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.

General Dynamics Electric Boat delivered the nuclear-powered attack submarine Colorado (SSN 788) to the U.S. Navy. The 15th ship of the Virginia Class, Colorado is the fifth of the eight-ship group known as Block III. According to the builder, these ships embody a Navy and industry commitment to reduce costs while increasing capabilities through an initiative comprising a multi-year procurement strategy, improvements in construction practices and the Design For Affordability (DFA) program. “This delivery demonstrates the skill and commitment of everyone involved in the Virginia-class submarine program,” said Electric Boat President Jeffrey S. Geiger, recognizing the contributions of the Navy, the shipbuilders and the supplier base.

Wärtsilä and Flender (Siemens AG, Mechanical Drives) have reached an agreement that will transfer the assembly and testing of Wärtsilä's marine gear box portfolio to the Siemens Mechanical Drives facilities in Voerde, Germany. In announcing the deal, Wärtsilä said the new arrangement takes advantage of synergies with processes developed at the Siemens plant to secure the quality and delivery punctuality of the gear boxes, thus providing greater customer value. Wärtsilä said it will retain responsibility for the design and technical specifications…

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…

The Japanese shipping group NYK Group (Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha, MTI Co., Ltd.) will collaborate with Dualog and Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (NTT) Group on a vessel platform proposal that is currently being validated with ship information systems (SIMS) data, the companies announced. The experiment is focused on validation of the below technology, which is expected to benefit the maritime industry in actual sea operations: Data gathering from an expanding array of onboard sensors and monitoring equipment…

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 International Maritime Centre (IMC) 2030 Advisory Committee, established by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) in August 2016, has submitted the IMC 2030 Strategic Review report to the Singapore Government. The Committee’s vision is for Maritime Singapore to be the Global Maritime Hub for Connectivity, Innovation and Talent. The Committee, chaired by Mr Andreas Sohmen-Pao, Chairman of BW Group, comprises 21 other global business leaders and experts from diverse sectors such as maritime, finance, commodities trading, logistics, finance and technology.

MOL Group has announced a call for applications for startups with innovative solutions in the fields of mobility, loyalty marketing and big data, retail, as well as parcel delivery and distribution. The 3-month program, taking place in Budapest, in cooperation with the Hungarian incubation agency Design Terminal, is directed at startups whose solutions meet one of the objectives of MOL Group’s 2030 strategy: to become the first choice of customers on the move. MOL Group invites startups whose solutions are currently at developed incubation phase.

An AIDAnova module has been released into the water for the first time at the Neptun shipyard in Rostock, which belongs to the Meyer Group. This is the first of two floating parts, so-called Floating Engine Room Units (FERU), which was placed onto the Warnow river with a special lowering device. The complex module stretching over 120 meters long and 42 meters wide, as well as three decks high, is carrying the four dual-fuel engines by Caterpillar and hence the heart of AIDAnova.

The Operational and Maintenance departments of Antwerp Port Authority will shortly be merged to form a "Nautical & technical cluster." The new entity will have two floating dry docks at quay 602-612 for repairing its own fleet. This will put an end to the "fixed docks" on Dry Dock Island where the first facility was built in 1861. The new dry docks will be able to take vessels from 1500 to 1750 tonnes, with a width of up to 23 m and a draught of up to 7 m, and will be equipped with a crane with a lifting capacity of 10 tonnes.

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.

Total announces that its subsidiary, TOTAL E&P USA, INC. (“Total”), has entered into an agreement to capture 7 prospects operated by CHEVRON U.S.A. INC. (“Chevron”) in the deepwater Gulf of Mexico. The agreement covers 16 blocks. The associated prospects are located in two promising plays and areas of the GoM: Wilcox in Central GoM next to the Anchor discovery, and Norphlet in Eastern GoM nearby to the Appomattox discovery. Total’s participation in these wells will be between 25% and 40%.The first of these wells was spudded late July on the Ballymore prospect in Mississippi Canyon.

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.

Braemar Technical Services announced that Bureau Veritas (BV) has issued a General Design Approval for the FSP Type B LNG Containment System (FSP). Starting with the General Dynamics NASSCO-patented tank design, for which the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) and Lloyd’s Register had issued Approval in Principle (AiP) several years prior, Braemar engineered a new and improved containment system that meets the demands of LNG storage in marine, offshore and onshore applications.

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.      

