Coastal and Inland News

Viking announced it will launch a Mississippi River cruise line with its first vessel, Viking Mississippi, scheduled to sail voyages on the Lower and Upper Mississippi, between New Orleans and St. Paul from August 2022.Purpose-built for the Mississippi and is currently under construction in Louisiana, the five-deck ship will accommodate 386 passengers in 193 all outside staterooms.“At a time where many of us are at home, looking for inspiration to travel in the future, I am pleased to introduce a new, modern way to explore this great river.

The 2020 Inland Marine Expo (IMX) will be postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic, organizers of the inland and intracoastal commercial marine industry trade show announced on Friday.Originally scheduled to take place May 18-20, the rescheduled event will be held September 29-October 1. It will still be held Dome at America’s Center in St. Louis, Mo."The health of our attendees and exhibitors is our first priority," organizers said. "We also feel like this will be in the best…

One of the world's busiest cruise ports announced it will furlough some of its employees following a shutdown of cruise line operations due to the coronavirus outbreak, Port Canaveral announced on Friday.The Florida seaport, which remains operational for the flow of commercial cargo and to support naval operations, said it will temporarily furlough employees dedicated to its cruise operations and recreation business segments whose job functions are not required for current operations.The…

Salvage operations continue on board the cargo vessel MV Kaami after it ran aground in the Minches in March in northwest Scotland.A HM Coastguard search and rescue helicopter winched all of the eight-person crew to safety from the cargo vessel which ran aground in adverse weather conditions in the early hours on March 23.The vessel, which made contact with the Coastguard and reported taking on water, remains on hard ground at Sgeir Graidach rock and is being monitored by the U.K.'s…

U.S. ports have worked toward increasing the depth and width of their channels to allow for larger ships with greater capacities. The equation is generally: bigger ships = more throughput = increased profitability. But what are the impacts around a channel after it’s widened? The ripple effects may go further than you think.Managing the Impact of Channel Improvement Projects on Structures and PipelinesWith more water to impact them, structures around an expanded channel may need improvements, and pipelines under the channel may need relocation to make way for dredging.

An ocean liner forced by a deadly onboard coronavirus outbreak to languish at sea since mid-March pulled into a South Florida port on Thursday, after authorities settled plans for the vessel and its sister ship to dock and most passengers to come ashore.The Holland America Line cruise ship MS Zaandam and its twin, the MS Rotterdam, docked late in the afternoon at Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where medical personnel immediately began off-loading 13 severely ill…

Two Holland America Line cruise ships, including the coronavirus-hit Zaandam, are scheduled to dock at Port Everglades on Thursday, a spokesperson for the Florida port confirmed.The port said it would hold berths open for the two ships as details for the conditions of arrival are being finalized. An estimated time of arrival is to be determined.Florida has been working with the cruise line and the U.S. government to develop a plan to allow thousands of passengers exposed to COVID…

Houston-based Kirby Corporation said Thursday it has completed the acquisition of Savage Inland Marine’s inland towboat and tank barge fleet. The total consideration paid was approximately $278 million and was financed with additional borrowings. Savage’s fleet consists of 46 inland towboats and 90 tank barges with approximately 2.5 million barrels of capacity. Savage primarily moves petrochemicals, refined products, and crude oil on the lower Mississippi River, its tributaries…

Carnival Corp, the world’s largest cruise operator, said it has raised $6.25 billion by issuing new debt and equity on Wednesday, borrowing at a high cost to weather the economic storm of the coronavirus pandemic.Despite having its cruise ships idled to comply with coronavirus travel restrictions, the company was able to attract enough investors that its capital raising was oversubscribed several times over, albeit at a steep price, sources told Reuters.Carnival priced $4 billion in bonds maturing in 2023 - upsized from the $3 billion originally planned - with a yield at par value of 11.5%…

The U.S. government and Florida were working on a plan on Wednesday to allow thousands of cruise ship passengers exposed to an onboard coronavirus outbreak to disembark, a day after President Donald Trump urged the governor to drop his opposition to their docking.Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean Trantalis said he was not opposed to them docking in his city. But he said a clear protocol was needed to protect residents of his South Florida city from infection.“There can be no missteps in this process…

Traffic in Egypt's Suez Canal has so far been unaffected by the spread of the coronavirus, the chief of its authority said on Wednesday, citing a 4.6% increase year-on-year in the number of ships passing through.The canal is the fastest shipping route between Europe and Asia and one of the Egyptian government's main sources of foreign currency.The container shipping industry, a bellwether for international trade, has been blown off course by the new virus, which brought parts of China to a standstill before spreading around the world…

Australia is pushing foreign-flagged cruise ships to leave its territorial waters amid the coronavirus pandemic, walking a diplomatic tightrope as it also tries to bring home citizens trapped on ships abroad.Western Australia state Premier Mark McGowan on Wednesday called on the federal government to kick out the German-owned MV Artania after the crew was reported to have asked the Australian Border Force (ABF) for permission to stay until April 14.“If what’s required is to clean the ship as a condition of getting it underway, well then do that ...

