United States of America (USA) News

The steel-cutting ceremony to mark the start of construction of PIL's first 14,000 TEU container ship was held at Jiangnan Shipyard on the morning of 11 July. PIL CEO Lars Kastrup attended the ceremony to commemorate this significant milestone alongside representatives from American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) and Jiangnan Shipyard. Both Mr. Kastrup and Deputy General Manager of Jiangnan Shipyard Hu Hongyu initiated the steel-cutting ceremony, which was followed by a signing ceremony between PIL,...

Energy market analytics company - Aurora says that Britain is not on track to meet the UK government’s renewables targets without innovation. Aurora’s report echoes recent analysis from the Climate Change Committee, whose Chair - Lord Deben said that ‘the government is failing in much of its implementation’ of its targets. The Public Accounts Committee also recently said it is ‘sceptical’ over whether expansion plans for nuclear, solar and wind is credible....

The UK government announced a series of steps for the coming years to expand its Emission Trading Scheme, including for the first time bringing domestic shipping into the program. Experts highlight that it is another example of individual countries taking steps to reduce emissions in the lack of international agreements for industries, such as shipping that reach beyond domestic borders. The announcement that shipping will be required to participate in the program starting in 2026 comes as the...

The 175 member states of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) have unanimously agreed on an ambition to reach net-zero GHG (greenhouse gas) emissions from international shipping close to 2050. The previous strategy aimed for a 50% reduction in emissions by 2050. However, the new one is far more ambitious. The IMO is now targeting at least a 20% reduction by 2030 and 70% by 2040, compared to 2008 emission levels. The new strategy also includes striving for even higher reductions than th...

MAN Energy Solutions has announced the successful first running of a test engine on ammonia at its Research Centre Copenhagen (RCC). The company reports that the successful combustion was performed on a MAN B&W two-stroke 4T50ME-X type and produced positive results with particularly promising data regarding pilot-oil amount and combustion stability. First ammonia engine test completed Gunnar Stiesch, the Chief Technical Officer, MAN Energy Solutions, said: “This marks a major milest...

The maritime sector has just become one step closer to clean, emission-free shipping, thanks to collaboration between FincoEnergies and the Port of Amsterdam, which has resulted in a permit for FincoEnergies to supply bio-methanol to maritime consumers within the Amsterdam port area. FincoEnergies is the first operational supplier of this specific product in The Netherlands. Thanks to a fully sustainable production process (well-to-wheel), a certified CO2 reduction of no less than 92.4% can be...

An existing close partner of Mersey Maritime, Nautilus International represents 20,000 maritime professionals in its capacity as a global trade union. They include ship masters, officers, cadets, ship pilots, harbourmasters, seafarers of all kinds, and shore-based workers. Employment opportunities As one of the industry cluster organisations in the maritime sector, recognised both nationally and internationally, Mersey Maritime represents hundreds of businesses of all sizes across 30-plus s...

OceanWise announced the company has moved its team and operations into a new larger office located in Alton, Hampshire, United Kingdom (UK).  Due to the company’s recent rapid expansion and their growing team, they have moved their main office from the Butts Road area of Alton over to Delta Park. OceanWise moves to new larger office in Alton The new larger office, which is still in Alton, Hampshire, has better access, a much larger workshop area and larger office space.  The...

In efforts to support Germany’s energy transition agenda, P&O Maritime Logistics will use its Multi Carrying Vessels (MCVs) to transport modular units for offshore wind power stations, which will be used to build the new Wind Farm in North Sea, Germany. Expected to commence power production in 2025, the 900-megawatt wind farm will be a key contributor to achieving Germany’s energy transition goals of fulfilling 80% of its electricity needs from renewable sources by 2030. Multi...

In a pioneering safety development, ABS is using advanced modelling and simulation technologies to develop emergency response methods to assist ports and crew in responding to ammonia leaks or spills. It is the first step towards a comprehensive and fast ammonia release response system, capable of predicting the behaviour of an ammonia plume and directing emergency mitigation services accordingly. Significant operational challenges Thanks to its potential for zero-carbon emissions, ammonia is...

