Sanmar Delivers Another Tug for Boluda Towage
Sanmar reports it has delivered another tugboat to Boluda Towage, marking the third delivery from the Turkish shipbuilder and operator to Spain-headquartered maritime service provider in three monthsâ time.The delivery of BoÄaçay LXVII, to be renamed VB Tragen by its new owner, follows the sale and delivery of two former Sanmar fleet tugs - VB Horus and VB Amon â to Boluda Towage in November last year.VB Tragen has been delivered to support Boluda Towageâs services for liquefied natural gas (LNG) operations in Germany.
Russia Oil Price Cap Coalition Toughens Shipping Rules
The U.S.-led coalition imposing a price cap on seaborne Russian oil announced changes on Wednesday to its compliance regime the Treasury Department said will make it harder for Russian exporters to bypass the cap.The Treasury also imposed fresh sanctions on a ship manager owned by the Russian government and three oil traders involved in Russian oil trade.The Group of Seven (G7) industrialized countries last year imposed a price cap of $60 per barrel on Russian oil shipments inâŠ
OSG to Install Starlink Fleetwide
U.S. shipping company Overseas Shipholding Group (OSG) announced it will equip all vessels in its fleet with Space Xâs Starlink satellite internet service in a move that aims to enhance onboard connectivity for seafarers.Since the introduction to the market of Starlinkâs Global Maritime service earlier this year, OSGâs IT department has worked to substantially complete installation of Starlink equipment on every vessel in the fleet of OSG and ATC, with full installation expected by year endâŠ
TDI-Brooks Installs Starlink on Its Research Vessels
U.S. based marine services firm TDI-Brooks announced it has installed the Starlink Maritime platform on two of its four research vessels, with plans to equip the remaining vessels at a later date.The two vessels, Brooks McCall and Miss Emma McCall, are currently working on the U.S. East Coast performing G&G surveys for offshore wind programs. Installation of the Starlink Maritime platform is next planned for installation on the Proteus currently working in the Northern GOM and Gyre working off Trinidad.Richard BynoâŠ
Cable Installation Kicks Off at U.S. First Commercial Scale Offshore Wind Farm
Cable installation has kicked off at Vineyard Wind, the U.S. first commercial scale offshore wind farm, at a site located 15 miles south of Marthaâs Vineyard. Vineyard Wind, the company developing the namesake wind farm, also announced that it expects to begin nearshore cable work off the south coast of Cape Cod in the coming days. The work is being conducted by Prysmian Group, the subsea cable manufacturing and installation firm based in Italy.Prysmian recently announced plans to build the first U.S.-based offshore wind subsea cable factory in SomersetâŠ
Finnlines Adds Two New RoPax Vessels Between Sweden and Finland
Finnlines will make major investments in its route between Sweden and mainland Finland via Åland during 2023 as the freight and passenger shipping company continues to bounce back from the pandemic slowdown.The company announced on Tuesday that it is introducing two new Superstar cargo-passenger vessels as part of general plans for increasing passenger comfort on the KapellskärâLångnäsâNaantali route, with the first ro-pax vessel set to start operating on the route in autumn 2023.The new vessels Finnsirius and Finncanopus are part of Finnlines EUR 500 million investment programâŠ
Marlink and OneWeb to Trial of LEO Maritime Connectivity Service
Network solutions company Marlink and space-based communications company OneWeb announced plans to conduct the first at-sea trial of OneWebâs Low Earth Orbit (LEO) maritime service.The initial integration and evaluation will take place at Marlinkâs Eik teleport (Norway), with installation and on-vessel trial scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2022. This represents the first at-sea maritime trial on OneWebâs maritime satellite service and includes evaluation of the new user terminal created by Intellian with a core module from Hughes Network Systems.
