Marine & Maritime Gazette January 2019

MARINE & MARITIME

GAZETTE Commercial Marine & Renewables Worldwide

ISSUE 47

JANUARY 2019

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New year - new challenges for the maritime sector?

Optimistic for the year?

Welcome to the January 2019 issue of Marine & Maritime Gazette the monthly magazine aimed at Worldwide coverage of the commercial marine, shipping and waterbased renewables markets.

As we all look forward to the coming months, just what we can all expect from the year? Where will 2019 take the Maritime sector? In which direction will we all go?

Who knows, but as ever we all look to the future with an certain optimism, albeit tempered with the reality check that always closely follows this very fluid sector.

Inside this issue, we are, as usual, covering a vast amount of topics, from ‘Anchors, Mooring, Rope & Chains’ on page 26, to the ‘ins and outs’ of ‘Vessel Build, Repair & Maintenance’ from page 20.

We also have a quick look at ‘Training, Certification & Courses’ on page 38 and ‘Marine Survey & Inspection’ from page 32.

Anyway, everyone at Marine & Maritime Commercial Ma rine & Renewabl es Worldwide Gazette would like to wish you all the best of luck for the coming months and we hope you enjoy reading this edition and others throughout the year.

If you have any news, reviews, product launches or absolutely anything else of interest across the whole marine market, please email it through to me at info@bljournals.plus.com for future consideration in our forthcoming issues.

MARINE & MARITIME

GAZETTE

ISSUE 47

JANUARY 201 9

INSIDE:

Arthur Peaches - Editor

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Cover story Damen deliver three vessels to Murjan Al Sharq Marine Contracting for the oil pipeline project.

p18 EA1 protection UK based Pipeshield International awarded the contract to provide scour protection for East Anglia One offshore windfarm by offshore construction outfit Deep Ocean.

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MHI Vestas to supply Borssele V Innovation Site

MHI Vestas Offshore Wind, in signing a firm order with Two Towers Consortium for the Borssele V Offshore Wind Farm, will supply two V164-9.5 MW turbines for the Borssele V Innovation Site. The 19 MW project has been designated as an innovation site that will test various innovations in and around the turbines.

“We are extremely proud that the Netherlands will be home to our next test project,” said MHI Vestas Chief Technology Officer, Torben Hvid Larsen. “Borssele V confirms once again that MHI Vestas is committed to continuous learning and collaborating with industry partners on innovations that will advance our collective

Oceanic drydocking Seismic vessels Oceanic Sirius and Oceanic Vega complete tandem drydocking at Damen Amsterdam.

p22 Drone surveying Ship surveying is being revolutionised by innovative drone technology.

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EDITORIAL Arthur Peaches - Editor Tel 01322 352648 Email info@bljournals.plus.com

SALES & PROMOTIONS David Peters - Publisher Tel 01322 352648 Email info@bljournals.plus.com

Brian Wakefield - Advertisement Director Tel 01622 682667 Mob 07973 139959 Email brian_wakefield2003@yahoo.co.uk

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All contents of the publication are copyright and remain the sole property of the publishing company.

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knowledge and propel our industry forward.”

The two-turbine project, planned for installation in 2020, will implement several innovations to improve environmental standards and contribute to the renewable energy transition in the Netherlands. To connect the monopile and transition piece, the innovative ‘slip joint’ technology will be applied. This technology, developed in collaboration with Van Oord, has two major advantages, it is maintenance-free, and it reduces installation time, which could result in significant cost savings.

Also, revolutionary eco-designs for scour protection will be tested to determine the effect on the maritime environment. Part of the innovation is the use of scour protection in creating reef systems, including oyster reefs, which will help promote a healthy and diverse marine ecosystem.

Borssele V will be located 20km off the coast of Zeeland and within site III of the Borssele Wind Farm zone and will provide clean energy for 25,000 households.

The project will be the 5th offshore wind park in the Netherlands for MHI Vestas, which will have an install base of 218 turbines and 1.1 GW in Dutch waters at the completion of the project.

BL JOURNALS

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Minesto targets new funding from Welsh Government for Subsea Kite Project Marine energy developer Minesto has entered the formal planning phase with Welsh Government for the second stage of public funding for its subsea kite technology project in North Wales.

The Welsh Government has confirmed that it will engage with Minesto in advanced business planning for the second stage of public funding for Minesto’s tidal energy project in Holyhead Deep off Anglesey, North Wales.

“This decision is a strong sign of comfort from the Welsh Government and by such, a significant step towards securing funding for the next phase of deployment in Wales. We are very pleased with the support from the Welsh Government, both financially and in driving the marine energy agenda forward,” said Dr Martin Edlund, CEO of Minesto.

Minesto has submitted a project proposal, which includes a grant amounting to €11.2 million from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), for the next phase of the project in Holyhead Deep.

The project scope includes continuous operation and power production with Minesto’s DG500 tidal energy converter that was commissioned in the Autumn 2018, upgrades and optimisation of the company’s Utility Scale product range and installation and operation of an additional utility-scale device at the Holyhead Deep site.

Peter Ryland, CEO of Welsh European Funding Office, part of Welsh Government, said: “We welcome Minesto’s bid for EU funding in support of the next phase of the project and to working with Minesto to bring that bid to the point of funding approval as quickly as possible, noting the timescales of the current phase of the project.” The Welsh Government’s final funding decision is expected this Spring. www.minesto.com

Gareth.Evans@everardinsurance.co.uk Gareth.Evans@everardinsurance.co.uk

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Associated British Ports signs trade deal with Maersk

UK Port operator Associated British Ports (ABP) recently signed a trade agreement with Danish shipping giant Maersk.

Under the deal, the parties agreed a new service for ABP’s Hull Container Terminal which will open the trade link to the Far East and beyond for the first time in its history.

The service begins in the imminently into the 21-acre container terminal in Hull. The

Dublin Port major facilities update The Dublin Port Alexandra Basin Redevelopment Programme is the largest capital project ever undertaken at the port. When complete it will increase the port’s ability to handle larger ships and will cost in the region of €227 million.

Dredging of the three kilometre long entrance channel will give ships a depth of 10 metres to the port and improvements to the quays and other facilities will be upgraded to match.

The dredging will entail the removal of 5.5 million tonnes of sand, silt and gravel and much of this will be dumped on Burford Bank some 12 kilometres outside Dublin Bay. The remaining ½ million tonnes which is contaminated will be treated in a batching area with cementitious fibres and used to fill existing berths.

At Cross Berth Quay steel piles are being inserted which in turn will support sheet steel piling to stabilise the quay. The old ship-building yard in the basin will be upgraded for re-use and the graving dock will be partially opened up as a public area with possible use as an amphitheatre.

Many of the port’s facilities will be upgraded including the north east side of the Alexandra Basin which will include a new ro-ro ramp. This will provide facilities for Cobelfret to bring in a new larger ro-ro ship to serve the port and this ramp will be capable of being positioned either in the basin or at Ocean Pier.

“Much of the work is currently going out to tender,” said Garrett Doman, Capital Programme Director of the DPA. “The piling work around the basin is being completed in sections and will eventually encompass the entire basin, across Alexandra Basin West and along Ocean Pier with some of the existing buildings at Ocean Pier being demolished.”

Included in the project will be an extensive upgrade of the road network in the port. Dublin Port handles a major proportion of the imports and exports for Ireland and much of this comes in from the UK and the Continent by roro shipping.

weekly feeder vessels will see ABP handle around 240 boxes per week, equivalent to 12,000 containers per year.

“Unlocking this new trade gateway to the rest of the world is not only significant for the local economy, but also for the national and international economy,” commented Simon Bird, ABP Humber Director.

“We’re proud to welcome the world’s largest container shipping line, Maersk, on board to the Hull Container Terminal, and we look forward to strengthening our partnership and building further trade links.”

“We believe that the Humber Container Terminals, Hull and Immingham, are now the premier container destinations in the North of England, offering an unrivalled service.

We have recently invested £50 million into these terminals including our two £10.5 million gantry cranes at the Hull Container Terminal.” www.abports.co.uk

www.dublinport.ie

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Active-Passive Radar Reflectors for Marine Use A significant advance in marine safety..

EM230 Compact Plus

Robust P.E Case with enhanced array giving a massive response 23.38m2 @ + or -3o within smallest possible case. Ideal for Ribs, Motor vessels, fish farms, poles, marina entrances, buoys and land hazards.

Optional extras:

Sealite or Carmanah Solar Powered lanterns, or Orionis LED RINA Approved to 2N miles available in White, Yellow, Orange or Black, Red or Green.

Boat made from plastic bottles wins environmental green award Polythene film recycler, RPC bpi recycled products and environmental charity, Hubbub, have won a Green Apple Environment Award 2018 for its 100% recycled plastic boat.

The Poly-Mer is made from Plaswood, a lumber made entirely from recycled materials, used as an educational tool for school children to raise awareness of the growing levels of plastic pollution in Britain’s waterways.

“To be singled out for a Green Apple Award is an honour,” said Katherine LorekWallace, Plaswood general manager at RPC bpi recycled products.

“It is also testament to the ingenuity and creativity of Hubbub and our unique product. We have always believed we are pioneers in the field of environmental excellence and this award proves it.”

The 12-seater punt-like boat was made from around 8,000 plastic water bottles and took nine months to create. She was the brainchild of environmental charity Hubbub together with teachers and parents from Canary Wharf College, London.

