The Baltic Exchange's main sea freight index rose to its highest in a year on Monday, helped by higher rates for capesize vessels.The overall index, which factors in rates for capesize, panamax and supramax shipping vessels, climbed 3.2% to 1,991.The capesize index added 176 points, gaining 5.3% to 3,485 - its highest level since May 25, 2022.
Sturgeon Bay, Wis. shipyard Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding on Wednesday began construction on a 289-foot service operation vessel (SOV) for a Crowley-ESVAGT joint venture that will house and transport technicians to maintain U.S. offshore wind farms.This Jones Act compliant vessel, for the joint venture CREST Wind, will operate under a long-term charter with Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy.
Eastern Shipbuilding Group, Inc. (ESG) on Monday announced the delivery of R.B. Weeks, a 8,550 cubic yard capacity trailing suction hopper dredge constructed for Weeks Marine, Inc.“It’s our pleasure to once again deliver a quality vessel on time and on budget to our valued customers at Weeks Marine, Inc.,” said Joey D’Isernia, president of Eastern Shipbuilding Group, Inc. “The R.B.
Norwegian shipbuilder VARD has won a contract for the design and construction of two offshore wind Commissioning Service Operation Vessels (CSOVs) from UK-based Purus Wind. Purus Wind will have the option to order two more vessels.The two CSOVs are of VARD 4 19 design developed by Vard Design in Ålesund, Norway.
Norwegian shipbuilder Vard, part of Italy's Fincantieri, has signed new contracts to design and construct two commissioning service operation vessels (CSOVs) for the UK-based offshore vessel owner North Star.The agreement also has an option for two additional ships, which could ultimately create a total of up to 200 new seafaring job opportunities across the CSOV fleet once operational, Vard said.
Jeffersonville, Ind. based American Commercial Barge Line (ACBL) on Tuesday announced it has signed a contract with Belle Chasse, La. shipyard C&C Marine and Repair to build a 11,000 horsepower (HP) class towboat.Designed by Portland, Maine-based CT Marine, the twin-screw towboat will measure 198 feet long, with 50-foot beam and 12-foot depth.
Global merchandise trade growth slowed at the end of 2022 and was likely to remain weak in the first quarter of this year, the World Trade Organization said on Wednesday.However, the WTO said any slowdown may be short-lived given that container throughput at Chinese ports and new export orders have already started to pick up, the former following a sharp easing of COVID-19 restrictions in China.
NOV's Marine and Construction business unit has come up with a "new and flexible" Modular Service and Operations Vessel (MSOV) concept to "optimize offshore wind farm operations and maintenance." NOV says the vessel's features resemble those of a sea otter."The Enhydra series design characteristics resemble the sea otter's (Enhydra) unique and physical behavioral features.
The Baltic Exchange's main sea freight index extended losses to a sixth straight session on Tuesday to touch a fresh 2-1/2-year low, dragged down by a dip in capesize and panamax rates.The overall index, which factors in rates for capesize, panamax and supramax shipping vessels, fell 19 points, or about 2.6%, to 721, its lowest since early-June 2020.The capesize index lost 50 points, or 6.
U.S. maritime services company Crowley and Danish offshore service company ESVAGT will jointly build and operate a service operations vessel (SOV) under a long-term charter with Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy. The vessel will serve in the U.S. offshore wind market.Under the new contract
The Baltic Exchange's dry bulk sea freight index on Tuesday posted its worst decline on record, pressured by waning rates across vessel segments due to weak demand from China amid surging COVID-19 cases.The overall index, which factors in rates for capesize, panamax, and supramax shipping vessels carrying dry bulk commodities, lost 265 points, or 17.
Nineteen personnel fell overboard, and two of them were hurt, during a transfer from a small boat to the U.S. Navy hospital ship USNS Comfort (T-AH 20) off the coast of Haiti on Monday, the Navy said.All were safely recovered and returned to Comfort with assistance from the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Harold Miller (WPC 1138).