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

The U.S. Navy carrier Ronald Reagan is conducting drills with Japanese warships in seas south of the Korean peninsula, Japan's military said on Friday, in a show of naval power as Pyongyang threatens further nuclear and missile tests. The Reagan strike group will conduct a separate drill with the South Korean Navy in October, the defence ministry said in a statement distributed to South Korean lawmakers on Monday. The 100,000-ton Reagan, which is based in Japan, and its escort…

The inaugural biofuel roundtable was held in Singapore today to drive discussions on the use of biofuels as a sustainable alternative fuel for the future of shipping. Organised by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA), BHP and GoodFuels Marine (GoodFuels), the closed-door roundtable event brought together shipowners of different ship types to network, share insights into the use of biofuels to meet increasingly stringent environmental regulations as well as explore areas of collaboration.

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

HMAS Newcastle has completed an attachment with the US Navy’s 5th Fleet in the Arabian Gulf while deployed on maritime security operations in the Middle East region. During the two-week attachment supporting the USS Nimitz Carrier Strike Group (CSG-11), Newcastle conducted escort operations and a range of naval manoeuvres with USN ships. Commander of Australian Forces in the Middle East, Major General John Frewen, said Newcastle’s role directly supported the international effort…

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

The HARRIER is still under arrest in Norway after its owners failed to illegally set sail for the dangerous and dirty scrapping yards in Gadani, Pakistan, last February. The owners are now forced to find a safe and environmentally sound recycling destination. In parallel, investigations are still ongoing following the charges pressed by the Norwegian environmental authorities against the owners of the TIDE CARRIER for having attempted to breach existing waste trade laws. At the edge of bankruptcy…

France hopes for agreement over the future of the STX France shipyards at a Franco-Italian summit on Sept. 27, but a separate deal on warship co-operation would take longer to negotiate, French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said on Thursday. "I would like us to have an agreement between the French and Italian governments on STX for the summit on September 27," Le Maire told reporters after a meeting with suppliers in the aerospace sector. France clashed with Italy in July after ordering a "temporary" nationalisation of STX…

Transocean announced its intent to retire the ultra-deepwater floaters GSF Jack Ryan, Sedco Energy, Sedco Express, Cajun Express, and Deepwater Pathfinder, and the deepwater floater Transocean Marianas. The rigs will be classified as held for sale and will be recycled in an environmentally responsible manner. All six rigs were previously cold stacked. The company will recognize an impairment charge of approximately $1.4 billion during the third quarter of 2017 associated with these actions.

Royal Australian Navy will commission the first of three new destroyers today (On 23 September). In continuing our reflective stories of previous ships that have carried the name HMAS Hobart, this is the story of Hobart (II). The second ship to bear the name Hobart was one of three Perth class guided missile destroyers built in the United States for the Royal Australian Navy. She was commissioned at the Boston Navy Yard on 18 December 1965 under the command of Captain Guy Griffiths.

Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) has announced the publication of its Safety, Environmental and Social Report 2017 on September 21, 2017. The Safety, Environmental and Social Report 2017 proactively discloses the MOL Group's initiatives on environment, society, and governance (ESG). This year's report contains special features on the materiality (issues to address) that the group should emphasize. Special Feature 1: CSR Dialogue, Special Feature 2: MOL Group Environmental Vision 2030…

Maritime administrators from over 20 countries across Asia have gathered at the first regional event of Asia’s Maritime Technology Cooperation Centre (MTCC-Asia) to discuss ways to bring shipping into a low carbon future. More than 50 participants joined representatives from the EU and IMO at the Shanghai Maritime University (18-22 September) to discuss national priorities and barriers relating to topics such as greenhouse gas control, ship energy-efficiency and technologies applied for fuel consumption data collection.

Passing out ceremony of Basic Submarine Courses for Sindhughosh and Shishumar Class was held at Submarine School, INS Satavahana on 22 Sep 17. A total of 39 officers and 47 sailors successfully completed their training and will now be moving to submarines at Mumbai and Visakhapatnam for Sea Training. Rear Admiral V Srinivas NM, Flag Officer Submarines was the Chief Guest for the ceremony and gave away the book prizes and awards to the meritorious trainees. Sunny Verma, ERA4 , stood first among sailor's while Lt Jose Babu was adjudged best overall officer of the course.

The impacts of wastes and other matter in the marine environment from mining operations is at the core of a working group from the Joint Group of Experts on the Scientific Aspects of Marine Environmental Protection (GESAMP) which is meeting at International Maritime Organization (IMO) Headquarters in  London (20-22 September). This is the group's first formal meeting and it aims to provide independent advice on what environmental impacts could arise from the marine disposal of mine tailings around the world both from land based and marine minerals mining.

Norway’s newest and largest factory stern trawler features an auxiliary engine package from Yanmar, based on two 6EY22ALW generating sets. The 81.2m long, 16.6m beam MV Granit was built at the Tersan shipyard in Turkey to the Skipsteknisk ST-117 design for Austevoll Island-based Halstensen Granit AS. The ship, yard number NB1067, was handed over to the owner at the end of August 2017. MV Granit is equipped for both white fish and shrimp, with all catches processed on board. She will be able to tow up to three trawls for shrimp, two for white fish.

