Christmas Island News

From June 10-13, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) partnered with the Government of Indonesia under the U.S. Department of State International Narcotics and Law Enforcement and U.S. Department of Defence Threat Reduction Agency programmes to enhance the security and resilience of the international maritime transportation system. Cybersecurity and incident response This reflects a joint commitment by both nations to strengthen cybersecurity collaboration and protect maritime crit...

Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) have emerged as significant priorities within the maritime industry's pursuit of sustainability. However, the industry's genuine commitment to embracing diversity, particularly concerning sexuality and gender, remains a topic of exploration. LGBTQ+: Beyond acronyms The LGBTQ+ community, comprising lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer individuals and many other inclusive identities, has long fought for societal acceptance. Historical taboos, social s...

Technology group - Wärtsilä announced it will supply its EnergoFlow and EnergoProFin propulsion solutions to four medium-range ('MR') tankers in the International Seaways fleet.  The devices will be used to upgrade the ships’ existing Wärtsilä controllable pitch propeller system resulting in an estimated five percent (5%) in fuel savings. These will be the first Ice Class 1A FS vessels to be fitted with the EnergoFlow solution. The order was booked by Wärtsil...

Norway-based maritime technology business, Shipnet, has collaborated with Source2Sea in an initiative to drive data-based and transparent catalogue ordering within the maritime supply industry. The PunchOut integration allows Shipnet users to access Source2Sea’s marketplace without leaving Shipnet, optimising the ordering processes onboard and the building and maintenance of procurement product data and assortments. Linking procurement systems Linking procurement systems with supplier c...

It is the launch of the International Maritime Cyber Security Organisation (IMCSO), an organisation that aims to raise the standard of cybersecurity risk assessment across the maritime industry. IMCSO The IMCSO has devised a certification programme for security consultants and a professional register, helping shipping organisations to confidently select experienced personnel. Alongside this, the IMCSO will also validate report outputs to ensure consistency with those reports then held on a ce...

Mitsubishi Shipbuilding Co., Ltd., a part of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) Group, has received orders from Toyofuji Shipping Co., Ltd. (Aichi Prefecture) and Fukuju Shipping Co., Ltd. Shizuoka Prefecture) for Japan's first methanol-fueled roll-on/roll-off (RORO) cargo ships. The two ships will be built at the Enoura Plant of MHI's Shimonoseki Shipyard & Machinery Works in Yamaguchi Prefecture, with scheduled completion and delivery by the end of fiscal 2027. The ships will be approximat...

Watson Farley & Williams advised Crédit Mutuel Impact and Atlante Gestion on their equity investment in SO TOWT to finance the construction of six new sailing cargo ships for TOWT TransOceanic Wind Transport (“TOWT”), the pioneering French low-carbon shipping company. The six new vessels are being built in Brittany’s Piriou shipyards for delivery in 2027. Once operational they will join the first two vessels of TOWT’s fleet, which are expected to enter commerc...

Rolls-Royce’s Power Systems division is expanding its mtu engine programme for military land vehicles to include a hybrid powerpack for special tactical requirements and a 10-cylinder, over 1.100 kW power output, version of the mtu Series 199 which has been extremely successful with NATO forces. Both concepts will celebrate their premiere at the Eurosatory defence trade fair, which takes place in Paris from 17 to 21 June. Rolls-Royce's strategic initiatives Dr Jörg Stratmann, CEO o...

FuelEU Maritime regulations, which will take effect in 2025, will help to encourage investment in research and development (R&D) for the maritime industry. The European Union initiative is aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions from ships operating within EU waters.  Adopting cleaner alternative fuels By setting increasingly stringent limits on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, FuelEU Maritime makes it clear to the industry that traditional high-emission fuels are not sustainable...

FuelEU Maritime, an EU regulation aimed at promoting the decarbonisation of fuels used on board ships, has entered into force and will apply to all ships above 5,000 gross tonnages calling at EU ports from January 1, 2025. FAQs on the FuelEU maritime In this 'FAQs on the FuelEU Maritime (2nd Edition)', the explanation regarding the responsible entities under the regulation and the necessary regulatory compliance timeline for shipping companies have been added, and the contents have been update...

