Maritime Trafficking: How Balkan Gangsters Became Europe's Top Cocaine Suppliers
In 2018, convicted cocaine trafficker Slobodan Kostovski fled a Brazilian prison and made his way back to Europe with a fake passport.The Serbian senior quickly fell into old habits, police allege. Last August, Kostovski was arrested in Belgrade, accused of shipping 2.7 metric tonnes of cocaine from Brazil aboard a 22-meter vessel apprehended near Spainâs Canary Islands.Nicknamed âthe Generalâ by his associates, he had been trafficking âlarge amountsâ of powder to âEurope for a long period of time,â Serbian police wrote in a 2022 intelligence report obtained exclusively by Reuters.
Hensoldt UK wins deal for Royal Fleet Auxiliary Ships
Sensor solutions provider Hensoldt UK has been selected by Navantia UK to provide key systems to the UK Royal Fleet Auxiliaryâs (RFA) three new Fleet Solid Support (FSS) ships. The new vessels will incorporate Quadome Naval 3D Air and Surface Surveillance Radar, Air Traffic Management (ATM) systems and Kelvin Hughes Integrated Navigation Bridge Systems (INBS).Hensoldt will supply its new-generation Quadome 3D Air and Surface Surveillance radar, which features the latest softwareâŠ
Crowley Reaches Labor Deal for Isla Grande Terminal in Puerto Rico
Crowley and Teamsters Union Local 901 have reached a new labor agreement to extend their longtime partnership into its sixth decade serving the shipping and logistics needs of Puerto Rico.The agreement, recently ratified by union members, covers the 200 employees who work at Crowleyâs Isla Grande Terminal in San Juan until 2029. Employees there serve as port equipment operators, truck drivers and support operations in various other roles important to safe and reliable operations.âWe have successfully worked with the Teamsters Union to provide safeâŠ
New Union Deal Aims to Boost US Navy Shipbuilding Workforce
A new union deal aims to help bolster the workforce of the U.S. Navy shipbuilding and repair industrial base, which has struggled alongside many other sectors to attract and retain the volume of employees needed to achieve efficient operations.The International Brotherhood of Boilermakers (IBB) and the Bartlett Maritime Corporation (BMC) have signed an agreement as part of ongoing efforts to mobilize skilled workers across the Midwest in support of critical Navy programs.It permitsâŠ
Port Constraints for Canada's Trans Mountain Pipeline May Crimp Oil Exports
Logistical constraints at the Port of Vancouver mean waterborne oil exports from the highly anticipated Trans Mountain pipeline expansion due to start up on Wednesday may only be around half what the Canadian government-owned corporation has forecast, traders and shipping sources said.The C$34 billion ($24.82 billion) project to nearly triple the flow of crude from Alberta to Canada's Pacific Coast to 890,000 barrels per day is scheduled to start operating on May 1 after years of regulatory delays and construction setbacks.The extra 590âŠ
Carbon Clean Starts CCS Module Construction for FlagshipONE
Carbon Clean has achieved a fabrication milestone on Ørstedâs FlagshipONE project, Europeâs largest commercial-scale e-methanol facility under construction. The first equipment has been mounted on the structural steel of the first module, marking the start of the module assembly process.Once operational, Carbon Cleanâs technology will be capable of capturing 70,000 tonnes of biogenic CO2 per year for Ørstedâs facility in Örnsköldsvik, Sweden.Carbon Cleanâs CaptureX semi-modular technology for this project is being fabricated at Schwartz Hautmontâs site at the Port of Tarragona in Vila-secaâŠ
Corvus Energy to Supply ESS for First Net Zero Subsea Construction Vessel
Corvus Energy has been selected by HAF Power Solutions (HPS) to supply Energy Storage Systems (ESS) for the Energy Subsea Construction Vessel (ESCV) to be built for shipowner REM Offshore.The new ESCV is of ST-245 design and will be the first vessel to perform heavy construction work in both offshore wind and the subsea market with net zero emissions. The vessel will be equipped with dual-fuel methanol engines and a 1.7MW battery system. The batteries will be used for spinningâŠ
Kongsberg to Supply Hybrid Electrical Systems for Matson's New Box Ships
