Thursday, May 09, 2024
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Belem arrives in Marseille, with French aerobatic team in background

Historic Tall Ship Arrives in Marseille to Deliver the Olympic Flame

Published May 8, 2024 9:08 PM by The Maritime Executive

On Wednesday, amidst tight security and much fanfare, the torch for the 2024 Paris Olympics arrived at the port of Marseille aboard a historic, French-built tall ship.  The torch boarded the French barque Belem in Piraeus late last month, following a traditional lighting ceremony at the ruins of the ancient city of Olympia. The vessel left Athens on April 27 and wended its way westward to Marseille, arriving in the inner harbor about 1900 hours on Wednesday. Belem received a...

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container imports

U.S. Imports Expected to Remain Strong According to NRF

Published May 8, 2024 8:16 PM by The Maritime Executive

  Monthly inbound cargo volume at the nation’s major container ports should consistently be above two million TEUs through this summer and into early fall, according to the latest forecast from the National Retail Federation. The trade association for retailers highlights the strong continued consumer spending and retailers’ efforts to maintain inventory levels in the summer selling season. “We haven’t seen numbers this high for this many months in almost two years,” said Jonathan Gold, Vice President for Supply Chain...

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MMC

USCG Will Allow Mariners to Renew Credentials Up to Six Years Late

Published May 8, 2024 7:50 PM by The Maritime Executive

Acting on a request from industry organizations, the U.S. Coast Guard has decided to let former merchant mariners renew their expired credentials for up to six years after their licenses lapsed, without the need to retake any tests. The temporary policy change is designed to make it easier for mariners who left the industry during COVID to come back and help head off a shortage of skilled seagoing personnel. “OMSA has long advocated for ending restrictive policies that needlessly prohibit American mariners...

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scrubber smoke emission

Report: Scrubber Wash Damages Baltic as Shipowners Realize Profits with HFO

Published May 8, 2024 7:28 PM by The Maritime Executive

  A new report is adding to the long-running debate over the impact of exhaust scrubbers and the potential for more restrictive legislation. A new study from Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden, alleges extensive financial costs from the release of scrubber wash which contains toxins while they calculate that many of the ships that installed the technology have achieved payback on the investment and now benefit from the use of less expensive heavy fuel oil (HFO). “If the scrubbers had...

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MORE STORIES BY CATEGORY

Offshore

offshore wind farm

Ireland Releases Draft Plan for South Coast Offshore Wind Farms

  Ireland released a draft of its plan to designate four areas off the south coast for offshore wind projects and proceed to auctions. It follows the successful first offshore auction in May 2023 where over 3 GW of capacity was procured from four offshore projects. The Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, Eamon Ryan, released the plan on May 3 highlighting that it is Ireland’s first-ever spatial plan for renewable energy at sea. The draft South Coast Designated...

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Shipbuilding

RoRo rocket transport

Bollinger Builds Unique US RoRo to Transport Rockets for ULA to Launch Site

  The U.S. merchant marine is going to get its second “rocket ship,” literally a vessel specially designed to transport rockets from the manufacturing facility to the launch pad. United Launch Alliance (ULA), a company headquartered in Colorado that provides launch services, contracted with Bollinger Shipyards in Lockport, Louisiana, and Bristol Harbor Group in Bristol, Rhode Island, to design, oversee, and build the new ship. Construction has just begun on the 356-ft-long ship to be named SpaceShip at Bollinger’s shipyard...

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Environment

scrubber smoke emission

Report: Scrubber Wash Damages Baltic as Shipowners Realize Profits with HFO

  A new report is adding to the long-running debate over the impact of exhaust scrubbers and the potential for more restrictive legislation. A new study from Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden, alleges extensive financial costs from the release of scrubber wash which contains toxins while they calculate that many of the ships that installed the technology have achieved payback on the investment and now benefit from the use of less expensive heavy fuel oil (HFO). “If the scrubbers had...

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Business

istock

Healthy Crew, Safe Vessel: Navigating the Importance of PEME Exams

  Pre-employment medical examinations (PEME) play a crucial role in ensuring the health and wellness of seafarers in the cruise and commercial maritime sectors. Ship owners and operators rely on PEMEs to assess the fitness of potential employees for the demanding and often challenging environment of working at sea. These medical assessments are essential for maintaining the safety and well-being of crew members, passengers, and the vessel itself. However, balancing the needs of the company with international maritime regulations is vital...

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