Maritime Reporter @ 75: The Daily Cartoon
Maritime Reporter & Engineering News was founded by John J. O'Malley (1905-1980) in 1939, and today ranks as the world's largest audited trade publication in the world serving the maritime industry, with a circulation of more than 35,000 worldwide, including ship and boat owners, ship and boat builders, naval architects and marine engineers. Today Maritime Reporter heads a group of four print and 10 websites serving the global maritime, offshore and subsea sector.
Strike Could Disrupt Tanker Operations
Tanker operations at Fos and Lavera Fluxel oil terminal may be interrupted today, February 4, following the call by CGT (Confederation generale du travail - France's General Confederation of Labor) for terminal employees to stop work for one hour each end of their shift. The stoppage is subject to each working shift decision. from 1-2 p.m. from 9-10 p.m. from 5-6 a.m. French trade unions have also called for a 24-hour national strike from 6 a.m. on February 6 to 6 a.m. on February 7.
Wachel Joins Parsons Brinckerhoff
William Wachel has been named a Senior Supervising Engineer, Ports and Marine, in the Houston office of Parsons Brinckerhoff, a global infrastructure strategic consulting, engineering, and program/construction management organization. In his new position, Wachel will manage ports and marine projects throughout Texas and the Southeastern United States. Wachel comes to Parsons Brinckerhoff following 25 years with the Port of Houston Authority.
Amphibious Ship America Runs Successful Trials
The amphibious assault ship America (LHA 6) returned to Huntington Ingalls Industries' (HII) Ingalls Shipbuilding division Friday following successful acceptance sea trials in the Gulf of Mexico. Ingalls' test and trials team successfully demonstrated more than 220 test events to the U.S. Navy's board of inspection and survey (INSURV). "It was a proud three days at sea, and America proved she is a quality ship," said LHA 6 Program Manager George Jones.
Iridium Launches Portable Satellite Hotspot
Iridium Communications Inc. today announced Iridium GO!, the industry’s first portable satellite hotspot that connects to any smartphone or tablet, dramatically extending voice and data coverage for personal devices when they are out of range of cellular networks. Iridium GO! creates a satellite-backed Wi-Fi zone anywhere on the planet, enabling up to five smartphones to make calls, get their email, text and use some apps, even when terrestrial networks are non-existent, unreliable or costly.
ISS Appoints Mackay Senior VP, Africa
Inchcape Shipping Services (ISS), the world’s leading maritime services provider, has appointed David Mackay as Senior Vice President for its Africa region. Based in Mombasa, Kenya, David will have operational management responsibility for eight countries in the region, with ambitious plans for more country openings in the coming year. As part of a strategic geographical realignment, Africa has now been designated by ISS as a specific region its own right…
Chesapeake Offers New Survey Interface
Chesapeake Technology Inc. (CTI), a world leader in real-time sonar acquisition and GIS based processing software for seafloor mapping, is pleased to announce a new 24-bit analog sub-bottom SonarWiz interface (SBP24) for high resolution geophysical surveys. SBP24 provides extremely high resolution 24-bit data at sample rates from 10-100 kHz per channel for up to two channels over a standard USB 2.0 interface. Digitized data is stored in standard SEGY floating point format.
Euronav Completes Maersk VLCC Financing
In early January 2014, Euronav announced the acquisition of 15 Very Large Crude Carriers (VLCC) from Maersk Tankers Singapore Pte Ltd. for a total acquisition price of $980 million (USD), the executive committee of Euronav NV now announce that it has issued a $235 million seven-year bond to the same investors who participated in the capital increase of January 13, 2014, and it has signed a commitment letter for a $500 million senior secured credit facility with DNB Bank ASA…
FMC Commissioner Doyle Announces China VAT Issue Webcast
New explanation issued from China on definition of “agents” in Circular 106. Industry briefing scheduled for March 6, 2014 concerning the latest information on China’s…
Jacquelin Named Willard Marketing Director
Willard Marine announced the appointment of Karen Jacquelin as director of marketing earlier today. Jacquelin will be responsible for leading Willard Marine’s product and brand marketing strategy, including all advertising, public relations and event marketing initiatives. She will be based out of the company’s corporate offices in Anaheim, Calif. Jacquelin brings more than 20 years of integrated brand advertising, marketing, and business development experience to Willard Marine.
