Event on Oil Spill Preparedness in Caspian Sea
How to implement the Aktau Protocol on regional preparedness, response and cooperation in combating oil pollution incidents was the subject of a workshop in Baku, Azerbaijan this week (18-20 June). The event brought together the five littoral states (Azerbaijan, Islamic Republic of Iran, Kazakhstan, Russian Federation and Turkmenistan) of the Caspian Sea to test the Caspian Sea Plan concerning regional cooperation in dealing with oil pollution in cases of emergency…
DFDS Sells Two Ships to Ukrferry
Danish shipping and logistics company DFDS is to sell two of its older vessels to Ukraine-based ferry operator Ukrferry. "DFDS has entered into an agreement with Ukrferry to sell two combined freight and passenger ferries, Kaunas Seaways and Vilnius Seaways built in 1989 and 1987 respectively. Delivery of the ferries is expected in July," said a press statement from the company. The ferries have been on time charter to Ukrferry for several years for deployment on routes in the Black Sea.
WFSA's sixth annual International Design Competition
The Worldwide Ferry Safety Association (WFSA) announces its sixth annual international student design competition for a safe affordable ferry, seeking designs for a passenger vessel to traverse the iconic Pasig River of Metropolitan Manila. Metropolitan Manila, composed of 18 municipalities (including the City of Manila), is a flourishing vibrant joyous city with a total population of 24 million people. The metro area would benefit from a ferry system to relieve congestion.
Virgin Picks ABB Power for Cruise Ships
Virgin Voyages has reportedly selected ABB Azipods to drive a trio of cruise ship newbuilds currently being built in Italy at Fincantieri's shipyard in Genoa. The 110,000 gt vessels, each measure 278 x 38 m and accomodating 2700 passengers and 1,150 crew, with the first due for delivery in 2020, the last in 2021. ABB is tasked to supply the complete electric power and propulsion package for the Virgin Voyages’ new fleet.
India Trying to Make Chabahar Port in Iran Operational by 2019
Nitin Gadkari, the Union Minister for Shipping, India said in Dushanbe, that India is trying to make Chabahar Port in Iran operational by 2019. Gadkari was addressing the Indian Community at the inauguration of the Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre at the Indian Embassy in Dushanbe. He said the opening up of the Chabahar Port would make the CIS countries more accessible. Shri Gadkari also spoke at…
Closest-Ever Volvo Ocean Race Starts Final Leg
After nine months of gruelling competition, the Volvo Ocean Race boats have started the final leg of the closest-ever contest in the round-the-world event’s 45-year history. As the seven competing Volvo 65s passed the Inmarsat-branded start line in Gothenburg, Sweden today, three teams were in a virtual tie for the ultimate crown, with everything to be decided in the 700nm sprint to The Hague. Two…
SeaBird Exploration Appoints Hans Petter Klohs as CEO
SeaBird Exploration, a global provider of high end 2D, source and shallow water 2D/3D seismic services and associated products to the oil and gas industry, appointed Hans Petter Klohs as new CEO of the Company. The Board of Directors of the Company announced that The appointment takes effect as of 24 June 2018. Klohs has extensive senior executive management experience from Norwegian publicly listed entities in both oil service and oil & gas.
Kenya Plans More Cargo Train to De-congest Mombasa Port
The standard gauge rail (SGR) freight service will increase the number of daily trains on the Mombasa-Nairobi route in the next five months to facilitate faster movement of cargo between the port and the inland container depot (ICD) in Embakasi, reported the Nation. The report quoted China Communications Construction Company chairman, Lu Shan, as saying that the trains will have increased to 28 by December. He added that currently, they are operating 12 freight trains on a daily basis.
Major Oil Spill in Rotterdam
The Odfjell tanker Bow Jubail struck a jetty at the Port of Rotterdam, rupturing her hull and releasing an estimated 220 tons of bunker fuel into the water. No injuries were reported, and she berthed without further incident. According to a Reuters report, a clean-up operation was underway after an oil freighter punctured its hull while mooring, releasing a “considerable” amount of heavy fuel oil.
China Merchant Port Holdings Pays USD 584 mln to Hambantota Port
China Merchants Port Holdings (CM Port) has invested the final tranche of USD 584.2 million in Sri Lanka’s Hambantota Port after acquiring an 85 percent stake in the port last year. The cheque to the effect was handed over to the Chairman of Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) – Dr.Parakrama Dissanayake by the Chief Representative of China Merchant Group in Sri Lanka - Mr.Ray Ren in the presence of senior port officials and representatives of CM Port.
