Coastal and Inland News

AIWA's Executive Director Brad Pickel, reaches out to stakeholders in advance of the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway Association's annual meeting:Dear Supporters and Friends of the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway Association,Greetings and I hope this email finds everyone well. I am writing today to announce the opening of online registration for the AIWA’s 20th Anniversary Annual Meeting in Savannah, GA on November 21-22, 2019. We will be meeting at The DeSoto Hotel and are thrilled to be celebrating 20 years as the Unified Voice for the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway (AIWW).

Lock Closures Starting on the Illinois Waterway This Summer May Result in  More Freight Flowing Through St. Louis Region.Businesses that move or handle commodities on the Illinois Waterway system are being encouraged to start making alternative plans due the scheduled closure of locks on that inland waterway system. With a two-week closure planned by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers beginning as early as August 2019 and closures of 90 to 120 days expected in the summers of 2020 and 2023…

SCHOTTEL has supplied propulsion systems for four Full Azimuthal Electrical (FAZEL) barges and two Floating Crane Transhipper Units (FCTU) dedicated to transhipment for Dubai’s Hassyan coal power plant. The FAZELs and FCTUs are built to European standards and operated in the UAE by Louis Dreyfus Ports & Logistics, a subsidiary of the French company Louis Dreyfus Armateurs. The German propulsion expert SCHOTTEL equipped the vessels with a total of 20 rudderpropellers.FAZELs and…

Incat Tasmania’s newest 111-meter ferry has been handed over to her new Spanish operator  Naviera Armas and departed Hobart late last night (16 July) for Spain.The ship, named Volcan de Tagoro (Incat Hull 091) is impressive in her distinctive red Naviera Armas livery. 091 completed sea trials over the past few days, loaded fuel and supplies yesterday for the delivery voyage to Spain, and has now left Australia.The delivery will be via Auckland, across the Pacific Ocean to Tahiti and the Panama Canal before crossing the Atlantic on her way to Spain.

The fumigation of grain cargoes using certain pesticides, namely plant protection products, may not be effective in controlling insect larvae, resulting in cargo damage or loss.Javier Quintero Saavedra, head of HSE at Terminales Marítimos de Galicia (TMGA), an operator of bulk terminals in Galicia, Spain, and Chairman, Dry Bulk Cargoes Working Group, ICHCA,  said: “We are finding that the pupae and larvae inside maize kernels in various consignments, and which were subjected to in-transit fumigation…

Cook Inlet Tug & Barge (CITB), an independently managed subsidiary of Foss Maritime Company, has announced that operations on Alaska’s North Slope are officially underway for the 2019 ice-free season. Three newly acquired tugs, along with barges and shore equipment, will be operating out of Prudhoe Bay for approximately the next three months.“It is great to see these vessels on the water and ready to work,” said Jeff Johnson, President of CITB. “These shallow-draft tugs and barges…

Reliable performance was a prime prerequisite for the new transporter recently built for the Gitga’at First Nation community located in a remote region of northwest British Columbia.That’s one of the main reasons why Volvo Penta diesels were specified for the new boat.The new 55-ft. aluminum transporter, built in the Adrenalin Marine shipyard in Delta, British Columbia, is powered by a pair of Volvo Penta 13-liter 700 hp diesels. The engines were supplied by Surrey-based Cullen Diesel Power Ltd…

Shippers trying to minimise time in the Middle East after oil tanker attacks pushed up insurance costs are scaling back purchases of marine fuels from the United Arab Emirates' (UAE) Fujairah oil hub, trade sources said.Instead, they are turning primarily to Singapore, the world's top refuelling hub, to buy marine fuels, also known as bunkers, with some diverting to smaller bunkering ports, including in India and Sri Lanka, the sources said.A tonne of 380-centistoke (cst) high…

The Baltic Exchange's main sea freight index rose on Wednesday, driven by demand for capesize and panamax vessels.The Baltic index, which tracks rates for ships ferrying dry bulk commodities, rose 2.6%, or 53 points, to 2,064, its highest since January 2014. The index has surged about 60% this year. The index extended gains for a seventh straight session, mainly driven by strong demand for vessels that ship iron ore from Brazil.A restart of Vale SA's Brucutu mine in Brazil that was shut in early February after a tailings dam burst…

Shipping companies are hiring unarmed security guards for voyages through the Middle East Gulf as an extra safeguard after a wave of attacks in the region, security companies involved said.Relations between Iran and the West are increasingly strained after Britain seized an Iranian tanker in Gibraltar this month. Britain also said last week that one of its warships had to fend off Iranian vessels seeking to block a UK-owned tanker from passing through the Strait of Hormuz.As the risk of escalation grows…

U.S. officials say they are unsure whether an oil tanker towed into Iranian waters was seized by Iran or rescued after facing mechanical faults as Tehran asserts, creating a mystery at sea at a time of high tension in the Gulf.The MT Riah disappeared from ship tracking maps when its transponder was switched off in the Strait of Hormuz on July 14. Its last position was off the coast of the Iranian island of Qeshm in the strait.Iran says it towed a vessel into its waters from the strait after the ship issued a distress call.

Netherlands-based workboat provider Acta Marine said that its new walk-to-work vessel Acta Centaurus with SMST equipment in Deutsche Bucht has carried out first operations.Acta Centaurus has now been working for 1.5 months at the Deutsche Bucht offshore wind farm. SMST designs and builds offshore equipment. The SMST products covers a wide range of systems for access, lifting, drilling, pipe lay and specials.During this first charter with MHI Vestas, the new built DP2 Service Operation Vessel (SOV) supports installation and commissioning of 31 turbines.

