The Chronicle News

A Chinese research ship and five escort vessels were in Vietnam's exclusive economic zone (EEZ) on Friday, close to gas blocks operated by Russian firms in the South China Sea, a day after Vietnam urged the ships to leave.The Chinese vessel Xiang Yang Hong 10 began operating in Vietnam's EEZ on May 7, representing the most significant incursion since 2019, according to Ray Powell, who leads Stanford University's Project Myoushu on the South China Sea.He said China's conduct and Vietnam's reaction were a "worrying escalation."China claims most of the energy-rich waters of the South China Sea, including areas that are within Vietnam's EEZ. The 2019 standoff lasted for more than three months and largely targeted a block then operated by Russian state oil firm Rosneft ROSN.MM.

A Chinese research vessel flanked by coast guard and nearly a dozen boats on Wednesday entered a gas block operated by Russian and Vietnamese state firms, two monitoring groups said, another potential flashpoint in the South China Sea.It follows a pattern of assertive moves of late by Beijing in its neighbors' exclusive economic zones (EEZ), as it presses its claim to sovereignty over almost the entire South China Sea, testing the United States and its allies at a time of heightened regional tension.Strong relations between Russia and China are a major factor supporting global stability…

The U.S. Coast Guard Research and Development Center (RDC) on Monday celebrated its 50th anniversary during an open house event at the center’s campus next to Fort Trumbull in New London, Conn.The event, designed to showcase RDC history and ongoing work, and provide an opportunity to speak with its researchers, focused on several key themes, such as the impact past and current researchers have had on the service as well as appreciation for Southeastern Connecticut, including the City of New London, for its support to the Coast Guard and its resident RDC.On Sept.

The U.S. Coast Guard Research and Development Center (RDC) in New London, Conn. is planning to celebrate its 50th anniversary with a multi-faceted community event.On September 1st, 1972, the Coast Guard Commandant established the RDC as an interim facility at the University of Connecticut’s Avery Point campus in Groton pending construction of a permanent facility. In 2009, the RDC moved to the “Coast Guard City” of New London near Fort Trumbull.For 50 years, the RDC has developed…

Oil shipments from nascent crude producer Guyana's prolific Liza field could be affected by a growing storage glut that has contributed to plunging global crude prices, the country's director of energy said.A consortium led by Exxon Mobil began producing crude from the offshore field in December after discovering more than 8 billion barrels of recoverable resources together with partners Hess Corp and China's CNOOC Ltd. The poor South American country had no history of crude production.But a sharp fall in oil demand due to the outbreak of the new coronavirus has rapidly filled crude storage tanks worldwide, raising questions about Guyana's ability to continue producing its crude at the same level."No shipment from the Liza Destiny has been affected due to COVID-19 presently…

A fisherman from a popular reality television series recently outfitted his vessel with a new electronic control system—giving him the edge in a high-stakes fishing competition.The waters of the North Atlantic Ocean can be treacherous—especially for fishermen pursuing the elusive bluefin tuna. This pursuit is the subject of the popular reality television series, “Wicked Tuna,” which chronicles the competition between commercial bluefin tuna fishermen in Gloucester, Massachusetts.

The captain of the U.S. aircraft carrier Theodore Roosevelt, in a blunt letter, has called on Navy leadership for stronger measures to save the lives of his sailors and stop the spread of the coronavirus aboard the huge ship.The four-page letter, the contents of which were confirmed by U.S. officials to Reuters on Tuesday, described a bleak situation on board the nuclear-powered carrier as more and more sailors test positive for the virus.The Navy puts the ship’s complement at 5…

Gibraltar has released the Iranian tanker Grace 1, according to the Gibraltar Chronicle."Authorities in Gibraltar have released the Iranian supertanker Grace 1, which was seized on July 4 on suspicion it was shipping 2.1 million barrels of crude oil to Syria in breach of EU sanctions," the newspaper said.The chief justice of Gibraltar's supreme court, Anthony Dudley, said there was no U.S. application currently before the court.A spokesman for the Stena Impero tanker, seized by Iran last month, said the situation remained the same with the Stena Impero and that the company awaited further developments from the United Kingdom and Iran.(Reporting by Guy Faulconbridge and Kate Holton; editing by Michael Holden)

