Horizon Shipbuilding announced it will reorganize amid revenues insufficient for maintaining normal operations. Lance C. “Last year, Travis R. Short, President of Horizon Shipbuilding saw an opportunity to repeat a great construction performance from 2012. Namely, an unheard of quantity of vessels in a very short period of time starting from ground zero. Hornblower (HNY Ferries) offered just this type of opportunity through its NYC Ferry project and Horizon has achieved what most believed couldn’t be done.

A.P. Moller-Maersk has agreed a $1.71 billion deal to sell its oil tanker division to its controlling shareholder, who in turn will enter an ownership consortium with Japan's Mitsui & Co. The Danish conglomerate last year embarked on a restructuring to focus on transport and logistics and last month sold its oil and gas business to Total in a $7.45 billion deal. Maersk said it will use the proceeds to reduce debt and that the sale, which it expects to close by next month, will have no impact on its financial guidance for 2017. A.P.

Louisiana shipbuilder Conrad Shipyard said it has been awarded a contract to build two 3,000HP ocean service tugboats for Seattle’s Harley Marine Services. The two new vessels, designed by Entech Designs, LLC, will be 100-feet in length, with a beam of 34’. They will be powered by Caterpillar 3512C Tier 4 ARated Diesel Marine Engines, and equipped with two Caterpillar C4.4 99Kw at 1,800RPM generators. The two vessels are scheduled to be delivered in the fourth quarter of 2018 and first quarter of 2019 respectively.

Two newbuild next generation CrewZer Class catamarans, SEACOR Puma and SEACOR Panther, have been delivered and have entered service for SEACOR Marine. The vessels were designed by Incat Crowther and built by Astillleros Armon in Spain and are unique in their capability to transfer personnel and equipment to offshore platforms at maximum speeds in excess of 40 knots. The design features 30 percent more deadweight capacity than its predecessor, while offering equivalent service speeds, Incat Crowther said.

As the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach (POLA/POLB) begin final consideration of their updated 2017 Clean Air Action Plan, regulators must embrace the future role of diesel technology in the global goods movement sector and the substantial, immediate clean air and climate benefits that the latest clean diesel technologies offer. Because of its unique combination of power, performance, efficiency, reliability, durability and availability, diesel power is projected to remain the dominant technology for global goods movement on land and sea for the next period covered by this plan.

A new integrated ‘Full Picture’ technology delivery is set to enable significant operational efficiencies for the MEXMAR owned Platform Supply Vessel (PSV), SEACOR Maya. Mantenimiento Express Marítimo SAPI de CV (MEXMAR) is SEACOR Marine’s joint venture in Mexico, which operates 15 offshore supply vessels. The contract, signed this September for delivery in January 2018, focuses on the integration of a sophisticated new hybrid power solution designed by Kongsberg to assist SEACOR Marine and MEXMAR in meeting strict environmental regulations by decreasing CO2…

Wärtsilä informs it has tested its automatic wireless induction charging system on a hybrid powered commercial coastal ferry, the first in the world operating with high power wireless charging capability for its batteries. The tests were carried out in Norwegian during the end of August and early September on the 85 meter long MF Folgefonn owned by Norled, one of Norway's largest ferry operators waters. The project, partially funded by Innovation Norway, represents a breakthrough in the evolution of plug-in electrically operated vessels, Wärtsilä said.

Honolulu-based Hawaii Stevedores, Inc. is pleased to announce that it has received confirmation from Hawaii State Department of Transportation (HDOT) that, together with the State, Hawaii Stevedores will continue the joint development of the Kapalama Container Terminal (KCT). The State has confirmed its commitment for Hawaii Stevedores to lease the new 84-acre, state-of-the-art KCT, which will be constructed at the former Kapalama Military Reserve Terminal at Sand Island in Honolulu, as part of the State’s $448 million Harbors Modernization Plan.

The Operational and Maintenance departments of Antwerp Port Authority will shortly be merged to form a "Nautical & technical cluster." The new entity will have two floating dry docks at quay 602-612 for repairing its own fleet. This will put an end to the "fixed docks" on Dry Dock Island where the first facility was built in 1861. The new dry docks will be able to take vessels from 1500 to 1750 tonnes, with a width of up to 23 m and a draught of up to 7 m, and will be equipped with a crane with a lifting capacity of 10 tonnes.

To complete the Trans European (TEN-T) Network, 750 billion euros is still needed. 30 European transport associations, representing infrastructure managers, operators, local authorities, users and equipment suppliers in the maritime, inland waterways, railways, road, cycling, aviation and intermodal sectors, call for strong financial support for the completion of the network. European citizens and customers require safer, ever more secure, reliable, efficient, green, multimodal and smart mobility but also better connectivity between nodes and modes of transport.

European shipowners welcome provisional application of the Comprehensive Economic Trade agreement between the EU and Canada (CETA). The CETA agreement will boost trade considerably between the EU and Canada. It will cut customs duties and open new markets for shipping companies such as dredging, movement of empty containers and certain transportation between Canadian ports. "It is important for the EU to sign ambitious trade agreements such as CETA, especially in the current political climate where global and open trade is put under pressure," commented ECSA President Niels Smedegaard.

With the slogan “More EU budget for transport, the best investment plan for Europe” a coalition of thirty European transport organisations are launching today their campaign for a strong connecting Europe Facility for the next financial period 2021-2028. “We are very pleased  to see that 30 transport organisations, covering all modes and nodes, service providers, users and cargo owners are supporting this plea for a strong financial support for the completion of the TEN-T network," says ESPO’s Secretary General Isabelle Ryckbost. "750 billion euro is needed to complete the TEN-T core network.

Florida based naval architecture and marine engineering firm Boksa Marine Design said it has kept bust over the past few months, with many of its 2017 projects having progressed from design and engineering phases on some and build-to-water on others. Boska provided an update on several of those projects. J&M Metalworks of Green Cove Springs, Fla. has been working on the initial phases of construction of a 140’ passenger vessel. The vessel was designed by DeJong and Lebet, Naval Architects of Jacksonville, Fla..

John Wolfe, CEO of The Northwest Seaport Alliance, received the 2017 Connie Award presented by the Containerization & Intermodal Institute in Long Beach, Calif., on Tuesday, September 19. Since the formation of the NWSA in August 2015, Wolfe has led the marine cargo operating partnership of the ports of Seattle and Tacoma. “This is an incredible honor for John and The Northwest Seaport Alliance,” said Tom Albro, Port of Seattle commission president and co-chair of The Northwest Seaport Alliance. “John leads through hard work and a well-grounded vision.

The delivery of Svitzer Avon to the Port of Bristol in the U.K. signals the completion of Sanmar's six boat build contract as part of Svitzer's tugboat replenishment program known as the Silver Bullet Project. The conclusion of this order brings the collaboration between the Turkish tug builder and Canadian tug design specialist Robert Allan Limited (RAL) to a number in excess of 150 vessels. All six of Svitzer’s new high performance tugboats are RAL designed RAstar 2800 E designs designated by the builder as the Sanmar Terminal Class measuring 28.2m x 12.6m.