Norwegian shipping and tank terminal company Odfjell SE has finalized the sale of its indirect 55% equity stake in Odfjell Terminals Jiangyin (OTJ), China.Reference is made to the stock exchange announcement of May 8th, 2018, in which Odfjell SE (Odfjell) announced that Lindsay Goldberg (LG) is considering a sale of its 49% shareholding in Odfjell Terminals BV.After LG completed the sales of its shareholdings in the US and European terminals, LG is now in the process of selling its shareholding in the Asian terminals.

The United States and China will become the world's biggest liquefied natural gas (LNG) exporters and importers, respectively, in five years, according to projections by the International Energy Agency (IEA).U.S. LNG exports are expected to rocket to over 100 billion cubic meters (bcm) in 2024, dislodging current market leaders Australia and Qatar, Jean-Baptiste Dubreuil, senior natural gas analyst at IEA, said on Tuesday.He was speaking at a presentation sponsored by Columbia…

The Port of Indiana-Burns Harbor will host Indiana’s first U.S. Navy vessel commissioning ceremony when it commissions the USS Indianapolis littoral combat ship on Saturday, Oct. 26 at its facility on Lake Michigan.The commissioning of USS Indianapolis will mark the fourth time a U.S. Navy vessel will bear the name of Indiana’s capital city. The name has a rich heritage, dating back to World War I. The most notable vessel, USS Indianapolis (CA 35), was torpedoed by a Japanese submarine in 1945 in the closing days of World War II. Only 317 of the 1,196 men on board survived.

Ten Turkish sailors were taken hostage by armed pirates who attacked a Turkish-flagged cargo ship off the coast of Nigeria, the vessel's owner said on Tuesday, adding that another eight sailors were left safely aboard.Turkey's foreign ministry said the sailors were seized on Saturday evening. After the pirates left the ship it was taken to Ghana's Tema port, and Ghanaian and Nigerian authorities are working on returning the captured sailors, the ministry said.Shipping company Kadioglu Denizcilik said its ship…

Van Oord has decided to use the option of ordering a third trailing suction hopper dredger at Keppel FELS Limited. The vessel is similar to the two vessels that Van Oord ordered in May 2018. Each one has a hopper capacity of approximately 10,500 cubic meters and measures 138 meters in length and 28 meters across the beam.This investment is part of a broader fleet renewal program in the Dredging business unit. The new hoppers will replace existing vessels and fit in with Van Oord’s aim of making its fleet state-of-the-art and more energy efficient.

Roll-on/roll-off  (RO-RO) vessel Höegh Trapper recently returned to the Port of Mackay as part of its Europe US, Mexico and Oceania service.To commemorate the occasion representatives from North Queensland Bulk Ports Corporation, traditional owners and council members from Mackay as well as customers and service providers were invited to tour the vessel.Being the largest Pure Car and Truck Carrier in the world, the guests were welcomed to showcase the vessel’s flexibility and wide range of cargoes it can cater to.Captain Nicky Colaco…

The first commercial vessel, Maersk Cape Coast has docked at the Terminal 3 at Tema Port after 3 years of expansion and modernization works to complete the first two berths.The Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority, which operates the harbor is located along the Gulf of Guinea, said that with the state-of-the-art technology and equipment, 1,427 containers were discharged and 730 containers loaded.Incidentally, Maersk Cape Coast was inaugurated and christened at the port of Tema in 2011.

Container lines Ocean Network Express (ONE) is launching a new service covering Africa, India and the Middle East (AIM).The new product will broaden ONE’s already expansive global coverage by offering direct port calls between West Africa, South Africa and key locations in West Asia.The new service will offer market leading transit times between the West Asian ports of Jebel Ali, Mundra, Nhava Sheva and Colombo and African ports of Durban, Cape Town, Tema, Tincan and Apapa.The AIM Service…

Arun Sharma, Executive Chairman of the Indian Register of Shipping (IRClass), has been elected as the new Chairman of the International Association of Classification Societies (IACS) in a recent Council meeting held in Busan, Korea.Sharma took over as Chair on July 1st and has outlined his key priorities during his year long tenure which includes IACS to take a larger role in industry matters with a view to provide value added services to owners on the implementation of regulatory…

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 technology group Wärtsilä has again been selected by the Netherlands-based shipbuilding company Damen Shipyards Group to provide the main propulsion solutions for a large Marine Aggregate Dredger (MAD). The dredger is being built for the U.K. company Hanson Aggregates, a leading supplier of heavy building materials for the construction industry. The order with Wärtsilä was signed in May 2019.An identically designed vessel from Damen, which is expected to begin operations within the coming few months, is also fitted with the same Wärtsilä solutions.

