Shipbuilding News

As the global cruise industry enjoys it most robust period of growth ever, the question invariably becomes: How long can it last?Cruising, which is a blend of the hospitality and maritime businesses, continues to grow at a historic pace. The Cruise Trends & Industry Outlook publication from Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) projects a passenger count of 30 million in 2019 – up nearly 2 million from the previous year. By year end 2019 CLIA members – a veritable ‘who’s who’ of the largest brands – will have 272 vessels…

Fairline Yachts announced the opening of Hythe Shipyard at its new manufacturing facility on the south coast of England. Originally designed and built by the U.S. Navy in the 1950s, the slipway at Hythe was used to launch landing craft that were manufactured at the site. Fast forward half a century and this impressive piece of mechanical engineering has been given new purpose as the only slipway of its kind on Southampton Water.Hythe Shipyard facilities accommodate vessels of up to 950 tonnes and 11.5 meters in beam…

Austal USA was awarded a $261.8 million contract for the 13th and 14th Expeditionary Fast Transport ships (EPF) by the U.S. Navy, bringing the total value of the 14-ship deal to slightly more than $2 billionThe EPF’s large, open-mission deck and large habitability spaces provide the opportunity to conduct a wide range of missions from engagement and humanitarian assistance to disaster relief, and from maritime security support operations, to intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance.

The engines and steerable thrusters supplied by Wärtsilä are delivering for a pair of two new tug boats operated by the Turkish Directorate General of Coastal Safety. Following sea trials, the first vessel is already in operation, while the second will enter service in April 2019. The vessels were built in Eregli under project management by the Yutek shipyard and site team, and the orders with Wärtsilä were booked in 2017.The bollard pull rating for the tug boats has been certified by the Turkish Lloyd classification society as being 75 TBP.

A partnership between PROSTEP, the product lifecycle management (PLM) consulting and solutions company and NAPA has successfully completed a ship design solution development project for Meyer Turku.NAPA and PROSTEP combined their respective experience to develop an interface for NAPA Designer, a 3D modelling and design software that meshes with Meyer Turku’s CAD.As a result of this project, NAPA and PROSTEP signed a formal cooperation agreement to work more closely together in the development of PLM software and CAE interfaces, as well as in the field of PLM consulting.

China’s first domestically built cruise ship, to be built at Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. (SWS), will feature a power and propulsion package from ABB.From ABB's perspective the deal includes two Azipod steerable propulsion systems for the 323m vessel, due for delivery in 2023. The ship will be built to accommodate 5,000 passengers and is designed to suit the tastes of Chinese cruise travelers whose numbers are expected to rise to 8-10 million annually by 2025, according to industry body Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA).In addition to the Azipods…

Concept Development of Large Cryogenic Liquid Transport of High Value GasesHerbert Engineering was selected by Agility Gas Technology of Park Ridge NJ to develop a ship design concept that will capitalize on Agility’s novel, less expensive yet safer technology to build large atmospheric-pressure cryogenic-liquid chemical transport ships. Specific designs are under development for very large volume liquid ethylene, ethane and propylene transport.According to Charles Matar, CEO of Agility…

Twelve people were arrested in Croatia on Tuesday on suspicion of causing over one billion kuna ($152.16 million) in financial damage to the country's biggest shipbuilding group Uljanik and the state budget, the interior minister said.Uljanik, which is 25 percent state-owned and operates two shipyards in the northern Adriatic cities of Pula and Rijeka, has been battling to stave off bankruptcy due to liquidity problems that began in 2017. Workers are currently on strike, seeking unpaid wages."This morning the police began action during which 12 people were arrested…

European ferry operator Stena Line has installed Japanese sleeping pods on its Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and Skåne vessels, operating between Rostock in Germany and Trelleborg in Sweden.Stena Line is the first ferry company to offer its customers Japanese sleeping pods which will be a cost-efficient way to sleep and rest during the crossing.The pods are inspired by Japanese capsule hotels offer 2m2space for one person and can be booked from today and will be available for travellers from April 1st.“We see it as an innovative offer for a cost-conscious target group…

Sri Lanka's leading ship repair, ship building, heavy engineering and offshore engineering facility Colombo Dockyard PLC (CDPLC)  inked an agreement with PANASIA, Korea as a partner for Ballast Water Management Systems (BWMS) and Scrubber installation.This collaboration with PANASIA will allow Colombo Dockyard to offer this service of installation of BWMS and Scrubbers to its clientele, said a press release from the ship building company is based in Colombo.Colombo Dockyard has already installed eight Numbers PANASIA Ballast Water Management Systems on its new construction vessels…

The application period for this year’s MN100 edition is officially open and underway! Only those who apply can be considered for inclusion.The MN100, always our August print edition, is our annual look at the best 100 firms in the MarineNews, brown water, workboat space. There will never be a better time for you to tell MarineNews just why your firm is one of the best in the business. All of that – the selected 100 companies – will be featured in the August edition of the largest BPA-audited b-to-b publication in this genre.

CMA CGM chairman and CEO Rodolphe Saadé has signed two strategic partnerships with Lei Fanpei, chairman of the China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC), including an order of 10 containership newbuilds, as well as an agreement to jointly develop more efficient and environmentally-friendly vessels.The deals were signed Monday in the presence of French President Emmanuel Macron and Chinese President Xi Jinping, on the occasion of the latter’s State visit to France.The 10 new Chinese-built 15,000-TEU (Twenty-foot Equivalent Units) vessels will each measure 366 meters long.

Damen Shipyards Den Helder (DSDH) and the Netherlands’ Defense Material Organization (DMO) procurement agency have signed a contract for the design, build and delivery of a prototype Expeditionary Survey Boat (ESB).The craft will be optimized for rapid environmental assessments and hydrographic surveys in harbors, river mouths, shallow waters, coastal areas and shipping channels.The craft will be manned by four persons; two to crew the boat and two technicians to operate the hydrographic equipment, and will be able to spend up over 60 hours continuously at sea at her survey speed of 5 knots.