Dominican Republic closed most of its ports ahead of Hurricane Maria, but the country's 34,000-barrel-per-day refinery was still running, the government said on Wednesday. Ports that suspended operations under the "red alert" declared for extreme weather conditions are La Romana, Samana, Arroyo Barril, Puerto Plata and Manzanillo, the Dominican Port Authority said in a statement. Maria was a Category 4 hurricane when it hit Puerto Rico earlier on Wednesday. The ports of San Souci and Haina…

Just a few weeks after delivery of the Crystal Bach, shipbuilder MV WERFTEN has handed over the Crystal Mahler, the second of four Rhine Class ships for client Crystal River Cruises. After the ceremonial change of flags, the ship was christened at the outfitting quay of MV WERFTEN in Wismar. Like its sister vessel, the 135-metre long and 11.4-metre wide river cruise ship was specifically designed for exploring Europe’s rivers. It complies with the highest safety and navigation standards…

Damen Shipyards Group said it has signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) with Delo Group of companies, establishing plans to open a service hub in the Russian port of Novorossiysk. According to Damen, the new hub will aim to optimize the services provided to the growing number of Damen vessels operating in the region in addition to strengthening its relationship with the Delo Group. The LOI was signed by representatives from the two companies during the NEVA 2017 trade fair in Saint Petersburg, Russia.

Hunter Marine's Operations Division has selected MarineCFO’s Vessel 365 fleet optimization technology, along with Endurance Personnel for managing time cards, scheduling and personnel reporting functions, and Endurance Maintenance, a complete maintenance solution from scheduling, outside services and capacity planning to quality control. Darrick Lee, Hunter Marine Purchasing Manager said the company will use MarineCFO's suite of products to achieve Subchapter M compliance and to help streamline existing business processes.

Several Caribbean oil storage terminals that temporarily closed ahead of Hurricane Irma earlier this month have started making preparations in case they have to shut again due to Hurricane Maria, which was a rare Category 5 storm on Tuesday. Shippers and traders in the Atlantic basin are struggling amid this year's very active storm season, which has seen seven hurricanes so far, four of them major hurricanes, defined as at least a Category 3 on the five-step Saffir-Simpson scale. Hurricane Harvey hit the U.S.

Hurricane Maria has intensified and regained its Category 5 hurricane strength, the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) said on Tuesday.   Maria, which made landfall in Dominica as a Category 5 storm on Monday night, is about 205 miles (325 km) southeast of St. Croix with maximum sustained winds of 160 mph (260 km/h), it said.   The hurricane is expected to move towards the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico on Tuesday night and Wednesday, the Miami-based weather forecaster added. Reporting by Vijaykumar Vedala 

Tourists stranded in Havelock in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands following the cancellation of ferry service that had developed a defect have been evacuated by the Indian Navy. Due to the disruption of scheduled ferry service on 17 September, two naval ships were deployed at Havelock Island to provide passage to tourists. 24 tourists were accommodated onboard the ships and brought to Port Blair late night. On 17 Sep, a message was received from Civil Administration that due to a defect in the hull, the return trip for tourists from Havelock by civil ferry MAKRUZZ had been cancelled.

Bahrain accused Qatar on Monday of illegally seizing three boats with 16 sailors on board, state news agency BNA reported, worsening an already deeply troubled diplomatic situation in the region. Coast Guard Commander Commodore Alaa Siyadi told BNA the boats were seized over the past three days. The report gave no details on the nature of the boats or where they were seized. Qatari officials said they were checking the report. Siyadi said the seizure raised to 15 the number of boats seized, and the number of sailors in Qatari custody to 20, adding that some of the boat seizures date back to 2009, BNA reported. Bahrain, together with Saudi Arabia…

Orbit Communications Systems Ltd., a provider of precision tracking-based communications solutions and airborne communications management systems, announced that a global NGSO (Non-Geostationary Satellite Orbit) satellite operator placed a repeat order worth $645,000 for its OceanTRx 7-500 Ka-band maritime satellite communications platform. Delivery of the system, which will provide continuous broadband connectivity via satellite aboard cruise ships, is expected in 2017. “We put a lot into our relationships and deals like this prove it,” commented Eitan Livneh, Orbit’s CEO. OceanTRx 7 is a maritime satcom platform supporting a variety of 2.2-meter stabilized antenna system configurations in C, Ku, X and Ka bands.

A new portfolio of tug designs, to be known as the Wärtsilä HYTug series, place emphasis on environmental sustainability. Since tugs typically operate in or close to harbors and populated areas, they are particularly affected by environmental considerations, and the need for regulatory compliance is an increasing concern for tug owners and operators worldwide. Having already introduced tug designs featuring liquefied natural gas (LNG) fuel technology as an efficient means for complying with environmental legislation…

The U.S. Coast Guard has awarded Eastern Shipbuilding Group (ESG) a Long Lead Time Material (LLTM) contract for the first Offshore Patrol Cutter, USCGC Argus (WMSM 915). The LLTM contract awarded on September 7, 2017 allows Eastern to move forward on an aggressive schedule to deliver a capable and affordable platform to meet the Coast Guard’s mission needs. The award includes main propulsion, machinery control, electrical and mechanical equipment orders that need to be placed…

A Panama flagged bulk carrier, DL Carnation, has been banned from entering Australian ports for a period of 12 months after authorities uncovered a scheme which saw the vessel’s crew being intentionally underpaid. The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) said it received a complaint on Friday, September 8 via the International Transport Workers’ Federation alleging discrepancies in the payment of wages for the crew of the DL Carnation. An AMSA surveyor attended the vessel in Gladstone and found that the ship was operating with two sets of wage accounts on board: one showing the amount of pay the crew should have been receiving in line with their Seafarer Employment Agreements, and the other showing what the crew was actually receiving.

Genting Hong Kong appointed travel industry veteran Tom Wolber as President and CEO of Crystal Cruises, effective September 15. Wolber brings to the role over three decades of experience in general management, operations, newbuild construction and business development. He joins Crystal most recently from the Walt Disney Company where he served in various executive roles for 28 years, 10 of which were with Disney Cruise Line where he served as Senior Vice President of Operations. Wolber helped transform Disney Cruise Line into a global cruise line.

A second powerful storm in as many weeks was bearing down on a string of battered Caribbean islands, with forecasters saying Maria would strengthen rapidly into a major hurricane as it ripped into the Leeward Islands on Monday night. Maria's strength was building as it approached the Lesser Antilles, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said, estimating its winds near 90 miles per hour (145 kph). "Maria is expected to become a major hurricane as it moves through the Leeward Islands," the forecaster said, marked by "rapid strengthening" during the next 48 hours. Maria is approaching the eastern Caribbean less than two weeks after Irma hammered the region before overrunning Florida.

