Maritime Safety News Archives - Page 157 of 259 - SHIP IP LTD

By Jack Wittels (Bloomberg) The world’s largest container-shipping line is making a $1.4 billion investment in a greener fleet.  A.P. Moller – Maersk A/S (AMKBY) has ordered eight new vessels, each costing $175 million, that can be propelled by cleanly made methanol instead of an oil-based fuel. They’re set for delivery from 2024.

“We don’t believe in more fossil fuels,” Morten Bo Christiansen, vice president and head of decarbonization, said in an interview. “A lot of our customers are very, very supportive of this.”

Shipping, the backbone of global trade, accounts for almost 3% of man-made carbon dioxide emissions. The level has been rising in recent years, according to data from the International Maritime Organization. By 2050, the United Nations body wants shipping’s total greenhouse gas emissions to at least halve relative to 2008. Last year, IMO rules designed to curb air pollution by limiting the sulfur content of marine fuel came into force.

Maersk isn’t the only shipper starting to make the transition. Oil tanker owner Euronav NV has ordered new ships capable of one day running on ammonia or liquefied natural gas. Commodities trader Cargill has said it plans to add so-called wing sails to some of its fleet.

Back in February, Maersk said all future newbuild vessels under its ownership would be able to use carbon-neutral fuels. It also announced the launch in 2023 of a small container vessel that could run on clean versions of methanol. This latest order is much bigger — each ship can carry about 16,000 containers.

“This is a firm signal to fuel producers that sizable market demand for the green fuels of the future is emerging at speed,” said Maersk’s chief executive officer, Soren Skou. More than half of the company’s 200 largest customers have set science-based or zero-carbon targets for their supply chains or are in the process of doing so, according to a statement.

The new vessels, built by Hyundai Heavy Industries Co., represent about 3% of Maersk’s total container capacity. They’ll replace older ships in the company’s fleet, saving about one million tons of carbon dioxide a year. Maersk has the option for four more of the ships to be delivered in 2025.

The company acknowledges that finding enough carbon-neutral methanol for the vessels from the first day of service will be “challenging.” The additional design cost of being able to run on both methanol and conventional oil-derived, low-sulfur marine fuel will be in the range of 10-15% of the vessels’ total price. Maersk plans to use carbon neutral e-methanol, or, sustainable bio-methanol, as soon as possible in the new ships.

Environmentally-friendly sailing isn’t cheap. The clean methanol that the ships can burn is “at least twice as expensive” as the fossil-based, very low-sulfur fuel oil used by many vessels today, according to Christiansen. In a normal freight rate environment — today’s bonanza prices being an exception — doubling the fuel price translates to about a 15% rate increase, he said.

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Maersk Makes $1.4 Billion Bet On Methanol Ships

A passenger from the Carnival Vista has died from COVID-19 after several cases – mostly among crew members – were reported on the cruise ship earlier this month.

The New York Times reported Monday that the 77-year-old woman, who previously tested positive, died in a Tulsa, Oklahoma hospital after being transferred there from Belize.

As we reported previously, Carnival Vista arrived in Belize during a round-trip voyage from Galveston, Texas on August 11, reporting to authorities that it had 27 positive cases of COVID-19 on board. The majority of cases, 26 in total, were among crew members of the ship. It’s not immediately clear if the woman was the one passenger out of the 27 cases.

Belize authorities reported Carnival Vista arrived with 2,895 guests and 1,441 crew. Nearly all crew members on the ship were vaccinated as well as over 96% of guests on board, the Belize Tourism Board reported at the time.

The New York Times report said the sickened passenger was disembarked in Belize and admitted to a local hospital, where her condition worsened. She was eventually evacuated to a hospital in Tulsa where she passed away. An update on a GoFundMe page set up for the victim said she was transferred to Tulsa as early as August 6. It’s also no clear if she was vaccinated.

“We are very sorry to hear about the death of a guest who sailed on Carnival Vista,” Carnival Cruise Line said in a statement initially reported by the Times and now obtained by gCaptain. The statement added that the guest “almost certainly” did not contract the virus while on board the Vista.

Nevertheless, the incident highlights the difficulty cruise lines face in returning to cruising. For this reason, the U.S. Centers of Disease Control’s updated guidance recommends that high-risk travelers should avoid cruise ship travel altogether, regardless of whether or not they are vaccinated.

