Shipbuilding News

As of April 1, 2021, Damen Shipyards Group will start a specialized Financial Services division to support clients in the financing of new ships by means of both operational and financial lease constructions.In itself it is not new that Damen assists its clients in attracting financing for new ships. This has been happening for 30 years, the company said. “However, the demand for lease solutions is increasing,” explained Jan Willem van Helden, managing director of Damen Financial Services.

Bayou La Batre, Ala. shipbuilder Master Marine, Inc. (MMI) has delivered the 67’ x 28’ pushboat Rock Solid to Plimsoll Marine. The Rock Solid is the third of four vessels that MMI is scheduled to deliver to the Lower Mississippi River push boat operator.“The delivery of the Rock Solid marks another milestone in our effort to build and maintain our industry’s most modern and capable fleet of push boats,” said Angus R. Cooper III, President, Cooper/T. Smith. “Our team prides itself…

Singapore-headquartered shipping company Eastern Pacific Shipping (EPS) said on Friday that it signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with OCI N.V. (OCI) and MAN Energy Solutions (MAN) to develop methanol and ammonia as marine fuels to aide in industry-wide decarbonization and environmental preservation efforts.The partnership involves using select conventional vessels from EPS’ existing tanker fleet that use MAN engines to be retrofitted, allowing them to be powered by methanol and ammonia which will be supplied by OCI.

Palatka, Fla. based St. Johns Shipbuilding is constructing a self-propelled, 10,000 gallon, USCG Inspected, double-hull tankship for Intracoastal Marine Fuel (IMF) of Jupiter, Fla. Designed by JMS Naval Architects, the 53- by 18-foot tankship design is unique for its compact size and diesel outboard propulsion.The innovative design is the smallest vessel to receive U.S. Coast Guard plan approval as a Subchapter D tankship.IMF will use the vessel to deliver marine diesel to mega-yachts, commercial, and recreational vessels in the Palm Beach, Fla. area.

America's largest military shipbuilder Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) announced Friday that its board of directors has elected Kari Wilkinson to serve as executive vice president of HII and president of HII’s Ingalls Shipbuilding division, effective April 1. She will succeed Brian Cuccias, who announced that he will retire April 1.Kari Wilkinson, who will report to  HII executive vice president and COO Chris Kastner, currently serves as Ingalls’ vice president, program management.“Kari…

Philly Shipyard on Wednesday marked the start of fabrication for the second of five planned National Security Multi-Mission Vessels (NSMV). The purpose-built, state-of-the-art training ships will be used by America’s state maritime academies.The first steel plates cut by the yard’s state-of-the-art plasma cutting machine will be later joined into a double bottom, mid-ship section.The occasion was marked by a brief steel cutting ceremony attended by representatives from Philly Shipyard, TOTE Services and U.S.

Seaspan Corporation continues its vessel ordering spree with a deal announced Thursday for eight additional containerships for delivery from the second half of 2022 and through the third quarter of 2023.Seaspan, a subsidiary of New York-listed Atlas Corp., said its contract with an unnamed shipyard includes firm orders for four 12,000 TEU and four 15,000 TEU vessels, plus an option for four additional 15,000 TEU vessels of similar build.The company said it will finance the newbuilds through additional borrowings and existing liquidity.Upon completion…

A new wood-chip carrier for the Hokuetsu Corporation was delivered on March 2 at Oshima Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. in Saikai city, Nagasaki, Japan. NYK and Hokuetsu have a long-term contract for this vessel.Dubbed Southern Ace, the vessel will transport wood chips made from logs that have been confirmed to have been legally obtained through sustainable plantations in the Southern Hemisphere and the ship will continue serve the company in the tradition of wood-chip carrier HOKUETSU…

The 6th Biennial Marine Transportation System Innovative Science and Technology Conference, hosted by the CMTS and the Transportation Research Board, will be held virtually from March 15-17, 2021. The theme of the upcoming conference is “Advancing the Marine Transportation System through Automation and Autonomous Technologies: Trends, Applications and Challenges," and it will showcase current and emerging innovative science and technologies related to maritime transportation. This conference will be held virtually.Join your colleagues from government, industry, and academia to examine the rapidly evolving applications of autonomous and automated technologies.

Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) said on Wednesday that the Virginia-class submarine Montana (SSN 794) was launched into the James River at the company’s Newport News Shipbuilding division in Virginia.The 7,800-ton submarine, which had been in a floating dry dock since being transferred from a construction facility in October, was submerged and moved by tugboats to the shipyard’s submarine pier, for final outfitting, testing and crew certification.“For our shipbuilders, launching Montana signifies five years of hard work…

Hapag-Lloyd's efforts to obtain financing for six of its highly efficient containership newbuilds according to the Green Loan Principles of the Loan Market Association (LMA) are being supported by classification society DNV.The German shipping company announced in February it concluded two debut transactions according to the Green Loan Principles of the Loan Market Association (LMA), and DNV said Wednesday it has provided a second party opinion to confirm compliance with the requirements as an independent expert.

JMS Naval Architects informs conversion work is nearly completed of the former oil spill response vessel OSRV Maine Responder to a pilot station vessel for Sandy Hook Pilots Association of Staten Island, N.Y. The conversion work contract was competitively awarded to Feeney Shipyard of Kingston, N.Y.The Sandy Hook pilots have been piloting ships in the New York harbor for more than 300 years. They operate a pilot station boat by Ambrose Light year-round and in all weather conditions.

Mobile, Ala. shipbuilder Austal USA said on Tuesday it has named long-time business development executive Larry Ryder as the company’s new vice president of business development and external affairs.In this role, Ryder is responsible for all of Austal’s business development efforts, state and federal legislative activities, customer relations with the U.S. military as well as coordinating external communications and media relations.Ryder joined Austal USA in 2014 as the company’s senior director of business development and customer relations.

