We look back over our most read stories from the first quarter of 2020 to revisit the topics your reading habits revealed as key drivers in the maritime industry
The tug sector has now become a testing ground for technological advancement and the most popular stories of the first part of 2020 reflect this. Three of our most read stories feature innovative designs and new ports. To read each story in full, click on the headline, the image or the link at the end of the text.
1. Florida Marine completes largest-ever US towboat newbuilding campaign
Eastern Shipbuilding Group has completed the largest tugboat-building campaign in US history with the delivery to Florida Marine Transporters of Jaden Pasentine, an inland towboat, as the final vessel in a 14-year, 70-tugboat newbuilding programme.
2. Designers embrace hybrid, LNG and higher bollard pull
Naval architects are introducing hybrid and LNG-fuelled tug designs and redesigning harbour and escort tugs to increase their power and towage capabilities without affecting their stability. This is the result of port environmental concerns, stability regulations and rising bollard pull requirements that will shape tug designs throughout the 2020s.
3. Hybrid propulsion the safe bet for offshore vessels
DNV GL’s Arnstein Eknes speaking at the Offshore Support Journal Subsea Conference in London, offered an expert’s take and used technological and efficiency considerations to show why hybrid propulsion is a sound choice for ships that operate at low speeds.
4. Salvage tugs prepare to rescue Stellar Banner to prevent oil pollution
Ardent Global, with at least four tugs and rescue vessels at hand, engaged in salvage operations to prevent Polaris Shipping’s foundering 300,660-dwt bulker Stellar Banner from spilling oil.
The VLOC ran aground 100 km off the Brazilian coast of São Luís, Maranhão on its voyage to Qingdao, China from Ponta da Madeira, Brazil.
5. New DP World port and FPSO projects for Senegal
DP World has agreed to construct a new port and economic zone near Dakar, Senegal. It plans to turn Port de Futur into a multi-purpose port and logistics gateway with a container terminal to accommodate ultra-large container ships and a logistics hub for northwest Africa.
The new container terminal will have capacity of around 1M TEU per year and will be located adjacent to Senegal’s new Blaise Diagne International Airport.
In addition, Woodside has started work on the Sangomar offshore oil project by contracting Modec to provide an FPSO and Sofec to deliver an external mooring tower. These will be located around 100 km from Dakar.
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