Braemar inks deal with UK MOD
Braemar signed a seven-year contract with the UK’s Ministry of Defence (MOD) to provide global shipbroking services across all commercial maritime sectors. Under the contract, Braemar will provide the MOD with access to its S&P, chartering and research departments across Braemar’s 14 global offices. The seven-year contract encompasses all aspects of S&P, as well as spot and period chartering for routine and emergency response requirements globally.

Pair of Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection Vessels to Sport Azipod Propulsion
ABB inked a deal with Chantiers de l’Atlantique for Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection to supply the electric propulsion systems and remote support for the luxury cruise operator’s two forthcoming mega-yachts. The ships are the second and third in a series that began with Ritz-Carlton Evrima, to start operations later this year, also featuring ABB technologies on board.With a capacity of 456 passengers, the two yachts will be larger than the 298-passenger Evrima while maintaining the exclusivity and personalized service that differentiate Ritz-Carlton.

AD Ports' SAFEEN Feeders in Trade, Shipping Deal with Saif Powertech
AD Ports Group's feeder service, SAFEEN Feeders, has signed a long-term trade facilitation and shipping agreement with Saif Powertec Limited, a listed firm in Bangladesh that is active in ports, logistics, civil engineering, and power sectors.Under the terms of the agreement, the two companies will collaborate to facilitate trade and cargo services from Fujairah to Bangladesh over a period of 15 years. As part of the collaboration, SAFEEN Feeders is expected to provide eight Supramax bulk carriers with 55…

Buffalo Harbor Dredging Contract Awarded
Michigan-based Ryba Marine Construction Company has secured a $991,500 contract from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Buffalo District to perform dredging of the federal navigation channel in Buffalo Harbor, ensuring accessible depths for large vessels, the continued flow of commodities across the Great Lakes and the economic viability of United States waterways.“In addition to the increase in recreational use along Western New York waterways, the Buffalo and Niagara…

Maritime Subcontracting: 'Do it Right' for Successful Projects
Within the maritime sector not enough attention is paid to maritime subcontracting. And yet, it is as important as the main contracts that maritime main contractors conclude with their clients, such as shipping companies and buyers of superyachts. The same applies to the oil & gas and renewable energy industry. Thomas van Tol, co-founder of The Synergy Partner, writes: "As many maritime main contractors do not conclude contracts with their subcontractors in the right way, they take major risks for themselves as well as for their clients. Most of the time they are not aware of it.

Oldendorff Inks Deal with Yara for Scrubbers
Oldendorff Carriers signed a deal last week in Oslo with Yara Marine for the installation of U-type scrubbers on two newbuild capesize vessels.Torsten Barenthin, Oldendorff Carriers' Director of Innovation, and Aleksander Askeland, Yara Marine Technologies' (YMT) Chief Sales Officer, have signed an agreement for the first installation of YMT’s new U-type SOx scrubbers on board two bulk carriers at the Nor-Shipping conference and exhibition in Oslo on Wednesday, 6 April 2022. This…

Miros RangeFinder finds a spot in pair of Vietnam Port Projects
Miros, in association with its Vietnam partner Reecotech, won two contracts to support industrial projects with its RangeFinder solution. The Miros RangeFinder is a dry, radar-based sensor measuring airgap, tide, water level, draught, and waves, offering millimetre accuracy in all weather conditions. The sensor, which was chosen for its ability to reliably deliver high data quality, will be implemented as part of tailored automated weather and sea monitoring systems.The first…

Great Lakes Reports $132.3 Million in Dredging Contracts
Houston-based dredging services provider Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Corporation announced it has received several major dredging awards totaling $132.3 million.The awarded work includes:Coastal Storm Risk Management Rockaway Inlet Beach Fill Subcontract (Coastal Protection, New York, $37.2 million)South Atlantic Division Regional Harbor Dredging Project (Maintenance, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina, $25.8 million)Avon Village Beach Nourishment and Buxton Renourishment Project (Coastal Protection…

Jan De Nul, W&O Ink Marine Valve Deal
W&O signed a new supply agreement with Jan De Nul Group, a leading civil engineering and dredging companies, a deal which expands upon the existing 10-year relationship and will see W&O supply marine valves and instrumentation to Jan De Nul Group.The two-year supply aims to ensure product availability, a fixed price, and, when needed, technical advice for upcoming drydocks or special refit projects. Jan De Nul is one of the largest marine contractors in the world, operating a fleet of more than 80 dredging and offshore installation vessels in many remote areas across the world.

Cleveland Harbor Dredging Contract Awarded
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Buffalo District awarded a $5.98 million contract to Michigan-based Walsh Service Solutions on March 10 to conduct dredging of the federal navigation channel in Cleveland Harbor.Dredging, which is scheduled to take place during two seasonal periods, from May to July and October through December, will ensure accessible depths for large vessels and the continued flow of commodities across the Great Lakes.A total of approximately 250,000 cubic yards of material is contracted to be mechanically dredged from the bed of the harbor between the two periods.

