Marine & Maritime Gazette January 2020

MARINE & MARITIME

GAZETTE Commercial Marine & Renewables Worldwide

ISSUE 59

JANUARY 2020

INSIDE: 6

14

22

I Lengthened from 20m to 23.3m

ICENI REVENGE 23m CTV

I 20,000 litres of fuel storage

RECYCLED & REPURPOSED

I 30,000 kg cargo capacity

FROM DONOR VESSEL

I 24m2 bow deck, 63m2 aft deck

I New galley and re-designed passenger saloon I 12 x High Speed Code Annex 10 Seats

I Twin MAN V12-1400 & Hamilton 651 Jets I 30 knot sprint speeds

I 25 knots at 85% engine load

P I L O T B O AT S F O R T H E M O S T

W O R K B O AT

EXTREME CONDITIONS

D E S I G N , B U I L D, R E F I T & R E PA I R

Composite pilot boats from 10m to 18m, developed in

conjunction with Peter Eyre, the designer of the Royal

National Lifeboat Institution’s latest All Weather lifeboat,

the Shannon Class.Price: The designs are from the same family ÂŁ110,000

of hull forms.

Call for details & inspection

T 01983 300656

I Skilled engineering teams (mechanical & systems) I Machine shop for quick component manufacture I Time served boatbuilders & outfitters

I Refits & repairs for all sectors on time/on budget

I Blasting/painting/vinyl wrapping application & support I Electrical & electronic design/installation/repairs

www.diversemarine.co.uk

I N T R O D U C T I O N

&

W E L C O M E

3

Will the New Year bring new challenges for the maritime sector?

Are we all optimistic for 2020?

Welcome to the January 2020 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 2020 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 Gazette would like to wish you all the rine & Renewabl es Worldwide 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

Arthur Peaches - Editor

www.marineandmaritimegazette.com

ISSUE 59 JANUARY 202 0

INSIDE: 6

14

@MandMGazette

22

Editor

C O N T E N T S

4

Cover story Accurate and reliable ultrasonic thickness gauges from Cygnus Instruments.

&

C O N T A C T S

New appointment at Walker Marine

Walker Marine Design (WMD), has announced the appointment of Naval Architect, Gareth Gallagher, as part of its expansion following new contract wins.

p19 Damen CEO A new CEO and a re-structure to start the year at Damen Shipyards.

p7 Meercat refit Meercat boats selected to refit BAE Systems dive support vessel operating at Portsmouth Naval Base.

Renowned for its innovative approach to designing primarily commercial craft, WMD has recently unveiled its new designs for an innovative crew transfer vessel, short-sea workboat, state-of-the-art houseboat, and an aquaculture vessel for many leading commercial marine operators globally.

Gareth Gallagher trained and qualified as a Naval Architect at Southampton Solent University, holding a BEng (Hons) in Yacht Design and Production, receiving first class honours. In his spare time, Gareth enjoys sailing and all things sea-based.

Gareth joins the talented team at WMD, comprising MD and Principal Naval Architect James Walker, who won the European Commercial Marine Award’s highly coveted Maritime Professional of the Year award in 2018, Nikki Walker, Business Development Director, and Alec MacLean, Naval Architect, who joined the firm in 2016.

WMD’s recent builds include a 14-metre firefighting vessel which has now been delivered

p21 Sonardyne Loch Ness Sonardyne proves new long-endurance navigation capabilities in Loch Ness, Scotland.

p34

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

PUBLISHING COMPANY BL Journals, 3 Biddenden Way, Istead Rise, Gravesend, Kent DA13 9DE Tel 01322 352648 Email info@bljournals.plus.com @MandMGazette

Although every effort is made assure the accuracy of the content of this magazine, Marine & Maritime Gazette and it’s Publishers can accept no responsibility for such.

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

www.marineandmaritimegazette.com

BL JOURNALS

to South America, and Mainprize Offshore’s new 24-metre semi-SWATH CTV operating in Germany, and Guernsey Harbours’ new Meercat 15-metre multirole workboat.

WMD’s in-builds include a 24-metre Aquaculture Vessel destined for Malta and a 24-metre semi-SWATH CTV destined for European wind farm operations.

New contract wins include Metalcraft Marine Inc. (MCM) for the first of a line of specialist, new firefighting and pilot vessels, for Kuwait oil fields, being high-speed catamarans capable of delivering a multitude of duties including; vessel escort, humanitarian and disaster relief, casualty evacuation and fire-fighting.

James Walker, Principal Naval Architect of WMD comments: “We are delighted that Gareth has joined our team and we are looking forward to another exciting year ahead for our business.”

Headquartered in Southampton, UK, WMD’s vessel designs span pilot boats, workboats, research & survey ships, wind farm service vessels, through to specialist craft for high speed patrolling and for search and rescue operations. WMD designed craft are in active service globally, operating as far afield as South America, UK, central Europe and Asia. www.walkermarinedesign.co.uk

@MandMGazette

P O R T

&

Q U A Y S I D E

N E W S

5

Dredging completed at Liepaja Port The essential dredging works for the continued improvement of Liepaja Port, Latvia, have been carried out by Jan De Nul Group and completed ahead of schedule.

In order to allow larger vessels to enter and leave the port of Liepaja fully loaded, the access channel to the port needed to be adapted. As part of the Liepaja Port Water Infrastructure Works, Jan De Nul Group was awarded the dredging works.

The scope for Jan De Nul Group entailed the removal of 2.7 million m³ of sediment to deepen the port access channel from 12.5m to 14.5m, and create a new navigation channel of 14m towards one of the main bulk terminals within the port.

Jan De Nul Group faced challenging weather and soil conditions during the execution of the project. Liepaja is one of the three major ports in Latvia, located along the west coast. It is known for the cold temperatures in winter and adverse weather conditions in general.

The huge challenge for the dredging vessels were the high waves that regularly hit the Baltic Sea area, especially during winter. These strong winds obviously had a large impact on the project planning.

For the dredging works, the self-propelled Cutter Suction Dredger Fernão de Magalhães, assisted by three Split Hopper Barges, was specifically chosen because of the heterogenous material in the Baltic Sea. The Fernão de Magalhães had to remove very difficult glacial sediments of sand, clay, stone, and large boulders.

Despite these challenging weather and soil conditions, the project was delivered ahead of schedule in less than 9 months. www.jandenul.com

EESTABLISHED, STABLISHED, INDEP INDEPENDENT, ENDENT, PPROFESSIONAL ROFESSIONAL Everard are a forward thinking marine insurance brokerr, offering comprehensive, cost effective insurance packages for the shipping industry.

Specialising in every aspect of marine insurance for over 40 years, we pride ourselves on our professional and independent advice and in-house claims service 24/7.

For more information please get in touch with Gareth Evans or Justyn Lemar.

E: gareth.evans@everardinsurance.co.uk | T: 01732 224 681 E: justyn.lemar@everardinsurance.co.uk | T: 01732 224 698

everardinsurance.com Everard Insurance Brokers is a trading name of James Hallam Limited who are Authorised and Regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority – 134435

www.marineandmaritimegazette.com

@MandMGazette

6

P O R T

&

Q U A Y S I D E

Large rise in sale of lowsulphur bunker oil at Port of Rotterdam

Abu Dhabi Ports spend on Khalifa’s expansion Khalifa Port, part of Abu Dhabi Ports, is set for further expansion including a planned investment of $1.8 billion (USD).

“With this capacity expansion project in place, Khalifa Port will see its container handling capacity jump from current 5 million to 7.5 million TEUs, which sets it firmly on the path towards its 9 million TEU milestone over the next five years,” commented the port operator.

The South Quay development which is scheduled to complete by first quarter of 2021 is composed of a three km quay-wall with 18.5 metres along-side draft for general cargo, ro-ro and bulk usage. It will also include eight berths, and 1.3 million square metres of terminal yard.

The Khalifa Logistics expansion, for multi-purpose usage, will encompass a 3.1km quay wall with 8-metre draft, 15 berths, and land plots.

The expansion at will include an extension of the quay from 1,400 to 2,265 metres and an addition of 10 new ship-to-shore quay cranes - doubling ADT’s handling capacity from 2.5 million to 5 million TEUs. The new investment will also include technological advancements, such as fully automated truck loading and discharge.

Furthermore, after one year CSP Abu Dhabi Terminal has shifted from its trial operation phase to being commercially fully operational.

The terminal at Khalifa Port was inaugurated in December last year by COSCO Shipping Ports and Abu Dhabi Ports as the regional hub for their global network of 36 ports as part of China’s Belt and Road Initiative.

The deep-water, semi-automated container terminal is the result of the 35-year agreement between Abu Dhabi Ports and CSP. “Khalifa Port continues to expand and innovate to meet the diverse needs of our business partners, while driving forward the UAE’s economy and its strategic partnership with China, its largest non-oil trading partner. The volumes of cargo that we will move over the coming decades will serve as testament to the farsighted vision of Abu Dhabi’s leadership. Khalifa Port is not only a global maritime hub but also an important contributor to the connectivity of China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), ” commented Captain Mohamed Juma Al Shamisi, Group CEO of Abu Dhabi Ports.

At the start of June 2019, Khalifa Port became the first GCC port capable of receiving calls from fully-laden Capesize vessels at its quay. The milestone itself was inaugurated with the arrival of the Cape Taweelah coming from the Republic of Guinea carrying a shipment of bauxite ore destined for Emirates Global Aluminium’s (EGA) Al Taweelah alumina refinery.

