Maritime Industry Top News
Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) 2020 Postponed
Offshore Technology Conference 2020, one of the world's largest conferences and exhibitions dedicated to the offshore energy industry, will be postponed this year due to the coronavirus outbreak.The OTC 2020 organizers said on Friday that the conference, originally scheduled for May 4-7, 2020, would be delayed.“The Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) recognizes the unprecedented global challenge associated with the current COVID-19 pandemic.
A Raft of Cruise Lines Have Suspended Operations
Several major cruise operators have voluntarily suspended operations in response to the developing coronavirus pandemic. For most, the reason given has been "an abundance of caution".On Wednesday, Viking became the first major cruise line to temporarily suspend operations, canceling all river and ocean cruises scheduled to embark between March 12 to April 30. It said it expected to resume sailings on May 1.Princess Cruises…
Marine Tech: Marine Evacuation Systems from Survitec
As the cruise industry continues to prosper, so too does Survitec, a specialist in marine evacuation systems (MES). Survitec has a history of more than 160 years, with 2020 marking the centenary since RFD, now part of Survitec, was founded.The story of RFD’s technology dates back to 1920 with the introduction of an aircraft flotation product, essentially an inflatable ring, to prevent planes sinking when ditched.
FMC Commissioner Sees Some Normalcy Returning to Shipping
A U.S. Federal Maritime Commissioner said he sees some normalcy returning to trans-Pacific shipping amid widespread upheaval brought on by the coronavirus outbreak.Many Chinese manufacturing and logistics services have been severely hampered by the COVID-19 pandemic, in some cases forcing ocean carriers to cancel services to and from China and the U.S.The Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) said it has…
SAAM Towage Azimuth Tug Pair Ready to Work
The azimuth tugs SAAM Huasteca and SAAM Valparaíso, both owned by SAAM Towage, reached the ports of Veracruz and Colón, respectively, and will soon complete the process of registering and being licensed to operate.SAAM Huasteca is designed to perform escort functions, as required for large container ships to best enter the recently inaugurated northern area at the port of Veracruz, Mexico. It was built in Vietnam at the DAMEN SONGCAM shipyard…
Maryland Pilots Order Launch from Gladding-Hearn
Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding, Duclos Corporation announced Friday it has secured an order to build a fourth Chesapeake Class launch for the Association of Maryland Pilots, scheduled for delivery in December 2020.Since the Chesapeake Class pilot boat was introduced by the Somerset, Mass., shipyard in 2003, 21 have been delivered to 11 pilot associations throughout the U.S.With a deep-V hull designed by Ray Hunt Design…
China's Port Jam Eases, But Reefer Rates Soar
Severe congestion at Chinese ports is easing, say officials and industry participants, although a logjam of refrigerated containers has disrupted supplies of fresh and frozen food and pushed up freight rates outside China.Thousands of refrigerated containers carrying meat, seafood and fruit from around the world to China have been stuck for weeks at the country's ports after Beijing extended its Lunar…
ClassNK Grants AiP on LPG Reformed Gas Fueled Vessel
ClassNK granted an Approval in Principle (AiP) based on its Rule Part N which adopts IGC Code and its Guidelines for Ships Using Low-Flashpoint Fuels to Daihatsu Diesel for their concept design of a liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) reformed gas fueled coastal LPG carrier developed in cooperation with Iino Gas Transport, Osaka Gas, Izumi Steel Works, and Miura Shipbuilding in terms of safety assessments.The…
OKEANRYBFLOT Orders Another 'Supertrawler'
Tersan Shipyard in Turkey has signed a contract to build a new 108-meter freezer stern trawler for one of Russia's leading fishing companies. OKEANRYBFLOT's new trawler is slated for delivery in mid-2022 and will be the sister vessel to newbuild no. 1096 planned to be launched in June this year.The ST-191L design from Skipsteknisk is a 108- by 20-meter factory trawler, with accommodation for up to 150 persons on board.
