Maritime Industry Top News
All-electric Autonomous RoRo Ships Under Development
Kongsberg Maritime and Massterly (a Kongsberg Wilhelmsen joint venture) have signed contracts with the Norwegian grocery distributor ASKO to equip two new all-electric vessels with autonomous technology, and to manage their operations at sea.ASKO, which currently transports its cargo by more than 800 trucks daily, is investing heavily in environmentally friendly technologies such as electric and hydrogen-powered vehicles.
LR Publishes Guidance on Methanol Bunkering
As stakeholders across the maritime industry assess future fuel options in support of the International Maritime Organisation’s 2030 and 2050 greenhouse gas reduction ambitions, Lloyd’s Register (LR) and the Methanol Institute (MI) have produced a Bunkering Technical Reference on Methanol, which is among the future fuels receiving close attention.The new guidance outlines the procedures required for…
PHOTO: SWS Shipyard Launches FPSO Prosperity Hull
China's Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding (SWS) shipyard has delivered another Guyana-bound FPSO hull for the Dutch FPSO specialist SBM Offshore.Following the delivery of the Liza Unity hull in late 2019, SWS on Monday delivered the Liza Prosperity hull, the second hull built under SBM Offshore's Fast4Ward standardized-FPSO-hull program. The construction of the FPSO Prosperity hull started in January…
Two Mauritians Killed in Collision Near Site of Japanese Ship Oil Spill
Two crew members from a tugboat involved in cleaning up an oil spill off Mauritius were killed late on Monday when their vessel collided with a barge in bad weather, a local lawmaker said.Four other members of the crew were rescued by helicopter and two were still missing, Mahend Gungerpersad, a member of parliament for the opposition Labour Party, told Reuters on Tuesday."This incident is going to add to the prevailing anger…
BIMCO: Agriculture Exports Make "Stunning Comeback"
BIMCO notes stunning comeback to Q2 agricultural exports nearly triple freight ratesAs agricultural dry bulk commodities exports took a dive in the first quarter of this year and painted a gloomy picture for Panamax and Handymax freight rates, a stunning second quarter comeback have nearly tripled freight rates.While total agricultural export volumes are now solidly up in the first half of the year…
Kanagawa Dockyard Delivers Tug to Adani Vizhinjam Port
Kanagawa Dockyard Co. Ltd, Kobe, Japan delivered the tug, Dolphin No. 29 on August 19, 2020, the fourth, in a series of 13 tugs, built for Adani Group. The tug will be engaged in mooring and towing work for berthing and un-berthing at the Adani Vizhinjam Port and on the coast of India.The tow tug has a 55t BP capacity and is equipped with diesel propulsion engines totaling 4,400 PS and Z-drive propellers.
Maersk to Slash Jobs in Major Reorganization
Maersk will cut jobs in a major shake-up that will affect a third of the shipping giant's staff as it seeks to integrate its seaborne container and in-land logistics businesses, it said on Tuesday.Maersk, which handles about one in five containers shipped worldwide, has been under pressure from investors to speed its transformation from an unwieldy conglomerate but has proved resilient in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic.Cost cuts and its reinstatement of more upbeat guidance last month have he
US Preparing Tighter Oil Sanctions on Venezuela
The Trump administration is looking to tighten oil sanctions on Venezuela in the near future, top U.S. envoy for the country told Reuters on Monday, by potentially removing exemptions that allow some oil companies to exchange Venezuelan crude for fuel from the OPEC member.U.S. President Donald Trump has ramped up sanctions on Venezuela's state-run PDVSA, its key foreign partners and customers since it first imposed measures against the company in early 2019…
'K' Line to Trial CO2 Capture
Japanese shipping company Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd. (“K” Line) said it will conduct test operations and measurements for a small scale ship-based CO2 capture system…
New Riverboat Delivered to American Cruise Lines
American Cruise Lines announced it has taken delivery of a new riverboat from Chesapeake Shipbuilding in Salisbury, Md.The 190-passenger American Jazz is the latest in American’s series of five new modern riverboats and will be added to the company’s fleet on the Mississippi River. American’s building plans have continued at full strength, despite this year’s pause in cruising.“American Jazz and the…
Alberta Oil Shipped Through Panama Canal to Atlantic Canada
On July 20, the tanker Cabo de Hornos delivered an estimated 450,000 barrels of crude oil to the Irving Oil refinery’s Canaport storage facilities in Saint John…
Turkey Extends Exploration in Disputed Eastern Mediterranean
Turkey said on Monday that its Oruc Reis exploration vessel will carry out seismic surveys in a disputed area of the eastern Mediterranean until Sept. 12, provoking…
C&C Marine Delivers Towboat to Maritime Partners
Belle Chasse, La. shipyard C&C Marine and Repair said it has delivered the second vessel in a series of 15 towboats it is building for Metairie, La. based Maritime Partners, LLC.The 2,600-horsepower, 84’ x 34’ towboat Brooks M. Hamilton was designed by Entech Design, LLC, based in Kenner, La., with the 3D modeling and production drawings done by C&C Marine and Repair’s in-house engineering department.
