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Friday, April 19, 2024
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19 Apr 2024

When Efficiency Does Not Help Sustainability

Copyright Andriy Sharpilo/AdobeStock

My brother and I had a discussion about methanol where we concluded that methanol is a promising sustainable liquid fuel for transportation devices when batteries cannot do the job. While Methanol is initially not carbon zero, as long as we focus on developing zero carbon electrical energy, eventually we can produce zero carbon green methanol. Once there is plentiful green methanol, existing methanol vehicles will automatically become zero carbon transportation.The core argument…

16 Apr 2024

All American Marine to Build Research Vessel for Cal Poly Humboldt

(Image: All American Marine)

Bellingham, Wash. shipbuilder All American Marine (AAM) announced it has been awarded a contract to build a new research vessel for the marine sciences program at  the California Polytechnical Institute at Humboldt (Cal Poly).The vessel is a 78’ x 26.7’ semi-displacement aluminum catamaran that was developed by Nic de Waal of Teknicraft Design in Auckland, New Zealand. The vessel will be inspected to U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Subchapter T standards and will operate as a multipurpose research vessel in the Near Coastal Waters of Northern California and Oregon, as well as Offshore on Ocean Routes.

08 Apr 2024

Over 100 Dead After Mozambique Ferry Sinks

© Frank / Adobe Stock

More than 100 people died after a ferry boat sank off the northern coast of Mozambique, President Filipe Nyusi said on Monday, and almost 20 others were still missing.An official from the country's Maritime Transport Institute (INTRASMAR) said the vessel carrying 130 passengers was an overloaded fishing boat and was not licensed to transport people.It was ferrying people from Lunga in Nampula province to Mozambique Island on Sunday, Lourenco Machado, an administrator of INTRASMAR…

08 Apr 2024

At Least 94 Dead in Mozambique After Unlicensed Ferry Boat Capsizes

© pichitstocker / Adobe Stock

At least 94 people died, including children, and 26 are missing after a ferry boat capsized off the northern coast of Mozambique, an official from the country's Maritime Transport Institute (INTRASMAR) said.The vessel was an overloaded fishing boat and was not licensed to transport people, Lourenco Machado, an administrator of INSTRASMAR, said on state television on Monday."On Sunday we registered a maritime incident where at least 94 people died when a barge carrying 130 people capsized.

05 Apr 2024

Japanese Partner Up on Anti-Roll Tank Research for Large Containerships

Illustration of a container ship equipped with ART, with areas colored in yellow indicate ART (Credit: ClassNK)

ClassNK has signed a joint R&D agreement with Nihon Shipyard and IMC to ensure the safety and performance evaluation of anti-roll tanks (ART) installed on large containerships.Under the R&D agreement, Nihon Shipyard, IMC, and ClassNK will work together to expand the application of ART to large containerships.Utilizing the obtained data and knowledge, each party will collaborate to ensure the safer application of ART on an actual ship and performance evaluation.AS part of the partnership…

04 Apr 2024

Crumbling Great Lakes Ports Infrastructure Makes Port Insurance Even More Critical

© icholakov / Adobe Stock

The state of Great Lakes port infrastructure is one of the biggest issues facing the U.S. and Canadian maritime industries. According to the America Great Lakes Ports Association, “Due to years of inadequate funding, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has been unable to maintain Great Lakes navigation infrastructure. Over the next five years Great Lakes navigation channels will require $540 million of dredging to maintain authorized channel dimensions. Breakwaters and other federal…

29 Mar 2024

Japanese Partners Developing Method to Assess Ship Performance in Actual Seas

© Vladimir / Adobe Stock

NYK and Japan Marine United Corporation (JMU) have joined forces to develop a method for estimating a ship’s performance in actual seas before construction is completed.The aim of the two companies is predict a vessel's performance in actual seas before the conclusion of a shipbuilding contract and aid in the reduction of GHG emissions by procuring highly fuel-efficient vessels.In conventional shipbuilding contracts, the guaranteed speed is set and agreed based on the relationship between the ship's speed and horsepower in calm waters…

25 Mar 2024

Surface Effect Ship Designed for Crew Transfer Vessels

Source: Strategic Marine

ESNA and Strategic Marine have signed an agreement to develop a SES CTV (Surface Effect Ship Crew Transfer Vessel) for offshore wind applications.According to Wikipedia, a surface effect ship or sidewall hovercraft is a watercraft that has both an air cushion, like a hovercraft, and twin hulls, like a catamaran.The vessel type offers the combination of higher speed, increased operational wave height and reduced fuel oil consumption.The plan is to start building the first offshore…