Palfinger Marine said its new generation FRSQ 630 fast rescue boat offers optimal working conditions in rough sea conditions – at competitive pricing. In 2016, Harding Safety and Palfinger Marine merged into one company. Now the first product combining the lifesaving systems expertise of former Harding and the boat expertise of Palfinger Marine's professional boats division is introduced to the market: The new generation FRSQ 630 fast rescue boat. “FRSQ 630 features the best of both our worlds.

E-navigation specialist NAVTOR said it has set its sights on the U.S. shipping market with a new office opening in Seattle. The Norwegian business, which has built a global network of facilities since forming in 2011, has, until now, serviced the territory from its Egersund headquarters. However, growing demand Stateside for the firm’s product portfolio has prompted the team to establish NAVTOR USA Inc. NAVTOR launched its ENC service to market in 2012 and, since then, has built a global client base on the back of its mission of making life simpler for navigators…

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…

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)…

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…

Parat Halvorsen AS said it recently secured a contract to design and fabricate a complete, turnkey steam boiler module for the Floating Production & Storage Offshore (FPSO) vessel Aoka Mizu owned by Bluewater Energy Services BV. The FPSO is being decommissioned for the Lancaster project which is owned and operated by Hurricane Energy UK. The module will include 2 x 3200kW electric steam boilers based on the PARAT MEL design and will provide an additional 9,600kg/hr of saturated steam for the FPSO marine and process systems.

Sami Uotinen will join naval architecture firm Robert Allan Ltd. on October 1, responsible for European Business Development initiatives, operating from Turku, Finland.   Uotinen, a graduate naval architect, joins Robert Allan Ltd. from Rolls Royce, where he has worked since 2000, most recently as North American Sales Manager for Z-Drive propulsion. He has also held positions at Aquamaster, Kamewa and Kvaerner Masa Yards.  

Dubai-based Topaz Energy and Marine has signed an agreement with Orange Business Services for a Maritime Connect solution that connects its fleet at sea and supports the corporate network. Topaz is an offshore support vessel company for the global energy industry. The Orange integrated communications platform increases the efficiency of the fleet, lowers cost and improves the onboard experience for crew. Under a three-year agreement Orange is initially connecting 39 vessels from the Topaz fleet…

Wärtsilä informs it has tested its automatic wireless induction charging system on a hybrid powered commercial coastal ferry, the first in the world operating with high power wireless charging capability for its batteries. The tests were carried out in Norwegian during the end of August and early September on the 85 meter long MF Folgefonn owned by Norled, one of Norway's largest ferry operators waters. The project, partially funded by Innovation Norway, represents a breakthrough in the evolution of plug-in electrically operated vessels, Wärtsilä said.

Hunter Marine's Operations Division has selected MarineCFO’s Vessel 365 fleet optimization technology, along with Endurance Personnel for managing time cards, scheduling and personnel reporting functions, and Endurance Maintenance, a complete maintenance solution from scheduling, outside services and capacity planning to quality control. Darrick Lee, Hunter Marine Purchasing Manager said the company will use MarineCFO's suite of products to achieve Subchapter M compliance and to help streamline existing business processes.

Kalmar, part of Cargotec, is to continue its cooperation with Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) with a new order for container-handling equipment. The order, comprising five Kalmar reachstackers and two empty container handlers, was booked in Cargotec's 2017 third quarter intake. Delivery will commence in Q4 2017 and continue into Q2 2018. MSC, a world leader in global container shipping, has a network of over 480 offices in 155 countries and a fleet of 490 container vessels. As well as sea freight, the company offers integrated warehousing and haulage services.

Maritime Connectivity Platform, or MCP, is the new name for what was previously known as the Maritime Cloud. The team behind the Maritime Cloud has decided to change the name of the communication framework. The new name, Maritime Connectivity Platform (MCP), has been chosen to provide clarity and support e-Navigation going from testbed to real life implementation. “MCP is at a level of maturity where we are ready to take it from our project spheres into operational mode. However…

Ballast water treatment system (BWTS) manufacturer Ecochlor said it has been recognized by Inc. 500|5000 as one of the fastest-growing manufacturing companies in the U.S. The Inc. 500 award, representing the top 10 percent of the 5,000 companies chosen, was presented to Ecochlor with a ranking of eight in the U.S. for manufacturing, 16 in Best Massachusetts companies and overall placement of 453 for all companies throughout America. The Inc. 500|5000 awards private companies that show significant revenue growth over a three-year period.

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.

