European multimodal transport provider Samskip said it will acquire activities associated with Nor Lines AS, marking a major expansion of its shipping, transport and logistics businesses in Norway. Subject to approval by Norway’s competition authorities, Samskip has agreed with the DSD Group to acquire the activities of Nor Lines, which generate an average annual turnover of €110 million ($128.2 million). With its head office in Stavanger, Nor Lines is a diversified logistics business offering domestic and international services.

Harvest, an ABS-classed articulated tug barge (ATB) purpose-built to transport liquefied anhydrous ammonia, has been delivered to a subsidiary of Savage Companies by U.S. shipbuilder Vigor. Harvest is the first complex liquefied ammonia transport barge built in the U.S. since 1982. “The delivery of this ATB represents a landmark achievement for all of the project stakeholders as well as the U.S. shipbuilding industry,” said ABS Americas Division President Jamie Smith. “The first-of-its-kind in over three decades, the Harvest will help reshape the U.S. fleet and support safer trading in U.S.

Satellite-based connectivity has always played a critical role for the maritime sector. As the communications expectations of ship owners, passengers and crews continue to grow, maritime service providers are seeing a transformation in the type and quantity of applications that need to be supported at sea. The advent of VSAT broadband services is driving a shift away from traditional, low-level L-band connections that ship operators have relied upon for decades. VSAT services are preferred to respond to the demand for high-speed broadband that can support bandwidth-intensive applications.

The Baltic Exchange's main sea freight index, tracking rates for ships carrying dry bulk commodities, rose on Tuesday, supported by higher rates for capesize vessels. The overall index, which factors in rates for capesize, panamax, supramax and handysize shipping vessels, was up 3 points, or 0.31 percent, at 980 points. The capesize index jumped 50 points, or 4.27 percent, to 1,221 points. Average daily earnings for capesizes, which typically transport 150,000-tonne cargoes such as iron ore and coal, were up $332 to $9,547.

Almost 200 passengers and crew on a cruise along the Danube river had to be evacuated from their vessel on Monday when a blaze broke out on board, the Austrian fire service said. The passengers, who were on a trip with German river-cruise line A-Rosa from Linz to Budapest, were taken off and moved to a nearby ship after the blaze started close to the village of Schoenbuehel-Aggsbach in Lower Austria, a fire brigade spokesman said. No-one was hurt. Twelve fire trucks and several boats with around 150 fire fighters fought the blaze before bringing it under control after two hours. Five ship crew members who tried to extinguish the fire were treated for smoke inhalation in hospital, a spokesman for the Red Cross said.

French firm Necotrans and the Philippines' International Container Terminal Services submitted bids on Monday to operate Guinea Bissau's main port, the transport minister said, as the government looks to cede control to a private operator. The main port in the capital Bissau, which is small and can only be serviced at high tide by some cargoes, has been operated by a state agency ever since the government stripped Portugal-based operator Tertir of the concession rights in 1999. "The French company Necotrans and the Philippines' ICTSI are neck-and-neck to exploit the commercial port of Bissau," Transport Minister Fidelis Forbes told reporters in Bissau. The government will select the operator next month, he said.

The world’s largest shipbuilding nation China is facing some tough years ahead as new-vessel orders weaken and order backlogs decline, Caixin reported quoting China Association of the National Shipbuilding Industry (CANSI). According to the industry association, in the first half of 2017, new orders received by Chinese shipbuilders plunged by 29 percent year-on-year in terms of total estimated freight volume for the new ships, the report said. The new orders are totaling 11.51 million deadweight tons. Deadweight tonnage is how much a ship can safely carry, not the weight of the ship itself.

Newbuild orders for tankers and bulkers have increased during the first half of 2017, though overall the number of orders placed in all vessel segments has more than halved when compared to the same period in 2015, according to VesselsValue.   The most glaring example is in the offshore vessel sector: 50 offshore vessels were ordered in H1 2015, compared to zero orders during H1 2017.   Similarly, orders for newbuild containerships, LNG carriers and LPG carriers declined respectively from 90, 26 and 18 in H1 2015 to 10, 4 and 16 in H1 2017.

BAE Systems said it has begun to build the first of the U.K. Royal Navy’s new Type 26 Global Combat Ships. Sir Michael Fallon MP, U.K. Secretary of State for Defense, visited the builder’s Glasgow shipyard to press the button to officially commence production on the new warship, and during his speech revealed the vessel’s name: Glasgow. This ceremonial event follows the U.K Government’s recent award of a contract worth approximately £3.7 billion for the first three ships to be built at BAE Systems’ sites in Glasgow.

Weeks Marine Inc. (WMI) has ordered a new $60 million oceangoing, 30-inch hydraulic cutter suction dredge, the JS Chatry. Construction is underway in Belle Chase, La., at C&C Marine and Repair. “While the national coastal restoration and protection market is growing, we are especially optimistic about the market here in Louisiana. We have taken note of the Governor’s and the Legislature’s commitment to the Master Plan and the protection of critical dedicated funds for their intended purpose,” said Richard S. Weeks, WMI President. “The JS Chatry is the next advance in technology, efficiency and productivity and I am excited about what it means for both Weeks Marine and for the capacity of nation’s dredging industry,” said Eric W. Ellefsen, WMI’s Executive Vice President.

A new 38-foot multi-mission patrol boat for Montauk, N.Y. will be officially dedicated during a “splash down” ceremony on July 26. Delivered by aluminum boat builder Silver Ships, Inc., the vessel is a multi-agency, multi-mission vessel designed for emergency response and patrol within the Montauk Harbor. The vessel was garnered through the collaborative efforts of the Montauk Fire Department, the East Hampton Town Police Department, East Hampton Town Marine Patrol and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

VOS Start, Vroon BV’s first DP2, subsea-support, walk-to-work (W2W) vessel has departed Damen Shiprepair Oranjewerf following the installation of a first of its kind motion-compensated gangway system by Barge Master and Bosch Rexroth, the extended installation of a Kongsberg reference system (including a ‘windfarm module’), and an active heave-compensated crane from SMST. The 80m VOS Start arrived at Oranjewerf on June 1 from her build yard in China, staying for eight weeks in the yard to also undergo various other upgrades and preparations for her first project…

State-owned ports operator DP World on Tuesday reported second-quarter gross container volumes up 10.4 percent on a like-for-like basis and 10.7 percent on a reported basis. DP World handled 17.6 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) in the three months to June 30, the company said in a statement. Volumes in the second quarter were driven by improved trading conditions and market share gain from new shipping alliances, said DP World Chairman Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem. Half-year gross container volumes rose 7.7 percent on a like-for-like basis and 8.2 percent on a reported basis.