China's ports and shipping firms are bracing for a second wave of supply chain disruptions that may be deeper and more prolonged than during the country's coronavirus lockdown as the global spread of the virus chokes off international demand.With Beijing reporting only sporadic domestic transmission of the coronavirus since March, workers have been allowed to return to posts, factories are restarting and ports are rushing to clear a backlog of cargoes.But with virus outbreaks now overwhelming healthcare systems and shutting logistics channels in other major economies…

South Africa's ports remain open to all types of cargo despite a nationwide 21-day lockdown though essential goods should be prioritized, the Department of Transport said in a notice."(The) government has now decided that in the interest of ensuring a functional supply chain across all ports, that all cargoes will be accepted for loading and off-loading," said the notice, which was dated March 31.That reversed instructions sent by port authorities to bulk terminals last week saying…

U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday urged Florida officials to open an Atlantic Coast port to a Dutch cruise ship stuck at sea with a deadly coronavirus outbreak onboard, urging the governor to drop his opposition.Weighing in on the fate of Holland America Line’s MS Zaandam during a White House briefing, Trump said he would call Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who has declared the vessel unwelcome to prevent its sick passengers from being “dumped” on his state.“They’re dying on the ship…

A longshore laborer at the Port of Oakland reportedly fell to his death from the deck of a containership at berth in the early hours on Tuesday.The International Longshore and Warehouse Union confirmed that the accident victim was one of its members. The port said the fatal accident was under investigation by local authorities.“This is a tragedy that strikes everyone very deeply,” said Port of Oakland Maritime Director John Driscoll. “The waterfront is a tightly knit community and if a member of that community succumbs…

Greece plans to sell majority stakes in four ports as part of a privatization plan agreed with its lenders after the country exited the bailouts in 2018, a document of its privatization agency (HRADF) showed on Tuesday.HRADF will sell majority stakes in the share capital of Alexandroupolis, Igoumenitsa, Heraklion and Volos ports, the agency said in an invitation to hire financial advisers for the sales released on this website.China's COSCO has bought a 51% stake in Piraeus Port, the country's biggest, in 2016.

The technology group Wärtsilä said it has been awarded a DNV GL type-approval certificate and cyber security certification by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) for its Translink solution, part of the company’s connected ECDIS concept. The cyber security verification has been issued according to the updated DNV GL rules and the internationally recognized standard for cyber security for bridge and navigation systems, IEC61162-460. Translink is a system that comprises the hardware, router, and software components.

A cruise ship with at least reported 65 cases of coronavirus on board was piloted remotely through the Sueaz Canal.On March 23, a pilotage team aboard two escort tugs remotely piloted Italian passenger ship Costa Diadema during a northbound convoy through the new Suez Canal, while the ship was sailing without passengers from from the United Arab Emirates to Italy. In addition to four senior pilots to guide the vessel on two escorting tugs, one in the front and one astern, radar…

Four of Carnival Corp’s cruise lines said on Monday they would extend the suspension of all voyages by a month to May due to the coronavirus crisis that has worsened over the past few weeks.The brands - Holland America Line, Carnival and luxury cruise ship operators Seabourn and Cunard - together operate 49 ships.Carnival Corp, also the operator of two coronavirus-stricken Princess cruises, has already temporarily suspended several of its ships due to concerns over the rapidly spreading COVID-19 crisis earlier this month.“The impact of COVID-19 is affecting personal routines and businesses as

A Brazilian court has barred crew members from disembarking from the Costa Fascinosa cruise ship anchored with no passengers at the port of Santos after some of their mates developed coronavirus symptoms, city authorities said on Monday.All passengers on the ship, which has a capacity for 3,800 passengers and crew, were disembarked on March 17 at Santos and only the crew remained in quarantined.Santos is Latin America's largest port and where most of Brazil's agriculture commodities are exported.Last week…

Van den Herik dredger Charlock recently paid a visit to the Royal Niestern Sander shipyard in the Netherlands for various maintenance work executed at the dock location.Among maintenance work, a store crane had been positioned on the fore ship. Also a bulkhead fitted with Hardox wear plates, pins of the suction tube arm were replaced, six new water tight doors have been installed and paintwork on deck has been executed.

An event officially signalling the start of construction on Qingdao International Cruise Terminal in China was held alongside a global promotion launched to attract investment. At the event, the People's Government of Qingdao signed a cooperation agreement with Shandong Port Group for a RMB10 billion project, and inked contracts with a number of partners for 14 industrial projects with a total investment of RMB31.35 billion.The government of Qingdao's Shibei District is pushing…

Emiliano González, President of MSC Cruises Spain passed away on March 25 in Madrid at the age of 68.González joined MSC Cruises Spain as Commercial Director in 2002, becoming Country Manager in 2004. He restlessly worked to turn MSC Cruises into one of the country’s most popular cruise lines and witnessed the entry into service of the 17 innovative cruise ships in MSC Cruises’ fleet. In 2017 he moved on to become President of MSC Cruises Spain. Leaving his commercial responsibilities aside…

Built to guide mariners through safe waters, the Valiant Rock Lighted Whistle Buoy 11 was dangerously adrift in the Long Island Sound.When ferry operators traveling between Orient Point and Fishers Island, New York, first reported the buoy off station on Jan. 17, the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Oak (WLB-211) was already underway but foul weather kept the cutter from removing it.This was the beginning of a two-week saga that would involve several Coast Guard units. Like the Loch Ness monster of the Long Island Sound, the 35-foot-tall green buoy was occasionally seen but hard to catch.

Carnival-owned Holland America Line, owner and operator of the coronavirus-stricken MS Zaandam, announced it will extend its pause of global cruise operations for an additional 30 days, cancelling sailings scheduled to depart through May 14, amid continued port closures and travel restrictions surrounding global health concerns."As the world addresses global health concerns, travel has come to a temporary standstill as communities take necessary precautions to protect themselves," said Orlando Ashford, president of Holland America Line.