Matson Navigation Companyâs new liquefied natural gas (LNG)-powered containerships will feature a comprehensive range of integrated technologies from Kongsberg Maritime to optimize energy use and reduce emissions.The Norwegian company announced Tuesday that it will supply hybrid electrical systems, controlled and operated by its Energy Management System, for a series of three 3,600 TEU vessels that are being built by Philly Shipyard for the U.S.-based shipowner. The Kongsberg Maritime scope of supply includes a Shaft Generator SystemâŠ
Wärtsilä to Supply Engines for Canadian Polar Icebreaker
Finnish technology group Wärtsilä reports it will supply the engines for a new Canadian Coast Guard Polar Icebreaker being designed and built at Seaspan Vancouver Shipyards.The 158 meter-long multi-mission Polar Icebreaker will operate under PC2 conditions with four 16-cylinder and two 8-cylinder Wärtsilä 31 engines, delivering 47 MW of power. The engines will be fitted with selective catalytic reduction (SCR) systems for IMO Tier III environmental compliance. Wärtsilä will also supply the center shaft line with a stainless-steel ice-class propellerâŠ
Bio-Sea Ballast Water Treatment for Siem Car Carrier Trio
BIO-UV Group has received an order from SIEM Ship Management to supply its BIO-SEA Ballast Water Treatment Systems for a trio of SIEM-managed car carriers. The order, for retrofit installation to the Siem Copernicus, Siem Curie and Siem Socrates, is the latest in a series of deliveries of BIO-SEA B-Series equipment for installation onboard around a dozen SIEM Ship Management reefer vessels since 2021.In this latest order, BIO-UV Groupâs maritime division will provide B02 BIO-SEA BWTS units with a medium to high flow rate of 300-cu.m.
Bibby Marine Places Order for âWorldâs Firstâ eCSOV
Bibby Marine has signed a shipbuilding contract with Gondan Shipbuilders to construct what is said to be the worldâs first zero-emission, electric commissioning service operation vessel (eCSOV).The eCSOV will be built in Gondanâs Asturias shipyard in Spain and is scheduled to be delivered in 2026.Designed in collaboration with UK-based ship designers Longitude, the eCSOV, will feature a powerful battery system, complemented by dual-fuel methanol engines for emissions-free operations.
Ammonia Cracking Technology Receives LR Approval in Principle
H2SITEâs AMMONIA to H2POWER technology for ammonia cracking onboard has received Approval in Principle (AiP) from Lloydâs Register (LR).The technology is an onboard containerized solution that produces fuel-cell-quality hydrogen using ammonia. This hydrogen can then be used by hydrogen fuel cells that can contribute to the vesselâs electrical power, or the hydrogen could be consumed directly in an internal combustion engine.Ammonia cracking is gaining momentum as a potential hydrogenâŠ
Philippines Denies Deal with China over Disputed South China Sea Shoal
The Philippines on Saturday denied a Chinese claim that the two countries had reached an agreement over an escalating maritime dispute in the South China Sea, calling the claim propaganda.A spokesperson at China's embassy in Manila said on April 18 that the two had agreed early this year to a "new model" in managing tensions at the Second Thomas Shoal, without elaborating.Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro said on Saturday his department was "not aware of, nor is it a party to, any internal agreement with China" since President Ferdinand Marcos Jr took office in 2022.
SOVs â Analyzing Current, Future Demand Drivers
At a high-level, there are three solutions to transferring technicians from shore bases to offshore wind farms for construction and O&M activities: crew transfer vessel (CTV), helicopter, and SOVs/CSOVs.SOVs and CSOVs generally house 60-120 technicians offshore for a few weeks at a time, allowing them to transfer to structures on integrated heave compensated gangways, by daughter craft or on CTVs. The vessels are also equipped with cranes, storage, and small workshop areas.SOV: Service operations vesselsâŠ
Worldâs Largest Sailing Ships to include Brunvoll Propulsion
Chantiers de lâAtlantique selected Brunvoll as the supplier of main propulsion for Orient Express Silenseasâs new cruise ships, which are going to become the worldâs largest sailing ships. The order is for two vessels, with another two as option.The delivery from Brunvoll is a propulsion system consisting of a twin-screw configuration with a controllable pitch propeller with a diameter of 3.9 meters. The propellers are designed to be fully feathering to limit drag while sailing.