Wisconsin-based power solutions manufacturer Fairbanks Morse said it has delivered four FM 6L48/60CR engines to shipbuilder General Dynamics NASSCO in San Diego for the newbuild USS John L. Canley (ESB 6). The ship is the sixth in the U.S. Navy’s Military Sealift Command Expeditionary Transfer Dock (ESD)/Expeditionary Sea Base (ESB) program and is designed to serve as a mobile sea base that provides access to critical infrastructure for the deployment of forces and supplies.The four FM 6L48/60CR engines are rated at 6,480 kW and will deliver a total of 25,920 kW of installed power.

Texas-based hydraulic repair, manufacturing and rental company Logan Industries says will offer a high-alloy welding scrubber repair service from all coasts of the U.S. for the global marine shipping and cruise line industries.Exhaust scrubbers enable a ship to maximize the use of lower cost fuel while minimizing harmful emissions. Installed in the diesel engine exhaust stacks in ships, scrubbers provide a water shower that rains down in the exhaust stack while the fumes rise up and out.

Kongsberg Maritime wins contract with Myklebust Verft to deliver innovative low-emission LFC for Sølvtrans.Kongsberg Maritime signed a $8.2m contract with Norwegian shipyard Myklebust Verft to design and equip a new Live Fish Carrier (LFC) for live fish transportation company Sølvtrans. The new 5,000m3 LFC will be built to KM’s new NVC 390 design, with a focus on reduced emissions and enhanced sustainability. The scope of Kongsberg's equipment package supply includes Promas propulsion, generators, thrusters, electrical systems and automation.

As the maritime industry steams toward decarbonization, the path to zero emissions will include many stepping stones. Wärtsilä’s Compact Reliq is a step change in efficiently reliquefying boil off gas (BOG) on LNG carriers, as Lasse Wichstrøm and Sylvain Fabreguettes discuss with Maritime Reporter TV.LNG carriers have, for years, utilized boil off gas (BOG) to help fuel the ship, even before ‘decarbonization’ and ‘emission reduction’ became lexicon in the maritime sector.“Compact Reliq is not a brand-new product in the sense that reliquefaction plants have been around for some time…

Shipbuilding group Austal said its Austal Philippines arm has a 109-meter high-speed catamaran ferry to Fjord Line of Norway.The vehicle-passenger ferry, named FSTR, is said to be the largest aluminum vessel ever constructed in the Philippines. It is currently the largest ferry (by volume) to be constructed by Austal, at any of the company’s shipyards worldwide.Austal CEO, Paddy Gregg, said, “It’s impressive to see a large high speed ferry like this delivered in the best of times…

A set of welding robots will help Halter Marine to improve productivity as it ramps up to build the U.S. Coast Guard’s new Polar Security Cutter (PSC).Denmark-based Inrotech said it will deliver its Inrotech-MicroTwin, Inrotech-Classic and Inrotech-Crawler to the the Pascagoula, Miss. shipyard in early 2021.Inrotech’s automated robot welding solution is customized according to Halter Marine’s production needs to efficiently weld components of the 460-foot Polar Security Cutter along with other oceangoing vessels, the company said.

Flensburger Schiffbau-Gesellschaft (FSG) has a new Head of Engineering as of March 1, 2021, when Volker Hesse takes over the job. Hesse (47) is a mechanical engineer who began his career around 20 years ago at Blohm & Voss shipyard in Hamburg. Since then, he has held various positions in project management up to and including Head of Product Management at thyssenkrupp Marine Systems’ surface vessel unit. Since 2018, Hesse has been involved in the development and orientation of a consulting company as co-founder and managing partner.

Norwegian owner Offshore Heavy Transports (OHT) said its newbuild vessel Alfa Lift has been floated-out from its drydock at China Merchants Heavy Industry (CMHI) shipyard in Jiangsu, China. The semisubmersible heavy installation vessel, which is designed and built for installing the next generation XXL offshore wind foundations, was launched on February 28, 2021.The 51,087-dedweight-tonne vessel will now be moored while work continues on the steel and internal fit-out, including the mechanical completion of systems.

The U.S. Navy awarded Austal USA a $235 million undefinitized contract action modification on Feb. 26, 2021, for the detailed design and construction of Expeditionary Fast Transport (EPF) 15.The EPF program, currently operating on schedule and under budget, has delivered 12 ships to the fleet. The versatility of the EPF design has enabled each ship to provide a significant operational capability tailored to the needs of each geographic command. EPF 15 will include enhanced medical capability to increase its operational capability.“At its core…

The OSV sector will be reliant on a hitherto unseen amount of scrapping to balance the market, writes Gregory Brown, Associate Director – Offshore, Maritime Strategies InternationalThere is a consensus that an OSV market recovery will only be driven a supply side rationalization. As well as a lack of newbuild activity, that rationalization will have to include unprecedented levels of scrapping in a market which has historically witnessed only limited levels of attrition.That limited level of attrition has several deep-seated roots…

The longest Offshore Patrol Vessel ever built by Vittoria Shipyard was delivered this morning to the Maltese government by Luigi Duò, president of Vittoria Shipyard, during a ceremony that took place in the facilities of the Venetian company. Representing Malta was brigadier Jeffrey Curmi, commander of the armed forces. The OPV P71 is a 75-m-long vessel designed and constructed by the Venetian shipyard that specializes in building ships up to 100 meters in overall length for military, paramilitary, commercial, transportation and work-related use.

PT. Graha Trisaka Industri has awarded tug design contracts to Robert Allan Ltd. for a RAmparts 3200-W and a TRAktor 3200-V. The tugs will be built and operated by Taiwan Navigation Co. Ltd. under a long-term charter contract for CPC Corporation, Taiwan.PT. Graha Trisaka Industri is an affiliate of PaxOcean Group, Singapore with the shipyard located in Batam, Indonesia. PaxOcean and Robert Allan Ltd. have worked together successfully on a number of projects including dual fuel tug of RAmparts 2800-DF design for PSA Marine, Singapore. Four other Robert Allan Ltd.

