ocean

Frankenstein Microplastics Engulfing the Planet As We Struggle To Detect Them!

A pair of hands holding microplastics collected at the beach.
  • Microplastic detection is the primary hurdle towards a plastic-free world.
  • Plastic doesn’t contain life-related structures making them impossible to detect by modern molecular biology methods.
  • This Frankenstein plastic monster engulfing the planet needs a standard economical method of detection.
  • Laser and other such techniques are proving quite expensive
  • National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration made a standard step-by step protocol of plastic detection involving filtering, microscopic...

http://mfame.guru/frankenstein-microplastics-engulfing-the-planet-as-we-struggle-to-detect-them/

Insufficient Cargo Leads To the Tumbling of Scheduled Voyages

  • Maersk and MSC cancel the 2M AE7/Swan loop from China to North Europe at the last minute.
  • UK-based forwarder Westbound Logistics advises customers of a rate reduction in the pipeline warning of the upward pressure on rates.
  • Twill recommends clients to delay cargo as long as possible and opt for air or rail in case of urgent shipments.

Despite ocean carriers discounting container spot rates from Asia this week, there was still insufficient cargo to sustain the already reduced alliance service...

http://mfame.guru/insufficient-cargo-leads-to-the-tumbling-of-scheduled-voyages/

NOAA, Ocean Infinity to advance ocean exploration and mapping

NOAA’s Office of Ocean Exploration Office of Ocean Exploration and Research and the ocean data and technology company Ocean Infinity have announced a new agreement to develop deepwater autonomous technologies that can gather ultra-high-resolution ocean information.

The four-year Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) between NOAA and Ocean Infinity will also focus on advancing telepresence or the transmission of ocean information in real time to public and academic audiences as...

https://www.workboat.com/news/bluewater/noaa-ocean-infinity-to-advance-ocean-exploration-and-mapping/

Bollinger awarded contract to construct ocean transport barge

Bollinger Shipyards, Lockport, La., has been awarded a contract to construct a 395’x100′ ocean transport barge for General Dynamics Electric Boat.

The concept and contract design for the new barge was performed by the Bristol Harbor Group. The detail design engineering will be performed at the Bollinger Lockport New Construction facility in Lockport, La., and the construction will take place at the Bollinger Marine Fabrication facility in Amelia, La. Delivery is scheduled for 2021.

“We are...

https://www.workboat.com/news/shipbuilding/bollinger-awarded-contract-to-construct-ocean-transport-barge/

Oregon State scientists tout ocean protection progress

World governments and other leadership bodies are taking vital steps to protect the ocean, but more progress is urgently needed, Oregon State University scientists reported recently.

An OSU analysis, led by marine ecologists Kirsten Grorud-Colvert and Jane Lubchenco, shows that more than one-third of the ocean area currently under protected status is the result of the annual, high-profile meeting called Our Ocean Conference.

The conference was established in 2014 under the leadership of then U.S....

https://www.workboat.com/news/offshore/oregon-state-scientists-tout-ocean-protection-progress/

Container Freight Rates Take a Fall Following the Golden Week

Spot container freight rates on the transpacific and Asia-Europe are coming under intense pressure ahead of a weak outlook for the markets, following China’s Golden Week holiday factory shutdown the first week of October, reports The Loadstar.

Spot rates scenario

The Shanghai Containerized Freight Index (SCFI) show further declines, the North Europe component falling 6.2%, to $710 per teu, while rates to west Mediterranean ports were down 2%, to $877 per teu.

Spot rates for North Europe are about...

http://mfame.guru/container-freight-rates-take-a-fall-following-the-golden-week/

Barge grain movements decrease 10% over last week

For the week ending Oct. 5, barge grain movements totaled 507,298 tons. This is a 10% decrease from the previous week and 6% less than the same period last year. For the week ending Oct. 5, 314 grain barges moved down river. This is 41 fewer barges than the previous week. There were 669 grain barges unloaded in New Orleans, 2% fewer than the previous week.

During the same period, 35 ocean-going grain vessels were loaded in the Gulf — 13% more than the same period last year. Forty-five vessels...

https://www.workboat.com/news/coastal-inland-waterways/barge-grain-movements-decrease-10-over-last-week/

The World’s Largest Ocean Cleanup Has Officially Begun

Ocean Cleanup deploys its $20 million system designed to clean up the 1.8 trillion pieces of trash floating in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, says an article published on Forbes website.

The dream come true project

Ambitious dreams have now become a reality as the Ocean Cleanup deploys its $20 million system designed to clean up the 1.8 trillion pieces of trash floating in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.

About the system

The floating boom system was deployed from San Francisco Bay and will...

http://mfame.guru/the-worlds-largest-ocean-cleanup-has-officially-begun/

Plastics Are Being Glued Together In The Ocean – Research

plastic ocean

Natural materials excreted by bacteria are gluing micro and nano plastics together so that they form larger masses in our oceans, scientists have discovered.

The biopolymers are common across all freshwater and marine environments, but until now scientists did not know what effects these sticky, glue-like materials had on the nano and microplastics that are now ubiquitous in all our waters.

As part of RealRiskNano, the £1.1 million project funded by the Natural Environment Research Council...

https://www.marineinsight.com/shipping-news/plastics-are-being-glued-together-in-the-ocean-research/

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