Two passenger service vessels operating at one of the U.K.’s most popular visitor locations have been repowered as part of a regular maintenance program. Royston Power Generation, a long established and authorized Volvo Penta center, has supplied and installed new engines for two diesel motor vessels operated by Windermere Lake Cruises. As part of the works Royston fitted a new Volvo D5 engine to the Queen of the Lake, a traditional wooden launch built in 1949 and one of the oldest operating vessels on the lake. The new installation replaced an old Gardner engine.

Veteran sales executive in ocean transportation and logistics Daniel Vargas has been appointed vice president of international business development to support the Crowley Maritime Corp. liner and logistics services groups. He will work closely with Crowley's new director of logistics in St. Maarten, Jeffrey de la Combe, to bring supply chain solutions for customers and their cargoes originating outside the U.S. In the newly created role, Vargas will spearhead the development of both full- and less-than-container load cargo (FCL/LCL) originating from international locations…

Merseyside maritime company Wren Industrial & Marine Fabrications has been bought by Merseyside entrepreneur and former member of the Armed Forces Jonathan Willoughby. Bootle-based Wren Industrial has been run for 27 years by husband and wife team David and Helen Wren. It specializes in manufacturing doors, windows and hatches for ships and boats as well as welding and fabrication services primarily in the maritime sector. Wren’s clients include the Royal Navy, the Royal Fleet Auxiliary and ferry operators Stena and the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company.

A series of one day NEXT GENERATION Workshops are being held 'back to back' at the Grand Harbor hotel and conference venue overlooking the historic port of Southampton, U.K., October 24-26, 2017. The NEXT GEN program combines a group of dynamic international presenters with panel discussions. Opening sessions for each workshop feature expertise from heads of U.K. Border Force and U.K. Ministry of Defense, along with the Design and Engineering team from U.K. search and rescue provider the RNLI.

The Baltic Exchange's main sea freight index, tracking rates for ships carrying dry bulk commodities, was flat on Monday, as gains across capesize vessels were offset by lower rates for panamaxes. The overall index, which factors in rates for capesize, panamax, supramax and handysize shipping vessels, was unchanged at 977 points, after gaining for nine straight sessions. The capesize index climbed 17 points, or 1.47 percent, to 1,171 points. Average daily earnings for capesizes, which typically transport 150,000-tonne cargoes such as iron ore and coal, were up $45 at $9,215.

Philly Shipyard announced that it has entered into a Letter of Intent (LOI) with a blue chip U.S. shipping operating company for the construction and sale of up to four new, cost-efficient and environmentally friendly containerships with planned deliveries in 2020 and 2021. The LOI marks the entry into the next phase in the transaction process, building on ongoing discussions between the parties. The identity of the shipping operating company is not being disclosed at this time.

A new European research project seeks to revolutionize the shipbuilding sector by replacing steel with composite materials for the construction of more efficient large length ships. FIBRESHIP is an ambitious project that will allow for the construction of light commercial vessels, passenger and leisure transport and oceanographic vessels more than 50 meters in length using fibre reinforced polymer (FRP) composite materials. It is one of the largest innovation projects funded by the EU with a budget of €11 million, of which €9 million is funded by the EU’s Horizon 2020 Programme.

South Korea’s STX Offshore & Shipbuilding won contracts to build six tankers from Greece and local shippers, reports Korea JoongAng Daily. STX announced that Greek shipper OceanGold Tankers placed an order for four medium-range tankers of 50,000 DWT capacity. Two were order on an option contract, which gives the buyer a right to pay for the ship at a pre-determined price in case ship prices rise. The deal was worth $140 million in total. According to STX,  the ships will be constructed in its Jinhae shipyard in Changwon, South Gyeongsan, and delivered by the first quarter of 2019.

Voyager Maritime Alliance Group (VMAG) , one of the leading marine technology providers in South Florida, is expanding its already comprehensive list of services by adding turnkey marine services that now encompass the entire refit and new build process. “In simple terms – we do it all! Says David Leone, President of VMAG, from the initial planning, naval architecture services, networking and data cabling, project management, contractor management, welding and fabrication, carpentry…

Virginia’s Hampton Roads Transit (HRT) has christened its newest passenger ferry, the first of three to be delivered to the agency as part of a $7 million program to replace the fleet’s aging vessels, the newest of which was delivered in 1990 and the oldest of which has been in service since 1982. Designed by BMT and constructed by Armstrong Marine in North Carolina, the new vessel is a 149-passenger, 78-foot, aluminum ferry powered by twin Volvo D13-400 Tier III-compliant engines, spinning 36-inch propellers via Twin Disc reduction gears.

A newly built Damen Trailing Suction Hopper Dredger (TSHD) 650 has completed sea trials in Shanghai and is now underway to new owner, Gippsland Ports in Australia on her own keel. The TSHD, named Tommy Norton, is the first Damen dredger built for Australia. Having left Shanghai on July 14, a Damen team is sailing Tommy Norton approximately 5,000 nautical miles over a period of approximately 30 days to reach Australia. Along the way, the vessel will stop off in Guam for bunkering and to enable the crew to take on supplies of fresh water and food.

July 20 marks a milestone in Subchapter M implementation. Towing vessels with keels laid or major conversions on or after July 20, 2017 are required to meet 46 CFR Subchapter M and obtain a Certificate of Inspection (COI) prior to operating. Additionally, starting July 20, 2018, a portion of existing towing vessels will have one year to meet all of Subchapter M and obtain COIs. By July 19, 2022, 100 percent of the towing vessels must have valid COIs on board. Owners or managing…

The Baltic Exchange's main sea freight index, tracking rates for ships carrying dry bulk commodities, rose on Friday for the ninth straight session, on higher rates for capesize and smaller vessels. The overall index, which factors in rates for capesize, panamax, supramax and handysize shipping vessels, was up 13 points, or 1.35 percent, at 977 points, touching its highest in more than two months. The capesize index climbed 61 points, or 5.58 percent, to 1,154 points. Capesize dry bulker earnings are finishing the week on a firm note with assessments lifting up to about $9…

Golden Ocean Group (GOGL) has announce that it has taken delivery of the last vessel, Q Keen (to be renamed Golden Keen), hence all 16 vessels are now delivered. Golden Ocean has issued 1,050,000 consideration shares to Quintana Shipping Ltd. and associated companies in exchange for the vessel. In a stock exchange filing the reference is made to the stock exchange notice dated March 14, 2017 where  GOGL announced that it has entered into agreements to acquire 16 modern dry bulk vessels in an all-share transaction where the Company will issue in aggregate 17.8 million consideration shares.

In order to promote ship building and ship-repair industry in India, the government has formulated a policy of financial assistance for shipbuilding for a period of ten years for contracts signed between 1st April, 2016 and 31st March, 2026. The Financial assistance at the rate of 20% of the contractual price of a vessel, fair price, or actual payments received by the shipyard is payable after delivery of the vessel and as per the guidelines issued by the Ministry of Shipping. There are 18 major ship-repairing facilities on western coast and seven on eastern coast  at present in the country.