Winds of change are sweeping the maritime industry as vessel owners and operators seek ways to reduce vessel emissions. A new containership concept from Detlev Löll and TECHNOLOG joins a raft of new wind-powered cargo vessel designs aimed at reducing, or in some cases, entirely eliminating shipping emissions.The partners have designed a sailing ship that can carry 500 containers across the world's oceans with zero emissions, not only in favorable winds, but also in calm or unfavorable areas.

Substandard maintenance was found to be a major contributing factor at the root of a 2018 engine room fire aboard the DFDS ro-ro vessel Finlandia Seaways in April 2018, U.K. accident investigators found.The Lithuanian registered vessel was in transit from Zeebrugge, Belgium to Rosyth, U.K., when it suffered a catastrophic main engine failure that caused serious structural damage to the engine and a fire in the engine room. The vessel’s third engineer, who was on duty in the engine room at the time…

Finnish shipbuilder Rauma Marine Constructions (RMC) said it resumed production on Thursday after it paused operations last week following a COVID-19 outbreak among its workforce.The company halted production last Friday after a cluster of coronavirus infections was discovered at the Rauma shipyard. Authorities tested all shipyard employees and quarantined those who had been exposed to the virus.RMC said the yard was thoroughly cleaned and sanitized during the weeklong shutdown, and that production will recommence in phases, in a controlled manner.

BC Ferries’ newbuild program continues with the launch of its fifth Island Class hybrid-electric ferries last Thursday at Damen Shipyards Galati in Romania. When in operation, the yet-to-be named vessel will be one of two assigned to the Nanaimo Harbor – Gabriola Island route.Work will continue on the new ferry until scheduled sea trials in June. Following sea trials, the vessel will be delivered to Point Hope Maritime in Victoria in late 2021 for final preparations. Two-ship service is scheduled to begin on the Nanaimo Harbour – Gabriola Island route by early 2022…

Deltamarin introduced a new liquefied natural gas (LNG)-powered Kielmax container vessel design as vessel owners and operators increasingly turn to the cleaner burning fuel to help reduce shipping emissions.The C.Delta2100 design, part of the Finnish naval architect's C.Delta series, is engineered to offer improved cargo capacity, flexibility and fuel economy and also takes into consideration possibilities to use alternative fuels to reduce carbon footprint or even zero-emissions power production.

Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) revealed Thursday that its shipping arm ADNOC Logistics & Services (ADNOC L&S) has added six very large crude carriers (VLCC) to its fleet as the UAE sate energy company expands production and moves further into trading.Two of the tankers were purchased from Norwegian owner Hunter Group in 2020, delivered in December and are already operating, and one was purchased this week and will be joining the UAE shipowner's fleet shortly. The other…

After a turbulent year, low demand looks set to plague the market in the coming months combined with too many ships fighting for too few cargoes in both the crude oil and oil product segments, says the oil tanker shipping overview and outlook released today by BIMCO.Demand drivers and freight ratesThe realities of the pandemic are setting in for the tanker market. The record-breaking Q2 2020 is a distant memory and, instead, the market faces a slow recovery with low demand, stock…

The Grimaldi Group said it signed an order contract worth more than $500 million for the construction of six new ro/ro multipurpose vessels at Hyundai Mipo Dockyard Co. Ltd (Ulsan) in South Korea.With a length of 250 meters, a beam of 38 meters and a deadweight of 45,684 tonnes, the six newbuilds  are expected to be delivered for Grimaldi's Neapolitan Group between the first months of 2023 and the end of 2024. The vessels will replace older 25-year-old-plus tonnage and will be deployed between North Europe and West Africa…

Marlink subsidiary Telemar said it signed a five-year service maintenance deal with Fairplay Towage to deliver bridge maintenance services across 50 of the company’s port and ocean tugs in Germany, Holland and Belgium.The contracts will consolidate service of critical bridge navigation equipment to a single provider, and scheduled service will be planned to agreed timeframes.The contract includes managing GMDSS declarations, annual radio survey, annual radar inspection, exchange of reserve-power batteries for GMDSS and SART/EPIRB/GMDSS handheld batteries.

U.S.-flag Great Lakes shipping companies continue to invest heavily in their ships and the region.This year alone these companies will spend nearly $87 million for winter ship repair and maintenance work at shipyards and facilities across the Great Lakes. That includes more than $36 million in Wisconsin, $33 million in Ohio, $13 million in Pennsylvania, and over $4 million in Michigan. The work includes replacing steel plating, engine overhauls, navigation equipment updates, and conveyor belt repairs and replacements.The conveyor belt work is critical as the U.S.

South Korean shipbuilder Samsung Heavy Industries agreed to pay 812 million reais ($148.56 million) in a leniency deal with Brazilian authorities to settle corruption investigations, federal prosecutors said late on Monday.On its website, the prosecutor's office said the deal was part of a global negotiation between the company and U.S. and Brazilian authorities to settle alleged crimes over contracts with state-owned oil maker Petroleo Brasileiro SA.A Samsung Heavy representative confirmed the company signed a pact with Brazilian authorities but declined further comment…

Craig Perciavalle resigned as president of Austal USA on Monday amid investigations into the shipbuilder's littoral combat ship (LCS) program for the U.S. Navy.Chief financial officer Rusty Murdaugh has been named interim president of the Mobile, Ala. shipbuilder, a subsidiary of Australia-based Austal.According to Austal, the separate ongoing investigations by the U.S. Department of Justice, the Securities Exchange Commission, and the Australian Securities and Investments Commission are focused on "historical matters" before July 2016.

