Coastal and Inland News

Orsted Taiwan Ltd announced that it has signed a 20-year wharf lease with Taiwan International Ports Corp (TIPC) for the development of its offshore wind farms (OWF) off Changhua County.The global offshore wind leader announced the signing of a wharf lease and a 20-year operations and maintenance (O&M) lease with the Port of Taichung, managed by Taiwan International Ports Corporation (TIPC) and TIPC Marine Construction, respectively.The Ørsted leased wharfs at the Port of Taichung will be upgraded and utilized for the construction of the Greater Changhua offshore wind farms…

A fourth passenger from the cruise ship Diamond Princess moored in Japan has died from the coronavirus, NHK public television said on Tuesday. The passenger was in their 80s, NHK said.Japan has come under fire for its handling of the situation on the cruise ship, which is operated by Carnival Corp (CCL.N) and where hundreds became infected. The number of patients is rising around Japan, with the government set to announce a set of measures to combat it later on Tuesday.Reporting by Elaine Lies; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman

Philippine citizens infected with coronavirus on cruise ship rises to 80, others fly homeThe Philippines said on Tuesday that the number of its citizens who had tested positive for the coronavirus on a cruise ship docked in a Japanese port had risen to 80, as 400 others arrived back home.The Philippines’ Department of Foreign Affairs said in a statement that 80 Filipinos who had been on board the cruise ship Diamond Princess had been admitted to hospitals in Japan after testing positive for the virus.

Jan De Nul Group’s newest Trailing Suction Hopper Dredger Sanderus has just arrived in Belgium to execute maintenance dredging works in the coastal ports. Not just any dredger, but an ULEv with ultra-low emissions as this vessel has a two-stage catalytic filter system on board.The dredger Sanderus is Jan De Nul's fourth Ultra-Low Emission vessel (ULEv) that has been launched within the past year. The vessel was built in Singapore and left the shipyard in January after offshore tests. Another three major vessels with a same technology and ultra-low emissions are under construction.

There’s a barge full of reasons why many operators turn to ATBs.A  mainstay of the U.S. coastwise dirty and refined products trades, articulated tug barges (ATB) have increasingly filled a void left as the fleet of Jones Act tankers (with crew complement requirements exceeding that of tugs) has aged out. With the cargo capacity of the larger ATBs – some with barges exceeding 300,000 barrels capacity – rivalling that of workhorse tankers that had served oil consuming regions, the concept certainly makes sense from a supply and distribution perspective.With 50…

Kongsberg Maritime said it has won contracts worth approximately 300 million NOK ($32 million) to equip three adventure cruise ships, with a fourth to follow, for Portuguese cruise company Mystic Cruises.Built by WestSea Viana Shipyard in Portugal, the vessels are to be used for expeditions in the polar regions.The 126-meter, 9,300-metric-ton luxury craft will join an existing trio of sister ships to bring the fleet to seven identical vessels, the first of which – World Explorer – entered service in 2019.

Iran's Ports and Maritime Organization (PMO) has allocated 36 trillion rials (about $857.2 million) allocated 36 trillion rials ($857.2 million) to develop the country's maritime industry, including the construction of 83 vessels.Mohammad Rastad, head of PMO said that PMO has taken significant measures regarding the improvement of the country’s maritime industry.The maritime industry transformation plan was prepared by the Ministry of Transportation and Urban Development in collaboration with the Defense Ministry back in 2019.According to Rastad…

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has sent a letter to its member states amid the outbreak of the novel coronavirus asking them to undertake all possible measures to prevent unnecessary delays of ships.The letter urges Flag State authorities, port State authorities and control regimes, companies and shipmasters to cooperate, in the current context of the outbreak, to ensure that, where appropriate, passengers can be embarked and disembarked, cargo operations can occur…

THE Alliance, which includes Hapag-Lloyd, Hyundai Merchant Marine (HMM), Ocean Network Express (ONE), and Yang Ming, announced updated details of its 2020 service network, focusing on the Asia-Middle East trade-lane.THE Alliance will introduce three newly organized express loops from early April and the Middle East Service Network (MESN) will provide higher frequency, direct and expanded coverage, and the fastest connection from the respective regions.Hyundai Merchant Marine has become a full member of THE Alliance in January.

Dubai-based port operator DP World announced it has completed the acquisition of Fraser Surrey Docks in Canada from Macquarie Infrastructure Partners (MIP) alongside its partner Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (CDPQ).The enabler of global trade said in a press release that said the acquisition complements its footprint in Canada, which also includes terminal operations in Vancouver, Nanaimo, Prince Rupert and St John’s, without disclosing the value of the purchase.The integrated coast-to-coast platform provides customers with bulk…

Jennifer A. Carpenter serves as President & CEO of The American Waterways Operators (AWO), the national trade association representing the inland and coastal tugboat, towboat and barge industry. Carpenter joined AWO in August 1990 and became President & CEO in January 2020. Before assuming her current position, she worked her way up the hawsepipe from Government Affairs Assistant to Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer, holding a series of progressively responsible positions including Manager-Regulatory Issues…

SAAM Towage Canada transported BC Ferries’ first two electric hybrid ferries from Ogden Point to Point Hope Maritime, where inspection and final testing will be conducted.Scheduled to begin operating mid-year, the ferries have 300-person, 47-vehicle capacity and feature low CO2 and noise emissions.The crews of the tugs Salish and Hyack were in charge of the operation, which spanned 80 nautical miles and lasted close to 26 hours from port to port.(Photo: SAAM Towage Canada)

A mariner was medevaced from a fishing vessel approximately two miles offshore Matagorda Bay near Port O'Connor, Texas, Sunday morning, the U.S. Coast Guard said.The Matagorda County Sheriff's Office received a request from a fishing vessel for a medevac of a 52-year-old male crewmember experiencing symptoms of a heart attack. Coast Guard Sector/Air Station Corpus Christi watchstanders were notified and consulted with the duty flight surgeon who recommended the medevac.An Air…

Vane Brothers said it has taken delivery of the second of four 3,000-horsepower push tugs being built by Chesapeake Shipbuilding Shipbuilders and Naval Architects in Salisbury, Md.The newbuild, Annapolis, has a design that is identical to the tug Salisbury, delivered in 2019. With a length of 94 feet, width of 34 feet, molded depth of 10.5 feet, and working draft of 8.5 feet, each vessel in the Subchapter M-compliant Salisbury Class of push tugs is especially well-suited for operations along inland waterways.Vane Brothers President C.