The Baltic Exchange's main sea freight index hit a five-and-a-half-year high on Monday on the back of strong demand for capesize vessels shipping iron ore.The Baltic index, which tracks rates for ships ferrying dry bulk commodities, rose 3.4%, or 63 points, to 1,928, its highest since January 2014. The index has tripled since February. The index rose 7.2% last week for a fourth straight week, mainly driven by strong demand for vessels that ship iron ore from Brazil.A restart of Vale SA's Brucutu mine in Brazil in June…

In 1941, geologist Orval Lester Brace stated “it may be tentatively assumed that the Gulf of Mexico is a potential source of salt-dome oil. Whether or not it will be economically feasible to explore these waters for the domes that must exist is a question for the future to answer.”  The future hypothesized by Mr. Brace was not nearly as far off as it seemed. Less than six years after his proclamation, Kerr-McGee Oil Industries, along with Phillips Petroleum, Stanolind Oil and Gas Co…

The Port of Amsterdam announced a pilot project deploying a sailing drone that inspects the depth of marginal ships at the locks of IJmuiden, in a bid to gain experience in new technologies in nautical processes.The pilot has been set up with a view to gaining more information and experience regarding sailing drone technology. This development together with autonomously sailing vessels will have a great impact on future nautical processes.The experiment last week (8 to 13 July) took the first steps in examining the impact…

Iran's Ports and Maritime Organization (PMO) consented to the construction and of a recreational harbor in Mazandaran province.Mohammadtaghi Ananzorp, the Director General of Ports and Maritime of Mazandaran Province, stated that the committee for the licensing of maritime structures of the Ports and Maritime Organization agreed on the establishment and construction of a Recreational Harbor in the coastal strip of Izadshahr in Mazandaran province.He added that all natural and…

The new Connection Compass showed more than 100 liner services connect Hamburg with most of the more than 1,000 seaports worldwide. "All scheduled, rail and inland waterway services to and from Hamburg," is given in the new  Connection Compass, said a press note from the port of Hamburg. Other ports are served via transshipment.In addition to the numerous container transports, special transports such as RoRo and project cargo are also handled by shipping companies in the universal port.With around 2…

Water levels along the Rhine river, a key waterway for transporting commodities and other products from coastal areas to inland locations in France, Germany and Switzerland, fell to their lowest since May 21, Refinitiv Eikon data showed.Levels at the Kaub <WL-KAUB> location in Germany hit 201 centimetres and have been steadily declining since late June, the data showed.Oil barge brokers said the low water levels meant barges were leaving the Amsterdam-Rotterdam-Antwerp refining and storage hub to inland locations not fully laden.Water levels along the river hit a record low of 25 cm in October

Shipping companies sailing through the Middle East Gulf are being urged to avoid having private armed security guards onboard as the risk of escalation in the region rises, industry associations say.Relations between Iran and the West have become increasingly strained after Britain seized an Iranian tanker in Gibraltar last week and London said its warship HMS Montrose had to fend off Iranian vessels seeking to block a British-owned tanker from passing through the Strait of Hormuz.The most recent incidents followed a spate of attacks on tankers since May around the Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf of Oman, which the United States has blamed…

Samskip, a European multimodal service provider group, appointed Kari-Pekka Laaksonen as the Group Chief Executive.Laaksonen, who takes up his post at Samskip’s Rotterdam headquarters on August 1st, 2019, is the former CEO of Samskip competitor Containerships, where he led the Finnish group’s aggressive growth from 2012. He also brings significant experience from the shipper perspective, having occupied progressively senior logistics roles in the chemicals, forest products and automotive sectors.

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.

New Orleans braced for severe flooding with residents told to hunker down as a growing tropical storm in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico headed for landfall late on Friday or early on Saturday as the first Atlantic hurricane of 2019.U.S. President Donald Trump declared a state of emergency for the state of Louisiana late on Thursday, hours after the region's oil production was cut by half as energy companies evacuated offshore drilling facilities and a coastal refinery.Tropical Storm…

Cargo traffic at the Port of Long Beach decreased in June compared to the same month in 2018, continuing a yearlong trend.Last June was the busiest month in the port’s 108-year history and capped the busiest second quarter during the busiest year ever.“The story we saw develop in 2018 was retailers forwarding goods to beat tariffs,” said Port of Long Beach Executive Director Mario Cordero. “For 2019, it seems that the cargo is all here and warehouses are filled. That’s disrupting container movement and the growth we would normally see this time of year.”A total of 677…

The global LNG bunkering market was valued at approximately USD 397.70 million in 2017 and is expected to generate revenue of around USD 11899.60 million by the end of 2024, growing at a CAGR of around 59.4% between 2018 and 2024.LNG bunkering is experiencing the highest growth rate in developed as well as developing countries, said a report by Zion Market Research.Escalating number of vessels using LNG owing to the need for cleaner fuels in compliance with the stringent government…

The Minister of State for Shipping (Independent Charge), India, Mansukh Mandaviya will flag off an inland waterways vessel containing cargo from Bhutan to Bangladesh via Brahmaputra river and the Indo-Bangla Protocol Route today (July 12)."This is a first of its kind movement where an Indian inland waterway is being used for connecting two countries - landlocked Bhutan and Bangladesh,"said a press note from the shipping ministry of India.1000 Metric Ton of crushed stone aggregates…

Japanese shipping major MOL Group announced the completion of a demonstration test (from December 2018 to February 2019) using the TUMST training ship Shioji Maru for their proposed joint demonstration project related to the safety of vessels' auto berthing and un-berthing.The project, jointly run by Mitsui E&S Shipbuilding (MES-S), Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL), Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology (TUMST) and Akishima Laboratories (Mitsui Zosen) Inc, was selected for Japan's Ministry of Land…

The government of India has informed that 111 waterways are being developed in phased manner as National Waterways (NWs) in the country for the purpose of shipping and navigation.The Minister of State for Shipping Mansukh Mandaviya that various initiatives have been taken by the Government to increase the use of Inland Waterways and Coastal Shipping for greater cargo shipment.These include providing assured depth of water in the channels, navigation aids like GPS and River Information System…

