Christmas Island News

Ports around the UK continuously command media attention, and most recently, the ongoing disruption to supply chains globally has had a great impact on the day-to-day running of our ports. One example is Felixstowe, the UK’s largest container port, which has been forced to turn away ships from Asia because of a lack of capacity. The severe lack of HGV drivers is adding to the problem too. It has been reported that the amount of time goods spend inside Felixstowe port, known in the indust...

MetOcean Telematics is pleased to announce it will be exhibiting at the International WorkBoat Show in New Orleans, LA from December 1-3, 2021. The International WorkBoat Show is a trade-only conference and expo for commercial vessel owners, operators, and builders as well as the vendors and suppliers that serve them. International WorkBoat Show MetOcean is looking forward to connecting with partners and attendees in the industry and showcasing the latest MetOcean systems and Iridium products...

Neste has been selected in the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices (DJSI) for the 15th consecutive year. Neste is included in both DJSI World and DJSI Europe listing, among the most sustainable companies in the world. Neste’s performance received the industry’s best scores in materiality and environmental and social reporting, contributing to the company’s inclusion among the top performers. Ambitious climate commitments “The recognition in the Dow Jones Sustainability In...

Water and a piece of the iceberg from Greenland were part of the exhibition at the UN’s climate summit in Glasgow. But how to move this gigantic iceberg piece over a 2,500 kilometres sea distance? Through network, Blue Water was contacted with an inquiry about this unusual task that need to be solved within a narrow time frame. Shipping the ice Several operators were already contacted but none were willing to undertake the demanding job. It concerned a piece of the iceberg from Narsaq i...

Two globally renowned companies in marine electrification, Volvo Penta and Danfoss’ Editron division, have worked together to power two of the United Kingdom’s first fully integrated hybrid electric crew transfer vessels (CTVs). The two fully integrated hybrid electric crew transfer vessels (CTVs) have been in operation at an offshore wind farm, for a month and are already making a positive environmental impact. Hybrid electric crew transfer vessels A recent announcement from COP2...

SBM Offshore is pleased to announce that during the Annual General Meeting to be held on April 6, 2022 (AGM) it will be proposed to appoint Hilary Mercer as member of the Supervisory Board as per that date. In the interim, Hilary Mercer will act as an advisor to the Supervisory Board. Hilary Mercer Hilary Mercer is a Senior Vice President in Shell Chemicals and leads the Shell Polymers business, which includes its Pennsylvania Chemicals facility in the U.S. Hilary has over 34 years of experi...

Vessul, the most advanced crew travel management tech for marine and energy, has partnered with Blue Marine Foundation (BLUE), a charity dedicated to restoring the ocean to health for everyone, forever. “Vessul’s connection to the ocean and all it provides runs deep, which is why our partnership with BLUE is so incredibly important to us as a company,” said Vessul COO Neil Ruth. Generating revenue “As a corporate partner of BLUE, Vessul is committed to suppor...

Wan Hai Lines Ltd. is pleased to announce its plan to expand its existing service network between China to Southeast Asia, by launching a new weekly service from Central China to Cambodia & Thailand, on 1st December 2020. China to Cambodia/Thailand (CT5) Service The China to Cambodia/Thailand Service, named CT5 will be operated with 3 vessels, with an intake of 1,200 TEU. Wan Hai Lines will deploy 1 vessel, while its partners - Yang Ming Lines and Sealand Maersk Asia will operate the two v...

BAE Systems has announced that it is extending its partnership with Keep Scotland Beautiful to become the primary supporter of the charity’s Upstream Battle® campaign on the River Clyde and its tributaries. The partnership, which has already seen the creation of two new Community Clean Up Hubs in Scotstoun and Govan, will continue to raise awareness of the problem of marine litter from source to sea and inspire action to improve waterways throughout the Clyde Valley. Funding BAE Sys...

Urban areas account for over 70 percent of the world’s CO2 emissions, with heating and cooling representing the largest share of energy consumption, so delivering sustainable and affordable heating and cooling to cities is a priority in the fight against climate change. ABB will deploy its complete electrical, instrumentation, and control (EIC) package, motors and variable speed drives for the powerhouse of the heat pump, which will be the world’s largest seawater heat pum...

