Ship Power: WinGD Debuts X-DF2.0 Technology
As shipowners mull ‘the fuel of the future’ and eye ever-stricter emission mandates from the International Maritime Organization, companies throughout the ship design, construction and supply chain continue to innovate to deliver optimum fuel efficiency and emission reduction.Today WinGD unveiled a new technology development to its dual fuel line of engines, a technology designed to significantly cut methane slip…
Weary Sailors Pose Risk to World Merchant Fleet -Kitack Lim
Hundreds of thousands of weary seafarers stuck on ships for many months and unable to go home due to the coronavirus pose a risk to the safe operation of the world’s merchant fleet, the UN’s shipping chief said on Tuesday.About 90% of world trade is transported by sea and continued complications with changing over ship crews due to restrictions in some jurisdictions is still affecting supply chains despite an easing of lockdown in many parts of the world.Kitack Lim…
Suez Canal Ship Transits Rise Amid COVID-19
Transits through the Suez Canal, the beating heart of the Egyptian economy, have stayed remarkably resilient to the fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic if judging by total transits of the three commercial shipping sectors which are up 8% year-on-year. This is despite bleak economic growth prospects world-wide following the pandemic, and highlights that shipping remains the backbone of the global economy.It is often said that a picture says more than 1…
Long-term Charters for Solstad Offshore Anchor Handlers in Brazil
Norwegian offshore vessel owner Solstad Offshore has secured long-term charters for two of its anchor handling tug and supply vessels in Brazil.Solstad said Tuesday that Petrobras had chartered its AHTS vessels Far Sagaris and Far Statesman for a period of three years.Petrobras will use the anchor handlers to support its exploration and production activities on the Brazilian continental shelf. "Both…
Eidesvik Equips Fleet with Energy Efficiency Software
The Norwegian offshore shipowner Eidesvik has signed a contract with Yxney Maritime for the use of Yxney's Maress energy efficiency software on its vessels, as a step towards further emissions reduction.Maress is a cloud-based system using available data produced by the vessels to create insight and transparency about the fuel consumption and emissions from operations. As part of the agreement, the…
Pilot Dies after Fighter Jet Crashes in North Sea
A US Air Force F-15 fighter jet pilot died in an accident Monday after crashing into the North Sea, off Flamborough Head, UK.Immediately after the crash, a search and rescue operation was launched for the pilot of a United States military aircraft from RAF Lakenheath base.However, on Monday evening local time, the U.S. Airforce 48th Fighter Wing division said the pilot had been found and confirmed deceased, and the UK coast guard said the SAR had been called off.
ABB's Hybrid Power and Propulsion for Færøysund Live Fish Carrier
ABB will provide a hybrid power and propulsion solution with integral energy storage for the under-construction Færøysund live fish carrier.This will be the first live fish carrier to feature ABB hybrid power and propulsion solution with integral energy storage.The 77m-long diesel-electric vessel is being built at the Aas Mek. Verksted AS shipyard in Vestnes, Norway, for Nova Sea Service AS, one of Norway’s largest producers of Atlantic farmed salmon.
2nd Wind Marine Reveals Design for U.S. Offshore Wind Feeder Vessel
Louisiana-based company 2nd Wind Marine plans to design, finance, build and operate two Jones-Act-compliant jack-up vessels aimed at the growing U.S. offshore wind market. The company has this week revealed the SuperFeeder design for the vessel planned to be used for transporting next-generation offshore wind turbines from the US marshaling ports out to awaiting wind turbine installation vessels."The MiNO Marine SuperFeeder design being built in coordination with 2nd Wind Marine is a modern…
Van Oord to Lay Off 500 Employees
Dutch offshore and dredging contractor Van Oord said Tuesday it would lay off 500 people, citing effects of COVID-19 on its business.Van Oord said: "As a company operating on a global scale, COVID-19 is having a major impact on our business. Market conditions in the dredging industry are under pressure and the volatility in oil- and gas prices also triggers a decrease of offshore field services. Consequently…
Merchent Named CEO of VT Halter Marine
ST Engineering North America, Inc. announced Monday that Robert "Bob" L. Merchent has been named President and CEO of VT Halter Marine, Inc. He replaces outgoing President and CEO, Ron Baczkowski.Much of Merchent's career was spent at Ingalls Shipbuilding, where he advanced through multiple positions of ever-increasing responsibility, leading programs critical to both the business and the U.S. Navy, culminating his career there as the Vice President, Surface Combatants, Fleet Services and U.S.