Harley Marine Services has welcomed its newest vessel, Dr Hank Kaplan, to its Puget Sound fleet on June 22. The vessel has a length of 80', a beam of 36' and a depth of 13'7" and is equipped with two 3516C marine propulsion engines that deliver a combined 5,350 HP. The vessel also features the brand new Cat MTA 524-T azimuth thrusters, which were specially designed for high performance tractor tugboats. Designed by Robert Allen Limited in Vancouver, the tug was built at Diversified Marine in Portland, Ore. and is a sister class vessel to the recently built Michelle Sloan and Lela Franco.

Grand Bahama Shipyard (GBS) informs its exclusive agency agreement in the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxemburg will continue, as PC Maritime Services’ new owner, Hilka Willms, takes the helm.    Upon the retirement of Hans Stoop, his successor Willms will maintain the continuity of GBS representation in BeNeLux.   Willms’ experience on both sides of the ship repair business started with a decade-long career at a ship repair yard in the Netherlands, followed by ship repair yard representation experience.  

Duke University said it has received $11 million for the construction and operation of a new state-of-the-art vessel that will expand teaching and research capabilities at its marine lab. The gift to the Nicholas School of the Environment from the Grainger Family Descendants Fund, a donor-advised fund at The Chicago Community Trust, provides $5 million to build the new 68-foot oceangoing research vessel and an additional $6 million to support operating costs. The ship will have wet labs and dry labs, oceanographic equipment, a galley and sleeping quarters. It will be an oceangoing classroom to train undergraduate and graduate students in oceanography and marine biology at the Duke Marine Lab at Beaufort, N.C.

Classification society DNV GL has developed a new brochure to offer a set of best practices for the design of ships subject to NOx Tier III requirements. It also offers guidance on the considerations that should be taken into account at the newbuilding stage. To ensure the success of any newbuilding plan, shipowners should carefully consider the future operation of their vessels in the newbuilding planning stage, including the implications of the different technological solutions for reducing NOx emissions and how to fulfil the NOx Tier III requirements.

Orient Overseas Container Line (OOCL) has appointed Shell Marine to provide its integrated marine solutions, which include lubricants and services for OOCL Hong Kong. OOCL Hong Kong, currently plying routes between Asia and Europe, is the latest vessel to claim the title of ‘world’s largest containership’, with a capacity of 21,413 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), measuring 400m in length and 59m in width. The ship is equipped with MAN Diesel & Turbo’s (MDT) G-type engines that represent the latest in two-stroke engine technology.

Shipbuilder Fincantieri said it has partnered with Mapei, a producer of adhesives and chemical products for the construction sector with a business line of shipbuilding industry products, in the field of research and innovation. According to Fincantieri, the strategic cooperation agreement will help it to optimize installation times, reduce the weight of certain materials, improve acoustic insulation by using specific products, develop and extend the use of adhesives products in some shipbuilding applications. Mapei will aim to carry out projects, leading to exploitable solutions in its operational field. The cross-joint research issues will mainly concern the development of innovative products in a wide range…

The Baltic Exchange's main sea freight index, tracking rates for ships carrying dry bulk commodities, rose on Thursday supported by robust demand for capesize vessels. The overall index, which factors in rates for capesize, panamax, supramax and handysize shipping vessels, increased 16 points, or 1.69 percent, to 964 points. The capesize index jumped 65 points, or 6.32 percent, to 1,093 points. Average daily earnings for capesizes, which typically transport 150,000-tonne cargoes such as iron ore and coal, increased $363 to $8,774.

A.P. Moller-Maersk said on Thursday its anti-virus software was not effective against a new type of malware that hit the Danish shipping giant last month, but said further protective measures have now been put in place. "This virus attack was a previously unseen type of malware, and updates and patches applied to both the (Microsoft) Windows systems and our antivirus (program) were not an effective protection in this particular case," Maersk said in a statement. "In response to this new type of malware, we have put in place different and further protective measures," it added.

Q2 profit S$161 million versus S$205 million year ago; O&M division net order book at S$3.4 billion. Singaporean conglomerate Keppel Corp posted a 21 percent drop in its quarterly profit and warned it did not expect a speedy recovery in the offshore and marine market. The conglomerate and its smaller cross-town rival Sembcorp Marine have been hit by an oversupply of offshore oil drilling rigs, with customers delaying contracts and refraining from placing new orders with oil prices expected to stay lower for longer. "Despite some pick-up in activity in the offshore market, the general consensus is that, with the prevailing uncertainty in the oil market, and oversupply in the jackup market, a quick recovery is unlikely," said CEO Loh Chin Hua.

Rapp Marine said it has received a new order from Odd Lundberg As, marking the third generation of owners from the shipping company who have selected its deck machinery. “This is the first time the shipping company has selected a high-tech electrical solution,” confirms Morten Stenkjær, VP Sales at Rapp Marine AS. “The owner’s new pride is a combined ring-net and pelagic trawler and will be equipped with a complete electric deck machinery solution from Rapp Marine. Mats Lundberg…

With strong increases in iron ore and other cargo, total tonnage shipped via the St. Lawrence Seaway is up 20 percent over last year. The St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation reports that cargo shipments from March 20 to June 30 totaled more than 12 million metric tons – up two million metric tons over the same period in 2016. “St. Lawrence Seaway shipping is a bellwether for the health of the overall U.S. and Canadian economies and reflects strong demand for raw materials to support the automotive…

U.S.-flag Great Lakes freighters (lakers) moved 9.7 million tons of cargo on the Great Lakes in June, a virtual repeat of a year ago, according to the Lake Carriers’ Association (LCA). However, this June’s shipments were down 3.6 percent from the month’s long-term average. Iron ore cargos for steelmaking totaled 4.9 million tons, an increase of 3.5 percent compared to a year ago. Coal loadings rose 8.1 percent to 1.6 million tons. The increase was almost entirely due to higher shipments of low-sulfur coal from Superior, Wisc. Limestone cargos hauled in U.S.

Damen Schelde Naval Shipbuilding (DSNS, Vlissingen) has awarded Radio Holland a contract to supply the IT systems on board the state-of-the-art Antarctic Supply Research Vessel (ASRV) newbuild for the Australian Antarctic Division. The 160m ASRV is a survey vessel which combines icebreaking, survey and supply activities. The vessel will be able to break ice up to 1.65 meters at a speed of 3 knots and will supply Australia’s permanent research stations in Antarctica and Macquarie Island with cargo, equipment and personnel.

Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement (BSM) has announced that the 20,146 TEU containership, MOL Tribute, came into full management of the Hong Kong Ship Management Center on July 10, 2017. Built by Samsung Heavy Industries in South Korea, MOL Tribute is 400 meters in length having a deadweight of 196,877 MT, with her sister ship, MOL Tradition, scheduled to enter Hong Kong management at the end of August. Through these milestones, BSM becomes part of a select group of operators that have the expertise to manage some of the world’s largest containerships.

