Transportation Sectors News

Zero emission is a nice idea, but who’s going to pay for it? The U.S. EPA is readying big money for zero emission ports.The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is working on two high-profile port initiatives that it hopes will move the needle in a big way towards U.S. ports’ zero emissions (ZE) operations and clean air goals.The first initiative started last May when EPA published a request for information and comments that would help the Agency develop Guidance it could use to evaluate funding requests for projects for zero-emission vehicles, port equipment and related infrastructure.

The United States imposed new sanctions on Thursday on Iranian or Iran-linked shipping and petrochecmical companies, including two shipping firms based in China, the Treasury Department's website showed.The sanctions also target 20 shipping vessels linked to firms in China, Vietnam and the United Arab Emirates, the website showed.The website did provide details on the new sanctions. A Treasury spokesperson referred questions to the State Department, which did not immediately respond to a request for comment.The sanctions were issued under a 2018 U.S.

Batteries for maritime power have been picking up big momentum, benefiting from the most basic concept within Econ 101: supply and demand.On May 19 Corvus Energy announced it would establish a lithium ion battery manufacturing facility in Port Bellingham, Wash., just north of Seattle. Corvus Energy is a leading supplier of battery energy storage systems (BESS) for marine applications. Its systems already power more than 30 North American vessels, as well as 29 hybrid port cranes and 11 land-based drilling rigs.Geir Bjørkeli…

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Buffalo District awarded a $4,565,000 contract to Michigan-based Ryba Marine Construction Company on May 17 to conduct dredging of the federal navigation channel in Toledo Harbor and the Maumee River.Dredging of harbors like Toledo’s and rivers like the Maumee ensures accessible depths for large vessels, the continued flow of commodities across the Great Lakes, and the economic viability of United States waterways.“The heavy manufacturing and maritime transportation sectors are at the heart of Northwest Ohio’s economy.

Eastern Shipbuilding Group is one of America’s leading shipbuilders. Perhaps best known for its history building tugs, towboats and offshore supply vessels, the company is today finding success in other markets, with notable build projects underway for the U.S. Coast Guard, Staten Island Ferry and dredging contractor Weeks Marine. Eastern’s president Joey D’Isernia weighs in on the yard’s current workload, market drivers and the challenges overcome and on the horizon.Where do you see the best opportunities for Eastern Shipbuilding Group today?We see a lot of opportunity in the defense sector…

Two of the world's biggest fertilizer producers, CF Industries Holdings Inc and Yara International Asa, are seeking to cash in on the green energy transition by reconfiguring ammonia plants in the United States and Norway to produce clean energy to power ships.The consumption of oil for transportation is one of the top contributors to global greenhouse gas emissions that cause climate change, and fertilizer producers join a growing list of companies adjusting their business models…

U.S. Great Lakes ports reported mixed results in June with aluminum, road salt and grain shipments holding strong despite the coronavirus pandemic, while shipments of commodities related to steel production and manufacturing have continued to slide.Additionally, the St. Lawrence Seaway reported that from April 1 to June 30, nearly 11.7 million metric tons of cargo was shipped via the bi-national trade corridor. While these volumes were down 8% compared to the same time period in 2019, cargo shipments improved in June narrowing the year-over-year decline.Craig H.

A group of Danish transportation and energy companies including shipping giant A.P. Moller - Maersk have teamed up to develop an industrial-scale production facility to produce sustainable fuels for road, maritime and air transport in the Copenhagen area.Maersk is joined in the project by DFDS, Ørsted, Copenhagen Airports, SAS and DSV Panalpina, who have brought together the demand and supply side of sustainable fuels to develop a new hydrogen and e-fuel production facility as soon as 2023.

Waterways Council, Inc. (WCI) President and CEO Michael J. Toohey has revealed plans to retire, the group announced to its Board of Directors and members at its meeting in Washington, DC on Wednesday.“Having turned 71 this month, I believe it is time to focus on my faith, family, my golf handicap and my other interests,” Toohey said. “I remain committed to WCI’s continued achievement now and in the future once a successor is named.”WCI’s Executive Committee will select an executive search firm to begin the process to seek a successor.

A new report commissioned by Maritime UK and the UK’s Center for Economics and Business Research (CEBR) has recognized the contribution of the UK maritime sector to the country’s economy. The report notes that the sector facilitates 95 percent of all UK trade and that it is larger than both the automotive and aerospace transportation sectors, contributing a total of £46.1 billion ($56.8 billion) to the UK’s GVA in 2017, an £8.3 billion increase over 2010. The sector’s direct GVA contribution in 2017 was £17 billion ($21 billion), a 25 percent increase on 2010 (£13.6 billion or $16.8 billion).

Imagine a power distribution network where excess renewable energy from hydropower, wind, solar, and nuclear energy is converted to hydrogen and used as transportation fuel in the maritime industry. With the allure of a zero emissions fuel, a number of ship owners are starting to seriously consider hydrogen for newly built vessels. As a bold first step, the country of Norway has provided a number of grants to leading maritime companies to conduct feasibility studies into various aspects of this emerging technology sector. Central to this discussion is “how” hydrogen will be transported from its source to end-users.Norwegian based companies…

Danfoss Editron, a company specializes in hybrid and electric powertrain systems for off-highway and marine markets, said that it has provided the hybrid electric drivetrain system powering a new ferry connecting the communities of Thyborøn and Agger in north west Denmark.The ferry, which was delivered by the country’s Søby Værft shipyard, was ordered to replace the previous one that had been running for over 40 years and reached the end of its operational lifetime.Like most ferries in Denmark, the Thyborøn-Agger service operates over a relatively short distance, with an approximate crossing time of just 12 minutes. Because of this short journey time…

