The Emerging U.S. Offshore Wind Industry in a Post-COVID-19 World
Join a webinar on June 17, 2020 for the global release of a major new market study on the depth, breadth and growth prospects of the Offshore Wind Market -- https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_UR5uY1boTOKdAAcAXDbR4gJust when it was looking like the offshore wind industry was finally about to take off in the United States, the COVID-19 pandemic has introduced one more significant layer of uncertainty upon an already very complicated playing field.
COVID-19 & the US Workboat Market: Business Continuity, Not Business as Usual
In today’s environment, the overarching challenge for the American tugboat, towboat and barge industry is to continue transporting the vital commodities that help keep our nation’s economy moving during a highly uncertain time, while taking all necessary measures to ensure the health and safety of our workforce as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve – in other words, to ensure business continuity, while recognizing we are not, nor can we be, going about business as usual.
Market in Focus: Containershipping
The only orders to be placed since the beginning of the year are from OOCL and Great Horse China for a combination of 7 ULCV’s ranging in size. This is a drop of 86% compared to this time last year and can only be due to the Covid-19 outbreak.As the global lockdown intensified through March, rates and values across all sizes fell. We have seen the larger 8,500 TEU tonnage earnings fall by c.40% since the start of the year which has bought values down a considerable amount.
The Nippon Foundation Grant for Work on Unmanned Ship Navigation System
Mitsubishi Shipbuilding Co. and Shin Nihonkai Ferry Co., have successfully applied for grant aid under the "Joint Technological Development Program for the Demonstration of Unmanned Ships" sponsored by The Nippon Foundation.Funding in hand, the companies will co-develop underlying technologies and systems to enable unmanned ship navigation in the future, with the tangible results of the project being…
Fugro Extends IMR Despina Vessel Charter
Norwegian offshore vessel owners Golden Energy Offshore has secured a contract extension for its IMR Despina vessel.The charter extension will take effect in direct continuation of the current contract with Fugro. Golden Energy Offshore did not provide info on the length of the new contract.According to available info, Fugro is currently using the 2011-built IMR Despina for a geotechnical site investigation…
New Zealand to Allow Some Ships, Cruises Still Banned
New Zealand said on Friday that it would allow entry of some maritime vessels as it looks to open up its economy after lifting all coronavirus restrictions earlier this week.Cruise ships and people traveling for leisure, however, will continue to be banned from entering the country, the government said in a statement.New Zealand lifted all social and economic restrictions except border controls after declaring on Monday it was free of the coronavirus, one of the first countries in the world to r
The Wing Group: Greater Than the Sum of Its Parts
Decades of innovation has earned Wing Inflatables its place among top manufacturers of sponsons, tubes, collars and rubber craft. While the company maintains this reputation today, the Wing Group has also grown beyond it after an ownership switch set in motion a number of major changes that have helped to both expand the company and alter its DNA.In past decades, under the leadership of founder and now-former owner Bill Wing…
Insurance Company Launched to Focus on Maritime Cyber Threats
A new insurance services business has been launched to protect maritime companies from cyber threats. Offering risk management, underwriting and analytics, Astaara Company Limited said it aims to modernize this area of the insurance industry."The insurance business is behind the times when it comes to cyber threats to maritime companies. It is only by listening to and responding to what the maritime community needs that you can create a solution that is relevant and necessary…
COVID-19 Weighs on Great Lakes-Seaway Shipping
While St. Lawrence Seaway cargo volumes decreased during the past two months due to economic shifts related to COVID-19, industry leaders said the binational trade and transportation corridor is ready to play its part in the economic recovery efforts in the coming months. Meanwhile, with an increased focus on commodity diversification through project cargo, international shipments of wind energy components in the Great Lakes region are taking off.Overall St.