The Danish maritime service provider VMS Group establishes new test facilities to cover the need for independent testing of all engine types in Europe.The new test facilities located at the Port of Frederikshavn makes independent testing of all engine types possible.We have not encountered any other European facility that can offer these independent test runs. We offer test drives of engines, generators and other related equipment of all brands, explains CCO of VMS Group, Kim Rasmussen.New business areaThe test hall is crucial for VMS Group to utilize the full potential of a new business area.

Netherlands-based maritime service company EMAR Offshore Services welcomed a new vessel to its fleet. The Damen ASD Tug 2811, named E-TWO, was ordered in November 2018 with a special request for the installation of an additional FiFi1 system, aft winch and hydraulic crane.This ASD Tug 2811, one of Damen Shipyards Group’s ‘next-generation’ harbor tugs, will be deployed for assisting in the berthing and unberthing of industrial vessels in major ports.Johan van Beek, Managing Director of EMAR Offshore Services…

Netherlands-based Royal IHC recently signed a contract with National Marine Dredging Company (NMDC, based in Abu Dhabi, UAE) to build yet another trailing suction hopper dredger (TSHD).The supplier of innovative and efficient equipment, vessels and services for the offshore, dredging and wet mining markets said in a press release that the new vessel builds on the excellent partnership & collaboration between the two companies and on the success of the 6,000m³ TSHD ARZANA, which was delivered by IHC in 2018.In addition…

South Korea’s Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI) has signed a deal for the construction of one more liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier.The shipbuilder said in a stock exchange annoucement that the new order has a value of 215 billion-won (US$190 million).The ship is scheduled to be delivered by March 2022, it said. According to the annoucement the contract was made with an Asian shipper."SHI's new order total for 2019 now stands at 7 LNGC and 1.3 billion USD," the statement said.SHI announced earlier that  its 2019 orderbook tagret was set at USD 7.8 billion…

Qatar-based Shipyard, Nakilat-Keppel Offshore & Marine (N-KOM) has recently received its first floating storage regasification unit (FSRU) project at the Erhama Bin Jaber Al Jalahma Shipyard.The FSRU owned by Excelerate Energy (USA) will undergo drydocking, maintenance and upgrades at the facility, which is renowned for its expertise in handling gas carriers.During its drydocking, the FSRU will undergo several modifications and retrofitting of new systems, including the installation of a ballast water treatment system (BWTS).

Bollinger Shipyards has delivered the USCGC JOSEPH DOYLE, the 33rd Fast Response Cutter (FRC) to the U.S. Coast Guard. The Coast Guard took delivery on the 21st of March, 2019 in Key West, Florida. The 154-foot Sentinel-class Fast Response Cutter has a flank speed over 28 knots, state of the art command, control, communications and computer technology, and a stern launch system for the vessel’s 26-foot cutter boat. The FRC has been described as an operational “game changer,” by senior Coast Guard officials.

How to make the Capital Construction Fund work for all vessel owners and operators.The Red and White Fleet is a passenger vessel operator on San Francisco bay with roots back to 1892. We make no secret of the fact that we want to build new vessels with zero environmental signatures, all in an effort to increase employment for shipyard workers, provide new jobs for US mariners, and provide a training ground to support the growth of the U.S. flag deep sea ships. That mission is, today, unnecessarily difficult. The reasons why are easy to see.Not too long ago, H.

Finnish-Swedish passenger ferry operator Kvarken Link has signed a construction agreement with Finnish shipbuilding company Rauma Marine Constructions for a car and passenger ferry, set to operate between the Finnish city of Vaasa and the Swedish city of Umeå.Following the agreement, the planning of the vessel can begin with immediate effect. The Ministry of Transportation and Communications of Finland, the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, and the Ministry of Finance…

Steel cut for first short-sea LNG bunker vessel for Eesti Gaas at Damen Yichang Shipyard, China.On March 18, 2019, a ceremony was held at Damen Yichang Shipyard, China, to mark the start of cutting steel for the first of a planned series of short-sea LNG Bunker vessels to be built for Eesti Gaas of Estonia. The 6,000m³ capacity vessel and its future sister-ships are intended to accelerate the wider adoption of LNG as a cleaner alternative fuel in the north-eastern region of the Baltic Sea by providing a mobile and efficient ship-to-ship distribution service for the first time.Virgo Vinkel…

China is working to develop a 33,069-ton nuclear icebreaker, which would be even bigger than the epic nuclear-powered vessels built by Russia.South China Morning Post reported that while the purpose of the ship has not been specified, the plan is to have a 152-metre long, 32-metre wide and with a displacement of 30,000 tonnes.China General Nuclear Power Group (CGN) has invited bids for the contract to build the vessel and it is described in the tender documents as an “experimental platform”.The deadline for interested parties to tender was Wednesday (yesterday)…

The marine engineering design company Incat Crowther announced the construction of a 35m Catamaran Passenger Ferry for Samso Rederi in Denmark.The Incat Crowther 35 will operate between the Aarhus and the island of Samso, an island of natural beauty sitting off the Jutland Peninsula, said a press release from the provider of architect and engineering service specializing in catamaran and monohull designs.The intention of the new operation is to bolster tourism and trade between the island and the mainland.

The Council on Ethics of the Government Pension Fund Global (Oil Fund), Norway's $1 trillion sovereign wealth fund (SWF), said that it will turn its attention towards Indian shipbreaking practices.The SWF cautioned that this may well result in further divestments from shipping companies with poor shipbreaking records.In 2018, the Council on Ethics had already advised the fund to divest from companies, including container line Evergreen, selling their end-of-life vessels to shipbreaking…

Høglund, the marine solutions and system integration company, has been awarded a contract to deliver biogas-ready fuel-gas supply systems (FGSS) for six Hurtigruten passenger ship retrofits.Høglund will work together with HB Hunte Engineering to design and engineer fully customized tank and FGSS solutions for each of the six vessels, optimized to run on both liquefied natural gas (LNG) and liquefied biogas (LBG), according to a press release.Hurtigruten will use Høglund and HB Hunte’s FGSS solutions in tandem with large battery packs onboard its vessels…

Damen Shipyards Group has announced the recent signing of a contract with Oslo, Norway-based SeaDream Yacht Club. The contract marks a historic moment, being Damen’s first for a cruise ship. SeaDream will operate the 155-m Mega Yacht on luxury voyages all over the world.The Mega Yacht, a purpose-built ship, will be prepared to operate in destinations, including polar and tropical, around the world. As such, the vessel will boast ice class Polar Code 6 credentials.The international shipyards group launched its new venture, Damen Cruise, in 2018.