Damen Patrol Vessel Deployed Offshore Nigeria
Homeland Integrated Offshore Services Limited (HIOSL) has taken delivery of a Damen FCS 3307 Patrol, to be deployed offshore Nigeria, in the next few weeks. Established in 2006, HIOSL serves the Nigerian oil and gas industry with a wide range of maritime, security and logistics services. The Lagos headquartered company has ambitious plans to become the leading marine logistics provider in the Nigerian offshore industry.
Ecospeed to Coat EXMAR Caribbean FLNG
In order to tap into Colombian stranded gas reserves, Pacific Rubiales Energy Corporation and EXMAR nv have partnered in a project to build and operate a floating LNG liquefaction, and storage unit, the Caribbean FLNG, which will be stationed at a jetty several kilometers off the Caribbean coast of Colombia for at least 15 years. In order to protect the hull of the Caribbean FLNG, keep it clean and…
Navigator of the Seas Gets Texas-Sized Makeover
Ship Features All-New WOWs, Including Royal Caribbean’s First-Ever Virtual Balconies, FlowRider Surf Simulator and New Dining Program. Royal Caribbean International’s Navigator of the Seas is primed to resume year-round service from Galveston, Texas on February 5, 2014, after completing a month-long drydock revitalization. Part of an extensive fleetwide program to enhance every Royal Caribbean’ ship…
IMTRA Forms Partnership with Vimar
IMTRA has announced that it has entered a distribution agreement with Vimar. Effective immediately, the award-winning importer and manufacturer of high quality consumer marine products, advanced LED solutions and integrated marine systems, will be the select distributor of the Italy-based company’s products in North America. Vimar manufactures stylish and innovative electrical equipment, automation systems, switches and wall plates for marine markets and commercial construction.
World’s Fastest Ferry Using SharpEye Radar
Kelvin Hughes, a designer and supplier of navigation and surveillance systems, announced that its SharpEye radar is now in continuous use on the world’s fastest ferry, operating between Argentina and Uruguay. Launched in Oct 2013 by the President of Argentina, Christina Fernandez de Kirchner, and operated by Buquebus of Uruguay, the ferry, named Francisco after the Argentinian-born Pope Francis, carries…
DNV GL Wins Statoil Contract for the North Sea
DNV GL U.K. has secured the third party ICP (Independent Competent Person) multimillion GBP contract, related to compliance with U.K. Offshore Regulations for the Statoil Mariner project. The award is the culmination of two years’ of project FEED support, assisting Statoil in developing Performance Standards and the Written Scheme of Examination (WSE) under the U.K. Offshore Safety Case Regulations for the Production Drilling Quarters (PDQ)…
Twin Trillium Class Bulkers Launched at Shipyard
On January 25, 2014, two newbuild Trillium Class bulk carriers were launched for Canada Steamship Lines Inc. (CSL) at Yangfan shipyard in Zhoushan, China. The 36,100-DWT, seaway size gearless bulkers are part of CSL’s ambitious fleet renewal program which oversaw the delivery of four new Trillium Class self-unloading Lakers and three Panamax self-unloaders in 2012-2013. The two new vessels are scheduled…
Carter Joins St. Lawrence Seaway Board
The St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation (SLSMC) announced that Gerald Carter has been appointed to its Board for a three-year term. He replaces Ralph Mercier…
Norwegian Private Equity Firms Target North Sea
Cash-rich Norwegian private equity firms are eyeing up potential North Sea acquisitions, encouraged by proven management teams and reasonable market prices, claims a leading energy expert. Rosalie Chadwick, a partner in legal firm Pinsent Masons, believes the Scots-Nordic alliance will be strengthened in 2014, echoing a number of investments in recent months, but it won’t be one-way traffic. “There is an increased confidence by Norwegian investors in U.K. oil and gas assets,” explained Chadwick.
Coast Guard Foundation Plans Community Center
The Coast Guard Foundation, a nonprofit organization committed to the education and welfare of Coast Guard members and their families, has announced its plans to build a community center in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. A top priority for the Coast Guard Foundation, the Sault Ste. Marie Community Center will give Coast Guard members and their families in the area an all-inclusive indoor recreation facility…
