The 'Glen Sannox' became the first ship in the UK to have successfully bunkered LNG. The fuel was bunkered aboard on Sep 13, following 4,5 days of cooling the LNG tank to the required temperature of minus 146 degrees using liquefied nitrogen, two days later than originally planned, ahead of the next phase of testing. The official handover date for the ship was still Sep 30. Sea trials were now expected to take place on Sep 20, though further trials will be needed after the vessel has been handed over to its new owners, the Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd, in order to be able to enter service. Load testing will be the next phase of trials to take place. This process involves switching all engines on to ensure they are operating efficiently and to establish the vessel’s propulsion set capabilities. All systems will undergo rigorous testing quayside before the 'Glen Sannox' leaves the port for two to three days to evaluate itl’s manoeuvrability, acceleration and speed.
News
NEW ENERGY
The 'New Energy', which has been named in a list of US State Department sanctions, being accused of breaching international sanctions against Russia, has been spotted off the Galway coast. The vessel entered the Irish Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) on the night of Sep 18, having sailed up the coast of Portugal and across the Bay of Biscay. On Sep 5, the tanker was added to the list of sanctioned vessels and companies. It was also claimed in a US State Department statement that the 'New Energy' conducted a secret mission to transfer Russian gas: “The Department of State is targeting two entities and two vessels connected to attempts to export liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the U.S. sanctioned Arctic LNG 2 project. The Department is sanctioning Gotik Energy Shipping Co (Gotik) and Plio Energy Cargo Shipping OPC PVT LTD (Plio Energy). Gotik and Plio Energy are the registered owner and commercial manager, respectively, of the LNG carrier (LNG/C) New Energy.” The US further claimed that the 'New Energy' used deceptive shipping practices, including shutting off its AIS to load cargo from another sanctioned vessel in late August. In the same release they also identified another ship LNG carrier 'Mulan', which is another ship owned by the company Plio Energy. The 'New Energy' has turned on its AIS tracker system off Portugal.
Venice
Costa Cruises’ second Chinese market-designed cruise ship, COSTA FIRENZE, was floated out at Fincantieri’s Marghera shipyard. COSTA FIRENZE follows the February delivered COSTA VENEZIA.
Kiel
Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems, Germany's third-largest defence company and world market leader in conventional submarines, has recorded a pleasing development: by 2023, the company will be investing 250 million Euro in Kiel. Its objective is to develop the shipyard into an international competence centre for conventional submarine construction. Thanks to the currently good development with new orders, around 500 new employees will be hired throughout the company by the end of 2020, the majority of them in Kiel. The company is looking primarily for engineers and skilled workers, particularly in R&D, construction and manufacturing. https://www.thyssenkrupp-marinesystems.com/en/press-releases/d/uid-26938af4-8f4e-e141-8c2d-54a1f4623b48.html https://www.ndr.de/nachrichten/schleswig-holstein/TKMS-will-250-Millionen-Euro-in-Kieler-Werft-investieren,thyssenkrupp126.html
MARE JONIO
The 'Mare Jonio' of the Bologna-based NGO Mediterranea Saving Humans has been placed under administrative detention following checks carried out Sep 17 by inspectors from the Harbour Office in Trapani, where the vessel was moored. "We are in a state of detention and we have an order, issued by the Ministry of Transport, to disembark, immediately, the rescue assets, under penalty of losing our certificate of seaworthiness," said mission head Luca Casarini in Trapani.
VINCENT MASSEY
A crew member of the CCGS 'Vincent Massey' has been lost at sea off southern Newfoundland. An extensive SAR operation for the man was ended on the evening of Sep 17, 2024. He was reported missing on Sep 16 at 8.15 a.m., when the Coast Guard vessel arrived in St. John’s, N.L. He was last seen aboard the ship on the evening of Sep 15, as the vessel sailed along Newfoundland's northeast coast. After an unsuccessful search of the vessel, a multi-asset sea search commenced. Canadian Coast Guard vessels, aircraft and vessels from other federal sources assisted in the search. The matter was now with the RCMP.
Victoria (Canada)
Damen Shipyards Group is to build a further four Island Class double-ender ferries for BC Ferries. All four vessels will be built at Damen’s yard in Romania and will enter service in 2022. Damen is already building two Island Class vessels for BC Ferries, both of which have completed sea trials and are due in Victoria, BC in early 2020.
Le Havre
A joint venture featuring CMA CGM and DP World has been granted the contract to expand box facilities at the port of Le Havre in northern France. Générale de Manutention Portuaire (GMP), a joint venture held 50:50 by DP World and Terminal Link, a subsidiary of the CMA CGM Group, will build and operate the 1m teu container terminal for the Port 2000 berths 11 and 12 under a 34-year concession. The new terminal will include a 700 m long quay and 42 ha of land.
DALI
While the lawsuits were piling up against the owners of the 'Dali', the Grace Ocean Private Ltd. and the operator Synergy Marine, family members of some of workers who died were preparing to file their wrongful death suits and the U.S. Department of Justice filed a $103 Million lawsuit on Sep 18, the 'Dali' will leave the port of Norfolk after months of unloading and temporary repairs, en route to China for permanent repairs on Sep 19.
Takamatsu
Shikoku Kyuko Ferry, also known as ‘Olive Line’, has announced that it will close the historic Uno-Takamatsu route on 16 December.
Vancouver
Vancouver Fraser Port Authority and local natural gas producer FortisBC are currently studying options to develop a LNG marine bunkering terminal at the port to cater the growing demand for cleaner marine fuels in the coming years. The facility would be the first ship-to-ship LNG marine bunkering service facility on the west coast of North America.