Plaswood is a sustainable and renewable material manufactured at a dedicated recycling plant in Dumfries, Scotland, where recycled plastic is remade into second-life products.

PICTURE TOP SHOWS: Michael Bennet (l) from PGT Reclaimed Vietnam presents the Green Apple Award to Plaswood’s Katherine Lorek-Wallace and Hubbub’s Adam Robinson.

Specifications

Response Max 23.38m2, average 2.27m2 @+ /-3o Ht 32cm Width 30cm, Wt 1.9kg Lid Diameter 15cm, Base Diameter 15cm Fixings to suit

EM325 Top Mark

For buoy upgrades, land or sea hazards.

Maximum 86.04m2 RCS response with robust 5mm or 6mm thick UV resistant PE case to suit heavy navigation lights.

Specifications

Available in I.A.L.A Red, Green or Yellow.

EM325 2 Stack Ht 513 mm, Dia 365mm, Wt 5.4kg. Maximum RCS 62.15m2 Average RCS 7.92m2 EM325 3 Stack Ht 706mm, Dia 365mm, Wt 7kg. Maximum RCS 86.04m2 Average RCS 12.01m2 4x12mm Base fixings@200mm PCD with optional top fixings to suit a navigation light of your choice. (Replaces EM305 BM2/3 & EM305FPMS)

ECHOMAX EM700 Buoy

Maintenance free, foam filled navigation buoys in yellow or green cones or red cans for: • Estuaries, harbours and inshore waters • Riverside boat yards and yacht clubs • Dinghy or yacht race markers • Fish farms

Optional extras:

Echomax EM230 radar reflector Sealite SL15 or Carmanah M550 solar powered navigation light with a wide range of IALA preset codes and bird spike.

St Andrews cross with lifting eye.

Lifting eye options with or without navigation light.

25kgs of ballast

Specifications

EM700-90 Height 900mm Width 700mm Weight 16.5kgs Buoyancy 110kgs Focal plain 707mm

EM700-135 Height 1350mm Width 700mm Weight 25kgs Buoyancy 110kgs Focal plain 1185mm

PO Box 6032, Dunmow CM6 3AS, UK Tel: 00 44 (0) 1371 830216 Fax: 831733 Email: echomaxsales@aol.com www.echomax.co.uk www.marineandmaritimegazette.com

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The silent transition to electric and hybrid vessels Picture source: International Maritime Organisation, IDTechEx

The brand new IDTechEx report ‘Electric and Hybrid Boats and Ships 2019-2029’ expects investment to accelerate after 2020 Since the early 2010s, sales of pure electric and hybrid vessels have grown steadily, mainly driven by the need to reduce local pollution of NOx, SOx and particulate matter in a handful of emission control areas (ECA) that are local to coastlines. Vessel operators have chiefly turned to low-sulphur fuels such as LNG to comply, as well as invested in scrubbers to clean tail-pipe gases before they are released. However, many have invested in electric and hybrid powertrains, and the brand new IDTechEx Research report ‘Electric and Hybrid Boats and Ships 2019-2029’ expects this to accelerate after 2020 when now-confirmed global sulphur regulations are enforced by the International Maritime Organisation (as shown above left) Another strong driver, particularly for commercial vessels, is fuel economy. Many commercial vessels are installed with oversized engines in order to handle peaks in power demand. By adding batteries to handle transient loads, engines can be downsized and set to run consistently at high load - where they were designed to run efficiently. Depending on the vessel type, the resultant fuel savings can reach 10 - 30 percent, translating to hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of savings annually. For a $500,000 battery in a mid-sized vessel, short ROIs make the investment attractive.

One of the big challenges for electric and hybrid vessels is the pressure they put on the onshore local distribution network by drawing MW of current in short periods of time. One solution to this has been to install shore-side stationary storage to help handle the additional load, and to delay infrastructure upgrades. Shore-side solutions could even come in the form of second-life maritime batteries, which are already rugged and resistant to water ingress, as dismantling them to recycle the raw materials wastes the engineering. The first used batteries are likely to be returned in the early 2020s, a decade after the first hybrid vessels were christened.

By volume, electric recreational boating represents the largest and fastest transformation, with tens of thousands on the water today; by value the C&I segment is the largest due to the cost of multimilliondollar vessels. Although a transition is underway, the new report finds ultimately there will be a coexistence with today’s propulsion technologies because of upfront cost, range anxiety, lack of charging infrastructure and the slowness of change in the marine industry.

Based on a global assessment IDTechEx Research has developed forecasts by category and region for 2019-2029.

The key takeaway/benefits of the research in this report are: • Insight into where electric vessels have grown rapidly and why.

• Current year market size and forecasts up to 2029 by recreational, commercial and industrial segments.

• Current year market size and forecasts up to 2029 by vessel type, including Recreational Boats, Ferry, Offshore Support Vessel, Tugboat, Fishing and Industrial.

• Overview of local and international regulation and policy driving the transition.

• Market share of leading maritime energy storage system suppliers.

• Market share of battery chemistry (NMC, LFP and others).

• List of 125 commercial and industrial projects tracked by IDTechEx (with detail on battery capacity and supplier). www.IDTechEx.com/boats

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Pipeshield provide EA1 scour protection Lowestoft, UK, based Pipeshield International Limited are very proud to have been awarded the contract to supply the scour protection for the East Anglia One offshore windfarm by leading offshore construction company DeepOcean.

able to utilise both locations for this project, Lowestoft (Design & Contracts) and Great Yarmouth (Manufacture & Delivery). www.pipeshield.com

Over 300 bespoke fronded concrete mattresses have been manufactured at the port of Great Yarmouth within close proximity of the deep water berth.

Fronds are a dense carpet of strands, like a bionic seaweed, woven together to create a system which slows down the sediment on the seabed, causing it to fall and create natural burial.

The fronded concrete mattresses or FCM’s, are of Pipeshield’s own design and utilises their specialist three part frond system. A recyclable protective cover protects the system during storage and transportation. This is removed prior to installation. Once the mattress is in place on the seabed a detachable safety net is pulled away releasing the frond system and starting the burial process.

The frond system is fixed to one of Pipeshields 6m x 3m concrete bi-flex mattresses with their patented nose to notch block design (N2 Edge). This block design is proven to provide up to three times more edge stability compared to a standard block design.

Pipeshield’s General Manager David Blake commented, “We are delighted to receive the award by DeepOcean for the supply of the scour protection for EA1. To be part of the first zone of such a significant project is fantastic. Local content has been discussed a lot during contract negotiations, so it is particularly nice that we have been

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New survey vessel showcases Blyth and DuroWipers expertise

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Blyth Catamarans Ltd has handed over its largest vessel to date, an 18m survey vessel for the UK’s Swansea University, a project that has been in the making for nearly 14 months.

‘Mary Anning’ features a large A frame, dive lift and survey station for Swansea University. And it boasts hard-wearing DuroWipers pantographs, synonymous with the new Shannon class lifeboat builds.

“With this being our largest vessel built to date we are very proud of the outcome and are confident that Swansea University will be pleased with her,” said Stuart Davidsen, managing director, Blyth Catamarans.

“Among many of its advanced features are its DuroWipers which is a reputable brand which has always given us excellent reliability for our customers for over 7 years.

DuroWipers are the obvious choice because they offer a ‘linked wiper system’ where a second wiper is connected to the motor to give a wider wiper area, required for the larger front windscreen on the Mart Anning.”

PICTURES SHOW: (Top) Mary Anning 18m Survey Vessel (Lower) Windscreen double wiper blade close up

Advanced specs

Among some of the other advanced specs onboard Mary Anning are two trawl winches, a moon pool with multi-beam deployment, dive lift and an external TV to show survey results.

The wheelhouse has a wet lab with TV, survey station, dinette with TV, workshop, bow fender for turbine transfer, raised helm to give 360-degree visibility and observation platform for bird watching.

Mr Davidsen said that the vessel has been constructed under dual coding for both MCA class VI to carry 26 students, plus standard coding for cat II 12+2.

Following successful sea trials, the vessel has achieved a top speed of 28+ knots and a cruising speed of 18 knots being powered by two MAN V8 1000hp engines with five blade props from Clements Engineering.

The Swansea University department of biosciences will use the vessel for coastline survey, mapping critical habitats, studying water quality, observing marine wildlife and deploying marine equipment.

Next up for Blyth Catamarans is a 14m survey vessel, 15m passenger vessel and 12m fishing vessel, currently under build, with a further two vessels also contracted.

In order to cater for building larger vessels in the future, the company recently opened an onsite factory featuring a 9m high building with gantry. www.durowipers.co.uk www.blythcatamarans.co.uk

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Hurtigruten announces first hybrid expedition ship captain At the age of 17, he started his career as a Hurtigruten galley assistant. 37 years later, Kai Albrigtsen (54) will take command of the world’s first hybrid powered cruise ship.

When Hurtigruten’s MS Roald Amundsen embarks on her maiden voyage in 2019, it is not only the ship herself that will make history. On the bridge, Kai Albrigtsen will be the first captain of a hybrid powered cruise ship.

“It is a great honor and a big responsibility. Taking command over such a unique vessel is without a doubt the highlight of my career,” the 54-year-old Norwegian said.

