Caribbean News

The maritime software, services and data analysis provider NAPA has announced the signing of a new contract with the northernmost year-round ferry, Wasaline, for its newbuilding Aurora Botnia.When it launches in 2021 the Aurora Botnia will be the world’s first LNG/LBG battery ship with pods under the vehicle deck, as well as the world’s most environmentally friendly RoPax vessel.Under the agreement, NAPA will provide Wasaline with its industry benchmark software applications, NAPA Emergency Computer…

Subsea Global Solutions (SGS) has entered into an agreement with Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (RCCL). Under the agreement SGS will provide underwater hull maintenance and repair services for their fleet of 58 ships trading under six different brands (Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity, Azamara, TUI, Silversea, and Pullmantur). The  new agreement is a continuation of the long term relationship between the two companies.

A flotilla of oil tankers is sailing empty from Europe and the Mediterranean toward the U.S. Gulf Coast to take advantage of surging shipping rates, according to shipping sources and Refinitiv Eikon data on Monday.Eight tankers, an unusually high number, are in the Atlantic and steaming to the United States, with capacity of up to 5.6 million barrels of oil combined, the people said. Freight rates for Aframax vessels out of the U.S. Gulf coast hit record levels last month, drawing…

Britain's navy will accompany UK-flagged ships through the Strait of Hormuz to provide protection after the U.S. killing of Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani inflamed tensions in the region.Britain's defence minister, Ben Wallace, ordered the HMS Montrose and HMS Defender to prepare to return to escort duties in the major oil shipping route as Prime Minister Boris Johnson came in for criticism for his silence over the killing.Media reports have said Johnson is on holiday in the Caribbean."The government will take all necessary steps to protect our ships and citizens at this time…

German shipyard Meyer Werft GmbH & Co. KG is all set to to launch three cruise ships in 2020. During the shipyard has handed over three modern cruise ships to international cruise lines. "In the last twelve months alone, we have taken on 395 new employees in Papenburg, thus enlarging our team to more than 3625 people. We continue to recruit new col-leagues in all parts of the shipyard," said Tim Meyer, Managing Director of Meyer Werft.The shipyard has taken on all the 45 trainees who passed their final examinations.

Two cruise ships collided in a port in the Mexican Caribbean resort of Cozumel on Friday, causing damage to the stern of Carnival Corporation's Carnival Glory and leaving one passenger with a minor injury, Carnival said."Carnival Glory was maneuvering to dock when it made contact with Carnival Legend which was already alongside," Carnival said in a statement. "We are assessing the damage but there are no issues that impact the seaworthiness of either ship."Civil protection authorities…

Miami-based cruise company Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (RCL) will kick off construction of a third cruise terminal at the Port of Galveston in Texas next year.Both companies have approved a lease agreement to build a third cruise terminal at Pier 10 in Galveston with $100 million in construction cost.Through the public-private partnership, RCL will build the terminal, then lease it from the port for an initial term of 20 years, with four 10-year extension options.The two-story terminal will have a footprint of approximately 170…

APM Terminals, an international container terminal operating company, said that its Moín Container Terminal celebrated the movements of its 1 millionth TEU on 11 December 2019.This milestone, achieved in less than 10 months of operation, is particularly significant, as the next phase of the terminal will be built when an annual volume of 1.5 million TEUs is reached, said a press note. APM Terminals has a 30-year concession to operate the terminal.The millionth TEU was unloaded…

Damen Shipyards Group signed a Damen Technical Cooperation (DTC) contract with Cotecmar during ExpoDefensa 2019 in Bogota. The contract will see DTC provide design, engineering and technical assistance for the construction of a Scientific Marine Research Vessel (Buque de Investigación Científico Marina (BICM)).Cotemcar  will build the hydrographic and oceanogrpahic research vessel for DIMAR (Direccion Maritima – Maritime Authority) at their Mamonal location. The vessel, which will be 83 meters in length with a beam of 16 meters…

The SMS Group has completed two pieces of major interior outfit work for Holland America Line in the Caribbean and Canada.This division is led by industry veteran Dan Lockyer. In respect to the recent wins Dan said: “We completed these first two, major projects, on time and on budget. “The Noordam refit, undertaken in the Seaspan yard in Victoria, Canada, We had over 20 men onsite, with two project managers, and completed works in 742 cabins. “The Volendam was similar, although a slightly smaller project. The works were undertaken in Freeport, Grand Bahamas.