Oil rig builder Lamprell Plc reported a 64.7 percent fall in revenue in the first half of the year and cut its full-year forecast, hurt by lower activity levels across the industry. The company said it expected revenue for 2017 to be in the range of $370 million to $390 million, as it saw continuing low levels of walk-in work. Lamprell had forecast full-year revenue to be in the lower half of the $400 million-$500 million range in March. Lamprell, which runs three rig building yards in the UAE, said revenue fell to $159.2 million in the six months ended June 30 from $451.3 million a year ago.

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

Having compiled a summary of its worldwide shipbuilding activities regarding Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs), Damen Shipyards Group, with five vessels delivered in the last year and 15 currently under construction, claims unrivalled experience in serving the naval industry with its OPV portfolio. In addition to its own builds, the company says it is just as capable of completing complex naval projects in cooperation with local shipyards as it is in constructing vessels at its own yards. “OPVs are playing an increasingly significant role in modern naval operations.

C-MAP, a supplier of digital marine cartography and cloud-based mapping solutions, has announced the acquisition of i-Sea AS, a technology and consulting company focused on the marine sector.   Located in Oslo, Norway, i-Sea has a proven track-record of designing, developing and operating maritime solutions at scale. Based on in-house technology, i-Sea developed and launched Embark, in 2015, a user-friendly, cross-platform application for the boating community. With more than 160,000 Embark users, i-Sea uses its scalable technology platform to create and deliver smart and beautiful nautical maps to boaters around the world.      

Baltic Exchange's main sea freight index, tracking rates for ships carrying dry bulk commodities, rose for a sixth consecutive session, helped by stronger rates for capesize and smaller vessels. The overall index, which factors in rates for capesize, panamax, supramax and handysize shipping vessels, rose 21 points, or 1.45 percent, to 1,470 points. The capesize index was up 87 points, or 3.04 percent, at 2,948 points. Average daily earnings for capesizes, which typically transport 150,000-tonne cargoes such as iron ore and coal, increased $631 to $21,325 - their highest since Nov. 25, 2014.

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

Rolls-Royce and Inmarsat have signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) to have the option to make the company’s Energy Management system available via Inmarsat Maritime’s Fleet Xpress high-speed broadband service. With data collected from a multitude of ship control systems and equipment sensors, Energy Management 2.0 reduces energy consumption and supports environmental compliance as well as allowing for the benchmarking of efficiency against historical performance. Marco Camporeale, Rolls-Royce…

With effect from 26 September 2017, Wilhelmsen increases its shareholding in NorSea Group from 40% to approximately 72%. NorSea Group provides supply bases and integrated logistics solutions to the offshore industry. Eidesvik Eiendomsinvest AS and Simon Møkster Eiendom AS will hold approximately 12% each, while management in NorSea Group controls the remaining 4%. Following the transaction, Wilhelmsen will buy a small portion of management controlled shares. The increased shareholding…

Ecoslops, an innovative technology company that upgrades ship-generated hydrocarbon residues, or “slops”, into valuable new fuels and light bitumen,  has  announced the formal application to the French competent authorities for an authorization to operate an oil residue waste-processing unit at La Mède, near Marseilles in partnership with Total group. Within this partnership, in which Ecoslops will get a majority stake, and as soon as a unique authorization is given (building and operation permits)…

Developments in Arctic resource recovery and transportation are providing the main focal point for many at NEVA and this year’s event in St Petersburg comes at a pivotal time for both the economic and ecological prospects of the region. Export shipments of LNG from the Yamal peninsula are due to start shortly, with the lead vessel of 15 in the ‘Yamal LNG fleet’ recently completing the first unaccompanied voyage by a gas carrier through the Northern Sea Route by way of prelude.

An International Maritime Organization (IMO) film showing how the IMO Polar Code supports safe and environmentally-friendly shipping in the Arctic and Antarctic waters is being screened at the NEVA 2017 International Maritime Exhibition and Conference (19-22 September), in St Petersburg, Russia. IMO's Assistant Secretary-General Lawrence Barchue delivered the opening address, updating the audience on regulatory standards affecting the safety of international shipping, fishing and offshore operations and the protection of the marine environment.

In the European Shipowners’ seminar on CO2 reductions in the shipping industry one message was clear: in order to achieve CO2 reductions across the world merchant fleet, a combination of different measures is needed. “In our seminar this week, we discussed with our stakeholders and European decision-makers different measures that enable to minimise the environmental impact of the shipping sector. In one analysis, the measures were divided in categories including the Technical and operational measures…

Businesses in Scotland that contribute to the Apprenticeship Levy can now apply for a workforce development grant of up to GBP 10,000, which the Merchant Navy Training Board (MNTB) says could open up opportunities for seafarers. The Scottish Government this month launched the Flexible Workforce Development Fund (FWDF), which aims to help pay for employee training to up-skill and re-skill companies' existing workforces through one of Scotland's further education colleges. Companies are eligible to apply for the funding if they are an Apprenticeship Levy-paying employer (i.e.