Eastern Pacific Shipping exercised an option connected with an order for 5 × 15,000-TEU containerships placed in November 2017, and requested another six vessels. All 11 engines involved in the order will be powered by MAN B&W-branded two-stroke engines.The first five engines will be conventional MAN B&W 11G90ME-C units equipped with scrubbers that are due for delivery between 2019-2020. The additional six units will be built as MAN B&W 11G90ME-GI dual-fuel configurations operating on LNG with delivery dates scheduled between 2020-2022.

Marittima Emiliana, a company owned by the Amoretti family’s Armatori Group, has placed an order for the 4,500 dwt  tanker duo at Ningbo Xinle Shipbuilding, a Chinese shipyard specialising in small chemical construction.Watson Farley & Williams (WFW) advised Crédit Agricole Italia on two financings for Marittima Emiliana for the construction of the two chemical tankers.Construction will start in 1H 2019m, with delivery is scheduled for 2020. This transaction represents the Amoretti…

The U.S. Navy has awarded General Dynamics' Electric Boat subsidiary a $2B contract modification for long lead time material to support construction of Block V Virginia-class submarines. The award modifies a contract awarded in 2017 that provides funding for long lead time material for steam and electrical plant components, main propulsion unit and ship service turbine generator efforts and miscellaneous hull, mechanical and electrical system components. This modification brings…

Havyard delivered the third battery-run ferry for the Hareid–Sulesund route to Fjord1.To ensure that the ferries run as energy efficient as possible, Havyard developed digital ferry models and incorporated them into a ‘digital Sulafjord’ made with unique weather data from the area.The Norwegian Public Roads Administration has invested more than $11.4m in measurement masts and buoys in the Sulafjord. These provide data about wind, current, temperature, wave height and wave length that Norwegian researchers have not previously had…

Wärtsilä won the contract to design a multipurpose transport vessel that will operate in Antarctic waters. Wärtsilä will also provide the vessel with a comprehensive package of integrated propulsion and hybrid solutions to ensure highly efficient and environmentally sustainable operations. The ship has been ordered by Norway-based Aker BioMarine and will be constructed in China, at CIMC Raffles. The ship design order with Wärtsilä was booked in December 2018, while the order for the integrated solutions package was booked in March 2019.The 168 meters long…

Kirby Inland Marine selected Furuno as the electronics of choice for its new generation of Subchapter M towboats. The first of three new vessels, MV Bailey, will soon enter service into the Kirby fleet of over 300 towboats and nearly 1,000 inland barges operating in U.S. waters. The bridge features Furuno electronics including Radar, GPS, AIS, depth sensors and more. This 88-ft.towboat was built at the Main Iron Works facility in Houma, LA, and has been designed from the keel…

As tensions mount globally, naval budgets are growing in tandem. While the U.S. Navy and its global footprint are well recorded and widely reported, other navies from smaller countries are less known, but nonetheless important to the fabric of global security operations, particularly working in tandem with allies. Navies operate on a spectrum between deterrence and defense, to include offensive operation, support of foreign policy, and power projection to civil affair and humanitarian assistance and disaster response.

Hybrid is not only here, it is growing, and with that growth it will soon reach far beyond coastal applications.For those who were around for the arrival of Y2K, you will remember the anticipation, preparation and perspiration as the maritime world waited for the failure of communications, navigation, security and machinery associated with the digital change of the clock. The forecasts, now historical urban legend, left the world without a digital catastrophe.We wait now for 2020 and the advent of the IMO maritime emissions regulations.

UK shipbuilder Wight Shipyard Co has been appointed to develop the fleet of Arksen series vessels including the Arksen 70, Arksen 85 and Arksen 100.Arksen is developing, building and supporting semi-autonomous, hybrid explorer vessels,  designed from the ground up to have the least impact on the environment and take adventurers to the most inaccessible corners of the world’s oceans.The team also comprising fellow south coast businesses Humphreys Yacht Design (exterior) and Design Unlimited (interior).“Ship building on the Isle of Wight goes back hundreds of years.

Numarine, the European high performance motor yacht shipyard headquartered in Istanbul, has delivered third superyacht in Numarine’s 32XP series.The 32XP unit no. 3 is a sister ship to the first hull of the series, M/Y Marla (delivered in summer 2017), and has a similar look and layout, the Turkish shipyard said in a press release. The 32.5m yacht was built in 2018 by Numarine. She features an exterior design by Can Yalman and an interior by Can Yalman. She can sleep up to 12…

Dutch shipowner and operator Royal Wagenborg has ordered a second EasyMax type carrier from compatriot shipbuilder Royal Niestern Sander.Royal Niestern Sander confirmed that it had received an order from Wagenborg for the construction of a sister vessel of the Egbert Wagenborg. The yard will soon start the construction of the second ship of this EasyMax type.This announcement was made during the christening ceremony of the electric inspection vessel PW-18 that Niestern Sander is building for the Province of Groningen.This first electric inspection vessel was christened today by Mrs.

