A 188-meter oil tanker ran aground on the Western Scheldt while departing the Port of Antwerp on Wednesday following a close encounter with a bulk carrier, according to reports. The Port of Antwerp posted pictures showing the German-flagged MT Seatrout aground at low tide near Bath, Netherlands. After closing the port to vessels less than 200m, tugs helped refloat the … [Read more...]
A.P. Moller – Maersk Sells Tanker Unit to Maersk Family Fund for $1.17 Billion
Danish conglomerate A.P. Moller - Maersk (Maersk Group) has signed a deal to sell its Maersk Tankers unit to a subsidiary of A.P. Moller Holding for $1.17 billion in cash. A.P. Moller Holding, the controlling shareholder of Maersk Group, is a wholly-owned fund established by the founder of A.P. Moller-Maersk. It will take ownership of Maersk Tankers through its subsidiary … [Read more...]
CMA CGM Signs Shipbuilding Contracts for Nine Record-Breaking 22,000 TEU Containerships
French shipping company CMA CGM has signed shipbuilding contracts for its nine 22,000 TEU Ultra Large Container Vessels (ULCVs) with state-run China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC) Group. The nine vessels will be the largest containerships ever constructed. The shipbuilding contracts come on the heels of CMA CGM confirming its plan to construct the … [Read more...]
EU Launches Free Trade Deal with Canada as Britain Eyes Own Deal
By Philip Blenkinsop BRUSSELS, Sept 20 (Reuters) - The European Union and Canada will begin cutting import duties from Thursday on thousands of products and services in a reminder to Britain of the work it will take to replace the trade alliances it will give up when it leaves the EU. The Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) will provisionally enter force … [Read more...]
Marine Insurers Demand Better Fire Protection for Large Containerships
By Mike Wackett (The Loadstar) - The International Union of Marine Insurance (IUMI) has warned that Solas firefighting regulations for container vessels are “inadequate” – particularly as ships have grown in recent years. IUMI said the regulations were developed for general cargo vessels, where freight is stored openly in holds, and are “not suitable for a modern … [Read more...]
Hurricane Maria Targets St. Croix and Puerto Rico After Devastating Dominica
By Alvin Baez SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico, Sept 19 (Reuters) - Hurricane Maria, the second maximum-strength storm to rage over the Caribbean this month, killed at least one person in Guadeloupe and barreled toward the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico on Tuesday after devastating the small island nation of Dominica. Maria, a rare Category 5 storm at the top end of the five-step … [Read more...]
Senator McCain Urges End to 100-Hour Work Weeks in Navy After Collisions
WASHINGTON, Sept 19 (Reuters) - U.S. Senator John McCain called on Tuesday for an immediate stop to U.S. sailors working over 100 hours a week as top Navy leaders struggled to explain a series of fatal naval collisions in the past few months. Earlier this month, the Government Accountability Office government watchdog said that a reduction in crew sizes was contributing to … [Read more...]