OCEAN Alliance Launch Announced

CMA CGM, a leading worldwide shipping group, launches Saturday April 1st the 40 new maritime services of its new operational alliance OCEAN Alliance. Combining this new offer of maritime services with a global intermodal and logistics offer, CMA CGM Group and its subsidiaries supply its customers with tailored solutions, even more competitive on the routes Asia-Europe, Asia-Mediterranean, Asia-Red Sea, AsiaâMiddle East, Trans-Pacific, Asia-East Coast of North America trades and Transatlantic.
New Commander at US Navy Installations Command

Vice Adm. Mary M. Jackson relieved Vice Adm. Dixon R. Smith at a change of command ceremony for Commander, Navy Installations Command (CNIC) March 31, at the Washington Navy Yard. The ceremony included the presentation of colors by the U.S. Navy Ceremonial Guard color guard, national anthem by the U.S. Navy Band and remarks from guest speaker, Chief of Naval Operations Adm. John Richardson. "While hereâŚ
New ABS Guide Advances Industry FSRU Development

ABS, a leading provider of classification and technical services to the marine and offshore industries, has published the ABS Guide for Building and Classing LNG Regasification Vessels, outlining guidance for classing LNG regasification vessels. âABS has developed this industry-leading guidance based on extensive experience with the classification of LNG carriers,â says ABS Chairman, President and CEO Christopher J. Wiernicki.
Future of Shipping on the Agenda in Malta

International Maritime Organization (IMO) Secretary-General Kitack Lim joined Ministers responsible for shipping from various EU States and other countries to discuss the future of shipping, at a conference in Valletta, Malta. Speaking at the High Level Ministerial Stakeholder Conference on Maritime Affairs, Mr. Lim highlighted IMOâs key role as the global regulator for international shipping . He emphasized the importance of the industry for future sustainable development around the worldâŚ
MHI Pact for Domestic Shipbuilders on Forming Alliances

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) has reached basic agreements with Imabari Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. and Namura Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. in the wake of ongoing discussions focused on forming alliances in the commercial ship business. Discussions toward concluding a similar alliance with Oshima Shipbuilding continue. The agreements are targeted at achieving sustained growth through the pursuit of mutually complementaryâŚ
APM Terminals Boosts Walmart Hub at Port of Mobile

APM Terminals Mobile welcomes Arkansas-based global retail giant Walmartâs plans for a new International Distribution Center to be opened 15 miles from the port. The sixth of Walmartâs US international distribution centers, the Irvington, Alabama facility will handle Walmartâs import cargoes destined for Walmartâs Regional Distribution Centers in the American South. The recently completed Panama Canal lock widening project will permit vessels of up to 13âŚ
HMM New Service in North China, Korea and Russia

Hyundai Merchant Marine (HMM) announces the launch of a new North China-Korea-Russia weekly service, under the name of âCRN (China Russia North Service)â. The CRN service covers the ports of âQingdao-Shanhai-Ningbo-Pusan-Vladivostok-Vostochny-Pusan-Qingdaoâ and will begin on March 31. HMM will deploy one container ship on the route, and FESCO will place two vessels on the route. HMM has been offeringâŚ
Australia: Melville Assists Daydream Island

More than 400 stranded guests and staff have been rescued from Daydream Island off Queensland, ravaged by Tropical Cyclone Debbie, thanks to the actions of HMAS Melville. The hydrographic ship was operating near Townsville when the cyclone hit the Whitsunday Islands, and followed the tail end of the system through rough seas as Debbie headed south. Melvilleâs Commanding Officer, Commander Neil ChevertonâŚ
Dual-fuel Tanker Delivered to Desgagnés
Desgagnés has taken delivery of the duel-fuel tanker M/T Damia Desgagnés, a brand new vessel recently built in Turkey. A next generation and state-of-the-art asphalt-bitumen-chemical tankerâŚ
Fast Small Ship Simulator

Bouncing over the waves at a speed of 43 knots, the director of the Defense Materiel Organization (DMO) Vice Admiral Arie Jan de Waard, and MARINâs director Bas Buchner, made the first test voyage on the moving âFast Small Ship Simulator.â This FSSS is built by MARIN and SME partners, Cruden and TreeC, as part of a CODEMO project to stimulate the development of a prototype. Vice Admiral De Waard feltâŚ
Op/Ed: Shiphandlers Beware

Was the closing of the Houston Ship Channel for over three days in March 2015 due to the use of Ultra Low Sulphur Fuel Oil (ULSFO)? After reviewing the testimony, and evidentiary material presented by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) regarding the 2015 Conti Peridotâs collision with the Carla Maersk, it is the authors' opinion the report fails to address significant contributing factors. The NTSB has overlooked a serious threat to vessel operations throughout the world.
Simulation: CSMART

While much of the maritime world slumps, the cruise sector is enjoying its most vibrant growth in a generation. Carnival Corporation, in particular, is doing very well as its financial performance is stronger than ever, with 2016 delivering the best year of earnings in company history. The companyâs adjusted earnings for 2016 of $2.6 billion is the best annual financial performance in its 44-year history.
Oldendorff Driving Digital Transformation

Oldendorff Carriers and BMT SMART, a subsidiary of BMT Group, announce a new agreement which has led to the roll out of fleet performance management technology onboard Oldendorff vessels. Based on BMTâs on board data collection system and bespoke shore based management solution SMARTFLEET, this collaboration is centered upon driving down the carbon footprint of each vessel and improving the overall efficiency of the fleet.
Nauta Launches Danish Fishing Trawler

Polish shipyard Nauta Shiprepair Yard launched a partially outfitted fishing vessel for the Dannish client Karstensens Skibsvaerft AS on March 31. Once completed, the new trawler M/V Aine will operate in thw North Sea for its final owner Aine Fishing Company Ltd from Ireland. Like other units of this type, Aine will be equipped with tanks for transporting live fish and modern technical solutions and fishing devices. The vesselâs maximum speed will be 15 knots.
Surveys and Towing Vessels in a Post-SubM World

I ran tugs in the northeast for almost 20 years before I got the bright idea to go out on my own and start a tug company. Previously, I had worked around surveyors, performed a few rudimentary surveys on tugs and barges and then had to hire a surveyor when I found a tug I liked in New England. I quickly learned that words can kill your dream and a boat. I hired a competent surveyor from a respected firm.
Baltic Index Drops as Cyclone Dampens Demand

The Baltic Exchange's main sea freight index, tracking rates for ships carrying dry bulk commodities, fell on Friday as closure of mines and ports in Australia due to a cyclone weighed on demand for capesize vessels. Cyclone Debbie, which struck Queensland this week, caused extensive flooding and social disruption and dampened chartering activity after coal mines were closed. The overall index, which factors in rates for capesizeâŚ
Rosneft Takes First Shipment of Kurdish Oil
Russian state oil giant Rosneft will buy its first shipment of oil from Iraq's Kurdistan in early April, becoming the first oil major to take Kurdish crude directly into its refining systemâŚ
Migrant Shipwreck Death Toll Lowered
Five migrants are believed to have died when a rubber boat sank off the coast of Libya on Tuesday, aid groups said on Friday, adding that reports earlier this weekâŚ
ABS Published FSRU Development Guidance
ABS has published the ABS Guide for Building and Classing LNG Regasification Vessels, outlining guidance for classing LNG regasification vessels. âABS has developedâŚ
Pillarstone Italy Invests to Relaunch Premuda
Pillarstone Italy said on Friday it had finalized the acquisition of 100 percent of Italy's Premuda and would invest 50 million euros ($53.5 million) to supportâŚ