Carnival Corp’s luxury cruise ships operator Cunard said on Monday it would extend the suspension of all voyages by a month to May 15 due to the coronavirus pandemic.Carnival, also the operator of two coronavirus-stricken Princess cruises, has already temporarily suspended several of its ships due to concerns over the rapidly spreading COVID-19 crisis earlier this month.“The impact of COVID-19 is affecting personal routines and businesses as well as placing significant travel restrictions around the world,” said Simon Palethorpe, president, Cunard.Cunard, which extended the suspension from Apr

A cruise ship stuck off Panama’s Pacific coast after four passengers died and more than 130 others developed influenza-like symptoms, including at least two with the coronavirus, will be allowed to proceed through the Panama Canal, the government said on Saturday.Holland America Line’s 238-meter (781-foot) MS Zaandam vessel can now continue its trip to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, but Panama’s government underscored that no passengers or crew members would be allowed to set foot…

Four passengers have died on board the MS Zaandam, a cruise ship currently off the coast of Panama with dozens of guests suffering from influenza-like symptoms, at least two of whom have coronavirus, the vessel's operator said on Friday.Zaandam had been on a South American cruise that departed Argentina on March 7 and had been scheduled to end in San Antonio, Chile on March 21.

Dredgers are expediting operations in New York to make way for the U.S. Navy hospital ship USNS Comfort, which will dock in the epicenter of America's COVID-19 outbreak to assist hospitals that become overrun by the pandemic.Dredging contractor Donjon Marine Co., Inc. was contacted last week and asked to begin dredging Manhattan Cruise Terminal’s Berth 4 in anticipation of the arrival of the ship, which under the order of President Trump will serve as a relief hospital facility for non-coronavirus patients needing hospital care.

A 334-meter containership ran aground near mile marker 81 of the Mississippi River, Friday, the U.S. Coast Guard said.Coast Guard watchstanders in New Orleans received a call at 3:20 a.m. that the Liberian-flagged Belita had run aground near 12-mile point, at mile marker 81 of the Mississippi River.Sector New Orleans vessel traffic service has placed a one-way traffic restriction in the immediate vicinity of the grounded vessel.“Our top priority in this incident is the safe recovery of this vessel, while protecting the marine environment,” said Capt.

VT Halter Marine said it has been awarded a contract option for the U.S. Navy’s fourth Auxiliary Personnel Lighter–Small (APL(S)) 67 Class berthing and messing barge. The contract award is $39,906,609 for a firm, fixed-price option for the detail design and construction of the vessel.The Pascagoula, Miss. shipbuilder has been up and running throughout the COVID-19 outbreak and is currently constructing the first three APLs. In September 2018, the company received the initial contract to design and build two units, with options for four additional units.

South Africa's logistics firm Transnet said it would reduce transport services and non-essential cargo operations during a nationwide lockdown that began at midnight on Thursday to contain the coronavirus.The state-owned company said shipments of metals and minerals would depend on demand and government approval. It was unclear if these exports would be affected.The transport of coal to state-run utility Eskom's power stations would continue, Transnet said.Transnet operates nearly three quarters of the African rail network…

Nigeria will only allow cargo vessels that have been at sea for more than two weeks to dock in its ports to prevent the spread of coronavirus, President Muhammadu Buhari said on Thursday.Health experts fear a widespread outbreak in Africa's most populous country of 200 million people which could overwhelm its creaking healthcare system.Nigeria has closed its land borders and international airports in the last week to curb the spread of the virus.Buhari said on Twitter he had issued a directive that "only cargo vessels that have been at sea for more than 14 days be allowed to dock in our ports…

At least five fully-laden liquefied natural gas (LNG) tankers are idling offshore India, as yet unable to discharge their cargoes, after importers there declared force majeure earlier this week, according to an analyst and shipping sources.Gas demand is falling globally amid the fast-spreading coronavirus which has capped industrial output, forcing LNG tankers in several regions to remain at sea fully laden with no immediate destination, the sources said.At least three major buyers in India…

Two new dive support vessels (DSV) operated by Belov Engenharia Ltda. have completed class commissioning and are currently performing client acceptance testing for Petrobras.Built at Belov's own fabrication facility in Salvador, the newbuilds Belov Amaralina and Belov Humaitá are of Robert Allan Ltd.'s RAlly 4000’s Class design, fitted with Dynamic Positioning System (DP2), four diesel generators, three water jet propulsors and triple bow thrusters for redundancy. The propulsion system is diesel-electric to improve efficiency when operating in lower power DP modes.

All American Marine, Inc. (AAM) won a contract by SWITCH Maritime (SW/TCH) to complete the aluminum construction and outfitting of a 70-foot 84-passenger zero-emissions, hydrogen-powered, electric drive ferry that will operate in the California Bay Area (referred to as the ‘Water-Go-Round’ project).Prior to transfer to AAM, the project had begun at Bay Ship & Yacht shipyard in Alameda, Calif. where the aluminum hull and superstructure had been started. Bronson Lamb, AAM Marketing Manager…

OxGas, a company fully owned by the Port of Oxelösund in Sweden has commissioned MAN Energy Solutions to act as “owners engineer” in the development and construction of a multi-functional terminal for liquefied methane based fuels in the port of Oxelösund. The terminal will be designed to feed both liquefied natural gas (LNG) and green methane derived from bio gas to SSAB ’s steel production in Oxelösund, and to re-distribute it via train and trailers to other parts of Sweden.The…

Ferry operators stuggling financially due to the COVID-19 pandemic will need government backing to help offset billions of dollars of unsustainable losses, Interferry says.The trade association is asking governments globally to include the ferry industry in their respective COVID-19 financial aid packages so that ferry operators can continue providing essential services, and to ensure that critical infrastructure and personnel are available once the global economy begins to recover.Specifically…

