Lawsuits Over Baltimore Bridge Collapse Likely
The owner, operator and charterer of the container ship that struck Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge on Tuesday are likely to face lawsuits over its collapse and the people killed or injured, but legal experts say U.S. maritime law could limit the companies’ liability.U.S. laws pertaining to open-water navigation and shipping, which are created through court decisions and by acts of Congress, could restrict the kinds of lawsuits filed against the registered owner of the Singapore-flagged ship…
Provaris Energy Begins Fabrication of Prototype Compressed Hydrogen Tank
Provaris Energy's prototype compressed hydrogen tank is now under construction, and final class approval is on track for completion in the June 2024 quarter.The proprietary tank design, which utilizes carbon steel plates and an inner liner, is part of the company’s hydrogen carrying vessel design.Awarded to Prodtex and partnered with SINTEF, the tank production project is designed for hydrogen storage and transportation. “The optimized design of the full-scale H2Neo carrier and containment tanks delivers substantial CAPEX and OPEX savings.
Philippines to Build Islands Port Near Taiwan
The U.S. military will not be involved in development of a port in the Philippines' remote northernmost islands near Taiwan, the local governor said, removing a potential source of friction with China over the U.S. presence in the region.The governor of the Batanes islands, less than 200 km (125 miles) from Taiwan, said in August she had sought U.S. funding for a new port there. The U.S. embassy had at the time confirmed its diplomats and U.S. Army Pacific (USARPAC) experts had…
Search Underway for Missing Indonesian Fishing Boat Crew
Rescue teams searched waters in central Indonesia on Wednesday for 24 fishermen missing since their boat sank at the weekend, with hopes kept alive by the discovery a day ago of 11 survivors who had been floating at sea for three days.The boat with 37 crew went down on Saturday near Selayar Island off South Sulawesi province, according to the search and rescue agency, with 11 survivors in life jackets spotted by fishermen only on Tuesday. Two other crew were found dead."We just received the report of the boat sinking from those who survived on Tuesday…
German Shipowners Seek Clarity from Berlin on Carbon Trading
German shipowners' group VDR on Tuesday urged the Berlin government to provide legislation implementing European Union requirements to include the sector in the bloc's carbon trading system.The government is behind in transforming an EU agreement late in 2022 to require shipowners to buy EU carbon permits to trigger investment in greener technologies, into national legislation, VDR said at its annual press conference."For us, the cornerstone of our operations is not only planning certainty but also the assurance of uniform competitive conditions on an international scale…
Biden's Pier for Gaza Aid Might Not be Ready for 60 Days
U.S. President Joe Biden's plan to build a floating U.S. military port to speed up aid to Gaza could take up to 60 days to become a reality and involve more than 1,000 American troops, the Pentagon said on Friday.The Pentagon offered the timeline a day after Biden announced the initiative in his State of the Union speech, as he seeks to cool anger in his Democratic Party over his staunch support for Israel's offensive in Gaza since Oct. 7.The United Nations has warned that widespread famine in the Gaza Strip is "almost inevitable" without urgent action.
US Navy Accepts Delivery of Future USS Kingsville (LCS 36)
The U.S. Navy accepted delivery of the future USS Kingsville (LCS 36) at Austal USA’s shipyard in Mobile, Ala., March 1.Kingsville is the 18th Independence-variant Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) constructed, and is the first ship ever named after Kingsville, Texas.The LCS class comprises fast, optimally manned, mission-tailored surface combatants that can operate in both near-shore and open-ocean waters to counter 21st-century coastal threats.Kingsville successfully completed Acceptance Trials on February 1 and will be commissioned later this summer…
Babcock Tallies Contract to Refit UK Nuclear Submarine
Babcock International Group and the UK’s Submarine Delivery Agency (SDA) have agreed a full cost recovery contract worth an estimated £560 million to undertake the planned deep maintenance and life extension program for HMS Victorious, one of the UK’s Vanguard Class nuclear submarines.The multi-year life extension program will deliver HMS Victorious back to the Royal Navy modernized and improved, enabling it to continue operational patrols well into the 2030s. Work on the submarine is already underway…
Norway's Oil Industry Resumes Helicopter Flights After Deadly Crash
Norwegian oil companies resumed helicopter flights to offshore oil and gas fields on Friday following Wednesday's deadly crash off the country's west coast, operator Equinor and airports said on Friday.On Thursday helicopter traffic was halted to oil and gas platforms following the crash in which one person died and five were injured. Norway said it was considering grounding Sikorsky's S-92A aircraft model while investigating the accident."Based on dialogue with the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA)…
Germany Opens Remote-Controlled Center for Inland Shipping
SEAFAR, a Belgian technology and service provider for remote-controlled inland waterway shipping operations, has set up the first Remote Operations Center in Germany; a project completed in conjunction with HGK Shipping and Reederei Deymann.The Remote Operations Center, opened on February 28, 2024, enables captains to navigate vessels on inland waterways from dry land, a development seen as central to stemming problems from the shortage of specialist workers. The partners are working with the public authorities to use the permits…
EU Clears CMA CGM's Acquisition of Bollore Logistics, Subject to Conditions
The EU Commission on Friday said it had cleared the acquisition of the logistics operations of conglomerate Bollore by shipping group CMA CGM, subject to a number of conditions proposed by the companies.The commission, which oversees competition policy in the 27-nation European Union, said that the acquisition had been approved after its investigation found a number of concerns.To address them, the parties agreed to divest all of Bolloré Logistics' activities in Guadeloupe, Martinique, Saint Martin and French Guiana, as well as a number of assets in metropolitan France linked to these activiti
UK's Trident Nuclear-deterrent Missile System Misfires During Test
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…
Seaspan Builds ‘Prototype Block’ for Canadian Polar Icebreaker Program
Seaspan Shipyards announced it has completed construction of the ‘Prototype Block’ for the Canadian Coast Guard’s (CCG) Polar Icebreaker program. Construction of this Prototype Block ensures that Seaspan has the proper processes, procedures, equipment and skills necessary to build the first heavy Polar Icebreaker in Canada in more than 60 years.Seaspan said it developed and built the Prototype Block to ensure that its production teams are fully prepared to cut steel on the Polar Icebreaker in late 2024.
