Maritime Industry Top News
Interferry Welcomes Easing of Travel Restrictions
Trade association Interferry says it welcomes the European Commissionâs guidance on the gradual relaxation of travel restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic and relaunching of transportation links that will go into effect in advance of this summerâs travel and tourism season.âWe welcome the growing signs in Europe and beyond that COVID-19 lockdown restrictions are starting to be eased,â says Interferry CEO Mike Corrigan.
IHC Launches New Dredge for Suez Canal Authority
Dutch shipbuilder Royal IHC on Friday launched a new cutter suction dredger (CSD) Mohab Mameesh for the Suez Canal Authority (SCA).The 29,190kW heavy-duty rock CSD built at at IHCâs shipyard in Krimpen a/d IJssel has been designed in cooperation with SCA, and will be used to maintain and improve the Suez Canal, which connects the Mediterranean and Red seas. The vessel, characterized by its long slender shape and high spud towersâŠ
Hapag-Lloyd Keeps 2020 Guidance
German container liner Hapag-Lloyd on Friday stuck with its full-year earnings guidance but warned that supply disruptions and weaker demand due to the coronavirus crisis may lead to a revision of its forecast in the second half of 2020.The number five in worldwide container shipping, Hapag-Lloyd reported lower core profits in the first quarter on higher fuel costs and a devaluation of bunker stocks at the end of the period, when oil prices began to fall in a demand slump.The developments masked
Rabbitt to Join Hornblower as CEO
U.S.-based passenger vessel operator Hornblower Group announced it has appointed Kevin Rabbitt has CEO. Rabbitt is expected to take up the role in July, while founder, Chairman and current CEO Terry MacRae will continue as Executive Chairman.Rabbittâs appointment comes at a pivotal time for industry-leader Hornblower as many parts of the Groupâs operations prepare to resume operations when current pandemic restrictions are lifted.âIn these unprecedented timesâŠ
Belarus Buys 80,000 Tonnes of U.S. Oil
Belarusian state energy company Belneftekhim said on Friday it had bought 80,000 tonnes of oil from the United States that would be delivered by tanker to the Lithuanian port of KlaipÄda at the beginning of June.Belarus has said it wants to diversify its oil supplies after a dispute with Russia over oil prices earlier this year. (Reporting by Andrei Makhovsky; writing by Tom Balmforth; editing by Jason Neely)
Chinese Survey Ship Leaves Malaysian Waters After Standoff
A Chinese survey ship that had been involved in a month-long standoff with a Malaysian oil exploration vessel in the South China Sea has left Malaysiaâs exclusive economic zone (EEZ), shipping data showed on Friday.Since mid-April, the Haiyang Dizhi 8 had been surveying in the EEZ, close to where a drillship contracted by Malaysian state oil firm Petronas had been operating in waters claimed by MalaysiaâŠ
LRâs Nick Brown: Climate Emergency is âsame magnitude, different time domain" to COVID-19
As the maritime industry settles in on a COVID-19 induced ânew norm,â and long-range planning is dramatically shortened,, Nick Brown, Marine and Offshore Director, Lloydâs Register, said that while much deserved focus must be paid to the current crisis, the industry cannot lose sight of another one looming just as large: climate change. âWe strongly maintain that the climate emergency is an event of the same magnitudeâŠ
VIDEO: SBM Offshore's Liza Unity FPSO Moves to Dry Dock
SBM Offshore, the Netherlands-based FPSO supplier, has shared a video of its Liza Unity FPSO Hull going into the dry dock in Singapore.The hull was ordered on speculation in 2017 as the first of what are now five hulls being built as part of SBM Offshore's Fast4Ward standardized-FPSO-hull program. ExxonMobil then came out as the suitor for the unit, and the FPSO will be deployed at its Liza field inâŠ
DIV Shipbuilding Wins the Deal to Build the 290m Residential Yacht
Ocean Residences Development Ltd. (ORD) has taken the next step in the development of M/Y NJORD, a 290m long residential yacht to be built by DIV Shipbuilding, which owns both Kleven Verft shipyard in Norway and Brodosplit shipyard in Croatia. Both shipyards will have a role in the construction of this vessel, with Brodosplit responsible for the majority of the steel construction of the hull as well as a significant proportion of the technical installations.
