Ul News

Methanol Bunkering Gaining Interest Among Global Players

Denmark's Maersk said on Monday it has secured fuel for the world's first container vessel able to run on carbon-neutral methanol for its inaugural journey.Interest in methanol as an alternative fuel for bunkering has grown in the shipping industry, which seeks to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.Below is a list of key upcoming methanol bunkering-related projects by companies and ports:COMPANIES:*A.P. Moller-MaerskMaersk has ordered 19 methanol-enabled ships to work towards a goal of transporting 25% of its ocean cargo using green fuels by 2030.

New Product: PermaStar LED Floodlight

SONARAY, a manufacturer of proprietary LED lighting products, announced PermaStar, a high efficacy, 500-watt LED Flood Light that comes with a limited lifetime warranty. The new flood light is durable with IP66 and IK10  ratings, and is available in a range of beam angles and produces up  to 67,000 lumens in the 45-degree angle model. The PermaStar is also UL 1598A listed so it can be used outside in damp or wet environments. The PermaStar is constructed with a durable die-cast…

Chevron Can Resume Key Role in Venezuela's Oil Output, Exports

Chevron Corp on Saturday received a U.S. license allowing the second-largest U.S. oil company to expand its production in Venezuela and bring the South American country's crude oil to the United States.The decision grants broader rights for the last big U.S. oil company still operating in U.S.-sanctioned Venezuela. However, it restricts any cash payments to Venezuela, which could reduce the oil available to export.License terms are designed to prevent state-run oil firm Petróleos de Venezuela, known as PDVSA PDVSA.UL, from receiving proceeds from Chevron's petroleum sales, U.S. officials said.

Seaborne Oil a Lifeline as German, Polish Refiners Swerve Russian Supply

Seaborne oil has thrown a lifeline to refiners in eastern Germany and Poland, with non-Russian deliveries into the Polish port of Gdansk hitting at least seven-year highs this month as they switch away from Russian supply.Imports booked for May into Gdansk from Egypt, the United States, Norway, Britain and West Africa had hit 8.4 million barrels by May 16, their highest level according to Refinitiv Eikon ship tracking data that goes back to 2015.At the same time, Russian crude booked for May into Gdansk and the port of Rostock stood at 700…

Uzmar Builds Three Tugs for Smit Lamnalco

Turkish shipbuilder Uzmar has built thee new tugs for Smit Lamnalco.Designed by Robert Allan Ltd., the three purpose-designed and -built RAstar 4200 ASD tugs SL Ibo, SL Matemo and SL Macaloe were ordered in 2019. They are the first RAstar 4200 design vessels used for terminal support and have been outfitted specially for these operations. These new 42-meter tugs are specifically designed to be operated in the offshore area near the northeast coast of Pemba, Mozambique. The three tugboats will be working together with one multipurpose vessel as a fleet in support of FLNG operation…

Lebanon Gives CMA CGM Contract to Revamp Beirut Container Terminal

Lebanon has awarded France's CMA CGM CMACG.UL a contract to develop and operate the container terminal in Beirut port for 10 years, including plans to rebuild and expand infrastructure damaged in a massive chemical explosion in 2020.CMA CGM said it would invest $33 million, including $19 million over the first two years to upgrade infrastructure at the terminal and digitalize operations, and that it would target capacity of 1.4 million 20ft equivalent units (TEUs), up from 650,000 currently.The deal expands CMA CMG's presence in the eastern Mediterranean.

New Product: WhisperPower Launches New Battery Charger

WhisperPower is ready to start shipping its new range of Supreme Pro Battery Chargers. Available in four models – 40, 60, 80 and 100 amps – the chargers/power supplies have been built to exceed the most stringent requirements of the global shipping industry.The Supreme Pro range is touted by the manufacture as the smallest 24V battery charger of its type in the world, able to run silently and keep itself cool in hot areas such as engine rooms that may otherwise compromise performance.Each…

PSA Marine Takes Delivery of Two New Tugs

Singapore's PSA Marine recently took delivery of two new 32-meter harbor tugs, PSA Marvel and PSA Valkyrie, from PaxOcean Engineering Zhuhai Co.The newbuilds, which follow the PSA Thor and PSA Hulk delivered from the same builder in 2018, are of the same basic design with some improvements, said naval architect Robert Allan Ltd.The RAmparts 3200 ASD tugs are designed for ship assist in berthing and un-berthing operations at ports/terminals, coastal towing operations and in addition are capable of escort service.