Newark Bay Maintenance Dredging Planned for August
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ New York District seeks a contractor for maintenance dredging of portions of the Newark Bay, New Jersey, Federal Navigation Project.Plans and specifications are expected to be available in April, bid opening in May and a contract award in July. The proposed work is anticipated to take place between August 2022 and March 2023. Estimated cost is between $25 million and $100 million.Check SAM.gov for details. Use Notice ID W912DS22B0010 to search. Response date is March 16.The dredge is to remove approximately 600…

Indefinite Quantity Contracts, Design Bid Build for the Great Lakes and Ohio River Division
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Huntington District intends to award “Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity Contracts for Design Bid Build Marine-Based Construction Projects” in the Rivers Districts of the Great Lakes and Ohio River Division. This encompasses the Huntington, Louisville, Nashville, and Pittsburgh Districts.This is an unrestricted, $75 million contract with a target of five awards: a base period of one year and four one-year option periods.Requirements include the ability to mobilize “sizeable crews” to multiple sites and provide multimillion-dollar bonding.

Marine Coatings: APC Reports Maritime Sales Up 40% in '21
Advanced Polymer Coatings (APC), the owner of the MarineLINE cargo tank coating brand, announced its most successful year of trading with maritime sales growing by 40% in 2021.By it's own reckoning the Ohio-headquartered company says it accounts for more than 12% of the global cargo tank coating market, specified on more than 700 ships, with 56 ships coated equating to over 750,000 sq. m. of MarineLINE applied in 2021.Growth is being driven by a rapidly changing shipping landscape…

LNG Newbuilds Drives Svanehøj to Record Order Intake in 2021
Demand for LNG-fuelled newbuilds is growing across the shipping industry, and with it Danish pump specialist Svanehøj reports it has quadrupled its sales of fuel pump solutions in 2021 and is heading for an all-time high order intake. 2021 has been a record year for new LNG dual-fuel shipbuilding contracts, which has a very positive impact on the order books at Svanehøj. The company reports 2021 was a banner year with an order intake of nearly $122 million, or 50% more than the previous record set in 2014.Svanehøj’s patented DW fuel pump solution is one of the main growth drivers.

Zinus Develops New Shore Power Solution for Cruise Ships
The Norwegian company Havnekraft has awarded Zinus a contract to develop and deliver a new and flexible shore power solution for cruise ships calling at Haugesund Cruise Port. Several international ports are also showing great interest in the solution.For several years, Zinus has offered the Shore Power Cruiser – a mobile and flexible system for transmitting high-voltage shore power to cruise ships and other large vessels. The company is now taking the technology one step further…

Manson Wins Dredging Work in Saint Marys, Ga.
Seattle-based Manson Construction Co., has been awarded a $16,945,950 firm-fixed-price contract for maintenance dredging in Saint Marys, Ga. The work is expected to be completed by May 7, 2022.Bids were solicited via the internet with two received, according to the U.S. Department of Defense. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville, Fla., is the contracting activity (W912EP-22-C-0001).Fiscal 2022 operation and maintenance, defense-wide funds in the amount of $16,945,950 were obligated at the time of the award.Manson currently has under construction the U.S.' largest ever hopper dredge…

AD Ports Inks Partnership Deal with Turkiye Varlik Fonu
In the presence of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council, and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, AD Ports Group and Turkey’s Turkiye Varlik Fonu today signed a strategic partnership agreement to collaborate on major investment opportunities for port development and operations, and to coordinate efforts to examine other logistics-related investment projects within Turkey.The agreement was signed by Captain Mohamed Juma Al Shamsi…

Gulf Energy Seals $927 Million Port Deal with Thai Government
Thai power producer Gulf Energy Development Pcl on Thursday said its consortium had signed a deal worth 30.9 billion baht ($927 million) with the country's port authority for construction and operation of container terminals.The firm, among the country's largest private power producers, is owned by Thai billionaire Sarath Ratanavadi and has been investing billions of dollars to expand its infrastructure business."Gulf will use accumulated experience in developing and managing large-scale infrastructure projects in Thailand and overseas to develop the port…

Maersk Inks MoU On Global Integration Of Zinus' Logistics
Global eCommerce furniture company Zinus signed a Memorandum of Understanding with container shipping company Maersk to become its preferred global integrator of logistics.Under the MOU, the two parties expressed their intent for Maersk to provide a stable supply of shipping containers in 2022, as well as additional logistics services. The parties intend to continually grow and strengthen the strategic partnership globally over at least a 10-year period.In the short term, the…

Galveston LNG Bunkering Infrastructure FEED Contract Awarded
Pilot LNG, developer of the Galveston LNG Bunker Port (GLBP) project, announced that it has awarded the front-end engineering and design (FEED) contract for the project’s marine infrastructure engineering to W. F. Baird & Associates.Baird will provide a variety of services to Pilot LNG including design of marine structures, metocean modeling including storm surge and tidal currents, dredging design and dredged material placement analysis, and support for vessel maneuvering assessments.

Great Lakes Wins $95 Million Contract for Port of Houston Dredging
The Port Commission of the Port of Houston Authority met Tuesday in a special meeting to consider the first dredge contract for Project 11, the Houston Ship Channel billion-dollar expansion and deepening program.Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Company, LLC was awarded up to $95,375,349 to dredge 11½-miles of the 52-mile channel, widening a major portion of the Galveston Bay reach from 530 to 700 feet. The work includes the construction of a new bird island and oyster mitigation.Port Houston negotiated multiple options and selected the approach with the most reduction in overall NOx emissions…

Army Corps Awards Contract for Corpus Christi Channel Improvement
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) on Friday awarded a $139 million construction contract to Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Company, LLC. (GLDD), to complete the third phase of the landmark Port of Corpus Christi Ship Channel Improvement Project (CIP). The four-phase infrastructure project will increase the Corpus Christi Ship Channel depth from -47 feet Mean Lower Low Water (MLLW) to -54 feet MLLW and widen it to 530 feet, with an additional 400 feet of barge shelves.Phase 3 will extend west of the La Quinta Junction through the Chemical Turning Basin in the Port’s Inner Harbor.