Global satellite communications provider, Satcom Global is delighted to share that renowned international subsea and offshore services company, Mermaid Maritime, has installed AuraNow VSAT on board an accommodation vessel to enable flexible bandwidth for business efficiency and crew communications. AuraNow VSAT The innovative maritime satellite communications solution, AuraNow VSAT, enables unlimited bandwidth changes, with no hidden fees or penalties, making it the ideal solution for offshore...

Mitsubishi Shipbuilding Co., Ltd., a Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) Group company based in Yokohama, has received orders from Imabari Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. for 12 units of its Fuel Gas Supply System (FGSS), a liquefied natural gas (LNG) fuel gas supply system for high-pressure dual-fuel marine engines. The equipment for 9 LNG-fuelled car carriers and 3 LNG-fuelled bulk carriers to be built by Imabari Shipbuilding Group will be continuously delivered from spring 2024. Fuel Gas Supply System...

Crowley has appointed Eric Cunningham to be the Vice President of Shared Services, where he will focus on growing the company’s business relationships and capabilities for customers across the U.S., Central America and strategic markets. “We are excited to welcome Eric as he joins our leadership team to help strengthen the services that Crowley brings to our valued customers, improve process efficiencies and propel the growth and success of our people,” said Dan Warner, Crowle...

When a 9,280hp workboat returned to service following extensive repairs at the James Marine Paducah River Service yard in Kentucky, U.S.A., it marked the first application of Thordon’s new seal-embedded bearing to an articulating rudder. Articulating rudders Articulating rudders are unlike conventional rudders and can be more costly to repair, when things go wrong. They are more susceptible to wear and tear, due to the higher operating pressures and abrasives, and as a result, require a...

At MEPC 80, IMO member nations met the shipping industry’s call for action on climate, setting a target of net-zero GHG emissions by 2050 and interim targets for 2030 and 2040. Most importantly, the updated GHG strategy now sets a clear timeline for the development of the lifecycle-based global fuel standard and economic instrument, to be agreed by 2025 and ready for implementation in 2027. Robust regulatory framework “This marks a new beginning for shipping’s energy transi...

In 2013, PD Ports introduced Safety Champions across their sites with the aim of maintaining an excellent health and safety culture, and to keep their working environments as safe as possible at all times. This initiative involves teams from across the business working together to keep their respective areas safe, as well as sharing ideas and possibilities for improvement. For them, involving their employees in health and safety is of the upmost importance, and it’s an integral part of co...

In the presence of H.E. Bruno Jean-Richard Itoua, the Minister of Hydrocarbons for the Republic of Congo, Wison (Wison Marine & Offshore) and Eni held the ‘Marine XIl Offshore FLNG Project Topsides’ ceremony at the Zhoushan yard in China, on July 3, 2023. This ceremony marks the start of the topsides fabrication, a major milestone in the construction of the Floating Liquefied Natural Gas (FLNG). ‘Marine XIl Offshore FLNG Project Topsides’ ceremony More than 200 peo...

International Maritime Organization (IMO) adopts revised strategy to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from international shipping. Member States of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), meeting at the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC 80), have adopted the 2023 IMO Strategy on Reduction of GHG Emissions from Ships, with enhanced targets to tackle harmful emissions. Revised IMO GHG Strategy The revised IMO GHG Strategy includes an enhanced common ambition to reach net...

Bernhard Schulte Offshore returns to Ulstein Verft for the design and construction of two Commissioning Service Operation Vessels (CSOVs) of the ULSTEIN SX222 design. The contract includes options for four additional vessels.  The vessels, which utilise the TWIN X-STERN design, feature two sterns and main propellers located at both fore and aft, making them an ideal choice for dynamic positioning (DP) operations. Regardless of whether the vessels are facing towards or away from the we...

MPC Container Ships ASA (‘MPCC’ or the ‘Company’) is pleased to announce the sale of two joint venture-owned vessels, Cimbria and Cardonia, for a total price of USD 42.5 million. The vessels, with a capacity of 2,800 TEU, were built in 2002 and 2003, respectively. Both vessels are currently on time-charter contracts, expiring at the earliest in July 2025 (Cardonia) and in October 2025 (Cimbria). MPC Container Ships sells its two JV-owned vessels This sale represents th...

