Category Archives: High Seas

Full of adventure, danger, and romance, thePirates of the Caribbeanfranchise has something for everyone. Over five swashbuckling films, fans have followed Captain Jack Sparrow and his companions on quests for mythical artifacts, into battle on the High Seas, and against adversariesas varied as the Royal Navy and the Kraken.

RELATED:Pirates Of The Caribbean: The 10 Greatest Sword Fights

Every member of the colorful cast has tested their mettle by crossing blades with buccaneers, soldiers, and cursed killers. The films boast some of the most elaborate duels ever to appear in cinema, including one of the longest and most elaborate between Jack Sparrow, Will Turner, and James Norrington inPirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest.Here's every main character ranked by their sword-fighting skills.

The son of Elizabeth and William Turner, Henry Turner had both his parents' good looks and their rebellious spirit. Resentful at his father for being cursed to command theFlying Dutchman,when he was of age he set off to free him by finding the Trident of Poseidon inPirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales.

An officer in the Royal Navy, Turner learned his way around firearms and sabers in an effort to track down his parents' old compatriot, Captain Jack Sparrow. Like his father, Henry is a skilled swordsman, if a little wet behind the ears.

Though she appeared as a damsel in distress inPirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl,byPirates of the Caribbean: At World's EndElizabeth Swann had been around pirates long enough to pick up their handiwork with a blade, which she put to great use in the battle between the Pirate Brethren, Davy Jones, and the Royal Navy.

In an unlikely turn of events, Elizabeth Swann was made Pirate King of the Brethren Court in the franchise's third film, and she fought valiantly beside her pirate companions when Davy Jones and the Royal Navy attempted to destroy them.

A pick-pocket and master thief, Angelica was introduced inPirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tidesas both the ex-lover of Captain Jack Sparrow and the daughterof the infamous pirate Blackbeard.

RELATED: Keira Knightley's 10 Best Movies, According to IMDb

Having spent time in some of the most salacious ports in the Caribbean and on the decks of some of the most dreaded pirate vessels on the High Seas, Angelica was the match of any male scalawag she encountered, especially during her fight with Barbossa and the Royal Navy over the Fountain of Youth.

Decorated by the Spanish Royal Navy for his pursuit of pirates across the Spanish Main, Armando Salazar was on the verge of capturing the elusive Captain Jack Sparrow when he ran afoul of the Devil's Triangle and it cursed him and his crew.

A formidable opponent in battle, Salazar was able to destroy any ship that found itself in the Triangle, and even in his cursed state he proved capable of taking on the likes of Hector Barbossa and Captain Jack Sparrow until Barbossa mortally wounded him.

Introduced in Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger TidesEdward Teach, or Blackbeard as he was known on the High Seas, was a real pirate that plundered the Caribbean. He was known for placing lit matches in his beard during boarding parties and wearing bracers across his chest with six pistols.

Blackbeard came by his reputation through psychological intimidation, savvy battle tactics, and never letting himself be manipulated (including at his own daughter's hand). Unfortunately, he was no match for Captain Jack Sparrow's blade.

Thought to be the stuff of old legend, Davy Jones was a fearsome pirate who captained theFlying Dutchman,charged with ferrying souls to the netherworld by the woman he loved, the sea goddess Calypso. Her betrayal led him to abandon his duties, and kill innocent sailors out of anger and grief.

RELATED: Pirates of the Caribbean: 5 Best Villains (& The 5 Worst)

Davy Jones couldn't be killed except by being stabbed through the heart, which was not on his person but extracted and kept hidden away in a chest. He was invincible in combat until his heart was located and used against him by Lord Cutler Beckett and the East India Trading Company.

Once first mate under Captain Jack Sparrow, Hector Barbossa mutinied against him and stole theBlack Pearlfor himself,winding up cursed for his trouble by a chest of Aztec gold. Barbossa wasn't bested in combat by Sparrow until the curse was lifted and he could bemortally wounded.

He was resurrected by the sea goddess Calypso in Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest, and became Sparrow's begrudging ally in the fight against the East India Trading Company and Davy Jones. He survived through all five films in the franchise, until he finally sacrificed himself to save his daughter.

Once a Commodore in the Royal Navy, James Norrington found himself without a ship and a commission after failing to capture Captain Jack Sparrow inPirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest.He became a begrudging member of Sparrow's crew after that, biding his time until he could double cross him and retain his rank.

