Dale News

Concerns Voiced over Potential Restart of New Zealand’s Live Export Industry

The New Zealand government may restart the live export trade which has been banned since May 1, 2023.The ban was imposed in response to veterinarians, animal welfare advocates and the New Zealand public decrying conditions and outcomes for the animals. There have also been multiple disasters for the industry.Animal welfare group SPCA says politicians claiming to be champions of farming and business do not have the support of all farmers or a business case for it.“Government would have the public believe that any opposition to their plan is anti-farming…

US Spending $7 Million a Year to Maintain Yacht Seized from Russian Oligarch

The U.S. government said it is spending more than $7 million a year to maintain a superyacht it seized from a sanctioned Russian oligarch, and urged a judge to let it auction the vessel before a dispute over its ownership is resolved.Authorities in Fiji seized the 348-foot (106-meter), $300 million Amadea in May 2022, pursuant to a U.S. warrant alleging it was owned by Suleiman Kerimov, a multibillionaire sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury Department in 2014 and 2018 in response to Russia's activities in Syria and Ukraine.Efforts to auction the yacht are being challenged by Eduard Khudainatov…

Retaining Gen Z in the Marine Industry

While people in all generations measured themselves against eternal factors—fellow employees, family, their industry, etc.—Generation Z is fixated on measuring themselves against the world as seen through social media. Coaching them will help them begin to turn inward and measure success against their own goals. One of the keys to retaining your Gen Z workers will be in positively coaching them.Coaching should provide positive feedback about employee contributions. At the same time…

Crowley, Humboldt Bay to Develop and Operate California Wind Terminal

Crowley signed an agreement on Thursday with the Port of Humboldt Bay to exclusively negotiate to be the developer and operator of a terminal to serve as California’s first hub for offshore wind energy installations. Through Crowley’s Wind Services group, the company will enter into negotiations with the port to lease and serve as the port’s developer of the Humboldt Bay Offshore Wind Heavy Lift Marine Terminal. The services provided will support tenants in the manufacturing, installation and operation of offshore wind floating platforms…

MOVE Plans Methanol-fueled RoRo Vessel

New Zealand based MOVE Logistics Group revealed its plans to order a new coastal roll-on, roll-off (RORO) vessel capable of running on methanol fuel.Earlier this year, MOVE secured $10 million in co-investment funds from transport agency Waka Kotahi to support coastal shipping initiatives that improve the competitiveness of domestic coastal shipping, reduce freight sector greenhouse gas emissions and enhance resilience.Waka Kotahi has endorsed the proposal by MOVE for its vessel design that includes a methanol tank and pipework installation during construction.

Record $1.6 Billion Meth Seizure Made at Port Botany

Australian authorities are reporting a record seizure of methylamphetamine after another metric ton of the illicit drug was discovered at Sydney's Port Botany.The development comes after detectives attached to the State Crime Command's Drug and Firearms Squad earlier this year commenced Strike Force Chellington to investigate the importation of illicit drugs into New South Wales.Acting on intelligence, Australian Border Force (ABF) officers examined a number of sea cargo containers, which had arrived into Port Botany last month.

MOVE Sets Up Shipping Route to Link NZ Ports to Tasmania and Australia’s East Coast

New Zealand-based transport and logistics group, MOVE Logistics Group Limited has set up its first trans-Tasman shipping line, scheduled for Q4 2022, as part of its new Oceans business.In line with this, MOVE has entered an agreement to acquire a vessel, the Atlas Wind, out of Europe. It is expected that the acquisition will be settled in October 2022. The Atlas Wind can carry 350 containers or the equivalent of 5,000 tonnes of bulk cargo. With two cranes on board, the vessel has the ability to call into ports that historically may not have been able to accept containerised and bulk cargoes, the company said.The maiden journey will be the first of a regular monthly voyage that will see goods shipped between regional New Zealand ports…

Salvors Gear Up to Refloat Grounded Containership Ever Forward

Salvors will attempt to refloat the Ever Forward on Tuesday following a week of dredging to free the grounded containership outside the Port of Baltimore.According to the port's executive director William Doyle, a team of five tugs, including two pushing on the ship's starboard side, two pulling from port side and one long pull from stern, will aim to dislodge the 1,095-foot ship, which went hard aground outside of the Craighill Channel near Gibson Island on March 13.During the refloat attempt…

