France News

The President of Valenciaport, Joan Calabuig emphasised his commitment to three strategic dimensions for 2030: economic, environmental and social. Valenciaport is going to be up to major investments and challenges for the Valencia Region such as the Power-Co gigafactory, and to the needs of sectors such as ceramics, agri-foodstuffs or textiles to provide them with an agile, solid and efficient response. Environment is an essential element The ports belong to all the citizens and must be a fac...

The fight against illegal immigration across the channel is a top priority for the French and British authorities. To address this, the two countries have signed an agreement funded by London to the tune of 72.2 million euros for the period 2022-2023. The aim is to set up a 'Smart Border' based on advanced technologies to secure the coastline and avoid drowning on board makeshift boats. It is in this context that the French company - HGH has been asked by the Ministry of Interior to provide sev...

Tokyo – based classification society, ClassNK has released ‘Guidelines for Additional Fire-fighting Measures for Container Carrier’, which specify requirements for indicating additional fire safety measures on container carriers as a class notation. With the expansion of logistics and the growth in ship sizes, the characteristics and loading methods of cargo carried by ships have increasingly diversified. To achieve a higher level of safety, efforts are being made to implement...

London International Shipping Week’s Headline Conference this year is shaping up to be an in-depth dive into global trade and economic security. Taking place on Wednesday, September 13th, 2023 at the London headquarters of the International Maritime Organization, the LISW23 Headline Conference will be chaired by LISW veteran Paddy Rodgers and is sponsored by Tsakos Energy Navigation (TEN), which will be celebrating 30 years as a public company. Central theme Taking the central theme o...

OXE Marine AB has appointed MWM and Transmidiesel as new dealers for OXE Marine's diesel-powered outboards in Brazil and Colombia. The appointment is made to strengthen OXE Marine's international expansion and means that the company is expanding its global network of dealers to Brazil and Colombia. MWM and Transmidiesel MWM manufactures engines that are used in, among other things, the automotive industry, and the agricultural sector as well as for power generation and marine applications....

Unseenlabs, the world’s first radio frequency data and solutions provider for Maritime Domain Awareness, is announcing the successful launch of BRO-9, its ninth satellite.    It blasted into space as part of SpaceX’s Transporter-7 Mission from the Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. It successfully made contact with BRO-9 a few hours after the launch. RF data collection Since 2019, Unseenlabs has launched in orbit nine satellites to provide radio frequency (RF)...

ClassNK has released new features for its GHG Emissions Management Tool, ‘ClassNK ZETA (Zero Emission Transition Accelerator)’. ClassNK ZETA ClassNK ZETA is a tool for visualising CO2 emissions and CII ratings of ships. It provides accurate current status and simulation of CII ratings by linking with ‘ClassNK MRV Portal’, which is a compliance supporting system for MRV schemes, such as IMO-DCS and EU-MRV regulation. The following three features are newly released: C...

Tokyo-based classification society, ClassNK has issued an Approval in Principle (AiP) for an ammonia fuelled gas carrier, which has been jointly developed by Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd., TSUNEISHI SHIPBUILDING Co., Ltd., and Mitsui E&S Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. Ammonia is expected to be used as a ship fuel for decarbonisation, since it does not emit CO2 when combusted. Meanwhile, adequate safety measures are imperative, as it has been pointed out that ammonia is toxic to humans and corrosive to...

Resolve Marine, a globally renowned company in ship and vessel salvage, rescue, emergency response, and specialised marine services, has announced the opening of a new warehouse and operations facility in Tacoma, Washington, USA. Resolve Marine has also appointed Chad Kasin as Pacific Northwest Facility Manager. The new facility expands the company’s successful marine services business in Alaska into the Seattle/Tacoma area, and will serve clients across ship husbandry, marine constructio...

Hempel A/S appoints Peter la Cour Gormsen as Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and Executive Vice President of Finance and names René Overgaard Jensen as Chief Transformation & Information Officer (CTIO) and Executive Vice President of Digital, Strategy & Transformation. In a change to its Executive Group Management, Hempel A/S announces the appointment of Peter la Cour Gormsen as Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and Executive Vice President of Finance. Peter joins Hempel on 1 June 2023...

