Fujian Southeast wins Vroon AHTS sextet Fujian Southeast shipyard has won an order for six anchor handling Tug supply (AHTS) vessels from returning Dutch owner Vroon Offshore Services. The six 1,700dwt vessels will have an overall length of 65m, beam 16.4m and draft 5.4m with delivery scheduled for one at the end of 2015 and the remaining
Lauritzen to merge bulker and gas unit to simplify structure J Lauritsen, the Danish privately owned shipping group, will merge its Lauritzen Bulkers dry bulk shipping unit and Lauritzen Kosan small lpg carriers to simplify group structure and cut costs. "The Board of Directors of J. Lauritzen A/S has initiated preparations to merge J. Lauritzen A/S with ship
Keppel Singmarine, Baku Shipyard SCV order Keppel Singmarine has secured a contract from Baku Shipyard to complete design, fabrication, and outfitting works for a Subsea Construction Vessel (SCV). The SCV is a project that Baku Shipyard recently secured from BP Exploration (Shah Deniz) and is the first major contract secured by the shipyard
LNG refuelling spill caused by stability test A stability test of the Bergensfjord (2014, 31,678gt) ro-ro ferry while it was being refuelled caused an incident that has worrying implications for the use of LNG in ships. Skangass, the LNG supplier, and Fjordline said 130kg of LNG had leaked during the refuelling operations in Risavika on 3 May.
Shanghai Zhenhua secures Sealion order Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industries has secured an order for a DP3 Multi-Purpose Saturation Diving Support/Offshore Construction Vessel (DSV/OCV) from UK based Sealion Shipping. The order for the 9,450dwt Sawicon designed vessel was announced by Sealion, on behalf of Toisa and is scheduled for
Qingdao Wuchuan wins semi-sub heavy load pair Chinese shipbuilder Qingdao Wuchuan Heavy Industry has won an order for two semi-submersible heavy load carriers from Hong Kong based United Faith. The two 50,000dwt vessels will have an overall length of 216m, beam 43m, and are scheduled for delivery in early 2016. They are sisters to two vessels
Jaccar gets control of Bourbon Jaccar Holdings, the investment company of Bourbon group chairman Jacques de Chateauvieux, has succeeded in its bid to gain control of the listed French offshore vessel operator. Jaccar, which had a 26% stake in the company before the bid, said yesterday that it now held 53.38% of Bourbon's share
Gibraltar announces tariff cuts Gibraltar Port Authority has announced port fee reductions to enhance its competitiveness. The new fees include a 75% reduction on tonnage dues for vessels calling at the eastern anchorage whose purpose is to conduct provisions, stores, spares, and crew changes. This complements a proposed 75%
Genoa lands Costa Concordia breaking job The Italian government has given its approval to a plan to demolish the capsized cruise ship Costa Concordia in the port of Genoa. Costa Cruises, known to favour Genoa as the site for demolition of the ship, said that the refloating of the vessel will begin in two weeks. Once it afloat it will be
Van Oord cable-layer launched Dredging company Van Oord has launched the cable-layer Nexus. The new DP2 vessel was built and launched at Damen Shipyards in Galati, Romania, on 30 June 2014 and will be deployed to install electrical cables for offshore wind farms. It arrives at a critical time for Netherlands-based dredging and
Search for MT Arsenal leads to deserted ship Products tanker Arsenal, which was earlier reported as hijacked, is unlikely to be a victim of hijack but lost contact due to the failure of communication equipment on board, according to Singapore-based anti-piracy body ReCAAP. The 1,832dwt products tanker was carrying motor gasoline when it went
Anti-fouling on the way out? Biocidal anti-fouling coatings will be completely replaced by non-toxic alternatives, according to Akzo Nobel, the world's largest paint and coatings producer. Biocidal anti-fouling paints have struggled to satisfy ship operators since copper compounds replaced the tin-based biocides. These were
STX Dalian in receivership STX Dalian, the cash-strapped unit of the troubled STX Offshore & Shipbuilding Group, has been granted receivership in China, IHS Maritime was told today. STX Dalian and its six branches filed for court receivership with the Chinese court in Dalian, China, and the receivership was officially filed
Nam Cheong sells four vessels at $92M Singapore-listed offshore shipbuilder Nam Cheong has sold another four vessels worth around $92M, contributing to its orderbook at around MYR1.7Bn ($529.4M). Three platform supply vessels (PSVs) of 3,000dwt each, equipped with dynamic positioning system 2 (DP2) were sold to a repeat customer which
HMD wins contract for six products/chemical tankers South Korean shipbuilder Hyundai Mipo Dockyard (HMD) has won a contract to build six 25,000dwt products/chemical tankers worth KRW187Bn ($185M). The six tankers were ordered by US-based fund Alterna Capital Partners on 30 June. Each of the ships costs $30.8M and has a 169m length, a 25.6m breadth
HHI wins order for central processing platform Hyundai HI, the world's biggest shipbuilder, said today it has won an order to construct a central processing platform for Hess Exploration and Production Malaysia BV. HHI would provide engineering, procurement, construction, transportation, installation, hook-up and commissioning (EPCIC) contract
