Siemens Energy to Deliver Topside Modules for MISC-built FPSO
Siemens Energy said Friday it had won a contract with Malaysian MISC to deliver eight complete topside modules for an FPSO MISC is building for deployment in South America.According to Siemens Energy, its topside modules "will provide sustainable, efficient, and environmentally friendly power generation, transmission, and distribution, as well as gas processing and compression" aboard an FPSO that…
Opinion: A Bipartisan Boost for Dredging, the Economy, and the Environment
When leadership at the White House changes parties, you can expect a shift in priorities and policies. In one case, however, continuity is welcome, as President Biden has voiced his support for Buy American and the Jones Act, which are especially beneficial to the maritime and dredging industries.Read the March 2021 edition of Maritime Reporter & Engineering News, an edition dominated by dredging.While the benefits of these pro-American policies extend beyond maritime and dredging…
First-Ever: Sovcomflot’s Gagarin Prospect Tanker in LNG Bunkering Milestone in U.S.
Russian oil and gas shipping giant Sovcomflot said Friday it had on March 15, together with Shell, "broke new ground," with the completion of the "first-ever Aframax tanker fuelling using LNG in the USA."Sovcomflot’s Gagarin Prospect tanker, on long-term charter to Shell, was en-route from Corpus Christi to Europe. It received 1,075 cubic metres of marine LNG from the Shell NA LNG LLC chartered Q-LNG 4000 outside the Port of Canaveral, Florida.
Shipbuilding: CSD Mohab Mameesh Delivered to Suez Canal Authority
Royal IHC delivered the cutter suction dredger (CSD) Mohab Mameesh to the Suez Canal Authority (SCA) on Thursday March 18, 2021. The vessel is now ready for its official duties after successfully completing commissioning tests on the Dutch coastline and Haringvliet. With the delivery of the 29,190 kW heavy-duty rock CSD, SCA now owns one of the most powerful dredgers in the world. With an overall length of 147.4 m and a total installed cutter power of 4…
Turkey's Karpowership Among S. Africa's Preferred Bidders for Emergency Power Supply
South Africa's government has selected eight preferred bidders, including Turkey's Karpowership, to provide emergency electricity and help prop up the country's ailing power supply, Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe said on Thursday.The tender for 2,000 megawatts (MW), launched two years ago when South Africa suffered some of the worst power cuts in a decade, aimed to find the cheapest and quickest options…
U.S. Tells Firms Building Nord Stream 2 Pipeline to 'Immediately' Stop Work or Risk Sanctions
The U.S. State Department is tracking efforts to complete Russia's Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline and evaluating information on entities that appear to be involved, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Thursday."Any entity involved in the Nord Stream 2 pipeline risks U.S. sanctions and should immediately abandon work on the pipeline," Blinken said in a statement, adding the Biden administration…
Australia Seizes Cocaine from Containership MSC Joana
Authorities have made a major drug bust from a containership bound for Australia.Earlier this month, Australian Federal Police (AFP) were tipped that the containership…
Congress Provides Last-minute Help for Small Inland and Coastal Ports
In two major pieces of legislation passed by Congress at the end of 2020 and the beginning of this year, Congress addressed the difficulty that many smaller inland and coastal ports have in obtaining funding for their infrastructure projects. First, on December 11, 2020 Congress passed the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (NDAA), and on January 1, 2021 overrode President Trump’s veto.
Turrell Named Director of NTSB Office of Marine Safety
Longtime mariner and investigator Morgan Turrell has been named director of the National Transportation Safety Board’s (NTSB) Office of Marine Safety effective March 1.The office investigates major marine accidents within the United States and its territories, as well as accidents involving U.S.-flagged vessels worldwide.Turrell began his career at the NTSB in 2003 as a nautical operations investigator.
Thordon Bearings Names Groves VP of Sales
Thordon Bearings has promoted Scott Groves to Vice President – Sales, with a mandate to “grow profitable sales” and build upon the company’s leading position in the global pollution-free bearings and seals markets. He officially started in his new role on March 11, 2021.Terry McGowan, CEO and President, Thomson-Gordon Group, Thordon Bearings’ parent company, said, “I am very pleased to announce that Scott has accepted the VP Sales position.