06 Mar 2024

Russia Oil Fleet Shifts Away from Liberia, Marshall Island Flags Amid US Sanctions Crackdown

© evannovostro / Adobe Stock

Dozens of oil tankers used by Russia have stopped sailing under the Liberian and Marshall Islands flags in recent weeks after the United States ramped up sanctions enforcement on ships linked to those registries, according to shipping data and interviews with industry and government officials.The shift reflects the close relationship between the U.S. and the flag administration companies of Liberia and the Marshall Islands, which are headquartered not in their home countries, but in Virginia, just miles from Washington D.C. and within the jurisdiction of U.S.

06 Mar 2024

Hanwha Ocean Lays Keel for Cadeler WTIV Wind Maker

(Photo: Cadeler)

South Korean shipbuilder Hanwha Ocean has laid the keel for Cadeler’s newbuild wind turbine installation vessel (WTIV), Wind Maker.The vessel was ordered in 2021 by Eneti, which was acquired by Denmark-based Cadeler in 2023. The vessel was to be named Nessie under previous ownership.The Gusto MSC NG16000X self-propelled jack up will be fitted with a Huisman 2600t at 31m radius leg encircling crane, allowing the installation of 14MW+ offshore wind turbines. It will feature a main deck area of 5…

01 Mar 2024

New Grid-Scale Offshore Wind-Solar Project Planned for Italy

Images courtesy of SolarDuck

SolarDuck, Green Arrow Capital and New Developments have agreed to collaborate on the development of a floating photovoltaic (PV) farm integrated with a floating offshore wind farm.The Corigliano offshore hybrid wind-solar farm will be located in the gulf of Taranto off the coast of Corigliano-Rossano in Calabria. The farm is planned to feature 28 floating wind turbines for a wind capacity of 420MW in addition to a 120MW PV farm for a combined 540MW of capacity. The PV farm alone…

26 Feb 2024

Glamox to Light Up PGS’ Seismic Vessels

(Credit: PGS)

Lighting solutions specialist Glamox has won a contract from PGS to provide marine LED lighting for eight of its vessels that undertake seismic surveys of the seabed.This first phase of the major retrofit project will involve replacing fluorescent tube lighting with around 2,500 marine-certified LED luminaires fitted on the exterior and interior of the eight vessels.PGS’s switch to energy-efficient LED lighting is being driven by its desire to comply with emission reduction targets…

23 Feb 2024

The APAC Offshore Market: Riding the Wave of Success into 2024 and Beyond

Copyright Peter Hermes Furian/AdobeStock

2023 was the first year of real recovery for owners in the offshore supply market and yet we have barely skimmed the surface of what’s to come.The market is still on an upward trajectory with charter rates accelerating month-by-month, availability changing day-by-day, leading to earnings doubling and, in some segments, tripling since the lows of 2020. Current rates will remind many of the glory days of pre-2014 with the demand for OSVs projected to remain elevated for years to come.In general…

16 Feb 2024

US Conducts Cyberattack on Suspected Iranian Spy Ship - Report

© WhataWin / Adobe Stock

The United States conducted a cyberattack recently against an Iranian military ship in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden that had been collecting intelligence on cargo vessels, NBC News reported on Thursday, citing three U.S. officials.The cyberattack took place a week ago as part of a government response to a drone attack by Iranian-backed militias in Iraq that killed three U.S. service members in Jordan late last month and wounded dozens of others, the report said.NBC reported…

13 Feb 2024

Carnival Orders Another Cruise Ship from Meyer Werft

(Photo: Meyer Werft)

German shipbuilder Meyer Werft reports it has secured an order from U.S.-based Carnival Corporation for the construction of a new cruise ship for Carnival Cruise Line. The newbuild order is the first placed by Carnival Corporation in five years.Slated for delivery in 2027, the Excel-class ship will be a sister vessel to the 183,200 GT Carnival Jubilee, which was handed over at the end of 2023."Our Excel-class ships have been a tremendous addition to the Carnival fleet and proven very popular with our guests," said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line.

