Maritime Industry News

Navios Maritime Containers Inc. (Navios Containers) took delivery of Navios Miami, a 2009-built, 4,563 TEU containership in the last month.According to a press note from the growth vehicle dedicated to the container sector of the maritime industry the vessel was acquired for a purchase price of $13.9 million.The acquisition of the vessel was financed with cash on the balance sheet and a new $9.0 million term loan facility. The facility has an amortization profile of 7 years, matures…

ClassNK and TÜV Rheinland have concluded a worldwide partnership agreement for cybersecurity services.ClassNK is a classification society which carries out surveys to help ensure the safety of vessels and marine structures, and has many achievements involving the certification of ship equipment. TÜV Rheinland is a leader in testing, inspection and certification services providing digital services for safety, cybersecurity and privacy. Earlier, ClassNK and TÜV Rheinland built a…

Inauguration of Tycho Brahe and Aurora marks successful completion of a high-profile conversion project with ABB’s technology at its heart.The largest emission-free ferries in the world have been officially welcomed into service after guests boarded Tycho Brahe in Helsingborg, Sweden and Helsingør, Denmark on November 9 for a special inauguration ceremony marking completion of an all-electric conversion.“We are delighted that the entire system is in place to support the emissions-free operations we envisaged from the outset,” said Johan Röstin, CEO, ForSea.

Rear Admiral Mark Buzby is the Maritime Administrator, U.S. Maritime Administration.Rear Adm. Mark H. Buzby was appointed by President Donald Trump and sworn in as Maritime Administrator on August 8, 2017. Prior to his appointment, Buzby served as president of the National Defense Transportation Association, a position he has held since retiring from the U.S. Navy in 2013 with over 34 years of service. A 1979 graduate of the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, Buzby earned his Bachelor of Science in Nautical Science and U.S. Coast Guard Third Mate License.

Will your vessel be honored as a “Great Workboat of 2018” in the December 2018 edition of Marine News?Every year, Marine News profiles the most outstanding vessels built in shipyards in North America, recognizing builders, owners and designers as leaders in their field. This edition — the much anticipated end-of-the-year edition — generates much excitement, as your work is profiled and delivered to the largest audited b2b maritime industry audience in this genre.The only way to…

Glosten and C-Job Naval Architects announced a partnership as executives from the two firms met recently at Glosten’s newly opened East Coast office to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) defining the firms’ shared goals and objectives.“This is an important step in formalizing what has already been a fruitful relationship over the past several months,” said Glosten President Morgan Fanberg, PE. “It is encouraging to see the work we can accomplish together. We look forward…

ABB has won its first marine automation system contract for a cruise ferry in China, after the technology package for Chinese-built Viking Line vessel has been extended to include the ABB Ability System 800xA.ABB Ability System 800xA integrates power, propulsion and vessel management systems into one platform, enabling both crew and onshore teams to get a comprehensive overview of all the information needed to operate the vessel in the safest and most efficient manner. Adding marine automation to the technology package will improve project management…

Nordic marine technology company Kongsberg Maritime has selected Swiss battery maker  Leclanché, one of the world’s leading storage solutions companies, as its battery partner and supplier of customised marine energy storage solutions.The partnership contributes to Kongsberg's new generation of hybrid power solutions, which are set to deliver game-changing efficiencies and reduce the environmental impact of transportation with cutting-edge autonomous and crewed vessel newbuilds.Leclanché’s batteries will be an integral part of Kongsberg’s hybrid solutions.

In the future, seafarers would be subject to the rules set out in the Directive on transparent and predictable working conditions if it were up to the European Parliament.According to Danish Shipping, a trade and employer organisation for more than 90 shipowners and offshore companies, this means that additional financial and administrative burdens are to be expected for the maritime industry which is already heavily regulated and protected by international conventions.Since the…

Maritime Administrator Mark H. Buzby welcomed female cadets from the seven U.S. maritime academies to the 10th annual Women on the Water Conference, held November 1-3 in Castine, Maine. The conference, sponsored by the Maine Maritime Academy (MMA) in partnership with the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD), showcases the successes of women in the maritime industry.“The demand for a highly trained mariner workforce increases daily,” said Administrator Buzby. “By providing our female cadets with the opportunity to learn from other female maritime industry leaders, we hope to inspire them to greater levels of achievement in their careers.”The Women on the Water Conference…

Recognizing the appeal of virtual reality (VR) for engaging seafarers who need training as they enter and advance through the maritime industry, KVH Videotel and OMS-VR has announced a letter of intent to enter into an exclusive agreement to produce and distribute VR maritime training. Coinciding with the announcement, KVH Videotel will be providing a demo of VR training during the CrewConnect Global Conference in Manila tomorrow and Wednesday, November 6-7.KVH Videotel’s maritime training programs include more than 950 titles related to the Standards of Training…

Color Line and Ulstein Verft marked the construction start-up on the world's largest plug-in hybrid ship, the 'Color Hybrid'. The hull is placed in the dock hall, and several hundred yard workers are now busy with the ship’s completion before hand-over next summer.'Color Hybrid' is a good example of the interaction in the maritime cluster, said Ulstein Verft. Color Line chose Ulstein Verft for this newbuilding project. Furthermore, the yard has contracted the subsuppliers to this project…

While the technology to facilitate autonomous shipping matures, many questions remain, led by the size, shape and role of the Future Mariner. The MarTID 2019 Survey aims to shed some light.The Maritime Training Insights Database steering group has announced the upcoming launch of the 2019 MarTID survey, which this year focuses on the trend toward autonomous vessel operations and its impact on training current and future mariners. MarTID is a non-commercial, joint initiative of the World Maritime University, Marine Learning Systems and New Wave Media.