The U.S. Coast Guard is investigating the cause of a ferry allision that occurred at the San Francisco Ferry Building Friday afternoon.A crew member aboard the ferry San Francisco notified Coast Guard Sector San Francisco watchstanders of the allision around 2:40 p.m.There were reports of two minor injuries that did not require treatment beyond first aid and no reports of pollution.Photos published by the San Francisco Chronicle showed that the vessel suffered significant hull damage.The ferry's operator Golden Gate Ferry, a division of the Golden Gate Bridge Highway and Transportation District, said it will operate on a normal schedule Monday. "We will cover regularly scheduled trips with other vessels in our fleet as the M.S.

Maersk Drilling USA is laying off 84 employees who work aboard the Maersk Viking (UDW drillship), located in the Gulf of Mexico, and report directly to the company’s office in Houston, Houston Chronicle reported quoting data sent to the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC). The employees, who received notification of the layoffs on Jan. 12, report to the company's office at 2500 CityWest Boulevard. They will continue to work for the next two months until their employment is terminated, according to the WARN notice. The termination will likely be permanent unless the company secures a new contract for the Viking. The Maersk Viking drillship was delivered to Maersk Drilling in February 2014 by Samsung Heavy Industries shipyard in Geoje-Si, South Korea.

Tropical Storm Harvey bore down on Louisiana on Wednesday, pouring down more water after setting rainfall records in Texas that caused catastrophic flooding and paralyzed the U.S. energy hub of Houston. The storm that first came ashore on Friday as the most powerful hurricane to hit Texas in more than 50 years has killed at least 17 people and forced tens of thousands to leave their deluged homes. Damage has been estimated at tens of billions of dollars, making it one of the costliest U.S. natural disasters. There is some relief in sight for Houston, the fourth most populous U.S. city, with forecasters saying five days of torrential rain may come to an end as the storm picks up speed and leaves the Gulf of Mexico region later in the day.

Unlike almost all its neighbors, Guyana isn’t an oil producer yet. But the energy giant Exxon Mobil recently announced it had discovered “significant” oil off the coast. The discovery could put Guyana on oil and gas Map and the country could become a player in the oil marketplace. However, it will take months to ascertain the size and commercial potential of this discovery. And there could be issues, as the waters also claimed by Venezuela as part of a long-running border dispute between the South American countries. But oil discovery offshore Guyana is the most exciting thing happening in terms of Latin America exploration right now. On Tuesday, Exxon Mobil Corporation announced a significant oil discovery on the Stabroek Block, located approximately 120 miles offshore Guyana.

More than a dozen U.S. oil producers have joined to lobby the federal government to reverse the 40-year-old ban on U.S. crude exports, a move that supporters hope would create jobs and boost national security, a spokesman for one of the companies and a lobbyist for another one said on Friday. Producers for American Crude Oil Exports, or PACE, is the first lobbying group to form on reversing the ban. "The end game here is legislative repeal of the ban," said a lobbyist for one of the member producers, who did not want to be named because the group was only recently formed. Congress passed the trade restriction in the 1970s after the Arab oil embargo caused fears of domestic oil shortages.

Protecting the world and its oceans remains the focus of the Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology (IMarEST) as it celebrates its 125th anniversary, says its new president, Richard Vie, VP Technical Development and Quality Assurance, Corporate Shipbuilding, Carnival Corporation. Addressing more than 400 leading marine professionals from around the world at the IMarEST’s Annual Dinner at London’s Guildhall on Friday, March 28, Vie also called on members to inspire the next generation of marine engineers.

Superior Energy Services has been named one of Houston’s 2013 Top Workplaces by the Houston Chronicle for the second year in a row, announced David Dunlap, Superior Energy Services’ President and CEO. The list honors 150 workplaces in the Houston area ranging from small companies with less than 150 employees to large companies employing more than 500 people. This is the second year for Superior Energy Services to receive recognition within in the “Top Large Companies” category. The results are based on an employee survey conducted by Workplace Dynamics LLC.

