EnviroPolitics Blog

Offshore wind leases in Gulf of Maine up for auction next week

A floating concrete hull developed by UMaine researchers for offshore wind turbines is tested near Castine in 2013. Proximity to this kind of research and technology, called VolturnUS, helps make the Gulf of Maine attractive to wind developers. *Photo by University of Maine Advanced Structures and Composites Center*

By Stephen Singer, Portland Press Herald

Maine will move closer to staking a claim in offshore wind development when the federal government seeks on Tuesday to auction off eight areas for commercial wind energy leases in the Gulf of Maine.

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management will offer lease sites comprising 850,000 acres off Maine, Massachusetts and New Hampshire.

If fully developed, the areas have a total potential capacity of approximately 13 gigawatts that could power more than 4.5 million homes, federal officials say.

“Seeing us get to this point where commercial leases are offered to developers is a big step,” said Jack Shapiro, climate and clean energy director at the Natural Resources Council of Maine. “For Maine and the region as a whole, floating offshore wind is an indispensable part of clean energy resources we need to replace natural gas.”

Read the full story here

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Cape Cod wind project that suffered broken turbine blade to resume

By Jason Graziadei, Nantucket Current

Even as it prepares to take down additional defective blades, repair others, and retrieve the remaining debris on the sea floor from the July 13 blade failure, Vineyard Wind is still forging ahead with the construction of its 62-turbine wind farm southwest of Nantucket.

Despite the turmoil and delays, the offshore wind company announced Saturday that the crane vessel Orion would be returning to the area this week to conduct pile driving and installation of the remaining monopile foundations within its lease area.

While Vineyard Wind remains under a suspension order from the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement stemming from the blade failure back in July, the federal agency subsequently modified the order to allow Vineyard Wind to resume installing towers and nacelles. It remains prohibited from installing blades and producing power.

Read the full story here

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What to do about one of America’s last wild places

Alaska’s ranks as one of the wildest places on Earth. In the winter, it’s a haven for some of the last polar bears that traverse land and sea. In the summer, millions of birds descend to build their nests and gather fuel for their journey south.

The Porcupine caribou herd embarks on one of the longest land migrations of any mammal on Earth, from their winter range to their calving grounds in the refuge. As they walk, their tendons make a distinct ‘clicking’ noise

By Juliet Eilperin, Carolyn Van Houten and Alice Li, Washington Post

People have fought over this expanse, as large as South Carolina, for half a century.

The battle pits many Alaskans, along with the oil industry and Republican officials, against environmentalists, most Democrats and many wildlife scientists.

The question of who gets to determine its fate — and whether to dig up the oil and gas that lie beneath it — could be decided this fall.

Click for full story with videos and photos

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Judge approves shipping companies’ $102M settlement over Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key bridge disaster

*M/V Dali refloating, May 20, 2024. USACE Baltimore Photo*

From Reuters

WASHINGTON, Oct 25 (Reuters) – A U.S. judge approved on Friday a $102 million settlement by the companies that owned and operated the ship that struck Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge in March, killing six people.

The payment, approved by U.S. District Judge James Bredar, resolves the U.S. government’s claims after the Justice Department filed a civil claim in September seeking $103 million from two Singaporean companies, Grace Ocean Private Limited and Synergy Marine Private Limited.

A spokesperson for the companies said on Friday they had agreed to pay even though they deny liability. The spokesperson also noted the companies are fully insured for the settlement costs and that no punitive damages have been imposed.

The settlement covers money the U.S. government spent responding to the disaster and clearing the wreck of the Dali ship and bridge debris from the Port of Baltimore so the waterway could reopen in June.

The state of Maryland, which estimates that it will cost $1.7 billion to $1.9 billion to rebuild the bridge and anticipates completion by fall 2028, separately filed claims against the companies for the cost of the bridge, cleanup efforts, environmental claims and other costs.

The shipping companies face additional claims from the families of those killed, workers affected by the port shutdown, Baltimore City and County, insurance companies, a utility and others and the spokesperson said they will challenge them.

