John Murray News

Marine Towing of Tampa announced it is expanding its ship assist services to Florida's east coast following a deal with E.N. Bisso & Son to acquire towing assets formerly owned by SEACOR Holdings' Seabulk arm.In September 2023, SEACOR divested its U.S. harbor towing operations, selling to Bisso 12 tugs across ports in Florida and Alabama.Under a recently executed asset purchase agreement with Bisso, Marine Towing of Tampa acquired the Port Canaveral operations and assets from the SEACOR-Bisso deal and will operate them in Canaveral under a newly formed affiliate…

Liquefied natural gas (LNG) bunker barge Clean Canaveral completed its first barge-to-ship bunkering of a cargo vessel at Port Canaveral’s South Cargo Berth 4. JAX LNG, along with Polaris New Energy, handled the LNG refueling of the Damia Desgagnés on the ship’s inaugural call to Port Canaveral. The asphalt/bitumen tanker Damia Desgagnés completed her discharge of cargo and then JAX LNG proceeded with Desgagnés’s first barge-to-ship bunkering of LNG. The seafarers safely transferred approximately 400 cubic meters of LNG from North America’s largest LNG bunker barge…

Port Canaveral will add a new security patrol vessel and a pilot boat after receiving federal grant funding for several projects to protect against terrorism and other security threats.The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) awarded $472,500 in Port Security Grant Program (PSGP) funding to allow the Canaveral Port Authority (CPA) to purchase a new Security Rapid Response Boat. The vessel will be a 33-ft. “Life Proof” boat operated…

America’s port authorities are advocating for relief to manage the “extremely negative impacts” on the seaport industry brought on by the coronavirus pandemic as U.S. policymakers begin negotiations on the next COVID-19 aid package.Among the port leaders’ advocacy efforts are letters sent Friday to U.S. House, Senate and Administration leaders, urging them to provide $1.5 billion for seaports to cover business-critical expenses that ports have incurred due to COVID-19. The letters…

The official grand opening of the Port Canaveral vehicle processing facility was marked with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and the arrival of 730 new vehicles aboard the 653-foot-long vessel Wisteria Ace, the first vehicle carrier to call at the Port’s facility. The new automobiles were discharged at the Port’s 16-acre auto processing facility located alongside South Cargo Pier 4. Another carrier is scheduled to arrive next week with more than 850 new autos aboard.“A port-operated…

New fireboat will provide enhanced firefighting and rescue capabilities for maritime and commercial space. The Canaveral Port Authority will receive $1.5 million in funding from the State of Florida to support the acquisition of a specialized fireboat to provide marine firefighting and rescue capabilities for Port Canaveral and the surrounding communities. Port Canaveral’s Marine Firefighting Rescue Vessel (MFRV) will be purpose built to offer enhanced fire protection and response…

The Rabun County Fire Services, located in the northeast corner of Georgia, has placed a Lake Assault Boats fireboat into service on Lake Rabun, an 835-acre reservoir with 25 miles of shoreline. The new craft provides fire suppression and emergency response services for homeowners, visitors, and Georgia Power facilities located on the lake.“The combination of hydroelectric plants and a growing number of high-end waterfront single family homes in a region susceptible to wildfires make our on-the-water emergency response capabilities a critical part of our department’s mission…

Royal Caribbean International (RCI)'s Harmony of the Seas and Mariner of the Seas received a “royal” sendoff Monday as they sailed from their new homeport, Port Canaveral.Tugboats provided a water salute as a the 1,188-foot long Harmony, the second-largest cruise ship in the world, glided past hundreds of cheering spectators who gathered at Jetty Park for a “wave-out” event for the Port’s newest arrivals. Onlookers waved bandanas and some held up signs with large letters that spelled out “Bon Voyage.”“We are excited to welcome these two magnificent cruise ships to Port Canaveral and proud of our partnership with Royal Caribbean International.” Port CEO Captain John Murray said.

