Mediterranean Rescue Operations Strain Shipping
The Wall Street Journal ran a story yesterday describing how the increasing number of seaborne migrants making the journey from Africa to Europe has not only proved to be too much for European coast guards and navies, it now poses a major problem for Mediterranean shipping. Maritime law states that all vessels, including private vessels and huge container ships, must come to the aid of any boat in distress.
Shipping Season Opens on the Mississippi
M/V New Dawn arrived at Lock and Dam 2 near Hastings, Minn. Wednesday morning, marking the unofficial opening of the 2015 shipping season on the Upper Mississippi River, according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). The USACE St. Paul District recognizes the first tow to arrive at Lock and Dam 2 as the unofficial start of the navigation season because it means all of its locks are accessible to commercial and recreational vessels.
Schmiedag and Wildauer Schmiedewerke: 'We Forge Partnerships'
Olaf Wiertz, Sales Director at Schmiedag GmbH (SDG) and Wildauer Schmiedewerke GmbH & Co. KG (WSW) said: “We are more than just a supplier to our customers – we are their partner. Based decades of experience and the accrued knowledge of its employees, SDG and WSW seek to set world standards in the forging technology. Both companies together (also including a facility in Homburg for machining) form the closed-die-forging group within the more the Georgsmarienhuette (GMH) group…
Turkey Maritime Sector Alive & Kicking
Located on the periphery of two great continents, Turkey has benefitted from being in a favored position right at the center of an assertive and fast growing economic area.
Maritime Training Five Years from Now: A Look Ahead
For anyone involved in maritime training, now is an incredibly exciting time full of opportunity. More than ever before, there are new advanced techniques and technologies available that can significantly improve training outcomes and access to training, while keeping costs under control. Properly deployed, these advances will improve safety - on that, the research is very clear. This article looks…
Port of Aden Under Threat with Enemy at the Gates
As Saudi Arabia and its Arab allies stage air strikes against Shi'ite Muslim militiamen threatening to topple Yemeni President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, the southern…
Ukraine Arrests Turkish Cargo Ship Over Crimea Port Call
Ukrainian authorities have arrested a Turkish-owned cargo ship and detained its captain over a visit it made to a port in Crimea after Russian annexed the peninsula from Ukraine last year.
Imtech Marine USA and Radio Holland ‘Reloaded’
Fergus Campbell recently took the top spot at Imtech Marine USA. He discusses the path forward, particularly the desire to expand the ubiquitous Radio Holland brand. How did you come to a career in the maritime industry? There were a number of factors that led me to this career. Growing up in a small seaport town along the banks of the River Clyde, I remember from a young age being captivated by the variety of ships sailing by and wondering what it would be like to work on them.
Greek Ferry Still Stuck
The Greek ferry that ran aground just outside of port on the Aegean Island of Kassos Wednesday night is still stuck. The 227 passengers and 55 crew aboard the Vitsentzos…
Maritime Training Academy Announces Diploma in Maritime Security
The Maritime Training Academy announced the launch of its new diploma in maritime security today. The Surrey, UK-based distance learning center said the diploma…
USCG Conducting Ice Flushing Operations
The Coast Guard cutter fleet is flushing ice through the Great Lakes river systems to prevent ice jams and facilitate commercial shipping as the shipping season begins and the ice on the Great Lakes dissipates. Ice breaking operations, above freezing-temperatures, and rain has caused plate ice to weaken, creating large and small ice floes through the Great Lakes and its river systems. The Coast Guard…
Nations Convene for Arctic Maritime Discussion
Citing an increasing need to ensure safety, security and stewardship of Arctic waters, member countries of the Arctic Council gathered at U.S. Coast Guard Headquarters Wednesday for a two-day Arctic Coast Guard Forum (ACGF) Experts Meeting. The ACGF, a cooperative initiative between nations with shared maritime interests in the Arctic, includes member nations Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, the Russian Federation and the United States.
Advanced Drillships a Burden for Owners as Business Slows
Not so long ago, advanced drillships costing more than half a billion dollars each and capable of operating in ever-deeper waters practically guaranteed big profits for oil-rig operators.
Baltic Sea Index Down as Weak Demand Hits Vessel Rates
The Baltic Exchange's main sea freight index, which tracks rates for ships carrying dry bulk commodities, fell on Friday as lack of demand took a toll on rates for most of the vessel segments.
Russia May Allow More Firms to Offshore Oil
Russia may allow more oil companies to access its offshore projects, Energy Minister Alexander Novak said on Friday. "In general, the access can be extended," Novak told reporters in Moscow.
Garamendi Introduces Bipartisan GPS Backup Bill
Congressman John Garamendi (D-Fairfield, CA), the Ranking Member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on the Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation, introduced the bipartisan National Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) Resilience and Security Act of 2015, H.R. 1678. H.R. 1678 would require the Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the Commandant of the Coast Guard and the Secretary of Transportation…
Soo Locks Open for Great Lakes Shipping Season
At 12:01 a.m. on Wednesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers officially opened the Soo Locks for the start of the 2015 Great Lakes shipping season. The locks at Sault Ste.
Lack of Ship Definition is a Threat to Investors
AKD says the lack of an unambiguous term to describe a ‘ship’ in several jurisdictions represents a potential threat to asset security for financiers, particularly in the offshore and renewable energy sectors. AKD partner Haco van der Houven van Oordt says, “In many jurisdictions, including the US and the UK, there appears to be no clear definition of a ship. A recent Tulane Maritime Law Journal study…
UK North Sea Workers Give "Overwhelming" Support for Strike
Trade unions Unite and GMB said members working offshore in Britain's North Sea oil and gas industry had shown overwhelming support for industrial action in a consultative…
3D Machining Puts Wind in the Sails
Established in 1984 as a company dedicated to engineering marine motors, Armor Mécanique is situated in the port of Lorient. And while the coastal view remained picturesque, the ensuing years brought change. The company, founded by Marcel Février, is now dedicated to precision engineering and boilermaking. In 2005, upon Février’s retirement, experienced precision engineer Franck Vincent took on management of the company.
