How Venezuela Lost Three Supertankers to Its Chinese Partner
A shipping joint venture between Venezuela and China has fallen apart in the wake of U.S. sanctions, resulting in the South American nation losing three supertankers at a time when foreign shippers are reluctant to carry its oil, court documents show.PetroChina Co Ltd, which had been state-run Petroleos de Venezuela’s partner in the Singapore-based joint venture CV Shipping Pte Ltd, took control of the three tankers between January and February…
Beirut Container Terminal Resumes Operations
Container lines have resumed calls to Beirut after last week's explosion, with the terminal having sustained only minor damage, leading companies said on Tuesday.The August 4 blast in Beirut's port, which killed more than 160 people and injured 6,000 more, demolished entire neighborhoods of Lebanon's capital in seconds.Container lines diverted ships to Lebanon’s smaller port of Tripoli to keep vital…
Tug Pair Launched for Boluda Towage Europe
Two new tugs launched last month at the Damen Song Cam Shipyard in Vietnam are due to enter service for Boluda Towage Europe at the Port of Zeebrugge in December. The new tugs will be named VB Bolero and VB Rumba and will join Boluda Towage Europe's fleet currently comprising 81 tugs operating in Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany and the United Kingdom.The highly maneuverable Damen ASD Tugs 2813 each…
Uber Boat Launches in London
Uber is taking to the water in London. Earlier this month the international ride-hailing company marked the start of a partnership with water taxi operator Thames Clippers to provide its services on the River Thames.The first vessel donning Uber Boat by Thames Clippers branding set sail on August 3 as part of a fleet of 20 passenger vessels departing from 23 piers across London from Putney in the west to Woolwich Royal Arsenal in the east.Uber is rolling out the service on its app…
Norden Orders Two More Bulk Carriers at NACKS
Norden announced Tuesday it has added two bulk carriers to an existing newbuilding contract with shipbuilder Nantong Cosco Khi Ship Engineering Co. (NACKS), taking the total order to six vessels.The Danish shipowner said it has already sold two of the six vessels on sale and lease back terms, freeing up liquidity. The newbuilds are scheduled to be delivered from 2022.In addition, Norden said it bought a secondhand 2014 built Supramax bulk carrier scheduled to join its fleet in September.
Containership Allides With Pier in Manila
A 5,593-gross-ton containership Ocean Abundance allided with a dock in Manila, causing significant damage to the vessel's hull and the pier.The Philippine-flagged feeder box ship, owned by Oceanic Container Lines Incorporated, rammed and damaged approximately five to 10 meters of Pier 2, North Harbor, Manila at around 3:10 a.m. on Monday, according to the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG).The ship's crew…
Nevsky Shipyard Launches New Ferry Pavel Leonov
Russia's Nevsky Shipyard has launched the second and final cargo-passenger vessel as part of the PV22 project.The newbuild Pavel Leonov, launched on August 6, is the second vessel in the series of two dry cargo-passenger vessel carriers ordered by Sakhalinlizingflot in August 2018. The series' lead vessel, Admiral Nevelskoy, was launched in May.The 75-meter-long vessels are each designed to transport 146 passengers…
Who Owned the Chemicals that Blew up Beirut? No One Will Say
In the murky story of how a cache of highly explosive ammonium nitrate ended up on the Beirut waterfront, one thing is clear—no one has ever publicly come forward to claim it.There are many unanswered questions surrounding last week's huge, deadly blast in the Lebanese capital, but ownership should be among the easiest to resolve.Clear identification of ownership, especially of a cargo as dangerous as that carried by the Moldovan-flagged Rhosus when it sailed into Beirut seven years ago…
Aussie Pumps Wins Korean Navy Contract
A Sydney base pump manufacturer and defense contractor has won a contract, to supply 3” engine drive salvage pumps for the Republic Of Korea Navy. The pumps are unique and have application not only in Korea, but in warships and support vessels throughout the world."The original requirement was for a lightweight portable diesel drive salvage pump, capable of handling saltwater,” said Chief Engineer, John Hales.