A national table-top exercise on maritime security in Lima, Peru (18-19 September) has supported the country to implement the United Nations Security Council resolution 1540 (2004), which imposes binding obligations on all States to adopt legislation to prevent the proliferation of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons, and their means of delivery and establish appropriate domestic controls over related materials to prevent their illicit trafficking. The Lima exercise focused…

Maria, which weakened into a Category 2 hurricane on Wednesday, could regain major hurricane status by Thursday, the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) said in its latest advisory. Catastrophic flash flooding was occurring over portions of Puerto Rico with conditions now deteriorating over the eastern Dominican Republic, the NHC said. The hurricane was about 25 miles (45 km) north northwest of Aguadilla, Puerto Rico with maximum sustained winds of 110 miles per hour (175 km per hour), the Miami-based NHC said. Any hurricane with top sustained winds of at least 111 is classified as major.

ABS said it has been selected by Dorian LPG to provide an in-depth techno-economic analysis, laying out compliance options for impending global sulfur cap requirements. Dorian LPG owns and operates a fleet of very large gas carriers (VLGCs), transporting liquefied petroleum gas around the world. “It is important for owners and operators to assess their fleets and evaluate their options so that they can develop the most efficient compliance strategies as new requirements come into place,” said ABS Chairman, President and CEO Christopher J. Wiernicki.

The Baltic Exchange's main sea freight index, tracking rates for ships carrying dry bulk commodities, hovered near a three-year high, supported by robust rates for capesize vessels. The overall index, which factors in rates for capesize, panamax, supramax and handysize shipping vessels, rose 34 points, or 2.4 percent, to 1,449 points - its highest level since November 5, 2014. The capesize index climbed 138 points, or 5.07 percent, to 2,861 points, its biggest gain since Nov. 25, 2014.

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

At annual IUMI (International Union of Marine Insurance) conference in Tokyo, James McDonald, chairman of IUMI’s Offshore Energy Committee warned that the sector was “sinking”. His warning was based on declining total premium income set alongside upstream energy large losses for 2015-16 of USD 4.8 billion. McDonald explained: “In recent years it would appear that claims have exceeded the global premium base and the last two underwriting years have seen significant losses. The…

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

The amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima (LHD 7), the amphibious transport dock ship USS New York (LPD 21), along with multiple embarked Navy and Marine Corps units, completed initial rescue and recovery operations in support of federal and state officials Sept. 17, following Hurricane Irma's devastation of the Florida Keys. Iwo Jima and New York are scheduled to return home Sept 19. Led by Commander, Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 10, the Navy and Marine Corps units partnered with…

HMAS Darwin and her younger sister HMAS Melbourne have shared their last moments together, showing the rest of the Navy that the guided missile frigates are still an impressive capability. The Adelaide class frigates have deployed concurrently with a number of other Australian Navy ships to the Asian region, however, Darwin’s program will see her decommission before Melbourne returns home from the deployment in December. Seizing the opportunity, Commanding Officer Darwin, Commander Phillip Henry…

Q88 LLC announced it has completed its integration with bunker procurement platform ClearLynx, enabling common customers to create requisitions in ClearLynx automatically from Q88VMS – Q88’s cloud-based voyage management system.   “We are very excited about the integration with ClearLynx and the value it will bring to our customers,” said Gabriel Reiter, Q88VMS Product Manager. “We continuously aim to automate processes for our customer and deliver un-matched user experience. Integrating our system with young and innovative companies like ClearLynx is yet another step in this direction.”   Q88VMS, the latest product in Q88 LLC’s portfolio, is a web-based platform for managing all voyage related information. Its user base has more than doubled over the past 10 months.

Lifting Gear Hire (LGH) has acquired the Aberdeen-based hire division of JD Neuhaus (JDN) Ltd., a manufacturer of hoists and crane systems for extreme environments. JDN, headquartered in Germany, will retain its other U.K. divisions, including sales and repair, and will remain an LGH supplier. The value of the transaction was not disclosed. The acquisition, which comes less than a year after LGH re-launched in the U.K. after a 10-year sabbatical, further enhances the company’s fleet of JDN products, principally air operated hoists.

U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said on Monday that he was working to see if there was a link between a spate of recent military accidents and budget caps, but said he could not draw a direct line at this time. Since June, more than 70 U.S. service members have either been killed or injured in training or non-combat accidents, ranging from two naval collisions in Asia to a Marine Corps transport plane crash in rural Mississippi. “I am not willing to say right now that there is a direct line between sequestration and what has happened. I am willing to say ...

The Thames Tideway Tunnel project, London’s new ‘super sewer’, which will upgrade the city’s 19th century sewerage system for today’s eight million plus inhabitants, requires excavation on an enormous scale. Creating a tunnel 25 kilometers in length, and running up to 65 meters beneath the River Thames, will generate immense volumes of spoil, right in the heart of London. To minimize the impact of transporting this on the capital’s roads, Tideway plans to transport around 4 million metric tons of this material by river.

Marlink has re-launched its Sealink C-band VSAT service, this time introducing new price and service plans, enabling easier integration with existing and future Ka and Ku-band VSAT services. According to Marlink, the upgrade gives Sealink C-band VSAT users more flexibility to add alternative VSAT frequencies to their network in order to ensure availability of high-speed critical business and operational applications globally. The new Sealink C-band provides customers with a transparent and cost-efficient way of integrating existing C-band services with flexible Ka and Ku-band VSAT.