Mackay Completes Electronics Commissioning Aboard CCGS John Cabot
Mackay Marine said it has completed final electronics commissioning during sea trials aboard the future CCGS John Cabot. Constructed at Seaspan’s Vancouver shipyard, the new ship is the third Offshore Fisheries Science Vessel (OFSV) built for the Canadian Coast Guard (CCGS) under Canada’s National Shipbuilding Strategy.Mackay said it was selected to be part of the team to support Thales Canada in its…
"World First": Remote In-water Ship Surveys via ROV
As COVID-19 continues to challenge many business plans and practices, the advent of remote inspection techniques is growing in popularity. What is reported to be the world’s first in-water remote ship surveys using a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) have been completed by DNV GL.In-water bottom surveys using ROVs have now been carried out on three separate Wilson ASA-managed vessels with the first having been completed on the Wilson Fedje in December 2019 by a surveyor from Høvik.
VIDEO: Pioneering Spirit Brings Ninian Northern Topside to Lerwick
Pioneering Spirit, one of the world's largest vessels, reached Lerwick Harbour on Friday, August 28, carrying aboard the 14,200 tonne Ninian Northern Platform topside.Prior to the arrival in Lerwick, the giant catamaran had removed the Ninian Northern topsides in a single-lift from a jacket standing in 140 m water depth, at the Ninian oilfield around 100 miles (88 nautical miles) north-east of Shetland.Delivery of the Ninian Northern platform topside marked the inauguration of a new…
Chinese Buyers Snap up Indian Steel in Face of Trade Tensions
India's steel exports more than doubled between April and July to hit their highest level in at least six years, boosted by a surge of Chinese buying in defiance of tensions between Beijing and New Delhi.Traders said reduced prices had driven the purchases as Indian sellers sought to get rid of a surplus generated by the impact of COVID-19 on domestic demand and generate much-needed income.It was unclear whether the sales broke any trade rules…
Beirut Port Explosion: Death Toll Rises to 190
The death toll from this month's Beirut port blast has risen to 190 with more than 6,500 injured and three people missing, Lebanon's caretaker government said in a report dated Sunday.Lebanese authorities are probing what caused highly explosive material stored unsafely for years to detonate in a mushroom cloud, wrecking swathes of the city and fuelling anger at a political class already blamed for…
Saudi-led Coalition Destroys Explosive-laden Drone, Boat Launched by Yemen's Houthis
The Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen intercepted and destroyed an explosive-laden drone at Saudi Arabia's Abha international airport and a remotely controlled explosive-laden boat in the south of the Red Sea both launched by Iran-aligned Houthis on Sunday, Saudi state news agency (SPA) reported.As a result of intercepting the drone, some splinters fell on the airport, causing no injuries or damage, coalition spokesman Colonel Turki al-Malki said, according to SPA.Air traffic at the airport
EU Calls for End to Tensions in East Mediterranean
The European Union's executive called on Monday for dialogue with Turkey and demanded that Ankara refrains from unilateral steps that stoke tensions in eastern Mediterranean.Should dialogue not bear fruit, a spokesman for the European Commission told a briefing on Monday, the EU has already moved towards sanctions.That came after the 27 EU foreign ministers discussed last week tensions between the bloc's members Greece and Cyprus and Turkey, a NATO ally.