China coal province to Cut pollution by 20 pct by 2020
One of China's top coal-producing provinces has vowed to slash its level of fine particle pollution by one-fifth by 2020, the official Xinhua news agency reported on Saturday…
China's Ying Kou Port Group chairman sentenced to 14 years for bribery
The chairman of China's Ying Kou Port Group was sentenced to 14 years in prison for accepting around 26.8 million yuan ($3.86 million) in bribes, said the official Xinhua news agency on Saturday.
WWL unease over what 2017 might have in store!

It creates a certain unease over what 2017 might have in store for us, given that the words have gotten bigger and the tone sharper in both political and diplomatic dialogue across the globe. It certainly makes practicing the dark art of making predictions of the future even more terrifying than usual. However, there are a few topics that appear more than certain to be part of the 2017 tapestry than others.
4 People, Dog Rescued 290 miles off Savannah

Four people and a dog were rescued from a sailboat approximately 290-miles off the coast of Savannah, Georgia, Wednesday. Members of Coast Guard Sector Charleston were notified by Boat U.S., that the 38-foot sailboat Luna C. suffered engine failure and damage to the sailboat’s mast, Wednesday. Watchstanders at Sector Charleston used the Coast Guard’s Automated Mutual-Assistance Vessel Rescue System (AMVER), to contact the crew of the Jennifer Schepers, a 590-foot Liberian flagged container ship.
Shipping Lines CEO Meet at Busan Port to Attract Int’l Passengers

Busan Port Authority (BPA, president WOO Ye-jong) stated that BPA held a meeting for KOR·JPN passenger liners(six companies) and Busan Tourism Organization on the 30th in order to attract more international passengers to the Busan Port. The meeting aims to vitalize the local tourism industry which is stagnated from domestic economic recession and boom of low cost carrier. BPA plans to continue its…
Ingalls to Build NSC 9 for USCG

Huntington Ingalls Industries’ (NYSE:HII) Ingalls Shipbuilding division has received a $486 million fixed-price incentive contract from the U.S. Coast Guard to build a ninth National Security Cutter. “With the experience and knowledge our shipbuilders bring to this program, I am confident NSC 9 will be another great ship and continue the great success on this program,” said Ingalls Shipbuilding President Brian Cuccias.
New CEO for Antwerp Port Authority as from January 1st

Jacques Vandermeiren is Chief Executive Officer and President of the Executive Committee of Antwerp Port Authority as of 1 January 2017. Until January 2015 Vandermeiren was CEO and President of the Executive Committee of the network operator Elia, a listed company, where he held various management positions since joining it in 2001. Before that he worked for 11 years as Senior Advisor Strategy Direction with the energy company Electrabel.
TFI Acquires National Fast Freight

TFI International Inc., formerly known as TransForce Inc., a North American leader in the transportation and logistics industry, has announced that a wholly-owned subsidiary of TFI International has acquired Brampton, Ontario based National Fast Freight (NFF) from Calyx Transportation Group, Inc. Founded in 1992, NFF is a non-asset Canadian-based transportation company providing LTL intermodal services across Canada.
Hamburg Mulls Navigation Channel Expansion

The adjustment of the navigation channel on the Lower and Outer Elbe is the most important strategic expansion project for the Port of Hamburg. In view of the rapidly growing ships, Hamburg is dependent on adapting its seaward access to this technical development in the long term. This is the only way to ensure that Hamburg can be called at economically viable conditions and that its port remains competitive.
HPH Trust Acquires Major Stake in Huizhou Terminal

Hong Kong Container port business trust Hutchison Port Holdings Trust (HPH Trust) has reached an agreement to purchase a majority stake in Huizhou International Container Terminals Limited (HICT) in Guangdong from the trust’s sponsor for about $86.26m. HPH Trust will acquire 65% and 15% of HITC equity interest, respectively through its subsidiaries, Yantian International Container Terminals (Phase III) Limited (YICT III) and Shenzhen Pingyan Multimodal Company Limited (PML).
Wagenborg's Acquired Vessels Undergoing Paint Job

Ziltborg and Zaanborg, the third and the fourth of seven general cargo vessels acquired by Dutch shipowner and operator Royal Wagenborg earlier this year, are currently undergoing a paint job at Royal Niestern Sander shipyard in the Netherlands. "Today, Royal Wagenborg acquired m.v. Vliediep as the forth out of seven vessels. Earlier the m.v. Zijlborg, m.v. Leuveborg and m.s. Ziltborg were already added to the Wagenborg fleet.
Maersk to Shut Down Denmark's Largest Gas Field

Maersk Oil said that production from the Tyra field was likely to cease in 2018 as efforts to find an “economically viable solution” for full recovery had not been found. "Maersk Oil has today issued a notification to the Danish gas market. This notification announces that an economically viable solution for full recovery of the remaining resources in the Tyra field has not yet been identified, and that production from the Tyra field is consequently expected to cease 1 October 2018…
FMC and Technip to Complete Merger in January

USA subsea equipment firm FMC Technologies and French engineering company Technip have jointly announced that they expect their merger to be formally complete by January 16. Houston-based FMC and Paris-based Technip will form a new entity called TechnipFMC. Their planned amalgamation was first announced in May. The parties also announced the filing of a Delaware certificate of merger pursuant to which…
US Rig Count Recovers to Near Year-ago Levels

The U.S. oil rig count ended 2016 just below year-ago levels as drillers added rigs this week as part of the biggest recovery since a global oil glut crushed the market over two years. Drillers added two oil rigs in the week to Dec. 30, bringing the total count up to 525, the most since December 2015 and 11 shy of the 536 rigs seen at the end of 2015, energy services firm Baker Hughes Inc said on Friday.
Port Infrastructure and the Role of Government

We are in the midst of a revolution over port infrastructure. This revolution is not about the role of ports as silent engines for our economy and the need for better intermodal infrastructure. Rather, it is about why governments – local, state and federal – believe ports exist, and whether or not public and private entities, other than those directly responsible for ports, should help build or improve port infrastructure and their intermodal connectors.
Great Ships of 2016: Seri Camellia

Since it started publishing in 1939, Maritime Reporter & Engineering News has recognized excellence in ship construction. Seri Camellia is the first in a series of five 150,200 cu. m. Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) MOSS-Type LNG carriesr built for MISC Berhad (MISC), ordered from Hyundai Heavy Industries Co., Ltd. (HHI). Upon delivery, these new LNG Carriers will be chartered to PETRONAS for the next 15 years.
Marine Battery Systems Come of Age

Saft’s Seanergy Marine Battery System offers a different way forward in the quest for reduced emissions in marine propulsion. Discovering new means to reduce emissions and improve energy efficiencies are top-of-mind for all companies in today’s day and age. The Paris Climate Deal, initiated nearly a year ago, is just one example of the world coming together to combat global warming. In the marine industry…
Great Ships of 2016: Milos

Since it started publishing in 1939, Maritime Reporter & Engineering News has recognized excellence in ship construction. Milos is the first vessel in a series of two Suezmax Crude Oil Tanker, built by SungDong Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering for Kyklades Maritime Corporation. The vessel is built under the survey of Lloyd’s Register and designed in accordance with IACS Common Structure Rule(CSR).
W. Africa Crude-Trading Quiet, Nigerian Delays Dampen Demand
Oil futures were on track for their biggest annual gains since 2009 despite intraday losses, aided by OPEC's agreement to cut production from early next year. Still…
Russia Resumes Liftings from Novorossiisk
Russian oil pipeline monopoly Transneft said it had resumed oil loadings from the Black Sea port of Novorossiisk on Friday morning after a storm. Transneft also…