CMA CGM Sees Strong Final Quarter on Shipping Recovery

Container shipping group CMA CGM said on Friday shipping activity remained strong in the final quarter of 2020 after a rebound from initial coronavirus-related disruption boosted the French company's third-quarter profits.CMA CGM, the world's fourth-largest container shipping line, said its EBITDA margin rose to 21.0% in the third quarter from 17.2% in the previous quarter and 13.3% in the year-earlier period.Brisk shipping activity should allow CMA CGM to increase the EBITDA margin further in the final quarter, it said.Like market leader Maersk, which this week raised its full-year earnings t

US Grain Exports Via the St. Lawrence Seaway Up 10.7%

Slow progress continues for U.S. Great Lakes-Seaway shipping: U.S. grain exports up 10.7%According to the latest figures, Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway shipping recorded improvements in October with U.S. grain and project cargo shipments helping to lift tonnage volumes in an otherwise turbulent season.A total of 27.7 million metric tons of cargo moved through the St. Lawrence Seaway (April 1 to October 31), down 7.9% from 2019.Year-to-date U.S. grain shipments (wheat, soybeans and corn) via the Seaway totaled 1.3 million metric tons, up 10.7%.

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.

Oi 50th "Voices": Professor Edward Hill, OBE, Chief Executive, National Oceanography Centre

Oceanology International, the world's largest exhibition and conference for the subsea sector, was originally scheduled for March 2020, subsequently rescheduled to December 2020 due to COVID-19. The organizers last month announced the need to take this iconic event 100% virtual due to the lingering pandemic. Below are insights from Professor Edward Hill, Chief Executive, NOCS, as published in the "Oi 50th Anniversary Edition", published by Marine Technology Reporter and included with the November/December 2020 edition.

Virtual Conference to Focus on Transatlantic Marine Renewables

Marine industry experts from Portugal and Canada are staging a special Blue Economy conference to spark transatlantic business growth. WavEC Offshore Renewables is teaming up with the Embassy of Canada to Portugal to host ‘Advancing the Blue Economy through Intercontinental Collaboration’. It runs on December 09 and 10.The two-day online event includes a world-class roster of speakers. They will share knowledge on floating offshore wind, alongside latest advances in wave power…

World's Largest LNG-fueled Containership Bunkers In Rotterdam

The world’s largest containership powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG) began its first gas bunkering operation in Rotterdam on Thursday, French shipping company the CMA CGM Group said.The CMA CGM Jacques Saadé, which has an 18,600 cubic meter tank, will be refueled with LNG while port handling operations are underway, marking the largest LNG bunkering operation ever undertaken for a containership.Once bunkering is complete, CMA CGM’s flagship will continue its maiden voyage…

Op/Ed: Overcoming Obstacles to Maritime's Tech Evolution

The incorporation of information and communications technologies (ICT) is transforming the way the maritime industry is doing business. While the sector is beginning to reap the benefits of integrating smart solutions in its operations, there are barriers that it needs to overcome to ensure that it optimally leverages the adoption of technology.ICT has disrupted the way many sectors do business, and the maritime industry is no exception as advances in technology are increasingly nullifying traditional ways of working.

ABS Reaches an IHM Century with Seaspan

Classification society ABS reports it has scheduled its 100th Inventory of Hazardous Materials (IHM) Certification for Seaspan Ship Management, 98% of which are remote surveys.ABS says it is on course to ultimately certify more than 100 vessels for the world's largest containership lessor as part of a huge increase in demand for ABS remote surveys of around 300% since the start of the global COVID-19 pandemic.“COVID-19 has provided the maritime industry with unprecedented challenges. But it has also forced the industry to embrace the opportunities arising from digitization and technology.

Norwegian Shipyard Downsizes, Flips Focus to Repair and Service

One Norwegian shipyard has opted to focus on ship repair and service versus newbuild -- and downsize too -- to ride out COVID-19 and its impact on the world economy.New Havyard Ship Technology announced that it will restructure its operations into a repair and service yard and reduce the number of staff, as employees were informed today at the yard in Leirvik."The strategy of becoming a service and repair yard is absolutely necessary to keep as many jobs as possible," said Gunnar Larsen, CEO, Havyard Group.

