Maritime Industry News

Mr. Cernak was AAPA’s immediate past Chairman and its 2019 Cruise Award recipient.Port Everglades Chief Executive and Director Steven M. Cernak passed away over the weekend, following a long, valiant battle with cancer. He was the immediate past Chairman of the American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) and immediate past Chairman of the Florida Ports Council.Upon learning of Mr. Cernak’s passing, AAPA President and CEO Kurt Nagle said: “Today we mourn the loss of one of the greatest champions of the port industry…

Hybrid is not only here, it is growing, and with that growth it will soon reach far beyond coastal applications.For those who were around for the arrival of Y2K, you will remember the anticipation, preparation and perspiration as the maritime world waited for the failure of communications, navigation, security and machinery associated with the digital change of the clock. The forecasts, now historical urban legend, left the world without a digital catastrophe.We wait now for 2020 and the advent of the IMO maritime emissions regulations.

IKEA Transport & Logistics Services, CMA CGM, the GoodShipping Program and the Port of Rotterdam have announced they will cooperate in a first of its kind partnership to test and scale the use of sustainable marine bio-fuel oil. The test will commence with a landmark bunkering of the marine bio-fuel oil on a CMA CGM container vessel on March 19th, representing a major step towards the decarbonization of ocean freight.The test is being facilitated by the GoodShipping Program, a sustainable initiative dedicated to decarbonizing ocean freight…

As maritime digests a number of historical changes, Norway’s Fjellstrand shipyard wants to put aside the rule book and look at the whole process in a new way, reducing engineering costs up to 70% and production costs up to 20%.The process of designing and building a ship, even in today’s highly standardized mass manufacturing environment, remains largely a one-off, one-of-a-kind design and build. Ships are most often built to a shipowner’s or operator’s specific requirements, which are often based on fixed parameters such as speed…

On August 18, 1990, the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA 90) was enacted into law. Section 4202 of that Act amended the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (FWPCA or Clean Water Act) to require tank vessels and marine transportation-related facilities to prepare and submit to the US Coast Guard plans for responding, to the maximum extent practicable, to a worse case discharge, and to a substantial threat of such a discharge, of oil or a hazardous substance carried in bulk as cargo.

The Panama Canal Authority and A.P. Moller – Maersk A/S are the latest entities to join the International Maritime Organization (IMO)-supported Global Industry Alliance to Support Low Carbon Shipping (GIA).According to the UN body, the GIA now has 18 members, including leading shipowners and operators, classification societies, engine and technology builders and suppliers, big data providers, oil companies and ports.The new members signed up to the GIA during the fifth meeting of the GIA Taskforce at IMO Headquarters in London…

Today, the American Waterways Operators testified before two congressional committees on the state of the American maritime industry.Tom Allegretti, President & CEO, testified before the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee while across the Capitol, Jennifer Carpenter, Executive Vice President & COO, appeared before the House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation. In written testimonies submitted to the Committee and Subcommittee, both Mr. Allegretti and Mrs.

The technology group Wärtsilä has announced that its LJX series of modular waterjets has been upgraded to deliver even greater efficiency with low levels of cavitation and underwater noise. Following this upgrading, the company’s modular waterjets will be redesignated as the Wärtsilä WXJ series.The development is based on a new axial pump design, which boosts performance with an increased thrust of as much as 3 percent, while the improved cavitation margins help reduce the environmental impact by lowering noise levels.

Yaskawa Environmental Energy / The Switch believes the global maritime industry is now on the threshold of a committed move towards renewable energy, with hydrogen as the potential acid test in the shift away from fossil fuels.“Renewables and alternative fuels are attracting increasing interest, driven by greater environmental awareness within society, tighter regulations and an industry-wide need to optimize energy use and manage costs,” comments Asbjørn Halsebakke, Product Manager of Marine Drives, Yaskawa Environmental Energy/The Switch Norway.

Bipartisan Congressional Leaders Highlight Importance of Jones Act, Employing 650,000 Americans incl. Veterans, for National & Economic Security. Following the signing of an Executive Order by President Donald J. Trump to create an easier pathway for veterans to transition into maritime careers in the U.S. Merchant Marine, congressional and maritime leaders convened for two hearings exploring the state of the domestic maritime industry and the role of the Jones Act. These hearings…

As part of its gender inclusion initiatives in the nautical industry, towage operator, Svitzer hired the first 100% female crew for the Dominican Republic.Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Over the waters of Rio Haina and Caucedo, in the Dominican Republic, operates a very special vessel; it is the Svitzer Monte Cristi, a 70-ton tugboat that helps maneuver larger vessels so they can dock, undo or be driven through the channels.The boat is special not only because of the expertise…

Carnival Corporation has released the results of an independent, two-year scientific scrubber wash-water study.The study shows the company’s advanced air quality systems (i.e. scrubbers) are in compliance with the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) 2020 requirements, which include regulations for cleaner air emissions and strict wash-water quality standards.The study also concluded that the wash-water samples from scrubbers were below the limits set by several major national and international water quality and land-based water discharge standards…

