Maritime Industry Top News
Shell to Shut Down Philippine Refinery and Turn It into Import Terminal
The Philippine unit of Royal Dutch Shell said on Tuesday it will permanently shut one of the country's two oil refineries, blaming a pandemic-led slump in margins, with other regional closures likely to follow, according to analysts.Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corp said its 110,000-barrel-per-day Tabangao facility in Batangas province, which began operations in 1962, was no longer economically viable and would be turned into an import terminal.Singapore's complex refining marginâŠ
France to Increase Mediterranean Military Presence over Turkish Oil & Gas Exploration
France will increase its military presence in the eastern Mediterranean, President Emmanuel Macron said on Wednesday, calling on Turkey to halt oil and gas explorationâŠ
Cargo Ship Grounds After Officer On Watch Falls Asleep
A Vietnamese-flagged cargo ship ran aground near the Philippines' Antique province Thursday after the officer on watch fell asleep, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said.The 90-meter, 2,551-gross-ton Globe 6 was transporting a rice cargo from Ho Chi Minh City to Davao City and had 25 crew members on board at the time of the incident. The ship's master Nguyen Hoai told the PCG that the officer on watchâŠ
Hermitage Offshore Services Files for Chapter 11
Offshore vessel owner Hermitage Offshore Services, hit by prolonged low oil prices and business fallout from the coronavirus pandemic, said it has voluntarily filedâŠ
Mauritius Says Almost All Oil Removed from Damaged Bulker Wakashio
Mauritiusâ Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth said on Wednesday nearly all remaining oil had been removed from a damaged Japanese ship, which leaked about 1,000 tonnes in a threat to tourism already hurt by the coronavirus pandemic.âAt the time Iâm talking to you, almost all the oil has been removed from the ship,â Jugnauth told reporters, according to remarks shared by his office.All fuel had been removed from tanksâŠ
Video: Iranian Forces Board Liberian-flagged Tanker in International Waters
The United States military on Wednesday said that Iranian forces had boarded a civilian vessel in international waters in the Gulf.The U.S. military's Central Command released a grainy black-and-white video on Twitter showing a helicopter near a large ship."Today in international waters, Iranian forces, including two ships and an Iranian 'Sea King' helicopter, overtook and boarded a ship called the 'Wila,'" the U.S.
Rolls-Royce to Boost Output for the US Navy
Rolls-Royce and the Defense Production Act Title III office will invest millions of dollars to upgrade the companyâs capability and capacity for U.S. Navy ship propulsion components in its facility in Pascagoula, Miss.The DPA Title III office has already agreed to invest $22 million for equipment, with Rolls-Royce making an additional investment for building improvements, supplemented with supportâŠ
Canada Steamship Lines Decommissions 41-Year-old Bulker
Canada Steamship Lines' 41-year-old self-unloading bulk carrier Salarium has reached the end of its service life and will be dismantled at a ship recycling yard in Turkey, CSL Group announced.The long-serving 35,656 DWT bulker made its final voyage at the end of 2019, loading salt in Bécancour, Que. on December 19 for discharge it in Oshawa, Ont. on December 27. The vessel was then laid up in TorontoâŠ
ME-GI Engine Sails Through Gas Trials
MAN Energy Solutions announced that the first ME-GI engine featuring its newly-developed pump vaporizer unit (PVU) has completed liquefied natural gas (LNG) trials in Korea.The engine is installed aboard the first in a series of six neo-Panamax boxshipsâbuilt by Hyundai Samho Heavy Industries (HSHI), and ordered by Singapore-based Eastern Pacific Shipping (EPS), the Singapore-based shipping companyâeach powered by individual MAN B&W 11G90ME-GI main engines.