British ferry and shipping freight company P&O said on Wednesday it will ramp up freight operations to improve the flow of essential goods between Britain and mainland Europe as passenger numbers dwindle during the coronavirus outbreak."P&O Ferries is doing vital work to ensure the supplies of food, medicines and other supplies to millions of people," chief executive officer Janette Bell said in a statement."I urge all governments to back the commitment of our colleagues by designating port workers as key workers, to secure further the flow of goods." (Reporting by Kate Holton and Andy Bruce;

SCHOTTEL said it has secured several orders to provide propulsion systems for U.S. Navy vessels. This additional order of five Workboat Docking vessels and two YTL tugs – all of which are to be built at the Modutech Marine Inc. yard in Tacoma, Wash. Construction of the lead tug is to commence in 2020.The main propulsion for each Workboat Docking vessel consists of a SCHOTTEL SRP 150 azimuthing unit with fixed pitch propellers with a diameter of 1.05 m and an input power of 335 kW. These are driven by diesel engines.

CMA CGM said on Thursday it has completed the sale of stakes in eight port terminals for $815 million to its joint venture with China Merchants Port Group.Late last year, CMA CGM reached a deal with China Merchants to sell stakes in 10 port terminals to the companies' Terminal Link venture for $968 million, as part of efforts by CMA CGM to finance its acquisition of Swiss-based CEVA Logistics and reduce group debt.The first eight terminals included in the transaction are Odessa Terminal (Ukraine)…

Brazil's JBS SA, the world's largest meatpacker, has identified potential logistics issues amid the coronavirus crisis including container shortages and port disruptions, according to executives discussing earnings results on Thursday.JBS executives said in a call on fourth-quarter earnings results that its export operations had not been hit by any disruptions, such as those that have affected frozen container cargos arriving in China in recent weeks. They said the company is banking on its long-term relationships with shipping providers to keep exports flowing.

Economic relief is on its way for Singapore's passenger vessel owners and operators, as well as passenger terminal operators, who have seen a drop in passenger volumes due to the COVID-19 outbreak, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance, Heng Swee Keat, announced Thursday, as part of the Resilience Budget.The 50% port dues concession to passenger vessels from March 1 to August 31, announced by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore's (MPA) in February, will extend for another four months until December 31, 2020.

South Africa's main export terminals will be closed to mineral exports from midnight on Thursday when a nationwide 21-day lockdown over coronavirus begins, disrupting copper supply chains linking major producer Zambia to Asian consumers.Miners in the Zambian copper belt typically transport copper overland to South Africa's ports, where it is exported mainly to China, the world's biggest consumer of the metal."All bulk terminals (mineral mining commodities) will be closed," a note from Transnet Port Terminals read, according to a shipping agent.

Australia ordered two cruise ships to leave its waters on Thursday, after a liner that docked in Sydney Harbor last week became the primary source of infection in the country's coronavirus outbreak.Although well below levels elsewhere in the world, the pace of Australia's infections is starting to pick up speed, reaching nearly 2,800 cases and 13 deaths.The government of West Australia state said nobody would be permitted to disembark from the German-operated MV Artania after seven of 800 foreign passengers on board tested positive for the virus…

Master Marine, Inc. has delivered a second towboat for Osage Marine Services, Inc. The newly built M/V Frank Mellor, like its sister ship, is a 67’ x 28’ vessel designed by Entech Designs, LLC. All USCG certificates for their Sub M compliance have been obtained.The towboat is powered by a pair of Laborde Products, S6R2-Y3MPTAW Mitsubishi 803 HP Tier III diesel marine engines to be operated at 1,400 RPM coupled to Twin Disc 5321 gears. Laborde Products, Inc. is also providing electrical power with two Northern Lights M65C13.2S 65KW Tier III electronic controlled generators with RW Fernstrum…

Liebherr Container Cranes and DP World Berbera have signed a contract for the supply of eight RTGs for DP World’s terminal in Berbera, Somaliland. The cranes are due to be ready for operation before the end of 2020.The high performance, variable speed diesel RTGs are six containers plus a truck lane wide and will stack one over five containers high. The machines are supplied with DGPS autosteering and stack profiling. Like all Liebherr RTGs, the machines incorporate Liebherr’s eight rope reeving no-sway-system.

Greg Butler was rushed to hospital with COVID-19 within days of getting home to self-isolate after being allowed off the Ruby Princess cruise liner in Sydney, one of more than 130 passengers who tested positive in Australia’s worst coronavirus outbreak.One of them, a woman, died earlier this week.The 56-year-old Butler had been holidaying with his partner, Robin Russ, who remains in isolation.“I tested negative and he tested positive,” Russ said over the telephone from the apartment they moved to for quarantine.After disembarking at Sydney Harbour on March 19…

The St. Lawrence Seaway’s 62nd navigation season kicked off on Tuesday with the transit of the Canadian-flagged cement carrier NACC Argonaut through Lock 8 on the Welland Canal.Then, in the early hours on Wednesday morning, first U.S.-flag commercial vessel transited the locks at Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., signaling the start of the U.S. fleet's 2020 sailing season.The Seaway’s Montreal / Lake Ontario section will open on April 1 this year, eight days after the opening of the Welland Canal.

Incat Tasmania and Seaworld Express Ferry announced an order for a new generation fast ferry, a 76-m high speed wave piercing catamaran ferry to accommodate up to 700 passengers and 79 cars when it enters service on the new route between Jindo and Jeju early 2022.Seaworld Express Ferry was selected as operator for the route, and its chairman Hyuk Young Lee said “We were most impressed with Incat Tasmania’s modern shipyard facilities, the advanced passenger safety systems incorporated into the Incat Tasmania design…

The application period for this year’s MN100 edition is officially open and underway!Each year, the August edition of Marine News magazine profiles the best 100 firms in brown water, workboat space.There will never be a better time for you to tell Marine News just why your firm is one of the best in the business. The selected 100 companies will be featured in the August edition of the largest BPA-audited b-to-b publication in this genre. OEMs, service providers, shipyards, operators and the full gamut of marine-related businesses are eligible.