Ship operators carried out 195 liquefied natural gas (LNG) bunkering operations at Spanish ports in 2019, 135 more than in the previous year, Spanish authorities said on Friday.81,704 cubic metres of LNG was supplied to ships during the year.The upward trend continued in January 2020, with 35 operations supplying 12,055 cubic metres.Spain has seven LNG terminals, more than any other country in Europe. The terminals have been or are being adapted to allow them to provide small…

The West Africa Container Terminal (WACT) is quickly earning a reputation as the gateway to Eastern Nigeria and a strong alternative to ports in Lagos.Investment in the Phase 2 upgrade, due to commence within the next 18 months, will help meet volumes, which have grown consistently over the past three years.“The Phase 2 upgrade includes the acquisition of three additional Mobile Harbour Cranes (MHCs) bringing the total in operation to five; 20 Rubber Tyre Gantry Cranes (RTGs)…

Hamburg Süd is now exclusively represented by its own offices in Italy and Spain after business was previously partially handled by agents and joint-venture organizations. Furthermore, in Egypt the company has taken full management of Hamburg Süd Egypt.“We are thereby investing in the Mediterranean markets that have traditionally been of strategic importance to Hamburg Süd,” says Poul Hestbaek, General Manager of Hamburg Süd’s Region Europe. “By having owned organizations, we…

The Northwest Seaport Alliance’s total container volume for January 2020 was 263,816 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), a 19.1% decrease from January 2019.Following an unprecedented international container throughput for the same month last year — tied to shippers moving cargo ahead of tariffs, it created a larger than usual gap in the year-over-year figures for January 2020. Imports fell 21.4%, and exports declined 20.5%.The NWSA also continues to monitor developments of the coronavirus outbreak and expects to see negative impacts to the international trade industry…

A new "freshwater" charge that came in this month to help the Panama Canal cope with climate change will cost the shipping industry up to $370 million a year, marking another blow for maritime companies already hit by fallout from the coronavirus.The Panama Canal, one of world's busiest shipping routes, which handled nearly 14,000 transits last year, said last month it would introduce a charge from Feb. 15 of $10,000 for any vessel more than 125 feet long.The canal, which relies on water from nearby Gatun Lake, has been hit by drought which affects water levels in the chokepoint.

Devices, apps and digital are coming fast at sea. As simple and cost effective technology solutions become available for boats, the NEXT GEN Shock Mitigation Workshop brings decision makers together to highlight the burning issues today and identify viable solutions for the future.Repetitive Shock and Whole Body Vibration (RS & WBV) has kept scientists busy in recent years. Boat operators need to understand the short and long term effects of impact and vibration on their crews and passengers.

Jan De Nul Group reports that it has finished the maintenance dredging operations in the Port of Maputo, Mozambique, for the Maputo Port Development Company. This dredging campaign restored the depths created after Jan De Nul Group’s 2016 capital dredging campaign.Since 2017, the Port of Maputo is open for vessels up to 80,000 tonnes. Jan De Nul Group executed capital dredging works in 2016 to deepen the access channel and port basins from -11mCD to depths varying between -13.05mCD and -14.4mCD.

Waterways Council, Inc. (WCI) Senior Vice President Deb Calhoun has taken over as Interim President/CEO, effective February 18, 2020, following the retirement of President/CEO Michael J. Toohey.To begin the process to select a permanent President/CEO, an executive search firm will be retained and later announced, WCI said.Calhoun has been with WCI since its founding in 2003, and with its predecessor organization Waterways Work!, and has been instrumental in managing WCI’s overall portfolio and communicating its successes and priorities.

Wärtsilä, together with project partners Carnival Maritime and HVCC Hamburg Vessel Coordination Center (HVCC), announced they have implemented and tested a new solution for just-in-time sailing.Together, the partners have achieved the exchange of data between ship and shore under real-life conditions, thereby enabling optimal port arrival. The applied solution, Wärtsilä Navi-Port, has received approval in principle from Bureau Veritas Marine and Offshore for meeting the classification…

Dutch shipbuilder Royal IHC launched a new trailing suction hopper dredger (TSHD) for the United Arab Emirates' National Marine Dredging Company (NMDC) during a ceremony at IHC’s shipyard in Kinderdijk, The Netherlands.The TSHD Ghasha is based on the 6,000-cubic-meter TSHD Arzana, delivered by IHC in 2018.According to IHC, the new TSHD has a number of innovations, including an enlarged hopper capacity of 8,000 cubic meters and a larger dredging depth of 45 meters. The tailor-made design…

The Congress worked hard and most importantly together at the end of the recently-concluded First Session in December to finalize and pass Fiscal Year (FY) 2020 appropriations that included the Energy & Water Development (E&WD) Appropriations bill that funds the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ (Corps) work on the nations’ waterways.By law, 60 days after the President signs the E&WD appropriations bill, the Corps must release a Work Plan that shows specific allocations for funding projects.

An abandoned cargo ship landed on the coast of Ireland this week after more than a year drifting alone at sea.The Irish Coast Guard said it responded to a merchant vessel aground near Ballycotton, Cork on Sunday, only to discover there was no one was on board.It turns out that the mysterious vessel is the 250-foot Tanzanian-flagged Alta, which had been left crewless and adrift on the other side of the Atlantic when the U.S. Coast Guard rescued all 10 crew members on board after the vessel lost power while en route from Greece to Haiti in September 2018.At the time of the rescue, the U.S.