In order for Khalifa Port to accommodate Capesize vessels, the facility’s approaches were deepened from 16.5 to 18.5 metres and widened from 250 to 280 metres.

www.marineandmaritimegazette.com

N E W S

The Port of Rotterdam, Europe’s largest bunker port, has seen a recognisable rise in the sale of the new very low sulphur fuel bunker oil (VLSFO) with a maximum 0.5% sulphur.

The port authority said that half of all November bunker sales last year were for VLSFO (data from its new TimeToBunker App).

This data shows a major rise from VLSFO sales in September this year which stood at 1,700 tonnes, to October and November which hit 32,000 tonnes and 95,000 tonnes respectively.

“This means that the VLSFO percentage within total fuel oil sales grew from 1.8% in September to 51.6% in November,” a spokesperson said.

Ronald Backers, the port authority’s bunkering expert, suspects that this trend is representative for all bunker sales in Rotterdam.

“The TimeToBunker App has been used since February and is a huge success. Over a third of all bunkering notifications run via the app. I see no reason to assume that companies that still make standard bunkering notifications have completely different clients with completely different fuel oil purchasing behaviour,” he commented.

The trend is believed to be linked to the preparations for the compliance with the 2020 sulphur cap, which will mandate the reduction of sulphur content in marine fuel oils from 3.5 % to 0.5 % on the world’s oceans.

@MandMGazette

I N D U S T R Y

&

A S S O C I A T I O N

N E W S

7

Active- RTE and Passive Radar Reflectors ECHOMAX ACTIVE-XS dual band RTE with multiple visual and audible alarm functions and now with optional waterproof control box for RIBS or exposed mounting - Meets ISO 8729-2 - NATO stock No 5741-99269-3512 - Our Actice RTE have been fitted to the Clipper Around the World Yachts for the last 5 years.

Active XS, EM230 and EM230i were all mandatory fits on the 2018 Golden Globe Race Yachts.

New Year - New

CEO and structure

for Damen

As of 1st this month, Arnout Damen became the new CEO of Damen Shipyards Group. At the same time, the shipbuilding company is switching to a divisional structure to serve the market more effectively and efficiently.

Arnout Damen takes over from René Berkvens, who has been the CEO of Damen Shipyards Group for more than thirteen years. "We are extremely indebted to René for his commitment as our company's top executive," said Kommer Damen. “Under his leadership, Damen has grown into a globally operating, leading player. We are therefore pleased that he continues to use his knowledge, network and experience for the company in preparation for his accession to the Supervisory Board."

Arnout Damen has been preparing for the move to CEO for many years. Over the past nine years he has been a member of the group’s Executive Board, responsible for operations and commercial affairs.

In his new position as CEO, his first priority is the further implementation of the divisional structure. “Preparations for this have been going on for several months." explains Arnout.

“Damen is known as an innovative and dynamic company that works very closely with its clients. We would like to maintain this. With the growth of recent years, the switch to a divisional structure has become logical to remain close to the various markets and to further expand our leading position in the fields of quality, digitalisation and sustainability. ” In his position as Chief Commercial Officer, Arnout Damen has been succeeded from the start of the year by Jan-Wim Dekker. www.damen.com

www.marineandmaritimegazette.com

ECHOMAX EM230/230BR Ships Wheel Mark passive radar reflector for Life Boats and Rescue Craft - Meets ISO 8729-1997 - Module B and D certificates available upon request.

Available in white, orange, yellow, red, green etc. NATO stock number 5840-99-742-6193.

ECHOMAX EMAO3I Inflatable radar reflector for liferafts - Certified to Schedule 4, Part 4, Paragraph 1.1.14 of Merchant Shipping (life saving appliances Regulations 1986 - chapter III, Regulation 38.5.1.14 of the 1983 (SOLAS) 1974). Suitable for stowage in liferaft emergency packs up to 36m above sea level as required by IMO Notice M.1485, 1991 - Certificate no.

QQ-TAN-04/3-01.

EM325

EM325

EM230 Basemount

EM230 Basemount

All our passive-reflectors are also now available in red and green. The base mounted EM230BM and EM325 with responses up to 86M2 and optional fittings for Sealite or Carmanah lanterns are ideally suited for pedestal or buoy mounted land or sea hazards

We are proud that all Echomax products are designed and manufactured in the UK and 60% of our business is export.

echomaxsales@aol.com www.echomax.co.uk @MandMGazette

I N D U S T R Y

8

F O C U S

Seventy years of

business at Damen

Shiprepair Oranjewerf

Damen Shiprepair Oranjewerf is celebrating 70 years of delivering repair, maintenance, conversion and refit services to the maritime industry. Short turnaround times, a wealth of knowledge from its personnel and a dedicated focus on clients’ needs have been the key characteristics of the yard’s modus operandi over the last seven decades. Oranjewerf’s location – just north of Amsterdam and close to the Amsterdam-Rhine Canal and the North Sea Canal – is also a significant factor in its success; this has earned it a respected position serving both the inland and seagoing shipping sectors.

Throughout Damen Shiprepair Oranjewerf’s long history, the yard’s services have remained very much unchanged. Founded in 1949 by a consortium of local shipping companies and shipyards, the yard’s major aim was to offer repair services to inland and coastal vessels. Now, 70 years later and part of the Damen Shipyards Group since 1989, Damen Shiprepair Oranjewerf is able draw upon that vast amount of experience to continue its work for numerous maritime markets. A look at the yard’s current workforce illustrates this continuity of skills; some of the team have worked there for more than 20 years, one of them for 40 years.

The inland cruise sector is particularly important for Damen Shiprepair Oranjewerf. Every year, for example, some 2,400 inland cruise vessels visit the city of Amsterdam. “About 25 to 30 of these come to us and Damen Shiprepair Amsterdam for some sort of docking,” says Jeen van der Werf, sales manager at the yard. The common factor required by these clients is a quick turnaround, something that Damen Shiprepair Oranjewerf can reduce to less than six hours.

“This is our speciality – inland cruise vessel operators can drop passengers off at nine in the morning for a nice day exploring Amsterdam, and then be in our drydock at ten o’clock. We make sure that the work is done in time so that the vessel can pick up the passengers at three in the afternoon.”

Damen Shiprepair Oranjewerf still works with inland cruise vessels in the offpeak season, but then this is typically for more lengthy jobs such as special surveys or more intense maintenance tasks. For all its work, the yard utilises one dry-dock (135 x 23 metres, with a 6,000 tonne capacity) and one slipway (100 x 11 metres, 1,500 tonne capacity). These are occupied 95% of the time.

Joining the Damen Shipyards Group 30 years ago saw Damen Shiprepair Oranjewerf increase its coverage to more maritime sectors. Today, this most notably includes clients from the offshore industry, with ships operating out of IJmuiden and Den Helder, in addition to vessels working in the dredging and cargo sectors.

Mr Van der Werf continues by pointing out that the yard’s location is not the only reason that clients repeatedly come to Damen Shiprepair Oranjewerf.

“They also love how we work – we have just four people in management so our lines of communication are inherently short.”

“While it is possible to offer clients a docking position at another yard in the Damen Shipyards Group, they are mostly happy wait until the dock is available again. This is because we have excellent relationships with our clients. They know we work, and they want to come here. Each client has their own approach. We serve our customers 24 hours a day.”

PICTURES SHOW: (Top): Damen Shiprepair Oranjewerf in years gone by (Bottom): Damen Shiprepair Oranjewerf today

www.damen.com

www.marineandmaritimegazette.com

@MandMGazette

10

I N D U S T R Y

&

A S S O C I A T I O N

N E W S

Alewijnse delivers complete portfolio on AMELS 60 AMELS has contracted Alewijnse Marine to perform the complete electrical systems installation on the first two vessels of its new range of Limited Editions superyacht, the AMELS 60. The twin contracts mark a significant milestone in the long-standing working relationship between AMELS and Alewijnse.

The AMELS 60 is the result of three years of research and development at Dutch superyacht builder AMELS. Technically speaking, the 60-metre long vessel combines innovative naval architecture with a very efficient, sophisticated and sustainable form of hybrid propulsion technology.

The scope of work that Alewijnse will be supplying reflects the company’s wealth of electrical engineering expertise. Alewijnse will deliver a total package of electrical installation and systems integration, encompassing an Integrated Bridge System, AudioVideo systems and IT network as well as the hybrid propulsion system.

“Alewijnse is an important co-maker and partner for us – their systems can be found on more than twenty of our vessels,” comments Victor Caminada, marketing manager at AMELS. “They have been closely involved in the development of the AMELS 60 with us and we are now looking forward to working with them on these first two vessels of this new series of superyachts.”

“This is an exciting contract for us in many ways,” adds Alewijnse Marine sales manager Dick Breure. “For example, in terms of technology, it contains some very significant elements. The future-proof hybrid propulsion system is of particular importance. Together with the peak shaving technology with battery power this will yield considerable reductions in fuel consumption and harmful emissions.”

