Two offshore drilling rigs, previously used for oil and gas exploration beneath the seabed, could soon help with space exploration.Namely, according to multiple reports this week, a company linked to billionaire Elon Musk bought two deepwater semi-submersible drilling rigs last year, with plans - reportedly - to convert them into floating launch pads for Musk's SpaceX rockets.
The sinking of the Estonia ro-ro passenger ferry stands out as one of the most disastrous accidents in modern times. The tragedy claimed 852 lives and the wreck was declared a marine graveyard. At first glance, the sinking seems to have been triggered by a single technical failure only minutes before the point of no return, with no warning signs.
A cruise ship has been fitted with the world's first at-sea PCR laboratory to test passengers and crews for COVID-19 as cruise lines look for ways to safely resume voyages amid the prevailing coronavirus pandemic. The full-scale lab installed aboard Viking's luxury cruise ship Viking Star has capacity to perform daily non-invasive saliva tests for every passenger and crew member
Somali pirates have released three Iranian hostages held for five years, a maritime security official said on Thursday, as conflicting reports emerged whether another ship had been seized after a three-year hiatus in hijackings.The three Iranians are the last of the crew of the Iranian fishing vessel FV Siraj, which was captured by pirates on March 22, 2015.
A merchant ship has reportedly been hijacked off the northeast coast of Somalia, marking the first successful hijacking by Somali pirates since 2017.The Panama-flagged ship was en route from the United Arab Emirates to Mogadishu port when it appeared to develop mechanical problems, Reuters reports.
The U.S. Coast Guard held a commissioning ceremony for the Coast Guard Cutter Harold Miller, the service's 38th Sentinel-class fast response cutter, at Sector Field Office Galveston, Texas, Wednesday.Rear Adm. John Nadeau, Eighth Coast Guard District commander, presided over the commissioning ceremony, along with Lt. Michael Salerno, Coast Guard Cutter Harold Miller’s commanding officer.
President Donald Trump says the U.S. is hashing out a plan to acquire up to 10 additional polar icebreakers for the U.S. Coast Guard.Trump, who over the years has emphasized his administration's commitment to growing the Coast Guard's icebreaker fleet, outlined the new plans in vague terms within remarks delivered at Southern Command headquarters in Doral, Fla., Friday.
Eastern Shipbuilding Group, Inc. (ESG) launched the second of three new Staten Island “Ollis Class” Ferries for the City of New York Department of Transportation (NYCDOT) Staten Island Ferry Division. The Sandy Ground was launched Friday at Eastern’s Allanton facility in Panama City, Fla.
Crowley Fuels took delivery Tuesday of its new Alaska Class 100,000-barrel, articulated tug-barge (ATB), which will be used to transport petroleum products for the Alaska market, from Bollinger Shipyards.Crowley will operate the 483-foot ATB for Alaska-based Petro Star Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Arctic Slope Regional Corporation (ASRC) under a long-term charter.
The good news is that work has commenced on the first new heavy polar icebreaker for the United States Coast Guard in 43 years. The bad news is that when it enters service, projected to occur in FY2024, it will be the first new heavy polar icebreaker for the USCG in 47 years.Meanwhile, Russia has approximately 30 active polar icebreakers, including four that are nuclear powered.
Huntington Ingalls Industries (NYSE: HII) said that its Ingalls Shipbuilding division has received a $1.5 billion fixed-price-incentive modification to a previously awarded contract for the procurement of the detail design and construction of amphibious transport dock LPD 31. The ship will be the 15th in the San Antonio class and the second Flight II LPD.
Bollinger Shipyards on Thursday delivered the USCGC Harold Miller to the U.S. Coast Guard in Key West, Fla. This is the 161st vessel Bollinger has delivered to the U.S. Coast Guard over a 35 year period and the 38th Fast Response Cutter delivered on the current program. The USCGC Harold Miller is the third of three FRCs to be home-ported in Galveston, Texas.