With the steel cutting, German shipyard Meyer Werft has begun building the new cruise ship Arvia, the latest newbuild for P&O Cruises. Representatives of the British cruise line accompanied this milestone via video link from the U.K.Due for delivery in 2022, the 180,000 GT Arvia will be the fourth cruise ship in the P&O Cruises fleet built by Meyer Werft.The vessel will run entirely on cleaner burning liquefied natural gas (LNG) fuel to help reduce emissions.Tailored to the preferences of British passengers…

Prysmian will entrust Sea World Management SAM with the management of the new high-tech flagship that will enter service in the second half of the year.Dubbed Leonardo da Vinci, the cable-laying vessel being built by the Vard shipyard in Brattvåg, Norway, for the Prysmian Group will be managed by Sea World Management of Monte Carlo, which already takes care of the management of the three other cable-laying vessels of the Prysmian Group engaged in different areas of the world.The…

With historically high freight rates, fleet utilization and demand, there is no end in sight for the red-hot containership market.Container shipping giant Hapag-Lloyd CEO Rolf Habben Jansen candidly said “nobody saw this coming” as “we’ve seen a spending shift from services to goods”, with consumer spending for household products and goods soaring during the pandemic, as funds usually targeted to travel, eating out and events has been diverted to home improvements, medical supplied and fitness equipment…

Conrad Shipyard hosted a Steel Cutting Ceremony for Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Corporation (GLDD) at its Deepwater South shipyard in Amelia earlier this month, signaling the start of construction of a 6,500 cu. yd. trailing suction hopper dredge. Delivery of the vessel is scheduled before the end of Q2 in 2023.“The steel cutting for this new hopper dredge is an important milestone for Great Lakes as we strategically invest in our fleet capacity to meet the nation’s maritime infrastructure needs,” said David Simonelli, COO, GLDD.

A new 32-meter ASD tug was has been built and delivered from Med Marine’s Eregli shipyard in Turkey for The National Coal Supply Corporation of Israel.The newbuild Hadera is named after the port in which it will operate. It is a RAmparts 3200-SD ASD tug with escort notation and firefighting capabilities. It is the third tug designed by Canadian naval architecture firm Robert Allan Ltd. for operations in Israel. According to the designer, Hadera has a large deadweight capacity, a shallow full load navigational draft of 4.81 meters, and high standard noise control.

As of April 1, Ronald Suhlmann will become chief financial officer of Damen Shipyards Group. He succeeds Tom Touber, who held this position ad interim for two years.Suhlmann started his career at Ballast Nedam and moved to Damen in 2015, where the register controller was both financial director of the Dutch shipbuilding conglomerate's naval and yachting divisions. With his appointment as CFO, Suhlmann becomes a member of Damen's executive board.In addition, the areas of risk,…

Wallenius Wilhelmsen said Wednesday it plans to build the world`s first full-scale wind-powered RoRo vessel - the Orcelle Wind - in what the company said was its "most ambitious sustainability initiative to date."According to Wallenius Wilhelmsen, the Orcelle Wind – a wind-powered Pure Car and Truck Carrier - will achieve up to 90% reduced emissions compared to "today’s best vessels.""Our goal is to have a design ready for contracting with a shipyard by mid-2022, and a finished vessel ready for the high seas by 2025…

SAFE Boats International has hired Mark Stott as Business Development Director for the U.S. Western Region for government customers and private/commercial customers worldwide.Stott began his professional career in electronics and telecommunications before diving into the maritime industry. He has served as an engineer on large, private vessels worldwide and undertaken technical and business development roles with Protector USA and most recently, Moose Boats.“I’m excited to bring to SAFE Boats my 20-plus years of marine technical and business development experience,” Stott says.

Due to the technology boom, the innovative digitalization of naval projects is on the rise. So, what is digitalization all about and where can it be improved? I’m going to explain why naval projects are unique as opposed to other maritime projects. And, how easy it is to exchange confidential data securely between the navy and the stakeholders, such as contractors and suppliers. Lastly, you will find the solutions in the field of improving the quality of maritime data in the naval…

Classification society DNV GL said it has awarded AYRO an approval in principle (AIP) for its Oceanwings 3.6.3 wind assisted propulsion system for ships.As incoming maritime regulations are ramping up the pressure to improve sustainability and reduce emissions, maritime stakeholders are looking to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and improve their EEDI or EEXI efficiency index, as part of efforts to comply with the IMO 2030 GHG strategy. The Oceanwings wind propulsion system…

Shipowners have limited options to access financing for ship repair, given the capital-intensive nature of vessel repairs also represents a financial risk for shipyards, according to ship finance expert Ingmar Loges of UK-based ship repair group Newport Shipping.Loges, who joined Newport in early 2020 as Managing Director for the Hamburg office, has a 25-year track record in ship finance having served as global head of shipping and offshore finance with leading financial institutions.Money TightTypically…

COVID-19 will continue to skew the floating production systems market for the coming 24 months, while buying power for a large portion of FPSO contracts will be centered in Brazil and Guyana/Suriname. These two areas are expected to account for more than 60% of the FPSO contracts awarded between 2021 and 2025.These are the findings shared in a recent floating production outlook report produced by International Maritime Associates (IMA) and World Energy Reports (WER).The 100+ page…

Jumbo developed in-house an innovation that has promise to help solve the issue of persistent flash rust caused by the removal of temporary welded securings on board its fleet of heavy lift vessels. Jumbo Chief Officer and part-time Master’s student Bob Heikoop developed the prototype, and according to the company iintial results show that the device is not only faster than existing methods of removing temporary weldings, it is also cleaner for the environment, healthier for users…

The Navy is a step closer to achieving the vision of being able to fabricate parts on demand. Xerox and the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) have announced a strategic research collaboration to advance 3D printing and additive manufacturing.As part of a Collaborative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) between NPS and Xerox, a Xerox ElemX Liquid Metal Printer has been installed at the school’s Large Experiment Annex on campus. NPS is the first site anywhere in the world to install this new technology.“From the age of sail to the nuclear era…

Seaspan Corporation announced Friday that it has entered into an agreement to order up to 10 dual-fuel liquefied natural gas (LNG) containerships from South Korean shipbuilder Samsung Heavy Industries.Seaspan, a wholly owned subsidiary of Atlas Corp., said the deal is for five ultra-modern 15,000 TEU newbuilds, with an option for an additional five. The containerships are scheduled for delivery from first half of 2023 onward, and upon completion will enter 12-year charters with Israel-based shipping company ZIM for its Asia - US East Coast trade."This is a milestone agreement for ZIM…