Sweden’s Minister for EU Affairs and Trade to Seoul, Anne Linde, and a high level Swedish business delegation, including Seth Ryding, Head of APAC at Telenor Connexion, are invited as key partners for the Next generation transportation in Smart Cities summit in Seoul on September 20-21. South Korea has for many years been one of the fastest growing economies in the world and today the country is ranked as the 12th largest economy globally considering purchasing power. A very strong…

The Board of Directors of the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) has appointed Martin Cresswell, Technical Director of the Hong Kong Shipowners Association, as the new Chairman of the ICS Marine Committee. He succeeds Peter Bond (Cyprus Shipping Chamber) who recently stood down following four years of service as Chairman of ICS’s principal technical committee. “The Marine Committee is very much the engine room of ICS, overseeing the work of the many ICS technical committees and the development of policy positions which we represent at IMO meetings…

​Search and rescue (SAR) is a humanitarian process, aimed at assisting persons in distress, without regard to the nationality or circumstances of the persons in distress. International Maritime Organization (IMO) 's Chris Trelawny highlighted this global responsibility, during the first Coast Guard Global Summit, jointly hosted by the Japan Coast Guard and Tokyo-based Nippon Foundation, in Tokyo (14 September). He also outlined the international legal framework for SAR; the implementation of effective SAR systems…

The Australian Defence Force Gap Year – Navy is an opportunity for young Australians to experience military training, service and lifestyle through a year-long program, with no further obligations on the participant to continue to serve. The program allows people to experience Navy life as a ‘try before you buy’ scheme during which every opportunity is given to participants to apply for transfer to Permanent Navy workforce categories, subject to sustainability and vacancies. The…

Cyber security awareness on board ships plays an important role in ensuring the safety and security of shipping around the globe. International Maritime Organization (IMO) has issued Guidelines on maritime cyber risk management, in addition to a resolution on Maritime Cyber Risk Management in Safety Management Systems – adopted by the Organization's Maritime Safety Committee in June this year. To help spread knowledge and use of these high-level recommendations – IMO has taken…

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

Austal USA delivered its sixth littoral combat ship to the U.S. Navy on Friday, September 15. The future USS Omaha (LCS 12) is the nation’s 10th littoral combat ship delivered to the Navy, the first of two that the shipbuilder will deliver this year. “They’re here and ready. Our Independence-variant littoral combat ships are coming off the line with exceptional quality and under the congressional cost cap,” said Austal USA President Craig Perciavalle. The Omaha delivery follows the USS Gabrielle Giffords (LCS 10) commissioning which took place in Galveston, Texas, earlier this summer. With the USS Jackson (LCS 6) and USS Montgomery (LCS…

Japan's leading shipper Mitsui OSK Lines aims to buy at least a 26 percent stake in a floating storage regassification unit (FSRU) in India, a company official said, to boost its exposure in the west coast project of Swan Energy. Swan Energy is building a 5 million tonnes a year FSRU and floating storage unit (FSU) at Jafrabad in western Gujarat state, with Mitsui awarded a long-term contract for operation and maintenance services. "We have until end-2019, by when the project will be completed, to buy at least 26 percent in Triumph Offshore," Senior Managing Executive Officer Takeshi told Reuters on Monday, referring to the Swan subsidiary that will control the $260 million FSRU. Swan aims to commission the project in the first quarter of 2020, he added.

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

Environmental compliance challenges are nothing new to the cruise industry. Initiatives to enhance environmental compliance, from clean technologies to improved processes and procedures, have significantly reduced the impact cruise vessels have on the environment and improved the quality of discharge. These onboard initiatives address what is in the vessel’s control, but cannot simplify the increasingly complex regulatory environment in which cruise lines operate. Enforcement of environmental regulations is on the rise as international…

Turkey-based Palmali, one of the biggest shippers in the Caspian region, said on Monday it had lodged a claim worth almost $2 billion against Litasco, the trading arm of Russian oil producer Lukoil, with the English High Court. "The claim concerns an alleged failure by Litasco S.A. to provide contractual quantities of cargo under long term contract between the companies," Palmali said in a statement sent to Reuters.   Reporting by Nailia Bagirova; writing by Vladimir Soldatkin

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

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

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

South Korea's major shipyards are projected to report weaker-than-expected earnings for the third quarter of the year, due to increased costs and the construction of low-priced ships amid decreased new orders. Yonhap News Agency, quoting data compiled by Yonhap Infomax, said that Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) is expected to log an operating income of 106 billion won (US$93.6 million) during the July-September period, compared with the previous year's operating earnings of 322 billion won.

Singapore-based ship builder ES Group said its unit ES Shipping has terminated a five-year demise charter contract for bunker vessel, Sea Tanker I, with Sea Hub Tankers. "Under the five-year demise charter contract  entered into on 23 November 2012, between the Company’s wholly-owned subsidiary, ES Shipping, and Sea Hub Tankers, ES Shipping had agreed to demise charter Sea Tanker I to Sea Hub Tankers for a monthly charter fee, with the bunker vessel ownership to be transferred to Sea Hub Tankers upon payment of full consideration at the end of the Demise Charter Contract…

China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) and Italy’s Eni signed a cooperation agreement that includes assessing opportunities in the gas and LNG value chain. "CNPC and Eni signed cooperation agreement today in order to cooperate in oil & gas exploration and production, gas and LNG value chain opportunities, trading and logistics opportunities, refining and petrochemicals. The partnership will regard both China and overseas activities," said a statement from the company. The signing took place in Rome at Eni's headquarters during a meeting between the Chairman of CNPC…

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

This year, Hapag-Lloyd will once again make investments to maintain and expand its container fleet. The liner shipping company has ordered a total of 7,700 refrigerated containers (Reefers) of the latest generation – including 7,000 x 40-foot and 700 x 20-foot units. In addition, 1,000 of the new containers are equipped with “Controlled Atmosphere” technology, which slows down the ripening process of various types of fruits and vegetables, thereby allowing them to be transported for longer periods of time while maintaining a consistent quality. Production will already begin in September.