DP World said on Monday that it had entered into a deal to buy two other Dubai state-owned maritime companies for a total of $405 million.   The Dubai-based ports operator will acquire Maritime World, the 100 percent owner of Dubai Maritime City, for a purchase consideration of $180 million, and 100 percent of Drydocks World by means of a capital injection of $225 million.   Both deals are expected to close before the end of the first quarter of 2018, it said. Reporting By Tom Arnold 

A group of leading business houses in Pakistan plan to build a liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal by March 2019 for gas processing and consumption in their own plants, Reuters reported. The proposed, second multi-million dollars terminal being set up at the Port Qasim to handle LNG imports will give tremendous boost to LNG trade. The private terminal will bring the total number of potential LNG import projects in the country to eight. Currently, Pakistan has only one active…

Two new maritime lines are launched from Hamad Port which will enhance Qatar’s trade connections with various ports in China, India, Malaysia, Turkey and Greece, among other countries. Qatar News Agency (QNA)  said that both lines will run on a weekly basis. The first line starts in the Mediterranean and will be serviced by with four ships, with a total capacity of 6,000 containers including 400 reefer containers. The China Gulf Express Service will connect Shanghai in China with Hamad Port…

LNG Croatia, the project developer of the LNG import terminal on the Island of Krk in Croatia, has called for bids for the provision of a floating storage & regasification unit (FSRU). The bids for EPC and FSRU procurement, setting a 29 September deadline for submissions will  revive Croatia’s long-stalled plans to diversify its energy supply and reduce its dependence on piped gas from Russia. LNG Hrvatska says it is inviting bids in two separate tenders for the delivery of a FSRU and procurement of civil engineering works.

During the first quarter of the year, new car exports and imports passing through the Port of Gothenburg rose by 12 per cent compared with the first quarter of 2016. The Port of Gothenburg became the number one vehicle handling port in Scandinavia, due largely to the rise in imports. The number of cars exported and imported through the Port of Gothenburg has grown steadily since 2012 and the trend appears to be holding. According to new figures released by the Swedish government agency Transport Analysis and the industry and employers’ organisation Ports of Sweden…

While crude deliveries by larger ships to Beaumont in Texas remain restricted after Hurricane Harvey, a workaround using pipelines can supply Exxon Mobil's refinery there, shipping sources said. Silt and clay lingering in the Port of Beaumont still threaten to entrap large ships, two weeks after Hurricane Harvey ravaged Texas, but pipelines are available to move crude up to refineries there from nearby terminals which are less affected by sediment. Beaumont's port has been closed to ship traffic over 26 feet (8 meters) since Sept. 9 by the U.S. Coast Guard, because of shoaling - sediment or sand that washes up on the bottom of the waterway and hampers shipping traffic.

More than 22,000 barrels of oil, refined fuels and chemicals spilled at sites across Texas in the wake of Hurricane Harvey, along with millions of cubic feet of natural gas and hundreds of tons of other toxic substances, a Reuters review of company reports to the U.S. Coast Guard shows. The spills, clustered around the heart of the U.S. oil industry, together rank among the worst environmental mishaps in the country in years, but fall far short of the roughly 190,000 barrels spilled in Louisiana in 2005 after Hurricane Katrina - the last major storm to take dead aim at the U.S. Gulf Coast. Harvey slammed ashore in Texas on Aug. 26, unleashing record flooding around Houston that destroyed countless homes, displaced around a million people and killed scores. The U.S.

The Lake Carriers’ Association (LCA) said U.S.-flag Great Lakes freighters (lakers) moved 10.1 million tons of cargo in August, an increase of 7 percent compared to a year ago. The month’s shipments also bettered the August long-term average by approximately 60,000 tons. Iron ore cargos for steelmaking totaled 4.7 million tons, an increase of 4.7 percent compared to a year ago. Coal loadings neared 1.6 million tons, an increase of 8.5 percent. Limestone cargos increased nearly 10 percent to 3.2 million tons. Year-over-year U.S.-flag cargos total 50.4 million tons, an increase of 1.3 percent over the same point in 2016. Iron ore shipments have increased 6 percent to 27.6 million tons. Coal cargos are virtually unchanged – 7.5 million tons.

The National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) hosted its Annual Meeting in New Orleans, where NASDA President and Commissioner of Louisiana’s Department of Agriculture and Forestry, Dr. Michael Strain championed a motion supporting the deepening of the Mississippi River Ship Channel to 50 feet. Earlier in the week, Dr. Strain led the effort to gain the support of the Southern Association of State Departments of Agriculture (SASDA) on the same motion. “NASDA…

Hong Kong's port expects a slight rise in container shipping volumes this year despite continuing global turmoil in the sector. The global container industry, which transports everything from bananas to iPhones, is showing signs of better returns after a near-decade long slump. Nevertheless, worries over global retail demand and too many ships have continued to put the brakes on a bigger recovery. Hong Kong's Secretary for Transport and Housing, Frank Chan Fan, said container…

More than 22,000 barrels of oil, refined fuels and chemicals spilled at sites across Texas in the wake of Hurricane Harvey, along with millions of cubic feet of natural gas and hundreds of tons of other toxic substances, a Reuters review of company reports to the U.S. Coast Guard shows. The spills, clustered around the heart of the U.S. oil industry, together rank among the worst environmental mishaps in the country in years, but fall far short of the roughly 190,000 barrels spilled in Louisiana in 2005 after Hurricane Katrina - the last major storm to take dead aim at the U.S. Gulf Coast.

In the week that global maritime leaders gave the UK a vote of confidence, naming it one of the world’s leading maritime centres, PD Ports is urging UK businesses not to develop ‘Brexit blinkers’ but instead to explore significant new global opportunities as the UK negotiates its exit from the EU. Industry data shows UK export performance as a whole has been stronger outside the Single Market than within the EU over the last decade according to PwC’s UK Economic Outlook report.

Port of Amsterdam officially joined the HISWA Holland Yachting Group as a partner on, presenting itself as a new partner to the members during the annual HISWA summer event. The event was held on the wharf of yacht manufacturer Royal van Lent (Feadship) on the Kaag waterway. Port of Amsterdam and the yacht manufacturer had crossed paths before, as Royal van Lent recently expanded its operations by building a brand-new wharf in the port area. The arrival of Royal van Lent has prompted…

Accounting for almost one-fourth of total Danish exports, Blue Denmark is Denmark's most important export sector. A total of almost 100,000 persons are employed in Blue Denmark. ​A new report drawn up by the Economic Council of the Labour Movement for the Danish Maritime Authority shows that Blue Denmark still holds a strong position. According to the report, Blue Denmark exports worth DKK 250 billion a year, corresponding to 22.4 per cent of total exports. In terms of productivity, especially the Shipping and Marine Equipment sectors are experiencing positive developments.

Rolls-Royce said it has won an order to deliver its first EPA Tier 4-compliant propulsion systems from MTU to WETA (Water Emergency Transportation Authority) for installation in three brand-new catamaran ferries. The first of the three high-speed ferries is expected to enter service on the San Francisco Bay in late 2018. The San Francisco Bay is subject to special environmental protection. “Our goal is to operate a ferry service that is sustainable, cost-efficient and eco-friendly,” said Nina Rannells, WETA Executive Director.