Norwegian Cruise Line's ship Norwegian Sun has returned to call Port Canaveral its homeport for another year. Also returning are the popular all-inclusive cruises to Cuba.Starting today (April 15), the Norwegian Sun, which in 2018 became the first homeported cruise ship to sail from Port Canaveral to Cuba, will offer four-, five- and seven-day cruises to Havana, Cuba, with select sailings also calling to Key West during its four-day cruises.Ports of call during the Sun’s five- and seven-day voyages include Key West, Nassau, Bahamas, or Norwegian’s private island beach at Great Stirrup Cay, Bahamas. “We are excited that the Norwegian Sun is returning for another season of cruises to Cuba,” Port CEO Capt. John Murray stated.

The Aframax tanker ProStar recently made its first North American delivery to discharge 442,131 barrels of jet fuel at Seaport Canaveral."820-foot-long ProStar – first of its kind vessel to berth at Port – makes its inaugural North American delivery of transportation fuels to Seaport Canaveral," the Canaveral Port Authority announced in a statement.Built in 2018, the 144-foot-wide ProStar has a crew of 23 and a summer dead weight tonnage of 115,000 tons.Port Canaveral cargo operations reached another highpoint recently with the arrival of the Aframax tanker ProStar at North Cargo Berth 2 for its first delivery in North America to discharge 442…

Port Canaveral has taken the delivery of mobile harbor crane - 270-foot-tall Liebherr LHM 600 - the largest of its kind in the US.The huge LHM 600 crane arrived at the port on January 18, 2018 aboard the “Happy Dover”, a heavy load carrier and  will be operational in the second quarter of 2019. It joins two 270-foot-tall ship-to-shore cranes in service at the port since 2014.The Canaveral Port Authority purchased the mobile harbor crane to accommodate the Port’s growing diverse cargo throughput, adding handling flexibility and extended lift capability, including heavy cargo and space components for the Port’s cargo operations.“Port Canaveral has added a new dimension to our harbor and cargo management capability,” Port CEO Capt.

Florida's Canaveral Port Authority has awarded a $108.5m contract to Ivey’s Construction for building its new Cruise Terminal 3 project.The contract agreement has been approved by the Canaveral Port Authority Board of Commissioners.Ivey’s was the low bidder to build a two-story, 188,000-square-foot terminal as part of the Port’s largest single construction project in its 65-year history – a $163 million complex that will become the homeport for Carnival Cruise Line’s biggest and largest cruise ship, the Mardi Gras, when finished in May 2020.“We're creating a world-class cruise terminal, and with these contract awards, the project is mobilizing and moving ahead,” stated Port CEO Captain John Murray.

A new class of post-Panamax (PPX) vessel made its first visit to Port Canaveral, marking the second time this year a vehicle carrier megaship of this size has called on the port. Launched in 2017, the MV Donington PPX roll-on/roll-off (Ro/Ro) vessel arrived at Port Canaveral as part of its inaugural U.S. itinerary. With its 125-foot beam and capacity to transport over 7,400 vehicles, the Donington is Hoegh Autoliners’ largest Post-Panamax vessel to call on the port. The ship arrived at Port Canaveral, its second U.S. port of call after delivering vehicles to Port Freeport in Texas last week.

Port Canaveral staff were on hand to welcome the captain and crew of the Höegh Sydney roll-on/roll-off (RO/RO) vessel on her inaugural visit to the Port. The Sydney’s arrival at Port Canaveral is the first U.S. port call for the vessel on a transit that originated in East Asia. The Höegh Autoliners vessel represents the fourth vehicle carrier to call on Port Canaveral and the first auto imports to arrive direct from Asia. More than 800 cars destined for Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, North and South Carolina dealerships arrived at Port Canaveral on the Höegh Sydney and were discharged within six hours of the vessel’s arrival. “The first vehicle to roll off Höegh Sydney signifies Port Canaveral’s entrance into the direct from Asia import market.

As of 12 noon today, the U.S. Coast Guard Captain of the Port (COTP) approved restricted commercial vessel transit through Port Canaveral to allow the port to support the arrival of critical fuel supplies destined for Florida consumers, and to receive cruise ships that were diverted from Port Canaveral prior to the arrival of Hurricane Irma. Port Canaveral previously had limited operations capability due to lack of water and limited electric power. However, this update to the port's Condition Zulu confirms the port's ability to regain full operational capability over the next few days, as efforts are well underway at Port Canaveral to resume normal operations. Port Canaveral CEO, Capt. John Murray, said, "Our ability to supply the critical fuel needs of Florida has been a priority.

