Skills - News

The incremental costs of diverting a tanker from Asia to NW Europe via the Cape of Good Hope is accounting for an extra $932,905 USD per voyage while increasing transit time from 16 days to 32 days according to a report by LSEG Shipping Research. These additional costs mostly account for extra fuel and increase costs for an Aframax tanker by 110%, while for a large container vessel, it increases by 35% for a voyage between Asia to NW Europe. Average monthly transits Transits through Suez have...

Technology group Wärtsilä and Carnival Corporation & plc have signed a one-year extension to the Performance-based agreement that has been in place since 2017. The agreement, which was due to expire in March 2029, will now be valid until March 2030. It covers the maintenance, technical support, optimisation and fuel-saving solutions for 57 cruise ships within the global Carnival Corporation fleet. The contract was signed in October 2023. By optimising the performance and effi...

ABB announced it has entered into an agreement to acquire the shipping business of DTN Europe BV and DTN Philippines Inc. (hereinafter DTN Shipping), expanding the company’s offering in maritime software. This will establish ABB as one of the market pioneers in ship route optimisation. The acquisition of the DTN Shipping portfolio covers vessel routeing software, including analytics, reporting, and modelling applications. Financial details of the transaction were not disclosed. The...

A major provider of secure maritime data communications software, GTMaritime, has responded to growing demand for its products and services, by opening an office in Greece and appointing two new executives to its sales team. In 2023, the company reported a 35% increase in monthly user traffic across its portfolio of software solutions between 1 November 2022 and 31 October 2023. It also announced its 15,000th ship installation – just 16 months after passing the 10,000-vessel milestone. N...

Regent Seven Seas Cruises®, the world's leading luxury cruise line, has announced a collection of six unique immersive overnight voyages where each port of call features an overnight stay allowing for deeper exploration and discovery in much-loved destinations. The World's Most Luxurious Fleet® These voyages, currently on board four of the six ships in The World's Most Luxurious Fleet®, will include special shoreside experiences exclusively crafted to make each overnight call a mem...

Wallem Westminster, Manila, is proud to partner with the IMO-endorsed ‘Adopt a Ship’ programme (AaS). Working together with San Antonio Elementary School (SAES), Wallem Westminster’s senior officers embarked on a 10-week immersive curriculum to raise maritime awareness. Wallem provided educational materials and interactive content that explained maritime concepts, supported interactive activities that engaged students' creative learning and skill development and encouraged co...

The visit of the Honourable Minister is in connection with taking forward the cooperation based on the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between Cochin Shipyard Ltd (CSL) and Marine Services Company Ltd (MCSL), a company under the Ministry of Transport Tanzania during the state visit to meet the President and Prime Minister of India by the of President H.E.Samia Suluhu Hassan, the United Republic of Tanzania to India in October 2023, wherein the parties aim to cooperate and co...

NorthStandard has announced plans to open a new office in South Korea, one year after establishing its combined Asia Pacific headquarters in Singapore.  The new Seoul office, initially to be staffed by Shang Doe Shim, a Claims Director currently based in the club’s Singapore office, will be operational from late Spring 2024. Asia's 8th office This will be NorthStandard’s eighth office in the Asia Pacific region, underlining the importance of the area to the club.  N...

Wallem Group is pleased to partner with Chinese automaker BYD by providing commercial services for its first fully chartered PCTC vessel, MV BYD Explorer No. 1. The vessel has completed its first loading operations and is on its inaugural voyage to Europe. Wallem Group is providing BYD with day-to-day support on vessel operations including cargo stowage, route and bunker planning, and is liaising between the vessel, owner, and charterer. In addition, Wallem Group is working closely with BYD to...

ClassNK has issued an Approval in Principle (AiP) for a maritime hydrogen fuel cell system developed by YANMAR Power Technology Co., Ltd. (YANMAR PT). This is the first AiP certification for a maritime hydrogen fuel cell system developed by a Japanese manufacturer. Hydrogen fuel cells are gaining attention as a potential means to help reduce GHG emissions from shipping. Meanwhile, due to the unique characteristics of hydrogen, distinct from conventional gas fuels, safety discussions are activel...