“After supplying the electrical installations for a large number of AMELS vessels in the past, we are proud to participate in the first vessels of their new range of Limited Editions superyachts – the AMELS 60,” says Dick Breure. “Therefore, from a business perspective, this contract represents the continuity in our long-term partnership with AMELS.” Alewijnse is already well underway with the electrical engineering phase for the first AMELS 60. The project will proceed into the production phase at AMELS’ yard in the Netherlands, with a completion date scheduled for early 2022. www.alewijnse.com

www.marineandmaritimegazette.com

@MandMGazette

MARINE Gannet Navigation Buoys

Features & Benefits • • • •

Ø1250mm to Ø2200mm High Visibility Daymark UV Stabilised Polyethylene Unique Hull, Central Core & Ballast Arrangement • Modular Design Buoys • Data Applications also available

Find out more: www.jfcmarine.com | +353 93 24066 | info@jfcmarine.com

12

I N D U S T R Y

&

A S S O C I A T I O N

N E W S

Sea trials of Damen Mexican Navy frigate complete

Working in close cooperation, Damen Shipyards Group, the Mexican Navy, subcontractors and suppliers have completed successful sea trials of the Mexican Navy’s POLA-class ARM Reformador. The programme of sea trials was comprehensive, including testing of platform and combat systems in addition to training of Mexican Navy crews. The completion of these sea trials indicate how the project as a whole is progressing: on budget and actually a few weeks ahead of the contracted schedule.

The ARM Reformador is the latest example of how Damen forms partnerships with navies around the world to build naval vessels in local yards. In this way, the Dutch shipbuilding company is using its considerable amount of experience and expertise to build technologically sophisticated naval vessels in Damen customers yards or in third party yards.

Damen has built up a strong relationship with the Mexican Navy over the last decade.

This has resulted in the construction and delivery of more than ten naval vessels of various designs. Damen has also worked closely with yards like the ASTIMAR 20 naval shipyard in Salina Cruz, Mexico, where the ARM Reformador has been built.

These collaborative efforts are ensuring a significant transfer of technology and knowledge into the Mexican shipbuilding industry. For example, in order to maximise the local impact of this current project, Damen has placed contracts at local companies for supplies and assistance during the construction of the ARM Reformador.

“This project is having a very positive impact on the local economy. More than 70% of the labour is being realised in Mexico – creating jobs and enabling local companies to develop their skills,” notes Horacio Delgado, Damen’s commercial manager for Mexico.

“Thanks to our excellent cooperation with the Mexican Navy, we are ensuring that this vessel is being built in Mexico, by Mexicans, and for Mexicans.”

The 107-metre long POLA-class ARM Reformador is the Mexican equivalent of Damen’s SIGMA Frigate 10514. A key point here is that the ARM Reformador represents Damen’s tenth time building a SIGMA Frigate. The implications of this are clear: the vessel that has been built for the Mexican Navy is a proven design that benefits from the wealth of knowledge possessed by the Dutch naval shipbuilding industry. This comprises world-renowned research institutes and a dedicated naval cluster of international specialist suppliers such as Thales.

“This shows the real value of the project,” adds Frank Verhelst, POLA project director at Damen. “Combining the many benefits of local construction with the high quality of Dutch naval shipbuilding – from Damen and our network of trusted suppliers and partners.”

The ARM Reformador project is also a reflection of Damen’s CSR policies. The company has contributed to various local social activities and projects while working in Mexico.

Damen’s support of the Mundo de Talentos in the State of Chiapas is an example of this.

Mundo de Talentos (World of Talents) is the first sister school of IMC Weekendschool in Latin America and introduces students of limited resources from 10-13 years old to the world of interesting professions and study choices. www.damen.com

www.marineandmaritimegazette.com

@MandMGazette

14

I N D U S T R Y

&

A S S O C I A T I O N

N E W S

Dutch Police Patrol Vessel christened at Damen Shipyards Gorinchem

In November last year, the christening of a patrol ship for the Dutch National Police took place at Damen Shipyards Gorinchem. This vessel is the first in a series of a total of six ships. Following a European tender, Damen was contracted to build three Stan Patrol 2005 vessels for inland waterway operations in addition to three sea-going Stan Patrol 2506 vessels. The first vessel, an SPa 2506, will be called P41.

Over the years Damen has delivered 30 Stan Patrol ships of various sizes to the Dutch police. The six new ships will serve as a replacement for part of the current fleet.

Damen has made numerous improvements to its newest generation of Stan Patrol vessels. This includes the addition of a hull vane, a stern-located underwater wing that reduces the resistance in the water and thus considerably reduces fuel consumption. The latest generation of SPa 2506 vessels features a slipway for launching RHIBs in a safer, faster manner than with the traditional davit and crane method.

The vessels are also equipped with an exhaust gas aftertreatment system that meets the latest requirements.

The SPa 2506 is based on a proven design. The vessel is aluminium with a composite superstructure, ensuring lightweight, environmentally sustainable high performance.

All of the vessels in the order will be outfitted with night vision technology to enable patrol operations around the clock.

During his speech at the vessel’s christening ceremony, Damen COO Jan-Wim Dekker hailed the cooperation between the two parties, saying, “The Police and Damen have cooperated constructively, which has resulted in a ship that meets the predefined demands.”

Damen sales manager Benelux Vincent de Maat said, “The team may be proud of their achievements. They’ve done an enormous amount of work, with an end result one can look up to.”

The second vessel delivery – a SPa 2005 – is scheduled for the end of this month. www.damen.com www.marineandmaritimegazette.com

@MandMGazette

I N D U S T R Y

&

Canadian tidal energy project

A S S O C I A T I O N

N E W S

15

UK-based tidal energy company Nova Innovation, has been given the go-ahead for a major Canadian tidal energy project in Nova Scotia.

The company has received a permit to develop a 1.5MW tidal array in Petit Passage, in the Bay of Fundy area of Nova Scotia.

There will be a phased approach starting with a single turbine in 2020, then three phases of 0.5MW will eventually see 15 new tidal stream turbines installed by 2023 on the seabed to generate clean electricity from the natural ebb and flow of the tide. This will be enough to power 1,000 homes.

Simon Forrest, chief executive of Nova Innovation, commented: “At five times the size of our array in Shetland, which is the first of its kind in the world, this project is a massive step forward for Nova Innovation and the sector – propelling Nova Scotia to a leading position in tidal energy.”

The Nova Scotian government is putting its weight behind tidal power, pledging to pay Nova Innovation 50 cents per kilowatt hour of electricity from the 15 new turbines, recognizing the costs of developing a ground-breaking new energy technology.

This long-term approach will enable Canada to become the global hub of the sector, establish a highly skilled supply chain, help regenerate coastal communities and capitalise on the high-quality jobs being created by the industry.

“The momentum building behind tidal energy is demonstrated by the astonishing response to Nova Innovation’s ongoing crowdfunding campaign, which has so far seen more than 1,000 people invest to join our mission,” added Forrest. www.novainnovation.com

www.marineandmaritimegazette.com

@MandMGazette

16

I N D U S T R Y

&

A S S O C I A T I O N

N E W S

Damen signs contract with EMS Offshore to supply new Shoalbuster 2711

Damen Shipyards Group has won an order from maritime services company EMS Offshore Service GmbH & Co. KG for a Shoalbuster 2711. The 2711 is the latest addition to the popular Shoalbuster range, having made its debut in June this year. Damen had the vessel in stock and, following the fitting of additional equipment to optimise it for its duties, will deliver it this month.

The vessels in Damen’s successful Shoalbuster range are exceptionally versatile, shallowdraught workboats. In the 25 years since the introduction of the Shoalbuster, Damen has continuously fine-tuned the design in response to changes in market requirements and regulations.

The new Shoalbuster 2711 takes this process a stage further with design changes that enable it to comply with new MLC regulations stipulating additional accommodation capacity. By increasing the width of the existing Shoalbuster 2709 by two metres, Damen has boosted the accommodation capacity from six to seven personnel. Added benefits from the extra beam include an increase in the area of the aft deck that allows the accommodation of two 20ft containers, while enhanced stability increases the lifting ability of the deck crane to 5.5 tonnes @ 18.5 metres.

With the vessel having additional buoyancy compared to its predecessor it can carry more and heavier equipment on the increased deck space, and the bollard pull at 45 tonnes is greater than it would otherwise be as the extra beam means it can be fitted with larger, more powerful nozzles. Finally, it also achieves anchor handling notation as the extra stability allows it to handle bigger and heavier anchors.

These advantages, together with the 24-metre load line length, make the Shoalbuster 2711 a particularly attractive proposition, offering a highly competitive alternative to larger vessels with similar capabilities.

The additional adaptations required by EMS Offshore will take place at the build yard, Damen Shipyards Hardinxveld, and Damen is also offering after-sales servicing and spare parts support designed to ensure maximum uptime and reliable operation. EMS Offshore will use the vessel primarily for transport and installation and maintenance works in shallow waters such as the Baltic and North Seas.

The contract signing was attended by the managing director of EMS Offshore, Frau Michaela Buscher, and leading shareholders Alfred Hartmann and Roelf Briese along with Remko Bouma, Damen sales manager for North, West & South Europe.

“We are very pleased that EMS Offshore has approached Damen for the purchase of this Shoalbuster 2711,” said Remko Bouma. “Our ability to deliver such a versatile vessel at such short notice was a significant factor in their decision and we are confident that its characteristics make it ideal for operations in the North and Baltic Seas.”

“EMS Offshore Service is currently expanding its activities in the Baltic area,” said managing director Michaela Buscher.

