LPG: Dual-Fuel Engines Prove Their Worth
BW LPG has demonstrated the value of dual-fuel LPG operations beyond the company’s initial aim of meeting IMO 2020 Sulphur Cap regulations.In October 2020, the LPG carrier BW Gemini became the first very large gas carrier (VLGC) to have its low-speed main engine converted to an LPG dual-fuel engine. The project started several years earlier, sparked by Oslo-listed BW LPG’s preparations for the IMO’s 2020 Sulphur Cap regulations.Compared to heavy fuel oil, LPG reduces Sox emissions by approximately 97%…
US Renews Waiver on COSCO's Dalian Tanker Unit
The Trump administration on Thursday renewed a waiver for companies to wind down transactions with the Dalian unit of a Chinese tanker company on which it had imposed sanctions in September for allegedly transporting Iranian oil.The waiver, good until Feb. 4, 2020, allows activities and transactions "ordinarily incident and necessary to the maintenance or wind down of transactions" including offloading of non-Iranian crude oil involving COSCO's Dalian Shipping Tanker Co, the U.S. Treasury Department…
Tankers Sail after U.S. Provides Sanctions Relief
At least three tankers are on their way to Asia with U.S. oil cargoes after Washington gave temporary approval to wind down transactions with a Chinese shipping company that it sanctioned last month, according to data and shipping sources.In one of the biggest sanctions actions taken by the U.S. government since its crackdown on Iranian oil exports, Washington on Sept. 25 announced sanctions on Chinese tanker companies, including COSCO Shipping Tanker (Dalian), a subsidiary of China's state-owned shipping group COSCO.The surprise move by Washington and concern over shippers falling foul of U.S.
Teekay Resolves China LNG JV Issues
Teekay LNG’s 50/50 joint venture with China LNG, which owns four on-the-water ARC7 LNG carriers and two ARC7 LNG carrier newbuildings, is also no longer classified as a “blocked person” under Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) rules.According to a press release from the owners and operators of LNG carriers, providing LNG and LPG marine transportation services firm, Teekay Corporation and Teekay LNG Partners announced that COSCO Shipping Energy Transportation, a COSCO group firm, has completed an ownership restructuring on arms-length terms which has resulted in Teekay LNG’s joint venture partner…
Novatek in Talks on LNG Transhipment
Russia's liquefied natural gas (LNG) producer Novatek is in talks to tranship its Yamal cargoes in Norway or Russia's Murmansk because it is unsure of the impact of U.S. sanctions on the Chinese COSCO tankers it uses, a Novatek official said.The United States imposed sanctions on Sept. 25 on state-owned COSCO's subsidiaries, COSCO Shipping Tanker (Dalian) Co and COSCO Shipping Tanker (Dalian) Seaman & Ship Management, for allegedly ferrying Iranian crude.U.S.-listed ship owner Teekay LNG said last week its shipping joint venture in Russia, Yamal LNG, had been "blocked" by the U.S.
Oil Freight Rates Rocket After U.S. Sanctions COSCO
Oil freight rates in the Middle East and Asia have increased by almost 20 percent today following new US sanctions on units of Chinese company COSCO for its alleged involvement in ferrying crude oil out of Iran.In what the U.S. State Department has described as “one of the largest sanctions actions the U.S. has taken” since restrictions were re-imposed on Iran in November 2018, two units of COSCO, as well as other companies, were named in claims of involvement in sanctions-breaking Iranian oil shipments.Asian oil buyers have been rushing to the shipping market to charter vessels…
Chinese, Russian Majors Ink Arctic LNG Deal
Russia's second largest natural gas producer Novatek, Russian maritime shipping company specializing in petroleum and LNG shipping Sovcomflot, Chinese state-owned shipping and logistics services supplier company COSCO Shipping Corporation Limited, and the Chinese government owned investment fund Silk Road Fund, signed a four-party agreement to establish a joint venture Maritime Arctic Transport LLC.The focus of the Maritime Arctic Transport joint venture is to manage an icebreaking tanker fleet of Arctic ice-class vessels…
New Jack Up Fitted with Huisman Crane
Huisman has been awarded a contract for the design, engineering, construction and delivery of the main crane on Jan De Nul’s newest offshore wind turbine installation vessel ‘Voltaire’.The crane will be unique in its size, capacity and novel features to allow efficient installation of the next generation offshore wind turbines. The vessel will be built by COSCO Shipping Heavy Industry in China and the Huisman crane will be built in Huisman’s own production facility in Xiamen, P.R. of China and installed at the shipyard.
Prosafe Emerges as Lowest Bidder in Brazil Offshore Tender
European owner and operator of semi-submersible accommodation vessels Prosafe has submitted the largest bid in two online auctions for the supply of safety and maintenance support vessels to Brazil."Prosafe has participated in an online auction for the supply of safety and maintenance support vessels to Brazil and on conclusion of the auction achieved first place commercial ranking," said a statement from the operator of offshore accommodating units known as flotels.The auction concluded on 23…
Seacor Marine Acquires Three Cosco PSVs
The offshore marine support vessels operator Seacor Marine Holdings announced it has entered into definitive agreements to acquire three platform supply vessels (PSVs) from Cosco Shipping Heavy Industry, an affiliate of Cosco Shipping Group, the world’s largest ship owner.Aggregate consideration for the vessels will be approximately $46 million, of which 30% will be paid in cash and 70% will be paid under a four-year deferred payment agreement between Seacor Marine and Cosco Zhoushan.Half of…
Prosafe Signs Pact with Cosco
Norwegian contractor Prosafe and COSCO Shipping (Qidong) Offshore Co have come to an agreement on three newbuild offshore accomodation units being built in China."Prosafe has reached agreements with COSCO and its lenders which will transform the company’s fleet, market position and earnings potential, and secure a significantly enhanced financial runway," said a statement from the company.The agreement allows for flexible delivery and long-term financing of Safe Eurus, Safe Nova and Safe Vega.