Babcock was awarded a one-year contract by the Ministry of Defence (MOD) to help the British Army understand the applications and constraints of electric propulsion.  Partnering with electric vehicle (EV) experts, Electrogenic, Babcock will convert four in-service military Land Rovers, two protected vehicles, and two general services, from diesel fuel to EV using a drop-in kit and modified battery system. Alternative engine technology The vehicles will then be put to the test by the Ar...

As part of its long-standing commitment to restore service reliability and increase service frequency Neptune Pacific Direct Line (NPDL) is pleased to announce a comprehensive service upgrade to help restore supply chains, and address congestion and operational challenges at New Zealand and Fiji ports. Launching in late April 2023, NPDL’s new Australia New Zealand Pacific (ANZPAC) service will provide fixed day fortnightly sailings with 3 x 1700 TEU vessels (The Capitaine Tasman, Capitain...

The World Ocean Council (WOC) is pleased to announce the expansion of its SMART Ocean-SMART Industries (SO-SI) Programme through the appointment of a Programme Manager, with support provided by Singapore-based Swire Shipping Pte. Ltd. Mr. William (Bill) Staby, as Programme Manager at the World Ocean Council (WOC), will lead the SO-SI Programme to organise industry/science partnerships and promote data collection by ships, platforms and other offshore infrastructure, which can be used to host or...

Tokyo-based Classification Society, ClassNK has granted the Class C Innovation Endorsement Provider Certification to FUKUJIN KISEN CO., LTD, a ship-owning company based in Ehime, Japan. ClassNK offers its third-party Innovation Endorsement ‘Provider Certification’, which supports innovative initiatives, to companies and organisations. ClassNK's third-party certification ClassNK conducts the third-party certification on the initiatives to transform their own business methods As co...

The Governing Board of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has approved the appointment of Mrs. Olubusola Obasanjo-Akande and Engr. Christopher Amakulo as Directors. The NIMASA Board also approved the promotion of 22 Assistant Directors to Deputy Directors, 86 Chiefs to Assistant Directors and 400 other staff to their next grade levels. The Governing Board of the Agency ratified the promotion during a meeting held in Lagos, Nigeria. Staff promotions approved by the...

Ocean Harvesting is raising 400 000 EUR in financing for activities in 2023 to enhance the control system and optimise the design of InfinityWEC wave energy converter, leading up to a sea trial project of InfinityWEC in scale 1:3, planned for the period Jan2024 – Dec2025. This project has already been awarded a 2 MEUR grant financing from the Swedish Energy Agency, with an additional 3 MEUR in financing to be raised later in 2023. Power take-off solution InfinityWEC is a breakthrough...

With effect from 10 April, 2023, the Head Office of Pacific International Lines (PIL) in Singapore will be relocated to the following address: Pacific International Lines (Pte) Ltd 128 Beach Road #15-01 Guoco Midtown Singapore 189773 The main telephone number remains unchanged at +65 62218133. People are advised to send all mail and physical correspondences to the above new address from 10 April, 2023 onwards.

The Port of Milford Haven has made a significant contribution to ensure six pontoons continue to be available for leisure users of the Milford Haven Waterway for another decade. Working collaboratively with Pembrokeshire County Council, the Port will assist with costs towards the management, maintenance, and repair of the facilities at Dale, Burton, Neyland, Hobbs Point in Pembroke Dock, and Hazelbeach, for the next ten years. Pontoons The pontoons are used by recreational vessels and for p...

Last year one of OceanWise’s long-standing customers, The Peel Ports Group, approached them to come up with a solution to a historic problem they had with their fog signal management, as other previous attempts had not been successful. Peel Ports Group needed a bespoke fog signal control unit, which allowed their team to remotely manage signals via a web page. Control unit connects to OceanWise’s Port-Log data platform Using the OceanWise in-house marine engineering team, Peel Por...

Analysis of Xeneta’s Carbon Emissions Index (CEI) has revealed that Yang Ming is the container industry’s ‘emission hero’ for all relevant CEI-covered trades in Q4 2022. The Taiwanese giant was the industry’s only major player to score below the CEI performance baseline of 100 (set in Q1 2018) across all CEI routes. According to the Carbon Emissions Index (CEI), a unique solution from Xeneta and Marine Benchmark, Yang Ming found the industry’s best balance be...