German container shipping line Hapag-Lloyd said on Tuesday its business in Asia was "overall stable," although the coronavirus outbreak had extended the traditionally slack period around China's Lunar New Year holiday.China's efforts to control the virus had extended the normal factory shutdowns for the New Year festivities to anywhere between Feb. 8 and Feb. 14, depending on the region, a spokesman for the world's fifth largest container carrier told Reuters.However, Hapag-Lloyd's fleet was operating largely as normal…

An American passenger from a cruise ship that docked in Cambodia has tested positive for the new coronavirus a second time in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia said on Sunday, after the cruise firm and Cambodian authorities sought further tests.The 83-year-old woman was the first passenger from the MS Westerdam, operated by Carnival Corp unit Holland America Inc, to test positive for the virus. She tested positive in the Malaysian capital where she arrived on Friday from the Cambodian port of Sihanoukville.But the cruise ship operator had sought more tests, saying the first result was preliminary.

Australia will evacuate more than 200 of its citizens onboard a coronavirus-stricken cruise ship being held under quarantine in the Japanese port of Yokohama, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Monday.Morrison said the passengers will depart on Wednesday and will be taken to Australia's tropical north, where they will be required to be quarantined for another 14 days.The Diamond Princess cruise ship, owned by Carnival Corp , has been quarantined since arriving in Yokohama on Feb.

It is often difficult to push through the federal government morass to focus on the issues that actually matter to the inland operator. While 2020 inevitably will be a contentious year in American politics, it is critical to stay focused on the items that will have direct impact on the U.S. maritime industry. From a potential new Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) bill to potential Jones Act challenges, 2020 will be an important year for inland operators to stay politically engaged.Work on WRDAJanuary marked the beginning of Congress’ work in earnest toward introducing a new WRDA bill.

Commercial diving company Subsea Global Solutions (SGS) said it has acquired the commercial diving division of T&T Salvage Asia, Pte Ltd. (TTSA), enhancing SGS’ capabilities in Singapore and strengthening its position in the Asia-Pacific region.Paul Peters, CEO of SGS said, “This is a strategic addition to our recent acquisition of Underwater Contractors Pte. Ltd. Singapore (UWC). Creating a single platform under the SGS umbrella with the most advanced technologies, special repair equipment…

Inland Dredging Company helps keep commerce flowing on America’s inland waterway system.Dyersburg, Tenn. based Inland Dredging Company completed dredging projects spanning eight states and across four U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Districts. Beginning in July and finishing in December (2019), Inland Dredging crews dredged ports and harbors along the Mighty Mississippi River, Ouachita River, Red River, Black Warrior River, Atchafalaya River, Tennessee–Tombigbee Waterway, and the Gulf Intercoastal Waterway from Apalachicola to Morgan City.Richard Jackson…

Vessels including fuel tankers docked at the sea port of the Libyan capital were evacuated on Tuesday after an attack, two port officials said.Eastern Libyan forces, which have been trying to take the capital since April, said they had attacked a Turkish vessel discharging weapons, an eastern military official said. (Reporting by Ahmed Elumami and Ayman al-Warfalli; Writing by Ulf Laessing; Editing by Alex Richardson)

The European Investment Bank (EIB) has signed a SEK 445 million ($45.6 million) loan agreement with the Municipality of Ystad to expand harbor facilities so that new, larger liquefied natural gas (LNG) vessels on the Swinoujscie-Ystad line can access the harbor.The port in the southern-Swedish town is a busy connection point to the Polish Port of Swinoujscie and the Danish island of Bornholm. The project aims at increasing the capacity and upgrading the Port of Ystad facilities in order to accommodate larger ro-pax vessels over 240 meters in length…

When President Xi Jinping made his first state visit this year to Myanmar and signed new infrastructure contracts, there was no indication of the obstacle about to trip up China's plan for railways, ports and highways around the world: the coronavirus.Travel restrictions to prevent the spread of the disease, which has now killed more than 1,800 people, have idled much of the world's second-largest economy and choked key elements of Xi's signature Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).Chinese workers cannot get to overseas projects…

DP World, one of the world’s largest port operators, is delisting from the Nasdaq Dubai and returning to fully private ownership.According to a press release, the  UAE-owned port behemoth’s parent company, Port and Free Zone World, has offered to buy the 19.55% of DP World’s shares traded on the Nasdaq Dubai for $16.75 a share, representing a 29% premium on its closing price of $13 per share on Sunday.DP World's parent company will pay Dubai World $5.15 billion to help the government-owned conglomerate with its outstanding commitments to banks.DP World remains financially strong…

German energy company E.ON, Rotterdam Port Authority and DeltaPort Niederrheinhäfen are partnering up to create conditions conducive to switching inland shipping in Germany and Europe from diesel to battery and/or hydrogen drives.The companies agreed in Essen to develop an infrastructure so that freight and passenger ships with climate-neutral propulsion can exchange battery containers or refuel hydrogen in the ports.The partners' goals include climate protection, improved air…

The Port of Kiel commissioned Siemens to build Germany’s largest shore power system to date which is capable of supplying two ships simultaneously.With a power of 16 megavolt amperes (MVA), the Siharbor solution will supply two ships simultaneously with certified eco-power, for the first time. This will reduce annual CO2 emissions by more than 8,000 tons.The system is expected to go into test operation within the 2020 cruise ship season. Maritime shipping plays a special role in Kiel. The port is the point of departure for cruises and has ferry connections to the Baltic states and Scandinavia.