RELATED: Pirates of the Caribbean: Every Main Character, Ranked By Intelligence

After an intense duel between Sparrow, Will Turner, and himself at the end of the film, he obtained the heart of Davy Jones, which he exchanged for a Letter of Marque signed by Lord Cutler Beckett and an Admiral's rank. Disciplined and skilled with a blade, his only weakness was Elizabeth Swann.

Though introduced as a humble blacksmith inPirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl,Will Turner's inconspicuous trade belied his exceptional skill as a swordsman. He practiced three hours a day with the blades that he made, so that when he encountered a pirate like Captain Jack Sparrow, he could kill it.

Turner would go from being Sparrow's friend to being his adversary, dueling the pirate over the heart of Davy Jones to lift the curse on his father. By the third film however, they wouldtake a stand against Davy Jones and the East India Trading Company, Turner once again putting his exceptional fighting skills to good use.

Captain Jack Sparrow may appear perpetually drunk and overly confident, but he has good reason for both; it causes everyone to underestimate his prowess with a blade. As he demonstrated to Will Turner during their first encounter, he was nigh unbeatable in a duel.

Over the five films in the franchise, Jack Sparrow crossed swords with Will Turner, Hector Barbossa, James Norrington, Blackbeard, Armando Salazar, and many others, always emerging to fight another day.

NEXT: Star Wars: 10 Best Lightsaber Duels, Ranked

NextThe Vampire Diaries: 10 Unanswered Questions We Still Have About Klaus

Kayleena has been raised on Star Wars and Indiana Jones from the crib. A film buff, she has a Western collection of 250+ titles and counting that she's particularly proud of. When she isn't writing for ScreenRant, CBR, or The Gamer, she's working on her fiction novel, lifting weights, going to synthwave concerts, or cosplaying. With degrees in anthropology and archaeology, she plans to continue pretending to be Lara Croft as long as she can.

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Pirates of the Caribbean: Every Main Character, Ranked by Sword-Fighting Skills - Screen Rant

One of the most beloved movie franchises of recent years,Disney'sPirates of the Caribbeanfilms have continuously entertained fans since the early '00s. Beginning withPirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl,the perfect mix of action, adventure, comedy, and romance spawned several popular sequels.

RELATED:Pirates Of The Caribbean: 10 Fan Art Pictures That Captain Jack Sparrow Would Steal

The biggest attraction of the films is their colorful characters. From the dynamic Captain Jack Sparrow to the courageous Will Turner, and the terrifying Davy Jones to the resourceful Elizabeth Swann, there's a memorable hero or villain for every fan to identify with. Find out which Pirates of the Caribbeancharacter you are based on your zodiac sign.

The face of thePirates of the Caribbeanfranchise, and one of the most memorable characters in cinematic history, Captain Jack Sparrow is also the Pirate Lord of the Caribbean and without a doubt, the best pirate anyone has ever heard of.

As an Aries, Jack is adventurous, overly-confident, and quick-witted. His dynamic enthusiasm and pioneering nature draw others to him, though sometime the dark side of his sign makes him selfish, impulsive, and recklessly foolhardy.

Governor Weatherby Swann's daughter and sweetheart-turned-wife of Will Turner, Elizabeth Swann went from being a damsel in distress to leading the Pirate Brethren as their Pirate King.

Like a true Taurus, Elizabeth is both loving and determined, expressing a profound loyalty to those she cares about. Cross her (like Jack Sparrow) or those under her charge, however, and see her jealous and resentful side emerge.

Manging pretty well for a man who began his life as a shipwrecked orphan, Will Turner went from being a humble blacksmith in Port Royal to becoming the captain of theFlying Dutchmanand marrying his sweetheart, Elizabeth Swann.

RELATED:Pirates of the Caribbean: 10 Things Everyone Missed About Will Turner

As with most Gemini, Will is bold and adaptive, as evidenced by his ability to pick up skills pertaining to both swordsmanship and seamanship. While youthful and lively the majority of the time, he could be inconsistently superficial with Elizabeth, and apprehensive in his dealings with pirates.

Bootstrap Bill Turner was a pirate aboard theBlack Pearland later theFlying Dutchman,exchanging one cursed existence for another under two famous captains. His son William followed his seafaring footsteps, and eventually became the third captain he sailed with.

