Hatch Covers News

Following successful pilot projects and the first full-scale installation on a seagoing vessel, the Vertom Tula, Wattlab is now taking the next step: scaling its Solar Flatrack solution towards the international bulk shipping market.Currently, Solar Flatracks can be deployed on vessels up to and including the Supramax segment. In parallel, Wattlab has started the development of seaworthy solar solutions for Panamax and even Capesize bulk carriers.Wattlab, a specialist in solar power for shipping…

The UK Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) has published its preliminary assessment of a cargo fire on the bulk carrier Atlay on June 27, 2025.The Marshall Islands registered vessel was loading scrap metal into its aft cargo hold at Albert Dock, Hull, England.At 0948, the master observed smoke rising from the cargo and immediately activated the general alarm and called for the shore grab operator to discharge cargo to remove or expose the source of the fire. Meanwhile…

Dutch maritime solar company Wattlab has delivered a solar energy system for globally operating shipping, trading, and maritime services company Vertom.The recently delivered Vertom Tula is a 7,280dwt diesel-electric multipurpose cargo vessel. The solar system represents a major technical milestone and a step forward for sustainable shipping. Wattlab has delivered and installed 44 Solar Flatracks that will provide power to onboard systems, reducing 20% of the hotel load. Vertom operates a fleet of over 100 vessels…

The Supreme Court of Sri Lanka has found the owner, operator, and local agent of the container ship X-Press Pearl liable for environmental and economic damage caused by the 2021 fire and sinking of the vessel.The ship's registered owner, EOS Ro Pte. Limited, along with others, has been fined $1 billion under the polluter pays principle.The Singapore-flagged vessel had 1,486 containers on board at the time, 81 of which were identified as containing hazardous. It arrived in Sri Lankan territorial waters of Sri Lanka with a container already leaking nitric acid and caught fire on May 20, 2021.

A Russian cargo ship that ran into trouble on Monday in the Mediterranean Sea and later sank was rocked by a series of three explosions in "an act of terrorism," state news agency RIA cited the vessel's owner as saying on Wednesday.Russia's Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday that the "Ursa Major," built in 2009, sank after an explosion ripped through its engine room and that two of its 16 crew were missing.RIA cited Oboronlogistika, the ship's ultimate owner and a company that is part of the Russian Defence Ministry's military construction operations…

Xiamen Minhua Shipping has specified a Steelpaint corrosion protection system for a trio of newbuild multi-purpose cargo ships building at Fujian Shipbuilding’s yards in China. The order marks the Germany-based coatings specialist’s first newbuilding contract with a Chinese shipowner.The first vessel in the series, the 12,000dwt Min Hua 9 delivered from the Fujian Hengsheng shipyard in June, is now operating with a Stelpant-PU-Zinc universal primer protecting steel cargo holds…

Just shy of 10 years old, United Heavy Lift (UHL) recently welcomed its 19th ship to the fleet, an F900 eco-lifter. In advance of the ship delivery festivities in mid-July, we had the chance to chat with Andreas Rolner, Managing Director of UHL, a man who with his father parlayed cumulative experience in the heavy lift business into one of the world’s largest heavy lift companies.“Shipping has always been a part of my DNA,” said Andreas Rolner, noting his family moved from Denmark to Germany when he was a young boy, and his father Lars joining SAL back then in 1980.

The Military Sealift Command’s Maritime Prepositioning Ships (MPS) and Auxiliary Crane Ships (ACS) were built 50 years ago to pre-position vehicles and supplies in forward locations and load or unload them in undeveloped or damaged port facilities. I serve with MSC’s Taluga Group, charged with finding innovative solutions to pressing problems. One of those challenges is meeting the MPS and ACS mission as the current ships continue to serve past their expected service lines.To…

A formal naming ceremony was held at the CSSC Huangpu Wenchong Shipbuilding Company in the Chinese province of Quanzhou on April 26 for AAL Shipping’s new heavy lift vessel, AAL Limassol.Due to sail on her maiden voyage from China into Europe, the 32,000 deadweight AAL Limassol is set to carry a full weather deck of project heavy lift cargo, including two 135-meter-long barges, weighing 1,650 tonnes and fifteen 80.5-meter-long wind blades. The newbuild will sail under the Cyprus flag.Kyriacos Panayides…

MacGregor announced on Friday it has landed a contract from SM Solutions/Philly Shipyard to supply cargo handling solutions for three 1,822 FEU sized containerships.MacGregor’s scope of supply encompasses design, hardware and supply for hatch covers, lashing bridges, deck stanchions, fixed and removable cell guides in hold and container fixed fittings. Deliveries are scheduled to commence during the fourth quarter of 2024 and completed within 2026, the company said."We are excited about this order…

The new Orca Class heavy-lift vessels being built at China's Wuhu Shipyard for the Jumbo-SAL-Alliance will be propelled by SCHOTTEL ControllablePropellers (SCP).The four-bladed controllable pitch propellers type SCP 129 will feature an input power of up to 8,810 kW and a propeller diameter of six meters.Jumbo-SAL-Alliance is a commercial joint venture between German shipping company SAL Heavy Lift and Netherlands-based Jumbo Shipping. Their new Orca Class, which includes four firm and two optional vessels…

MacGregor, part of Cargotec, has received an order to deliver access equipment for a cruise vessel, which will be built at Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in France.The vessel is scheduled to be delivered to the shipowner during the fourth quarter of 2025.MacGregor’s scope of supply encompasses design, hardware and commissioning of lifting and other platforms, shell doors, hatch covers and automatic gangways.“I’m happy to see the cruise business starting to recover after the Covid pandemic and that the shipowners yet again want to invest in new vessels.

