Strauss News

The European Commission said on Friday that it would not extend a ban on imports of Ukrainian grains into Ukraine's five EU neighbors due to expire on Friday."It has concluded that thanks to the work of the Coordination Platform and to the temporary measures introduced on 2 May 2023, the market distortions in the 5 Member States bordering Ukraine have disappeared," the European Commission said in a statement.Restrictions imposed by the European Union in May allowed Poland, Bulgaria…

The Zero Emission Maritime Buyers Alliance (ZEMBA) has launched a Request for Proposals (RfP) for 600,000 TEUs over a three-year period on ocean vessels powered by zero-emission fuels.This will help its member companies reduce nearly one million metric tonnes of carbon emissions, equivalent to taking 215,000 cars off the road. The RfP is the first major buyer-led initiative to accelerate the transition to zero-emission maritime fuels. ZEMBA was launched as a nonprofit membership organization in March 2023 by the Aspen Institute…

The car carrier burning off the Dutch coast since Tuesday night is carrying nearly 500 electric vehicles, ship charter company "K" Line said on Friday, significantly more than the 25 initially reported by the coastguard.The fire on the Panamanian-registered Fremantle Highway, which was carrying new cars, resulted in the death of an Indian crew member and injury of seven others who jumped overboard to escape the flames.There were 3,783 vehicles on board, including 498 battery electric vehicles, a Tokyo-based spokesperson for K Line (Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha), which had chartered the vessel, said.

Belgium said it is investigating the presence of a Russian "spy ship" in the North Sea, a day after its neighbor the Netherlands reported that Russia was targeting North Sea infrastructure.The ship was detected in the Belgian North Sea around mid-November last year, Vincent Van Quickenborne, the Justice and North Sea minister, said in a statement headlined "Russian spy ship off our coast in November".While the presence of Russian ships in the North Sea is not forbidden, Belgium said it was monitoring the situation closely…

Andrea Mather's plans for a long-awaited summer cruise around the Hawaiian islands with her financial analyst husband unraveled after her booking with Norwegian Cruise Line's Pride of America was canceled due to a staffing shortage.It was the second time this year that the 55-year-old homemaker's plan to go on a cruise was scuppered.The cruise industry is sailing in choppy waters yet again as it has to deal with a storm of labor problems, red-hot inflation and recessionary threat…

The European Union's foreign ministers disagreed on Monday on whether and how to slap sanctions on Russia's lucrative energy sector over its invasion of Ukraine, with Germany saying the bloc was too dependent on Russian oil to decide an embargo.The EU and allies have already imposed hefty measures against Russia, including freezing its central bank's assets.Russia's siege and bombardment of Mariupol port, which EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell called "a massive war crime"…

A widely-shared meme has taken several facts about the Titanic out of context to make unsubstantiated claims that imply the ship’s sinking was a deliberate act. This is not true—experts widely agree the sinking of the Titanic was an accident. The meme was posted to Facebook on March 1 and has been shared more than 600 times (here). It consists of two images: one of the ship and a second of American financier John Pierpont (J.P.) Morgan. These sit alongside a wall of text that…

The European Parliament on Tuesday voted in favour of including greenhouse gas emissions from the maritime sector in the European Union's carbon market from 2022, throwing its weight behind EU plans to make ships pay for their pollution.Shipping is the only sector which does not face EU targets to cut emissions, but it is coming under increased scrutiny as the bloc attempts to steer industries towards its plan to become "climate neutral" by 2050.In a vote on Tuesday, EU lawmakers said the bloc's carbon market should be expanded to include emissions from voyages within Europe…

European lawmakers agreed on Tuesday to include international carbon emissions from the maritime sector in the EU carbon market, targeting an industry that does not yet pay for its pollution.They also called for binding targets for shipping companies to reduce the annual average CO2 emissions of all ships when in operation, by at least 40% by 2030 compared to 2018 levels, going further than an original European Commission proposal.Pollution from ships plying international waters usually escapes countries’ domestic emissions-cutting targets…