KONGSBERG's Vessel Insight Gains DNV GL Acceptance

KONGSBERG’s ship-to-cloud data infrastructure service Vessel Insight has been qualified by technical advisor to the maritime industry DNV GL. Safety and cyber security were the critical parameters in the recently completed Technical Qualification.The subscription-based service is designed to help operators to begin standardizing their data collection and contextualization, leveraging KONGSBERG’s long history as a system integrator and provider of automation and information management  systems.

Cargill Looks to Use Wind to Cut Carbon in Shipping

Cargill, one of the world's biggest charterers of ships, is working with technology partners to fit sails on vessels in its fleet to cut carbon emissions through harnessing wind power, the U.S. agribusiness group said on Wednesday.About 90% of world trade is transported by sea and the International Maritime Organization (IMO) has said it aims to reduce overall greenhouse gas emissions from ships by 50% from 2008 levels by 2050.Carbon emissions from shipping rose in the six-year period to 2018 and accounted for 2.9% of the world’s CO2…

Interview: Sam Ruda, Director, Port of NY/NJ

Ports are economic engines for the regions they serve, and the impact from business activities at the Port of New York/New Jersey runs as big as the area it serves: 46 million consumers in a four-hour radius. The port is an economic giant in and of itself, providing for nearly a half a million jobs, a cumulative $35 billion in personal income and a cumulative $98 billion in business income. Sam Ruda, Director, Port NY/NJ, discusses a record 2019, continued investment in infrastructure…

Lombardi to Succeed Blust as IICL President

Trade association the Institute of International Container Lessors (IICL) announces that Dennis Lombardi will become president of the association, effective January 1, 2021. Lombardi replaces Steven R. Blust, who will be retiring from his role as president, but will stay on with IICL as a senior advisor. “Dennis Lombardi brings to this position the right balance of operations expertise, business acumen and extensive experience as an active advocate for the industry. We are confident he will serve as a strong leader who will guide the organization as the industry continues to evolve…

Alibaba Group and Zim Partner on Sea Freight

Alibaba Group Holdings and Israeli shipping group Zim have entered a strategic cooperation agreement for the direct purchase of sea freight, which will improve logistic services to merchants selling on Alibaba, Zim said on Monday.Zim said it will provide sea freight and services through a direct interface with the e-commerce giant’s logistics platform.The companies have been cooperating since earlier this year, the shipper said in a statement.Zim is 32% owned by Kenon Holdings.(Reporting by Ari Rabinovitch; Editing by Tova Cohen)

ABS CEO Calls for Cooperation on Decarbonization

The successful decarbonization of the shipping industry will require teamwork and cooperation, said ABS Chairman, President and CEO Christopher J. Wiernicki.“Building the future is clearly a team sport – even if not all players see it that way all the time,” he said. “In our industry, the more all stakeholders in the supply chain cooperate on meeting the challenges of getting to 2030 and 2050, the sooner we will reach those goals, and the better we all will be.”In a keynote address to the Shipping Insight 20/20: A Vision For The Decade conference titled Leaning into the Future…

CMA CGM Resumes Online Services After Cyber Attack

CMA CGM, the world’s fourth-largest container shipping group, said it has restored its online business services after a cyber attack last month paralyzed activity.France-based CMA CGM first reported the incident on September 28, saying it had shut down access to its online services after malware targeted its peripheral servers.“The CMA CGM Group’s e-commerce sites are once again live with all their main functionalities up and running,” the company said in a statement on Sunday. “Applications and essential functionalities are now operational and secured.”In a separate incident, U.N.

Training Tips for Ships Tip #17: Getting Serious About Assessing Skills

Ours is both a knowledge-based and skill-based industry. We know this. Yet our training does not address both aspects equally. And until it does, we are needlessly sacrificing safety and performance. There is more we can do.Maritime workers require a high degree of both knowledge and skills to perform efficiently and safely. Knowledge enables officers and crew to react intelligently to novel situations and to operate safely in challenging environments. Yet knowledge, while necessary, is not sufficient for safe and performant operations.