Read the full story here

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Hapag-Lloyd Joins Maersk with Major Earnings Upgrade as Red Sea Chaos Reshapes Shipping

By Mike Schuler, gCaptain

Hapag-Lloyd has followed in the footsteps of its future Gemini Cooperation partner Maersk with an upward revision of its earnings outlook for 2024, driven by stronger-than-expected demand and improved freight rates.

The revised guidance comes as the German shipping line released preliminary figures for the first nine months of 2024, reporting Group EBITDA of approximately USD 3.6 billion (EUR 3.3 billion) and Group EBIT of about USD 1.9 billion (EUR 1.8 billion).

“Given the current course of business, characterized by stronger than expected demand and improved freight rates, and despite increased expenses related to the necessary diversion of vessels around the Cape of Good Hope, the Executive Board of Hapag-Lloyd AG is raising its earnings outlook for the financial year 2024,” the company said in a statement.

Hapag-Lloyd now expects its Group EBITDA to range between USD 4.6 to 5.0 billion, up from the previous forecast of USD 3.5 to 4.6 billion. Group EBIT is projected to rise to USD 2.4 to 2.8 billion, compared to the earlier estimate of USD 1.3 to 2.4 billion. However, the company warned that the volatile freight market and geopolitical uncertainties could still pose risks to its forecast.

Final figures for the first nine months of 2024 are set to be published on November 14, 2024.

Maersk’s Parallel Upgrade Amid Red Sea Crisis

Hapag-Lloyd’s revised earnings outlook comes shortly after its future Gemini partner, A.P. Moller – Maersk, also raised its full-year financial guidance for the fourth time this year. The improved outlooks come as the shipping industry faces significant disruptions due to the instability in the Red Sea, where Houthi-led attacks on shipping routes continue to impact global shipping.

Read the full story here

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Baltimore’s Dundalk Marine Terminal Set for $31 Million Upgrade

By Mike Schuler, gCaptain

The U.S. Department of Transportation has awarded $30,906,076 to rehabilitate the Dundalk Marine Terminal at the Port of Baltimore.

The investment, part of a larger $38.4 million package that includes funding for the Curtis Creek Drawbridge, underscores the critical role of the Port in Maryland’s economy.

With 13 berths, 4 container cranes, and direct rail access, the publicly owned Dundalk Marine Terminal is the largest and most versatile general cargo facility in the Port of Baltimore. The terminal caters to containers, automobiles, farm and construction roll-on/roll-off (Ro/Ro) equipment, wood pulp, steel, breakbulk and project cargo.

With this investment, it will undergo extensive reconstruction of Berth 11. The project encompasses the rehabilitation and replacement of 597 linear feet of wharf deck, including crucial upgrades to pilings, substructure, and storm water drainage. New installations will feature mooring bollards, pneumatic fenders, and flood barriers, significantly enhancing the terminal’s operational capabilities and resilience.

“With these major federal investments, we are priming the Port for future growth – while sustaining the thousands of jobs it already supports – and modernizing an essential bridge for commuting and commerce,” said Senator Chris Van Hollen. “These efforts will help drive Baltimore’s economic success and create more good paying jobs for Marylanders.”

The funding, allocated through the Infrastructure for Rebuilding America Grant Program (INFRA), is a direct result of the Biden-Harris Administration’s Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

Read the full story here

Baltimore’s Dundalk Marine Terminal Set for $31 Million Upgrade Read More »

Offshore wind leases in Gulf of Maine up for auction next week

Cape Cod wind project that suffered broken turbine blade to resume

What to do about one of America’s last wild places

Alaska’s ranks as one of the wildest places on Earth. In the winter, it’s a haven for some of the last polar bears that traverse land and sea. In the summer, millions of birds descend to build their nests and gather fuel for their journey south.

Judge approves shipping companies’ $102M settlement over Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key bridge disaster

Hapag-Lloyd Joins Maersk with Major Earnings Upgrade as Red Sea Chaos Reshapes Shipping

Baltimore’s Dundalk Marine Terminal Set for $31 Million Upgrade

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