Maritime Industry Top News
Ingalls Launches US Navy Destroyer Ralph Johnson
Huntington Ingalls Industries’ (HII) Ingalls Shipbuilding division launched Ralph Johnson (DDG 114), the company’s 30th Arleigh Burke-class (DDG 51) guided missile destroyer, on Saturday. Ingalls has built and delivered 28 Arleigh Burke-class destroyers. There are currently four more under construction at Ingalls, including Ralph Johnson, which is scheduled to be christened in the spring of 2016. John Finn (DDG 113) was christened in May and is expected to undergo sea trials in 2016.
Heavy Iraq Crude Has Limited Appeal for US Gulf Coast Buyers
Sellers of a new grade of Iraqi oil are competing fiercely to win market share on the U.S. Gulf Coast, though high sulfur content has limited appeal for refiners of the crude, known as Basra Heavy.
Energy Management is the Future of the Cruise Industry
Royal Caribbean Cruises teams up with Eniram, cutting fuel costs by millions of dollars and reducing emissions of CO2 by tens of thousands of tons by improving energy efficiency through innovation. Cruise shipping is one of the fastest growing sectors in tourism, in 2015 attracting approximately 23 million passengers around the world. Cruise company Royal Caribbean Cruises is constantly designing and building new futuristic ships and partnering with the shipyards…
MERC Ships 500 Millionth Ton of Coal
Midwest Energy Resources Company (MERC) transshipped its 500 millionth ton of coal on Monday, December 14, 2015, with the loading of Interlake Steamship Company’s M/V Paul R. Tregurtha for the DTE Electric Company. MERC, which began operations in 1976, transshipped its 100 millionth ton of U.S. western low-sulfur coal in 1991, 200 millionth ton in 1998, 300 millionth ton in 2004 and 400 millionth in 2009.
Russia Supplies Syria Mission with Turkey's Old Cargo Ships
Earlier this year, an old refrigerator ship called the Georgiy Agafonov, built to transport fruit and vegetables for the Soviet Union, was quietly gathering rust…
DHT Holdings Extends VLCC Time Charters
DHT Holdings, Inc. has extended time-charters for three of its VLCCs to oil majors, the company announced. The vessels, Samco Europe, Samco Taiga and Samco Redwood…
Diesel Tankers Make Mid-Atlantic U-turn as Europe Stocks Swell
Tankers laden with diesel heading from the U.S. Gulf Coast to Europe are turning around in mid-ocean as European storage is nearly filled to the brim. At least three 37…
Simulation Complex for Paraguay Waterway Training
The Transas navigational simulator Navi-Trainer Professional 5000 was installed at the Center for Maritime and River Shipowners (CAFyM) in Asuncion for training crews in tugs operations in the Parana-Paraguay Waterway. The project was carried out in conjunction with VTG S.R.L., the Transas' local representative, which is covering commercial and technical needs of the Paraguayan market for all Transas products.
SSI Development for Computer Aided Robotics Welding
CAD/CAM software maker SSI said it is developing solutions for Computer Aided Robotics Welding (CAR-W) consistent with its recent innovations in the area of 3D weld management. This research project is under the aegis of the U.S. Navy's National Shipbuilding Research Program (NSRP). On December 10-11, 2015, SSI representatives met with representatives from Wolf Robotics and Edison Welding Institute to further advance this development.
ExxonMobil Introduces MFMS in Hong Kong
ExxonMobil announced it has introduced the first independently accredited mass flow metering system (MFMS) in Hong Kong, following introduction of the system in Singapore. The fuel delivery system can help save vessel operators up to an estimated three hours and $5,000 per refuelling while also providing increased transparency and efficiency to the bunkering process, according to ExxonMobil. The Hong Kong MFMS has been accredited by Lloyd’s Register…
MAN D&T Sells 60,000th Turbocharger
MAN Diesel & Turbo marked the sale of its 60,000th turbocharger after 80 years of turbocharger business, during the Marintec 2015 marine trade fair in Shanghai, by making a presentation to turbocharger customer, China Merchants Energy Shipping Co. Ltd. (CMES). The milestone has been reached with the (coming) delivery of 2 × TCA66-21 turbochargers, bound for an MAN Diesel & Turbo MAN B&W 7G80ME-C9 two-stroke engine powering a VLCC.
Rimorchiatori Riuniti Orders Damen ASD Tugs
Italian tug operator Rimorchiatori Riuniti has recently placed an order with the Damen Shipyards Group for two ASD Tugs 2913. Rimorchiatori Riuniti operates more than 100 vessels across a range of maritime sectors, including harbor towage and offshore. Amongst the company’s fleet are a number of Damen vessels. The most recent Damen vessel to join the Rimorchiatori Riuniti fleet was an ASD Tug 2411, delivered to the client in September 2014.
Norway Ushers in New Age of E-navigation
The Norwegian Coastal Administration (NCA) has initiated the first full-scale trial of e-navigation in Norwegian waters in conjunction with e-navigation technology and services company NAVTOR. The test sees the ferry MS Stavangerfjord digitally sharing its routing information with NCA via NAVTOR’s NavStation ‘digital chart table’. The project focuses on the way NCA receives vessel data. Until now,…
US Lakers’ Cargo Dips 15% in November
U.S.-flag Great Lakes freighters (lakers) carried 7.9 million tons of cargo in November, a decrease of 15 percent compared to both a year ago and the month’s long-term average…
Prevent Costly Cargo Wetting Damage
An important element of a vessel’s seaworthiness is its ability to resist the ingress of sea water into internal spaces. Yet members are continuing to experience…
Ampelmann Wins FPSO Walk to Work Contract in Brazil
Ampelmann, a developer of motion compensated access solutions, has been awarded its first contract in Brazil. Under the contract, Ampelmann will provide its E-Type system to Boskalis in support of an extended FPSO maintenance campaign. The Ampelmann system enables fully motion compensated ship to ship personnel transfers. Ampelmann’s track record on FPSO walk to work campaigns includes recent projects delivered in the North-Sea, Australia, Gulf of Mexico and Africa.
Alexandria Port Authority Orders 4 New Tugs
It is one of the world's most important trade ports: the Egyptian port of Alexandria, a metropolis of some 4 million inhabitants. Located right on the western end of the Nile Delta, the port handles container and cruise vessels bound for the Suez Canal. Following the opening of the Suez Canal expansion in August, Egypt is hoping for a significant increase in transiting vessels. The Port Authority has…
Liberty Chooses Ecochlor BWTS
The Ecochlor Ballast Water Treatment System (BWTS) has been selected for installation on board Liberty Maritime Corporation’s fleet of nine U.S. and foreign flagged ro/ro and bulk carrier vessels. According to Ecochlor, Liberty’s quality management programs recognize the need for eco-friendly solutions in the global marketplace and they continually strive to meet and exceed all environmental standards set forth by the IMO, the U.S. government and all local jurisdictions in which they operate.
U.S. Navy Chief: South China Sea Arms Race could Develop
The U.S. Pacific Fleet Commander has warned of a possible arms race in the disputed South China Sea which could engulf the region, as nations become increasingly…
Coast Guard Responds to Lower Mississippi River Collision
The Coast Guard and local agencies are responding to a collision between two towing vessels on the Lower Mississippi River near Memphis, Monday afternoon. Watchstanders…