Rand Completes American Steamship Acquisition
New Jersey-based Rand Logistics said Thursday it has completed its $260 million acquisition of rival Great Lakes shipping company American Steamship Company (ASC)âŠ
Australia Pressing Yang Ming to Pay for Container Cleanup
Dozens of containers lost from a ship at sea have been recovered off the coast of Australia as the country's maritime authority continues to press the vessel's owner to pay the $11 million cleanup costs.The 63 boxes plucked from the bottom of the Tasman Sea are among more than 80 lost from Yang Ming's containership YM Efficiency about 20 miles from shore in June 2018. The Australian Maritime SafetyâŠ
Powering the Emissions Revolution
Beneath the decks of vessels across the U.S. a quiet revolution is underway. Inside their underbelly is a high-tech set of components that work in unison â quietly humming together to push vessels through the water without a splash.The technology isnât new. In fact, it has been powering cars and buses for years. However, with the rise in planet-warming greenhouse gases, itâs now making its way to the open water and creating a new wave of clean transportation.
Flow Batteries Tested For Zero-Emission Marine Propulsion
A new project, FLO-MAR, has attracted funding from MarRI-UKâs Clean Maritime Call to assess the feasibility of using flow batteries in vessels to enable zero-emission marine propulsion and auxiliary power. Four UK organizations will work together on the project to investigate how the design of electric and hybrid ships, from ferries through to tugs and wind farm vessels, can be optimized to accommodateâŠ
Trump Administration Issues Maritime Advisory on Sanctions
The Trump administration on Thursday issued guidelines to help ship owners and insurers avoid the risks of sanctions penalties, standards that maritime players and a senior State Department official said were modified following months of discussions with industry.The guidelines, known as a Global Maritime Advisory, concern sanctions on Iran, North Korea and Syria. The State Department said it is committed to disrupting sanctions evasion and smuggling of goodsâŠ
Disney Suspends Cruises Through July 27
Walt Disney Co announced on Wednesday it has suspended all new departures on its Disney Cruise Line through July 27 as the coronavirus outbreak continues.On its website, the company said guests currently booked on affected cruises will be offered either a credit to be used for a future sailing within 15 months of their original sail date, or a full refund.As a result of the âNo Sail Orderâ issued by the U.S.
Halter Marine Cuts Steel for US Navy Berthing Barge
Pascagoula, Miss. shipbuilder VT Halter Marine Inc., a company of ST Engineering North America, said it has cut first steel for the fourth Auxiliary Personnel LighterâŠ
Iran's Oil Exports Dwindle to Record Low
Iran's oil exports have sunk to a record low as the coronavirus crisis compounds the impact of U.S. sanctions already limiting shipments, underlining the diminishing oil clout of what was OPEC's second-largest producer.Exports averaged 70,000 barrels per day in April, down from 287,000 bpd in March according to Kpler, which tracks the flows. The difficulty assessing volumes means the total may be revised higher and Kpler told Reuters that could possibly be to as much as around 200âŠ
Seaspan Selects Alfa Laval's Steam Solution
Seaspan Ship Management selected Alfa Laval to help resolve steam balance and redundancy issues connected to sulfur-compliant fuels. The solution â an integrated steam boiler plant comprising oil-fired steam production, waste heat recovery, advanced control and connectivity â will be implemented on eight Seaspan-owned large container ships.Prior to the IMO global sulfur capâs entry into force, Seaspan Ship Management made the decision to work with sulfur-compliant fuels on its container vessels.
ClassNK AIP to NYK Line, MTI for Autonomous Ship Framework
ClassNK granted an Approval in Principle (AiP) to NYK Line and MTI for their joint project on the concept design of an autonomous ship framework (development code âAPExSâ).In January 2020, ClassNK released its âGuidelines for Automated/Autonomous Operation of ships" which comprehensively summarize the requirements for each stage of conceptual design, design development, installation, and maintenanceâŠ
US Sails Warship Near Taiwan
The U.S. navy said on Thursday it had sailed a guided-missile destroyer through the sensitive Taiwan Strait, a week before Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wenâs inauguration for a second term in office amid rising tension with China.China, which considers Taiwan its territory, has been angered by the Trump administrationâs strong support for the island, such as increased arms sales.Beijing-Washington ties have also been buffeted by fallout from the coronavirus pandemic and disputes over trade.The U.S.