America's largest military shipbuilding company Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) announced the installation of the mast on the aircraft carrier USS George Washington, part of a $2.8 billion overhaul of the ship.The shipyard installed the final piece of the ship’s new main mast—the 34-foot upper mast section—that raises the ship’s distinctive profile 123 feet above the flight deck, said a press release from the Fortune 500 shipbuilding company.The  refueling and complex overhaul (RCOH) is now 50 percent complete at ewport News Shipbuilding division…

A fire broke out on board a cruise ship currently being built at Finland's Meyer Turku Shipyard, the shipbuilder said on Monday.Welding operations reportedly sparked a fire to stored equipment on deck 15 inside the Costa Smeralda at approximately 4:45 p.m. local time, forcing workers to evacuate the vessel, the shipbuilder said.The shipyard's firefighters were the first on scene and started firefighting measures, followed shortly after by local responders. The blaze was extinguished quickly and work on board was able to resume by 6:15 p.m.

V.Ships Leisure, part of V.Group, a global marine support services provider, has partnered with Mystic Cruises to provide crew management services including deck, engine, and hotel crew for the 9,300 GRT ice-classed vessel World Explorer.The vessel, which is currently under the final stages of construction at WestSea Viana Shipyard in Portugal will be delivered to Mystic Cruises in Q2 2019. With capacity for 200 passengers, World Explorer will be Mystic Cruises’ first newbuild expedition vessel…

Tuco Marine Group has just launched the SOLAS compliant ProZero Mrk 3 Fast Rescue Boat as part of the carbon fiber-based ProZero line. With its lightweight construction, operational capacity is increased – the rescue craft can respond faster and cover more area over longer periods of time.The new FRC is a third-generation design built around the already well proven ProZero 7,5-meter Fast Rescue Boat. The first two iterations of the 7,5-meter FRC design have been developed and tested thoroughly during the ProZero development project for which Tuco received funding under the Horizon2020 SME Instrument program. This development project ended in 2018, but Tuco Marine has continued to refine the project results and implement them in the ProZero series.

Turkey’s leading tug builder Sanmar Shipyards was selected by Caterpillar Marine to build the first tug to incorporate its hydraulic hybrid propulsion system. Construction is currently under way with delivery scheduled for October 2019. Furthermore the two companies, from different continents, are joining together to present their collaborative efforts at the Tugnology 19 Conference and Exhibition, scheduled to be held in Liverpool, England, May 14-15, 2019.Tugs represent some of the more power dense and cost competitive vessels…

The steel cutting ceremony of the seventh ship which Fincantieri is building for Viking took place  at the shipyard in Ancona, Italy.The new unit, whose delivery is scheduled in 2021, will be placed in the small cruise ship segment. As its sister ships, she will have a gross tonnage of about 47,800 tons, 465 cabins with accommodation for 930 passengers.The first of the series, “Viking Star”, has been built at the shipyard in Marghera and delivered in 2015. The other units, “Viking Sea”…

German shipbuilding company Flensburger Schiffbau-Gesellschaft (FSG) has handed over another Ro-Ro ship to SIEM Shipping.The Flensburg-based designer and manufacturer of ships for commercial and naval applications worldwide said in a press release that this is the sixth RoRo ship that FSG has delivered to SIEM and is identical in construction to the sister ship “ALF POLLK”.The “MARIA GRAZIA ONORATO” will be chartered out to Moby Lines Europe and deployed in the Mediterranean area on the routes to and from Sardinia and Sicily.Together with its sister ship “ALF POLLAK”…

Japanese public multinational corporation Kawasaki Heavy Industries (HKI)announced that it delivered the bulk carrier Divinegate for Indigo Marine Shipping at the Dalian COSCO KHI Ship Engineering Co., Ltd. (DACKS).According to a release, the bulk carrier has a capacity of 61,000 DWT and 199.90 meter length. Its gross tonnage is 34,508. Its main engine is one set of MAN B&W 6S50ME-B9.3-TII diesel engine with maximum continuous output: 8,130 kW at 108 rpm.Dalian COSCO KHI Ship Engineering Co is located in Dalian City…

Finnish Shipbuilder Meyer Turku has floated out Costa Smeralda, the first LNG-powered ship in the Costa Cruises fleet."The float-out of LNG powered 180 000 GT cruise ship, marks the beginning of the final stage of construction for this Italian style beauty engineered and constructed in Finland," said a press release from the shipbuilding company located in Turku.She will be finalized at the outfitting pier of Meyer Turku and be ready for delivery for Costa Cruises in October 2019…

Part of the Ferretti Group of luxury yacht brands, superyacht builder CRN has launched the M/Y 135, the new fully custom steel and aluminium megayacht.Over a thousand people were there to witness the occasion at an elegant private ceremony, where the majestic personality of this magnificent ship took centre stage, to the delight of all who have worked to design and build her, claimed a press release.The yacht is 79 metres long and with a beam of 13.50 metres. "Her sleek lines catch the eye, crisply emphasized by the smooth profile of her hull.

Top Ships Inc, which owns and operates tanker vessels worldwide, said that it took delivery of the 50,000 dwt newbuilding product/chemical tanker M/T Eco Marina Del Ray.According to the international owner and operator of modern, fuel efficient "ECO" tanker vessels currently focusing on the transportation of petroleum products, Eco Marina Del Ray is constructed at the Hyundai Mipo shipyard in South Korea.The Greece-based company also said that the vessel is scheduled to commence its five-year charter employment with Cargill on March 18…

A pair of 39-meter multipurpose crew transfer vessels have been built by PT Bintang Timur Samudera in Indonesia and delivered to MH-O & Co to be operated for Orsted in its Hornsea Project One wind farm offshore England.According to designer Incat Crowther, the new vessels MHO Gurli and MHO Esbjerg are the largest wind farm support vessels to enter service to date anywhere in the world. They draw on Incat Crowther’s experience with larger offshore fast catamarans operating in the oil and gas industry.