Like many Cancers, Bill Turner could be cautious with his love, as he was when reunited with his son. But once they found each other again, he became protective and sympathetic. His protectiveness over Will occasionally made him overly emotional, at the expense of his better judgment.

Blackbeard was one of the most famous pirates to ever sail the High Seas on his shipThe Queen Anne's Revenge.Known for his psychological warfare, he often boarded ships with flaming matches in his beard and multiple pistol braces across his chest.

RELATED:Pirates Of The Caribbean: 10 Ways Real Life Pirate History Influenced The Franchise

Charming, generous, and creative like many Leos, Blackbeard was only patronizing when he sensed disrespect and insolence. His faith was what he chose to believe, and while he was intolerant of the religious variety (to the chagrin of his daughter), he believed in sea prophecies.

As governor of Port Royal, Governor Weatherby Swann held considerable influence in the Caribbean (or so he thought), with his daughter Elizabeth. He could never have predicted her headstrong nature would lead her on an adventure with pirates.

RELATED:Pirates Of The Caribbean: 10 Hidden Details About The Main Characters Everyone Completely Missed

Like most Virgos, Governor Swann was meticulous and practical, often letting his commitment to tradition override his critical thinking skills. He was conservative and analytical, and never fully approved of Elizabeth's choices.

Once Captain Jack Sparrow's first mate, Hector Barbossa led a mutiny against him to secure theBlack Pearlfor himself. The ship would pass between the two pirates' hands many times, as they shared a begrudging friendship.

A true Libra, Barbossa was a gentleman pirate, and capable of being charming and urbane when he wished to be. Occasionally self-indulgent and easily influenced, he rarely made the mistake of trusting those who double-crossed him twice.

Once a human sailor in love with the sea goddess Calypso, Davy Jones was charged with ferrying souls lost at sea to the netherworld aboard the Flying Dutchman. When Calypso betrayed his love, he neglected his duties and carved out his own heart.

RELATED:Pirates Of The Caribbean: 10 Things Everyone Missed About Davy Jones

Beneath the forceful and powerful presence of this Scorpio, there was a passionate and emotionally intuitive man. Calypso's betrayal caused him to secretly obsess about their ruined future to the point that he lost all semblance of humanity to his resentment.

An emissary of King George I's, Lord Cutler Beckett used the might of the East India Trading Company to enact the will of the Crown as well as his personal business interests. He sought to exterminate every pirate in existence and have a monopoly on all trade in the Caribbean.

Though he could be manipulative and meticulous, like many Sagittarius, Cutler Beckett was quite optimistic and good-humored even in his dealings with pirates he hated. For all his robust wheeling and dealing, his blind superficiality and careless overconfidence cost him the War Against Piracy.

Once a Commodore in the Royal Navy, James Norrington lost his commission and his reputation in pursuit of Captain Jack Sparrow. He was only able to regain them by choosing to serve in the East India Trading Company, which questioned his sense of honor and integrity.

RELATED:Pirates of the Caribbean: Every Main Character, Ranked By Intelligence

Like most Capricorns, James Norrington was practical, ambitious, and disciplined. Though he was emotionally reserved,he had a dry sense of humor. When he was at his lowest point serving alongside Sparrow, he wasincredibly pessimistic and resentful.

As changing and mercurial as the sea, Tia Dalma was an Obeah voodoo practitioner who also happened to be Calypso the sea goddess, bound in human form by the Pirate Brethren for her betrayal of Davy Jones.

As an Aquarius, Tia Dalma was both playful and independent, as well as unpredictable and contrary. Her temper was legendarily volatile, and she could just as easily gush romantically as she could become severely emotionally detached.

A merchant sailor turned pirate, Joshamee Gibbs sailed with both Jack Sparrow and Hector Barbossa, often found at the helm or when not on duty, in his cups. He kept to the Pirate Code and was a loyal comrade.

Like most Pisces, Gibbs could be both practical andimaginative when he chose tobe, fussing over theorders of Captain Jack one minute and dreaming about buried treasure the next.His constant worrying was nothing a bottle of rum couldn't fix.

NEXT:Pirates Of The Caribbean: 10 Questions We Still Have (That Could Be Answered In A 6th Movie)

NextThe Vampire Diaries: 10 Unanswered Questions We Still Have About Klaus

Kayleena has been raised on Star Wars and Indiana Jones from the crib. A film buff, she has a Western collection of 250+ titles and counting that she's particularly proud of. When she isn't writing for ScreenRant, CBR, or The Gamer, she's working on her fiction novel, lifting weights, going to synthwave concerts, or cosplaying. With degrees in anthropology and archaeology, she plans to continue pretending to be Lara Croft as long as she can.