AAL Shipping has released a short film highlighting the design of its mega size 32,000dwt Super B-Class heavy lift vessels. The first, the AAL Limassol, is expected to be launched next year.The Super B-Class design was a collaboration between AAL’s engineering and commercial teams and sister company, Columbia Shipmanagement (CSM). The vessels were designed to be the most efficient and competent multi-purpose vessels (MPVs) available, built on the engineering team’s expertise in handling heavy lift…

The Tampa Bay pilot association has taken delivery of Tampa, a newly refitted Chesapeake Class pilot boat built by Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding in 2003, when the Somerset, Mass. shipyard introduced the class of mid-size, high-speed launches. In 2015, the Tampa pilots also took delivery of the shipyard’s first Chesapeake Class MKII, which incorporates the performance benefits of Volvo Penta’s IPS 2 pod system. “After 19 years of hard work, the vessel was showing some wear and tear but she still had a lot of life left so it was definitely worth re-investing in…

The Tampa Bay pilot association has returned its first Chesapeake Class pilot boat to Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding. Tampa was built in 2003 when the shipyard introduced the class of mid-size, high-speed launches. In 2015, the Tampa pilots took delivery of the shipyard’s first Chesapeake Class MKII, which incorporates the performance benefits of Volvo Penta’s IPS 2 pod system. With more than 50,000 operating hours, the 53’ all-aluminum pilot boat will be repowered and undergo repairs after a thorough inspection by the shipyard’s quality control department.

On July 31, the coal carrier Ushio, which NYK had ordered from Honda Heavy Industries Co., Ltd. was delivered at the Saiki Shipyard. A naming ceremony was attended by Masato Mizutani, executive officer, head of fuel operation management group of JERA Co., Inc.; Nobuhiro Kashima, managing executive officer of NYK; and a number of related parties.This vessel is the NYK Group’s first coal carrier for domestic coastal transport by JERA. The ship will be operated by the NYK Group's Asia Pacific Marine Corporation based on a transportation contract between JERA and NYK.

While it is starting to look like some clever wind/power sail technologies are starting to appear, too often I have looked at the cargo cranes of geared bulkers and wondered if it makes sense to rig some sort of sail on them.I think the fancier approaches fight the “build a little, test a little, learn a lot” engineering maxim in new technology development, and maybe doing more simple stuff may be a better way to achieve lasting results quicker.A recent conversation with a sustainable propulsion advocate compelled me to run a few numbers.I found a bulker with a GA for a 2010 era 25…

Singapore-based heavy lift and bulk shipping company AAL Shipping announced it has increased the number of vessels in its latest newbuild series from four to six.In November 2021, AAL announced the launch of its third-generation newbuilding plan with the initial order of four 32,000 deadweight (DWT) Super B-Class multipurpose vessels from China’s Guangzhou Wenchong Shipyard. The carrier, which already operates a fleet of 25 heavy lift multipurpose vessels (MPV) globally, has now…

Damen Shiprepair and Conversion (DSC) said it is wrapping up a ship repair and maintenance program involving seven vessels owned by French shipping and logistics giant CMA CGM. The projects took place at Damen Shiprepair Amsterdam (DSAm) in the Netherlands and Damen Shiprepair Dunkerque (DSDu) in France, with the last vessel scheduled to leave DSDu later this monthIn a continuous operation running between June and August, DSAm performed back-to-back maintenance and repair works on CMA CGM Cayenne, CMA CGM Saint Laurent and CMA CGM Marseille – identical 190 meter, 2,100 TEU containerships.

MacGregor, part of Cargotec, has secured an order to supply hatch covers for 12 new 3,055 TEU containerships. The ships will be built by Japan Marine United (JMU) for the Taiwanese shipping company Wan Hai Lines. Scope of supply includes design and key components, fabrication and delivery of hatch covers to JMU.The order is booked into Cargotec's fourth quarter 2021 order intake, with deliveries planned to commence during the fourth quarter of 2022 and completed during the first…

Nippon Paint Marine said it has secured a first reference for its new self-polishing antifouling paint FASTAR following an agreement with Turkey’s Iskenderun Ship Management to apply the coating to five bulk carriers scheduled to drydock in China this year.The Panamax ships Ata-M and Toros-M will drydock at COSCO’s Guangzhou shipyard in May and June respectively, with the 31,700dwt Selin-M, 32,949dwt Nihat-M, and the 50,212dwt Bozburun-M scheduled to follow in the second half of the year.FASTAR XI…

Deltamarin introduced a new liquefied natural gas (LNG)-powered Kielmax container vessel design as vessel owners and operators increasingly turn to the cleaner burning fuel to help reduce shipping emissions.The C.Delta2100 design, part of the Finnish naval architect's C.Delta series, is engineered to offer improved cargo capacity, flexibility and fuel economy and also takes into consideration possibilities to use alternative fuels to reduce carbon footprint or even zero-emissions power production.

Canadian shipping company Algoma Central Corporation announced Monday that it has taken delivery of its new dry bulk carrier Captain Henry Jackman from the Jiangsu Yangzi-Mitsui Shipbuilding Company in China.The vessel is expected to begin trading on the Great Lakes in late June following its transit from China to Canada via the Panama Canal. The voyage is scheduled to commence in mid-April.The Captain Henry Jackman is the fifth Equinox Class gearless dry-bulk carrier and the tenth Equinox Class vessel to join the Algoma fleet. It is also the most efficient.