Port Milwaukee Director Tindall-Schlicht Honored by AntwerpXL

Leaders of an international shipping conference have named Milwaukee’s Port Director, Adam Tindall-Schlicht, as an AntwerpXL 40 Under 40 honoree. The award showcases rising stars, under the age of 40, in an important sector of marine commerce.AntwerpXL is a major conference focusing on breakbulk shipping – that is cargo not transported in containers. Port Milwaukee is a significant destination for breakbulk on the Great Lakes.This award is designed to identify and celebrate younger players within the industry…

Port of Virginia Cycling In New Chassis Fleet

The Port of Virginia’s continual investment in new equipment is helping to build one of the youngest chassis fleets in the U.S., with the average age of chassis in the port’s pool being 3.5 years old.Experts in the field estimate the average age of an intermodal chassis to be 15-years to 20-plus-years-old. But with a continual cycle of adding new units and retiring old ones, the port is ensuring a young, safe, road-worthy chassis fleet for the motor carriers servicing the port.In fiscal year 2020 (July 1…

Wärtsilä Names Håkan Agnevall as President and CEO

Finland-based marine engine and technology provider Wärtsilä has appointed Håkan Agnevall as its next president and CEO.Agnevall, who currently president of Volvo's bus division, will start in his role no later than in April 2021, succeeding Jaakko Eskola, who will continue with the company as a senior advisor and executive until he retires on June 30, 2021, after 22 years with the group.Agnevall has been with the Volvo Group  since 2013. In the decade prior to that he held various leadership positions in Bombardier and in ABB…

On Watch: International Coalition Monitors, Protects Middle East Shipping Lanes

The International Maritime Security Construct (IMSC) was created July 2019 as a way to deter unprofessional behavior in the waters of the Middle East region through its operational arm, Coalition Task Force (CTF) Sentinel.The IMSC comprises eight nations – Albania, Australia, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Lithuania, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom and United States – who deploy personnel, ships and aircraft throughout the region as part of the international surveillance and detection effort.Since establishing CTF Sentinel…

IUMI: Insurers, Underwriters Must Jump Onboard Maritime's Digital Transformation

Speaking at the International Union of Marine Insurance (IUMI) annual conference, IUMI Data and Digitalization Forum Chair, Patrizia Kern discussed big data, the use of digital technologies, and how the COVID-19 pandemic has put digitalization on the fast track.“Digitalization is not an option anymore - it is here to stay - and the marine insurance sector needs to keep pace," said Kern. "For some time now, the shipping industry has been seeking cost-effective ways to operate and key logistics players have already begun to partner and digitalize the global marine supply chain.

World's Largest LNG-fueled Containership Delivered

The world's largest containership to be powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG) has officially joined the fleet of French container shipping group CMA CGM, during a digital naming ceremony at CSSC’s shipyard in Shanghai.CMA CGM Group’s new flagship, CMA CGM Jacques Saadé, named after the group's founder, is the lead vessel in a series of nine LNG-powered, 23,000 TEU containerships ordered in 2017.Rodolphe Saadé, CMA CGM Group’s chairman and CEO, announced in November 2017 that the vessels would be equipped with LNG-powered engines…

Panama Canal Launches Tender for Water Management System

The Panama Canal will implement water management solutions to improve the quantity, quality and control of its water supply, which it says is "a critical priority" as it continues to grapple with constrained water levels.As a result of climate variability, the Panama Canal watershed experienced its fifth driest year in 70 years in 2019. This unprecedented drought constrained water levels severely at Gatun and Alhajuela Lakes, the main sources of water for the Canal and half of Panama's population.

CMA CGM Sees Strong Shipping Rebound After Coronavirus Storm

Container shipping group CMA CGM on Friday reported higher second-quarter profits and said it expects results to improve again in the current quarter as the shipping sector recovers quickly from disruption caused by the coronavirus pandemic.French-based CMA CGM recorded a net profit of $136 million for the second quarter compared with a year-earlier $109 million loss.Core earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation rose 26% to $1.2 billion as favourable freight rates and reduced costs, linked to lower oil prices and an efficiency programme, offset a drop in sales caused by the

Chevron Tanker Receives ABS SMART-MHM Notation

ABS and Chevron Shipping Company LLC have embarked on a digital fleet management journey.As a first step, the Suezmax lightering vessel Pegasus Voyager has become the first vessel in Chevron’s fleet to qualify for the ABS maintenance optimization notation SMART-MHM (Machinery Health Monitoring), with more vessels expected to follow. The ship is also the first ABS-classed to receive the notation.ABS says this is just the beginning of the journey to condition-based maintenance for the Chevron’s fleet of 28 vessels.