An IMarEST workshop workshop on practical biofouling management strategies just has concluded in Melbourne, Australia, September 12-15. IMO is working actively to address biofouling issues by implementing practices to control and manage undesirable accumulation of aquatic organisms like, plants, algae and animals on ships’ hulls. One of the IMO’s main objective at the conference is to promote a new partnership project together with the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and the…

The US Navy will christen its newest America-class amphibious assault ship, the future USS Tripoli (LHA 7), during a 10 a.m. CDT ceremony, Sept. 16, in Pascagoula, Mississippi. Thomas Dee, performing the duties of the Under Secretary of the Navy, will deliver the ceremony's principal address. Lynne Mabus, the wife of the 75th Secretary of the Navy, the Honorable Ray Mabus, will serve as the ship's sponsor. The ceremony will be highlighted by Mrs. Mabus breaking a bottle of sparkling wine across the bow to formally christen the ship, a time-honored Navy tradition.

What is the legal basis for removing a hazardous wreck at sea? Who bears the liability? These and many other wreck removal questions were addressed by IMO’s Jan de Boer at the ACI’s Maritime Salvage & Casualty Response conference in London (13-14 September). Speaking to a wide variety of stakeholders (Participants from salvage companies, tug & towage companies, authorities, ship owners, ship managers, P&I clubs, maritime lawyers and consultants) concerned with wreck removal, Mr.

In pursuance of India’s ‘Act East’ policy, Eastern Fleet ships INS Satpura and Kadmatt are on a 4-day port visit to Singapore from 14 September 17. During the stay in harbour, various activities such as official calls, formal reception on board ships, ships open to visitors, guided tours for Indian naval personnel and professional interaction between naval personnel of both the nations have been planned. With a joint aim to ensure seamless Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA) through optimal utilisation of limited resources at sea…

CMA CGM  recorded a net income of $219 million on revenues of $5.55 billion for the second quarter of 2017, with volumes rising 33.3 percent year-over-year. Volumes carried grew with the integration of APL, the launch of OCEAN ALLIANCE and the industry dynamism, the company said. The French ocean carrier said  its net income is $219 million for the second quarter of 2017, compared to a net loss of $129 million for last year’s second quarter. The increase in freight rates on most…

A new warning that bauxite may become unstable when carried in bulk on a ship, potentially causing the vessel to capsize, has been issued by the International Maritime Organization (IMO). Bauxite is one of the world’s major sources of aluminium with around 100 million tonnes transported annually by sea. In 2015, a bulk carrier sank while transporting bauxite, with the loss of 18 seafarers. Research presented this week to an IMO Sub-Committee found that certain forms of bauxite…

The Government of India signed a loan deal worth USD 76 million with Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), for a project to upgrade the environment management plan at Alang-Sosiya ship recycling yards. The total cost of the project will be $ 111 million, out of which $76 million will be provided as soft loan from JICA. Out of the remaining amount, $25 million as taxes and fees will be borne by Government of Gujarat and the balance $10 million will be shared by Ministry of Shipping & Government of Gujarat.

CMA CGM, the world's third-largest container shipping firm, said it expected operating profits to improve further in the second half as the market continues to recover, and confirmed an order for nine giant vessels. The announcements by French-based CMA CGM underlined a recovery in the industry this year after a prolonged downturn that sparked a series of consolidation deals. In a second-quarter results statement on Friday, CMA CGM said its board had approved an order for nine container ships…

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

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

Fairbanks Morse Engine announced it will launch a next generation engine, the Trident OP, at the Power-Gen International Conference in Las Vegas, December 5. According to the manufacturer, the Trident OP answers the need for higher efficiency power generation in a wide range of applications and represents a class-leading, next-generation engine. The Trident OP features an innovative design, combining smart-engine technology with opposed-piston (OP) architecture. This unique and flexible design will allow for cost-effective customization to multiple situations or environments. “The Trident OP will deliver unmatched efficiency and flexibility in the harshest conditions,” said Director, Trident OP, Matt Wisniewski.

South Pacific island nations are scouring shipping records for vessels with links to North Korea after Fiji said it had identified 20 falsely flagged ships it suspects the isolated regime is using to evade United Nations sanctions. Fiji, along with Interpol and the Singapore-based regional shipping regulator Tokyo MoU, are investigating the vessels for links to North Korea, a spokesman for the country's Maritime Safety Authority (MSAF) told Reuters on Friday. Interpol and Tokyo MoU did not immediately respond to requests for comment on their investigations. The 18 members of the Pacific Islands Forum this month agreed to launch an audit of every ship registered in the Pacific to search for any links to North Korea.

Lloyd’s Register (LR) has issued a global call for partners active in the area of innovative digital technologies related to the safety and performance of marine vessels. In 2016 LR set out to materially increase the role it plays in accelerating the development and safe adoption of digital solutions addressing the growing complexity and operational challenges facing the global shipping industry. The strategy focused on creating a network of innovation partnerships able to collaborate with LR clients to rapidly test new concepts and scale these to commercially ready solutions. To date, LR has successfully built a portfolio of investments and partnerships to tackle the challenges and opportunities of Industry 4.0.