Eighteen Jones Act petroleum vessels owned and/or operated by Crowley Maritime Corp. have been loaded to discharge gasoline and diesel into Florida ports in the coming few days. The mobilization responds to fuel shortages caused by the unprecedented evacuation of millions of Floridians ahead of Hurricane Irma. The vessels include Crowley’s MT Ohio and Florida, which were among the first tankers to bring fuel into the Port of Tampa on Tuesday along with MT West Virginia in Port Everglades. Fuel is being discharged to all of the major terminals in Florida – Jacksonville, Port Canaveral and Ft.

Yemen's Houthi leader Abdel-Malek al-Houthi said on Thursday his group could target Saudi oil tankers should Saudi Arabia attack Yemen's main port at Hodeida.   "We could target Saudi oil tankers and we could do anything, we have not done this before," he said.   In a televised speech, the leader also said his group's ballistic missiles were capable of reaching the United Arab Emirates' capital of Abu Dhabi and anywhere inside Saudi Arabia.   It was unclear whether the Houthi group has the capability to carry out its threats. (Writing By Maha El Dahan; Editing by Toby Chopra)

The Netherlands will receive its second-ever liquefied natural gas (LNG) shipment from Cheniere Energy's Sabine Pass export facility in the United States on Oct. 6, according to shipping data.   The vessel, with a capacity of 166,031 cubic metres, is currently berthed at Sabine Pass, live ship-tracking data shows.   The first delivery from Sabine Pass to the Gate terminal in Rotterdam arrived on June 8 aboard the Arctic Discoverer, a Thomson Reuters analyst said.   Reporting by Oleg Vukmanovic 

The divers have recovered two bodies out of the five missing crew of JBB DE RONG 19, following the collision between Indonesian-registered tanker KARTIKA SEGARA and Dominican-registered dredger JBB DE RONG 19 that occurred in Singapore territorial waters at about 12.40am (Singapore time) on 13 September 2017. At the point of collision this morning, 12 crew members were onboard JBB DE RONG 19. Seven were sent to the Singapore General Hospital, out of whom five have since been discharged. Search and rescue (SAR) efforts for the three remaining crew members are ongoing.

Jawaharlal Nehru Port Container Terminal (JNPCT) was awarded “Container Terminal of the Year” Award for the above 0.6 million TEUs category at The Gateway Awards 2017 held at Mumbai. The Jawaharlal Nehru Port owned JNPCT won the award for its proactive strategies to ease congestion, smooth delivery of containers and revamping of infrastructure to support trade amidst adverse conditions. Accepting the award, Shri Neeraj Bansal, Deputy Chairman, JNPT said “JNPCT has been able to…

Crews scrambled on Wednesday to clean up an oil spill from a sunken tanker which had spread to some of Athens's most popular beaches. The 45-year-old vessel, Agia Zoni II, was carrying 2,500 tonnes of fuel when it sank off the island of Salamis on Sunday. By Wednesday, a thick oily tide had covered stretches of the Athens Riviera several miles away. "This is a catastrophe," said Fotis Yiamanis, a resident of the seafront neighborhood of Faliro, where Greeks enjoy morning swims several months of the year. "Even if the oil leaves the surface of the water, the rest is going to sink and set in the sand. The coast guard said authorities had sealed the shipwreck on Tuesday and there was no further spillage.

A steel cutting ceremony was held at Meyer Turku shipyard, Finland for the first of two Costa Cruises ships to be powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG). The ship will sail in October 2019 with a sister ship following in 2021. Costa Cruises’ president, Neil Palomba, announced today that newbuild NB-1394 will be named Costa Smeralda, and added, “The two new Costa Cruises ships are a true innovation and set new standards for the entire sector. Meyer Turku CEO, Jan Meyer, said, “In the last two years…

Eastern Shipbuilding’s forward-thinking inland towboat design now features CAT Tier 4 propulsion and aftertreatment. When Eastern Shipbuilding Group (ESG) introduced its cutting edge 4,000 hp Thunderbolt inland towboat designed around twin azimuthing AAA Propulsion electric V-Pod propulsion and diesel-electric technology back in 2015, the approach was collaborative, with input from operators, naval architects (Gilbert Associates, Inc. (GAI)) and propulsion OEM’s. In selecting the podded propulsion system for inclusion on the design…

Rigid inflatable boat (RIB) manufacturer RIBCRAFT has introduced the newest and largest model in its  model line, the 41’ RIBCRAFT 12.5, with the recent delivery of a specialized USCG Sub Chapter T Certified tour boat to a customer in New England. Engineered as an offshore platform for tour operators, security and patrol operations, military applications and even recreational boaters, the 12.5 combines RIBCRAFT’s deep V hull and bow sheer with an extended waterline and generous beam.

Interferry CEO Mike Corrigan explains the Stronger Together vision behind the trade association’s drive to extend its networking and lobbying influence. Over the past four decades, Interferry’s reach and purpose has evolved with increasing effect from its U.S. origins in 1976. Back then, it was formed as the International Marine Transit Association with a focus on networking among its members. Now it is highly respected and influential as the only body representing the ferry industry worldwide.

Konecranes signed a major service agreement in which its Antwerp-based service organization will perform all of the maintenance and repair work on more than 150 Konecranes Noell Straddle Carriers of different generations for MSC PSA European Terminal (MPET), the single largest container terminal in Europe. The purpose of this service agreement is to achieve consistently high availability of the entire machine fleet. MPET, which handles the majority of containers in the Port of Antwerp, saw steady growth in 2016.

The UK Chamber of Shipping's CEO Guy Platten and its president Dr Grahaeme Henderson were among a delegation of international shipowners and major figures from the shipping industry that visited 10 Downing Street on Monday as part of London International Shipping Week 2017. The delegation, led by Maritime UK, took part in a round-table debate with government ministers to discuss both the challenges and opportunities facing the UK's maritime industry, and how the government can strengthen the country's appeal as an attractive business centre.

As of 12 noon today, the U.S. Coast Guard Captain of the Port (COTP) approved restricted commercial vessel transit through Port Canaveral to allow the port to support the arrival of critical fuel supplies destined for Florida consumers, and to receive cruise ships that were diverted from Port Canaveral prior to the arrival of Hurricane Irma. Port Canaveral previously had limited operations capability due to lack of water and limited electric power. However, this update to the port's Condition Zulu confirms the port's ability to regain full operational capability over the next few days, as efforts are well underway at Port Canaveral to resume normal operations. Port Canaveral CEO, Capt. John Murray, said, "Our ability to supply the critical fuel needs of Florida has been a priority.

Sentinel Marine’s latest new-build emergency response and rescue vessel (ERRV) has been deployed to service in the North Sea after being christened at Aberdeen Harbor. The new vessel, Mariner Sentinel, is operating on behalf of Statoil at its Mariner field to the east of Shetland – the sixth of nine vessels to join the firm’s fleet since 2015. Statoil’s Aberdeen-based offshore logistics and services supervisor, Line Kaldestad, officially named Mariner Sentinel in her role as the ship’s godmother.

