Marine Link
Thursday, March 28, 2024
SUBSCRIBE

James News

26 Mar 2024

Davie Awarded Contract for Canadian Icebreaker Design

(Image: Government of Canada)

The Canadian government has awarded a contract to shipbuilder Chantier Davie Canada Inc. of Lévis, Quebec, for initial work related to the construction of new Program Icebreakers. Under this $19.6-million contract including taxes, Davie will begin work to develop the initial design.A series of six new Program Icebreakers is planned to replace the Canadian Coast Guard’s (CCG) medium icebreakers that operate in Atlantic Canada and the St. Lawrence waterways during the winter, and in the Arctic during the summer.This contract enables the shipyard to initiate project planning phases…

07 Mar 2024

S&B Names Sipes CEO

Jeff Sipes (Photo: S&B)

Jeffrey G. Sipes has been named chief executive officer at engineering and construction firm S&B, parent company to naval architecture and marine engineering firm TAI Engineers.“S&B has a remarkable record of growth and success over the past sixty years, and we look forward to decades of further success. The markets we serve are changing, creating new opportunities for growth. Jeff is the leader who can successfully guide the company to capitalize on these opportunities. He brings extensive experience and a deep understanding of both S&B’s markets and the company’s distinctive capabilities…

05 Mar 2024

ABS Awards AIP for OceanSTAR’s FSO Design

(Image: OceanSTAR Marine & Offshore Investment Pte. Ltd.)

Classification society ABS said it has granted an approval in principle (AIP) to OceanSTAR Marine & Offshore Investment Pte. Ltd., for its newbuild floating storage and offloading (FSO) design.The OceanSTAR FSO-01 is a shipshape hull design specifically developed to cater to midsize FSOs with a storage capacity to scale up to 750,000 barrels of oil for operational demands in Asia Pacific and African coastal offshore fields. Other features include a larger strengthened deck area…

05 Mar 2024

Berge Bulk Orders Ammonia-fueled Newcastlemax Pair

(Image: Berge Bulk)

Berge Bulk informs it has placed an order for two ammonia dual fuel vessels from China's Qingdao Beihai Shipbuilding Heavy Industry as part of a push by the dry bulk shipowner to decarbonize its operations.The two 210,000-DWT Newcastlemax vessels will meet the International Maritime Organization's (IMO) Tier III NOx (nitrogen oxides) standards and Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI) Phase 3 compliance for greenhouse gas emissions.The Singapore-headquartered company has been…

28 Feb 2024

Esvagt Enters South Korea’s Offshore Wind Market

(Credit: Esvagt)

Danish vessel owner Esvagt and South Korea-based shipping company KMC Line have formed strategic partnership to cooperate on offshore wind opportunities in the East Asian country.A new collaboration between Esvagt and KMC Line, formalized through the signing of the letter of intent, is aiming to unlock the considerable potential in South Korean offshore wind industry.Combining the two shipping companies' respective strengths is the new partnership's strongest card to secure a significant market position in the developing offshore value chain in the country…

26 Feb 2024

Many Different Vessels but One Goal – Passenger Safety

© Olivier / Adobe Stock

Because there are so many different kinds of passenger vessels, the critical topic of passenger safety can sometimes appear as a set of niche topics, each one just distantly connected to another. After all, passengers aboard a cruise ship in the Caribbean face safety issues that are much different than a commuter going from Jersey City to Manhattan or a tourist crossing from the Mukilteo, Wash. ferry terminal to Whidbey Island or a family on a fishing vessel in Miami.Importantly, though, for passenger vessel operators, a commitment to safety is not siloed.

23 Feb 2024

Virginia-class Submarine Massachusetts (SSN 798) Launched

(Photo: HII)

HII announced that Virginia-class submarine Massachusetts (SSN 798) was recently launched into the James River at the company’s Newport News Shipbuilding (NNS) division.Shipbuilders transferred the submarine from a construction facility to the floating dry dock, where it was later submerged and moved by tugboats to a submarine pier at the shipyard for final outfitting, testing and crew certification.“Following the christening of this mighty submarine in May, witnessing Massachusetts launch into the river is a source of immense pride for our shipbuilding team…

21 Feb 2024

Newport News Begins Topside EMALS Testing on John F. Kennedy (CVN 79)

(Photo: HII)

HII announced today that its Newport News Shipbuilding division (NNS) recently began topside testing of the electromagnetic aircraft launch system (EMALS) on aircraft carrier John F. Kennedy (CVN 79).EMALS, first integrated into USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78), replaces the existing steam catapults currently in use on the U.S. Navy’s Nimitz-class aircraft carriers.Following successful “no-load” testing on catapults one and two, known as the ‘bow cats,’ the NNS team, alongside the John F. Kennedy crew, has now started “dead-load” testing.

