Paula News

bp's Search for New CEO to Extend into Next Year

bp's search for a new chief executive is set to extend into the first quarter of 2024, three sources told Reuters, while the board's probe into whether previous CEO Bernard Looney breached the code of conduct in his undisclosed personal relationships with staff drags on.The oil company has been in turmoil since Looney's resignation in September, company sources told Reuters, and the share price has underperformed rival Shell since then amid investor uncertainty over bp's future strategy.bp's shares have dropped 9% since Looney's departure, while Shell's have gained 2% over the same period.

US Shipbuilding: Policy and Progress

When asked about the top issues facing shipbuilders, executives at the Shipbuilders Council of America (SCA) listed a number of topics and concerns. SCA is the only national trade association representing U.S. shipyards engaged in the building and repairing of military and other government and commercial vessels, and companies providing goods and services to the shipbuilding industry.Shutdowns have consequencesMatthew Paxton and Paula Zorensky are, respectively, SCA President and Vice President. Their top federal concern at the end of September? A U.S.

Strategically Located, Guam's Defense Posture is Growing

With the rise of China and her global ambitions, the military importance of Guam in the Indo-Pacific theater has become apparent. The force levels on the island had drawn down from a peak of about 26,000 at the height of the Vietnam War to a tenth of that—just 2,500 people in the early 2000s. Today, that's changing. Guam's defense posture is growing.Guam's proximity to major population centers in East Asia underscores its strategic importance. The island is just 1,400 miles from Tokyo, Manilla or Port Moresby. All of the armed services have a presence on Guam.

Interview: Harry Stewart, President & CEO, The Dutra Group

Harry Stewart recently took the helm as President and CEO of The Dutra Group, succeeding Bill T. Dutra, the man who founded the company at the age of 26 and led it for the last 50 years. With a renewed vigor for national infrastructure, there are myriad opportunities in the dredging and marine construction sectors, opportunities balanced by a similar number of challenges. We recently visited with Mr. Stewart for his insights, covering everything from taking over the seat from an industry legend…

James Fisher Charters 'Go Electra' for North Sea UXO, IMR Work

Subsea services provider James Fisher has chartered Go Marine Group's multi-purpose service vessel Go Electra for UXO identification services and IMR projects in the North Sea.The vessel will be used by James Fisher group companies James Fisher Renewables (JF Renewables) and James Fisher Subtech (JF Subtech) for the rest of 2022."The long-standing agreement will see quicker response times and tailored health and safety standards implemented, as well as stabilized and reliable day rates for customers.

US Navy Oiler Harvey Milk Launched

San Diego shipbuilder General Dynamics NASSCO christened and launched the future USNS Harvey Milk (T-AO 206), the second ship for the U.S. Navy’s John Lewis-class fleet oiler program.In 2016, General Dynamics NASSCO was awarded the contract by the U.S. Navy for the detailed design and construction of the next generation of fleet oilers, the John Lewis-class (T-AO 205). The contract calls for the design and construction of six 742-foot-long oilers with a full load displacement of 49,850 tons. Designed to transfer fuel to U.S.

URI Unveils Name of New Research Vessel

The National Science Foundation’s new Regional Class Research Vessel that will soon call the University of Rhode Island’s Narragansett Bay Campus home has a name: Narragansett Dawn.Graduate School of Oceanography Dean Paula S. Bontempi announced the name of the new $125 million vessel after a nationwide competition and approval from the NSF.“Narragansett Dawn acknowledges the Indigenous peoples’ histories, ancestors, and perseverance in our communities today,” said URI President David M. Dooley.

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…

NASSCO Lays Keel for Future USNS Harvey Milk

Shipbuilder General Dynamics NASSCO on Thursday laid the keel for the future USNS Harvey Milk (T-AO 206), the second of six vessels in the John Lewis-class fleet replenishment oiler program for the U.S. Navy.At 746-feet in length and displacing 49,000 tons, the future USNS Harvey Milk will provide logistics support to carrier strike groups around the world. Fleet oilers serve as a supply lifeline for Navy vessels carrying out missions in the Western Pacific, Indian Ocean and beyond.