Dredgers Working to Free Containership Stuck Near Baltimore

Dredgers are working to free a containership that has been stuck for a week after running aground in the Chesapeake Bay near Baltimore.Port of Baltimore executive director William Doyle said dredging operations to free the Ever Forward kicked off on Sunday after the required permits were issued by state and federal agencies."U.S. companies Donjon Marine and Cashman Dredging & Marine Construction will lead the surgical dredging operation," Doyle said, noting Donjon's Oyster Bay and Cashman's Dale Pyatt—both clamshell dredges—are being used to dig out the 1…

Wärtsilä Assisting Solstad Offshore with Fleet Decarbonization

Norwegian offshore vessel owner Solstad Offshore has plans to reduce the carbon footprint of its 90 vessel fleet, and has turned to the technology company Wärtsilä for collaboration. "The aim is to achieve a 50 percent reduction in CO2 emissions by 2030. Partnership is seen as being key to finding the right solutions," Solstad said.The agreement aims to identify, evaluate, and implement solutions that will increase fuel efficiency and significantly reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from Solstad’s offshore vessels.

Solstad Offshore Gets Grant to Cut Offshore Vessel Emissions

Norwegian offshore vessel owner Solstad Offshore ASA has received an 87 million crowns (~$9.79 million) grant from Innovation Norway to reduce emissions from its fleet.Including the funds from Innovation Norway, the company plans to invest investing more than 300 MNOK ($33.73 million) in battery hybrid conversion projects. Solstad Offshore is planning for a 50% global fleet emission reduction by 2030, with eleven vessels planned to be upgraded over the next three years. The vessels will undergo battery hybrid conversions and will be able to connect to shore power in ports and harbors.

Solstad Offshore Sells Seven Vessels for Recycling

Norwegian offshore vessel operator Solstad Offshore has sold seven vessels that have been laid up for a while for recycling."The vessels to be recycled are defined by Solstad as non-strategic, they are of older age and considered to be irrelevant for present and future markets," Solstad said.The vessels are Sea Tiger, Normand Atlantic, Normand Borg, Normand Neptun, Sea Pollock, Far Strider and Far Sovereign and will be recycled at the Green Yard Feda and Green Yard Kleven shipyards in Norway."We are pleased that we finally can start green recycling of a major number of our oldest vessels.

Alexander Cairo Port Completes Project Labor Agreement

The construction of a new inland port at the confluence of the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers took another step forward on Tuesday as the Alexander Cairo Port District completed a project labor agreement (PLA) with the Illinois AFL-CIO. The project labor agreement ensures that more than 500 jobs created by the construction of the Cairo port will be filled by local Illinois union workers.The Alexander-Cairo port represents one of the largest investments in Southern Illinois in decades.

Boston Harbor Phase II Dredging Wraps Up Ahead of Schedule

New England’s busiest port moves closer to welcoming larger containerships and growing the regional economy with the completion of the second phase of a three-part dredging program last month, nearly one year ahead of schedule.Cashman Dredging and JV partner The Dutra Group began Phase II of the U.S. Army Corps’ Boston Harbor Navigation Improvement Project in July of 2018. The recently completed phase, focused on deepening the main ship channels (the Outer Harbor Channel from 40 to 51 feet…

Solstad, Westcon Working to Decarbonize Offshore Vessels

Norwegian offshore vessel owner Solstad has signed a cooperation deal with Westcon Power & Automation, a provider of hybrid- and fully electric solutions, to develop environmentally friendly and sustainable technologies, with the final aim to make the company carbon neutral by 2050.Solstad, providing support vessels for offshore oil and gas, and as of recently, the offshore wind industry, has said that it has in past years installed green battery hybrid packages onboard seven…

Cruise Passengers Await Florida Deal Allowing Them to Disembark

The U.S. government and Florida were working on a plan on Wednesday to allow thousands of cruise ship passengers exposed to an onboard coronavirus outbreak to disembark, a day after President Donald Trump urged the governor to drop his opposition to their docking.Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean Trantalis said he was not opposed to them docking in his city. But he said a clear protocol was needed to protect residents of his South Florida city from infection.“There can be no missteps in this process…

New GM for Havyard Ship Technology

Lasse Stokkeland has decided to leave his position as general manager of Havyard Ship Technology AS (HST), and the Board has appointed Erlend Hatleberg as the new general manager.Hatleberg, 43, grew up in Leirvik in Sogn and now lives in Dale in Sunnfjord.He graduated as an engineer in 2003, and has worked amongothers in Fundo. He started working in HST's technical department in 2009.Hatlebergbecame project manager 2011, and has  been responsible for deliveries of PSV ships, construction vessels and icebreakers for Russian ship-owners and now for Fjord1's new series of ferries.In connection with the management change in HST, Stig Breidvik will become new production manager. Stig is 52 and lives in Leirvik in Sogn.