INSIGHTS: Noose Tightens Around Iranian Shipping

Somewhere on its journey from the waters off Iran, around Africa's southern tip and into the Mediterranean, the Grace 1 oil tanker lost the flag under which it sailed and ceased to be registered to Panama. Iran later claimed it as its own.The ship carrying 2 million barrels of Iranian crude was seized by British Royal Marines off Gibraltar, raising tensions in the Gulf where Iran detained a UK-flagged ship in retaliation.Grace 1 remains impounded, not because of its flag but because it was suspected of taking oil to Syria in breach of EU sanctions, an allegation that Iran denies.Yet Panama's move on May 29 to strike it from its register…

Toyota Intros New Lithium-ion Range

U.S. distributor of Toyota lift trucks and tow tractors Toyota Material Handling has announced the approval of a new lineup of lithium-ion batteries for use in its 3- and 4-wheel electric sit-down models.The  provider of material handling and industrial lift trucks and equipment, this introduction makes Toyota the first manufacturer in the industry to obtain UL-E and UL-EE certification for the combination of lift truck and lithium-ion batteries on a sit-down counterbalanced forklift.Toyota engineers worked directly with Underwriters Laboratory (UL) to test and certify the use of four new Navitas lithium-ion batteries in Toyota forklifts.

Larson Electronics: New Emergency LED Light

Larson Electronics LLC announced the release of a new hazardous area LED light. The product is specifically designed for wet and corrosive marine environments. This LED, approved by United States Coast Guard , features amber, red, green and blue color options and is ideal for oil rigs, ships, chemical storage centers and offshore applications. The HALP-EMG-48-2L-LED-SS hazardous area emergency LED light fixture from Larson Electronics is a 56 watt, four-foot-long, two lamp LED fixture that produces 7…

Trump's Revenge: US Oil Floods Europe, Hurting OPEC, Russia

U.S. supplies to Europe set for all-time high in April; on course to overtake Russia, Saudi. As OPEC's efforts to balance the oil market bear fruit, U.S. producers are reaping the benefits - and flooding Europe with a record amount of crude. Russia paired with the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries last year in cutting oil output jointly by 1.8 million barrels per day (bpd), a deal they say has largely rebalanced the market and one that has helped elevate benchmark Brent prices close to four-year highs.

India's Oil Imports from Venezuela Hit Lowest in over 5 Years

Indian imports of oil from Venezuela have fallen to their lowest levels in over half a decade, shipping and industry data showed, as a severe economic and political crisis hits crude output in the South American OPEC member. India's oil imports from Venezuela averaged around 300,000 barrels per day (bpd) between November, 2017 and February, 2018, a drop of about 20 percent from the same period a year earlier and the lowest such level since 2012, according to data from shipping sources and industry. The sources declined to be identified as they were not authorised to speak with media.

Beijer Electronics Unveils X2 Extreme Panels

Beijer Electronics has rolled out its new X2 extreme family of rugged HMIs for tough environments. X2 extreme panels are certified by all major classification societies. Designed to perform in rugged environments and in hazardous areas where gases, vapors and dust are present. Extended environmental capabilities include operating temperatures from -30°C to +70°C, high vibrations and high-pressure wash-downs. X2 extreme panels are available in 7, 12 and 15 inches, all in three versions: Standard versions, high-performance versions and fully sealed high-performance versions.

US Coast Guard Publishes Banned Vessels List

The U.S. Coast Guard posted a list of vessels that are prohibited from entering the navigable waters of the U.S. or transferring cargo in the U.S., absent a specific determination from the U.S. Secretary of State or other limited provisional entry allowed by law. This list, which is published pursuant to the North Korea Sanction and Policy Enhancement Act of 2016 and the Ports and Waterways Safety Act (PWSA) as amended by the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA), was last updated on February 2, 2018. DONG NAM NO. HIYOSHI MARU No.

