America News

SKF has gained hazardous area approval for its QuickCollect sensor. The new approval allows the sensor to be used in places that would previously have required a ‘hot work’ permit.The certification opens up applications in a range of sectors, including the petrochemicals, mining and marine industries. It also brings digitalization of data into hazardous areas, which up to now is a relative rarity.The sensor is certified to both the international IECEx and European ATEX standards, for use in Zone 1 hazardous areas.

After nine months of dredging, Jan De Nul Group has reached an important first milestone by completing the deepening of the 95 km long access channel to the port in record time.The Municipality of Guayaquil (Ecuador) officially inaugurated its newly deepened maritime access channel last weekend, by welcoming the first Neo-Panamax vessel APL Esplanade in the port.Jan De Nul Group will now operate and maintain the channel under this 25-year concession contract. The total investment…

Interferry CEO Mike Corrigan describes a distinctly upbeat period in the worldwide ferry community – and explains how the global trade association plans to take its support to far-reaching new levels.There are times when the phrase “there are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies and statistics” seems all too true, but here’s an honest number for you – ferries carry a global total of more than 2 billion passengers a year, which is almost on a par with airlines.Hard to believe? Not for those of us in the industry, but almost certainly for many citizens and politicians.

Italian shipbuilding company has been awarded an order worth almost 100 million euros (about 111 million U.S. dollars) to provide high-profile equipment as part of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) project to build a nuclear fusion reactor.The ITER Project is a multinational collaboration aimed at building an experimental hydrogen fusion reactor, first of its kind, and acknowledged as one of the most ambitious initiatives in the world in the field of sustainable energy.A temporary consortium has been established for the execution of these activities.

US-based Freeport LNG has started commercial operations at its second of three planned liquefaction trains.Freeport LNG Train 3 remains on track to meet its previously announced schedule, with initial production of LNG scheduled for Q1 of 2020, said McDermott International, Inc. with its partners, Chiyoda International Corporation and Zachry Group."We continue to advance the Freeport LNG Project with another significant accomplishment, the commercial operation of Train 2," said Mark Coscio…

Chilean logistics company SAAM has struck a deal to buy Intertug Investment Holding, a towage services company with operations in Colombia, Mexico and Honduras.SAAM will spend $54.5 million for 70% of Intertug, based on an enterprise value of $98 million, and carry out the acquisition through a capital increase and a share purchase, it said in a stock market exchange announcement.Intertug's 25-vessel fleet logs more than 18,000 maneuvers a year, generating around US$44 million in towage service revenue annually.The partnership with Intertug allows us to enter Colombia…

America’s largest military shipbuilding company Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) Ingalls Shipbuilding division has awarded $99,592 in grants to 28 STEM-related initiatives from schools and educational organizations in Mississippi and Alabama.According to a press note, this is the program’s 12th year. Ingalls has awarded more than $1 million for science, technology, engineering and mathematics projects during that period.“These projects expose students to innovative concepts…

Louisiana’s only international container port Port of New Orleans (Port NOLA) moved more containers in 2019 than at any time in its history, totaling 648,538 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), up 10% compared to one year ago.The multimodal gateway for global trade said in a press release that the record marks the sixth consecutive year the Port surpassed the half million TEU-mark at its Napoleon Avenue Container Terminal, which is operated by New Orleans Terminal and Ports America.“Port NOLA has now seen double-digit growth in total container volumes for two consecutive years…

The turbine manufacturing and installation company Nordex Group booked turbine orders totaling 6207MW in 2019, up 31% on the 4754MW in 2018.The German manufacturer secured deals with a combined capacity of 1477MW in the fourth quarter of last year, which was down on the 1679MW in the last three months of 2018.Overall, the Nordex Group received orders to deliver 1,616 wind turbines with a total output of 6,207 MW in 2019, representing a 31 percent increase on the previous year (2018: 4…

US-based Crowley Maritime Corp. announced on Wednesday that it has realigned its marine services organization and introduced new leadership.In a move that aims to provide better support to customers, Crowley Marine Services, part of the company’s shipping arm, will now be comprised of three distinct, yet interrelated business segments: offshore services, ship assist and tanker escort and engineering services – those provided by Crowley and subsidiary Jensen Maritime Consultants.Jeff Andreini…

The end of 2019 promises to be a busy, and potentially discordant, legislative and regulatory period for the United States maritime industry as both Congress and the Executive Branch look to take decisive action, with both positive and negative potential impacts depending on your perspective. With appropriation and authorization bills still pending, and various open regulatory actions, there are significant opportunities for maritime stakeholders to influence policy outcomes.Funding Fights Continue in CongressOn October 31…

The Indian Register of Shipping (IRClass) said that the classed fleet registered approx. 3% growth in the past year.The ship classification society said that its foreign flag fleet continued to grow at a robust pace with 16% more vessels added during 2019 demonstrating strong global acceptance of IRClass services.IRClass received several flag authorizations in 2019 including key flags like Cyprus and Denmark and is now recognized by 45 flag states worldwide. It opened a new office in the Netherlands to add to its other European offices in the UK…