As maritime digests a number of historical changes, Norway’s Fjellstrand shipyard wants to put aside the rule book and look at the whole process in a new way, reducing engineering costs up to 70% and production costs up to 20%.The process of designing and building a ship, even in today’s highly standardized mass manufacturing environment, remains largely a one-off, one-of-a-kind design and build. Ships are most often built to a shipowner’s or operator’s specific requirements, which are often based on fixed parameters such as speed…

Copenhagen-based DFDS named its newest -- and the Mediterranean's largest -- Ro-Ro ship in Turkey.The naming ceremony for 237-meter-long  roll-on/roll-off (RoRo) newbuilding, Ephesus Seaways, was held in Istanbul, Turkey. Ephesus Seaways vessel with a 6,700 linear-meter capacity has also been put into service.The ship will also be the largest vessel to serve DFDS customers on the routes between Turkey and the EU.Eva Lundstedt, who is the wife of Volvo’s CEO Martin Lundstedt, gave…

Austal Limited's Philippines shipyard delivered a 50-mcatamaran to Taiwanese Brave Line in what is the company’s first commercial contract in the East Asian country.The catamaran is the first of two 550 passenger Austal-designed vessels being constructed at the company’s Philippines shipyard in Balamban, Cebu. The contract was awarded to Austal by Taiwan’s Brave Line in September 2017. The vessels include an optimized hull form for improved fuel efficiency and passenger comfort.Austal…

MSC Cruises and Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri  signed the final contracts for the construction of four luxury cruise ships.The announcement follows the initial signing of a memorandum of agreement between the two parties in October 2018. The contracts, subject to shipowner financing, have a total value exceeding $2.2 billion.As per the terms of the agreement, the first of the four ships will be delivered by Spring 2023. The remaining three will come into service one per year over the following three years through 2026.Pierfrancesco Vago…

The keel laying and authentication ceremony for the America-class amphibious warship USS Bougainville (LHA 8) was held at the Huntington Ingalls Industries’ Ingalls Shipbuilding division (HII),  yesterday (March 14).The ship’s sponsor, Ellyn Dunford, spouse of Gen. Joe Dunford, 19th chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, declared the keel "truly and fairly laid" after her initials were welded onto a plate.Traditionally, keel laying marks the first step in ship construction. However…

Dutch gas carrier operator Anthony Veder said it is expanding its fleet with a 30,000-cbm liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier that is currently being constructed by China’s  Zhejiang Xinle Shipbuilding in Ningbo.The vessel will be completed by Zhejiang Xinle Shipbuilding under supervision of Anthony Veder and is expected to be ready for worldwide trading in the summer of 2019, said a press release from the operator of gas tankers in all the segments of gas shipping, from LPG shipping to LNG shipping and from CO2 shipping to ethylene shipping.After delivery it will be renamed with a Coral name.

Ship builders in Asia are sending a record number of supertankers west carrying middle distillate oil products, such as diesel, data intelligence firm Vortexa said on Thursday, adding more volumes might follow.Very large crude carriers (VLCC) often carry refined, or clean, oil products on their maiden journey before switching to crude oil."New build VLCCs are loading clean gasoil for maiden voyages at record levels in 2019," data intelligence firm Vortexa said on Thursday."So far this year…

Bouchard Transportation Co. announced the delivery of ATB unit M/V Evening Breeze and Barge No. 252 (B. No. 252), respectively, from VT Halter Marine Inc. (VT Halter Marine) and Bollinger Shipyards.M/V Evening Breeze left VT Halter Marine’s Pascagoula Shipyard facility on Tuesday, March 12, 2019, and will meet and pair up with B. No. 252 before sailing to join Bouchard’s fleet service in New York.The Evening Breeze is 4,000hp meeting U.S. EPA-Tier 4 requirements, measuring 112 feet by 35 feet by 17 feet, and equipped with an Intercon Coupler System.

Gulf Island Fabrication has announced that its Shipyard Division has successfully delivered the M/V Ted C. Litton, a Z-Tech 30-80 Terminal/Escort Tug to Suderman & Young Towing Company.The M/V Ted C. Litton was designed by Robert Allan Ltd of Vancouver, BC. and built at Gulf Island’s, Jennings, Louisiana facilities. The vessel will be operated by G &H Towing on behalf of Suderman & Young Towing Company. Gulf Island is currently building nine (8) sister vessels that are at various stages of construction.The M/V Ted C.

ABS announced it was assigned Recognized Organization (RO) status by the Canadian Department of National Defense (DND). ABS is now authorized to survey non-combatant vessels and undertake certification activities in key hazard areas identified by the Naval Ship Code.“ABS was selected as the exclusive classification organization for all non-combatant vessels in service with the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) in 2017 before expanding our class and certification services to the entire Canadian Coast Guard fleet in 2018—and now we have been assigned RO status by the DND…

A cruise industry veteran of more than 25 years, Nikolaos Doulis, Lindblad Expeditions’ SVP, New Buildings, discusses with Maritime Reporter & Engineering News the build plan for “the best expedition cruise ship ever built.”Born in Greece to a seafaring family, Nikolaos Doulis was destined for a maritime career. His father was a ship captain and eventually a ship owner, and to support the family business he wanted his son to have an engineering education. So at the age of 14, Doulis started spending more time in and around ships…

On Saturday,February 23, 2019, Damen Shipyards Cape Town (DSCT) hosted a keel laying ceremony, marking the start of construction on the first of three Multi-mission Inshore Patrol Vessels (MMIPVs) for the South African Navy. These vessels will aid in protecting the country from threats such as trafficking, illegal fishing and piracy, as well as support job creation and enterprise development.The keel laying ceremony is a maritime tradition that dates back to the times of wooden…

GE Marine's LM2500 gas turbines now power two Littoral Combat Ships built by Austal USA that were recently commissioned by the United States Navy: USS Tulsa (LCS 16) and USS Charleston (LCS 18).The powerful LM2500 gas turbines are “Made in America” at GE’s Evendale, Ohio, manufacturing facility, just north of Cincinnati, Ohio.The commissioning for LCS 16 was held in San Francisco, California, on February 16; LCS 18 was commissioned March 2 in Charleston, South Carolina. According to a U.S.