Britain does not intend to escort every British-flagged merchant vessel through the Strait of Hormuz, a security source said on Thursday, after a Royal Navy warship had to stop three Iranian vessels from blocking the passage of a BP-operated tanker.The source said London would be resolute in defending its maritime interests in the Gulf but it does not want to escalate the situation with Iran.Exactly a week after Britain seized an Iranian tanker in Gibraltar accused of violating sanctions on Syria…

The death toll from a ship packed with migrants that sank off the Tunisian coast last weekend has risen to 58 after Tunisia recovered 38 bodies on Thursday, the Tunisian Red Crescent said.More than 80 African migrants in total are feared to have drowned in the incident, in what would be one of the worst migrant boat disasters to date. The boat capsized after setting off for Europe from neighbouring Libya.Reporting By Tarek Amara

Some residents and visitors prepared to flee New Orleans on Thursday as Tropical Storm Barry closed in and city officials warned of severe flooding if it makes landfall by early Saturday as the first Atlantic hurricane of the 2019 season.The storm had maximum sustained winds of 40 miles per hour (64 kph) as of 10 a.m. CDT (1500 GMT) on Thursday, the National Weather Service said.Forecasters issued a storm-surge warning for a stretch of Louisiana coastline south of already-sodden New Orleans stretching from the mouth of the Atchafalaya River to Shell Beach.

Every few years I am handed a high-speed container transport proposal. Generally it consists of some type of high speed vessel design that would be able to move containers at high speed and thereby attract a new market by taking a chunk out of the air cargo market and the premium ocean market. Occasionally we are asked to look at the economics for potential investors, and it always falls short of being economically viable. While it is possible to move containers a little quicker over the ocean with faster vessels…

A go-slow by workers at a major South African port is hitting exports of cars and other commodities, the country's Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan said on Thursday.State-owned rail operator Transnet said it had suspended a number of employees at its Ngqura Container Terminal for engaging in what it said was an illegal industrial action."We are getting reports of a go-slow at some of our ports which is beginning to (have an) impact on the export of vehicles from South Africa in particular but perhaps other commodities as well," Gordhan, whose portfolio includes Transnet, said.Carmakers including Ford, BMW and Nissan have invested billions of dollars to upgrade assembly plants and boost exports from Africa's top automotive hub.The action was also beginning to hit other sectors…

Hybridization in the marine world is transitioning from the latest fad to a key part of vessel design and retrofits. Driven in part by a demand for increased efficiency and new waves of global legislation, hybridizing or electrifying a vessel is quickly becoming necessary for organizations. In fact, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) rules and guidelines for the marine industry call for reduced emissions globally, and some ports around the world have established ambitious…

Port operator DP World plans to raise at least $700 million through conventional and Islamic bond issues on Thursday, documents issued by banks involved in the deal showed.Majority owned by the Dubai government, DP World plans to issue benchmark sukuk with a 10-year maturity. Benchmark bonds are generally meant to be over $500 million.The Islamic paper is being marketed with an initial guidance of around 230 basis points over mid-swaps.Barclays, Citi, Deutsche Bank, Dubai Islamic Bank…

A Storm Surge Watch is in effect for: Mouth of the Pearl River to Intracoastal City. A Hurricane Watch is in effect for: Mouth of the Mississippi River to Cameron. A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for: Mouth of the Mississippi River northward to the Mouth of the Pearl River.A Storm Surge Watch means there is a possibility of life-threatening inundation from rising water moving inland from the coastline in the indicated locations during the next 48 hours. For a depiction of areas at risk please see the National Weather Service Storm Surge Watch/Warning Graphic available at hurricanes.gov.

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…

The Port of Los Angeles moved 764,777 Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units (TEUs) in June, the busiest June in the Port’s 112-year history.The month marked the end of Fiscal Year 2018-19 in which the Port moved 9,688,252 TEUs, a 5.7 percent improvement over the previous fiscal year, a press release from the American  port said.“Completing the busiest 12-month period in the Port’s history makes me proud of our extraordinary capabilities and grateful to all our stakeholders,” said Port of Los Angeles Executive Director Gene Seroka.“With container exchange per vessel at record levels…

South Carolina Ports Authority (SCPA) handled record cargo volumes at the Port of Charleston in fiscal year 2019.SCPA handled nearly 2.4 million twenty-foot equivalent container units (TEUs) from July 2018 through June, an 8.8% increase in annual TEU container volume.SCPA moved 200,406 TEUs across the Wando Welch and North Charleston container terminals last month. As measured by the total number of boxes handled, SCPA moved 112,988 pier containers in June for a total of 1.36 million pier containers annually…

Shipments of iron ore on the Great Lakes totaled 5.7 million tons in June, a decrease of 5.7 percent from 2018. Shipments were, however, nearly even with the month’s 5-year average, said a release from Lake Carriers’ Association.Year-to-date the iron ore trade stands at 20.19 million tons, almost matching the previous year’s total of 20.15 million tons.Iron shipments are ahead of their 5-year average for the first half of the year. Loadings have increased more than 840,000 tons.Lake…

The port of Rotterdam could recently boast a European first: a ship bunkered LNG (liquefied natural gas) while transhipping containers at the same time.The largest port in Europe, located in the city of Rotterdam, Netherlands said in a press release that this major step in the sector-wide acceptance of LNG as a transport fuel for shipping was taken by Containerships Nord.The procedure, known as simultaneous bunkering, allows ships to significantly cut their port call times. The operation took place at the RST terminal at Prins Willem Alexanderhaven in Rotterdam.

