Human Capital News

With supply chain attacks on the rise, and nation-state attackers constantly looking for new ways to disrupt national security and economic stability, one of the most vulnerable areas is the security around our maritime operations. The Biden-Harris Administration's recent Executive Order to fortify the cybersecurity of U.S. ports underscores this concern, spotlighting the urgency of addressing vulnerabilities in a sector that drives over $5.4 trillion in economic activity annually.

MOL Chemical Tankers has reached a deal to acquire the business of Fairfield-Maxwells' Fairfield Chemical Carriers in an all-cash transaction.Under the agreement, MOL Chemical Tankers would obtain 100% of the shares in Fairfield Chemical Carriers for about $400 million, subject to change depending on the price adjustment under the share purchase agreement.Fairfield Chemical Carriers’ fleet of 36 chemical tankers would dovetail with MOL Chemical Tankers’ fleet of 85 chemical tankers.

Much has changed since Marine News’ 2022 shipbuilding report published in March last year, and business opportunities in certain market segments continue to grow. But the shipyards that are looking to cash in are still facing many of the same challenges.For example, many American shipyards and their partners throughout the shipbuilding supply chain are still finding it difficult to attract and retain the workers they need. If you’re a skilled craftsperson looking for a job in shipbuilding, you’re in luck, because there are plenty of openings at shipyards across the country.

The City of Brest, on France’s Atlantic coast, calls itself the Capital of the Oceans and it is surely living up to that moniker this week as the city hosts the international Sea Tech Week, held every two years, with a programmatic focus on “Maritime Transport: Towards Smarter & Greener Solutions.”New Wave Media was honored to join a small international press group invited to attend Sea Tech as well as a chance to participate in expanded activities at some of the related and extensive maritime resources within and around Brest.

Global engineering and defense technologies provider Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) announced today the promotion of Edmond Hughes to executive vice president and chief human resources officer. Hughes, formerly the vice president of human resources and administration contracts at HII’s Ingalls Shipbuilding division and at Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding since 2006, will replace William “Bill” R. Ermatinger, who will retire on April 1 after 35 years of service. HII also appointed Susan Jacobs to replace Hughes as the vice president…

Kongsberg Digital (KDI) revealed it has entered into a partnership with digital learning and human capital management software specialist Mintra. The contract enables KDI to provide Mintra with its K-Sim Connect simulations as cloud-based subscription applications for use with the Trainingportal learning and competency management system.In addition to accommodating KDI’s cloud-based simulation as a fundamental facet of its own courses, Mintra will be reselling K-Sim Connect subscriptions through its Marketplace, which is an online platform for buying and selling training.

In August, the Port of Brownsville announced the appointment of two new deputy port directors effective August 9, 2021.Melinda Rodriguez is the deputy port director of administration and will oversee the port’s Human Resources, Real Estate Services, Finance, Communications and Administrative Services departments.Rodriguez has worked in a variety of leadership positions with organizations such as NextDecade, Texas Southmost College, Catholic Charities of Central Texas, United Way of Hidalgo County, March of Dimes, Cystic Fibrosis-Central Texas, and United Blood Services.

Norwegian maritime and offshore training software firm Mintra said it has appointed Kevin Short as CEO. Short, who has been chief commercial officer since 2018, takes over the leadership role from Scott Kerr following his decision to join the firm’s board of directors.“In these post-Covid times and as we slowly return to a world that can be considered more normal, there are tremendous prospects for both digital learning and human capital management software. We know that how things worked before – people constantly travelling to training facilities – will not be the same going forward.

It is widely expected that cuts in defense and security budgets are coming as governments across the world grapple with the fiscal fallout from the COVID-19 crisis. To ensure that these cuts do not undermine global security, policymakers should approach their defense budgets with a scalpel, not a sledgehammer.In navigating the tough choices that lay ahead, government decision-makers should pursue spending reforms that enable states to operate both leaner and smarter, without sacrificing their vital security interests.The maritime security domain offers an exemplary case study.

The Arab Shipbuilding and Repair Yard Company (ASRY) aims to streamline business processes and boost transparency with Infor CloudSuite Industrial Enterprise on Amazon Web Services (AWS) cloud.His Excellency Shaikh Mohammed bin Khalifa AlKhalifa, the Minister of Oil, welcomed a number of representatives of the executive management of  ASRY and Infor at the National Oil and Gas Authority (NOGA) headquarters, prior to the official ceremony of contract signing between the two parties where…

Ocean mapping at scale is the target of a new unmanned systems player started by two ex-US Navy SEALS. They have big ambitions, from new building unmanned vehicles to creating the intelligence that will drive them to changing how accessible ocean data is. Elaine Maslin learned more. The pace of change in the ocean mapping space has been fast in recent years. New entrants have come into the scene offering “force multiplier” mapping using autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) and unmanned surface vessels (USVs).

In today’s energy industry, things are moving fast. The upheaval brought about by COVID-19 and exacerbated by the Russia-Saudi Arabia oil price war has been so profound that the International Energy Agency (IEA) has described the situation as “a once in a century event for energy demand”. This is supported by current IEA predictions which suggest a 6% drop in global energy demand in 2020 – seven times worse than the plunge in demand that followed the 2008 recession.Amid what the IEA has dubbed a “dismal” year for fossil fuels…

Qatari shipping and maritime company Qatar Gas Transport Company (Nakilat) reported a 10.5% year-on-year increase in net profit to QR728mn (USD 200 million) in the first nine months of this year.Nakilat, which has the largest LNG shipping fleet in the world, comprising 69 vessels, said in a press note that its positive financial performance can be primarily attributed to better operational performance in managing its liquefied natural gas (LNG) and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) vessels.The company also realized higher revenues on additional income from the acquisition of two additional LNG carriers and one Floating Storage Regasification Unit (FSRU) in 2018…