French submarine cables services company Orange Marine has ordered a new cable repair vessel for delivery in 2023.The specialized newbuild was designed by VARD in Norway and will be built at Sri Lankan shipyard Colombo Dockyard. The 1,800 dwt vessel is 100 meters long with a beam of 18.8 meters and a depth of 7.15 meters. It will have accommodation facilities for 76 persons.The VARD 9 03 design for Orange Marine is designed for the maintenance of submarine cables, both fiber-optic…

NYK has concluded a shipbuilding contract with China Merchants Jinling Shipyard (Nanjing) Co. Ltd. for four LNG-fueled PCTCs to be delivered from 2022 to 2023, intended to transport vehicles mainly to/from Europe and/or to the Middle East.The ships are designed with GHG emission reduction, and to that end they will be outfieed with WinGD’s X-DF2.0 iCER main engine, the first time they will be utilized in the world. According to NYK, the engine consumes less gas and reduces GHG by cutting methane emissions from exhaust gas by approximately 50%.

Bollinger Shipyards delivered the USCGC Frederick Hatch, the 166th vessel the Louisiana shipbuilder has delivered to the U.S. Coast Guard over a 35-year period and the 43rd Fast Response Cutter (FRC) delivered under the current program.The USCGC Frederick Hatch is the final of three FRCs to be home-ported in Apra Harbor, Guam, increasing the presence for the U.S. Coast Guard in the Indo-Pacific Theater. Additionally, in 2020, Bollinger delivered two of six FRCs that will be home-ported in Manama…

SCHOTTEL said it has delivered propulsion units for nine more newly built cargo vessels. Each of the carriers, designed by the Russian company Marine Engineering Bureau, is equipped with two rudder propellers from the German propulsion systems manufacturer.The main propulsion of the multipurpose dry cargo vessels consists of a pair of diesel-driven SCHOTTEL RudderPropellers type SRP 340, each with an input power of 1,200 kilowatts at 1,000 revolutions per minute. With this thruster configuration…

In collaboration with naval architects Hauschildt Marine and shipyard Fayard in Denmark, Smyril Line’s ro-pax ship Norröna has been retrofitted with more luxurious facilities for its regular service between the Faroe Islands, Iceland and Denmark.The RoPax, originally built in 2003 in Germany, at Flendern Werft in Lübeck, had a nearly $16m refit which included 50 new luxury cabins being added. The ferry originally cost $115  million to build.Room for the luxury cabins was found by moving the crew’s cabins to a different location on the ferry and getting rid of the old shared cabins.

Damen and Sea Machines Robotics today signed an alliance that has the promise to help fast track maritime autonomy, an agreement to further investigate the adoption of collision avoidance functionality on board of Damen vessels. Specifically, Damen will incorporate Sea Machine’s autonomous and wireless-helm technologies as standard features in Damen’s global vessel build catalog.Damen Shipyards Group has been investing in autonomous shipping technologies, and this agreement signals the “next phase” by establishing a strategic alliance with the Boston-based company…

Bellingham, Wash. shipbuilder All American Marine (AAM) has promoted Ron Wille to the role of president.AAM's business development manager since 2018, Wille brings to the role considerable maritime industry experience, having previously managed and directed large company operations. He has also worked on tugboats that specialized in commercial towing and ship assist in Southcentral Alaska. Of particular note, while Wille worked at Kenai Fjords Tours in Seward, Alaska, the company purchased and operated three AAM hydrofoil-assisted catamarans.A licensed merchant mariner…

British company Windship Technology has unveiled a whole-ship solution to tackle CO2 emissions from ships, launching its emissions-free bulk carrier and tanker designs alongside an investment partnership with classification society DNV.Starting from a clean drawing board, Technical Director Simon Rogers and his design team developed and tested at the Wolfson Unit in Southampton the company’s patented high performance, highly efficient triple-wing rig. The technical team further developed a new diesel electric ship drive system that eliminates CO2…

A 2019 fire on board a laid up towboat was likely caused by a catastrophic engine failure, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) found.The Susan Lynn was docked and in layup at Tom’s Marine & Salvage yard on the Barataria Waterway in Lafitte, La., when the blaze broke out in the engine room on the morning of October 8, 2019, causing an estimated $1,350,000 in damages to the 56-year-old vessel.The fire was extinguished by local firefighters after the vessel’s watchman could not contain the fire and evacuated the vessel.

Zhuhai Fast Ferry Company has taken delivery of two new fast ferries for operations in the Pearl River Delta region.Designed by Incat Crowther and built by AFAI Southern Shipyard, the 140.5-foot newbuilds Xin Hai Yun and Xin Hai Jun were handed over in December 2020.The Incat Crowther 40s are powered by twin MTU 12V2000 M72 main engines, driving Rolls Royce Kamewa S71-4 waterjets. According to the designer, the vessels are sleek, fast and offer low fuel consumption.The vessel…

Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessels are essential tools in the search for oil  in deeper waters, further from shore-based facilities. Typically, the large FPSO is stationary with a number of wells feeding oil into its holds. The oil can then be pumped off to shuttle tankers that transport it to shore side tanks and refineries.FPSOs are big expensive pieces of equipment. Some of them are converted from ocean going oil tankers. Such is the case with the 333 by 60-meter, very large crude carrier, VLCC Ariake, which was purchased for conversion to an FPSO.

U.S. shipbuilder Fincantieri Marinette Marine is gearing up to build the U.S. Navy's new guided missile frigates, welcoming key leaders to Marinette, Wis. Tuesday to break ground on the largest building in the shipyard's history.The multimillion dollar building is part of the company’s most recent $200 million shipyard capital expansion underway to support construction of the U.S. Navy's newest class of ships.Fincantieri Marinette Marine was awarded the contract in April 2020 to design and build the first Constellation-class guided missile frigate, with options for up to nine additional ships.