MS Roald Amundsen is currently under construction on Norway’s Kleven yard, alongside with her sister ship MS Fridtjof Nansen. The groundbreaking ships will be delivered in 2019 and 2020, and followed by a third hybrid powered expedition cruise ship in 2021. .

Minimal footprint With a maximum of just 500 guests, MS Roald Amundsen with Captain Kai at the helm, will take guests exploring areas such as Antarctica, the Arctic, Northwest passage and Alaska - with a minimal footprint and in areas bigger ships can’t even dream about reaching.

“The latest technology is offering many opportunities. Hurtigruten is setting a new standard for the whole cruise industry. I am really proud to be a part of Hurtigruten’s unparalleled sustainable operations. With the introduction of MS Roald Amundsen, we show the world what’s possible,” Albrigtsen commented.

MS Roald Amundsen

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Extensive polar experience Throughout his career, Albrigtsen has a unique experience from a number of different positions on board more than 10 Hurtigruten vessels. His first expedition to Antarctica was in 2003, rose to the rank of captain in 2006.

A sworn outdoor enthusiast, Albrigtsen often spends his time off fishing or hiking with his family in spectacular nature in Norway’s VesterÂlen or Lofoten islands.

For the past two years, he has held the position of master on the Hurtigruten expedition cruise ship MS Midnatsol.

“Through my 37 years in Hurtigruten, I have faced challenges and gained unique experiences. But most of all, working for Hurtigruten is an adventure where I have been looking forward to every day - in every position I have held.

No two days at ‘the office’ are the same, Albrigtsen continued.

Building on 125 years of Norwegian pioneering heritage, Hurtigruten is today the world’s largest expedition cruise company.

Hurtigruten’s rapidly growing fleet of custom-build expedition ships takes modern-day adventure travellers to the world’s most spectacular destinations, from the High North to Antarctica in the south.

Being the world leader in exploration travel comes with a great responsibility.

Hurtigruten is enhancing destinations and runs an responsible, sustainable global operation.

Hurtigruten is introducing the world’s first hybrid battery powered cruise ships, the MS Roald Amundsen and the MS Fridtjof Nansen. A third hybrid powered expedition vessel will be added to the fleet in 2021. .

www.hurtigruten.co.uk

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Improved guidance to assess flood defence overtopping Reducing the risks of overtopping is essential for the effective design and management of flood defences, particularly as these defences are required to meet future conditions, including the impacts of climate change.

The accurate prediction of wave overtopping at coastal and inland structures will help to improve their future design and maintenance

HR Wallingford is one of the partners writing the European Overtopping Manual - known as EurOtop - which has now been revised and updated in a second edition. EurOtop II provides improved guidance predicting wave overtopping at coastal structures as well as at estuary and inland flood embankments and reservoirs.

Most coastal defences consist of seawalls. These range from simple earth embankments through to vertical concrete walls, and complex structures that can include wave return walls or rock armour. Each structure may have a different overtopping performance. Using the EurOtop II Manual, engineers can confidently analyse the overtopping performance of any type of sea defence or similar structure.

Dr Tim Pullen, Principal Engineer in Coastal Structures at HR Wallingford, said: “The original EurOtop manual came about in 2007 as a result of research into overtopping processes. Since then, new data have been collated which have further advanced our understanding of these processes, and which have been used to update prediction methods in the manual. For EurOtop II, we have included a completely new chapter with an extended set of case studies. The featured case studies illustrate the use of the various methods for a number of sites in the UK, Belgium and The Netherlands.”

Significant improvements in EurOtop II include a new method for assessing overtopping for slopes with small freeboards; and for the effects of crest walls, reducing potential over-estimates for overtopping discharges. Another upgrade is a harmonised prediction method to simplify the calculation of overtopping for vertical and steep walls, and revised advice on tolerable discharges.

The addition of a suite of videos allows users of the manual to view what a specific overtopping discharge looks like in reality. http://www.overtopping-manual.com/eurotop/videos-of-wave-overtopping/ Tim Hunt, Modelling and Hydrology Advisor, Environment Agency, said: “The EurOtop manual has become accepted as the industry standard for the coastal engineering community. The guidance and methods we and our European partners have developed, and which are freely available, can be applied by coastal and flood engineers around the world to improve resilience to flooding.”

EurOtop goes live - The EurOtop partners are proposing that future editions of the manual will include advances more rapidly by sourcing new data sets and formulae from interested researchers worldwide, together with their suggested changes or additions to the manual. New material will then be edited and reviewed by the EurOtop Board, and updates to the manual published on the EurOtop website.

EurOtop II is freely available to download now at: www.overtopping-manual.com The EurOtop manual is the result of a European-wide collaborative project to which many authors have contributed.

It was funded in the UK by the Joint FCERM Research Programme coordinated by the Environment Agency, and partlyfunded in the Netherlands by its equivalent, Rijkswaterstaat. Other funding and support was provided by HR Wallingford and a number of different European organisations, consultancies and universities.

A full list of the partners involved in the project is available on the EurOtop Manual webpage. www.hrwallingford.com

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Damen signs with Port Nelson for ASD Tug 2411

In December, Damen sales manager Sjoerd de

Bruin signed a contract with Port Nelson CEO Martin Byrne in New Zealand. Damen will deliver an ASD Tug 2411 to Port Nelson in support of the port’s expansion strategy.

As part of the expansion, Damen’s client will increase its wharf in order to accommodate vessels up to 280 metres in length. For this, the port requires additional bollard pull. The ASD Tug 2411, with its 70 tonnes bollard pull, will replace two tugs from Port Nelson’s existing fleet.

The port have said they are pleased to be able to extend their relationship with Damen with the purchase of the new, still to be named ASD Tug 2411, so soon after purchasing the Damen ASD Tug 2310 Toia in 2016.

“Without exception our experience with the Toia has been a positive one,” said Port Nelson CEO Martin Byrne. “And we look forward to working with Damen to ensure the future towage needs of our business continue to be met and enable us to continue to facilitate regional prosperity in the Nelson, Tasman and Marlborough regions.”

Damen has built the ASD Tug 2411 according to its standardised philosophy of shipbuilding – which ensures clients of fast delivery of proven, reliable products. As such, it was available from stock, enabling Damen to deliver the vessel swiftly.

Though the vessels come as standard, Damen is always able to tailor them to meet the individual requirements of its clients. In this instance, this has involved the installation of a gangway to facilitate crew access in the up to 4-metre tides experienced in the port.

Sjoerd de Bruin, speaking on the occasion of the contract signing, said, “It is a privilege to support Port Nelson with the increased tug capabilities they require for their port expansion. We wish the port and all those working there safe and successful operations”. www.damen.com

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Sea Machines raises $10 Million in drive to advance autonomous ship technology US Sea Machines Robotics has closed a $10 million Series A investment which will help the company further develop autonomous technology for use aboard ships.

The investment marks one of the largest venture fundings for a marine and maritime-focused technology company and brings the total capital Sea Machines has raised to $12.5M. Sea Machines will use the funds to expand the sales and global reach of its recently released line of products, grow the R&D and engineering teams, roll out new product feature sets, and further the company’s lead in developing advanced situational awareness systems for vessels.

Funding was led by Accomplice and Eniac Ventures, with participation from Toyota AI Ventures; Brunswick Corp., through investment partner TechNexus Venture Collaborative; NextGen VP, Geekdom Fund; LaunchCapital; LDV Capital and others.

Sea Machines believes the industrial marine sector, which encompasses maritime transportation, offshore energy, and commercial fishing and aquaculture, could benefit greatly from today’s autonomous technology.

“We are creating the technology that propels the future of the marine industries. This investment enables us to double down on our commitment to building advanced command and control products that make the industry more capable, productive and profitable,” said Michael Gordon Johnson, founder and CEO, Sea Machines. “This backing is another signal that Sea Machines is the unquestioned leader in the space and is playing an integral role in the revolution of marine and maritime operations driven by technology.”

Sea Machines is currently developing advanced perception and navigation assistance technology for a range of vessel types, including container ships. In the first quarter of this year, the company will initiate testing of its perception and situational awareness technology aboard one of A.P. Moller-Maersk’s new-build ice-class container ships.

In the last quarter of 2018, Sea Machines released its introductory line of autonomous command and remote control systems, developed for the demanding challenges of vessels serving the offshore commercial, scientific and government applications. The SM product series is available now and can be installed aboard existing or new-build commercial vessels with return on investment typically seen within a year.

“At Toyota AI Ventures, we believe that autonomous mobility can help improve people’s lives and create new capabilities – whether on land, in the air or at sea,” said Jim Adler, founding managing director, Toyota AI Ventures. “Sea Machines’ autonomous technology and advanced perception systems can reduce costs, improve efficiency and enhance safety in the multi-billion dollar commercial shipping industry. This marks our first investment in the maritime industry, and we’re excited to embark on this journey with Sea Machines.” www.sea-machines.com

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EMAR Offshore Services places order for Damen Tug ASD 2811 EMAR Offshore Services, a Netherlands-based dedicated maritime service company, has placed an order for a Damen ASD Tug 2811. This stock vessel will be named E-TWO and delivered to the client in the first quarter of 2019 . An additional FiFi1 system and aft winch will be installed.

