Teekay LNG Partners, completed its Shell-chartered quartet with the delivery of the Pan Africa. LNG newbuilding, Pan Africa, is the fourth and final ‘Pan’ vessel joining the TGP fleet, alongside Pan Asia (2017) and Pan Americas (2018), and Pan Europe (2018).
Scientists will carry out a years-long mission to further explore the Indian Ocean. The scientists aim to document changes that are happening underneath the sea level, and that are able to impact billions of people in the region during the coming decades. The so-called ‘Nekton Mission’ will carry out dives in other parts of the Indian Ocean over the course of three years.
BP published its Energy outlook for 2019, exploring key uncertainties that could impact global energy markets up until 2040. The greatest uncertainties over this period regard the need for more energy to support rising global economic growth and prosperity, along with the need for faster transition to a lower-carbon future. The Outlook also analyzes the possible impact of an escalation in trade disputes and the consequences of a tightening in the regulation of plastics.
On January 31st, Sea Shepherd vessel the ‘M/V Farley Mowat’ was attacked by more than 50 assailants posing as fishermen on board 20 high speed boats while performing maritime conservation patrols inside the Vaquita Refuge in the Upper Gulf of California. A total of 52 skiffs were counted. The poachers threw molotov cocktails and projectiles, including lead weights and large stones, smashing windows and setting the side of the Sea Shepherd ship on fire.
L3 ASV delivered its long-endurance autonomous vessel ‘C-Enduro’ to the Royal Navy. The autonomous vessel is scheduled to be used for military data gathering trials by the Mine countermeasures and Hydrographic Capability program, as the Navy seeks to exploit autonomous technology.
Although the delay was long concerning weather conditions, the salvage process for the sunken Norwegian frigate Helge Ingstad is almost completed, and the Norwegian Navy expects to raise it on February 7 for transport to a nearby naval base. Salvage divers managed to remove the majority of the frigate’s missiles and torpedoes for disposal. As the torpedoes were too sensitive to be transferred, they were destroyed nearby.
The US National Transportation Safety Board announced its 2019 – 2020 Most Wanted List of Transportation Safety Improvements, during an event held at the National Press Club, on February 4. The list includes 10 improvements, of which two regard shipping as well: eliminate distractions; and reduce fatigue-related accidents.
A fire broke out on the container vessel APL Vancouver, in one of its cargo holds, on January 31. At that time, the vessel was on passage from Shekou to Singapore. Emergency response procedures were activated, while local authorities coordinate all necessary actions to ensure the fire is extinguished. However, there are reports that fire is still ongoing, with all the crewmembers being safe.
Archaeologists working on the HS2 project in St. James’s burial ground, Euston, discovered the remains of Captain Matthew Flinders, the Royal Navy explorer who led the first circumnavigation of Australia and is credited with giving the country its name. HS2 archaeologists identified his remains by the breast plate placed on top of his coffin.
BP Ventures has invested $5 million in Artificial Intelligence and named it ‘Sandy’, aiming to improve its upstream digital capabilities. This investment, boosts the company’s continuous work on exploring opportunities to apply machine learning and cognitive computing in its global oil and gas business. It is directed at the Houston technology start-up Belmont Technology, a company that has developed a cloud-based geoscience platform using artificial intelligence (AI).