The U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA) is America’s second best public regional college in the North and third best regional college according to the 2014 U.S. News and World Report rankings. USMMA has moved up the rankings from last year for undergraduate engineering programs in America, and is now ranked the 22nd best. “Our vision for the Academy is to be the world leader in maritime education,” said Rear Admiral James A. Helis, Ph.D., superintendent of the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy. The U. S. Merchant Marine Academy was the first federal service academy to admit women in 1974. The minority percentage of midshipmen has steadily risen each year. The Class of 2017 is 23 percent minority, compared with 14.4 percent in the Class of 2013.

According to a report from the Houston Chronicla, Brazil's quest to remake itself into a global oil superpower is gaining momentum on a giant ship anchored about 200 miles south of Rio de Janeiro in the deep waters of the Atlantic Ocean. Crews on a tanker-like vessel recently began extracting the first barrels of oil from a giant field known as Lula, more than three miles below. A vast network of nearby "pre-salt" reservoirs are estimated to hold 50 billion to 100 billion barrels of oil — enough to turn Brazil into one of the world's top five producers of crude.     (Source: The Houston Chronicle)

According to a report from The Chronicle Herald, the week before last Nova Scotia unveiled a plan to lobby Ottawa on behalf of Irving Shipbuilding Inc.’s Halifax Shipyard, all in a bid to win a $35b contract to build 20 navy ships over 30 years. In an effort to compete with that bid, British Columbia Premier Christy Clark announced that she will go to Ottawa to promote the bid by Vancouver Shipyards Co. Ltd.   Source: The Chronicle Herald

The Obama administration will give oil and gas companies an extra year to develop their deep-water leases to make up for delays caused by last year's Gulf spill and the subsequent moratorium on some offshore drilling. According to a government official, the extensions will be available for non-producing leases in at least 500 feet of water that expire before Dec. 31, 2015.    Source: Houston Chronicle

Irving Shipbuilding Inc. has bought the former Maritime Steel and Foundries Ltd. steel fabrication site in Dartmouth as part of its plans to gear up for the $25-billion dollar federal combat ship procurement contract, reports 'The Chronicle Herald'. According to documents filed with Property Online Nova Scotia, title to the 2.4-hectare site at 605 Windmill Rd. was transferred from Cameron Corporation Ltd. to Irving Shipbuilding in June. Citing Irving spokeswoman Mary Keith, 'The Chronicle Herald' reported that the company wouldn’t disclose the purchase price, which was rumoured to be about $13 million. There has been considerable construction reported at and around the Halifax shipyard…

The U.S. Coast Guard Academy has again been recognized as one of the nation’s best institutions for undergraduate education. According to U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges 2014 rankings, the academy is listed at #2 in the Regional Colleges North category. CGA was also recognized in the Forbes magazine list of America’s Top Colleges, ranking in the top 20 of the Best Public Colleges list. The Princeton Review also features the academy in the new 2014 edition of its annual college guide…

With the centenary of the tragic sinking of the Titanic on April 15, 1912 only days away, much information is being made available from many sources, and film and TV programs are bringing to the public the suffering and the loss of life of the passengers and crew. However, little is recorded of the 35 members of the engineering staff, all of whom lost their lives, and, with no survivors, the official enquiry into the sinking had no first-hand account of the actions and bravery of those men who stayed at their posts and endeavored to save the ship from sinking. The Guild of Benevolence of the Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology (IMarEST) – which has a charitable link with the Titanic – hopes to redress the balance…

Historic Battleship Texas closes for a week's repairs after persitent underwater leakage Ship manager Andy Smith told the 'Houston Chronicle' the ship will remain open to visitors this weekend, but is set to close Monday, reports Associated Press. The battleship, which fought in World Wars I and II and now serves as a memorial and museum to those who sacrificed their lives, will likely remain closed through June 22. The battleship developed a leak last weekend that quickly flooded the bilge areas beneath the engine room. Officials said Friday that the battleship was still taking on water, but the amount decreased from about 850 gallons per minute to about 100. Smith says salvage and dive teams will inspect the hull Saturday to come up with a repair plan.