America News

The very first production vessel destined for operations offshore Guyana has departed Singapore en route to the ExxonMobil-operated Stabroek block off the northeastern coast of South America.The Liza Destiny floating, production, storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel is expected to arrive in September ahead of first oil planned in 2020.The FPSO, which was converted from a very large crude carrier (VLCC) at the Keppel Shipyard in Singapore, is designed to produce up to 120,000 barrels of oil per day…

Aboard USS BOXER in the Arabian Sea, a U.S. Harrier fighter jet takes off from the amphibious assault ship USS Boxer in the Arabian Sea as an oil tanker passes, a nautical mile away.The patrol is "standard" but the situation - growing tension between the United States and Iran - is not.Soon after the roar of the Harrier fades, two combat helicopters and two unmistakable Osprey aircraft with their tiltable rotors land back on the flight deck."We want to make sure that we assure allies in the region and to ensure freedom of navigation and free flow of commerce…

As privately owned, luxury yachts near the size of the average cruise ship, behold a new option, which is anything but commonplace: The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection. At 624 feet and 11 decks, her exterior profile resembles a sleek superyacht design, not a cruise ship on the horizon. Launched in October 2018 at Hijos de J. Barreras Shipyard in Vigo, Spain, the flagship of the new brand is now in outfitting and interior finishing. The project was co-managed by The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection, Marriott and Tillberg Design of Sweden.

The  American/British-owned German cruise line AIDA Cruises announced that it is planning the first practical trial of fuel cells (battery power) aboard an AIDA ship by 2021.The trial will take place in cooperation with Meyer Werft within the scope of the ‘Pa-X-ell 2’ project promoted by Germany’s Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure.The German brand of Carnival Corporation said in a press note that it has been focusing for many years in research into and the…

The global shipping containers market, which amassed $9.29 billion in 2017, is estimated to reach $12.08 billion by 2023, growing at a CAGR of 4.5% from 2017 to 2023.According to a report by Allied Market Research, surge in seaborne trade, rise of transportation services, and increase in number of manufacturing facilities drive the growth in the market. However, decreasing economic growth in few nations in Europe and the Asia-Pacific region restrain the market growth.On the other hand…

Imagine conducting ship checks and training aboard a ship without ever leaving your office. At Norfolk Naval Shipyard (NNSY), this has become a reality thanks to virtual reality.NNSY's Radiological Control Special Projects and Refueling Division (Code 105.26) has collaborated with the Nuclear Fluid Systems and Mechanical Engineering Division (Code 2320), the Nuclear Refueling Engineering Division (Code 2370), and Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) to create laser scans of vessels…

The decarbonization drive is gearing up to be the defining issue faced by the shipping sector in the coming decades and the industry is searching for low carbon and zero emissions technologies that will deliver on the International Maritime Organization (IMO) initial strategy of reducing emissions by at least 50% by 2050. One family of technologies that is seeing an upsurge of interest in the industry is wind-assist and primary wind propulsion solutions. Today the Paris headquartered…

The U.S. Coast Guard has released dramatic video of the moment it captured a drug smuggling vessel in the Eastern Pacific.U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Munro (WMSL-755) returned to San Diego from its maiden drug interdiction mission Thursday with a record 39,000 pounds of cocaine seized from smugglers in the Pacific Ocean.The cocaine and 933 pounds of marijuana were seized during 14 drug interdiction and disruptions off the coasts of Mexico, Central America and South America during the past three months. The drugs have a combined street value of $569 million, Coast Guard officials said.

Based in Miramar, FL, ABB Vice President Ed Schwarz is today responsible for developing and leading the newly created new sales team for ABB in North America.He is the firm’s leading advocate for new build opportunities in US and Canada and more importantly, developing the business strategy necessary for bringing hybrid and electric solutions to North America market. A graduate of the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point, NY, he earned a Bachelor of Science in Marine Engineering and Shipyard Management in 2000.

Kalmar  has supplied Shantou China Merchants Port Group Co., Ltd. with eight Essential Range Empty Container Handlers.According to a press note from the Cargotec group unit, the handlers have been delivered respectively to Huagang Container Branch and Container Service Branch under Shantou China Merchants Port Group Co., Ltd.The order was booked in Cargotec's 2019 Q1 order intake, it said.China Merchants Port Holdings Co. Ltd., a world-leading port developer, investor and operator…

VT Halter Marine, Inc. (VT Halter Marine), a company of ST Engineering North America, has won a contract worth nearly $2.9 million by the Naval Sea Systems Command.VT Halter Marine was one of four U.S.-based companies awarded a contract under the Common Hull Auxiliary Mission Platform – called CHAMP. VT Halter Marine’s contract win is $2,899,252.In 2018, the Navy implemented the CHAMP study to find a replacement for several types of auxiliary ships that are rapidly approaching the ends of their service lives – hospital ships…

