Paul Benecki

2 weeks ago | maritime-executive.com | Paul Benecki

The offshore oil and gas industry has bounced back from the doldrums of recent years with a leaner look and fewer players. Worldwide rig utilization is the highest since 2014, thanks to a wave of scrapping and a revival of activity. But the other offshore – wind – is taking a backseat as investors look for more profitable options. Five years ago, European oil majors announced a significant pivot to renewables.

2 months ago | maritime-executive.com | Paul Benecki

Compliance is a top priority for shipowners, and that includes the handling of effluent and emissions. Merchant ships have at least five major waste streams – exhaust, bilge water, solid waste, ballast water and sewage – each with stringent limits. Of these, ballast water requires treatment for almost every deepsea shipping application, and treatment failures mean costly delays in cargo operations.

Jan 27, 2025 | maritime-executive.com | Paul Benecki

Connectivity might be the fastest-changing part of the shipping industry. Just a decade ago, most ships dropped out of digital contact when they sailed over the horizon, and high-speed Internet access had to wait until the next port call. Today, the majority of the fleet has VSAT connectivity, and shipowners are sprinting towards full-scale broadband.

Mar 18, 2024 | maritime-executive.com | Paul Benecki

Shipowners have every incentive to ensure the cleanliness of their operations and go to great lengths to find the best solutions to keep environmental impact to a minimum. Ballast water and sewage need proper handling before discharge, and the penalties for noncompliance are steep in some jurisdictions.

Aug 9, 2023 | maritime-executive.com | Paul Benecki

The Scripps Instition of Oceanography's innovative Floating Instrument Platform (FLIP) has been towed off into the sunset for the last time. It may well have been the strangest, most recognizable research vessel ever built - and its users remember that it was exceptionally effective. For more than 50 years, FLIP provided a stable research station at sea for Scripps' scientists and their colleagues from around the world.