DAMEN SHIPYARDS

Norway's risk management and quality assurance firm DNV GL has suspended work on the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline project led by Russia's Gazprom for fear of being sanctioned by the United States, it said on Thursday.Nord Stream 2 runs alongside the existing Nord Stream pipeline in the Baltic Sea and is designed to boost the amount of Russian gas that can be shipped to Europe without having to go through Ukraine.Washington wants to stop the project as it fears the pipeline would strengthen Russian President Vladimir Putin's economic and political influence over Europe. The United States also wants to boost its own gas exports to the continent.

Finnish marine equipment and technology provider Wärtsilä has won a contract to deliver an integrated hybrid propulsion solution for three new Misje Rederi bulk carriers. Wärtsilä said its extensive experience in marine hybrid propulsion solutions "will enable a greatly decreased emissions footprint for three newbuild eco-friendly 5,000 dwt bulk carriers." The 90 meters long ships are being built at the Colombo Dockyard in Sri Lanka for Misje Eco Bulk, a unit of Norway based Misje Rederi group. "The fully integrated Wärtsilä Hybrid Solution will enable the vessels to sail in and out of port, and to perform cargo operations, completely emissions-free," Wärtsilä said.

The Spanish Maritime Safety and Rescue Society in cooperation with ACSM, the Spanish provider of subsea services, have this week recovered the wreckage of a light aircraft Piper PA-34 Seneca, which fell into the Mediterranean Sea, off the coast of delta de l'Ebre, close to Tarragona in Spain, at a water depth of 113 meters.Together with the aircraft, the SASEMAR/ACSM recovered the body of one of the pilots and return it to the family.The light aircraft disappeared from the radar on the November 3rd, 2020 during a standard route between the Ibiza Island and Reus, the capital of Baix Camp, in Catalonia.

Towing specialist Boluda Towage Europe has said that its two newbuild tugs - VB Bolero and VB Rumba - have arrived in Rotterdam.The 85-tonnes bollard pull ASD tugs 2813, built at Damen Song Cam Shipyard in Vietnam, were loaded on board the special heavy lift ship “Frauke” and transported to Rotterdam.The tug duo arrived in the Port of Rotterdam on Monday, November 23, 2020."After the unload process in Rotterdam, Boluda Towage Europe will bring the two tugs, both complying with the most recent IMO Tier III emission standards, to the Port of Zeebrugge as part of the extended concession for towage services," Boluda Towage Europe said.

The Baltic Exchange's main sea freight index rose for an eighth straight session to its highest in three weeks on Thursday, steered by stronger rates across all vessel segments.The Baltic dry index, which tracks rates for capesize, panamax, and supramax vessels, rose by 22 points, or 1.8%, to 1,219, its highest since Nov. 4.The capesize index added 40 points, or 2.7%, to 1,509 - hitting a two-week high.Average daily earnings for capesizes, which typically transport 150,000-tonne cargoes such as iron ore — a steelmaking raw material — and coal, rose by $328 to $12,514.