Diverse and conveniently located, St. Johns Ship Building has quickly developed into a reliable partner for its many repeat customers. Today, and as a direct result, a lot more people know exactly where Palatka, Florida is located.On the St Johns River, just 60 miles south of Jacksonville, lies the sleepy town of Palatka, Florida. Founded as a trading post in 1821, its location on the highly navigable river made the area attractive to orange growers and timber men alike.In its heyday between 1875 and 1900…

Army veteran-turned-Royal Caribbean Cruise Line founder Edwin W. Stephan passed away on Friday at 87 years old."We at Royal Caribbean mourn his loss and extend our deepest sympathies to the Stephan family," said a statement from the global cruise company said.In 1969 Stephan founded the Royal Caribbean Cruise Line, and his contributions helped create the modern cruise industry we know today. Under his leadership in 1970, the company launched Song of Norway, the first ship purpose-built for warm-water cruising.Since that initial voyage…

The Panama Canal is a strategic crossroads for maritime traffic, and is arguably one of the most important maritime developments in the past century. Here we take a deeper dive into the history behind that famous strip of waterway.The present canal, which saw its first vessel transits in 1914, along with possible alternatives through Nicaragua and Mexico, had actually been on the minds of merchants, explorers and military/political strategists since the Age of Exploration in early 1500’s.

Loy Stewart, Jr. is President, Detyens Shipyards. He is a 1991 graduate of the US Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point where he earned a degree in Marine Engineering. After several months sailing on the Sealift Atlantic, Loy began working at Detyens as a Ship Superintendent and coordinated work on numerous commercial and navy contracts. In 1996, when the Detyens Shipyards were divided into separate profit centers, Loy Jr. was promoted to Profit Center Manager of the Wando facility. In 2002 he was made PCM of the Main Yard in North Charleston and promoted to Executive Vice President in 2003.

KVH Industries has introduced the TracVision UHD7, a high-performance 60 cm (24 inch) marine satellite TV antenna designed to provide boat owners, charter yacht guests, and commercial vessel crews with access to ultra high-definition (UHD) and 4K programming from DIRECTV as well as regular HD programming from other leading satellite TV providers. The system is on display at the Fort Lauderdale (FL) International Boat Show, October 30-November 3, in Booth 328.Designed for ease of installation and use…

A top hostage negotiator, the CEO of a company which supplies environmental products to ship owners and operators and the heads of two maritime technology firms are all part of an impressive line-up of speakers scheduled to speak at the 2019 Women’s International Shipping & Trading Association (WISTA) AGM & Conference which takes place next week from Tuesday, October 29, to Friday, November 1. The four-day event is being hosted by WISTA Cayman Islands and is expected to bring over 200 maritime experts from 30-plus countries.

Optimarin, the ballast water treatment (BWT) specialist, has reported a year-on-year increase in sales of more than 100% for Q3, with order intake at an all-time high. The growth, consolidating the trend seen in Q2, comes on the back of a number of new fleet agreements with leading owners and operators, of which Singapore’s Asiatic Lloyd Shipmanagement LLP is the latest signing. “September’s IMO D2 deadline for BWT compliance has created, quite rightly, a sense of urgency in the market…

The European Union (EU) has provided EUR40 million (USD 45 million) to boost sustainable fisheries and aquaculture in African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States (ACP).An initiative by ACP-EU-Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is to invest in value chains that stimulate inclusive growth, bolster food security and minimize impacts on the marine environment."ACP-EU-FAO initiative signed a €40 million, five-year program (FISH4ACP) to boost the development of sustainable fisheries and aquaculture in Africa…

Dutch shipbuilding giant and Maris Projects, a player in marine and oceanographic data management services,  have joined forces to tackle the issue of invasive Sargassum seaweed in the Caribbean region – including the Dutch Caribbean Islands.The partners are working towards the developments of a holistic solution. The work of the two companies is expected to greatly increase knowledge of bio-processing, leading to the design of efficient and scalable technologies with the capability to deliver both environmental and socio-economic benefits.A significant – and to date…

The GMN global network of maritime technology cooperation centers has completed numerous pilot projects over the past three years, helping to drive forward the changes which are required to reduce GHG emissions from shipping. A global network of maritime technology cooperation centers has completed an impressive array of pilot projects over the past three years, helping to drive forward the changes which are required to reduce GHG emissions from shipping.Five regional Maritime…

The International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF) has established its latest Contacts Network, covering Bangladesh, Cambodia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands and Thailand.ITF has seen a significant increase in seafarers requesting assistance from countries without an inspector or contact, in recent years.Attempting to resolve these requests is often challenging due to several factors, including the local political context and the effectiveness…

America’s first offshore liquefied natural gas (LNG) barge has been launched for owner Q-LNG Transport, Mississippi shipbuilder VT Halter Marine announced on Wednesday.The Q-LNG 4000 barge, designed to carry 4,000 cubic meters of LNG, with dimensions of 324’ x 64’ x 32’.6”, will be operated as part of an articulated tug and barge (ATB) unit designed to meet the requirements of American Bureau of Shipbuilding (ABS) and the International Gas Carrier code as an LNG bunkering barge.Its tug, the Q-Ocean Services, is scheduled to launch late October.

The global search for lower carbon forms of energy and demand for cost-effective ways to serve power demand in emerging markets and remote locations is driving interest in floating storage and regasification units (FSRU).FSRUs are a faster and more flexible way to import natural gas to power-constrained places, so demand for the units is increasing and the business case for owning them is growing stronger.Their model for supplying energy and transport fuel is historically well proven: they offer faster development timelines and lower initial capital costs compared to onshore regasification…