada predicted the consumer goods, automotive and aerospace sectors would post double-digit growth in 2016 on the back of a robust U.S. economy. Industrial machinery exports should advance by 7 percent, it said. Overall exports are seen rising a modest 2 percent this year, held back by a 14-percent drop in the value of energy shipments. Canada is a major energy exporter and has been hit hard by slumping crude oil prices.

Holland America Line's new ms Koningsdam is set to be delivered March 31, 2016. This week the ship was transferred from its dry dock to its outfitting dock at Fincantieri’s Marghera shipyard in Italy, where the final construction and interior furnishings will take place. The initial stages of a cruise ship's construction take place in a dry dock facility. Once exterior outfitting is completed, the dry dock is flooded and the ship is floated to a wet dock where construction continues. “A ship’s construction has many key milestones, and floating it out and moving it to the outfitting dock is especially symbolic,” said Orlando Ashford, president of Holland America Line.

With three species of migrating cod to fish and new commercial species arriving as oceans warm, Norway is a fisheries Valhalla. Yet, recent boat sales suggest the Scandinavian country’s role is changing. Vessel orders and rules in Norway are propping up yards and designers on Europe’s fringes. Medium-sized hull orders for Romanian, Russian and Turkish boat builders are new, while large vessel orders for Denmark or Spain continue apace. Unconventional Icelandic designs, too, are gaining ground here as catches and profits soar.

Traditionally, Italy’s location and coastal development have continued to ensure the country a flow of income from its role as a strategic European hub in what has come to be known as the new “maritime century.” The country boasts of having the largest ferry fleet, the twelfth most extensive merchant shipping fleet in the world (fourth in Europe), and the third biggest European fishing fleet, with the national maritime cluster generating 3% of GDP. But its growing cruise industry is being looked upon as the game changer to the gradual slump being witnessed in the other sectors. Italy remains “one of the most important destinations, the market of origin for large cruise lines and a world leader in shipbuilding.

Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) announced today that its Newport News Shipbuilding division has been awarded a $57.8 million contract to perform planning in support of maintenance and modernization efforts on the submarine USS Columbus (SSN 762). If all contract options are exercised, the total value of the work would be $288 million. Contract work will include maintenance and restoration of the ship's hull structure, tanks, propulsion systems, electric plant, auxiliary systems, armament and furnishings, as well as numerous ship alterations.

As part of a $300-million brand enhancement initiative, Carnival Corporation’s Holland America Line is planning enhancements to its top staterooms with new furnishings, décor, amenities and upgrades for all suites on the line’s Signature-, Vista- and R-Class ships. The first ships to undergo the suite transformation will be ms Eurodam and ms Oosterdam, followed by ms Nieuw Amsterdam, ms Westerdam, ms Zuiderdam and ms Noordam. Additionally, ms Amsterdam, ms Rotterdam, ms Volendam…