Johnston News

This spring, Fincantieri Marine Repair (FMR) is expanding its presence to the Port of Everett with a new facility to support U.S. Navy assets.On March 12, the Port of Everett Commission unanimously approved a new one-year lease to establish an FMR office at the Port’s Marina Village at Waterfront Place.The U.S. Navy plans to homeport up to 12 new Constellation-class guided-missile frigates at Naval Station Everett, adjacent to the Port of Everett’s international Seaport. The FMR…

American Glory, the second Coastal Cat in American Cruise Lines’ new series of 100-passenger ships, was christened in Key West, Fla. on Sunday. The ceremony took place at Mallory Square where the ship docks when visiting Key West along the company’s newest U.S. itinerary—Florida Gulf Coast & Keys cruises, operating roundtrip from St. Petersburg.Charles B. Robertson, President & CEO of American Cruise Lines, gave remarks and introduced American Glory’s Godmother, the Honorable Teri Johnston, Mayor of Key West.

Without a radical new approach, BIMCO’s CII Operations Clause will remain a worthy but vain attempt to reconcile shipping’s environmental and commercial imperatives,Legal and contractual disputes lie ahead for shipping unless it finds a better compromise between owners and charterers to sustain the International Maritime Organization’s Carbon Intensity Index (CII).Entering into force on 1 January 2023, the CII relates primarily to the way in which ships are operated and the resulting CO2 emissions.

The Poseidon Principles provide a platform for financing shipping’s sustainable future, but the technical guidance underpinning the initiative remains under scrutiny.In July 2023, the International Maritime Organization’s Maritime Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) will consider revising the UN agency’s strategy on greenhouse gas emissions from ships. Moving on from a current target to reduce CO2 emissions from ships by at least 50% by 2050, based on 2008 levels,  influential administrations seek to accelerate towards net-zero or even zero by 2050.

The Poseidon Principles provide a platform for financing shipping’s sustainable future, but the technical guidance underpinning the initiative remains under scrutiny.In July 2023, the International Maritime Organization’s Maritime Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) will consider revising the UN agency’s strategy on greenhouse gas emissions from ships. Moving on from a current target to reduce CO2 emissions from ships by at least 50% by 2050, based on 2008 levels, influential…

Canadian naval architecture firm Robert Allan Ltd. has unveiled a methanol-fueled RAptor 2400 crew transfer vessel (CTV), bringing the offshore wind industry closer to eliminating carbon emissions from the supply chain.As a marine fuel, methanol provides emissions benefits that are similar to natural gas when it comes to reducing CO2, NOx, SOx and particulates, but without the need for cryogenic or pressurized fuel tanks. This reduces capital cost, saves space and allows more fuel to be carried.

Danish shipbuilder Karstensens Shipyard placed main propulsion equipment orders for two new fishing vessels with Wärtsilä. The first vessel is a custom designed 77-m overall length fishing vessel the ‘Christina S’, owned and operated by the Fraserburgh, Scotland based Simpson family’s Christina S Fishing Company in partnership with P&J Johnston. It will be powered by a Wärtsilä 31 main engine, and will also feature other Wärtsilä solutions including an NOx Reducer emissions reduction system, the reduction gear, controllable pitch propeller, and ProTouch propulsion remote control system.

The U.S. Navy announced Friday, August 13, 2021 that Fincantieri Marine Systems North America has been awarded a multiple award contract (MAC I) to support sustainment efforts for Littoral Combat Ships (LCS) homeported in Mayport, Fla.“We are excited about the opportunity to service, repair, and modernize Freedom variant LCS”, said Shawn Johnston, FMSNA’s VP. “We have a tremendous team of professionals poised to help the Navy maintain and repair these ships both here in the U.S.