Brunvoll has signed a contract with VARD Group for the delivery of an extensive propulsion and manoeuvring system for Toyo Construction Co. Ltd.'s new Cable Laying Vessel (CLV). Toyo’s new vessel will have three azimuth propulsion thrusters in the aft of the vessel. The foreship of the vessel will have two tunnel thrusters and a retractable Azimuth thruster. Furthermore, the vessel will feature Brunvoll’s control system for propulsion and manoeuvring, BruCon PTC. VARD’s shipy...

Hapag-Lloyd AG (Hapag-Lloyd) and Maersk A/S, an entity under A.P. Moller - Maersk (Maersk), have signed an agreement for a new long-term operational collaboration called ‘Gemini Cooperation’, which will start in February 2025. The ambition is to deliver a flexible and interconnected ocean network with reliability. “Teaming up with Maersk will help us to further boost the quality we deliver to our customers. Additionally, we will benefit from efficiency gains in our operations...

DNV has recently completed an extensive market study commissioned by a consortium of Danish companies and organisations in the CCUS (Carbon Capture, Utilisation, and Storage) industry. The study focuses on assessing the possibilities and business potential of establishing Denmark as a key European CO2 hub. This initiative aligns with Denmark's ambitious climate targets, aiming for a 70% reduction in carbon emissions by 2030 and complete climate neutrality by 2045. Addressing carbon emissions...

In Port Vauban, Antibes, lying between Cannes and Nice on the French Riviera, the Quai des Milliardaires – ‘Billionaires’ Quay’ – has undergone an extensive transformation, consolidating its position as the leading yachting hub in the Mediterranean. A paradise for yachting and super yachting enthusiasts, Port Vauban is Europe's largest yachting harbour, with over 1,500 berths and 18 superyacht berths of up to 160 metres.  Appearance and infrastructure Since...

  Mitsubishi Shipbuilding Co., Ltd., a Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) Group company based in Yokohama, held a christening and launch ceremony for a salvage tug currently being built for Nippon Salvage Co., Ltd. The ceremony took place at the Enoura Plant of MHI's Shimonoseki Shipyard & Machinery Works in Yamaguchi Prefecture. The vessel, named "Koyo Maru", is scheduled for handover to Nippon Salvage in June 2024 following the completion of outfitting work and sea tr...

Jumbo Offshore Installation Contractors B.V. (Jumbo Offshore) has been awarded a contract by MODEC Guyana Inc. for the pre-installation of the mooring spread of the FPSO Errea Wittu, which will be located offshore Guyana. The FPSO 'Errea Wittu', the name of which means 'abundance', will have the capacity to store two million barrels of oil. It will produce approximately 250,000 barrels of oil per day and will have a gas treatment capacity of 540 million cubic feet per day, and a water injectio...

MAN Energy Solutions has won the contract from Royal Boskalis B.V., the Dutch dredging and marine services company, to supply 3 × MAN 49/60 engines for a 31,000 m³ Trailing Suction Hopper Dredger (TSHD). Each engine will come accompanied by an exhaust-gas after-treatment system, namely a MAN Low-Pressure Selective Catalytic Reduction (LP-SCR) system, that ensures IMO Tier III compliance. The new building will be built at the Dutch shipbuilding company, Royal IHC, at its Krimpen a...

Wärtsilä Water & Waste, part of technology group Wärtsilä, has signed a four-year Service, Spares and Technical Support agreement with cruise operator Carnival Corporation & plc. The contract covers a platform for providing the support needed to maintain and operate the onboard waste-handling equipment efficiently, and in compliance with the most stringent environmental regulations. The order was recorded in Wärtsilä’s order book in Q2 2023. Ris...

VIKING Life-Saving Equipment, a globally renowned company in maritime safety solutions, has acquired rights to manufacture and supply ‘Undertun’ marine evacuation systems (MES). The solution commands a pioneering position in part of the small ferry market due to its easy installation and use. Catering for up to 150 persons, Undertun MES is especially appealing when installation heights and crew numbers are low. The VIKING acquisition has been agreed with Sverre Undertun, whose Norw...

Shipping Innovation (SI), owner and organiser of London International Shipping Week (LISW), is delighted to announce the appointment of Gareth Long as its new managing director. Gareth, who has significant knowledge and experience of LISW, having worked on LISW19, LISW21 and LISW23 as part of the UK Government team at the Department for Transport (DfT), will head up the SI team delivering this global must-attend maritime event.  He will report to Sean Moloney and Llewellyn Bankes-Hughes, j...