South Port New Zealand Orders Tug from Damen
Damen Shipyards Group said it has booked an order from South Port New Zealand for the delivery of a Damen Azimuth Tractor Tug (ATD) 2412. The vessel, with 65 tonnes bollard pull, will replace an older vessel with 35 tonnes bollard pull, bringing the port’s total bollard pull capability up to 105 tonnes.South Port has selected an ATD due to its ability to undertake indirect towage and for the vessel’s excellent maneuverability and power…
World-first ME-GA Engine Demonstrated in Copenhagen
MAN Energy Solutions has has demonstrated its latest low-speed, dual-fuel engine—an MAN B&W ME-GA type designed for liquefied natural gas (LNG)/fuel-oil running—at a ceremony live-streamed from its Copenhagen Research Center on Thursday. The new engine is an Otto-cycle variant of the company’s ME-GI engine.As its pre-mixed combustion results in low NOx emissions, the ME-GA engine is inherently Tier II and Tier III compliant in gas-operation mode.
Brazil's OceanPact to Charter and, Eventually, Buy Two DDW Offshore AHTS Vessels
Norwegian offshore vessel owner DDW Offshore, a subsidiary of Akastor, has entered into bareboat charter and future sale agreements for two of its AHTS vessels with the Brazilian subsea services company OceanPact.Under the charter, DDW Offshore - formerly known as DOF Deepwater, will supply two AHTS vessels Skandi Saigon and Skandi Pacific for a period of 26 months. As part of the agreements, Akarstor said that a forward sale of the vessels has also been agreed.
Scrubber-fitted Ships Nearly Double Since January 2020 -BIMCO
As the lion’s share of the world fleet replaced high-sulphur fuel oil (HSFO) with low-sulphur fuel oil (LFSO) as a mean of propulsion to be compliant with the International Maritime Organization's (IMO) 2020 global sulphur cap that came into force on January 1, 2020, overall bunker sales rose in the world’s by far largest bunkering hub: Singapore.Total bunker sale volumes grew by 5% in 2020 and have continued to climb in the first two months of 2021 (+2.7% y/y)…
Fact Check: J.P. Morgan Did Not Sink the Titanic
A widely-shared meme has taken several facts about the Titanic out of context to make unsubstantiated claims that imply the ship’s sinking was a deliberate act. This is not true—experts widely agree the sinking of the Titanic was an accident. The meme was posted to Facebook on March 1 and has been shared more than 600 times (here). It consists of two images: one of the ship and a second of American financier John Pierpont (J.P.) Morgan.
Hapag-Lloyd Avoids Forecast Due to Coronavirus Uncertainty
German container shipper Hapag-Lloyd said on Thursday it almost tripled its net result in 2020 due to lower costs and higher freight rates, but shied away from specifying 2021 results due to uncertainty in the coronavirus crisis.The net result in 2020 amounted to 935 million euros ($1.12 billion) compared with 373 million euros in 2019 after revenue rose 3% and freight rates increased 4%, it said in a statement.Hapag-Lloyd…
Fincantieri Floats Out 'Discovery Princess'
Discovery Princess, the sixth Royal-class ship built for the ship operator Princess Cruises, a brand within Carnival Corporation, was floated out Thursday at Fincantieri’s shipyard in Monfalcone, Italy.Interior fittings will now begin, leading the vessel to delivery, scheduled next year, the Italian shipbuilder said."The new unit, at 145,000 gross tons, is built on the basis of the successful sister vessel project of Royal Princess…
DP World Optimistic for 2021 Amid Pent-up Demand
Ports operator DP World gave an optimistic outlook for 2021 on Thursday, citing pent-up demand for cargo and an easing of geopolitical tensions after the change of U.S. administration.Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, who is chairman and chief executive of the Dubai state-owned global ports operator, said that demand and supply chain capabilities had also improved as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.“You are always cautious ...
Norway: IMR to Use Kongsberg USVs, AUVs for Marine Ecosystem Monitoring
Norwegian maritime technology and equipment specialist Kongsberg Maritime will supply Norway’s Institute of Marine Research (IMR) with four autonomous vessels. The scope of supply includes two Kongsberg Maritime Sounder USVs (Unmanned Surface Vehicles) and two KONGSBERG AUVs (Autonomous Underwater Vehicles), which will form the practical basis of the institute’s long-term strategy to develop the monitoring and management of marine environments and resources.According to Kongsberg Maritime…
MethanQuest: Test Results In for Renewable Hydrogen, Methane as a Fuel
As the maritime industry embarks on 'the path to zero', it is widely acknowledged that there is currently not a 'silver bullet' solution, nor is it likely that a solution will emerge from a vaccum. Collaboration is the path forward, and efforts such as MethanQuest offer promise.The project MethanQuest was launched in September 2018 with 29 partners from research, industry and the energy sector to work…
