Rd News

Belships announced has expanded its newbuild program with two new 64,000 dwt Ultramax bulk carriers scheduled for delivery in 2028.The Norwegian-based company now has a total of 10 newbuilds under construction at Japanese shipyards with delivery between 2024 and 2028. All vessels are leased on time charter for a period of 7 to 10 years from delivery, with purchase options around current market levels. There is no obligation to purchase any of the vessels. Cash breakeven for the vessels upon delivery is about $14…

Hurtigruten is working towards drastically reducing and recycling edible food waste from its fleet operations. A specially designed reactor at one of its ports converts edible food waste into compost used to grow vegetables for Hurtigruten.The initiative encompasses a comprehensive approach to waste management, starting with the sorting of edible food waste onboard Hurtigruten's Original Coastal Express ships during their year-round schedule along the coast of Norway, calling at 34 ports from Bergen in the south to Kirkenes in the north.

The United States' Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro is directing a comprehensive analysis of the Navy shipbuilding portfolio amid ongoing labor issues and supply chain shortages that have negatively impacted vessel delivery timelines.Del Toro tasked newly-confirmed Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development & Acquisition (ASN RD&A) Nickolas Guertin and Commander Naval Sea Systems Command Vice Adm. James Downey to conduct the analysis, with an interim progress…

The CEOs of leading global shipping lines issued a joint declaration at COP 28 calling for an end date for fossil-only powered newbuilds and urging the IMO to create the regulatory conditions to accelerate the transition to green fuels.The only realistic way of meeting the IMO’s 2030, 2040 and net-zero 2050 goals is to transition from fossil to green fuels at scale and at pace, they say.Their joint declaration calls for:• An end date for new building of fossil fuel-only vessels and a clear GHG Intensity Standard timeline to inspire investment confidence…

Norway-based Belships announced it has entered into agreements for the acquisition of three new Ultramax bulk carriers. The 64,000 dwt vessels are currently being constructed at Japanese shipyards and are scheduled for delivery in Q4 2024,  Q4 2025 and Q1 2026.The vessels are fully financed through time charter lease agreements, each for a period of 7 up to 10 years, with purchase options at current market levels during the charter. There is no obligation to purchase the vessels. Belships is not required to make any down payment for this transaction. Cash breakeven for the vessels upon delivery will be about $14,000 per day. The agreements are conditional upon certain steps to be completed by the parties involved.“We are able to increase our fleet without investing any cash…

There are vessels on order today—including crew transfer vessels (CTV) being built in the U.S. (American Offshore Services at Blount Boats and for WINDEA CTV at St. Johns Ship Building and Gulf Craft, for example)—that are described as “hybrid-ready”. Of course, a vessel is either hybrid or it isn’t. So what does hybrid-ready mean?When asked about the hybrid-ready CTVs that Blount Boats is building, the shipyard’s president Marcia Blount told Marine News that the vessels’ Volvo Penta IPS propulsion system “is readily upgradeable to hybrid at any time in the future.

Norway's Kongsberg Maritime has signed a contract with Norwegian vessel operator Olympic to outfit two new Construction Service Operation Vessels with a technology suite. The contract is worth around NOK 64 million (around $6,4 million).Two KONGSBERG US 205 PM L FP L-drive azimuth thrusters will be situated fore and aft in the TWIN X-STERN double-ended hybrid-powered vessels."The KONGSBERG US thruster family has set the industry standards for decades being one of the company’s all-time best-selling propulsion products.

Hydrogen is everywhere. You know that from high school chemistry. And you also know it from Marine News’ almost daily updates about H powered vessel projects around the world.As a fuel that could potentially replace fossil fuels, H is in the spotlight. Perhaps the brightest spotlight, at least in the U.S., is within the Department of Energy’s “Energy Earthshots” initiative.R&D on H was the first such Earthshot announced last year. DOE wants the “Hydrogen Shot” program to “accelerate…

Belships said Tuesday it has entered into agreements to acquire two secondhand Ultramax bulk carriers.The two ships, which were built at Japanese shipyards in 2015 and 2017, are currently financed through time charter lease agreements with purchase options "significantly below current market levels", according to Belships.The Oslo-based shipowner said it will pay a total of $15.5 million as downpayment upon delivery of the vessels, which is expected within July 2022. The company said it intends to declare purchase options for both bulkers during the next few months and refinancing to cover the purchase option amounts.Lars Christian Skarsgård…

Wilhelmsen announced it has entered into an agreement with Seven Seas to acquire 100% of its shares in cargo hold cleaning subsidiary Stromme.Wilhelmsen will acquire the company in Norway from parent Seven Seas including operations in Germany and Singapore, as Stromme will transfer all of its people, business and assets into Wilhelmsen Ships Service. Stromme will retain its brand and operate as a fully owned subsidiary of Ships Service. Completion of the transaction is subject…

Hydrogen as fuel was in the spotlight during the last two weeks. The Senate's Energy and Natural Resources Committee held a hearing on February 10 looking at H challenges in the transportation, utility, industrial, commercial, and residential sectors.A week later, the US House Committee on Science, Space, & Technology held a hearing titled "H2Success: Research and Development to Advance a Clean Hydrogen Future."Also, of note, the US Department of Energy published two hydrogen RFIs - "requests for information." One on "Clean Hydrogen Manufacturing…

Shipbuilder VARD said Friday it had secured a new contract to design and build one stern trawler for Nergård Havfiske, the fishing arm of the Nergård group in Norway. The contract value is in excess of NOK 500 million (~$57,35 million)."The VARD 8 02 trawler design is a well-proven design that VARD has continuously developed to meet the latest demands for fish health management, efficiency, and environmentally friendly operations. With a high focus on quality of catch, safety of crew…

The U.S. National Ocean Industries Association (NOIA) on Wednesday released the policy paper, Carbon Capture, Use, & Storage: An Economic, Employment, & Climate Opportunity for the U.S Offshore Region, where it says that while the U.S. Gulf of Mexico offers "remarkable emissions reduction opportunity here at home," the industry needs certainty and predictability in the regulatory system."Along with key policy recommendations, the document details the vast advantages that the deployment of carbon capture, use, and storage (CCUS) in the U.S.