12 Feb 2024

Future Ships: Picture Perfect

(Image: Siemens)

Big data, advanced computers and AI are allowing vessel designers to prepare models that leave essentially nothing to chance.“Lastly, it may be of considerable importance to form from the draught a block model of the vessel from which a still more accurate judgment may be formed of the fitness and beauty of the body. And should any defect be discovered, farther alterations must still be made, till the draught and the model are perfectly approved of. These different alterations and repeated calculations may appear very tedious…

08 Feb 2024

Maersk Warns Oversupply to Hit Profits

© Fotokon / Adobe Stock

Maersk warned on Thursday that container shipping overcapacity would hit profits more than expected this year and that it didn't see a major boost from the jump in freight rates due to Red Sea disruptions, hammering its shares.The warning, which also led the Danish shipping giant to suspend its share buyback programme, is in stark contrast with investors' recent optimism about the sector.Container shipping companies have been among the best-performing stocks in Europe this year…

12 Feb 2024

Royal Caribbean Upbeat on 2024 Profit

© Roberto Sorin / Adobe Stock

Royal Caribbean Group projected 2024 profit above Wall Street expectations after robust demand for cruise vacations and steeper ticket prices helped it beat fourth-quarter earnings estimates on Thursday.With travelers opting for cruises instead of more expensive land-based vacation options, operators are experiencing record levels of bookings compared to pre-pandemic levels, giving them enough room to mark up ticket prices."2023 was an exceptional year, propelled by unmatched demand for our brands from new and loyal guests…

31 Jan 2024

Houthis Say They Targeted US Merchant Vessel

© Genya / Adobe Stock

Yemen's Houthis on Wednesday said their naval forces carried out an operation targeting an "American merchant ship" in the Gulf of Aden hours after firing missiles at U.S. Navy destroyer Gravely.They targeted the "American merchant ship KOI ... with several appropriate naval missiles," Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Sarea said in a statement.The Liberian-flagged container ship Koi is operated by UK-based Oceonix Services. The company's fleet includes the oil tanker Marlin Luanda…

30 Jan 2024

Carnival Warns of Hit to 2024 Earnings After Rerouting of Red Sea Itineraries

© icholakov / Adobe Stock

Carnival said on Tuesday that its annual earnings would take a hit as the cruise operator reroutes its ships that were due to pass through the Red Sea, a key transit route linking Asia and Europe.A growing list of companies have rerouted vessels as the Houthis, a Yemeni militant group, steps up attacks on Israeli ships or ships heading towards Israel, in solidarity with the Palestinians.The rerouting by Carnival is expected to have an impact of 7 cents to 8 cents on its adjusted earnings per share for full-year 2024, with the majority of the impact coming in the second quarter.

26 Jan 2024

Tanker Ablaze After Being Struck by Houthis in the Red Sea

© mino21, peangdao / Adobe Stock

Yemen's Houthi rebels on Friday stepped up attacks on vessels transiting the Red Sea, including a hit on a fuel tanker operated on behalf of trading firm Trafigura that sparked a fire.Trafigura said that the fuel tanker Marlin Luanda, which was operating on its behalf, was struck by a missile as it transited the Red Sea.Firefighting equipment on board is being deployed to suppress and control the fire caused in one cargo tank on the starboard side, the company said in an emailed statement."We remain in contact with the vessel and are monitoring the situation carefully…

17 Jan 2024

Another Ship Attack Reported Near Yemen

© owr, KEN111 / Adobe Stock

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) organization and British maritime security firm Ambrey said on Wednesday they had received reports of incidents near Yemen's Aden.The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) organization said in an advisory note that a ship had been attacked 60 nautical miles southeast of Aden.The "vessel has been hit on port side by an uncrewed aerial system," UKMTO said, adding that there was a fire onboard, which had since been extinguished."Vessel and crew are safe and proceeding to next port of call"…

15 Jan 2024

N-Sea Charters Geo Plus' Survey and ROV Support Vessel

Geo Ranger (Photo: N-Sea)

Subsea solutions provider N-Sea Group announced it has entered into an agreement with Geo Plus to long term charter the Dutch flagged vessel Geo Ranger, a hybrid survey and ROV support vessel.The Geo Ranger will accompany the Geo Focus which is already under N-Sea management and control.The fuel efficient vessel Geo Ranger is equipped with smart on-board technology, comprising various different sensors and a plug-and-play system for additional, project-specific customer equipment.With DP station keeping capabilities…