Serve News

Norwegian power solutions supplier Bergen Engines has been selected to provide four generating sets to support the world’s largest hydrogen ferries, operating on Norway’s longest ferry connection from Bodø to Lofoten.The C25:33L8A generating sets will be fueled by low carbon Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) and will serve as support power to the hydrogen fuel cells onboard, which act as the vessel’s main propulsion power.Scheduled for delivery in 2026, these new ferries will be…

Crowley and Teamsters Union Local 901 have reached a new labor agreement to extend their longtime partnership into its sixth decade serving the shipping and logistics needs of Puerto Rico.The agreement, recently ratified by union members, covers the 200 employees who work at Crowley’s Isla Grande Terminal in San Juan until 2029. Employees there serve as port equipment operators, truck drivers and support operations in various other roles important to safe and reliable operations.“We have successfully worked with the Teamsters Union to provide safe…

H2SITE’s AMMONIA to H2POWER technology for ammonia cracking onboard has received Approval in Principle (AiP) from Lloyd’s Register (LR).The technology is an onboard containerized solution that produces fuel-cell-quality hydrogen using ammonia. This hydrogen can then be used by hydrogen fuel cells that can contribute to the vessel’s electrical power, or the hydrogen could be consumed directly in an internal combustion engine.Ammonia cracking is gaining momentum as a potential hydrogen…

A Commissioner with the U.S. Federal Maritime Commission is urging President Joe Biden to provide aid for local companies and workers suffering from an economic upheaval in the wake of the tragic Key Bridge collapse in Baltimore.A letter sent by Commissioner Carl W. Bentzel to President Biden on Monday asks the President to consider using the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) as a model for providing relief workers and industries affected by the temporary…

At a high-level, there are three solutions to transferring technicians from shore bases to offshore wind farms for construction and O&M activities: crew transfer vessel (CTV), helicopter, and SOVs/CSOVs.SOVs and CSOVs generally house 60-120 technicians offshore for a few weeks at a time, allowing them to transfer to structures on integrated heave compensated gangways, by daughter craft or on CTVs. The vessels are also equipped with cranes, storage, and small workshop areas.SOV: Service operations vessels…

Sweden-based construction and development company Skanska has signed the final contract award, worth $612 million, for the upgrade of the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal (SBMT) in New York, which will serve as an offshore wind hub.The project will transform the SBMT into one of the largest dedicated offshore wind ports in the United States and support Empire Wind offshore wind project, which is currently being developed by Equinor off New York.The award will facilitate the demolition of existing buildings…

UK-based Exail has secured a contract with French maritime services provider Bourbon to supply several units of its Octans Attitude and Heading Reference Systems (AHRS) for integration into Bourbon Subsea Services’s fleet.These units will be installed on multiple Bourbon Evolution 800 Series multi-purpose support vessels (MPSVs) dedicated to subsea operations at depths down to 3,000 meters.IMO-HSC certified, the Octans AHRS will enhance Bourbon vessels’ efficiency in installation…

Norwegian shipowner MPC Container Ships (MPCC) has signed a $55 million pre and post-delivery ECA covered financing agreement with Deutsche Bank and SINOSURE for its two dual-fuel methanol newbuildings.The vessels are scheduled for delivery towards the end of 2024 and are secured by 15-year time charter agreements with North Sea Container Line (NCL). The loan matures in 2036, according to MPCC.Chinese-based shipyard Taizhou Sanfu Ship Engineering is in charge of the construction…

ABS Wavesight has appointed software and digital technology leader Staci Satterwhite to serve as Chief Operating Officer (COO), a new role for the maritime software as a service (SaaS) affiliate of ABS.Most recently serving as the COO of Khoros, a Vista private equity portfolio company, Satterwhite has extensive and diverse global experience helping develop and transform software and digital solutions.As COO, Satterwhite is responsible for leading product development and further enhancing customer interactions and experiences.

On April 19th, 2024, Muddy Water Dredging, LP, held the christening ceremony of its Marlin Class dredge at the Port of New Orleans. The event was attended by many esteemed business leaders, media personnel, and distinguished dignitaries. "We are happy to unveil the Vaneta Marie dredge. After many hours of collaboration between Muddy Water and DSC what we have before us is a dredge that was crafted with precision and ingenuity," said Michael Kerns, President, and CEO of Muddy Water.

