Larger at the time than either the Suez or Panama canals, the St. Lawrence Seaway was officially inaugurated on June 26, 1959 by young Queen Elizabeth II and U.S. President Dwight Eisenhower. The latter had overcome initial strong opposition in Congress to the colossal project.
Widely regarded as one of the engineering marvels of the 20th century, the marine highway’s 13 Canadian and two American locks have so far facilitated the movement of 3 billion tons of cargo.
The Seaway notably allows ocean vessels to deliver general and bulk cargo into the industrial heartland of North America.The Great Lakes-Seaway waterway connects more than 110 commercial ports in Canada and the United States. Photos Seaway archives
After two years of travel restriction, Indonesia is finally going to welcome back cruise ships. On September 17, for the first time in two years, Laperouse, a 130 meters long cruise ship with 70 tourists onboard travelling from Australia, will dock at Bali. Before Bali, the ship was at the Port of Kalabahi, East Nusa Tenggara.
Since the Covid-19 outbreak in March 2020, the Indonesian government has closed the borders and barred foreign tourists in a bid to stop the virus from spreading. In recent months, however, with Covid-19 turning endemic and infection rate going down, the authority has reopened the borders to tourist to rejuvenate the tourism sector.
Laperouse ship. Photo credit: Wolfgang Berthe, IMO department of public information.
Prasetyo, director of Indonesian port strategy, Pelindo, said: “Indonesia is going to again welcome large-scale foreign tourist arrivals. The arrival of Laperouse is very important for us, considering that we just opened up tourism and this is the first cruise ship we have in two years. Hopefully, more cruise ships will arrive soon.”
Pelindo, the state-owned port operator, has engaged actively with all stakeholders, seeking feedback and suggestions, to boost maritime tourism. For 2022, Pelindo has confirmed 39 cruise ship visits and for 2023, 125 confirmed visits.
For Laperouse’s arrival, Pelindo has, since two weeks ago, coordinated closely with Benline Shipping Agents and Tour Operators Cruise Asia, to ensure a smooth docking and arrival. Pelindo wanted all the tourists to feel safe and welcomed.
Benline thinks Indonesia can be at the forefront of maritime tourism. Matt Joly from Benline said: “On the occasion of the arrival of Laperouse, this is a milestone for Indonesia and we will do our best to make sure everything is running ok. We want to make Indonesia the number one for cruise ship visit in Asia.”
The Cruise Ship Tourism Program, under the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy, runs from July to the end of the year. Minister Sandiaga Uno said beside Bali, the program, with all new rules and regulations in place to help facilitate cruise ship tourism, will be extended to Batam, Bintan Island, Surabaya, Belitung, Labuan Bajo, and Bau-Bau (Southeast Sulawesi).
Sandiaga exhorted all stakeholders to make sure all related infrastructure is ready to receive foreign tourists. In the meantime, Pelindo is working to improve inter-island connectivity to attract tourists to stay longer and visit more islands. Arif Suhartono, president director of Pelindo, said it is a priority to invest in the development of more port infrastructure and connectivity so that Indonesia can compete in the global stage.
Suhartono added that as an archipelagic country, the maritime and port sectors are key to Indonesia’s economic growth and it makes sense to invest in developing all related infrastructure. Indonesia is an important maritime hub in the region and Pelindo, moving ahead, will invest in occupational safety and health, sustainability, latest technology, and world-class training, Suhartono said.
Australian vessel operator the SeaLink Travel Group was looking to upgrade its existing service carrying passengers and luggage between Townsville and Magnetic Island in the state of Queensland, as well as catering for seasonal whale watching tours. The company was looking for a vessel with an upper deck boasting a 360-degree viewing capability, and selected a local catamaran design to be built by Brisbane-based Commercial Marine Australia (CMA).
SeaLink requested a vessel that was lightweight, robust, fuel-efficient, and fitted with new technology. The result is Maggie Cat, which will operate as Sealink’s flagship to Magnetic Island, with an allowance for 340 passengers and four crewmembers across three decks.
