Baltic Index dragged lower across all sectors
The Baltic Exchange's dry bulk sea freight index, which tracks rates for ships carrying dry bulk commodities, inched lower for a second consecutive session on Wednesday, dragged down by weaker rates across all vessels.The index .BADI, which factors in rates for capesize, panamax and supramax shipping vessels, was down 17 points at 1,063 points.The capesize index fell 23 points to 1,581 points. Average daily earnings for capesize vessels…
AAPA Announces Policy Agenda for America’s Ports
The American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA), the unified voice of our nation’s seaports, today released their policy agenda for the 119th Congress and the incoming Donald J. Trump Administration to revitalize America’s ports, keep America safe and secure, and unleash sustainable economic growth. The agenda was developed with extensive input from its 80 plus member public port authorities and…
DNV Class Notations for Safer Autonomous Shipping
DNV has launched a new family of class notations, Autonomous and Remotely Operated Ships (AROS), providing a framework for how autoremote vessels can achieve equivalent or higher safety compared to conventional vessels.Autonomous shipping, ranging from remote control operation to fully unmanned vessels, marks a major advancement in the maritime industry. These solutions can deliver a wide range of benefits including improved safety…
Svitzer Orders Another Battery-Powered Tug
Svitzer, a global towage and marine services provider, today announced it has ordered another battery-powered tug to add to its fleet.The tug will be used in the Øresund Strait between Denmark and Sweden. It will also contribute to achieving the ambitious targets Svitzer has set for decarbonising its global operations, to benefit its customers and communities.The new ASD electric tug is based on the design of naval architect Robert Allan Ltd.
New Helicopter Ops Guide Released by ICS
International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) Publications is proud to announce the release of the sixth edition of the ICS Guide to Helicopter/Ship Operations, an essential resource that has been setting the standard for safe and efficient helicopter/ship interactions for almost 50 years.Recognized as the go-to reference for shipping companies and crew, the Guide has been meticulously updated with input from leading experts in both the maritime and aviation sectors…
BIO-UV Group's TECH for Myriad on Board Streams
Tapping into its 35-year experience of treating municipal, residential, and industrial waters shoreside, France-headquartered BIO-UV Group has introduced a range of innovative solutions for treating more water streams onboard vessels.With its sights firmly on the cruise and ferry markets, the publicly listed company has introduced a suite of marine UV reactors for the disinfection and dechloramination of swimming pools…
WSP-Led Partnership Secures Baltimore Bridge Rebuilding Contract
Maryland Transportation Authority selected Bridging Maryland Partnership as its general engineering consultant for rebuild of Baltimore bridge that collapsed after…
Hybrid Waterjet Passenger Ferries Launched for Savannah, GA
Marine Jet Power (MJP), a global provider of waterjet propulsion, and Derecktor Shipyards New York announced the launch and christening of two groundbreaking passenger ferries for Chatham Area Transit (CAT) of Savannah, Georgia.These vessels represent a significant milestone as the first hybrid passenger ferries in the United States powered by waterjet propulsion.The two 65-foot ferries, The Juliette Gordon Low II and The Susie King Taylor II…
NextGeo Buys Another Geophysical Survey Vessel
Italian offshore services provider Next Geosolutions (NextGeo) has acquired a geophysical survey vessel from Dutch company SeaMar Subsea for $21.5 million.The Deep Helder vessel will be renamed NG Surveyor, and will be used for geophysical, geotechnical, environmental, and UXO (unexploded ordnance) survey activities. Built in 2014, NG Surveyor is 64.8 meters long, 15.8 meters wide, and features a 500 m2 deck space.Equipped with a Dynamic Positioning Class II (DP2) system…
New US Energy Department Chief to Call for More LNG
Chris Wright, President-elect Donald Trump's pick to head the U.S. Energy Department, will tell U.S. senators in his confirmation hearing on Wednesday his first priority is expanding domestic energy production including liquefied natural gas and nuclear power.Wright, 59, believes fossil fuels are the key to ending world poverty, which is a greater problem than climate change's "distant" threat, according…
Marine Fuel Sales in 2024 Break Records at Singapore Hub