Satellite AIS data services provider exactEarth Ltd. announced that its exactTrax small vessel monitoring technology is now incorporated into Alltek Marine Electronic Corp’s (AMEC) AIS Tracking Beacon (TB560). The AMEC TB560 is a simplified Class B AIS device that offers an efficient and cost-effective vessel monitoring solution within AIS VHF transmission range. Now outfitted with exactTrax technology from exactEarth, which extends small vessel tracking beyond traditional coastal surveillance, the AMEC TB560 can reliably be detected from space. exactTrax allows for the secure transmission and reliable detection of signals from the millions of artisanal and small-scale commercial fishing boats and small commercial work boats currently operating around the world.

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.

World Marine of Alabama (WMA) said it has won a contract to drydock and repair the Dredge Wheeler, a hopper dredge owned and operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). Since the Wheeler’s commissioning at Avondale Shipyards in 1982, WMA’s facility in Mobile, Ala. has drydocked and repaired the Dredge Wheeler on many occasions, including a complete repowering of the vessel in 2012. As the largest and most powerful hopper dredge in the USACE fleet, the Dredge Wheeler is a 408-foot trailing suction hopper dredge with a hopper capacity of over 8,200 cubic yards.

If you are an American thinking Asia for converting a vessel, building a drydock or contracting a medium-sized newbuild, then Krzysztof Kozdron, Managing Director of Germany-based Schulte Marine Concept (SMC), is the man you need to speak to. Easy to talk to, the Shanghai-based naval architect and engineer knows shipbuilding from all sides. Parent company Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement (BSM) has owned and operated ships for 150 years, and he draws on that and his own 25 years of project experience.

The IT sector, like most other industries, is awash with technical jargon, terminology, acronyms and abbreviations that have very specific meanings. More than most other major industries, however, TechSpeak - the language of IT people - is regularly co-opted into the language of the everyday. This is an inevitable consequence of our increasingly networked, IT-driven world; but often there is a disconnect between the way we discuss technologies and the benefits they can bring; how they are designed to be used; and how we actually use them.

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.

Two newbuild next generation CrewZer Class catamarans, SEACOR Puma and SEACOR Panther, have been delivered and have entered service for SEACOR Marine. The vessels were designed by Incat Crowther and built by Astillleros Armon in Spain and are unique in their capability to transfer personnel and equipment to offshore platforms at maximum speeds in excess of 40 knots. The design features 30 percent more deadweight capacity than its predecessor, while offering equivalent service speeds, Incat Crowther said.

The CMA CGM Group, a world leader in container shipping, has signed a strategic partnership with Infosys, a world leader in consulting, next-generation technology and services. The goal of this seven-year partnership is to simplify and transform CMA CGM's IT applications and improve customer service excellence. As part of this partnership and at the request of CMA CGM, Infosys will open a center for development and innovation in Marseilles, which will become a reference center of expertise, making Marseilles a high place of expertise.

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…

Orbit Communications Systems Ltd., a provider of precision tracking-based communications solutions and airborne communications management systems, announced that a global NGSO (Non-Geostationary Satellite Orbit) satellite operator placed a repeat order worth $645,000 for its OceanTRx 7-500 Ka-band maritime satellite communications platform. Delivery of the system, which will provide continuous broadband connectivity via satellite aboard cruise ships, is expected in 2017. “We put a lot into our relationships and deals like this prove it,” commented Eitan Livneh, Orbit’s CEO. OceanTRx 7 is a maritime satcom platform supporting a variety of 2.2-meter stabilized antenna system configurations in C, Ku, X and Ka bands.

The island nation of Fiji is thriving in its seventh straight year of economic growth. From textiles to sugar, one of Fiji’s fastest growing sectors is manufacturing. The country has now expanded into pontoon manufacturing with the announcement of the partnership between Bellingham Marine and Marine Structures and Consultancy (MSC) Limited. Two of the country’s best-known marine service operators, Hall Dredging and Bob Oldham, recently took control of MSC. Both have worked on Bellingham projects over the years and maintain an excellent working relationship with Bellingham Marine New Zealand (BMNZ). In the final week of July, the first Unifloat pontoons were manufactured in the Fiji plant under the watchful eye of BMNZ management, who gave the pontoons their stamp of approval.

GTT said it has received an order from the South Korean Shipyard Hyundai Heavy Industries concerning a new Floating Storage and Regasification Unit (FSRU) which has been contracted by Triumph Offshore, a subsidiary of the Indian ship-owner Swan Energy. GTT will design the LNG integrated tanks which represent a total capacity of 180,000 m3. These tanks will be equipped with the membrane containment system Mark III, a sea-proven technology developed by GTT. This insulation system benefits from an unparalleled track record: it has been already used to equip more than 140 vessels which are still in service today. The new FSRU is scheduled to be delivered in late 2019.

