US Port Labor Talks to Resume on Tuesday
Contract talks covering 45,000 dockworkers on the U.S. East and Gulf Coasts are set to restart on Tuesday in a labor dispute that will help set the pace of automation at ports stretching from Maine to Texas.The International Longshoremen's Association wants to eliminate past labor contract concessions on automation - notably the use of semi-automated cranes that stack containers on docks - arguing they pose a threat to jobs.The United States Maritime Alliance (USMX) employer group…
Additional Sanctions Possible for Russian Oil tankers
The Biden administration plans to impose more sanctions on Russia over its war on Ukraine, taking aim at its oil revenues with action against tankers carrying Russian crude, three sources with knowledge of the matter said.President Joe Biden's administration has sought to shore up support for Ukraine before President-elect Donald Trump takes office on Jan. 20, given the Republican leader's frequent complaints about the cost of U.S. support for Ukraine."It's a very substantial package.
US Storm, Weaker Dollar Push Oil to 12-week High
Oil prices edged up to a 12-week high on Monday as a winter storm boosted demand for energy to heat U.S. homes and businesses, and on support from a weaker U.S. dollar and expectations of tighter sanctions on Iranian and Russian oil exports.Brent futures rose 27 cents, or 0.4%, to $76.78 a barrel by 11:33 a.m. EST (1633 GMT), while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude rose 27 cents, or 0.4%, to $74.23.Both…
Philippines' Maritime, Air assets to watch China's 'monster ship'
The Philippines has deployed air and sea assets of its military and coast guard in its exclusive economic zone to monitor China's largest coast guard vessel, calling the ship's presence an act of Chinese "intimidation, coercion and aggression".According to the Philippine coast guard, the 165 m (541 ft) long vessel 5901, referred to by the Philippines as "the monster", was 65 to 70 nautical miles off…
Baltic Index Snaps 5-session Winning Streak
The Baltic Exchange's dry bulk sea freight index, which tracks rates for ships carrying dry bulk commodities, snapped its five-session winning streak on Monday,…
Ship Brokers: EU's clean fuel rules 'Inflationary'
European Union marine fuel rules, effective from Jan. 1 as part of efforts to cut emissions, will raise shipping costs, although firms with vessels that can run on alternative fuels…
USCG's MERPAC announces Advisory Committee Meeting
The Office of Merchant Mariner Credentialing is hosting an intersessional meeting of the National Merchant Marine Personnel Advisory Committee (NMERPAC) subcommittee on task 24-3 Operator of Remote-Controlled Survey Vessels of 65' or less.The subcommittee will meet virtually through Microsoft Teams on January 27, 2024, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. (EST).NMERPAC advises, consults with, and makes recommendations…
Strategic Marine Delivers Offshore Crew Transfer Vessel to AES
Singapore-based shipbuilder Strategic Marine has delivered its first Surface Effect Ship (SES) to All Energies Services (AES), specifically designed for offshore crew transfer operations within the oil and gas sector.The contract marks a major step in Strategic Marine’s ongoing collaboration with AIRCAT Vessels, ESNA – Espeland and Skomedal Naval Architects and AES bringing a 35-meter SES vessel to…
Boskalis to Bolster Fleet with ‘Largest Subsea Rock Installation Vessel in Industry’
Dutch marine services firm Boskalis has announced the latest addition to its fleet, a giant subsea rock installation (SRI) vessel with a cargo capacity of 45,500 metric tons, which is set for delivery in the first quarter of 2026.The vessel, named Windpiper, will be the largest SRI vessel in the industry, according to Boskalis.The Windpiper is set to play an important role in facilitating the energy transition working on offshore wind projects…
Bright Outlook for Ship Recycling
2025 seems to have started on an optimistic note in the ship recycling markets, with a noticeable willingness to buy from various buyers across the Indian sub-continent, reports cash buyer GMS.However, although the turn of the year seems to be bringing in a sprinkle of optimism, there remains little to be cheery about as key economic factors affecting the various ship recycling locations continue to…
TMC Compressors Chosen for Maersk Newbuildings
Yangzijiang Shipbuilding Group has awarded a contract to TMC Compressors to deliver its Smart Air compressors to six mid-sized dual-fuel methanol container ships that it is building for Maersk.Under the contract, TMC Compressors (TMC) will provide a complete marine compressed air system based on its Smart Air compressors, which it says offer up to 40% energy saving compared to conventional compressors.
