Maritime Pilots Recognized with IMO Bravery Accolade
Two maritime pilots who defied fire to bring a burning ship to safety, averting a major maritime catastrophe, received the 2017 IMO Award for Exceptional Bravery at Sea during the 2017 IMO awards ceremony, held on Monday (27 November). Pilots Captain Michael G. McGee and Captain Michael C. Phillips, from Houston, United States, were recognized for their role in averting a major tragedy in September 2016. The ship they were piloting, the 247 meters-long tanker Aframax River, broke down in the Houston Ship Channel in the middle of the night and burst into flames after colliding with mooring dolphins. Captain McGee and Captain Phillips were surrounded by a towering wall of burning fuel as the raging fire quickly spread across the channel…
MV WERFTEN Delivers Its First Newbuild
Shipbuilder MV WERFTEN has completed its first newbuild project, having today delivered Crystal Bach, the first of four new Rhine Class luxury river cruise vessels for Crystal River Cruises. Designed specifically for river cruising in Europe, the 135-meter-long and 11.4-meter-wide Crystal Bach will sail along the Rhine, Danube and Main Rivers through the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and Switzerland, carrying up to 106 passengers in 55 large suites, all designed to be above the water line with horizontal sliding windows.
Cruise Shipping's Rising Star
Genting Hong Kong is a rapidly growing global travel brand, spreading its wings – literally and figuratively – into ocean cruise, yacht, river cruise, air and shipbuilding. Maritime Reporter & Engineering News speaks with key executives at Genting Hong Kong: Mona Lai, SVP Corporate Communication; Gustaf Gronberg, SVP Shipbuilding & Marine Operations; and Jarmo Lakso, Managing Director, MV Werften, for insights on the future growth strategy. Genting Hong Kong has been an active newsmaker in the cruise sector during the past year.
Rolls-Royce Installs Promas Lite System for Star Cruises
Rolls-Royce has installed the Promas Lite propulsion system on SuperStar Virgo, the first vessel in Southeast Asia to be equipped with this efficient and fuel saving system. Promas Lite is an integrated propeller and rudder system that increases efficiency and is designed specifically for retrofitting to existing ships. Norwegian Spirit operated by Star Cruises’ subsidiary Norwegian Cruise Line was the first vessel in the fleet to be installed with Promas Lite in 2011. The efficiency gains and fuel saving benefits from the first upgrade has resulted in this subsequent order from Star Cruises.
Star Cruises Ship Aids in Rescue
Star Cruises officers and crew are trained for any eventuality that may arise at sea, with various safety and emergency drills being regularly conducted onboard its fleet of ships. These efforts were recently put to the test when a Star Cruises ship, the Wasa Queen based in Hong Kong, was involved in the rescue of crew members of a sunken fishing boat. The rescue which occurred between midnight and the early hours of the morning began with a request by the Hong Kong Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (“MRCC”) for the Wasa Queen, which was in the vicinity of the sinking vessel to assist in the search for six crew members presumed missing.