All-electric Autonomous RoRo Ships Under Development

Kongsberg Maritime and Massterly (a Kongsberg Wilhelmsen joint venture) have signed contracts with the Norwegian grocery distributor ASKO to equip two new all-electric vessels with autonomous technology, and to manage their operations at sea.ASKO, which currently transports its cargo by more than 800 trucks daily, is investing heavily in environmentally friendly technologies such as electric and hydrogen-powered vehicles. At present, road transport is the single mode of transportation…

Yara Marine Launches Start-up Accelerator Program

Norway-based Yara Marine Technologies says it is running a competition for start-ups to accelerate the growth of technologies and solutions that will contribute to a greener maritime industry.“Our corporate mission is to nurture the next generation of high value, high performance sustainable ocean technologies,” says Yara Marine CEO Thomas Koniordos. “With this new program, we are seeking to position Yara Marine in the global start-up space while developing new opportunities for…

Chinese Buyers Snap up Indian Steel in Face of Trade Tensions

India's steel exports more than doubled between April and July to hit their highest level in at least six years, boosted by a surge of Chinese buying in defiance of tensions between Beijing and New Delhi.Traders said reduced prices had driven the purchases as Indian sellers sought to get rid of a surplus generated by the impact of COVID-19 on domestic demand and generate much-needed income.It was unclear whether the sales broke any trade rules, but the China Iron and Steel Association…

AST Forms Joint Venture with Wright Technologies

Intelligent remote communication solutions provider Applied Satellite Technology Ltd (AST) said it has entered into a joint venture with Wright Technologies, a provider of marine electronics services to the South Pacific markets.AST Group Managing Director, Gregory Darling, said the companies will jointly offer remote data applications through new technology and software to improve operational effectiveness.The newly formed company, AST Wrights Ltd, has its headquarters in Wellington…

ROBOSHIP Project Targets Zero-emissions Electric Vessels

Tokyo-based e5 Lab Inc. says it has launched the ROBOSHIP project aiming to develop standard models of electrically powered vessels to realize zero emissions, as well as an integrated system called the ROBOSHIP BOX, which brings together telecommunications, the Internet of Things (IoT) and software.With strategic partners in Japan and overseas, the development project team targets the commercialization of electric-powered merchant vessels that adopt clean and efficient propulsion systems at the most competitive price in the global market…

Port of Baltimore Sets Cargo Moves Record

The Helen Delich Bentley Port of Baltimore’s Seagirt Marine Terminal topped its record for most container moves from a single ship.The 5,536 container moves conducted by longshore workers handling the Maersk Edinburgh over three days was the largest number of moves for a single ship in the port’s 314-year history, surging past the previous record of 5,181 moves set last year.“This record container activity is a significant milestone for the Port of Baltimore and a sign that the maritime shipping industry is coming back and fueling Maryland’s economic recovery,” said Governor Larry Hogan.

Stored Crude, Condensate Could be Shipped from Shuttered Libyan Ports

A limited reopening of Libyan oil terminals could allow the export of some crude oil and condensate stored at Es Sider, Brega, Zueitina and Hariga, but leaves a months-long blockade of the ports in place, oil engineers say.East Libyan authorities said on Wednesday they would permit exports of the stored products in an effort to ease an electricity supply crisis that has resulted in increasingly lengthy power cuts.The ports have been blockaded since January by east Libyan factions as part a wider conflict…

ARA Taps Coolbaugh as Ohmsett Facility Manager

Applied Research Associates, Inc. (ARA) announced Dr. Tom Coolbaugh has joined the team as the Program/Facility Manager for Ohmsett – The National Oil Spill Response Research & Renewable Energy Test Facility. He will have oversight of the day-to-day operations, maintenance and testing at the facility, while ensuring facility users’ needs are met.Dr. Coolbaugh recently retired after 32 years with ExxonMobil Corporation, most recently as the Technology and Advocacy Advisor in the Emergency Preparedness and Response organization.

