The Sovcomflot shipping company and its compatriot Rosneft have signed an agreement on the construction of five LNG Aframax tankers. The tankers will be constructed at the Russia’s Zvezda shipbuilding complex in cooperation with Hyundai Heavy Industries. The vessels are scheduled to start joining the fleet in 2021.
Viking Ocean Cruises bought a fourth Viking cruiser. The cruiser was constructed by the Italian shipyard Fincantieri, its tonnage is 47,800 tonnes, it has 465 cabins with a total capacity of 1,400 people. The Viking cruiser features advanced technologies for energy saving and safe sailing.
The Norwegian company Songa Bulk has decided to buy more ships. Songa Bulk has recently bought a number of second-hand vessels and entered into an agreement to buy a 2012-built Kamsarmax. The overall addition to Songa Bulk's fleet consists of no less than 15 vessels.
The Egbert Wagenborg transport ship has successfully completed its sea trials. The ship will be delivered to its owner Royal Wagenborg this month, when its christening and naming ceremony are scheduled as well.
Egbert Wagenborg is a 150-meter long multipurpose ship constructed at the Royal Niestern Sander shipyard.
The Danish company Maersk has signed an agreement to sell Maersk tankers to A.P. Moller Holding. A.P. Moller Holding plans to establish a consortium for the Maersk tanker fleet with the potential partner Mitsui & Co. Ltd. The tankers were sold for USD 1.17 billion.
World Dream, the second cruise ship built for the Asian cruise line Dream Cruises, has left the Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg and will be transported to Eemshaven, Netherlands. The newbuilding will undergo sea trials before it embarks on a voyage to Asia.
The Finnish group Wärtsilä is introducing a new tug design known as the Wärtsilä HYTug series. Using less engine power decreases exhaust emission levels. Hull designs have been optimised for hull resistance and sailing. The company said that, in the future, new tugs would rely more and more on battery propulsion, which suits today’s operational requirements.
Five crew members went missing following a collision between the JBB De Rond 19 dredger and the Kartika Segara tanker. The accident happened on 13 September in Singapore and the search for the missing crew is still in progress. Divers managed to recover two bodies belonging to the dredger’s crew. Of a total of 12 crew members, 7 were rescued.
The NTSB (National Transportation Safety Board) will determine the cause of the sinking of El Faro. The decision will be made in a meeting on December 2017. The El Faro sank on 29 September 2015, when it was near the eye of the hurricane Joaquin. All 33 crewmembers perished in the accident. The investigators focused on recovering evidence from the wreckage, i.e. from the voyage data recorder which contained a 30-hour audio recording.
The Canaveral port has evacuated its workers and made preparations for the arrival of hurricane Irma. Carnival Cruise Line stated that its ship Carnival Magic would be re-routed to New Orleans to avoid the heavy storm.