Christmas Island News

The EU adopted the eighth package of sanctions on 6 October 2022 in response to Russia’s continued military aggression against Ukraine. Several which further amend Council Regulation 2014/833. As well as imposing an asset freeze on several new individuals and entities, the Regulation contains the following provisions of particular relevance to shipping: Russian Maritime Register of Shipping The Russian Maritime Register of Shipping has been added to the list of Russian state-owned entit...

Lloyd’s Register has been announced as a Bronze Sponsor for Maritime UK Week. Starting on 10 October, Maritime UK Week 2022 will shine a spotlight on the latest developments in the maritime sector and engage people across the UK with the world of maritime.  Maritime sector Responsible for enabling 95% of the UK’s global trade, maritime touches every part of everyone's lives. As an island nation, during the pandemic, the maritime sector’s key workers kept the UK supplie...

Parties to the treaties which regulate the dumping of wastes at sea have adopted a statement identifying the need to carefully evaluate marine geoengineering techniques, which may have potential for mitigating the effects of climate change but may have adverse impacts on the marine environment. The statement identifies four techniques which need priority evaluation, involving either carbon dioxide removal (CDR) or solar radiation modification (SRM). The statement was adopted by the 44th Consul...

Parties to the treaties which regulate the dumping of wastes at sea have adopted an amendment to ensure that the dumping of sewage sludge at sea would be prohibited worldwide. The amendment to the London Protocol will remove sewage sludge from the list of permissible wastes - wastes which may be considered for dumping at sea. The amendment was adopted by the 44th Consultative Meeting of Contracting Parties to the London Convention and the 17th Meeting of Contracting Parties to the London Protoc...

As there are always better ways to address a market, CMA CGM – Short Sea Lines Division is pleased to announce their new butterfly MOROCCO SHUTTLE service, launching from Week 45 between Morocco | France | Spain. This new weekly service (starting ex Agadir on November 10th, 2022) - on top of addressing Moroccan cabotage - will enable to implement a sustainable maritime bridge between Agadir & Port Vendres for the upcoming fruits & vegetables campaign. This will allow a -75% CO2 em...

Siemens Mobility, along with consortium partners - ST Engineering and Stadler, have been awarded an Electrical and Mechanical (E&M) turnkey contract to deliver the Yellow Line for Kaohsiung Metro. Siemens Mobility will provide its state-of-the-art CBTC signaling technology with GoA4 functionality, which will allow for full automated train operations (ATO). Furthermore, Siemens Mobility will deliver its highly reliable and precise Airlink radio communication system, which will facilitate the...

Inmarsat Government, the provider of secure, global, mission-critical satellite communications to the U.S. Government announced that the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) has awarded the company the U.S. Navy Commercial Broadband Satellite Program (CBSP) Satellite Services Contract (CSSC II) for complex and worldwide end-to-end commercial satellite communications (SATCOM) services. In an Indefinite-Delivery, Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract, the ceiling value of the award is...

Maritime UK is publishing its Programme for Government. The launch coincides with the start of a UK-wide celebration of the maritime industries. The Programme for Government sets out the maritime sector’s policy objectives for the new Prime Minister and Ministers having been developed jointly with Maritime UK’s member associations. It is launched at the start of Maritime UK Week 2022. Policy proposals Maritime UK is the umbrella body and collective voice for the UK’s maritim...

As a result of Johanniter and VTSEP’s collaboration, Johanniter purchased Response Simulator with a maritime module from VSTEP for the exercise in February and March 2023. For this event, they will be using VR, showcasing how the environment will be affected by ship collisions and oil spills. Hence, the people in charge can be trained to make the right decisions to contain and combat it timely.  Reducing environmental impact VSTEP is proud to be a part of such a good cause. It stri...

Effective December 2022, CMA CGM is pleased to announce the launch of its new AMERICAS XL service, offering a direct connection between US East Coast and West Coast South America. Features AMERICAS XL's main features will be the following: 100% CMA CGM Operated Vessels. Only direct service on the market connecting West Coast South America to USEC. Direct weekly connection from/to Port Everglades, Philadelphia, and New York from/to Buenaventura, Guayaquil, Callao, and San Antonio. Connect...