The ASD Tug 2811 is one of Damen’s ‘next-generation’ harbour tugs, announced in 2018. An upgraded version of the best-selling ASD Tug 2810, it has been further optimised for the decade ahead with features that include full compliance with the new stability regulations, a modular marine NOx reduction system and the Damen Digital Platform to maximise performance and reliability. These plus 60-tonnes of bollard pull and superb manoeuvrability mean that it is capable of taking on almost any ship-handling operation in even restricted waterways. E-TWO will be the second ASD Tug 2811 to be delivered so far.

EMAR Offshore Services is established in 2010 only but today it operates all over the world, with a current focus on the regions Caribbean, South America, West Africa, Middle East and Russia.

EMAR supports the oil & gas, construction and mining companies with their need for knowledge and equipment. Its own fleet consists of six tugs, of which five have been built by Damen. www.damen.com

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Damen’s triple delivery for Murjan Al Sharq Marine Contracting To complete an extensive oil pipeline dredging and installation project,

Murjan Al Sharq Marine Contracting Co. Ltd. (MSMC) has taken delivery of three Damen vessels: a Stan Tug 1606, a Shoalbuster 2509, and a Stan Pontoon 4512 equipped with a Damen DOP Pump. For Damen, this marks the successful conclusion of a coordinated construction and delivery contract involving three shipyards in the Netherlands, China and the United Arab Emirates.

The delivery ceremony of the Shoalbuster 2509 at Damen Shipyards Gorinchem was attended by MSMC Chairman Mr Abdullah Natheer and General Manager Chris Clark.

Based in Saudi Arabia, MSMC provides marine construction and maintenance, dredging, diving and subsea services. The company will be using the three new vessels on an oil pipeline trenching project.

Trenching tasks “The overall aim of our client’s project is to improve the efficiency of old wells,” explains Mr Clark. “We will be dredging a 5km trench and installing a new trunk line to tie in wells that have been recently upgraded. After that we have a pipe pull, followed by backfill operations.”

For the first kilometre of the trench, MSMC will mobilise the Multi Cat 1908 Murjan 40 and DOP 250 purchased from Damen in 2017. The remaining 4km of trench will be dredged by the new Stan Pontoon 4512, supported by the new Stan Tug 1606 (named Murjan 22) and the new Shoalbuster 2509 (named Murjan 41).

Shallow water skills The most notable aspect of the project is the sheer diversity of conditions that will be encountered. Water depth, for example, ranges from 0 metres at the shore to just 7 metres at its deepest point. Furthermore, geotechnical conditions are highly variable.

Any challenges posed by the working environment will be met by the flexibility of the Stan Pontoon 4512 facilitated by a 170-tonne Heila and a 100-tonne Liebherr crane. “We worked closely with Damen’s engineers in the Netherlands and at Albwardy Damen [the construction shipyard] to customise the Pontoon specifically for this job,” continues Mr Clark.

“For trenching, we can work as a backhoe dredger, or use the DOP in various configurations. And then for backfilling operations we have a mass flow excavator.”

Versatile platform For mooring, depending on the conditions and client requirements, the Stan Pontoon can use its 4-point mooring system in addition to its three hydraulically-driven 18-metre long spud poles.

The substantial 515m2 deck space also means that there is ample space for various 20-foot and 40-foot containers for day and night accommodation, workshop and control room facilities.

“Because of the versatility and modular capacity of the Pontoon, we will get full use of it by changing its capabilities. That's the main idea – increasing the bottom line for our client.”

A remarkable feat Although the Stan Pontoon will play a pivotal role in the pipeline project, the two new supporting vessels’ contribution is not insignificant. The Stan Tug 1606, which was built at Damen Shipyards Changde, will provide support in the shallowest waters.

Built at Damen Shipyards Hardinxveld, the Netherlands, the Shoalbuster 2509 – named Murjan 41 – will be called upon for support tasks further from the coast and for its 30-tonne bollard pull during pipe pulling operations. “Most vessels with a 2-metre draught are not going to give you 30 tonnes of bollard pull. But that is the unique thing about the Shoalbuster, it can maintain its bollard pull even in shallow waters – it’s a remarkable feat.”

For MSMC, these latest three deliveries represent a continuance of its productive relationship with Damen, as Mr Natheer concludes: “They give us access to their engineering and technical team – people who really know what they're talking about when it comes to designing vessels for actual projects, this results in smooth execution of the work for our clients. Their whole team has been outstanding.”

Local service Referring to the local service that Damen will be providing MSMC, Damen Regional Sales Director Middle East Jeremy Elschot says: “We are very proud to support the latest three vessel contract with a 3-year Damen Support Programme, this includes a 24/7 support line with monthly visits to analyse vessel performance, train the crew and support the full life cycle of the vessels on the job.

“We would like to thank Murjan Al-Sharq Marine Contracting for their continuous support and trust in Damen Shipyards. We are very proud to work together locally in Saudi Arabia and look forward to a long term successful partnership.”

www.damen.com

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The power of innovation.

The project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 636146.

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Keppel secures substantial marine contracts Keppel Offshore & Marine Ltd (Keppel O&M) has through its wholly-owned subsidiaries, Keppel Singmarine Pte Ltd (Keppel Singmarine) and Keppel Shipyard Ltd (Keppel Shipyard), clinched contracts worth a combined value of about S$300 million for the design and construction of an ice-class LNG bunker vessel, refurbishment of a Floating Production Storage and Offloading vessel (FPSO), and 65 scrubber retrofit projects.

Mr Chris Ong, CEO, Keppel O&M, said, "These new contracts are testament to Keppel O&M's expertise in the building, upgrading and conversion of a wide range of vessels. They also extend our track record in refurbishment and modification projects, which are a core part of our business."

"Keppel O&M also stands ready with a suite of advanced and cost-effective solutions such as scrubber retrofits and LNG-fuelled vessels, as the International Maritime Organisation implements the 0.5% global sulphur cap on marine fuel from January 2020."

The first contract is by Keppel Singmarine with Shturman Koshelev LLC for the design and construction of an ice-class LNG bunker vessel. When completed in 4Q 2020, the vessel will be chartered to Gazpromneft Marine Bunker Ltd (Gazpromneft) for operations in the Baltic Sea. The contract complies with applicable sanctions.

To be built to the MTD 5800V LNG design, a proprietary design of Keppel O&M's ship design and development arm, Marine Technology Development (MTD), the vessel will have an Ice Class Arc 4 notation and a cargo capacity of 5800 m3.

This project leverages Keppel O&M's strong track record in ice-class vessels, experience in cryogenics, and comprehensive suite of solutions along the gas value chain. Keppel O&M has delivered 11 iceclass vessels to-date and is currently building LNG-fuelled vessels including South East Asia's first LNG bunkering vessel.

The second contract is by Keppel Shipyard with a leading global operator of floating production vessels for the fabrication of a new aft hull for an FPSO. Keppel Shipyard will be responsible for the design of the aft hull, procurement of equipment, as well as fabrication, outfitting, integration and commissioning work on board the existing FPSO. The installation will also include a new accommodation block which can accommodate up to 140 personnel.

Work on the FPSO, which has already arrived in the shipyard in preparation for the upgrade, is scheduled to commence in the first quarter of this year. Delivery of the FPSO is expected by the end of 2020.

Separately, Keppel Shipyard has recently secured a total of 65 contracts from a variety of customers for exhaust gas scrubber retrofit projects involving project management, integration design engineering, installation and retrofitting, as well as testing and commissioning works. It completed Singapore's first scrubber retrofit installation on a Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC) in July 2018, successfully delivering the project in under 30 days.

Keppel Shipyard has strong expertise in the cost-effective and quick turnaround of scrubber retrofit projects, reducing downtime and maximising savings for ship owners. This is achieved by embarking on design development with 3D scanning and detailed engineering, as well as fitting the complete scrubber and supporting systems in one prefabricated module, before the vessel comes into the yard for retrofitting. www.keppelom.com

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Aker Arctic delivers bronze propellers for ice operations Bronze has been the preferred material for open water and low ice class ship propellers for decades. Few years ago, Aker Arctic began investigating the possibility of using it also in high ice class vessels. In November last year, the first bronze propellers based on the new strength dimensioning criteria were installed on the Finnish ice class 1A ASD tug Calypso.

While bronze is not as strong as stainless steel, it has a number of benefits in marine applications such as good resistance against corrosion and cavitation damage. The material is also easy to work with both during manufacturing as well as when carrying out maintenance and repairs. Compared to a similarly-sized stainless steel propeller, a bronze screw is also cheaper.

A few years back, Aker Arctic began investigating the possibility of using bronze propellers in high ice class vessels in co-operation with the Finnish propeller manufacturer Tevo. The new propeller strength dimensioning criteria, which takes both the ice load and the material properties into account, was verified in full-scale ice trials with a prototype propeller during the winters of 2016 and 2017.

When the Finnish towage and salvage specialist Alfons Hükans decided to equip their ASD tug Calypsowith new propellers for icebreaking operations, the company opted for bronze propellers designed according to Aker Arctic’s new propeller strength dimensioning criteria. In the future, the ice class 1A vessel will be used to push a detachable icebreaking bow in Lake Saimaa. Calypso was drydocked at Western Shipyard in Teijo, Finland, late last year and is now operating with the bronze propellers designed and supplied by Aker Arctic. www.akeractic.fi

Steven Hoadley +44 (0) 7957566033

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Seismic vessels Oceanic Sirius and Oceanic Vega complete tandem drydocking at Damen Shiprepair Amsterdam Sister-ships Oceanic Sirius and Oceanic Vega have completed a roundthe-clock, 10-day maintenance programme at Damen Shiprepair Amsterdam (DSAm). For eight of those days the two 106-metre vessels were in the yard’s 250-metre drydock no.4 in a tandem arrangement, to maximise the efficient use of resources. The twin SX120 type seismic research vessels are state-of-the-art and owned by CGG Eidesvik Ship Management AS, a joint venture between Eidesvik Offshore and CGG. The builder was Ulstein Verft in Norway.

