US Navy Christens Littoral Combat Ship Santa Barbara
Mobile, Ala. shipbuilder Austal USA, part of Australia's Austal Group, hosted a christening ceremony for the future USS Santa Barbara (LCS 32) Independence-variant Littoral Combat Ship at the company’s Gulf Coast shipyard today. Ship sponsor Lolita Zinke performed the ceremonial bottle break over the bow of the Santa Barbara, the 16th LCS designed and constructed by Austal USA and the third U.S. Navy ship to be named after the California coast city.Zinke, wife of former U.S.
China Condemns US, Canada for Sending Warships through Taiwan Strait
The Chinese military on Sunday condemned the United States and Canada for each sending a warship through the Taiwan Strait last week, saying they were threatening peace and stability in the region.China claims democratically-ruled Taiwan as its own territory, and has mounted repeated air force missions into Taiwan's air defense identification zone (ADIZ) over the past year, provoking anger in Taipei.China sent around 150 aircraft into the zone over a four-day period beginning on Oct.
Viking Cruises Collaborates with NETSCo for Mississippi River Cruises
Naval architecture and marine engineering firm NETSCo said it is collaborating with Viking Cruises in preparation for the company's new Mississippi River cruises, launching in 2022 from New Orleans to St. Paul.According to NETSCo, the first phase of the project required vetting the ship design. This included taking into account varying water levels (which can change as much as 50 feet) and determining if the physical size and height of the ship would fit through locks…
OneOcean Brings Voyage Optimization Solutions to Marlink Partner Program
Marlink, provider of smart network solutions, said it has partnered with OneOcean Group to add a range of advanced voyage solutions to its Application Partner Program.OneOcean is one of the largest global suppliers of voyage planning solutions for the maritime industry with products used by over 15,000 vessels around the world to support and optimize navigation and compliance. The company develops and deploys innovative solutions that connect ship and shoreside teams…
Ship Recycling: Steel Place Prices Jump
The last quarter jump in local steel plate prices (and at varying degrees) seems to have swept across all major recycling markets (including China) this week, according to recent market insights from GMS. The jump in levels varied from as little as $5/Ton from the Chinese market, all the way to $30/Ton on the Turkish end, with the sub-continent markets bridging the gap.Despite the dry sector continuing to perform surprisingly well and keeping the markets starved of bulker and container units…
Celsius Orders Four LNG Carriers from Samsung Heavy Industries
Danish shipping company Celsius Tankers announced it has ordered a series of four liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers from South Korean shipbuilder Samsung Heavy Industries. Upon delivery during 2023 and 2024, the 180,000-cuboc-meter capacity newbuilds will enter into long-term time charters with Clearlake Shipping, a subsidiary of Gunvor Group Ltd.Celsius Tankers recently took delivery of the fourth and last LNG carrier from the previous series of 180…
Iran's Navy Thwarts Pirate Attack on Iranian Tanker
Iranian naval forces intervened on Saturday to repel pirates who attacked an Iranian oil tanker in the Gulf of Aden, Iran's state media reported.Pirates in five speedboats attacked the unidentified tanker, but they fled after facing heavy fire from Iran's navy, the state broadcaster IRIB said on its website.Iran’s navy has extended its reach in recent years, dispatching vessels to the Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Aden to protect Iranian ships from Somali pirate attacks.(Reporting by Dubai newsro
Baltic Dry Index Falls for 7th Day as Capesizes Drag
The Baltic Exchange's dry bulk sea freight index extended losses for a seventh straight session on Monday, as a drop in capesize rates offset gains in the smaller vessel segments.The overall index, which factors in rates for capesize, panamax, supramax and handysize vessels, fell by 122 points, or 2.5%, to 4,732.The capesize index fell 409 points, or 5.3%, to 7,358, its lowest since Sept.
Incident Reported During Construction of Seaway 7's Alfa Lift Vessel in China
Offshore wind installation company Seaway 7 said Monday there had been an incident during the construction of its Alfa Lift offshore wind foundation installation vessel, currently being built in China at China Merchants Heavy Industry (CMHI) shipyard in Jiangsu."Today, we have been informed of an incident involving the folding A-frame on the main crane of Alfa Lift, currently under construction in China.