Photo: CMA
The all-aluminium vessel has an LOA of 30.8 metres, a beam of nine metres, a draught of 2.1 metres, and a displacement of 115 tonnes. It features a narrower overall beam than Coolgaree Cat, an earlier SeaLink vessel. Whilst the vessels are interchangeable, the newer Maggie Cat is configured for the shorter, more frequent Magnetic Island service while Coolgaree Cat will serve the Townsville–Palm Island route.
Boarding is via a port side midship boarding door and upper aft boarding gates. The main deck features 186 seats in a combination of booth and forward-facing types, with deep windows giving the cabin a light and airy feel with a great outside visual but the comfort of air conditioning.
Also located on the main deck is a large kiosk offering light refreshments as well as multiple storage areas on board.
Photo: CMA
The upper deck seats 64 inside an air-conditioned cabin in addition to 26 exterior seats on the aft deck. A large portion of the space is dedicated to containerised freight stowage, with space for nine items of luggage. The coamings of this deck have been reinforced to cope with the impact of trolleys whilst the loading gates are specifically located to work with existing infrastructure.
Photo: CMA
The sun deck has 48 seats and provides 360-degree visibility for tourists visiting the island. This area of the vessel also provides an ideal platform for whale watching.
All passenger seats were supplied by Beurteaux Australia.
Maggie Cat is powered by twin Caterpillar C32 main diesel engines, each delivering 895 kW at 2,000 rpm. Two VEEM interceptor fixed-pitch propellers are driven by the main engines via Twin Disc gearboxes. During recent sea trials, the vessel exceeded 31 knots, though it can achieve a fuel-efficient operational speed of 25 knots at full load and low main engine MCR. CMA said this will offer increased time between main engine overhauls.
Photo: CMA
Caterpillar also supplied the vessel’s auxiliary engine and two C4.4 generators. These supply power to an extensive navigation and communications suite that includes Icom radios, a Plastimo compass, and a radar, a sonar, a depth sounder, an autopilot, a GPS, and an AIS from Simrad. Ultimate Marine Power provided the external lights, cameras and audio systems as well as the vessel’s steering system while MET Services installed a monitoring system.
Photo: CMA
Jotun paint was used for the exterior surfaces while Flotex floors and G James windows are also fitted. Ayres Composite Panels provided work on the ceilings.
The vessel’s emergency equipment includes Survitec gear, a Systems Advantage firefighting system, an RFD liferaft, and a lifeboat from Barefoot Inflatable Boats.
Maggie Cat has already begun operational sailings with SeaLink, providing fast transport services for residents and tourists visiting North Queensland alongside Coolgaree Cat.
An investigating commission formed by some members of Italy’s parliament has published a report indicating that a third vessel was involved in a maritime incident that left 140 people dead in 1991.
The recently concluded parliamentary inquiry into the April 10, 1991 incident involving the Ro-Pax ferry Moby Prince and the oil tanker Agip Abruzzo stated that the presence of another vessel was a key factor that resulted in one of Italy’s deadliest maritime disasters since the end of World War II.
The report said the third vessel suddenly appeared directly ahead of Moby Prince as the ferry was manoeuvring to depart Livorno on a scheduled voyage on the said date.
Moby Prince made an abrupt left turn to avoid colliding with the unidentified vessel. However, the manoeuvre caused the ferry’s bow to strike the tanker Agip Abruzzo, which was at anchor at the time.
Moby Prince‘s bow eventually penetrated right through to one of Agip Abruzzo‘s cargo tanks, causing some of the light crude oil contained within to spill into the water and onto the ferry’s deck. The spilled oil then caught fire, and the ferry was engulfed in flames within minutes.
All but one of the 141 people who were on board the ferry perished in the incident, with many of them dying of carbon monoxide poisoning. The tanker’s crew, meanwhile, were all successfully rescued.
The subsequent rescue operation was also reportedly hampered by coordination problems. Additional government investigations over the years showed this factor to be among the main causes of the slow emergency response, which then led to further loss of life.
The parliamentary report could not identify the third vessel with certainty, though the report itself was approved unanimously by the members of the investigating commission.
The report also concluded that the area off Livorno where the incident occurred was experiencing calm seas and good visibility at the time.
