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Thursday, April 25, 2024
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25 Apr 2024

Rear Adm. Philip Sobeck: MSC Needs More Mariners, New Ships

Rear Adm. Philip Sobeck (right) Commander of U.S. Military Sealift Command (MSC) explains the tradition of the Navy ‘looping ceremony’. Lt. Robert P. Ellison assumes the title of MSC's Flag Aide during the ceremony. The looping ceremony took place aboard USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) during MSC’s change of command ceremony held aboard the ship on Sept. 8, 2023. (U.S. Navy photograph by Brian Suriani/Released)

Founded as the Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS) and renamed Military Sealift Command in 1970, MSC today not only support the Navy, but we are the Department of Defense's provider of all sealift. Maritime Reporter & Engineering News recently interviewed Rear Adm. Philip Sobeck, U.S. Navy, for insights on the service today and it’s needs to grow in the future.What makes MSC so vital to the Navy’s fleet and our military forces around the world?When we  look at the history of contested logistics in World War II…

24 Apr 2024

Simulators Track our Changing Relationship with Technology

Kongsberg Digital has integrated NORBIT’s oil spill detection system with its K-Pos DP system for simulation-based training of offshore professionals at Equinor.
Image courtesy Kongsberg Digital

Simulation-based training has its whole-of-ship/whole-of-team scenarios, but zooming in, the industry is now working on more specific targets.We have a close relationship with technology, evidenced by, for example, the phones we are estimated to unlock around 50-80 times a day. It has changed us. Half the people surveyed in a 2022 King’s College London study said that they feel like their attention span is shorter than it used to be. They are wrong, though, if they think that the average attention span of adults today is just eight seconds, one second less than goldfish.

23 Apr 2024

ICS Publishes New Edition of Shipping and the Environment: A Guide to Environmental Compliance

Emmanuele Grimaldi, Chairman of the International Chamber of Shipping, courtesy of ICS

International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) Publications has launched the fifth edition of Shipping and the Environment: A Guide to Environmental Compliance.This latest edition offers comprehensive updates and expanded insights into the intricate relationship between shipping operations and environmental protection.The fifth edition is a definitive guide, providing a holistic introduction to companies and crew members navigating this complex subject matter. Recognising the need for accessibility…

23 Apr 2024

Lhyfe Launches First Marketplace for Green Hydrogen

Source: Lhyfe

Green hydrogen producer Lhyfe has launched the first Green Hydrogen Marketplace, on its online portal Lhyfe Heroes.Since 2017, Lhyfe has been working to accelerate decarbonization through major innovations such as the world’s first industrial-scale green hydrogen production site directly connected to a wind farm in 2021, the world’s first pilot platform for producing green hydrogen at sea in 2022, and the digitalization of the sector, since 2022, with the Heroes digital platform…

19 Apr 2024

Simulators Track our Changing Relationship with Technology

Kongsberg Digital has integrated NORBIT’s oil spill detection system with its K-Pos DP system for simu-lation-based training of offshore professionals at Equinor.
Image courtesy Kongsberg Digital

Simulation-based training has its whole-of-ship/whole-of-team scenarios, but zooming in, the industry is now working on more specific targets.We have a close relationship with technology, evidenced by, for example, the phones we are estimated to unlock around 50-80 times a day. It has changed us. Half the people surveyed in a 2022 King’s College London study said that they feel like their attention span is shorter than it used to be. They are wrong, though, if they think that the average attention span of adults today is just eight seconds, one second less than goldfish.

11 Apr 2024

Ukrainian Seafarers Experiencing Increased Levels of Depression and Anxiety

© Genya / Adobe Stock

Ukrainian seafarers are experiencing increased levels of loneliness and depression amid fears of conscription if they return home as the war enters its third year, seafarer charity Stella Maris warns.Stella Maris regional port chaplains for Southampton and Southern ports, Charles Stuart and Gregory Hogan, who make multiple daily ship visits report Ukrainian seafarers are under increasing strain.“The initial stresses have been replaced by something else,” Hogan says. “At first…

09 Apr 2024

KR Rolls Out New Digital Service Platforms

(Image: Korean Register)

KR has released two digital platforms, KR-DAON (Digital Application Online Network) and Nexawave, alongside the launch of its enhanced fleet management system, KR e-Fleet V3.The KR e-Fleet V3, an upgraded version of the existing fleet management system, focuses on enhancing operational efficiency through increased speed and simplification. It features an integrated vessel status display with survey and audit information, a new Thickness Measurement (TM) menu for tracking hull corrosion, and PSC Guidance with VR technology (KR-Real360) to assist in customer responses.

