28 JUL 2018 Sometimes, while waiting for quantum computers to become a thing, or complaining that your stupid laptop keeps dying on 5 percent battery, it’s easy to forget just how far technology has come over the past 50 years. Sure, we can all list off a whole bunch of innovations that …

Workers pull a rope tied to a decommissioned oil rig to dismantle it at the Alang shipyard in the western state of Gujarat, India, May 29, 2018. Picture taken May 29, 2018. July 27, 2018  There were a total of 220 ships sent for demolition in the second quarter of …

27 JULY 2018 The House of Representatives has passed the Save Our Seas Act of 2018 (S. 756), an anti-pollution bill that has already been passed by the Senate, with a lengthy amendment aimed at maritime safety. The amendment incorporates the provisions of the Maritime Safety Act of 2018, sponsored …

The Swedish Coast Guard reports that the grounded ro/ro Makassar Highway has suffered “extensive damage” to her hull, complicating the ongoing response and salvage efforts.  The vessel went aground Monday on a rocky shoal off Vastervik, Sweden, resulting in damage to her bow and port side, with water entering two of her tanks. …

27 JUL 2018 Dark triad personality (DTP) traits are narcissism, Machiavellianism, and psychopathy. These traits manifest in people as excessive self-love, a manipulative attitude, and a lack of empathy. It’s unclear how many people in the population have these traits, but various studies and estimates put the number somewhere between …

27 july 2018 Singapore-based ship survey and lab testing firm Maritec has warned its customers of the presence of contaminated fuel oil at the world’s biggest bunkering port.  According to the company, six samples of marine fuel oil recently sold in Singapore “resulted in severe sludging of centrifuges, clogged pipelines …

26 JUL 2018 On July 27th, 2018 most of the world will be treated to an extraordinary evening of activity in the sky. First, there will be a total lunar eclipse and although uncommon, this one is special because it’s going to last a lot longer than usual – in fact the …

26 JUL 2018 His formal title is His Imperial Majesty the Emperor, Akihito, who succeeded to Japan’s Chrysanthemum Throne upon the death of his father in 1989. Now, the 84-year-old Akihito is giving up that noble seat, officially abdicating in 2019. When he goes, it won’t just signal the end …

26 JULY 2018 Germany’s Commerzbank and the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to support projects linked to the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Commerzbank aims for a business volume of $5 billion over the next five years. China’s BRI is the largest economic plan …

July 25, 2018  As of 31 May 2018, the number of ships with “scrubbers” installed or planned totaled 983. The survey noted that the number adoption of scrubbers seams to be rapidly accelerating ahead of the IMO’s 2020 low sulphur fuel rules’ entry into force. The impending regulation  will require …