Denmark Primed to Become European CO2 Hub
With its new CCS-strategy, the European Commission has outlined a common direction for the capture, utilization, and storage of CO2 in the EU. The strategy highlights Denmark as a pioneer in the field, and Danish Shipping predicts that Denmark could play a central role.The strategy, named the "Industrial Carbon Management Strategy," sets the framework for the ambition to build an internal market for CO2, benefiting both the climate and employment. All measures are aimed at achieving…
Australian Welfare Organizations Call for Suspension of Live Animal Exports
The Australian Alliance for Animals has written an open letter to animal exporters imploring them to voluntarily suspend all live animal exports to or through the Red Sea while the risk of attack remains and to suspend any extended journeys to the Middle East via the Cape of Good Hope.The move follows the recently aborted voyage of the Bahijah. The livestock carrier sailed from Australia for Israel on January 5 but was recalled over a week into the voyage after diverting towards…
Alternative Fuel Newbuilding Orders Strong in January
According to the latest figures from DNV's AFI platform, it was another strong month for alternative fuel orders. This was led by methanol fueled ships, where 23 new orders were registered. Around 70% of these were in the container segment with the remainder mainly made up of vessels in the bulk and RoRo segments.LNG continues to feature strongly, with 10 more LNG fueled ships added to the database. Car carriers and tankers made up the bulk of these orders, followed by RoPax.
Aiming for Zero Waste Discharge to Sea
Advanced water treatment systems are just the start of the cruise industry’s circular waste processing ambitions.Advanced wastewater treatment systems (AWTS) were revolutionary in their day. Indeed, they still are today, but with 77% of the CLIA fleet (202 ships) already using them, and another 40 specified for vessels on order, even more ambitious waste management is coming.Martin Shutler, Principal Engineer, Product Development, at Wärtsilä Water and Waste, notes that in recent…
Provaris Engages DNV for H2Neo Carrier Tank Review
Provaris Energy has engaged DNV for the review and approval of its H2Neo carrier's proprietary hydrogen cargo containment system.Prototype tank construction and testing remains on track to commence in Q1 CY2024 with completion expected by the end of Q2 CY2024. Additional parties involved in the work program located in Norway include Prodtex for construction and SINTEF for prototype testing and reporting.Construction will include the use of two laser welding robots, one material handling robot, and a scalable, custom hydraulic jig that will be employed during construction.
Malaysia to Ban ZIM From its Ports
Malaysia will ban Israeli shipping company ZIM from docking at any of its ports effective in four weeks, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said on Wednesday."This restriction is a response to Israel's actions that violate basic humanitarian principles and international laws," Anwar said in a statement, referring to its military response in Gaza to a deadly incursion in southern Israel in October by Hamas militants.(Reuters - Reporting by Danial Azhar; Editing by Martin Petty)
Bloem Appointed Group Director Corporate Affairs at Damen
Martin Bloem will start as Group Director Corporate Affairs at Damen Shipyards Group effective January 1, 2024 a new position at the largest shipbuilding concern in the Netherlands.Bloem was involved with the shipbuilding sector when working for the Ministry of Economic Affairs and he was later the general director of the industry association Netherlands Maritime Technology. After that, he took up a position as a partner at the strategic maritime consultancy Marstratand held public-private positions in the Rotterdam region.
Woodside Preserves Place for Australian Seafarers
Woodside Energy has reached agreement with three Australian maritime unions on the Australian crewing of an LNG vessel.The agreement with the Construction, Forestry and Maritime Employees Union – Maritime Union of Australia Division; the Australian Institute of Marine and Power Engineers; and the Australian Maritime Officers Union preserves a role for Australian-resident seafarers in the maritime industry delivering LNG to customers across Asia.The agreement will support employment of around 70 Australian-resident seafarers on an LNG carrier within Woodside’s chartered fleet.
US Trade Deficit Shrinks on Falling Imports
The U.S. trade deficit unexpectedly narrowed in November as imports of consumer goods fell to a one-year low amid slowing domestic demand, a trend that, if it persists in December, could result in trade having no impact on economic growth in the fourth quarter.The report from the Commerce Department on Tuesday also showed exports declined in November amid cooling demand overseas. Demand is slowing both in the United States and abroad following hefty interest rate increases by global central banks since 2022 to tackle rampant inflation.The Federal Reserve's rate hiking cycle has likely ended…
Provaris Signs Compressed Hydrogen MoU with Uniper
Provaris Energy has signed a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Uniper Global Commodities, an international energy company that operates approximately 22.5 GW of generation capacity in Europe.The companies will work together to qualify the technical, operational, and economic benefits of Provaris’ H2Neo compressed hydrogen carriers and compressed hydrogen supply chain.The supply of green hydrogen is key to energy security and decarbonization ambitions for German industrial and energy sectors…