“Our shareholders’ companies have worked with Damen for many years already. Accordingly, when we were looking for a strong, flexible tug boat for a project with a new customer, Damen’s Shoalbuster 2711 turned out to be just the right choice for our purposes. With its 18 tonnes crane, the two 45 tonnes towing winches and space for two TEU on deck, it is able to transport and handle the respective cargoes. It will also enable us to offer a number of anchor handling and salvage operations to further customers, too. We look forward to the latest addition to our fleet.” www.damen.com

www.marineandmaritimegazette.com

@MandMGazette

18

I N D U S T R Y

&

A S S O C I A T I O N

N E W S

Metal Shark begin production of US Navy’s Next-Generation Patrol Boat Shipbuilder Metal Shark and the US Navy are nearing the end of the operational test and evaluation (OT&E) trial period for the Navy’s incoming standardized ‘40 PB’ patrol boat platform, and full-rate production is now imminent.

Developed as the replacement for up to 160 patrol vessels deployed worldwide with Navy Expeditionary Combat Command’s Coastal Riverine Forces (CRF), Metal Shark’s 40 Defiant design was selected in late 2017 from a field of seven competing shipbuilders.

Metal Shark produced two of the 40-foot, welded-aluminium monohull pilothouse patrol boats for test and evaluation purposes, with Hull #001 first displayed at the 2018 International Workboat Show in New Orleans. As OT&E trials near completion, Metal Shark is preparing to commence full-rate production at its Jeanerette, Louisiana production facility. With a full slate of delivery orders in place, Metal Shark initially plans to deliver one completed unit to the Navy every four weeks.

This new platform represents a radical departure from the more conventional Navy CRF patrol boats now in use. Designed to address the vulnerabilities of traditional patrol boats while expanding the mission role of the 40 PB platform over its predecessor, the 40 Defiant delivers substantial increases in capabilities and firepower.

Metal Shark satisfied the Navy’s visual-deterrent requirements with a futuristic design featuring a chiseled and menacing profile and unique faceted hull. The vessel flaunts its capability and bristles with armament. As configured for the Navy, the vessel features six MK 16 weapons foundations plus a large forward foundation for stabilized, remote operated, optically guided MK 49 / MK 50 weapons systems.

Ballistic protection enables the 40 PB to sustain extended firefights, allowing crews to respond with overwhelming force to asymmetric threats such as swarm attacks while remaining secure and protected from hostile fire. The armoured, climate-controlled pilothouse has been configured to accommodate a crew of five in SHOXS 4800-series whole-body isolation suspension seats. The vessel delivers enhanced situational awareness and fleet connectivity through an advanced communications and sensor suite.

The versatility of the new platform will allow the Navy to expand the mission profile of the CRF patrol boats. The new vessels operate in permissive environments during asset protection and port security missions, but may also make forays into hostile environments, and therefore carry a power projection capability far beyond that of a traditional force protection boat.

“The need for more advanced and capable vessels, designed to discourage asymmetric threats and to respond to them with overwhelming force, has led to the development of this radically different patrol boat platform,” explained Metal Shark’s CEO Chris Allard.

“While we designed the 40 Defiant to meet the US Navy’s PB-X mission requirements, this vessel is driving the evolution of our entire military patrol boat lineup and offers a glimpse into the future direction of military patrol.”

As configured for the Navy, the 40 Defiant is powered by twin Cummins QSB 6.7 diesel inboards, coupled via Twin Disc MG5065SC marine transmissions to Hamilton HTX30 water jets developed specifically for the Navy 40 PB program.

The vessel’s mission-optimized hull form has been designed to achieve 40-knot sprint speeds while displaying superb dynamic stability across the full range of operating environments, while also delivering enhanced handling and greatly reduced operating cost at the 10-15 knot escort speeds where the vessel will spend the bulk of its operational life.

“The 40 Defiant has been developed in concert with the US Navy to meet the evolving requirements of modern military engagement and it is the result of an unprecedented investment in testing and development,” said Mr. Allard. “Setting a new standard for military patrol boats, Metal Shark is delivering unmatched lethality, next-generation situational awareness, and greatly improved safety for our fighting forces, in a thoroughly tested platform that will be made available for other customers in other markets, in a range of styles and sizes. www.metalsharkboats.com

www.marineandmaritimegazette.com

@MandMGazette

20

V E S S E L

B U I L D ,

R E PA I R

&

M A I N T E N A N C E

Zero emissions workboat

manufacturing

role for Artemis

Artemis Technologies has announced a joint venture with Denmark’s Tuco Marine Group to produce the world’s first zero emissions workboat.

Artemis Technologies, one of the world’s leading high-performance maritime design and applied technologies company, will collaborate with Tuco Marine Group to integrate its new electric eFoiler propulsion system into an 11m carbon fibre vessel.

This will serve as a demonstrator vessel as proof of concept for the innovative technology that will be marketed to the marine trade by Artemis Technologies and Tuco Marine Group, which supplies a range of different composite structures for the shipping industry.

The hydrofoils and propulsion system for the proof of concept vessel will be manufactured and assembled in Belfast Harbour, following a multi-million-pound investment in the project.

Artemis Technologies, Chief Executive, Iain Percy OBE, double Olympic Gold medallist and veteran of four America’s Cup challenges, said: “This Joint Venture with Tuco Marine Group will introduce our unique foiling solutions to the workboat market which could now benefit from zero emissions and fuel savings of up to 90%.

“Last year when we announced our plans to create a new advanced manufacturing facility in Belfast, we laid out our commitment to developing technology that will decarbonise maritime and plans for the development of an ‘autonomous sailing vessel’. This electric foiling technology is the next natural stage of this project and a step in the right direction to realising our vision.

“As the first ever electric foiling solution for vessels, this is a truly transformative project and it is incredibly exciting to be part of one of the solutions to climate change.

“The technology is perfect for those requiring high speed vessels with minimal environmental impact. Initially targeted at the Aquaculture, Off Shore Energy, Water Taxi, Leisure and Defence sectors, the proof of concept for the technology will provide an immediate route to market.

“Integrating our new electric eFoiler propulsion system into a composite autonomously controlled hydrofoil presents a scalable solution that can be applied to much larger vessels such as high-speed passenger ferries.

“Belfast’s rich maritime history provides the perfect setting to play a role in the development of such technology and we’re incredibly excited as to what this project will mean for our future as a company and in Northern Ireland.”

In March it was revealed that the Artemis Technologies-led bid - ‘Decarbonisation of Maritime Transportation – a Return to Commercial Sailing’ - was the only application from Northern Ireland and from the maritime industry to be selected for the next stage of the UK Research and Innovation’s Strength in Places Fund.

Recipients of the major seedcorn programme will be announced in spring 2020 and if successful, the Belfast Maritime Consortium will receive more than £30m towards its plans to decarbonise maritime transportation.

Since its establishment in 1998, Tuco Marine Group has established itself as a key player in developing the industry towards more environmentally sustainable vessels.

Jonas Pederson, Managing Director at Tuco Marine, commented: “We aim to manufacture world class workboats and adding Artemis Technologies’ superior foiling and propulsion technology will further improve our product offering.

“Whilst Tuco Marine has the knowledge and technology to build carbon fibre vessels, getting these boats foiling is a significant stride in reducing emissions on the water.

“Our lightweight structures are built for speed and even with this new technology, this is not compromised.

“Reducing emissions is a huge focus for the maritime industry and we’re thrilled that this partnership with Artemis Technologies allows us to play a role in shaping what is undoubtedly the technology of the future.

“We look forward to continuing our Joint Venture with Artemis Technology and marketing this technology to industries for which workboats are essential.” www.artemistechnologies.co.uk

www.marineandmaritimegazette.com

@MandMGazette

V E S S E L

B U I L D ,

R E PA I R

&

M A I N T E N A N C E

21

Meercat refit dive support vessel Southampton based, Meercat Boats has been selected to refit a specialist dive support vessel, which operates out of Portsmouth Naval Base in the UK. The refit of BAE Systems’ 15m long twin screw Meercat multi role vessel includes the Meercat’s out of water five-year survey in accordance with the MCA’s MGM 280 Workboat Code.

The work will also include hull clean and preparation of painting, removal of props and shafts, cleaning of deck area, and modification to the existing deck equipment.

Tedworth is operated by BAE Systems and used for specialist diving operations out of Portsmouth Naval Base for underwater maintenance, repairs and inspections on the Royal Navy’s vessels and installations and jetties.

The vessel has twin Doosan L136Ti engines with a 33Kva generator and a three-phase compressor, achieving 460hp in total with a free running speed of 9.5 knots. Tedworth’s AMCO-VEBA crane is capable of lifting 790kg at 14.1m, plus she has a full hydraulic hand tool capability provided by a separate JCB hydraulic engine.

Tedworth, which has a deck cargo capacity of 16t, also has full digital communications capabilities with video compatibility, and a fully integrated HP Surface Supplied high pressure Divex diving system, enabling her to support three divers in the water simultaneously.

Meercat Boats originally delivered the Meercat MRV15 bespoke dive multirole vessel to BAE Systems Ltd in 2015. www.meercatboats.com

www.marineandmaritimegazette.com

@MandMGazette

22

V E S S E L

B U I L D ,

R E PA I R

&

M A I N T E N A N C E

Metal Shark reaches milestone with latest passenger vessel delivery USA shipbuilder Metal Shark has delivered its 30th passenger vessel since June of 2017. The company’s newest ferry delivery, a 97-foot, 350passenger, USCG Subchapter ‘K’ welded-aluminium, high-speed, low-wake catamaran, was handed off to its operator last week and will soon enter service.

