The Rhine has hit its lowest level since 1880, effectively closing Kaub and pushing cargo onto rail and road.
gCaptain Article: Rhine River Hits Record Low, Deepening Shipping Crisis
Maritime Executive Article: MSC and Chief Engineer Guilty and Fined for 2024 Runaway Boxship Incident
MSC Shipmanagement has been fined $6 million and its chief engineer sentenced after the containership MSC Michigan VII made an uncontrolled full-speed run through Charleston harbor.
gCaptain Article: NTSB Blames Unapproved Hot Work for Deadly NYC Sludge Tanker Explosion
An NTSB report has found that unapproved torch work ignited methane gas aboard a New York City sludge tanker, killing the chief engineer and causing $10 million in damage.
Maritime Executive Article: First Multipurpose Cargo Vessel Installs Wind-Assisted Propulsion
Spanish company bound4blue has installed its eSail suction sail on Na Hiro E Pae, marking the first wind-assisted propulsion system fitted on a multipurpose cargo vessel. The newbuild will serve Tahiti and the Austral Islands, with the system expected to cut energy consumption by 10 percent.
Maritime Executive Article: USCG Announces Countdown to Opening of First National Coast Guard Museum
The U.S. Coast Guard has announced that the National Coast Guard Museum, the first national museum dedicated to its history, will open in New London, Connecticut, during the week of August 2, 2027, culminating on the Coast Guard’s birthday, August 4.
L.A. Times Article: El Niño Could Bring Highest Sea Levels Ever Recorded to the California Coast
A historically strong El Niño could push California’s sea levels to record highs this winter, scientists warn, increasing risks of coastal flooding, beach erosion, and marine heat waves. Officials are also preparing for potential impacts on Dungeness crab fisheries as ocean temperatures continue to climb.
Maritime Executive Article: China’s Ports Suspending Operations as Super Typhoon Approaches
Chinese ports halted fueling, ferries and river traffic as Typhoon Dolphin closed on the coast.
gCaptain Article: TOTE Mobilizes U.S. Shipbuilding Base for Navy’s $2.2 Billion Landing Ship Program
TOTE has pulled more than 30 American shipbuilders and suppliers into the Navy’s $2.2 billion Medium Landing Ship program.
Maritime Executive Article: Operation Begins to Pull Wrecked MSC Baltic III Ashore for Dismantling
Crews have started winching the broken hull of MSC Baltic III onto a Newfoundland beach for dismantling.
Port of Vancouver USA to Celebrate Import of 2 Millionth Subaru Vehicle
On August 14, the Port of Vancouver USA and Subaru of America will celebrate the import of their 2 millionth vehicle since 1993, marking over three decades of partnership and North America’s largest Subaru import gateway.