Maritime Industry Top News
SOS Welcomes Robust EU Action on Somali Coast
The SOS SaveOurSeafarers campaign welcomes the extension of the EU counter- piracy operation until end 2014, and the EU decision to broaden the scope of its naval operation in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean by extending the naval forces’ area of operations to include Somali coastal territory which allows it to take more robust action on the Somali coast. This is a bold step towards the goal that…
Incat Crowther Launches 24m CAT Ferry
Incat Crowther has announced the launch of 24m catamaran ferry Freedom Sovereign. Launched by Aluminium Marine in Queensland, Australia, Freedom Sovereign is a near sister ship to Fantasea Sunrise, launched last year. Freedom Sovereign has been delivered to Freedom Fast Cats, who have had considerable success with Freedom Flyer (built 1980) and Freedom Monarch (built 2010), both designed by Incat Crowther. Freedom Sovereign is configured to carry 195 passengers over two decks.
Expro Wins Performance Award
Expro Connectors and Measurements awarded high accolade platinum award. Cameron Leeds has awarded Expro Connectors & Measurements with a platinum award for 24 consecutive months of zero defect product deliveries. This accolade follows on from previous awards bestowed by Cameron, including gold, silver and bronze awards and also an award for continual improvement in quality performance. Expro Connectors…
Moore Stephens: Shipping Confidence Up
Shipping confidence up on expectation of rate increases but new investment appetite wanes. Overall confidence levels in the shipping industry increased slightly in the three months ended February 2012, to reach their highest level since May 2011, according to the latest Shipping Confidence Survey from international accountant and shipping adviser Moore Stephens. This is the third successive quarter in which there has been a small uptick in confidence.
MARIN Opens Depressurized Wave Basin
Following a true maritime tradition, the new DWB was christened. The representatives and attendees each had a bottle filled with water from their own organisation or habitat symbolising their connection with the new facility. MARIN’s unique Depressurised Wave Basin (DWB) was officially inaugurated on March 19 by Maxime Verhagen, the Dutch Minister of Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Innovation. Representing the combination of a depressurised towing tank with a wave maker…
USN Tests Security Response to Facilities, Personnel
The Navy wrapped up its largest annual security exercise after a week of training designed to test the service's ability to respond to nation-wide threats to its installations, units, personnel and families. The exercise, known as Solid Curtain-Citadel Shield (SC-CS) 2012, was led by Commander, U.S. Fleet Forces (USFF) and Commander, Navy Installations Command (CNIC)."Our intent was to accurately simulate real-world conditions…
Japanese Tsunami Casualty Spotted on Canadian Coast
Fishing vessel swept away by the 2011 tsunami found adrift after pacific transit. An aircraft patrolling the seas off British Columbia saw the 15m (50ft) vessel…
Suez Canal – Plot to Bomb Israeli Ship Foiled
The Egyptian authorities claim to have foiled an Iranian attempt to blow up Israeli vessels in the Suez Canal, the government-linked newspaper Al-Ahram Weekly has reported.
Liquid Natural Gas Carrier Ordered by Oman Shipping Co
The Oman Shipping Company (OSC) has signed an order for a new build LNG carrier with Hyundai Heavy based in Ulsan, South Korea. The LNG carrier, for delivery in 2014…
Icebreaker Christened – Largest from Edison Chouest Offshore
Claimed to be the world's largest and most powerful anchor-handling icebreaker the US$200 million, 360 ft vessel was christened Aiviq in the presence of dignatories including U.S. Rep. Steve Scalise, R-Metairie, Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, Sen. John Hoeven, several members of the Greater Lafourche Port Commission and Shell executives. The Aiviq whose primary task off the coat of Alaska will be laying anchors for drilling rigs will also be equipped to deal with oil spill clean-up operations…
Offshore Wind Turbine Installation Vessel Order for COSCO
COSCO Shipyard Group Co., Ltd., has signed a contract valued over US$150 million with an European shipowner to build a vessel specially designed for the purpose…
Shipbuilding – China Stuggles to Keep Pace with Korean Yards
South Korean yards took market share from Chinese yards in 2011 according to a recent report in the Danish Ship Finance Review. South Korea secured new orders of…
Software Radio Technology Wins Big Russian AIS Contract
Software Radio Technology plc (“SRT”} announce it has signed an AIS supply agreement with Transas Navigator (“Transas”) of Russia with an initial frame order for…
Costa Concordia – All fuel oil removed
SMIT Salvage successfully completed its assignment on the removal of fuel from the Costa Concordia. Over the last couple of days, the SMIT Salvage diving team was transferring HFO from the last settling tank in the engine room. Early this morning, the last tanks were completed, closed and sealed off. The entire oil removal process which lasted just over one month went smoothly and was executed in line with expectations.
Piracy – EU Naval Force Extends Mission, Sends Ships
The decision to extend the mission will enable Operation Atalanta Forces to work directly with the Transitional Federal Government and other Somali entities to support their fight against piracy in the coastal areas. In accordance with the relevant UN Security Council resolutions, the Somali government has notified the UN Secretary General of its acceptance of the EU’s offer for this new collaboration.
Shipbreaking Laws to be Tightened by European Union
The European Commission has proposed new rules to ensure that European ships are only recycled in facilities that are safe for workers and environmentally sound.
Ballast Water Treatment – USCG Amending Regulations
The Coast Guard is amending its regulations on ballast water management by establishing a standard for the allowable concentration of living organisms in ships'…
Report: Cameron Reaches Full Ocean Depth
According to a report on http://news.nationalgeographic.com, explorer and film maker James Cameron has arrived at the Mariana Trench's Challenger Deep, members of…
WISTA Japan Debuts at Executive Committee Meeting in Singapore
Karin Orsel, President of WISTA (Women’s International Shipping & Trading Association) announced during the recent WISTA Executive Committee meeting the formation of WISTA Japan. This brings the total number of WISTA chapters to 34 globally. “One of the highlights of this meeting in Singapore was the official founding of WISTA Japan. Thanks to the commitment of Yoriko Ishida, and Shoko Kaminori, Japan now is the 5th Asian country with its own WISTA Chapter” stated Orsel.
Tug Fleet Overhaul Commences
The Great Lakes Towing Company has commenced a major overhaul program for its Great Lakes fleet of 37 harbor assist tugboats. The ILLINOIS is the first of the Company’s tugs to undergo this overhaul at the Company’s new Cleveland shipyard. The new 770-ton Travelift; the largest on the Great Lakes, second largest in the Western Hemisphere, and the third largest in the World; permits the yard to “dry dock” on land several vessels at a time.