Appetite for UAE global port operator DP World's $9bn loan financing is expected to weaken due to market turmoil caused by the coronavirus, bankers said.The loan was fully underwritten by Citigroup and Deutsche Bank, and went out to a wider group of DP World’s relationship banks in senior syndication, which closed at the end of last week, one of the bankers said.These banks included Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank, MUFG, Emirates NBD, First Abu Dhabi Bank and HSBC, a second banker said.“Senior…

Ships and their crews must be able to trade freely with minimal port restrictions to ensure supply lines don't freeze up while the coronavirus shuts down much of the globe, shipping and port officials said on Tuesday.After draconian steps to stop the spread of the virus, China's economy is slowly coming back online but logistics chains are backing up in other parts of the world.This has been compounded by ships being quarantined for up to two weeks and seafarers held up as countries impose lockdowns to stop the spread of the virus.The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) association…

The company which owned Spirit of 1770, a passenger vessel that caught fire and burnt to the waterline with 42 paying customers and four crew members on board while returning from a voyage to Lady Musgrave Island on May 11, 2016, has been fined $25,000 for reckless operation of a commercial vessel.The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) investigated the incident and recommended a charge against the company, Panforta Pty Ltd – trading as 1770 Great Barrier Reef Cruises Pty Ltd.

Passengers aboard the cruise ship Zaandam are being quarantined after 42 people on board exhibited "influenza-like symptoms", the ship's operator Holland America Line said.As of Sunday morning, 13 passengers and 29 crew reported to the ship’s medical center, but it is unknown whether these are coronavirus cases as there is no COVID-19 testing available on board.Holland America Line said it asked passengers to self-quarantine "out of an abundance of caution", and crew who are not required for vessel operations are also being quarantined.

The Port of Hamburg, responding to reports of bottlenecks in the supply of empty containers, conducted a flash poll this week asking shipping lines about the current situation and found that shipping lines see no appreciable scarcity of equipment in Hamburg and other German seaports, with no shortages expected to arise.According to Port of Hamburg Marketing (HHM), the shipping lines mentioned several factors that provide for a stable supply of empty equipment. Most shipping companies plan their disposition of empty boxes about three to four weeks in advance.

Freight carriers are struggling to deliver goods by land, sea or air as the coronavirus pandemic forces Western governments to impose lockdowns, threatening supplies of vital products including medicines into the most affected areas, such as Italy.While China's draconian steps to stop the spread of the virus are now allowing its economy slowly to come back online, supply chains are backing up in other parts of the world.Problems ranging from finding enough truck drivers to restrictions on seafarers and a lack of air freight are hitting the smooth flow of goods…

Finnish cruise ferry operator Viking Line announced Monday it will continue service on its "most important" routes despite concerns about the coronavirus outbreak."Taking the security of supply for Finland and Åland as well as the cargo transport demands into consideration, we continue freight traffic between Helsinki and Tallinn as well as on the Turku–Åland–Stockholm route," it said in a statement.“To safeguard the security of supply between Finland and Sweden, we are maintaining service on part of our routes.

The U.S.

A union representing the on-demand dock workers has called off a vote that had been scheduled for Monday on whether to hold a strike at Latin America's largest port over concerns about risks from the coronavirus outbreak.In a statement on Sunday, the union - which said it represents about 5,000 people - said the cancellation of the vote was due to a request from government officials.

As of April 1, Marc van Heyningen will become the new Chief Operations Officer (COO) of Damen Shipyards Group. This completes the Executive Board of the leading Dutch maritime solutions provider.Marc is a MSc in Civil Structural Engineering at Delft University and has spent the vast majority of his career working for Fluor Corporation in various general and operations management positions in, for example, The Netherlands, The UK, India and the USA. His last role was Vice President of Operations based in Fluor Company Headquarters in Dallas…

Svitzer, the towage operator that is part of Maersk, announced a 10-year extension of its marine service contract with Sakhalin Energy Investment Company Ltd., a consortium set up to develop and manage the Sakhalin-II project, aimed at producing and exporting oil and liquefied gas.Svitzer has been providing towage services to the Sakhalin-II project since 2007, and the extension comes into effect in November 2022 to support the mooring of more than 1,800 gas carriers with a vessel fleet of four Robert Allen ice-breaking tugs and two mooring boats.

As many markets struggle to find their footing in the face of the global COVID-19 pandemic, a recent podcast with Martin Muhleisen, director of the IMF's Strategy, Policy, and Review department, helps to lend insight and perspective from the view of the International Monetary Fund.Muhleisen  said the impact of the global coronavirus pandemic will be “quite severe,” but temporary, saying that the overall good health of the world economy and high employment rates should help to provide buffers to blunt the impact“I would think that financial institutions more broadly are in a better shape than…

An Italian cruise ship bound for the Italian harbor of Savona had 36 people on board infected with the coronavirus when tests were undertaken on passengers during a stop in the French port of Marseille, French authorities said on Friday.A Marseille area prefecture official told Reuters that he could not comment on how many of those infected had disembarked and how many were still on the ship, which was due to leave Marseille on Friday evening to sail to Savona.On Thursday and Friday…

Crowley Maritime Corp said Friday its marine services group has entered into a bareboat charter with Brusco Tug and Barge for an all new RApport-design tractor tug to serve Pacific Northwest and California ports, performing ship assist and harbor escort work.The vessel, which Crowley will rename Hercules after delivery next week, was designed by Robert Allan Ltd., and constructed by Diversified Marine in Portland, Ore., for Brusco. The 82-foot, 6,000-horsepower tug is powered by twin Caterpillar 3516E (2240kw@1,800rpm) U.S. EPA Tier IV-compliant engines.