Opedal Tapped for Top Spot at Equinor

The Equinor Board of Directors appointed Anders Opedal as its new president and CEO starting November 2, 2020. Eldar Sætre will retire after six years as CEO and more than 40 years in the company.Opedal ascends to the top spot coming from the position as Executive Vice President Technology, Projects and Drilling. He joined Equinor as a petroleum engineer in 1997, spent many years in Drilling and Well and served as Chief Procurement Officer. In 2011, he was chosen to lead Equinor’s approximately NOK 300 billion project portfolio.

Lower Mississippi River to be Deepened to 50 Feet

The ports at Baton Rouge, New Orleans, South Louisiana, St. Bernard and Plaquemines are slated to have deep draft access after Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards and other state officials signed a formal agreement with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Friday to begin construction on the deepening of the Lower Mississippi River to 50 feet from 45 feet. The overall project will provide a draft of 50-feet from the Port of Baton Rouge to the Gulf of Mexico over 256 miles of the Mississippi River.

Ship Emissions: ABS Spearheads the Future of EEDI for Ships

A team led by ABS has been awarded a contract by the European Commission (EC) to explore future directions for the IMO’s Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI) for ships.The landmark study will look at ways to improve and accelerate the integration of low-carbon fuels and innovative technologies into the requirements of the index, which was originally created to reduce emissions from ships by promoting design improvements and the adoption of more energy-efficient power systems.The EC…

Crew Welfare Innovation Challenge Launched

Challenge for start-ups and SMEs will fund and test application that helps improve the safety of deck operations, minimizes fatigue on board, reduces administration on board and improves overall crew welfare.Mobile satellite communications provider Inmarsat has joined forces with Shell Shipping and Maritime and maritime digital consultancy Thetius to launch a new ‘Open Innovation Challenge’ for start-ups and small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs). The challenge aims to identify technology that can benefit crew safety…

Op/Ed: Federal Support for Ports is Critical

Florida’s seaports are one of the state’s greatest economic assets, positively affecting every region and every resident. Our seaports have a $117.6 billion economic impact across Florida and account for more than 900,000 direct and indirect jobs, while linking our communities to vital national and international markets.During the COVID-19 crisis, ports across the country have sustained mounting losses. Ports that specialize in moving hard-hit cargoes like steel and automobiles, or depend on tourism and cruise ships are also particularly vulnerable.

Gustafsson Joins Ocean Technologies Group

Experienced maritime technology and ship management executive Johan Gustafsson has joined learning and operational technology company Ocean Technologies Group as Chief Revenue Officer.Based in the group’s Norwegian office, Gustafsson will lead account management, customer support and sales teams based globally across Ocean Technologies Group companies. He will report to group CEO Manish Singh.Gustafsson’s experience in maritime technology businesses spans two decades with blue-chip organizations including Transas, Wartsila and most recently with Wallem Group, as its Chief Operating Officer.

US Ports Seek COVID-19 Relief

America’s port authorities are advocating for relief to manage the “extremely negative impacts” on the seaport industry brought on by the coronavirus pandemic as U.S. policymakers begin negotiations on the next COVID-19 aid package.Among the port leaders’ advocacy efforts are letters sent Friday to U.S. House, Senate and Administration leaders, urging them to provide $1.5 billion for seaports to cover business-critical expenses that ports have incurred due to COVID-19. The letters…

Understanding Marine Autonomy: Today’s Market and Future Concerns

Press coverage of early commercial marine autonomy projects is remarkably broad given the small number of marine industry professionals engaged in bringing these projects to market. The much larger assembly of industry stakeholders are left wondering what marine autonomy means for them. Regulatory, cost, and technical challenges stand in the way of fielding today’s autonomy technologies for most existing fleets and vessel missions. Autonomy is coming whether you’re prepared or not.