In response to our request for comment, Carnival Cruise Line provided us with the following statement:

“Carnival has implemented a suite of protocols that are designed to flex up as needed to adapt to the changing public health situation related to COVID-19.  We meet the standards for a vaccinated cruise as defined by the CDC, with at least 95 percent of our guests and all of our crew being vaccinated, and then implemented additional measures, as we are now requiring vaccinated guests to present both proof of vaccination and a negative COVID test at check-in.  Those few guests who cannot be vaccinated are tested twice before boarding the ship, and again at debarkation.  And all guests must wear masks in the indoor areas of the ship where people gather, such as dining rooms, theaters and casinos.  Unfortunately, no venue on land or at sea is COVID-free right now, but we are committed to protecting the health and safety of our guests, crew and the communities we visit and have not hesitated to act quickly and go beyond existing public health guidelines.”

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Carnival Vista Passenger Dies from COVID-19

By Ann Koh (Bloomberg) Ships have resumed berthing operations at a halted container terminal in Ningbo, China, adding to optimism that full activity at one of the world’s busiest ports will be restored shortly after a two-week shutdown to quarantine dockworkers.

At least five container ships have left the Meishan terminal at Ningbo in the past few days after berthing there, according to shipping data compiled by Bloomberg. While container collection services were still halted on Tuesday, some ships have been allowed to berth at the terminal, an official from the Ningbo-Zhoushan port said.

The movement of ships is sparking optimism among shippers that operations will resume soon after no new cases of Covid-19 were discovered, according to local media reports.

The Meishan terminal has resumed partial vessel operations since Aug. 18 and is expected to have a gradual return to full operations in the coming weeks, shipping line CMA CGM SA said in an advisory to customers.

Two of the company’s ships — the Rivoli and the Samson — were completing cargo operations and would depart the terminal “very soon,” the French company said on Aug. 20. The ships have since left Ningbo, while a separate vessel named the Taurus traveled to Meishan on Sunday and is currently docked there, Bloomberg data showed.

CMA’s Elbe arrived at the terminal on Monday after waiting at anchorage for a week.

The Meishan terminal, which accounts for about a quarter of the Ningbo port’s container throughput, was shut on Aug. 11 after a worker became infected with the delta variant of Covid-19. The partial closure of the world’s third-busiest container port worsened congestion at other major Chinese gateways such as Shanghai, Xiamen and Hong Hong, as ships diverted away amid uncertainty over how long virus control measures in the city will last.(Adds comment from Ningbo port official in second paragraph.)

By Ann Koh with assistance from Kathy Chen and Yujing Liu. © 2021 Bloomberg L.P.

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Ships Resume Berthing At Ningbo

Aug 24 (Reuters) – Solid demand across dry bulk vessels segments propelled the Baltic Exchange’s main sea freight index to its highest level in more than a decade on Tuesday, with larger capesizes stretching a winning streak to a 10th straight day.

* The overall index, which factors in rates for capesize, panamax, supramax and handysizeshipping vessels, rose 54 points to 4,201, its highest since mid-2010.

* Disruptions such as port congestion and global shipping constraints have contributed significantly to gains across the shipping sector, sharply cutting tonnage supply for months, Allied Shipbroking said in a weekly note.

* However, risks still remain, including headwinds from the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on the economy, the note said.

* The capesize index gained 1.5%, or 92 points, at 6,206, a near 12-year high.

* Average daily earnings for capesizes, which typically transport 150,000-tonne cargoes such as iron ore and coal, added $764 to $51,472.

Related: Rally Looks Set as Dry Bulk Shipping Rates Soar

* While robust demand for iron ore cargoes from Australia to China have boosted capesize rates, “the recent drop in iron ore prices could well play a pivotal role in coming weeks,” Allied Shipbroking said in the note.

* Benchmark iron ore futures rebounded, with Dalian prices extending overnight gains as easing worries over the COVID-19 outbreak in China helped calm nerves after several days of sell-offs driven by demand concerns.

* The panamax index advanced 37 points, or about 1%, to its highest in six weeks at 3,846.