Canadian ferry owner and operator British Columbia Ferry Services Inc (BC Ferries) will be building up to five new ferries to replace four existing vessels.The provider of all major passenger and vehicle ferry services for coastal and island communities in the Canadian province of British Columbia said in a press release that it invites customers and communities to join conversations about the new vessels and to provide input that will help shape their future onboard experience."The…

Tug boat builder and a tug boat manufacturer Sanmar Shipyards has been awarded contract for true tractor configuration tug with forward mounted thrusters by Rimorchiatori Riuniti in Italy."This will be sixth example of the Turkish specialist tug builder’s, exclusive Delicay design in barely a year since the first vessel of this type was delivered to New Zealand," said a press note.Designed by Robert Allan Ltd  of Vancouver, Canada, it is designated theTRAktor 2500-Z SX, it said.Having…

South Korean shipbuilders came in first worldwide in total new orders in February, outpacing Chinese rivals, Yonhap news agency said. It comes around 90 percent of the new vessel construction orders awarded in the month.According to the data compiled by industry tracker Clarkson Research Institute, Korean shipyards garnered new orders totaling 630,000 compensated gross tons (CGTs) in February to build eight ships (or 90 percent), out of the 700,000 CGTs (15 vessels).Third spot went to Japanese shipbuilders with 10-thousand CGT.In the first two months of 2019…

The designer and builder of sportyachts and super yachts, Johnson Yachts has announced the launch of its ninth 24.1-metre Johnson 80 motor yacht in Taiwan.The  luxury yachts builder describes the new 80-footer as an entry-level superyacht, chiefly because the Taiwan yard offers this model with the same high level of interior customization that has helped make the Johnson Yachts name over the last 30 years.With a focus on building yachts with excellent interior volume, Johnson Yachts set apart this latest Johnson 80 with a striking interior design by Karen Lynn Interior Design…

Cruise line Seabourn has announced that it will name its first new ultra-luxury purpose-built expedition ship Seabourn Venture. The newbuilding is scheduled to be launched at Mariotti Damen Cruise yard in Italy in June 2021.The cruise line said the name is paying tribute to the remote destinations visited by the brand’s expeditions and Ventures by Seabourn excursion programs and the places yet to be explored in the future.Seabourn began offering expedition experiences during its first sailing to Antarctica in 2013 led by a highly qualified…

Metal Shark Expands Internationally with New Croatia Engineering Facility.Shipbuilder Metal Shark has established a foothold across the Atlantic with the opening of a dedicated European engineering office.Metal Shark’s first location outside of the United States, “Metal Shark Croatia” is a new engineering facility recently opened in the city of Rijeka on Croatia’s northern Adriatic coast.The facility currently employs nearly 20 naval architects, machinery systems engineers, and…

Mitsubishi Shipbuilding Co., Ltd., a group company of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI) based in Yokohama, held a christening ceremony on March 12th for a liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) carrier currently under construction for JX Ocean Co., Ltd. The new ship, named Future Ace, will be the twelfth of Mitsubishi Shipbuilding's latest third-generation, 83,000m3-class LPG carriers. In addition to increased energy-efficiency, the ship will have the capability to adapt flexibly to major LPG terminals worldwide, as well as specifications compatible with the new expanded Panama Canal.

The steel cutting ceremony of the third ship which Fincantieri is building for Holland America Line, a brand under Carnival Corporation & plc, cruise operator, took place today at the shipyard in Marghera (Venice).The new-build, scheduled for delivery in 2021, will be the seventeenth unit built by Fincantieri for Holland America Line, the third of the “Pinnacle” class, after “Koningsdam” and “Nieuw Statendam”, delivered respectively in March 2016 and November 2018 from the same yard.

Gulf Island Shipyards was awarded a $63.5 million contract for the detail design and construction of the new Towing, Salvage and Rescue Ship which will be based on existing commercial towing offshore vessel designs and will replace the current T-ATF 166 and T-ARS 50 class ships in service with the US Military Sealift Command.Secretary of the Navy Richard V. Spencer has announced the new class of Towing, Salvage, and Rescue ship will be named Navajo.The new class of vessels will…

Profiled in the March 2019 "cruise" edition of Maritime Reporter & Engineering News is Sven Lindblad, intrepid explorer and wildlife photographer Sven Lindblad blazed the trail for environmentally sensitive travelers to Antarctica on Lindblad Expedition’s fleet of cruise ships with National Geographic.You can tell a lot about a man by whom his heroes are, whether famous athletes, virtuoso musicians, brave warriors or movie stars. As we age, we choose our heroes by their moral compass…

United European Car Carriers (UECC) has signed a contract to construct two new generation pure car/truck carriers (PCTCs) with China Ship Building Trading Co., Ltd and Jiangnan Shipyard Group Co. Ltd.The newbuilding contract also has options for two additional vessels, and the first vessel is planned for delivery in 2021. UECC is jointly owned by Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha (NYK) and Wallenius Lines.The vessels will be equipped with a Battery Hybrid LNG Solution which will place…

The launching ceremony of the ‘Greg Mortimer’, the first polar expedition cruise vessel in SunStone Ships’ INFINITY series, was held in the morning of 12 March at the CMHI yard, China.The steel cutting ceremony of ship number three in the series was also arranged yesterday, said a press release from Ulstein Group ASA, Norway based ship designer.The cruise operator, Aurora Expeditions, has chartered the vessel, and named her after their founder, Greg Mortimer, who also attended yesterday’s launch ceremony.According to Xianpu Hu…

UK-based ship repairers and marine engineering services provider SMS Group has secured two very important contracts with Trinity House."The culmination of many months work has seen the SMS team in Lowestoft secure both the refit of the Trinity House Vessel (THV) Alert and three publicly tendered ‘Lots’ with regards to mechanical and electrical maintenance," said a press release from the firm.James Grala, the General Manager of SMS Lowestoft, said “We’ve won both the mechanical repair…