The new passenger vessel is the latest delivery from Metal Shark’s Franklin, Louisiana shipyard, where the production of passenger vessels remains swift. Five 150-passenger catamaran ferries are currently in various stages of construction at the yard in their own dedicated assembly line.

In the past three years, passenger vessels built by Metal Shark have been delivered to Washington DC, Florida, New Orleans, and multiple operators in the state of New York.

“Without fanfare, Metal Shark passenger vessels have been entering revenue service with America’s leading operators at the rate of approximately one per month,” said Metal Shark’s Vice President of Commercial Sales, Carl Wegener. “With 24 catamarans between 85’ and 105’ and six monohull vessels larger than 45’ delivered in the past three years, Metal Shark has become America’s leading passenger vessel builder.”

“To achieve this extraordinarily high volume production of passenger vessels, we adapted and incorporated the now-proven serialized production methods that we initially developed to build patrol boat fleets for the US military,” explained Metal Shark CEO Chris Allard. “Today, Metal Shark’s passenger vessel customers enjoy the benefits of our military-honed quality, formidable engineering strength, large and highly skilled work force, and unmatched economies of scale. We leverage these resources to assure the repeatable ontime delivery of high quality passenger vessels to our customers.” www.metalsharkboats.com

www.marineandmaritimegazette.com

@MandMGazette

24

V E S S E L

B U I L D ,

R E PA I R

&

M A I N T E N A N C E

Wight Shipyard Co’s largest export order of four vessels UK shipbuilder Wight Shipyard Co. is continuing its success in the fast ferry sector securing an order for four vessels from Malta’s tourism Leaders, Captain Morgan.

The order, from Captain Morgan Holdings Ltd, a subsidiary of Fortina Investments Ltd, consists of four new build vessels, two 20m and two 33m catamarans, all to be designed by One2Three Naval Architects.

Peter Morton, CEO, Wight Shipyard, said: "We have been working with One2Three to develop lighter, more fuel-efficient ferries with the subsequent reduction of fuel costs. The operators see the long-term benefits in using less fuel and thereby reducing carbon emissions.

We are also working to integrate the boarding design for the ancient wharves and docks of the towns of Malta.”

Familiar design The two new build 20m harbour waterbus vessels will replace a number of older vessels, which already service the harbour routes. They will be designed to service the low wharves at each harbour providing easy embarkation and debarkation for passengers while cruising around the harbour.

These vessels will be of a similar design to Wight Shipyard’s Loch Ness Jacobite Maverick 20m day cruise passenger catamaran, also designed by One2Three Naval Architects. The new 20m design is a slower harbour waterbus designed for going point to point around the main ports of the capital.

Fortina Investments CEO Edward Zammit Tabona said: “We are very excited about this venture and collaboration with Wight Shipyard, which is renowned for its high standards and attention to detail. We are looking forward to launching these vessels in Malta’s seas in May 2020, which will see Captain Morgan Group take its sea and land transport services to another level.”

These vessels form an integral part of Fortina Investments’ innovative SeeMalta concept, which provides visitors with access through a single pass to the ferry service, City Sightseeing buses, public transport as well as museums, Heritage Malta sites, entertainment spots and other attractions.

Tried and tested The two 33m medium speed vessels are a new design for Wight Shipyard, based on a commuter boat currently used on Sydney harbour.

Strength to strength Wight Shipyard Co. has recorded exceptional success in the fast ferry sector since its inception, and this latest order will take the yard to 13 new builds in just over four years.

Previous notable builds include the renovation of the historic motor yacht MY Shemara, Red Funnel’s Red Jet 6 and 7, three MBNA Thames Clippers, the Jacobite Maverick in Scotland, the Twin City Liner commuter and sightseeing vessel on the River Danube, and most recently two fast ferries delivered this summer for Mexico’s largest ferry operator Ultramar. www.wightshipyard.com

www.marineandmaritimegazette.com

@MandMGazette

26

A N C H O R S ,

M O O R I N G ,

R O P E

&

C H A I N S

Mooring inspection work for BP in Angola Welaptega has completed mooring inspection campaign for BP offshore Angola using its optical chain measurement system (CMS), complete with new automated edge tracking software.

The project saw Welaptega use its new edge tracking data system and its patented CMS technology to inspect the mooring system of BP’s PSVM FPSO, which is situated in Block 31 offshore Angola The CMS is made up of four video cameras (depth rated for 3000m), integrated LED lighting control, and a topside digital recording system that collects high quality video of the measurement locations. The new edge tracking software then allows the data to be processed and measurement results delivered offshore.

Tyler de Gier, Welaptega’s general manager, said: “The warm waters found off the coast of Angola can lead to some of the highest corrosion rates around the globe and because of this it is vital that operators have accurate data on the integrity of their safety critical systems that are susceptible to corrosion. However, the near-constant long period swells and resulting vessel motions in this region make it a challenging area for deploying equipment and collecting measurement data.

“Our innovative optical CMS calliper allowed us to collect accurate data quickly and we were able to complete the full campaign ahead of our predicted schedule. We are very pleased to have once again worked with BP in the region and this is a relationship which we hope to continue to develop in the future.” www.welaptega.com

Don’t get even, get MAD.

- ! 2 ) . % Â&#x; ! ' ' 2 % ' !4 !4 % Â&#x; $ 2 % $ ' % 2 Â&#x;

FUTURE-PROOF 4HEÂ&#x;Â&#x;-ARINEÂ&#x;!GGREGATEÂ&#x;$REDGERÂ&#x;ISÂ&#x;FULLYÂ&#x;EQUIPPEDÂ&#x;FORÂ&#x;OF F SHOREÂ&#x;MININGÂ&#x;ATÂ&#x;SIGNIÚC ANTÂ&#x; DEPTHS Â&#x;INÂ&#x;ALLÂ&#x;CONDITIONS Â&#x;!ND Â&#x;WITHÂ&#x;THEIRÂ&#x;4 IERÂ&#x;)))Â&#x;ENGINESÂ&#x;ANDÂ&#x;NOÂ&#x;BALLAS TÂ&#x;WATERÂ&#x;Â&#x; REQUIREMENT S Â&#x;THEÂ&#x;-!$Â&#x;ISÂ&#x;READYÂ&#x;FORÂ&#x;TOMORROW SÂ&#x;WORLD Â&#x;Â&#x;

$!-%. #/-

28

A N C H O R S ,

M O O R I N G ,

R O P E

&

C H A I N S

Lofoten Vesteralen Observatory choose Novacavi mooring cables Novacavi has recently provided a couple of specially engineered mooring cables for the Lofoten-Vesterålen Cabeled Ocean Observatory.

The Lofoten-Vesterålen Cabeled Ocean Observatory (LoVe) is a Norwegian infrastructure for marine research, monitoring and subsea technology development off the North Norway coast.

Due to their peculiar harsh environmental application, these cables had to be conceived and manufactured to fulfill a wide range of data communication systems.

“Engineering expertise, comprehensive knowledge of materials and a high degree of manufacturing precision enabled Novacavi to develop these application-specific cables entirely tailored to customer’s requirements,” a company spokesperson commented. www.novacavi.it

30

A N C H O R S ,

M O O R I N G ,

R O P E

&

C H A I N S

Safer mooring technology from Wilhelmsen Rope Although improved Health & Safety, designated snapback zones on mooring decks and the implementation of many other safety measures,serious mooring accidents continue to happen around the industry and mooring remains a very high-risk task.

It is virtually impossible to accurately calculate or predict just how fibre ropes will behave when they fail and snap, so industry specialists,Wilhelmsen Ships Service, have developed a unique solution which dramatically reduces a rope’s recoil, or snap-back potential.

The Snap Back Arrestor (SBA) is an energy absorbing core which sits within the company’s Timm Master 12-strand plaited, mixed polymer rope. With the appearance of a rope, held within the heart of a 12-strand mooring line, if the outer, load-bearing construction breaks, the SBA absorbs the snap-back forces, transforming them from a potentially deadly snap, to a much safer, slump.

The Timm Snap Back Arrestor has been in development for nearly seven years and is a genuine breakthrough in the market. The result of a laborious process of trial and error, 25 different variants of the system were put through their paces in more than 120 different tests. Finally identifying a viable alternative in early 2016, DNV GL verified Wilhelmsen’s SBA solution in May 2016. Since then the Timm Master 12 SBA has been exhaustively tested, passing both TCLL testing and OCIMF MEG4 tests, in both dry and wet conditions.

Veronika Aspelund, Wilhelmsen Ships Service Business Manager, Ropes, commented, “The Snap Back Arrestor is a massive step forward in maritime rope safety, significantly mitigating the considerable risks personnel are exposed to during mooring”.

“Using the same material composition as our best-selling premium Timm Master 8 rope, Timm Master 12 SBA is buoyant, light, reliable, features anti-twist colours and offers one of the best strength-to-weigh ratios on the market. These are all of course great selling points, but the safety element hidden within its core is truly unique and could quite literally be a life-saver” she continued.

Tried, tested and recently type-approved by DNV GL the Timm Master 12 SBA is produced according to ISO 9554:2010 and ISO 10556:2009 and tested according to ISO 2307:2010.