A new line of aftermarket genuine oil from KOHLER is engineered specifically for generator applications. The fully-synthetic premium oils are available in three formulations for different fuel types and are optimized for use in industrial, mobile, marine and home generators. “Generators have to run when they’re needed – there’s no room for downtime,” said Patricio Iligaray, Manager of Aftermarket Parts for Kohler Power Systems. “And, the oil you choose makes a real difference. Generators are subjected to unique conditions that are different from engines that power other applications.

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…

RSC Bio Solutions, a provider of high performance Environmentally Acceptable Lubricants (EALs) - hydraulic fluids, gear oils and greases - and industrial cleaners and solvents, said it has received OEM approvals for use in Kawasaki Heavy Industries’ Controllable Pitch Propellers (CPP) and side thrusters. The RSC EnviroLogic HF 68 HP was approved for use in Kawasaki Controllable Pitch Propellers (CPP). RSC EnviroLogic HF 68 HP is a high performance, readily biodegradable, synthetic ISO 68 grade hydraulic fluid. Intended for use in severe conditions, including extreme high temperatures (250°F / 121°C), low temperatures (-40°F / -40°C) and high pressure (5000+ psi / 34…

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…

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…

International bunker trader and supplier Brightoil has launched a new suite of online tools that aims to transform the way bunker fuel is traded globally. Brightoil Bunker Online E-Delivery platform is now live and includes a Forward Fixed Price (FFP) facility making the process of buying bunkers anywhere in the world faster, easier and more transparent. The new facility enables customers to lock-in bunker cost for up to nine months forward thereby reducing exposure to major price swings. Online nomination of FFP contracts for physical delivery and optional cash settlement.

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…

The world’s largest semi-submersible platform, the Ichthys Explorer, has been safely moored in the Ichthys Field, 220 kilometers off the north coast of Western Australia, where it will be located for 40 years, as part of the INPEX-operated Ichthys LNG Project.   Bardex Corporation supplied four moveable Chain Jacks and 28 underwater Barlatches to support the handling of 28 mooring lines. The mooring operation was completed ahead of schedule with the assistance of Bardex lifecycle services. Bardex said the use of its Clump Weight contributed to the efficient mooring up operation.  

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.

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.

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.

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.

UK-based energy services company Wood Group has been awarded a new contract by the China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) to support the Lingshui 17-2 gas development in the Qiongdongnan basin of the South China Sea. Subsea and flow assurance services will be provided under the contract, which is effective immediately and will be supported by Wood Group’s offices in Perth, Australia and London. An independent review for the development’s subsea production system design and a special study and design for its gas export pipeline will be delivered.

Dryad Maritime is calling on the maritime industry to develop a Standardisation Agreement (STANAG) setting minimum standards for the production of intelligence. "The threat is changing. Ship owners and operators no longer simply face a sporadic pirate threat in the Indian Ocean but are routinely deploying armed security teams to counter the threat of Water Bourne IED in the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait located between Yemen on the Arabian Peninsula, and Djibouti and Eritrea in the Horn of Africa," it said in a statement.

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.

Vulkan Italia has signed a cooperation with the German company SB Broneske. Vulkan Italia is going to work as a representative for SB Broneske in the Italian market, where the two companies will join their experience on the elastic support for exhaust pipe system. Elastic support for the exhaust pipe system includes vibration mounts, expansion bellows, pipe penetrations and rain caps for the exhaust pipe system of ships. Vulkan Italia, founded in 1987 and located in Novi Ligure, is the market leader in elastic support in the ship building industry in Italy. Vulkan Italia provides a superior service and deep knowledge of applications to the Italian customers. SB Broneske, founded in 1972, is inventor, designer and producer of elastic support for the exhaust pipe systems.

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.

The American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) has completed the design review of the Front End Engineering and Design (FEED) documentation for the VolturnUS, a floating offshore wind turbine (FOWT), developed by the University of Maine Advanced Structures and Composites Center. “UMaine is pleased that its innovative design became the first floating wind turbine concrete semisubmersible hull to be reviewed by ABS, and found to meet the ABS requirements,” said Dr. Habib J. Dagher, P.E, UMaine Composites Center executive director and principal investigator.

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…

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 Switch has recruited Ville Parpala as Director, Product Marketing, Marine Solutions, as it targets its ambition of achieving growth of 200 percent in the marine segment across the next five years. The firm, a specialist in the development and supply of advanced drive train solutions, said it will leverage Parpala’s vast experience and contact book, to push its ability to deliver enhanced efficiency, cost savings and environmental performance to the shipping industry worldwide.

