Seventeen shipping container terminals run by APM Terminals have been hacked, including two in Rotterdam and 15 in other parts of the world, Dutch broadcaster RTV Rijnmond reported on Wednesday. APM Terminals is a subsidiary of shipping giant Maersk , which has confirmed it is suffering from a cyber attack. APM's website was difficult to reach and phones at its headquarters in The Hague and offices in Rotterdam went unanswered. A spokeswoman for the company in Copenhagen confirmed its systems were "impacted" as part of Maersk's IT infrastructure.

The rapid loss of Arctic sea ice is a sentinel. Most of us will never venture into the Arctic, but it can and does provide us with a forewarning of impacts coming to our parts of the Earth – and some of the most significant impacts will directly affect the maritime industry. In earlier times, coal miners were sometimes overcome by the buildup of odorless carbon monoxide gas. Some died as a consequence. Eventually it was realized that canaries were more susceptible to the gas than were humans.

A U.S. warship struck by a container vessel in Japanese waters failed to respond to warning signals or take evasive action before a collision that killed seven of its crew, according to a report of the incident by the Philippine cargo ship's captain. Multiple U.S. and Japanese investigations are under way into how the guided missile destroyer USS Fitzgerald and the much larger ACX Crystal container ship collided in clear weather south of Tokyo Bay in the early hours of June 17.

The August 2017 edition of Marine News, the leading voice in the North American workboat market, will feature 100 leaders and innovators, including workboat owners and operators, workboat builders and repairers, and product and service providers. Is your firm a top 100 workboat, brown water or inland enterprise? Participation is free, but to be considered you must apply before July 3 at http://mn100.maritimemagazine.com/ Contact Joe Keefe with questions at: keefe@marinelink.com

Viega Group has a history spanning more than 115 years and today is more than 4,000 employees worldwide, a leading manufacturers of pipe installation technology for shipbuilding, industrial, commercial and residential projects. In the U.S., Viega LLC employs nearly 500 people and offers more than 3,000 products, including Viega ProPress for copper and stainless, Viega MegaPress for black iron pipe and Viega PEX Press systems in Zero Lead bronze and high-performance polymer. While the company serves many markets…

Tropical Storm Dora, located off the western coast of Mexico in the Pacific Ocean, is strengthening quickly and is expected to become a hurricane on Monday, the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) said on Sunday. Maximum sustained winds were about 70 miles per hour (110 km per hour), with higher gusts. Dora was strengthening quickly and was forecast to become a hurricane on Monday, the NHC said in its latest advisory late on Sunday night. The NHC warned of possible heavy rains along the southwestern coast of Mexico but added that the center of the storm was expected to move parallel to the coast of Mexico but remain offshore. It said no coastal watches or warnings were in effect.

The Port of Rotterdam Authority is entering into a partnership with four start-ups for the development of as many innovative projects. Along with six other starters, these companies took part in the port-related accelerator programme PortXL and presented their results during yesterday’s ‘Shakedown’. The ten selected start-ups made amazing progress in the three month long PortXL programme. In fact, nine of them saw their efforts rewarded with a contract with organisations such as Van Oord, Vopak, Boskalis, Alliander and Stena Line.

One mariner remains missing after 13 of 14 crewmembers were recovered from the sea following the sinking of their oil tanker in severe weather conditions 240 miles off the coast of Yemen. At around 4:30 a.m. June 26, the U.K. Coastguard received a Mayday distress call issued by a 99-meter-long Panamanian flagged oil tanker believed to be carrying crude oil, reporting that the vessel was sinking. The Yemen Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) were unable to assist, so the U.K. Coastguard stepped in to coordinate the rescue, issuing a Satellite Communication Mayday relay broadcast to all shipping in the area. Multiple commercial vessels nearby responded to the original Mayday call and made their way to the tanker, which had sunk in gale force 8 winds and 5 meters swells.

Flames seen rising from vessel after blast; port residents believe vessel may be foreign. A huge explosion was heard from a ship off the coast of Somalia's Puntland region late on Monday and flames were seen rising from what might be a foreign vessel, an official in a nearby port said. "We heard (a) huge explosion and (saw) flame rising from the ship. I believe that the ship is foreign," Ali Shire, mayor of Puntland's port town of Alula, a pirate haven, told Reuters on Tuesday. It was not immediately clear whether the explosion was caused by an accident onboard the vessel or was triggered by pirate attackers. It was also not clear whether the vessel was still afloat or had sunk.

The Panama Canal commemorated the one-year anniversary of the inauguration of its Expanded Canal, one of the most significant milestones in the history of the 102-year old waterway and a defining moment for the people of Panama and the global maritime industry. In its first year of operations, the Expanded Panama Canal has continually set records and surpassed expectations, resulting in redrawn global trade routes and positive world-wide impact, as the Canal looks to further position Panama as the logistics hub of the Americas.

Seattle-based naval architecture and marine engineering consultancy Glosten said it has completed the design of a new passenger-only hybrid ferry for Kitsap Transit, a public transportation agency based in Bremerton, Wash. The new hybrid electric 150-passenger ferry will be the first in Puget Sound, and is expected to carry more than 350,000 passengers annually. The 70-foot-long aluminum hull catamaran will be constructed at Bellingham-based All American Marine. It will feature two BAE HybriDrive propulsion systems driving fixed pitch propellers.

Indian Minister of Shipping Nitin Gadkari  has said that Cruise Tourism is one of the fastest growing components of the leisure industry worldwide, and  can be a major growth driver for the Indian economy by generating huge employment opportunities. Gadkari was  speaking at the National Workshop on “Action Plan for Development of Cruise Tourism in India”, in New Delhi today. The workshop was also attended by Minister of State for  Culture and Tourism Dr Mahesh Sharma, and representatives…

Wan Hai Lines has announced its plan to expand the service network on China-Vietnam/Thailand corridors in July, by restructuring China-Vietnam-Thailand (CVT service) and cooperating with COSCO Container Lines with a new joint N.PRC-Thailand service (CT1) and securing slots on COSCO’s E.PRC-Thailand service. Wan Hai Lines’ independent CVT service will be restructured with effect from 10th July 2017, and turn into a China-Vietnam express dedicated service (CV1 service) with three vessels of 1…

Global maritime mobile operator Telenor Maritime said it will expand communications services for longstanding partner DFDS, deploying its connectivity platform with Premium Wi-Fi, Ka VSAT and mobile broadband backhaul for the Northern European shipping company. “We are moving fast forward into the Networked Society, and we are expecting the same experience whether we are at home or at sea when using our mobile devices,” said Frode Støldal, CEO of Telenor Maritime. “Speed and connectivity are crucial for passengers, and even more so in situations where a mobile device is used for business.

ABS said it has been awarded a Third Party Organization (TPO) contract by the Cooper Group of Companies to support compliance with U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Subchapter M requirements. “ABS anticipated the needs that would surface when the Subchapter M regulations were published and allocated resources to develop a range of solutions,” said ABS Americas Division President, Jamie Smith. The newly signed contract establishes ABS as the exclusive Subchapter M TPO for Cooper Group and its subsidiaries, Crescent Towing, Cooper Marine & Timberlands and Plimsoll Towing.

