World First: Saildrone Captures Video from inside a Cat 4 Hurricane
Saildrone Inc. and NOAA have released the first video footage gathered by an uncrewed surface vehicle (USV) from inside a major hurricane barreling across the Atlantic Ocean.The Saildrone Explorer SD 1045 was directed into the midst of Hurricane Sam, a category 4 hurricane. SD1045 is battling 50 ft. waves and winds of more than 120 mph to collect scientific data, while giving a new view of one of earth’s most destructive forces.Equipped with a specially designed “hurricane wing…
Salem Harbor to Become Major Offshore Wind Port
A public-private partnership will aim to establish Salem Harbor as the Massachusetts’ second major offshore wind port.Vineyard Wind, set to be the first ever commercial scale offshore wind farm in the U.S., will work with Crowley Maritime Corporation and the City of Salem for the project.The agreement, part of the “Commonwealth Wind” proposal, is contingent upon the company winning an award by the State of Massachusetts…
National Geographic Resolution Delivered to Lindblad Expeditions
Lindblad Expeditions Holdings took delivery of National Geographic Resolution from Ulstein Verft, marking the official completion of the line’s second polar new build. Present at the handover ceremony in Ulsteinvik, Norway for the official signing was Nikolaos Doulis, Senior Vice President, New Buildings and Kenneth Pettersen, Project Director at Ulstein Verft. The vessel is now ready to set off for her inaugural polar voyage on November 17…
Ian-Conrad Bergan Rebrands as Bergan Marine Systems
Ian-Conrad Bergan, LLC.—a marine equipment manufacturer for over 45 years—announced the company’s rebrand, new leadership and new direction. Rebranding as Bergan…
Canada's CPPIB to Buy Ports America from Oaktree
Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB) said on Wednesday it had agreed to buy Ports America, one of the largest marine terminal operators in the United States, from investment firm Oaktree Capital Management LP.While no valuation was given in the announcement statement, the deal values Ports America at over $4 billion, according to two sources familiar with the matter.The transaction comes amid heightened interest in logistics…
Global Supply Disruptions Could Still Get Worse, Central Bankers Warn
Supply constraints thwarting global economic growth could still get worse, keeping inflation elevated longer, even if the current spike in prices is still likely to remain temporary, the world’s top central bankers warned on Wednesday.The disruptions to the global economy during the pandemic have upset supply chains across continents, leaving the world short of a plethora of goods and services from car parts and microchips to container vessels that transport goods across the seas.“It’s ...
GTT Tallies Tank Design Order for a New LNG Carrier from DSME
French engineering firm GTT said on Thursday it has received an order from Korean shipyard Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME) for the tank design of…
NORDEN Moves Into Port Logistics
Through a complex operation to offload bulk salt, NORDEN is optimizing the supply chain for customer Empremar.At a chemical plant in California, 30,000 tonnes of salt is being offloaded from a bulk carrier onto a private terminal. The salt will be taken directly to the plant and used to make chlorine.This shipment is one of eight per year that NORDEN will make for Chilean salt miner Empremar. While NORDEN has been shipping salt to the US for Empremar for 20 years…
Capesize Surge Boosts Baltic Dry Index to 53% Quarterly Gain
The Baltic Exchange's main sea freight index eased on Thursday, but still gained about 53% for the quarter on the back of robust demand for dry bulk vessels, especially capesizes.The overall index, which factors in rates for capesize, panamax, supramax and handysize vessels, fell 30 points, to 5,167, from the 13-year peak it scaled on Wednesday.Most of the quarterly gains were driven by the strength in the capesize segment, which transports 150,000-tonne cargoes such as iron ore and coal.