Argentinian Shipyard to Build First Domestically Produced Dredger

SPI Servicios Portuarios Integrados for Mar del Plata port in Argentina has acquired a DOP Dredger component package from Damen Shipyards Group. The Argentinian shipyard will build major components and assemble the dredger. The DOP Dredger 250 will be used to dredge underneath a floating dock, which the shipyards wants to keep operational full-time. The trick is that the dock will remain in place during the dredging activities.The Argentinian ship builder SPI has an extensive yard in the bay of Mar del Plata, located on the South Atlantic Ocean.

COMSAT Bolsters Inmarsat Network

Satellite connectivity solutions provider COMSAT said it is extending the life of Inmarsat’s existing satellites through the leasing of an additional antenna at COMSAT’s Santa Paula, Calif. Teleport. The newly leased 12.8m antenna is transmitting and receiving in both C-band and L-band frequencies, bolstering capacity for the Tracking, Telemetry and Command (TT&C) and traffic operations of the Inmarsat satellite network. The Santa Paula teleport hosts Inmarsat’s Standard C equipment…

Portugal Announces Tender for Vasco da Gama Terminal

The Portuguese government has issued a an international public  tender for the development of the Vasco da Gama container terminal at the Port of Sines, seeking a concessionaire who would invest in the project.According to the government sources, public tender will for a concession period of 50 years with an investment of 642 million euros, adding that the specifications include the construction and operation project, with a deadline of nine months for the submission of proposals.The Minister of the Sea Ana Paula Vitorino said that the tender will be awarded in the last quarter of 2020 and the terminal should be completed in 2024. The new terminal will have an annual handling capacity of 3.5 million TEU.The terminal facility would be capable of hosting 24…

Wärtsilä Simulators for New Portuguese Facility

Wärtsilä has supplied simulators aimed to provide realistic hands-on training at a new facility in Portugal. The training center is developed and run by the Port Authority for the ports of Douro, Leixōes and Vano do Castelo (APDL), and was inaugurated in the end of July at a ceremony headed by Portugal’s Minister of the Sea, Ana Paula Vitorino. The order was placed in October 2018.The center is the country’s largest and most advanced maritime training facility. It features a Wärtsilä Full Mission Bridge (FMB) simulator with 360 degree projection…

Portugal Joins WISTA International

The Women’s International Shipping & Trading Association (WISTA) has welcome Portugal to the global network of executive women in shipping.The launch of WISTA Portugal was announced today by Ana Paula Vitorino, Portugal’s Minister of the Sea at Portugal Shipping. WISTA Portugal joins 44 other National WISTA Associations (NWAs).“WISTA International has had a strong relationship with Portugal’s women in shipping,” said WISTA International President Despina Panayiotou Theodosiou. “We are proud to formally include Portugal in the WISTA family. Portugal’s significance among maritime countries, especially in Europe, brings new avenues for business to WISTA…

Wärtsilä Signs MoU to Promote Maritime Technologies in Singapore

Wärtsilä has partnered with the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) to promote maritime innovation and R&D. The partnership covers four different streams: digital acceleration, cyber-physical security, intelligent vessel and port operations. Wärtsilä and MPA have also agreed to support and leverage start-ups and small and medium enterprises in Singapore in these four streams.“This partnership with MPA is a great example of how combining digitalization ecosystems thinking, and collaboration will benefit the maritime industry and drive tangible value at pace.

Women in Maritime: New UK Taskforce Established

Setting out to increase fairness, equality and inclusion within the maritime sector, Maritime UK has established a Women in Maritime Taskforce, a move welcomed by the U.K.’s new Maritime Minister, Nusrat Ghani MP. “I am delighted to see Maritime UK taking action to attract more women into our maritime industries, and I welcome this taskforce as an important first step,” said Ghani, who is only the second woman to hold the Department for Transport portfolio for the U.K.’s £40 billion maritime sector.