Korean shipbuilders to see dip in stock price Falling prices of VLCCs and Capesize bulkers would put pressure on South Korean shipbuilders' stock prices, said an analyst today. Daishin Securities' analyst Feynman Jeon observed that prices of VLCCs and Capesizes are falling for the first time in 13-and 15-months, respectively. He added: "Other
Westports extends Port Klang concession Malaysia-listed terminal operator Westports Holding has been granted the approval to extend its concession at Port Klang for another 30 years. Westports received the notice from the Port Klang Authority that its concession would be extended from 1 September 2024 to 31 August 2054, subject to the
Yinson Holdings see hike in 1Q14 profit Malaysia-listed offshore oilfield service provider Yinson Holdings Berhad (Yinson) saw a hike of 111% or MYR19.89M ($6.19M) to MYR37.86M quarter on quarter in its profit before tax for 1Q14. The increase was mainly attributable to the increase in contribution of the marine segment and joint ventures
CSDC to order three LNG carriers China Shipping Development (CSDC), a bulk shipping arm of the China Shipping Group, has given the green light to three newbuilding orders for LNG carriers in the Yamal LNG project. CSDC will guarantee the newbuilding contracts and timer charter contracts that will be signed by three 50-50 joint
Drewry: Rates could drop for both sea and air freight Global sea and air freight rates could decline by as much as 2.5 percent by the end of 2014, experts at Drewry Maritime Research say. The prediction was made at the end of an hour-long forecasting webinar hosted by research manager Simon Heaney and Philip Damas, director of Drewry Supply Chain...
Find more reliable ocean carriers to cut drayage turn times, BCOs, harbor truckers told Beneficial cargo owners and harbor trucking companies that consistently experience long turn times at container terminals may want to fire their ocean carriers. Late vessel arrivals are now being singled out as a major contributor to marine terminal congestion. "Pick carriers that run ships on time," Dan Smith, a partner at...
USPS seeks to alter pricing to tap e-commerce growth WASHINGTON - The U.S. Postal Service wants to change Priority Mail pricing so that overall rates rise slightly, starting in September, but shippers of lightweight packages get a break, a move aimed to capture growing e-commerce business. The postal service said it won't implement dimensional weight pricing like its two major...
All quiet on the western front As the hours wane on the current contract between terminal operators and longshoremen on the U.S. West Coast, most shippers are taking the silence from both parties as a sign that negotiations are going well and will result in little disruption. The contract between the International Longshore and Warehouse Union and...
West Coast ports breathe a bit easier with demise of P3 With China's rejection of the P3 Network in mid-June, West Coast ports no longer have to fear that a single operational entity will gain huge leverage in negotiations over port calls and terminal charges. However, the trend that the P3 and other carrier alliances have started - deploying bigger ships to...
FMC takes new approach to OTI licensing after industry pushback WASHINGTON - Forwarders and non-vessel-operating common carriers will learn by the end of the year just how far the U.S. Federal Maritime Commission has mitigated many of their concerns with a proposed overhaul of ocean transportation intermediary rules. The FMC plans to propose new rulemaking regarding changes to ocean transportation intermediary...
New York-New Jersey reports record-setting May Container volume through the Port of New York and New Jersey rose 3.7 percent year-over-year in May, as increases in import loads and empty export boxes offset a decline in export loads. The month's 287,881 lifts were the most for any May in the port's history, according to the Port Authority...
Former Damco chief takes over Hapag-Lloyd Rolf Habben JansenFormer Damco head Rolf Habben Jansen has taken over as CEO of Hapag-Lloyd, effective today. Habben Jansen has been a member of the Hapag-Lloyd's executive board since April 1. He succeeds Michael Behrendt, who left the container line's executive board on June 30, along with Ulrich Kranich, who was chief...
South Africa's Transnet investing billions in infrastructure Rising traffic through Transnet-operated South African ports increased revenue by over 14 percent this year, laying the groundwork for the state-owned company to invest 31.8 billion rand (approximately US$2.98 billion) in its logistics infrastructure. Transnet's 2014 annual results presentation showed the company's revenue was up 14 percent this year to 56.6...
Israeli court set to rule on government's 'golden share' of Zim An Israeli court is due to rule on the state's "golden share" in Zim Integrated Shipping Services after the ocean carrier failed to reach agreement with the Israeli government over the controversial issue that is the remaining obstacle to a restructuring of its $3 billion debt. A district court in Haifa...
