United Kingdom (UK) News

SMEs who make up 99.8 percent of all businesses in the UK are invited to meet this week with UK government Trade teams at Seawork 2022. SME maritime network Vessel builders and marine technology and services companies are invited to join the maritime teams at stand G39, to find out how the Department for International Trade (DIT), UK Export Finance, and the National Shipbuilding Office can help to develop and win business in the UK and overseas. National Maritime is the UK’s largest SME...

As plans emerge that Maritime UK (MUK) is to support several potential stakeholders to establish a South East regional cluster organisation reportedly led by Dieter Jaenicke, Viking Maritime Group, they do welcome the continued emergence of MUK as a single leadership association for the maritime sector, as it strives to act as a conduit for bringing coherent sector support and reduced bureaucracy to add weight to arguments for infrastructure improvements and destination making, to stimulate econ...

Reinforcing its long partnership in providing solutions for the Brazilian Navy in the most diverse vessels of its fleet, WEG recently supplied two alternators of the G Plus line with a nominal power of 100 kVA, frame 250, and 4 poles. The alternators are responsible for generating energy for the entire vessel of the river transport vessel Almirante Leverger. To meet the protection needs of the application, the alternators were specifically developed with IP44 degree of protection and using fi...

The international marine specialist recruitment company - Marine Resources (Marine Resources Recruitment Ltd) have joined forces with the former President of the Chicago-based National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA), Dr. Thomas Dammrich and the former Editor and Owner of International Boat Industry magazine - Nick Hopkinson. This partnership aims to offer businesses in the leisure marine industry assistance with identifying and recruiting key management personnel. Bespoke head-hunting...

The Normal Amsterdam Water Level (NAP) has been used as the basis for Vessel Traffic Services in the port of Rotterdam for approximately 200 years now. On 1 July, 2022, the Port of Rotterdam Authority will abandon the Normal Amsterdam Water Level (NAP) in shipping communication. Effective from July 1, 2022, the Port of Rotterdam Authority will use the Approximate Lowest Astronomical Tide (ALAT) as a reference for water depths and water levels in the admission policy. Internationally,...

Nor-Shipping 2023, which is scheduled to take place from June 6 to June 9, 2023, looks set to build on the success of Nor-Shipping 2022 event, with strong early sales and commitments from numerous national pavilions to return to the exhibiting fold. A total of 14 countries have so far secured dedicated pavilions to showcase local expertise, including Singapore and Japan at Nor-Shipping 2023 exhibition. In addition, individual organisations, such as Siemens, ABB, DNV (with two stands), NCE Marit...

The Seafarers’ Charity, a significant funder of maritime safety and welfare initiatives, is celebrating Maritime Safety Week (4-8 July) with the launch of a new safety drill competition and is calling on everyone who works at sea to get involved by practicing and improving their crew muster drill. If users are a Marvel at the essential muster drill on the boat, users can enter the competition by posting a photo or video of their best time for their Muster Drill on their social med...

In early June 2022, representatives of shipping companies and Customs authorities from across the globe came together, in order to discuss ways to step up the fight against drug trafficking. The Conference was organised by the World Shipping Council (WSC) and the Container Control Programme (CCP), which is a joint initiative between the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the World Customs Organization (WCO). UNODC 2021 World Drug Report According to the UNODC 2021 World Drug Report, aro...

It’s been another bumper month for long-term contracted ocean freight rates, as the cost of securing container shipments climbed by 10.1% in June 2022. Following on the heels of a record 30.1% hike in May 2022, this now means rates stand 169.8% higher than this time in 2021, with just two months of declines in the last 18 months. Despite a degree of macro-economic uncertainty clouding the horizon, all major trades saw prices moving up, with some corridors showing significant gains. Xenet...

Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL), the innovator in global cruise travel with a 55-year history of breaking boundaries announced the next season of its visual storytelling platform, "EMBARK with NCL," with the first episode, "Caribbean Adventures," premiering Thursday, June 30, 2022, at 8 p.m. ET at their website and on Facebook. High-calibre offerings Following its successful first season, which garnered nearly 3 million views and showcased the Company's fierce resiliency as it returned to c...

