Important Tools News

ioCurrents, Inc. has partnered with Hornblower Group to help optimize vessel operations in Hornblower’s role as operator of NYC Ferry.ioCurrents has been employed as part of a series of robust measures implemented by vessel operator Hornblower Group to keep the NYC Ferry fleet running reliably and efficiently, minimizing vessel downtime across the fleet.Using AI and machine learning programs that analyze onboard data in real time, ioCurrents can predict equipment failures so corrective action can be identified and quickly implemented to prevent serious malfunctions or equipment damage.

The U.S. House of Representatives approved legislation Monday to improve oversight of ocean shipping, which supporters say will help curb inflation and ease export backlogs. The bill was approved 369-42 and will head to the White House for President Joe Biden's signature. Biden said in a statement he looked forward to signing it into law.The bill would boost the investigatory authority of the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC), the U.S. agency that oversees ocean shipping, and…

The U.S. Coast Guard has issued a safety alert highlighting the importance of accurate Automatic Identification System (AIS) data entry and display to safe navigation following a recent towboat collision on the Mississippi River.Although the investigation into this casualty is not yet complete, the Coast Guard said the incident shows the hazards created by inaccurate AIS data and should prompt owners and operators to review and update their procedures to prevent similar casualties from occurring.Before sunrise, two towing vessels were approaching a bend on the Mississippi River.

Vessel owners rarely carry cargo for their own account. More commonly by far, a vessel owner will charter its vessel to another party to carry their (or their sub-charterer’s) cargo. The contracts can vary widely – from voyage charters or contracts of affreightment to time charters to negotiable bills of lading (not to mention the more complex arrangements that one often sees for container cargos). But in most instances, vessel owners are in the business of transporting cargo on behalf of others and, all going well, of being paid to do so.

As Brunswick Commercial & Government Products expands its capabilities and product line, the Florida-based boatbuilder is positioned to safely provide increased efficiencies, and an expanded, multi-mission product line. When Brunswick Commercial & Government Products (BCGP) broke ground on a facility expansion at the company’s Florida headquarters in early May, it served notice that this well-known boatbuilder had ramped up both its delivery capabilities, and an expanded array of new hulls. With a new large-boat building that includes added manufacturing space and other facility improvements, the 10,500-square-foot facility increases the company’s manufacturing capacity by 50 percent.

Blue Water Gothenburg has handled an industrial transport project for the Swedish clean-tech company Malmberg which is a market leader in the field of biogas. The items being transported was equipment for a biogas plant in Horsens, Denmark. Four trucks and three special transports were loaded with 32 tons of stainlees steel and columns weighing 9 tons. "Our experience with project transports was very helpfull in loading and transporting the large out-of-gauge items for the plant. There is no doubt that our close dialogue with Malmberg made it possible for us to finde the best solution for the transport as we have a good understanding of what Malmberg required.

According to the United Nations, the world’s population which currently stands at just over 6.7 billion could reach over nine billion by 2050. This staggering figure will no doubt create a surge in consumerism and a subsequent increase in demand for much larger ships, in order to be sufficiently equipped to support the global trade economy. Furthermore, the need for bigger vessels is being driven by the shipping companies’ desire to reduce costs, in order to weather the economic storm which still remains a worrying challenge.

U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) announced that Todd Shipyards, a Seattle-based company, has been awarded a five-year $29m contract to retrofit the United States Coast Guard’s Polar Class icebreaker, Polar Star. As a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Senator Murray helped secure $30.3m in the FY2009 Homeland Security Appropriations bill to re-activate the USCGC Polar Star, which is currently in caretaker status. “This contract is a shot in the arm for our maritime industry at a critical time,” said Senator Murray. According to Todd Pacific Shipyards' CEO, Steve Welch, the contract will mean sustaining or creating more than 250 jobs in the Puget Sound region. "This news couldn't have come at a better time," Welch said.

In commemoration of the Panama Canal’s 88th Anniversary on August 15th, Panama President Mireya Moscoso inaugurated a modern Simulator Center with three state-of-the-art simulators that will be used for training Canal maritime personnel. President Moscoso was joined by Canal Administrator Alberto Alemán Zubieta, members of the Cabinet Council members, local and international guests of the maritime sector, and Panama Canal Authority (ACP) officials. The new Center includes the latest technological advances in maritime training and is valued at $1.8 million. The equipment for the center includes a 360- degree visual simulator; a 150-degree simulator and a third auxiliary tugboat simulator that reproduces the systems installed in the floating units of the Transit Resources Division.