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 

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…

A steel cutting ceremony was held at Meyer Turku shipyard, Finland for the first of two Costa Cruises ships to be powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG). The ship will sail in October 2019 with a sister ship following in 2021. Costa Cruises’ president, Neil Palomba, announced today that newbuild NB-1394 will be named Costa Smeralda, and added, “The two new Costa Cruises ships are a true innovation and set new standards for the entire sector. Meyer Turku CEO, Jan Meyer, said, “In the last two years…

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.

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.

MAN has revealed the successor to its 48/60CR engine in the company’s 4x line of high-performance diesel engines. The MAN 45/60CR marine diesel engine will initially be available as 12V and 14V versions that boast power outputs, of 15,600 and 18,200 kW respectively, with inline versions following at a later stage. According to Wayne Jones, Chief Sales Officer of MAN Diesel & Turbo, “The new engine combines the best features of the current 48/60CR, such as MAN’s common-rail system with ECOMAP capability…

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.

Konecranes signed a major service agreement in which its Antwerp-based service organization will perform all of the maintenance and repair work on more than 150 Konecranes Noell Straddle Carriers of different generations for MSC PSA European Terminal (MPET), the single largest container terminal in Europe. The purpose of this service agreement is to achieve consistently high availability of the entire machine fleet. MPET, which handles the majority of containers in the Port of Antwerp, saw steady growth in 2016.

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.

Capitalizing on big data is a hot topic within the marine industry, and skilled data scientists are one of the most sought after professionals in the job market. Hardcore data analysis knowledge materializes at expertise centers, where hundreds of ships sailing on the seas of the world are tracked, monitored and supported. Big data combined with analytics and human expertise results in optimized ship lifecycle efficiency – and better performance for marine industry players. Wärtsilä said it believes in the integration of hardware…

The German defence procurement agency said on Tuesday it has awarded a contract valued at nearly 2 billion euros ($2.4 billion) to a consortium of shipbuilders led by Lurrsen Werft for five new corvettes to be delivered from 2022 to 2025. The agency said the contract would give the German navy additional proven warships to keep up with its increased responsibilities within the NATO alliance. The consortium also includes Thyssenkrupp and German Naval Yards, which had undertaken legal action to be added to the group. In July Germany's competition regulator, the federal cartel office, said it would not block moves by Lurssen and Thyssenkrupp to expand the consortium after finding no evidence of antitrust concerns.

Sentinel Marine’s latest new-build emergency response and rescue vessel (ERRV) has been deployed to service in the North Sea after being christened at Aberdeen Harbor. The new vessel, Mariner Sentinel, is operating on behalf of Statoil at its Mariner field to the east of Shetland – the sixth of nine vessels to join the firm’s fleet since 2015. Statoil’s Aberdeen-based offshore logistics and services supervisor, Line Kaldestad, officially named Mariner Sentinel in her role as the ship’s godmother.

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.

In addition to the East Coast, West Coast, Gulf and Great Lakes regions the Top 10 global distributors, as determined by the MR editorial staff, will be featured with a full page editorial profile. For your company to be considered for inclusion, you must apply, either online by clicking here https://distributors.maritimeequipment.com/Company or via email to trauthwein@marinelink.com.

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.

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 

Thales is announcing a major commitment to develop future autonomous and unmanned technology across air and sea by investing in two new UK-based trials and training centers. Following Thales’s successful trials during the Royal Navy’s Unmanned Warrior exercise in 2016, Thales is now investing in two trials and training centres based in West Wales and in South-West England to test and develop autonomous systems for both military and civil activities. "Investing in these facilities enables the safe test…

Caterpillar Marine, partnering with Caterpillar Innovation & Technology Development Division (ITDD), is in the process of developing a proprietary advanced propulsion system for marine applications. The Cat Marine Advanced Variable Drive (AVD) is a patented system that leverages Caterpillar’s experience with heavy duty continuously variable transmission (CVT) technology, advanced controls and power system integration knowledge. In this joint development, ITDD is leading a cross…

ABS has granted Approval in Principle (AIP) to Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) floating liquefied natural gas (FLNG) hull design. ABS and HHI collaborated with the objective of developing a technically feasible and class compliant FLNG hull design, using the latest industry trends while maintaining high safety standards. The ABS AIP demonstrates the design substantially complies with Class and Regulatory requirements and minimizes risk to project schedules and safe operations, giving regulatory agencies and other key stakeholders confidence in the design.

