Asp News

Inspection intervals for liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier membrane tanks could be safely extended thanks to monitoring technology and predictive maintenance, according to a study led by GTT Group, Lloyd’s Register and Shell International Trading and Shipping Company Limited.The International Gas Carriers (IGC) Code and IACS UR Z16 rules require LNG carrier cargo tanks to be inspected internally every five years. This joint study explored whether this interval could be extended…

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.

Work has begun to develop Greece’s first Floating Storage Regasification Unit (FSRU) at the Keppel shipyard in Singapore, with the conversion of GasLog’s DNV classed LNGC Gaslog Chelsea, recently renamed Alexandroupoli.Following conversion, FSRU Alexandroupoli will serve as an offshore storage and regasification facility and will be part of the Alexandroupolis Independent Natural Gas System (INGS). The 155,000-cbm LNG carrier, recently reflagged to the Greek flag, is the first FSRU conversion under the Greek Flag for operation in the Aegean Sea.

Lars Thrane A/S is pleased to announce the release of Long-Range Identification and Tracking (LRIT) functionality for the MED/Wheelmark approved LT-3100S GMDSS System.The LT-3100S GMDSS System is an Iridium GMDSS satellite communications product developed and certified to comply with the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) Chapter IV Radiocommunication Requirements. Iridium was recognized and adopted as GMDSS Service Provider - the International Maritime Safety Organization (IMSO) issued Letter of Compliance December 19…

A ‘work in progress,’ the North American brown water, shallow draft sectors have experienced a tumultuous year of evolution, changing market conditions, a rapidly shifting regulatory environment and new opportunities. Anything but boring; and within the pages of Maritime Reporter’ & Engineering News’ Annual Yearbook, Joseph Keefe, editor of sister-publication MarineNews, takes a deep dive into the issues driving the domestic waterfront.Workboat EmissionsMore than one year ago, Volkswagon learned the ultimate (and painful) meaning of the iconic U.S. adage of “Don’t do the crime if you can’t do the time – or at least pay the staggering fine.” And pay it forward, Volkswagen did.

With advances in technology, increased regulatory requirements for training, and an industry that has been committed to improving working conditions, especially those associated with confined space entry and fire prevention, why are we still seeing maritime related fires and explosions that often include serious injury or loss of life? HistoryFollowing the First World War, as cargo vessels, particularly tank ships, were being converted to carry larger cargos, the incident rate of fires and explosions during shipbuilding, repair, and conversion began to rise.

PVA president Jeff Whitaker in December weighed in on his year as head of the nation’s passenger vessel advocacy group, where we are headed next, and what it will take to get there. The U.S. passenger vessel industry is looking forward to continued growth in the coming months. The past year was witness to solid economic conditions in the U.S., which added fuel to an already strong travel and tourism market, underpinning much of the U.S. passenger vessel industry. Ferry ridership continued to be strong with ferry systems in the Northeast…

Singamas Container Holdings Limited, Hong Kong-listed container manufacturing company, turned around in the first half of this year, thanks to a 45 per cent surge in its revenue mainly due to a jump in container sales and a higher average unit. "During the review period, the recovering global economy, rise in international trade and the corresponding pick up in shipping volume as well as the strengthening market sentiment have been favourable for the container industry, leading to the improvement of container demand and a rise of average selling price (ASP)," said a statement from the company. The Group’s consolidated revenue amounted to US$595,042,000, a significant rise of 45.0% over the revenue of US$410,277,000 obtained in the corresponding period last year.

