2M Alliance's NO to Hyundai Merchant

Danish shipper Maersk Line, part of A.P. Moller-Maersk, said it is no longer considering Hyundai Merchant Marine for membership in the group, reports Reuters. This is a major blow to the troubled Korean shipping company. Membership in 2M Alliance would have guaranteed HMM a steady income during one of the industry’s worst down-cycles and cut annual operating expenses by sharing ships, networks and port calls.
Cabo Verde’s Regional Maritime Security Role Discussed

A recent visit to Cabo Verde November 30 to December 6 by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) provided an opportunity to meet various government agencies involved with maritime security and discuss the country’s future role in regional maritime security activities. Cabo Verde announced its intention to host the MultiNational Centre of Coordination (for Cabo Verde, Gambia, Guinea Bissau, Mali…
Neptune Lines Sees Savings from Hempaguard

Neptune Lines reduces fuel consumption and emissions with Hempaguard. Finished vehicle transportation company Neptune Lines has a reputation for fast and on-time deliveries. Keeping to schedule means the company’s fleet of Pure Car & Truck Carriers (PCTCs) must always be able to operate at top speed. Thanks to Hempaguard hull coatings, Neptune Lines’ PCTCs can not only meet its delivery targets, but also consume less fuel and produce lower emissions.
Guinea Workshop Plays Through Maritime Security Measures

Piracy, armed robbery and border security scenarios are being played out in a table top exercise for officials in Conakry, Guinea (6-8 December). The International Maritime Organization (IMO)-led event is the latest in a long series of exercises held in the West Africa region to promote security measures in IMO treaties, particularly the SOLAS chapter XI-2 and ISPS Code. Further scenarios include threats to cruise ships…
Verifavia Performs Audit for Dynacom

Verifavia, the world’s leading emissions verification company for the transport sector (aviation and shipping), has commenced a ‘pre-verification GAP-Analysis’ audit for Greek-based Dynacom Tankers Management Ltd. (Dynacom). The tanker operator is taking proactive steps to meeting the requirements of the EU’s Monitoring, Reporting and Verification (MRV) Regulation (2015/757), which came into force on 1st July 2015.
Gulfstream Wins DHS Ferry Contract

Gulfstream Shipbuilding won a contract through the United States Department of Homeland Security for a passenger/vehicle ferry to service the New York and Connecticut waters. This 118 x 27 x 10.75 ft. crew boat-style vessel will be capable of transporting passengers, freight and vehicles in and around the waters of the Eastern Long Island Sound and Gardiner’s Bay. The vessel has an expected delivery date of April 2017.
U.S. House Passes Compromise WIN Act

Bill includes construction authorization for Charleston Harbor Deepening Project. Today's passage of S.612, the Water Infrastructure Improvement for the Nation Act (WIIN), formerly known as Water Resources Development Act (WRDA), by the U.S. House of Representatives, moves the Charleston Harbor Deepening Project closer to securing the authorization necessary to begin construction. "We applaud the House for passing this legislation before the end of the year…
Radio Holland Turns 100

Radio Holland Group (Rotterdam) celebrated its 100th anniversary in the maritime shipping industry. The event took place on board of the historical ship ss Rotterdam, in the port of Rotterdam where Radio Holland also has its headquarters. Paul Smulders, CEO of Radio Holland, welcomed the Mayor of Rotterdam, Ing. A. Aboutaleb and presented the Mayor with the first edition of the book ‘A century Radio Holland, 1916-2016’. Paul Smulders, CEO of Radio Holland says: "Radio Holland is 100 years young!
Crowley Scholarships for USMMA Cadets

Crowley Maritime awarded six U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA) cadets with Thomas B. Crowley Memorial Scholarships during the Containerization and Intermodal Institute’s Connie Awards luncheon in Newark, N.J. Crowley’s Jenny Terpenning, supervisor, marine recruiting, presented the scholarships to Midshipmen (MIDN) Stacee Glass, Connor Sexton, John Terselic, Tanner Evans, Dylan Rabbitt, and Chandler Chiappe…
General Dynamics wins U.S. Navy Design Deal
The U.S. Navy has awarded General Dynamics Bath Iron Works, a subsidiary of General Dynamics (NYSE: GD), a $59 million contract for the continuation of Arleigh Burke…
USCG Type Approved Technology For BWC Seaforth Mobile BWMS

