India’s Cochin Shipyard Limited has entered into an agreement with South Korean shipbuilder Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI) to formalize technical cooperation for building LNG ships in India. The MOU is set to bring SHI USD 400 million for collaborating with Cochin Shipyard, which is the only local yard capable of meeting GAIL’s tender requirements.The two companies plan to bid for the country’s first LNG carriers under a tender issued by the country’s gas utility Gail India Ltd for the construction of nine LNG carriers.The plan envisages for the third of the newbuilds to be built locally so as to boost Indian shipbuilding capabilities. However, as local builders lack the necessary know-how international builders, predominantly from South Korea are teaming up with local shipyards to compete for the work.The LNG carriers ordered overseas are to be completed by May 2019, whereas the batch to be built by domestic shipyards should be delivered between July 1, 2022 and June 30, 2023.Separately, GAIL India’s USD 7 million tender has sparked the interest of Japanese shipowners.
Specifically, a consortium comprising Japanese shipping companies Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL),Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha (NYK Line) and Mitsui & Co Ltd and another group including Mitsubishi Corporation, Kawasaki Kisen
Kaisha (K Line) and GasLog Ltd are reported to have submitted their bids to hire the LNG carriers intended to transport gas from the US.

Offshore Symposium at Centro Capital Centre,Rotana, Abu Dhabi. The event was inaugurated by H.E. Salem Ali Zaabi, Director General Federal Transport Authority - Land & Maritime.

Offshore Symposium 2015 was aimed at fostering the offshore industry through the exchange of experience and expertise.

The event was scheduled in 4 sessions and had the topics covered included Leadership Framework and Managing Your Career in the corporate world,Dynamic Positioning, 3D Modelling and Design, Oulook on Offshore Structure, Life extension of offshore units: Relevance and impact as per current market scenario, Jack up barge safety case, GMS SESV simulator training & coordination, Loss Prevention : A Salvor’s Perspective, Human elements and the need for enhanced crew training in Offshore
sector and Changing market: Challenges & Opportunities.

The keel of the first double-ended RoRo ferry being built for the Kochi Municipal Corporation was laid by Mr. V.R. Raju, Secretary, Kochi Municipal Corporation on 19 th October 2015 at Cochin Shipyard Limited. Prominent members of the Corporation as well as Commodore K Subramaniam, Charirman & Managing Director, Mr. Paul Ranjan, Director (Finance), Mr. Sunny Thomas, Director (Technical) and senior officials of CSL and the Corporation were present on the occasion.The vessels, equipped with two nos. of azimuth thrusters for easy manoeuvring and other modern equipment, are expected to provide a great relief to the water transportation problems in the city. BY96, as the ferry vessel has been coded, is the first double-ended RoRo ferry being constructed at Cochin Shipyard for the Corporation.The contractual delivery date of the first vessel is in June 2016 and the second vessel will follow three months thereafter. The design of the two ferries has been developed in house. The vessel is designed to meet the requirements of Indian Register of Shipping and KIV Act. The length of the vessel is 27m, breadth 8.25m and depth 2.5m. The vehicle deck of the vessel can accommodate up to 18 cars.

In a bid to prepare for the lift of economic sanctions placed on the country, Iran has unveiled a $120 billion fleet expansion campaign. Mohammad Saeidi, Head of the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL), said that the company
seeks to purchase 579,000 TEU worth of containerships. Saeidi added that by 2020, all the new vessels will be operational and that the funds for the purchase will be provided from billions of dollars in frozen oil revenues in international banks.
Iran will likely place most of its orders in China, as relations with China and Chinese banks will allow IRSL to place favorable orders at Chinese shipyards.

Aries Oil Field Services scooped the award for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Initiative of the Year with its Earthquake Relief initiative in Nepal.
“It was not only a management initiative, everyone in the company joined together and donated their salary towards the ‘Earthquake Relief’. And not only that, our COO himself travelled to Nepal."
“I think the main thing that impressed the judges was our immediate response to the crisis and thespeed with which we reacted,” said Gireesh M.Menon, Director, Naval Architect, Aries Oil Field Services, who collected the award.
“Our personnel were there, and they did not go to the places where all earthquake relief operations were taking place, they went to some remote areas themselves where they could help an entire village."
We could donate building materials to around 200 houses,” Menon added.

Environmental activists in the U.S. prepare to take their so-called “kayaktivism” nationwide as they urge lawmakers to revoke oil and gas exploration leases in the Chukchi Sea, says environmental group Friends of the Earth.

The group’s “Shell No” day on July 18 will gather activists in 13 states and in Washington D.C. as they bring their message to President Obama’s doorstep by staging an Arctic marine scene in Lafayette Park to protest Shell and other companies drilling in the Arctic Ocean.

CargoSmart Limited, a global shipment management software solutions provider that leverages big data for greater visibility and benchmarking, has announced Big Schedules, a new sailing schedule search platform that helps shippers and logistics service providers manage and visualize their ocean routes

On April 8, 2015, LEEVAC Shipyards, LLC delivered the second of two LEEVAC-designed 270 ft., diesel-electric, DPS-2 FIFI I Offshore Support, ACC Platform Supply Vessels, the Ram Country to Aries Marine Corporation. The Ram Country, likes its sister ship, Ram Nation, was constructed at LEEVAC Shipyard Jennings, LLC and later transported to LEEVAC Shipyard Lake Charles, LLC facility for the vessel's outfitting, commissioning, and testing. Construction of the Ram Country spanned approximately 21 months from the cutting of steel to delivery. The vessel can carry nearly 260,000 gallons of fuel, 12,500 bbls of liquid mud and 8,500 cubic feet of bulk mud.