The US Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD) has will invest $7.5 million in nine Marine Highway projects as it looks to make the movement of cargo and people at sea and on land more efficient.The funding, provided by MARAD’s America’s Marine Highway Program, will go towards enhancing existing services in Florida, South Carolina, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Oregon, Texas, Virginia, and Washington.“This $7.5 million investment will improve our country’s vital fuel-efficient waterway transportation system…

Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy (SGRE), the world’s largest supplier of offshore wind turbines, won the order for Dominion Energy’s 2,640-megawatt project off the coast of Virginia, U.S.A.According to a press release from the Spanish-based engineering company company, this is the largest offshore wind power project in the rapidly increasing U.S. market to date.A long-term service and maintenance agreement is included for the site located off the coast of Virginia. The agreement…

North American energy infrastructure company Sempra Energy and Saudi Aramco's Aramco Services Company, signed an Interim Project Participation Agreement for the Port Arthur LNG export project under development in Jefferson County, Texas.According to a press release, the IPPA represents another milestone for both companies after having signed a heads of agreement in May last year for the purchase of 5 million tonnes per annum (Mtpa) of liquefied natural gas (LNG) and a 25% equity investment in the Port Arthur LNG project.Jeffrey W.

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD) on Monday announced more than $7.5 million in grants to nine Marine Highway projects. The funding, provided by MARAD’s America’s Marine Highway Program, will go toward enhancing existing services in Florida, South Carolina, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Oregon, Texas, Virginia, and Washington“This $7.5 million investment will improve our country’s vital fuel-efficient waterway transportation system, which makes an important contribution to exports and economic growth,” said U.S. Secretary of Transportation Elaine L.

Florida-headquartered international cruise line Carnival Cruise Line announced that the debut of its newest ship, Mardi Gras, will be pushed back until Nov. 14, 2020 after the Meyer Turku shipyard in Finland informed the cruise line “that the delivery will be delayed.”With this new schedule, Carnival will now take delivery of the ship in late October and its first revenue sailing will depart from Port Canaveral on Nov. 14, 2020. Consequently, the first eight sailings that were scheduled starting Aug.

Yilport Puerto Bolivar, Ecuador’s first deep-sea terminal, will soon have a new fleet of ship-to-shore (STS) and electrified rubber tired gantry (E-RTG) that set sail from Oita, Japan, on December 30, 2019.Yilport said in a press release that the cranes will arrive on January 27, 2020, and will be part of a fleet comprising 6 STS and 18 ERTG cranes.The cranes forms the first shipment of overall 6 new STS cranes and 18 E-RTG cranes order of the Terminal. These 2 STS cranes will have 62 meters 22 rows out-reach capacity, designed to serve 14,000 TEU vessels.

Houston-based Castleton Resources said that its subsidiary Castleton Commodities International LLC (CCI) has closed on the acquisition of the East Texas and North Louisiana Haynesville Shale assets of BG US Production Company LLC, a subsidiary of Royal Dutch Shell plc. Pro forma for the acquisition, Castleton Resources will hold approximately 222,400 net acres in the region and produce approximately 334 MMcfe/d (net). Castleton Resources is owned by CCI and Tokyo Gas America Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of Tokyo Gas Co., Ltd. Concurrent with the transaction, Tokyo Gas America Ltd.

North America's dredging company Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Corporation (GLDD) announced the receipt of several major dredging awards totaling $ 83 million.David Simonelli, President of Dredging said: “Great Lakes is pleased to announce these important deepening, coastal protection and maintenance dredging awards. These projects will enhance our year-end backlog and position us well for 2020. Working on these projects allows Great Lakes to help strengthen the U.S. economy, infrastructure and further support the protection of our U.S.

Choosing the year’s ‘top stories’ is always a difficult task. Many compelling story threads played out, each dramatically impacting the North American waterfront, and in particular, the workboat sector – each in their own unique way.The Infrastructure Battle ContinuesThe EXECUTIVE SUMMARY H.R. 2396, the “Full Utilization of the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund Act”, will ensure that the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund is used for its intended purpose – maintaining Federally-authorized harbors. The legislation would allow the U.S.

Hornbeck Offshore Services announced its common stock has been delisted from the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) on December 20, 2019, and that the company began trading on the OTC Pink marketplace effective December 23, 2019.The NYSE announced that Hornbeck stock was was suspended from trading because the company did not maintain an average global market capitalization of at least $15 million over a consecutive 30-trading-day period, as required by NYSE continued listing standards.Hornbeck…

ARM Reformador project shows economic impact of local shipbuilding.Working in close cooperation, Damen Shipyards Group, the Mexican Navy, subcontractors and suppliers have completed successful sea trials of the Mexican Navy’s POLA-class ARM Reformador. The programme of sea trials was comprehensive, including testing of platform and combat systems in addition to training of Mexican Navy crews. The completion of these sea trials indicate how the project as a whole is progressing…