Maritime Industry Top News
Samsung Delivers LNG Carrier to GasLog
Greek shipowner GasLog has taken delivery of a newbuild liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier from Korean shipbuilder Samsung Heavy Industries. The 180,000-cubic-meter-capacity GasLog Wales will operate on a 12-year time charter agreement with the principal LNG shipping entity of Japan’s JERA, GasLog said in its latest quarterly report.The handover follows the April 1 delivery of Samsung-built sister ship GasLog Windsor…
K-CAT Digital Tool Supports Siem Offshore
Kongsberg Maritime reported that its K-CAT (KONGSBERG Competence Assessment Tool) is receiving positive reports from the global oil & gas fleet supplier Siem Offshore, consolidating a deal between the two companies worth in the region of $68,000 (700,000NOK).A digital tool which enables personnel assessments to be carried out online, K-CAT’s abilities range from pre-employment evaluation through to crew competence verification.
Yara Birkeland Project Paused Due to COVID-19
Plans to launch the world’s first all-electric autonomous container vessel Yara Birkeland have been shelved due to the coronavirus pandemic and uncertain market conditions, said Yara International, the Norwegian company behind the project."Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the changed global outlook, Yara has decided to pause further development of the vessel and will assess next steps together with its partners…
USS Nevada Shipwreck Located
The wreck of one of the U.S. Navy's longest serving battleships has been found 15,400 feet beneath the surface about 65 nautical miles southwest of Pearl Harbor, researchers said Monday.The USS Nevada (BB-36), which served in two world wars over the course of a career that spanned more than three and a half decades, was discovered by underwater and terrestrial archaeology firm SEARCH, Inc. and marine…
Russia Tracks US, British Naval Ships in Barents Sea
Russia’s Northern Fleet is tracking a group of U.S. and British naval vessels which entered the Barents Sea on the morning of May 4, the Russian Defence Ministry was quoted as saying by the Interfax news agency.The U.S. Navy said earlier that four U.S. Navy ships and a Royal Navy vessel had entered the Barents Sea to conduct maritime security operations in what it called the challenging environmental conditions above the Arctic Circle.It said U.S.
French Minister Blames Mistakes for Navy COVID-19 Outbreak
France’s armed forces minister blamed an outbreak of coronavirus aboard the navy’s flagship aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle on mistakes taken to counter the disease.“An inquiry shows the ship’s commanders and their medical advisors over-estimated the ability of the aircraft carrier and its flotilla to confront the coronavirus,” Armed Forces Minister Florence Parly told a parliamentary committee.(Reporting by Tangi Salaun; Writing by Benoit Van Overstraeten; Editing by Jon Boyle)
SCHOTTEL Equips Eight Penguin Crew Boats
Following a testing and evaluation program, Singapore-based Penguin International Ltd. has selected SCHOTTEL’s Tunnel Thruster STT 51 FP for its flagship Flex-42X series of eight executive fast crew boats. Penguin is a designer, builder, owner and operator of high-speed crafts as well as a prolific builder of mid-sized crew boats and armored security boats for sales and charter. With a 95 kW electric motor controlled by a variable frequency drive…
Hurtigruten Aims to Resume Operations from Mid-June
Expedition cruise operator Hurtigruten extended an operational pause for its fleet of small, custom built ships until June 15, but hopes to gradually restart cruises from mid-June as restrictions brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic begin to ease.Hurtigruten CEO Daniel Skjeldam, said, "There is still a lot of uncertainty in what the next weeks and months will bring. However, we do see international restrictions gradually being lifted. Step by step, the pandemic is being brought under control.
Manila Cruise Flotilla Offers Crew Confinement in Comfort
In the past few weeks, Manila Bay in the Philippines has been transformed into the world’s biggest parking lot for cruise ships, none of which have any guests.More…
Container Volumes Dip at NY/NJ
The Port of New York and New Jersey experienced a 4.1% decrease in March container volume compared to March 2019, the Port Authority of NY & NJ said. March cargo volumes were 560,830 TEUs, compared to 585,098 TEUs in March 2019.Throughout the month, the seaport was fully operational and prepared to handle all vessel activity and respond to changes in volume as the regional economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic became clearer, the Port Authority said.
