Maritime Industry Top News
NOSAC to USCG: Allow Domestic OSVs in Disaster Recovery
Last week, the National Offshore Safety Advisory Committee (NOSAC) overwhelmingly approved recommendations that the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) remove the hinderances that prevented U.S. energy-industry vessels, from assisting Puerto Rico with recovery efforts after Hurricane Maria.The offshore energy industry is serviced by highly specialized vessels. Offshore supply vessels (OSVs) have large open decks to carry cargo to offshore rigs.
Hythe Shipyard Opens in Southampton
Fairline Yachts announced the opening of Hythe Shipyard at its new manufacturing facility on the south coast of England. Originally designed and built by the U.S. Navy in the 1950s, the slipway at Hythe was used to launch landing craft that were manufactured at the site. Fast forward half a century and this impressive piece of mechanical engineering has been given new purpose as the only slipway of…
BSCS Wins Cruise Ship Management Deal
Bernhard Schulte Cruise Services (BSCS) was awarded technical management of Jalesh Cruises’ new vessel, MS Karnika. (formerly Pacific Jewel).The 70,285-ton, 2,000-passenger Crown Princess-class cruise ship is presently undergoing comprehensive refurbishment at Sembcorp Marine Admiralty Yard in Singapore prior to entering service from Mumbai, India in mid-April 2019. MS Karnika will operate cruises…
Navy Contracts for Austal USA
Austal USA was awarded a $261.8 million contract for the 13th and 14th Expeditionary Fast Transport ships (EPF) by the U.S. Navy, bringing the total value of the 14-ship deal to slightly more than $2 billionThe EPF’s large, open-mission deck and large habitability spaces provide the opportunity to conduct a wide range of missions from engagement and humanitarian assistance to disaster relief, and from maritime security support operations, to intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance.
Wärtsilä Power for Two New Tug Boats
The engines and steerable thrusters supplied by Wärtsilä are delivering for a pair of two new tug boats operated by the Turkish Directorate General of Coastal Safety. Following sea trials, the first vessel is already in operation, while the second will enter service in April 2019. The vessels were built in Eregli under project management by the Yutek shipyard and site team, and the orders with Wärtsilä…
The Ocean Cleanup: APL Signs On
Ocean carrier APL announced Tuesday that it will provide free shipping to The Ocean Cleanup, a non-government, non-profit organization working to develop technologies to rid the world’s oceans of plastic.“We applaud The Ocean Cleanup’s course in cleaning up our oceans. In partnering with The Ocean Cleanup, APL seeks to step up our efforts in protecting marine biodiversity. APL is fully behind The Ocean…
ABB Propulsion for China-Built Cruise Ship
China’s first domestically built cruise ship, to be built at Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. (SWS), will feature a power and propulsion package from ABB.From ABB's perspective the deal includes two Azipod steerable propulsion systems for the 323m vessel, due for delivery in 2023. The ship will be built to accommodate 5,000 passengers and is designed to suit the tastes of Chinese cruise travelers whose numbers are expected to rise to 8-10 million annually by 2025…
Norden Sells Four Bulk Carriers
In the last couple of weeks, Dampskibsselskabet Norden A/S has sold off four dry cargo vessels as part of its strategy to become increasingly asset light and reduce the owned fleet to a tradable size, the Danish shipowner announced on Tuesday.The sold vessels are 2002-built Panamax vessel Nordkap, 2002-built Panamax vessel Nordpol, 2007-built Supramax vessel Nord Express and 2011-built Handysize vessel…
HEC tapped for Innovative Ship Design
Concept Development of Large Cryogenic Liquid Transport of High Value GasesHerbert Engineering was selected by Agility Gas Technology of Park Ridge NJ to develop a ship design concept that will capitalize on Agility’s novel, less expensive yet safer technology to build large atmospheric-pressure cryogenic-liquid chemical transport ships. Specific designs are under development for very large volume liquid ethylene…
USCG: Limited Opening of San Jac River Announced
The USCG Captain of the Port has updated vessel traffic coordination directives. Facility cargo operations as of March 25, 2019 include Limited Opening of the San Jacinto River during Daylight Hours and Resumption of Cargo Operations.This MSIB is issued in regard to vessel traffic and facility cargo operations as a result of the chemical fire at ITC Deer Park in the Upper Houston Ship Channel (HSC).As of March 25th, 2019, the U.S.
Croatia Arrests 12 in Shipyard Probe
Twelve people were arrested in Croatia on Tuesday on suspicion of causing over one billion kuna ($152.16 million) in financial damage to the country's biggest shipbuilding group Uljanik and the state budget, the interior minister said.Uljanik, which is 25 percent state-owned and operates two shipyards in the northern Adriatic cities of Pula and Rijeka, has been battling to stave off bankruptcy due to liquidity problems that began in 2017.
EU may Extend Med Mission for Air Patrols
The European Union is considering a six-month extension to its Mediterranean mission, which is aimed at cracking down on smugglers and migration from Africa, but only for air patrols and training Libya's coast guard, according to a draft statement.The current mandate of the so-called Sophia mission expires this week and Italy wants to change it so that its ships are no longer patrolling and picking up people in the sea.
IMO 2020: Exxon Mobil Projects 25% Decline in High-Sulfur Fuels
Exxon Mobil Corp expects high-sulfur fuel oil demand to fall 25 percent by 2025, as a new set of emission regulations from the International Maritime Organization capping sulfur content in shipping fuel at 0.5% kicks in in 2020, a top-level official at the U.S. oil and gas company said on Monday.The International Energy Agency has forecast high-sulfur fuel oil demand to fall 60 percent next year, while…
Kinder Morgan quits Crude Export Venture
Kinder Morgan Inc has dropped out of a recently proposed U.S. Gulf Coast deepwater crude export venture, the project's leader Enbridge Inc said on Monday.The $800 million project…
MAN ES Invests in Hydrogen
MAN Energy Solutions is acquiring 40 percent of the shares of the electrolysis technology company H-TEC SYSTEMS. A contract confirming the partial acquisition was signed in Augsburg by Dr. Uwe Lauber, CEO of MAN Energy Solutions, and Ove Petersen and Heinrich Gärtner, executive managers of the GP JOULE Group. The contract also makes provisions for a majority or complete takeover of H-TEC SYSTEMS at a later date.
UK Industry Floats Offshore Wind Group
An advocacy group, led by RenewableUK and Scottish Renewables, has been launched by industry body RenewableUK to make the case for large-scale deployment of floating…
ION Bags Multi-Client Job in C. America
ION Geophysical Corporation has announced a new 2D multi-client reimaging program off the Pacific coast of Central America.According to the provider of acquisition equipment…
Van Oord, SGRE Win Windpark Fryslân Job
The consortium of Van Oord and Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy (SGRE) has signed a conditional contract to build the Windpark Fryslân nearshore wind farm in the…
Stena Installs Japanese Sleeping Pods
European ferry operator Stena Line has installed Japanese sleeping pods on its Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and Skåne vessels, operating between Rostock in Germany and…
Argus LSFO Price Assessments for Fujairah
Oil price reporting agency Argus Argus has launched low-sulphur fuel oil (LSFO) price assessments for the ex-wharf and delivered bunker markets in Fujairah.Fujairah…