Willard Delivers SOLAS Rescue Boats
Willard Marine, a 56-year-old builder of composite and aluminum boats, has recently taken orders to build rescue boats for the Alaska Marine Highway System (AMHS), U.S. Military Sealift Command (MSC) and Maersk Lines Ltd. The Willard Marine rescue boats meet all U.S. Coast Guard requirements under the international Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) treaty. AMHS has ordered two 670 rescue boats for the M/V Columbia, which is being refitted with new safety equipment. The boats are being supplied through Vigor Industrial Shipyard in Portland, Ore.
Tips on Reducing Ship Operating Costs
While there are indications that the shipping industry is starting to emerge from the doldrums of the last six years, signals remain mixed. Moore Stephens reported in June that shipping confidence has risen to its highest point since 2010. Indeed, there are signs of a new wave of speculative ordering of new tonnage, propelled by bargain-basement prices from shipyards desperate to fill slots and a reported influx of capital from private equity sources. A primary driver for the surge of orders is the improvements in fuel efficiency of new ship designs over older ships.
Registration Open for SHIPPINGInsight Fleet Optimization Conference
The producers of the SHIPPINGInsight Fleet Optimization Conference have announced that online registration is now open. Following a successful inaugural conference in 2012, the 2013 event will take place October 22-24 at the Sheraton Stamford Hotel in Stamford, Conn. It will bring together senior executives from shipowners, ship managers, classification societies, regulatory bodies, consultancies and suppliers to address the pressing issues facing fleet operators in the current business climate. The confirmed keynote speakers for the conference are Anthony Chiarello, president and CEO of Tote, Inc., and Yasushi Nakamura, executive vice president of Class NK.