Shawn Garry has joined Bouchard Transportation Co., Inc. as Vice President of Regulatory Compliance and Inspections, tasked with ensuring that the company achieves regulatory compliance and meets SubChapter M requirements. Garry will be the primary contact for Gulf Coast region internal and external vetting, SIRE, ABS, USCG and ISM. Prior to joining Bouchard, Garry worked at the U.S. Coast Guard as an Engineer of the Watch Afloat, Senior Marine Inspector, and Marine Casualty Investigator. Morton S.

Norwegian Cruise Line’s first custom-designed ship for the Chinese cruise market, Norwegian Joy, was christened in a ceremony held onboard the vessel in Shanghai that featured a performance by the ship’s Godfather, singer songwriter, music producer, actor and film director, Wang Leehom. At 167,725–gross-tons and accommodating 3,883 guests, Norwegian Joy’s design, finishes and amenities are tailored specifically to the tastes of Chinese guests. The vessel was built by German shipyard Meyer Werft.

On June 12, 2017, the Coast Guard's national Director of Inspections and Compliance formally recognized PVA's Flagship Safety Management System (SMS) as an acceptable method for developing and implementing a company specific voluntary SMS. In a letter to PVA's Executive Director, Capt. Jennifer Williams stated, "The U.S. Williams' letter also acknowledged that vessel companies that effectively implement PVA Flagship SMS will be recognized and considered by local Coast Guard inspection offices for reduced scope of inspections under the Coast Guard Risk Based Decision Making policy for small passenger vessels. In response to the letter, PVA's Executive Director John Groundwater stated, "We are pleased with the Coast Guard's formal recognition of the PVA Flagship SMS program.

MTG has introduced its latest solutions for the dredging market at the Dredging Summit & Expo’17 in Vancouver from June 26-29. For cutter dredgers MTG presented its DMet range, which it said offers solutions for increasing machine protection and productivity. MTG announced it has also started to manufacture its own cutter-heads with the latest equipment to assemble and weld ensuring the highest quality. MTG will offer its cutter-head design and engineering services for all kind of applications: clay, sand and rock.

U.S. shipbuilder Fincantieri Marinette Marine (FMM) informs it has received the 2017 Defense Security Service James S. Cogswell Outstanding Industrial Security Achievement Award. The Cogswell award, given by the Defense Security Service (DSS), a federal security agency of the U.S. Department of Defense, is awarded to less than 10 percent of more than 13,000 industrial firms annually. The criteria focuses on the principles of industrial security excellence, which includes establishing…

Damen Shiprepair Rotterdam (DSR), part of Damen Shiprepair & Conversion, said it has completed maintenance and repair works on the newest member of CMV’s fleet, the cruise ship Columbus. The full work scope was concluded within a tight timescale, thus ensuring that the vessel could sail to the London Cruise Terminal in Tilbury, U.K. in time for her naming ceremony and inaugural cruise. Several CMV vessels – the Astor, Marco Polo and the Magellan, for example – have made calls at various Damen repair yards in the past.

Rescue workers searched on Monday for 13 people believed to be missing after a tourist boat sank the previous day in a reservoir in north-central Colombia, killing seven. The cause of the accident was still unclear, officials said. Use of the Penol-Guatape reservoir, a popular site for water-sports and tours, was restricted as the search continued. The boat, El Almirante, was carrying about 150 passengers, officials said. Reports of the dead and missing have varied since the accident on Sunday afternoon. Authorities had initially said more than 170 people were onboard. "We have seven dead and 13 disappeared," Carlos Ivan Marquez, the head of the national disaster relief agency told journalists. Three people previously thought missing have contacted authorities, he added.

McCue Crafted Fit secured a repeat order from Cunard to refit the shops and art gallery on board its luxury liner, Queen Victoria. This follows the remastering of aspects of the Queen Mary 2 (QM2) in Hamburg, Germany in 2016. The £34 million ($43 million) refit comprises of an upgraded and increased choice of staterooms, new Britannia Club dining, a broader and more distinct bar offering, a transformed sun deck, enhanced retail areas and relocated new larger art gallery. On the May 5…

The second half of 2016 brought shockwaves to some ship owners who were still in a state of denial about the need to install ballast water treatment systems (BWTS) onboard their vessels. The ratification of the Ballast Water Management Convention and the announcement of the first U.S. Coast Guard Type Approved BWTS, saw many ship owners rushing to drydock their vessels at the beginning of the year, or deharmonize their IOPP certificates in an attempt to delay fitting a BWTS onboard their ships. Others have already installed a BWTS on board or have decided to install one. Much has been written on the various constraints that are to be faced for selecting and installing a system, but not much has been heard about the systems installed on board. Do they work?

A message from Frank Coles, CEO of Transas on the International Day of the Seafarer. On this day of recognition, I would like to celebrate the women and men who commit their careers and their lives to being at sea for extended periods of time. The future facing the maritime industry today is a very different one from when I first went to sea in 1977. Back then the sextant was King. Today the people working at sea are aided by countless new technologies and digital innovations which have had a huge impact, improving both operations and safety.

Traffic growth in the ports sector is likely to remain well below historical levels for the foreseeable future, due to fundamental structural changes in the industry and global trade, Fitch Ratings says. A move towards protectionism would represent a significant additional risk, with the potential to reverse sector growth. Global port traffic growth has slowed in recent years due to a mix of mostly structural factors, including a maturing container shipping industry, the growth of China's internal market and shifting global supply chains.

The Madrid Maersk, the largest container carrier ever to call at the port of Antwerp, moored in the Deurganck dock on 9 June. This record-breaking ship with a capacity of 20,568 TEU unloaded 3,000 containers and loaded another 4,000 in the port of Antwerp in just 48 hours, thus setting a new milestone in the history of the port. Check out the video clip here to experience the atmosphere of the event and how we all welcomed this giant of the seas. The Madrid Maersk is the first…

The newest Vane Brothers tugboat, the New York, was christened during a brief ceremony June 12 at St. The New York is the sixth of eight 4,200-horsepower, model-bow tugs contracted through St. Johns by Vane Brothers. Headquartered in Baltimore, Vane Brothers also conducts operations from a facility in Brooklyn and other locations along the U.S. East Coast. More than 50 Vane Brothers tugboats are primarily tasked with towing petroleum barges engaged in the North Atlantic coastwise trade. Bobby Barfield, St.

Diversification is the key at Oregon-based North River Boats. Listening closely to the customer’s needs recently won the day on a multi-hull U.S. Navy contract, but that’s not all that’s happening in Oregon. Roseburg, Ore.-based North River Boats has, over time, thrived by delivering one of the most diverse vessel portfolios in North America. Those offerings include both domestic and foreign deliveries, as well as recreational, commercial and military hulls. And, if that formula has taught them just one thing, then that metric would be that different customers need different features.