* Average daily earnings for panamaxes, which usually carry coal or grain cargoes of about 60,000 tonnes to 70,000 tonnes, increased by $333 to $34,615.

* Among smaller vessels, the supramax index added 40 points to 3,343, an all-time high, as per Refinitiv Eikon data available since 2017.

(Reporting by Rahul Paswan in Bengaluru; Editing by Amy Caren Daniel)

(c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2021.

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Rising Tide Continues to Lift Baltic Dry Index

Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited has appointed ferry design consultancy Navalue to lead the concept design of its Small Vessel Replacement Programme.

Navalue will provide consultancy services for the concept design stage of the programme, which will see several small vehicle and passenger vessels replaced on the Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Services network.

CMAL and Navalue will investigate and evaluate the feasibility of designing low emission ferries to be in line with the Scottish Government climate change commitments. The Emissions Reduction Targets (Scotland) Act 2019 states a 2030 target to deliver a reduction of 75% of all harmful emissions, and an ambition to achieve net-zero emissions by 2045.

Studies and design experience will be drawn on to explore the latest offshore charging technologies and identify onboard electrical energy storage systems, capable of being recharged from shore side electrical power supplies.

Jim Anderson, Director of Vessels of CMAL said: “CMAL led the way in low emission small ferries when we designed the world’s first hybrid sea-going ferries, with three hybrid vessels currently in operation on the network.

“Our aim is to ensure the next generation of small vessels is as environmentally friendly as possible by adopting further advances in battery technology and electrifying our fleet. Navalue will provide insight and expert knowledge as we embark on our highly ambitious and much-needed vessel renewal programme.”

Thomas Ritte, Partner at Navalue said: “Navalue is strongly committed to providing innovative, reliable and efficient ship design solutions for sustainable shipping. We are pleased to bring our experience in developing zero-emission transportation solutions to the CMAL small vessel replacement programme and look forward to working with CMAL in their goal towards lower emission vessels.”

The SVRP will include robust engagement with relevant stakeholders and communities to provide updates and ensure the needs of users are reflected where practical and affordable in the design and construction phases. A future phase two of the SVRP will replace vessels to serve the Sound of Barra, Sound of Harris and Sound of Iona routes; however, during phase one CMAL will investigate a vessel design that complies with changed regulatory requirements for the Sound of Iona.

By Jake Frith

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https://www.maritimejournal.com/news101/vessel-build-and-maintenance/ship-and-boatbuilding/design-consultant-for-new-low-emission-ferries

The Port of Cromarty Firth has welcomed a new independent report that positions Cromarty Firth as the prime location in Scotland for the formation of an offshore wind port cluster.

A key recommendation in the industry-led assessment, commissioned by the Scottish Offshore Wind Energy Council (SOWEC), states that Cromarty Firth’s strategic location, current and future manufacturing capabilities as well as its marshalling and assembly capacity mean it is best placed to absorb a massive increase in the volume of work created by the rapid expansion in Scotland’s offshore wind sector.

The report highlights how Scotland must prioritise its efforts quickly to grow offshore wind’s national economic value and meet climate targets. The expansion in offshore wind and floating offshore wind is seen as vital in Scotland’s ambitions to decarbonise its energy sector in order to become a net-zero economy by 2045.

The report, led by Professor Sir Jim McDonald, states: “As our analysis demonstrates, the Cromarty Firth emerges as the most suitable location in Scotland for [floating offshore wind] platform fabrication and manufacture, with the two ports of Invergordon and Nigg acting as the focus of effort to secure platform fabrication and manufacture.

“These ports have sufficient capacity available or close to being ready as well as suitable quayside facilities for construction and movement of floating platforms. The wider Cromarty Firth offers space for wet storage of platforms and close access to many potential ScotWind sites.”

By Jake Frith

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https://www.maritimejournal.com/news101/industry-news/offshore-wind-port-cluster

Nagasaki University and Kyocera Corporation have announced their joint development of an Energy Harvesting Smart Buoy.

The new technology combines Nagasaki University’s tidal current power generation technology with Kyocera’s IoT technology to collect reliable ocean data.