Taiwanese ocean shipping company Yang Ming Marine Transport Corporation has announced new China-Thailand direct service and Thailand - Indonesia express service.Under the impact of rising global trade tensions, a relocation and adjustment of cargo flow and supply chains is expected. To cope with this trend, Yang Ming Marine Transport Corp. continuously strengthens its Asian service network as well as the quality of Asian routes.Yang Ming has announced the launch of a new Intra-Asia service, China-Thailand Service (CTX service).

Invest 92-L, which may become Tropical Storm Barry by Thursday, is becoming better organized this morning as satellite imagery and surface weather observations indicate that a circulation seems to be developing over the northeastern Gulf of Mexico.In addition, it appears that the deeper thunderstorm activity is occurring offshore and it appears that Invest 92-L is located further south than what many of the model guidance members have indicated in their forecasts.

Newbuilding UpdateThe highlight for newbuild orders in the last 12 months must certainly be HMM’s mammoth order back in September 2018. The South Korean company placed en bloc orders at three top South Korean yards for almost $3 billion in total.• eight 15,300 TEU ULCVs from Hyundai• seven 23,000 TEU ULCVs from Daewoo• five 23,000 TEU ULCVs from SamsungThese huge orders equate to 20 new ULCVs at nearly 400,000 TEU total. Once live, the 23,000 TEU vessels will take the crown for…

The Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) is aware that passenger cruise lines that called Cuba have amended itineraries to comply with amendments made to the Cuban Assets Control Regulations announced in the Federal Register on June 5, 2019.Passengers with questions related to a voyage they have booked should contact their travel agent and/or cruise line directly.Cruise passengers should always carefully read their ticket contract, which states the cruise line’s obligations with respect to canceled voyages.

A.P. Moller Holding, which controls Danish shipping giant A.P. Moller-Maersk will acquire Danish wind turbine supplier KK Group, it said on Wednesday, in a first step into the renewable energy industry.The acquisition marks a new direction for the family-owned company, which has built its business on the shipping and oil industry.The parties declined to disclose the price of the deal. A.P. Moller Holding will buy KK Group, whose main activities are through KK Wind Solutions, from…

U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) Area Port of Philadelphia seized the MSC Gayane Thursday following a record seizure of 20 tons of cocaine on June 17.Upon application from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania issued a seizure warrant for the vessel.On Thursday, July 4, CBP executed the warrant and seized the MSC Gayane. CBP has various seizure and forfeiture authorities under Title 19 of the United States Code (USC).“The MSC Gayane is the largest vessel seized in U.S.

French shipping company  Brittany Ferries has named new ships as Kerry and Santoña and promised significant CO2 savings from fleet renewal plans.Kerry will be the name for the one-year charter vessel arriving in November 2019. As previously announced, this ship will cover the Cork to Santander route from November 2019 to November 2020.Santoña (pronounced Santonia in English) has been chosen for the company’s third E-Flexer class ship. To be chartered from Stena, Santoña is part of the company’s €550 million fleet renewal program…

Singapore-based shipping company Pacific International Lines Pte Ltd (PIL) announced improvements to its Southeast Asia to Australia services to meet the changing needs of the markets.PIL's current Australia-Asia Alliance Service 1 and 2 (AA1 & AA2) will be upgraded to offer more competitive transit times and better port connections.The enhanced AA1 and AA2 services will cover all major ports in Australia with effect from early August, shipper said in a press note.Port rotations of AA1 will be Laem Chabang – Singapore –Melbourne – Sydney – Brisbane - Singapore – Laem Chabang.

Port authorities in Asia are getting ready to enforce IMO 2020 with the help of Hitachi High-Tech Analytical Science’s X-MET8000 handheld XRF analyzer.The Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation informed that it has recently delivered X-MET8000’s to both the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore and the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) as they get ready to enforce the IMO’s (International Maritime Organization) MARPOL Annex VI regulation that will come into force on 1 January 2020.The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore…

To help educate audiences about the inland waterways’ connection to agriculture, to the labor community, to freight shippers, to the Corps of Engineers, and to building communities, Waterways Council, Inc. (WCI) has produced a series of short videos.  Here is a short on the role of inland shippers. Help spread the word and share across your Social Media channels.

Since its introduction to the market a mere three years ago, the SCHOTTEL azimuth Rudder EcoPeller SRE has delivered on a wide range of different applications for open sea and coastal operating conditions. In doing so, it has both shored up the ferry segment and moved far beyond it.In the ferry market, the SRE demonstrates its highly efficient and ecologically clean propulsion while also meeting the strict environmental regulations of the Norwegian market. As a result, SCHOTTEL has achieved a top market position there by providing propulsion systems for 16 ferries in various power ratings.

With the world's largest dry cargo ships coming out of service for refits to comply with tougher rules on emissions, charter rates are expected to remain strong, a top Cargill executive said, after posting 7-fold gains already this year."There are a lot of ships - especially on the capesizes - that will go into scrubber fitting which basically means they will be out of service for at least 25 days each to do so," Jan Dieleman, president of trading firm Cargill's ocean transportation business…

MiNO Marine LLC said the second vessel based on its new 6000 hp inland towboat design has been contracted for and production will begin soon at Conrad Amelia Shipyard. The MiNO 6000 Class Towboat design is a modern, Subchapter M compliant vessel measuring 166 x 49 ft. with a 12-ft. depth.The towboat will be propelled by a pair of conventional propellers within Kort nozzles each driven by a 3000 hp, Tier IV compliant engine. The first vessel is fitted with EMD engines, while the second will be fitted with GE engines.The house is divided into two sections, one floating and one fixed.