Singapore Convicts Nine in Southernpec Bunker Fuel Theft Case
Nine people have been sentenced in Singapore to up to three years in jail for cheating buyers out of $337,000 worth of shipping fuel, authorities said in a joint…
Greece Paves Way for China's COSCO to Raise Piraeus Port Stake
Greek lawmakers on Thursday approved an amended deal with Chinese shipping group COSCO that will allow it to raise its stake in Greece’s biggest port of Piraeus, paving the way for Greece to secure a major investment.Under a 2016 Greek privatisation deal, COSCO Shipping bought a 51% stake in Piraeus Port Authority (PPA) for 280 million euros ($328 million). It then committed to mandatory investments…
Complying with Court Order, U.S. to Hold Gulf of Mexico Oil and Gas Lease Sale in November
The U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) will hold an oil and gas lease sale for the Gulf of Mexico on November 17, complying with a U.S. District Court order.To remind, the Biden administration had paused all oil and gas leasing activities on federal lands and waters in January, citing climate crisis. A federal judge in Louisiana in June then ordered the resumption of oil and gas leasing on public lands and waters.Announcing the upcoming Gulf of Mexico lease sale on Thursday…
Wärtsilä Awarded Certification for EU Stage V Compliance
The technology group Wärtsilä has received marine sector commercial certification for compliance with the EU’s Stage V standards. The Stage V legislation, which came into force in 2020, tightens restrictions on non-road engines and equipment, and sets stricter limits on emissions, especially particulate matter (PM) and nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions. The certification applies to the total solution…
Hapag-Lloyd CEO Says Shipping Still in the Thick of Supply Chain Disruptions
Global container liner problems related to post-corona logistics hiccups have intensified in the third quarter and show no sign of letting up, the world's number five operator, Hapag-Lloyd, said on Thursday.Chief executive Rolf Habben Jansen told reporters in an online briefing that container usage in August was up 20% year-on-year.He said port congestion and high spot freight rates, caused by a combination of unexpected demand recovery and tight shipping space, would continue at least during th
Venable Joins HDR as Federal Transportation Director
Eric Venable recently joined HDR as the new federal transportation director.HDR has a long history of providing key transportation expertise to the federal government, whether federal highways, coastal ports, defense installations or more.Venable brings more than 25 years of experience in operations, finance, strategic marketing, business expansion, client and subcontractor relations, and contract negotiations for federal, public, and private maritime and industrial clients.
Austal USA Sets Up Ship Repair Yard in Alabama
Following the acquisition of additional waterfront along the Mobile River in September 2020, Austal USA reports it quickly established a ship repair facility that has had a booming response.“Almost immediately after word got out Austal USA had purchased the additional waterfront property, we were inundated with calls from commercial captains looking to return to Mobile to have their ships serviced…
Great Lakes Shipyard Wins $1.9 Million in Government Contracts
Great Lakes Shipyard, a division of The Great Lakes Towing Company, has recently been awarded government contracts amounting to more than $1.9 million.The contracts, which could be valued at nearly $2.5 million if all options are exercised, include haul out, maintenance, and repair work of the following vessels: U.S. Coast Guard: Cutter KATMAI BAY; and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers: Detroit District Floating Plant (Tug DEMOLEN and Crane Barge VELER)…
Dogger Bank Wind Farm: Alicat to Build Hybrid-powered Daughter Craft for North Star
UK-based offshore wind vessel operator North Star Renewables has ordered two hybrid-powered daughter craft from Great Yarmouth based-marine and engineering specialist Alicat.Once built, the vessels are destined for the Dogger Bank wind farm, 130km off England’s North East coast. They will utilize the combination of diesel and electric outboards, "a world-first for this form of workboat."Designed by Southampton-based naval architects Chartwell Marine in collaboration with North Star…
Qatar Strikes Long-Term LNG Supply Deal with China's CNOOC
Qatar Petroleum has signed a long-term LNG sales deal with China's CNOOC Gas and Power Trading & Marketing Limited, a subsidiary of China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC).QP will supply of 3.5 million tons per annum (MTPA) of LNG to CNOOC over a 15-year period starting January 2022.The SPA was signed during a virtual ceremony by Saad Sherida Al-Kaabi, the Minister of State for Energy Affairs…
The Case for Stock Boats
Could you imagine designing your own car or truck or airplane, and then trying to build it? Unless you’re Elon Musk, you most likely couldn’t.Today’s consumers don’t want to solve their own problems, they want turnkey solutions, and they want them now. In what industry—other than maritime—do you see customers designing their own products, putting them out for bid, and then dealing with time and cost overruns?