Prototype buoys can collect a wide range of data on the marine environment using self-generated energy. A pilot program gathered information from 21 sensors, monitoring everything from water temperature and humidity to current direction. Future development may include sensors for temperature-related salinity variation, chlorophyll turbidity, and temperature related variations in dissolved oxygen concentrations, to name a few.

Marine pollution and climate change have become serious societal issues. To solve these issues and help create a more sustainable world, scientists need more reliable ways to monitor and visualize various sea conditions. However, maintaining a stable power supply is a big challenge for continuous data collection at sea. Therefore, Nagasaki University and Kyocera developed the “Energy Harvesting Smart Buoy,” which generates its own electric power for continuous ocean data collection using a tidal-current power generation system in the buoy.

The new Smart Buoy combines tidal-current power generation technology from Nagasaki University and IoT-related technology from Kyocera. In addition, Kyocera has future plans to monitor fisheries and aquaculture, conduct ocean surveys, and more.

Each prototype is equipped with two different tidal-current power generation systems:

SLTT (Small Lens-type Tidal Turbines) – The buoy and power generation are separate, and a diffuser is installed around the turbine. In addition to protecting the turbine, the diffuser has the effect of increasing the flow of water for better power generation.

VTT (Vertical-axis Tidal Turbines) – The power generation element is directly connected to the buoy. Its AI-guided design incorporates a tilted axis to optimize turbine rotation amid heavy ocean swells and waves.

By Jake Frith

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https://www.maritimejournal.com/news101/ocean-sciences/energy-harvesting-smart-buoy-prototypes

Ambex has completed a project to provide integrated navigation and communications systems for the UK Royal Navy.

The marine electronics company was selected by Atlas Elektronik UK (AEUK) to secure and deliver a GB£2.2m contract to provide integrated navigation and communications systems and training for all 35 of the new SEA class work boats ordered by the Royal Navy and built by Atlas UK for the MoD in a project known as Vahana.

William Smith, director of Ambex, said: “Atlas and Ambex share a common determination to deliver efficient, high quality, best-in-class projects and we are very proud to have been selected by Atlas as their electronics integrator for this significant contract.”

Virtual workboat

The first stage of the project for the modular, multipurpose workboats, all under 20m, involved the design and build of a virtual workboat in Ambex’s headquarters in West Sussex. This was used to test, debug and demonstrate the COTS suite consisting of Simrad gyro compass, autopilot, GPS & AIS, acoustic correlation speed log, Furuno radar, Cobham satellite communications, JRC Navtex and Consillium echo sounder all integrated to dual ECDIS systems on Hatteland panel PCs running OSI ECPINS software.

Ambex ensured continuity and traceability in the process by writing its own software applications and QR coding every piece of equipment. The QA and kitting process was completed in West Sussex, scrutinising the system and software before starting the installation process. The whole offering was then ready for installation on delivery to Horizon, Atlas’ purpose-built boat building facility in Dorset.

Thirty-five sets of equipment have now been delivered including bespoke pre-assembled cable assemblies and most have now been installed, with AEUK completing the physical installation and cable runs and Ambex providing dedicated engineers to connect, power up and factory test before the boats left the facility. The setting to work took place in Portland, Dorset, where HATs and SATs were completed to naval standards. Ambex also developed a new app-based system to record the 100+ pages of documentation needed per boat.

By Rebecca Jeffrey

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https://www.maritimejournal.com/news101/onboard-systems/navigation-and-communication/ambex-delivers-navy-project

Tallink shuttle vessel ‘Megastar’ will soon be plugging into the local grid for quiet and emission-free overnight layovers in the Estonian Port of Tallinn.

Fueled by low-emission liquefied natural gas, passenger and car ferry Megastar makes three return journeys between the Estonian and Finnish capitals per day, with an overnight stay in Tallinn where it needs to keep generators running to ensure energy availability for onboard systems. With Seawork Connect exhibitor ABB’s shore connection solution, the vessel will be able to cover its energy needs in port by drawing on land-based power.

SECOND CONNECTED
With commissioning due to take place in January 2022 while the ferry is in operation, Megastar will become the second vessel in the Tallink fleet to feature ABB’s shore connection solution. The second vessel is MyStar, currently under construction in Rauma Marine Constructions shipyard in Rauma, Finland, will have the technology pre-fitted upon its delivery in 2022. Both ferries will leverage the ABB shore power systems installed at the Old City Harbor, Port of Tallinn in 2020. Designed in compliance with international regulations, the plug-in solution automates the ship-to-shore connection process and offers a high level of safety and reliability.