South Korean shipbuilder Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) said it has developed proprietary ICT technology capable of realizing economical and reliable navigation and management of ships: Integrated Smart Ship Solution (ISSS). HHI said the solution provides a wide range of ship information to operators, including optimal navigation routes and navigation speed along with a slope status of the front and back hull of a ship that minimize resistances a ship takes on voyage. ISSS is…

China's iron ore output jumped in June to its highest level since October 2015, data showed on Wednesday, the strongest sign yet that soaring prices have spurred miners in the world's top consumer of the steelmaking raw material to boost production. Output rose 5 percent from a year ago to 124.7 million tonnes, data from the National Bureau of Statistics showed. Prices have been on a tear in recent months as steel mills have churned out record volumes of metal, taking advantage of bumper margins. Beijing's infrastructure spending has boosted optimism about demand for construction-grade steel.

The Baltic Exchange's main sea freight index, tracking rates for ships carrying dry bulk commodities, rose for seventh session in a row on Wednesday supported by stronger demand for larger vessels. The overall index, which factors in rates for capesize, panamax, supramax and handysize shipping vessels, rose 16 points, or 1.72 percent, to 948 points. The capesize index climbed 44 points, or 4.47 percent, to 1,028 points. Average daily earnings for capesizes, which typically transport 150,000-tonne cargoes such as iron ore and coal, were up $240 at $8,411.

Two French former defence industry executives have been placed under preliminary investigation as part of a probe into the 2002 sale of submarines to Malaysia, an official in the French judiciary said on Wednesday. The source said Philippe Japiot and Jean-Paul Perrier, former executives at Thales and DCNS, had been placed under investigation as part of a long-running probe into alleged kickbacks from that Malaysian submarines deal in 2002. Japiot and Perrier deny any wrongdoing, French media reports said. Reuters was unable to immediately reach either individual. Being a target of a preliminary investigation or a formal investigation in France does not necessarily lead to a trial.

U.K.-based manufacturer of ballast water treatment systems based on unique inert gas technology Coldharbour Marine said it has signed a contract with Lloyd’s Register (LR) to oversee the complete range of tests required by the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) in its type approval process. LR has Independent Laboratory Approval from the USCG and will work closely in the type approval tests with Marine Eco Analytics (MEA), a test laboratory in the Netherlands. Revised and more comprehensive…

RH Marine recently installed the Rhodium 4500 dynamic positioning (DP) and tracking system on Hakkers’ new flagship, Noordzee, an inland multipurpose vessel that can be used for lifting, dredging or pile driving. Hakkers is a specialist in the development, production and realization of excavation, dredging, construction, foundation, coastal and shoreline works. Its new vessel Noordzee required a system that could automatically hold position and maintain track with high accuracy on low speed.

Gulfstream Shipbuilding launched a custom passenger/vehicle ferry for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on July 12, 2017. This 118 x 27 x 10.75 ft. crew boat-style vessel will be delivered in the fall 2017 to service the New York and Connecticut waters. The aluminum ferry will service the DHS Directorate of Science and Technology Plum Island Animal Disease Center in Orient Point, NY. The vessel is capable of transporting passengers, freight and vehicles in and around the waters of the Eastern Long Island Sound and Gardiner’s Bay.

South Korea’s shipbuilder Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI) is looking to further cut its workforce,  and have employees return part of their salaries in order to cut costs, according to Yonhap News Agency. SHI unveiled a self-restructuring program that centers on cutting the workforce and having executives return part of their salaries last year, in order to tide over a protracted slump in the shipbuilding sector. The report said that Samsung Heavy was forced to reduce its workforce by 1,500 in 2016 through an early retirement scheme.

Welsh workboat builder Mainstay Marine said it has delivered a newly built 15-meter crew transfer vessel to Scottish tug operator and owner Targe Towing. The Camarc designed vessel is constructed with a steel hull and aluminum superstructure. It sails at speeds in excess of 15 knots and has a bollard pull of 6 metric tons. Compliment is for two crew and 12 passengers. Targe Towing provides dedicated towage for north east Scotland ports including BP’s Hound Point Marine terminal on the Firth of Forth.

Just days away from a verdict on its ultimate fate, the historic cruise liner SS United States has received a lifeline in the form of a $150,000 donation to a fundraising effort which aims to save “America’s flagship” and restore the storied vessel to its former glory. The $150,000 contribution from cruise industry executive Jim Pollin to the SS United States Conservancy's "We are the United States" campaign has enabled the national nonprofit organization to extend its fundraising and outreach effort through mid-September.

American Commercial Barge Line’s leadership and early adoption of ZF Marine’s z-drive propulsion technology underscores a growing trend on the inland waterways. American Commercial Barge Line (ACBL) has been around a long time – since 1915, to be exact – and along the way has developed into one of the dominant players in the inland marine transportation industry. With a passion for safety and a green footprint, ACBL has always embraced technology and innovation. That point was obvious when it made the decision to outfit at least 15 of its towboats with ZF Marine’s Z-drive systems.

Dutch shipbuilder Royal IHC informs it has launched Adani’s 8,000m3 IHC Beagle trailing suction hopper dredger (TSHD) – Shanti Sagar 18 – at a ceremony on July 7 at the builder’s shipyard in Krimpen aan den IJssel, The Netherlands. Shanti Sagar 18 will be mainly utilized for maintenance dredging. Its launch follows the previous TSHD launched for Adani – Shanti Sagar 17 on March 31 – to be deployed for capital dredging in challenging soils. Therefore, it was equipped with a heavier draghead.

Canadian transport minister Marc Garneau announced a five-year extension to the Government of Canada’s agreement with the St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation to manage, maintain and operate the Seaway. This extends the existing agreement until March 31, 2023, and will provide stability for the St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation and the marine shipping industry. A vital artery between the Great Lakes and the lower St. Lawrence River, the St. Lawrence Seaway connects the heartland of North America to the world as an important, competitive and sustainable transportation corridor. The St. Lawrence Seaway consists of 15 locks and connecting canals or channels extending from Montreal to Lake Erie. Within the Great Lakes and St.

Siem Offshore and Subsea 7 have signed a joint three-year service agreement with Rolls-Royce. The agreement covers a total of 74 offshore vessels. This is the first agreement the two Siem owned companies have signed with the same service provider. Under the agreement, Rolls-Royce will maintain and service all of the equipment it has delivered to the two companies’ offshore vessels. At present, aftermarket services account for roughly 40 percent of Rolls-Royce Marine’s revenues. Long-term agreements account for around a quarter of this.

Majestic Ferries’ fleet continues to grow with the delivery of Majestic Dream, the first of a new class of Incat Crowther-designed fuel-efficient 39m HSC compliant passenger vessels. Majestic Ferries operates vessels between Singapore and Batam in a competitive marketplace. The operator worked with Incat Crowther to develop a cost-effective vessel that offers comfort, performance and fuel consumption superior to that of the competition. This process saw the construction of a trio of 33m vessels; Majestic 7, Majestic 8 and Majestic 9.