American Commercial Lines Inc. (ACL) said on Friday it expects to complete its recapitalization and emerge from Chapter 11 in the coming weeks after the U.S. Bankrptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas, Houston Division confirmed the company's pre-packaged plan. ACL announced it would implement the recapitalization plan in February. Upon emergence, the company will receive $200 million in new capital to support liquidity and investments in the business and will reduce its funded debt by approximately $1 billion…

The world's number two container line MSC is in talks with the United Arab Emirates after the Gulf country banned one of their vessels from entering its waters over what authorities said was a breach of tough new sulphur emissions rules for ships.This is one of the first punitive actions taken by a jurisdiction since regulations came into effect in January which make it mandatory for ships to use fuel with a sulphur content of 0.5%, down from 3.5% previously, or install devices that strip out the toxic pollutant - known as scrubbers.Ships were no longer able to even carry high sulphur fuel fro

On Thursday, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) released guidance to help state and local jurisdictions and the private sector identify and manage their essential workforce while responding to COVID-19.The Dredging Contractors of America (DCA) helped the federal government develop this first-of-a-kind guidance on Essential Critical Infrastructure Workers.“This is why Government Coordinating Councils and Sector Coordinating Councils are so important.

Elliott Bay Design Group is a well-known, long tenured Seattle-based naval architecture and marine engineering firm.We checked in with John Waterhouse, Chief Concept Engineer at EBDG, for insights on some of the design elements on the new Staten Island Ferries.Elliott Bay Design Group (EBDG) served as the design lead on the new “Ollis” class of Staten Island Ferries. “We started with them at the end 2014 to make a preliminary design investigation,” said John Waterhouse, Chief Concept Engineer at EBDG.

Passengers who have tickets to travel back to their home countries will be allowed to disembark from the coronavirus-hit Costa Luminosa cruise ship in Marseille, the port authority and the cruise operator said on Thursday.A port official told Reuters that 639 passengers, including 187 French nationals, would be allowed to leave the ship in small groups, depending on the timing of their transport home.There were more than 1,420 passengers on the liner, including 230 Americans, 168 Italians and 100 Canadians…

The world has radically changed since towboat captain Terry Hall boarded his vessel late last month in Wood River, Illinois, for his four-week shift hauling bargeloads of crude oil, chemicals, scrap metal and other goods up and down the Mississippi River.His employer, Canal Barge Co, has beefed up pre-board health screenings for all crew to include a temperature check and disclosures about recent travel and personal interactions in response to the coronavirus pandemic.Any disruption…

The American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) has elected Mario Cordero, executive director of California’s Port of Long Beach, to serve as the association’s next Chairman of the Board.Cordero will be installed as Chairman on the final day of AAPA’s 2020 Annual Convention, set for September 13-16, in Québec City, QC, Canada. He will assume the AAPA chairmanship from Gary G. Nelson, executive director of Washington State’s Port of Grays Harbor, who began his term on October 15…

Operations are have been suspended at Houston's Bayport and Barbours Cut container terminals after a worker tested positive for COVID-19.Both public terminals are closed and operations are temporarily suspended while a thorough investigation is being conducted, the Houston Port Authority said in a statement."The health and safety of Port Houston’s employees, users, customers and community remains its first priority. Port Houston is in communication with public authorities and health agencies while an investigation is underway…

U.S. President Donald Trump revealed Thursday that Carnival Corp. chairman Micky Arison has said he will make some cruise ships from his idled fleet available to be used in addition to the U.S. Navy hospital ships being deployed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.“This morning, I spoke with Micky Arison of Carnival Cruise Lines and he’s going to make ships available. So in addition to the big medical ships that you have coming, if we need ships with lots of rooms, they’ll be docked at New York and Los Angeles and San Francisco…

The third ship in SunStone Ships' INFINITY series was launched on Monday at the CMHI Haimen shipyard in China.Ocean Victory, though a sister vessels to the first vessel in the INFINITY series, Greg Mortimer, the latest newbuild differs from in several ways, reflecting the flexibility of the design series, according to Ulstein Design & Solutions, who is providing the design and equipment package to this project. Ocean Victory is the second exploration cruise vessel built at the yard to feature the ULSTEIN X-BOW…

The Port of Savannah is bringing online 400,000 TEUs of annual container capacity at just the time when many port customers are seeking new storage options."With slowing demand related to the coronavirus, port users need space to stage their cargo until that demand returns," said Georgia Ports Authority Executive Director Griff Lynch. "With these new container stack areas, Savannah is delivering the flexibility our customers need."GPA recently added container slots totaling nearly 5,000 TEUs of space to its operation.

German propulsion manufacturer SCHOTTEL said it has been selected to equip a newly built harbor tugboat for the Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation (SLSDC) with medium-sized azimuth thrusters. The vessel is under construction at the U.S. shipyard Washburn & Doughty in Maine. The HT-60, the smallest in the harbor tug series developed by the Seattle-based naval architecture firm Glosten, is scheduled for delivery in 2021.Craig Middlebrook, Deputy Administrator of the SLSDC, said, “This new vessel will be used to carry out a variety of construction and maintenance duties for the U.S.