Starting November 2022, CMA CGM is pleased to announce the launch of its NEW BRAZEX and the new dedicated service named MANAUS SHUTTLE, offering fast, reliable connection between the US Gulf Coast and Latin America & the Caribbean. Features NEW BRAZEX offers the following features: Improvement of the current BRAZEX1 and BRAZEX2 setup with x2 dedicated loops for South Brazil and North Brazil. Direct weekly connection to Cartagena and South Brazil. Improved transit time and schedule rel...

Inmarsat’s Fleet Hotspot has won the Mission to Seafarers Innovation Award at the Seafarers Awards Singapore 2022. Presented in a ceremony at the Regent Singapore hotel on 6 October, the award recognises Inmarsat, the world leader in global, mobile satellite communications, for its outstanding contribution to crew welfare. With the well-being of seafarers under heightened scrutiny since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and ensuing crew-change crisis, recent amendments to the Maritime La...

DSIT Solutions Ltd. – a pioneer in the development, manufacture, and supply of high-end, comprehensive, and integrated protection solutions against all underwater threat types – showcases at EURONAVAL 2022 its unique, multilayered defence solution for securing strategic assets against the various types of underwater threats in diverse ranges and sea depths. These include, among others, hostile military, terror and illegal activities, intrusion, sabotage, and smuggling by divers, Sem...

Eco Wave Power Global AB (‘Eco Wave Power’ or the ‘Company’) is pleased to announce that it will be providing sponsorship to AltaSea’s innovative and engaging Blue Hour 3: The Warehouse fundraising event on October 8, 2022, which will bring together art and technology to tell the story of the emerging Blue Economy. Blue Hour 3: The Warehouse will celebrate the ocean through various art installations spread throughout Berth 60 – a 60,000 square foot warehouse...

Valencia, the world cereal capital, celebrates the 62nd edition of the European Commodities Exchange, which brings together more than 3,000 participants and 90 companies from all over the world. The Prior and Consul Major of the Lonja de València, Vicente Ebri points out to his European partners that “A strong port is synonymous with trade and wealth for its people. The new container terminal in the northern extension of the Port of Valencia is more necessary than ever.” Vic...

The shipping industry has been shifting towards decarbonisation and aiming for net zero carbon emissions by 2050. The transition requires ships to pursue superior energy efficiency and optimised operational functionality in a reliable, safe and economical way while reducing the environmental footprint. DNV’s latest study has presented several potential decarbonisation strategies (A-D) for a new LNG carrier design to determine feasible approaches, so as to achieve compliance with the IMO...

Unifeeder is pleased to announce that from October 11, 2022, they will launch two new Scandinavian services to ensure weekly transit connections between Wilhelmshaven to/from Fredericia & Aarhus and Wilhelmshaven to/from Oslo & Gothenburg. The two new weekly services connecting Wilhelmshaven to Scandinavia include: Wilhelmshaven - Hamburg - Fredericia - Aarhus – Wilhelmshaven Hamburg - Wilhelmshaven - Oslo - Gothenburg – Hamburg Two new weekly services connect Wilhelm...

The electrification of HHLA Container Terminal Altenwerder (CTA) is entering its final round. In the future, the tractor units deployed on the journeys between block storage and the container rail terminal or the empty depot will be driven by battery power. In order to further reduce CO₂ emissions at CTA, seven new battery-powered tractor units have been ordered and will replace the previously used equipment that runs on diesel. This terminal process will therefore emit no CO₂, nitrogen oxide o...

Rolls-Royce has joined together with ITN Business, New Scientist and UK Space Agency for the programme ‘This Is Space’. The programme features key industry interviews and news-style reports along with editorial profiles. The company has long been a pioneer of innovation, with more than 60 years of nuclear expertise that is now reaching right into the heart of space technology and exploration. Filming took place at the Space Park Leicester with some of the top nuclear experts includ...

Rolls-Royce has completed a major investment in its Pascagoula, Mississippi site that will provide increased capabilities and capacity to support U.S. Navy programs. A new 26,000 ft 2 facility, with foundry and machining equipment provided by a U.S. Department of Defense DPA Title III grant, will increase the company’s ability to manufacture propellers and propulsor components for naval platforms. Authority comment Dan Rediger, Rolls-Royce Head of Naval Operations – Defense said,...