As a member of the President’s Advisory Council – Doing Business in Africa (PAC-DBIA), Bob Wetta attended the September 26, 2018 Fact-Finding Trip Report meeting in Washington, D.C., with U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross and 13 other U.S. Government officials. Their purpose was to deliberate and adopt the final report of the 2016-2018 term of the PAC-DBIA. Prepared by IBM’s Takreem El-Tohamy, but unfortunately unable to attend the meeting, Bob Wetta presented the Ghana information…

Louisiana based shipbuilding and repair group Bollinger Shipyards, LLC, announced it has promoted Matthew Kuehne to General Manager of Bollinger Quick Repair.Bollinger’s CEO and President, Ben Bordelon, said, “[Kuehne] will be responsible for leading and growing the facility as we continue to service the needs of our current and future customers.”Kuehne joined Bollinger in 2011 and has held the positions of Assistant Estimating/Project Coordinator, Estimating/Project Coordinator, Assistant Operations Manager and Operations Manager.

Bob Kunkel needs no introduction to Marine News readers. Kunkel, President of Alternative Marine Technologies, previously served as the Federal Chairman of the Short Sea Shipping Cooperative Program under the Maritime Administration and Department of Transportation from 2003 until 2008. A past Vice President of the Connecticut Maritime Association, he is a contributing writer for Maritime Logistics Professional magazine and of course, Marine News. A graduate of the Massachusetts Maritime Academy…

U.S. shipbuilding and repair company Bollinger Shipyards said it has taken delivery of a new drydock at its Bollinger Algiers facility. The new drydock Mrs. Jody adds 4,000 tons total lifting capacity to the New Orleans shipyard. “This drydock will position us well in the diverse customer markets that we serve, and will further enhance our position in the market with lifting capacity needed by our customers,” said Bollinger CEO and president, Ben Bordelon. The Mrs. Jody drydock measures 198-ft. x 76-ft. between the wing walls and has lifting capacity of 4,000 tons.

waterways. 2016 - With over 20 million metric tonnes of fuel treated annually, Aderco additives are trusted by Shipowners’ and Shipmanagers’ worldwide to reduce OPEX, safeguard machinery and maximise operational reliability. Aderco shares insights and industry learnings (fuel efficiency strategies, navigating SECA challenges) in a series of workshops at the Aderco Booth during Posidonia. Nyon, Switzerland 6th June 2016 – Aderco International SA, a leader in the research & development, manufacture and distribution of specialised fuel treatment covering the key maritime, industrial, mining and automotive sectors, is proud to announce its thirty-fifth anniversary year of operation.

Clean Energy Fuels Corp. participated in a little history last month when it supported General Dynamics (GD) NASSCO’s launch of the Isla Bella container ship, the first of its kind to operate on LNG fuel. Clean Energy provided bunkering services and fuel from its Boron, CA liquefaction plant for the GD NASSCO-built cargo ship, which was delivered to TOTE Maritime in San Diego. Clean Energy will also be providing bunkering services next month to the second GD NASSCO-built ship, the Perla Del Caribe. “As the maritime industry begins its transition to LNG, Clean Energy is able to bring our many years of fueling services to ensure an easy and seamless transition,” said Andrew J. Littlefair, president and CEO of Clean Energy.

The first three of the world’s largest and most technologically advanced Ship-to-Shore (STS) container cranes and two rail mounted cranes for the intermodal rail facility have been delivered to APM Terminals’ Lázaro Cárdenas (TEC2), now in the final stages of construction at Mexico’s second-largest container port. The terminal development milestone was commemorated by a ceremony held in Mexico’s capital city, attended by Mexico’s General Director of Promotion and Port Administration, Fernando Gamboa Rosas, as well as Maersk Group CEO Nils Smedegaard Andersen and other senior members of Mexico’s port and transportation sectors. “Lázaro Cárdenas TEC2 will be the most technologically advanced container terminal in Latin America…

We wish we had a dollar for every time we heard or read the words Big Data at the Nor-Shipping exhibition last month. We might even have collected enough cash to buy a round of expensive Norwegian beers for the gang at the Fridtjof bar. Seriously, Big Data is one of the most talked-about subjects at maritime industry gatherings. At Nor-Shipping there were no fewer than half a dozen panels and conference sessions focusing on the role of Big Data and analytics in commercial shipping.

Canada’s Minister of Transport Lisa Raitt proposed new amendments to the Transportation of Dangerous Goods Regulations that would enhance reporting requirements and expand data collection. The proposed amendments would apply to the transportation of dangerous goods in all transportation sectors. The proposed amendments would broaden the scope of the original reporting requirements and help improve emergency response and risk analysis through stronger, more comprehensive data collection. This additional information would allow Transport Canada to establish more effective regulations in the future. New reporting requirements would also be put in place for dangerous goods incidents involving road vehicles…

Danelec Marine has published a White Paper that makes the case for using Voyage Data Recorder (VDR) technology to provide real-time access to data from shipboard systems and sensors. The White Paper, entitled “VDRConnect Bridges the Data Gap,” is available for free download at www.danelec-marine.com/news/white-paper-on-vdrconnect-remote-access-solution.aspx. “The shipping industry has been slow to embrace the telematics revolution that is transforming other transportation sectors, primarily because of the expense and difficulty in extracting data from shipboard equipment and transmitting it via satellite to ship managers ashore,” said Hans Ottosen, CEO of Danelec Marine.

January 1, 2015 is an important date for ship owner and operators to ensure that their vessels, when operating inside ECA zones, are doing so in compliance with strict new emission edicts concerning the emission of sulfur. – to discuss some of the technical and logistical matters you must consider. The move to low sulfur fuels is well recorded, but from your point of view, describe the situation that ship owners face regarding fuel selection and cylinder lubrication come January 1, 2015?