The Chamber of Shipping of America (CSA) honored 104 vessels owned and/or managed by Crowley Maritime Corporation with annual Jones F. Devlin Awards in recognition of their combined 737 years of incident-free service through 2018.Of the 104 vessels awarded, 27 have gone without an incident for 10 or more years, including the following vessels:•Valdez Star, 28 years;•Gus E, MV Chief, MV Guide, Roger E, each with 20 years; MV Aku, MV Veteran, and MV Vigilant, each with 19 years…

Hybrid powered expedition cruise ship MS Roald Amundsen continues to make history – as Hurtigruten has announced the first ever ship naming ceremony in Antarctica. Instead of the traditional bottle of champagne, MS Roald Amundsen’s explorer heritage will be honored by naming the vessel with a chunk of ice.The naming ceremony will take place this fall, as the first world’s first hybrid powered cruise ship makes her way to the white continent on her maiden Antarctica voyage."We…

Three Iranian vessels tried to block a BP-operated tanker passing through the Strait of Hormuz but backed off when confronted by a Royal Navy warship, the UK government said on Thursday.Britain urged Iran to "de-escalate the situation in the region" after the British Heritage, a Suezmax oil tanker operated by BP under an Isle of Man flag, was approached."HMS Montrose was forced to position herself between the Iranian vessels and British Heritage and issue verbal warnings to the Iranian vessels…

American Refining Group Inc. (ARG) announced its new partnership with veteran-owned small business Sea Ready Marine Petroleum, as ARG has designated Sea Ready as its global distributor of its refinery’s marine lubricants.Already the largest zinc-free (ZF) railroad-engine oil supplier east of the Mississippi River, ARG is taking its marine line of Specialty Lubricants to sea. The full line includes formulations customers have relied upon and trusted for decades, particularly its…

American multinational company McDermott International and its joint venture member Chiyoda have reached an agreement with Cameron LNG related to the construction of its LNG liquefaction project in Louisiana.McDermott and Chiyoda are providing the engineering, procurement and construction for the first three liquefaction trains at the Cameron LNG export project.Cameron LNG is jointly owned by affiliates of Sempra LNG, Total, Mitsui & Co., Ltd., and Japan LNG Investment, LLC, a…

Johnalan Brill joins Fueltrax as of June 2019 as Director of Data Analytics.In his role Brill will leverage operational data from Fueltrax  global fleet and provide expert analysis to determine best practices and operational efficiencies to clients. Overseeing the next generation of FUELNET advancements, Brill will be taking the lead in subsequent steps to expanding FUELNET analysis offerings, to continue to save time and provide value for clients through tools such as dashboards…

The Offshore Sector's Support of National Interests in Times of Crisis.Desperate Times Call for Diverse ResourcesIn 2017, North America was assaulted by significant weather events resulting in cascading humanitarian crises. Despite the substantial response from the U.S. maritime industry, a misconception arose that insufficient U.S. assets were available to support critical response activities in affected regions; in particular, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Public…

Azerbaijan Caspian Shipping Company (ASCO) has hosted a meeting with the guests from the United States of America.The meeting was attended by Robert Sekuta, former US Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Azerbaijan in 2015-2018, former Read Admiral Ron MacLaren, director of the US Joint Reserve Forces, and Afghan Niftiyev, Director of the Caspian Research Center.ASCO Chairman Rauf Veliyev informed the guests about crucial projects implemented in Azerbaijan for the development of the transport system in recent years.

Seaspan Marine Transportation unveiled a new marine simulator facility, the first and only of its kind in North America, in its North Vancouver office, Canada.The simulator, which required an investment of approximately $1.5 million dollars, is described by the company as the “cornerstone” of a $6.5-million, multi-year safety and training program.According to a press release, this training program has been developed in collaboration with SeaWays Global, the international standard bearer in tug training…

Stamford, CT-based Dan-Bunkering (America)  announced the relocation of two Bunker Traders, the employment of a Senior Purchaser, and a new office address.Kasper Christiansen, Danish national, has relocated to Dan-Bunkering in Stamford as of 1 May 2019. Prior to the relocation, Kasper was working as a Senior Bunker Trader in the head office in Middelfart, Denmark; an office which he joined in 2010. He has, however, in the meantime been stationed abroad for a period of two years in Asia…

A new film from the International Maritime Organization (IMO) shows how IMO's Women in Maritime program is helping to support gender diversity in the maritime sectorThe maritime world is changing - and for the better. With help from the International Maritime Organization (IMO), exciting and rewarding career opportunities are opening up for women and a new generation of strong and talented women are responding.They are proving that, in today's world, the maritime industries are for everyone.

Inmarsat will introduce two new satellite payloads dedicated to the Arctic region in a partnership with Space Norway, and its subsidiary Space Norway HEOSAT.The new Global Xpress (GX) payloads support the rapidly growing demand among both commercial and government users for seamless, reliable, high-speed mobile broadband services in the Arctic and throughout the world. They specifically address rising demand for high-speed mobile broadband Fleet Xpress service capability from the merchant shipping…