The U.S. Coast Guard and the Environmental Protection Agency are working with Texas state regulators to clean up oil and chemicals spilled from a dozen industrial facilities after flooding from Hurricane Harvey, authorities said. The spills came from oil refineries, fuel terminals and other businesses, but EPA spokeswoman Terri White said it was not possible to provide an estimate for the amounts spilled. "Initial reports were based on observation," White said. Refineries owned by Valero Energy Corp in Houston, Motiva Inc in Port Arthur, and Exxon Mobile Corp in Baytown, were among the facilities that had reported spills, according to White. Representatives for those companies did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

DESMI Ocean Guard A/S launched a new Ballast Water Management System – CompactClean. According to the manufacturer, the name reflects that this system sets a new standard for how small the footprint of a BWMS can get. “With the CompactClean system we have managed to develop a system that can treat ballast water everywhere in the world and meet both IMO (International Maritime Organisation) and U.S. Coast Guard standards," said Rasmus Folsø, CEO of DESMI Ocean Guard. "The system is free of any troubling operational limitations and can treat water independent of its salinity (fresh…

Bureau Veritas, TMC Marine and the London P&I Club have issued a new booklet providing operational guidance for preventing blackout and main engine failures. In a joint project, classification society Bureau Veritas and consultancy TMC Marine, a Bureau Veritas Group Company since 2016, have cooperated again with the London P&I Club to produce the second booklet in a series on loss prevention issues. The new publication focuses on the marine engineering issues and procedures related to loss of propulsion incidents and how to prevent them.

A prototype of the world’s first class approved ship’s propeller manufactured using 3D printing techniques has been produced by a cooperative consortium of companies that includes Damen Shipyards Group, Rotterdam Additive Manufacturing LAB (RAMLAB), Promarin, Autodesk and Bureau Veritas. The 1,350mm diameter propeller – named WAAMpeller – was fabricated from a Nickel Aluminium Bronze (NAB) alloy at RAMLAB in the Port of Rotterdam. The propeller was produced with the Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing (WAAM) method using a Valk welding system and Autodesk software.

Transas Chief Executive Frank Coles won ‘gold’ in the Most Influential People of the Year category of the 2017 Golden Bridge Business and Innovations Awards, an award which acknowledges his ability to communicate his vision for the maritime industry in the digital age. The Golden Bridge Awards are an annual industry and peer recognition program based in San Francisco that honors the Best Companies, Products, Innovations, Management Teams, Executives and Influencers from around the globe.

RSC Bio Solutions said its high performance Environmentally Acceptable Lubricants (EALs) are now available through Drew Marine’s global supply chain network, which is capable of delivering to more than 900 ports worldwide. RSC Bio Solutions and Drew Marine announced a new global marine distribution partnership that has expanded the global availability of RSC Bio Solutions’ range of EALs. RSC FUTERRA HF Series renewable hydrocarbon hydraulic fluids are Ecolabel certified and formulated to withstand extreme conditions and corrosion while operating in severe environments. Available in 46, 68 and 100 viscosity grades. Typical applications include stern tubes, controllable pitch propellers, stabilizers and various deck equipment.

Hedge funds are betting crude oil stocks will adjust quickly to the aftermath of Hurricanes Harvey and Irma but gasoline and distillate inventories may take more time to normalise. Hedge funds and other money managers increased their combined net long position in the five major petroleum contracts linked to crude, gasoline and heating oil by 46 million barrels in the week to Sept. 5, according to the latest regulatory and exchange data. Fund managers recovered some of their pre…

Bangladesh has shortlisted global commodity traders Trafigura and Gunvor to arrange the installation of two floating liquefied natural gas (LNG) import terminals in 2018 as the country transforms into a major LNG consumer. "Trafigura and Gunvor have been shortlisted out of 13 companies for two 200 million cubic feet/day LNG import terminals," a director at state-run energy firm Petrobangla's LNG division told Reuters. Petrobangla will hold talks with the companies and deals will then be finalised, he added.

Product tanker Agia Zoni II reported water ingress, sinking, in the early hours of Sunday  in Saronikos Gulf, south of Athens at anchorage west of Piraeus, with some 2500 tons of fuel on board, and two crew. The local media reports that Aghia Zoni II took on water while it was anchored and sank at 2.45 a.m., after sailing from the Aspropyrgos distilleries in the early hours of Saturday carrying 2,200 metric tons of fuel oil and 370 metric tons of marine gas oil. It is not yet known what caused the sinking.

