Sea Transportation Services News

Nowegean provider of Ro/Ro (Roll On/Roll Off) deep sea transportation services Höegh Autoliners announce an increased frequency in its service to Australia. Starting in November, the company will offer five sailing per month to Australia from Europe.Previously, Höegh offered up to four regular sailing per month, and with the increased frequency, the company will strengthen its position in the region.Thomas Ramdahl, Chief of Sales said: "To accommodate the growing demand from breakbulk, high and heavy and car manufacturers, we will increase our frequency to Oceania by offering our customers additional sailings from Europe."Höegh Autoliners currently deploy the New Horizon Vessel series in the service to Oceania.

India's state-run natural gas firm GAIL (India) Ltd has hired a liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier on short-term charter from Japan's shipping giant Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL).MOL, the world’s largest operator of LNG carriers, in its press release, did not disclose further details of the charter deal, including the duration of the contract, the name of the ship and the day rate.GAIL is the largest natural gas Company of India with approx. 11,400 Km of cross country existing trunk pipeline network and another 4,000 Km pipelines in advance stage of completion. GAIL is ranked no. 1 gas pipeline company in India and among the top gas utilities in Asia.GAIL currently holds a LNG / RLNG portfolio of about 14 MTPA from various long and short-term contracts.

Star Bulk Carriers Corp. announced that it has consummated the previously announced acquisition of 16 dry bulk vessels in an all-share transaction, from entities affiliated with Augustea Atlantica SpA and York Capital Management.The final consideration for the Augustea Vessel Purchase is 10.3 million common shares of the Company, equal to approximately 11.3% of Star Bulk’s common shares after the closing of the Augustea Vessel Purchase.As part of the transaction, the Company will assume debt of approximately $309 million.Following the closing of the Augustea Vessel Purchase, Raffaele Zagari will be appointed to the Board of Directors of Star Bulk as a Class C Director.

Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (MOL; President: Koichi Muto) and Reliance entered into a strategic association for transportation of Liquefied Ethane from United States to India. This will make MOL to be the first shipping company who is dedicated for a continuous Liquefied Ethane transportation by Very Large Ethane Carriers (VLEC). The transportation of Ethane will be carried out by six VLEC's from North America to India. The VLEC's are being specifically built by Samsung Heavy Industries Co., Ltd and expected to be delivered in the last quarter of 2016 and will enter into service thereafter. The vessels are designed to cater to the latest safety and environmental regulations and will have superior design parameters.

Greek-flagged Blue Star Patmos, represents an investment of more than Euro 70 million, and is the second of two vessels ordered in June 2009 with an overall length 145.50 meters, a speed of 26 knots and the capacity to carry 2,000 passengers and 427 private vehicles or 60 freight units and 145 private vehicles. In the current challenging times facing Greece, Attica’s scope to provide first class sea transportation services with modern, new and fast ships for the benefit of tourism and the islands’ inhabitants and visitors…

A new contract to supply ships services to one of the world’s largest chemical transportation fleets, Jo Tankers, has strengthened Wilhelmsen Ships Service’s port coverage for the customer in the USA. Wilhelmsen Ships Service (WSS) has been contracted to provide services in the ports of Houston, Freeport and New York by Jo Tankers, which is in addition to the current port calls handled in New Orleans and Philadelphia. The additional ports will bring Wilhelmsen Ships Service nearly 100 new port calls per year for the region. Jo Tankers is a leading provider of deep-sea transportation services, not just for chemicals, but also for other high-value liquids such as petroleum products and edible oils.

EnSolve Biosystems has completed its first European trial of its IMO and USCG approved PetroLiminator® Oil Water Separator. The PetroLiminator 100 was fitted in May of this year aboard United European Car Carrier's M/V Autopremier while dry-docked in Poland. The Autopremier has been operating in Northern European waters, where the OWS has successfully discharged over 12,000 gallons (45m3) of post-treated bilgewater in the first month of operation. Manager, Jeff Argent, stated, "The PetroLiminator has been processing all of the ships' oily bilgewater with little to no maintenance, allowing the Chief Engineer to spend time on other issues. UECC is Europe's leading provider of logistics and sea transportation services for the vehicle manufacturing industry.