V-Bunkers Orders Pair of Electric-Hybrid Bunker Tankers
Vitol’s Singaporean bunker operations company, V-Bunkers, placed an order to build two electric-hybrid bunker tankers, with the intention to deploy them for harbor ops in Singapore.The bunker tankers are being built at an undisclosed shipyard in China with Electric-Hybrid notation and will employ Energy Storage Systems (ESS) technology comprising Lithium ion batteries for energy storage and anautomated Power Management System (PMS) designed to efficiently manage power consumption to reduce GHG emissions.

2021: The Year of the Containership
What’s not to like about 2021 for container shipping? Freight rates are record high, record amounts of cargo are shipped across the Pacific Ocean, as well as globally, and the previous yearly record for new container ship orders has just been broken (measured in capacity) in less than eight months.As a result of very healthy shipowner bottom lines and carriers experiencing a lack of tonnage, 619 container ships are now on order for future delivery. Of those, 381 have been ordered in 2021 alone and never has 3.44m TEU been ordered in such a short time span.

Shipbuilding: International WTIV Market Represents a $14B Opportunity
As of end-June 2021, more than 100 turbine and foundation installation and maintenance vessels will be required for offshore wind projects planned over this decade.More than 100 turbine and foundation installation and maintenance vessels will be required for offshore wind projects planned over this decade. Almost all of the current fleet of international wind turbine installation vessels will be technically redundant as installation vessels by 2025 as a consequence of the rapidly growing wind turbine sizes, greater water depths and increase in foundation size.

Haifa Port Sale Expected to Fetch $600m or More, Bidders Line Up
Four investment groups are looking to acquire the Israeli port of Haifa estimated to be valued as high as $600 million with formal bids expected towards October, sources with knowledge of the matter said.Israel is selling its state-owned ports and building new private docks in an effort to encourage competition and bring down costs. At the same time, warming ties with neighboring Arab countries are creating new trade opportunities and Haifa is well placed to become a regional…

Seaspan Forward Fixes Five-year Contracts for 10 Containerships
Seaspan Corporation announced it has forward fixed contracts for 10 containerships with a "major liner customer", bringing the company's total 2021 forward fixtures to 58 vessels, or approximately 50% of its time chartered fleet.The vessels, representing approximately 100,000 TEU in aggregate, were previously scheduled to have four charters expire in 2022, four charters expire in 2023, and two charters expire in 2024, Seaspan said. All 10 vessels have now been fixed through new five-year charter agreements…

Container Shipping: China-US Box Rates Eclipse $20,000 Mark, a Record
Container shipping rates from China to the United States have scaled fresh highs above $20,000 per 40-foot box as rising retailer orders ahead of the peak U.S. shopping season add strain to global supply chains.The acceleration in Delta-variant COVID-19 outbreaks in several counties has slowed global container turnaround rates.Typhoons off China's busy southern coast in late July and this week have also contributed to the crisis gripping the world's most important method for moving…

Chinese Firms Seek LNG Cargoes, Demand is Strong
Two Chinese firms are seeking liquefied natural gas (LNG) cargoes for delivery over August to November as summer demand in the southern region remains strong and as companies prepare to meet winter demand, industry sources said.China's Shenzhen Energy is seeking two cargoes for delivery into Yuedong over Aug. 19 to 27 and Oct. 30 to 31, in a tender that closes on Aug. 5, the sources said.Beijing Gas is also seeking cargoes for delivery over September, October and November in a separate tender that closes on Aug.

Port of Galveston Signs LNG Bunkering Deal with Stabilis
Galveston Wharves at Port of Galveston and Stabilis Solutions Inc. have entered into a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to facilitate the use of liquefied natural gas (LNG) as a marine fuel at the port.Under the terms of the MOU, the port and Stabilis will work together to provide turnkey LNG fueling solutions to marine vessels calling on the port, including identifying suitable dock space for shore-to-ship fueling operations, obtaining the necessary permits and approvals, identifying and educating potential customers, and executing LNG fueling events.

RFP: Electrical Integrators Sought for Skagit Count All-Electric Ferry
Skagit County Public Works and Seattle-based vessel designer Glosten are seeking proposals from electrical integrators to provide the vessel and shore electrical systems and the automated charging plug for the all-electric ferry design to replace the M/V Guemes.The Washington State Legislature recently passed SHB1502, providing authority for the county to select this equipment during the vessel’s contract design. The selected integrator will be required in the bid specifications…

McAllister to Operate ATB for Polaris New Energy LNG Bunkering Ops
McAllister Towing LNG Services, LLC will serve as technical manager for the Polaris New Energy LNG bunkering operation in Florida, operating the Articulated Tug Barge (ATB) Polaris/Clean Canaveral for Polaris New Energy. “We are excited to work with McAllister Towing because, as one of the oldest marine transportation companies in the US, they bring a tradition for providing unsurpassed operational excellence," said Tom Sullivan, COO, Seaside LNG Holdings, the parent company of Polaris New Energy.