The probe into the Moby Prince disaster was reopened by Italy’s parliament in July last year. Legislators decided on this action upon realising that the initial investigations conducted in the immediate aftermath of the incident did not identify its exact causes and therefore did not result in any convictions.
Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (MOL; President & CEO: Takeshi Hashimoto; Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo) and Ferry Sunflower Limited (President: Mitsujiro Akasaka; Headquarters: Oita-shi, Oita Prefecture) today announced their intent to conduct a trial use of the “Berthing Aid System,” which is under development by Furuno Electric Co., Ltd. (President: Yukio Furuno; Headquarters: Nishinomiya-shi, Hyogo Prefecture) using the large-scale car ferry Sunflower Gold, which plies the Kobe-Oita route.
The “Berthing Aid System” measures the exact distance and angle between the hull and the pier, based on information obtained from LiDAR and satellite compasses, and displays the results on multiple screens. This system was developed to improve the safety and efficiency of berthing operations, which were conventionally conducted visually by crewmembers based on their experience.
In this trial use, MOL and Ferry Sunflower will verify the usability of the system, such as the ease with which crewmembers can understand the displayed measurement results when looking at the system screen. The two MOL Group companies also aim to support developing and commercialize a system considering safety from crewmembers’ point of view by exchanging opinions with the ferry captain and crewmembers.
The MOL Group continually develops and applies technologies and systems that reduce the risk of accidents and enhances vessel operating safety not only within the group but also throughout the ocean shipping industry.
MOL also conducted a sea trial of the “Berthing Aid System” in the MOL-led “sea trial of autonomous sailing on a commercial containership and car ferry” (January-February 2022) (*), as part of the unmanned ship project MEGURI2040, backed by The Nippon Foundation. In this trial, based on the results obtained from the “MEGURI2040” demonstration, the two MOL Group companies are simplifying the system installation on the vessel to improve the usability of the system in advance of its commercial implementation.
Two Nigerians were killed off the shores of Gbanken Beach in Liberia’s Grand Kru while they were on the Ophelia Panana, a ship sailing for Japan.
Per a report, the vessel was cruising to Japan, but the crew members discovered Nigerian stowaways on it as they were closer to some of the coastal towns in the nation. The crew members on the vessel, believed to be from China, reportedly took the lives of the two men and then dumped the bodies into the ocean. However, the others managed to swim on shore and were rescued with severe wounds on their bodies during the night and morning hours of September 11 and 12, respectively.
Image for representation purpose only
In an interview with FrontPageAfrica, the Head of the Joint Security Task Force in Grand Kru, Chris Teah, revealed that the ship departed from Nigeria’s Lagos about five days back and sailed via the area where the unfortunate incident had taken place.
The vessel was less than one mile away from the shore. Six Nigerians managed to swim and reached the shore. They informed that there were 14 from Nigeria and reported that they were on the way to Japan. It is believed that the crew members on the ship could be either Japanese or Chinese as they look almost similar, Teah mentioned.
How they were discovered
He disclosed that the Nigerians were discovered in the ship after they had been pounding on the vessel, demanding food from the crew members. They reportedly spent five days without food or water while on the boat.
Teah added that they were discovered up the deep sea by the crew members. The crew members sprayed hot water on them, and two colleagues lost their lives. Six individuals swam to reach the shore.
Per the Nigerians, they boarded the vessel secretly. When they departed from Nigeria about five days back, they ran out of food. They began hitting the yacht so the crew members could understand that individuals were on board the vessel.
The crew members came and rescued them. The crew members were peaceful for about two days. On the third day, they began maltreating them until they reached Liberia. Teah revealed that a Fanti vessel from Grand Cess went on the ocean to rescue the others who had been thrown off the boat.
Some escaped and were rescued.
Four people were rescued from the vessel directly, and the crew members threw the last two into the ocean. The two that were reported to be killed were not seen, and it is unknown if they were killed in Liberia or the deep sea.
Teah highlighted that the last two Nigerians thrown into the ocean were rescued and safely brought to the shore alive, bringing the number of people saved to 12.
According to what he said, those rescued are in the custody of the Joint Security in the nation. The Nigerians said things were not working their way in Nigeria, so they were going stowaway.