Report: As Power Crisis Worsens, India Presses Qatar for Delayed LNG Cargoes
India, grappling with its worst power crisis in five years, has asked Qatar to expedite delivery of 58 delayed liquefied natural gas (LNG) cargoes, two sources familiar with the matter said.Asia's third largest economy is suffering its worst power shortage since March 2016 due to a crippling coal shortage amid high global energy prices.Infrastructure maintenance at supplier Qatargas prevented it from delivering 50 LNG cargoes to India this year…
Equinor, BP JV Picks Vestas' Giant 15MW Turbines for New York Offshore Wind Projects
Offshore wind turbine maker will deliver its giant 15MW wind turbines for Equinor and BP joint venture's offshore wind farms in New York.Vestas said Monday that, Empire Offshore Wind, a joint venture between Equinor and BP, had named it as the preferred turbine supplier for the 2.1 GW Empire Wind 1 and Empire Wind 2 offshore wind projects in New York, USA. "This is one of the largest preferred supplier agreements to be announced in the USA…
U.S. Coast Guard Boards Containership in Connection to California Pipeline Oil Spill
The U.S. Coast Guard boarded a container ship on Saturday in the Port of Long Beach that dragged its anchor close to a subsea pipeline found to be the source of an oil spill off Orange County, California, it said in a press release.The spill released some 3,000 barrels (126,000 gallons) of crude oil into the Pacific Ocean, killing wildlife, blackening the coastline and forcing officials to close beaches south of Los Angeles.In its statement…
Mermaid Subsea Services Buys 50% Stake in Offshore Construction Vessel Millennium 3
Thai-based offshore services company Mermaid Subsea Services has agreed to buy a 50% ownership share in the Millennium 3 offshore construction vessel from PT David Marine for $16 million.The Millennium 3 is a DP2 construction support vessel built in 2011 in Indonesia by Nantong Dongjiang Shipyard Co. Ltd. and is currently operating in the Persian Gulf. Classified by Bureau Veritas, the ship is flagged under the state of Comoros, with Moroni listed as its port of registration.
"THE RIG" - Saudi Arabia Launches Offshore Platform Inspired Tourism & Entertainment Project
Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund, the Public Investment Fund, announced on Saturday the launch of "THE RIG", which it said would be the world's first tourism destination on offshore platforms.The fund, the engine of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's economic transformation plans for Saudi Arabia, manages a portfolio worth $400 billion.It added in a statement that the project was located in the gulf and spanned an area of more than 150,000 square meters.It said the project would feature a nu
Biden Appoints Ann Phillips as MARAD Administrator
President Joe Biden intends to nominate Ann Phillips to serve as Administrator of the U.S. Maritime Administration (MARAD) at the Department of Transportation (DOT), the White House announced Thursday. The position has been vacant since Mark Buzby resigned from the role in the wake of the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol in January.If confirmed, Phillips, a retired U.S. Navy rear admiral and currently the first Special Assistant to the Governor of Virginia for Coastal Adaptation and Protection…
China Looks to Lock in US LNG as Energy Crunch Raises Concerns
Major Chinese energy companies are in advanced talks with U.S. exporters to secure long-term liquefied natural gas (LNG)supplies, as soaring gas prices and domestic power shortages heighten concerns about the country's fuel security, several sources said.At least five Chinese firms, including state major Sinopec Corp and China National Offshore Oil Company (CNOOC) and local government-backed energy distributors like Zhejiang Energy, are in discussions with U.S.
Russia Says it Chased US Naval Destroyer From its Waters
Russia said one of its military vessels chased away a U.S. naval destroyer that attempted to violate Russian territorial waters during Russian-Chinese naval drills in the Sea of Japan on Friday.There was no immediate comment from the U.S. side.The Russian defense ministry said the crew of a Russian anti-submarine vessel, the Admiral Tributs, had radioed a warning to the USS Chafee that it was "in an area closed to navigation due to exercises with artillery fire".The U.S.
Wreck of USRC Bear Found off Nova Scotia
The decades long mystery of a missing U.S. Coast Guard Ship has finally been solved. U.S. Revenue Cutter (USRC) Bear, lost at sea in 1963, has been found on the seafloor about 90 miles south of Cape Sable, Nova Scotia, NOAA Rear Adm. Nancy Hann announced Thursday.Widely considered one of the most historically significant ships in American history, Bear was purchased by the U.S. government and first put into service by the U.S.
Fincantieri Delivers Extended Star Pride Cruise Ship to Windstar Cruises
Fincantieri shipyard in Palermo has delivered the Star Pride, the third ship of the extension and modernization Star Plus Initiative project of cruise operator Windstar Cruises.The program, worth $250 million dollars and involved the cruise ships “Star Breeze” and “Star Legend”, delivered respectively in 2020 and last May, and now “Star Pride.”Under the extension and modernization program, Fincantieri was responsible for the installation of a new 25.6 meters mid-body section…
US Port's Supply Chain Fix Challenge: Selling 24/7 Shifts
The Port of Los Angeles is beginning the hard work of convincing terminal operators, importers, warehouses owners and trucking firms to embrace moving more cargo at night."It's not a single lever we can pull today to open up all the gates," Executive Director Gene Seroka said on Thursday.On Wednesday, the White House gathered stakeholders including retailers Walmart and Home Depot, logistics firms United Parcel Service and FedEx, and electronics supplier Samsung.