Phoenix Launches LED Floodlight for Pilot, Fire and Patrol Boats
US-based manufacturer Phoenix Lighting has introduced the Sturdilite Master Series - a low-voltage LED floodlight for installation on pilot, fire and patrol boats.The Master Series is IP69K rated and features a super heavy-duty, stainless steel harp to withstand significant and continuous shock and vibration. The durable yet compact fixture has been tested for frequency disturbances and was determined…
Solstad Nabs More Work for Offshore Vessel Trio in Australia
Norwegian offshore vessel owner Solstad Offshore has secured more work for three of its offshore vessels in Australia, following a recently announced deal with BP.As previously reported, Solstad offshore earlier in August said BP would use two anchor handling tug and supply vessels Normand Saracen and Far Senator, along with the platform supply vessel Normand Leader to support its Ironbark drilling campaign.
Bulk Carrier that Spilled Oil in Mauritius Passed Annual Checks
A Japanese bulk carrier that ran aground off Mauritius and has leaked at least an estimated 1,000 tonnes of oil, passed the latest annual inspection in March with no problems, Japan's ClassNK inspection body said on Tuesday.The ship, MV Wakashio, is owned by Nagashiki Shipping and operated by Mitsui OSK Lines Ltd.Mitsui OSK said earlier on Tuesday it had set up a task force and was cooperating with the authorities in Japan and Mauritius.The company said it was preparing to dispatch personnel to
Four New Barges Launched for Canada's MTS
Four new 90-meter oil/deck cargo barges for Canada's Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) Marine Transportation Services (MTS) have been launched by Nanjing Jinling Shipyard, in Nanjing, China.The first barge MTS 3501 was launched on June 16, followed by barge MTS 3502 launched on June 22 and barges MTS 3503 and MTS 3504 launched on June 28.The barges will undergo final testing and touch…
Royal Caribbean Eyes COVID-19 Testing to Help Restart Cruises
Royal Caribbean Group said on Monday testing passengers for COVID-19 was “very likely” going to be part of a new set of safety measures planned to get its ships to resume sailing after months of being docked.The company’s shares rose as much as 11% in early trading.“We have not yet reached a point in our protocols where we’re ready to publish and release for discussion. But it’s very likely that testing will occur…
Brokers Calculate Marine Insurance Losses from Beirut Blast
Insurance claims for damage to ships, goods and the port itself after a warehouse explosion last week in the port of Beirut were likely to total less than $250 million, reinsurance broker Guy Carpenter said on Monday.Overall insured losses - including property damage - from the August 4 port warehouse detonation of more than 2,000 tonnes of ammonium nitrate may reach around $3 billion, sources told Reuters last week.The explosion killed at least 163 people…
Lebanon's Leaders Were Warned in July About Explosives at Port
Lebanese security officials warned the prime minister and president last month that 2,750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate stored in Beirut’s port posed a security risk and could destroy the capital if it exploded, according to documents seen by Reuters and senior security sources.Just over two weeks later, the industrial chemicals exploded in a massive blast that obliterated most of the port, killed at least 163 people…
IMO Updates Virtual Meetings Calendar
The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has published its remote meetings calendar for the rest of 2020 after its initial agenda of IMO Council and Committees sessions was scrapped due to the coronavirus pandemic.The first scheduled meeting is set to be a simultaneous, remote extraordinary sessions of all Committees (expected to be held 16-18 September), to address procedural matters. This follows decisions of the IMO Council's thirty second extraordinary session (summary here C.ES 32)…
Wakashio Oil Leak Stops as Mauritius Braces for 'Worst Case Scenario'
A Japanese ship that ran aground on a reef off Mauritius two weeks ago has now stopped leaking oil into the Indian Ocean but the island nation must still prepare for "a worst case scenario", Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth said late on Monday.Conservationists said they were starting to find dead fish as well as seabirds covered in oil, increasing fears of an ecological catastrophe despite a massive…
Singapore Launches New Patrol Boats
The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) said it launched eight new patrol vessels to help ensure navigational safety and enhance the protection of the marine environment in the Port of Singapore.Six new 17-meter vessels replace the existing fleet of patrol craft, which had been in service since 2012, plus two new 15-meter patrol launches have been acquired for flag and port state control inspections…
Anxious Mauritians Use Hair to Stem Wakashio Oil Spill
Mauritians are making floating booms of human hair and leaves in a round-the-clock scramble to mop up oil leaking from a grounded Japanese ship onto their pristine Indian Ocean beaches.The MV Wakashio, owned by the Nagashiki Shipping Company and operated by Mitsui OSK Line, began oozing fuel into turquoise sea waters last week after hitting a reef off the island.Mauritius has declared a state of emergency…