Orolia announced a partnership with Radio Holland that includes the development of a Voyage Data Recorder (VDR) specifically designed for inland shipping. This solution will be designed to enhance safe navigation and ship performance and provide tools for understanding the cause of incidents. Radio Holland will also be installing Orolia’s Netwave VDR NW6000 series as its preferred global VDR solution for retrofit and new build projects, while Orolia will use  Radio Holland’s established…

Last month Maritime Reporter & Engineering News was invited to join Admiral Karl Schultz, the Commandant of the United States Coast Guard, on a trek to New Orleans for an underway tour on board a mid-stream transfer operation in the Mississippi River. As the U.S. inland waterway system has endured historic water levels for more than six months, the destination provided a perfect backdrop to discuss several key messages coming from USCG leadership: the maritime industry’s critical role in facilitating U.S.

Coast Guard crews have suspended the search for one person missing after an explosion and subsequent fire at Delong Dock in Whittier, Alaska, Monday.An MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew from Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak, forward deployed to Cordova, searched by air while crews aboard the Coast Guard Cutter Chandeleur and Coast Guard Auxiliary 336 also conducted a search for the missing person.Shortly after midnight, Coast Guard Sector Anchorage watchstanders heard the phrase "Whittier fire…

SEA\LNG, a multi-sector industry coalition, created to accelerate the widespread adoption of liquefied natural gas (LNG) as a marine fuel, has announced that the Port of Virginia has become the first port in the US to join them.A press release from the LNG body quoted Peter Keller, Chairman, SEA\LNG, as commenting: “We’re very pleased to welcome the Port of Virginia as our first US port member. The US has vastly increased its LNG export capacity since the industry really took flight in early 2016, inspiring development in LNG bunkering capabilities on the East and West Coasts.

APM Terminals has confirmed that its new Vado Gateway terminal, located in the Vado Ligure Port Complex, North Western Italy, will be inaugurated on 12 December this year.With the placement of the terminal’s last caisson this week - an important milestone in the build - the commercial team have been actively engaging with the market. The launch commenced with an event at the Genoa Aquarium last month.Future services offered by the terminal were presented to key managers from the main Maritime Companies and Shipping Houses operating in the Italian market.Once operational…

Is your company a Top 100 performer? The END of application period for this year’s MN100 edition is just over the horizon. Only those who apply can be considered for inclusion. Just 7 days to go ...The MN100, always our August print edition, is our annual look at the best 100 firms in the MarineNews, brown water, workboat space. There will never be a better time for you to tell MarineNews just why your firm is one of the best in the business. All of that – the selected 100 companies – will be featured in the August edition of the largest BPA-audited b-to-b publication in this genre.

Britain's detention of an Iranian tanker last week was a threatening and incorrect action, Iran's Defence Minister Amir Hatami said on Monday in a speech broadcast live on state television.Royal Marines seized the tanker on Thursday for trying to take oil to Syria in violation of European Union sanctions, a dramatic intervention that sparked Tehran’s fury and could escalate its confrontation with the West.Gibraltar received permission from its supreme court to hold the tanker for 14 days…

The Coast Guard is responding to three vessels that sunk on the Illinois River near Hardin, Illinois, Sunday.Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Upper Mississippi River received a report Friday of three tugboats and a deck barge that were tied together and began taking on water at mile marker 21 on the Illinois River.The sinking tugboats are holding approximately 4,850 gallons of diesel and oil.Sector Upper Mississippi River dispatched personnel to work with the tugboat company…

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…

Sweden's Port of Gävle will be included on the rotation of the newly launched Unifeeder Sweden-Poland Service.According to Yilport Gavle, this is the first commercial feeder service ever to directly connect the Swedish east coast to Poland with a weekly service.The service will start from Gdansk and then call Gdynia, Gavle, Norrkoeping, and back to Gdansk. The first call is expected on August 12th.Yilport  Nordic Region General Manager Eryn Dinyovszky said: "We are very proud to announce that we can now connect directly to Poland from Gavle.

Dutch seaports processed a record volume of goods in 2018 as the throughput of containers increased the most, reported the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS).According to Statistics Netherlands (CBS), the total volume of incoming and outgoing cargo shipments to and from Dutch seaports reached a historic high of almost 605 million tonnes in 2018."This is an increase of over 1.5 percent relative to 2017. At 4.5 percent, container transhipment saw the highest increase," CBS said.Two-thirds of cargo handling in Dutch seaports consisted of unloaded goods in 2018.

UAE-based Grandweld Shipyards said that it has closed a number of deals, as part of its landmark milestones achieved during 2018.Grandweld’s latest achievement was highlighted with the signing of two new contracts; One with Wesal Shipping, and the second with Mars Marine Services, said a press release from the company. Both companies are long term clients of the company.The contracts entail the delivery of two more GW42M Aluminum Crew Boats. The highly advanced design of the GW42M Crew Boats has proven to be a huge success…

Germany wants to improve hinterland transport from the port of Rotterdam. German Transport Minister Volker Wissing visited the Port of Rotterdam as part of a three-day delegation trip to the Netherlands.Wissing and Emile Hoogsteden, Vice President of the Port of Rotterdam Authority, emphasized the importance of the Rhine Corridor and its ports for the transport of goods to Rhineland-Palatinate and Europe as a whole.The freight corridor from Rotterdam to Genoa is one of the most…