It was destroyed in an explosion during the Blitz, hosted Cunard liners during the 1960s, and was a key link for trade in everything from sugar to second-hand appliances. Now an industrial site on the Mersey docklands is looking for a new occupier to continue the story of the extraordinary site. The rare lot of land at Huskisson Dock, owned by the UK’s second largest port operator, Peel Ports, will serve as an ideal hub for companies working in the distribution, manufacturing, and sp...

STAR Capital, a pioneering European investment fund manager, is pleased to announce that the STAR IV Fund has signed an agreement to acquire V.Group, a global provider of mission-critical services to the maritime industry.  STAR will lead a consortium of investors including Ackermans & van Haaren and others to partner with V.Group’s management team. The transaction is subject to regulatory consents and is expected to complete in early autumn 2024. Financial terms have not been di...

Energy Solutions, the provider of cost-efficient sustainable hybrid power solutions, was proud to support the 2024 British Marine Electrical and Electronics Association (BMEEA) annual marine apprenticeship competition held at the Seawork Expo 2024. The three-day show in Southampton, Europe’s largest on-water commercial marine and workboat exhibition was a big success, and excitement built for the apprenticeship competition held on the final day. Marine electrical and electronics The Bri...

Ocean Harvesting is currently developing generation 6 of its wave energy converter InfinityWEC in close collaboration with ball screw manufacturer NSK. A ball screw is a very good actuator providing a high ratio between linear motion and rotation to the generator, high efficiency, low weight and long life. However, ball screws are sensitive to the side forces and bending moments in the PTO caused by the surge motion of the buoy and high speeds that may occur in large waves. This challenge in th...

MacGregor, part of Cargotec, has received a large order for its 50-tonne active heave compensated (AHC) crane to be installed on board MMA Valour, a versatile and flexible multi-purpose platform supply vessel. The vessel has a proven track record in servicing a broad range of offshore work scopes across the energy and offshore wind sectors. The contract has been booked into Cargotec’s second-quarter 2024 order intake, with crane supply scheduled for the third quarter of 2025. Successful d...

Global demand in subsea markets for oil and gas continues to help drive growth at manufacturing, assembly and testing specialist Express Engineering, which is investing in capital equipment and its workforce. The international business, based in Gateshead in the North of England, has been enjoying buoyant growth during the last 12-18 months – growing its workforce while building a record pipeline of new work. With buoyant oil and gas prices and optimistic five-year forecasts from ene...

In 2022, Babcock and Barnacle Systems Inc. (Barnacle), an award-winning manufacturer of remote security and monitoring systems, formed a partnership through an Industrial and Technological Benefits (ITB) investment to support the completion of Barnacle’s marine vessel remote monitoring and security device known as ‘BRNKL Black’. Following the successful launch of BRNKL Black, both companies committed to building on their partnership and continued to seek additional oppo...

ABS has published a new notation that enables containership operators to load an additional tier of containers on deck with reduced risk of loss due to parametric rolling. CLP-V(PARR) combines the ABS Computer Lashing Program notation with mandatory Parametric Roll guidance to allow operators to optimise stowage and lashing of containers without loss of safety margin. Flexible loading configurations “Optimising container loading is key to efficient vessel operations but also has a found...

The International BoatBuilders’ Exhibition and Conference (IBEX), North America’s premier technical trade event for the recreational marine industry will take place at the Tampa Convention Center, October 1 - 3, 2024.  “We look forward to welcoming the marine industry once again to Tampa for this year’s Show,” said Anne Dunbar, IBEX Show Director. Technology and techniques “IBEX is where the industry comes together to do business and learn about the la...

Watson Farley & Williams (WFW) advised Navigazione Montanari S.p.A. (Navigazione Montanari) on the sale of the Valle di Nervion tanker to Middle Eastern buyers. The Valle di Nervion, which was previously used to transport oil products, was built in South Korea in 2004 at the Hyundai Mipo Dockyard Co. Ltd. Navigazione Montanari Founded in 1889 and headquartered in Fano, Italy, Navigazione Montanari specialises in shipping products for the oil and petrochemical sectors and counts among its...

