Capesize Rates Slide, Dragging Baltic Index Down
The Baltic Exchange's main sea freight index dipped to its lowest since mid-February on Monday as rates for the larger capesize segment fell for the eighth straight session.The Baltic dry index, which tracks rates for capesize, panamax and supramax vessels ferrying dry bulk commodities, fell 24 points, or 1.4%, to 1,651.The capesize index, was down 31 points, or 2.2%, at 1,408, a two-week low.Average daily earnings for capesizes, which typically transport 150,000-tonne cargoes such as iron ore a
Shipbuilder Halter Marine Orders Inrotech Welding Robots
A set of welding robots will help Halter Marine to improve productivity as it ramps up to build the U.S. Coast Guard’s new Polar Security Cutter (PSC).Denmark-based Inrotech said it will deliver its Inrotech-MicroTwin, Inrotech-Classic and Inrotech-Crawler to the the Pascagoula, Miss. shipyard in early 2021.Inrotech’s automated robot welding solution is customized according to Halter Marine’s production…
Hesse Takes the Engineering Lead at FSG Shipyard
Flensburger Schiffbau-Gesellschaft (FSG) has a new Head of Engineering as of March 1, 2021, when Volker Hesse takes over the job. Hesse (47) is a mechanical engineer who began his career around 20 years ago at Blohm & Voss shipyard in Hamburg. Since then, he has held various positions in project management up to and including Head of Product Management at thyssenkrupp Marine Systems’ surface vessel unit.
Russia Launches Satellite to Monitor Climate in Arctic
Russia launched its space satellite Arktika-M on Sunday on a mission to monitor the climate and environment in the Arctic amid a push by the Kremlin to expand the country’s activities in the region.The Arctic has warmed more than twice as fast as the global average over the last three decades and Moscow is seeking to develop the energy-rich region, investing in the Northern Sea Route for shipping across…
Iran Says It Was Not Behind Blast On Israeli-owned Ship
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu blamed Iran on Monday for an explosion aboard an Israeli-owned ship in the Gulf of Oman last week, an accusation rejected…
Specialist Offshore Wind Installation Ship Launched in China
Norwegian owner Offshore Heavy Transports (OHT) said its newbuild vessel Alfa Lift has been floated-out from its drydock at China Merchants Heavy Industry (CMHI) shipyard in Jiangsu, China. The semisubmersible heavy installation vessel, which is designed and built for installing the next generation XXL offshore wind foundations, was launched on February 28, 2021.The 51,087-dedweight-tonne vessel will now be moored while work continues on the steel and internal fit-out…
Crowley Promotes Warner to CFO
Crowley Maritime Corporation said senior executive Dan Warner has been promoted to chief financial officer, consolidating company’s enterprise-level financial strategy, resources and services under his leadership. Warner has served as senior vice president and treasurer and member of the company’s senior leadership team since 2005. He began his career with Crowley in 2001 as a senior analyst for the corporate planning group…
Austal Wins U.S. Navy Contract for EPF 15
The U.S. Navy awarded Austal USA a $235 million undefinitized contract action modification on Feb. 26, 2021, for the detailed design and construction of Expeditionary Fast Transport (EPF) 15.The EPF program, currently operating on schedule and under budget, has delivered 12 ships to the fleet. The versatility of the EPF design has enabled each ship to provide a significant operational capability tailored to the needs of each geographic command.
One-third of Hin Leong Founder's Ships Sold to Pay Down Debt
About one third of the roughly 150 ships owned by companies controlled by Singapore tycoon Lim Oon Kuin and his family have been sold as part of efforts to repay…
ENERGY: Oil Rises on Vaccine Optimism, U.S. Stimulus
Oil prices open March 2021 on a strong note, supported by optimism about COVID-19 vaccinations, a U.S. stimulus package and growing factory activity in Europe despite coronavirus restrictions.Brent crude was up 63 cents or 1% at $65.05 a barrel by 1150 GMT, and U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude jumped 62 cents or 1% to $62.12 a barrel. Both contracts finished February 18% higher."The three major supportive factors are the prevalent vaccine rollouts…
Brunswick Appoints Arbuckle as Marine Autonomy Technology Lead
Brunswick Corporation, in a move to to build on its ACES (Autonomy, Connectivity, Electrification & Shared Access) strategy to develop solutions to further improve boater experiences, named Jason Arbuckle to a newly formed role of Marine Autonomy Technology Lead. Arbuckle joined Mercury Marine in 1997 and has since advanced through the company, working to lead some of the company’s many award-winning innovative technology solutions.