Dry bulk shipping company Belships ASA said it has entered into an agreement to sell of the oldest vessel in its fleetThe 2007-built 55,000 dwt bulk carrier Belfri is expected to be delivered to its new owner at the end of the third quarter of 2021.Belships said it will realize a gain of approximately $4.6 million, and net cash flow upon delivery will be approximately $9 million after repayment of outstanding loans.Belships CEO Lars Christian Skarsgård, said, “Belships will take delivery of seven vessel acquisitions during the next few months to expand our fleet of modern Ultramax bulk carriers. We will continue to take an opportunistic approach to develop our fleet, with the aim of maximizing returns for our shareholders.”

Kongsberg Maritime (KM) said it has been commissioned to deliver an integrated equipment and systems package for an environmentally-responsible new bulk carrier project.The gas-powered ship – which can be fueled using either zero CO2 emission liquefied biogas (LBG) or conventional liquefied natural gas (LNG) – is being built for the Norwegian short sea shipping company Seaworks, utilizing a design which originated with Norwegian naval architect Polarkonsult.The mechanical aspects of KM’s scope of delivery encompass steering and reduction gear…

Shipbuilding group Damen said it has delivered the 111-meter Damen Stan Pontoon 11226 RD mega-barge Tomsk to heavy lift and project cargo shipping company Combi Lift. The barge will be used in the construction of Gazprom’s Amur Gas Processing Plant near Russia’s eastern border, transporting some of the largest components to the site.This contract follows a 19 vessel order placed with Damen by Combi Lift that was delivered in May 2018. It was comprised of four Multi Cat 2608SD workboats, four Pusher Tugs 2612SD, four Side Floaters 8605SD and seven 89-meter Stan Pontoons 8916SD.

A stranded container ship blocking the Suez Canal threatens to make it even more difficult for European and U.S. retailers to keep products in stock during the coronavirus pandemic.The Suez Canal saga that began on Tuesday and could go on for weeks, is just the latest crisis to strike the global supply chain that was upended when coronavirus shutdowns spurred house-bound consumers to upgrade appliances, sofas, televisions and backyards.IKEA, the world’s largest furniture seller…

Training budgets for seafarers continue to rise around the world, and seafarers themselves increasingly are paying the price, according to the MarTID 2020 Training Practices Report.Responses (278) to the 2020 MarTID report, the third in the series, rose 60% versus 2019, and again included insights from seafarers (accounting for 53% of the response), vessel operators (24%) and METIs (23%).The survey for MarTID 2020 was concluding just as COVID-19 was starting to spread rapidly…

George Raymond Duclos, age 86, died peacefully on February 15, 2020 surrounded by his family. The son of the late Raymond and Albertine (Bertha Chenard) Duclos. Born in 1933 in Fall River, MA, George spent most of his life in Westport, MA spending summers on the Watuppa Pond and moving to the Pond permanently in the 1960's.George is survived by his wife and life-long partner in adventure, Pauline D. (Duperre) Duclos, and his four children: John (Kimberly), Peter (Kimberly), Carol Hegarty (Steven) of Westport…

New Zealand's state-owned KiwiRail has issued a request for proposal to find a preferred shipyard to build two new RoPax ferries for operator Interislander.The international tender follows a NZ$400 Million (US$256.1 million) contribution to the 2020 Budget that enables KiwiRail to procure two new modernized vessels for service between capitol Wellington on the North Island and Picton on the South Island. When entering into operation in 2024 and 2025, the new ferries will replace the existing fleet of three ships…

Kanfer Shipping AS, the Norway-based shipping company focused on liquefied natural gas (LNG) break-bulk and bunkering ships, said it has entered into an exclusive agreement with CGR Arctic Marine (CGR), the Norwegian LNG technology company that has designed and developed a unique LNG bunkering vessel as well as an innovative gas delivery system that together reduce the overall cost of LNG bunkering infrastructure.Under the licensing and development agreement, Kanfer will exclusively…

It is often difficult to push through the federal government morass to focus on the issues that actually matter to the inland operator. While 2020 inevitably will be a contentious year in American politics, it is critical to stay focused on the items that will have direct impact on the U.S. maritime industry. From a potential new Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) bill to potential Jones Act challenges, 2020 will be an important year for inland operators to stay politically engaged.Work on WRDAJanuary marked the beginning of Congress’ work in earnest toward introducing a new WRDA bill.

Unmanned Vehicles Collect Data for Improving Storm ForecastsThe influences of ocean conditions and currents on living environments are now more widely appreciated—from the Earth’s climate and severe weather conditions to fisheries and biodiversity. Sustained and widespread measurements are needed to provide essential clues for understanding the oceans, for effective monitoring of environmental changes, and for helping to clarify the long-term effects of global warming.To meet this challenge, ocean researchers have invented various types of unmanned observing platforms.