The United States’ efforts to interrupt illicit shipping activities designed to avoid sanctions appear to be yielding results. A growing number of shipping organizations and flag states are pledging increased adherence to the guidance from the U.S. while rising concerns are also giving rise to a new business to demonstrate compliance. In May, the U.S. […]
The seafarers’ welfare charity Human Rights at Sea has condemned the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF)’s suggestion that mariners may down tools and stop working due to the long-running regulatory obstacles blocking crew changes. An estimated 200,000 seafarers who are due to rotate off their vessels are currently stuck at sea due to travel bans […]
A Montenegrin seafarer has pleaded guilty to charges of cocaine smuggling in connection with the giant drug seizure aboard the boxship MSC Gayane last year. Vladimir Penda, 27, was the fourth engineer aboard MSC Gayane. On multiple occasions during the incident voyage, Penda helped load bulk cocaine onto the vessel from speedboats that approached under […]
RINA carried out the world’s first statutory and associated class intermediate surveys with the use of live stream remote technologies. The survey was carried out on the bulk carrier Cielo di Gaspesie, owned by the d’Amico Group. The shipping industry and the classification societies have increasingly been turning to remote technologies to facilitate many of […]
FarSounder has been selected as a subcontractor on a research and development project led by GMATEK Inc. This project is contracted by the U.S. Navy’s US Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA), Program Executive Office – Unmanned and Small Combatants (PEO-USC). This research project will be applying machine learning and deep-learning artificial intelligence technology to identify […]
The coronavirus pandemic has had an impact on all educational institutions, forcing cancellations, closures and inventive alternatives – notably the expansion of online learning and distance learning options. Some of those changes will likely stay even after COVID-19 is contained, according to Henrik Jensen, crew manager for Danica. “The COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak has forced us […]
The small communities of Haines and Ketchikan have come to different conclusions about the restart of small-ship cruising in Southeast Alaska. When American Cruise Lines asked the two towns whether it would be possible to host the 170-passenger cruise ship American Constellation at the end of this month, Ketchikan’s local government gave its approval and […]
The livestock carrier Al Kuwait is preparing to depart Australia more than three weeks after the vessel arrived on its last livestock voyage of the season. Crew members aboard the vessel tested positive for COVID-19 after arriving in Fremantle creating a brief controversy regarding health protocols, the handling of the vessel, and the livestock export […]
For the first time, a Finnish shipping company has used only liquefied biogas as the fuel to power its marine transport. Totally renewable, the liquefied biogas reduces greenhouse gas emissions by up to 85 percent when compared to fossil fuel. According to the announcement, the Viikki, a dry bulk carrier owned by ESL Shipping and […]
U.S. Navy defense contractor Bradken and its former lab director are facing criminal charges alleging that it produced and sold substandard steel components for installation on U.S. submarines. The company has admitted to the charges agreeing to pay a $10.8 million settlement, according to the U.S. Justice Department and prosecutors in Washington state. Bradken, a subsidiary […]
BP has reduced its expectations for the average price of energy over the next three decades, cutting its long-term forecast for Brent by 27 percent and for Henry Hub gas pricing by 31 percent compared with its previous baseline prediction. “With the COVID-19 pandemic having continued during the second quarter of 2020, BP now sees […]
After weeks of calling on governments to facilitate maritime crew changes and designate the millions of workers in critical transport industries as key workers, the International Transport Works’ Federation (ITF) issued a statement to seafarers saying simply, “Enough is enough.” The ITF had repeatedly said in its calls for action that June 16 was the […]