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Which Pirates Of The Caribbean Character Are You Based On Your Zodiac? - Screen Rant

A few hours after the beginning of phase 2 of the health emergency, the Immuni app launch is still on the high seas. This was revealed by Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte, who in an interview revealed that the launch of the application that will serve to trace the contacts of infected people is far away.

"Before the diffusion of Immuni throughout the national territory it is necessary to carry out tests and this requires technical times that cannot be compressed"explained the Premier, who still wanted to remember how participation in the program is absolutely voluntary and not mandatory.

"The App is on a voluntary basis, it will work alongside other contact tracing tools and is based on bluetooth. This choice allows to respect citizens' privacy", says Conte, for dispel citizens' doubts about confidentiality and data processing.

As explained in the Immuni decree of a few days ago, in fact, the application will be based on Bluetooth LE technology and not on GPS to identify users. Initially many had speculated on a launch already for tomorrow, as containment measures will be relaxed.

Immuni's data will be deleted by December 31, 2020, and apparently the technicians would have chosen the same approach as Apple and Google.

The rest is here:

The Immuni app is still far away, Conte: "it takes time, tests are needed" - InTallaght

Joe Goerge is not one to complain.

St. Joseph by-the-Seas new varsity football coach knows hes in the same boat as his colleagues as the coronavirus pandemic has put a stranglehold on all off-season workouts.

Hes also fully aware, of course, that all athletes that play a spring sport are being deprived of competing at all this time around.

But Goerge, who was named the Vikings new coach on Feb. 27 after spending the better part of the last 29 years in New Jersey, is at a bit more of a disadvantage on the gridiron because he would have been using this time getting to know what he has on his roster as the fall approaches.

"I met the kids when I was introduced to the school (in February), but that wasnt the entire team because not everyone could make it. Then, we had one chance to meet the entire team in the gym for about 35-40 minutes shortly after that,'' said Goerge, who, before heading to New Jersey, honed his craft as a head coach at Port Richmond HS between 1982-91. "The school closed shortly after that.

"Weve been keeping as much contact as possible with on-line meetings since.''

Fortunately for Goerge, he does have some things that will help ease into the transition, including the fact he retained six assistant coaches from former head coach Mike Coronas staff of a year ago.

"Of course, we have all the film from last year,'' he said. "And having the assistants from last years staff helps us a bit too because they know the kids and what theyre like.

"But, obviously, the off-season program is a time for evaluation and not being able (to run it) makes things harder.''

May is traditionally the month where high school teams are allowed on-the-field workouts, albeit without pads and helmets. One of the problems concerning Goerges situation is he uses an entirely different offensive system than Corona used.

Corona used a spread offense while Goerge is planning to install a triple-option offense, something hes used for the last 10-12 years.

"It would certainly be an advantage to be able to do walk-throughs to go over certain things like stances and starts,'' said Goerge, whose son, Jason, is his offensive coordinator and offensive line coach. "Theres obviously going to be different stuff (being put in) and this would be a time where coaches would be there every day.

"But, unfortunately, a hands-on type of approach is out for now,'' added the coach, who is still teaching through remote learning at South Brunswick HS in New Jersey. "We have a big team (Sea had over 80 players on its roster last season, including almost 60 underclassman) and wed like to put them through everything to see what we have and where theyll fit in in the big picture.''

Goerge, whose team has a nine-game, regular-season schedule that includes a season-opening, non-league contest against Brearly HS (N.J.) and games against each of Staten Islands other CHSFL schools, said official workouts dont commence until Aug. 21, if permitted.

For now, hell continue to monitor the coronavirus situation along with everyone else.

"It is what it is -- its the approach we have to take,'' he said. "Were going to keep the faith and keep pushing ahead.''

The rest is here:

HS football: Seas Joe Goerge makes the most of a tough situation as he gets acquainted with new team - SILive.com

India risks incurring the wrath of the global shipping industry and losing out to rivals such as China, the Philippines and Ukraine on seafaring jobs as the government dithers on a strategy to evacuate thousands of crew stranded on board ships at overseas ports, some of them several days after their contracts have ended.