The Baltic Exchange's main sea freight index, tracking rates for ships carrying dry bulk commodities, rose on Tuesday on stronger rates for capesize and panamax vessels. The overall index, which factors in rates for capesize, panamax, supramax and handysize shipping vessels, was up 20 points, or 2.19 percent, at 932 points. The capesize index gained 51 points, or 5.47 percent, to 984 points. Average daily earnings for capesizes, which typically transport 150,000-tonne cargoes such as iron ore and coal, were up $391 at $8,171.

China's government controlled China State Shipbuilding Corp (CSSC) is going beyond building navy vessels and making advanced scientific research ships, Xinhua reported. CSSC has been focussing on defence sector till now. It was the largest supplier of surface combatants to the Chinese Navy, said the report. CSSC has been using its expertise in the research and development of naval hardware to construct high-tech civilian ships, encouraged by government measures to boost transfer of defense-related technologies to civilian and business sectors, said company officials.

Golden Ocean Group (GOGL) says that it has taken delivery of one dry bulk vessel, Q Deb. "GOGL announced that it has entered into agreements to acquire 16 modern dry bulk vessels in an all-share transaction where the Company will issue in aggregate 17.8 million consideration shares," said a stock exchange filing of the company. The Company is pleased to announce that it has taken delivery of one vessel, Q Deb (to be renamed Golden Deb), it added. Golden Ocean has issued 1,300,000 consideration shares to Quintana Shipping Ltd. and associated companies in exchange for the vessel.

The Port of Los Angeles reports it has closed its 12-month fiscal year with total cargo volumes of 9.2 million twenty-foot units (TEUs), a new annual record for most container throughput for a Western Hemisphere port. Volumes increased 8.1 percent in June compared to the same period last year, marking the second busiest June in the port’s 110-year history. “As we mark the midpoint of 2017, we are grateful to our terminal operators, shipping lines, labor force and land-side supply chain stakeholders for their focus on teamwork and efficiency…

Mapping and shaping the growth of marine hybrid means many things to different stakeholders. The journey leads us all to the same place. If you follow the advancements in automotive design, the term or tag “hybrid” has come to define the alternative energy movement on our roads and highways. HEV autos have moved past Ford and GM in Detroit and into the hands of contemporary entrepreneurs and inventors the likes of Tesla’s Evan Musk or Dr. Victor Wouk. BMW, Ferrari, Bentley and…

Manufacturer of underwater exhaust outlets and water-cooled exhaust systems MarQuip said it is creating a marinized IMO TIER III-certified exhaust system for an Italian shipyard. Working in close cooperation with its partners, the Dutch company has developed a fully custom module silencer/SCR system that will combine the working principles of Selective Catalytic Reduction – which eliminates most harmful NOX compounds – with highly efficient noise reduction. The silencer/SCR module is fitted on MarQuip’s water-injection piece with underwater exhaust…

Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) said United Steelworkers Local 8888 members at its Newport News Shipbuilding division have voted 1,985-131 in favor of a new labor agreement. The new contract will run through November 14, 2021. “This offer is fair, competitive in the industry and respectful of the needs of our great shipbuilders,” said Susan Jacobs, Newport News’ vice president of human resources and administration. “It’s an offer that also maintains our competitiveness in…

ABS said it has updated the ABS Advisory on Exhaust Gas Scrubber Systems (Scrubber Advisory) to help industry prepare for IMO’s 2020 global sulfur cap. Central to the impending 2020 global sulfur cap are requirements to reduce the sulfur oxide (SOx) emissions from ships. Installation of exhaust gas cleaning systems (EGCS), commonly referred to as scrubbers, is a potential solution for owners looking to comply with the upcoming requirements. This updated Advisory includes background on air emission regulations and explores the different types of available scrubber technologies along with the associated installation and operational challenges for each.

Every port and terminal facility needs weighing systems for containers. Weighing is critical in several processes in ports where accurate readings are paramount. To achieve this, the following weighing solutions can be incorporated. Weighbridges offer a vehicle weighing solution that may be placed at entrances and exits of the ports and terminals. An incoming truck can drive over the weighbridge and the total weight will be registered immediately. The tare weight of the truck must be deducted from the total weight to determine the container weight.

Container shipping firm CMA CGM Group and reefer transport specialist SEATRADE Group will together create a new vessel sharing agreement incorporating the services known by CMA CGM as PAD and by Seatrade as MERIDIAN, linking Northern Europe, the East Coast of the U.S., Central America, the Pacific Islands, Australia, New Zealand, Peru and the Caribbean on a weekly basis. The new service, expected to launch in October 2017, will bring together CMA CGM, SEATRADE and shipping company MARFRET and improve their frequency and port coverage.

The Baltic Exchange's main sea freight index, tracking rates for ships carrying dry bulk commodities, rose on Monday, tracking gains across panamax and smaller vessel segments. The overall index, which factors in rates for capesize, panamax, supramax and handysize shipping vessels, was up 12 points, or 1.33 percent, at 912 points. The capesize index was flat at 933 points. Average daily earnings for capesizes, which typically transport 150,000-tonne cargoes such as iron ore and coal, were up $62 to $7,780. The panamax index was up 29 points, or 2.47 percent, at 1,202 points.

Water on the Rhine and Danube in Germany remains shallow and cargo vessels cannot sail fully loaded, traders said on Monday. The rivers had fallen below normal levels in late June after dry weather. The Rhine is still too shallow for normal sailings from Duisburg and Cologne to southern stretches of the river, traders said. All of the Danube in Germany is too shallow for normal loading. Shallow water means vessel operators impose surcharges on freight rates, increasing costs for cargo owners.

With a slew of contracts to be signed soon  South Korean shipyards are expected to clinch a decent number of new orders during the second half of the year, Yonhap reported quoting  industry sources. Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) and its affiliates have secured a series of fresh contracts, with their new orders reaching US$4.2 billion for 72 ships in the first six months of the year. In the January-June period, Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI) won $4.8 billion worth of orders to build 13 ships, including two offshore plants.

South Korea’s Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME) won its second order from Maran Tankers Management (MTM), a subsidiary of  Greek shipping giant Angelicoussis Shipping Group,  to build four very large crude carriers (VLCCs). Yonhap quoted a regulatory filing of Daewoo saying that it will deliver the 318,000-ton vessels by Aug. 20, 2019. The vessels, 336 meters long and 60 meters wide, will be powered by eco-friendly and fuel-efficient engines, the shipyard said. Daewoo did not reveal the value of the latest deal.