OceanWise Wins Contract to Monitor Tides at Port of Waterford
OceanWise won a contract with the Port of Waterford to help consolidate, manage and better share environmental data collected by a diverse range of environmental sensors across their port jurisdiction.The Port of Waterford operates 24/7/365, and is an estuary where channel depths can vary with tidal height significantly affecting safe vessel passage. OceanWise will support operations by installing the data management system Port-Log, allowing Waterford pilots and port operators…

Stena RoRo E-Flexer Côte d'Opale Delivered to DFDS
The RoPax vessel Côte d'Opale – Stena's fifth E-Flexer vessel from the Chinese shipyard CMI Jinling (Weihai) – was delivered May 17, 2021 in a ceremony with representatives from Stena RoRo, DFDS and the shipyard.The ship, at 214m long will become the longest ferry operating in the English Channe will enter service during the summer.“Our focus is to adapt the design to our customers' specific wishes, and in this case, DFDS has been very involved in the ship's unique design,” said Per Westling, CEO of Stena RoRo.

DCT Gdańsk Baltic Hub 3 Project: Invitation for Prequalification
DCT Gdańsk S.A. has started a prequalification process to tender for the Baltic Hub 3 Project. DCT invites firms and joint ventures to prequalify to tender for Baltic Hub 3 General Contractor. The project in-cludes:Site establishment and demolition of existing disused Terminal T1 marine structures;Construction of the BH3 quay together with all ancillary works and edge protection structures;Dredging associated with the BH3 reclamation and vessel access, reclamation and earthworks…

DP World Says Agrees with Ethiopia to Develop Trade Corridor
Dubai's DP World said on Thursday it had signed a preliminary agreement with Ethiopia's transport ministry to co-develop logistics infrastructure in the East African state along a trade corridor connected to Somali semi-autonomous region Somaliland.DP World and its partners anticipate investing up to $1 billion over the next ten years building warehouses, silos and dry ports, the state-owned company said in a statement.The preliminary deal also includes plans to set up a joint venture logistics company.Further details of the joint venture, or how the projects would be funded were not disclosed

Astilleros Gondán Orders ABB Package for 10 Electric Ferries
Spanish shipbuilder Astilleros Gondán has tapped ABB to supply all-electric power solutions for ten fast 40-meter urban passenger ferries transporting up to 540 passengers each across Lisbon’s Tagus river.The contract comes a week after Astilleros Gondan said it would start building a series of 10 fully electric passenger ferries for the Portuguese river passenger transport operator Transtejo.The ten new ferries will replace the existing fleet serving this route when they enter service between 2022 and 2024.In addition to energy storage…

Hamburger Lloyd Sells Two Ships to Hapag-Lloyd
Hamburger Lloyd is selling the two widebeam containerships, RHL Constantia (IMO-No. 9495765) and RHL Calliditas (IMO-No. 9495777), to Hapag-Lloyd AG. Hamburger Lloyd will remain responsible for the technical management and crewing of the two freighters. With the purchase of the Constantia and the Calliditas, Hapag-Lloyd AG is expanding its fleet to a total of 17 units in the 4000-6000 TEU ship segment. The RHL Calliditas has already been deployed as a charter vessel for Hapag-Lloyd in the Swahili Express / Gulf India Africa service since 2019.

Maritime Arbitration? Read These Recommendations Before You Start
Let we get straight to the point. Cases of maritime arbitration are annoying. There are no winners. And yet, unfortunately, it also happens in the maritime sector that maritime companies go to court. Are you also about to start an arbitration? Read these three tips first.First of all, grab your calculatorDo you disagree with, let’s say, a supplier or even a client? Of course, you are right, but bear in mind that the other party thinks that they are. So, what to do? Go to court and hope for the best? Stop!

Maritime Digitalization: Kongsberg Digital, Nautilus Labs Enter Partnership
Kongsberg Digital and Nautilus Labs announced a partnership to include the Nautilus Platform fleet and voyage optimization tool in the Kognifai open ecosystem. The agreement will see the integration of Nautilus Platform within Kognifai, complementing the applications already in place from Kongsberg Digital and third-party developers. These include Vessel Insight, which provides a secure and dependable vessel-to-cloud data infrastructure which captures, aggregates and contextualizes all data derived from a vessel’s sensors and other assets…

Ship Tech: GHG Emission Reduction focus of NYK LNG-Fueled PCTC Newbuilds
NYK has concluded a shipbuilding contract with China Merchants Jinling Shipyard (Nanjing) Co. Ltd. for four LNG-fueled PCTCs to be delivered from 2022 to 2023, intended to transport vehicles mainly to/from Europe and/or to the Middle East.The ships are designed with GHG emission reduction, and to that end they will be outfieed with WinGD’s X-DF2.0 iCER main engine, the first time they will be utilized in the world. According to NYK, the engine consumes less gas and reduces GHG by cutting methane emissions from exhaust gas by approximately 50%.

Callan Marine Wins Dredging Work at Port of Corpus Christi
Texas-based dredging contractor Callan Marine said it has been awarded the long-term contract for maintenance and new work dredging of the Port of Corpus Christi.The Port of Corpus Christi is the third most profitable port in the United States and is the second-largest exporter of crude oil. The channel itself is 36-miles long, with 30+ ship berths serving the cargo, dry and liquid bulk, breakbulk, and wind energy industries.Under its multi-year contract, Callan Marine will provide maintenance and new work dredging of the various docks at the port…

Sovcomflot, Total Ink Timecharter Deal on LNG Transport
PAO Sovcomflot (SCF Group) and Total have concluded a time charter agreement for up to seven years for a newbuild 174,000-cubic-meter-capacity liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier, scheduled to be delivered Q3 2023 and to be owned and operated by SCF, with options for up to two additional vessels.The new vessel will be the latest in a series of SCF’s new-generation conventional Atlanticmax LNG carriers, with three sister ships already in operation: SCF La Perouse, SCF Barents and SCF Timmerman.The vessel will be fitted with an X-DF propulsion system…