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

Phillips 66 has chartered a Marshall Islands-flagged vessel, making use of a temporary waiver of the Jones Act that was put in place to meet fuel shortages in the wake of hurricanes Harvey and Irma, Argus Media reported on Thursday. The vessel, Nave Jupiter, departed from Houston, Texas on Sept. 9, and was docked near the company's Alliance refinery in Louisiana, the report said. The nearly 100 year-old law mandates the use of U.S.-flagged vessels to transport merchandise between U.S. coasts. Last week, the U.S. Homeland Security Department had waived the law for a week, the first such waiver since December 2012 after Hurricane Sandy. The department said earlier this week that it was extending the temporary waiver until Sept. 22.

Virginia-based stevedoring and shipping terminal operator T. Parker Host on Friday said it had hired all the staff from CWT Commodities' U.S. team as part of its drive into metals logistics and warehousing. The team of under ten people has joined Host to form Host Logistics, LLC, based in New York, to run warehousing and stevedoring operations. CWT Commodities USA is a unit of Singaporean logistics firm CWT Ltd. Anton Posner, former president of CWT Commodities USA, will be executive vice president, while Margo Brock, vice president at CWT, will be senior vice president, Host said in a statement. CWT Commodities USA was set up almost seven years ago as part of CWT's expansion of its London Metal Exchange warehousing and logistics business.

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

Japanese car manufacturer Toyota Motor Corporation is turning to LNG-powered ships to transport its cars across the globe, according to a report from Japanese daily Nikkei. The company has backed an investment in up to 20 LNG-powered car carriers with the capacity to carry 7,000 vehicles each, as it  is preparing for the environmental regulations that will go into force in 2020. Nippon Yusen Kaisha (NYK), Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha (K Line) and Toyota’s Toyofuji Shipping are expected to be in the running for the contract, which is estimated to be approximately $1.83 billion.

International law firm Watson Farley & Williams (WFW) has advised private bank Berenberg on its acquisition, jointly with a Japanese financial institution, of a circa US$460m performing shipping loan portfolio from the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS). WFW previously advised Berenberg on the acquisition of a similar US$300m portfolio from RBS in February 2017. Hamburg-based international investment and private bank Berenberg was founded in 1590 and is the world’s oldest merchant bank and the world’s second oldest bank overall.

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

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

The Baltic Exchange's main sea freight index, tracking rates for ships carrying dry bulk commodities, touched a fresh near three-year high on Thursday, supported by firmer rates across vessel segments. The overall index — which factors in rates for capesize, panamax, supramax and handysize shipping vessels — rose 24 points, or 1.8 percent, to 1,361 points, a peak since November 2014. The capesize index gained 14 points, or 0.53 percent, to 2,642 points. The main capesize activity this week has been from the west Australian market…

Insufficient liquidity has led Norwegian ballast water treatment system manufacturer OceanSaver to file for bankruptcy. The company’s board of directors filed a petition to dissolve the company on September 13. Established in 2003, OceanSaver was among the first suppliers to be approved by IMO in 2008 and obtained USCG type approval in December 2016. However, OceanSaver said it faced “significant downward pressure on equipment prices,” brought on by continued low shipbuilding activity as well as IMO’s MEPC 71 July decision to push back deadlines for ship owners to retrofit ballast water treatment systems. Also in July, the company lost a four-year arbitration against filter maker Bollfilter, which forced the company to pay all arbitration costs and both parties’ legal fees.

Transas has introduced a new Survival Craft Simulator (SCS) to prepare crew for the multitude of possible scenarios that can occur during lifeboat drills, aiming to address one of the most notorious sources of accidents in shipping without exposing personnel to physical danger. Effective survival craft training is essential to prepare crew for a disaster at sea but practical lifeboat drills have a troubling track record for causing fatalities. By shifting some elements of training to a simulated environment…

Remarks from Federal Maritime Commissioner William P. Doyle at the FTR Transportation Conference 2017, Indianapolis, Ind. On September 13, 2017, I voted to expedite the Commission’s decision and support THE Alliance’s amendment authorizing creation of a contingency trust fund designed to protect customers’ cargo and the ocean transportation chain should one of THE Alliance’s carriers experience financial distress or an insolvency event. I support the goal behind this amendment: the smooth and continuous flow of cargo even in the face of another ocean carrier bankruptcy or catastrophic failure.

Swedish-based Dellner Brakes has acquired US brake and clutch company Gummi USA to consolidate its position as one of the world’s leading suppliers of brakes and related power transmission products for the industrial, and marine markets. This acquisition, the first in Dellner Brakes’ 50 year history, will enable the company to expand its product offering worldwide and also strengthen the company’s distribution in North and South America. The enlarged company will operate under the Dellner brand with Marcus Aberg continuing at the helm as CEO.

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

Seadrill Limited, one of the world’s largest offshore drilling companies, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection at the Southern District Texas court, Reuters reported. The indebted oil rig firm controlled by Norwegian billionaire John Fredriksen is seeking to restructure its roughly $10 billion  debts as the petroleum industry continues to grapple with low prices. Seadrill announced that the court overseeing the Company's chapter 11 restructuring proceedings has granted the relief requested by the Company in its key first-day motions related to ordinary course business activities.