On 29 June 2022, the ceremony for the naming and delivery of CULINES container newbuilding - CUL YANGPU & the signing of the strategic cooperation memorandum on Shipping Industry Fund was held at Huangpu Wenchong Shipbuilding in Nansha, Guangzhou, China. Huiming Xiang (Chairman at Huangpu Wenchong Shipbuilding), Kevin Ding (EVP at CULIES), Huiyu Wu (Part Committee Secretary & Chairman at Hainan Financial Holdings), and Jianmin Wang (Port & Shipping COO, Administration Committee of Y...

The Port Authority of Valencia (PAV) and the Provincial Council of Valencia have organised the first ‘Cruise Tourism’ training course, aimed at municipal technicians and tourism agents. A meeting point to expand the tourist offer, offered by the destination of Valencia for cruise passengers, with sustainable experiences in municipalities of the province, beyond the city of Valencia, and to work to deseasonalise cruise tourism that calls at the Port of Valencia, in Spain. From the p...

The Seafarers’ Charity is delighted to welcome five new trustees to the charity following the retirement of three trustees who stepped down at the end of their tenure at the charity’s Annual Meeting; two further trustees will retire at 2023’s Annual Meeting. Creative, collaborative, and evidence-based solutions The Seafarers’ Charity is governed by a strong General Council (trustee board) made up of trustees who both set the direction and ensure the charity meets...

Chris Cooper has been appointed President of Neste US, effective from 1 July 2022. In his new role, he is responsible for supporting and aligning regional business strategies to deliver strategic growth targets, and he acts as Neste’s primary representative for the external community in the US. At the moment, Chris Cooper is holding the position of Vice President of Americas of Neste Renewable Aviation. Accelerate renewable growth strategy “The US presents important opportunities...

Hamburger Hafen und Logistik AG (HHLA)’s Container Terminal Altenwerder (CTA) has once again received certification as a climate-neutral company from TÜV NORD. This highlights CTA’s pioneering role in the industry as a sustainable, innovative company. In 2019, CTA was the first container handling facility in the world to receive climate-neutral certification. Automated guided vehicles The Chairwoman of HHLA’s Executive Board, Angela Titzrath, explains: “CTA’...

It’s perhaps easy to take for granted that ships today can communicate rather easily with their shoreside offices. What is often overlooked, however, is the growing importance of being able to instantly share data between ship and shore and with all relevant stakeholders. The close integration of onboard operations and the shoreside offices is faster and easier than ever thanks to high-speed internet connections. It is also, at the same time, significantly more essential than it has been...

Air Products and Gunvor Petroleum Rotterdam have signed a joint development agreement for an import terminal in Rotterdam. The agreement responds to the accelerating demand for green energy sources to meet climate objectives and the need to diversify energy sources. The import terminal is expected to provide green hydrogen to the Netherlands in 2026.  Green hydrogen Green hydrogen is key to the energy transition. It has significant potential to decarbonise hard-to-abate sectors, such as...

HPC and PT Melchers Melindo Indonesia, part of the international business development group Melchers, have signed a contract with the port operator PT Krakatau Bandar Samudera (PT KBS) to provide an independent study aimed at validating the potential of extending the capacity of Krakatau International Port to handle cargo in addition to dry bulk and break-bulk commodities. Krakatau International Port Situated on the West coast of Java, the Krakatau International Port faces the Sunda Strait,...

The Spanish Association of Purchasing, Contracting, and Procurement Professionals (AERCE) has organised a visit to the Port of Valencia, one of the largest economic players in the Valencian Community and Spain. The delegation was made up of some thirty purchasing managers and technicians from different companies who were able to get to know the day-to-day activity of the port and the operation of the commercial area of Valenciaport, as well as the opportunities for companies offered by the Span...

Rolls-Royce is entering the hydrogen production market and acquiring a 54% majority stake in electrolysis stack specialist Hoeller Electrolyzer, whose innovative technology will form the basis of a new range of MTU electrolyser products from its Power Systems division. Hoeller Electrolyzer, based in Wismar, Germany, is an early-stage technology company that is developing highly efficient polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) stacks, under the brand name Prometheus, for the cost-effective productio...