The Elastec Inlander river utility boat (RUB) is a unique concept. But, Elastec already manufactures many other response and utility craft for this market. What prompted the internal effort to create such a craft was that while on oil spill deployments with customers, Elastec personnel began to notice quite a few response organizations using “reconfigured” recreational watercraft (fishing boats) to perform tasks. Those boats, according to Elastec, were not well suited to the tasks they were doing, both in terms of safety and operational utility.

The August 2017 edition of Marine News, the leading voice in the North American workboat market, will feature 100 leaders and innovators, including workboat owners and operators, workboat builders and repairers, and product and service providers. Is your firm a top 100 workboat, brown water or inland enterprise? Participation is free, but to be considered you must apply before July 3 at http://mn100.maritimemagazine.com/ Contact Joe Keefe with questions at: keefe@marinelink.com

Tropical storm Cindy is expected to weaken while moving farther inland and become a tropical depression later Thursday morning, the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) said in its latest advisory.   "Continued weakening is forecast during the next 48 hours, and Cindy should weaken to a tropical depression later this morning, and become a remnant low tonight," the Miami-based weather forecaster said.   Cindy, now located about 40 miles (65 km) northwest of Lake Charles, Louisiana with maximum sustained winds of 40 miles per hour (65 km/h), will likely move into southeastern Arkansas early Friday, and into Tennessee later that day.   Reporting by Vijaykumar Vedala and Apeksha Nair 

Sailing fans flocked to a harbor in the Dutch city of The Hague yesterday to welcome team AkzoNobel’s new Volvo Ocean Race yacht, which was officially christened by the city’s Mayor. With the start of the race just four months away, skipper Simeon Tienpont and his crew arrived in the Netherlands from Lisbon to a rapturous welcome, when dignitaries and supporters caught their first glimpse of the newly built boat. “It’s a very special moment to have our new boat christened here in The Hague,” said Tienpont. “In many ways, the race starts right here and now for us.

U.S.-flag Great Lakes freighters (lakers) moved 9.5 million tons of cargo in May, a virtual repeat of a year ago, the Lake Carriers’ Association (LCA) reported. The float totaled 9,496,663 tons this May and 9,473,709 tons a year ago. This May’s shipments were, however, down 5 percent from the month’s long-term average. Iron ore cargos for steelmakers totaled 4.9 million tons, an increase of 4 percent compared to a year ago. Coal loadings were little changed in May. Shipments totaled 1,435,400 tons, an increase of 36,953 tons. Limestone cargos hauled in U.S.

A joint development agreement between Delfin Midstream and Golar LNG Limited will see the two jointly develop the Delfin LNG project off the coast of Cameron Parish, La. The joint development agreement will facilitate the financing, marketing, construction, development and operation of Delfin LNG, the first and only permitted floating LNG (FLNG) export project in the U.S. Delfin LNG is a brownfield Deepwater Port requiring minimal additional infrastructure investment to support up to four FLNG vessels producing up to 13 million metric tons of LNG per annum. Delfin purchased the UTOS pipeline, the largest natural gas pipeline in the Gulf of Mexico, in 2014 and submitted its Deepwater Port license application in 2015.

In the waning days of 2016, the outlook brightened dramatically for the big U.S. dredging contractors. Just before Congress dispersed for the Holidays, then-President Obama signed a pivotal piece of legislation – the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation (WIIN) Act, S612. Authorized needed investment in America’s ports, channels, locks, dams, and other infrastructure that supports the maritime and waterways transportation system and provides flood protection. Authorized U.S.

June 20, 2017 began the next construction stage for Hapag-Lloyd Cruises’ first newbuild expedition cruise vessel, HANSEATIC nature. During a keel laying ceremony at the VARD shipyard in Tulcea, Romania, Hapag-Lloyd Cruises CEO, Karl J. Pojer, placed a coin inside the steel block; the coin was welded into the block and will accompany the ship on all its future cruises. HANSEATIC nature‘s keel consists of two steel blocks: each block is 9 meters long, 11 meters wide, 1,5 meters high and weighs 33 tons.

Eighty-seven vessels owned or managed by Crowley Maritime Corporation recently received the Chamber of Shipping of America (CSA)’s annual Jones F. Devlin Awards in recognition of their 2016 safety records. Each year, the CSA grants Devlin Award certificates to manned merchant vessels that have operated for two or more years without incurring a Lost Time Injury (LTI), highlighting the skills and dedication of the crewmembers responsible for safe vessel operations. Crowley’s 2016 Devlin Award-worthy vessels together have achieved 670 years of service without an LTI.

On Wednesday, June 7, 2017 the Chamber of Shipping of America (CSA) awarded 43 Bouchard Transportation Co., Inc. operating vessels the Jones F. Devlin Award, recognizing their safety achievements in 2016. These 43 vessels operated a total of 364 years with no lost-time injuries. The CSA grants Devlin Award certificates each year to manned merchant vessels that have operated for two or more years without incurring a Lost Time Injury (LTI). “Bouchard continues to hold safety as a top priority…

Plaquemines and American Patriot Holdings plan new container port-vessel system. Plans are underway for a new 4,200-acre intermodal container terminal within the Port of Plaquemines Harbor and Terminal District. The project, a partnership (Exclusivity Agreement) between the Port and American Patriot Holdings (APH) calls for the development of a logistics system for “vessel operations comprised of deep-water docking at the Pointe Celeste Container Terminal and multiple upriver terminals.” That’s the Mississippi River, of course, and initial upriver terminals could be sited in Memphis and St.

Tropical Storm Cindy is likely to hit the Gulf Coast near the Texas-Louisiana border on Wednesday night, threatening to bring flash floods from Texas to Florida, according to the National Hurricane Center. Cindy was located about 165 miles (265 km) south of Morgan City, Louisiana, early on Wednesday with maximum sustained winds of 60 miles (95 km) per hour, the NHC said. The storm was moving northwest at nearly 8 miles (13 km) per hour, and forecasters said they expected this motion to continue until it hits the coast.

Great Lakes Shipyard said it was awarded a contract for drydocking and repairs by Geo Gradel & Co. for tug George Gradel  and barge Moby Dick. The contract for the 2,400 HP tug George Gradel includes steel repairs, keel cooler repairs, underwater hull inspections and repairs as well as painting and replacing fuel tanks. Work is planned to be completed by the end of June 2017. Worked completed for the 120' x 33' x 10.5' deck barge with 875-ton capacity included surveys, inspections and repairs for load line renewal. Work was completed on June 5, 2017.

XL Catlin continues to expand its inland marine field operations with the addition of Russell Crooks as Vice President, National Inland Marine Director, based in San Francisco and Maria Klein as senior underwriter in Baltimore. In his new role with XL Catlin, Crooks will liaise with brokers and clients throughout the western US to address their diverse inland marine insurance needs including motor truck cargo, builder’s risk, contractor’s equipment, and logistics inland marine products, among others. Most recently, he served as Chubb’s regional inland marine practice leader and underwriter.