A Container-on-Barge service intended to be an integral part of the regional intermodal equation is gathering momentum – and customers. Quietly, the Port of New Orleans (NOLA) has marked some important accomplishments in the past two years, across multiple business sectors. For example, in April 2016, NOLA’s Board dedicated a $25 million Mississippi River intermodal terminal, capable of handling 160,000 twenty-foot-equivalent (TEU) units per year by rail. CN Railroad signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) a year earlier (2015)…

Shipments of limestone on the Great Lakes totaled 3,991,471 tons in August, an increase of 18.6 percent compared to a year ago, the Lake Carriers’ Association (LCA) reported. August’s loadings were also nearly 12 percent ahead of the month’s five-year average. LCA said loadings from U.S. quarries totaled 3,358,064 tons, an increase of 21.4 percent compared to a year ago, while shipments from Canadian quarries totaled 633,407 tons, a slight increase over a year ago. Year-to-date the Lakes limestone trade stands at 16,626,332 tons, an increase of 0.7 percent compared to a year ago.

More than 80 maritime professionals attended two one-day events focused on the sub IMO / sub 80-ft. sector in Southampton, U.K. this Spring. The Man Overboard Prevention & Recovery Workshop brought together an international group of experts armed with the latest knowledge to identify problems that affect the maritime sector worldwide. Workshop lead John Haynes opened the day saying said, “Expectations, requirements and capabilities are changing for many maritime organizations. High profile roles are evolving close to shore and offshore in U.K., European and international waters.

A new ATB tug for Great Lakes Dredge and Dock (GLDD), M/V Douglas B. Mackie, was launched in Mobile, Ala. The vessel is being built by Eastern Shipbuilding and is scheduled to be delivered this fall. The design for the 14-knot ATB was developed by GLDD from an Ocean Tug and Barge concept with the hull lines completely revised by MARIN, a model basin in the Netherlands. Ship Architects, Inc. (SAi) completed the functional design and subsequent Class package. During the functional design process…

Trade association Interferry stages its 42nd annual conference in Split, Croatia, next month with an agenda highlighting the income and savings potential in three key areas – the customer experience, ship technologies and safety issues including cyber security. The event runs from October 7-11 and is on course for record attendance with some 300 delegates already registered among member and non-member operators and suppliers. “I think the high level of interest is a response to the pace of change in our industry,” suggests Interferry CEO Mike Corrigan.

A group of 24 Danish institutional investors in OW Bunker has decided to issue a writ against Carnegie and Morgan Stanley, accusing them of misleading investors ahead of the 2014 listing of the now bankrupt marine fuel oil supplier.   The investors, which include two of the largest pension funds in Denmark, ATP and PFA, claim they have suffered a loss of 767 million crowns ($123 million) following investment in OW Bunker shares "on the basis of a prospectus which was insufficient in material aspects".   Morgan Stanley declined to comment, while Carnegie said it did not know the details of the alleged claim.   Reporting by Stine Jacobsen 

Caterpillar Marine, partnering with Caterpillar Innovation & Technology Development Division (ITDD), is in the process of developing a proprietary advanced propulsion system for marine applications. The Cat Marine Advanced Variable Drive (AVD) is a patented system that leverages Caterpillar’s experience with heavy duty continuously variable transmission (CVT) technology, advanced controls and power system integration knowledge. In this joint development, ITDD is leading a cross…

BIMCO has developed new guidance for seafarers on the safe launching and recovery of lifeboats using fall preventer devices (FPDs), to reduce the number of seafarer fatalities and injuries. Lifeboat accidents resulting in fatalities and serious injuries are all too frequent, despite efforts in recent years to reduce them. Most of the accidents happen in boats using conventional davits and on-load release systems. However, recently other parts of the suspension and lifting systems have been identified as points of failure too, particularly the wire rope falls on larger lifeboats.

Will your vessel be honored as a “Great Workboat of 2017” in the December 2017 edition of Marine News? Every year, Marine News profiles the most outstanding vessels built in shipyards in North America, recognizing builders, owners and designers as leaders in their field. This edition — the much anticipated end-of-the-year edition — generates much excitement, as your work is profiled and delivered to the largest audited b2b maritime industry audience in this genre. The only way…

The U.S. Coast Guard and the Environmental Protection Agency are working with Texas state regulators to clean up oil and chemicals spilled from a dozen industrial facilities after flooding from Hurricane Harvey, authorities said. The spills came from oil refineries, fuel terminals and other businesses, but EPA spokeswoman Terri White said it was not possible to provide an estimate for the amounts spilled. "Initial reports were based on observation," White said. Refineries owned by Valero Energy Corp in Houston, Motiva Inc in Port Arthur, and Exxon Mobile Corp in Baytown, were among the facilities that had reported spills, according to White. Representatives for those companies did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Norco Holdings, the Poole-based manufacturer of lightweight composite structures and GRP moldings, has been selected by Atlas Elektronik UK (AEUK) to build the fleet of replacement workboats ordered recently by the UK MoD and due to be delivered over the next six years. The contract is for 30+ boats in total, ranging in size from 11 to 15 meters. As the primary composites supplier for the project, Norco will be producing the major components for the new vessels including hull, deck, superstructure and associated multipurpose modules.

Silversea Cruises has place an order worth about €310 million (US$371.4 million) with Fincantieri for the construction of a new ultra-luxury cruise ship. The new vessel, tentatively named Silver Moon, will be a sister ship of Silver Muse, delivered in April at Fincantieri’s shipyard in Sestri Ponente, Genoa. At 40,700 gross tons and with a capacity to accommodate 596 passengers on board, the ship will maintain the small-ship intimacy and spacious all-suite accommodations. According to the builder, the new ship will achieve Green star 3 Design notation assigned to units that are designed, built and equipped in order to prevent air and water pollution, as well as the COMF-NOISE A PAX and COMF-NOISE B CREW notations assigned on the basis of the ship’s measured noise levels.

Wight Shipyard Co Ltd (WSC) boss Peter Morton has purchased a stake in Aluminium Marine Consultants (AMC) and takes his place on the board, securing the Isle of Wight boat build business well into the future. AMC Commercial Director, Rob Stewart, said, “We are looking forward to working together, having been neighbors for some time. With a healthy order book, the future for AMC, the Isle of Wight and U.K. Stewart added that AMC will remain separate and continue to trade under the same name but will benefit from Wight Shipyards Co Ltd’s experience, backing and support going forward.

Federal officials were focused on Monday on search and rescue operations and restoring power to millions of people after Hurricane Irma tore across the Florida Keys before moving north up the state with high winds and heavy rains, the acting Homeland Security secretary said.   Acting DHS Secretary Elaine Duke told CNN 200,000 people remained in shelters and more than 5 million were without power, but the top priority was search and rescue as daylight revealed the damage from the storm overnight.   "Today will be our first time to get a glimpse of it. We do have flying weather and as the sun rises we'll be able to take a look at the Keys especially where we have the most area of concern," she said.   Reporting by Doina Chiacu 

Product tanker Agia Zoni II reported water ingress, sinking, in the early hours of Sunday  in Saronikos Gulf, south of Athens at anchorage west of Piraeus, with some 2500 tons of fuel on board, and two crew. The local media reports that Aghia Zoni II took on water while it was anchored and sank at 2.45 a.m., after sailing from the Aspropyrgos distilleries in the early hours of Saturday carrying 2,200 metric tons of fuel oil and 370 metric tons of marine gas oil. It is not yet known what caused the sinking.