Customs expert shares advice on West Coast diversions Although all signs are pointing toward a smooth resolution for the U.S. West Coast labor negotiations, the chance for disruption at ports manned by the International Longshore and Warehouse Union isn't off the table just yet. Following the release of guidelines for ship and cargo contingencies plans from U.S. Customs and...
Woodward out, Rubin in as Horizon CEO Steven L. Rubin has been named interim president and CEO at Horizon Lines following the resignation of Samuel A. Woodward, who had headed the Jones Act domestic carrier for the last two years. Rubin has been a Horizon director since November 2011. He is a principal of InterPro Advisory LLC, an...
West Coast labor talks continue as deadline nears Contract negotiations between the International Longshore and Warehouse Union and the Pacific Maritime Association continued today, although reaching an agreement by the deadline of 5 p.m. on July 1 does not look likely. Nevertheless, no one is panicking and disruption does not appear imminent. "The parties have been negotiating and will...
Food poisoning strikes crew US authorities are deploying rescue crews to aide a handysize bulker off Florida with all but two of its crew stricken with symptoms of food poisoning.
Eitzen keeps its victory Eitzen Chemical has successfully batted back an effort by a charterer and insurer seeking to overturn an arbitration decision, in part, because of an arbitrator's brain tumour.
Horizon CEO steps down Horizon Lines chief executive Sam Woodward has resigned, and a board member has taken the helm of the company on an interim basis.
Kathryn Ktistakis cleared A US judge has dismissed criminal tax evasion charges against Kathryn Ktistakis, the wife of Greek bulker owner Lucas Ktistakis.
Q2 turning point A disappointing second quarter for crude tanker owners may be remembered as the one in which depressed freight rates turned a corner, RS Platou says.
Lagarfoss at last Icelandic owner Eimskip has finally taken delivery of a delayed boxship newbuilding in China, but remains unclear when a second vessel will be handed over.
Enough for Danieli? Zim CEO Rafi Danieli wants to leave his role after the company's restructuring is complete, according to a source at shareholder Israel Corp.
Down on debut Havyard Group has traded down on debut on the Oslo Stock Exchange today.
KNOT bags duo KNOT Offshore Partners has completed the acquisition of two tankers in a $335m move.
NSB makes wind bid Germany's Reederei NSB has teamed up with offshore consultant Offcon to design two new wind farm ships.
Recovery riddle ICAP is hopeful for a recovery in the capesize market after a disappointing second quarter.
Genoa it is The Italian cabinet has finally approved the removal of the Costa Concordia for scrapping in Genoa.
Lauritzen cutting costs J Lauritzen is merging its Lauritzen Bulkers and Lauritzen Kosan subsidiaries in order to cut costs.
Keppel clinches contracts Singapore's Keppel group has won new contracts worth SGD 368m ($295m) to convert an FPSO and outfit a subsea ship.
Turku deal agreed The Finnish government and German shipbuilder Meyer Werft have agreed in principle to buy STX's Turku shipyard.
Swedes tackle spill The Swedish coast guard is recovering oil that has escaped to the surface from a cargoship that sank in 1977.
Navios aims for $105m Greece's Navios Maritime Holdings is targeting proceeds of $105m from its latest share issue.
Friends reunited DVB Bank has again raided Deutsche Bank for a top shipping man.
Alterna takes Mipo series Alterna Capital has returned to Hyundai Mipo with an order for six tankers.
Golar gets its money Golar LNG has completed a stock sale which should have brought in more than $700m.
Rupee incentive India is planning to offer low-cost loans to encourage owners to buy vessels.
Subsea 7 targets US Oslo-listed Subsea 7 is targeting US business, forcing two of its directors to resign.
Nam Cheong sells four Nam Cheong has secured contracts for another four offshore vessel newbuildings in deals worth $92m, it confirmed Tuesday.
Wisdom eyes New York Wisdom Marine Lines has said its long-term goal is to list its shares on the New York Stock Exchange.
Kiwis review ship safety New Zealand is to undertake a review of coastal navigation safety in the wake of increasing vessel visits to its ports.
U.S., South Korea enhance organic ag products trade Similar to previous U.S. equivalency arrangements with Canada, the European Union, and Japan, the arrangement with South Korea eliminates significant barriers, especially for small- and mid-sized organic businesses.
Chassis shortages reported in Southern California "I don't see that it is chassis any more than it is congestion," said Fred Johring, president of Golden State Express. "As these big vessels have started coming in, it has taken these terminals to their knees."
NYK releases enhanced auto program
Washington Notebook: CBP document imaging pilot enters third phase
Europe takes first steps toward Single European Sky The aim of the Single European Sky is to cut air traffic-management costs in half; reduce the environmental impact of each flight by 10 percent; increase air capacity; and improve safety.
State shifts some military electronics to CCL These changes, which are part of the White House's Export Control Reform Initiative, "enhance our national security by increasing interoperability with our close allies and partners," the State and Commerce departments said.
Fitch: SoCal ports can withstand short labor disruption
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