Scania USA Expands Territory for Mack Boring
Scania USA Announces Expansion of Marine Territory for Distributor, Mack Boring & Parts Company. Effective August 1, Mack Boring & Parts Co. will assume additional marine territory in the Great Lakes Region of the United States to include Northern Illinois and Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Northern Ohio and Wisconsin.Mack Boring & Parts Co. currently represents Scania’s latest marine platform…
Iran Plans to Continue Shipping Gasoline to Venezuela
Iran could send two to three cargoes a month in regular gasoline sales to ally Venezuela, sources say, helping offload domestic oversupply but risking retaliation from U.S.
Bulk Carrier Crewmember Medevaced near Puerto Rico
A crewmember suffering from abdominal pain was medevaced from the 653-feet bulk carrier ship Yasa Jupiter Saturday, approximately 60 nautical miles northeast of San Juan, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Coast Guard said.The Coast Guard said its watchstanders at Sector San Juan received the medevac request from the Marshall Islands flagged ship on Friday night.The Yasa Jupiter was sailing from Morocco to Panama…
New Guidance for Carrying Methanol on OSVs
The carriage of methanol in bulk is becoming common in the offshore oil and gas industry, and although there is technical documentation on methanol handling, guidance for offshore carriage by sea is limited. Methanol is a hazardous chemical with significant toxic, flammable, and reactive properties that can adversely affect human health and the environment when not properly handled.A new information…
Bureau Veritas Opens Additional Remote Survey Centers
As maritime firms turn to remote vessel and equipment surveys to continue business operations amid the coronavirus pandemic, classification society Bureau Veritas announced it has opened two additional sites to further expand its digital classification delivery capabilities. The recently opened remote survey centers in Dubai, U.A.E. and Istanbul, Turkey are part of Bureau Veritas' strategy to deploy a 24/7 remote survey offer worldwide.
Video: Stellar Banner Scuttled
The 340-meter-long very large ore carrier (VLOC) Stellar Banner has been scuttled off the coast of Brazil after being declared a total loss due to extensive hull damage suffered during a grounding incident.The 300,660 dwt vessel, owned and operated by the South Korean company Polaris Shipping, ran aground while carrying iron ore bound for China from Vale's terminal in Maranhão in February. The 2016-built Stellar Banner began listing heavily but did not capsize…
COVID-19 Slams Vehicle Carrier Market
COVID-19 has hit the vehicle carrier market hard. The world vehicle demand has dropped by c.35%. Consequently, shipping these vehicles has fallen considerably.The only order to take place earlier this year is one from NYK line for a large LCTC for $95 million.No deals have taken place since the beginning of the year, this is a figure we have not seen historically. A break of five months on the S&P side of things in the Vehicle carrier market.
JRC/Alphatron Names Kortsmit GM for Key Accounts
Vessel bridge solutions provider JRC/Alphatron Marine said it has appointed Jeroen Kortsmit as Group General Manager Key Accounts as of July 1, 2020.Kortsmit will be responsible for the worldwide expansion and management of the company's customer relationship in the fields of customer satisfaction, maintenance agreements, digital services like e-learning as well as remote maintenance and support. He…
Fire Breaks Out Aboard French Nuclear Submarine
Fire broke out onboard a nuclear submarine docked at the Mediterranean port of Toulon on Friday and was still raging but under control by afternoon, local officials said.Nobody was hurt and no nuclear materials or weapons were on board the vessel, the Perle, which is in dry dock for repairs, the prefecture said in a statement.“The fire is under control. It will not spread, but it has not yet been put out…
Great Lakes Shipping Companies Navigate Market Challenges Ahead
For U.S.-flag shipping on the Great Lakes, 2019 was a good year. Total cargos were 90 million net tons, up 7.5% over 2018 and 4.6% over the five-year average. 49.7 million net tons of iron ore were shipped, up 8.5% over 2018 and 11.7% over the five year. Limestone was up 9.7% over 2018 and 10.2% over the five-year average. In 2010 and 2011, coal and limestone were each about 20 million net tons. Since then…