The primary reason for their visit to DSAm was to have a series of repairs and upgrades as well as their hulls cleaned and repainted. The repairs and upgrades included maintenance on the propeller nozzles of both vessels and, by tenting the area around the propellers, DSAm was able to undertake the work without interrupting or delaying the paintworks. This helped minimise valuable time spent at the yard. The two vessels departed DSAm on the 4th November last year.

The works were overseen by CGG Eidesvik Ship Management AS, a longstanding Damen client, on the basis that, when it comes to safety, quality and working hard around the clock, there is a high degree of consensus between CGG and Damen. Comments from the CGG Eidesvik team included: “The crew and staff members from Oceanic Vega and Oceanic Sirius were pleased with the mutual cooperation and impressed by the quick response on several repair items related to the seismic equipment on board. The safety level and culture were also up to both parties’ expectations and standards.”

Tjeerd Schulting, managing director of DSAm, added: “When riding a tandem, one is steering and one is working the pedals. Only excellent team work will bring you quickly and safely over the finishing line.” www.damen.com

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Damen signs with Gerd Stensen for Stan Tug 1606 Damen Shipyards Group recently signed a contract with Gerd Stensen AS from Norway for the delivery of a Damen Stan Tug 1606. The client will apply the new vessel to their dredging operations.

Gerd Stensen, like Damen, is a family company. Their dredging work includes but is not limited to the extraction of coral sand for the French agricultural industry. They have previously operated a Damen Stan Tug 1, still going strong after 36 years and recently sold to a vessel operator in the Baltics.

The order for the new Stan Tug 1606 came about when the client received a new contract for a dredging operation in the north of Norway. The tug will provide support to the dredging operation, manoeuvring a pontoon in the Norwegian fjords.

The contract required that Gerd Stensen was able to begin work quickly. Thanks to Damen’s practice of building standardised vessels for stock, the tug was quickly available.

Asgeir Stensen, one of the owners of Gerd Stensen AS visited Damen’s headquarters in Gorinchem, the Netherlands to see and try out the tug late September 2018. Satisfied with the vessels’ performance, they signed a letter of intent the same day.

Since then Damen has been putting the finishing touches to the tug and adapting it to the client’s needs. This has included fitting the vessel with a towing winch in order tow and manoeuvre the pontoon and an additional heating system to deal with the northern climate. Upon completion, the tug will be transported on the deck of a liner vessel from the Port of Rotterdam for delivery in Norway.

Damen Sales Manager Norway Eirik Eide said, “This is yet another example of how beneficial standardised stock building is for the maritime industry. Not only will the client receive a product that has proven itself in operations many times already, but the vessel is ready built for the fastest possibly delivery. In this way, Damen supports its clients of all sizes and all locations, throughout the world.” www.damen.com

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RUD VRBG load ring on plate for bolting

The RUD Chains VRBG can be loaded at 90° to the vertical with a full working load limit.

RUD Chains offers over 600 different tested and certified lifting and lashing points which cover a working load capacity range of 0.6 to 250 tonne. RUD’s lifting equipment is used across a wide range of working environments from Heavy Lifting, Engineering, Materials Handling, Offshore, Construction, Rail, MOD and many more.

The VRBG load ring on plate for bolting offers a range of advantages and lifting options for the user. Firstly it can be supplied with 4 bolts offering a working load capacity of 10-16 tonnes or it can be supplied with 6/8 bolts with an impressive working load capacity of 31.5-50 tonnes.

It can be loaded at 90° to the vertical with a full working load limit, the suspension ring pivots 180° and offers a safety factor of 4:1 in all load directions. The VRBG is operational from -20° to plus 350°.

RUD patented wear marking indicator helps highlight when the lifting equipment is no longer fit for service and needs to be replaced.

Therefore, offering an ultimate safety factor to the user.

The VRBG is easy to assemble and has 100% working load limit at 90° in the load ring plane. The minimum working load limit in all directions is clearly marked and the RUD bolts are available as spare parts.

The VRBG is typically used across heavy engineering, shipbuilding, turbine lifting, steel structure assemblies and in lifting and final positioning of new machinery.

RUD provide standard and tailored solutions to meet even the most demanding environments. Top quality products combined with technological innovations and experience make RUD a top choice for all your lifting requirements www.rud.co.uk

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University of Exeter deploys mooring rope at wave device

Last year, the University of Exeter deployed a new type of mooring rope at the Marmok-A-5 wave energy device, developed by Oceantec, at the BiMEP test site in the Bay of Biscay, Spain.

The elastomeric mooring tethers were developed and tested by renewable energy experts from the University of Exeter in the Dynamic Marine Component (DMaC) test facility, based at the Penryn Campus in Cornwall.

The two, 70 metre-long tethers have been installed as part of the wave device Marmok-A-5, which uses wave power to spin turbines that drive an associated electricity generator that can produce up to 30 kW. The deployment operation has been executed by Marine Contractor Core Marine under the supervision of OPERA partners Oceantec and Tecnalia.

This wave energy technology development has been supported by the European project OPERA (Open Sea Operating Experience to Reduce Wave Energy Cost), a multi cross European project supported by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme.

Professor Lars Johanning, principle investigator for the project and an expert in Ocean Technology from the University of Exeter’s Penryn Campus in Cornwall said: “This was a long way from an original design idea towards seeing the full scale tether being installed in this field demonstration project and I’m proud of the team effort that has made this a reality, and I am particular thankful to Dr David Parish the lead inventor.”

The tethers, manufactured by Lankhorst Euronete, based in Paredes in Portugal, are part of the next phase of field demonstration over a 12-month period, replacing two conventional polyester ropes in the shared mooring system.

The purpose of the second deployment will be to demonstrate that elastomeric mooring components can address cost and durability challenges for marine renewable energy moorings. https://emps.exeter.ac.uk/renewable-energy/facilities/dmac/

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Modulift spreader beam

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Navigation skids are self contained navaids that guide vessel traffic and helicopters operating in Dutch waters of the North Sea. A 6t capacity spreader beam has been claimed to be the linchpin in lifting navigation skids onto offshore structures.

Centre of gravity was a principle area of concern in each lift due to load dimensions. The MOD 6 spreader beam from Modulift combined with chain slings, wire rope slings, and attachment points that can rotate 360 degrees under load, to lift two 1.6t (1,600kg) skids from supply vessels onto each of three platforms. The same configuration also has been used to lift skids onto five other platforms last year and one offshore wind jacket in 2018. The base of the skids measure (approximately) 2m (6.6 ft.) by 2m and they stand 3m (9.8 ft.) high. They were lifted by crane onto the main deck where batteries were installed before being raised to the helideck and welded into place at predetermined positions.

Jansen Marine & Offshore Trading BV, of the Netherlands, delivered the scope of work to U.S.headquartered Tideland Signal. A number of oil and gas platforms will be abandoned in the years to come in the North Sea, before they are decommissioned. In the period between shutdown and abandonment and actual removal, they remain a hazard and need to be marked to avoid collisions. Since they do not have mains power after abandonment, Jansen Marine, in close cooperation with Tideland Signal Ltd, supplies skids that include marine lanterns, aviation obstruction lights, and fog signals; fog detectors; remote monitoring via satellite; and more.

Robin Jansen, managing director at Jansen Marine, explained that the skids are essentially autonomous mobile platforms. They come in all shapes and sizes but typically are used for temporary marking of an offshore structure, such as a platform, monopile, or jacket. The company supplies several types of skids, with a distinction between a unit with or without photovoltaic (PV) modules. Both types are fitted with batteries, but only the one with PV modules is capable of charging them. Skids without such modules are commonly used for periods up to half a year versus the year-round utilisation possible with the more advanced system.

Robin Jansen said: “The skids have a relatively large wind surface compared to their mass and they are not symmetrical. In particular the weight of the batteries moves the centre of gravity to the back of the skid.

Furthermore, in order to provide the strongest holding points for the lifting eyes, they are installed at the base of the skid. The large wind surface, the asymmetrical design, and the low position of the lifting eyes, can result in an unstable load during lifting. By making sure the centre of gravity is directly beneath the crane hook, the lift is as stable and safe as possible.� www.modulift.com

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New Tritex drone thickness gauge

Dorchester based, Tritex NDT have launched a new ultrasonic metal thickness gauge specifically designed for mounting onto drones for high level inspections. The gauge uses multiple echo to completely ignore coatings up to 20mm thick and the single crystal probe ensures accurate readings on curved surfaces, such as storage tanks and pipelines. Remaining metal thickness and corrosion levels can be quickly and more easily checked without the need for scaffolding or rope access.

The Multigauge 6000 Drone Thickness Gauge OEM transmits real time measurements wirelessly up to a distance of 500 metres using its integrated RF transmitter. The readings are displayed and stored on dedicated Communicator software within templates in a grid or string format.