Dutch provider of offshore support vessels Vroon has entered into a five-year charter plus options with Premier Oil for one of its emergency response and rescue vessels (ERRV). "We are pleased to announce that VOS Famous has entered into a five-year charter (plus options) with Premier Oil, following a competitive tender. This is to attend their newly arriving Catcher FPSO (Floating Production, Storage and Offloading)," said a press statement from the company. This builds on a steadfast partnership built up over a number of years on a number of vessels.

Technological advancement for modernization of major ports and reforms for enhancing ease of doing business are driving and sustaining the growth trend line at India’s major ports. The country’s 12 major ports together handled 273.96 Million Tonnes of cargo between April to August, 2017 as against 265.31 Million Tonnes handled during the corresponding period of previous year, an overall growth of 3.26%. Seven Ports (Kolkata, Paradip, Chennai, Cochin, New Mangalore, Mumbai and JNPT) registered positive growth in traffic during the period April to August 2017.

The vessel owner-operator and shipbuilder  ASL Marine Holdings said that a fire occurred in its shipyard in Batam, Indonesia. ASL press release that initial investigations showed the incident occurred on board a tanker that was being repaired at one of its dry docks. The fire likely started inside and was confined to the pump room, the company added in its statement. Whilst this may restrict damage and deaths, nevertheless five people died and one person is injured, they were employees of our subcontractor. Initial investigations suggest that there was no explosion.

The number of incidents of piracy and armed robbery against ships in Asia in August 2017 had increased slightly compared to the same period in 2016, said ReCAAP ISC. Four incidents were reported in August 2017 compared to three incidents reported in August 2016. However, the total number of incidents during January-August 2017 was the lowest among the 10-year reporting period of January-August 2008-2017. There was no report of incident involving the abduction of crew from ships in the Sulu-Celebes Sea since the last actual incident that occurred in March 2017.

The Piraeus Port Authority (PPA) SA has announced the completion of a tender and finalization of a contract with Cosco SH (Dalian) Shipyard for the purchase of a new floating repair dock, an initiative that the port's management has pursued over the past year. The 240-meter floating repair dock will also have a width of 45 meters, a draft of 18 meters and a 205,66t capacity. The dock will be transported and installed in the Perama ship repair zone - west of Piraeus proper - after the completion of necessary infrastructure works in the area.

Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Southeast is forming Contingency Engineering Response Teams (CERTs) in preparation of any damage to Naval facilities in the path of Hurricane Irma. "Teams returned last week from Naval Air Station (NAS) Kingsville and NAS Corpus Christi after performing damage assessments after Hurricane Harvey made landfall in Texas," said Integrated Product Team Gulf Coast Assistant Operations Officer Cmdr. Anant Patel who is the CERT officer in charge.

The U.S. Coast Guard identified locations and dates for the Hudson River Ports and Waterways Safety Assessment (PAWSA) Workshops. Dates in November have been identified for two groups of waterway users and stakeholders to participate in two-day structured workshops to ensure the PAWSA process is a joint effort involving waterway users, stakeholders, and agencies to identify ways to improve the safety of the Hudson River. The Coast Guard has completed 52 PAWSA studies nationwide since the program’s inception in 1999. On November 7-8, a workshop will be held in the Mid-Hudson region.

Offshore wind industry services provider CWind said it has been awarded a contract by DONG Energy, to install new and retrofit existing gates on the transition pieces (TPs) at the Gode Wind and Borkum Riffgrund offshore wind farms, located in the North Sea off the coast of Northern Germany. CWind, which is part of the Global Marine Group and delivers the company’s power capabilities, will use its crew transfer vessels, assets and engineering expertise to help complete the project.

First steel was cut Friday at Fincantieri’s shipyard in Monfalcone for a new ship for Carnival Corporation brand Princess Cruises. The vessel will be the fourth edition of the class for Princess Cruises, following Royal, Regal and Majestic, delivered by the same yard in 2013, 2014 and 2017 respectively. Works for the construction of a bow section for this unit began last November at Fincantieri’s shipyard in Castellammare di Stabia, Naples. The section will be then transported by sea and assembled to the rest of the unit in Monfalcone, where delivery will take place by the end of 2019.

Dozens of ships in the Caribbean have already been diverted to avoid Hurricane Irma, but how exactly does shipping cope with extreme weather - a post by UK Chamber of Shipping. Hurricane Irma, much like its predecessor Hurricane Harvey, has sent shipping into disarray, particularly for cruise passengers. Around 40,000 holidaymakers are estimated to have been affected by disruption to scheduled cruises this week and this figure could rise further as Irma speeds through the Caribbean towards southern Florida.

The 14,400 TEU capacity CMA CGM Theodore Roosevelt became the largest container ship to call the port of New York and New Jersey when it arrived at the APM Terminals Elizabeth container terminal. The ultra-large container ship also established a new record as the largest vessel to pass under the raised roadbed of the Bayonne Bridge, which now gives air draft clearance to vessels of up to 18,000 TEU capacity. Until recently, container ships calling the Port of New York & New Jersey were mainly of the 5,000-8,000 TEU size class.

Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL)  announced that on August 31, the MOL-operated car carrier Swan Ace (capacity: 6,400 standard passenger cars) called at the Port of Kisarazu in Chiba Prefecture and loaded 800 used vehicles. It was the first call for MOL-operated car carriers of Japan – East Africa trade. On the same day, the cargo owner, port officials, and other guests attended a commemorative ceremony at a hotel in Kisarazu City. Vast used vehicle export yards are clustered around the Port of Kisarazu.

The amphibious assault ships USS Wasp (LHD 1), USS Kearsarge (LHD 3) and dock landing ship USS Oak Hill (LSD 51) along with the Marines of the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit are supporting the lead federal agency in providing humanitarian relief efforts for Hurricane Irma. Wasp, the first Navy platform to arrive in the vicinity of the U.S. Virgin Islands, is providing medium and heavy lift helicopters to transport people and supplies. Wasp's helicopters are conducting medical evacuations for intensive care patients from St. Thomas to St.

Global LNG Bunkering market is expected to grow from $248.64 million in 2016 to reach $8187.35 million by 2023 with a CAGR of 64.7%. According to Stratistics MRC, growing marine logistic business, cost efficient LNG products, and imposing environmental regulations on chemical emissions are some of the factors bolstering the market growth. In addition, easy deployment facility is another factor fuelling the market growth. However, higher capital investments, poor bunkering infrastructure are the factors inhibiting the market growth.