“We are delighted to continue driving environmentally-friendly ferry operations across our fleet,” said Captain Tarvi-Carlos Tuulik, Head of Ship Management at Tallink Grupp. “From next year, both shuttle ferry Megastar and our newbuilding MyStar – the most environmentally friendly vessel on the Baltic Sea  –  will be able to leverage the ABB shoreside infrastructure that already exists at the Port of Tallinn’s Old City Harbour, to cut down harbour emissions and noise during overnight stays. This is another important step for Tallink Grupp towards achieving greener energy use and eco-friendliness for our shipping operations close to city centres, and it will make a big difference to local community in terms of minimizing noise and air pollution.”

“The Baltic Sea is a global hub for sustainable shipping initiatives, and we are honoured to support Tallink on its sustainability journey,” said Jyri Jusslin, Head of Service, ABB Marine & Ports. “Our shore connection solutions comprise onboard and shoreside infrastructure and will allow Tallink to reduce the overall impact of its operations and contribute towards a cleaner port environment in a historical part of Tallinn.”

SCOPE
Delivered by the Meyer Turku shipyard, Finland in 2017, Megastar carries up to 2,800 passengers and 646 cars at a time. ABB’s scope of supply for the retrofit includes switchboard, shore connection cabinet and a shore connection control board with three separate ship-to-shore communication links to safeguard against loss of connection – redundant Wi-Fi, optical fibre and hardwired serial data communication. Megastar also features ABB’s propulsion motors, medium voltage generators and thruster motors.

Having executed its first shipside installation in 2001, ABB has a long history in shore connection technologies. To date, ABB has commissioned, or is contracted to commission, shore connection technology on 150 vessels of various types, including ferries, cruise ships, container ships, gas carriers and more. The company has also equipped several newbuild cruise ships with shore connection switchboards, in readiness to connect to shore power as soon as it becomes available in ports of call.

AS Tallink Grupp is one of the leading providers of passenger and cargo transport services in the northern Baltic Sea region. The company’s fleet consists of 15 vessels and the company operates various routes under the brands of Tallink and Silja Line. Tallink Grupp’s shares are listed on the Nasdaq Tallinn Stock Exchange and Nasdaq Helsinki Stock Exchange.

Connect with ABB at Seawork Connect 5^th – 7^th October

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https://www.maritimejournal.com/news101/seawork/ferry-to-gain-shore-connection-for-emission-free-port-stays

Japanese shipping firm NYK has sent ten employees to assist with the area clean-up after the NYK-chartered Crimson Polaris wood-chip carrier last week grounded and split up off the coast of Hachinohe, Japan, spilling oil into the sea.

The 2008-built wood-chip carrier that ran aground off Japan last Thursday carried about 1,550 MT of heavy oil and about 130 MT of diesel oil for fuel at the time of the grounding.

The 199.9-meter vessel, chartered by NYK from MI-DAS Line split into two pieces and began spilling oil on August 12 at 4:15 a.m.

NYK, which sent its workers to help with the cleanup on Thursday, August 18, said that under the guidance of the Maritime Disaster Prevention Center, the clean-up contractor arranged by the shipowner “has continued the clean-up of oil and cargo adrift and on the shoreline.”Credit: Japanese Coast Guard (Image from August 12)

“As the charterer of the vessel, NYK has dispatched company personnel to the site to assist with the clean-up of the cargo and other debris that has washed ashore. The first group of 10 people were dispatched for two days and one night, and we plan to continue these dispatches of employee groups. In order to prevent the spread of the COVID-19, NYK workers take appropriate infection-control measures and work under the guidance of the cleaning contractor,” NYK said.

“NYK has organized a crisis management center led by NYK president Hitoshi Nagasawa to rapidly address the situation. Company personnel have been sent to the site, and necessary support will be provided to the shipowner and ship-management company. We hope the situation will be bought to a safe and timely conclusion,” NYK said.

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https://www.marinelink.com/news/nyk-sends-employees-help-cleanup-vessel-490003