BMT announced the signing of a contract for two new 43 metre (104’ x 37’’ x 12.5’) high-speed, passenger Fast Ferries for Kitsap Transit, with an option for a third to be added to this vessel fleet. The custom design project will once again see the UK engineering design consultancy partner with US shipyard Nichols Brothers Boat Builders (NBBB) and will join the Kitsap Fast Ferry service in Seattle once completed. John Bonafoux, Business Development Director for Commercial Shipping…

Robert Allan Ltd. announced that  they have been awarded the contract from Ocean Industries Inc., a related corporation of Ocean Group Inc., to design a new generation of Ship Handling tugs to be built at the Ocean Industries Inc. shipyard at L'Isle-aux-Coudres, Quebec for the Royal Canadian Navy. Four tugs are to be built, with two delivered to each of Canada’s major naval bases, at Esquimalt, BC and Halifax, NS.Known as the Naval Large Tug (NLT) project, the new IMO Tier III vessels are based on a proven Robert Allan Ltd.

A.P.

Containerships performed its first simultaneous operations (SIMOPS) bunkering, which allows for the concomitant bunkering of liquefied natural gas (LNG) and execution of loading and unloading procedures.An unprecedented achievement improving Containerships’ operational efficiency and highlighting the Group’s leading role in the energy transition of the shipping industryOn July 4th, 2019, Containerships successfully carried out SIMOPS bunkering on its LNG-powered CONTAINERSHIPS NORD vessel in the Port of Rotterdam.

Bechtel Corporation and Cheniere Energy  have completed the first liquefied natural gas (LNG) commissioning cargo from Train 2 at the Corpus Christi Liquefaction (CCL) export terminal in Texas, US.A joint press release from the firms said that through the partnership they have now delivered seven LNG trains at two sites on the U.S. Gulf Coast since 2015.“We are pleased to have achieved another key milestone, LNG First Cargo, on the Corpus Christi Liquefaction Train 2, as part of the Commissioning and Startup process.

The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) has announced that reclamation work for Tuas Terminal Phase 2 began ysterday (4 July), with the installation of the first caisson.Singapore’s next-generation trade hub has commenced at a ceremony attended by Dr. Lam Pin Min, Singapore’s Senior Minister of State for Transport and Health.MPA awarded the Tuas Terminal Phase 2 reclamation project to Penta-Ocean Construction Co. Ltd/Hyundai Engineering & Construction Co. Ltd/Boskalis International BV (PHB) Joint Venture in 2018.

The Maritime Anti-Corruption Network (MACN) has announced the launch of a groundbreaking Port Integrity Campaign in India, with the support of the Government of India.The global business network of over 110 companies working together to tackle corruption in the maritime industry said that the campaign, which aims to reduce and (in the long term) eliminate integrity issues and bottlenecks to trade during operations in Indian ports, is a collective action of MACN, the Government of India…

Italian container terminal, intermodal & logistics operator Contship Italia Group has appointed Alfredo Scalisi as the new General Manager of its flagship container terminal at La Spezia. His appointment was effective on July 1, 2019.Scalisi will report directly to Group President Mrs. Cecilia Battistello, who is currently covering an interim corporate role as managing director of Operations and Sales of Contship Italia Group.Scalisi previously held the role of Deputy General…

Abu Dhabi Ports and the Mauritius Ports Authority (MPA) have signed an agreement to pool their combined expertise to enhance the maritime sector across the Indian Ocean, from port infrastructure and security to protecting the environment and driving the cruise industry.Under the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), Abu Dhabi Ports and MPA will explore areas of collaboration between the public and private sectors, as well as how to ensure the safety and security of passengers, crew members…

The global container shipping line Zim Integrated Shipping Services Ltd (Zim) announced a further expansion of its strategic cooperation with the members of the 2M Alliance, Maersk & MSC, to the Asia - US Gulf Trade."The new services, catering for both Central and South China and South Korea, offer significant advantages for customers, including direct connections to major ports in Asia and the US Gulf; best-in-market transit time with reliable dedicated service; Two weekly cutoffs in Houston & Mobile to better serve growing US exports requirements…

Is your company a Top 100 performer? The END of application period for this year’s MN100 edition is just over the horizon. Only those who apply can be considered for inclusion.The MN100, always our August print edition, is our annual look at the best 100 firms in the MarineNews, brown water, workboat space. There will never be a better time for you to tell MarineNews just why your firm is one of the best in the business. All of that – the selected 100 companies – will be featured in the August edition of the largest BPA-audited b-to-b publication in this genre.

It is truly no accident that Delgado Maritime & Industrial Training Center and Florida Marine Transport collaborate so closely.Zero incidents, zero injuries and eliminating critical barge and equipment failures doesn’t just happen by osmosis. It’s a result of continual safety training that breeds operational awareness and confidence to anticipate a difficult situation on an inland waterway before it actually occurs.With a high school education, Capt. Shelden Detrafford started out making $25/day in the 1960s.

Today’s container market is confronting more than its fair share of headwinds.The recently published Container Forecaster from global shipping consultancy, Drewry, highlights concerns of a slowing global economy stoked by the ongoing US-China trade war (albeit paused for the moment), escalating geo-political tension in many regions of the world and an industry grappling with challenging new emission regulations. Beyond these, however, a series of existential fears are also beginning to present themselves that could dent demand for shipping in the future…

Frank Joseph Pallone Jr., the U.S. Representative for New Jersey's 6th congressional district, says that the battle against the Trump Administration’s push for seismic blasting and drilling for oil and gas in the Atlantic Ocean has made progress.In 2017, President Trump signed an executive order that supports offshore oil and gas drilling along the East Coast. On June 25, Pallone secured House passage of an amendment that prohibits federal spending to advance oil and gas leasing in the Atlantic Ocean."It’s now time for the Senate to take up the underlying legislation…

Oakland International Container Terminal (SSA), a major Port of Oakland tenant, said its $6 million conversion to hybrid yard cranes would cut greenhouse gas emissions 96 percent. “This is way better than we thought it would be,” said Ken Larson, Crane Manager for the terminal’s parent company, Seattle-based SSA Terminals. “So far, this is a very successful project.”The marine terminal, which handles 61 percent of Oakland’s cargo, is converting 13 massive cargo handlers, known as rubber tired gantry cranes, from diesel to battery-powered hybrid engines.