Some 30,000 Indian seafarers, 70 per cent of whom work on cruise liners, are stranded overseas, awaiting repatriation to India.

As the pandemic spread rapidly, cruise line operators halted services and these luxury ships are either idling at ports or are on the high seas.

The cruise ships are not doing any business currently and thousands of crew members from different countries, were staying on board the liners.

A few days ago, most of the Filipino, Indonesian and Ukrainian seafarers were repatriated to their countries on chartered flights arranged by the cruise line owners, after the respective governments allowed them to return.

That leaves only the Indian crew on board, in the absence of a plan to facilitate their return and the ban on international flights from March 24.

The expenses of the remaining Indian crew is being borne by the owners of the cruise lines.

A poor impression

Now, that creates an impression, said Abdulgani Serang, general secretary-cum-treasurer of the National Union of Seafarers of India (NUSI).

When the cruise line owners are bleeding, they are definitely going to remember this when the situation turns around that India did not co-operate. They are spending lots of money on maintaining Indians on board their ships. Many of the seafarers are put up in hotels, somebody is paying for all that, Serang said.

They will give preference to Filipinos who, as it is, outnumber Indians as general-purpose staff. The shipping industry will give added preference to them because of the ease of doing business with a Filipino, the proof is there, he stated.

The Shipping Minister, Mansukh Mandaviya, held a video conference with seafarers unions and shipping companies a few days ago to discuss a way out, as demand grows for framing a so-called standard operating procedure (SOP) for seafarers stranded abroad, similar to the one finalised for crew change at Indian ports on April 21.

After some teething troubles, the otherwise well-defined SOP is taking effect in Indian ports. We now have to focus on the larger challenge of sign-on/sign-off in foreign ports. Seafarers and their families are running out of patience and its straining their mental health, said Captain Rajesh Unni, CEO and Founder of Singapore-based ship manager, Synergy Group.

Why cant the government make a SOP for seafarers sailing in foreign waters. Is it too difficult to start flights with better caution than start a railway service for migrant workers with no caution, says Mohammed Arif, a second engineer on a ship, hailing from Raipur.

As China and the Philippines implement a green channel for crew change, Indian seafarers say they should be prepared to sacrifice jobs.

By the time international flights operate from India, most Indian seafarers will be replaced by other nationalities, said Dhyan Ramakrishnan, a third mate working on board a ship.

Do we really want Indian seafarers to lose their market, our well-earned reputation from ages? Now is the only time to take action, Captain Mahadev Dhandhiya, a master mariner, urged the government.

Indian seafarers working on board cargo ships sailing in international waters are also facing a testing time.

The cargo ships are running; they are doing business, but the seafarers working on those ships have been asked to extend their contracts by 1-3 months, says Serang.

Having an extended contract will affect their physical and mental state of mind. Suppose an accident takes place because of the fatigue. The seafarer has been working on that ship for 11-12 months, saturation point will come, and in that mind frame, suppose anything happens, says Serang, making a strong case for bringing seafarers back to India.

All seafarers (stranded abroad) are struggling to join ships or go home, says the International Maritime Federation (IMF). They are waiting for the hub airport travel system, said the Federation, an association of Indian shipping entrepreneurs, crew managers and maritime training institutions.

The IMF is hoping that the Shipping Ministry will resolve the impasse as negative sentiments are high for the treatment given to Indian seafarers.

Serang said cruise line owners are willing to send them back, by chartering flights with their own money. But, if the Indian government is not going to take them in, if the government does not lift the ban on international travel, that is the problem, he said.

Cruise ship owners/ operators have already put in writing that they are willing to bear the cost of chartered flights. It will require some 10-15 flights because thousands have to come in. They will ensure that once the seafarers come in, the quarantine and other things will be taken care of. All these things they have put in writing, but permission is not being granted. That is not happening; that is the problem, Serang added.

Link:

Indian seafarers fear job loss as government dithers on crew change in foreign waters - BusinessLine

As economic lockdowns complicate efforts to bring electricity to every corner of the planet, one company is putting generation units on ships that can sit offshore and plug into local grids on short notice.

Karpowership is marketing floating power plants across the developing world, where governments are seeking extra voltage to power hospitals and other facilities to keep the lights on during the coronavirus pandemic.