US Asks UN to Blacklist 10 Ships over Banned N.Korea Cargo

The United States has proposed that the United Nations Security Council blacklist 10 ships for transporting banned items from North Korea, according to documents seen by Reuters on Tuesday. The vessels are accused of "conducting illegal ship-to-ship transfers of refined petroleum products to North Korean vessels or illegally transporting North Korean coal to other countries for exports," the United States said in its proposal. If none of the 15 members of the Security Council's North Korea sanctions committee object to the ships being designated by Thursday afternoon, the U.S.

Xantrex Rolls Out New Sine Wave Inverters

Onboard AC power technology company Xantrex informs it has expanded its Freedom series with the launch of four new models. The new series called Freedom X marks the ongoing evolution of the Freedom inverter first launched in 1992. “The Freedom name is synonymous with quality and reliability in the marine industry. The Freedom Marine, Freedom HF/HFS and Freedom SW inverter/chargers set benchmarks in the industry and have been installed in thousands of boats,” said Richard Gaudet, Vice President of Xantrex business at Schneider Electric. The four new models include two inverters and two inverters with built-in charger offer a multitude of features including extended surge for motor loads…

Europe to Build Ships of the Future

A new European research project seeks to revolutionize the shipbuilding sector by replacing steel with composite materials for the construction of more efficient large length ships. FIBRESHIP is an ambitious project that will allow for the construction of light commercial vessels, passenger and leisure transport and oceanographic vessels more than 50 meters in length using fibre reinforced polymer (FRP) composite materials. It is one of the largest innovation projects funded by the EU with a budget of €11 million, of which €9 million is funded by the EU’s Horizon 2020 Programme. The project involves 18 international entities representing the European shipping and shipbuilding industry from 11 countries including Cyprus…

PPG Debuts New Coatings for Steel, Metal Applications

PPG has introduced PSX 800 and PSX 805 coatings for steel and metal surfaces, two next-generation products formulated with greater flexibility and hiding performance than competing polysiloxane coatings. According to PPG, the two new products feature improved flexibility, which enables them to withstand the cracking under stress commonly associated with difficult steel, tank exterior and building exterior applications. PSX 805 coating adds a durable satin-sheen finish that masks imperfections on metal surfaces.

China Cosco Shipping to Maintain Alliances until Expiry

China Cosco Shipping plans to retain its current container alliances until they expire, after which it plans to sign a new deal, it said on Monday. The group's spokesman, Yu Zenggang, did not say when the current alliance agreements were due to expire. China COSCO , a unit of COSCO, is part of the CKYHE alliance with Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Yang Ming Marine Transport, Hanjin Shipping and Evergreen Marine, while China Shipping Container Lines , a unit of China Shipping Group, CMA CGM CMACG.UL and United Arab Shipping Co make up the Ocean Three alliance.

Ferry Design Contest Winners Selected

The Worldwide Ferry Safety Association (WFSA) has announced the winners of its 2017 competition for the design of a safe and affordable ferry, chosen by a panel of judges. The awards will be presented on May 11, at WFSA’s Ferry Safety & Technology Conference. Dr. Roberta Weisbrod, the Executive Director of the WFSA, said, “Urban linear ferries like Bangkok and New York are in growth mode everywhere. The students have garnered useful experience, especially the awardees, in designing for a growing market.

Fireboy-Xintex Brings New Tech to IBEX

Fireboy-Xintex said it will exhibit its latest technology developments at The International BoatBuilders’ Exhibition and Conference (IBEX), including newly released carbon monoxide alarm system as well as a new series of fire suppression systems. At IBEX, to be held October 4-6, 2016 at the Tampa Convention Center, Fireboy-Xintex is releasing its new CMD5-M Carbon Monoxide Alarm, which features an electrochemical sensor, compact design and a version that requires no external power to be fully functional.

China Gobbles up Angolan Oil in Rush to Year End

China's loadings of West African crude are set to hit their highest in more than two years in November as the nation's refineries race to stock up and offset falling domestic oil production, according to a Reuters survey of shipping fixtures and traders. China's November West African crude oil loadings, the bulk of it Angolan, are on track to reach 1.2 million barrels per day (bpd), the highest since September 2014, the survey showed on Monday. December bookings are already expected to be similarly strong. "Domestic production declines and stockpiling continue to generate demand for crude," said Michal Meidan, Asia analyst with Energy Aspects.