United Kingdom News

Signatory States to an agreement aimed at repressing piracy, armed robbery and illicit maritime activity in the western Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Aden Area have agreed that building response capability and information sharing are vital steps towards achieving a more safe and secure maritime environment. The signatories to the revised Code of Conduct concerning the repression of piracy, armed robbery against ships and illicit maritime activity in the western Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Aden Area…

Seventy-four countries have now signed up to International Maritime Organization (IMO)'s Ballast Water Management Convention, with Serbia being the latest to accede to the treaty helping to protect the marine environment.The signatories represent more than 75% of the world's merchant fleet tonnage.Under the treaty, ships are required to manage their ballast water, which can contain thousands of aquatic or marine microbes, plants and organisms, which are then carried across the globe.Mrs.

It took British Maritime Minister Nusrat Ghani just one go to activate the mechanism that sent a big champagne bottle crashing against the massive sidewall of the “Afif”. This marked the official naming of the 15,000 TEU container ship on 16 July 2018. The name “Afif” is of Arabic origin and means “purity” and “honesty”; also, Afif is a city in central Saudi Arabia. The ship is technically equipped to use LNG fuel. With its ten sisters, “Afif” belongs to the category of “Ultra Large Container Vessel”, the second-largest ship class in Hapag-Lloyd’s fleet.

Kalmar, part of Cargotec, and DP World London Gateway are celebrating the successful introduction into service of an electrically powered Kalmar FastCharge(TM) shuttle carrier, as part of a joint pilot project that will run for approximately six to 12 months. Kalmar has enjoyed a long and successful relationship with DP World, a leading global operator of marine and inland terminals. A semi-automated facility, DP World London Gateway is one of the most advanced deep-sea terminals in the world and is strategically located close to the United Kingdom's biggest consumption centre.

The Humber Electrical Engineering Company (HEECO) in the United Kingdom has consolidated its marine presence and developed into new oil and gas markets.The Hull-based electrical manufacturing business is known for the design and build of switchboards, motor control centers (MCCs) and control panels for the marine and energy sectors as well as the programming of Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs) and the provision of electrical design solutions.Celebrating its 110th anniversary this year…

Wilhelmsen Ship Management (WSM) adds another ship management office in Southampton, England, to increase their global footprint in the region. “Southampton is a city with one of the longest histories in the maritime industry. It has an established maritime cluster of infrastructure and human resources that we can tap into immediately to support growth,” said Carl Schou, President of WSM. WSM’s Southampton office has an initial staff of five and 11 vessels in management for now.

Oceana, the largest international ocean advocacy organisation, has opened the organisation’s office in London to strengthen Oceana’s policy and research work to protect marine life and restore fish populations in the United Kingdom (UK).“Oceana is joining the marine conservation community in the UK at a turning point in public engagement and concern for the oceans. Now we need to move beyond conserving the oceans to actually restoring marine life and rebuilding fish populations…

Verifavia, an environmental verification, certification and auditing body for aviation and maritime transport and will work with Palau International Ship Registry (PISR) to provide IMO Data Collection System (DCS) verification services to Palau-flagged vessels. The DCS reporting process uses the method of reporting of fuel oil consumption. Verifavia will provide PISR vessels with a complete reviewed Data Collection Plan (DCP). They will be built-into the SEEMP Part II by December 31, 2018, allowing PISR to issue a Confirmation of Compliance to its fleet by May 31, 2020.

Companies, lenders, and their auditors worldwide need vessel appraisals that can be relied upon when put into legal documents. As the offshore energy support markets awaken, this is more important now, than ever.While a great deal of shipping finance is done at a 10,000' level, with bond deals and equity swaps, the value of the assets found on ground level are still very important. There are taxation issues, insured value, public reporting, and allocation of purchase price, where the value of individual vessels is important.

Nearly 6,500 Sailors of the Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group (HSTCSG) arrived in Naval Station (NS) Norfolk, Virginia, July 21.The aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) and strike group ships USS Normandy (CG 60), USS Arleigh Burke (DDG 51) and USS Forrest Sherman (DDG 98) arrived after operating for more than three months in the U.S. 5th and 6th fleets areas of responsibility."I couldn't be more proud of this strike group team's performance over more than three months of operating in a highly-dynamic environment across two theaters," said HSTCSG Commander Rear Adm. Gene Black.

Rowan Companies plc announced that the Rowan EXL III, an EXL Class high specification jack-up rig, has been awarded a six-month contract from Cantium in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico.The contract is expected to commence in early November 2018. The EXL III is currently under contract with Cantium in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico through mid to late August 2018. Rowan is a global provider of contract drilling services with a fleet of 27 mobile offshore drilling units, composed of 23 self-elevating jack-up rigs and four ultra-deepwater drillships.The Company's fleet operates worldwide…

China Navigation Company (CNCo), part of the Swire Group, has expanded its presence in North America by establishing a branch office in Vancouver, Canada.The opening ceremony was graced by Bruce Ralston, Minister of Jobs, Trade & Technology, British Columbia, who unveiled a plaque in the CNCo office located at W Hastings Street.Minister Bruce Ralston said, “The Province recognises the significant contribution that The China Navigation Company makes to the shipping industry worldwide.