Bulk Carriers Orders Down 30%
The number of Bulker orders were down 30% for 2020 YTD compared to the same period last year. From the 1st of January 2020 when the Chinese market and shipyards closed due to the pandemic, until today, we have only seen USD 1,037 mil spend in the Bulker NB market, down 35% for the same period in 2019. The Chinese government have now started up the economy again and most of the orders placed are by…
Fincantieri Floats Out Cruise Ship Viking Venus
Viking Venus, the seventh ocean cruise ship which Fincantieri is building for the shipowner Viking, was floated out Thursday at the shipyard in Ancona, Italy. Interior fittings will now begin, leading the vessel to its delivery, scheduled in 2021.As its sister ships, she will have a gross tonnage of about 47,800 tons, 465 cabins with accommodation for 930 passengers.The Viking units are all built according to the latest navigation regulations and equipped with the most modern safety systems…
IMO Head Commends Nigeria's Antipiracy Efforts
The International Maritime Organization (IMO) Secretary-General Kitack Lim commended Nigeria’s antipiracy efforts in the Gulf of Guinea as the West African nation continues to make strides to curb attacks against ships in the world’s top piracy hot spot.Lim said recent actions made by the West African country to restrain piracy in the region “send a strong and valuable message to the international…
USCG Commissions Fast Response Cutter Edgar Culbertson
The U.S. Coast Guard held a commissioning ceremony for the Coast Guard Cutter Edgar Culbertson, the service's 37th fast response cutter, at Sector Field Office Galveston, Texas, Friday.The new 154-foot Sentinel-class Fast Response Cutter (FRC) was built by Bollinger Shipyards and delivered in February.Built to replace the service's 110-foot patrol boats, FRCs have a flank speed of 28 knots, state of the art command…
The Next Generation Takes Ownership in USTC
First financial steps have been made to cement the planned succession process of Torben Østergaard-Nielsen’s global shipping group United Shipping & Trading Company (USTC), based in Middelfart, Denmark.The next generation in the family-owned business, daughters Nina Østergaard Borris and Mia Østergaard Nielsen, have become co-owners via the parent company Selfinvest. In the future, they will take even greater part in the active ownership of the group.With more than 2…
OXE Marine Delivers Its First 300hp Diesel Outboards
Sweden-based OXE Marine said it has delivered its first 300-horsepower diesel outboard engine after it commenced production of the new model in May. After passing rigorous quality tests, the first OXE300 units are now ready to be shipped to customers. The production of OXE300 will ramp up and move to new production facility in July.Designed, tested and produced in house by OXE Marine, the OXE300, derives its power from a three-liter six-cylinder bi-turbo automotive diesel engine.
Container Shipping Hit Hard by US Lockdown -BIMCO
The coronavirus pandemic has shutdown much of the U.S. economy for months and even as parts of it reopen, the data is beginning to reveal the extent of the damage that has been done and a slow recovery is taking a tentative shape.The second estimate for gross domestic product (GDP) in the first quarter shows a 5% contraction from the previous quarter, and just 0.2% growth from the first quarter of 2019.
UK Gov't Urged to Exempt All Offshore Workers from Quarantine Restrictions
A group comprising five offshore energy industry associations has called for the UK Government to exempt all offshore energy sector workers from the 14-day quarantine restrictions introduced on June 8.The group that calls itself the global Offshore Industry Group, comprises International Association of Drilling Contractors (IADC), International Association of Geophysical Contractors (IAGC), International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA)…
Gladding-Hearn Delivers New Launch to Virginia Pilots
The Virginia Pilot Association has taken delivery of a Chesapeake Class MK II launch from Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding, its ninth pilot boat built by the Somerset, Mass., shipyard since 1983.The Virginia pilots’ new launch Richmond incorporates the performance benefits of Volvo Penta’s IPS three-pod system and Humphree interceptors. “The combination of the Volvo Penta IPS system and the Humphree interceptors produces lower sound levels and improved comfort and higher speed…
Alfa Laval Unveils Scrubber for Smaller Ships
Alfa Laval introduced its PureSOx Express, a new version of its open-loop scrubber system delivered as a fully enclosed module and specifically designed for use on board smaller ships.Adapted for a simple and cost-efficient fit, the new system is engineered to reduce the investment cost, engineering time and physical work of installing a SOx scrubber on board vessels such as handymax bulkers or product tankers…
Shannon Buys Ardent's Australian Subsidiary
The Ardent Group sold its Australian subsidiary Ardent Oceania Pty Ltd to its managing director Drew Shannon. It will continue as an independent company under the new name United Salvage Pty Ltd.Ardent, a maritime emergency management and wreck removal company created by the 2015 merger of salvage divisions of Svitzer and Crowley, announced last month it will no longer enter into new contracts from May 2020.In April…