ForSea (formerly HH Ferries Group),  the operator linking Denmark and Sweden via Helsingør and Helsingborg, announced that Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Johan Röstinwill be stepping down from his position.“It has been a privilege to lead ForSea for almost three years. The company has come a long way during a short time, and I am proud to have contributed to the many changes we implemented and the results we have achieved. I have decided that now is the right time to step down from my position…

APM Terminals said that its new deep-sea container terminal, Vado Gateway terminal, located in Vado Ligure, Italy, received its first commercial service on 11 February 2020.The ship, M/V Maersk Kota, was the first of seven ships from Maersk’s weekly ME2 service, connecting the Mediterranean with the Middle East and India.According to a company release, the call by M/V Maersk Kota marked the start of operations for the new deep-sea Vado Gateway container terminal in northern Italy.With a total investment of 450 million euros…

German logistics and transportation company Hamburger Hafen und Logistik AG (HHLA) said that it has achieved targets for the year as the revenue and operating result (EBIT) increase with moderate increase in container throughput and significant rise in transport volume.The Group revenue increased by 6.8 percent to € 1.38 billion in the 2019 financial year (previous year: € 1.29 billion). The Group’s operating result (EBIT) of  € 222 million (previous year: € 204 million) grew by 8.8 percent.The listed Port Logistics subgroup said that In total…

As sometimes happens with boats in the maritime world, the recent repower of a tug shone a light on a pair of well known independent companies. The tug Gretchen H. (ex Harry Olsen, Polar Breeze) was built by Rodriguez Shipbuilding of Coden Alabama in 1997 and is currently owned, since 2005, by Boyer Towing.The Gretchen H is a good solid boat and her owners decided she was well worth a new set of engines. At 80 by 30 feet she has an eleven foot depth. As with many tugs out of the Rodriguez yard she has triple propellers and triple engines. She had an older set of engines rated at 700 HP each.

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s (USDOT) Maritime Administration (MARAD) announced that it has awarded more than $280 million in discretionary grant funding through the new Port Infrastructure Development Program. This funding is designed to improve port facilities at or near coastal seaports.The Port Infrastructure Development Program supports efforts by ports and industry stakeholders to improve facility and freight infrastructure to ensure our nation’s freight transportation needs, present and future, are met.

The plight of the cruise ship off Japan with more than 200 coronavirus infections and the shunning of another by five ports despite no known cases has led to a sharp change in tack for an industry in shock: avoid Asia.To that end, many cruises in the region are being cancelled while others currently sailing are being re-routed, skipping originally scheduled stops in China, Hong Kong and Singapore.Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd on Thursday canceled 18 cruises in Southeast Asia after calling off eight trips to China last week.

Purpose-built for storage challenges brought on by climate change and geopolitical tensions, TeleSense has introduced its cellular SensorSpear Monitors to protect post-harvest grain.TeleSense, a post-harvest grain monitoring innovator, recently introduced a Cellular SensorSpear intended to give grain managers and barge operators an easy and reliable way to accurately monitor stored grain, ensuring grain quality while reducing spoilage and safety concerns.Inserted into piles of stored grain…

The U.S. Coast Guard has ordered three of Bouchard Transportation Company's tug and fuel barge units currently anchored in New York Harbor to be moved out of anchorage and moored at a safe berth until additional safety inspections determine they are fit to return to service.The order from the U.S. Coast Guard Captain of the Port of New York and New Jersey is the result of recent safety checks determining that the vessel's present operational condition poses a risk to the safety of local waterways.

Port of Blyth, one of the UK’s leading offshore energy support hubs, and its partner, Energy Central, has supported the announcement from the UK Government of a 10-week consultation on its ‘freeports vision’.The Port of Blyth and businesses working on the estuary could benefit from the establishment of UK Freeports and recognizes the potential benefits of a free trade zone could bring to the region, particularly given the development of Energy Central in Blyth.Designed to create the perfect environment for inward investment from the offshore and renewable energy sector…

International container terminal operating company APM Terminals said that its Poti Seaport Terminal in Georgia has re-initiated the process of obtaining the necessary permits with a firm intention to build the new deep-water multipurpose port in Poti.APM Terminals submitted application to the Technical and Construction Supervision Agency to obtain the permit for land usage for construction of the new deep-water port in Poti. This is initial stage of the three-stage formal procedure…

Singapore towage and pilotage company PSA Marine has moved into the South American market with the acquisition of Tramarsa Flota, a Peruvian towage company.Tramarsa Flota and its subsidiaries have been acquired from Grupo Romero. Headquartered in Lima, Tramarsa Flota offers towage, pilotage, launch boat and offshore services in 10 major ports along the Peruvian coastline. It owns 45 vessels, including 17 tugs, 23 launches and five support vessels for diving activities and other marine services.The stock purchase agreement was signed in Lima…

Marine cargo handling company DP World has agreed to acquire a majority 51% stake in TIS Container Terminal in the Port of Yuzhny, Ukraine, subject to the satisfaction of certain conditions, including regulatory approval."Bringing the TIS Container Terminal into DP World's global network of ports, economic zones, warehousing, and inland logistics solutions will strengthen its position as the market-leading terminal of Ukraine," said a press release from the global supply chain…

The largest seaport in Europe Port of Rotterdam saw a freight throughput of 469.4 million tonnes in 2019, fractionally higher than in 2018 (469 million tonnes).According to a release, investments by the Port of Rotterdam Authority were again at a high level, with gross investments including participation amounting to €338.3 million (2018: €408.1 million). The net result excluding taxes amounted to €241 million (2018: €254.1 million).Significant underlying shifts were observable between the various commodities.

Gulf Island Shipyard held a keel laying ceremony for the USNS Cherokee Nation (T-ATS 7) on Thursday afternoon (February 13) at the Houma-Terrebonne Civic Center.Cherokee Nation is the second ship of the Navy's Navajo class of Towing, Salvage, and Rescue vessels.According to a press note from the Navy, the keel laying ceremony formally marks the start of a ship's life and the joining of the ship's modular components. The keel serves as the symbolic backbone of the ship.In attendance to authenticate the keel was Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation, The Honorable Chuck Hoskin, Jr.

Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri said it has presented Scarlet Lady, the first of four new cruise ships it is building for new cruise ship operator Virgin Voyages, part of Richard Branson’s Virgin Group.The 110,00-gross-ton Scarlet Lady, constructed at the builder's shipyard in Genoa Sestri Ponente, is 278 meters long and 38 meters wide. Virgin Voyages second ship, Valiant Lady, currently under construction in the same yard, will be delivered in 2021, while the third and the fourth units…

Japanese health officials said there have been 44 new positive tests for the novel coronavirus on board the Diamond Princess, raising the total number of confirmed cases to 218 aboard the cruise ship currently quarantined in Yokohama.Princess Cruises' Diamond Princess, owned by Miami-based Carnival Corp, has been placed on quarantine upon arriving at Yokohama on February 3 after a man who disembarked in Hong Kong was diagnosed with the virus now called COVID-19.This week, Japanese…

Cambodia has agreed to allow a cruise ship, that has been turned away by five countries over fears that someone aboard may have the coronavirus, to dock and disembark its passengers, the Holland America Line said.The MS Westerdam, which has 1,455 passengers and 802 crew on board, docked at the Cambodian port of Sihanoukville on Thursday, the company said. Guests have been cleared to begin disembarking on Friday.The ship - which HAL says has no sick passengers - has been turned away from Thailand, Japan, Taiwan, Guam and the Philippines.

Damen Shipyards signed a contract with the Ministry of Infrastructure, Communications & Transport of the Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar for the supply of five inshore ferries to carry tourists visiting Pemba Island and others nearby in the Zanzibar Archipelago.The contract is for three vessels of the Damen Ferry 804 design and two of the Damen Ferry 1204 design, together with a spare parts package for the first year of operation and on-site training in operating and maintaining the vessels.

The world’s first adaptive ferry transit conducted during normal service took place last week on a vessel fully loaded with passengers and vehicles, demonstrated fully automatic control from dock to dock, Kongsberg Maritime  announced. The landmark crossing, a key step forward in the integration of autonomous technology into everyday shipping operations, was made possible by collaboration between shipping company Bastø Fosen, KONGSBERG and the Norwegian Maritime Authority (NMA).The…

Mammoet, a Dutch company specialized in engineered heavy lifting and transport of over-sized and heavy objects, said that its  team has successfully completed the second phase of the relocation of several shipping container cranes for Hutchison Ports ICAVE as part of a planned port expansion in Veracruz, Mexico.Mammoet used 56 axle lines of SPMT to transport two ship-to-shore (STS) cranes and ten rubber-tired gantry cranes (RTGs). The completion of the crane relocations has increased the port’s capacity to more than 95 million tons.

The Dutch registered container ship OOCL Rauma lost at least five containers on Tuesday afternoon, 25 miles north of Ameland off the coast of the Netherlands, said Netherlands Coastguard.1,425 TEU vessel was sailing from the Port of Kotka in Finland to the Port of Rotterdam.According to local media reports, the container ship had some trouble sailing due to the heavy weather conditions, which led to some containers falling into the sea.The authorities said that five containers — containing paper and cardboard…

The U.S. Coast Guard and local agencies responded to a multi-barge breakaway in the vicinity of mile markers 176 and 177 on the Upper Mississippi River, Wednesday.Watchstanders at Sector Upper Mississippi River received the report at 3 a.m. that there was a multi-barge breakaway from a fleeting area on the Upper Mississippi River.Multiple towing vessels in the area worked together to account for and secure all the loose barges.The Coast Guard initially closed the river for the safety of those on the waterway…

New Jersey-based Rand Logistics announced it has entered into a stock purchase agreement to acquire rival Great Lakes shipping company American Steamship Company (ASC) from Chicago-based GATX Corporation for $260 million.Headquartered in upstate New York, ASC operates the Lakes' largest U.S.-flagged fleet, annually transporting more than 27 million tons of dry bulk commodities such as iron ore, coal and limestone on vessels ranging in size from 634 feet to over 1,000 feet. ASC reported segment profit of $46.1 million for 2019 (including a one-time gain of $10.5 million)…

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' FY2020 Work Plan release on Monday places dredging at the forefront.“We welcome the FY 2020 Work Plan released by the Army Corps,” said William P. Doyle, CEO of the Dredging Contractors of America. “We’re ready – our dredging companies are hard at work on projects and continue to build new dredging ships for America’s ports, waterways and beaches.”The Work Plan is based on the FY2020 Energy and Water Development appropriations bills signed into law by President Trump in December 2019.In December 2019…

Austal Philippines launched Hull 419, a 109 meter high-speed catamaran ferry being built for Fjord Line or Norway at Austal's Balamban shipyard in Cebu.The vehicle-passenger ferry, to be known as FSTR, is the largest aluminium vessel ever launched in the Philippines – and the largest by volume ever built by Austal. It is scheduled to be delivered in the 2nd quarter of CY2020.“This new ship for Fjord Line of Norway is the first of many large, high-speed commercial ferries to be constructed at our newly expanded shipyard in the Philippines," said Austal CEO David Singleton.

Waterways Council, Inc. (WCI) President and CEO Michael J. Toohey has revealed plans to retire, the group announced to its Board of Directors and members at its meeting in Washington, DC on Wednesday.“Having turned 71 this month, I believe it is time to focus on my faith, family, my golf handicap and my other interests,” Toohey said. “I remain committed to WCI’s continued achievement now and in the future once a successor is named.”WCI’s Executive Committee will select an executive search firm to begin the process to seek a successor.