EU Expected to Veto Fincantieri's Chantiers Bid
Italian shipyard Fincantieri has not offered any concessions to head off EU antitrust concerns about its planned bid for France's Chantiers de l'Atlantique, giving regulators no choice but to block the deal, people familiar with the matter said on Friday.A veto by European Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager would deal a serious blow to Italy's bid to create a European industrial champion in shipbuilding to better compete with Asian rivals.Fincantieri declined to comment.
Brazil Isolates Cruise Ship After Suspected Coronavirus Case
A cruise ship with 609 people on board has been isolated in Brazil's northeastern port of Recife since Thursday morning after a passenger showed symptoms similar to those of the new coronavirus, according to the Department of Health in Pernambuco state.A 78-year-old Canadian man with fever, coughing and breathing difficulties was sent to a private hospital in the state capital Recife after disembarking.The…
Autonomous Harbor Tug Tested in Singapore
A 27-meter harbor tug equipped with autonomous navigation capabilities has been put through its paces at the Port of Singapore, demonstrating functions such as smart navigation and collision avoidance which are key to the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore's (MPA) goal to enable autonomous ship operations within the world’s busiest transshipment hub.The IntelliTug project, led by technology provider Wärtsilä and marine services firm PSA Marine…
Icebreaker Aurora Australis Begins Final Voyage
It's an end of an era for Australia’s Antarctic icebreaker RSV Aurora Australis, which departed Hobart earlier this week for its final voyage after 31 years of service to the Australian Antarctic Program.The ship’s final trip south will be a two-week voyage to resupply sub-Antarctic Macquarie Island and transport expeditioners.“The Aurora Australis has been the backbone of the Australian Antarctic Program for more than three decades, so the vessel has a special place in our history,” said Austra
Chevron Wraps Sale of Malampaya Field Stake
U.S. oil major Chevron has completed the exit from the Shell-operated Malampaya gas project offshore the Philippines with the sale of its 45% non-operating interest in the field to Udenna Corporation. The sale deal was signed in October 2019.The Malampaya natural gas field lies about 50 miles (80 km) northwest of the Philippine island of Palawan. Net daily production during 2019 averaged 136 million cubic feet of natural gas and 3…
Japanese Wind Fans Bank Interest
Domestic and international lenders are vying for a slice of Japan’s nascent offshore wind power sector, which is expected to provide as much as ¥3trn (US$29bn) in project financing opportunities, albeit at very low margins.Akita Offshore Wind completed the nation’s first fundraising for a major offshore wind project last month, raising ¥80bn to build wind turbines near two ports in western Japan.Auctions for sites off Japan's shores are due to kick off in April…
Clipper Takes Over Klaveness Pool
Danish dry bulk specialist Clipper Bulk announced that it would acquire the Bulkhandling shipping pool of Supramax and Ultramax vessels, from Norwegian shipowner…
KOTC Adds New Gas Tanker
Kuwait Oil Tanker Company (KOTC) said that it received the giant liquefied natural gas (LNG) tanker, Umm Ruwaisat, as part of a major fleet overhaul.Accoding to Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)…
Tekmar to Protect France's first OWF
UK-based Tekmar Energy has secured a contract award from French cable installation specialist Louis Dreyfus TravOcean, to supply TekLink cable protection systems (CPS) for the Saint-Nazaire offshore
Vietnam Turns Away Cruise Ship Over Coronavirus Fears
Health authorities in the southern Vietnamese city of Ho Chi Minh want to stop a Bahamas-flagged cruise ship with Italians on board from docking at the economic hub on Friday over coronavirus concerns, state media reported.The Health Department on Thursday advised the People's Committee of the city not to allow passengers on the cruise liner, Silver Spirit, to disembark, the Tuoi Tre newspaper said.The department said the move is aimed at "limiting the intrusion of disease into the city"…
UK Limits Travel to Offshore Platforms
Britain's oil and gas sector association OGUK on Thursday banned people from traveling to offshore installations such as platforms if they have traveled to certain countries affected by the coronavirus in the previous 14 days.The ban comes after Equinor reported the oil industry's first coronavirus infection on an offshore installation on Wednesday, highlighting the challenge in preventing contamination…
