• 2023 December 10 13:12

    Philly Shipyard and TOTE Services hold a keel-laying ceremony for 4th of five training vessels

    TOTE Services, LLC (“TOTE Services”), an affiliate of TOTE, LLC (“TOTE Group”), and Philly Shipyard, Inc. (“Philly Shipyard”), the sole operating subsidiary of Philly Shipyard ASA, on Dec 6 marked a significant construction milestone at a keel laying ceremony for the fourth of five new purpose built, state-of-the-art training vessels for America’s state maritime academies. The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD) new vessel program – known as National Security Multi-Mission Vessels (NSMVs) – was designed to provide world-class training for America’s future mariners and to support humanitarian assistance and disaster relief missions in times of need, the shipbuilding company said.

    The keel laying is a ceremonial recognition in which the first grand block of the vessel is loaded into the building dock. Keel laying traditions are said to bring good luck to the ship during construction and to the captain and crew that will sail on the vessel throughout her operating life. The fourth NSMV is scheduled to be delivered to Texas A&M Maritime Academy in 2025.

    “We extend a warm welcome back to the Texas A&M Maritime Academy leadership and cadets as we celebrate another milestone in the progression of the ship, Lone Star State,” said Steinar Nerbovik, President & CEO of Philly Shipyard.  “We remain honored to be the shipbuilder of choice for this revolutionary new-build program, and are proud to work alongside of TOTE Services and MARAD on a program that will positively impact the many generations of maritime cadets that follow.”

    The NSMV program is an important investment in America’s shipbuilding industry, which supports nearly 400,000 U.S. jobs. Each NSMV will feature numerous instructional spaces, a full training bridge, and accommodations for up to 600 cadets to train in a first-rate maritime academic environment at sea. State maritime academies graduate more than half of all new officers each year—the merchant mariners who help keep cargoes and our economy moving. Many also support U.S. national security by crewing military sealift vessels.

    TOTE Services is the vessel construction manager (VCM) for the NSMV program, the first government shipbuilding program to use the VCM contract model. This innovative approach enables shipyards to apply commercial best practices for design and construction to government vessels.

    “We are excited to celebrate this significant achievement today as we continue working to fulfill our commitment to MARAD and our nation’s future cadets by delivering the modern training platforms they deserve,” said TOTE Services President Jeff Dixon.  “There is growing interest in the VCM contract model and its potential applicability to government shipbuilding programs to reduce costs, accelerate delivery times, and build more vessels.”

    Congress has appropriated funding to replace aging training vessels with NSMVs at SUNY Maritime College, Massachusetts Maritime Academy, Maine Maritime Academy, Texas A&M Maritime Academy and California State University Maritime Academy, respectively. These ships will be owned and operated by MARAD.

    NSMV 1, Empire State, was delivered in September 2023, while NSMV 2 and NSMV 3 are both under construction in Philly Shipyard’s outfitting and building docks, respectively. Construction on NSMV 5 has not yet started.

    About TOTE Services

    TOTE Services, LLC (“TOTE Services”) is a leading U.S.-based ship management company that skillfully and expertly provides crewing and technical services to meet the needs of commercial, privately owned and U.S. Government vessels. Since 2015, TOTE Services has overseen construction and management of the world’s first LNG powered container ships, activated U.S. training ships to support disaster relief and managed many MARAD vessels. TOTE Services, along with TOTE Maritime Alaska, LLC and TOTE Maritime Puerto Rico, LLC, comprise the TOTE group of companies. The TOTE group is part of the Saltchuk family of companies. www.toteservices.com

    About Philly Shipyard

    Philly Shipyard, Inc. (PSI) is a leading U.S. shipbuilder that is presently pursuing a mix of commercial and government work. It possesses a state-of-the-art shipbuilding facility and has earned a reputation as a preferred provider of oceangoing merchant vessels with a track record of delivering quality ships, having delivered around 50% of all large ocean-going Jones Act commercial ships since 2000.  PSI is the sole operating subsidiary of Philly Shipyard ASA. Philly Shipyard ASA is listed on the Euronext Expand Oslo (Oslo: PHLY) and is majority-owned by Aker Capital AS, which in turn is wholly-owned by Aker ASA (Aker). Aker is an industrial investment company that exercises active ownership to create value. Aker has ownership interests in oil and gas, renewable energy and green technologies, maritime assets, marine biotechnology and industrial software, and its portfolio includes companies like Aker BP, Aker Horizons, Aker BioMarine, Cognite, and Aker Solutions.


