General News

EC-sponsored multi-modal satellite navigation trials are being conducted by Racal in the Baltic Sea, where a Colour Line ferry is using Racal`s prototype EGNOS (European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service) system for the…

The number of Danish-owned vessels sailing under the Danish flag remained static last year. As at January 1, the figure stood at 593, still making it the third largest fleet in Europe,…

P&O Cruises` flagship Oriana will undergo a two and a half week refit at A&P`s Southampton yard commencing April 14. It is the second scheduled refit for the 1995-built vessel. The programme…

Finland`s main shipyards have been busy with corporate changes as well as with newbuildings. Kvaerner ASA plans to reduce its debt burden by raising a reported NKr2.5 billion ($39.28 million) through the…

Oil major Shell International Trading and Shipping Company (STASCo) has signed an evergreen alliance agreement with Sembawang Shipyard of Singapore. The agreement commits the scheduled refit and drydocking of the Shell fleet…

As competition increases and the market continues to suffer, the possibility of class society mergers gets closer. There are likely to be mergers or alliances among classification societies within the next few…

Chevron has taken delivery of the first of a new class of four VLCCs with a number of interesting features. The four VLCCs, which were contracted at Samsung Heavy Industries in South…

FastShip is to install 250MW (340,000 bhp) in each of its high-speed container ships to achieve a service speed of 40 knots on the route between the USA and Europe. The company…

Figures from Lloyd`s Register shows the world orderbook grew by 2.1 million gross tonnage (mgt) in the quarter to end-September 1998 to stand at 57.7mgt (2,727 sea-going merchant ships over 100gt). Almost…

The IMO`s Marine Safety Committee will undertake a formal safety assessment study of bulk carriers in order to aid future decision making and has referred several issues to a sub-committee on Stability…