08 Apr 2024

KPI OceanConnect Concludes First Simultaneous LNG Bunkering Op

(Credit: Pavilion Energy)

Marine fuel services and solutions provider KPI OceanConnect has completed its first simultaneous operation of LNG bunkering in Singapore.KPI OceanConnect conducted the operation for MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company’s Monica Cristina vessel in Singapore, using membrane LNG bunker vessel Brassavola on charter with Pavilion Energy.The operation took place at Tuas Container Terminal, along with loading and unloading procedures, improving efficiency.“KPI OceanConnect is proud to work with industry leaders like Pavilion Energy and MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company to accelerate the development o

02 Apr 2024

Biden Administration Approves Eighth US Offshore Wind Project

© WD Stockphotos / Adobe Stock

The U.S. Interior Department on Tuesday approved the country's eighth commercial-scale offshore wind project, which will be built off the coast of Massachusetts, bringing online electricity to power more than 900,000 homes.The approval for Avangrid’s New England Wind Project brings the U.S. one-third of the way to President Joe Biden's goal of permitting 30 gigawatts of offshore wind capacity by 2030—a key part of the president's climate change agenda.The project comes just a week after the Interior Department approved another offshore wind project, Orsted's Sunrise Wind, in New York.

28 Mar 2024

Insights: Cherrie Felder, VP, Channel Shipyard Companies

Cheryl “Cherrie” Felder is among the U.S. barging industry’s most well-known leaders, having built a reputation as a difference-maker and champion for the industry.

For Cheryl “Cherrie” Felder, the path to the maritime industry was both untraditional and seemingly meant to be. After studying African art, she began her career working in a museum in New Orleans before landing a role directing professional rodeo in the Big Easy.“It was a lot of fun, and I learned a whole lot,” Felder said. “But as you may imagine, New Orleans is not a rodeo town. After the third year, the board of directors decided, okay, that's it. No more rodeo.”And that’s when Felder’s doorway to the maritime industry swung open…

14 Mar 2024

NYK Receives Data Management Award

Source: NYK

NYK received the grand award at Data Management 2024 hosted by the Japan Data Management Consortium (JDMC) on March 8.JDMC established the Data Management Award in 2014 to publicize data management's role and importance and share pioneering know-how.NYK has been developing and utilizing data lakes - a data management system for data utilization and analysis. They are suitable for collecting and storing vast amounts of data, regardless of the format or scale of the data to be stored.NYK…

28 Feb 2024

Qatar's Bigger LNG Expansion to Squeeze US, Other Rivals

(File photo: QatarEnergy)

Qatar's planned expansion of liquefied natural gas (LNG) production could see it control nearly 25% share of the global market by 2030 and squeeze out rival projects including in the United States where President Biden paused new export approvals, market experts say.Qatar, one of the world's top LNG exporters, plans an 85% expansion in LNG output from its North Field's current 77 million metric tons per year (mtpa) to 142 mtpa by 2030, from previously expected 126 mtpa.Some market experts said that the move will have an impact on global projects in the United States…

19 Feb 2024

Brassavola Completes Maiden Ship-to-Ship LNG Bunkering Operation

Brassavola vessel (Credit: Seatrium)

Pavilion Energy, the charterer of Singapore’s recently delivered first membrane LNG bunker vessel Brassavola, has concluded its first Ship-to-Ship (STS) LNG bunkering operation.Pavilion Energy said on February 19, 2024, the bunkering operation to Rio Tinto chartered dual-fueled bulk carrier, Mount Api was successfully completed.Brassavola was recently delivered by Seatrium, to owner Indah Singa Maritime, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Mitsui O.S.K Lines (MOL).Seatrium Delivers Singapore’s…

15 Feb 2024

ABS Opens LNG Academy in Qatar

(Credit: Screenshot/ABS Video)

American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) has inaugurated the ABS Global LNG Academy, a cutting-edge training center dedicated to using the latest techniques to educate mariners in modern liquefied natural gas (LNG) vessel operations.Located in Doha and supported by QatarEnergy, the Academy is a coordinated effort with industry partners, who are working together to make the ABS LNG Academy the global epicenter for LNG-related training and development. Establishing the training center is also a key part of ABS’ support of Qatar’s National Vision 2030 and the Tawteen Program…

29 Jan 2024

Seatrium Delivers Singapore’s First Membrane LNG Bunker Vessel

Brassavola vessel (Credit: Seatrium)

Seatrium has delivered Brassavola, Singapore’s first membrane LNG bunker vessel built locally by the group, to owner Indah Singa Maritime, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Mitsui O.S.K Lines (MOL).Following delivery, Brassavola will be chartered by Pavilion Energy to supply LNG bunker in the Port of Singapore.The vessel, which is expected to start operations in February 2024, will also be deployed by TotalEnergies Marine Fuels to serve its customers under a long-term agreement with Pavilion Energy.Measuring 116.5 meters in length and 22 meters in width…

19 Jan 2024

NAVTOR: Simplifying Ships from Shore

NavFleet - now featuring online ENCs for shore-based teams (Image: NAVTOR)