Oakland Port Expects Rise in Cargo Volume
Port of Oakland import volume should grow at a steady pace in the coming peak season. There’s a wild card, however: global trade tension. That was the cautionary outlook delivered yesterday at a meeting of the Port’s Efficiency Task Force. Members of the advisory panel of customers, labor and transportation leaders forecast 2 percent growth in containerized imports from August through October. They added, however, that a looming U.S.-China trade war could dampen Oakland cargo volume.
Expansion Set for Prince Rupert Fairview Terminal
The Port of Prince Rupert and DP World have agreed on terms of a project development plan that outlines the next phase of expansion for the DP World Prince Rupert Fairview Container Terminal. The Phase 2B expansion will increase annual throughput capacity at Canada’s second largest container terminal to 1.8 million TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) when complete in 2022. DP World Group Chairman and CEO…
Shelf Drilling: Higher Rig Rates, More Consolidation Coming in 2019
Shelf Drilling, the world's largest owner of shallow water rigs, expects to see higher rig rates in 2019 and more consolidation of the fragmented market, Chief Executive David Mullen told Reuters. Following an initial public offering, the Dubai-based company's shares began trading in Oslo on Monday, four years after abandoning plans to list in London in the wake of an oil price downturn. Its shares traded at 64.80 Norwegian crowns ($7.98) per share by 1023 GMT…
Russian Arctic LNG Liftings Halved as Ice Impedes
Shipments from Russia's Arctic liquefied natural gas (LNG) plant picked up from late last week after maintenance and unseasonably thick sea ice impeded exports this month. The Boris Vilkitski LNG tanker left the area of the Yamal plant on Friday for France's Montoir terminal after spending more than a week idling fully-laden offshore. The Christophe de Margerie tanker, which had spent more than a week circling north of Yamal above the entrance to Ob Bay…
CMA CGM Founder Jacques Saade Dies at 81
Mr. Jacques R. Saade, founding president of the CMA CGM Group, died on June 24, 2018 at the age of 81, according to the company. Jacques R. Saadé dedicated his life to CMA CGM. An extraordinary visionary and entrepreneur, he made the group into a world leader in the maritime transport of containers, developing the company in more than 160 countries, while maintaining the family dimension with its values.
U.S. Coast Guard Responding to Barge Fire on Mississippi River
Accumulating water from firefighting causes barge to begin sinking. The U.S. Coast Guard reported late last night that it was responding to a sinking barge near the Huey P.
BNSF: Nearly Half of Iowa Crude Spill Contained
Workers have contained nearly half of the crude oil spilled near Rock River in northwest Iowa over the weekend following a freight train derailment on Friday, BNSF Railway Co said. About 100,000 gallons had been hemmed off using booms out of the estimated 230,000 gallons spilled, BNSF said in a statement on Saturday. The spill has raised concerns about drinking water downstream. The company did not respond to questions on Sunday about the progress of the cleanup.
Baltic Index Edges Down
The Baltic Exchange's main sea freight index fell for the sixth straight session on Monday, dragged down by softer demand across vessel segments.* The overall index, which tracks rates for ships carrying dry bulk commodities, fell 8 points, or 0.6 percent, to 1,333 points. The index fell 7.2 percent last week.* The capesize index fell 10 points, or 0.5 percent, to end at 2,001 points.
Barge Master 3D Motion Compensated Crane for Wagenborg
Wagenborg awarded Barge Master a contract for a second 3D motion compensated crane for its new walk-to-work vessel Kasteelborg. The first motion compensated crane on the Kroonborg has increased the workability from approximately 180 to 330 days per year. “The crane works quite happily in three meter seas,” said Haije Stigter, former program manager at ONEgas/Shell, notes - adding that it “works like a dream.”The Barge Master Crane…
Vard to Build Three Coast Guard Vessels for NDMA
Vard Holdings Limited won a contract to build three coast guard vessels for the Norwegian Defense Materiel Agency (NDMA) in Norway. The value of the contract exceeds $616.5m.The Norwegian Government had originally announced plans for the construction of three new coast guard vessels in September 2016. Following review of offers from three competing yards, Vard Langsten was selected to continue negotiations in October 2017.