Oil spills, trash, debris, sediment, chemicals: how do we keep our waterways clean? If an oil spill happens on water, the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA90) has very clear rules on who is responsible for paying for cleanup costs. Most oil spills can be traced to the spiller – a pipeline owner, oil tanker, shipper, railroad or trucking company. “Pointing a finger” at the alleged party may be why this type of pollution is referred to as “point source.” If the oil spill is ruled an accident and the polluter is not legally responsible…

Rear Admiral Paul Thomas develops and maintains policy, standards and program alignment for waterways management, navigation safety, boating, commercial vessels, ports and facilities, merchant mariner credentialing, vessel documentation, marine casualty investigation, inspection and port state control activities. He serves as the Assistant Commandant for Prevention Policy overseeing three Coast Guard directorates: Inspections and Compliance, Marine Transportation Systems, and Commercial Regulations and Standards. A specialist in Marine Safety, Security and Environmental Protection, he has served at the Marine Safety Center in Washington, DC and many others before that. His other tours include, among others, service as Commanding Officer of USCGC CAPE ROMAIN.

Margo S. Marks is President/General Manager of Beaver Island Boat Company, Beaver Island, Mich. The company has provided passenger, vehicle and freight services, between Beaver Island and Charlevoix, Mich. since 1984. The first ferry service to the island began in 1890. B.I. Boat Company operates two subchapter K vessels with a capacity of up to 294 passengers and 16 vehicles on the larger vessel, and 172 passengers and 9 vehicles on the smaller vessel. Notably, Margo has deep roots in the Gresat Lakes community and graduated from the Great Lakes Maritime Academy in 1983…

The U.S. Coast Guard awarded a contract to Eastern Shipbuilding Group, Inc., of Panama City, Florida, Thursday for the production of the lead Offshore Patrol Cutter (OPC) and up to eight follow-on cutters. The total award was valued at $110.29 million. The contract has a potential value of $2.38 billion with options to produce nine cutters. The OPC acquisition will replace the service’s aging fleet of medium endurance cutters, some that are in excess of 50 years old. Each OPC will feature a flight deck and advanced command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance equipment. The OPC will provide a capability bridge between the National Security Cutter and the Fast Response Cutter, which operates closer to shore.

Fathom is finalizing preparations for its July 17 Dominican Republic voyage representing the first ever cruise to the Caribbean focused on Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) programming. The 7-day cruise will feature specialized STEM-focused workshops for educators that Fathom developed in close collaboration with the Center for Science Teaching and Learning (CSTL). Fathom also will play host to the fifth annual Clean Tech Competition, a unique research and design challenge for pre-college youth. Additionally, advertising students from the Gaylord College at the University of Oklahoma’s (OU) student-run advertising and…

The Port of Los Angeles handled a total of 704,588 Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units (TEUs) in October 2015. October volumes decreased 1.5 percent compared to the same period last year. “This October’s volumes were slightly less than last October,” said Port of Los Angeles Executive Director Gene Seroka. “However, the past few months of volumes around and above the 700,000 TEU range show that our terminals, labor and supply chain partners are adjusting to the cargo surges and other fluctuations that come with the larger vessels that are now calling in L.A. Imports decreased 3.3 percent to 358,601 TEUs in October compared to the previous year. Exports dropped 14.7 percent to 134,963 TEUs in October.

When one thinks of offshore renewable energy, one usually thinks of offshore wind. For the first time progress is being made in the U.S. to develop offshore wind resources. The first steel foundation jacket has been placed in the ocean floor to support the Deepwater Wind project off the coast of Block Island, Rhode Island. (See www.dwwind.com/press/#/1). But recently, progress is also being made in the development of tidal and wave energy resources closer to shore, which are known as marine hydrokinetic or MHK resources.

August 2015 containerized cargo volumes at the Port of Los Angeles increased 3.8 percent compared to the same period last year. The Port handled a total of 786,677 Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units (TEUs) in August 2015. It was the strongest August performance since 2006, when 790,726 TEUs moved through the port complex. Current and historical data is available here. “The numbers are strong indicators that our terminal operators, longshore labor and supply chain partners are adjusting to the new industry dynamics of carrier alliances, deploying larger ships and delivering higher container volumes per call,” said Port of Los Angeles Executive Director Gene Seroka. Imports increased 6.3 percent, from 383,551 TEUs in August 2014 to 407,804 TEUs in August 2015.