Colleen Stephens, President of Stan Stephens Glacier & Wildlife Cruises will be President of the Passenger Vessel Association (PVA) for 2020, the trade association announced.Elected during the PVA Annual Convention at MariTrends 2020 held February 3-6, 2020 in Tampa, Fla., Stephens reaffirmed PVA's commitment to continuously improving safety in passenger vessel operations as well as the association's engagement in being good stewards of the environment. "PVA's Green WATERS program…

The  global ocean transport operator AAL Shipping has launched a new Europe-Middle East/India-Asia Monthly Liner Service to serve the market’s multipurpose vessels (MPPs) and project heavy lift cargo transport requirements.The new service, which connects main ports between Europe, Middle East/India and Asia, harnesses AAL’s second generation 31,000-dwt mega-size A-Class fleet, renowned for its 40,000-cu m cargo intake capacity 700-tonne lift ability.The new liner service will follow a fixed route, with port call flexibility.

The owner and operator of Port Bronka Fenix LLC St.Petersburg and NBG Nouschirvan Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH Hamburg have signed an agency agreement for the promotion of the most modern sea port in Russia.Port Bronka is the only deep-water port in St.Petersburg.The port handles container, project, break bulk and ro-ro cargo. The current capacity of the port is 500.000 TEU and 130.000 units of ro-ro cargo per year.The further development plan includes an increase in the container…

San Francisco Bay-based container ship facility Port of Oakland said its containerized import volume jumped 7.3 percent last month over January 2019 totals.Exports were up, too, the Port said, lifting hopes for recovery from a U.S.-China trade war. One question remained, however: would concern over the fast-spreading coronavirus dampen trade growth?“It’s possible,” said Port of Oakland Maritime Director John Driscoll. “The uptick in January was encouraging but we’re hearing from…

German international shipping and container transportation company Hapag-Lloyd AG and compatriot logistics and transportation company Hamburger Hafen und Logistik AG (HHLA), will be continuing their close cooperation in Hamburg for another five years.On the basis of this decision, both companies will now be able to make necessary investments and boost their overall competitiveness, said a joint press release.Both parties have also agreed to intensify their collaboration on sustainability-related issues.

Waterways Council, Inc. (WCI) offered praise for Congress, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ for the Corps’ Fiscal Year 2020 (FY20) work plan that lays out allocations for funds provided in the FY20 Energy & Water Development Appropriations bill toward the Corps’ civil works mission. The work plan was released late yesterday.Critical to the nation’s agricultural shippers and American family farmers, the Navigation and Ecosystem Sustainability Program (NESP) (Upper Mississippi River – Illinois Waterway System: IL…

Capbreton is turning to green technologies to reduce pollution of its air and waterways. The popular holiday destination on the Atlantic coast of France saw its first all-electric passenger ferry go into service in July 2019, replacing an older diesel-burning vessel.The 35-passenger aluminium vessel, called e-Boucarot, is powered by an integrated electric propulsion system developed by Torqeedo. It consists of two 10 kW electric outboards and four 48V 5 kWh lithium batteries with…

With the announcements that New York Waterway, a ferry operator running 32 boats around New York and New Jersey waters, had been largely shut down by the U.S. Coast Guard just prior to Thanksgiving, 2019, the reactions ranged from surprise to outright shock. There was also a great deal of grumbling, as commuters, the major customer group, endured delays on New York Waterway’s extensive network across the Hudson River, bringing New Jersey commuters into New York’s business districts.So, what happened?

President Trump’s Fiscal Year 2021 (FY21) budget request released on Monday is "astonishingly inadequate" says industry advocate Waterways Council, Inc. (WCI).The FY21 budget provides $0 for construction of ongoing priority navigation projects cost-shared through the Inland Waterways Trust Fund (IWTF); cuts funding for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Civil Works Mission by 22% ($5.967 billion, a $1.7 billion decrease from the FY20 enacted level); and proposes $1.8 million in new user fees on commercial waterways operators.Last fiscal year (FY20)…

Canadian naval architectural firm Robert Allan Ltd (RAL) announced that  the TOR Group  shipyard in Tuzla Bay (Istanbul) has delivered the Ben Owusu-Mensah, the third of three RAstar 3300 tugs for Ghana Ports & Harbours Authority (GPHA).The new tugs are equipped to fulfill a multitude of missions for the GPHA, including but not limited to ship-assist, fire-fighting, and pollution response, said a press release from the ship designer."Driven by high speed engines and Z-drive propellers…

Fenix LLC St.Petersburg, owner and operator of Port Bronka, inked an agency agreement with NBG Nouschirvan Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH Hamburg, to promote the most modern sea port in Russia.Port Bronka is the only deep-water port in St.Petersburg.The port handles container, project, break bulk and ro-ro cargo. The current capacity of the port is 500.000 TEU and 130.000 units of ro-ro cargo per year.The further development plan includes an increase in the container cargo capacity…

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ 2020 Work Plan includes $85 million to deepen the Mississippi River to 50 feet.House Republican Whip Steve Scalise announced that the US Army Corps of Engineers 2020 Work Plan includes funding for infrastructure projects in Louisiana, including $85 million to deepen the Mississippi River to 50 feet.After years of hard work, I’m very glad that the Corps included over $160 million for critical infrastructure projects in Louisiana, including $85 million to deepen the lower Mississippi River to 50 feet.

Austal Limited announce that Austal Australia has launched Hull 394, the first of two 118-meter high-speed trimaran ferries currently under construction for Fred. Olsen Express of the Canary Islands.The aluminum vehicle-passenger ferry, to be known as Bajamar Express, was launched at Austal’s Henderson, Western Australia shipyard on February 4, and is now in the final stages of fit out, prior to scheduled delivery in the second trimester of CY2020, Austal said.The vessel will operate on Fred.

Resolve Alaska, the northwest operating arm of the Resolve Marine Group, has appointed A.W. McAfee as its new Managing Director.McAfee will be responsible for overseeing Resolve’s operational response and recovery activities. His immediate strategic plan for Dutch Harbor is to implement an improvement program increasing operational efficiency and response capacity.  McAfee comes to Resolve from the Bechtel Corporation where he was operations manager. McAfee has been immersed in the marine and civil industries since 1995.

