Johansson News

In 2018, convicted cocaine trafficker Slobodan Kostovski fled a Brazilian prison and made his way back to Europe with a fake passport.The Serbian senior quickly fell into old habits, police allege. Last August, Kostovski was arrested in Belgrade, accused of shipping 2.7 metric tonnes of cocaine from Brazil aboard a 22-meter vessel apprehended near Spain’s Canary Islands.Nicknamed “the General” by his associates, he had been trafficking “large amounts” of powder to “Europe for a long period of time,” Serbian police wrote in a 2022 intelligence report obtained exclusively by Reuters.

The 2023 Maritime Risk Symposium (MRS) will be held Nov. 14-16, 2023, as an in-person event, hosted by Maritime College, State University of New York (SUNY) at the Maritime Academic Center. The theme of the 14th annual event is “Managing Impacts of Supply Chain Disruptors, Renewable Energy, Emerging Technology on the Maritime Transportation System (MTS)” with a focus on offshore infrastructure risk and disruptors. Founded in 1874, Maritime College is the oldest maritime college in the United States, providing mariner training for 150 years.

Australian shipbuilding group Austal will develop a high-speed that runs on hydrogen fuel under a recently signed memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Sweden's Gotlandsbolaget (Gotland Company).A 130-meter-long high-speed catamaran able to operate on hydrogen and other fossil-free fuels, the new vessel Horizon X will be able to run at 35 knots, while transporting 1,650 passengers and up to 450 vehicles.Håkan Johansson, CEO of Gotland, said, ”This is an important step in our climate journey.

Swedish RoRo shipping company WALLENIUS SOL announced it has appointed Henrik Karle as chief operating officer (COO).with more than 20 years of experience and an extensive track record from the shipping industry, Karle has from 1 March 2023 taken a position on the WALLENIUS SOL management team. He comes from a role as technical manager at the marine insurance company The Swedish Club, and before that he held the position as managing director at AdMare Ship Management. He has also spent a large part of his career at sea.“Henrik is a welcome addition to our organization…

Swedish company Gotlandsbolaget has unveiled the Gotland Hydrocat concept vessel, said to be the world's first large-scale, high-speed catamaran with fossil-free hydrogen propulsion.Slated to enter service in 2030, the high-speed vessel will operate between Gotland and the Swedish mainland, reducing crossing times to under three hours.The vessel is the second vessel in Gotlandsbolaget's Horizon series of high-speed passenger and cargo vessels, launched as a concept model in 2021 with the Gotland Horizon.

Chinese shipyard CIMC Raffles on Wednesday delivered the ConRo ship Baltic Enabler to shipowner Wallenius Sol.The newbuild, together with sister ship Botnia Enabler delivered earlier this year, are considered to be the world’s largest ice-rated ConRo vessels with multi-fuel operation.“It’s fantastic that we can soon put both sister ships in regular traffic. Not only will we have a huge capacity increase on the container and RoRo sides, but we will also take a giant stride toward a future-oriented fleet that will reduce emissions and have a major impact on industry in the Gulf of Bothnia…

Chinese shipyard CIMC Raffles on Friday delivered the world’s largest ice-rated multi-fuel ConRo vessel to Swedish shipowner Wallenius Sol. The first in a two-vessel series, Botnia Enabler is now sailing under the Swedish flag.The 27,000 dwt ship has a length of 242 meters, a beam of 35.2 meters and the highest Finnish-Swedish ice class to cope with the harsh winter conditions in the Gulf of Bothnia. In addition to its classic RoRo function, Botnia Enabler also has a large capacity for containers.“We’re incredibly pleased and proud to welcome Botnia Enabler to our fleet.