A privately funded mission has found, surveyed and filmed the USS Johnston, the world’s deepest known shipwreck, offshore Samar Island in the Philippines Sea.The expedition was backed by Victor Vescovo, is an entrepreneur, explorer and retired U.S. Navy Commander who personally piloted his submersible DSV Limiting Factor down to the wreck during two separate, eight-hour dives 21,180 feet (6,456 meters) below the ocean's surface. These constituted the deepest wreck dives, manned or unmanned…

As the maritime community collectively fights to reduce emissions, RightShip and Pilbara Ports Authority have developed a pilot program that allows ports around the world to review their emissions profiles and develop management strategies. After partnering with The Australian Marine Environment Protection Association (AUSMEPA), and winning a $250,000 Google Impact grant in 2016, RightShip and AUSMEPA have developed a Maritime Emissions Portal (MEP), which will provide leading emissions inventory data to ports around the world.Available now for commercial use…

Ferries serving the Western Isles and West Coast of Scotland could soon be powered by hydrogen generated from onshore island wind power, according to a newly published feasibility study.The Scottish Western Isles Ferry Transport Using Hydrogen (SWIFTH2) project, which was led by the Point and Sandwick Trust in collaboration with seven industry partners including Wood, was part-funded by the Scottish Government’s Low Carbon Infrastructure Transition Programme.The project team also included Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy, ITM Power, ENGIE, Ferguson Marine Engineering, Caledonia Marine Assets Ltd and Johnston Carmichael.The study assessed the feasibility of deploying hydrogen-powered passenger ferries on nine existing Caledonian MacBrayne ferry routes servicing the Western Isles.

Australian Industrial Energy (AIE) said it has reached a preliminary agreement with EnergyAustralia to provide 15PJs of natural gas per annum, from its Port Kembla gas terminal (PKGT).PKGT is one of five proposed LNG import terminals that could help meet a looming gas shortage in southeastern Australia, even as the country is set to become the world’s top LNG exporter.Commencing 1 January 2021, the five-year contract will supply gas for EnergyAustralia’s residential and industrial customers as well as for electricity generation.This announcement follows the NSW Government’s decision in April 2019 to award development consent to AIE’s PKGT…

Oilfield products company Forum Energy Technologies said it has sealed a contract to supply a Mojave remotely operated vehicle (ROV) for the Norwegian firm ESEA Marine.Sub-Atlantic Mojave will also be used by ESEA Submarine’s sister company, ESEA Marine AS, which has customers that include fish farms, port authorities and insurance companies, said the international oilfield products company, serving the subsea, drilling, completion and  production sectors of the oil and natural gas industry.In addition, the Mojave will play a training role in helping ROV pilots to develop their skills.Georg Stranden, general manager at ESEA Submarine…

British solo round-the-world yachtswoman Susie Goodall was rescued by a cargo ship on Friday after her boat capsized and lost its mast during a violent storm in the southern Pacific Ocean.The 29-year-old, the youngest entrant in the Golden Globe race, had waited two days for the Hong Kong-registered Tian Fu to arrive after sending a distress signal from 2,000 nautical miles west of Cape Horn.The signal was picked up by Falmouth Coastguard in southwest England, with the alert passed on to race control and the Chilean maritime search and rescue authorities."ON THE SHIP!!!," she said on her Twitter feed after the rescue.Race organisers had earlier reported plans to lift the sailor from the deck of her yacht DHL Starlight using one of the cranes on the 38,000 tonne ship, which was heading to A

The celebrities were out in force at the recent Southampton Boat Show. Led by Duran Duran’s Simon Le Bon, ably supported by sailing legend Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, TV wildlife presenter and trained diver Miranda Krestovnikoff, BAFTA award-winning wildlife expert Steve Backshall, explorer, writer and TV presenter Monty Halls and Diane Youdale, otherwise known as Jet from Gladiators. But the real star of the show was Natasha Lambert. She has a condition called Athetoid Cerebral Palsy which means that she has no voluntary control over her limbs and difficulty in articulating speech…

Dan-Bunkering has announced that as per September 1, 2018, the group will merge with Sydney based Australia Bunkering Pty Ltd.The Australian company has been in business for more than a decade,  managed by Lena Johnston, but will now be rebranded and change name to Dan-Bunkering (Australia) Pty Ltd.With this merger, Dan-Bunkering will be present in yet another continent, and the company now has offices in 12 different locations worldwide.The office is supported by already existing team members who will all remain on same phone numbers.

