ShipbuildingNews

The Eco Argument

By Wendy Laursen 2018-08-14 21:11:38

A.P. Moller-Maersk CEO Soren Skou estimates that the upcoming restrictions on sulfur emissions could increase annual fuel costs for the shipping industry by over $50 billion. It's no wonder, then, that the demand for eco-tonnage is expected to grow. Demand for eco-friendly newbuildings ebbed along with oil prices in 2015 and 2016, but the argument for such vessels is again strong given the current high-fuel price environment as 2020 approaches, says Stuart Nicoll, Director at shipping analyst firm MSI: “With...

More Layoffs Ahead for South Korea's Big Three Shipbuilders

By MarEx 2018-08-14 21:01:39

South Korea's Big Three shipbuilders will likely lay off thousands of additional employees as their orderbooks continue to shrink. After years of weak sales, Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering, Samsung Heavy Industries and Hyundai Heavy Industries still face serious challenges from a soft market and fierce competition from Chinese shipbuilders, and they have indicated plans to reduce payroll in response. The next round of losses could come at Hyundai Heavy Industries' offshore yard in Ulsan, which will deliver the final rig...

Graving Dock Failure at NASSCO Leads to Layoffs

By MarEx 2018-08-14 13:53:08

Due to the recent drydock accident at its San Diego yard, General Dynamics NASSCO has warned about 1,500 employees that they could be laid off within the next month. The firm told local media that it is working to minimize the disruption and expects the final number to be in the range of 350 workers. “We are pursuing all available options to avoid or lessen the impact of these reductions and hope to increase our workforce as soon as possible...

New Technique Reduce Steel Warping in Ship Building

By MarEx 2018-08-13 19:37:50

A new process has been developed to enable shipbuilders to save production costs and improve build time while reducing distortion of lightweight materials. The Joining-3 Project, led by Huntington Ingalls Industries’ Ingalls Shipbuilding division, developed computer models to better predict where distortion and warping will occur when steel plates are welded together, ultimately reconfiguring the welding sequence. Tests involving a U.S. Coast Guard Cutter demonstrated a 30 percent reduction in distortion and a 13 percent reduction in production costs compared...

Canada Buys Commercial Icebreakers for its Coast Guard

By MarEx 2018-08-13 18:36:10

On Monday, Norwegian harsh-environment OSV operator Viking Supply Ships announced that it has sold three icebreaking anchor handlers to the government of Canada, which will retrofit them for use by the Canadian Coast Guard (CCG). Last week, Public Services and Procurement Canada awarded a $610-million contract to Davie Shipbuilding for the acquisition of the three icebreaking anchor handling tug supply (AHTS) vessels and the conversion of the first ship in the class. Davie's work is expected to proceed quickly, and the initial...

Dario Deste Named Fincantieri Marine Group's New CEO

By MarEx 2018-08-06 19:02:59

After a successful six‐year tenure as Fincantieri Marine Group’s President and CEO, Francesco Valente has announced his intention to step‐down from the position to assume another leadership role within the Fincantieri group. As a result, the Board has selected Dario Deste as the new President and CEO. The leadership transition is expected to be completed before the end of the year. Fincantieri Marine Group is the U.S. subsidiary of Italian enterprise Fincantieri, one of the world’s largest shipbuilders. Fincantieri Marine...

Inventor Solves Kite Stability Issues

By MarEx 2018-08-05 17:29:59

French inventor Christophe Verna has recently filed two patents for a kite system for cargo ships that he says solves four major problems for such systems. He says his design will ensure that they don't spin constantly, they don't draw the vessel vertically, they can be easily be controlled and kept from falling in the water. “The first patent allows the sail to rise on its own, and thus never to fall into the water,” says Verna. Another arrangement allows...

Sea Trials Underway for First Surface-Effect-Ship Daughter Craft

By MarEx 2018-08-04 20:21:10

The world’s first daughter craft based on surface-effect-ship technology has commenced sea trials at Vattenfall’s Horns Rev 1 and Ørsted’s Horns Rev 2 wind farms. The Sea Puffin is designed for the harsher weather conditions experienced at wind farms that are located far from shore. The 15-meter long vessel employs an air cushion for active motion damping, resulting in access capabilities beyond conventional daughter craft vessels, whilst reducing fuel consumption and improving crew and passenger comfort during transit. The compact size...

Construction Starts on Two Record Ultra-Large Container Ships

By MarEx 2018-07-30 19:11:53

Construction of two 22,000 TEU ultra-large container ships with record-breaking beam began in China last week. The vessels are part of a nine-vessel deal that CMA CGM signed with China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC) last September. The 220,000dwt vessels will be the first ultra-large container ships to burn LNG and will measure 400 meters (1,312 feet) in length, 61.3 meters (201.1 feet) in breadth and 33.5 meters (110 feet) in depth. The vessels would be the first ultra-large container ships...

Brace for Impact: The E.U. Ship Recycling Regulation

By Michail Matthaiakis 2018-07-28 18:49:27

In five months from today, the European Union will be implementing regulations mandating that all the end-of-life EU-flagged vessels will have to be recycled in facilities that are included in the European list of approved ship recycling facilities. While at present about 95 percent of the global recycling takes place in five countries, all outside Europe, on the other hand the European list of approved yards currently only contains yards that are located...