The past year was not kind to many sectors of the foreign shipbuilding industry, and in many respects North American shipyards followed suit as the continued slump in oil prices pushed orders for offshore supply vessels to the brink.
For builders catering to operators outside that realm — and especially for yards able to diversify their portfolios — the picture was far brighter.
Along the Gulf of Mexico, the number of OSVs laid up due to inactivity reflected a sobering reality for the region’s shipbuilders. According to London-based Vessels Value, 40 percent of the fleet was idle as of Aug. 1. That number included 44 percent of the fleet’s platform supply vessels and 50 percent of its fast supply vessels. With nearly 400 boats stacked — many of them recent additions — prospects for new orders have nearly faded to black.
A period of consolidation and bankruptcy is likely to follow among those playing the waiting game for oil to rebound. As offshore operators cut back and streamline their books to survive, the domino effect will threaten Gulf Coast yards that have been skirting the edge during the past three years of market stagnation. For those with a vessel or two still in the pipeline, delivery delays could be a blessing that enables them to hold on to their skilled employees for a while longer. But if oil will bounce back — and when — is still anybody’s guess.
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Mariner's role still unknown as autonomous shipping gains speed
Mariners’ role still unknown as autonomous shipping gains speed
Piracy edges closer to home with wave of raids in southern Gulf
In the brief cellphone video recorded by a crewmember on the offshore supply vessel (OSV) Remas, the pirates walk back and forth on the deck of the ship, clenching their guns and using them to point as they order around the crew. Their faces are draped in clothing and bandanas.
Casualties
NTSB: Dredge hit Texas gas pipeline, causing fire that killed four
IMO emissions report raises new concerns about methane slip
A recent report from the International Maritime Organization (IMO) reveals that global shipping emissions increased nearly 10 percent from 2012 to 2018, with the industry facing a growing challenge concerning methane slip.
Bay State brothers find industry niche by making old into new
Zero non-conformities is what you want to hear when the U.S. Coast Guard inspects your tugboat. Once you’ve prepared your vessel, the inspectors come aboard to peruse your paperwork. They ask you pointed questions, to which they expect straightforward answers. Perusal completed, they then scrutinize all of the related safety systems, from bilge to antennas — even the ship’s bell.
Signals
A year into the pandemic, thousands ‘essentially indentured’ on ships
Analysis points to faulty loading, low ballast in Golden Ray rollover
While the salvage of the sunken vehicle carrier Golden Ray has been delayed for months due to COVID-19 and the hurricane season, analysis by the U.S. Coast Guard has determined a possible cause for the rollover: a combination of vehicles placed too high on the ship’s decks, and not enough ballast water gave the placement of the cargo.
Seastreak newcomer pushing through dip in demand
Two years ago, Seastreak LLC took delivery of Seastreak Commodore, a 600-passenger fast ferry, from Gulf Craft of Franklin, La. Designed by Australia-based Incat Crowther, the vessel is the largest of its kind in the United States and was built to meet the burgeoning demand for service in the New York-New Jersey market.
New year in a new world: Navigating COVID's maritime realities
In a matter of days, the decorative time balls will drop, “Auld Lang Syne” will fill the air, and ships at anchor will sound their horns as the world welcomes in the new year.
Advanced props, rudders provide new efficiencies below the waterline
It took a decade or two from the invention of the marine propeller in the 19th century for the technology to become widely accepted. Thereafter, adoption has been nearly universal, but progress toward improved efficiencies has come in fits and starts.