Arklow Chooses Satcom Global Aura VSAT
Ireland headquartered ship owner and charterer Arklow Shipping has contracted communications solutions provider Satcom Global to install Aura VSAT across 17 newbuild vessels due for delivery from 2021 onward.The new vessels will be activated on a range of Aura service packages, all with Committed Information Rate for guaranteed service quality, and companion options to suit their different sailing patterns. Ten new C-Class vessels will benefit from unlimited Ku-band connectivity with 4G back-up to complement their short sea shipping requirements and operations close to shore.
Schulte Group Acquires Rescompany
Schulte Group invests in digital technology for the cruise sector by acquiring software provider Rescompany. Rescompany Systems Ltd. (Resco) is a provider of advanced hospitality software solutions to the cruise industry, and with its integrated ship to shore software systems, was seen as a perfect match to the services offered by Schulte Group member and digital technology company MariApps Marine Solutions (MariApps). Together, the two companies will be able to offer a comprehensive…

Kongsberg Sim-based eLearning Solutions for MAAP
Kongsberg Digital reports that the Maritime Academy of Asia and the Pacific (MAAP) has adopted its new K-Sim eLearning solution, as well as commissioning installation of a cutting-edge K-Sim Safety firefighting simulator at its premises in the Philippines.K-Sim Connect has provided more than 23,000 cloud-based simulations to customers worldwide this year.MAAP – a leading institution of excellence for maritime education and training in the Asia-Pacific region – has for decades been a pioneer in the use of new simulation-based training tools.

S. Korea's Daewoo Nets $2.6 Bln Iraqi Port Deal
Iraq agreed a $2.625 billion deal with South Korea’s Daewoo Engineering & Construction on Wednesday to build the first phase at its planned Faw commodities port in the south of the country.Under the contract, signed in Baghdad by representatives of Iraq’s transportation ministry and the South Korean company, Daewoo E&C will handle construction work including building five berths to unload ships and a yard for containers.Daweoo will also carry out dredging and drilling works to create an access navigation channel, Farhan al-Fartousi, Iraq’s director general at the General Company for Ports, tol

Centerline Logistics Acquires Saltchuk Marine Services’ California Ship Refueling Ops
Centerline Logistics acquired Saltchuk Marine Services’ California ship refueling business, currently operated by subsidiary Foss Maritime Company. According to a press release from Centerline, this "major acquisition" brings together the combined capabilities of two of the nation’s leaders in petroleum transportation, strengthening Centerline’s position as a provider of around the clock bunkering (ship refueling) services.Through this expansion, Centerline will "substantially…

Iraq to Sign $2.625 Bln Port Contract with S.Korea's Daewoo
Iraq's government has agreed to sign a $2.625 billion contract with South Korea's Daewoo Engineering & Construction to build the first phase of a giant cargo port in the south of the country, a port manager said on Wednesday.The long-planned and repeatedly delayed Grand Faw port is one of several projects that Iraq hopes will create a shorter transportation corridor between the Middle East and Europe, bypassing the Suez Canal.Under the contract, expected to be signed on Sunday, Daewoo E&C will handle construction works that include building five berths to unload ships and a yard for containers

VIDEO: Port of Gdynia Construction Project Moving Forward
Treasury bonds are issued for the Port of Gdynia Authority S.A. (PGA) to secure funds for the Outer Port Gdynia construction project, funding to be invested in building the access infrastructure in the form of breakwaters.The Port of Gdynia Authority S.A. formally launched a procedure to select a private partner for the “Construction of the Outer Port in the Port of Gdynia” project. The deadline for submitting applications for admission to the qualification procedure is scheduled for January 15…

Wallem Inks Deal with Navigate Response
Wallem Shipmanagement appointed Navigate Response to enhance its global media response capability, tasked to deliver crisis communications support and training to its global operations on shore and at sea.“Wallem Shipmanagement is committed to investing in technology that primarily enhances the safety of our seafarers and improves security, productivity and efficiency. In Navigate Response we recognize a similar commitment to leveraging digital solutions to deliver world-class crisis communications and on-line training…
Michels Inks Long-term Lease at Port Milwaukee
Port Milwaukee and Michels Corporation have formally signed a lease agreement for nearly 17.5 acres at the port’s Grand Trunk site along the Kinnickinnic River. The agreement has an initial term of 20 years, and, with extensions, could continue for a total of 99 years.The lease signing is the culmination of a process that included a nationwide request-for-proposals along with approvals by the Board of Harbor Commissioners, the Milwaukee Common Council, and Mayor Tom Barrett.“Michels has made it clear the company wants to grow in Milwaukee, and we welcome that,” Mayor Barrett said.

MacGregor Inks Deal to Supply LNG Bunker Barge Hose Handling Cranes
MacGregor received an order from Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding to supply two fixed boom cranes that will handle the hoses on a new 5,400 cubic meter capacity liquefied natural gas (LNG) bunker barge currently under construction and estimated to be delivered by the end of 2021.The MacGregor Rapp HP63-13F cranes will handle the hoses that transfer LNG from the barge to the LNG-powered vessel during bunkering operations. The hoses will be 63 feet long and designed to handle 6,500 pounds at 42 feet and 1…

Four New Dual-fuel Bulkers to Support U-Ming Charter Deal
U-Ming Marine Transport Corporation, Taiwan’s largest publicly listed bulk carrier company, secured a 10-year liquefied natural gas (LNG) dual-fuel dry bulk charter contract with global mining company Anglo American.A fleet of four LNG dual-fuel Tier III 190,000 DWT bulk carriers measuring 299 by 47.5 meters each will be built by Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding (SWS) to support the charter. The new ships are expected to be delivered through 2023.The ships will be fitted with MAN Energy Solutions’ high-pressure ME-GI engines.