With advances in technology, increased regulatory requirements for training, and an industry that has been committed to improving working conditions, especially those associated with confined space entry and fire prevention, why are we still seeing maritime related fires and explosions that often include serious injury or loss of life? HistoryFollowing the First World War, as cargo vessels, particularly tank ships, were being converted to carry larger cargos, the incident rate of fires and explosions during shipbuilding, repair, and conversion began to rise.

C-Job Naval Architects has implemented a new method to optimize ship designs. The holistic optimization method allows for quick design iterations, exciting innovations and saves the naval architect a significant amount of time.C-Job Naval Architects is the largest independent ship design and engineering company in the Netherlands. The company employs over 130 in-house maritime engineers and naval architects in four offices and specializes in different sectors including dredging, heavy lift, offshore (wind), ferries and superyachts.

Maritime accident investigation reports for collisions, explosions, capsizings and allisions and the lessons learned within those reports are detailed in the National Transportation Safety Board’s Safer Seas Digest 2017, released online Thursday.The publication is a compendium of 41 marine accident reports for accidents involving fishing, offshore supply, cargo, passenger, tanker, towing and government vessels. Reports in the digest were adopted or issued by the NTSB during calendar year 2017.The Safer Seas Digest is a publication designed with mariners in mind…

Companies with workers repairing and refurbishing ship components utilizing sand blasting have become the subject of a new U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standard.All employers and employees in the maritime industry need to be aware of the new requirements as OSHA continues efforts to protect workers from the hazards of exposure to breathable silica dust. The new application of the "Respirable Crystalline Silica" standards requires…

Danish shipping company TORM has established a joint venture with scrubber manufacturer ME Production and Guangzhou Shipyard International (GSI).The joint venture, ME Production China, will manufacture and install scrubbers in China and deliver them to a range of maritime industry customers for both newbuildings and retrofitted vessels, said a press release from the carriers of refined oil products. TORM holds an ownership stake of 27.5% in the new joint venture. GSI is part of…

Women's International Shipping and Trading Association (WISTA) elected Connie Roozen, Director of C&B More as Treasurer and Angie Hartmann, Vice President Crew Affairs, Starbulk  as Board Member, to the WISTA International Executive Committee.Sanjam Gupta, Director Sitara Shipping, was re-elected to a third term on the Executive Committee. Kathy Metcalf, CEO of the Chamber of Shipping of America, was honored as the 2018 WISTA International Personality of the Year.Connie Roozen is Director at C& B More, a tax consultancy firm. Roozen has served as Treasurer for WISTA the Netherlands since 2014.

Will your vessel be honored as a “Great Workboat of 2018” in the December 2018 edition of Marine News?Every year, Marine News profiles the most outstanding vessels built in shipyards in North America, recognizing builders, owners and designers as leaders in their field. This edition — the much anticipated end-of-the-year edition — generates much excitement, as your work is profiled and delivered to the largest audited b2b maritime industry audience in this genre.The only way to…

SEA\LNG, the multi-sector industry coalition aiming to accelerate the widespread adoption of liquefied natural gas (LNG) as a marine fuel, strongly supports the decision of the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) to reaffirm the January 1, 2020 implementation date of the 0.50% sulphur fuel limit.SEA\LNG said in a press release that it also applauds the adoption of the amendment to MARPOL Annex VI for a carriage ban on non-compliant fuels for vessels without an approved equivalent arrangement to meet the sulphur limit – such as an exhaust gas cleaning system (EGCS) on March 1…

The US Coast Guard has published its Maritime Commerce Strategic Outlook. This forward-facing document should be read by everyone in the Coast Guard and by those associated with the US maritime sector. It is intended to guide the Service’s efforts in securing the strategically critical maritime transportation system (MTS) and the marine environment. To accomplish this, the Coast Guard must be Semper Paratus – Always Ready, as it has been for most of its 228 years. The Coast Guard must also be relevant – ready and able to accomplish the tasks important to the MTS and marine environment.

Kathy Metcalf, CEO of the Chamber of Shipping of America, was honored as the 2018 WISTA International Personality of the Year.New WISTA BoardWomen's International Shipping and Trading Association (WISTA) elected Connie Roozen, Director of C&B More (WISTA the Netherlands) as Treasurer and Angie Hartmann, Vice President Crew Affairs, Starbulk S.A. (WISTA Hellas) as Board Member, to the WISTA International Executive Committee at their 38th International Annual General Meeting in TromsØ, Norway on October 24, 2018.