Nduna Maritime, a subsidiary of the Mnambithi Group, and the integrated chemicals and energy company Sasol have invested in South Africa's first locally-owned chemical tanker with a funding agreement made through the Sasol Siyakha Trust.The Bow Cecil is claimed to be the first South Africa flagged vessel to transport chemicals to international markets. "We are particularly proud of this landmark agreement, as it is a significant investment into localizing and diversifying our supply chain. As a global producer of a number of chemical products, we supply numerous markets around the world with products made in South Africa. Through Nduna Maritime…

Mozambique Rovuma Venture (MRV) has awarded an engineering, procurement, and construction contract to a consortium of Fluor, JGC, and TechnipFMC for its Mozambique Rovuma LNG Phase 1 project in Cabo Delgado, Mozambique.MRV, a joint-venture composed of Eni, ExxonMobil and CNPC, holds a 70% interest in the exploration and production concession of Area 4, with Galp, Kogas and Empresa Nacional de Hidrocarbonetos (ENH) each holding a 10% interest.The Rovuma LNG Project will produce, liquefy and market natural gas from three reservoirs of the Mamba complex located in the Area 4 block in the Offshore Rovuma Basin. It includes the construction of two natural gas liquefaction trains…

American Fortune 500 shipbuilding company Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) announced that Carlos Aguayo has been named general manager of the HII San Diego Shipyard.He will replace Daniel Flood, who is retiring after 40 years in the ship repair and defense contracting industry, said a press note from America's largest military shipbuilding company and a provider of professional services to partners in government and industry.Aguayo will be responsible for the overall operation of the shipyard business…

Europe's largest port, the Port of Rotterdam ended 2018 with a total container throughput at 469.0 million tonnes (MT) which slightly higher than in 2017,  which was itself a record year (467.4 MT).Container transhipment was the engine of growth again, with a 4.5% increase in tonnage. Measured in TEUs, the standard unit for containers, the increase was 5.7% and the annual total was 14.5 million TEUs – also a record.This strengthens the position of Europe’s largest container port in this strategically important market segment. Significant underlying shifts were observable in the goods segments.Whereas container transhipment continued to grow at a healthy pace, that of crude oil, mineral oil products and agribulk fell.

TransNamib Holdings Ltd, and Botswana Railways (BR) recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in Gaborone, Botswana, which will culminate in the development and operation of a container terminal in Gobabis.The MoU, signed by TransNamib CEO, Johny Smith, and his Motswana counterpart, Leonard Musa Makwinja, signals the beginning of a fruitful and beneficial relationship to develop and enhance trade between the two countries. The MoU was .“The future of railways offers many opportunities”, said. The cooperation is also expected to facilitate in opening import and export opportunities, and to unlock value on the TransKalahari route–even though the two countries are not completely linked by rail yet.Furthermore…

By Captain Andrew Kinsey, Senior Marine Risk Consultant, Allianz Global Corporate & SpecialtyConfusion reigns in the ongoing debate on autonomous and remotely operated vessels. Before constructive dialogs can take place, the parameters of the discussion need to be agreed upon. Bottom line: in order to understand each other, we need to be speaking the same language.There are two recent publications that I strongly advise all maritime professionals review, as they offer valuable guidance and insight into this rapidly developing segment of the Marine Transportation Industry.

Qatar-based maritime and logistics conglomerate Qatar Navigation (Milaha) has signed an agreement with Oracle Cloud applications to drive a major digital transformation across all its core business operations and its subsidiaries.The initiative will help Milaha create new revenue streams by introducing innovative services and drive operational efficiency with automated processes, said a press release from the Qatari logistics giant.Abdulrahman AlMannai, Milaha’s President and Chief Executive Officer said “In line with State of Qatar 2030 vision and in a world of increasingly complex supply chains, constantly challenging the status quo is imperative to drive sustained growth and deliver on fast-evolving customer expectations.

The Board of Directors of Canadian National Railway Company (CN) announced the appointment of Jean-Jacques Ruest as President and Chief Executive Officer of CN effective immediately. Ruest has also been appointed to CN’s Board of Directors.“In JJ, we have the best. He brings vision, energy, and speed to the role. JJ brought the team together to tackle the immediate operational and customer service challenges the Company was facing since the fall of 2017,” said Board Chairman Robert Pace.Ruest, 63, has been with the Company for 22 years, the last eight as Executive Vice-President and Chief Marketing Officer.“I am very proud to be a CN railroader, and I am honoured and humbled by the Board’s confidence in me and the entire leadership team,” said Ruest.

Energy.It seems that energy touches every aspect of our lives from heating our homes to ensuring that fresh produce is available at grocery stores. It powers our cars and allows industry to move products around the world. The connection between energy and risk to the maritime environment has been a growing area of discussion, research and analysis. The United Kingdom’s Royal Navy, within its Joint Doctrine Publication (JDOP 0-10) 5th edition UK Maritime Power, captured this issue superbly: “Fossil fuels and minerals are an important resource in the maritime environment. New deposits of oil and gas, as well as mineral wealth, are discovered under the seabed each year, and improvements in technology will facilitate future exploitation.

Apex International Energy announced that affiliates of Blue Water Energy (BWE) have agreed to partner with Apex and join the existing investors: Warburg Pincus LLC, International Finance Corporation (IFC) and company management.The oil and gas exploration and production company focused on Egypt and other Middle Eastern and North African countries (MENA) said that it is primarily focused on pursuing acquisitions and drilling opportunities in MENA, with an initial focus on Egypt.The company will continue to acquire assets and licenses, whilst driving value creation through the execution of production optimization opportunities, developments and exploration opportunities of scale.Blue Water Energy…