Great Lakes Wins Jacksonville Harbor Dredging Contract
Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Corporation has been awarded a $105 million Base and Option B contract award on the Jacksonville Harbor Construction Dredging, 47-Foot Contract C Cut-42 Project, the U.S.' largest dredging services provider announced Friday.Great Lakes said it expects the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to award additional option work items on the contract by mid-2021 with a value of $11.5 million, resulting in a total contract award of $116.5 million.Dredging is scheduled…

GE's Propulsion Package for Dutch Navy's New Combat Support Ship
Damen Schelde Naval Shipbuilding (DSNS) has ordered energy management and electric propulsion package from GE’s Power Conversion for the new Combat Support Ship (CSS) being built for the Royal Netherlands Navy.The CSS ordered by the Dutch government in December 2019 will be 180 meters in length, will accommodate a 75-persons basic crew, with capacity for an additional 85 persons on-board. GE’s will deliver main switchboards for the ship distribution system, with two shore connection cubicles…

The Four Dominant Criteria of Yacht Insurance
It is generally understood that the insurance coverage of a luxurious Yacht can be a headache for her owner, not having the necessary knowledge and sufficient information to make an educated decision with confidence, especially in a changing and challenging international insurance market.Yacht insurance traces its roots in an official sense back to the 17th century and falls within a special category, specifically Marine Insurance, which requires advanced knowledge and experience…

ABB Lands Software Deal with Roll Group
ABB announced Monday it has won a contract to supply the digital solution ABB Ability Marine Advisory System – OCTOPUS to Roll Group’s recently delivered vessel, BigRoll Biscay.BigRoll Biscay is the eighth vessel in Dutch heavy lift specialist’s fleet to rely on ABB marine software, which improves the safety and efficiency of ship operations by optimizing the route based on weather and forecasted vessel motions.Vessel motion monitoring and forecasting is critical for heavy lift vessels that need to move safely when in transit.

Crowley Signs Up to Inmarsat’s Fleet Xpress
Crowley Maritime Corp. has agreed a contract to install Fleet Xpress from satellite communications provider Inmarsat on a majority of its vessels.The 128-year old Florida-headquartered business owns, operates and manages a diverse fleet of close to 200 vessels, including conventional and dual fuel (LNG) containerships, tankers and articulated tug-barges, and ship assist and offshore services tugboats, and various other types of barges.The deal was signed following trials in Alaska on Aframax tanker…

Insights: Contracts are Overrated in Maritime
My company has been around since 1875, and today we actually still do things that were being done in 1875. We still get calls from underwriters to attend on disasters all over the place, and we are still asked to provide values on ships on a moment’s notice.Moreover, some of the companies that ask us to attend to those issues, in some form or another, also have been around since 1875.That results in a very smooth operational routine, where we get a call from one of those clients in the middle of the night, we pull our pants on, step into the car and go out to see what is going on.

CYSEC SA Wins Maritime Cyber Security Contract
CYSEC SA, a cybersecurity company from Switzerland, has been awarded a contract by the European Space Agency (ESA) to develop a solution mitigating the cyber risks related to ship tracking using satellite communications.The digital revolution also impacts the shipping industry by integrating automated navigation, cargo-tracking systems and digital platforms which facilitate operations, trade and the exchange of data. To achieve this transformation, the mitigation of cyber security…

Finnlines Orders MAN Propulsion Package for New RoRos
MAN Energy Solutions has won the order to supply six MAN B&W 9S50ME-C9.6 Tier II-compliant main engines for three 238-meter roll-on/roll-off (RoRo) vessels intended for operation in the Baltic Sea. The customer is Finnlines PLC., the Finnish shipping company and part of the Grimaldi Group. MAN Energy Solutions’ two-stroke licensee – Hyundai Heavy Industries Co., Ltd. (Engine & Machinery Business Unit) – will build the engines in Korea, while Nanjing Jinling shipyard in China will construct the vessels.

NSM Signs with L3Harris to Support LHDs
Naval Ship Management (NSM) has partnered with L3Harris Technologies to provide engineering, maintenance and supply chain solutions to support Australia’s largest warship - the Canberra Class Amphibious Assault Ship, also known as the Landing Helicopter Dock (LHD), and its associated assets.Under the 4.5-year subcontractor agreement, L3Harris will be responsible for the Integrated Communication Systems (ICS) maintenance and support, as well as the Through Life Support Facility (TLSF)…

Valmet to Supply Automation for Expedition Cruise Pair
Valmet will supply automation and information systems for two luxury expedition vessels being built by Helsinki Shipyard Oy in Finland for Russia’s largest river cruise company Vodohod Ltd.The 113-meter-long and 20.2-meter-wide vessels will have an ice class of PC5 and a passenger capacity of 157 persons. Their draught is 5.7 meters, and cruising speed is 14 knots. The newbuilds will operate both in the Arctic and Antarctic waters as well as in the tropical waters during the spring and autumn seasons.Valmet’s delivery includes a Valmet DNA automation system…

Total Charters LNG Dual-fuel VLCCs
Malaysian shipowner AET said it signed a deal with Total's Chartering and Shipping Services SA for the time charter of two liquefied natural gas (LNG) dual-fuel very large crude carriers (VLCC). The two newbuilds, which are able to carry about 300,000 tons of crude oil each, are scheduled to be delivered to AET from the first quarter of 2022.The two newbuilds will be powered by LNG and will be among the most environmentally friendly VLCCs in the market. When in service, they will emit around 20% less CO2 greenhouse gases than conventional vessels; 85% less NOx and 99% less SOx.