Singapore-based vessel owner and operator Berge Bulk has received the 300,000 DWT bulk carrier Berge Logan, which was built at China’s Guangzhou Shipyard International (GSI).The 327-meter-long  very large ore carrier (VLOC) is the largest bulk carrier in terms of deadweight to be built in Southern China.Sailing under the flag of Isle of Man, she will make her maiden voyage to Brazil, said a press release.Very similar in design to Berge K2, Berge Makalu and Berge Annapurna, she is equipped with energy-efficient initiatives – such as a super-efficient tuned main engine…

According to a blog by Rear Admiral Randy Crites posted on the Navy Live, the official blog site of the U.S. Navy, the Department of the Navy Fiscal Year 20 Budget request submitted to Congress is $205.6 billion, a 4.8% increase from the FY19 enacted budget. Specifics of the budget are focused on six specific dimensions:The FY20 budget requests funding for more ships – as the navy continues to progress toward a 355-ship fleet – submarines, aircraft and people, and highlights include…

Transnet National Ports Authority’s (TNPA) Port of Ngqura has hosted the testing and launch of the first ever locally manufactured aluminium vessels by PE-based boat builder, Legacy Marine. As the company’s ship yard is based in Perseverance, the low bridges blocked the route to the Port of PE in the past, restricting the building of larger vessels. When the new Port of Ngqura stepped up as an alternative port, it contributed to the expansion of boat building in the Eastern Cape.“Now that the port is available for new vessel launches…

Deltamarin has signed a contract with Rauma Marine Constructions Oy (RMC) for the design of a car passenger ferry for Kvarken Link AB, a Finnish-Swedish consortium.Deltamarin’s commission covers basic and detail design services for all hull and machinery areas. The value of the contract with RMC is about $4.5M. The work will be carried out over a period of 13-14 months at Deltamarin’s offices in Finland and Poland with the assistance of network companies.The ferry will have a freight capacity of 1,500 lane-meters for trucks on two cargo decks and she will accommodate 800 passengers.

Effective March 12, 2019, Mr. Hiroaki Sakashita has been appointed as Senior Executive Vice President as well as Executive Director of ClassNK.Sakashita began his career at Japan’s Ministry of Transport (now Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism) in 1980. During his period at the government he has played vital roles in maritime administration including regulatory oversight and industry development. He assumed the position of Director-General of the Maritime Bureau in 2015…

The inauguration ceremony of the Fincantieri Infrastructure production plant took place today in Valeggio sul Mincio (Verona) in the presence of the Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte.The first steel for the construction of the new Genoa bridge was also cut on the occasion.Fincantieri Infrastructure, incorporated two years ago, is the company through which Fincantieri operates in the field of infrastructures.Specialized in the design, fabrication and installation of steel structures for complex projects…

The navy shipyard, Puget Sound Naval Shipyard (PSNS) & Intermediate Maintenance Facility (IMF) and Sarcos Robotics will jointly develop robotic technologies, including full-body powered exoskeletons, for use in naval shipyards, the two entities jointly announced.Sarcos Robotics, a player in robotic systems that augment rather than replace humans working in the industrial, public safety and military sectors, said in a press note that they would will evaluate Sarcos’ Guardian XO…

Largest Containership Built in U.S. Will Serve HawaiiMatson, Inc. and Philly Shipyard, Inc. (PSI) christened the second of two Aloha Class containerships built for Matson in a ceremony at Philly Shipyard on Saturday, March 9. Dubbed Kaimana Hila, it is the sister ship to Daniel K. Inouye, which entered service in November of 2018. "Kaimana Hila" is a Hawaiian transliteration for "Diamond Head," the name of Hawaii's iconic landmark crater near Waikiki Beach. The ships cost $418 million for the pair…

STADT has signed up for designing a new generation of naval ships utilizing the Stealth AC drive technology for electric propulsion to one of the NATO allied countries. Particular details about the projects is not supposed to be revealed at the moment. Unique features of this technology is its reliability and long lifetime, its noise free characteristics, compact footprint and low weight, and many other operational advantages.The STADT Lean Propulsion solution can be used in any size of ships due to its scalability.STADT delivered its Stealth Lean Drive technology to SAAB AB a year ago…

Classification society DNV GL has announced that all DNV GL classed vessels are now able to utilize the possibility of remote surveys for some inspections through the Veracity data platform. This means that for a range of surveys, a DNV GL surveyor will not be required to travel to the vessel. Instead, by using an online connection or video streaming link, a dedicated team of remote surveyors can provide support to vessels anywhere in the world with documentation, images, video (streaming or recordings), and input provided by the customer and crew.

A maritime consortium, including ABS and Sandia National Laboratories, recently proved the viability of a hydrogen fuel cell ferry designed for operations in the environmentally sensitive San Francisco Bay area. The IMO’s mandate to cap the sulfur content in marine fuel at the start of next year may be the biggest regulatory change in shipping since the requirement for double hulls, but the challenge will fade in comparison to its future goals to reduce green-house gases (GHG).A year ago (April 2018)…

The U.S. Department of Transportation's  Maritime Administration (MARAD) has announced the availability of $19.6 million in federal funding to support capital improvements and employee training at small U.S. shipyards.The grants are provided through the Small Shipyard Grant Program, and are available to U.S. shipyards with less than 1,200 production employees.The grants support a variety of projects. This includes capital and related improvements as well as equipment upgrades that foster ship construction, repair and reconfiguration.