Iranian Tanker Hit by Missiles, Oil Rises

Oil prices jumped more than 2% on Friday, October 11, 2019, after Iranian media said a state-owned oil tanker had been struck by missiles in the Red Sea near Saudi Arabia, raising the prospect of supply disruptions weeks after attacks on Saudi oil plants.The Suezmax crude tanker Sabiti was ablaze and suffered heavy damage after being hit by two missiles, Iranian media reported.Both oil benchmarks recorded their biggest daily rise since Sept. 16, the first trading day after the attacks on Saudi installations pushed oil prices up around 20%.International benchmark Brent crude futures were up$1.39, or around 2.4%, at $60.49 a barrel by 0829 GMT.U.S.

At Least Two Empty Oil Product Tankers Diverted from Saudi Port

At least two refined product tankers that were due to load at Saudi Arabia's Jubail port in mid to late September have been diverted, data from analytics firm Vortexa showed.The moves come after attacks on Saudi Arabia's oil infrastructure on Saturday that cut the country's crude output by more than half and reduced its refinery runs by an unknown amount.Saudi Arabia is typically a net exporter of diesel but Aramco Trading Co, the trading arm of state oil producer Saudi Aramco, has been looking to buy several cargoes of the fuel.The Polar Cod tanker changed its destination on Sunday from Jubail to the port of Ruwais in the United Arab Emirates.

Mercantile & Maritime Hires ex-Trafigura Waters as Asia Head

Energy trader Mercantile & Maritime Group said on Thursday it was hiring Ben Waters, previously with Trafigura, as its head of Asia-Pacific trading."We increase our presence and range of capabilities in the region to include trading, storage and blending," MM's chief executive Murtaza Lakhani said.Singapore-headquartered MM employs around 100 people across Asia, Europe and the Middle East and says it operates in frontier markets, trading oil, refined products and offering shipping and storage services. (Reporting by Dmitry Zhdannikov; Editing by Dale Hudson)

Russia's Rosneft Tenders Marine Fuel Cargos in Euros

Top Russian oil producer Rosneft has put up marine fuel cargos for sale with the euro as the default currency, a tender document showed on Monday, in line with its plan to sell oil products in the single currency instead of the U.S. dollar.Rosneft said it had tendered to sell up to 70,000 tonnes of low-viscosity marine fuel with sulphur content of up to 1% from its oil refineries with delivery between Sept. 1 and Oct. 31 on a freight-on-board (FOB) Black Sea basis or FOB St Petersburg, or Carriage Paid To (CPT) any port/Russian border.The decision to switch to the euro as its settlement currency is likely to be seen as an attempt to offset any negative impact of U.S.

Dolphin Drilling Declares Bankruptcy

Norwegian oil and gas rig operator Dolphin Drilling filed for bankruptcy on Wednesday, leading creditors to seize its key assets in a restructuring that will see the company maintain operations.Formerly known as Fred. Olsen Energy, Dolphin Drilling ASA had debt of just over $1 billion at the end of 2018 and a net loss for the year of almost $300 million, its annual report shows.Once a dominant supplier of drilling rigs to oil and gas firms exploring the North Sea, Dolphin was…

Gasum Appoints Torbjörn Holmström as Director

The Annual General Meeting of Gasum Ltd elected Torbjörn Holmström as a new member to the Board of Directors.The new member of the Board, Torbjörn Holmström (b. 1955, M.Sc Mechanical Engineering) has over 30 years' experience in the Swedish commercial vehicle industry, a press note from the integrated gas company located in Espoo, Finland said.Holmström is Senior Advisor of Volvo Group, Research & Technology since 2017 and before that he has held several high-level executive positions, including CTO, within Volvo Group which he has been with since 1979.The Board's current members Juha Rantanen, Stein Dale, Elina Engman, Päivi Pesola, Elisabet Salander Björklund and Jarmo Väisänen were re-elected.Juha Rantanen was re-elected as the Chairman of the Board of Directors.