It has also been tested according to the latest 4th Edition of the OCIMF Mooring Equipment Guidelines. www.wilhelmsen.com

www.marineandmaritimegazette.com

@MandMGazette

32

M A R I N E

S U R V E Y

&

I N S P E C T I O N

Drone thickness gauge and gel dispenser Last year, UK based Tritex NDT launched their 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. They also launched their wireless Gel Dispenser for use with the Multigauge 6000 Drone Thickness Gauge.

Thickness gauge: 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.

Wireless Gel Dispenser: The Wireless Gel Dispenser is controlled wirelessly from Tritex Communicator software to dispense a pre-determined quantity of gel onto the probe face just prior to taking measurements. Ultrasound does not travel in air and so it is important that the probe has good coupling to the surface when metal thickness is being measured.

The drone gauge has already proved to be extremely popular due to the excellent performance through coatings in difficult to reach areas. The addition of the Tritex Gel Dispenser means that performance in enhanced even further because couplant can now be applied at just the right time. The dispenser holds 70ml of couplant, which is plenty for a full survey. www.tritexndt.com

www.marineandmaritimegazette.com

@MandMGazette

M A R I N E

S U R V E Y

&

I N S P E C T I O N

33

Seiche Water Technology Group promotes Mark Burnett to Chief Executive Officer UK headquartered Seiche Water Technology Group, one of the world’s leaders in the provision of monitoring and measurement solutions for the marine and utilities industries, has announced that COO Mark Burnett has been promoted to Chief Executive Officer.

The announcement follows business owner Roy Wyatt’s move to Chairman of the Group, which has an £8 million turnover.

Spearheading the Group’s growth and expansion into new marine technology and environmental service solutions markets, Mark will be responsible for the strategic direction of the business, which provides Passive Acoustic Monitoring (PAM), marine environment and visual monitoring technology solutions to the oil and gas, renewables, marine construction, marine science, utilities, power and defence sectors.

Core to the future growth of the business, which has a presence in Houston USA and facilities in Cape Town South Africa, will be the expansion of Seiche’s range of full turnkey solutions. These encompass the delivery of field recording equipment, provision of in-field technicians, remote monitoring and operation of equipment, the development and delivery of specialised software, data analysis services and reporting, as well as project management.

Among Seiche Water Technology Group’s rapidly growing portfolio of solutions is its range of AutoNaut wave propelled Unmanned Surface Vessels (USVs). These integrate with Seiche’s range of Passive Acoustic Monitoring devices and environmental measurement solutions, as well as third party technology. Acting as long endurance data collection hubs with built-in sensors to collect, communicate and relay data to clients worldwide, AutoNaut is seen by the business as one of its most exciting and diverse revenue streams.

AutoNaut expands Seiche’s suite of marine technology and environmental service solutions, which include digital and analogue hydrophones/arrays, connected and telemetry modular buoy systems, as well as thermal-imaging cameras. Used by operators of offshore assets such as seismic contractors, windfarm operators and defence organisations, Seiche’s products are hired or sold as stand-alone solutions, but can also form part of Seiche’s end-to-end turnkey solution service.

Commenting on his promotion to CEO, Mark said: "The development of innovative technology solutions to promote and protect the environment lies at the heart of everything that we do here at Seiche Water Technology Group. We have an incredible team who are constantly striving to deliver ground-breaking solutions for the next set of challenges ahead, enabling us to deliver cutting-edge technology to clients the world over. Combined with our turn-key offering, we enable businesses to undertake marine monitoring swiftly, cost-effectively and accurately.”

Mark added: “It is my privilege to take up the role of CEO and to continue to grow a resilient and meaningful business for our staff and our clients, while delivering value to our shareholders.” www.seiche.com

34

M A R I N E

S U R V E Y

&

I N S P E C T I O N

Sonardyne proves new long-endurance navigation capabilities in Loch Ness

New standards in long-endurance underwater navigation and automated subsea positioning have been set following the successful completion of a joint project led by subsea technology specialist Sonardyne International Ltd., with partners the National Oceanography Centre (NOC) and L3Harris.

The two-year, £1.4 million Precise Positioning for Persistent Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (P3AUV) project, part funded by Innovate UK, set out to integrate existing and emerging technologies to deliver a step-change in unmanned platform endurance and navigational precision.

In addition, the project also set out to increase the use of autonomy in offshore survey positioning operations using unmanned surface vessels (USVs), and in the process reducing risk to personnel, environmental impact and operating costs.

The final project trials, which also saw one of the NOC’s largest deployment of AUVs operating in swarms, were completed in December in Loch Ness, Scotland.

“Sending autonomous and unmanned underwater vehicles (AUV/UUVs) out on missions that will last for weeks or even months, unaided by crewed ships is a shared vision held by the ocean science, offshore energy and defence sectors,” said Geraint West, Sonardyne’s Global Business Manager for Ocean Science. “But, current constraints on AUV or UUV operations, such as onboard battery capacity and navigational accuracy degradation over time, has meant that the role these vehicles have had to play has been largely restricted to relatively short deployments.

“As the only company that produces an all-in-one hybrid acoustic-inertial-Doppler navigation and communication solutions for AUVs and USVs, we were uniquely placed to collaborate with the NOC and L3Harris to realise the ambitious aims of the P3AUV project.

“By developing and integrating each organisation’s technologies, including our own SPRINTNav navigation instrument, we’ve proven it’s possible for underwater platforms to make more of their available onboard power and maintain navigational accuracy over long distances without external aiding.

“We’ve also proven the capability to autonomously calibrate networks of seafloor positioning transponders with an L3Harris C-Worker 5 USV to make offshore survey and construction operations faster and easier,” commented West.

Using autonomous calibration techniques will remove the need for a manned vessel to perform this task, removing people from harms’ way, driving down fuel emissions and improving efficiencies.

“To put this into perspective, an offshore support or research vessel will typically burn some 3,000 tonnes of fuel annually and generate about 10,000 tonnes (equivalent) of greenhouse gases,” adds James Cowles, L3Harris UK. “The environmental footprint of an independent ASV or AUV is, by comparison, negligible.”

“Combining all of these capabilities will bring about a step-change in AUV operations, providing a disruptive capability in the marine autonomy space,” said Matt Kingsland, NOC. “Indeed, reducing the cost and improving the navigation precision of autonomous ocean science in remote areas could bring a disruptive capability to a wide variety of applications.” www.sonardyne.com

www.marineandmaritimegazette.com

@MandMGazette

M A R I N E

S U R V E Y

&

I N S P E C T I O N

35

4D Ocean aquired by XOcean XOCEAN, the ocean data company, has completed the acquisition of a specialist autonomous hydrographic survey company.

Picture shows: Xocean’s Duncan Mallace and James Ives

The acquisition of 4D Ocean follows its successful €7.9m funding round earlier this month. XOCEAN collects ocean data using marine robotics known as Unmanned Surface Vessels (USVs). The services provided by XOCEAN include mapping the seabed, inspecting subsea structures and monitoring the environment.

James Ives, CEO at XOCEAN, said: “Combining XOCEAN’s innovative technology and 4D Ocean’s deep industry expertise we look forward to expanding our services as we continue to deliver operational excellence to our clients.”

4D Ocean founder and CEO, Duncan Mallace, said “Both companies have been growing together at an unprecedented rate and it was obvious that there was great synergy, both in complimentary skills and in our vision. It is an exciting time to be in the industry and together we can continue to transform it.”

XOCEAN has recently delivered projects for clients including BP, Equinor, PX Group and the UK’s Maritime and Coastguard Agency.

It currently has USVs in operation in the UK, Azerbaijan, Trinidad and Canada, with plans to build an additional 22 USVs over the next 12 months and recruit an additional 140 employees to service the market demand. www.xocean.com

www.marineandmaritimegazette.com

@MandMGazette

L A T E

36

N E W S

&

R O U N D - U P

Maritime NZ issues a safety update on the risks of fixed gas fire extinguishing systems on vessels Maritime NZ (New Zealand) has produced a safety update to advise of the potential problems and risks that can occur from fixed gas fire extinguishing systems on vessels, focusing on CO2 systems.

A fixed gas fire-extinguishing system is a gaseous substance (often CO2) in a cylinder separate from, but connected to, a protected space and is used to fight a fire. Commonly fixed systems are installed for engine rooms and pump rooms. After air vents are closed and the area sealed, the gas is released in bulk quantity to flood the protected space and smother the fire.

There are many challenges occurring from these fire extinguishing systems, one of which is when the air is not tight. The system will be ineffective if the protected space is not fully closed down.

Even though CO2 is heavier than air it will be less effective if external air can feed the fire. Maritime NZ recommends that flaps and other air pathways should be entirely closed before the fire suppressor is released.

Another safety risk is the unknown structural design issues that could arise, meaning any changes to the vessel, such as new wiring, pipes and cabinets, which may impact the effectiveness of fire suppression by inadvertently creating new air pathways.

Crew’s lack of familiarization with the system is another challenge, which to be solved requires additional training, as well as responsible parties should clear each crewmember’s role. Knowing how the system works supports the right actions both before and during a fire. Given that CO2 has a slight cooling effect the possibilities of re-ignition are high.