16 August of last year the FPSO North Sea Producer was beached in Chittagong, Bangladesh. The ship was allowed to leave the UK based on the false promise that it would be further operationally used in the Tin Can port in Nigeria. One year on, the battle to hold the owners and cash buyers accountable for the illegal export of the FPSO is not over. The North Sea Producer (ex Dagmar Maersk) was deployed in the McCulloch field in the North Sea, transporting and extracting oil from the UK continental shelf for 17 years…

Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) announced that 15 MOL-operated / managed vessels won commendations from the commanders of the 3rd and 5th Regional Coast Guard Headquarters of Japan Coast Guard (JCG). To mark Japan Hydrography Day (September 12), the commanders of the Regional Coast Guard Headquarters presented testimonials to individuals and organizations that have contributed to marine information services (assisting with research related to the sea and marine information). This year…

Maritime technology start-up We4Sea has received certification from Verifavia for EU MRV (Monitoring, Reporting and Verification) emission monitoring. We4Sea developed a cloud platform that offers advanced solutions to optimize the performance ánd reduce fuel consumption and emissions of seagoing ships. We4Sea collects vast amounts of operational data of a ship, such as position, speed, heading and engine data. This data is sent to shore, where it is enriched with other data sources, such as weather conditions, wave heights, currents and wind.

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

Mobile satellite communications provider Inmarsat has rolled out a fully-managed service for the maritime industry that detects vulnerabilities, responds to threats and protects ships from widespread cyber attack. The new service, called Fleet Secure, was showcased at London International Shipping Week, and will be commercially launched as a standard option on Inmarsat’s Fleet Xpress service. Inmarsat describes Fleet Secure as a Unified Threat Management (UTM) and monitoring service that will power cyber resilience at sea…

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

Kelvin Hughes first launched its dedicated drone detection system earlier this year incorporating SharpEye SxV 360 degree radar and electro optic cameras with the Single Mast Solution (SMS) security system. At DSEI 2017 Kelvin Hughes has announced it will be demonstrating the next evolution of its drone detection and tracking technology. The SMS-D (‘D’ meaning drone) is a dedicated drone detection and tracking system now featuring a thermal camera and video tracker that acquires the drone target using the initial radar detection information.

The Baltic Exchange's main sea freight index, tracking rates for ships carrying dry bulk commodities, slipped on Wednesday as rates for capesize vessels fell. The overall index, which factors in rates for capesize, panamax, supramax and handysize shipping vessels, fell 7 points or 0.52 percent to 1,337 points. The capesize index lost 96 points or 3.52 percent to end at 2,628 points, marking its biggest one-day percentage decline in two weeks. Average daily earnings for capesizes, which typically transport 150,000-tonne cargoes such as iron ore and coal, fell $813 to $19,129.

Cyber risk has hit a critical peak within the maritime industry, and the significant impact of the Petya ransomware attack on scores of maritime entities only amplifies it. The attack effectively shut down major ocean carriers, including shipping conglomerate Maersk, and impacted marine terminal operations across the globe. Every maritime company, no matter the size or business function, is a potential target. The industry has seen a recent wave of guidelines and resolutions from maritime regulatory bodies related to maritime security and cyber risk mitigation.

Both traders buy over 12 million barrels in September. Oil traders Winson Oil and Unipec have snapped up over 12 million barrels of gasoil in just under two weeks and are booking vessels in Singapore to either store the fuel or export it, shipping and trading sources said on Wednesday. Winson Oil, based in Hong Kong and registered in Singapore, bought the bulk of the cargoes at over 9 million barrels in oil price agency S&P Global Platts' market since the start of September, trading data showed. Unipec, the trading arm of Chinese state oil major Sinopec, purchased the rest, the data showed.

Mexico's state-run power utility CFE has picked Royal Dutch Shell and most likely Cheniere Energy to deliver nine liquefied natural gas (LNG) cargoes in the fourth-quarter, trade sources said.   Traders said Shell won most of the tender, which was awarded on Tuesday, with shipments to be spread across October, November and December into the Altamira terminal on Mexico's Atlantic coast, traders said.   Some traders said Cheniere took a share of CFE's requirement.   Reporting by Oleg Vukmanovic 

Euroseas announced that it signed a memorandum of agreement to purchase the M/V EM Athens and EM Oinousses, both feeder size containership vessels of 2,506 teu built in 2000. The Company also announced that it acquired the option to purchase from Euromar two additional container vessels, the M/V EM Corfu, a feeder size containership vessel of 2,556 teu built in 2001, and the M/V Akinada Bridge, a post-panamax size container vessel of 5,600 teu built in 2001 until September 30, 2017.

The U.S National Ice Center (USNIC) in coordination with the Office of Naval Research, Office of the Oceanographer of the Navy, the Danish Joint Arctic Command, Environmental and Climate Change Canada and University of Washington deployed buoys into the Arctic Ocean during a joint mission. The joint mission was conducted to collect weather and oceanographic data to enhance forecasting and environmental models thereby reducing operational risk for assets in the Arctic. "Polar lows…

New research considered by International Maritime Organization (IMO) this week about the behaviour of an aluminium ore that featured in a high-profile shipping casualty in 2015 could lead to changes in industry rules about how such cargoes should be handled. IMO’s Sub-Committee on Carriage of Cargoes and Containers (CCC 4, 11-15 September) this week is considering the latest research results on the potential instability of bauxite when carried as a ship’s cargo. Bauxite is one of the world’s major sources of aluminium.

Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) Ship Teruzuki visited Kochi from 09 to 11 September 2017. Captain Masashi Kondo, Commander Escort Division Six is sailing onboard JS Teruzuki, a destroyer which is being commanded by Commander Seiichi Hashimoto. Captain Masashi Kondo, Commander Escort Division Six accompanied by the Commanding Officer of Japanese Ship Teruzuki had called on Rear Admiral Krishna Swaminathan, VSM, the Chief Staff Officer (Training) of Southern Naval Command (SNC) on 09 September 2017 wherein professional subjects of common interest to both navies were discussed.

DryShips, a diversified owner of ocean going cargo vessels, announced today that, its second Very Large Gas Carrier commenced its time charter on a fixed rate with five years firm duration to an oil major. The charterer has options to extend the firm employment period by up to three years. The Company expects a total gross backlog associated with this time charter of up to USD 92.7 million including the optional periods. Five days ago, DryShips announced that it has taken delivery of the previously announced high specifications second newbuilding VLGC.

The Australian Defence Force Joint Task Group, Indo-Pacific Endeavour 2017, has completed the first international engagement activity of the deployment. HMAS Adelaide, one of the Royal Australian Navy’s Canberra class amphibious ships, reached the milestone after recently conducting aviation training with the USS Bonhomme Richard off the east coast of Australia. The training involved both the SH60S Seahawk helicopter and a United States Marine Corps MV-22 Osprey tilt-rotor, with…

Jamaica and Malta have become the latest States to sign up to International Maritime Organization (IMO)'s Ballast Water Management Convention – the international treaty requiring ships to manage their ballast water to help stop the spread of invasive aquatic species across the globe. The Convention entered into force earlier this month (8 September) and a total of 65 signatories now represent 73.92% of the world's merchant fleet tonnage. Jamaica's Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade…

The new Arleigh Burke-class (DDG 51) guided missile destroyer Delbert D. Black (DDG 119) was launched by Huntington Ingalls Industries’ (HII) Ingalls Shipbuilding division on Friday, September 8, in Pascagoula, Miss. “A quality launch is a critical milestone in a ship’s life,” said Ingalls Shipbuilding President Brian Cuccias. “Our world-class shipbuilders have once again met this goal in launching DDG 119. We look forward to continuing this success as we prepare DDG 119 to join the fleet as USS Delbert D. Delbert D. Black was translated via Ingalls’ rail car system to a floating dry dock.

 Bjorn Giaever will take up his position as the new chief financial officer (CFO) at Nordic American Tankers Limited (NAT) and Nordic American Offshore Ltd. (NAO) from October 16, 2017.   Giaever joins NAT/NAO from maritime focused investment bank Fearnley Securities AS, where he served as a director and partner in the Corporate Finance division. Giaever has served as a corporate advisor in the John Fredriksen group in London, top rated Senior Shipping Analyst in DNB Markets and partner in Inge Steensland AS, specializing in gas related maritime matters.    Outgoing NAT/NAO CFO, Turid M. Sorensen, will leave her administrative duties before the end of 2017. She will be suggested as board member of NAT.

With more than 90 percent of global trade carried by sea, shipping is a major battleground in the reduction of emissions. Tier III is the latest emission standard pertaining to NOx emissions from marine diesel engines. Tier IV is expected to come into effect for 2020 – with engine manufacturers already seeking sealing components to future-proof engines well into the next decade. Here we explore challenges faced by diesel engine operators in the face of Tier III, and how the correct selection of sealing materials could deliver better performing solutions.

Norwegian shipping firm Hoegh Autoliners denied on Tuesday allegations made by South Africa that it and Japanese rival Mitsui O.S.K Lines had colluded to fix transport tariffs to and from South Africa. Hoegh Autoliners specializes in transporting cars, controlling 50 specialized vessels or 6-7 percent of the global fleet in this market. South Africa's Competition Commission said on Tuesday Hoegh Autoliners had been referred for prosecution on seven charges relating to collusive tendering, price fixing and market division.

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

UK P&I Club, a provider of P&I insurance and other services to the international shipping community, has launched Risk Ahoy, a new gaming app that highlights in an engaging and interactive manner the hazards face by those on board ships on a daily basis. Risk Ahoy has been developed by the loss prevention department of UK P&I Club, is available on iTunes and Google Playstore, and has been intuitively designed to allow users to dip in and out of the action, with short, medium and long modes available. Players navigate their ship through 38 colorful levels of increasingly challenging difficulty, working their way through the various mini-games, while identifying and avoiding common onboard hazards.

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

The Baltic Exchange's main sea freight index, tracking rates for ships carrying dry bulk commodities, snapped a six-day winning streak on Tuesday, weighed down by weaker rates for capesize vessels. The overall index, which factors in rates for capesize, panamax, supramax and handysize shipping vessels, ended down 11 points, or 0.81 percent, at 1,344 points. It had touched near three-year highs on Monday. The capesize index broke a five-session gaining streak to close down 89 points, or 3.16 percent, at 2,724 points.