MAN Energy Solutions has signed a Conversion Commitment Agreement with Seaspan Corporation (Seaspan), a globally renowned company in containership ownership and management, in collaboration with Hapag-Lloyd, one of the major global liner shipping companies. Under the terms of the Agreement, MAN PrimeServ, MAN Energy Solutions’ after-sales division, will deliver 15 engine retrofit solutions for conversion of vessels powered by individual MAN B&W S90-type fuel-oil-powered engines from t...

ERMA FIRST, a pioneer sustainable maritime solutions provider, has launched a new energy saving device (ESD) that promises reduced fuel consumption and emissions in line with CII and EEXI requirements. With ship owners seeking practical and cost-effective tools to facilitate compliance with the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) Carbon Intensity Index (CII) and Energy Efficiency Existing Ship Index (EEXI), a new solution from ERMA FIRST promises to boost CII and EEXI performance...

Inmarsat Maritime, a Viasat business, will connect Wärtsilä ANCS’s new floating laboratory, AHTI, and its shore operations, to support the data exchange for advanced technology testing and the ship’s day-to-day operations. Inmarsat Maritime’s award-winning Fleet Xpress connectivity will be packaged with unlimited backup from FleetBroadband to meet all the demonstrator’s needs. High-speed and reliable connectivity AHTI uses seamless, high-speed, and relia...

NSSLGlobal, the independent satcom and IT solutions provider, has won a 36-month contract to support Dutch-owned, worldwide shipping expert Vertom Bereederungs as it strives to meet the need for ever higher data demands brought on by the maritime industry’s ongoing digitalisation alongside the need for crew retention. The agreement sees NSSLGlobal provide its renowned VSAT IP@SEA service to 28 Vertom ships including 13 new diesel-electric propelled vessels, as well as providing Vertom wit...

Maritime technology company Yara Marine Technologies, Artificial Intelligence (AI) application developers Molflow, and the Chalmers University of Technology and social science specialists from Halmstad University and Gothenburg University have collaborated for over 3 years to develop and trial an AI-based semi-autonomous voyage planning system. Initiated in August 2020, the Via Kaizen project explores how AI and machine learning can enable more energy-efficient voyage planning for ship operator...

Babcock has successfully completed maintenance works for the Royal Research Ship (RRS) Sir David Attenborough at their Rosyth facilities. They welcomed the RRS Sir David Attenborough (SDA) to Rosyth in early June with works to the ship including upgrades to the vessel’s gas detection system, helideck netting, draft sensor vent pipework as well as assistance with planned maintenance, defect rectification and general logistics support. Maintenance works on RRS Sir David Attenborough The m...

Joan Calabuig, president of the Port Authority of Valencia has inaugurated the conference ‘Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energies in the Port Industry’. The event, organised by the German Chamber of Commerce for Spain in collaboration with the València Port Authority (PAV), aims to explain to German companies and institutions the different initiatives implemented within the framework of the Valenciaport Decarbonisation Plan to make the Valencian docks 100% green. Address...

The signatories of the joint statement – Aspen Shipping Decarbonization Initiative, DHL Global Forwarding, Hapag Lloyd, Kuehne + Nagel, NORDEN, Oldendorff Carriers, ONE, Torvald Klaveness, and Yara Clean Ammonia represent key parts of the value chain for decarbonised shipping. The companies belong to the Getting to Zero coalition, which has been exploring book and claim chain of custody approaches as part of its mission to fully decarbonise the shipping indus...

DNV is the first class society to introduce new class rules for electrical shore connections specifically tailored for tankers, contributing to setting sector norms. The need for new rules on shore power for tankers emerged following amendments to the California Air Resources Board's (CARB) Ocean-Going Vessels At-Berth Regulation, requiring tankers to have emission control strategies in place at specific ports from January 2025. As a response to these regulatory changes, DNV, on behalf of the W...

Savvy shipowners are treating their vessels like super athletes-making marginal gains that increase commercial performance to the tune of £38 million over a five-year docking cycle. The shipping industry has seen huge technological changes in the past 10 years to help cut costs, including shark-skin coatings, air lubrication and self-cleaning vessels. But now shipowners, like Olympic athletes, are fine-tuning in a bid to shave off 0.25 percent to help improve performance, say industry exp...