Vessels can hook into an onshore grid quickly, sidestepping the red-tape and construction issues involved with building a traditional power plant. And these ships come with their own fuel -- liquefied natural gas and fuel oil tapping into markets that are currently oversupplied.

We can deploy them in less than 30 days, Zeynep Harezi, chief commercial officer of Kapowership, said by phone from her office in Istanbul where the ships are designed.

The generators on the ships can produce between 36 megawatts to 470 megawatts of electricity and are already fully financed. While the ships use fossil fuels and present a challenge to the global drive for cleaner energy, they remain among the few solutions for feeding power to remote areas.

Such ships can work well in places with high barriers for onshore power stations or that lack access to gas pipelines, the International Gas Union said in its annual LNG report. Theres also risks: high cost and upfront capital requirements. Also, floating power plants concepts compete with more traditional units that run on liquid fuels, renewables and nuclear power, which may receive governmental support over LNG, the report said.

The concept of a fully integrated floating re-gasification and power plant may be a more realistic solution to grant easy access to clean electricity production, the IGU said. Such fast track projects, built and commissioned at reputed shipyards, may materialize in the near future.

Karpowership has the biggest fleet of the vessels. Starting from the first ship for Iraq, which took three years to build in 2010, it now operates 25 such ships in 11 countries from Mozambique to Cuba to Indonesia. Coronavirus hasnt slowed work, opening some opportunities for new markets instead.

The company converts existing dry bulk vessels, buys engines in bulk and builds them one after another, almost like a production line, Harezi said.

The technology for the power plant is internal combustion engine, rather than more typical turbines. While more expensive to build, they are cheaper to maintain and better suited for countries in hot climates with unstable grids, which are often in desperate need for power to avoid blackouts.

At 8 cents to 10 cents a kilowatt-hour, Karpowership provides a power ship, a floating storage and re-gasification unit for LNG and, if required, the fuel itself.

If the customer asks to procure LNG on our behalf, we collect offers like regular players, she said. We make it as transparent as possible.

The ship can use LNG or fuel oil. Some start with the latter and then switch. The company targets for its power ships to be operating at 80% LNG-to-power by 2025.

Since traditional power plants on land can take six years or more to complete, floating units have a distinct advantage and can appear in under three months to deal with a surge in demand. While these ships often are initially thought as a bridge solution until something more permanent can be built, some of the ships stay long-term, she said.

Karpowership is building 4,000 megawatts of new capacity on 20 ships, aiming to double the fleet size in the next three to five years, both in terms of megawatts and number of ships.

And as the coronavirus pandemic keeps large swaths of economies on lockdown, Harezi said, her teams living and working on power ships for three months or more present a natural quarantine environment.

See the article here:

Mobile power plants take to the high seas, sidestepping red tape involved with traditional plants - NNY360

Kapowerships Kaya Bey powership. Photo: Kapowership

ByAnna Shiryaevskaya (Bloomberg) As economic lockdowns complicate efforts to bring electricity to every corner of the planet, one company is putting generation units on ships that can sit offshore and plug into local grids at short notice.

Karpowership is busy marketing floating power plants across the developing world, where governments are seeking extra voltage to power hospitals and other facilities to keep the lights on during the coronavirus pandemic.

Vessels can hook into an onshore grid quickly, sidestepping the red-tape and construction issues involved with building a traditional power plant. And these ships come with their own fuel liquefied natural gas and fuel oil tapping into markets that are currently oversupplied.

We can deploy them in less than 30 days, Zeynep Harezi, chief commercial officer of Kapowership, said by phone from her office in Istanbul where the ships are designed.

The generators on the ships can produce between 36 megawatts to 470 megawatts of electricity and are already fully financed. While the ships use fossil fuels and present a challenge to the global drive for cleaner energy, they remain among the few solutions for feeding power to remote areas.

Such ships can work well in places with high barriers for onshore power stations or that lack access to gas pipelines, the International Gas Union said in its annual LNG report. Theres also risks: high cost and up-front capital requirements. Also, floating power plants concepts compete with more traditional units that run on liquid fuels, renewables and nuclear power, which may receive governmental support over LNG, the report said.

The concept of a fully integrated floating re-gasification and power plant may be a more realistic solution to grant easy access to clean electricity production, the IGU said. Such fast track projects, built and commissioned at reputed shipyards, may materialize in the near future.