Klaveness Expands Data Platform Contract with DNV GL
Following a three-vessel pilot project initiated in 2019, Klaveness Ship Management has opted to expand its contract with DNV GL's Veracity to sign up another eight vessels for the data platform service.The pilot saw Veracity partner with Arundo Analytics (Arundo) to install Arundo Edge Agent software onboard and stream data onto the Veracity data platform. On Veracity, the data is secured, stored, contextualized and combined with other data sources such as position data. This ‘fit-for-purpose’ data is then made available by Arundo and Klaveness for analytics…

Contracted Rates to Fall Long-term Due to Conoravirus -Xeneta
The container shipping segment appears to have caught coronavirus, with the industry suffering its first monthly fall in long-term contracted ocean freight rates since October 2019. According to the latest XSI Public Indices report from Xeneta, March 2020 saw a small dip of 0.5% in rates after a sustained period of growth. Although these symptoms look mild, the future is characterized by growing uncertainty, with widespread economic disruption and looming global recession likely…

NuStar, Svitzer Extends Contract in Point Tupper
Svitzer has announced a five-year extension of their marine service contract with NuStar.Svitzer has been delivering towage services to NuStar in Point Tupper since 2010. The extension that comes into effect on August 1, 2020 supports NuStar’s Point Tupper Oil Storage facility with three tugs on time charter, performing berthing and unberthing for calling tankers and safety standby services at the terminal.

DP World Berbera Orders 8 RTG Cranes
Liebherr Container Cranes and DP World Berbera have signed a contract for the supply of eight RTGs for DP World’s terminal in Berbera, Somaliland. The cranes are due to be ready for operation before the end of 2020.The high performance, variable speed diesel RTGs are six containers plus a truck lane wide and will stack one over five containers high. The machines are supplied with DGPS autosteering and stack profiling. Like all Liebherr RTGs, the machines incorporate Liebherr’s eight rope reeving no-sway-system.

Svitzer Gets 10-Year Contract Extension with Sakhalin Energy Investment
Svitzer, the towage operator that is part of Maersk, announced a 10-year extension of its marine service contract with Sakhalin Energy Investment Company Ltd., a consortium set up to develop and manage the Sakhalin-II project, aimed at producing and exporting oil and liquefied gas.Svitzer has been providing towage services to the Sakhalin-II project since 2007, and the extension comes into effect in November 2022 to support the mooring of more than 1,800 gas carriers with a vessel fleet of four Robert Allen ice-breaking tugs and two mooring boats.

Forth Ports Orders Harbor Tug
Damen Shipyards Group has signed a contract with Forth Ports Limited for an ASD Tug 2312. The new vessel will operate as part of the Forth Estuary Towage operation, conducting towage work at various Forth Ports locations as well as providing towage services to other external customers in Scotland.Forth Ports has a range of existing operations in the Forth and Tay Estuaries that will benefit from the acquisition of this new vessel, however, the new vessel will also provide opportunities to service new emerging markets such as decommissioning and offshore wind.

Ribcraft Wins $43m USN Contract
Ribcraft announced that the United States Navy (USN) has awarded a five-year indefinite quantity contract worth up to $43 million to build and deliver an estimated 48 of the 11-Meter Expeditionary Mine Counter Measure Boat. Ribcraft has also been providing the U.S. Navy with 7-Meter shipboard RIBs since 2014.The 11-Meter RIBs will serve to support explosive ordinance disposal mine counter measure platoons in both shallow and deep water operations. To achieve this, Ribcraft will build two configurations for mine counter measure operations…

DESS Aquaculture Shipping Signs Deal for Fleet Management Software
DESS Aquaculture Shipping AS signs contract with Logimatic for SERTICA Fleet Management. With DESS Aquaculture Shipping AS joining the family, Logimatic adds another Norwegian company to their customer database. SERTICA is a technical Fleet Management Software providing an overview of an entire fleet. It is designed to secure a stable communication and data management between the main office and the vessels. It aims to optimize internal processes in relation to maintenance, procurement, HSQE and performance.DESS Aquaculture Shipping AS has a total fleet of 12 AQUA Vessels.

OSM to Install TM Master on Fleet
OSM Maritime Group extended its partnership with Tero Marine, as the Norwegian tech company now prepares to install its TM Master suite on the remaining OSM fleet globally.The frame agreement with Tero Marine means that all vessels with various planned maintenance systems across the OSM fleet would be standardized on TM Master. TM Master is currently installed on close to 70 vessels across OSM’s Norway and Singapore managed fleets. With OSM’s vision in the ship management segment…

LA, Long Beach Ports Strengthen Collaboration
The ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach Sign MOU to enhance competitveness. The newly approved memorandum of understanding (MOU) is an opportunity to explore five areas of additional cooperation that will enhance competitiveness: cargo transfer predictability, digital connectivity, cybersecurity, establishing metrics and workforce development.“Our two ports are the fastest way to move goods between Asia and U.S. markets and manufacturers,” said Port of Long Beach Executive Director Mario Cordero.