The Seafarers' Charity, the largest grant-awarding maritime charity, has unveiled its new website, making it easier to apply for grants and explaining the complete network of support provided. The Seafarers’ Charity works with delivery partners to support seafarers across the world, reflecting the global nature of seafaring. Support and care for seafarers Their diverse work over 2020 has included the COVID-19-focused Seafarers International Relief Fund, as well as their continued...

Global Survival Technology solutions company, Survitec has completed the acquisition of Blue Anchor Fire & Safety Ltd, one of Scotland’s major providers of survival solutions providers to the fisheries, maritime and offshore energy industries. The investment, part of Survitec’s expansion strategy, follows the acquisition in May of Norway’s Hansen Protection, a renowned provider of personal protective equipment. Acquisition of Blue Anchor Fire & Safety Ltd Baba Devani...

An exceptional operation was carried out in the Aabenraa Inlet. In a planned operation, a large semi-submersible freighter slowly submerged to prepare for the float-off of 'Magnor', the world’s biggest backhoe dredger. The purpose-built freighter is constructed for this specific type of assignment and can carry vessels that are unable to manoeuvre under their power.  Float-off operation For performing the float-off operation, the semi-submersible vessel ballasted to submerge its ce...

Satcom Direct (SD), the business aviation solutions provider, has inked a preferred supplier agreement with Slovenia-headquartered aviation services company - Elit’Avia. Voice, data, connectivity, and flight deck communication functionality, along with customer support and training, is now enabling Elit’Avia to optimise the full range of SD connectivity services for its mixed fleet.  Demonstrating the value of the SD Xperience portfolio, which enables customisation of bundled p...

MetOcean Telematics is pleased to announce we will be exhibiting at Pacific Marine Expo in Seattle, WA, from November 18-20, 2021.  Pacific Marine Expo is the largest commercial marine trade show on the West Coast, serving commercial mariners from Alaska to California.  Pacific Marine Expo 2021 MetOcean Telematics is looking forward to connecting with attendees and showcasing the latest MetOcean systems and Iridium products and technology. Visit the MetOcean Telematics team at booth...

Ocean carriers remain in pole position in negotiations for long-term freight contracts, with high demand, port congestion, and supply chain disruption driving further rate increases. The rise in freight rates  According to the Xeneta Shipping Index (XSI®) Public Indices, long-term rates recorded their tenth consecutive month-on-month rise in October, climbing by 2.2%. The indices stand at a colossal 93.1% up year-on-year, with little hope of relief on the horizon for embattled shipper...

Swedish freight technology company Einride and GE Appliances, a Haier company announced a partnership for the implementation of electric and autonomous transport at scale. It will be the first time in history an autonomous and electric truck is live and operating on U.S. soil. The partnership will represent Einride’s first installation with its renowned Pods in the U.S., which will operate on GE Appliances’ 750-acre Appliance Park campus in Louisville, Kentucky. The new fleet s...

DC Global Freight Management has chartered vessels directly from China to the UK, while the majority of shipping service operators will stop at several ports along the route to load and unload cargo. Many also stop in Rotterdam and Antwerp on the way and move containers to the UK with smaller vessels. Direct Freight Shipping Service There have been global issues around ports being overly congested due to the pandemic, a national shortage of lorry drivers, soaring consumer appetite for good...

The Mohamed Bin Zayed International Robotics Challenge (MBZIRC) will be held in the UAE capital, Abu Dhabi, in June 2023, where tech innovators will participate to seek marine safety and security solutions to take home more than US$3 million in prize money. Organised by ASPIRE, the dedicated technology program management pillar of the Advanced Technology Research Council (ATRC), the overarching advanced technology research body in Abu Dhabi, UAE, the MBZI...

SAFE Boats International has been awarded an $89,717,984 firm-fixed-price modification to a previously awarded contract for design, construction, outfitting, reactivation, and training for six Mk VI Patrol Boats with an option for two additional vessels. Increased workforce This contract will provide Mk VI Patrol Boats to Ukraine via a US State Department-approved agreement utilising Building Partner Capacity (BPC) and Foreign Military Financing (FMF) funds. Work will be performed in Washin...

