China's Aircraft Carriers Play 'theatrical' Role But Pose Little Threat Yet
When China sailed one of its two active aircraft carriers, the Shandong, east of Taiwan last month as part of military drills surrounding the island, it was showcasing a capability that it has yet to master and could take years to perfect.As Beijing modernizes its military, its formidable missile forces and other naval vessels, such as cutting-edge cruisers, are posing a concern for the U.S. and its allies.
UN Fails to Raise Funds to Remove Oil from Decaying Tanker Off Yemen's Coast
The United Nations on Thursday fell far short of raising the money it needs for an operation to salvage 1.1 million barrels of oil from a decaying vessel moored off Yemen's coast and avert an environmental disaster.U.N. officials have been warning for years that the Red Sea and Yemen's coastline was at risk as the Safer tanker could spill four times as much oil as the 1989 Exxon Valdez disaster off Alaska.The war in Yemen suspended maintenance operations on the Safer in 2015. The U.N.
NOV Wins New Contract to Supply Wind Turbine Installation Vessel Design to Havfram
NOV has signed a new contract with China's CIMC Raffles to supply another GustoMSC™ NG-20000X self-propelled wind turbine installation jack-up vessel design for Havfram, an offshore wind services company based in Norway, which recently ordered its second wind turbine installation vessel from CIMC.According to NOV, the NG-20000X-HF vessels are among the largest wind installation jack-ups in the industry.
NTSB Cites Potential Fire Risks for Marine Operators Carrying Scrap Materials
Lithium-ion batteries and other possible ignition sources could pose a fire safety issue in the transportation of scrap materials as cargo, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said Thursday.Although scrap metal cargo is typically nonhazardous and poses a low fire risk, there have been several recent fires involving such cargo. In January 2022, a shoreside pile caught fire in Newark, N.J.
Propspeed Promotes Hamilton to CEO
Propspeed, manufacturer of underwater foul-release coatings, announced it has promoted Marcus Hamilton from the international sales director to the position of CEO.Hamilton comes to the position with more than 10 years of experience in the marine industry, working with global marine business such as Fusion Entertainment, Garmin NZ and Propspeed International. In these 10 years Hamilton has held positions of international marketing manager…
Cashman Awarded Baltimore Dredging Contract
Quincy, Mass. dredging contractor Cashman Dredging & Marine Contracting has been awarded a contract for maintenance dredging in Baltimore.The $23,963,300 firm-fixed-price contract was awarded by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Baltimore District. Bids for the project were solicited via the internet with four received.Work is expected to be completed by September 9, 2023.The project consists of maintenance dredging approximately 1…
Spanish Warship Set for Propulsion Refit
ABB said it has secured a contract with the Spanish state-owned Navantia shipbuilding company to retrofit the Spanish Navy flagship Juan Carlos I with an electrical propulsion system based on dual ABB Azipod units. Due completion in 2025, the project is the first of its kind on a naval ship.The contract follows a study undertaken by ABB in 2020 to determine the feasibility of installing new propulsors on the ship.
BMT Appoints Ian Tyler as Chairman
Design, engineering and risk management consultancy BMT announced it has appointed Ian Tyler as chairman of BMT Group Ltd. Tyler joined the board on May 1 and will assume the role of Chairman in early June. Tyler has a wealth of experience with listed public companies, in both executive and nonexecutive director capacities. His business leadership experience spans multiple sectors including energy, infrastructure, technology, defense and engineering.
SAAM Buys 21 Tugs from Starnav
Towage provider SAAM on Thursday announced it has concluded the purchase of 21 tugboats from the Brazilian company Starnav, including 19 tugs currently in operation and two additional vessels in the final phase of construction.“This is one of the largest transactions in SAAM's history and is part of our strategy to continue advancing our leadership in the towage industry. Brazil is home to our company’s largest operations and with this deal we will have one of the most competitive…
Maersk Expects Recent Drop in Container Demand to Stabilize by Mid-year
Shipping group Maersk on Thursday reported first-quarter earnings above expectations and maintained its 2023 profit guidance as it expects a recent drop in demand for container shipments to stabilize around mid-year.Maersk, which transports goods for retailers and consumer companies such as Walmart, Nike and Unilever, said the number of containers it loaded onto ships between January and March fell by 9% from a year earlier…
Scania Expands IMO Tier III Engine Range
Engine manufacturer Scania announced it has added seven new IMO Tier III compliant marine engines to its existing portfolio as it strives to slash emissions and support more sustainable marine operations.The new DI13 solutions of 257 kW, 280 kW, 284 kW, 331 kW, 368 kW, 405 kW and 441 kW at the rated speed of 2,100 rpm widen the range of propulsion engines, in a commitment to further reduce NOx emissions.