KOTUG Buys Seaways
Dutch marine services and towage firm KOTUG has closed the acquisition of Seaways, first announced in April. The fee was not disclosed."The acquisition of Seaways brings together the assets, expertise and people of two leading companies that support the worldwide floating facility business such as FSO, FPSO, FLNG, FSRU and SPM Terminals. With all customary, governmental, and other required approvals, KOTUG will now focus on the integration of Seaways and strengthening its leading presence in the floating offshore marketâŠ
Rimorchiatori Mediterranei Buys Keppel Smit Towage and Maju Maritime
Dutch marine services firm Boskalis and its co-shareholder KS Investments Pte. Ltd. (Keppel) have completed the sale of their equity stakes in their harbor towage activities in Singapore and Malaysia - Keppel Smit Towage Pte Ltd and Maju Maritime Pte Ltd - to Rimorchiatori Mediterranei.Boskalis received EUR 92 million in cash for its 49% equity stake in the joint ventures resulting in a pre tax book gain of approximately EUR 50 million. Keppel Smit Towage (KST) was established in 1991 as a joint venture between Keppel and SMIT, a subsidiary of Boskalis. Over the past thirty years, Boskalis said, KST/Maju has developed into one of the largest and leading providers of harbor towage services in Southeast Asia.
American P&I Club Announces Leadership Change
After 27 yearsâ service as Chief Executive Officer of Shipowners Claims Bureau, Inc. (SCB), the Managers of the American P&I Club, Joe Hughes will stand down from that role on August 1, 2022. Dorothea Ioannou, currently Deputy Chief Operating Officer of SCB, will succeed Hughes as CEO from that date, making history as the first woman to ascend to the top executive position of an International Group P&I club in the 167 year history of the marine mutuals.At the same time, Vince Solarino will step down as Chief Operating Officer of SCB, Inc.
The Southern Devall Group Names Kenny Devall President and CEO
Gulf Intracoastal and U.S. inland waterways towboat and barge operator The Southern Devall Group announced it has appointed Kenny Devall as president and chief executive officer.The Southern Devall Group (TSDG), an affiliate of Chicago-based CC Industries, is the combined businesses of Southern Towing and Devall Towing.Kenny Devall, who previously served as chief operating officer at Devall Towing, is being promoted to succeed Chris Sullivan, who served as interim CEO of TSDGâŠ
Inside the Red-Hot Offshore Wind Energy Market
As the traditional offshore oil and gas markets continue to struggle, the renewable offshore wind market is hot and getting hotter.As the cumulative maritime, offshore, port and logistics marketplace gears up for offshore wind energy on a huge scale, World Energy Reports (WER), in its report â2021 The Year When Offshore Wind Takes Off in the United States,â shows the anticipated growth trajectory. Service Operations Vessels (SOVs), which can commission and/or maintain turbinesâŠ
Long-term Charters for Østensjø Rederi Offshore Vessel Trio
Norwegian offshore vessel provider Østensjø Rederi has signed long-term contracts for three of its offshore vessels.The new contracts for the Edda Fauna and Edda Flora vessels, signed with subsea services company DeepOcean, will begin in the first quarter of 2021 and will secure firm utilization until the end of 2022, Østensjø Rederi."Both Edda Fauna and Edda Flora will be delivered to DeepOcean with a fully integrated state-of-the-art hybrid battery system installed, for a significant reduction in fuel and emission.
Kilo Marine Joins KVH Watch Solution Partner Program
KVH Industries, Inc. announced that marine technical services firm Kilo Marine has joined the KVH Watch Solution Partner program and will offer KVH Watch connectivity as part of a wide range of marine services. In particular, the digital services that Kilo Marine offers via its V-Node platform will use KVH Watch to provide dedicated connectivity and on-demand Remote Expert Intervention, allowing Kilo Marine technicians to support their customer base anywhere around the world.
Digital Twins: Rivers, Oceans, Harbors Recreated
In 2001, George Burkley, a maritime educator, wrote a look-ahead article for Maritime Reporter and Engineering News, presenting the benefits and real-world payoffs from using simulators in maritime education. In the late 1990s, new tech and software advances were creating scenario programs that moved a student closer and closer to the realities demanded by, well, reality. âThe future is here, and we are ready to simulate it,â Burkley concluded.Burkley is now executive director at the Maritime Pilots Institute in Covington, La.