Concluding, people can be severely threatened from high concentrations of CO2, keeping in mind that accidental release of CO2 may lead to death, as it happened back in May 2019, when a carbon dioxide leak that occurred on a cargo ship at the Longyan Port in Weihai, China, resulting to 10 people loosing their lives and 19 injured. So, to prevent any of the dangers and concerns expressed above, Maritime NZ presents actions to be taken to ensure safety.

Good design Under the Maritime Rules you are required to: • Make sure the means of control is readily accessible, simple to operate and grouped together in as few locations as possible [Maritime Rule 42B.20(7)].

• minimise the chances of access to control systems being cut off by fire [Maritime Rule 42B.20(7)(c)].

• provide the ability to close all openings that may admit air or allow gas to escape [Maritime Rule 42B.20(4)] for CO2 systems, install two clearly marked separate controls: one to release from the storage container and a second valve to allow gas to go into the protected space [Maritime Rule 42B.21(6)].

The ability to test the system should be built into the design. Moreover, before installing any system, consider the following: ambient temperature changes, vibration, humidity, shock, impact, clogging and corrosion that might be expected to occur to the protected space.

Operation and maintenance During installation and maintenance procedures, always be in line with manufacturer’s instructions, concerning component parts. Include in maintenance schedule - ISM and MOSS as appropriate.

Pay special attention to the proper setting, repair and maintenance of the cylinder valves. Improperly set or maintained valves may result in unintended release of the gas which can have fatal consequences.

Know your vessel • Know how the fire suppression works.

• Have drawings of all air shut-off systems and sufficient technical data and schematics to show how to test and operate the system.

• Building joints and cable connections move over time introducing leak points.

• Vessel maintenance and modifications may affect the integrity of the boundary of the protected space and system.

• When any vessel construction or repair work occurs, ensure contractors understand the importance of the integrity of air tight spaces.

Signage and training It is of a great importance to place clear signs marking the position of air shut-off controls, with crew instructions. Also, fire drills should include testing of control valves and the order of actions – use different scenarios.

During safety orientation for new crew, a fire system operations drill must be included. https://www.maritimenz.govt.nz

www.marineandmaritimegazette.com

@MandMGazette

Evolution in action.

FAST F AST CREW SUPPLIER 2710

The Twin A xe is back! And this time it ’s bigger than ever.

4HEÂ&#x;NEWÂ&#x;&# 3Â&#x; Â&#x;FEATURESÂ&#x;INCREASEDÂ&#x;COMFOR T Â&#x;ÛEXIBILIT Y Â&#x;DECKÂ&#x;SPACEÂ&#x; A N D Â&#x; A C C O M M O D A T I O N Â&#x; ! N D Â&#x; W I T H Â&#x; A N Â&#x; E X T R A Â&#x; M E T R E Â&#x; I N Â&#x; H E I G H T Â&#x; F O R Â&#x; I M P R O V E DÂ&#x; SEAKEEPING Â&#x;THISÂ&#x;3EAÂ&#x;! XEÂ&#x;ISÂ&#x;TRULYÂ&#x;AÂ&#x;CHOPPERÂ&#x;SUITEDÂ&#x;TOÂ&#x;CHOPPYÂ&#x;SEAS DAMEN.COM

38

T R A I N I N G ,

C E R T I F I C A T I O N

&

C O U R S E S

Valeport awarded Cyber Essentials Plus certification

Valeport has been awarded Cyber Essentials Plus certification, the more rigorous level of accreditation in the Government backed scheme that helps organisations protect against a range of the most common cyber attacks.

The certification provides reassurance to Valeport’s customers that the company treats the threat of cyber crime, and the protection of their personal information, with all seriousness.

Cyber Essentials provides a set of security processes and policies to adhere to, while the Cyber Essentials Plus programme includes a penetration test at least every year to assess the vulnerability of the company’s data. The verification of Valeport’s cyber security is carried out independently by a Certification Body.

Peter Adams, head of IT for Valeport, commented: “Obtaining Cyber Essentials Plus involved completing an online assessment followed by a technical audit of the systems that were in-scope for Cyber Essentials Plus. This included a representative set of user devices, all internet gateways and all servers with services accessible to unauthenticated internet users. This comprehensive process has taken many months and the checks and tests we undertook will become part of our ongoing practices to maintain this rigorous accreditation.”

Research by IOD has demonstrated that UK businesses are collectively attacked more than seven million times a year, that on average it takes 120 days for a business to know that its data has been compromised, and that Cybercrime accounted for almost 30% of all crimes recorded in the UK from July 2016 to July 2017.

Guy Frankland, marketing manager for Valeport, said: “We are delighted to have been awarded the Cyber Essentials Plus certification, which reinforces our ethos of unsurpassed quality, reliability and exceptional service levels. We are passionate about upholding this reputation, which means that we really do manufacture technology you can trust.” www.valeport.co.uk

www.marineandmaritimegazette.com

@MandMGazette

T R A I N I N G ,

C E R T I F I C A T I O N

&

C O U R S E S

39

Bangkok Knowledge

Partnership Workshop

The International Maritime Organization (IMO), Thailand’s Ministry of Transport and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia (UNESCAP) have recently organized the second regional Knowledge Partnership Workshop in Asia, at a venue in Bangkok.

The workshop was designed to support maritime technical cooperation activities in the region.

The workshop brought together officials from transport ministries, responsible for maritime affairs, and finance ministries, responsible for official development assistance. Participants shared knowledge, skills, and experience and meet maritime and development cooperation counterparts from around the region to seek cooperation opportunities.

"Increasing awareness of maritime issues and prioritizing them in national development plans was another important objective," said the UN body.

The workshop provided a platform for donors to prioritize their interests and identify the needs and demands of recipient countries; and for recipients to have a better understanding of how to access the various resources available to address their needs. Both sides were improving their understanding of each other’s mechanisms for accessing and delivering funding and support.

The workshop was part of IMO’s new long-term strategy on mobilizing resources for technical cooperation activities. This embodied a more proactive and methodical approach for generating new resources, encouraging partnerships with IMO Member States, the United Nations system and multilateral development banks, through new and innovative projects.

It encouraged active communication with potential donors and recipients to highlight the value and benefits of working with IMO and its alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Participating Member States and organizations represented at the workshop are: Australia, Bangladesh, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Islamic Republic of Iran, the Lao People's Democratic Republic, Maldives, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, the Philippines, the Republic of Korea, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Viet Nam, and UNESCAP. www.imo.org

40

T R A I N I N G ,

C E R T I F I C A T I O N

&

C O U R S E S

Fast rescue boat courses STCW Reg VI/2, para 2 & Sec A-VI/2, para 7 10 Marine & STCW To complete the Fast Rescue Boat (FRB) course from The Maritime Skills Academy, a basic level of fitness will be required to complete the practical elements of the course. There is no prelearning required but a good knowledge of the current arrangements on your ship would be advantageous. The course is run with outboard engine boats and jet engine boats.

Overview: The aim of the course is to give seafarers the essential education and training who are required to take charge of a Fast Rescue Boat, with particularly focus on: • Understand the construction, maintenance, repair and outfitting of fast rescue boats.

• Take charge of the launching equipment and appliance as commonly fitted, during launching and recovery.

• Take charge of a fast rescue boat as commonly fitted, during launching and recovery.

• Take charge of a fast rescue boat after launching.

• Operate a fast rescue boat engine.

The course includes videos, group discussions, trainer led presentations, practical boat capsizing in the survival pool, fast rescue boat operation and handling, man overboard techniques, search patterns, weather handling, coming alongside and launching techniques.

Delegates will be assessed throughout the course with a short written exam upon completion.

The trainer to delegate ratio is 1:24 for theory elements and 1:8 for practical sessions.

The STCW requirement for refresher training at 5-yearly intervals must be met or sufficient onboard evidence must be provided. Upon completion of the course delegates will be presented with the original certificate.

Flights from anywhere in the world, local accommodation and even airport transfers for course delegates can be arranged as part of the package.

Duration 3 days (there will be refreshment breaks and 1hr lunch break each day.

Hot and cold beverages provided) www.maritimeskillsacademy.com www.marineandmaritimegazette.com

@MandMGazette

T R A I N I N G ,

C E R T I F I C A T I O N

&

C O U R S E S

41

Clyde trains HMS Prince of Wales team Clyde Training Solutions recently welcomed staff from the Aircraft Carrier Alliance (ACA) to their training centre to undertake STCW Personal Survival Training (PST).

The ACA consists of BAE Systems, Babcock International Group, Thales Group and the Ministry of Defence, and was created to build the Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers for the Royal Navy.

The 16 ACA staff who attended the CTS centre were the first of approximately 200 staff who attended in total. They are currently working on HMS Prince of Wales and were be on-board for sea trials.

Completion of the mandatory STCW training allows these highly skilled professionals to work on-board the vessel as it undergoes rigours testing before being handed over to the Royal Navy.

Commenting on the training, Stewart Sykes, Aviation and Air Weapons Programme Manager, stated: “A big part of this is certification to make sure we are qualified to go to sea, but I think it is essential if a drastic situation presents itself, that you have had a level of training.

“You would be surprised how much of that you would call on, if required. If the situation does come around, we will be prepared to deal with it.

“The training is needs must for me because I need to sail on the carrier to complete some of the systems. I was quite nervous and apprehensive coming into it, but the training was brilliant; first class trainers in a safe and comfortable environment.”