The vessel was named Khankendi by the President of Azerbaijan, H.E. Ilham Aliyev, at a ceremony in Baku Shipyard and launched by the Shah Deniz consortium. Baku Shipyard LLC, a joint venture between Keppel Offshore & Marine Ltd (Keppel O&M), State Oil Company of Azerbaijan Republic (SOCAR) and Azerbaijan Investment Company (AIC), has completed a Subsea Construction Vessel (SCV) for the Caspian region. The Khankendi will be deployed to the Shah Deniz field where it is expected to perform subsea installation and construction work over the next eleven years.

Norway's state-run oil company Statoil began making preparations on Thursday to shut its South Riding Point storage and transshipment terminal in the Bahamas ahead of Hurricane Irma, traders close to the facility told Reuters.   South Riding Point in Grand Bahama has the capacity to store up to 6.75 million barrels of oil.   A neighboring terminal in the Bahamas, Buckeye Partners' BORCO, was also expected to halt all operations on Thursday, the company said. (Reporting by Marianna Parraga)

The Port of New Orleans welcomed the return of roll-on, roll-off service with the inaugural call of the Bahri Yanbu, a new state-of-the-art multipurpose vessel, in mid-August at the Nashville Avenue Terminal Complex operated by Ports America. “The return of roll-on/roll-off service to the Port of New Orleans – for the first time since 2005 – helps us meet the diverse needs of the marketplace and increases our global competitiveness,” said Brandy D. Christian, Port of New Orleans President and CEO.

The Cruise Lines International Association, has released the findings from two new reports about the Asian Cruise market. The first, 2017 Asia Cruise Trends, is a comprehensive analysis of the cruise industry within Asia. The second, the 2016 North Asia Economic Impact Study, reveals the economic impact the cruise industry has had to the North Asian market. “While the Asian cruise market has grown tremendously within the past four years – it has the potential to capture a much larger percentage of the Asian population…

Wärtsilä said it booked an order in June to supply the cargo handling system and cargo tanks for a new 3,000 cubic meter capacity liquefied natural gas (LNG) bunker barge currently under construction. The vessel, which is being built in Romania and will be outfitted in the Netherlands, will be owned by LNG Shipping, a consortium between Belgium based Victrol and CFT Corporation based in France. When delivered, it will be chartered by Shell Western LNG B.V., operating out of Rotterdam to provide the company with additional flexibility to bunker LNG fuelled ships…

Within the U.S. inland waterways industry, any mention of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) will almost certainly be in reference to the “Infrastructure Report Card” that ASCE prepares and issues every four years, describing the condition and performance of America’s infrastructure in 16 categories: aviation, bridges, dams, drinking water, energy, hazardous waste, inland waterways, levees, ports, public parks, rail, roads, schools, solid waste, transit and waste water.

MacGregor, part of Cargotec, has received an order from Yangzijiang shipyard in China to equip five 62,000 dwt open hatch bulk carriers (OHBC) with hatch covers and cranes. Equipment deliveries will start in 2018 and continue until 2019. The order was booked into Cargotec's third quarter 2017 order intake.   The order comprises the design of key hatch cover components and the delivery of 20cranes; four per vessel. Each crane will be fitted with an active rotation control (ARC) system, which stabilises and automatically rotates a load in the air.  

The naming ceremony of the Bibby WaveMaster 1 took place on September 6,  at the cruise terminal in the Port of Rotterdam in front of more than 125 guests from the U.K.-based Bibby Group, Damen and a range of industry partners. More than 10 members of the Bibby family attended while the Damen family was represented by Chief Commercial Officer Arnout Damen. The naming, by Lady Sponsor Jacky Blaikie, is the culmination of a program that began nearly four years ago to develop a vessel that could meet the needs of the offshore wind industry in an efficient…

At least half of Puerto Rico's island without power; storm likely to hit Florida Saturday or Sunday. Hurricane Irma killed eight people on the Caribbean island of Saint Martin and left Barbuda devastated on Thursday as one of the most powerful Atlantic storms in a century took aim at Florida. Television footage of the Franco-Dutch island of Saint Martin showed a damaged marina with boats tossed into piles, submerged streets and flooded homes. Power was knocked out on Saint Martin, Saint Barthelemy and in parts of the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico. "It is an enormous disaster, 95 percent of the island is destroyed. I am in shock," Daniel Gibbs, chairman of a local council on Saint Martin, told Radio Caribbean International.

Malaysian authorities thwarted the hijacking of a Thai oil tanker on Thursday and arrested 10 suspected Indonesian pirates on board the ship, a maritime security agency commander said. A special team from the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) stormed the MT Tanker MGT1, off the coast of the northeastern state of Terengganu, nearly 10 hours after it was reported missing on Wednesday. While the 10 were detained on the tanker, three suspects on a smaller boat nearby managed to escape, and an MMEA vessel has been sent to find them, the agency's chief, Maritime Admiral Zulkifli Abu Bakar, said in a statement. The boat was spotted near the tanker by a surveillance aircraft.

Japan's shipper giant Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha (K Line) and Kawasaki Kinkai Kisen Kaisha (K Line Kinkai) will work on a joint study for what would be Japan’s first LNG-powered ferry. "K Line Kinkai and K Line) have agreed to work on joint study for K Line Kinkai’s newbuilding passenger ferry being fueled by LNG, whose study includes specifications, engine types and any related technical verifications for LNG handling," said a statement from the company. K Line Kinkai has been studying introduction of a ferry fueled by LNG…

Navy installations throughout Florida are preparing for heavy weather as Hurricane Irma approaches South Florida. Commander, Navy Region Southeast, Rear Adm. Bette Bolivar, directed the evacuation of non-essential personnel and family members from Naval Air Station Key West, Florida, Sept. 5. "Their safety and security is a top priority," Bolivar said. Approximately 50-60 mission essential personnel are remaining behind to maintain essential functions on the installation. Naval Air Station Key West personnel have a designated safe haven area of within 300 miles of Atlanta.

Meyer Turku shipyard said it will more than double its investments from €75 million ($89.6 million) to €185 million ($221 million) as it aims to boost steel production to fulfill its record order book stretching into 2024. The investments include a new plate cutting line, a new profile cutting line and a new panel line to the steel halls to be ready by end of 2018/start of 2019. Head of steel production of Meyer Turku, Mika Heiskanen, said, “We are rebuilding Turku shipyard into a modern ship assembly factory.

The City of New York Department of Transportation (NYCDOT) Staten Island Ferry Division and Eastern Shipbuilding Group, Inc. (ESG) cut steel to officially begin the construction of the first of three new 320’ Staten Island Ollis Class Ferries. The steel cutting ceremony held August 29, 2017 took place in Eastern’s steel processing and pre-fabrication building at its Allanton facility in Panama City, Fla. Attending the ceremony from Staten Island Ferry Division was John Collins, Director of Ferry Engineering and Bill Tomalonis, Vessel Construction Manager SIF Division.