Automation, where routine tasks are handled by machines, has been talked about throughout maritime sectors for much of the 21st Century. Initially touted by suppliers of engine room and bridge management systems for its cost savings (with reduced manning levels), its value proposition was then infused with risk management (reduced human error) and remote operations, where vessels could be managed from a shoreside control room. In early 2017, Rolls Royce —an early proponent of unmanned operations—teamed with tug operator Svitzer on a remotely operated vessel…

Roxtec has introduced the new GK Firestop sealing kit. The new kit makes it quick and easy to ensure certified fire protection above the waterline on rigs, platforms, ships and vessels, the manufacturer said.“Shipyards all over the world have asked for firestops that can help them seal cables and entire cable bundles in deck and bulkhead entries above the waterline. We can now meet this huge demand and solve the problem with high cable density thanks to a certified product that is easy to use…

Volvo Penta to power three hybrid and hybrid-ready ferries currently being built at GS Marine Production AS. GS Marine is currently building a new ferry for Faroe Island operator, Standfaraskip Landsins. This ferry will have a speed of 20 knots and be powered by two of Volvo Penta’s engines. The D13-700 IMO III engines have a power output of 515kW at 2,250 rpm and will be coupled with a Brunvoll hybrid control system – allowing the vessel to run on the engines or electric alone, and even both in unison.

The State University of New York Maritime College, in collaboration with the U.S. Coast Guard, National Academy of Sciences, academic institutions, industry partners, and federal, state and local agencies, will host the 10th Annual Maritime Risk Symposium (MRS 2019) Nov. 13-15, 2019, at New York Maritime College located in the Bronx, New York.MRS 2019 will bring together academics, government and commercial entities to discuss the threats, challenges and risks associated with the Marine Transportation System with a focus on current and future marine transportation challenges and threats.

The Center of Excellence for Offshore Renewable Energy at the State University of New York Maritime College and the Maritime Industry Museum at Fort Schuyler, are hosting the Ocean Wind Energy Conference on Thursday, September 26, 2019 at the Maritime Academic Center, SUNY Maritime College.Serving as the keynote speaker is Alana Duerr, Ph.D., Director, Offshore Wind North America, DNV GL - Renewables Advisory, who will offer insight to opportunities for maritime industry support of Ocean Wind Energy development and sustainment for many years to come.

NYC Economic Development Corp. Signs on as Event Sponsor.The Center of Excellence for Offshore Renewable Energy at the State University of New York Maritime College and the Maritime Industry Museum at Fort Schuyler, proudly announce their partnership in hosting of the Ocean Wind Energy Conference on Thursday, September 26, 2019 at 9 a.m. in the Maritime Academic Center, SUNY Maritime College. Featured presentations by industry leaders such as Keynote Speaker Dr. Alana Duerr, Director of DNV GL…

Tillberg Design of Sweden has been a central player in the six-year quest to envision, design, build and launch The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection brand. It has had a hand in all design aspects, from vessel exterior and interior, down to the service organization and the crew uniforms, as Fredrik Johansson, MA, Partner, Executive Project Director, explains.“Everything was designed from scratch with one thing in mind: the guest experience,” is how Fredrik Johansson neatly summarizes the quest to deliver the Ritz-Carleton brand to the water. The ship, when delivered from Hijos de J.

Swedish power company Vattenfall and compatriot electric ferry propulsion systems and marine consultancy platform Echandia Marine cooperate on electric ferry with superfast charging.Vattenfall and Echandia Marine have developed a new solution for electric ferries that is designed to minimise emissions and noise and at the same time lower operational and maintenance costs and provide superfast charging.The systems are installed on E/S Movitz that operates in central Stockholm and can be fully charged within 10 minutes with up to 500 kW charging power.The companies have together developed a new concept that can contribute to a more sustainable…

Two Swedish shipping companies - Wallenius and Swedish Orient Line (SOL) - have formed a shipowning joint venture that will sail from ports in Sweden and Finland.The company has five ships so far and plans to order four LNG-powered newbuilds to operate ice-class vessels for the forestry product trades in the Gulf of Bothnia and Baltic Sea area.The new Nordic joint venture, named WALLENIUS SOL,  is to strengthen the infrastructure for the needs of Finnish and Swedish industry. The first customers to sign long-term agreements are Stora Enso and Metsä Board.”Together we can offer a strong mix of experience and competence, which can support a growing forest industry”…