21 Feb 2024

UK's Trident Nuclear-deterrent Missile System Misfires During Test

FILE PHOTO: Nuclear submarine HMS Vanguard at HM Naval Base Clyde, Faslane, Scotland. (Photo: Tam McDonald / U.K. Ministry of Defense)

Britain's Trident nuclear-deterrent system misfired during a test last month, sending a missile crashing into the ocean off the Florida coast near the submarine that launched it, The Sun newspaper reported on Wednesday.The Ministry of Defense confirmed that an "anomaly" had occurred during the test but said Britain's "nuclear deterrent remains safe, secure and effective".With Defense Secretary Grant Shapps on board the HMS Vanguard to witness the test, The Sun said, the first…

15 Feb 2024

Siemens Gamesa Selects Contractor for First SOV Newbuild in Asia

(Credit: Cyan Renewables)

Cyan Renewables, a portfolio company of Seraya Partners, will build Siemens Gamesa’s first service operations vessel (SOV) in Asia to facilitate the servicing of wind turbines for the Hai Long offshore wind projects in Taiwan.Siemens Gamesa awarded a 15-year charter contract to Cyan Renewables. The contract will begin in 2026 and the SOV will be used to service 73 SG 14-222 DD offshore wind turbines in Hai Long offshore wind farms, located about 50 km off the coast of Changhua County in Taiwan.As one of the largest offshore wind farms in Taiwan with a total installed capacity of over 1GW…

12 Feb 2024

Foremost Group CEO Angela Chao Killed in Car Accident

Angela Chao (Photo: Foremost Group)

Angela Chao, chair and CEO of the Foremost Group, has died in a car accident, the New York-headquartered dry bulk shipping company announced on Monday.Angela Chao was an experienced and well-respected shipping executive, having worked her way up through several leadership positions at the company founder by her father, Dr. James S.C. Chao, with her mother, the late Ruth Mulan Chu Chao, in 1964.Before joining Foremost Group in 1996, Angela Chao worked in the mergers and acquisitions department of Smith Barney…

07 Feb 2024

WSC Calls for Strengthened Commitment on Renewable Fuels

© EvrenKalinbacak / Adobe Stock

The European Commission's recommendation for the EU's 2040 climate targets, calling for a 90% net GHG emission reduction, are ambitious and critically important, especially following updates suggesting that EU 2030 goals may not be met, says the World Shipping Council (WSC).The climate targets point to the importance of providing renewable marine fuels for maritime sector decarbonization. Committing the EU to production of zero-GHG fuel pathways is essential, not least because European Member States account for one-fifth of global shipping energy sales…

05 Feb 2024

Houthis Still Have Appetite to Disrupt Red Sea Shipping, UK Defense Minister Says

© Vladimir Bartel / Adobe Stock

Strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen have not fully diminished the group's appetite to disrupt Red Sea shipping, defence minister Grant Shapps said on Monday."These attacks have had a significant effect on degrading Houthi capabilities. But the Houthis' intent to continue disrupting the Red Sea has not been fully diminished," Shapps told parliament.(Reuters - Reporting by Muvija M, writing by William James; Editing by Kate Holton)

25 Jan 2024

UK and US Sanction Senior Houthis Over Ship Attacks

Bulk carrier Genco Picardi was hit by a Houthi drone attack on January 17. (Photo: Indian Navy)

Britain and the United States on Thursday said they had imposed coordinated sanctions on four key Houthi figures for their roles in supporting or directing attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea.Attacks by the Iranian-backed Houthis have disrupted global shipping and stoked fears of global inflation. They have also deepened concern that fallout from the Israel-Hamas war could destabilize the Middle East.Those sanctioned were Houthi Defence Minister Mohamed Nasser al-Atifi…

25 Jan 2024

SEACOR to Convert Four PSVs to Battery Hybrid Power

SEACOR Atlas (Photo: SEACOR Marine)

SEACOR Marine announced it will convert four of its platform supply vessels (PSV) to battery hybrid power in a move to enhance efficiency and slash emissions.The Houston-headquartered marine transportation firm said on Thursday it has ordered containerized energy storage systems (ESS) from Norway's Kongsberg Maritime for install aboard SEACOR Ohio, SEACOR Alps, SEACOR Andes and SEACOR Atlas.The four 278.4-foot-long PSVs are all of Kongsberg Maritime's UT771 CDL design and were built in China from 2018 to 2020.