The gauge weighs just 45 grams and the plastic probe weighs only 15 grams. “Keeping weight down to a minimum without losing performance has been essential,” says Jon Sharland, Sales Manager at Tritex NDT Ltd. “I believe we are leading the field in this new application. We have already had a number of successful installations over the past three years and now we are pleased to have the first commercially available dedicated drone thickness gauge, which has been developed in response to customer’s feedback and requirements.”

Dry couplant membranes reduce the weight further as couplant, and a means to deploy it, are not required. The Multigauge 6000 Drone Gauge is supplied as a complete kit for OEM installation onto drones. It accepts an input of 8Vdc – 35Vdc for complete versatility.

The probe has Intelligent Probe Recognition (IPR), which automatically adjusts settings in the gauge when connected, resulting in a perfectly matched probe and gauge for enhanced performance. Also, the Automatic Measurement Verification System (AMVS) used with multiple echo ensures only true measurements are displayed, even on the most heavily corroded metals.

Tritex NDT is a leading manufacturer of thickness gauges. All gauges are designed and manufactured in the United Kingdom and supplied as complete kits, ready to use, with a 3 year warranty and free annual calibration for the life of the gauge. www.tritexndt.com

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Marine-I supports Cornish ventures

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Marine-i is part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund and provides a collaborative project for the infrastructure, expertise and support to enable marine technology innovation in Cornwall and Isles of Scilly.

Last year they awarded a grant to Ultrabeam Hydrographic, a new company providing very high resolution hydrographic solutions for clients with marine-based assets such as bridge structures, quay walls and harbours, subsea pipelines and cables, offshore renewable energy installations and oil and gas platforms.

Developed by Ultrabeam, the Ultra-USV unmanned surface vessel (USV) is a 3m catamaran designed to gather fast, accurate and highly-detailed survey data in challenging locations. Believed to be the first of its kind, in addition to carrying a full suite of highend survey equipment, the compact USV is powered by four electric thrusters in a vectored thrust layout. This configuration enables it to make very precisely-controlled movements in any direction, in a manner similar to that of an aerial drone.

Marine-i's support will enable Ultrabeam to proceed with a fully-engineered prototype and extensive sea trials, with a view to bringing the Ultra-USV to market by the end of 2018.

Unmanned Survey Solutions' (USS) next generation USV, the Accession Class, has also been given the go-ahead thanks to backing from Marine-i's Marine Challenge Fund.

Cornwall-based USS has already introduced the Inception Class Mark 1 and Mark 2 vehicles to the shallow coastal and inland waters survey market. The Accession Class will be a robust autonomous multi-role USV with integrated airborne drone capabilities. The naval architect designed 4.5m vessel is intended for use in the offshore and renewables sectors and will be capable of longendurance operations in open ocean. It will work as a force multiplier with a mother vessel and will integrate increased payloads to enable launch and recovery of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV).

Applications for the Accession Class USV may include multibeam echo sounder seabed surveys and UAVbased turbine inspections in support of offshore wind farms, combined use of the USV and UAV capabilities for environmental mapping of inter-tidal areas and fisheries enforcement operations and marine mammal monitoring. www.marine-i.co.uk

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Picture courtesy of Fugro

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Fugro announces agreement with L3 ASV to develop Next-Generation Autonomy for commercial survey Fugro has signed a joint development agreement with L3 ASV, a leader in the field of unmanned and autonomous vessel technology, to create the next generation of autonomous vessels for the commercial survey market. The partnership brings together the expertise of both companies for the joint development of a variety of fit-for-purpose unmanned surface vessels (USVs).

Delivery of the first USV, designed for medium-to large-scale hydrographic survey applications, is scheduled for the second quarter of 2019.

“We believe that over time a significant portion of our marine business can be optimised through the use of autonomous and remote technology, and we are very excited that we have reached an agreement with L3 ASV,” said Wim Herijgers, Director Innovation Marine for Fugro. “This partnership aligns with our strategy to leverage technology to reduce offshore staff exposure and make our operations more efficient.”

“We are delighted to join forces with Fugro, combining our unmanned vessel expertise with their unrivalled global survey capability. This partnership will generate a wave of change throughout the entire survey industry, offering new ways to collect more data, more efficiently and safely,” said Vince Dobbin, Sales and Marketing Director at L3 ASV. Fugro is the world’s leading, independent provider of geo-intelligence and asset integrity solutions. The company acquires and analyses data on topography and the subsurface, soil composition, meteorological and environmental conditions, and provides related advice. With its geo-intelligence and asset integrity solutions Fugro supports the safe, efficient and sustainable development and operation of buildings, industrial facilities and infrastructure and the exploration and development of natural resources. www.asvglobal.com

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Ship surveying is being revolutionised by drone technology says ClassNK

As part of an on-going focus on safety in enclosed spaces, ClassNK describes how it has carried out detailed drone tests to revolutionize ship surveying. In spring this year, ClassNK introduced guidelines on the use of drones in class surveys as requirements for drone service suppliers.

Although drones with multiple propellers on the same plane are currently the most widespread design, research is taking place into alternative arrangements with tilt rotors and propellers in a tetrahedral configuration. Meanwhile, significant progress has been seen in autonomous operations using higher precision positioning, and considerable advances in machine image recognition and processing.

Typically equipped with a compact camera for photography or recording video and Wi-Fi for data transmission, drones have attracted interest from across industry: they are ideal for collecting images from high or otherwise inaccessible or dangerous locations. They can be utilized for a range of aerial photography, inspections and surveying, and security applications, and have proved invaluable in planning rescues and emergency response.

In the maritime industry, efforts are underway to use drones for inspections and surveys. In fact, discussions on Remote Inspection Techniques (RIT) are already well-advanced at the International Association of Classification Societies (IACS), which published revised guidelines on remote inspection techniques in June 2016. The revisions of the associated IACS Unified Requirements are complete and will take effect in January 2019.

Deploying drones on ships presents some significant challenges. The drone may not function properly in the cargo hold or ballast tank due to being in an enclosed space surrounded by magnetic material which may interfere with some of its sensors – particularly GPS and magnetic compass – that are tightly linked to flight stability. Dark environments can also make it difficult for operators to fly drones safely.

Last September, ClassNK designated ‘survey technology innovation’ as one of four focus areas listed in its new R&D Roadmap, with drones identified as a key technology.

The society has been verifying drone performance, with test flights conducted in a variety of enclosed spaces of the sort found on ships.

ASSESSING BASIC PERFORMANCE: A basic performance verification test was devised to demonstrate manoeuvring (take-off and landing, forward/reverse and lateral flight, reverse flight with 180-degree yaw) and to assess the capabilities of camera and sensors. The camera performance was tested with a Landolt ring chart – the kind of chart opticians use to test eyes – to evaluate definition of different line thicknesses from 0.1mm to 5mm, and a QR code. Differences in results were observed when the subject drone, a Phantom 3 Standard from DJI, was operating with and without GPS signal. Manoeuvrability tests in the vicinity of a powered-off crane to assess antimagnetic performance were also carried out.

The outdoor manoeuvring test took place in windy conditions, which significantly influenced the results. While fixed-point hovering was easier when using GPS, the gain was large causing the drone to over-compensate in its movements. In non-GPS mode, the gain was small and smooth manoeuvring was possible, but wind-thrust had a more marked effect on the drone.

In GPS mode, the drone immediately begins hovering when the operator removes his finger from the controller, whereas in non-GPS mode, inertial force continues to move it until a counter input is given. Consequently, non-GPS mode gives a manual feel to manoeuvring and it is possible that operators will find the drone easier to control. When the wind subsided in the trial, stable flight was possible regardless of GPS availability.

Indoors with no wind, stable flight was possible both with and without GPS. Since these results were obtained with a low-cost drone, it is conceivable that higher-end drones equipped with ultrasonic sensors and other advanced features will be even more stable.

Many images photographed with the camera were extremely clear. However, because this model lacked an optical zoom, enlarged images were often indistinct. Image sharpness distinctly improved when the drone was flown closer in to its target. In survey applications, optical zoom would be an essential requirement.

The tests in the material storage yard with a crane threw up some interesting results. The drone initially failed to take-off, with the system displaying a ‘compass abnormality’ error message. However, when launched from a more magnetically benign location, the drone was able to approach the crane without the issue. This suggests performance in the presence of magnetic structures must be carefully evaluated before a drone is deployed to carry out inspection work.

TESTS IN SIMULATED TANKS: To simulate conditions inside a ship’s tank, a drone was put through its paces in a land-based, steel test tower. The experiments, using a DJI Matrice100 drone, studied the impact on performance due to compass unreliability, intermittent or complete lack of GPS and poor lighting both for flight control and photography.

Take-off was possible when the drone was placed more than 50cm away from magnetic materials, i.e. the steel walls. There was no difference in attaining stable flight between GPS and non-GPS mode, revealing that drones are operable with only basic inputs from gyro and accelerometer. Piloting a drone that has relatively low control precision is a good way for operators to accumulate experience.

When flying near walls, there was a slight shaking in the drone motion, owing to the wind from the drone’s own propellers. To prevent collision with walls, it may be necessary to attach a guard or collision prevention device.

Images taken inside the tower were generally of low quality, due to a combination of poor light conditions, small camera sensor size, and inappropriate ISO settings.

