Maritime Industry Top News
Nigerian Court Jails Seven for Stealing Oil
A Nigerian court has sentenced six foreigners and one Nigerian to seven years in prison for oil theft, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) said on Tuesday, three years after the navy arrested 10 suspects with a vessel carrying crude oil off the Niger Delta.The suspects - a Nigerian, two Pakistanis, three Ghanaians, one Indonesian, one Beninois and two Ukrainians - had siphoned about two thousand metric tonnes of crude oil from a loading facility belonging to Shell Petroleum…
GE to Supply Propulsion Systems for MARAD's New Training Ships
GE’s Power Conversion business has been awarded a $40 million contract to supply the power and propulsion systems for two National Security Multi-Mission Vessels (NSMV). This new class of purpose-built ships for the U.S. Department of Transportation's Maritime Administration (MARAD) will be used primarily to provide cadets with at-sea training on operational vessels.GE was selected as the single-source vendor (SSV) for the ships’ propulsion system…
Monjasa Acquires Tanker for Middle East Operations
Oil and shipping group Monjasa said it has acquired the 9,600-dwt oil and chemical tanker Monjasa Server from Golden-Agri Stena. The 117.6-meter vessel is set for cargo and bunkering operations in the Arabian Gulf by November 2020.Formerly known as the GS Adventure, the 2009-built Monjasa Server joins Monjasa’s marine fuel operations across the Middle East, which currently consist of four tankers ranging between 4…
Pilot Thomas Logistics Expands Gulf Coast Reach
Fuel, lubricants and petroleum solutions provider Pilot Thomas Logistics (PTL) and its family of companies including Radcliff/Economy, Maxum Petroleum and Economy Boat Store, announced that PTL has received authorization from MSD Victoria to perform over the water transfers in the Houston-Galveston and Texas City Sectors. The authorization expands and extends the service area that now encompasses the entire Western Gulf Coast from Brownsville…
American Cruise Lines' New Riverboat American Melody Launched
American Cruise Lines said its fourth new Modern Series riverboat launched last week at Chesapeake Shipbuilding in Salisbury, Md. is on schedule for its inaugural Mississippi River cruise season beginning in summer 2021.Once complete, American Melody will have five decks, and accommodate 175 guests in 91 staterooms. American Melody will highlight the Line’s new interior design, showcasing a multi-story glass atrium at the center of the ship…
Novatek Starts LNG Ship-to-ship Operations in Murmansk
Russian gas producer Novatek has started ship-to-ship loadings of liquefied natural gas from the Yamal LNG project near the northern port of Murmansk, shifting away from Norway, ship tracking data at Refinitiv Eikon showed on Monday.The company previously conducted such operations at a terminal at the Norwegian Arctic port of Honningsvag. However, Oslo has faced pressure from the United States to stop Novatek from using a Norwegian port…
CDC Says Cruise Ships Pose Very High Risk for Coronavirus
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North P&I: Rates to Rise 10% in coming Policy Year
A rapid escalation in pool claims and unsustainable premium rates have led North P&I Club to declare its intention to seek a 10% General Increase in P&I rates for the 2021/22 policy year.In its 2020 Pre-Renewal Report, North says its retained claims so far this year declined, with claims over $1 million slightly down. The Club also achieved a positive return on investments of 2.16% (around $20 million) by its August mid-year point…
Damen Converts PSV into Fish Feed Carrier for Eidsvaag
Damen Shiprepair Amsterdam (DSAm) completed a conversion project for Norwegian company Eidsvaag which saw a platform supply vessel (PSV) transformed into a fish feed carrier dubbed Eidsvaag Opal.Among other things, Damen was required to extend the vessel by 5 meters, which involved the yard cutting the hull in two and inserting in new steel sections. Damen was also required to widen the beam of the vessel – using a series of side boxes – to give additional stability and cargo capacity.
Ocean Infinity to Expand Armada Fleet with 'World's Largest' Robotic Vessels
Marine and offshore survey company Ocean Infinity, which recently announced plans to build the world's largest fleet of unmanned surface vessels - the Armada, is now adding what it says are "world's largest marine robotic vessels" to the Armada fleet. Apart from being large—78 meters long—these new robotic vessels will be optionally crewed. Ocean Infinity has ordered eight vessels from Norway's VARD.