Libya's vital oil revenues fell to zero in January, the central bank said on Monday, after forces and tribesmen allied to eastern commander Khalifa Haftar blocked major oil ports.Haftar is embroiled in a conflict with the internationally recognized government in Tripoli and has been trying to seize the capital by force since April.Tribesmen and forces loyal to him closed all eastern ports and major fields last month in a power play, part of chaos in Libya since the overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.The oil shutdown has caused losses exceeding 2.5 billion Libyan dinar ($1.78 billion)…

Norwegian fish farmer Havkar Drift AS taken deliver of a new ProZero workboat from Danish boat builder Tuco Marine.The 8-meter full cabin service boat is outfitted and utilized as a fast and flexible boat for fish farming service and crew transport in Norway. Delivered through ProZero Norge AS, the boat has now been taken over by Havkar Drift AS after success full sea trials at the building yard.The boat is designed and optimized to serve as a platform for crew transfer, but operations will also include…

Danish-based consultancy Knud E. Hansen has designed a 212-metre RoPax ferry with a large battery bank to power it while dockside, allowing for zero emissions in port.RoPax ferry can transport up to 700 passengers and 390 cars. The vessel also boasts 2955 lane metres for trucks and trailers.The layout and access arrangements makes it an ideal choice for the Mediterranean market although it is also well suited for a variety of locations and operating conditions worldwide.The vessel has a service speed of 23 knots and can operate close to optimum engine load, even at slow speeds.

Nearly 200 towing vessels and 600 barges are queued on the Intracoastal Waterway while salvors work to clear a halved and partially sunken rock barge near Berwick, La., the U.S. Coast Guard said.A section of waterway has been closed since Sunday night, when a towing vessel pushing six rock-filled hopper barges ran aground at mile marker 99.The push boat Miss Odessa was reportedly transiting southbound on the Atchafalaya River when it turned west onto the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway and hit bottom. One of the barges, ACL 01700, split in half and sunk when the vessel attempted to break free.

The Western Australian Minister for Ports, the Hon. Alannah MacTiernan MLC opened the expanded facilities of HR Wallingford’s new Australia Ship Simulation Center.HR Wallingford has added two new purpose-built simulators to its center in Fremantle, bringing the total number of simulators that it owns and operates there to six. This makes it one of the largest ship simulation centers in Australia and allows a full maneuvering team (including pilots, tug masters and vessel traffic service (VTS) operators) to conduct integrated and immersive full port scenarios.In her speech…

Dozens more people onboard a cruise ship quarantined in the port of Yokohama, Japan, tested positive for the coronavirus on Friday and thousands of passengers remained confined to their cabins, only allowed on deck briefly for fresh air.The Diamond Princess, owned by Miami-based Carnival Corp, was placed on a two-week quarantine on arriving at Yokohama on Monday after a man who disembarked in Hong Kong was diagnosed with the virus.Japanese Health Minister Katsunobu Kato told a news conference that 41 people on the liner had tested positive for coronavirus on Friday…

China's fast-spreading coronavirus is squeezing air and sea freight capacity in the country with a spike in freight rates a likely consequence, one of the world's biggest transport and logistics companies said on Friday.The spread of the deadly virus has shut down many cities and factories in China and disrupted global air travel."We are already now seeing capacity problems on air freight," Jens Bjorn Andersen, chief executive of freight forwarder DSV Panalpina said. "Sea freight is also being impacted."Shipping lines are re-routing cargoes and reducing calls to Chinese ports…

Glosten said it is working with fellow naval architecture firm Ray Hunt Design and the Canaveral Pilots Association on a pilot/demonstration project for the design, construction and operation of an electric pilot boat.Marking a first for a pilot boat in the U.S., the vessel will feature a battery-electric propulsion system with an emergency ‘get home’ diesel engine.During the feasibility-level engineering, the team established that a Ray Hunt hull form outfitted with a Glosten…

Chinese state-owned shipping company COSCO Shipping Lines, Hong Kong container shipping company Orient Overseas Container Line (OOCL), Japanese/Singapore container shipping company Ocean Network Express (ONE) and Taiwanese ocean shipping company Yang Ming Marine Transport Corporation are to launch a new weekly Transatlantic service, East Mediterranean - America Service (EMA).The first commencing voyage is scheduled to operate on April, 2020, subject to Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) filing.The EMA service, jointly operated by the four lines, will consist of six Panamax vessels.

Indian government has green-lighted a mega container port, to be constructed at a cost of INR655.45bn ($9.2bn) at Vadhavan, around 160 km north-west of Mumbai.The proposal to create the huge port – on a ‘landlord model’ – was cleared at a Union Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.The proposed port is set to catapult India among countries boasting the top 10 container ports in the world. At the moment, the largest container port in India is Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT)…

Port of Oakland has appointed veteran aviation executive Kristi McKenney as its Chief Operating Officer (COO).Executive Director Danny Wan announced the appointment today after the Port’s governing Board created the new position last month. Ms. McKenney had been serving as Assistant Director of Aviation at the Port’s Oakland International Airport.“I’m grateful to the Board for establishing the COO position and pleased that Kristi is joining our executive team,” said Wan. “We’re…

Harley Marine Services has changed its name to Centerline Logistics Corporation and rebranded its regional operations in parallel following an equity ownership change in July 2019.Matt Godden, Centerline Logistics President and CEO, said, “Over the last year the company has made significant progress in restructuring its operations and this branding change signals our renewed strength and vision to remain a leader in the marine transportation business.”The name change follows a ratings affirmation of the company’s senior credit facility by Kroll Bond Rating Agencyon December 16…

Eastern Shipbuilding Group, Inc. has launched the second of two 80’ 5,100 HP Z-Drive tugs for Bisso Offshore, LLC, a division of E.N. Bisso & Son, Inc. The A. Thomas Higgins, currently under construction at Eastern’s Allanton facility, was launched on January 31, 2020.The RAL RApport 2400 Z-Drive ship-handling tug design was provided by Robert Allan Ltd located in Vancouver, Canada. The C.D. White, the first vessel of the series, delivered in January of this year.Long-term customer E.N.