Gauging the market impact of Italian shipyard Fincantieri's bid for France's Chantiers de l'Atlantique is proving difficult and is likely to take some time, the European Union's antitrust chief Margrethe Vestager said on Tuesday.Italy sees the deal by Europe's largest shipyard as an opportunity to create a European industrial champion in the shipbuilding industry to better compete with rivals from Asia and other regions.EU antitrust enforcers, however, worry the deal between two global leaders in an already concentrated and capacity-constrained market could push up prices for cruise ships.The

A.P. Moller - Maersk alongside with Wallenius Wilhelmsen, BMW Group, H&M Group, Levi Strauss & Co. and, Marks & Spencer to explore LEO - a blend of lignin and ethanol - that could be part of the future solution for sustainable shipping.From the phone, tablet or computer you are reading this on, to the fruit you eat, the trousers you wear or the car you drive, around 80% of the goods you use every day are delivered to you by sea. Shipping accounts for 2-3% of global CO2 emissions, a proportion that is set to increase as global trade continues to grow at a sluggish but steady pace. As such, this industry has an urgent need to reduce its environmental impact.Maersk and Wallenius Wilhelmsen have teamed up with Copenhagen University and major customers including BMW Group…

Danish shipping conglomerate A.P. Moller - Maersk has joined forces with Wallenius Wilhelmsen, BMW Group, H&M Group, Levi Strauss and Marks & Spencer to explore LEO, a blend of lignin and ethanol, as a potential future sustainable shipping fuel.The LEO Coalition, which also includes Copenhagen University, will consider the environmental and commercial viability of LEO fuel for shipping. Shipping accounts for 2-3% of global CO2 emissions, a proportion that is set to increase as global trade continues to grow at a sluggish but steady pace. As such, this industry has an urgent need to reduce its environmental impact.The marine sector has very different fuel requirements than automotive or aviation.

Top shipping, retail and transport companies are looking to develop an alternative marine fuel which aims to reduce carbon emissions from ships, in another step to push the sector to go green.International shipping accounts for 2.2% of global carbon dioxide emissions, according to the International Maritime Organization (IMO), more than aviation's 2% share.The IMO, a United Nations agency, has said it aims to halve greenhouse gas emissions from 2008 levels by 2050.Investor and activist pressure is prompting companies to look to speed up reducing the industry's carbon footprint.Denmark's A.P.

Talos Energy LLC and Stone Energy Corp, two U.S. exploration and production companies focused on the Gulf of Mexico, announced on Tuesday plans to merge and create a new company valued around $2.5 billion including debt, sending Stone's shares down nearly 13 percent. "The idea of a reverse merger works very well for us, as we get a lot of talented people into the company and also use a structure which gets us to the public equity markets", said Timothy Duncan, chief executive of Talos, who will retain the title under the combined company, to be named Talos Energy Inc. Stone shares will be exchanged for Talos stock on a one-for-one basis, while Talos' existing stockholders will be issued 34.2 million shares to give them 63 percent of the combined company, according to a statement.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx announced the appointment of 29 new members to the Marine Transportation System National Advisory Committee (MTSNAC). Established in 2010, MTSNAC is comprised of leaders from commercial transportation firms, ship construction, repair and recycling, trade associations, state and local public entities, labor organizations, academics, and environmental groups that advise the Secretary and the Maritime Administration on policies to ensure that the U.S. Marine Transportation System is capable of responding to projected trade increases. The Committee advises the Secretary on solutions to impediments hindering effective use of short sea transportation and other matters as the Secretary determines.

A face-off between economists on the cost of West Coast port slowdown on U.S. economy. Vital shipping ports on the West Coast are closing amid a labor dispute between shipping companies and longshoremen. Will the shutdown lead to major losses for businesses and the U.S. economy as a whole? A section of economists and trade experts say that a shutdown of 29 West Coast ports closures would have very little effect on the broader U.S. economy as the trade of goods through U.S. ports represents only a fraction of the nation's total economic output. The situation promises to create headaches for scores of U.S. companies, including McDonald’s Corp., Macy’s Inc., ConAgra Foods Inc. and Levi Strauss & Co. West Coast ports account for almost half of U.S.