Machado Named MD at Maersk Training UK
Maersk Training UK (MTUK) has appointed a new managing director as the company looks to expand its offering to the North Sea energy sector. Leonardo Machado joins MTUK having previously been managing director of the company’s operations in Brazil for six years. Machado played a key role in developing training for the wind and production industries, as well as expanding service solutions for the firm.With plans in place to grow and expand the business in the UK…
MARKET: Why Don’t OSVs Get Scrapped?
The OSV sector will be reliant on a hitherto unseen amount of scrapping to balance the market, writes Gregory Brown, Associate Director – Offshore, Maritime Strategies InternationalThere is a consensus that an OSV market recovery will only be driven a supply side rationalization. As well as a lack of newbuild activity, that rationalization will have to include unprecedented levels of scrapping in a…
Product Focus: Combat COVID-19 with Walk-Through Sanitizer
Tetranet is offering a solution to the maritime, offshore, ports and logistics markets an industrial walkthrough Covid19/virus and spores sanitizer as business seeks to return to normal. Designed for both inside and outside use, the company says it is ideal for ports/harbors, terminals, onboard cruise ships, as well as on offshore rigs. Features touted by the company include: Walkthrough all body…
Vittoria Shipyard Delivers OPV to Armed Forces of Malta
The longest Offshore Patrol Vessel ever built by Vittoria Shipyard was delivered this morning to the Maltese government by Luigi Duò, president of Vittoria Shipyard, during a ceremony that took place in the facilities of the Venetian company. Representing Malta was brigadier Jeffrey Curmi, commander of the armed forces. The OPV P71 is a 75-m-long vessel designed and constructed by the Venetian shipyard that specializes in building ships up to 100 meters in overall length for military…
Taiwan Navigation Orders Two New Tugs
PT. Graha Trisaka Industri has awarded tug design contracts to Robert Allan Ltd. for a RAmparts 3200-W and a TRAktor 3200-V. The tugs will be built and operated by Taiwan Navigation Co. Ltd. under a long-term charter contract for CPC Corporation, Taiwan.PT. Graha Trisaka Industri is an affiliate of PaxOcean Group, Singapore with the shipyard located in Batam, Indonesia. PaxOcean and Robert Allan Ltd.
Wind Powered Containership Concept Launched
Winds of change are sweeping the maritime industry as vessel owners and operators seek ways to reduce vessel emissions. A new containership concept from Detlev Löll and TECHNOLOG joins a raft of new wind-powered cargo vessel designs aimed at reducing, or in some cases, entirely eliminating shipping emissions.The partners have designed a sailing ship that can carry 500 containers across the world's oceans with zero emissions, not only in favorable winds, but also in calm or unfavorable areas.
Finlandia Seaways Engine Fire Linked to Poor Maintenance
Substandard maintenance was found to be a major contributing factor at the root of a 2018 engine room fire aboard the DFDS ro-ro vessel Finlandia Seaways in April 2018, U.K. accident investigators found.The Lithuanian registered vessel was in transit from Zeebrugge, Belgium to Rosyth, U.K., when it suffered a catastrophic main engine failure that caused serious structural damage to the engine and a fire in the engine room.
Cox to Ramp up Production of the CXO300 Outboard Engine
Cox Powertrain, a British manufacturer of high-power diesel outboard engines, announced it has raised £9 million from existing shareholders and a further £3 million loan from HSBC UK Equipment Finance to allow the company to expand and ramp up production of the CXO300 outboard engine.Since 2007, Cox Powertrain has been continuously backed by private investors. Production of the CXO300 began in May 2020 and since then…
NOAA Begins Transition Exclusively to Electronic Navigation Charts
NOAA will begin to implement its sunset plan for paper nautical charts this month, starting with the current paper chart 18665 of Lake Tahoe. After August, NOAA’s electronic navigational chart will be the only NOAA nautical chart of the area.This is the first traditional paper chart to be fully supplanted by an electronic chart as part of NOAA’s Office of Coast Survey Raster Sunset Plan, which includes…