Venezuela's Oil Tankers at Risk of Sinking, Fires, Spills, Report finds
More than half of the 22 oil tankers in Venezuela's fleet are so run down that they should be immediately repaired or taken out of service, according to an internal report from state-run oil company PDVSA that was shared exclusively with Reuters. The report by PDVSA's maritime branch, entitled "Critical deficiencies and risks of PDV Marina's tanker fleet," said years of deferred maintenance had left the entire fleet with "low levels of reliability…
How Will China's Clampdown on Mislabelled Cargoes Affect Sanctioned Oil?
Chinese customs authorities are stepping up inspection checks on cargoes of heavy crude oil after uncovering several Iranian shipments that were mislabelled as diluted bitumen in an effort to bypass import quotas.The checks, begun a month ago, are delaying oil discharges into the eastern refining hub of Shandong province.They are also adding to uncertainty over the risk of disruption to shipments from Iran and Venezuela, while cutting into refining operations just as fuel demand recovers.
Huisman Launches Digital Portal for Equipment Owners
Huisman has launched myHuisman©, an online client portal which offers equipment owners a parts shop, a knowledge base and a technical library.Huisman developed the system in co-creation with its clients Fred. Olsen, Van Oord, amongst others.The parts shop allows equipment owners to browse their equipment. It offers a practical breakdown structure in which all available parts can be ordered.The knowledge…
ZeroNorth and Vitol Team Up on Emissions Reporting
Technology company ZeroNorth has signed a long-term strategic partnership with energy and commodity company Vitol.The deal will see Vitol gain full access to the ZeroNorth platform, and ZeroNorth customers will in turn gain access to Vitol’s carbon reduction solutions and bunkering services through subsidiary Vitol Bunkers.Vitol will use the ZeroNorth platform to optimise operations in a number of key business areas…
Video: First Look at AAL’s Mega Heavy Lift Vessel Design
AAL Shipping has released a short film highlighting the design of its mega size 32,000dwt Super B-Class heavy lift vessels. The first, the AAL Limassol, is expected to be launched next year.The Super B-Class design was a collaboration between AAL’s engineering and commercial teams and sister company, Columbia Shipmanagement (CSM). The vessels were designed to be the most efficient and competent multi-purpose vessels (MPVs) available…
American Cruise Lines Christens Two New Riverboats
In a canyon at the Idaho border and alongside a bayou in Louisiana, two nearly identical cruise ships were just christened. American Cruise Lines announced the christening of sister ships American Jazz and American Serenade, two of the lines’ six new riverboats.“The two christenings, one in a desert canyon and one on the bayou, show the incredible breadth of river cruise options in the USA,” said Charles B. Robertson, President & CEO, American Cruise Lines.
Video: Burn Victim Airlifted from Bulk Carrier off US East Coast
An injured crewmember was medevaced Wednesday from a Panamanian-flagged bulk carrier approximately 173 miles east of Morehead City, N.C., the U.S. Coast Guard said.Watchstanders with Coast Guard 5th District Command Center received a notification from the the 200-foot-long vessel PRT Ace, that a 29-year-old crewman on board had suffered burns while using the ship’s incinerator.The watchstanders launched…
Crowley Launches Multimodal Service Between Mexico, US and Canada
Crowley announced it will launch an end-to-end, integrated ocean and rail service between Mexico and the U.S. Midwest region and into Canada. Featuring Crowley’s new Mexico-U.S. ocean route in the Gulf, the service will leverage the inland rail network of Canadian National Railway Company and its U.S. rail subsidiaries (CN). The companies’ combined network provides broad reach across the Midwest and into Canada to increase solutions for global customers in North American market…
Greece Warned Shipowners Days Before Iran Seized Tankers
Greece issued a series of warnings to shipowners to avoid sailing close to Iranian waters days before Tehran seized two tankers amid heightening tensions in the region, according to documents and industry sources.Iran seized a second oil tanker in a week on Wednesday in Gulf waters, the U.S.