Royal IHC is proud to announce that its portfolio of standard Cutter Suction Dredgers (CSDs) is expanding with electrical counterparts for each of the Beaver® types. The Beaver® E will be available from stock soon.
For nearly 60 years, Royal IHC has continuously developed its Beaver® range of standardised CSDs to become the highly efficient dredgers they are now. By launching the Beaver® E, we further support the dredging industry with the sustainability challenges of today: operating in a more environmentally responsible manner and reducing emissions.
Credits: Royal IHC
The Beaver® E is a fully electrically powered version of the standard Beaver®. In addition to the unique features of Royal IHC’s conventional CSDs, the Beaver® E offers a number of added benefits in terms of sustainability, efficiency and reliability. With zero emissions plus limited noise and vibration disturbance, the Beaver® E fully complies with the latest environmental regulations and is suitable to work in the most sensitive environments.
Furthermore, the Beaver® E is more energy efficient and the electrical components require low maintenance. With an identical dredging and hydraulic installation, the diesel-powered main ponton can just be exchanged for an electrical one. All current standard Beavers® types are available in an electrical version and are suitable for every common dredging project.
Catina Geselschap, Director Dredging Standard Modular Vessels, commented: “Royal IHC wants to play a leading role in designing, building and providing sustainable solutions to our customers in the maritime industry. We have an existing track record in fully electric Cutter Suction Dredgers and are now taking the next step by adding this electrical Beaver® as a stock product to our portfolio of standard modular vessels.”
Fugro transformed the Middle East’s maritime industry by introducing the first-ever uncrewed surface vessel (USV) to the region. The Fugro Pegasus is the latest addition to the Blue Essence family comprising uncrewed plates. It has successfully reached Abu Dhabi and is ready for the first sail in the waters of the Gulf.
The class-built, 12m USV will be the Middle East region’s first-ever uncrewed vessel that can travel beyond the horizon, with the ability to launch an e-ROV. With its next-gen hybrid power system, compact size, and up-to-date satellite technology, Fugro is expected to set a new standard for asset inspection by getting rid of human exposure to the offshore environment and cutting down emissions by 97% vs conventional vessel activities.
Credits: fugro.com
The Fugro Pegasus can quickly be stationed offshore for hours without any need to demobilize for re-fuelling of the crew at the port.
The launch of Pegasus marks an inexplicably exciting phase for the maritime industry in the region. It permits Fugro to further enhance its capacity to deliver unparalleled geo-data services to clients.
Managed from a Remote Operatincentrees (ROC) in the region, Fugro will be capable of delivering exceptional geo-data solutions faster and more safely by adopting remote-operated asset examinations, surveys, and positioning solutions.
Fugro’s clients and partners can now explore the world of Autonomous Asset Management, where advanced technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) can be deployed to eliminate production downtime via an understanding of the offshore infrastructure.
Tim Lyle, the Group Director of the Middle East and India, said that the arrival of Fugro Pegas is essential to the future of maritime operations in the Middle East region.
Tomorrow’s future is becoming a reality today with significantly enhanced operational efficiencies, safety, and lowered carbon footprint now available to customers.
Storylines is building a luxurious residential cruise ship that will indefinitely travel worldwide starting from 2025.
However, a passenger must be prepared to trade their comfortable multi-room house for a tiny studio condominium where they will need to sleep on a Murphy bed.
The 18-deck MV Narrative, the start-up’s first luxury residential cruise vessel, that will travel all over the world indefinitely.
Credits: Storylines
The ship and its 1,000 occupants will not begin such a unique lifelong journey until 2025, but the vessel’s 547 floating condominiums are capturing the wallets and, of course, the hearts of interested buyers.
In August, some floor plans are almost sold out, Katie Drew, Storylines’ VP of marketing, informed Insider.
The 741-foot cruise vessel is lined with 11-floor plans that are semi-customizable.
The price of the residences ranges from a $1 million 237-square-foot studio home that can be compared to NY apartments to a palatial four-bedroom, spanning almost 1,970-square-foot, a two-floor house that will run potential buyers about $8 million. The 237-square-foot home is not a conventional $1.1 million condo.
A guest will still have access to furniture such as storage units, a closet, and a TV, per the Storyline brochure.