A new report published by Inmarsat, the pioneer in global, mobile satellite communications, indicates that seafarers are largely in favour of greater digitalisation but that a sizeable proportion of those working at sea also fear shrinking job opportunities. Compiled by maritime innovation consultancy Thetius, Seafarers in the Digital Age – Prioritising Human Element in Maritime Digital Transformation draws on the results of a survey of 200 maritime professionals. Basic internet connecti...

Maritime welfare charities are pulling together to publicise the support available to seafarers who have been made redundant, including ex P&O Ferries staff. The Maritime Charities Group Redundancy and Retraining Bursary provides help towards the cost of training to stay in maritime while The Seafarers’ Charity‘s UK Maritime Anchor Fund provides financial help, relationship counselling and mental health and wellbeing support. Taken together this package of measures is helping se...

Neste Corporation has made the final investment decision to invest into new renewable products production capacity in Rotterdam. The decision is based on demand for renewable products growing substantially with customers' higher climate ambitions. Neste’s current 1.4 million ton capacity for renewable products in Rotterdam is the largest in Europe. The Rotterdam refinery expansion investment of approximately EUR 1.9 billion will expand Neste’s overall renewable product capacity by 1...

The Port of Rotterdam Authority and Eneco are going to install shore-based power facilities in the Waalhaven, so that Boskalis work boats moored there can run on green power instead of fossil fuels. A shore-based power installation will be built on the Boskalis site in the Waalhaven, Rotterdam. There are two berths on the quay at this location which are in frequent use. Vessels come to the Waalhaven service centre for maintenance and to be prepared for offshore projects. Reaching climate neutr...

Vestdavit has extended its range of boat-handling systems with a new telescopic davit specially designed and developed for a technically demanding retrofit contract with the Royal Danish Navy. The Norwegian davit supplier has secured the coveted award to deliver a total of eight TDBS 8000 systems for the launch and recovery of fast rescue boats that will be installed on four existing Absalon and Iver-class naval frigates. DNV-approved solution The advanced davit is uniquely designed to functi...

Thordon Bearings’ authorised distributor in Mexico, TZ Industrias, has secured an order to supply the Canadian company’s TG100 shaft seals, equipped with a safe return to port (SRTP) emergency seal, to a quartet of shrimpers operated by Pesquera Axel, one of the country’s leading fishing vessel operators. Bearings and seals TZ Industrias will deliver four 127mm (5in) diameter mechanical seals to the Mazatlán-based repair yard Constructora y Reparadora de Buques for ins...

Seafarers are sharing their maritime voyages across social media to mark the Day of the Seafarer 2022.  The maritime world is changing, fast. Ships are now operating greener, with greater digitisation and with more diverse crews. As the lifeblood of the shipping industry, seafarers are at the heart of this evolution, implementing new regulations, learning new skills and adopting safer, more efficient working practices. As the world’s merchant fleet traverses the oceans, the crews onboard...

What should maritime stakeholders focus on in the coming years to accelerate maritime decarbonisation? At this week’s Getting to Zero Coalition Workshop, participating Coalition members collaborated on detailing out an action plan to make the full decarbonisation of shipping concrete and tangible. Participants focused on the combination and acceleration of four change levers: technology on land and on board, mobilising demand, financing, and policy. Accelerating shipping decarbonisation...

Ocean Infinity, in pursuit of its’ objective of transforming maritime operations through the deployment of innovative technologies, is excited to announce the development of zero-emission, remotely operated, and autonomous ready, short sea container vessels that will operate between Norway and the Netherlands, creating one of Europe’s first zero-emission maritime ‘green corridors’.   SeaShuttle programme In partnership with Samskip B.V, a global logistics comp...

Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering (KSOE) and its subsidiary - Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) have received an Approval in Principle (AiP) from DNV for their newly developed waste heat-derived LNG fuel supply system - Hi-eGAS (Hyundai High Efficient Gas Supply System) for 300K VLCC. Currently, LNG fuel propulsion ships have used boilers to make hot steam, which has converted LNG into a gas at room temperature, to supply a ship’s engine. However, this process has the disadvantag...