Viasat Inc. a Communications Company and INMARSAT, a provider of mobile satellite communications services, remain committed to working with the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) to demonstrate how their planned transaction will benefit airline, passenger and enterprise users of In-Flight Connectivity (IFC) in aviation businesses. Working with CMA “There is great interest in ubiquitous, high-performance, affordable IFC, so the CMA’s decision to proceed to a Phase 2...

Babcock International Group, the defence company, has been awarded the contract to deliver, install and provide in-service support for Ardent Wolf, the maritime Communications Electronic Support Measures (CESM) capability for the UK Royal Navy’s Type 23 frigates. The six-year programme draws upon company’s people’s unique knowledge of CESM and Babcock’s role as the Royal Navy’s principal support partner for the Type 23 fleet. The contract will involve equipment in...

Smart Sound Connect, the world’s first ocean-focussed 5G testbed, has been recognised by the mobile sector as a cutting-edge innovation platform for the development of the next generation of marine technologies. At the 20th Mobile Industry Awards, held at Lancaster House in London on the 22nd September, Smart Sound Connect was named as the 5G Innovation of the Year (Product/Service).   This prestigious award represents a significant endorsement of the network by the mobile industry...

“ESVAGT is very satisfied with the modification of ESVAGT LEAH and ESVAGT HEIDI at Ulstein shipyard, and we appreciate the high-quality workmanship and proactive cooperation with Ulstein Power & Control and Ulstein shipyard throughout the process for both vessels,” comments Kristian Ole Jakobsen, Deputy Chief Executive Officer (DCEO). ESVAGT posted a news update on 7 January 2022, after having tried their new additions to their fleet: "Both are fine vessels, and they have done a...

According to a press release from Shearwater, the dual ROV vessel is expected to be available to clients early in the second quarter of 2023 following a conversion of the SW Tasman multipurpose vessel. Designed to deploy ocean bottom nodes in both deep and shallow water the vessel will also be able to provide high-quality source for surveys and conduct towed streamer surveys. Ulstein Design & Solutions AS, the original vessel designers, will provide conversion engineering, with Evotec prov...

Portsmouth International Port will be opening up its doors for a community open day, in celebration of Maritime UK Week. The local community, staff and their families are invited to enjoy a day of exhibitions from port partners, interactive stands and behind-the-scenes access to port operations. The open day will showcase: What the maritime industry does for Portsmouth Maritime skills, jobs and future roles Protecting the maritime and port environment Lifeline operations Portsmouth...

Between January 2020 and March 2021, the average daily data consumption onboard a vessel in the global commercial shipping sector has nearly tripled. Inmarsat’s recent report has shown this consumption to grow from 3.4 to 9.8 gigabytes in just a little over a year. The worldwide maritime digital products and services market is reportedly worth $159 billion. A report by Thetius shows that this is 18% ahead of pre-pandemic estimates.  M2M devices In 2022, the market turnover is...

South East Asia’s largest defence exhibition, IndoDefence 2022 is scheduled to take place from November 2nd to 5th, 2022, at JIExpo Kemayoran in Jakarta, Indonesia.  IEC Telecom is thrilled to participate in this biennial tri-service defence technology and sales exhibition and shine a spotlight on the latest satellite-based security solutions. Satellite communication portfolio IEC Telecom will be displaying its high-precision satellite communication portfolio with solutions th...

Satellite communications have become central to the provision of crew welfare. The Maritime Labour Convention declared internet connectivity at sea to be a mandatory requirement and the International Transport Workers Federation has described crew comms as 'a human right'. With a crew shortage predicted by 2026, the maritime sector is emphasising new working practices to make an ‘office at sea’ attractive to the new generation of seafarers.  Communication solutions Large vess...

The Chief Executive of The Seafarers' Charity, Deborah Layde, was announced as Chair of the Women in Maritime Network. Deborah Layde was appointed to the role of Chief Executive in July 2022, after successfully leading The Seafarers’ Charity’s grant-making programme for 9 years. Proactive approach She describes herself as passionate about seafarers and Equality, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion. She has led the charity’s approach to EEDI which started with est...