Future newbuild ships of all types should be built without a sterntube and with a seawater-lubricated propeller shaft bearing arrangement, according to Blue Ocean Alliance’s Chris Leontopoulos. Speaking at a recent maritime industry forum in Hamburg, Mr. Leontopoulos said the sterntubeless ship design – jointly developed by Blue Ocean Alliance members ABS, Thordon Bearings, Shanghai Merchant Ship Design and Research Institute (SDARI), Wärtsilä, and the National Technical...

Cargotec Corporation announced on 1 February 2024 the approval of a demerger plan concerning the partial demerger of Cargotec according to which all assets, debts, and liabilities of Cargotec relating to the Kalmar business area or mainly serving the Kalmar business area shall be transferred without a liquidation procedure to a new Kalmar Corporation. Annual General Meeting The Annual General Meeting of Cargotec held on 30 May 2024 resolved the Demerger by the Demerger Plan. Upon the c...

Weathernews Inc. is pleased to announce the appointment of Craig West as our new European CEO, effective immediately. Craig will join the company's Executive Leadership Team, bringing a wealth of experience in the cloud, data, analytics, and AI industries, having successfully achieved growth and profitability across startup, scale-up, and corporate organisations. Craig's experience Renowned for his expertise in go-to-market commercial strategies, P&L management, and enterprise SaaS, Crai...

Crew proficiency in safe boat handling is vital for effective response with mission-critical naval operations - and US Navy personnel have been put through their paces to get up to speed with advanced davits being supplied by Vestdavit Inc. for a series of newly built expeditionary sea base (ESB) ships. Crew and davit operators serving on the newly commissioned USS John L. Canley (ESB-6) recently participated in operational training conducted by Vestdavit at a naval base in San Diego, Californi...

BERG Propulsion has won a contract covering the hybrid propulsion solution that ensure three wind-assisted Louis Dreyfus Armateurs (LDA) ro-ro vessels will maximise efficiency regardless of their mode of operation. Following delivery by China’s Wuchang Shipbuilding from 2026 onwards, the innovative vessels will carry Airbus A320 Family jetliner subassemblies from France (Saint-Nazaire) to the final assembly line in the United States (Mobile, Alabama). The ships have been designed by Delta...

Following a successful 6-month pilot, Ocean Network Express (ONE) UK in partnership with Freightliner will extend its commitment to use HVO100 fuel for all cargo transportation via rail. HVO100 fuel A 100% renewable fuel, HVO is made from raw materials such as vegetable oils, waste-based fat, and oil from the food industry. Switching to HVO can reduce CO2 emissions by up to 90% and is the best alternative to conventional diesel which is normally used to power freight trains. The fuel is certi...

Mr. Arno Nommensen has been appointed as the new Managing Director as of June 11. With over 24 years of experience, Arno is a highly motivated and focused sales and business development expert in the maritime industry. “After more than two decades of cooperation with Alphatron Marine from my previous position as a supplier, I feel very much honoured and proud to step into my new role as Managing Director of Alphatron Marine Germany. Together with the entire team, we will further build t...

Milaha, one of the largest and most diversified maritime and logistics companies in the Middle East, acquired the NAUTIS simulator to significantly enhance their crew’s ship-handling skills and ensure they are well-prepared for their upcoming duties. The NAUTIS simulator, initially installed at Milaha in 2015, has undergone several upgrades to its TVs and control panels over the years. Testament to Milaha’s dedication The simulator allows for the creation of scenarios...

Strategic Marine, a pioneering aluminium shipbuilder, is pleased to announce the construction of four 27m Z-Bow Crew Transfer Vessels (CTVs) to Ventus Marine in Europe and Taiwan. This milestone project is the result of a collaborative effort with renowned design firm BMT Limited, showcasing the latest advancements in marine engineering and technology. The contract signing signifies Strategic Marine’s commitment to delivering top-quality vessels tailored to meet the needs of the offshore...

Hefring Marine has announced a new partnership with Loodswezen, aiming to improve the safety and efficiency of the Dutch pilotage associations operations by installing the Intelligent Marine Assistance System (IMAS) on its latest pilot tenders. Loodswezen, also known as the Dutch Pilots' Corporation, is responsible for ensuring the safe and efficient navigation of vessels through Dutch waters. This includes providing pilotage services for ships entering and leaving ports, navigating through riv...