Artificial light sources, both from ground level and mounted on the drone itself, resulted in improved images. When the photo subject contains highly polished or metallic surfaces, it will be necessary to experiment with different arrangements in order to produce diffused light that minimizes reflection. Night-vision cameras may also be considered as an option. It was also noted that videos transmitted from the camera were frequently corrupt on the receiving terminal such as a smartphone.

TESTS ONBOARD SHIPS: The final phase of the study was directed at testing the performance of drones inside a cargo hold of a bulk carrier and tank of an oil tanker and was carried out with the cooperation of Kanda Shipbuilding and Orient Marine in the first instance and Tsuneishi Shipbuilding and Technos Mihara in the second.

Drones used were the 4.5kg DJI Matrice 210 and the 3.5kg DJI Matrice 100.

On the bulk carrier, the trial took place with the hatch half open, providing an intermittent GPS signal and good daylight for photography, so additional lighting was not required. The flight route was based on the path of an actual internal audit. Because the Matrice 210 is an industrial grade drone with sophisticated machine-vision based self-localization, its flight was stable regardless of GPS availability.

Photography was carried out at a distance of 5m, as the drone itself is almost 1m wide. The high-quality camera benefited from both optical and digital zoom. Zoom photography is generally sensitive to vibration or movement, but good results were obtained thanks to the drone’s high stability when hovering at a fixed point.

However, at higher altitudes the downward facing vision system found it harder to capture landmarks on the hold’s uniform ground surface. This inhibited the selfstabilization, especially when GPS was unavailable. In such conditions, manual flight by the operator is preferable.

At one point during the trials both GPS and the vision system did not function at the instant that a compass error occurred. Although the drone drifted, the operator, who had more than 500 hours flight experience responded calmly and kept the flight stable. The exercise demonstrated that safe flight in a hold is possible but highlights the importance of having a skilled operator and choosing a drone with high redundancy for magnetic materials. Furthermore, as the size of Matrice 210 prohibited flight in close proximity to members, there will inevitably be blind spots in surveys with this type of drone.

On the oil tanker, as with the bulk carrier, the flight path was selected according to locations for photography needed in an actual close-up survey. The pilot worked together with an assistant in charge of the camera. A third surveyor checked the images as they came in, requested close-ups when needed, and signalled when to move to the next location. Additional illumination was provided by lights mounted on the drone.

Fixed-point hovering was difficult because flight was performed in non-GPS mode. The resulting movement caused blurring in photos of members and made pinpoint checks somewhat stressful. This degradation in image quality was exacerbated in zoom photography. During close-up photography, results were heavily dependent on the operational skill of the drone pilot, especially when flying close to walls or other structures. The pilots in these tests had at least 100 flying hours experience.

Compass error occurred and prevented take-off when attempting to fly the Matrice 100 after an extended period of time. Although it is hard to draw definitive conclusions about the effect of magnetic materials, it is thought that the accumulation of error due to the presence of magnetic materials was a factor.

The procedures and best practice given in ClassNK’s guidelines combine the understanding of drone performance gained in these and other trials with its decades of experience conducting class surveys. The society will continue to actively work with innovative technologies like drones and will continue to make efforts to contribute to the further development of the maritime industry. www.classnk.or.jp

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Tracking tropical cyclones to improve risk assessment HR Wallingford’s cyclone tool improves the assessment of tropical storm risk at specific locations.

Although cyclone seasons are well-known, being able to predict precisely where and how severely these storms are likely to affect a particular location is much harder to calculate.

Cyclones are erratic weather phenomena, and the historical data available is often not sufficiently detailed to be able to base future predictions on. This is especially true in parts of the world where the recordkeeping of tropical storms is relatively recent. But what if you could access information on thousands of years of cyclones? HR Wallingford scientists have developed a method to expand the dataset for specific sites, allowing for much more precise modelling of likely future cyclone events.

A tropical cyclone is an intense circular storm that originates over warm tropical oceans and is fuelled by water with a temperature above 26.5°C. The characteristic and damaging features of tropical storms, are low atmospheric pressure with high winds and heavy rain, resulting in large waves and destructive surges at coasts.

Low pressure at the centre of the cyclone causes the sea level to bulge, and strong cyclone winds push the water ahead. Sites with a wide continental shelf experience a larger surge than those with a narrow shelf. Shallow water and constrictions such as estuaries and bays also enhance the wind-driven surge. But the effects can be very localised. Only specific cyclone tracks cause a significant surge, and calculating wind fields is crucial for accurate wave prediction.

Dr Stephen Grey, Principal Marine Scientist in the Coasts and Oceans Group at HR Wallingford, said: “Our aim was to find a way to improve the methodology for predicting the occurrence of severe tropical storms at a given location. Having identified

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sources of historical cyclone track data, we set out to develop tools to extract, analyse and quality control this data. We then investigated methods to simulate cyclone wind fields, and to investigate and validate the modelling of cyclone induced surge and waves.”

Cyclones were modelled using TELEMAC-2D and SWAN open-source software to predict surge and wave conditions at the site for each cyclone.

Watch an animation of cyclone modelling at: https://youtu.be/wpiX3Qzu6bo Dr Ye Liu, Principal Statistician in HR Wallingford’s Flood and Water Management Group, explained: “One of the main challenges we face when modelling cyclone prediction is a lack of data because the historic cyclone tracks for which data are available are often too few. We needed to devise a method to create synthetic cyclone tracks to increase the number of events from which to predict extreme conditions.

Crucially, the simulated tracks had to be realistic and statistically valid, but they also needed to include rare but possible events like Cyclone Gonu which occurred in the Gulf of Oman and headed towards Iran, where these types of storm are virtually unheard of.”

Dr Grey added: “This new Probabilistic Cyclone Modelling Tool which uses statistical methods, in combination with surge and wave modelling, will improve the assessment of cyclone risk at specific locations. This can then be used to inform the design of coastal infrastructure such as seawalls and breakwaters to match the conditions of a specific site, and thus avoid the danger of either under or overdesign which can be equally risky and costly.”

A paper - ‘A probabilistic approach to tropical cyclone modelling’ – will be presented at the Conference on Ocean, Offshore and Arctic Engineering (OMAE) in Glasgow, Scotland, in June 2019. www.hrwallingford.com

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New training facility opens in Barrow-in-Furness, UK A new £25m submarine training facility has recently opened in the UK to help train engineers to design, build and delivery complex submarine programmes.

The facility is 89,340 sq ft Academy for Skills and Knowledge and is based in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria. It contains a virtual reality training suite and scale-model sized submarine units, as well as 10 workshops and 30 classrooms, to deliver bespoke training to almost 9,000 employees, including nearly 800 apprentices.

Cliff Robson, managing director of BAE Systems Submarines, said: “This is a fantastic facility that will provide a unique environment in which to train our growing workforce.

“Our investment in skills will not only ensure we have a pipeline of worldclass talent available to deliver our complex programmes, but will also positively contribute to the economic prosperity of the region and the UK’s engineering industry.”

Training comprises mechanical and electrical skills in the facility’s workshops to design and project management in its classrooms.

Resources such as the virtual reality training suite will allow employees to hone their skills in a simulated environment, before working on the real product.

UK Secretary of State for Defence, Gavin Williamson officially opened the centre and announced the award of a further £400m to BAE Systems for ongoing work on the Dreadnought programme, as well as the name of the second boat in the class, which will be HMS Valiant. www.baesystems.com

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Damen’s first Fishing Seminar success as new leasing fund welcomed by South African fishing community Damen’s first Fishing Seminar, held in Cape Town, was heralded a great success, with more than 60 participants attending from a broad cross-section of the industry, including the five major South African fishing companies.

Jeremy Marillier, Executive Director of FishSA, the representative of all the main industry associations in South Africa, commented: “The event was a good opportunity for different stakeholders from various sides of the industry to come together - to engage, listen and understand the current operating environment and various push and pull factors such as the cost of doing business, etc. It was a very informative day.” He added that the fishing industry would welcome more information days like these.

Supporting owners

The Fishing Seminar, held on November 22 at Damen Shipyards Cape Town, was also chosen to launch Damen’s new fund, ‘Africa Ship Leasing’. Benny Bhali, Sales and Marketing Executive at Damen Shipyards Cape Town emphasised: “Damen wants to show how it can support the fishing community, both in terms of maintaining the existing fleet and also through the fund, which can help them develop their fleet and potentially replace ageing vessels. I think the fishing industry appreciated our efforts.”

It is worth noting that clearly these issues are of interest in other parts of southern Africa as companies from Namibia and Mozambique also attended, he pointed out. Participants also had a tour of Damen Shipyards Cape Town to highlight the advantages of building vessels ‘in Africa for Africa’.

Mr Bhali said: “We can show shipowners what is possible and how we can help them grow their business. Although fishing companies are awarded their quotas, it is not always easy for them to get local financing for investments in their fleet, so the Damen Fund enables them to tap into the international financing market.”

Creative solutions

“The South African government has some important initiatives to help develop the fleet but it won’t be able to achieve its ambitions on its own”, emphasised Mr Bhali. “But by working in partnership with industry and government we can provide creative solutions to move the market forward. Ultimately, I think we have started a conversation with the key players.”