Seaspan’s Vancouver Shipyards (VSY) has appointed Jim Corr as Vice President – Planning & Estimating. Corr joined VSY in January 2017 as a consultant, and in June 2017 was promoted to Vice President, Planning & Estimating. In this role, Corr is responsible for providing leadership and direction on network planning, detail planning and production control, as well as estimating for new ship construction. planning/scheduling, Integrated Master Scheduling, Lean Six Sigma, engineering planning, process development and pre-production processes.

 Hamburg-based ship manager E.R. Schiffahrt informs it has been appointed by Maersk Line to manage three further vessels. With this new mandate, E.R. Schiffahrt increases the managed fleet for the world’s largest liner company from six to nine.   The new contract comprises the management of three 8,400 teu containerships and includes the crew and technical management, as well as additional services relating to safety/security, environmental protection and energy efficiency.    The 11-year-old container vessels will be bare boat chartered by Maersk and continue to be trading as Maersk Saigon, Maersk Stralsund and Maersk Seoul.   The ship management service began July 13, 2017. 

The Baltic Exchange's main sea freight index, tracking rates for ships carrying dry bulk commodities, rose on Friday as rates climbed further across vessel segments. The overall index, which factors in rates for capesize, panamax, supramax and handysize shipping vessels, was up 12 points, or 1.35 percent, at 900 points. The panamax index rose 32 points, or 2.8 percent, at 1,173 points. Average daily earnings for panamaxes, which usually carry coal or grain cargoes of about 60,000 to 70,000 tonnes, increased $246 to $9,398. The capesize index gained 5 points, or 0.54 percent, to 933 points.

Denmark based boat builder Tuco Marine has launched a newly developed boat for high-pressure cleaning for fish farm operations in Norway. According to Tuco Marine, the 15-meter workboat – an expansion of its ProZero vessel series – has been designed by the builder’s engineers in collaboration with aquaculture experts to match the exact demands of the industry. In order to preserve a healthy fish population and a steady production rate, aquaculture facilities must ensure good net hygiene by removing marine fouling.

U.S. shipbuilder General Dynamics NASSCO has taken delivery of a new tug, Blue Fin, to support its waterfront activities. The new tug, built by Marine Group Boat Works in National City, Calif., was christened July 8 at a ceremony at NASSCO’s shipyard in Barrio Logan in San Diego. Bonnie Fanelli, the wife of 43-year NASSCO employee and assistant dockmaster Tom Fanelli, christened the tug. The name Blue Fin was selected for the new tug after NASSCO invited local K-8 students to participate in a vessel naming contest.

The recent dredging to the Port of Maputo, Mozambique, access channel, early this year, from -11 to 14.3 meters served as an enabler to other infrastructure projects, some already taking place at the Port. According to a press release, Terminal de Carvão da Matola (TCM) will be the port’s first terminal to take full advantage of the dredging initiative with its Berth Deepening and Expansion project  has inaugurated last week. The works include, on the marine side, the deepening of its existing berth, refurbishment work and the extension of the quay by an 8.5 meter offset.

Germany’s marine and offshore equipment suppliers will have to continue efforts this year to respond to the continuing weak demand from other countries and growing competition in global shipping markets, says German Engineering Federation (VDMA) who reported a decline in orders in the maritime sector in 2017 as sales slid slightly to €11.1 billion ($12.7 billion). However, according to VDMA, the general situation in mechanical engineering industry and digitalization show encouraging signs as companies stand to benefit from developing new markets…

Odfjell SE informs it has signed a final agreement to acquire five chemical tanker newbuilds from Chemical Transportation Group, Inc (CTG) and form a pool of 15 chemical tankers. The transaction has been signed and completed, Odfjell said, after it announced on June 16 that it inked a term sheet with CTG to form the vessel pool and acquire CTG’s final five 25,000 dwt stainless steel newbuilds on order from Chinese shipyard AVIC Dingheng. Odfjell said it will pay $40 million per vessel upon delivery from shipyard.

Grand Bahama Shipyard and L&R Midland (UK) Ltd have signed an exclusive agency agreement covering the U.K. markets effective June 1, 2017. Caribbean shipyard Grand Bahama Shipyard (GBS) has engaged L&R Midland (UK) as its representative in the U.K. in what is expected to be an increasingly busy period due to approaching new International Maritime Organization (IMO) regulations that will require ballast water treatment systems (BWTS) and exhaust gas cleaning systems (EGCS) retrofits.

On Tuesday, July 11, Damen hosted a dredging seminar in Dhaka, Bangladesh attended by more than 100 representatives from the Dutch Embassy in Bangladesh, experts from the Bangladesh Government, the Bangladesh Navy, local financing institutions, various customers of Damen and other industry stakeholders. Damen said it has enjoyed great successes all over the world in the sale of its dredging equipment, including Trailing Suction Hopper Dredgers, Cutter Suction Dredgers and renowned DOP pumps.

Logistics entrepreneur Klaus-Michael Kuehne has raised his shareholding in German container shipping line Hapag-Lloyd to 17.15 percent from 14.1 percent, his Swiss-based Kuehne Holding said on Thursday. Kuehne was taking advantage of shares being sold by TUI , which on Tuesday completed the disposal of its remaining 7.9 percent of shares to focus on cruise ship acquisitions. TUI's move allowed Kuehne to expand its investment in Hapag-Lloyd, which it said it considered to be long-term.

Anything but new, the Victaulic method of pipe-joining has been around for a long time. Armed with myriad type approvals from most IACS groups, Victaulic’s output will no doubt (and soon) form a part of your marine equipment for a long time to come. The conservative and staid domestic waterfront, especially where it intersects boatbuilding and repair, recently set sail for increased efficiencies, driven in part by emerging technologies, but also through improved management and new assembly techniques.

There were a total of 210 ships broken in the second quarter of 2017. 158 of these ships ended up on South Asian beaches for dirty and dangerous breaking, said NGO Shipbreaking Platform. The Platform was able to document five accidents at the shipbreaking yards in Chittagong, Bangladesh, between April and June, which led to the death of four workers and the injury of two. Ishaq worked as a winch operator and died struck by a cable at the BBC Steel Shipbreaking/KR yard. This is the second fatal accident this year at BBC Steel.

Leading classification society ClassNK  has issued a Statement of Compliance (SoC) to a ship recycling facility in Izmir, Turkey, ISIKSAN SHIP RECYCLING and TRADING, verifying that the facilities are in line with the Hong Kong International Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships, 2009 (HKC). Although the HKC has yet to enter into force, ISIKSAN has carried out substantial improvements to its facility in a bid toward safer and greener ship recycling…

The newest New York Police Department (NYPD) response boat currently under construction will be powered by Volvo Penta diesel inboard engines from Pacific Power Group, a first for the NYPD fleet. The fifth Response Boat - Medium C (RB-M C) built by Vigor will join the fleet of RB-M C’s currently providing maritime security and law enforcement in the New York metro area. The vessel, which is under construction at Vigor Ballard, is being built based on an all-aluminum design utilized on more than 174 Coast Guard response boats.