2024 July 26

18:00 LiqTech and Danbee Marine enter agreement for marine scrubber water treatment solutions for the South Korean market
17:23 Thecla Bodewes Shipyards successfully launches 7.280dwt vessel ‘Vertom Lisa’ for Vertom Group
16:57 MSC reaffirms pledges to avoid Arctic shipping route
16:23 Taiwanese ports resume bunkering after Typhoon Gaemi-induced suspension
15:41 Chinese ports container volume rises 8.5 % in the first half of a year 2024
15:17 Hanwha Ocean picked as preferred bidder for S. Korean Navy's logistics support ship
14:55 Vietnam's port system able to handle world's largest ships
14:36 Castor Maritime announces the acquisition of its first Ultramax vessel
14:12 Bunker price trends in the world's four largest hubs, July 22-28 – MABUX
13:30 Total Energies orders LNG bunkering vessels at Hudong Zhonghua
12:52 Philippines rushes to contain oil spill from sunken tanker
12:47 Bangladesh 'jam-packed' with cargo as curfew and internet restrictions continue
12:24 Helmerich & Payne announces agreement to acquire KCA Deutag
11:54 Two cruise ships were simultaneously bunkered with LNG at Port Canaveral
10:51 Associated British Ports announces new Chair
10:18 CMA CGM publishes Q2 2024 financial results

2024 July 25

18:00 Western sanctions and Houthi attacks boost appeal of Russia’s Arctic Sea Route - Bloomberg
17:46 Saudi Arabia imports fuel oil from Kuwait for first time in two years
17:24 Port of Thessaloniki implements the wireless reefer monitoring system
16:59 Hunan Jinhang Shipbuilding launches a 500m3 LNG bunkering pontoon
15:51 Chevron’s Taro Ultra advanced 40 granted LNG Validation status by WinGD
15:16 A Philippine-flagged tanker capsized off the coast of Bataan province, causing a spill
14:44 Cyan Renewables acquires Australian vessel operator MMA Offshore
14:23 Russia ships fuel to Bolivia as it increases Latin American sales - Reuters
13:59 Grimaldi-Minoan consortium acquires 67% of Heraklion Port Authority
13:12 Bumi Armada, Navigator Gas and Bluestreak CO2 announce MoU with Uniper for joint study on export of CO2 emissions from proposed UK carbon capture plant
12:52 ABS releases industry first advisory on ammonia bunkering
11:40 Drydocks World executes conversion and upgrade projects for FPSO and FSO vessels
11:10 EMA and MPA shortlist two consortia to further study viability of ammonia for power generation and bunkering
10:40 AW Shipping inks contract with CSSC Jiangnan Shipyard for the construction of two 93,000 cubic meters very large ammonia carriers
10:09 Corvus Energy Blue Whale ESS awarded RINA Type Approval
09:48 Opulent Maritime selects ADP Clear to digitize its bunkering operations

2024 July 24

18:00 MSC invests in multimodal terminal adjacent to Paris via MEDLOG
17:34 Frontera announces agreement between Puerto Bahia and GASCO to pursue LPG project in Cartagena, Colombia
17:00 Shipping firms respond to Houthi attacks in Red Sea
16:32 China’s shipbuilding output rises by 18.4% in H1 2024
16:04 The EU ETS to run the global tanker fleet more than €2bn by 2030
15:49 Typhoon Gaemi halts bunkering in Taiwanese ports
15:23 Container ship fleet expands by 11%, fastest growth in 15 years - BIMCO
14:55 MPC Container Ships takes delivery of final 5,500 TEU methanol-ready boxship from Korea
13:32 A methanol-powered cargo ship arrived in Estonia for the first time
13:13 Six feared dead and 14 rescued after fishing boat sinks off Falkland Islands
12:40 Wartsila to supply a hybrid-electric propulsion system for an 11,000 dwt Limestone Carrier
12:15 Rijeka Gateway adopts private 5G campus network
11:46 Valenciaport handled 2.7 million containers in H1 2024
11:24 Fincantieri signs order with Carnival Corporation for three mega-cruise ships
10:53 Energean takes FID for the Katlan development project in Israel
10:23 Australia announces three years’ worth offshore acreage for petroleum exploration and CCS
09:58 Valaris DS-17 to drill for the Raia project in Brazil

2024 July 23

18:00 Telemar to provide global safety support services to seven Ignazio Messina container vessels
17:27 KBR’s blue ammonia technology selected for Shell Blue Horizons project in Oman
17:16 The Federal Maritime Commission publishes final rule on unreasonable refusal to deal
16:42 Qatar Navigation and Qatar Steel sign a 5-year agreement to provide stevedore services
16:25 Spain detains cargo ship over fuel spill near Ceuta
15:23 The Indonesian company Pertamina adds Russian oil grades to its tender lists to buy September crude
14:58 Seatrium secures S$180 mln in repairs and upgrades projects
13:49 HD KSOE partners with UM to foster US ship engineers
13:24 IRGC seizes oil tanker smuggling fuel in Persian Gulf
11:25 ADNOC L&S joint venture awards $1.9bln contract to Chinese shipbuilder
10:59 Port of Valencia opens new combined transport terminal
10:24 NYK Bulkship installs NYK Group’s first wind-assisted ship-propulsion units
09:59 GTT entrusted by HD Hyundai Heavy Industries for the tank design of two new LNG carriers

2024 July 22

18:06 Manzhouli railway port handles 2,327 China-Europe freight train trips in 1st half of 2024
17:36 NORDEN to acquire Norlat Shipping to further grow projects and parcelling activities
17:23 2024 is expected to be a record year for cruises in the port of Heraklion
16:47 ABS and the U.S. Coast Guard Research and Development Center to collaborate on maritime technologies
15:56 Trafigura Group takes full ownership of High Heat Tankers
15:46 China delivers world’s first river-sea LNG bunker and transport vessel
14:51 Hartmann receives new LNG-powered LEG carrier
14:14 Jiangnan Shipyard supplies dual-fuel VLEC gas Huanghe