Swedish shipping company Swedish Orient Lines (SOL) announced  that it will add the port of Pietarsaari/Jakobstad (Finland) to its liner network with one weekly call using its vessels Thuleland and Tundraland.The service will offer direct port calls to Lübeck (Germany), Zeebrugge (Belgium) and Tilbury (UK). With its new route SOL supports BillerudKorsnäs export of paper products from its mill in Pietarsaari as well as other import and export cargo to the region.BillerudKorsnäs focuses on offering the packaging market sustainable materials and solutions that increase customers’ profitability while at the same time improving the overall environmental impact“From the beginning of January next year SOL offers a weekly RoRo service between Pietarsaari/Jakobstad…

Energy.It seems that energy touches every aspect of our lives from heating our homes to ensuring that fresh produce is available at grocery stores. It powers our cars and allows industry to move products around the world. The connection between energy and risk to the maritime environment has been a growing area of discussion, research and analysis. The United Kingdom’s Royal Navy, within its Joint Doctrine Publication (JDOP 0-10) 5th edition UK Maritime Power, captured this issue superbly: “Fossil fuels and minerals are an important resource in the maritime environment. New deposits of oil and gas, as well as mineral wealth, are discovered under the seabed each year, and improvements in technology will facilitate future exploitation.

For nearly 20 years, leaders of the tug and barge industry in the region have converged on SUNY Maritime College in the spring to discuss current issues and initiatives facing the industry. This year will be no different; the 18th annual Towing Industry Forum will include presentations about safety management systems, wind farms and their impact on marine traffic, and a federal study regarding route planning and access to East Coast ports, among other topics. The forum, organized by the college’s Department of Professional Education and Training, will be from 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

When marine safety collides with environmental advocacy and non-maritime business interests, the discussion can be contentious, confusing and cumbersome. In June 2016, the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) opened a public comment period regarding new anchorage zones in the Hudson River; usually a rather low-key set of issues. This proved different. Opponents jumped on the proposal – initially suggested by three maritime organizations – as a backdoor way to facilitate a huge expansion in crude oil shipments on the Hudson.

As demand for liquefied natural gas (LNG) grows, so does the need for LNG carriers. Many shipping companies in recent years have placed orders for LNG ships, and shipyards are busy building them. The maritime industry is also exploring ships powered by natural gas, rather than more traditional sources. To address this topic, SUNY Maritime College will host a conference, LNG: Not just a cargo, on Thursday, November 2. The conference will include presentations and panel discussions from a wide variety of maritime companies…

The shipwreck remains of a historic U.S. Coast Guard cutter have been discovered off of Southern California 100 years after the vessel was lost at sea. In its heyday, the Coast Guard Cutter McCulloch – commissioned in 1897 as a cruising cutter for the U.S. Treasury’s Revenue Cutter Service, a predecessor of the Coast Guard – saw its share of action, having served with Commodore George Dewey in the Battle of Manila Bay in 1898 as part of the U.S. Asiatic Squadron that destroyed the Spanish Pacific fleet in the first major battle of the Spanish-American War.

Belgium is Sweden’s eighth largest export market. The Swedish shipping company SOL is about to expand its departure frequency between the Port of Gothenburg and the Belgian port of Zeebrugge. The change will offer greater scope for Swedish import and export companies to ship freight to and from Belgium. Gothenburg-based shipping company Swedish Orient Line, SOL, is about to expand its departure frequency between Gothenburg and the Belgian port of Zeebrugge. The company’s vessels will now depart from Gothenburg seven times a week. “We’ve seen an amazing increase in volumes during the past year and we’ve hit the ceiling in terms of capacity.