Karpowership has the biggest fleet of the vessels. Starting from the first ship for Iraq, which took three years to build in 2010, it now operates 25 such ships in 11 countries from Mozambique to Cuba to Indonesia. Coronavirus hasnt slowed work, opening some opportunities for new markets instead.

The company converts existing dry bulk vessels, buys engines in bulk and builds them one after another, almost like a production line, Harezi said.

The technology for the power plant is internal combustion engine, rather than more typical turbines. While more expensive to build, they are cheaper to maintain and better suited for countries in hot climates with unstable grids, which are often in desperate need for power to avoid blackouts.

At 8 to 10 cents a kilowatt-hour, Karpowership provides a power ship, a floating storage and re-gasification unit for LNG and, if required, the fuel itself.

If the customer asks to procure LNG on our behalf, we collect offers like regular players, she said. We make it as transparent as possible.

The ship can use LNG or fuel oil. Some start with the latter and then switch. The company targets for its power ships to be operating at 80% LNG-to-power by 2025.

Since traditional power plants on land can take six years or more to complete, floating units have a distinct advantage and can appear in underthree monthsto deal with a surge in demand. While these ships often are initially thought as a bridge solution until something more permanent can be built, some of the ships stay long-term, she said.

Karpowership is building 4,000 megawatts of new capacity on 20 ships,aiming todouble the fleet size in the next three to five years, both in terms of megawatts and number of ships.

And as the coronavirus pandemic keeps large swathes of economies on lockdown, Harezi said her teams living and working on power ships for three months or more present a natural quarantine environment.

With assistance fromJessica Shankleman.

Read more:

Floating Power Plants Are Taking to the High Seas - gcaptain.com

1716: For as long as men have set sail, they have told stories about the seaof its women, of its treasures, of its beasts and of her. Shes been given many names by the sailors who have traveled her waters. Calypso, Amphitrite, Ursula, Melusine. A goddess, a queen, a witch, a daughter. In all of these, she is the sea, and the sea is a cruel mistress.

Get ready for a rollicking ride on the high seas with a bunch of hardened pirates and a fanatical Captain in The Isle of Gold, by Seven Jane. At first glance, I assumed this would be a quick little read as the book clocks in at a mere 237 pages. Instead, The Isle of Gold turned into a meaty escape that combined the best of pirate lore and seafaring mythology in one fun story.

Our narrator is Merrin Smith, and on page one she is disguised as a man in order to gain berth on the infamous Riptide, helmed by the even more infamous Captain Erik Winters. Merrins goal is simple: she wants to find out who she is and where she came from. As an orphan, she was dropped on the island of Isla Perla and sent to work in the kitchens of a brothel. Isla Perla is a typical pirate inhabited Caribbean islandloud, dirty, and filled with brothels and fighting miscreants. Yet its not lawless. Captain Winters rules along with his love, the mysterious and beguiling Evangeline Dahl. But Dahl has disappeared, and Winters has made it his lifes work to bring her back. So hes setting sail for the fabled Ogygia, the surreptitious Isle of Gold where Calypso had held Odysseus prisoner. Aka, Bracile. And Merrin believes that place holds the key to her identity.

Merrin is drunk as a skunk as she stumbles into the tavern to apply as a shipmate for the journey. Mr. Brandon Dunn, the ships quartermaster, is suspicious of him from the start and it seems she wont even make it out of the tavern. However, Captain Winters makes an appearance and shes hired to sail with a bunch of men who want nothing to do with her. She is still disguised as a man and no one seems the wiser but her inexperience at sea doesnt endear her to the crew. Luckily, Dunn discovers that Merrin can read and so shes sent to the Captains quarters to help him figure out the best route to the fabled island.

As Merrin adjusts to life on the sea, she starts to truly enjoy herself. She gets a sense that she belongs here amongst the rough men of the Riptide. There is Mister Clarke the ships doctor, whose gluttony has him bringing his own store of meat on board. Jomo the cook, whose African backstory is fascinating. Rounding out the cast is Tom Birch, who causes no small amount of problems for Merrin as she finds herself becoming more and more attracted to him.

The lazy days at sea soon turn into peril as the Riptide makes its way across the Atlantic towards Bracile. And reaching that destination will test everyone on board with Merrin being a key that she could never have imagined. Here The Isle of Gold turns to mythology and at once you feel as if Odysseus himself is breathing over your shoulder reading a story that sounds so familiar.