North Sea oil company Zennor Petroleum has entered into a Sale and Purchase Agreement with Mitsui E&P UK in respect of its interests in United Kingdom Continental Shelf Licences P.213, Block 16/26a, Area B and P.345 Block 16/27b Area B which represent an 8.97% working interest in the Britannia Field.Completion of the transaction is subject to customary regulatory and partner consents.The acquisition of the Britannia Field interest is strategic for Zennor given its 100% operated working interest in the nearby Finlaggan Field.

When the owners of Norwegian oil firm Aker BP decided to digitise its assets and operations, they searched high and low for the right software company. But they failed to find a suitable one.So instead they set up their own, Cognite, to create digital maps of Aker BP's oil industry assets, integrating data from equipment such as pumps, heat and pressure sensors, maintenance records and even staff rotas to improve efficiency and safety.Less than two years later, Cognite is selling its software to Aker BP's rivals and one competitor…

The UK is the third-largest maritime trading partner for the port of Antwerp. In order to be fully prepared for Brexit the Port Authority is taking various initiatives including the appointment of a new representative for the UK and Ireland. Justin Atkin has assumed this role as of 1 September 2018.With an annual freight volume of around 15 million tonnes the UK is the port of Antwerp's largest maritime trading partner after the USA and Russia. Antwerp is also ideally situated as an investment location close to the European centres of decision-making…

British shipping services provider Clarkson Plc said on Monday an unauthorized third party accessed some of its computer systems in the United Kingdom last year.The unauthorized access to systems from May 31 to Nov. 4, 2017 was gained from a single and isolated user account.

Hansa Heavy Lift  has transported a giant carousel together with eight reels, weighing a total of 3,508.7 metric tonnes, from Newcastle, United Kingdom to Lagos, Nigeria destined for the Egina Oil Field.The voyage took place on board the super heavy lift vessel HHL Lagos, which was mobilised in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, to prepare the vessel with additional deck strength for the extralarge carousel, which weighed over 2,200 metric tonnes including spooled product and had a diameter of over 25 metres.“Close connection between the Hansa Heavy Lift engineering…

Britain and the European Union's response to the imposition of U.S. steel and aluminium tariffs must be measured and proportionate, British trade minister Liam Fox said on Monday."It is right to seek to defend our domestic industries from both the direct and indirect impacts of these U.S. tariffs. The response must be measured, and proportionate, and it's important that the United Kingdom and the EU work within the boundaries of the rules-based international trading system," Fox told parliament. Reporting by William James

Verifavia, the world’s leading emissions verification company for the transport sector (aviation and shipping), announced that it has become the first independent verifier authorised by the Panama Maritime Authority to conduct the International Maritime Organisation’s (IMO) Data Collection System (DCS) verification services for vessels registered in Panama. Through this authorisation granted by Panama, Verifavia will offer its IMO DCS and EU MRV verification services to the world’s largest ship registry – with over 8…

U.S. and partner nation personnel participating in Pacific Partnership 2018 aboard the U.S. Navy hospital ship USNS Mercy (T-AH 19), arrived in Port Kelang, Malaysia, April 16. The Pacific Partnership mission in Malaysia will feature medical exchanges, civil engineering projects, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HA/DR) preparedness seminars, and community outreach engagements in the greater Kuala Lumpur area. The secondary mission platform for Pacific Partnership, the expeditionary fast transport ship USNS Brunswick (T-EPF 6) will arrive in Tawau…

Dutch-based transport company A2B-online Container B.V. has added a fourth weekly sailing on its service between Hutchison Ports London Thamesport and Moerdijk in The Netherlands. The new sailing is inaugurated today (18 April 2018) by the first call of the m.s. A2B Spirit (ex-Norfeeder), a Sietas 151 type 508 TEU container ship, the fourth of this class owned and operated by A2B. Commenting on the new sailing, Clemence Cheng, Executive Director Hutchison Ports, said:“London Thamesport offers its customers a service tailored to their specific demands.

Two ratifications to a key compensation treaty covering the transport of hazardous and noxious substances (HNS) by ship have brought the instrument a step closer to entry into force. Canada and Turkey on Monday (23 April) deposited their instruments of ratification to the 2010 Protocol to the International Convention on Liability and Compensation for Damage in Connection with the Carriage of Hazardous and Noxious Substances by Sea, 1996 (2010 HNS Convention). When in force, the treaty will provide a regime of liability and compensation for damage caused by HNS cargoes transported by sea…

MSC Meraviglia officially made her maiden call at the port of Hamburg today, marking the start of her new as well as the brand’s best and most accessible-ever season in Northern Europe. At the traditional exchange of crests attended by Senator Horch from the City of Hamburg as well as representatives from the Ports and other institutions, media and travel partners, MSC Cruises, the Swiss-based world’s largest privately owned cruise line and now for the third consecutive year brand market leader across the whole of Europe…