Damen Shipyards Group has sent a high level delegation to meet with key members of the Australian shipbuilding industry, signifying its commitment to the SEA 1180 Program. With an eye on maximizing local industry content and ensuring long-term Australian jobs, the aim of the visit was to strengthen business relationships borne out of the Damen Industry Briefings held earlier this year, the shipbuilder said. The delegation forms an integral part of Damen’s tender for the design and construction of 12 Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPV) for the Royal Australian Navy.

Marine innovation company Reygar has partnered with Actisense, a manufacturer of specialist marine electronics, to enhance the capability of Reygar’s BareFLEET remote fleet monitoring system. BareFLEET offers comprehensive measurement capabilities, as well as simple and concise vessel performance, health, motion and fuel efficiency information reported back to fleet operators. This helps them reduce fleet operating costs and evidence savings and vessel activity to their customers.

U.S. shipbuilder Blount Boats together with naval architecture firm Elliott Bay Design Group (EBDG) has been awarded the contract to design and construct a new passenger-only ferry for Governors Island, New York by The Trust For Governors Island. The vessel will provide passenger ferry service between Battery Maritime Building in Lower Manhattan and Soissons Landing on Governors Island, New York. “Blount Boats is honored to have been chosen by the Trust to build another iconic vessel for New York Harbor,” said Marcia Blount, President of Blount Boats.

Goltens said it has been awarded a contract for the engineering and retrofit installation of OceanSaver ballast water treatment (BWT) systems on board two of BP Shipping’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers. The vessels to be retrofitted are the two 138,000 cbm LNG vessels British Innovator and British Merchant. Goltens will undertake the engineering and prefabrication work in 2017 and then complete the installation services in 2018. “We look forward to working closely with BP and applying our well-proven process to the retrofit of these two gas carriers in the most efficient manner…

The Baltic Exchange's main sea freight index, tracking rates for ships carrying dry bulk commodities, rose on Wednesday, helped by higher rates across all vessel segments. The overall index, which factors in rates for capesize, panamax, supramax and handysize shipping vessels, was up 29 points, or 3.49 percent, at 859 points. The capesize index gained 91 points, or 12.05 percent, to 846 points. Capesize earnings are on the rise with average earnings ticking up to about $7,200/day as the market continues to gain some traction in Western Australia and Brazil…

HSH syndicate, comprising HSH Nordbank and DBS Bank, has approved the sale of the remaining nine of 14 vessels of Singapore-based Rickmers Trust Management for some $54 million to Navios Partners Containers and Navios Partners Containers Finance. The total consideration will also include an amount to support settlement of operational cash deficits to closing, said Rickmers Trust Management in an update on the winding up of Rickmers Maritime. The sales of these nine vessels are expected to be completed in parts from July 12, 2017, Rickmers said.

ABS informs it has granted Approval in Principle (AIP) for a new MOSS-type liquefied natural gas (LNG) tank design concept developed by Japan’s Kawasaki Heavy Industries (KHI). Designated as an IMO Type B independent tank, the concept takes a new approach by applying a non-spherical tank design to increase the use of space on board an LNG carrier. According to KHI, the non-spherical design concept allows Panamax-size LNG carriers to expand their total carrying capacity to 180,000m³, a 25,000m³ volume increase when compared to using spherical tanks. In issuing its AIP, ABS reviewed the strength and fatigue analysis to support KHI in demonstrating the feasibility of the new concept.

JF Mimic, part of James Fisher and Sons plc, said it has signed an agreement to supply its specialist Mimic condition monitoring software to Stolt Tankers B.V (Stolt) to enhance operational safety and improve the technical reliability of its assets. The Mimic software will be installed on Stolt’s fleet of 75 vessels, as well as onshore at its head office, to provide instant condition status alerts along with detailed efficiency monitoring, as management and control of a 21st century maritime business demands unique solutions…

Cruise ship marine operations expert John Schneider is joining the board of directors at FarSounder, Inc. Over the last 12 years, Schneider has worked in the cruise ship segment of the marine industry as fuel and energy optimization manager (Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises), superintendent engineer (Celebrity Cruises), and as vessel manager for ResidenSea’s residential passenger vessel The World. In this position, he was responsible for the overall management of the vessel within the marine operations department reporting to both WSM and to ResidenSea's Senior Management.

Damen Shiprepair Brest (DSBr) said it has completed a two week maintenance program on the 290-meter, 101,000 GT liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier GDF Suez Point Fortin. In addition to its expertise and facilities, Operator MOL LNG Transport (Europe) Ltd and ENGIE as charterer selected DSBr because it is one of the first European yards capable of performing modifications works on board LNG carriers when ‘gassed-up’, according to DSBr. The works took place in the second half of May and included a full…

Stephan Aumann has been appointed by ASYAD (formerly Oman Global Logistic Group) board of directors as the new CEO of the Oman Drydock Company S.A.O.C. in Duqm/Oman. Aumann assumed the role June 15 and replaced the former CEO Jin Han Lee (DSME), who advised at the end of 2016 that he would be stepping down. With a bachelor's degree in naval architecture and a master degree in industrial engineering from the University of Applied Sciences in Kiel/Germany, the 50-year-old German…

Deltamarin Ltd said it has signed contracts with Chinese shipbuilder Xiamen Shipbuilding Industry Co., Ltd (XSI) for engineering and construction support services for the Viking Line Liquefied natural gas (LNG) fuelled ro-pax vessel newbuilding. The contracts cover basic and detail design as well as comprehensive project management support and supervision services to the shipyard during vessel construction. The new ro-pax vessel for Viking Line will have a passenger capacity of 2,800 people, and the length of its cargo lanes will be 1,500 meters.

The Baltic Exchange's main sea freight index, tracking rates for ships carrying dry bulk commodities, rose on Tuesday to snap an eight-day losing streak, boosted by improved rates across all vessel segments. The overall index, which factors in rates for capesize, panamax, supramax and handysize shipping vessels, was up 10 points, or 1.22 percent, at 830 points. The capesize index gained 25 points, or 3.42 percent, at 755 points. Average daily earnings for capesizes, which typically transport 150,000-tonne cargoes such as iron ore and coal, were up $219 at $6,524.

Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd (RCC) has signed a deal with NAVTOR to install the NavBox navigation solution across its entire corporate fleet of 49 vessels, in a deal which spans RCC's six different operating companies. E-navigation specialist NAVTOR launched NavBox in 2013. The solution, which complements NAVTOR’s range of electronic navigational chart (ENC) based services, automatically downloads, distributes and updates all vessel navigational charts and publications, cutting administration time, while ensuring the very latest, compliant charts are always at hand.

Sparrows Group has been awarded a three-and-a-half-year extension to its inspection services contract for Stena Drilling’s global fleet of drilling vessels. The contract scope includes carrying out LOLER lifting gear surveys, potential dropped objects surveys, cargo carrying unit (CCU) and non-destructive testing (NDT) inspections as well as rig specific maintenance. As well as an extension to the contract, the scope has also been expanded to cover Stena’s entire fleet of seven vessels, including the Stena Don in Norway.