Socha Joins Conrad Shipyardâs Senior Management Team
Conrad Shipyard announced it has hired Robert A. Socha to lead the companyâs sales and marketing efforts as vice president of sales and marketing. He will work collaboratively with other Conrad business groups, including business development, engineering and product development, contracts, estimating and operations.Socha has served in numerous roles of increasing responsibility with various companies in the offshore and inland marine transportationâŠ
Japanese Partners Eye Ammonia as Marine Fuel
A joint research and development (R&D) project initiated by a group of Japanese maritime companies aims to utilize ammonia as a marine fuel and establish methods for the mass transportation and supply of ammonia.The joint R&D agreement signed by NYK Line, Japan Marine United Corporation and Nippon Kaiji Kyokai (ClassNK) on August 6 will target the commercialization of an ammonia-fueled ammonia gas carrier (AFAGC) that would use ammonia as the main fuelâŠ
Nigeria Convicts First Pirates Under New Maritime Law
A Nigerian court made the first convictions under a new anti-piracy law, giving hope to the world's shipping fleets that legal reforms will help stem rising attacks in the Gulf of Guinea.The three men fined by the court in Port Harcourt, Nigeria's oil hub, on Tuesday were among nine accused of hijacking the tanker MV Elobey VI off Equatorial Guinea in March and securing a $200,000 ransom for the crew.The merchant shipping industry has long pressed Nigeria to take action in the areaâŠ
Most Oil Removed from Damaged Bulker Wakashio off Mauritius
Most of the fuel left on a Japanese bulk carrier that has leaked an estimated 1,000 tonnes of oil off the Mauritius coast has been pumped off, ship owner Nagashiki Shipping said on Wednesday.Mauritian Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth said on Tuesday that the MV Wakashio was still holding 2,000 tonnes of oil and was expected to break up, raising concern of a major ecological disaster."I heard the collection is almost overâŠ
Insurgents Seize Port Near Total's Mozambique LNG Project
Islamist insurgents have captured a heavily-defended port in the far northern Mozambique town of Mocimboa da Praia, close to the site of natural gas projects worth some $60 billion, local media reported on Wednesday.It was one of several attacks on the town - 60 km (37 miles) south of the projects being developed by oil majors like France's Total - this year as insurgents with links to Islamic State have stepped up attacks in the region.
DOF Sells Two Offshore Vessels
Oslo-listed offshore vessel owner DOF has through its subsidiary DOF Rederi sold two offshore vessels.DOF said Wednesday it had sold the 2002-built anchor handler Skandi Giant.
Xihe Group, V. Group Ink Deal for Tanker Ship Management
Tanker ship owner Xihe Group of Companies appointed V.Group as the technical manager for 16 of its modern tankers.âThis strategic partnership kickstarts Xiheâs engage-ment of independent, world-class professional companies to provide technical and commercial management for our vessels," said Kenny Lim, Interim CEO of Xihe. "Having witnessed the professionalism of the V.Group team in taking over âOcean Queenâ under their technical managementâŠ
PHOTO: Heerema Breaks Own Heavy-lift Record with Brent Alpha Jacket Removal
Heerema Marine Contractors' giant semi-submersible crane vessel Sleipnir has broken its recently set heavy lifting record with the removal of Shell's 10100 mT Brent Alpha jacket in the UK North Sea."This single jacket lift breaks Sleipnirâs recent record for lifting the 8100 mT Jotun-B jacket," Heerema Marine Contractors said Wednesday.The removal of Brent Alpha jacket is Sleipnirâs fourth decommissioning job for this summer.
Sea Life Around Mauritius Dying as MV Wakashio Oil Spill Spreads
Mauritian volunteers fished dead eels from oily waters on Tuesday as they tried to clean up damage to the Indian Ocean island's most pristine beaches after a Japanese bulk carrier leaked an estimated 1,000 tonnes of oil.The ship, MV Wakashio, owned by Nagashiki Shipping and operated by Mitsui OSK Lines Ltd, struck a coral reef on Mauritius' southeast coast on July 25 and began leaking oil last weekâŠ
Golden Ray Salvage Operations Resume
Salvage operations to remove the overturned car carrier Golden Ray from St. Simons Sound in Georgia have resumed after work was paused due to coronavirus concerns and Hurricane Isaias.Due to the potential impact of the Hurricane to the St. Simons Sound area, the Unified Command (UC) response team implemented its Heavy Weather Plan which required the repositioning and securing of all response assets in advance of the stormâs passing.âOur advanced planning for heavy weather paid dividends.
MST Building Two Patrol Boats for the UK Navy
Merseyside, U.K.-based boatbuilder Marine Specialised Technology (MST) has been awarded a £9.9-million ($12.9 million) contract to supply two new boats to replace the U.K. Royal Navy's Gibraltar Squadron fast patrol craft used to patrol HMNB Gibraltar and British Gibraltar territorial waters. Construction began in July, and the first vessel is due to be delivered in the third quarter of 2021 followed by the second in the first quarter of 2022.