KVH Industries, Inc., acquired Videotel, a producer of high-quality training films and e-Learning services for the commercial maritime industry. Servicing over 11,000 vessels, Videotel is a market leader in the provision of maritime training services, offering video, animation, e-Learning computer-based training (CBT), and interactive distance learning courses. “The acquisition of Videotel is an important addition to our portfolio of services targeting the needs of commercial seafarers and supports our strategic vision of extending our maritime broadband service to include delivering premium content to vessels,” said Martin Kits van Heyningen, KVH’s chief executive officer.

SkiSafe Insurance has been working extensively to assist affected boaters in the region. SkiSafe has extended its operational and online facilities to allow for fast reporting of any storm claims and to provide any support its policyholders may require. As the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions cope with the fallout from Superstorm Sandy, SkiSafe Insurance, a national leader in boat insurance, has been working extensively to assist affected boaters in the region. SkiSafe is encouraging all policyholders to visit online or call 1-800-225-6560 to report any claims resulting from the storm, so that adjusters may immediately begin handling their claims.

Eymard Marine put its latest pushboat in the water last August from its Harvey, La. yard. The 70 x 28 x 9.5-ft. boat was finished out alongside the dock for a September delivery. Named the Kallie C. Eymard, the vessel features three Cummins KTA19 M3 engines producing a total of 1,800 hp. Each engine turns into a Twin Disc 5202 gear with a 6:1 ratio and turning 66 x 54-in. four-blade stainless Coolidge propellers from Jefferson Wheel. According to Gary Eymard, due to rising fuel prices, the center engine has been set up with a shaft brake so that if a job only required 1,200 hp, one engine can be shutdown to save on both hours and fuel. Deck winches are a pair of Nabrico 40 ton electric over hydraulics loaded. Electrical power is provided by two Cummins 4B3.9 powered 35 kW gensets.

The Significant Economic Impact of the New York-New Jersey Port and Maritime Industry. More than 279,200 jobs generated by activity in the Port of New York and New Jersey, according to a study released today. The independent economic impact study of port operations, prepared by A. Strauss-Wieder Inc., of Westfield, New Jersey, showed that jobs directly associated with port activity increased by nearly 3.5 percent, despite turbulent economic conditions, since the last time a similar comprehensive economic impact analysis was conducted in 2008. The assessment also shows the significant economic value that the port and maritime industry has and continues to generate through investments in the Region’s maritime infrastructure and through the capital markets.

The sinking of the Titanic was the first international news story of the twentieth century to receive instantaneous, intensive coverage world-wide. American newspapers had an advantage over the British press, since survivors of the Titanic were brought to New York City. American newspapers had reporters in place when the first inquiry into the disaster was held by the U.S. Senate at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City, the day after the survivors landed. Though not an uncommon mistake, the London Daily Mail ran the unfortunate headline on April 16, 1912, "Titanic Sunk. No Lives Lost.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today proposed a fine of $47,100 against APM Terminals Pacific Limited for violations of its storm water permit at its Port of Los Angeles facility. According to the EPA, between October 1, 2004 and January 17, 2008, APM Terminals Pacific Limited, one of the world’s largest container terminal companies, reportedly discharged industrial-activity storm water at its marine shipping container terminal facility, a violation of Clean Water Act and the California National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System. “Controlling storm water pollution is key to improving Southern California water quality,” said Alexis Strauss, Water Division director for the EPA's Pacific Southwest region.

Samson announced the retirement of Dave Strauss, western regional sales manager of industrial markets, and the hire of his replacement, David Moore of Portland, Ore. After almost 20 years of service, Strauss is retiring in June 2010. Strauss has served in both the recreational marine and industrial markets during his career. Samson has filled the position with the hire of Moore, who has a bachelor of science in aerospace engineering and a master of business administration in marketing. His work in the aerospace and semiconductor industries has provided him with experience in developing technical solutions for custom applications. Moore also has a background in sales and product development…