Singapore LNG Corporation Pte Ltd (SLNG) has successfully performed its first small scale Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Gas-Up/Cool-Down and Reload at its Terminal on Jurong Island. The operation was carried out from 18-20 June 2017 for the newly built, 6,500m3, Cardissa, an LNG bunker vessel owned by Shell and co-financed by the European Union’s Connecting Europe Facility that will serve customers in Northwest Europe. The operation was conducted at the SLNG Terminal’s Secondary Jetty, which is originally designed to accommodate LNG vessels from 60,000m3 to 265,000m3 in size.

“As the energy mix shifts and global demand for gas increases, concepts like this will reshape how energy is supplied,” said ABS Vice President for Global Gas Solutions, Patrick Janssens. This concept offers a new approach to delivering new sources of power to remote areas of the world. The conceptual design is based on existing LNG carriers which are converted into floating power plants with small (~72 MW) to medium (~400 MW) scale power generation capabilities. In reviewing Chiyoda’s floating LNG power plant concept, ABS said it applied its relevant Rules and Guides to confirm that the conceptual design meets the intent of applicable class requirements.

The first indigenously built Floating Dock (FDN-2) for the Indian Navy was launched on 20 June 2017 by Smt Anjali Deshpande, wife of Vice Admiral DM Deshpande, AVSM, VSM, Controller of Warship Production & Acquisition at an impressive ceremony at Larsen & Toubro Ltd (L&T) Shipyard at Kattupalli near Chennai. After formal welcome by Vice Admiral B Kannan (Retd), PVSM, AVSM, VSM, Head of Ship Building, L&T the ceremony commenced with an address by the Chief Guest, Vice Admiral DM Deshpande, AVSM, VSM, Controller of Warship Production & Acquisition.

Towage operator KOTUG said it has acquired a fifth infield support vessels (ISVs) in Australia and East Timor, furthering its investment in offshore support. The new vessel, Coral Knight, will be bare boat chartered exclusively to Australian Maritime Systems Limited (AMS) to provide emergency towage services and maintain aids to the navigation network at the Great Barrier Reef for AMSA (Australian Maritime Safety Authority). KOTUG said it acquired the Coral Knight with a view to further expand its offshore support services in the Australian region.

Perkins marine diesel auxiliary engines have been supplied to four RAmparts 3200-CL tugs built by Cheoy Lee Shipyards Ltd, Hong Kong for operations in Australia and Indonesia. Multico Power Drive Pte Ltd, the distributor for Perkins marine engines in Singapore, has supplied two Perkins 6TWGM engines to each of the following tugs: Hawksbill, Flatback, Loggerhead and Limin ASD 55. Each tug is 32m L.O.A. and built to Lloyds’ requirements with special notations. The Perkins 6TWGM is part of the 1006 Series.

U.S. shipbuilder Vigor has launched The Harvest, the first complex liquefied ammonia transport barge built in the U.S. for Jones Act trade since 1982. The vessel was constructed to support the operations of The Mosaic Company, an integrated producer and marketer of concentrated phosphate and potash. The Harvest will be operated by a subsidiary of Savage Companies as part of an articulated tug and barge (ATB) unit. “This is a significant project for both the maritime industry and our community,” said Vigor CEO, Frank Foti.

A new 36-meter monohull passenger ferry Mary D Seven has been delivered for Mary D Cruises in New Caledonia. Designed by Incat Crowther and built by Strategic Marine, the vessel will operate with yacht-like style on the route between Noumea and Amedee Island during the day, and as a dinner cruise vessel in the evenings, returning greater utilization of the asset. The main deck is arranged to support the transit operation by day and dinner cruises in the evening. The deck features 108 passenger seats primarily in booth seating with tables…

Italian gas group Snam is in exclusive talks with EDF's Italian unit Edison to buy a stake in a liquefied natural gas terminal in northern Italy as part of plans to develop its LNG business, two sources said. Snam, controlled by state lender Cassa Depositi e Prestiti, is looking to buy Edison's 7.3 percent stake in Terminale LNG Adriatico and the gas pipeline that connects it to Italy's gas transmission backbone, the sources said. Adriatic LNG, which has a capacity of 8 billion cubic metres per year, is 70.7 percent owned by ExxonMobil and 22 percent by Qatar Petroleum.

The United States Coast Guard will on Tuesday start interviewing the crew of a Philippines-flagged container ship which collided with a U.S. warship in Japanese waters killing seven American sailors. The U.S. coast guard investigation is one several into the incident on Saturday involving the guided missile destroyer USS Fitzgerald and the much larger ACX Crystal. The cause of the collision at night and in clear weather is not known. "We are scheduled to interview the crew members," said U.S. Lieutenant Scott Carr told Reuters, referring the crew of the merchant ship.

A contract to upgrade the ‘nerve center’ for shipping at the Barrow Island port proves the resources sector is continuing to fuel big opportunities for Australian firms. Australian Maritime Systems Group (AMSG) has been awarded a contract by Chevron Australia to design and install a new Vessel Tracking Service (VTS) system to manage shipping to and from the Chevron-operated Gorgon Project on Barrow Island, 60km off the north-west coast of Western Australia. AMSG Managing Director John Sugarman said the new Vessel Tracking System will utilize state-of-the-art radar and software systems.

Earlier this year in Copenhagen Harbor, the 28-meter-long tug Svitzer Hermod berthed alongside the quay, undocked, turned 360 degrees and sailed back to Svitzer headquarters before docking again, all under remote operation while the captain was stationed quayside at the vessel’s remote base at Svitzer HQ. Though a captain and crew remained on board throughout to ensure safe operation in the event of a system failure, the remotely controlled maneuvers demonstrated a “world first” for a commercial vessel, according to project partners Rolls-Royce and global towage operator Svitzer.

Port operator APM Terminals, part of shipping group A.P. Moller-Maersk, said it has seen container throughput at its Gothenburg terminal in Sweden fall by 70,000 over the past year because of labour disruptions. "We have lost about 70,000 containers in revenue over the past year," Henrik Kristensen, head of APM Terminals in Gothenburg, told Reuters on Tuesday. The port operator said earlier on Tuesday that it will cut 160 staff at the Gothenburg terminal, after container volumes had dropped by 25 percent.

Fitch Ratings' Report: What Investors Want to Know: Container Shipping. Container shipping companies have benefited from a modest increase in freight rates since the start of the year, but a sustainable recovery in the container market will only be achieved by reaching a viable supply/demand balance through capacity cuts, Fitch Ratings says. Container transport volumes outstripped capacity growth in 2016 for the first time since 2010-2011, helped by a higher rate of vessel scrapping and delayed deliveries.

The U.S. Coast Guard and local responders have rescued 55 people stranded aboard a high-speed ferry that hit a jetty while entering Hyannis Harbor, Mass. The local fire department notified Coast Guard watchstanders at about 9:30 p.m. Friday and reported that the Massachusetts Steamship Authority Ferry Iyanough, which serves Nantucket to Hyannis, struck the jetty and grounded on the rocks. A Coast Guard helicopter crew medevacd five injured passengers and airlifted 10 uninjured people who were unable to navigate the jetty’s rocks to get aboard the response boats. The remaining passengers and ferry crewmembers were rescued by Coast Guard response boat crews. Multiple units from the Cape Cod Mutual Response System assisted with the rescue efforts.