Training Tips for Ships - Tip #18: Creating a Culture of Learning
We all think about how to train to produce better outcomes – because better training outcomes mean better performance, safer operations, and employees who are more engaged and more satisfied. But there is a much “bigger picture” goal that only the most thoughtful of maritime organizations work to achieve. That goal is to create a “culture of learning”.It is a little hard to express a concrete definition for a culture of learning…
Samsung Heavy Nets Its 'Largest Ever Single Order'
South Korean shipbuilder Samsung Heavy Industries has won what has been described as the company's largest-ever single order.The shipbuilder said Monday it had secured an order worth around KRW 2,8 trillion, which is approximately $USD 2,5 billion.The contract is for the supply of "blocks and equipment" and is with an unnamed European shipowner.In a brief statement on the Korea Exchange, Samsung said that the contract start date was November 20, 2020, and the end date December 31, 2025.
Incat Crowther Designs "COVID-19 Inspired" Support Yacht
Australian vessel designer Incat Crowther has launched a new "COVID-19 inspired" shadow vessel concept - Haven.Incat Crowther has described the Haven as a “protective layer” to the owner’s mothership. "By acting as a buffer between the main yacht and outside world, Haven allows owners and charterers to maintain COVID-secure social bubbles on board. The yacht will act as a COVID-19 testing facility and quarantine space before allowing guests and crew to proceed onto the mothership…
Turkey Extends Seismic Survey in Contested Waters in Eastern Mediterranean
Turkey said it was extending the seismic survey work being carried out by its Oruc Reis ship in a disputed part of the eastern Mediterranean until Nov. 29, a move…
Seacat Services Orders Two Crew Transfer Vessels
UK-based offshore wind farm support vessel operator, Seacat Services has ordered two more Chartwell 24 crew transfer vessels.The two vessels – to be named Seacat Sceptre and Seacat Sovereign – are designed by Chartwell Marine, and will be the first equipped with a new foil optimization and stability system (FOSS) designed by BAR Technologies. This system promises to enhance vessel stability, improving comfort for offshore wind technicians…
AqualisBraemar to Acquire LOC Group
Offshore energy and marine consultancy AqualisBraemar will acquire marine and engineering consulting firm LOC Group (London Offshore Consultants).Oslo-listed group AqualisBraemar, which offers consultancy services to the offshore energy industries, said Monday that the acquisition would create "a leading global independent offshore energy and marine consultancy."David Wells, CEO of AqualisBraemar, said: "Our strategy is clear…
Iran Says It Has an 'Aircraft Carrier'
Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guards have added a warship capable of carrying aircraft, missile launchers and drones to its naval fleet, state media said on Thursday, at a time of high tension between Tehran and Washington.Antagonism between longtime foes Tehran and Washington has risen since 2018, when President Donald Trump withdrew the United States from world powers’ 2015 nuclear deal with Iran and reimposed sanctions that have crippled the Iranian economy.A U.S.
UK PM Johnson Outlines Plans to Build Europe's Most Powerful Navy
Prime Minister Boris Johnson pledged to restore Britain’s navy to its position as Europe’s most powerful maritime force on Thursday, highlighting that shipbuilding could also help heal divisions between the four nations of the United Kingdom.With repeated polls suggesting most people in Scotland now support independence, Johnson was keen to press the case for how England and Scotland can work together.He announced plans for 13 more frigates as well as committing to a new generation of warships…
Zvezda Cuts Steel for First Russian-built Icebreaking LNG Carrier
Russia's Zvezda Shipbuilding Complex has started building the first in a series of 15 icebreaking liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers ordered for year-round gas transport along the Northern Sea Route from the Arctic LNG 2 project in Russia's high north. They will be the first such vessels constructed domestically.Shipbuilding, financing, lease and time charter contracts for the new ships were signed by SCF Group, NOVATEK Group, Zvezda and VEB.RF Group in 2019.
WTO Sees Trade Rebound, But Likely Year-end Slowdown
The World Trade Organization said on Friday global trade in goods had rebounded in the third quarter from COVID-19 lockdowns, but predicted a slowdown at the end of 2020.The WTO said its goods trade barometer had risen to 100.7 points from a record low of 84.5 points in August, driven by a surge in export orders. A reading greater than 100 indicates above-trend growth.“The latest reading indicates a strong rebound in trade in the third quarter as lockdowns were eased…
