Quiet Time for Ship Recyclers
As August winds down, global markets gave us another week of shy half-gestures and newlywed hesitant moves, says cash buyer GMS, all while confidently pretending they were marching somewhere important.“Oil traders kept one eye on inventories, the other on geopolitics, and both cockeyed on the clock as WTI closed at USD 64/barrel with Brent just above USD 68—moves so small they looked like rounding errors. Yet the steady draw of about 3 million barrels from U.S.
Canada Launches New Major Projects Office
The Canadian Prime Minister, Mark Carney, has launched the new Major Projects Office (MPO).The MPO is headquartered in Calgary and will have offices in other major Canadian cities. Its mandate is to serve as a single point of contact to get nation-building projects built faster by streamlining and accelerating regulatory approval processes and by helping to structure and co-ordinate financing of these projects as needed.The MPO will accelerate projects by creating a single set of conditions…
Trump Wants Defense Renamed Department of War
The Trump administration is advancing plans to rename the Department of Defense as the Department of War, the Wall Street Journal reported on Saturday, citing a White House official, after U.S. President Donald Trump raised the prospect on Monday.Restoring the Department of War name for the government's largest department would likely require congressional action, but the White House is exploring alternative methods to implement the change…
Norway Selects British-Made Frigates
Norway said on Sunday it had chosen Britain as its strategic partner for the acquisition of new frigates in its biggest ever military investment, in a deal worth some 10 billion pounds ($13.51 billion) to boost the Nordic country's maritime defence.Germany, France, Britain and the United States had offered rival frigate designs in competition."The frigates are an essential part of our defence because they are key to defend our sovereignty…
Israeli-Owned Tanker Reports Nearby Explosion
British maritime security firm Ambrey said on Sunday that a Liberia-flagged Israeli-owned tanker reported an explosion nearby, southwest of Saudi Arabia's Red Sea port city of Yanbu.A vessel reported "a splash in close proximity from an unknown projectile and heard a loud bang", the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said, adding that the vessel's crew were all safe and it was continuing to its next voyage.In a later update, Ambrey said it assessed the vessel to be "aligned with" t
Egypt Signs Exploration Deals with Global Firms
Egypt has signed four agreements with international firms worth more than $340 million to explore oil and gas in the Mediterranean and Nile Delta, the Petroleum Ministry said on Saturday.The deals, signed by the state-owned Egyptian Natural Gas Holding Company (EGAS), provide for the drilling of 10 wells as part of the ministry's efforts to boost exploration and production.Egypt, once a regional exporter, has increasingly turned to imports to meet rising domestic demand as output declines from a
Belize-Flagged Bulk Carrier Damaged Near Odesa
A civilian bulk carrier flying the flag of Belize has sustained minor damage after hitting an unknown explosive device near the Ukrainian seaport of Chornomorsk, two sources told Reuters on Sunday.Chornomorsk is a large and strategically important seaport in Ukraine's southern Odesa region, one of three Ukrainian ports operating in a maritime transport corridor linking the Black Sea to the Mediterranean…
Greta Thunberg Joins Gaza Aid Flotilla
Climate campaigner Greta Thunberg joined a flotilla of boats loaded with aid for Gaza as they set sail from Barcelona on Sunday, aiming to break Israel's naval blockade and deliver food and other humanitarian supplies to the shattered enclave.Thousands of supporters gathered at Barcelona's port to see off the boats, many of them waving Palestinian flags and chanting "Free Palestine" and "It's not a war…
US Builds Forces in Caribbean: Why?
A large buildup of U.S. naval forces in and around the Southern Caribbean has officials in Caracas and experts in the United States asking: is the move aimed at combating drug cartels, as the Trump administration has suggested, or is it for something else entirely?Seven U.S. warships, along with one nuclear-powered fast attack submarine, are either in the region or are expected to be there soon, bringing along more than 4,500 sailors and marines.U.S.