Ballast Water Containers has announced its patent pending BWC SEAFORTH and BWC BUTE mobile ballast water management systems, are now available with full US Coast Guard type approved technologies including industry leading components from manufacturers Optimarin & Wartsila. According to its manufacturer, the USCG type approved technologies make the BWC products the world’s first mobile ballast water management solutions suitable for guaranteed compliance worldwide.
Nautican Brings New Facility, Jobs to Summerside

A former Montague resident, Elizabeth Reynolds Boyd has always been looking for a way to give back to her home province. The respected naval architect and owner of Nautican Research and Development joined Premier Wade MacLauchlan and Babcock Canada Vice President Jake Jacobson to announce a new advanced marine technology presence in Summerside. The Nautican, Babcock, and provincial partnership province…
Robert Allan Inks Contract with Uzmar Shipyard

Robert Allan Ltd. has announced the signing of a contract during the recent International Workboat Show in New Orleans, USA. Robert Allan Ltd. and Uzmar Shipyard signed documents commencing a new high performance escort tug project. Uzmar has now built over 90 Robert Allan designed tugs and workboats since the first project in 1996, ranging in size from 15m aluminium catamarans, to 36m escort tugs, to 46m shallow draft pushboats.
Ship Engineers Receive Prison Sentences for Pollution Crimes
Cassius Samson, 52, and Rustico Ignacio, 66, both of the Philippines, were sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Malcolm Howard for the Eastern District of North…
Shipping Traffic Resumes in Bosphorus Strait

Traffic in Turkey's Bosphorus Strait, an important international shipping lane for oil and grain, resumed on Thursday after a brief suspension triggered by a bulk carrier suffering an engine malfunction, shipping agent GAC said. GAC said the Marshall Islands-flagged, 225-metre vessel, identified as M/V Anna Smile Forward, had engine malfunction, forcing the transit traffic in the strait to be closed at 12.25 am (0925 GMT).
JERA Buys First-ever U.S. LNG Cargo

Japan's JERA Co, the world's biggest importer of liquefied natural gas (LNG), on Thursday said it made its first-ever purchase of LNG from the lower 48 U.S. states, as part of its goal to diversify supplies. JERA, a fuel joint venture between Tokyo Electric Power and Chubu Electric Power, said it bought the LNG from Cheniere Marketing International LLP, but did not give pricing details. Loading of…
China's Commodity Party Could Create Lingering Hangover

China has thrown the world's commodity producers and traders a massive party in the last few months, as evidenced by robust figures for November's imports of crude oil, iron ore and coal among others. But as all partygoers know, sooner or later the festivities come to an end, and the longer the party continues the more severe the hangover tends to be. China imports of iron ore jumped to the third highest on record…
Asia Dry Bulk-Capesize Rates Sliding as Overcapacity Weighs

Capesize rates 26-33 pct higher than a year ago, but could fall towards Chinese New Year. Freight rates for large capesize dry cargo ships on key Asian routes may fall further next week as prospects for a pre-Christmas rally fade with ship supply outpacing cargo demand, ship brokers said. With Christmas and New Year holidays looming, rates could drop for at least the next six weeks until after Chinese New Year at the end of January, brokers said.
UK Royal Navy Contracts SEA for Sonar Support

Cohort plc company SEA won a contract by the UK Ministry of Defense (UK MoD) to provide support to a range of UK Royal Navy acoustic and sonar underwater systems fitted to the surface and sub-surface fleets. The two year deal to deliver the MoD Underwater Systems Architecture Advisory Service (USAAS) combines all Maritime Combat System Underwater Electronic Warfare (MCS-UEW) sonar support and advice requirements within a single program for the first time.
GSM Tariff Launched for RockFLEET Dual-Mode Vessel Tracking System

Iridium satcom specialist Rock Seven has launched a new fixed monthly GSM tariff for users of its dual-mode vessel tracking system, RockFLEET. The new £10/month subscription covers all vessel tracking and M2M (Machine-to-Machine) data transmitted over GSM networks by the RockFLEET system when operating within GSM coverage. As standard the RockFLEET system provides vessel GPS location reports at user-defined intervals using the global Iridium satellite Short Burst Data (SBD) service…