MacGregor, part of Cargotec, has secured orders to provide port, cruise access and equipment for RoRo/Passenger (RoPax) ferries from Europe and China.The total order value is approximately EUR 22 million (USD25Mln), said a press release from the company.The orders were booked into Cargotec's first quarter 2019 order intake, with the delivery of the MacGregor equipment planned to start during the first quarter 2020 and completed during the second quarter 2024."Highly experienced teams working closely with customers in Europe and China…

UK shipbuilder Wight Shipyard has completed its third and largest vessel for MBNA Thames Clippers, the 38-metre catamaran ferry Venus Clipper.The first Hunt Class Mk3 has been built to a ten-month build schedule and is reflective of the increased business the yard has previously predicted in the fast ferry sector, said a release.Peter Morton, CEO, Wight Shipyard, said: "One of the most important elements that strengthens this sector is that it is cushioned against the effects…

Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) Group and Korea Development Bank (KDB) signed on Friday a definitive agreement to acquire Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME), in the presence of Kwon Oh-gap, Vice Chairman & CEO of HHI Holdings; Ka Sam-hyun, President & CEO of HHI; and Lee Dong-gull, Chairman & CEO of KDB.Under this definitive agreement that builds on the heads of agreement signed between HHI and KDB on January 31, 2019, KDB will make a contribution-in-kind to Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering (KSOE…

On March 4th at Damen Shipyards Singapore, Seaways International took delivery of two Damen Fast Crew Suppliers (FCS) 2206. The Dubai-headquartered company has previously operated a Damen FCS 3307. Seaways International specializes in offshore marine services and will use the new vessels to transport crew to offshore energy locations in West Africa.Damen signed the contract with Seaways International on May 9, 2018. The swiftness of the delivery is due to Damen’s philosophy of standardized shipbuilding.

The Indian Register of Shipping (IRClass) has won an order for providing classification services for a series of 8 Anti-Submarine Warfare Corvettes to be constructed for the Indian Navy. The order was awarded under competitive bidding in which other classification societies participated, after qualifying stringent technical requirements.The ships are to be constructed at the Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers Ltd, Kolkata and will be built to IRClass’ Naval Rules 2015.These ships are designed for combating threats posed by submarines and special underwater craft…

Marad announces Small Shipyard Grant Application deadlines, conditions and rules.Under the Small Shipyard Grant Program, $19,600,000 is currently available for grants for capital and related improvements to qualified shipyard facilities that will be effective in fostering efficiency, competitive operations, and quality ship construction, repair, and reconfiguration. This notice announces the intention of the Maritime Administration to provide grants to small shipyards. Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 20.814.Potential applicants are advised that it is expected…

Two Italian shipbuilders - Genova Industrie Navali (GIN), a holding company by two historic Genoese shipyards, T. Mariotti and San Giorgio del Porto, and Fincantieri -have reached a cooperation agreement covering different areas, from new buildings, to ship repair, conversions and outfitting.The agreement provides for the acquisition by Fincantieri of a minority stake in GIN Group’s holding company and an option for a minority stake in T. Mariotti.Fincantieri’s stake will allow GIN to achieve further financial strength…

Guadalquivir Shipyards in Spain has announced that it has undertaken two repairs  at the dry dock of the Seville shipyard last month.The Nassau-flagged reefer ship Green Magic (built in 1990, 135.7 meters in length, 16.33 meters in beam, gross tonnage of 5,103 tons) was required to have her propeller replaced with a new one. She left after three days, said a press release from the company.Cyprus-flagged Vronskiy, a veteran ferry built in 1978 and operated by the Spanish shipping company Trasmediterránea, arrived on February 25.

Bipartisan Congressional Leaders Highlight Importance of Jones Act, Employing 650,000 Americans incl. Veterans, for National & Economic Security. Following the signing of an Executive Order by President Donald J. Trump to create an easier pathway for veterans to transition into maritime careers in the U.S. Merchant Marine, congressional and maritime leaders convened for two hearings exploring the state of the domestic maritime industry and the role of the Jones Act. These hearings…

Classification society ABS has published new guidance notes detailing best practices for their use on class surveys and non-class inspections.The Guidance Notes on the Use of Remote Inspection Technologies cover pilot-operated unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), remotely operated underwater vehicles (ROV) and robotic crawlers, collectively known as remote inspection technologies (RIT).“The use of RITs can reduce risk for Surveyors and inspectors by lessening the need to access potentially hazardous locations at height, or other hazardous inspection areas.

The first steel of the Norway based shipowner Offshore Heavy Transport (OHT)'s semisubmersible heavy lift crane vessel was cut  last week at the CMHI yard in China.The Norwegian ship designer Ulstein designed vessel is developed for operations in the offshore renewables and installation market. The vessel has the ability to perform heavy lift crane operations with the main deck submerged.According to OHT, they are increasing their capabilities to become a full transport and installation…

The first report of the Ship Recycling Transparency Initiative (SRTI)  clearly indicates that there is a growing movement stepping up the pressure on shipowners to disclose their approaches to ship recycling.Since the SRTI online platform went live just over two months ago eight large shipowners – operating a combined total of more than 1,800 vessels – have voluntarily shared data on their company’s ship recycling policies and practice.All disclosing shipowners have a written policy on ship recycling for their own vessels covering issues related to the environment…

The global floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) market was valued at around US$ 25 Bn in 2017 and is anticipated to expand at a CAGR of around 12% from 2018 to 2026, said a new report.Based on type, the global FPSO market can be divided into converted, new-build, and redeployed, said a new report by Transparency Market Research (TMR) on FPSO market.In terms of value, the converted segment dominated the global FPSO market in 2017. Low capital requirement and faster…

Taiwanese liner Yang Ming Marine Transport Corporation has announced the launch of two new ultra-large container vessels (UCLVs), which were officially named at Imabari shipyard on March 6, 2019.The two ships, YM Warranty and YM Wellspring, have a container capacity of 14,000 TEU and will join the total of 20 UCLVs added to Yang Ming’s fleet since 2015.Yang Ming Marine Transport Corp. President Vincent Lin was invited to the naming ceremony. Ms. Wu Pao Chen, wife of Yang Ming Shanghai Office President T. S. Chia and Ms.

With the United States & China dominating world news with the brewing trade war, it is worthy to note that when you examine the cumulative number and value of U.S. ships on order today worldwide (73 ships, $3.4 billion) Chinese shipyards dominate with a 50% share of the market (36 ships, $1.7 billion).Look for much more in the March 2019 'Cruise Shipping Annual' edition of Maritime Reporter & Engineering News.Source: VesselsValue.com