Maritime News Archives - Page 5 of 32

Deep water oil containment system

An oil containment system originally developed to recover oil leaking from shipwrecks has now been adapted to recover oil leaking from well heads below drilling and production rigs. The development of this new system was partly motivated by the Deepwater Horizon rig disaster in the Gulf of Mexico and the designers are confident that the system could help contain oil leaking from future rig disasters. (more…)

A new generation of ports for larger container ships

Larger container ships need ports with increased cargo handling capability and they are driving change at ports around the world. The DP London World Gateway, in Essex, UK, is aiming to meet industry demands of increased container capacity. It has been designed to handle 3.5 million TEU (one standard 20 feet container) a year. (more…)

Big cruise lines post onboard crime data

For the first time, the three largest U.S.-based cruise lines on Thursday began posting on their websites more comprehensive data about allegations of serious crimes committed aboard ships. The disclosures were made voluntarily but come amid growing pressure from Congress and crime victims for greater accuracy about crime at sea. (more…)

New mega-alliance will stabilize container industry

The co-operation between Maersk Line, MSC, and CMA CGM is the most far-reaching and concentrated alliance the container industry has ever seen. In the long term, the new P3 alliance could lead to lower rates, estimates Alphaliner. (more…)

Arctic passage-the new Transit Route

Cutting as much as ten days – 40 per cent – off the sea journey from western Europe to Japan has been made possible in the last couple of years, courtesy of global warming, by record sea-ice melt in the Arctic Ocean. With the result that in the first half of this year Russia has been able to approve the transit along its coast through its Northern Sea Route, previously the “Northeast Passage”, of some 204 ships, up from only 46 ships last year, and just four two years earlier. (more…)

Queen Mary 2 Celebrates 200th Transatlantic Crossing.

Cunard Line’s flagship Queen Mary 2 is making her historic 200th Transatlantic Crossing, having sailed from New York on Saturday 6 July en route to her homeport of Southampton, England, arriving 13 July. To mark the beginning of the historic voyage from New York, Queen Mary 2 performed a sail-by of the world’s most iconic statue atop Liberty Island. On board are keynote speakers presenting talks about the ship’s design, as well as special Big Band performances, and a celebratory Gala Dinner to be held on 11 July. (more…)

Navy missile interceptor ships form first line of defense

In the operations center on board the USS Stethem, sailors keep watch on a dizzying array of maps, graphics, sensors and radar data - all focused on North Korea. The Stethem, a destroyer, is one of two warships in the western Pacific that are responsible for detecting, tracking and, if necessary, shooting down a ballistic missile launched by Pyongyang. And they represent the first line of defense for U.S. allies and territories in a region that has become increasingly nervous as North Korea has ratcheted up its rhetoric and threats in recent months. (more…)

5 crew members kidnapped from container ship off Nigeria are released

A German ship operator says five crew members kidnapped from one of its ships off the coast of Nigeria last month have been released. The five Polish and Russian citizens were seized April 26 from the container ship City of Xiamen. The shipping company Sunship Schiffartskontor KG said they were released Saturday and are in good health. The company said in a statement the five have already returned to their home countries. The shipping company didn't detail the circumstances of their release — including whether a r (more…)

Crew ignored warnings before ship collision

The pilot and crew members aboard a cargo ship had reservations about the boat's course shortly before it struck a bridge over the Tennessee River, but no one stepped up to check written or electronic charts against what they were seeing, the National Transportation Safety Board concluded Tuesday. Federal investigators said the crew of the Delta Mariner also ignored a broadcast warning about navigation lights being out on the Eggner's Ferry Bridge on Jan. 26, 2012, and failed to heed a warning from a docked towing ship as it neared the span. (more…)