German shipping company Hapag-Lloyd has joined the shift to green financing, securing funds for six liquefied natural gas (LNG) powered, 23,500 TEU containerships it ordered in December 2020.The firm said it concluded two transactions according to the Green Loan Principles of the Loan Market Association (LMA), as verified by independent secondary party DNV GL, as the shipping industry increasingly turns toward financing linked to measurable sustainability targets."Our first green financings are a major milestone for us…

Philly Shipyard said it has been awarded a contract for the repair of the Watson-class vehicle cargo ship USNS Charlton (T-AKR-314). The repairs will be completed in the third quarter of 2021.The USNS Charlton is one of Military Sealift Command’s (MSC) large, medium-speed, roll-on/roll-off ships. With a displacement of 69,000 tons and a length of 950 feet, the vessel carries prepositioned U.S. Army tanks, armored personnel carriers, tractor-trailers, and other equipment and supplies to potential areas of conflict around the world.

Wärtsilä’s will deliver its hybrid solution for a new RoRo ferry being built for the British Columbia Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure at the Western Pacific Marine shipyard. When delivered the ferry will serve the Balfour – Kootenay Bay route across Kootenay Lake. “Wärtsilä was selected based on their experience, reputation, and know-how in developing, delivering, and supporting complex hybrid propulsion systems. These capabilities are extremely important to us, and we very much appreciate and welcome Wärtsilä’s support throughout this project…

Seaspan Corporation announced it has placed an order with an unnamed "major" shipyard for two 24,000 TEU containerships, marking the Hong Kong-based shipowner's first ultra large vessels.The new ships are scheduled for delivery from the first quarter of 2023 and will enter 18-year charters with a global liner customer, Seaspan said,As of September 30, 2020, Seaspan’s global fleet consisted of 127 vessels and approximately 1,073,000 TEU. Additionally, in December 2020, Seaspan announced an agreement for five newbuild 12…

Kevin Mooney has been appointed as President of Irving Shipbuilding, succeeding Kevin McCoy who will retire, the Canadian shipbuilder announced.From now until April, McCoy will assist Mooney with his transition and will support the CSC team, providing advice and assistance on strategic issues.Mooney joined Irving Shipbuilding this past August as Chief Operating Officer. He previously worked at the General Dynamics NASSCO Shipyard in San Diego, Calif. where he held senior positions in Operations, Programs and Supply Chain Management. Prior to working for NASSCO, he served in the U.S.

The future USS Daniel Inouye (DDG 118) completed acceptance trials February 4 after spending a day underway off the coast of Maine.INSURV inspected the ship during a series of demonstrations while pier side and underway. Many of the ship’s onboard systems, including navigation, damage control, mechanical and electrical systems, combat systems, communications, and propulsion applications, were tested to validate performance and met or exceeded Navy specifications.“Following an outstanding Combined Alpha and Bravo trials this past December…

French engineering firm GTT said it received an order from Korean shipyard Hyundai Samho Heavy Industries (HSHI) for the tank design of a new liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier.As part of this order, GTT will design the tanks of a 174,000 cubic meter capacity LNG carrier. The vessel's tanks will be fitted with the GTT Mark III Flex membrane containment system.The delivery of the vessel is scheduled for the second quarter of 2023.

The University of Vermont has ordered a new research vessel featuring an emissions-reducing electric power and propulsion system.The 64-foot aluminum catamaran, designed by Chartwell Marine and currently under construction at Derecktor Shipyards, will be equipped with a hybrid-electric power and propulsion system supplied and integrated by BAE Systems. The newbuilt is set for launch in April 2022.According to BAE Systems, its HybriGen Power and Propulsion system will help reduce both carbon emissions and the use of fuel by the vessel…

Japanese shipping company NYK ordered its first liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) dual-fueled very large gas carriers (VLGCs), a pair of ships to be built at Kawasaki Heavy Industries’ Sakaide Works shipyard for delivery in 2022.According to NYK, the new VLGCs will comply not only with the SOx Global Cap regulations that were tightened from January 2020 but also with the EEDI phase 3 requirements.In addition, by equipping the ships with LPG tanks on deck, it will be possible to load LPG for fuel separately from the LPG cargo.

Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri said Thursday it has laid the keel for small ocean cruise ship Viking Mars, the eighth in a series for the shipowner Viking Cruises. The vessel is due for delivery in 2022.As its sister ships, the newbuild will have a gross tonnage of about 47,800 tons, 465 cabins with accommodation for 930 passengers.The Viking units are all built according to the latest navigation regulations and equipped with the most modern safety systems, including the “Safe return to port”.

Grand Wisdom, the second very large ore carrier (VLOC) to join the U-Ming Marine Transport fleet, has been delivered with a protective hull coating from Nippon Marine Paint’s A-LF Sea product range.Delivered in December from Beihai Shipbuilding Heavy Industry’s shipyard in Qingdao, China, Grand Wisdom is the second in a pair of eco-friendly bulkers to join the owner’s 48-strong fleet. Sister ship Grand Pioneer, delivered in August, represented the Taipei-headquartered shipowner’s entry into the VLOC market.Motoi Takeuchi…

Swedish ferry company Stena Line said it plans to put two battery-powered vessels into service by 2030. The new RoPax ferries, which will operate without the use of fossil fuels, are part of the company's wider effort to reduce its environmental footprint.The news was revealed in Gothenburg on Thursday by Stena Lines CEO Niclas Mårtensson during a press conference announcing the Tranzero Initiative, a collaborative project aiming to accelerate the transition to fossil-free fuels in the transport sector.

Chinese shipbuilder Dajin Heavy Industry said it has secured an order to build a 9,200 dwt product tanker for a unit of national oil company CNOOC.Dajin, a subsidiary of Shanghai Bestway Marine Engineering Design, said the newbuild is scheduled for delivery in 2022.