Russia Clearing Beaches After Black Sea Oil Spill
Russia declared a regional state of emergency on Saturday in Crimea, which it seized from Ukraine in 2014, as workers cleared tons of contaminated sand and earth on either side of the Kerch Strait following an oil spill in the Black Sea last month.Mikhail Razvozhaev, the Russia-installed governor of the city of Sevastopol, said new traces of minor pollution required urgent elimination and declared…
Biden Expected to Ban Oil and Gas Development on Millions of Offshore Acres
President Joe Biden is set to ban new offshore oil and gas development across 625 million acres (250 million hectares) of U.S. coastal territory, Bloomberg News reported on Friday.The ban, to be announced on Monday, rules out the sale of drilling rights in stretches of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans and the eastern Gulf of Mexico, said the report, citing unidentified people familiar with the matter.Biden…
Subsea Sabotage in the Baltic Sea - a Timeline for Perspective
A Finnish court today denied a request for the release of an oil tanker suspected by police of damaging an undersea power line and four telecommunications cables in the Baltic Sea last week. The incident was one of several since 2022 in which underwater critical infrastructure in the Baltic Sea has suffered suspicious damage. Baltic Sea nations are on high alert and NATO has said it will boost its…
Podcast: Fascinated by Shipwrecks; USS Monitor Digitally Reimagined
“With all the archival data and that real archaeological data coming together, we’ve built the most accurate virtual model ever of Monitor, and I'm not just talking just the shell of it.
PDVSA 2024 Oil Exports Climb in Choppy Year
Venezuela's oil exports rose 10.5% last year despite political instability and changes to the U.S. sanctions regime on the country, as partners of state oil company PDVSA took more cargoes under licenses granted by Washington.As President Nicolas Maduro gets ready to start his third term in office next week following disputed election results, the OPEC country's oil exports rose for a second consecutive year…
Green Technology & Alternative Fuel Uptake
Clarksons Research have today released their latest Green Technology Tracker, including full year 2024 data points, charting the progress of alternative fuel uptake and investments in energy saving technologies across the global shipping fleet.Summarizing the latest Tracker, Steve Gordon, Global Head of Clarksons Research, commented: “With overall newbuild order volumes reaching their highest level since 2007…
Wärtsilä makes Dow Jones Sustainability Index Again
Technology group Wärtsilä has been included as an index component of the Dow Jones Sustainability Index Europe (DJSI) for the ninth consecutive time.The company was assessed based on its 2023 performance and was ranked within the top four per cent of its peers in the IEQ Machinery and Electrical Equipment sector with a total score of 62/100. The results were announced on 13 December 2024.“Receiving…
Great Lakes Limestone Trade Down in 2024
Shipments of limestone on the Great Lakes totaled 28.3 million tons in 2024, a decrease of 3.9 percent compared to 2023. 2024’s loadings were below the trade’s 5-year average by 2.9 percent.Loadings from U.S. quarries decreased 3.4 percent from the prior year to 22.8 million tons. Shipments from U.S. quarries were also below their 5-year average by 2.4 percent.Shipments from Canadian quarries totaled 5.4 million tons…
BOEM Advances Offshore Wind Leasing in Guam
In support of the current administration’s goals to deploy 30 gigawatts (GW) of offshore wind energy capacity by 2030 and 15 GW of floating offshore wind energy capacity by 2035…