Tanker Crewman Medevaced Off Virginia
A tanker crew member was medevaced approximately 400 miles off the coast of Virginia, Friday evening.Watchstanders at the U.S. Coast Guard’s Fifth District command center were notified by a crewmember on the Marshall Islands flagged ship Arctic Flounder that a chief officer aboard had shown symptoms of a possible stroke.Aircrews aboard an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter and an HC-130 Hercules airplane from Air Station Elizabeth City, N.C.
United Wind Logistics' New Deck Carrier Delivered in China
Germany's United Wind Logistics has taken delivery the MV BoldWind deck carrier which will be used to transport turbines for offshore wind farms.MV BoldWind, delivered by Jiangsu Zhenjiang shipyard in China, will start her maiden voyage towards Europe, where she will be employed in a long-term charter in the offshore wind industry.On her maiden voyage, the vessel will carry Vestas wind turbine blades from China to Norway for DSV Panalpina…
Harvey Gulf Secures PSV Extensions, Fuel Contract
U.S. based offshore vessel owner Harvey Gulf International Marine announced Monday it has signed two 18-month contract extensions for two of its liquefied natural gas (LNG) powered platform supply vessels (PSV), Harvey Liberty and Harvey Freedom. The extensions will keep both vessels under charter well into 2022."Each vessel will produce EBDITA returns on a annual basis north of 50% to the company…
Collapsed Riverbank Disrupts Argentina's Exports
Ships transporting cargo from Argentina's Rosario grain hub through the Parana River are having to reduce their cargoes after a bank collapse obstructed the navigation channel, exporters told Reuters.Dredgers are working in the Parana to the south of the Rosario complex to try to restore the necessary depth of water for export traffic, but at present have no estimate of when normal operations on the…
China Issues Second Batch Fuel Export Quotas
China has issued 28 million tonnes of refined fuel export quotas in the second allotment for this year, little changed from the first batch of 27.99 million tonnes issued last December, according to four sources with knowledge of the matter.The quotas were released last week to five state oil companies, PetroChina, Sinopec, China National Offshore Oil Corp, Sinochem Group and China National Aviation Fuel Corp…
PHOTO: Van Oord's Heavy Lift Vessel Reaches Kriegers Flak Offshore Wind Farm
Van Oord’s heavy lift vessel Svanen has arrived at the Danish Kriegers Flak Offshore Wind field in the Baltic Sea off Denmark, where it will install foundations for wind turbines.The Dutch offshore contractor entered into an agreement with Vattenfall for the transport and installation of the foundations for Kriegers Flak wind farm. Van Oord will install the 72 monopiles and transition pieces. With a production capacity of just over 600 MW…
BIMCO: 2020 and the Collapse of Bunker Fuel Markets
The sulfur regulation from the International Maritime Organization (IMO) that came into force on 1 January 2020 took the center stage in the shipping industry at outset of the new decade. Four months on, the spotlights have turned to the coronavirus and the OPEC+ oil price war.The outlook for global economic growth remains bleak as the world is faced with the largest recession since the Great Depression in the 1930s.Commodity prices have declined across the board and most recently…
Equinor Extends Island Clipper Charter
Norwegian oil and gas company Equinor has extended the contract for Island Offshore's Island Clipper platform supply vessel.Equinor and Island Offshore had in 2018 signed a three-year contract /with options to extend) for the use of the vessel both as a PSV and a walk to work vessel, with the contract starting in April 2019.Island Offshore on Monday via social media announced that the contract would be extended for another year…
SWS Shipyard Delivers Two Platform Suppliers for COSL
Shanghai-based SWS shipyard has delivered two newbuild platform supply vessels to Sinoocean.The vessels the 'Guo Hai Min Xing' and the 'Guo Hai Min Sheng' - both of the ULSTEIN PX121 design - are operating for COSL – China Oilfield Services Limited, with whom they have a long-term charter.Two more vessels of the same design at SWS (Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding Co., Ltd.), have completed their sea trial and will also be delivered to COSL shortly…
Iran: 19 Sailors Killed in Naval Friendly-Fire Incident
One Iranian warship accidentally struck another with a missile during an exercise, killing 19 sailors and wounding 15 others, Iran's navy said on Monday.The incident took place during training in the Gulf of Oman, a sensitive waterway that connects to the Strait of Hormuz through which about a fifth of the world’s oil passes. Iran regularly conducts exercises in the area.The frigate Jamaran fired at a training target released by a support ship, the Konarak.