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After the disembarkation of the 'Costa Luminosa' the ship currently hosts 122 crew members, all in good health. The crew has been placed in single cabins with balconies and the air conditioning has been interrupted. The cabins, bridge and other parts will be sanitized while all areas not necessary for the crew will be closed. The health surveillance started on March 31 and lasts until April 13. There will be daily medical checks. Regarding the emission of fumes, the ship burns low sulfur fuel and the impact was very low because the ship was in reduced operation.

The 'Greg Mortimer' located 20 kilometers from the port of Montevideo, requested help from the Navy to carry out the transfer of an Austrailian passenger with a possible coronavirus on March 31, 2020. The National Army Search and Rescue Center medevaced the patient with the necessary security measures with a boat from Flores boat. Once ashore, the patient was transferred by ambulance to the British Hospital. He had severe pneumonia and showed all the symptoms of coronavirus. Meanwhile, the ship remained in the waiting area. The remaining passengers were to remain on board isolated in their cabins until no symptoms have occurred by anyone for 14 days. Spanish report with photo: https://www.subrayado.com.uy/australiano-sintomas-coronavirus-fue-evacuado-un-crucero-aguas-uruguayas-n616069

With the successful start an important milestone has been reached in the execution of the contract to operate the tugboat fleet for Fortescue Metals Group (Fortescue) in Port Hedland, the world’s largest bulk export port on Australia´s west coast. The fleet consists of eight new ART 85-32W and one RT80-32 Rotortugs®. Six of them are Fortescue owned, three are owned by KOTUG, which are chartered directly to Fortescue. KOTUG manages the entire contract.

The Ports and Maritime Organization of Iran is going to sign a contract with the private sector on Tuesday for the construction of Iran’s biggest mechanized mineral terminal at Shahid Rajaee Port, the deputy head of PMO announced on Monday. Ali Hassanzadeh added that the contract is worth 50 trillion rials (over $430 million). The terminal’s capacity will reach 50 million tons per year upon the completion of the project, which will be carried out in three phases, covering 180 hectares of land, each spread over 60 hectares. It will be the biggest mineral terminal in the Persian Gulf and Sea of Oman, and mark a major development in Iran’s mining industry, considering its considerable mineral capacity, Mehr News Agency reported.

At least one passenger and three crew members on the 'Celebrity Eclipse' have tested positive for the new coronavirus, county health officials said on March 31. The passenger was under medical care while the crew members remained in isolation. The cruise ship had docked at San Diego port on March 30, before the county detailed new orders preventing other cruise ships from landing passengers in the region. There were no changes to the landing plan for the remaining passengers. The protocol followed the guidelines of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Passengers will be screened prior to departure and only those who are asymptomatic and fever-free can exit and proceed with transportation out of the county. The ship's remaining guests continued to disembark on March 31. The 'Celebrity Eclipse' first had attempted to drop passengers in Chile on March 15 after Celebrity Cruises announced that it had suspended operations. Chilean authorities did not allow passengers to disembark, but gave the ship permission to refuel and load provisions.

The Regional Ministerial Secretary (Seremi) of Health of the Valparaíso Region, Francisco Álvarez, on March 30, 2020, reported that three Chinese crew members of the 'Isabela Island' were hospitalized in a clinic in Valparaíso with Covid-19. The rest of the crew was in good condition. The ship was sailing from Guayaquil to the port of San Antonio when one of its crew started sufferding from fever, so it was diverted to the port of Valparaíso where it anchored on March 25. Subsequently, personnel from the Epidemiology Department of the Van Buren Hospital in Valparaíso boarded the ship to take samples corresponding to Covid-19 from two people with symptoms, which were positive.

Gas infrastructure along Russia’s Northern Sea Route is set to get a Japanese upgrade with news Mitsui OSK Lines (MOL) and the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) have signed a cooperation agreement with Novatek to develop LNG transhipment projects in Kamchatka and Murmansk. The projects will construct floating storage units (FSUs) to tranship LNG cargoes from ice-breaking LNG ships to conventional LNG ships. The FSUs will be located in Kamchatka and in Murmansk and will be used for the transhipment of LNG cargoes produced by Novatek’s Yamal LNG Project and Arctic LNG 2 Project, two of the largest gas developments in the world.

Port of Antwerp has ordered construction of a tug powered by hydrogen, the first in the world. This unique “Hydrotug” is driven by combustion engines that burn hydrogen in combination with diesel. The motors also comply with the very strictest standard, the EU Stage V, making them the lowest-rated for emissions on the market. This ultra-low-emission tug is being built by Compagnie Maritime Belge (CMB), a pioneer in the field of hydrogen power for shipping. With this world first Antwerp is making an important step in the transition to a sustainable, CO2-neutral port. By lending support to this promising technology Port of Antwerp hopes that the shipping industry will follow. The port is systematically pursuing a policy of making its entire fleet eco-friendly by incorporating the most environment-friendly technologies available on the market.

The 'MSC Jenny' left from Gijón on March 30, 2020. A case of coronavirus was detected days ago among the crew. The ship has not received authorization to enter the port of Bilbao until a visit of the Foreign Health to verify that there were no health risks. Until then, it remained in the vicinity of the Punta Lucero area. The patient apparently traveled in seclusion on the ship, without complying with the protocol that establishes 15 days of quarantine to avoid contagions with the rest of the crew, consisting of about 20 sailors of different nationalities, mostly Indians. It was not until after the ship docked in Gijón that its disinfection had been ordered. The vessel berthed at the Noatum Container Terminal/A1,A2 Dock in Bilbao on March 31, 2020, at 6.30 p.m. It was recommended to quarantine the vessel since the disinfection carried out did not exempt the mandatory 15 days of isolation. Almost all the crew have had direct contact with the patient. The result of the tests carried out will not be known until several days have passed. The Port of Bilbao sent a recommendation to the Basque Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.

Scrapped at Grenaa 04/2020 https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=2950815318299970&set=g.6884293942&type=3&theater

The Chinese Guangzhou Shipyard International (GSI) sees its order intake for ro-pax ferries further increase following a long-awaited double order from P&O Ferries for a next-generation of Dover-Calais shuttle ferries.

Calgary based Melius Energy has successfully transported bitumen from Edmonton, Alberta to Prince Rupert, British Columbia, continuing to global markets in custom 20-foot shipping containers utilizing intermodal rail and vessel infrastructure. The shipment is the company’s first BitCrude™ transportation process demonstration, proving the ability to move bitumen safely and efficiently, in adherence to Canada’s regulatory framework.