The CMA CGM Champs Elysees has joined CMA CGM Group’s fleet as the company second 23,000 TEU containership powered by liquefied natural gas. The giant vessel is a sister ship to CMA CGM flagship, the CMA CGM Jacques Saade, which was delivered to the French major in September. Measuring 400 meters in length and 61 meters in width, the two ships are the world largest container vessels to run o n LNG at the moment. The CMA CGM Champs Elysees was blessed and officially named by her Godmother, Dany Qian, Vice President SSE at Jinko Solar, who wished the ship, the captain and its crew the best of luck on their future voyages. The newbuilding is set to join CMA CGM French Asia Line service. Like its sister ships, CMA CGM Champs Elysees will bunker LNG from the MOL-owned and Total-chartered Gas Agility that arrived in Rotterdam in August this year. The French liner major ordered nine 23,000 TEU ULCVs powered by LNG as part of its 2050 objective of attaining carbon neutrality. LNG has been identified by the market as the likely bridging fuel as the shipping sector strives to decarbonize its operations in line with the IMO goals. The sea giants are being built by CSSC Hudong and its unit Jiangnan. They will feature WinGD dual-fuel engines and GTT’s 18,600-cbm fuel tank, both largest ever built. In addition to LNG engines, the vessels cockpits feature cutting-edge digital onboard technology to assist the captain and crew, especially during port maneuvers. The ships have a straight bow with integrated bulb, rudder and propeller with a redefined design that improves their hydrodynamics, thus reducing energy consumption. (Credits:www.offshore-energy.biz)

North East England offshore wind cluster Energi Coast is launching a new Innovation Group which aims to develop long-term solutions to meet the requirements for new technology in offshore wind. The purpose of the group is to progress major innovation opportunities for the region offshore wind industry in areas such as operations and maintenance and energy storage. It will be made up of key repres entatives from the sector, regional universities, Local Enterprise Partnerships and industry, and is supported by Dogger Bank offshore wind farm developers Equinor and SSE Renewables, as well as Sofia offshore wind farm developer RWE Renewables. According to the Energi Coast, the Innovation Group forms part of the cluster commitment to supporting the UK Offshore Wind Sector Deal. North East England has been at the vanguard of innovation industry for generations, which continues in the offshore wind sector,” said James Ritchie, Chair of Energi Coast. (Credits:www.offshore-energy.biz)

The U.S. classification and technical advisory services provider, ABS, is set to class four very large ethane carriers ordered by Zhejiang Satellite Petrochemical (STL). These 98,000-cbm ethane-fueled VLECs are part of a Phase-2 order from STL and construction will be equally split between Samsung Heavy Industries and Hyundai Heavy Industries, ABD said in its statement on Thursday. ABS was the cla ssification society for the very first order of the six dedicated VLECs by Reliance Industries in 2014. The 87,000-cbm VLECs have been trading and laid the foundation for the next generation of larger VLECs. The Phase-1 order of six VLECs by STL not only had more cargo capacity, 98,000 cubic meters but included additional technological advancements such as ethane-fueled engines and the ABS LNG Cargo Ready notation. STL is delighted to be working with ABS, drawing on its experience and legacy of leadership in the VLEC sector that will support our Lianyungang petrochemical project by safely transporting ethane from the U.S. to China” said an executive for STL.(Credits:www.offshore-energy.biz)

Dubai-based port operator DP World has partnered up with an Israeli group DoverTower in plans to jointly bid to privativise Haifa Port on the Mediterranean, Reuters reports. The deal was signed by Dovertower head Shlomi Fogel, the co-owner of Israel Shipyards and the Port of Eilat, and DP World Chairman Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem. The two companies signed a number of memoranda of understandings (MoU ) on developing trade links paving the way for the duo to explore opportunities for joint investment in developing trade infrastructure in the two countries and the region. The cooperation will see the two parties cooperate on a potential shipping line between the Red Sea port of Eliat and Dubai’s Jebel Ali, according to local media reports. The agreement comes on the back of a historic US.brokered peace agreement between the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain and Israel. The United Arab Emirates and Bahrain are the first Arab nations to normalise relations with Israel in more than 25 years. In January 2020, Israel government gave the final green light for the privatisation of the country biggest port, the Port of Haifa. Under the plan, the state wants to sell all its shares in the port to an investor with proven experience in the container sector. Under the terms of the privatisation tender, the winner will obtain a concession of the port valid until 2054.(Credits:www.offshore-energy.biz)