Iridium's GMDSS Service Goes Live
Satellite communications provider Iridium Communications Inc. announced Tuesday that its Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS) service officially went live on Friday, December 11, ending a monopoly held by rival Inmarsat and enhancing the integrity of global safety communications for seafarers globally.GMDSS is an internationally regulated service, governed by the International Maritime Organization's (IMO) Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) convention. It provides life-saving assistance to seafarers in distress and has required equipment on board more than 60âŠ
Tug Sails Using AI Route Planner and Autopilot
A high-tech tug in the Netherlands has traveled without human intervention on an AI-optimized route from Boompjes to Waalhaven in the Port of Rotterdam, marking a milestone on the path toward fully autonomous and maritime sustainable operations.The milestone voyage was led by maritime service provider KOTUG International, ship design company Rotortug and tech start-up Captain AI, as part of the Netherlands Forum for Smart Shipping.The demonstration follows the summer 2018 trial of a Rotortug sailing under remote control from MarseilleâŠ
BV Appoints Gregg-Smith as China Chief Executive
Testing, inspection and certification (TIC) services company Bureau Veritas (BV) announced Alex Gregg-Smith has joined the BV group as Marine & Offshore Country Chief Executive, China.Reporting to Claude Maillot, Senior Vice President North Asia Zone, Gregg-Smith is based in Shanghai."We are delighted to have Alex back onboard with BV â and in such an important role," Maillot said. "China is so central to our activities, both for new construction and ships in service, so we needed someone with the expert background in classification that Alex provides.
Autonomy on Trial
When discussing the arrival of autonomous workboats, many â especially those developing the technologies that enable them â say itâs is not a matter of if, but when. In fact, autonomous harbor tugs are already being put to the test in Singapore, where authorities hope to establish the technological infrastructure to enable fully autonomous ship operations. In the U.S., an autonomous vessel was shown to be able to respond to marine oil spills.But is autonomy really the future?
V.Group Names Traaholt CFO
Ship management and marine services company V.Group announced it has appointed Petter Traaholt as Chief Financial Officer and a member of the V.Group Board.Traaholt joined V.Group from Eltel Group where he was Group CFO, based in Stockholm. Prior to joining Eltel in 2017, he held a number of senior operations and finance roles in Wilhelmsen Holding ASA; initially combining roles as CFO and Deputy CEO of Wilhelmsen Maritime Service, then in 2010 becoming President of Wilhelmsen Technical Solutions.
Worldâs First: Abu Dhabi Builds Autonomous Tug
Abu Dhabi Ports has signed an agreement with Canadian naval architects Robert Allan Ltd to develop the world's first fully autonomous commercial marine tugs.The tugs will undertake operations with SAFEEN, Abu Dhabi Portsâ maritime service arm.One of the primary advantages of the innovative design includes greater capability, as shifting the human element from on-board to on-shore, will allow such vessels to operate in far more adverse weather conditions. Furthermore, the new technology will help increase efficiency and enhance operational safety.Abu Dhabi Ports will work closely with one of Canadaâs oldest privately-owned Naval Architectural and Marine Engineering firms on the research and development of remotely-controlled marine tugs that will be fully unmannedâŠ
AEGIR-Marine to Open Middle East Office
AEGIR-Marine has announced a new office in Dubai, UAE. The maritime stern tube seal and propulsion system service provider will now operate out of offices in the Netherlands, Singapore, Shanghai, Namibia, USA and UAE. The Dubai service team will focus its activities on both the strong Middle East oil and gas industry in addition to the companyâs core business of commercial vessels.âIn terms of stern tube seal and propulsion system service and parts, we are filling the gap between equipment makers and maritime service providers. This strategy resulted in a significant increase in service work and sales of parts in the Middle East,â says Serge LapréâŠ
PTS to Manage Lake House Boxship Pair
Lake House, a Hong Kong and London based investment company, has appointed PT-Shipmanagement (PTS), a Hamburg based company, to manage two container ships.The two ships have a capacity of 1,300 TEU each and sail with an average crew of 15. The reason for the change to PTS was the high level of digitalisation and improved transparency on actual costs incurred.Lake House expects the ships to operate at significantly lower costs and improved yields, said a press release from the company.PT-Shipmanagement is a maritime service provider that specializes in optimizing technical ship operating costs and simplifying and digitizing administrative processes.