Following on from the electrification of heavy duty mobility in the form of cars, buses, automated guided vehicles and tractor units, VDL Groep intends to continue help reducing the emissions from means of transport. The family-owned international industrial business headquartered in Eindhoven will now be supplying systems for ships that comply with the latest international requirements on the emission of harmful substances. For this project, VDL has entered into a joint venture with AEC Maritime…

 Adam Drechsel has joined the international team at the Sea IT headquarters in Gothenburg, Sweden.   Drechsel has a background in system development and networks. He has previously held positions as technical account manager and IT technician at Gotanet, an internet and telecommunications provider.

A Navis NavDP4000 DP-2 system has been commissioned on board the third vessel in a series of four currently under construction on Arctech Helsinki Shipyards.   This project is a further development of the two multifunctional icebreaking supply vessels Vitus Bering and Aleksey Chirikov delivered for same owner back in 2012 and 2013.   The multifunctional icebreaking standby vessel is designed for year round operations in harsh conditions of Arctic waters, as she was built to Icebreaker 6 class of Russian Maritime Register. She is also designed to act as an accommodation vessel.   The previously delivered Gennadiy Nevelskoy and Stepan Makarov already started operations serving Sakhalin-2 project.

DNV GL said it has awarded class to BP’s Glen Lyon Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel located west of Shetland. Glen Lyon is a purpose-built FPSO expected to produce 130,000 barrels of oil a day at peak production. The vessel was transferred into class shortly after first oil in May 2017. DNV GL’s Maritime and Oil & Gas business areas have together provided BP with a broad range of technical skills required for the challenging conditions in which the FPSO will operate.

VLCC rates from MidEast to Asia gain around $3,000; higher chartering volumes for peak winter season could lift rates. Freight rates for very large crude carriers (VLCCs) on Asian routes may have found a floor this week as a combination of increased chartering activity and some tankers sailing at slower speeds pushed rates slightly higher from the Middle East. "Rates are at a bottom, they have kind of found a floor," said Ashok Sharma, managing director of BRS Baxi Far East in Singapore, on Friday. "But the recovery is a very shallow one - the market is really rubbish," he added.

Hyundai Merchant Marine (HMM) announced that it has successfully completed its first blockchain technology adopted pilot voyage. HMM, with other members of shipping and logistics blockchain consortium, have conducted its first pilot voyage from Korea to China (Busan to Qingdao) with reefer containers from August 24th to September 4th. HMM applied the blockchain technology to this pilot voyage - from shipment booking to cargo delivery - and reviewed the feasibility of adopting the technology into shipping and logistics.

Global LNG Bunkering market is expected to grow from $248.64 million in 2016 to reach $8187.35 million by 2023 with a CAGR of 64.7%. According to Stratistics MRC, growing marine logistic business, cost efficient LNG products, and imposing environmental regulations on chemical emissions are some of the factors bolstering the market growth. In addition, easy deployment facility is another factor fuelling the market growth. However, higher capital investments, poor bunkering infrastructure are the factors inhibiting the market growth.

The Taiwanese carrier Yang Ming Marine Transport Corp. will roll out DNV GL’s performance management solution ECO Insight. Yang Ming operates a fleet of 98 vessels, representing six million DWT and an operating capacity of 590,000 TEU, the majority of which are container vessels. Yang Ming will use ECO Insight performance management onshore, with Navigator Insight voyage reporting onboard for their vessels. “We are always active in finding solutions that can save energy and improve our fleet’s performance.

The Finnish icebreaking season typically ends in May. Around the same time, the cooling system in Aker Arctic’s ice laboratory in Helsinki, Finland, is turned off and the model basin is allowed to warm up for the annual summer maintenance break. Aker Arctic operates its own ice model testing facility at the company’s main office in Helsinki, Finland. Using the in-house developed FGX model ice, the 75-meter ice tank can be used to get reliable icebreaking performance predictions for ice-going ships and study other ice-related phenomena in model scale.

The volume of global price benchmark North Sea crude being held in floating storage has declined sharply since mid-August, according to shipping data and trade sources, a sign that a long-awaited market rebalancing is gaining momentum. Two supertankers being used to store North Sea crudes offshore the UK, Desimi and Gener8 Neptune, contain about 4 million barrels of oil, trade sources said. Three weeks ago, the total was closer to 10 million barrels. The clearing of the crude to destinations including China and South Korea has been encouraged by a rise in the price of Brent crude for delivery soon relative to later supplies, trade sources said, a feature known as backwardation. "The whole market is tightening up," said a North Sea trade source.