Turkey Bars Israeli Ships From Its Ports
Turkey has decided to bar Israeli vessels from using its ports, forbid Turkish ships from using Israeli ports and impose restrictions on planes entering Turkish airspace, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said on Friday.He provided few details in comments to parliament which appeared to summarise steps that Turkey has already taken against Israel over the war in Gaza or has started to implement.Turkey has…
Trump Administration Cancels $679m of Funding for Offshore Wind
The Trump administration said on Friday it was cancelling $679 million in federal funding for 12 offshore wind projects, including $427 million for a California project.The move is the latest in a full-throated effort by the administration to undermine an industry that was central to former President Joe Biden's climate and energy agendas.U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced that the department was cancelling or terminating awards made under the Biden administration.Last year…
Hogia Announces David Wallgren As New Business Unit Manager
Hogia has appointed David Wallgren as the new Managing Director of Hogia Ferry Systems and Business Unit Manager for its newly established transport sector, Ports & Shipping. He joins from the DFDS Group, bringing over 25 years of experience in port and shipping operations. In his new role, he will lead the development of the sector, which develops IT solutions for terminal and shipping operations.Wallgren began his career as a port worker at the Port of Gothenburg.
Atlantic Shrike PSV Achieves 11% Fuel Reduction with SeaQ Retrofit
Atlantic Towing Limited has achieved a milestone in its decarbonization journey with the successful retrofit of the Atlantic Shrike. Equipped with Vard Electro’s SeaQ Energy Storage System, the Platform Supply Vessel has recorded an 11% fuel savings across all operations and substantial CO2 savings.As the maritime industry faces mounting pressure to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and enhance fuel efficiency, vessel owners are seeking solutions to modernize their fleets.
Eighth Island Class Vessel Joins BC Ferries
On 27 August, Damen Shipyards Group launched the latest Island Class ferry for Canada’s BC Ferries. The vessel is the second of four Island Class vessels currently under construction at Damen Shipyards Galati in Romania. Once operational, the ferries will provide low emission services connecting coastal communities along the coast of British Columbia.When delivered, the ferry will be the eighth Island Class vessel that Damen has built for BC Ferries.
Vattenfall Secures Dutch Base to Support Germany’s Largest Offshore Wind Farm
Vattenfall has signed a deal with EMS Maritime Offshore (EMO) to establish an operations and maintenance (O&M) base in the Dutch port of Eemshaven to support construction and operation of its planned Nordlicht 1 and 2 wind farms, which will become Germany’s largest offshore wind project.The site will provide direct access for service operation vessels (SOVs) and crew transfer vessels (CTVs), reducing travel times to the German North Sea exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
Crowley-Managed CS Anthem Joins Tanker Security Program
Crowley Stena Marine Solutions, the joint venture between Crowley and Stena Bulk, has received approval from the U.S. Maritime Administration (MARAD) to operate the CS Anthem tanker under the Tanker Security Program.The CS Anthem, a U.S.-flagged, 49,990-metric-ton, medium-range tanker, is crewed and managed by Crowley under a bareboat charter through the joint venture. The vessel joins Crowley-managed tankers Stena Imperative and Stena Impeccable in the Tanker Security Program…
Robots are Getting Very Good at Understanding the Environment Around Them
The July/August issue of Offshore Engineer includes an update on patrolling robots. They are increasingly being used for inspection, maintenance and repair, and they are increasingly being operated, human-in-the-loop, in a cyber world that is a detailed digital twin of their offshore environment.Energy Robotics, for example, has built a software platform for operating all available oil and gas ATEX certified robots, including those of ExRobotics, Taurob, and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries.
Phase 1 of S-100 Implementation Complete
Phase 1 of S-100 Standards implementation is now complete after the operational release of standards S-124 Navigational Warnings and S-128 Catalogue of Nautical Products.The S-100 framework is a new global standard created by the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO), in collaboration with other hydrographic offices around the world, that enables the integration of diverse datasets within a…
Biological Hydrogen Offers Alternative to Electrolysis
Biological hydrogen is a wildcard technology that could change what Roy Allegra calls the current hydrogen cold war.Allegra, based in London, is founder of RA Energy and Green H₂ Systems Modeling.He sees Europe scrambling to lock in alliances and signing deals in the Middle East and Africa to secure green hydrogen supply. These countries are aiming to lead production.Meanwhile, China is already leading in electrolyzer manufacturing capacity…
Steering Micro Switch Failure Led to Houston Collision
A steering control system component failure on a multi-purpose carrier resulted in a collision with a bulk carrier in the Houston Ship Channel, the National Transportation Safety Board said in a newly-released investigation report.The multi-purpose carrier BBC Africa lost steering as it was departing the channel on Aug. 25, 2023, and struck the moored bulk carrier Common Faith. No injuries or pollution were reported.
