MERMAID MARINE CHARTERS PTY LTD

A shipping joint venture between Venezuela and China has fallen apart in the wake of U.S. sanctions, resulting in the South American nation losing three supertankers at a time when foreign shippers are reluctant to carry its oil, court documents show.PetroChina Co Ltd, which had been state-run Petroleos de Venezuela’s partner in the Singapore-based joint venture CV Shipping Pte Ltd, took control of the three tankers between January and February, according the documents from a Singapore court reviewed by Reuters.The transfer of the Junin, Boyaca and Carabobo very large crude carriers (VLCC) has not been previously reported.It came after U.S.

Container lines have resumed calls to Beirut after last week's explosion, with the terminal having sustained only minor damage, leading companies said on Tuesday.The August 4 blast in Beirut's port, which killed more than 160 people and injured 6,000 more, demolished entire neighborhoods of Lebanon's capital in seconds.Container lines diverted ships to Lebanon’s smaller port of Tripoli to keep vital supply lines running."We are glad to advise that the container terminal suffered only minor damage and it has restarted operations,” German container line Hapag Lloyd said in a note to customers on Tuesday

Merseyside, U.K.-based boatbuilder Marine Specialised Technology (MST) has been awarded a £9.9-million ($12.9 million) contract to supply two new boats to replace the U.K. Royal Navy's Gibraltar Squadron fast patrol craft used to patrol HMNB Gibraltar and British Gibraltar territorial waters. Construction began in July, and the first vessel is due to be delivered in the third quarter of 2021 followed by the second in the first quarter of 2022. MST will provide four years of local in-service support following delivery.MST said the craft have been jointly developed with BMT Group who will provide support through the design, construction and commissioning of both vessels.

Philly Shipyard announced the unexpected death of its chief financial officer, Brian Leathers, age 60. “It is with great sadness that we share the news of Brian’s passing, and our entire organization mourns his death. Brian was a well-respected colleague and friend to many. His positive energy, enthusiasm, and dynamic personality will be sorely missed,” said Steinar Nerbovik, Philly Shipyard President and CEOLeathers joined Philly Shipyard in early 2019 as the company’s strategy and compliance officer before assuming the CFO role in July 2019.

Longtime Maersk executive Jack Mahoney has been named president and CEO of Westwood Shipping Lines, Inc., a Puyallup, Wash. based independent conbulk liner carrier in the north Transpacific trade. He succeeds Guy Stephenson who is retiring after 13 years in the role. Stephenson will continue in a support role as Executive Advisor/General Counsel.Mahoney’s recent posts with Maersk include three years as President of Maersk in Canada and, more recently, he has been Vice President of the Automotive Industry in Florham Park, N.J.