The August 2017 edition of Marine News, the leading voice in the North American workboat market, will feature 100 leaders and innovators, including workboat owners and operators, workboat builders and repairers, and product and service providers.   Is your firm a top 100 workboat, brown water or inland enterprise? Participation is free, but to be considered you must apply at the link below. To have your company featured in this edition, please apply at http://mn100.maritimemagazine.com/   Contact Joe Keefe with questions at: keefe@marinelink.com

Sea Machines is bringing autonomous self-driving systems to the world of workboats. At an impressive virtual reality demonstration seen late last year and then again at a frigid, late winter visit to the Boston waterfront, the future of workboat technology became all too evident for this writer. The late George Allen, former head coach of the Washington Redskins football team perhaps said it best when he coined the phrase, “The future is now.” If so, then Michael Johnson, the founder of Sea Machines Robotics has brought that reality to the marine industry.

An improved and upgraded version of the Miko Marine ShipArrestor system has been delivered to the Norwegian Coastal Administration (NCA). The system has been developed to give nations the ability to protect their coastlines from the danger of ships that have lost engine power and from the pollution that can result when they run aground. The ShipArrestor system uses a specially designed parachute-shaped sea anchor that is connected to a drifting ship by helicopter and secured without any need for crew involvement.

Maersk Line, a part of A.P. Moller-Maersk, said on Monday the first container feeder service into Qatar will depart Oman on June 26, later than a planned June 19 start.   To avoid trade restrictions imposed on Qatar by Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and others, Maersk Line said this month it would deliver cargo to Qatar by transferring containers on to smaller vessels in Oman and traveling on from there.   The first feeder shipment is expected to depart Salalah, Oman, on June 26 and arriving in Doha on June 30, Maersk said. A spokesman was not immediately able to say why the first shipment had been delayed.   Maersk Line plans to make the feeder service available every 10 days. (Reporting by Jacob Gronholt-Pedersen and Stine Jacobsen; editing by Jason Neely)

Nearly an hour elapsed before a Philippine-flagged container ship reported a collision with a U.S. warship, the Japanese coastguard said on Monday, as investigations began into the accident in which seven U.S. sailors were killed. The U.S. Navy confirmed that all seven missing sailors on the USS Fitzgerald were found dead in flooded berthing compartments after the destroyer's collision with the container ship off Japan early on Saturday. The Fitzgerald and a Philippine-flagged container ship collided south of Tokyo Bay early on Saturday. The cause of the collision is not known. Multiple U.S.

European Shortsea Network (ESN) meeting was held in Malta with representatives from 11 European countries at the head office of Malta Freeport Terminals, says a report in Times of Malta. The presidency of the European Shortsea Network is currently held by Malta which also hosts the official registration of the European Shortsea Network as a legal entity. The European Shortsea Network is an association made up of 28 European countries with their main objective being that of promoting shortsea shipping in Europe.

Bodies of seven U.S. sailors recovered after the U.S. destroyer collided with with Philippine-flagged vessel CX Crystal near south of Tokyo Bay in Japan. The bodies of missing sailors were found in flooded compartments of the USS Fitzgerald, which came close to sinking after a collision with a container ship off Japan tore a gash under the warship's waterline, the U.S. Navy's Seventh Fleet commander said on Sunday. The smaller guided-missile destroyer USS Fitzgerald suffered severe damage to its starboard side.

Noble Corporation has been awarded new contracts for one of its drillships under which the unit will operate in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico and later Suriname. The 2013-built drillship Noble Bob Douglas has been awarded a contract with Murphy Oil, which will last from early to late July. The rig’s dayrate has not been disclosed. After completion of the project, the ship will start a contract with Tullow Oil offshore Suriname from early October 2017 to early November 2017 again at an undisclosed rate.

The Indian shipping industry is registering a positive growth amid a downward trend globally, Union Minister of State for Shipping, Pon Radhakrishnan said. “While the shipping sector is seeing a downward trend worldwide, India is registering a positive growth, and the credit for this should go to Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” he said. The Sagarmala programme launched by the Prime minister last year aims to increase the capacity of Major and Non-Major Ports to 3000 MTPA from the present 1054 MTPA, he said.

CEFC China Energy was awarded a licence by Zhoushan Free Trade Zone for supply  marine bunker fuel off the east coast of China to vessels on international voyages, reports Reuters. The report quoted two CEFC officials saying that the license is to supply bunker fuel from bonded storage to vessels that call at the Zhoushan area. The Zhoushan Free Trade Zone is in the coastal province of Zhejiang and is a new free trade zone the Chinese government approved earlier this year to boost commodities trade.

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio today unveiled a series of initiatives aiming to spur 100,000 high-paying jobs over the coming decade across a number of sectors, including the City's maritime and intermodal freight and logistics industries. As part of the New York Works plan, the city will implement a multipronged strategy called Freight NYC that seeks to create 4,000 freight network industrial jobs by building more shipping and distribution infrastructure to connect NYC to the nation’s Marine Highway.

The loading and response dynamics of an Articulated Tug & Barge (ATB) load box are complex. They typically require advanced finite element analysis methods and procedures to design an efficient support structure to ensure a durable design and to facilitate meeting Class strength requirements. To study the dynamic response of the loads imparted on the tug from the barge, a finite element analysis (FEA) is carried out. Loading conditions that include the static sea pressure, gravity loads, and reaction forces from the ATB Coupler are incorporated into the FEA analysis.

SSI announced the recent sale of more ShipConstructor software to the Vietnamese office of Steinsvik, the major Norwegian aquaculture firm. Steinsvik Vietnam Co. Ltd. has upgraded its ShipConstructor design/engineering software to the latest version to maximize efficiency and effectiveness. The company has also expanded its SSI software investment to accommodate increased work. Among the many products and services that the global firm Steinsvik provides is the development and construction of feed barges for all types of fish farming. Robust and reliable platforms are essential in the rough conditions faced by modern aquaculture and Steinsvik prides itself on developing reliable and functional solutions that contribute to efficient operations and safe and comfortable working conditions.

The maritime administration of St. Vincent and the Grenadines has issued guidelines related to the improvement of the performance of the St. Lloyd’s Register (LR), as a recognized organization (RO) for the maritime administration, has a responsibility to notify owners and operators of the requirement for an occasional survey of any St. Vincent and the Grenadines flag vessel for which LR has issued statutory certification in accordance with SOLAS 74 (as amended). The requirement applies to vessels that have been detained at least once by any Port State Control (PSC) MOU within the last three years and whose next port of call is within a Paris MOU Member country. The occasional survey has a validity of six months.