Inmarsat, the globally renowned company in mobile satellite communications, has confirmed that its strategic partner, BSNL has received the necessary licences to deliver Inmarsat’s widely popular Global Xpress (GX) mobile broadband services in India. IFMC licence Under BSNL’s Inflight and Maritime Connectivity (IFMC) licence from the Department of Telecommunications, GX will be available to Indian customers across government, aviation and maritime. The announcement means t...

As part of the UK’s upcoming Carrier Strike Group tour, Rolls-Royce is all set to showcase to Indian Navy customers its capabilities to design, build and deliver customised power and propulsion solutions for India’s naval modernisation requirements. The company also expressed its keenness to explore opportunities for partnering the Navy with end-to-end solutions for the electrification of India’s future warships. Developing electric warships Speaking about the upcoming t...

Neste and Ravago aim to establish a joint venture to build an industrial facility for chemical recycling in North Sea Port in Vlissingen, the Netherlands. The facility is intended to be the starting point of joint global chemical recycling (often also called “advanced recycling”) activities, built upon the advancement of the thermochemical liquefaction technology of US-based Alterra Energy, an innovative chemical recycling technology company. With this, Neste, the producer of r...

MAN Energy Solutions has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Mitsui E&S Machinery Co., Ltd. (MES-M) and Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) regarding the low-speed, ammonia-fueled main engine that MAN Energy Solutions is currently developing.   The MoU provides for keeping MOL and MES-M updated on MAN Energy Solutions’ progress in this regard, with the ultimate intention of creating the basis for a more detailed LoI (Letter of Intent) leading to an actual purchasing contract f...

The OceanGate Expeditions 2021 Titanic Survey Expedition was connected by Inmarsat’s critical satellite communications. Inmarsat, the global front-runner in mobile satellite communications, kept the OceanGate Expeditions crew connected with team members and support services during the six-week expedition to document the important maritime heritage site located over 400 miles off the coast of Newfoundland in the North Atlantic Ocean. Satisfactory customer service “The OceanGate Exp...

Neste, the provider of renewable diesel and sustainable aviation fuel as well as a forerunner in renewable and circular solutions for the polymers and chemicals industry, further accelerates the implementation of its growth strategy by establishing an R&D centre in Singapore. With this investment, Neste aims to increase its R&D and innovation capabilities globally, and drive collaboration with partners in the Asia-Pacific region, especially in Singapore. Production capacity “Nes...

Neste and Hesburger, a Finnish restaurant chain, will engage in significant circular economy collaboration. Used cooking oil from more than 300 Hesburger restaurants in Finland and in the Baltics will be recycled to produce renewable diesel. As a result of the collaboration, Hesburger will begin using Neste MY Renewable Diesel™ in the majority of its transport vehicles in Finland, reducing the greenhouse gas emissions in these transports by up to 90% compared to fossil diesel use. Produc...

A.P. Moller - Maersk has announced the signing of a global end-to-end logistics agreement with Danish Crown from 2021. The three-year end-to-end agreement covers all Danish Crown’s business units, delivering solutions on ocean services, inland logistics and cold chain logistics.   Access to the digital supply chain platform, Tradelens, which is underpinned by blockchain technology, is also a core part of the agreement between A.P. Moller - Maersk and Danish Crown. A.P. Moller - M...

Rolls-Royce is further developing its mtu gas engine portfolio for power generation and cogeneration to run on hydrogen as a fuel and thus enable a climate-neutral energy supply. Already today, gensets powered by mtu Series 500 and Series 4000 gas engines can be operated with a gas blending of 10 percent hydrogen. Beginning in 2022, an operation with a hydrogen content of 25 percent will be possible. “After intensive tests on test benches and pilot installations at customers in 2022, Roll...

Inmarsat, the pioneer in global, mobile satellite communications, announces that Ben Palmer OBE will be joining the company as President of its Maritime Business Unit on 8 November 2021. Most recently head of Northrop Grumman’s Mission Systems division across Europe, Ben brings 25 years’ experience of driving transformational change in technology-heavy industries, including maritime, with a strong customer-centric focus and a track record of delivering results. Maritime sat...