Maritime Vessels Directory

More than 700 barges are delayed on the lower Mississippi River on Thursday after a structural crack in the Hernando de Soto Bridge prompted the U.S. Coast Guard to halt vessel traffic on a portion of the crucial trade artery.The Coast Guard restricted all vessel traffic between mile markers 736 and 737 on the Mississippi River near Memphis after the Arkansas Department of Transportation (ARDOT) discovered a large crack in a steel support beam on the bridge carrying I-40 over the Mississippi River from Memphis, Tenn., to West Memphis, Ark.

Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri on Thursday reported a 27.3% rise in first-quarter core profit to 101 million euros ($122.06 million) and confirmed its guidance for the full year.Revenue stood at 1.43 billion euros, a 9.1% increase compared to the first quarter last year when production at the group's Italian shipyards was suspended in March due to a national lockdown to contain the spread of the coronavirus.The order intake stood at 300 million euros in the January-March period.Net debt rose to 1.62 billion euros from 1.06 billion euros at the end of December due to ship delivery deferrals agreed with clients but should go back to 2020 levels by the end of this year, the company added.

German container shipper Hapag-Lloyd said on Wednesday it increased its net profit in the first quarter to 1.2 billion euros ($1.45 billion) and kept up its guidance for "clearly higher" full year earnings."We concluded the first quarter with a very positive financial result and look back overall on a solid start to the year," said Rolf Habben Jansen, chief executive of Hapag-Lloyd, the world's number five container liner.Its net profit had slumped to 25 million euros a year ago as the coronavirus pandemic hit.

New rules that entered force at the start of 2020 to reduce sulphur emissions from ships are leading to significant hikes in vessel operational expenditure, members of theshipping industry say.Using low sulphur fuel oil (LSFO) can add as much as $20,000 to the operational expenditure for each ship per annum, said Sacha Cornell, fleet manager, Norbulk Shipping, speaking during a webinar organized by trade association management company Maritime AMC. “I would guesstimate that the extra cost for additional sampling, onboard test kits, increased purifier maintenance, supply and installation of cermet piston rings, treatment chemicals

ABB Marine & Ports said it has developed a new Blended Learning program for Azipod propulsion in response to customers’ requests for safe and efficient training of crews during global travel restrictions.The new program combines traditional classroom training with instructor-led lessons via conference call, assignments and e-learning available on the ABB Marine Academy digital learning platform; remote simulator training developed with support from the Aboa Mare Maritime Academy and Training Center in Turku, Finland“Our customers require Azipod propulsion training before crew go onboard to ensure competence and that equipment is used most efficiently