Japan’s port of Matsuyama welcomed NYK-operated M/V Nord Neptune, the first panamax coal carrier to visit the port, on June 10, 2017. The Ehime prefectural government and the Shikoku Regional Development Bureau of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism recently completed an international logistics terminal project to reconstruct the port by deepening the berth to 13 meters. To help the berth accept large vessels, NYK provided technical support through Sumiseki Trading Co. Ltd. which operates a coal center at the port.

Rolls-Royce announced that it received an order for four B33:45L diesel engines to power the world’s largest hybrid ferry being built for the Norwegian cruise and transport company Color Line. The ferry, designed by Fosen and to be built at Ulstein Verft in Norway, is due for completion by the summer of 2019 and is scheduled to operate on the crossing between Sandefjord in Norway and Strømstad in Sweden. The new Color Line ferry will be a plug-in hybrid combining diesel and electrical power.

Three to four tankers storing fuel oil, down from eight or nine. Independent trading house Mercuria and Chinese state oil giant PetroChina are selling fuel oil stored in vessels off Singapore and southern Malaysia on strong demand from the shipping and power sector, several trade sources said on Friday. The number of vessels storing fuel oil has halved from a month ago as Mercuria and PetroChina may have resold cargoes purchased over March to May, the sources said. Geneva-based…

APM Terminals Port Elizabeth welcomed the 8,700 TEU capacity CMA CGM Bianca, marking the first call of the weekly Ocean Alliance US East Coast Loop 3 Service, providing direct service to the US East Coast from ports in China and Southeast Asia. After a formal welcoming ceremony held at the facility, APM Terminals Port Elizabeth hosted a reception for senior executives of Ocean Alliance member lines to commemorate the occasion. The CMA CGM Bianca arrived and departed on schedule with a berth productivity of 129.2 moves per hour (MPH) for the 4…

In a four-month span, Combined Task Force (CTF) 150 of the Bahrain-based Combined Maritime Forces has proven itself a formidable force against narcotics trafficking, with 10 drug seizures totaling over 3,300 kilograms of heroin, cocaine, cannabis resin and hashish since March. It started with the Royal Australian Navy frigate HMAS Arunta (FFH 151) on March 2, when the crew seized 800 kilograms of hashish, a drug made from cannabis. Eleven days later on March 13, the U.S. Navy guided-missile destroyer USS Laboon (DDG 58) seized 270 kilograms of heroin and then again on March 17…

The 20,568 TEU Madrid Maersk, launched in March 2017 as the first of 11 of the second-generation Maersk Triple-E vessels to be delivered to the global container ship fleet, called APM Terminals Rotterdam on its maiden voyage on the Far East-Europe (AE-2) service operated by Maersk Line and Swiss-based Mediterranean Shipping’s 2M Alliance. “With this maiden call of Madrid Maersk to Rotterdam, we have yet another opportunity to celebrate our good cooperation with the city, the port and APM Terminals,” added Mark Cairns, The Netherlands Managing Director for Maersk Line.

Havyard Ship Technology said it has signed a letter of intent with the Canadian shipping company Baffin Fisheries for the design and construction of an arctic stern trawler.   The vessel, a Havyard 554, is designed by Havyard Design & Solutions in close cooperation with the customer, and is 17 meters wide and 74.5 meters long.   The parties intend to enter into an effective contract within August 2017, with a scheduled delivery date for the vessel in April 2019.

Chris Remont, Bollinger Shipyards, Vice President, Government Programs, explains the importance of long-term relationship between the U.S. Coast Guard and Bollinger Shipyards. As the offshore oil and gas bust drags into its third year, Bollinger Shipyards is holding its own courtesy of a long-running relationship in building for the United States Coast Guard (USCG). Today Bollinger has 38 Sentinel-class FRCs under contract, with the possibility for 20 more. Remont explains that the contract was split into two phases.

Maritime attorney David Russo provides a valuable primer for maritime stakeholders faced with a marine casualty. Because it isn’t a question of if, it is a question of when. Will you be ready? When there is a marine incident, the vessel owner/operator has two risks of exposure: to both civil and criminal liability. These risks can arise from a number of variables, including but not limited to (a.) a pollution event, (b.) a death or injury, (c.) unseaworthy vessels (including inadequate crew or procedures)…

With its latest newbuild order, Kotug Smit Towage will bring the total number of Damen-built tugs operating in its fleet of 69 to 22. The European harbor towage services provider has ordered a trio from Damen Shipyards Group, including two 80 metric ton bollard pull ASD Tugs 2913 (including one with firefighting capabilities) and a 70 metric ton bollard pull ATD Tug 2412 Twin Fin. Kotug Smit Towage CEO, René Raaijmakers, said the three new tugs will support the company’s growth in the U.K.

Inmarsat (LSE: ISAT.L) has responded to demand for its ground-breaking Fleet Xpress service by boosting from six to 33 the number of ports where a complete service installation with a flat fee is available. Fleet Xpress installation will now be available at 12 Asia Pacific ports, 11 in the Europe Middle-East and Africa region, and 10 ports in the Americas, with all work undertaken by Inmarsat-certified engineers. Inmarsat’s enhancement of its installation capabilities is part of the company’s strategy to support the rapid global adoption of the unique Fleet Xpress service…

A container terminal at the Port of Charleston has resumed normal operations after being cleared of a potential bomb threat aboard a containership. At approximately 8 p.m. Wednesday authorities were informed of a potential threat in a container aboard the vessel Maersk Memphis moored at Charleston's Wando terminal, forcing a temporary evacuation of the terminal while federal, state and local bomb detection units investigated the threat. Law enforcement identified four containers aboard the Maersk Memphis where the threat was posed. The containers were scanned and cleared.

The port of Singapore recorded its first year-on-year decline in bunker sales of 2017 during the month of May, according to preliminary estimates released by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA). According to Reuters report, Sale of marine fuels in Singapore in May fell to 4.181 million tonnes, down 4.2 percent from the same period last year, the second lowest monthly sale by volumes this year. The May volumes were also down 1.7 percent from April, the data showed. The last time monthly sales were lower this year was in February.

The Port of Long Beach said it has taken another step toward building two new stations to house fireboats and provide emergency response for one of the nation’s major commercial gateways. On Monday, Harbor Commissioners approved engineering design services for Fireboat Stations Nos. 15 and 20. The Commission also approved a baseline project budget of $50.1 million for the first station to be built: Fireboat Station No. 15. will be located on the Main Channel, and is scheduled to be completed in 2020. The second station, Fireboat Station No.

The bunkering vessel ENGIE Zeebrugge performed in the port of Zeebrugge, Belgium, its first deliveries of liquefied natural gas (LNG) as a marine fuel to M/V Auto Eco and M/V Auto Energy, the two new gas-propelled pure car and truck carriers (PCTCs) of UECC. The LNG bunkering operations were conducted simultaneously while cargo operations for PCTCs were taking place. ENGIE Zeebrugge, which is the world’s first purpose-built LNG bunkering vessel, arrived in Zeebrugge at the beginning of April after delivery from Hanjin Heavy Industries & Construction Co.