24 Jan 2024

Crowley's All-electric Harbor Tug eWolf Delivered

Crowley's eWolf is the first all-electric ship assist harbor tugboat in the U.S. (Photo: Crowley)

Crowley on Wednesday announced it has taken delivery of its groundbreaking vessel eWolf, the first all-electric, ship assist harbor tugboat in the United States.The 82-foot tug, designed by Crowley’s engineering services team and built by Coden, Ala. shipbuilder Master Boat Builders, will enter service at the Port of San Diego this spring following final demonstration trials and completion of Crowley’s microgrid shoreside charging station. The vessel will operate with zero emissions while providing the complete performance capabilities of a traditional tug…

22 Jan 2024

Penguin Marks Milestone Crewboat Delivery

(Photo: Tractors Singapore Limited)

Singaporean shipbuilder Penguin International Limited last week held a ceremony marking the delivery of a milestone vessel.The 40-meter aluminum crewboat, Pelican Breeze, is noteworthy for being Penguin's 100th newbuild vessel powered by Cat C32 ACERT main propulsion engines and Cat C4.4 auxiliary generators."Back in 2014, almost two decades after we built our first ship, we took our first step with Caterpillar and Tractors Singapore with our first Cat C32-powered vessel, which was only our 95th newbuild at the time," said Penguin's managing director, James Tham.

18 Jan 2024

Indian Navy Rescues Crew from US-Owned Ship After Attack Off Yemen

(Photo: Indian Navy)

The Indian Navy said on Thursday it had rescued the crew of a U.S.-owned vessel in the Gulf of Aden after an attack by Yemen's Houthi movement as tensions in the region's sea lanes disrupted global trade.Following the attack on the U.S. Genco Picardy late on Wednesday, the U.S. military said its forces had conducted strikes on 14 Houthi missiles that "presented an imminent threat to merchant vessels and U.S. Navy ships in the region".Attacks by the Iran-allied Houthi militia on…

15 Jan 2024

US SECNAV Directs Naval Shipbuilding Review

File photo: Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro (Photo: Office of the Secretary of the Navy)

The United States' Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro is directing a comprehensive analysis of the Navy shipbuilding portfolio amid ongoing labor issues and supply chain shortages that have negatively impacted vessel delivery timelines.Del Toro tasked newly-confirmed Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development & Acquisition (ASN RD&A) Nickolas Guertin and Commander Naval Sea Systems Command Vice Adm. James Downey to conduct the analysis, with an interim progress…

12 Jan 2024

UK and US Launch Land and Sea Strikes on Houthi Military Targets

© Adrian / Adobe Stock

U.S. and British strikes against Houthi military targets in Yemen were a limited act of self defense and London does not immediately plan any further missions, its junior defense minister said on Friday.The two countries launched strikes from the air and sea against Houthi military targets in Yemen in response to the movement's attacks on ships in the Red Sea since the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza began in October.British Armed Forces minister James Heappey said the strikes were a proportionate response…

08 Jan 2024

American Maritime Partnership Announces New Leadership Team

Pictured left to right: Sara Fuentes, Jennifer Carpenter, Jim Weakley (Photo: AMP)

The American Maritime Partnership (AMP) announced the election of new leadership for the organization. Jennifer Carpenter takes the helm as president, and, in doing so, becomes the first woman to lead the organization. She is joined by vice president Sara Fuentes and James “Jim” Weakley who will serve the dual role of secretary and treasurer. Elected officers will hold their positions for a two-year term.“AMP plays a pivotal role in championing the strength and vitality of our domestic maritime industry…

02 Jan 2024

Bulk Carrier Management JV Established in Singapore

From left to right: Bryan Chang, Assistant Vice President, Business & Operation Dept, Wisdom Marine Group; YG Lin, President, Wisdom Marine Agency; James Lan, Chairman, Wisdom Marine Group; Captain Rajesh Unni, Founder and Executive Chairman, Synergy Marine Group; Ajay Chaudhry, Co-CEO, Ship Management, Synergy Marine Group; Capt. Shubham Kapoor, Asst. General Manager, Business Development, Synergy Marine Group.

Taiwan-based dry bulk shipowner Wisdom Marine Group and Singapore-based ship management company Synergy Group have announced a new joint venture (JV).Wisdom Synergy Ship Management (WSSM) will be headquartered in Singapore with key operational centres in Taiwan and India and will provide technical management for Wisdom’s diverse fleet.Last year, Wisdom chose Synergy Group to provide management services for a portion of its fleet.The JV cements a collaborative relationship established in 1999 by James Lan, Chairman of Wisdom Marine Group.

18 Dec 2023

The Man Behind the 'Jones Act'

Senator Wesley Livsey Jones (Credit: Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division, photograph by Harris and Ewing, [LC-DIG-hec-15427])

Senator Wesley Livsey Jones gave his name to the famous “Jones Act” governing U.S. domestic maritime trade. But what do really know about him? It turns out that he was much more than a leading merchant marine policy maker. (i)Jones had a long career in the U.S. House of Representatives before he was a Senator, was an effective legislator, an astute politician, one of the hardest working legislators of his era, and always viewed as honest and forthright. His many maritime legislative successes included the Merchant Marine Act…