Africa Ship Leasing

Damen has delivered more than 1,200 vessels to customers in Africa over the years. Africa Ship Leasing was established in May 2018 and is already assisting owners in both Nigeria and Angola. Each lease agreement is tailormade. The customer begins by chartering the vessel for a certain number of years, while at the same time repaying the loan and the applicable interest. They then have the option to purchase the vessel during the tenor of the agreement and the obligation after the repayment period. www.damen.com

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The next generation of Singapore Port Operators

PSA Corporation and Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to develop talent and support the growth of the port industry.

According to a statement from PSA, the agreement is expected to cultivate a new generation of Data Science, Info-comms and Engineering professionals for Singapore’s future port in Tuas.

Tuas Port, which is currently undergoing a US$1.1 billion development, will harness big data and automation technologies to boost terminal productivity and service quality.

In order to build the required competencies, for managing the complex ecosystems in Tuas Port, PSA will offer port-related content to the SUTD curriculum, advancing students’ knowledge of the smart technologies and systems currently being used and developed for port operations.

Dr Zhou Chenhao, National University of Singapore, explores digital twin technology in a recent Port Technology technical paper PSA will also work with SUTD to build a “talent pipeline”, supporting PSA’s extensive network of ICT infrastructure and maintaining the efficiency of port operations.

In addition to this, PSA will provide internships to selected SUTD students, enabling them to apply engineering principles and knowledge of data science to modern port operations and equipment.

Ong Kim Pong, Regional CEO Southeast Asia, PSA International, said: “PSA has adapted quickly to embark on a journey of embracing evolving technologies including digitalization, complex designs, and total system thinking efforts that are motivating the rapid changes in the maritime industry.

“Jobs are being redesigned, and we are building the competencies needed to reinforce our digital readiness. PSA values SUTD’s strength in combining design thinking and technology, and nurturing technically-grounded innovators.Professor Chong Tow Chong, SUTD President, also commented: “SUTD’s strategic partnership with PSA will not only offer our students valuable hands-on experience in the actual global port environment, but also encourage the free flow of information, ideas and innovation between both organisations.”

“Together, we look forward to forging new frontiers for the maritime sector and innovate new processes that are applicable to the industry’s needs.”

“This timely partnership allows both parties to capitalise on each other’s strengths and PSA is pleased to provide SUTD students with opportunities for practical industry experience and the chance to pursue exciting careers in PSA.” www.singaporepsa.com

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Students from Singapore win Maritime RobotX Challenge 15 teams from three continents met on the beaches of Honolulu, Hawaii, towards the end of last year for the 2018 Maritime RobotX Challenge. National University of Singapore took this year’s top prize, while Australia’s Queensland University of Technology and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University placed second and third respectively.

Using a common boat platform called the Wave Adaptive Modular Vessel (WAM-V) surface craft, all teams had to outfit their vessel with propulsion, sensor and control systems. These systems must be programmed to recognize and compute various data, to help the WAM-V make decisions autonomously as it traverses a course of seven increasingly difficult, maritime-related tasks. The vessels also have to deal with environmental issues like wind, rain and sun glare.

The vessels—without human or computer interaction—had to demonstrate navigation and control; obstacle avoidance; location and sequence; identification and docking; detection and delivery; underwater recovery; and situational awareness. Teams also needed to create a website and video, write a technical design paper outlining their work and give a presentation.

Each task tested students’ mechanical, electrical, computer and systems engineering skills—as well as their presentation prowess and teamwork—while competing for cash prizes totaling nearly $100,000 (which go directly to the school, usually to a robotic club or program).

U.S. teams included: Florida Atlantic University; Georgia Institute of Technology, Old Dominion University, University of Florida, University of Hawaii at Manoa and University of Michigan. International teams included: Australia’s University of Newcastle and University of Sydney, China’s Harbin Engineering University, Japan’s Osaka Prefecture University, Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University and Taiwan’s National Chiao Tung University.

The week-long biennial autonomous maritime system competition is cosponsored by the Office of Naval Research (ONR), the Association of Unmanned Vehicles International Foundation and NAVATEK, a Hawaii-based company that designs ships, small crafts and other amphibious vehicles. www.robotx.org

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OFFSHORE WIND

EVOLUTION IN ACTION FAST F AST CREW SUPPLIER 2710

THE TWIN AXE IS BACK! AND THIS TIME IT’S BIGGER T H A N E V E R . T H E N E W F C S 2 7 1 0 F E AT U R E S I N C R E A S E D C O M F O R T, F L E X I B I L I T Y, D E C K S P A C E A N D A C C O M M O D AT I O N . A N D , W I T H A N E X T R A M E T R E IN HEIGHT FOR IMPROVED SEAKEEPING, THIS SEA AXE I S T R U LY A C H O P P E R S U I T E D T O C H O P P Y S E A S .

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Rembrandt Navigation Simulator System installed at marine investigation agency In November last year, the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board’s (NTSB) Office of Marine Safety (OMS) installed BMT’s fully certified Rembrandt navigation simulator system.

Dr. Phil Thompson, Director of Simulation and Training Products at BMT commented: “There is a growing momentum and awareness in statutory bodies worldwide, as well as other maritime stakeholders, of the value of digital evidence generation in automatic scene reconstruction and forensic analysis. One of the many capabilities of Rembrandt includes its ability to automatically read VDR and AIS to deliver a high-fidelity 3D reconstruction.

“Rembrandt also allows the user to switch seamlessly from its scene reconstruction mode into full manoeuvring simulator mode, taking full control at any time within the reconstruction replay to explore a range of alternative ‘what if’ scenarios - a key enabler for targeted training, forensic analysis and reflective learning.”

Other statutory marine agencies that have recently adopted BMT’s Rembrandt simulator system in-house include the UK’s Marine Accident Investigation Branch, the Australian Transport Safety Board and the Dutch Safety Board. Additionally, the Rembrandt software is used by a large number of international maritime stakeholders for applications ranging from the onboard training of deck officers, port navigational risk assessments, pilot training, planning complex manoeuvres and Ship to Ship transfers.

The U.S. NTSB is an independent federal agency charged with investigating major marine accidents on or under the navigable waters, internal waters, or the territorial waters of the U.S. and accidents involving U.S. flagged vessels worldwide. The NTSB seeks to determine the probable cause and identify safety recommendations which will prevent similar events in the future, and also investigates accidents involving U.S. public vessels and non-public vessels, and accidents that may involve the United States Coast Guards’ marine safety functions. www.bmt.org

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Simec Atlantis Energy has completed the redeployment of two 1.5MW turbines at the MeyGen tidal energy project in Scotland.

The turbines were retrieved for modification work following initial operations, and now all four turbines have been reconnected to the grid.

Since reinstallation of these turbines the project has exceeded 10,000MWh of cumulative generation.

Drew Blaxland, director of Atlantis Turbines and Engineering Services Division, said: “Yet again, we have demonstrated that we can work in all weather conditions, deploying turbines quickly and most importantly, safely. I am immensely proud of our team, our operational partners and the crew onboard the

Atlantis redeploys two turbines at MeyGen

Seabed Stingray. “ Tim Cornelius, CEO of SIMEC Atlantis, commented: “Drew and his team have demonstrated time and time again that turbine operations can be conducted safely at all times of the year. In my opinion, they are the world’s leading tidal energy offshore construction team and the advances they have made in subsea intervention technology and methodologies will contribute significantly to the steep cost reductions we expect to see in the next phase of tidal arrays to be built in the UK, France, Canada and Asia.” www.simecatlantis.com

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U.S. Navy’s third Zumwalt Destroyer launched

The third and final vessel in the U.S. Navy Zumwaltclass stealth destroyer program was launched Sunday at the General Dynamics Bath Iron Works shipyard in Bath, Maine.

Like the two other ships in the class, the launching of the future USS Lyndon B. Johnson was actually a multi-day process that included moving the ship from the onland facility to the dry dock, which was then slowly flooded. With the ship now in the water, final outfitting and production can commence.

“It’s important for the DDG 1000 program and shipyard to reach this major milestone,” said Capt. Kevin Smith, DDG 1000 program manager, Program Executive Office (PEO) Ships. “With the first two ships of the class underway, we are excited to continue the next phase of construction of the future Lyndon B. Johnson.”

Zumwalt-class destroyers feature state-of-the-art electric propulsion, a tumblehome hull, and a stealth design. They are also equipped with the most advanced warfighting technology and weaponry, making them capable of performing a range of deterrence, power projection, sea control, and command and control missions.

The future Lyndon B. Johnson is the third and final DDG 1000 Zumwalt-class ship, and it is scheduled to be christened in the spring this year. The first ship in the class, USS Zumwalt, was commissioned in October 2016.

The second ship, USS Michael Monsoor, was christened in June 2016 and is set for commissioning this year.

Each ship in the class displaces 15,995 metric tons and measures 610-feet long and 80.7-feet in beam. The vessels have top speed of 30 knots and crew of 175.

“The crew of Lyndon B. Johnson looks forward to bringing this great warship honouring our 36th President to life, and we’re proud to have the opportunity to be present for this important step in the ship’s construction,” said Capt.

Jeremy Gray, prospective commanding officer, DDG 1002. “It is truly impressive to see the ship afloat in the Kennebec River for the first time and we look forward to taking her to sea.”

As one of the Defence Department’s largest acquisition organizations, PEO Ships is responsible for executing the development and procurement of all destroyers, amphibious ships, special mission and support ships, and special warfare craft. www.gdbiw.com

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