Metal Shark’s stock boats program shakes up the patrol boat game; here and across the big pond. If the news that Louisiana-based boatbuilder Metal Shark is ramping up production to build an inventory of stock vessels, with the goal of reducing lead times and enhancing service sounds familiar, but perhaps not on this side of the big pond, that’s because the move truly represents an innovative concept for North American builders. Savvy shipbuilding stakeholders everywhere, of course, know that Netherlands-based Damen has been doing it (successfully) for years.

Devon Grennan, president and CEO of Global Diving & Salvage, and president of the Spill Control Association of America (SCAA) asks the tough questions. What are the biggest challenges the spill response industry faces in light of the current political and economic climate in the United States? And what is SCAA doing to meet these challenges? I see the primary challenge that the spill response industry – as well as SCAA’s membership – currently has is to manage expectations and competing interests at a unique point in our nation’s energy renaissance.

The Canadian Great Lakes Pilotage Authority (GLPA) and the Great Lakes Pilotage Division of the U.S. Coast Guard have opened the 2017 shipping season using an upgraded Great Lakes Pilot Management System based on the latest version of Saab’s KleinPilot. The new system went live on schedule with the season opening. It is being used by the two organizations and the U.S. Great Lakes pilotage associations to manage the rostering and dispatch of the more than 100 marine pilots on the Great Lakes and automatically generate billing in accordance with the applicable tariffs.

Gulf Petrochem Group, the UAE based global bunker supplier, said it is now officially offering physical supply of Gasoil on the River Thames, U.K. The group’s deliveries will be carried out using a barge on an exclusive long-term charter named the Conveyer. The move will allow Gulf Petrochem Group to supply ISO compliant Gasoil to its customers at all ports and wharfs along the Thames and Medway. Further, the group’s Rotterdam operations have added to its current fleet with the time charter of The Melbourne.

Over a period of four months, MAN Diesel & Turbo has won contracts for four Chinese dredger newbuildings. Chinese outfits CHECD, Jiangsu Haixin and Huanghua Port Bureau recently chose MAN medium-speed engines for trailing suction hopper dredger (TSHD) newbuildings. CHEC Dredging Company Ltd. (CHECD) – a subsidiary of CCCC Shanghai Dredging Company Ltd., a branch of CCCC Dredging Company Ltd. (CDC), one of the leading dredging companies in the world and the largest in China – chose complete propulsion packages from MAN Diesel & Turbo for their new 2 × 6,500 m3 TSHDs.

A modern ship waste-water reception facility went into operation at Kiel’s Ostseekai on June 14. During an inauguration ceremony the new plant’s valves were symbolically opened by Kiel’s Lord Mayor Dr. Ulf Kämpfer, Construction chief Doris Grondke, the head of the Water Management and Marine and Coastal Protection Department in the Schleswig-Holstein Environment Ministry Dietmar Wienholdt, Port chief Dr. Dirk Claus and Captain Kjell Holm of TUI Cruises. The new facility, which cost well over €1.8 million…

The shipwreck remains of a historic U.S. Coast Guard cutter have been discovered off of Southern California 100 years after the vessel was lost at sea. In its heyday, the Coast Guard Cutter McCulloch – commissioned in 1897 as a cruising cutter for the U.S. Treasury’s Revenue Cutter Service, a predecessor of the Coast Guard – saw its share of action, having served with Commodore George Dewey in the Battle of Manila Bay in 1898 as part of the U.S. Asiatic Squadron that destroyed the Spanish Pacific fleet in the first major battle of the Spanish-American War.

Houston based tank barge operator Kirby Corporation said it has signed an agreement to acquire the assets and businesses of Stewart & Stevenson LLC for approximately $710 million. The agreement was signed on June 13 by the companies’ executive chairmen, Joseph H. Pyne of Kirby Corporation and Hushang Ansary of Stewart & Stevenson. Kirby said the purchase  will be funded through its revolving credit facility and common stock valued at approximately $355 million. Stewart & Stevenson, also based in Houston, is a subsidiary of the Houston-based Parman Capital Group.

International Maritime Organization (IMO)'s Marine Safety Committee (MSC) adopted amendments to SOLAS2020 that raise the damage stability requirements for passenger vessels in the event of flooding caused by a collision. These changes used as a basis a series of EU and European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) funded cooperative research projects conducted by academics, shipyards, ship operators, owners, classification societies and ship design consultants over several decades. “To their great credit…

The SejlSikkert (SailSafely ) campaign enjoys fair winds and is now backed by more than 300 ambassadors, says a statement from Danish Maritime Authority (DMA). Nautical warnings are now updated daily in the SejlSikkert App (SailSafely App), it said. Six deaths, 516 reported incidents and almost 3,000 unreported incidents speak for themselves – it is still necessary to pay full attention to safety at sea. For two years, the Danish foundation TrygFonden and the Danish Pleasure Craft Safety Board have focused fully on the safety of fishermen and yachtsmen…

Rapp Marine informs it will supply a complete electric deck machinery package for a new 130-meter-long krill vessel under construction for Aker BioMarine at Vard Group AS in Norway. The total contract value is 1 billion NOK (Approximately US$118.5 million). “This is our first delivery to a krill vessel,” said Tor-Idar Øye, Rapp Marine VP Sales. All plans and specifications for the new vessel have been developed in cooperation with fishermen from Aker BioMarine and engineers from Vard Group AS, according to Aker BioMarine.

Rigid inflatable boats (RIBs) manufacturer RIBCRAFT announced the recent deliveries of two USCG Sub Chapter T Certified Tour Boats to customers in Hawaii and Florida. The two certified 30’ RIBCRAFT 9.0s – one to the Four Seasons Hualalai Resort in Hawaii and one to Aqua Adventure Tours in Florida – were built to meet the unique needs of each company. The vessels feature a combination of jockey-style pod seats and benches for accommodating up to 15 guests on eco and adventure tours.

Newport, R.I. fire department orders emergency response vessel from California boat builder Moose Boats. Moose Boats, a boat designer and manufacturer in the San Francisco Bay Area, said it was awarded a contract from Newport Fire Department in Rhode Island for the construction of a M2-38 aluminum catamaran CBRNE emergency response and recovery vessel. The vessel will be powered by twin Cummins 425hp turbo diesel propulsion engines coupled to Hamilton water-jets.The M2 catamaran will be equipped two completely independent fire pump systems each flowing in excess of 1…

Norwegian maritime transport company Skyssbåtservice has taken delivery of a Stan Pontoon 4512 from the Damen Shipyards Group. The 45-meter barge will be capable of fulfilling a variety of roles in both the general maritime transport sector projects and the oil and gas industry. As well as carrying general cargo along the Norwegian coast on its 12 metric tons per m² deck, the barge is fitted with a bow ramp giving it full RoRo capability. Tug stoppers on the stern also allow it to be pushed as well as towed to its destinations.