Greek shipping company Carras (Hellas) has received the ABS Biofuel-1 notation for its Aquataurus ultramax bulk carrier, the first vessel in the world to qualify.The notation is assigned to vessels that use a biofuel blend of up to and including 30% biofuel in compliance with IMO and ABS requirements.Biofuels are liquid hydrocarbon fuels with similar composition and properties to fuel oil, but they are produced from renewable sources such as crops, agricultural and forestry waste…

Damen Shipyards Group has launched a pilot project in which a small tug will be dismantled in a circular way and fully in line with the EU regulations.The project will serve as a trial, after which this approach of ‘green’ ship dismantling and recycling will be made available commercially, and also for larger vessels, according to Damen.The 15.4-meter-long tug named Jan, which was built in 1927, will be dismantled at Damen Shiprepair Rotterdam’s Botlek site in line with the regulations…

French energy giant TotalEnergies and Oman National Oil Company (OQ) have reached the final investment decision (FID) on the Marsa LNG project, which will feature an LNG plant completely powered by renewable energy that will produce LNG for use as a marine fuel for maritime transportation.Through their joint company Marsa Liquefied Natural Gas (Marsa), TotalEnergies (80%) and OQ (20%) have launched the integrated Marsa LNG project which combines upstream gas production, downstream gas liquefaction…

If nothing else, building vessels in the U.S. is a complicated business.In a session on the domestic shipbuilding marketplace, at Marine Money’s late-November 2023 conference held in New Orleans, Ben Bordelon, president and CEO of Bollinger Shipyards (with more than a dozen facilities, in Mississippi and Louisiana), described his company’s architecture as a “three-legged stool approach: commercial newbuilds, government newbuilds and repair/conversion capabilities”.On the same panel…

Steerprop announced it has been chosen to provide a Polar Class 4 (PC 4) propulsion package for the Canadian Coast Guard's Multi-Purpose Vessels (MPV) renewal program.The contract entails the supply of propulsion packages for the initial six MPVs, integral to Canada's National Shipbuilding Strategy (NSS). Steerprop's solution comprises two tunnel thrusters for auxiliary propulsion and two Contra-Rotating Propulsors (CRP) for main propulsion, engineered to meet the operational…

Provaris Energy and Norwegian Hydrogen AS have announced a new agreement to jointly progress the identification and development of several sites in the Nordic region for the large-scale production and export of hydrogen to European markets.The projects will utilize locally available renewable energy to produce hydrogen for shipment to European ports. This will assist energy-intensive industries in making an impact on their decarbonization plans and target a scale and level of…

The IMO's Facilitation Committee held its 48th session (FAL 48) from April 8 to 12, in person at IMO Headquarters in London.The Facilitation Committee (FAL) meets annually to deal with matters related to the facilitation of international maritime traffic, including the arrival, stay and departure of ships, persons and cargo from ports. The Committee also addresses electronic business and aims to ensure that the right balance is struck between regulation and the facilitation of international maritime trade.

Jennifer Carpenter joined The American Waterways Operators (AWO), the national trade association representing the inland and coastal tugboat, towboat and barge industry, in August 1990 and became its president and CEO in January 2020. She highlights some of the greatest focus areas for the 80-year-old trade group—simultaneously looking at both the present day and the road ahead.The towboat, tug and barge industry is in a period of rapid evolution. How is AWO—now in its 80th year…

Kristian Siem, founder and longtime leader of Siem Offshore, is stepping down as chairman of the Norwegian offshore support vessel (OSV) firm after reaching a deal to acquire nine vessels in exchange for his 35% stake in the company.The company announced it has reached an "amicable agreement" to sell Siem Barracuda, Siem Stingray, Siem Opal, Siem Pearl, Siem Topaz, Siem Pilot, Siem Pride, Siem Symphony and Siem Thiima to Kristian Siem's Siem Sustainable Energy S.a r.l and related companies in exchange for 35% of the company’s shares.The other major shareholder is Christen Sveaas' Kistefos…

Star Bulk Carriers Corp. on Tuesday announced that it has completed its merger with fellow dry bulk shipping company Eagle Bulk Shipping Inc.Eagle Bulk shareholders this week voted to approve the $2.1 billion deal, which was first announced in December 2023.Under the terms of the merger agreement, each Eagle shareholder received 2.6211 shares of Star Bulk common stock for each share of Eagle common stock owned. Eagle common stock has ceased trading and will no longer be listed on the New York Stock Exchange.Petros Pappas…

The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) has launched the first pilot trial for electric harbor craft charging point at the Marina South Pier (MSP).The charging point was awarded to the Pyxis Energy, Pyxis Maritime, and SP Mobility partnership. Pyxis’s fleet of electric harbor craft operating at MSP will serve as the base offtake to ensure optimization of the charging infrastructure.The Pyxis and SP Mobility partnership has deployed a 150kW land-based direct current fast charger with a Combined Charging System 2 connector at MSP.

Norwegian offshore-wind focused vessel owner Norwind Offshore has placed an order for a stand-alone fully electric crane from Seaonics for its newbuild vessel Norwind Helm.The order is for an ECMC 7t-3D crane, and follows the delivery of Seaonics' first electric gangway system to Norwind Hurricane commissioning service operation vessel (CSOV) in March 2024.The crane is to be installed in connection with the delivery of the newbuild from Vard Brattvaag end of November 2024 and…

The IMO Facilitation Committee will meet in person at IMO Headquarters in London for its 48th session (FAL 48) from April 8 to 12 to discuss issues related to autonomous shipping; prevention of illegal wildlife trafficking on ships; digitalization initiatives and the implementation of the Maritime Single Window and Port Community Systems.The Facilitation Committee (FAL) will continue discussions around regulating commercial vessels that can operate independent of human interaction - Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships (MASS).