Marine fuel sales reached fresh highs at the world's largest bunker hub of Singapore in 2024, official data showed on Wednesday, driven by record container throughput and higher deliveries of alternative marine fuels.Sales totalled 54.92 million metric tons in 2023, data from the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) showed. Total sales surpassed a previous record of 51.82 million tons in 2023.Container throughput climbed to 41.12 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) in 2024…
Construction of Damen’s First Cutter Suction Dredger in Azerbaijan Well Underway
The first cutter suction dredger to be built in Azerbaijan, Damen Cutter Suction Dredger (CSD) 650, is progressing according to schedule, with a planned delivery later in 2025.Baku Shipyard is building the CSD 650, with the design of the dredger and its materials package delivered by Damen Shipyards Group.The dredger, which will be ready later this year, will be operated by the Port of Baku, a transport hub on the western shore of the Caspian Sea.Named Engineer Soltan Kazimov…
MOL and JERA Ink Charter for LNG Carrier Newbuild
Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) has signed a long-term charter contract for a newbuilding LNG carrier with a vessel operation management company funded by JERA.This is the eighth contract for LNG carrier signed with JERA. The vessel will be built at the Geoje Shipyard of Samsung Heavy Industries, and is scheduled for delivery in 2026.It will be 290 meters long, with a breadth of 45.8 meters. It will feature a membrane tank of 174…
Large Vacuum-Insulated Liquid Hydrogen Tank Gains AiP
Lloyd's Register (LR) has awarded Approval in Principle (AiP) to HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering (HD KSOE) for its pioneering vacuum-insulated large-scale liquid hydrogen (LH₂) tank system. The successful testing of a large-scale vacuum chamber for this AiP marked the world’s first technical validation of large-scale LH₂ tank insulation design.The vacuum insulation system addresses some…
Royal Canadian Navy Vessel to Visit Antarctica
On January 10, the Royal Canadian Navy’s HMCS Margaret Brooke departed Halifax, Canada, on an historic mission - the first circumnavigation of South America and first visit to Antarctica by a Royal Canadian Navy vessel.As part of Operation PROJECTION – South America, the Harry DeWolf-class Arctic Offshore Patrol Vessel (AOPV) will visit ports across South America to strengthen international relationships in collaboration with Global Affairs Canada.
IACS Publishes Recommendation for Onshore Power Supply Systems
Onshore Power Supply (OPS), commonly referred to as “cold ironing” or shore power, is expected to play a critical role in reducing pollution and achieving global decarbonisation targets, so International Association of Classification Societies (IACS) has published recommendation, Rec. 182, a comprehensive framework to support the effective adoption of OPS systems.This recommendation provides detailed guidance for ship designers…
Action Needed on Seafarer Criminalization
InterManager is concerned at the increasingly harsh treatment of ships’ crew in some parts of the world and is calling on the IMO and shipping companies to get involved.Secretary General, Captain Kuba Szymanski, said: “There is a concern within the shipping industry that seafarers are being unfairly detained when authorities find something wrong with their ship, often when drugs are found onboard but also in other circumstances.
Pirates: More Guns, More Hostages
The ICC International Maritime Bureau (IMB) has reported an increase in the number of crew taken hostage or kidnapped in 2024.The IMB annual Piracy and Armed Robbery Report recorded 116 incidents against ships in 2024 compared to 120 in 2023 and 115 in 2022. It reveals that 94 vessels were boarded, 13 attempted attacks, six vessels hijacked and three fired upon.While the number of reported incidents in 2024 remains similar to those reported in 2023 and 2022…
VLCC Rates Spike as US Sanctions Bite
Supertanker freight rates jumped after the U.S. expanded sanctions on Russia's oil industry, sending traders rushing to book vessels to ship supply from other countries to China and India, shipbrokers and traders said.Chinese and Indian refiners are seeking alternative fuel supplies as they adapt to severe new U.S. sanctions on Russian producers and tankers designed to curb the world No. 2 oil exporter's revenue due to its war in Ukraine.Many of the newly-targeted vessels…
Egypt seeks four LNG cargoes for Feb-Mar delivery
Egypt has issued a tender seeking four cargoes of liquefied natural gas (LNG) for delivery between February and March, two trading sources told Reuters.The most populous Arab country has returned to being a net importer of natural gas, buying dozens of cargoes this year and abandoning plans to become a supplier to Europe after a steep decline in domestic gas output largely because of declining production…