Bollinger Shipyards has delivered the 25th Fast Response Cutter (FRC) USCGC Jacob Poroo to the U.S. Coast Guard on September 5, 2017 in Key West, Fla. The vessel’s commissioning is scheduled for November 8 in New Orleans. Ben Bordelon, Bollinger president and CEO, said, “This FRC built by Bollinger Shipyards will be the second FRC to be stationed in Pascagoula, Miss. Previous cutters have been stationed in Florida; San Juan, P.R.; Cape May, N.J.; Ketchikan, Alaska; Pascagoula, Miss. and Honolulu, Hawaii.

A Memorandum of Understanding between Royal IHC and Canyon Offshore, a U.K. subsidiary of Houston-based Helix Energy Solutions Group, will see that partners work toward an exclusive arrangement to jointly bring the Hi-Traq trenching vehicle to the market. Upon conclusion of the agreement between the parties, Canyon would have the exclusive right to use the first Hi-Traq M1600, an asset built for both mechanical cutting and jetting operations. The modular asset would be available…

Kawasaki Kinkai Kisen Kaisha, Ltd. (“K” Line Kinkai) and Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd. (“K” Line) have agreed to work on joint study for “K” Line Kinkai’s newbuilding passenger ferry being fueled by LNG, whose study includes specifications, engine types and any related technical verifications for LNG handling. “K” Line Kinkai has been studying introduction of a ferry fueled by LNG, an environmentally-friendly energy that could almost completely eliminates SOx emissions and also minimizes NOx and CO2 emissions to certain level, and the recent collaboration with “K” Line will accelerate this study in order to introduce Japan’s first passenger LNG-fueled ferry.

ISA Towage B.V. (formerly known as V.O.F. Sleepboot ISA) has taken delivery of a Shoalbuster 3209 from Damen Shipyard Hardinxveld (DSHa). The vessel was already in stock at the yard and was handed over to the client within four weeks of the order being agreed. Damen’s extensive range of Shoalbuster vessels offers some of the most versatile workboats available in the marketplace today, capable of taking on a wide variety of roles. The purchase of the 3209 by ISA Towage B.V. marks…

MAN Cryo, MAN Diesel & Turbo’s marine-LNG fuel-gas-system manufacturer, has signed a contract with Swedish infrastructure company, Swedegas, to deliver an LNG bunkering facility within the Port of Gothenburg. The new facility will enable vessels to bunker LNG from trucks or containers while simultaneously loading/unloading cargo at two jetties at the port’s Energy Port, dispensing with the need to make a separate refuelling stop. The solution offers increased flexibility for customers and LNG suppliers, and will be open for multiple suppliers.

Classification society ClassNK has expanded the scope of the world’s first comprehensive electronic certificate service for classification and statutory certificates to include the flag states of Panama, Singapore and the Marshall Islands from September 15, 2017. The service, ClassNK e-Certificate, currently available to Liberian-flagged vessels, will be available to ClassNK-registered vessels from a total of four flag states, accounting for approximately 60 percent of vessels on the ClassNK register. ClassNK e-Certificate is the result of an innovative project aimed at reducing the workload on board and at shore by minimizing potential clerical errors and time-loss associated with paper burden.

German shipbuilder Meyer Werft has laid the keel for AIDAnova, set to become the first cruise ship worldwide that will operate both at sea and in port fueled with liquefied natural gas (LNG). With AIDAnova’s first building block lowered into place on September 6, 2017, Carnival Corporation & plc officially marked the start of construction of seven fully LNG powered cruise ships due to be commissioned between 2018 and 2022 for four of its 10 cruise ship brands. The seven vessels for Carnival Cruise Lines…

Royal Boskalis Westminster N.V. said its wholly-owned subsidiary Dockwise has recently been awarded a number of marine transport contracts with a combined contract value of approximately $50 million. Dockwise was awarded a contract by Husky Oil Operations Ltd. for the transportation of the West White Rose Topside from Texas, U.S. to Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. The contract includes the engineering, preparation and execution of the loading, transport and discharge operation of the topside. The topside will be skidded onto a large barge, which in turn will be floated onto the semi-submersible heavy transport vessel Dockwise Vanguard that will transport the cargo to Newfoundland and Labrador. The transport is expected to take place in 2021.

Harvey closed nearly a quarter of U.S. refining capacity; helping to push WTI-Brent spread to widest in two years. Some oil traders in Asia are looking to snap up crude cargoes from the United States after Hurricane Harvey closed U.S. refineries, denting local demand and pushing out the price spread between U.S and Atlantic Basin crude benchmarks. Hurricane Harvey barrelled into the U.S. Gulf of Mexico coast around 10 days ago, closing nearly a quarter of the nation's refining capacity, although some of that is now coming back online.

Port handles 60 mln tonnes/year of foreign and domestic seaborne coal. Guangzhou port, the largest coal transport hub in southern China, has halted foreign coal imports, according to traders who use the port and said they had been informed of the shutdown by customs authorities and senior company officials. Traders said the move caught merchants using Guangzhou by surprise and interpreted it as a sign of Beijing stepping up its campaign to cut pollution caused by the burning of coal.

Hurricane Irma, one of the most powerful Atlantic storms in a century, churned across northern Caribbean islands on Wednesday with a potentially catastrophic mix of fierce winds, surf and rain, en route to a possible Florida landfall at the weekend. Irma is expected to become the second powerful storm to thrash the U.S. mainland in as many weeks but its precise trajectory remained uncertain. Hurricane Harvey killed more than 60 people and caused damaged estimated as high as $180 billion when it hit Texas late last month. The eye of Irma, a Category 5 storm packing winds of 185 miles per hour (295 km per hour), moved away from the island of Barbuda and toward the island of St. Martin, east of Puerto Rico, early on Wednesday, the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) in Miami reported.

Perenco appointed Bibby Offshore to perform subsea integrity inspections and maintenance works on the Inde Joint pipeline, which runs to the Bacton Gas Terminal in the Southern North Sea. Completed in early July, the 15-day workscope saw Bibby Offshore install a total of 94 concrete mattresses over the pipeline to assist in preserving the remaining rock dump mounds. The second workscope, completed in late July, saw Endeavour Energy UK contract Bibby Offshore to carry out subsea tree inspections in the Renee and Rubie fields located in blocks 15/27 and 15/28 of the Central North Sea.

Following various dredgers recently delivered in Bangladesh, and the Damen Dredging Seminar held last month in Dhaka where her Excellency Leoni Cuelenaere, the Dutch Ambassador to Bangladesh was the honorable Chief guest, Damen said it has again delivered multiple dredgers from available stock. Regional Sales Director Rabien Bahadoer said, “Damen has again confirmed its long-term commitment to Bangladesh by delivering quality dredgers with a proven design from ready stock. Bahadoer added, “Our dedicated Service Team has overseen a very fast handover.

MELCAL said it has received a new contract from Arctech Helsinki Shipyard for the design and production of two ATEX Zone 1, IIB T3 cranes to be installed onboard an icebreaking arctic tanker. The hose handling cranes will feature heated cabins and are designed to handle both cargo hoses and bunker fuel hoses, as well as provisions and engine spares. In man-riding mode, the cranes are also suitable for safe lifting of personnel. Designed to work in an extreme ambient temperature of - 50°C…