In a climate of increasing complexity, with new regulations, environmental concerns and commercial considerations, how can owners and operators control their fleets, and futures, from dry land? NAVTOR’s Tor Håkon Svanes believes the answer lies in innovation and integration – developing solutions that evolve in line with the needs of a dynamic global industry.“There are smarter ways to do things.”Tor Håkon Svanes, the NavFleet Product Manager at NAVTOR, is referring to a recent chat with a new customer.The unnamed fleet manager…

19 Jan 2024

US Plugs in First Large Offshore Wind Farm as Developers Play Catch-up

(A GE Haliade-X turbine stands in the Vineyard Wind 1 project area south of Martha’s Vineyard. (Photo: Worldview Films, courtesy Vineyard Offshore)

The U.S. offshore wind industry reached an important milestone on January 2 when Vineyard Wind 1, the country’s first large scale project, supplied first power to the Massachusetts grid.“As the nation’s first utility-scale offshore wind farm this is a fairly momentous event,” Ken Kimmell, Chief Development Officer for Avangrid, the Iberdrola subsidiary co-developing the project with Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP), told Reuters Events.The turbine will be joined by 61 additional turbines to provide 806 MW of power to the grid by the end of the year…

16 Jan 2024

BMA Technology Supplies Electrics for Two ‘Green’ Containerships

A2B-online’s new containerships (Photo supplied by BMA Technology)

BMA Technology has delivered a suite of electrical solutions for two new A2B-online’s multi-fuel container vessels, being built at Sedef Shipyard in Turkey.BMA Technology has provided a comprehensive suite of electrical solutions to power A2B-online's environmentally friendly container vessels, each with a capacity of 650 TEU.This includes components such as electric drives, motors, Li-ion batteries, low voltage switchboards and alarm monitoring and control system.These essential components are at the heart of A2B-online's two revolutionary container vessels…

28 Nov 2023

NYK-TDG Maritime Academy Holds Ceremony for 96 Graduates

Source: NYK

The NYK-TDG Maritime Academy (NTMA), a merchant marine academy jointly operated by NYK and the Transnational Diversified Group (TDG) near Manila, Philippines, held a commencement ceremony for 96 students, the academy’s 12th batch of graduates.In his congratulatory speech, NYK President Takaya Soga said, "NYK Line, in its 138 years of existence, has survived countless crises and adversities. I believe that your academy has prepared you to face the world outside its halls because you experienced the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic.

27 Nov 2023

ASGARD: Developing an Anti-Spoofing Weapon

Image courtesy ASGARD

Saab and GMV are collaborating in ASGARD, an EU-funded project that aims to improve maritime security when using GNSS and OSNMA. The project addresses the growing threat of GNSS spoofing and other cyberattacks on navigation systems used in the maritime industry.The ASGARD project, run by Saab and GMV, is an ambitious European Union (EU) initiative that aims to develop advanced technologies to improve Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) and Open Service Navigation Message Authentication (OSNMA) security in maritime environments.

20 Dec 2023

US Gulf of Mexico oil Auction is Largest Since 2015

© arsenypopel / Adobe Stock

A Biden administration auction of Gulf of Mexico drilling rights raised $382 million on Wednesday as oil companies claimed offshore acreage for what is set to be the last time until 2025.The auction total was the highest of any federal offshore oil and gas lease sale since 2015, according to a Reuters tally.Shell, Hess, Anadarko, BP, Chevron, Repsol and Equinor were among the 26 companies that participated in the sale.Anadarko had the auction's highest bid of more than $25 million for a block in the deepwater Mississippi Canyon area, according to an online broadcast of the sale by the U.S.

07 Dec 2023

US Gives Final Nod to Rhode Island's $1.5 Billion Offshore Wind Farm

(Photo: Orsted)

The U.S Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council on Thursday approved the construction of a $1.5 billion offshore wind farm off the coast of Rhode Island.The project, Revolution Wind, is run by Danish company Orsted and U.S.-based Eversource, and would bring a total of 704 megawatts (MW) clean energy to Connecticut and Rhode Island.Another offshore project by the two wind energy developers, the South Fork wind farm off the coast of New York, delivered its first power to the state's power grid on Wednesday.Offshore wind development has been a priority for the Biden administration.

07 Dec 2023

COSCO Signs Up for Methanol Retrofits

(Photo: MAN Energy Solutions)

COSCO Heavy Industry Shanghai Co. Ltd. has signed a contract with MAN Energy Solutions for the methanol retrofit of four main engines from COSCO Line’s Camellia and Virgo -class vessels – 13,800 and 20,000 teu respectively. Currently equipped with single-fuel MAN B&W 11S90ME-C10.5 engines, the vessels will be retrofitted to dual-fuel MAN B&W 11S90ME-LGIM10.5 units capable of operating on fuel-oil or methanol, in the process becoming the first vessels in COSCO’s fleet to sail on methanol.The contract also includes an option for the retrofit of an additional nine vessels from the line’s 20…