With forecasts indicating severe weather conditions related to Hurricane Matthew, Port Canaveral CEO John Murray today issued an evacuation order for landside operations, including Jetty Park campers, marinas and all port businesses and tenants. The evacuation deadline is set for noon on Wednesday. In addition to the landside evacuation, the U.S. Coast Guard has given notice that the Canaveral harbor will close by tomorrow afternoon. Under the Captain of the Port order, no vessel traffic…

The role of the pilot in mitigating the potential economic and environmental risk from today's large vessels is one of the most important in maritime safety. In recognition of this, the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) has embarked upon its first comprehensive survey of pilotage, towing and mooring services provided in ports and terminals around the world. The aim of the ICS Pilotage, Towing and Mooring Survey is to evaluate the extent to which established best practice is being followed, such as that recommended by the latest ICS Bridge Procedures Guide. Masters and Bridge Teams are being encouraged by ICS to highlight examples of good practice which make particularly valuable contributions to safety, environmental protection and the efficiency of ship operations.

The UK Chamber of Shipping has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Society of Maritime Industries and British Marine, to set out the basis for the three organisations to work together for the benefit of the industry as a whole. Guy Platten, Chief Executive Officer of the UK Chamber of Shipping, added: “The UK Chamber and its partners have been pooling resources and working evermore closely for a number of years, and the MOU is a further step towards this goal. Howard Pridding, Chief Executive of British Marine, commented: “The three organisations that have entered in to the MOU are aware of the changes we anticipate seeing in the way the Government interacts with the marine and maritime industries.

Kongsberg Norcontrol IT said it will lead a three-year project called SESAME Straits (Secure, Efficient and Safe maritime traffic Management in the Straits of Malacca and Singapore), which aims to create solutions to significantly improve the safety and efficiency of ship navigation across the world. An important test-bed for IMO’s e-Navigation implementation strategy, the objective of the SESAME Straits Project is to develop and validate a revolutionary concept for a next generation Ship Traffic Management System (STMS) in the Straits of Malacca and Singapore (SOMS).

Guidelines helping shipowners comply with a new International Maritime Organization (IMO) regulation, requiring ship-specific planned procedure for recovering individuals from the water, have been launched by the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS). Under the new SOLAS Regulation, effective July 1, all ships are required to develop plans and procedures that identify the equipment used for recovery purposes and measures to minimise the risks for shipboard personnel involved in recovery operations.

The Society of Maritime Industries is the voice of the U.K. maritime engineering sector, and its Chief Executive John Murray is the very public and indelible face of the organization. SMI promotes and supports the interests of organizations with activities and interests in this sector both to its membership and the wider world. In total it is a trade association of more than 150 organizations across the maritime, offshore energy, subsea, naval and academic sectors, and the society has been busier than ever, as a number of drivers have buoyed the prospects of all matters maritime in the U.K.

Before the close of the inaugural Oceanology International China (OI China) held in Shanghai in early September, more than 70% of the space available for the next show in the series, being held September 3-5 , 2014 at INTEX Shanghai, had been reserved. “Our new show in the long-standing Oceanology International series not only lived up to expectations, but exceeded them,” said Event Director James Coleman of Reed Exhibitions. “4,296 visitors attended over the three days, making 5…

HKND Group, concessionaire of the Nicaragua Interoceanic Grand Canal project, signed an agreement with international geological and resource consultancy CSA Global of Australia in the headquarters of HKND Group in Hong Kong, entrusting CSA Global to conduct an aerial geological survey of the canal route and Lake Nicaragua shore line. The survey comprises of Aerial mapping of topography, photography and geophysical and geological data. HKND Group concluded an open tender works package award with CSA Global for the services. “The survey is a major step in the construction development process and supports pre-works planning, design and engineering for the canal and infrastructure”, stated senior advisor of HKND Group, John Murray.