Belgian tanker operator Euronav said it has reached a deal to acquire two Suezmax tankers currently under construction at the Daehan Shipyard in South Korea for a total purchase price of $113 million. Both vessels are due for delivery in January 2022.The vessels are the latest generation of Suezmax Eco-type tankers, fitted with exhaust gas scrubbers and ballast water treatment systems. The vessels have LNG-ready notation, and Euronav said it is working with the shipyard to obtain ammonia-ready notation…

A Lebanese shipbuilder at the center of a $2 billion debt scandal in Mozambique said it made payments to its now-president and ruling party in 2014, but said these were legal campaign donations not bribes, according to a London court filing.Privinvest said payments made to President Filipe Nyusi in the run-up to his election and to the Frelimo party were allowed under Mozambican law, according to the Jan. 15 filing at London’s High Court.The case relates to a series of tuna fishing…

Finnish technology group Wärtsilä said it will supply a range of solutions for a new 132-meter RoPax ferry being built at Hyundai Mipo Dockyard in South Korea for the Isle of Man Steam Packet Co (IOMSP). The newbuild will serve the Heysham to Douglas, Isle of Man route. The Wärtsilä scope includes Wärtsilä 31 engines, electrical and automation including Wärtsilä’s Low Loss Concept (LLC), an energy storage system and propulsion machinery including the transverse thrusters. Wärtsilä…

Naval architecture and marine engineering firm Vard Marine said it has secured a contract from Chilean state-owned ASMAR Shipbuilding & Ship Repair Company to design an Amphibious and Military Transport Vessel for the Chilean Navy.The new ships, to be constructed at the ASMAR shipyard in Talcahuano, Chile, will be capable of operating throughout the Pacific and Southern Ocean with services to include logistic support, search and rescue (SAR) missions, troop and asset movement and deployment, and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) operations.Based on existing Vard Series 7 desig

Richard "Dick" Nelson, co-founder of shipbuilding and repair yard Dakota Creek Industries, has passed away after a battle with cancer. He was 78.Nelson began his shipbuilding career in 1963 at Weldcraft Steel Works, a shipyard in Bellingham, Wash. before going on to co-found Post Point Shipyard and then Dakota Creek Industries.When Post Point Shipyard was sold, Nelson co-founded Dakota Creek Industries as a ship repair yard in Blaine, Wash., in 1975. Two years later, Dakota Creek moved to Anacortes…

One of the world’s oldest tugboats, the 117-year-old, steam-driven Daniel Adamson, is set to return to service offering short cruises along the River Weaver, a tributary of the fabled Mersey River in England, after the completion of a project to install new propeller shaft bearings.The 1903-built steamship, rescued from scrap merchants 15 years ago, was fully restored in 2016 at Birkenhead’s Cammell Laird yard, the original builder of the vessel. Thordon Bearings’ SXL water lubricated propeller shaft bearings were installed last year after competitor bearings failed.Chris Simmons…

Huntington Ingalls Industries’ (HII) Technical Solutions division was awarded a contract last week to provide maintenance, training and planning support for U.S. Navy aircraft carriers. The indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract includes a five-year ordering term, with a total potential value of $175 million.“We are very pleased the U.S. Navy has entrusted us to support the readiness of one of our nation’s most important power projection platforms,” said Garry Schwartz, president of Technical Solutions’ Defense and Federal Solutions business group.

MSC Cruises on Monday took delivery of its new flagship, MSC Virtuosa, built by Chantiers de l’Atlantique in Saint Nazaire, France.The occasion was marked by a small and private ceremony held at the shipyard attended by MSC Cruises' executive chairman Pierfrancesco Vago, his wife Alexa Aponte-Vago and their children, as well as representatives from MSC Cruises newbuilds team along with shipyard executives and workers.“The delivery of MSC Virtuosa at such a challenging time for our industry symbolizes how as a family company we continue to look at the longer term and build our future…

Shipbuilder Metal Shark has delivered two of three new welded-aluminum “50 Defiant” monohull pilothouse fireboats to Miami-Dade Fire Rescue (MDFR).Designed by Metal Shark’s in-house engineering team and built to Lloyds Registry Standard, the welded-aluminum monohull pilothouse fireboats “FB-21” and “FB-73” were acquired to boost MDFR’s maritime firefighting capability and will replace existing vessels in its fleet.Compared to MDFR’s outgoing vessels, the new 55’ x 17.5’ Metal Shark fireboats offer faster speeds enabling shorter response times…

Damen Shipyards Group said it has secured a contract to build a new workboat for the Ports of Jersey following a tender procedure.The newbuild, a Shoalbuster 2711, is the second vessel of its kind ever to be built, and it will be the second Damen vessel to be operated by the Ports of Jersey, which has operated a Damen Shoalbuster 2709, named Duke of Normandy, for the past fifteen yearsPorts of Jersey was looking for a vessel offering versatility, as Donford Nicholas, operations and commercial manager…

Shipbuilder Austal USA said it has promoted Sandra Koblas to vice president of human resources.Koblas joined Austal USA in 2007 and has served as the Mobile, Ala. shipyard's director of human resources for the past eight years, leading the company’s employee relations; diversity, equity and inclusion; talent acquisition and management; and education, training and workforce development.As vice president of human resources, she will lead a team poised to address workforce, training…

Norway-based Brødrene Aa said it has signed a shipbuilding contract with Attica Group, subject to clauses, for three AERO type high-speed catamaran passenger vessels.The three vessels will be 36 meters in length, carry 150 passengers and operate at a maximum speed of 34 knots. The light carbon fiber construction contributes to low fuel consumption and emissions, Brødrene Aa said, adding that the vessels will be equipped with solar panels that will generate the energy required for lighting and energy consumption of the accommodation areas…

CMA CGM Patagonia, the first in a series of 15,000 TEU liquefied natural gas (LNG)-powered containerships for French shipping company CMA CGM, has been launched at the CSSC Jiangnan shipyard in Shanghai.Ordered in 2019 and due for delivery in mid-August, the vessel is among a fleet of new box ships being put into service by CMA CGM that run on cleaner burning LNG fuel as a means to reduce shipping emissions.After announcing three years ago that it would adopt LNG, CMA CGM has…

Royal IHC has been awarded the contract for the design and engineering of a 6,500yd3 trailing suction hopper dredge (TSHD) for U.S. based Cashman Dredging & Marine Contracting Co., LLC.The tailor-made shallow draft TSHD design combines advanced technology with a high level of maneuverability, the designer said. The diesel electric configuaration of the dredge will enable optimal power utilization for the various types of dredging works, and the engines will comply with air pollution regulations EPA Tier IV and IMO Tier III.

