Vroon Offshore Services Ltd.

Marine News magazine is now accepting entries for its annual MN100 awards edition. Each year, the publication's August issue profiles 100 of the top firms in the shallow-draft, brown water, workboat space. Is your company one of the best? Apply now.The 100 companies selected will be featured in the largest BPA-audited b-to-b publication in this genre. OEMs, service providers, shipyards, operators and the full gamut of marine-related businesses are eligible. But, only those who apply before July 1, 2020 will be considered for inclusion.Click here to apply.Let us know if you have questions. Reach editor Eric Haun at haun@marinelink.com.

P&O Cruises' new ship Iona is on sea trials and nearing delivery a few months behind schedule after the coronavirus pandemic caused construction delays at Meyer Werft's Bremerhaven shipyard. The new liquefied natural gas (LNG)-powered cruise ship had been slated for delivery to Carnival's P&O brand earlier this Spring and was due to enter service in May before COVID-19 disrupted work on board Iona and at many shipyards across Europe, including Fincantieri, MV Werften and others.Outfitting work on Iona was able to resume after the Port Medical Service, the Bremerhaven Port Authority and Meyer Werft drew up a joint concept allowing shipyard activity to continue under protected conditions

Elliott Bay Design Group (EBDG) announced that Senior Engineer, John Reeves has been promoted to Director of Business Development to oversee business development, generate leads and provide leadership to the sales and marketing team.Reeves joined EBDG in 2015 bringing field experience gained through 23 years of operating and maintaining some of the most complex vessels in the U.S. Coast Guard fleet. His background includes five years as port engineer and manager of four industrial repair facilities, serving as an Associate Professor at the U.S.

Shipbuilder PT. Graha Trisaka Industri, in Batam, Indonesia is building a pair of new TRAktor V-3200 tugs for China Petroleum Corporation (CPC), of Taiwan.The shipyard, with support from Robert Allan Ltd., was awarded the construction contract by CPC following an international bid process. A steel cutting ceremony was held for the newbuilds on April 15.Upon delivery, the custom designed tugboats will operate at the CPC liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal at Shenao in Taiwan.The TRAktor V design by Robert Allan Ltd. applies to Voith-propelled tugs designed for harbor, offshore terminal, or tanker escort duties.

A U.K. startup tracking fuel-use performance in aviation will look to apply its product in the maritime sector in an effort to improve the environmental record of the shipping industry.One of 10 winners of MarRI-UK funding, Signol and its academic partners at University College London’s Energy Institute have been awarded a total of £130,000 ($162,200) for STEAM (Sustainability Through Efficient Actions in Maritime), a project looking to directly change the behavior of ships’ crews with the aim of improving energy efficiency.