Hong Kong authorities quarantined a cruise ship for a second day on Thursday as they checked thousands of passengers and crew for the new coronavirus, forbidding anyone from disembarking to prevent further spreading of the epidemic.Authorities said 33 crew members on the World Dream had developed respiratory tract infection symptoms and three had been sent to a hospital for isolation and management after developing fevers.All but one of the 33 tested negative for the disease, with the remaining test pending…

Belgian dredging group DEME has been awarded a contract as part of a joint venture for the widening of the Kiel Canal in Germany.Two DEME subsidiaries are to carry out marine dredging works for the €99m (£84m) widening of a 4km stretch of the Kiel Canal. Works started in January 2020 and will run until the end of 2023.The Federal Waterways and Shipping Administration, represented by the WSA Kiel-Holtenau, commissioned the joint venture with the construction work to expand 4 km…

South Korea' Financial Services Commission has announced 820 billion won ($690 million)  in funding to help modernize aging passenger boats and cargo ships.According to a Yonhap, the package is meant to help smaller shipping companies build 59 new ships -- 21 passenger boats and 38 cargo vessels.The Financial Services Commission announced that shipping companies will be reimbursed for up to 60 percent of the cost of the new vessels, and South Korea's state-run Korea Ocean Business Corp.

Finnish corporation Wärtsilä will supply its hybrid power conversion system for three new roro ferries being built at the Nanjing Jinling shipyard in China for Finnlines, part of the Italian Grimaldi Group. The order with Wärtsilä was placed in Q4 2019.The hybrid solution, which includes a 5000 kWh energy storage system, will enable these ships to operate with zero emissions while in port, and to meet the Registro Italiano Navale (RINA) Green Plus class notation. They will also…

Japan's military prepared a chartered ferry on Wednesday to use as a quarantine ship that could house hundreds of suspected coronavirus cases as the number of infected people in the country rises.The 17,000 ton Hakuou was docked at the Yokosuka naval base near Tokyo, which is also the home port of the U.S. Navy's Ronald Reagan carrier. If put into service, the ship will initially take up to 94 people, but can accommodate more."Around 300 people could comfortably live on the ship and it has a maximum capacity for 500…

German propulsion manufacturer SCHOTTEL announced it has been awarded a contract from Alabama shipbuilder Master Boat Builders to supply a total of six rudderpropellers for a pair of new tugs being constructed for U.S.-based Seabulk Towing Inc, a subsidiary of SEACOR Holdings Inc.Both Robert Allan Ltd.-designed newbuilds will feature the Advanced Rotortug (ART) design triangular propulsion system.The tugs will be propelled by three SCHOTTEL Rudderpropellers type SRP 430 FP with a propeller diameter of 2.4 meters, each driven by a 1,771-kilowatt diesel engine.

All American Marine, Inc. (AAM) announced it has won a contract to build a pair of quad-jet sister vessels to expand Seward, Alaska-based Major Marine Tours’ fleet of wildlife and glacier cruise vessels that visit Kenai Fjords National Park. These 87’ x 32” Teknicraft Aluminum catamarans, will be certified USCG Subchapter “T” for 150 passengers.These semi-displacement catamarans were developed by Nic de Waal of Teknicraft Design in Auckland, New Zealand. The design integrates the signature Teknicraft symmetrical and asymmetrical combined hull shape.

The Philippines said on Wednesday its ports remain open to all ships, even those from China, in order not to disrupt the cargo supply chain, but the crew of vessels arriving from the coronavirus-hit nation will be barred from disembarking.All foreigners traveling from China and its two special administrative regions - Hong Kong and Macau - are currently barred from entering the Philippines amid a fast-spreading coronavirus outbreak that has killed nearly 500 people in China.A Chinese man who arrived from China's Wuhan city, where the virus emerged last year, has also died in the Philippines.Co

Lithuanian company AB Klaipedos Nafta (KN) has been appointed as the operator of a liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal in the Brazilian Port of Açu.To execute the contract, KN has established a company in Brazil and plans to form a team of up to 30 local specialists in 2020.KN, KN Açu Serviços de Terminal de GNL Ltda. (Brazilian SPV) and Gas Natural Açu (GNA), which is a joint venture among Prumo Logistica, BP and Siemens, signed an operation and maintenance services agreement for the provision of the relevant services.Following the signing of the agreement…

The international container terminal operating APM Terminals said that its port of Poti has presented its plans for the creation of a deep-water port to the Government of Georgia.The plans require an investment of over 250 million USD of private capital for phase 1 and a substantial amount for phase 2 in an extensive development of the port infrastructure and superstructure.“This investment in the strategically important port of Poti is a proof of our commitment and belief in Georgia and the development of a transport corridor that stretches into Central Asia…

In November the U.S. House of Representatives’ Transportation & Infrastructure Committee, Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Subcommittee held a hearing on “Commercial and Passenger Vessel Safety: Challenges and Opportunities.” Testimony covered a range of issues, from recent tragedies such as the Conception dive-boat disaster to antiquated maritime laws.Hearing witness list:Rear Admiral Richard V. Timme, Assistant Commandant for Prevention Policy, United States Coast GuardThe Honorable Richard Balzano…

The economic impact of China's coronavirus lockdown is being felt across the globe, with exporters, miners and manufacturers of everything from coal and timber to meat and fruit facing delays and potential shipment cancellations.As the most populous nation and factory floor for most of the world's manufactured goods, China is normally the largest and most voracious consumer of a slew of global raw materials, fuels and foods.But the combination of an extended Lunar New Year holiday…