Test results from the individuals suspected to be the first cases of COVID-19 in any South African seaport have all come back negative, Transnet National Ports Authority has confirmed.Earlier this week two vessels, the general cargo vessel MV Corona and the cruise ship AIDAmira, were held off port limits outside the Port of Cape Town. The cruise liner was later allowed to dock but its roughly 1,700 passengers and crew remained onboard pending test results from one suspected COVID-19 case and seven others who had possible contact with him.Captain Dennis Mqadi…

It takes a thick skin to live in New York City, let alone to run its Staten Island Ferry service. James C. DeSimone, Deputy Commissioner, Ferry Division, New York City Department of Transportation, has been charged with running the ferry service for the last 16 years. We met with him for his insights on the challenges of keeping the iconic ferry running safely and efficiently.Jim DeSimone has led a maritime life, with his time equally split between the private and public sectors. His maritime affiliation is literally in his blood, as his father Guy J.

 China's iron ore futures erased earlier losses to end flat on Thursday, regaining support as miner Vale SA said it may temporarily halt activities at its Malaysian distribution center as a safety measure against the coronavirus pandemic.Iron ore's most-traded contract on the Dalian Commodity Exchange steadied at 678 yuan ($95.76) a tonne, after tumbling 5.8% earlier in the session.On the Singapore Exchange, the front-month iron ore contract trimmed losses to just 0.3% in afternoon trade from 4.1% earlier in the day.Iron ore supplier Vale said on Wednesday its Malaysian distribution center may

TEL AVIV - Israel's largest seaport in the southern city of Ashdod is fully operational, with containers being unloaded at a similar pace to a year ago despite the global outbreak of coronavirus, the port's chairwoman said.Some 97% of cargo to Israel, by weight, arrives by ship and the government has assured the country there will be no shortages of essential products.There are currently 25 ships at the port and since the start of 2020 some 200,000 containers have been unloaded…

South Africa banned all passenger vessels from its ports on Wednesday due to the coronavirus outbreak, leaving tourists on a cruise ship docked in Cape Town in limbo following tests for possible COVID-19 cases on board.The MV AidAmira's more than 1,700 passengers and crew have been unable to leave the ship since Monday, after a crew member on a cargo ship who shared a plane with six passengers on the liner showed symptoms of the coronavirus.Port authorities quarantined the Italian-flagged AidAmira while the six passengers were tested for coronavirus.All those tests came back negative, South Af

With social media updates and conference agendas addressing the subjects of climate change, emissions reductions and alternative fuels, it’s a wonder we are not climbing the Himalayans in search of the Jedi Master that will provide us with the magic potion. Yoda’s blessing with a calming breath, “You have chosen wisely.”Government emissions intervention started with a move to reduce energy and fuel consumption measured in greenhouse gas (GHG), at a time when the world and our politicians spoke about global warming.

Latin America's largest port in Santos in Brazil will maintain regular operations, port operators said after meeting with dock workers and authorities on Wednesday to discuss measures to deal with the coronavirus outbreak.In a statement sent to Reuters, Regis Prunzel, president of operators group Sopesp, said a crisis committee was created with representatives from all stakeholders at the port, where most of Brazil's coffee, sugar, soybeans, corn and cotton are exported to the world.One of the measures agreed on Wednesday will reduce large group gatherings on port premises…

The annual Waterfront Conference previously scheduled for May 12 has been postponed and will be rescheduled later in the year in accordance with COVID-19 governmental guidance. The theme of this year’s Waterfront Conference is “Rising to the Challenge,” where we will launch a powerful coalition and campaign to move forward faster and better climate resilience solutions for our region. The medical, social, and economic crisis we currently face with the pandemic is surely acute with outcomes and uncertain solutions. But the long term challenge of addressing the climate crisis for our coastal region is not going away either. We must all keep our heads down and work to meet this critical threat too.

Barry Parker, contributor to Maritime Reporter & Engineering News and MarineNews magazines, is – like many people around the world – sequestered and working from home. He is our designated “ship spotter” for the day.In the maritime business, most of us have been adept at working from home (or from remote locations). Still, with the precautions being taken to prevent the spread of the Coronavirus (Covid 19), remaining at home – in my case, on the North Shore of Long Island, has not been without its challenges.

Shortly after the delivery of a ProZero 8m Full Cabin to Havkar Drift AS in Norway, another Norwegian fishfarmer has also purchased a vessel from Tuco Marine's ProZero workboat series.The new ProZero 8m Full Cabin is equipped for, and will be used as, a fast and flexible workboat for fish farming and passenger transport. The boat has been delivered to Egil Kristoffersen after successful sea-trials at the ProZero yard, Tuco Marine in Faaborg, Denmark.According to the builder, the boat has been designed and optimized to serve as a platform for passenger transport…

Seaspan Marine Transportation said it has appointed Linda Wortman as Chief Financial Officer.Wortman brings to this position more than 25 years of accounting and finance experience. She joined Seaspan in 2008 as Controller, Marine and was promoted to Vice President, Corporate Finance, Accounting in 2016. Her responsibilities were expanded to include Seaspan’s Corporate Supply Chain Management and Risk and Insurance functions in 2017.

The Port of Rotterdam, Europe's largest, expects the flow of goods over the whole of 2020 to be "clearly below 470 million tonnes last year" as the coronavirus epidemic spreads across the continent, spokesman Leon Willems said on Wednesday.The outbreak of the virus in China had been seen cutting 2 million tonnes off monthly goods traffic. The impact will be far greater as Europe's economy is hit, Willems said."We had said that every month the outbreak continued in China that would trim 2 million tonness off cargo throughput.