Instead of a divider or bedroom that separates the living room from the former, the studio apartment has a queen-size Murphy bed. This means the bed can be easily stored in the wall when it is not used.
Remote employees depending on the Narrative’s WiFi, can either use the workspace of the vessel or lease the vessel’s private offices. But if they would instead work from home, they could use the two chairs and table across from the beds.
A small bar separates this public living space from the bathroom. While the bathrooms lack a bathtub, the neutral washroom has modern furnishings and a bright vanity that can easily rival a bathroom found in any multimillion-dollar condo.
And the studio home’s price does not include the “living fees” incurred monthly. The rate is approximately $2,600 per person in a dual-occupancy unit, per the firm’s brochure.
But in the Narrative, the monthly fees and sticker price does not include a home at sea.
As the Narrative happens to be “all-inclusive,” the cost will also cover the homeowners’ daily drinks and food at the 20 restaurants and bars the ship boasts.
Besides, guests will also have access to onboard medical staff, gorgeous pools, and a marina with water toys.
The ship also boasts a bowling alley and a 10,000-square-foot large wellness facility that Storylines says is the biggest of its kind at sea.
And throughout the vessel’s journey worldwide, residents will spend several days at lovely international destinations such as Istanbul, Kotor, and Palermo.
So, to some, paying almost $1 million for such a tiny home may seem unreasonable.
But for travellers who are never likely to get exhausted from exploring different countries, the ability to circumnavigate the planet every three and a half years while staying on a luxury cruise vessel is worth each penny.
Shippers are likely to feel emboldened to doggedly pursue ocean carriers in the courts as the liner party fizzles out and out of pocket clients seek retribution.
In a sign of this new found persistence, Pennsylvania-based home decor MCS Industries shows no sign of letting up in its battle with the world’s largest containerline.
Erin Wirth, chief administrative law judge at the US Federal Maritime Commission (FMC), has issued an order denying shipping line Mediterranean Shipping Co’s (MSC) motion for an extension of time to produce outstanding discovery documents in the complaint filed by MCS Industries. On July 29, an order was issued requiring MSC to produce documents within a month, by August 29.
MSC did not provide the required documents to meet that deadline.
Instead, on August 26, MSC filed a motion seeking an extension of time. On September 2, MCS Industries filed an opposition to that motion.
Then, on September 6, MSC filed a notice of advice of the Swiss Federal Office of Justice. According to the order denying MSC’s motion, MSC “continues to argue despite rulings to the contrary in this proceeding and in the Republic and Canton of Geneva Court of First Instance, that due to Swiss legal requirements it cannot produce the discovery ordered in the December 8, 2021, motion to compel and the July 29, 2022, order requiring production of discovery, and that the Swiss court’s decision that their intervention is not necessary was in error.”
Judge Wirth writes in the order that “it is clear that this ‘advice’ from the Federal Office of Justice in Switzerland merely identifies the process for resubmitting a request and the factors that may be taken into account, without any discussion of the merits of this proceeding.
“The question of whether Swiss assistance with discovery is required has been answered by the undersigned Administrative Law Judge and by the Court of First Instance in Geneva.”
In multiple filings, MSC indicated that it will not produce the discovery that it has been repeatedly ordered to produce. MCS Industries has asserted in response that MSC “cannot accept the benefits of shipping cargo to and from U.S. ports while shirking its legal and regulatory obligations before the Commission.” MCS Industries thus requested a decision on default, and the judge has ordered MSC to show cause why default judgment should not be entered against it.
MSC is now ordered, by September 22, to either provide the required discovery or show cause why default judgment should not be entered against it.
Other shippers have been lodging complaints against global carriers of late with experts suggesting more will follow suit.
“The softened market – and space situation – may well cause a flurry of suits and FMC complaints to be filed, and clearly, some who have already filed, like MCS Industries, are emboldened to hold on,” commented Bjorn Vang Jensen, a vice president at liner consultancy Sea-Intelligence, in a post today on LinkedIn.
“The collective, pent-up anger and PTSD in the BCO community at large now wants out, and rate reductions won’t cut it for some,” said Jensen, a man whose career has seen him work for the likes of Maersk and Electrolux in the past.
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