Colleague Joe Wallace, Senior Commissioning Manager - Fixed Firefighting Systems, echoed Stewart’s comments: “I have completed a few courses of this type in various centres, and I felt it was pitched to the delegates at the right level.”

Gareth Mathias, CTS General Manager, said: “It has been our pleasure to provide training for the ACA staff, having already taken a similar number of colleagues through their training in 2017 whilst working on HMS Queen Elizabeth.

“It is extremely gratifying to hear from individuals involved in the first batch of training that they felt it was beneficial and delivered to them in a professional and reassuring manner.

“HMS Prince of Wales is an incredibly impressive vessel and we at CTS are proud to play a small, but nonetheless important, role in helping this project move forward towards its completion.” www.clydetrainingsolutions.com

www.marineandmaritimegazette.com

@MandMGazette

L A T E

42

N E W S

&

R O U N D - U P

Scottish harbours dredging plans

MacDuff Harbour

Aberdeenshire Council, Scotland recently made a firm commitment to a three-year dredging contract for maintenance dredging in three of the harbours that come under its control - Banff, MacDuff and Stonehaven.

Stonehaven Harbour

As statutory authority for these harbours, the council has a legal obligation to provide safe navigation for users of the harbours and the planned dredging will cover these three main harbours under their control.

It is believed that to maintain the required access maintenance dredging is required on an annual basis at these harbours to avoid excessive sediment from accumulating in the basins.

Banff on the north coast caters almost exclusively for leisure users whilst nearby MacDuff is an important port for the fishing industry with the MacDuff shipyard established there.

Stonehaven to the south caters for a mix of leisure and commercial operators.

Director of Infrastructure Services at the Council, Stephen Archer, commented, “This procurement will enable Aberdeenshire Council to appoint a specialist contractor to carry out maintenance dredging at Banff, Macduff and Stonehaven harbors on a three-year framework contract with the option of an additional 12-month extension, subject to the satisfactory performance of the supplier.” www.aberdeenshire.gov.uk

Banff Harbour

Tel: +44(0) 2392 472710 Mob: +44(0) 7850 473713 E-Mail: info@fdsukltd.com Web: www.fdsukltd.com

F.D.S. Offer for Rental & Sale Diver R.O.V. & Crane Operated Dredging Systems. Multipurpose & Mini dredging systems for the removal of fines, silt, mud’s, drill cuttings, sand, grit, gravel, shingle, shale & general debris. Suitable for confined space operations or locations where access is a problem. All on-shore civil applications. Shallow & deepwater offshore support operations.

Renewables. Complete ready to use self operational systems available for use worldwide. Stillage packed or deepwater offshore containerised units. Long & short term rentals. Sales. Wide scope of operations.

Lightweight, road & air transportable environmentally friendly units.

EQUIPMENT AVAILABLE FOR RENTAL WORLDWIDE.

www.marineandmaritimegazette.com

@MandMGazette

Armed to the teeth.

Our CSD range comprises a robust, no-nonsense fusion of efficiency, output and maximal uptime, suited to operations anywhere in the world. Our dredgers don’t mess about, they just sink their teeth in and get the job done.

DAMEN.COM

L A T E

44

N E W S

&

R O U N D - U P

Jongen deploys Damen InvaSave for the Port of Hamburg

Mobile ballast water treatment system will protect the Elbe from invasive Species

German maritime waste specialist Jongen GmbH recently took delivery of a Damen InvaSave 300 mobile ballast water treatment system. The company can now offer IMO-certified ballast water treatment services to ship operators needing to comply with the latest ballast water regulations that came into effect on 8 September 2019.

Jongen GmbH delivers waste oil, waste water, and the waste removal services for maritime traffic in the Port of Hamburg. The company’s services include the cleaning of the ships’ storage tanks and machinery along with the management and cleaning of oil spills. The addition of the Damen InvaSave to Jongen’s equipment portfolio reflects its expansion into ballast water treatment services.

Speaking after the delivery of the InvaSave system from Damen, Julia Dettmer, director of Jongen said: “We believe that Hamburg stands out from the other European ports by offering a mobile state-of-the-art ballast water treatment system operated by Jongen. The Invasave 300 is Hamburg’s answer to the new regulation of the IMO BMW Convention in order to prevent the transfer of harmful aquatic organisms.”

Damen’s InvaSave 300 is an IMO-certified ballast water treatment system. The InvaSave is tested and IMO certified to treat ballast water without any holding time. Just as suitable for outbound as inbound vessels, it treats ballast water to IMO-D2 standards. InvaSave utilises no chemicals to eliminate invasive organisms from ballast water in a single pass.

8 September 2019 was an important date in the application of the IMO’s Ballast Water Management Convention.

Although the Convention actually came into force two years earlier, it stipulates that vessels built before 8 September 2017 must be able to comply with regulations by the time of their first International Oil Pollution Prevention (IOPP) renewal survey.

Operating as an external unit, the InvaSave 300 is housed in a standard container. This affords owners of the system a huge amount of mobility, commented Matthijs Schuiten from Damen Green Solutions. “Because InvaSave fits on a trailer, workboat or barge, and no storage for holding time is required, operators can easily move it to where it is needed. The sheer mobility of InvaSave means that ship owners calling on Jongen’s new ballast water treatment services in the Port of Hamburg can keep their downtime to a minimum. This includes downtime during port calls, as well as the downtime needed for retrofitting an onboard ballast water treatment system.” www.damengreen.com

www.marineandmaritimegazette.com

@MandMGazette

L A T E

N E W S

&

R O U N D - U P

45

ASL GRP, expands with recruitment drive and new maritime facilities Jack Sandiford-Haigh Marine Sales Director, ASL GRP

Specialists in the manufacture of bespoke lightweight ballistic and blast protection, ASL GRP (Air Sea Land Group) has unveiled its extensive new factory in Rookely, Isle of Wight, UK, alongside five new recruits and a new maritime division.

A dynamic armour company with over 30 years’ experience globally across marine, land and airborne vehicles, ASL GRP has an impressive history for delivering advanced protective solutions all around the world. Enhancing this capability and bespoke offering even further, the new production site is a third bigger than the previous site in Merstone, with plans for more developments this year. The larger premises supports the company’s ever-growing order book by facilitating new job opportunities, particularly in the commercial maritime sector.

Jack Sandiford-Haigh‚ Marine Sales Director for ASL GRP, has spent this year developing the new division, maximising his own maritime knowledge and expertise, and increasing the company’s capabilities within the marine and commercial maritime industry.

One of the original members of the ASL GRP team since its establishment in 2012, Jack works closely with the Managing Director and has been pivotal in the development and direction of the company, particularly its growth in the marine sector.

From high-speed Naval patrol vessels, to Special Forces RIBs, ASL GRP have designed, manufactured and installed armour systems onto bridge decks, clad crew areas and protection for consoles. These armour systems offer unrivalled protection against all ranges of weapons from handgun rounds to armour piercing incendiary ammunition (STANAG Level 3*).

ASL GRP has also made some key appointments over the last few months including Dan Graves as Project Manager and Laura Jones as Soft Armour Technician. This is alongside three new factory staff being brought on board to help deliver ASL GRP’s projects.

Jonathon Diffey, Founder and Managing Director of ASL GRP, comments, “This is a really exciting time for ASL GRP. We have made significant progress within the marine industry and the past year has been a game changer for us. The new facility and recent recruitment drive gives us a more streamlined production process, ensuring we can meet and exceed the requirements and expectations of all our clients.”

ASL GRP offers a wide range of ballistic protection solutions for naval and marine vessels, covering superyachts, military vessels and crew boats, RIBs, tenders and patrol boats. www.aslgrp.com/marine

www.marineandmaritimegazette.com

@MandMGazette

L A T E

46

N E W S

&

R O U N D - U P

Huge growth for maritime transport in Vietnam

Maritime transport in Vietnam last year had a very impressive year, witnessing remarkable growth after enduring a period of recession during 2014-2015.

The amount of freight handled at Vietnamese ports was estimated at 654.6 million tonnes, up 14% from the previous year while container cargo was estimated at 19.35 million TEU, a year-on-year increase of 6%, data provided by the Vietnam Maritime Administration (VMA) showed.

The total of passengers that went through Vietnamese sea ports also increased by 22% to 7.5 million, said VMA Deputy Director Nguyen Dinh Viet, adding that the total cargo transported by the Vietnamese shipping fleet was estimated at 154.6 million tonnes, up 8% from the previous year.

Viet also commented as of December 2019, the Vietnamese fleet of marine vessels was 1,507, including 1,047 cargo ships, with a total capacity of 7.55 million DWT. Vietnam’s fleet of container ships also reached 39 ships compared with just 19 in 2013.

The Vietnamese fleet currently ranks fourth in ASEAN, behind Singapore, Indonesia and Malaysia, and 29th in the world, said Viet, citing statistics from the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development.

With regards to administrative reform, the VMA has rolled out the national single-window system for 11 maritime procedures at 25 port authorities, which received and approved over 94,700 dossiers during the period from January 1 to December 15, 2019.

In recent years, Vietnam has built new and upgraded existing sea ports that can accommodate larger ships, which is in turn helping goods to be transported directly to Europe and the Americas, thereby reducing transport costs and bolstering Vietnam’s logistics services. Vietnam currently has eight logistics centres and 21 inland container depots. www.vinamarine.gov.vn

www.marineandmaritimegazette.com

@MandMGazette