The two new Construction Service Operation Vessels (CSOVs) contracted at Ulstein Verft will be equipped with a hybrid battery propulsion system and be prepared for green methanol fuel to enable carbon-neutral operations. The contracts have been entered into on behalf of institutional investors advised by J.P. Morgan Asset Management and include two additional options. In 2023, Bernhard Schulte Offshore ordered the design and construction of two such vessels from Ulstein, a contract that include...

UKSA is responding to the shortage of engineering skills in the maritime industry by launching an Engineering Crew training course for experienced or new crew who wish to work on small vessels or enter the superyacht industry through the engineering route. Maritime training centre   The maritime training centre based in Cowes constantly looks to widen its career pathways and provide the Maritime sector with a suitably trained crew.  A recent report by the Institute of Marine Enginee...

  Mitsubishi Shipbuilding, a part of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) Group and Nihon Shipyard Co., Ltd., a Tokyo-based joint venture for ship design and sales between Imabari Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. and Japan Marine United Corporation, have signed an MOU with Mitsui & Co., Ltd. and Mitsubishi Corporation on the collaborative study for ocean-going liquified CO2 (LCO2) carriers to realise large-scale international transportation in Japan initiated CCS (Carbon dioxide Capture and Sto...

The Council Port Authority of València has approved an Extraordinary Board of Directors meeting the specifications that include the legal and economic conditions for the tender of the new terminal located in the northern extension of the Port of València. This meeting was held after receiving the ‘green light’ (authorising the contracting) – on Tuesday of this week – from the Spanish Government so that the PAV could approve the specifications which will a...

Wilhelmsen Ship Management, a provider of third-party ship management services headquartered in Singapore, and Hamburg-based asset manager MPC Capital have agreed to acquire 100% of the company Zeaborn Ship Management. The acquisition is the consistent next milestone in the partnership between Wilhelmsen and MPC Capital and their ship management joint venture Wilhelmsen Ahrenkiel Ship Management and tanker specialist Barber Ship Management. Zeaborn manages a fleet of around 100 vessels, compr...

MacGregor, part of Cargotec, has received a significant order from SM Solutions/Philly Shipyard for cargo handling solutions for three 1822 FEU-sized container carriers. The order is booked into Cargotec's fourth quarter 2023 order intake, with deliveries planned to commence during the fourth quarter of 2024 and be completed within 2026. MacGregor’s scope of supply encompasses design, hardware and supply for hatch covers, lashing bridges, deck stanchions, fixed and removable cell guides i...

COLI Group’s subsidiary - Asia Break Bulk (Singapore) has entered into a strategic partnership with CSL Shipping (China). CSL and ABB will work closely together to market CSL’s multi-purpose carrier - ‘Jian Yang Hua Qing’. The vessel has 2 x 250 mt cranes for loading breakbulk, heavy lift and project cargo and is active for both companies as of now. Felix Peinemann, the Managing Director of the COLI Group, states: "This partnership will expand our footprint in the MPP ma...

At the recent COP28 Shaping the Future of Shipping summit organised by the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) in Dubai on 10 December with over 300 maritime industry CEOs, government ministers, and NGOs present, IAPH President and Hamburg Port Authority CEO Jens Meier called on ports to actively collaborate on knowledge sharing between themselves and the maritime community to accelerate decarbonisation. The summit was hosted under the patronage of the UAE Ministry of Energy and Infrastru...

Crowley has awarded its Thomas B. Crowley Sr. Memorial Scholarship to cadets John Van Zanten and Jethro Joseph, both seniors at Massachusetts Maritime Academy (MMA). The scholarship recognises individuals looking to pursue a career in the maritime industry as well as their demonstration of Crowley’s core values of drive, integrity, and sustainability. Jethro Joseph Joseph, from Miami, Florida, is working towards his bachelor’s degree in marine engineering. He served as an...

ClassNK has verified the measurement reports of GHG emissions and environmental data of Tsuneishi Holdings Corporation and 28 group companies and issued verification statements. To address social issues including climate change, accurate measurement of environmental information such as GHG emissions and resource use resulting from a company's business activities is a significant step in assessing and reducing environmental burden. In addition, disclosure of environmental information is...