COMSAT Announces Maritime Cybersecurity Programs

Following a June 16, 2017, decision by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) that requires ship owners and managers to incorporate cyber risk management into safety management systems established by the ISM Code, COMSAT has announced its suite of cybersecurity solutions for the maritime industry. Recent events have underscored the need to protect fleets from harmful cyber-attacks. The new IMO requirement must be met prior to January 1, 2021. COMSAT provides enhanced security for data transmissions…

Recent Vessel Sales: May 2017

Vessel sales for May 2017 (as of June 1) as prepared by Shipping Intelligence, Inc., New York.

Maritime Cook Islands makes two appointments for Europe

Maritime Cook Islands (“MCI”), the international ship registry, hasrecently appointed Marilena Andrenacci as Fleet Manager, and Paula Manarangi as Manager for Europe, significantly boosting MCI’s presence in Europe. Both appointments are based in Italy. An experienced Project Manager, newly-appointed Fleet Manager Marilena Andrenaccispecialises in the implementation of government policy and stakeholder management often in an international and multilingual setting. Marilena has undergone introduction to MCI and fleet management and will complete Flag State Implementation training by the end of April 2017. Prior to her appointment at MCI…

HMS Global Maritime Appoints Jaenichen as Chief Operating Officer

HMS Global Maritime, owner and operator of the American Queen Steamboat Company as well as 85 other U.S. flagged vessels, welcomes former Maritime Administrator Paul “Chip” Jaenichen, Sr. of the U.S. Department of Transportation as the new Chief Operating Officer (COO). After a decorated career with the U.S. Navy and the Maritime Administration (MARAD), Jaenichen joined HMS Global Maritime on January 12, 2017. In his role as COO, Captain Jaenichen will be responsible for ensuring that HMS Global Maritime excels in every facet of transportation…

ETE's 80th Anniversary crowned by International River Operations

The business portfolio internationalization and the development of river operations are two of ETE Group’s strategic focus, as referred last Friday on the 80th birthday ceremonies at Naval Rocha shipyard (in Lisbon) with the presence of the President of Portugal, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, the Minister for the Sea Affairs, Ana Paula Vitorino and the Minister for Environment, Matos Fernandes. According to Luis Nagy, the CEO, “at ETE Group we are  starting the ninth decade with a strong focus on the internationalization of our operations, which have been growing and, we hope, will represent, in 5 years’ time, 30 to 40% of our turnover, against the present 10%.

National Response Corporation Acquires Boom-Tech

National Response Corporation has acquired Boom Technology, Inc. (Boom-Tech), of Gorham, Maine effective Monday, November 7, 2016. Boom-Tech has been a contractor to NRC for many years, providing support for a variety of environmental, industrial, and marine projects as well as large-scale responses as a member of NRC’s Independent Contractor Network (ICN). Boom-Tech was founded in 2001 by Jim and Paula Fox, collectively they have more than 75 years of experience in the environmental industry.

Finland's New Icebreaker Polaris Named in Helsinki

A naming ceremony was held today for Finland’s new-generation icebreaker, Polaris, built at Arctech Helsinki Shipyard. Presently under construction at Helsinki Shipyard, the vessel is designed especially for icebreaking operations in the Baltic Sea and will be fitted for oil recovery and emergency towing. The nearly 110-meter-long vessel’s design and construction features various Finnish technological innovations, such as ice-strengthened propulsion units and an effective oil recovery system integrated into the hull. Furthermore, the icebreaker will be powered by both diesel and liquefied natural gas (LNG) to reduce both carbon emissions and fuel costs, making Polaris the most environmentally friendly icebreaker in the world, according to its builders.