Jones Act Does Not Raise Cost of Living in Hawaii -Study

The Jones Act has no significant impact on the cost of living in Hawaii, according to a recent report produced by economists from Boston based Reeve & Associates (Reeve) and Hawaii based TZ Economics.“The Impact of the Jones Act on Hawaii” also found that freight rates in the U.S. mainland-Hawaii trade lane have declined in real terms over the last 10 years, while the Jones Act has delivered positive and substantial economic contributions, including job creation, new infrastructure investments…

Marine Scrubbers: Yara Marine Plots the Path Forward, Post-COVID-19

Yara Marine Technologies COO Ina Reksten and Research and Development Manager Shyam Bahadur Thapa reflect on the effects of the coronavirus crisis and share their vision for a future beyond the pandemic.2020 will go down in history as the year that changed everything for many industries, not least the marine exhaust gas cleaning segment. “The coronavirus turned our world upside down virtually overnight,” confirms Ina Reksten, Yara Marine Technologies COO. Driven by the impending IMO 2020 sulfur cap…

Douglas Named CEO of NCB's Exis Technologies

The National Cargo Bureau (NCB) – a US inspection body authorized to certify compliance with Dangerous Goods regulations – has appointed James Douglas to the position of Chief Executive Officer of its group company Exis Technologies, effective immediately. Exis, based in the UK, was purchased by NCB in April 2018 and is a developer of IT systems for the management of dangerous goods in sea transport.Douglas who was previously commercial director at Exis for 11 years said, “Since becoming part of the NCB Group…

Port of Oakland Votes Cluver as President

Alameda County labor leader Andreas Cluver has been elected President of the Port of Oakland’s governing Board. The seven-member Board of Port Commissioners chose Cluver at a special meeting this week. Oakland Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Barbara Leslie was elected the Port Board’s First Vice President. Commissioners selected well-known Oakland architect Yui Hay Lee as Second Vice President.Cluver succeeds Ces Butner who had been Board President for the past two years.

COSCO Teams up with Alibaba on Shipping Blockchain

COSCO SHIPPING has signed a cooperation agreement with e-commerce company Alibaba and its FinTech affiliate Ant Financial to digitalize the shipping supply chain.The Chinese firms will research and promote the deployment of shipping blockchain in China, working to facilitate the connection of shipping, ports, logistics and finance based on the technology, and to realize data connectivity through cross chain cooperation to build a platform for systematic cooperation between the upstream and downstream industrial chains.

Carnival Makes Leadership Changes at HAL, Costa

Carnival Corporation announced another set of moves within its global leadership team as part of the company's broader efforts to streamline operations and prepare the organization for the eventual resumption of cruising amid the coronavirus health crisis.Gus Antorcha, currently chief operations officer for the group's Carnival Cruise Line brand, has been named president of the company's Holland America Line, while Neil Palomba, currently president of the company's Italy-based Costa Cruises…

BV Opens Remote Survey Center in Singapore

Bureau Veritas (BV) has opened a new remote survey center in Singapore, with more new locations to follow, as the testing, inspection and certification (TIC) services provider continues its digital transformation and push to prove remote class services amid travel restrictions in place due to the coronavirus pandemic. The newest site joins existing BV remote survey centers in Rotterdam, Piraeus, Istanbul and Dubai.Classification societies and other marine services providers have long striven to increase remote services in an effort to boost efficiencies and reduce costs.

Port of Rotterdam to Trial PIN-free Container Handling

This week, various parties in Rotterdam will be launching a new pilot project, in which containers are handled and released without a PIN code: a widely used verification method in this transport segment. The project revolves around a new application, Secure Container Release, which replaces the PIN code with a digital signal: a solution that is significantly less susceptible to fraud. It is not only intended to make container handling more efficient, but also safer. Participants in the three-month trial include CMA CGM…

Safety Product: Magnetic Fall Protection System

Rotterdam-based McNetiq launched a new line of magnetic anchors for fall protection when working at height.The first product in this series from McNetiq is the workplace safety device McNetiq Fall Restraint, intended for workplaces constructed of steel without edge protection.The operator is connected to this anchor with a measured working line so that the worker can never get past the unsecured edge. Areas of application are: loading and unloading work on ship decks, construction and demolition work on drilling platforms…

Nautical Institute's New President Outlines Top Goals

The newly elected President of The Nautical Institute, Jillian Carson-Jackson has vowed to help the Institute and wider maritime community meet three important challenges – those of diversity and inclusion, branch engagement and managing the impact of technology.Speaking at today’s Nautical Institute Annual General Meeting she announced a pledge from the Institute on diversity and inclusion saying: “There has been a concerted effort over the past years to raise visibility of not just women, but the overall role of diversity and inclusion in maritime.