In 2021, Waves Group was awarded the Marine Warranty Surveyor (MWS) services scope from Réseau de Transport d’Electricité (RTE) for the installation of two Export Cables for the St Brieuc Offshore Wind Farm grid connection, one of the first commercial-scale offshore wind projects in France. Located some 16.3 km off the coast of St Brieuc Bay in France, the wind farm will cover an approximate area of 75 km² and have a total generating capacity of 496MW. The 62 wind turbi...

In what marks a relatively new application for Thordon Bearings’ pioneering polymer material, Wilson Ship Management ASA (“Wilson”), a Norway-based ship manager, has replaced the greased bronze bearings on the hatch cover wheels of some of its dry cargo vessels with self-lubricating ThorPlas-Blue bearings. Wilson, which operates Europe’s largest short sea fleet of about 130 general cargo vessels, has now converted eight vessels following the success of the first retrofit...

In reference to the recent declining bunker prices, Mariana Express Lines Pte. Ltd. (MELL) has reviewed their BAF/BRF quantum for May 2023, please see below for update:  

In September 2022, VSTEP equipped the first training centre of Brabo Group in Belgium with cutting-edge NAUTIS simulators. VSTEP’s mission to enable learning through simulation technology is at the forefront of this collaboration, thereby allowing Brabo Group to train their crew and skippers from other organisations for safe and precise ship piloting and mooring. Brabo Group and VSTEP’s Collaboration In collaboration with VSTEP, Brabo Group – a Belgium-based company that spe...

FESCO Transportation Group (“FESCO”, the “Group”) intends to increase the total area of container warehouse in Commercial Port of Vladivostok (CPV, a FESCO company) by 20% by 2025. The first stage of warehouse expansion was the launch of a new production site “Warehouse 81” of 13.5 thousand m2 and an operational capacity of 1,113 TEU within the territory of the Commercial Port of Vladivostok (CPV). FESCO to increase total area of container warehouse at CPV...

One of the world’s renowned container terminal operators, APM Terminals, part of A.P. Moller - Maersk, has announced the expansion of its Maasvlakte II terminal in Rotterdam, Netherlands. The project involves a site of approximately 47.5 hectares with 1,000 metres of deep-sea quay. The Port of Rotterdam Authority is now constructing the new quay walls, which will be completed by mid-2024. The expansion will increase the terminal’s capacity by approx. 2 million TEU and the new sectio...

Hurtigruten Norway, which is working towards delivering its first zero emission ship by 2030, has kicked off an innovative research project, in partnership with research institute - SINTEF and 12 maritime partners. The new consortium is dedicated to developing innovative, zero-emission solutions for the future of passenger ships. Building sustainable vessels The partners aim to create the most energy-efficient and sustainable cruise ship ever built by 2030 Based on cutting-edge research, the...

Rolls-Royce has announced changes to their Board and Executive Team, adding leaders with proven track records of delivering success and a strong commitment to creating a high-performing, competitive, resilient and growing business. This follows the launch by Chief Executive - Tufan Erginbilgic, on 23 February 2023, of a transformation programme requiring a winning culture and shared determination to deliver sustainable earnings growth and cash generation. Changes to the Board and Executive Tea...

Babcock has been awarded a 12-month contract extension to continue its support of Skysiren, the UK’s implementation of the US defence Integrated Broadcast Service. Skysiren is part of a UK Five Eyes programme, which provides the UK Armed Forces with near real-time intelligence sources in a single broadcast data stream. Babcock has been installing Skysiren and providing support since 2017. This 12-month extension follows an extremely productive 2022 for the team, involving installat...

In close coordination with the UfM EU (DG MARE) and Jordan Co-Presidency, on March 28, 2023, the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) and the World Ocean Council (WOC) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at UfM Headquarters in Barcelona, Spain, in the framework of the 2021 UfM Ministerial Declaration on Sustainable Blue Economy and Roadmap for its implementation, and of the WestMED Initiative, supported by the UfM and by the European Commission. Based on the experience with sea basin and ma...