The Port of Hay Point in Queensland, Australia has kicked off a pilot program to investigate the feasibility of recycling garbage from international ships.Currently, ships' crews separate recyclable garbage on board, but have limited opportunity to offload these materials at Australian ports for recycling. Any garbage that is separated on board is combined when offloaded in Australian ports and has to undergo treatment by autoclave or deep-burial to meet Australia’s biosecurity requirements.

Royal Australian Navy Frigate HMAS Toowoomba has completed a port visit to Brunei, as part of a three month South East Asia deployment. HMAS Toowoomba will join Exercise Bersama Shield, a multilateral activity with the Five Power Defence Arrangement nations, in the coming weeks. HMA Ships Anzac, Toowoomba and Success are conducting a deployment to South East Asia and will participate in a series of exercises with nations in the region. Toowoomba conducted a logistic resupply, as well as local engagements with the Royal Brunei Navy and government officials. Chief of Joint Operations, Vice Admiral David Johnston, said Toowoomba’s deployment provided an opportunity to further strengthen a military to military relationship with the Royal Brunei Armed Forces.

More than 80 maritime professionals attended two one-day events focused on the sub IMO / sub 80-ft. sector in Southampton, U.K. this Spring. The Man Overboard Prevention & Recovery Workshop brought together an international group of experts armed with the latest knowledge to identify problems that affect the maritime sector worldwide. Workshop lead John Haynes opened the day saying said, “Expectations, requirements and capabilities are changing for many maritime organizations. High profile roles are evolving close to shore and offshore in U.K., European and international waters.

On December 21, Rear Admiral Michael Alfultis, president of SUNY Maritime, signed two agreements setting SUNY Maritime College on a new course for success. The College and the Fort Schuyler Maritime Alumni Association are now partners for the benefit of the College, its students and its alumni. On the same day, the SUNY Maritime Foundation was launched publicly to support the College’s strategic initiatives, to expand its reach and to support its goal of developing additional resources.

HMAS Warramunga’s crew has seized record amounts of narcotics on Operation Manitou following their latest interdiction. In the latest haul, the crew of the Royal Australian Navy frigate seized approximately 132 kilograms of heroin valued at almost $40 million while patrolling international waters of the Arabian Sea on 6 March 2018. The illegal narcotics interdiction is Warramunga’s third seizure in the past seven days having also seized in excess of eight tonnes of hashish from two vessels just days earlier.

Huntington Ingalls Industries said that Christie Thomas was promoted to vice president of contracts and pricing at its Newport News Shipbuilding division. She will succeed Tom Johnston, who will retire on April 1. Thomas will have overall responsibility for contracts, pricing, and export/import licensing and compliance for the Newport News shipyard and will report to Don Godwin, Newport News’ chief financial officer. She joined HII’s Ingalls Shipbuilding division in 2006 and has held director-level positions in supply chain management…

Huntington Ingalls Industries announced that Christie Thomas has been promoted to vice president of contracts and pricing at its Newport News Shipbuilding division. She will succeed Tom Johnston, who will retire on April 1. Thomas will have overall responsibility for contracts, pricing, and export/import licensing and compliance for the Newport News shipyard and will report to Don Godwin, Newport News’ chief financial officer. She joined HII’s Ingalls Shipbuilding division in 2006 and has held director-level positions in supply chain management, business management, business development, and contracts and pricing. In 2017, she was promoted to corporate director of investor relations at HII’s corporate office. Prior to HII, Thomas spent 12 years with Lockheed Martin.