It’s Good News Monday!
This Monday we talk about:
Freight Boom Fires Buffett Trains, Maersk Ships and Oil Prices
DOF secures four subsea vessel contracts
Edison Chouest Offshore to Install First Battery Pack on a Jones Act PSV
Great Lakes modernises ice-breaking tug fleet with new additions
Omnibus legislation boosts US renewables, including offshore wind
Image Credit: gCaptain
Ships, trucks, and trains are full of cargo, restocking around the world. A.P. Moeller-Maersk A/S and BNSF Railway Co. have seen large increases in demand for shipping, pushing oil prices over $50 a barrel. The demand for holidays and meals out has shifted to physical goods and meals in, with holiday restocking pushing shipping even farther. This means containers are at prices not seen since 2011, and ports are trying to keep up as the goods flow in.
Image Credit: Riviera
DOF Subsea, a Norway vessel owner just received four contracts for “survey, inspection, maintenance and repair and construction support securing continuous utilisation for at least four subsea construction support vessels for several months in 2021.” These vessels include the Skandi Acergy, Skandi Skansen, Skandi Neptune and the Skandi Seven for over 180 vessel days into 2021 Q2. The engineering, project management procurement and logistics will be delivered in Norway, the UK, and Angola. The projects include seabed mapping with remote autonomous underwater vehicles, classification of storage, and an inspection program.
Image Credit: gCaptain
Edison Chouest Offshore, in Louisiana will be installing a battery system on one of its supply vessels. Marine Technologies will assist with the project, which will allow the PSV to work in the 500-meter safety zone around offshore installations on one generator. “ECO this Fall announced plans to build and operate the first-ever Jones Act compliant Service Operations Vessel (SOV) for the U.S. offshore wind industry. The company said these projects, combined with its proprietary shore power systems, C-Power, are examples of its effort to help client achieve long-term emissions reductions.” These projects support their long-term vision for renewable energy and lower emissions.
Image Credit: Riviera
Great Lakes Towing christened two new ice-breaker tugboats on December 16. The Pennsylvania and Wisconsin are the fourth and fifth of ten tugs ordered to replace the aging fleet. They each have two MTU 8V4000 Tier III diesel engines with a total of more than 30 tons bollard pull. All ten of the new tugs will have hybrid-electric propulsion systems for lower emissions, and to allow the tugs to operate at low speed on electric power alone, reducing maintenance costs.
Image Credit: Riviera
A new deal going through Congress will include a “new 30% investment tax credit for offshore wind projects that start construction through 2025”. It will also extend the investment tax credit for two years, which helps solar and the production tax credit for one year, which helps offshore wind. This will provide opportunities for cleaner electricity generation as well as new jobs during the pandemic. These measures will keep investment flowing and build a stronger energy industry.
Smile, it’s Good News Monday! :-)