Finnish technology group Wärtsilä announced Thursday it has secured a deal to supply dual-fuel engines for six new 172,500-cubic-meter capacity liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers being built by South Korea's Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering (DSME) to serve the Arctic LNG 2 project in Russia’s Arctic waters.The icebreaking gas carriers were ordered by Russia's Sovcomflot and Japan's Mitsui O.S.K. Lines in October 2020, and each ship will be fitted with six Wärtsilä 46DF dual-fuel engines, plus gas valve units and auxiliaries.

ABB said it has secured a contract with Haemin Heavy Industries shipyard to provide a complete power and propulsion solution for Busan Port Authority’s first all-electric passenger ferry.Due for delivery in 2022, the new ferry represents the first commitment by South Korean authorities to a plan which will see 140 state-owned conventionally powered vessels replaced with those operating on cleaner alternatives by 2030, in line with South Korea’s plan to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.As the first system integrator chosen to support this initiative…

Avenir LNG on Thursday announced the launch of the Avenir Allegiance, dubbed the world’s largest dual-purpose, LNG supply and bunkering vessel, built by CIMC Sinopacific Offshore & Engineering Co. (CIMC SOE).The vessel was launched at 7 am on January 27th, 2021 at Zhoushan Changhong International Shipyard Co. Ltd. Due for delivery from CIMC SOE in the third quarter of this year, the vessel will be the first 20,000cbm vessel to join the Avenir LNG fleet and the world’s largest LNG bunkering vessel…

Japan's Kawasaki Heavy Industries has ordered a Corvus Energy battery-based energy storage system (ESS) to integrate it into the zero-emissions all-electric propulsion and electrical systems aboard the “e5 tanker” under construction for Asahi Tanker.The battery-powered vessel was designed by e5 Lab Inc., a consortium of leading Japanese shipping and maritime services companies, including Asahi Tanker Co., Ltd., set up to build infrastructure services focused on electrically powered vessels.

Viking Line's flagship Viking Glory was floated out from its building dock at XSI Shipyard in Xiamen, China, on Tuesday.The new 222.6-meter, 63,800gt ro-pax vessel is due to enter service on the Stockholm-Åland-Turku route in early 2022. It will have capacity for 2,800 passengers in 922 cabins and freight capacity of 1,500 lane meters.The vessel was ordered in 2017 and was initially scheduled to enter service in 2020 following planned delivery at the end of 2020, but the COVID…

Rome and Paris agreed on Wednesday that a proposed combination of Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri and French rival Chantiers de l'Atlantique no longer made sense in the current economic environment.State-owned Fincantieri's bid to take over its French peer, also owned by the state, collapsed three years after it was announced, thwarted by competition issues and the COVID-19 crisis.The agreement is due to expire on Jan.

Biblia, Inc., Marine Towing and Transportation has ordered a new dry dock to service its fleet tugs and barges.The 500-ton lift capacity floating dry dock was designed by JMS Naval Architects and is currently being built by Conrad Shipyard in Morgan City, La. The new dry dock, which will replace Biblia’s existing dry dock in Savannah, Ga., is 120’ long, 60’ wide, has a 6’ deep pontoon, and 14’ tall wing walls. It will primarily be used for hauling tug boats with a maximum length of 120 feet and draft of 10 feet.Biblia owns and operates a fleet of tugs and barges…

Dutch shipbuilder Damen's new Fast Crew Supplier (FCS) 7011, which will be able to carry 122 people in a single trip, hit the water earlier this month at Damen Shipyards Antalya, Turkey. The vessel, which Damen has dubbed "as a quantum leap forward in marine access solutions," has been described as a "cost-effective crew transportation alternative boasting robust safety characteristics."According to Damen, the vessel is the largest ever to have been launched in Antalya Free Zone.

Ship repair yard Guam Shipyard will pay nearly $70,000 and take measures to improve its facilities following multiple pollution violations discovered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 2018.The EPA said on Tuesday its settlement with Guam Industrial Services, Inc., doing business as Guam Shipyard, includes a $68,388 penalty as well as mandatory installation of preventative measures to reduce the discharge of stormwater pollutants into Apra Harbor.Guam Shipyard operates a ship repair facility on Cabras Island in Piti…

Maltese tug operator Tug Malta has taken delivery of Senglea, a new Damen RSD Tug 2513 to be used for maneuvering container vessels in and out of the harbor.Handed over on January 15, the newbuild joins a fleet that already has a number of Damen ASD tugs, but is the first RSD tug to operate in the region.Tug Malta, owned by Rimorchiatori Mediterranei Spa, ordered the vessel in November 2019. Built at Damen’s Song Cam Shipyard in Vietnam, she has a bollard pull of 80 tonnes. The design features Damen’s Twin Fin skeg to enhance directional stability and provide higher indirect towing force.

Boomsma Shipping announced its general cargo vessel Frisian Sea has been fitted with wind-assisted propulsion units to help reduce the ship's fuel usage and emissions as the shipping industry continues work to reduce its environmental footprint. “We believe it is necessary and very important to meet sustainability challenges to reduce our environmental footprint. Together with the IMO decarbonization goals for 2050 we want to do our part to reduce our fuel consumption and CO2 emissions as soon as possible…

South Korean shipbuilder Hyundai Heavy Industries Co Ltd said on Tuesday that it plans an initial public offering (IPO) to raise funds toward a 1 trillion won ($905 million) investment over five years into green technology.Hyundai Heavy will issue a stake of about 20% in new shares within the year, the shipbuilder said in a statement.The money will go toward the development and construction of green ships and facilities, advancement of technologies such as dual-fuel propulsion and autonomous sailing ships, as well as toward investments in companies with fuel cell technologies, it said.The ship