The 14th Meeting of the Railway Leaders of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) and the 8th Meeting of the Railway Committee of the Transport Coordination Council of the ECO (TTCC) was held in Dushanbe, Republic of Tajikistan.The meeting discussed various cooperation issues in the field of multi-modal shipping, including transit cargoes by sea transport.The event was attended by representatives of Azerbaijan, Turkey, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Pakistan…

Cambridge Pixel, a developer of radar display, tracking and recording sub-systems, has supplied its radar video trackers and display technology to Marico Marine as part of a major investment by the Port of Dover into safety systems at Europe’s busiest ferry port.Engineers at Marico Marine (Southampton, England) needed a low cost, open, softwarebased radar tracker for integration with its new vessel traffic service (VTS) system in Dover.It was important that the tracker worked…

Classification society ClassNK has released its annual report on Port State Control. The report aims to assist ship operators and management companies in maintaining compliant operations by providing information about ships detained by PSC as well as deficiencies that were found on board from many port states in 2018.In line with the International Safety Management (ISM) Code, PSC inspections ensure that vessels departing the port meet international standards and have proved to be highly effective in eliminating substandard ships that are in operation.

Companies are leaving Britain's shipping registry due to uncertainty over Britain's departure from the European Union and future commercial arrangements with the bloc, industry officials say.All commercial ships have to be registered, or flagged, with a particular country partly to comply with safety and environmental regulations. Shipping companies in many so-called "flag states" pay corporation tax based on vessel tonnage rather than profit.Britain's ship registry forms part…

Dutch towage company and maritime services provider Multraship Towage & Salvage has carried out christening ceremonies at its home port of Terneuzen in the Netherlands for its two new Damen-built tugs – one of which is the first IMO Tier III-compliant tug in Europe.The vessels are a Reversed Stern Drive (RSD) Tug 2513 and an Azimuth Stern Drive (ASD) Tug 3212, which were officially named Multratug 6 and Multratug 29 respectively. The naming ceremonies took place on 28 June during the Terneuzen Harbor Days…

Titan LNG held the christening event for the FlexFueler001 in collaboration with the Port of Amsterdam. This event marks the official commencement of safe, efficient and cost-effective inland waterway LNG bunkering in the ARA region.At the event in the Port of Amsterdam a mix of LNG enthusiasts gathered, including customers, business partners, and manufactures of the FlexFueler. Yvonne Brouwer, the partner of Niels den Nijs (CEO Titan LNG) performed the ceremony and broke the champagne bottle across the bow whilst wishing the vessel and the crew smooth sailings.At the moment…

The international container terminal operating company headquartered in The Hague, APM Terminals has invested EUR 47 million (USD 53 million) in the Port of Barcelona over recent months.The most recent investment was the acquisition of 29 new straddle carriers, which will help APM Terminals Barcelona improve efficiency once operational this month.“These recent investments are part of APM Terminals' strategy to modernize its current fleet and increase equipment capacity and productivity, as well as improving safety at the Barcelona terminal.

New fireboat will provide enhanced firefighting and rescue capabilities for maritime and commercial space. The Canaveral Port Authority will receive $1.5 million in funding from the State of Florida to support the acquisition of a specialized fireboat to provide marine firefighting and rescue capabilities for Port Canaveral and the surrounding communities. Port Canaveral’s Marine Firefighting Rescue Vessel (MFRV) will be purpose built to offer enhanced fire protection and response…

Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd. ("K” Line), Taiwan Power Company (Taipower), U-Ming Marine Transport Corporation (U-Ming), and Kuang Ming Shipping Corporation (Kuang Ming) have agreed to establish a new joint venture shipping company, and jointly signed Memorandum of Understanding（MOU）in Taipei, Taiwan on July 1. This new joint venture will own both coal and LNG carriers, and operate them for transporting these raw materials to Taipower.

2019-007-Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, Arabian Sea, Gulf of Oman, and Indian Ocean-Violence Due to Regional Conflict and PiracyDescription:This revised advisory cancels U.S. Maritime Advisory 2018-0151. References: (a) U.S. Maritime Alerts 2018-001A, 2018-002A, 2018-002B, 2018-005A, and 2018-007A2. Issues: Regional conflict and piracy threats continue to pose potential risks to commercial vessels operating in the above listed geographic areas.3. Conflict in Yemen continues to pose potential risk to U.S.

“Consistent Compliance” : The Paris MoU has published its 2018 Annual Report on July 1, 2019, which can be found on the website. This report contains the details of the activities of the Paris MoU during 2018. In 2018 there were 24 Refusal of Access Orders (referred to as “bannings”) issued. This shows a decrease from 32 in 2017. Refusal of access (banning) has been used 77 times since 2016.The detention percentage decreased to 3.15% (from 3.87%) and the number of detainable deficiencies also decreased to 3,171 (from 3,883 in 2017).