The Isle of Gold is escapist storytelling at its best. Merrin details the saga as if she is reclining in a soft, leather chair next to a blazing fireplace and you are her captive audience. Its lyrically descriptive and took me out of this world so much I could smell the salt air and hear the creak of the ship. Seven Jane blends piracy and mythology splendidly and I thoroughly enjoyed the time I took delving into itit makes me want to search out more pirate-themed stories. The Isle of Gold was a lot of fun, even if there was nary an Arrrrgh to be had. If youre looking to forget whats going on outside your door, taking a journey on the Riptide may just the answer youre looking for!

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The Isle of Gold by Seven Jane - coastalbreezenews.com

EXCLUSIVE: Discovery Channel is set to launch All On The Line, a new high-stakes reality series on the high seas that follows two fishing boats and their crews off the coast of Gloucester, Massachusetts. Its set for premiere on May 22 at 9 pm ET/PT on Discovery Channel.

Production had wrapped on the series before coronavirus brought a halt to most TV and film production in mid-March.

All On The Line focuses on the fishermens quest to snag the Atlantic Bluefin Tuna, considered one of the most valuable fish in the world where prices can reach as high as $20K for a single catch. This also means a tight quota to avoid overfishing and encourage sustainability, something that can be reached at any moment and send fishermen home empty handed. To win big, fishermen must reel in the biggest tuna as fast as possible. But theres a catch: each boat is allowed one catch per day and must reel them in by hand, resulting in a backbreaking battle that can last for hours. With the livelihood of their families on the line and generations of tradition behind them, these families of fishermen will rely on each other and work together towards a shared goal.

Following two fishing boats, the Julia Nicole, helmed by Dan Smith Sr. and his 18-year-old son Danny Jr., and the Subdivider, led by fisherman Johnny Johnson, All On The Line spotlights the special dynamic between these two groups and their ability to band together in an industry that otherwise demands fierce, sometimes cutthroat, competition.

You can watch a preview clip below.

All On The Line is produced for Discovery by Raw TV. For Raw TV, Dimitri Doganis and James Bates are executive producers and Chris Lent is Showrunner. For Discovery, Carter Figueroa is executive producer and Paola Espinosa is associate producer.

All On The Line joins Discoverys hugely popular Deadliest Catch franchise, also set on the high seas.

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Discovery Greenlights All On The Line Reality Series For May Premiere - Deadline

In response to the global spread of COVID-19, several regional fisheries management organizations (RFMOs) have suspended the requirement that vessels fishing in their waters have independent observers onboard. RFMOsmultinational bodies that oversee many of the fisheries on the high seastook the step to limit the potential exposure of fishers, observers, and inspectors to the virus.

While observers remain on shore, independent data on catch, bycatch, fishing effort, and compliance with conservation management measures will go uncollected, which means less reporting of key scientific and enforcement data and an increased chance that illegal fishing activity will go undetected.

In response to these decisions, 19 conservation organizations sent a letter to the heads of the five tuna RFMOs and the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean, detailing several actions that fisheries bodies should take to mitigate the loss of the observer data. These steps include urgently developing and implementing robust electronic monitoring (EM) programs. Such programs involve using cameras, gear sensors, and GPS to provide high-quality fishing data, cost-effectively, which allows remote review of fishing activity with minimal human contact and leads to more accurate self-reporting by fishing vessels.

To help the RFMOs design and implement an effective EM program, The Pew Charitable Trusts commissioned California Environmental Associates Consulting to produce a report that lays out the choices that fisheries managers face when considering EM. The reportRoadmap for Electronic Monitoring inRFMOsdiscusses how those organizations should implement an EM where there is a wide range of vessels, gears, fishing locations, catch compositions, and international stakeholders.

The report includes recommendations on several key elements of an effective EM program design:

In light of the impacts that COVID-19 has had on fisheries oversight, it is now clearer than ever that RFMOs need to embrace electronic monitoring. Although there may be challenges in developing an EM program, those issues are solvable. Using the report, RFMOs can develop well-designed EM programs to scale up coverage of their fisheries, increase transparency on the high seas, and be better prepared for future circumstances that might limit onboard observation.

Jamie Gibbon is a manager and Esther Wozniak is a senior associate with The Pew Charitable Trusts international fisheries team.

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International Fisheries Managers' Pandemic Response Highlights Need to Expand Electronic Monitoring - The Pew Charitable Trusts