Wärtsilä said it will install its Vessel Traffic Service (VTS) solution at Peru's main harbor, one of Latin America’s most important ports.Dense fog and haze are a consistent challenge for Callao’s port operations, often making shipping conditions dangerous. Wärtsilä said its VTS solution will provide the technology needed to ensure uninterrupted port operations, while increasing safety levels and facilitating arrival, docking and departures for visiting ships.The technologies to be deployed by Wärtsilä includes solid-state IALA Advanced radar…

MCA grants temporary ability for Red Funnel passengers to remain in vehicles on select crossingsRed Funnel worked with the U.K. Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) to identify exceptional solutions to support the government’s social distancing guidance in response to COVID-19 and respond to passengers’ requests to remain in vehicles during crossings.“We’d like to thank the MCA for working with us to identify solutions to allow our passengers this option during this exceptional time," said Fran Collins, CEO, Red Funnel.

South Africa is holding the cruise liner MV AIDAmira and a cargo vessel off Cape Town after a crew member on board one of the ships showed signs of the coronavirus, national ports operator Transnet said on Tuesday.On Sunday President Cyril Ramaphosa declared a state of disaster and implemented urgent measures including travel bans to fight the pandemic.As of Tuesday, 85 people in South Africa have tested positive for the coronavirus, up 23 from the previous day and including eight local transmissions, the health ministry said.

Estonia and Latvia will send ships to bring back hundreds of their citizens stranded on the border between Germany and Poland, following Warsaw’s decision last week to shut its borders in response to the coronavirus outbreak, officials said.The three Baltic countries - Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia - have criticized Poland for preventing their citizens in transit from returning home.Poland’s Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki came under fire over the move during a coronavirus videocall of all 27 national EU leaders on Tuesday during which they agreed to seal off Europe’s external borders as par

Seatronx, manufacturer, distributor and designer of rugged electronics catering specifically to the military, maritime and industrial markets, launched of the sunlight-readable RRD-19T River Radar Display designed for river-based commercial vessels.The RRD-19T features a 19-inch display with portrait orientation designed specifically for river radar systems. The portrait format allows operators to see further down the river, while highlighting traffic, weather and markers in narrow channels.

The Port of Virginia said it has opened its doors to cruise ships idled by the coronavirus pandemic.Since the outbreak of the virus and the cruise industry’s voluntary suspension of U.S. operations, empty cruise ships have been seeking temporary berth opportunities at multiple ports, with Florida taking the greatest share of the vessels. For a cruise ship, it is more economical to idle at a port rather than at sea because it does not burn as much fuel and provides easy access…

Bouchard Transportation Co. reports all back pay has been processed as the company continues to work to raise capital that would allow it to return its vessels to service, the company's president and CEO Morton S. Bouchard III said Tuesday in a letter to staff, customers and vendors.The full letter is below:To Bouchard Transportation Co., Inc. Valued Staff, Customers and Vendors:On Monday, March 16, 2020 Bouchard Transportation Co., Inc. as agent on behalf of the individual vessel corporations is pleased to announce that all back pay has been processed. Bouchard Transportation Co., Inc.

Damen Marine Components has won an order to supply three sets of steering and rudder systems for three dual-fueled trailing suction hopper dredgers (TSHDs) currently being built at Keppel Offshore & Marine’s shipyard in Singapore for Van Oord.The vessels will be 138-meters in length and have a hopper capacity of 10,500 cubic meters. They will represent the very latest in sustainable, energy-efficient dredging and are due for delivery in 2021. The third will be handed over the…

Shipbuilder China Merchants Heavy Industry (Jiangsu) is building a new cruise vessel for owner Changjiang Cruise Overseas Travel.The CSC-designed vessel is intended for operation on the Yangtze River, the largest river in China, and is scheduled to enter service in September 2021.The 150-meter-long long and 23-meter-wide vessel will reach an operating cruise speed of 14 knots. It will accommodate 600 guests served by 150 international crew members.German propulsion manufacturer SCHOTTEL said it has been awarded a contract to provide azimuth thrusters for the newbuild…

Finnish cruise ferry operator Viking Line announced Tuesday that it will suspend service between Helsinki and Stockholm due to the developing COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic. Finnish authorities have closed the country’s borders during the state of emergency in effect in Finland.“To safeguard the security of supply between Finland and Sweden, we are maintaining service on the Turku–Åland–Stockholm route. We are also still making one sailing to Tallinn from Helsinki six days a week.

Marine terminals at at the United States’ second-busiest seaport have remained open and operating amid the unfolding coronavirus crisis, with regular vessel calls and scheduled work shifts continuing, the Port of Long Beach said.The port said its marine terminals are receiving vessel calls and workers are transferring cargo off and on ships under the health-protective directives established by the U.S. Coast Guard and Customs and Border Protection, with guidance from the U.S.

The container and multipurpose terminal HHLA TK Estonia, the subsidiary of Hamburger Hafen und Logistik AG (HHLA), said that Riia Sillave has taken over as the  new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) with effect from 15 March 2020.The 46-year-old Estonian, who studied business administration at Ludwig Maximilians University in Munich, has a wealth of experience in executive and management roles, including in the German automotive industry.Her most recent position was as CEO of Rail Baltic Estonia…

Navimag Ferries’ newest vessel, Esperanza, has been delivered.The 150-meter-long vessel can carry up to 274 passengers and has 1,800 vehicle lane meters. It will operate exclusively in Chile, sailing between Puerto Montt and Puerto Natales, and providing a transportation link with Chile's south, in addition to ferry cruising in the Patagonian fjords.The newbuild's propulsion system includes two Wärtsilä 20 main engines, two Wärtsilä controlled pitch propellers (CPP) and two Wärtsilä gearboxes.