US Maritime Intelligence

The all-electric tugboat HaiSea Wamis is the first of HaiSea Marine’s five new eco-friendly tugs to travel from North Vancouver to the company's base of operations in Kitimat.A team of eight Haisla members piloted the HaiSea Wamis home, marking a milestone for HaiSea Marine, a partnership primarily owned by the Haisla Nation and Seaspan ULC. This occasion was a family affair for the Ross family, spanning three generations: Ed Ross, a deckhand for HaiSea Marine, his stepson Craig Windsor, and his grandsons Bradley Windsor and Christian Cross, who are all deckhands with HaiSea.

Norwegian Cruise Line Boosts Profit Forecast Again Amid Soaring Demand

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings on Wednesday raised its annual profit forecast for a third time this year, riding on sustained demand for luxury voyages and higher ticket prices.With people continuing to splurge on experiences and services over discretionary goods, operators have seen record booking rates for affordable cruise vacations, giving them enough opportunity to increase ticket prices."We are witnessing robust demand with strong pricing and booking volumes leading to record-breaking advanced ticket sales," CEO Harry Sommer said on a post-earnings call.

Russia Flexes Naval Muscle with Massive Drill Involving 300 Ships, 20,000 Sailors

Russia's navy began planned exercises involving most of its fleet in the Arctic and Pacific oceans as well and the Baltic and Caspian seas, the defense ministry said on Tuesday.Russia is considered by most military analysts to have the world's third most powerful navy after those of the United States and China, and Russia has a significant ballistic-missile nuclear submarine fleet.The Russian drills, which include 20,000 personnel and 300 ships, will test the readiness and capabilities of the navy at all levels, the ministry said.

Concordia Damen Books River Cruise Ship Order from Swiss Operator

Concordia Damen has secured a contract with an undisclosed Swiss luxury river cruise operator to deliver its River Cruise 135 vessel.The new ship will have hybrid propulsion for reduced fuel consumption and lower emissions, high insulation, laser-controlled ventilation, and environmentally friendly materials are used for the outfitting, to name but a few features. “We are excited to partner with this leading Swiss operator to deliver our innovative River Cruise 135.

Amogy Holds Renaming Ceremony for Ammonia-fueled Tug NH3 Kraken

Amogy held a renaming ceremony for NH3 Kraken, a 57-year-old tug the company is converting to run on its cleaner-burning ammonia-to-power technology.The 105-foot-long tug, which is undergoing conversion work at Feeney Shipyard in Kingston, N.Y., is scheduled to make its maiden voyage on a tributary of the Hudson River later this summer. The vessel is the first globally fitted with the innovative, carbon-free power system, developed by Amogy to reduce emissions from hard to abate sectors such as maritime.

Rand Logistics Acquires Andrie

Rand Logistics, a dry bulk shipping group operating on the Great Lakes, announced on Wednesday that it has reached a deal to acquire Andrie from Auxo Investment Partners, marking the company's expansion into liquid bulk shipping. Financial terms were not disclosed.Andrie, based in Muskegon, Mich., transports specialty liquid products such as asphalt, cement, refined oil products and calcium chloride, connecting North American production assets with distribution networks throughout the Great Lakes region.

Fincantieri, Leonardo JV Secure $1.6B Deal with Italian Navy for Two Frigates

Orizzonte Sistemi Navali (OSN), a joint venture owned by Fincantieri (51%) and Leonardo (49%), has secured a $1.6 billion contract to deliver two new FREMM EVO frigates for the Italian Navy.As part of the multi-year FREMM program aimed at the renewal of the Italian Navy's fleet through the construction of next-generation frigates, OSN signed a contract with OCCAR (Organisation Conjointe de Coopération en matière d'Armement) for the construction of two new FREMM frigates of the EVOLUTION version, known as FREMM EVO.

German Cruise Operator Picks ABB's DC Tech for Improved Safety and Efficiency

Germany-based cruise operator Phoenix Reisen has retrofitted its 205-meter, 835-passenger capacity ship MS Amera with ABB’s DC technology to improve the vessel’s efficiency and lower its emissions during port calls.The vessel is now equipped with ABB’s Onboard DC Grid power system platform and shore connection.Following commissioning and sea trials, Amera has become the first cruise ship retrofitted with Onboard DC Grid.The project involved the replacement of the vessel’s AC system with modern DC technology.

Shipbuilder Fincantieri Reports Rise in H1 Earnings

Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri reported a 16% jump in first-half earnings to 214 million euros ($231.31 million) and a six-fold increase in its order book to 7.6 billion euros, mainly driven by the cruise and defense sectors.Revenues remained stable at 3.68 billion euros, as shipbuilding revenue, amounting to 69% of the total, decreased due to changes made to the production schedule for some ships.($1 = 0.9252 euros)(Reuters - Reporting by Philippe Leroy

Baltic Dry Index Slides to Three-month Low

The Baltic Exchange's dry bulk sea freight index, tracking rates for ships carrying dry bulk commodities, slipped to its lowest level in three months on Tuesday, weighed down by lower rates across all vessel segments.The overall index, which factors in rates for capesize, panamax and supramax shipping vessels, lost 35 points, or 2%, to 1,762, hitting its lowest level since May 1.The capesize index fell 83 points, or 3.2%, to 2,499, declining for a eighth consecutive session.

Bay Shipbuilding Delivers US' Largest LNG Bunker Barge to Crowley

Crowley on Wednesday announced it has taken delivery of the liquefied natural gas (LNG) bunker barge Progress, the largest U.S. Jones Act-compliant vessel of its kind, after construction was completed at Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding in Sturgeon Bay, Wis.The Progress will expand access to cleaner energy for ship operators at the Port of Savannah, Georgia, upon final commissioning there this month. Shell NA LNG, LLC, (Shell) signed a long-term agreement with Crowley to operate the barge, providing another fueling location to ships using LNG.

AiP Granted for Ship-to-Ship Ammonia Bunkering Boom

A bunkering boom jointly developed by NYK and TB Global Technologies (TBG) for the ship-to-ship supply of fuel ammonia received Approval in Principle (AiP) from Nippon Kaiji Kyokai (ClassNK).NYK says the development will significantly enhance the safety of supplying ships with ammonia, which is highly toxic, by employing TBG's technology to ensure the liquid does not leak.The most distinctive feature of the boom is its emergency-release system that allows the connection between an ammonia-fueled vessel and an ammonia bunkering vessel to be disconnected instantly in an emergency.