BOURBON entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Automated Ships Ltd to support the building of the world’s first autonomous, fully-automated prototype vessel for offshore operations, in collaboration with the project’s primary technology partner, KONGSBERG. BOURBON will provide detailed input to the development and design of the Hrönn project, ensuring flexibility, reliability and cost efficiency to operate safely and effectively in the offshore environment. In the second phase of the project…

In order to promote cruise tourism, the Indian government on has announced a slew of reforms to revolutionise the industry which has a high employment generation potential, by simplifying the rules and procedures for cruise port operations. "The Ministry of Shipping, in conjunction with the Ministry of Tourism, has announced reforms to the regulatory processes governing the cruise tourism industry in the country," an official statement said. The objective is to revolutionize this industry which has a high employment generation potential…

Orient Overseas International (OOIL) and its container unit OOCL have a good track record for above-average profits in a challenging market and a reputation for being a very well-run company, earning the moniker “The Perfect Bride” by Drewry Maritime Financial Research. Retaining the management team, processes and systems is a wise move and could be of enormous value to Cosco Shipping Holdings (Cosco), Drewry said. OOCL has an owned-fleet of 66 containerships aggregating approximately 440,000 teu.

Shipments of limestone on the Great Lakes totaled 3,455,019 tons in June, a decrease of 7.3 percent compared to a year ago, the Lake Carriers’ Association (LCA) reported. June’s loadings were also 8.9 percent below the month’s five-year average. Loadings from U.S. quarries totaled 2.8 million tons, a decrease of 5.5 percent compared to a year ago, while shipments from Canadian quarries totaled 668,000 tons, a decrease of 14.3 percent, LCA said. Year-to-date the Great Lakes limestone trade stands at 8.8 million tons, a decrease of 10.4 percent compared to a year ago, according to LCA.

Europe's largest tourism group TUI Group said on Monday it had sold its stake in container shipper Hapag-Lloyd, bringing to a close plans for the sale of non-core businesses in order to focus on its tourism operations. TUI Group has been investing in more of its own hotels and cruise ships since it was formed from the merger of TUI AG and TUI Travel in 2014. "The proceeds will be reinvested in the transformation of TUI as the world's leading integrated tourism business, focused on own hotel and cruise brands, and to further strengthen TUI's balance sheet," TUI said.

A new all-terrain vessel propulsion system specially engineered and built for operation in extreme shallow water, riverine and mud flat environments will safely and reliably propel a vessel through dense vegetation, mud and debris-strewn waters. The highly durable Swamp Shark Drive system has been introduced through a partnership between Louisiana-based boat builder Metal Shark has partnered with Angelle Development, LLC of Breaux Bridge, La. “I began designing this system and building the initial prototype in 2011 with the goal of creating the ultimate ‘go anywhere…

Austal Australia was joined by Warren Entsch, Federal Member for Leichardt, to officially open its vessel sustainment office in Cairns, the latest effort in the expansion of Austal’s national footprint. The shipbuilder said its new Cairns sustainment facilities will employ nearly 30 people to support the Austal-built Cape Class fleet for the Australian Border Force and the Royal Australian Navy and the future Pacific Patrol Boats (PPB) that Austal is currently building for the Australian Government.

Damen Shipyards said it has won an open tender for the supply of a tug to Port Autonome de Papeete on the Pacific island of Tahiti. Tahiti is part of French Polynesia, an overseas territory of the French Republic. The tug will be Damen’s popular ASD 2810 model, a rugged, versatile vessel capable of delivering 60 tonnes of bollard pull. Pape’ete is the capital of French Polynesia and the economic hub of the archipelago. Port Autonome de Papeete serves a wide range of vessels including local ferries…

After completing its sea trials program, Pax, the second dual fuel tug ever built in Europe, has been delivered to its owner, the Norwegian company Østensjø Rederi A/S. The first tug of this kind built in Europe, Dux, was delivered by the company last May. The vessel is the first tugboat of a series of three. Built by Spanish shipbuilder Gondan and designed by Canadian company Robert Allan Ltd. the new escort tug, with 40.2 meters length and 16 meters beam, will provide tug services to Norwegian state-owned energy company Statoil…

The Baltic Exchange's main sea freight index, tracking rates for ships carrying dry bulk commodities, inched lower on Monday on weaker rates for larger vessels. The overall index, which factors in rates for capesize, panamax, supramax and handysize shipping vessels, was down 2 points, or 0.24 percent, at 820 points. The capesize index dipped 23 points, or 3.05 percent, to 730 points. Average daily earnings for capesizes, which typically transport 150,000-tonne cargoes such as iron ore and coal, were down $91 at $6,305. The panamax index was down 1 point, or 0.09 percent, at 1,061 points.

COSCO Shipping Holdings Co Ltd saw its stock climb on Monday after bidding $6.3 billion for a Hong Kong peer, a deal that would see it become the world's third-biggest container shipper and underline China's supply-chain ambitions. The offer for Orient Overseas International Ltd (OOIL) comes as China's government pushes to raise the country's profile in global shipping, which dovetails with its Belt and Road initiative aimed at increasing China's influence over distribution from Asia to Europe.

Qatar Gas Transport Company (Nakilat)  has assumed full ship management and operations of Q-Flex LNG carrier Al Sheehaniya from STASCo (Shell Trading and Shipping Company) with effect from 6 July 2017, as part of the planned and phased transition announced on 19th October 2016. With a cargo carrying capacity of 210,200 cubic meters, Al Sheehaniya is wholly-owned by Nakilat and chartered by Qatargas. The vessel built in South Korea by Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering was delivered in February 2009 and has been in service ever since.

Offshore marine and engineering consultancy Aqualis Offshore, part of Oslo-listed Aqualis ASA, said it has been contracted by Hyundai Samho Heavy Industries Co. Ltd to provide an engineering study of a new-build liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier the yard is constructing for Teekay LNG. Aqualis Offshore’s work scope is to provide failure modes and effects analysis (FMEA), hazard dentification (HAZID) and hazard and operability (HAZOP) studies for the boil-off gas handling system and fuel gas system on board the vessel. Aqualis Offshore will also provide FMEA-studies of the vessel’s propulsion redundancy and steering system as well as…

The steel cutting ceremony of the third Vista class cruise ship, which Fincantieri is building for Carnival Cruise Line, a brand under Carnival Corporation & plc, took place at Fincantieri’s shipyard in Marghera. The newbuild, scheduled to be delivered in autumn 2019, will be a sister ship of Carnival Vista, delivered in Monfalcone in April, 2016, as well as of Carnival Horizon, also currently under construction at the shipyard in Marghera with delivery scheduled at the beginning of 2018.