Len Badal has joined the senior executive team of BioBlend Renewable Resources, LLC, as the company grows its management team to help meet growing demand for environmentally friendly lubricants. Badal is a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, and holds an MBA with a concentration in Finance from Rice University in Houston. Throughout his career Badal has held a number of high-level positions with both Chevron and ExxonMobil and delivers a diverse range of experience that will aid BioBlend’s future growth, the company said.

Wärtsilä said it booked an order in June to supply the cargo handling system and cargo tanks for a new 3,000 cubic meter capacity liquefied natural gas (LNG) bunker barge currently under construction. The vessel, which is being built in Romania and will be outfitted in the Netherlands, will be owned by LNG Shipping, a consortium between Belgium based Victrol and CFT Corporation based in France. When delivered, it will be chartered by Shell Western LNG B.V., operating out of Rotterdam to provide the company with additional flexibility to bunker LNG fuelled ships…

Hand in hand with the digital craze in maritime is the caution of cyber attacks. We live and operate in a complex society. That society would be impossible without modern computers and other information technologies Those technologies have largely been developed piecemeal to address particular issues, and for the most part they have generally achieved their particular goals. Maximum efficiency is gained when multiple technologies are joined to coordinate their work. Computers get smaller and faster, with ever-growing memory. Joining computers together allowed for creation of the internet.

MacGregor, part of Cargotec, has received an order from Yangzijiang shipyard in China to equip five 62,000 dwt open hatch bulk carriers (OHBC) with hatch covers and cranes. Equipment deliveries will start in 2018 and continue until 2019. The order was booked into Cargotec's third quarter 2017 order intake.   The order comprises the design of key hatch cover components and the delivery of 20cranes; four per vessel. Each crane will be fitted with an active rotation control (ARC) system, which stabilises and automatically rotates a load in the air.  

Kelvin Hughes has introduced its latest Electronic Chart Display and Information System (ECDIS) designed for commercial ships as well as naval and coastguard patrol vessels. Available as a standalone ECDIS or as part of a truly multifunction bridge display network with multiple operator positions, the new ECDIS is type approved to meet the latest International Hydrographic Office (IHO) and International Maritime Organization (IMO) standards. It offers an optional mil-spec processor with advanced LED display hardware in a fully integrated, easy to install and retrofit, console package.

The Bomin Group, a leading global physical supplier and trader of marine fuels, today announced the launch of a new brand identity and website as it positions itself to deliver the company’s next phase of global growth. The shipping industry is experiencing significant change, and the fuel supply chain is becoming increasingly complex. The launch of Bomin’s new brand identity reflects this evolution, and the company’s global position within the market. The new corporate identity also underlines the company’s ethical values…

Clean technology engineering company for the petroleum industry Genoil Inc has signed a tri-partite science, research and technical cooperation agreement with two leading Russian institutions. Genoil has joined forces with the UFA Scientific Research Institute of Petroleum Refining and Petrochemistry, located in Bashkortostan, Russia, and the OJS VNIIUS Institute, located in Tatarstan, Russia to establish a world class partnership. The scope of the agreement is to research, develop and market cutting-edge technologies and patents both in the Americas and globally.

Navy installations throughout Florida are preparing for heavy weather as Hurricane Irma approaches South Florida. Commander, Navy Region Southeast, Rear Adm. Bette Bolivar, directed the evacuation of non-essential personnel and family members from Naval Air Station Key West, Florida, Sept. 5. "Their safety and security is a top priority," Bolivar said. Approximately 50-60 mission essential personnel are remaining behind to maintain essential functions on the installation. Naval Air Station Key West personnel have a designated safe haven area of within 300 miles of Atlanta.

Now, the Danish Maritime Authority makes a digital version of the Radio Medical Record available on the website. This new feature is a small step on the road to digitalization. These years, the Danish Maritime Authority is striving to digitalize as many work processes as possible to ease the burdens imposed on both seafarers and the industry as much as possible. The Danish Maritime Authority continues its work within the fields of digitalization and the utilization of technological solutions for the benefit of Blue Denmark.

The City of New York Department of Transportation (NYCDOT) Staten Island Ferry Division and Eastern Shipbuilding Group, Inc. (ESG) cut steel to officially begin the construction of the first of three new 320’ Staten Island Ollis Class Ferries. The steel cutting ceremony held August 29, 2017 took place in Eastern’s steel processing and pre-fabrication building at its Allanton facility in Panama City, Fla. Attending the ceremony from Staten Island Ferry Division was John Collins, Director of Ferry Engineering and Bill Tomalonis, Vessel Construction Manager SIF Division.