The Women's International Shipping & Trading Association (WISTA) has launched its inclusion pledge which addresses the under representation of women in the maritime industry.The pledge addresses the underrepresentation of women in the maritime industry through a series of statements aimed at embracing diversity through individual action and personal responsibility. Individuals are encouraged to sign the pledge in support of a diverse and inclusive maritime sector. Signatories of the pledge commit to “Embrace diversity of thought (including gender…

Magnesium Producers Nedmag of the Netherlands and TIMAB Magnesium of France have announced a strategic partnership to development and commercialise Magnesium Hydroxide in marine gas scrubber systems.Since January 2015, regulations over Sulphur Oxides (SOx) emission from the marine industry have been significantly tightened, in Sulphur Emission Control Area especially. A new set of regulations will come into force on January 1st 2020, governing all oceans and seas of the globe.Among the technical alternatives available to the maritime industry to face this environmental challenge…

Thuraya Telecommunications company, a subsidiary of the Al Yah Satellite Communications company (Yahsat), has partnered with ITC Global to set up Thuraya VSAT+, the ground-breaking maritime satellite service.ITC Global is a subsidiary of Panasonic Avionics Corporation. The partnership gives Thuraya access to Panasonic’s global mobility network, which enables the Ku-band element of the Thuraya VSAT+ service.Thuraya launched VSAT+ in Q4 2018. The service offers global coverage, best-in-class data rates to meet growing demand for high-throughput services…

The Philippines maritime regulator Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) said it wants to attract private organizations to continue engaging in shipbuilding and repair by developing a scheme of tax incentives.Marina also said that the incentives program is crafted for domestic shipping to enhance the investment climate in the Philippines and attract more private-sector participation in the maritime industry.“Marina has committed to formulate an attractive financing scheme and to review existing incentive programs for the players in the domestic shipping and shipbuilding industries.

Europe’s first conversion of a dredger to dual-fuel capability combining LNG and MGO is close to completion. Damen will deliver a turnkey package that included engineering, procurement and support. The previous propulsion system of Dragages-Ports’ Samuel de Champlain was diesel-electric burning MGO, and so the contract included the change of generators to dual-fuel models and the installation of on board LNG storage facilities. As many LNG projects prove, this one too was complex and challenging…

William Gallagher, President of International Registries, to be named Massachusetts Maritime Academy's Maritime Person of the Year.Since 1995, Massachusetts Maritime Academy has been honoring leaders with a renowned career of excellence, innovation and service to the maritime industry with the Emery Rice Medal at their Salute to the Maritime Person of the Year events. This year they will honor Mr. William Gallagher the President of International Registries, Inc. for his distinguished support and expertise…

The new 0.5% sulfur cap on fuel content for the global maritime industry means the container-shipping industry will need to offset up to $10 billion in incremental costs, starting Jan. 1, 2020, when the cap is slated to take effect, said a study.IMO 2020 regulations is promulgated by the United Nations’ International Maritime Organization (IMO).The new report by the global consulting firm AlixPartners also finds that the new fuel rule could expose carriers on just eastbound Asia…

The barriers and incentives relating to the uptake of alternative fuels in the shipping industry were in the spotlight at a roundtable meeting of International Maritime Organization (IMO)’s Global Industry Alliance (GIA) to Support Low Carbon Shipping at IMO Headquarters, London.Experts from across the maritime industry were brought together to discuss successful incentives in other transport sectors and how they might be applied to shipping and ports, said a press note from the UN body.The group discussed economic…

The consortium promoting the commercial case for liquefied natural gas (LNG), SEA\LNG, believes LNG is a viable pathway to meet the International Maritime Organisation (IMO)’s 2050 Greenhouse Gas (GHG) targets.The maritime industry really has two broad but major environmental initiatives related to air emissions; dramatic improvement of global air quality, and reduction of GHGs, said a release from the multi-sector industry coalition aiming to accelerate the widespread adoption of liquefied natural gas (LNG) as a marine fuel.Reinforcing the case for LNG as a marine fuel…

The Inflatable Safety & Survival Equipment Technical Association (ISSETA) has elected the Danish self-proclaimed “liferaft man”, Erik Søndergaard, Secretary.Søndergaard has held various leading management positions for both Survitec and VIKING Life-Saving Equipment and comes with extensive knowledge about the maritime industry. He retired a few years ago and looks forward to again being a part of the industry he loves so much.Since 2000, Ian Brindle has served as Secretary of ISSETA.

KVH Industries shipped its 9,000th mini-Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT) Broadband system."The milestone highlights KVH’s position as a maritime VSAT market share leader providing satellite broadband connectivity to vessels around the world," said a press release from the US-based manufacturer of mobile satellite communications solutions.KVH’s TracPhone V-series antenna systems are designed to provide satellite broadband connectivity to commercial and personal vessels globally…