Theyr Ltd, a premium weather-forecasting provider, specializing in the maritime and wind energy sectors, announced today the launch of its Digital Precision Weather and Ocean Forecasting app for the professional mariner, GRIBview mobile. The revolutionary App delivers a level of weather and ocean forecasting accuracy previously unseen in the mobile market. GRIBview mobile provides free and unlimited GRIB downloads for GFS (Global Forecasting System) data at 1-degree resolution, as well as unlimited High-resolution data down to 1km resolution for exceptional accuracy. In addition, subscriptions to high-resolution premium weather data packages include wind speed, barometric pressure, precipitation, air temperature, sea surface temperature, significant wave height, period and direction.

Defense Secretary Ashton Carter announced today during a Pentagon press briefing that he has recommended Adm. John M. Richardson as the next Chief of Naval Operations (CNO). A career submarine officer, Richardson is currently director, Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program. If confirmed, Richardson will replace Adm. Jonathan W. Greenert who has been CNO since September 2011. Greenert will retire this fall after 40 years of naval service. "John Richardson is one of our finest officers and I have great confidence that he is the right leader for our Navy," said Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus. Greenert also praised Richardson if confirmed, "Admiral John Richardson is an ideal strategic leader to keep our Navy moving forward," he said.

Severe Tropical Cyclone Marcia is predicted to intensify to a Category 4 system as it crosses the Queensland coast between Mackay and Gladstone early on Friday morning with destructive winds with gusts of up to 270 km/h expected near the core of the system. Gales are expected to develop about coastal and island communities between Bowen and Double Island Point this evening (Thursday), and extend inland to areas including Blackwater, Moura, Biloela, and Monto overnight and into Friday morning. Residents in the coastal warning zone, between Mackay and Double Point (including Gladstone and Bundaberg) are warned of the potential for a dangerous storm tide as the cyclone crosses the coast.

The world’s second-largest container manufacturer Singamas Container reported 2014 net profit which is lower than the previous year, but is expecting a better 2015 bolstered by pent-up demand from shipping lines and the firm’s investment in a gateway province between China and Southeast Asia. The Hong Kong-listed box-maker saw net profit fall 21 per cent to US$28 million (HK$217miilion), falling short of an estimated US$36.5 million in a Bloomberg poll of three analysts. Revenue jumped 20 per cent to US$1.5 billion, but this failed to translate into a higher bottom-line due to the lower selling price of the standard 20-foot dry freight containers, the firm’s main product used to carry industrial and consumer goods such as apparel, rubber and toys.

Naval Service Training Command (NSTC) kicked off Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month (SAAPM) with the launch of a new Sexual Assault Prevention and Response (SAPR) website, April 1. With the NSTC geographic domain extending throughout the country, overseeing Recruit Training Command, Officer Training Command, Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps (NROTC), which contains more than 160 affiliated colleges and universities, this new SAPR website will provide "one-stop" shop for SAPR resources. "At NSTC, we train 98 percent of the Sailors and officers who enter the Navy," said Capt. Bob Fink, NSTC deputy commander. "Establishing a culture in our Navy that is intolerant of sexual assault and supportive of victims begins with us.

With only 7 days to go to the big Singapore charity row, Row Around Singapore Island (RASI) the intrepid volunteer rowers from the maritime community of Singapore have been undertaking their final practice weekend at the Republic of Singapore Yacht Club. The original concept for this ground-breaking non-stop endurance challenge was conceived and organised by three friends Iain Anderson of RPC, Lewis Hart of Willis and Ian Teare of Norton Rose Fulbright. It will take around 24 hours and the rowing teams will face busy seaways, strong currents and choppy offshore waters as they tackle the 140 km distance around Singapore. They will be…

New classification rules for U.S. fishing vessels address safety issues through collaboration, new rules and an eye towards economy. The commercial fishing industry fatality rate is 30 times higher than the average of other US industries. According to an analysis of commercial fishing fatalities for the period 2000 – 2009 conducted by the Alaska Pacific Regional Office of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), vessel disasters account for 51 percent of fatalities, with the top two initiating events cited as flooding (25 percent) and instability (16 percent).