Inmarsat Launches Services in Saudi Arabia
Inmarsat has announced that it will bring its maritime, aviation and enterprise connectivity solutions to customers based in Saudi Arabia through new partner agreements.The company additionally announced that it has secured new spectrum licences to deliver both its narrow-band (L-band) and high-capacity broadband (Ka-band), Global Xpress (GX), services in Saudi Arabia, enabling Saudi-based businesses to deploy these services for the first time.Fixed and mobile satellite telecommunications…

Five Coastal Ferries for Zanzibar
Damen Shipyards signed a contract with the Ministry of Infrastructure, Communications & Transport of the Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar for the supply of five inshore ferries to carry tourists visiting Pemba Island and others nearby in the Zanzibar Archipelago.The contract is for three vessels of the Damen Ferry 804 design and two of the Damen Ferry 1204 design, together with a spare parts package for the first year of operation and on-site training in operating and maintaining the vessels.
Scorpio Bulkers to Sell, Leaseback 3 Bulkers
The provider of marine transportation of dry bulk commodities Scorpio Bulkers has agreed to sell and leaseback two Ultramax vessels (SBI Cronos and SBI Achilles) and one Kamsarmax vessel (SBI Lynx) to Ocean Yield ASA for a total financing consideration of $62.8 million.Upon completion, which is estimated to take place in the first quarter of 2020, the company’s liquidity is expected to increase by up to $33.6 million after the repayment of outstanding debt.The company will also…
Shell, Qatargas Sign LNG Deal for Kuwait
The world’s largest liquefied natural gas (LNG) producer Qatargas has signed a new, long-term LNG sale and purchase agreement (SPA) with Shell to deliver 1 million tons per annum of LNG to Kuwait, commencing this year.Saad Sherida Al-Kaabi, the Minister of State for Energy Affairs said, “We are pleased to announce this new long term agreement between Qatargas and Shell for the supply of LNG to the State of Kuwait, following the recent agreement signed between Qatar Petroleum and Kuwait Petroleum Corporation.

Harvey Gulf CEO to Remain Until 2027
New Orleans based offshore vessels company Harvey Gulf International Marine said it has signed an agreement with its CEO, Shane Guidry, to remain at Harvey until January 1, 2027.Guidry commented, “Over the past several years, Harvey Gulf has produced the highest EBITDA with the lowest cost of operations in the industry. We stand ready to merge with any other company that compliments what we do, thus delivering the best returns to the combined entity.”
Turku Shipyard Doubles the Order
Finnish shipbuilding company Meyer Turku Oy (known as the Turku shipyard) announced that the supply orders of the shipyard got almost doubled in two years."The value of supply orders to the shipyard has grown very strongly. It has almost doubled in two years (+ 84 %). The value of the supply orders was approximately EUR 933 million in 2018 when the corresponding figure in 2016 was approximately EUR 508 million," said a press release from the shipbuilder located in Turku, Finland…

Piraeus Port Taps TEKAL for Port Expansion
PPA S.A. has announced that the construction company TEKAL S.A. was awarded as the construction contractor of the Cruise Terminal Expansion project of Piraeus Port Authority, after the financial bid of $113 million plus VAT, initially budgeted $180 million. The new cruise pier is one of the mandatory investments of the master plan of COSCO SHIPPING for the PPA. The project is also funded by the Regional Operational Program for Attica 2014-2020. The expansion will be located next to the existing cruise facilities…

SGTM Orders Catamaran from Austal
SGTM has awarded Austal Limited a $10.7 million contract to build a 41-meter, high-speed catamaran.The new vessel is based on Austal Australia designed vessel, with customer defined design modifications to be undertaken in Vietnam before construction commences there by March, 2020 with delivery approximately one year later.Austal Chief Executive Officer David Singleton said the new contract was welcome as Austal continued to build on its investment in facilities and people in the company’s new Vietnam shipyard.

Partners to Develop Egypt's First Exclusive RoRo Terminal
NYK, Bolloré Africa Logistics (Bolloré) and Toyota Tsusho Corporation (Toyota Tsusho) have signed an agreement with the General Authority for the Suez Canal Economic Zone to set up and operate a dedicated automotive terminal at East Port Said in Egypt.The automotive market in Egypt is expected to expand along with population growth and economic development, and the Alexandria port, which currently handles almost all of Egypt’s vehicle imports, is a multipurpose port that sees a variety of cargo and lacks storage space.

Port of Savannah Tops Cargo Record
In the 2019 calendar year Port of Savannah moved 4.6 million twenty-foot equivalent container units (TEU).Georgia Ports Authority (GPA) Executive Director Griff Lynch said this is an increase of nearly 250,000 TEU (5.6%) compared to the previous year.In roll-on/roll-off trade, GPA handled 657,685 units of cars, trucks and tractors in 2019, an increase of 12,167 units, or 2%.Ocean Terminal picked up two new customers in 2019 - GM and Volvo - with both car makers exporting vehicles to Australia and New Zealand via Savannah.

Yilport Orders Automated RTG Systems
Cranes manufacturer Konecranes reports it booked an order in December 2019 with Yilport to deliver automated rubber tired gantry (RTG) crane systems to three of Yilport’s European container terminals, including two in Portugal and one in Sweden.The automated RTG systems, each with six Konecranes ARTGs operated under a supervised operation concept, will be built as extensions to the container yards of Yilport’s Gävle container terminal in Sweden and the Liscont and Leixões terminals in Portugal.