Strategic Marine Starts Work on a Bermuda Fast Ferries
Earlier this month Strategic Marine hosted the keel laying ceremony for 2 x 40m 550 Passenger Fast Ferry for the Government of Bermuda, with the Director of the Department of Marine and Ports Services for the Government of Bermuda and various supply partners participating in the project.
Wärtsilä Secures Chinaâs Largest-Ever Methanol Newbuild Order
Wärtsilä will supply the methanol-fueled auxiliary engines for five new container vessels for COSCO Shipping Lines and seven new container vessels for Orient Overseas Container Line.Each vessel will operate with three 8-cylinder and two 6-cylinder Wärtsilä 32M engines. This is the Chinese maritime sectorâs largest order to date for methanol-fueled newbuild vessels. The order was booked by Wärtsilä in December 2023.To complement the solution, the ships will be equipped with the Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) exhaust cleaning systems and alternators.
Dry Bulk Supply/Demand Balance Predicted to Strengthen
BIMCO has released its Dry Bulk Shipping Market Overview & Outlook for April 2024, predicting that the supply/demand balance should strengthen in 2024, but weaken in 2025.This would be the result of ships returning to the Red Sea and Panama Canal, shortening sailing distances.Supply is forecast to grow 2.5% in 2024 and 2.0% in 2025. Growth is slowing due to lower deliveries, reports, Niels Rasmussen, BIMCOâs Chief Shipping Analyst.The fleet is expected to grow 4.9% between end 2023 and end 2025, the slowest it has grown since 2016. Ship recycling is expected to stay low.
Equinor Upbeat About Investor Interest in US Offshore Wind Farm
Norway's Equinor is confident of finding an investor for its planned Empire Wind 1 offshore wind farm in New York after a new power off-take agreement improved the project's economics, the company said on Thursday.New York State authorities in February awarded the project a new conditional power purchase contract, replacing a previous deal that was no longer competitive due to rising construction costs, higher interest rates and supply chain snags.Equinor was glad to have received the new contract, which significantly changed the economics of the project, CFO Torgrim Reitan told analysts durin
Russia Reinsurer Backs Firms to get India Marine Insurance Permit
Russia's state-owned reinsurer has given financial backing to three Russian insurance firms, allowing them to get Indian approval to provide marine insurance cover to tankers, two sources said, as Moscow seeks to facilitate trade with India amid Western sanctions.A raft of sanctions by the U.S. and allies against Moscow over its Ukraine invasion, along with tighter scrutiny of Russian oil trade, has almost cut Russia off from the global network of service providers such as insurers and brokers.Russian companies Sogaz InsuranceâŠ
Bourbon Orders Exail Tech to Streamline Subsea Fleetâs Services for Offshore Energy
UK-based Exail has secured a contract with French maritime services provider Bourbon to supply several units of its Octans Attitude and Heading Reference Systems (AHRS) for integration into Bourbon Subsea Servicesâs fleet.These units will be installed on multiple Bourbon Evolution 800 Series multi-purpose support vessels (MPSVs) dedicated to subsea operations at depths down to 3,000 meters.IMO-HSC certified, the Octans AHRS will enhance Bourbon vesselsâ efficiency in installationâŠ
Rear Adm. Philip Sobeck: MSC Needs More Mariners, New Ships
Founded as the Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS) and renamed Military Sealift Command in 1970, MSC today not only support the Navy, but we are the Department of Defense's provider of all sealift. Maritime Reporter & Engineering News recently interviewed Rear Adm. Philip Sobeck, U.S. Navy, for insights on the service today and itâs needs to grow in the future.What makes MSC so vital to the Navyâs fleet and our military forces around the world?When we look at the history of contested logistics in World War IIâŠ
Avenir LNG Orders Two LNG Bunker and Supply Vessels from Chinese Shipyard
UK-based small-scale liquefied natural gas (LNG) supplier Avenir LNG has entered into a shipbuilding contract with Nantong CIMC Sinopacific Offshore & Engineering in China, a subsidiary of CIMC Enric, for two new LNG bunker and supply vessels.The two 20,000 cbm LNG bunker and supply vessels are scheduled to be delivered in the fourth quarter of 2026 and the first quarter of 2027.The newbuildings will feature new Type C tank designs, lower boil off rates, the latest engine technologiesâŠ