Innovative new ontainer scanning technology is being developed for the CORE (Consistently Optimized REsilient Secure Global Supply-Chains) European Research Project by Smiths Detection, a leader in detecting weapons, biohazards, radioactive material, narcotics and contraband. Smiths Detection is designing both hardware and software for the next generation of container scanners, which will speed-up throughput and improve detection. The aim is to verify as quickly and accurately as possible whether a container holds only its declared legal cargo and is not harboring contraband…

Supertankers entering the Port of Long Beach will use ABB’s marine software to produce real-time data of the keel-to-seabed clearance, improving the safety and efficiency of the operations. Sensors fitted to Tesoro vessels will send information to a Portable Surveyor Box (PSB), carried by the pilot, which will verify their route to the dock. In this specific case, the system is used to continuously validate (and improve) pre-calculated motions from the online decision support system PROTIDE, which is used to calculate safe transit time windows for large oil tankers to enter the port.

Nicole Foss, the final of Foss’ three new state-of-the-art Arctic Class tugs designed to operate in the extreme conditions of the far north, was christened last week at the Foss Waterway Seaport in Tacoma, Wash. The vessel was built at the Foss Rainier, Ore. shipyard and will enter service this summer. Foss president and CEO John Parrott made opening remarks, praising the hard work and dedication of the people, designers, and customers that made the project possible. Scott Merritt, chief operating officer of Foss also spoke, praising the team at the Rainier Shipyard.

Current markets make it profitable to store oil for future sale; many tankers sitting around Singapore storing oil. A 10-percent decline in oil prices since late May could push traders to keep crude in storage, looking to sell down the line when forward prices are higher. That would undermine the impact of supply cuts led by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), which partly aimed to force traders holding oil in storage to sell to reduce bloated inventories that have sapped global prices .

The Cosco-managed Piraeus Port Authority (OLP) and Shanghai International Port Group, the world's biggest commercial port, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) envisioning cooperation in infrastructure studies, personnel training, information exchange and technical assistance. The MOU was signed by Athanasios Liagkos Executive Management Consultant & BoD member of the PPA SA and the Chairman of Shanghai International Port Group, Chen Xuyuan. This development further highlights Piraeus's strategic position on the world map and especially on the New Silk road.

The Indian Navy launched a massive search operation for a Mexican lady cadet who reportedly fell overboard from the Mexican sail training ship STS Cuahtemoc off Goa, on June 11. "Indian Navy has launched a “Search & Rescue” operation to look for a lady cadet who has reportedly fallen overboard from Mexican Sail Training Ship (STS) Cuauhtemoc, at 1400 hrs on 11 June 2017 in position about 560 Nm west of Goa," said a statement from the Navy. It has been reported that the lady cadet was not donning life saving gear when she fell overboard.

Ecoslops, a company that upgrades ship-generated hydrocarbon residues, or “slops”, into valuable new fuels and light bitumen, said is has signed an agreement with TOTAL Group to set up a maritime transport induced oil residue waste-processing unit at La Mède, near Marseilles in the Bouches-du-Rhône. The agreement comes after the completion of technical and commercial studies, which commenced last year and were announced as a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in September 2016. ECOSLOPS will build and operate the micro-refinery in La Mède, while TOTAL will provide services and all necessary utilities. The valuable commercial products (new fuels and light bitumen) produced by the unit will be sold on local or international markets.

The U.S. Coast Guard Marine Safety Center issued the fourth U.S. Coast Guard Ballast Water Management System Type Approval Certificate to Sunrui Marine Environment Engineering Co., Ltd. after a detailed review of the manufactures type approval application determined the system met the requirements of 46 CFR 162.060.   The Sunrui BalClor system incorporates a three step process consisting of filtering and electrolysis during uptake and neutralization at discharge. This approval covers 14 models with maximum treatment rated capacities between 170m3/h and 8500m3/h.

From 2019, Rolls-Royce Power Systems and the City of Constance public utility are to begin testing the marine propulsion technology of the future on Lake Constance. This takes the form of a gas engine carrying the MTU brand. The public utility's new car ferry is to be equipped with twin eight-cylinder Series 4000 gas engines from MTU, each delivering 746 kW. This makes it the first inland waterway passenger vessel in Europe to be propelled by straightforward high-speed gas engines. The fuel will be liquefied natural gas.

Seawork 2017 is being held at the waterside location Mayflower Park in Southampton, U.K. from June 13-15, 2017. Seawork will be celebrating its 20th anniversary with a packed schedule including the Seawork Conference which will once again be offering thought-provoking sessions covering a wide variety of topics. John Haynes, Maritime Professional of the Year 2016, is running a topical panel discussion titled, ‘Shock Mitigation, International Vibration Directives and the Implications of Brexit’ at 12.15 on Tuesday, June 13.

The Madrid Maersk, the latest in a long line of record-breaking containerships, arrived on June 6, 2017 at the Port of Felixstowe’s newest quay, its first port of call in Northern Europe on its maiden voyage. As the world’s current biggest containership (weighing in at 214,286 metric tons, and a massive 399 meters long, with a beam of 58.6m), the Madrid Maersk is expected to set a record for carrying the maximum number of standard-sized containers (TEU) on its return leg to Asia.

Piraeus Port, operator of Greece's biggest port and majority-owned by China's COSCO Shipping, has agreed to team up with the operator of Shanghai port, the world's largest container port, to promote container shipping traffic. Piraeus, COSCO Shipping and Shanghai International Port Group (SIPG) have agreed to cooperate in project planning, staff training and information exchange, Piraeus said in a statement on Monday. It said the agreement would create synergies to boost trade and create new business opportunities.

Qatar and container lines have launched new shipping services via Oman in an effort to sidestep a port ban in neighbouring countries and secure a food lifeline after other Gulf states severed ties with Doha last week. Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and some other Arab countries cut diplomatic, travel and trade ties with Qatar last week, accusing it of supporting Iran and funding Islamist groups, accusations Doha denies. The severing of air, sea and land transport links has closed crucial import routes for Qatar and its population of around 2.7 million people who are dependent on imports for most of their food needs. China's COSCO Shipping Lines Co Ltd, Taiwan's Evergreen and Hong Kong Kong's OOCL have suspended container services to and from Qatar.

Damen Oskarshamnsvarvet informs it has won a contract for the refit and repair works of a Swedish ferry from Trafikverket (the Swedish Transport Administration). Awarded after a public tender process, the contract refers to the Castella, a 77-meter-long Ro-Ro ferry. Damen Oskarshamnsvarvet, part of Damen Shiprepair & Conversion, will complete the works between November 2017 and March 2018. Trafikverket, the Swedish governmental body responsible for national infrastructure, operates more than 40 different ferry routes that mobilize more than 60 ferries.

Netherlands based Hatenboer-Water said it will supply water treatment equipment for two new cruise vessels currently under construction for Saga Cruises at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Germany. The equipment, which conditions fresh water derived from bunkering in the harbor or seawater desalination, is an onboard solution for safe drinking water. Once stored, fresh water is post-treated in two stages: hardening by neutralizing filters and disinfection with a chlorine product. Bunkered fresh water is disinfected at the intake. If required, pH is adjusted.