CLdN Launches Spanish/UK RoRo Service

European short sea Ro-Ro specialist CLdN introduced a new call at the Port of Liverpool, opening a pure RoRo service in a triangle trade between Santander (ES), Liverpool (UK) and Dublin (IE).The new service will operate a weekly loop connecting Spain directly to the UK and Ireland. This will bring the total number of calls from Iberia to Liverpool to eight.Market uncertainty has presented a number of ongoing issues in the supply chain for business’s across the UK. Supply chains are having to develop new models of working in response to the demands placed on them.

V.Group Partners with Ocean Technologies Group

Ship management and marine support services provider V.Group and maritime learning and operational technologies company Ocean Technologies Group have partnered to offer e-learning to V.Group personnel and customers.Starting later this year, V.Group will leverage on Ocean Technologies Group’s digital platforms to provide integrated e-learning solutions to V.Group’s customers. The new solutions will include bespoke V.Group content, technologies in micro-learning, adaptive and gamified…

Technology Enhances Crew Well-being -Report

A new report published by satellite communications provider Inmarsat examines the ways technology can benefit crew safety, health and wellbeing at sea, at a moment when COVID-19 has exposed the welfare of seafarers to global scrutiny.The report, "Welfare 2.0: How can the next generation of technology enable better crew safety, health and wellbeing at sea?", has been prepared by consultancy Thetius and follows an earlier "Trade 2.0" report focusing on the impact new technologies…

Do Not Set Seafarers Up to Fail, Cautions ABS CEO Wiernicki

“Shipping’s digital revolution must have its roots in the human factor. Expecting today’s shipboard crews to adopt a digital mindset without the right skills puts them in an untenable position and risks safety for everyone.”That is the message from ABS Chairman, President and CEO, Christopher J. Wiernicki, who is marking the 10th annual United Nations Day of the Seafarer with a call to give crews the support they need to succeed in the digital era.“As a whole, our industry still tends to view crews with a 20th-century mindset and to approach their challenges with 20th-century attitudes…

Future Propulsion & Setting the Course to Low-Carbon Shipping

The pace at which the maritime industry transitions to low- and zero-carbon fuels will have the single biggest impact on its global carbon footprint, more than predictable shifts in commodity demand, advances in ship technology and operating practices, or new designs.That is a key finding of a comprehensive new report, Setting the Course to Low-Carbon Shipping, from the American Bureau of ShippingThe report looks at the decarbonization of shipping via two distinct scenarios: a ‘standard’ scenario…

US Urges China to Accelerate Purchases of American Goods

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce on Thursday underscored the importance of functional U.S.-China ties and urged Beijing to step up its purchases of U.S. goods and services as agreed under a Phase 1 trade deal despite delays caused by the coronavirus.The Chamber said the pandemic had clearly slowed progress for both governments, but there were reasons to be hopeful. It also welcomed regular talks between the world's two largest economies on implementation of purchases, intellectual property reforms and other issues covered by the trade deal.“Implementation is critical.

Oceaneering Launches Maritime Data and Tracking Service

Oceaneering International launched a new business aiming to eliminate waste and increase transparency within the bulk commodity cargo logistics industry, the Houston-based company announced Wednesday.OceanSMART Cargo Logistics and Maritime Technology will be led by Managing Director Bryan Phillips, who comes to the team with over 25 years’ experience in the marine shipping and cargo logistics industry, most recently as chief innovation officer at Inchcape Shipping Services. He is joined by another maritime industry stalwart with over 30 years’ experience…

COVID-19 & the US Workboat Market: Business Continuity, Not Business as Usual

In today’s environment, the overarching challenge for the American tugboat, towboat and barge industry is to continue transporting the vital commodities that help keep our nation’s economy moving during a highly uncertain time, while taking all necessary measures to ensure the health and safety of our workforce as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve – in other words, to ensure business continuity, while recognizing we are not, nor can we be, going about business as usual.