Ice-Breaking LNG Carrier Vladimir Rusanov First Call at PetroChina LNG Jiangsu Terminal
Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) announced that the Ice-Breaking LNG Carrier "Vladimir Rusanov", which is jointly owned by MOL and China COSCO Shipping Corporation Limited for the Yamal LNG project, made its first call at PetroChina LNG Jiangsu Terminal in China on 17 July.A ceremony celebrating this milestone was held on 19 July.At the end of March 2018, the vessel started transportation services for LNG produced by the Yamal LNG plant at Sabetta port in Russia. For its latest voyage, the vessel departed from Sabetta port on 25 June…
Prosafe Extends Standstill Agreement with COSCO
Prosafe has extended a standstill agreement with COSCO Shipping (Qidong) Offshore Co. Ltd in China for two harsh environment semi-submersible accommodation units, Safe Nova and Safe Vega.The standstill agreement has been extended until May 21, 2018 as Prosafe continues negotiations with COSCO and related parties for a workable commercial solution for the two units.A third unit, Safe Eurus, is in a preserved, strategic stacking mode and negotiations continue with COSCO to find a workable commercial solution.If no agreement is reached…
Novatek Delivers its First LNG Cargo to India
The Russian natural gas producer, Novatek, has confirmed that it delivered its first shipment of liquefied natural gas (LNG) produced by the Yamal LNG project to India on 27 March. "The LNG was produced by the Yamal LNG project, led by the Russian company, and marks the first ever delivery of Russian Artic LNG to the country," said the company. The cargo was shipped through the company’s subsidiary, Novatek Gas and Power Asia. Novatek’s Deputy Chairman of its Management Board Board Lev Feodosyev said: "One of our core priorities enumerated in the Company's Corporate Strategy up to 2030…
Heavy Lift: Shell’s Appomattox Hull Delivered to Texas
COSCO SHIPPING Specialized Carriers Co., Ltd. vessel M/V Xin Guang Hua delivered Shell’s 40,335mt Appomattox hull from Geoje, South Korea to Ingleside, Texas on October 5, following nearly four years of work with Shell Offshore Inc to prepare for the sailing The Appomattox hull is the largest and heaviest cargo transported to date by COSCO’s fleet of semi-submersible heavy lift vessels. “We are very proud to have worked closely with Shell and be part of the Appomattox project’s overall success,” said Josh Wilson, V.P. Business Development for COSCO SHIPPING Heavy Transport.
C-Job to Provide Basic Design for DEME’s Orion
Having recently supplied the concept design for DEME Group’s new offshore installation vessel Orion, C-Job Naval Architects said it will now provide COSCO OFFSHORE CO. Ltd (Qidong) with the vessel’s basic design package. Orion will be built at COSCO SHIPPING HEAVY INDUSTRY in China for delivery in 2019. The technical specs of the vessel, to be operated by DEME subsidiary GeoSea, will service offshore wind installation, oil and gas and decommissioning activities. While working on this next phase of ship design…
Suitability Survey Completed for Second Largest Semi-Submersible
Global Maritime Consultancy & Engineering, a provider of offshore marine warranty, dynamic positioning and engineering services, has completed a suitability survey for the world’s second largest semi-submersible - the ‘Xin Guang Hua’ - in advance of her maiden voyage. For the survey, Global Maritime carried out an independent assessment of all aspects of the vessel’s condition. The Xin Guang Hua - at 255 meters long, 68 meters wide and with a lift/transportation capacity of 98,000 tons - has been built by Guangzhou Shipyard International Company and is owned by Cosco Shipping.
Trafigura Backs Out of Tanker Foray
Trafigura has sold five oil vessels to a unit of China's Bank of Communications , ending the trading house's move into owning tankers, the company said on Friday. Under the deal, the five medium-range tankers, ordered by Trafigura in 2013 from a shipyard in China, were sold to Bank of Communications Financial Leasing Company Ltd and subsequently leased back to the Swiss trading house. Financial terms were not disclosed. "The ships were bought at low entry levels and we saw an opportunity to sell now.
DNV GL bags COSCO's HVDC Converter Platform Deal
DNV GL has been awarded a contract by COSCO Shipping Company Limited (COSCO SHIPPING) of China for the installation engineering services for the BorWin gamma high voltage direct current (HVDC) converter platform. The Dutch-German transmission system operator TenneT is developing the offshore AC/DC converter platform BorWin gamma as part of the grid connection project BorWin3. The project will provide an essential renewable offshore resource to meet increasing energy demands in Germany, as part of the German Energiewende (Energy Transition) programme.
New Offshore Wind Project Launched in China
The Belgian dredging, environmental and marine engineering group DEME and China COSCO Shipping – the largest shipping company in the world – have formed a joint venture to develop offshore wind energy in China. The cooperation is in line with the Chinese climate vision and its aim to develop renewable energy, both of which were recently incorporated in the 13th Five-Year Plan (2016-2020) for social and economic development. The Chinese government wishes to increase the installed capacity of offshore wind energy significantly by 2020.
