Inmarsat Offering Crews Discounted Voice Calls
Inmarsat has formalized a 50% discount for crew voice calling services available for up to 40,000 ships in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on seafarer well-being.The maritime satellite service provider is also ensuring that calls made to the SeafarerHelp service provided by welfare organization ISWAN (International Seafarers’ Welfare Assistance Network) are available free of charge.
Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) 2020 Canceled
The 2020 Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) has been canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic."While OTC’s purpose is to provide an opportunity for those in the offshore petroleum industry from around the world to meet and share knowledge, our first priority is to the health and safety of our attendees and exhibitors. Therefore, OTC has made the difficult decision to cancel this year’s conference…
Coronavirus-stricken Zaandam to Dock in Florida
Two Holland America Line cruise ships, including the coronavirus-hit Zaandam, are scheduled to dock at Port Everglades on Thursday, a spokesperson for the Florida port confirmed.The port said it would hold berths open for the two ships as details for the conditions of arrival are being finalized. An estimated time of arrival is to be determined.Florida has been working with the cruise line and the U.S.
Ice Chart Data Satellite Network to Launch in 2022
A newly established consortium is going to develop a network for low Earth orbit satellites delivering ice chart data to ships at sea. A new research project called MARIOT (Maritime IoT) is going to develop a low Earth orbit satellite network based on the new VDES (VHF Data Exchange System) technology. The consortium behind the project is headed by the Danish satellite operator Sternula. The satcom developers GateHouse…
New Dual Channel Power Supply for Marine Engine Control
Powerbox has announced the release of a new dual channel power supply for Marine engine control. Based on a ruggedized platform for use in harsh environments, the ENMA500D24/2x27-CC provides two 27V/20A isolated outputs and a total power of 540W. The power supply is housed in a robust IP56 case, it is mechanically designed for efficient conduction cooling, and it complies with DNV/GL standards.From…
Profiles in Training: American Seafoods
Lance Camarena recognized from a young age that he wanted to work in the learning and development arena. But his plans changed while studying in college to become a public school music teacher and a job working a swing shift at Intel led to a new path of study and a career in the IT world.Still, after graduating and securing full-time employment with another IT firm, he knew training was still his calling. “I managed to switch roles and became one of the first people in the U.S.
IMO Urges Governments to Allow Crew Changes
United Nations shipping agency the International Maritime Organization (IMO) has echoed industry calls for governments to grant special travel exemptions to seafarers in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.In a Circular Letter (link) issued on Monday, the IMO distributed a series of recommendations for governments and relevant national authorities, proposed by a broad cross-section of global industry…
Low-Speed, Dual-Fuel Engines Pass 1 Million Operating Hours
Mk II ME-GI and Otto-cycle ME-GA recently added to two-stroke portfolio MAN Energy Solutions reports that its portfolio of two-stroke, dual-fuel engines has accumulated 1 million operating hours.Bjarne Foldager – Senior Vice President, Head of Two-Stroke Business at MAN Energy Solutions – said: “This significant milestone owes everything to the dual fuel strategy we have laid over the past decade.”MAN…
SevenCs Upgrades Chart Validation Tool
SevenCs has released a new version of the chart validation tool, 7Cs Analyzer. 7Cs Analyzer Version 4.2. comes with new features to make chart validation more flexible and customizable.Shape File ExportMost chart production tools have a built-in shape file reader. Therefore, we have included a new module in Version 4.2. It gives users the opportunity to save the validation log file in ESRI shape file format.
SBI Lynx Delivered to Ocean Yield
Ocean Yield said it has taken delivery of the kamsarmax dry bulk vessel SBI Lynx which it purchased and is leasing back to Scorpio Bulkers on a 12-year bareboat charter.In February, Scorpio announced it agreed to sell and lease back SBI Lynx along with Ultramax vessels SBI Cronos and SBI Achilles to Ocean Yield for $62.8 million total.The Ultramax vessels were handed over to Ocean Yield in March. SBI…
Klaveness Expands Data Platform Contract with DNV GL
Following a three-vessel pilot project initiated in 2019, Klaveness Ship Management has opted to expand its contract with DNV GL's Veracity to sign up another eight vessels for the data platform service.The pilot saw Veracity partner with Arundo Analytics (Arundo) to install Arundo Edge Agent software onboard and stream data onto the Veracity data platform. On Veracity, the data is secured, stored, contextualized and combined with other data sources such as position data.
Kirby Completes Savage Fleet Acquisition
Houston-based Kirby Corporation said Thursday it has completed the acquisition of Savage Inland Marine’s inland towboat and tank barge fleet. The total consideration paid was approximately $278 million and was financed with additional borrowings. Savage’s fleet consists of 46 inland towboats and 90 tank barges with approximately 2.5 million barrels of capacity. Savage primarily moves petrochemicals…
EU Antitrust Regulators Pause Hyundai, Daewoo Deal Probe
EU antitrust regulators have halted their investigation into world No.
Carnival Pays High Price to Get Credit Investors on Board
Carnival Corp, the world’s largest cruise operator, said it has raised $6.25 billion by issuing new debt and equity on Wednesday, borrowing at a high cost to weather the economic storm of the coronavirus pandemic.Despite having its cruise ships idled to comply with coronavirus travel restrictions, the company was able to attract enough investors that its capital raising was oversubscribed several times over…
While Oil Prices Plummets, Tanker Rates Fly High
If one ever needed proof that, no matter how dire the situation, there is always a silver lining, look no further than the crude tanker market, which has seen it day rates skyrocket in the face of a global pandemic that has effectively ground world commerce to a crawl.As is the case with other gravity defying business phenomena, geopolitics is a central factor, in this case a battle between Russia…
Hornbeck Offshore to File Chapter 11
U.S.-based offshore vessel owner Hornbeck Offshore Services announced it will file chapter 11 after defaulting on payment obligations.The New York-listed company said in an SEC filing that it has reached an agreement with lenders and holders of the company’s unsecured 5.875% and 5% senior notes pursuant to which the creditors have agreed to forbear, until April 20, from exercising certain of their…
Long-Term Charter with Total for Havila PSV
Norwegian offshore vessel owner Havila Shipping has secured a long-term contract for its platform supply vessel Havila Commander.Havila Shipping said Thursday that the contract was with Total E&P UK, the UK subsidiary of the French oil major Total.The new contract for the 2010-built platform supply vessel is for a firm period of 18 months. The contract will begin in mid-April 2020 in direct continuation…
Covid-19: Boskalis Stops Crew Changes, Cuts Spending
Dutch offshore transportation and dredging giant Boskalis has halted crew changes and will slash spending this year due to the COVID-19 virus crisis, it said on Thursday.The company said that, while its workers work from home where possible, this is not an option for staff working on international projects and vessels."Therefore, as a consequence of global travel restrictions and to ensure the business continuity and health of our colleagues…
Vard Scores Fishing Vessel Contract
Norwegian shipbuilder Vard announced it has secured a NOK 500 million $47.8 million) contract to design and build a stern trawler for fishing company P/F Akraberg, a subsidiary of Framherji in the Faroe Islands.Erik Haakonsholm, Vard's General Manager of Offshore and Specialized vessels, said, “The new contract is a bright spot for Vard, our employees and suppliers, and shows that it is possible to…
Remote Surveys Becoming Business as Usual
Remote vessel and equipment surveys have been available in the maritime world for years, but classification societies are seeing increased demand for these services as more firms turn to digital solutions to continue business during the coronavirus outbreak.Using real-time video communication tools, and even drones and robotics when applicable, surveyors are able to work with stakeholders to perform inspections without having to be on site…
