Marine Log April 2022

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HELPING MARITIME PROFESSIONALS MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS

April 2022

OFFSHORE VESSEL CONSTRUCTION

FLOATING WIND Preparing for a Boom in the U.S.

Q&A: OFFSHORE OIL & GAS What’s Ahead?

OFFSHORE REGULATIONS A Look at the Federal Leasing Program

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CONTENTS

20 DEPARTMENTS 2 EDITOR’S LETTER Maritime Needs Support for Clean Energy Transition 4 INLAND WATERWAYS Barge Transportation Wins Out Over Truck and Rail 6 OPINION Growth in Offshore Wind and Clean Vessel Construction 7 WELLNESS Motivation and the Forces that Move Us 8 VESSEL OF THE MONTH HST Hazel: First Vessel in New Mid-Range Multi Cat Class 10 UPDATES • Chouest Shipyard Floats Out Viking Mississippi • Skagit County All-Electric Ferry Project Fully Financed 14 INSIDE WASHINGTON Bentzel on Common Carriage Requirements for U.S. Exports

24 FEATURES

16

OFFSHORE VESSEL CONSTRUCTION Still a Waiting Game?

Although the development of U.S. offshore wind will need an armada of specialist vessels, we’re not yet far along in building it

20

FLOATING WIND Floating Wind is on the Cusp of a Boom Development of floating offshore wind sites in the U.S. has just begun, but industry pros say current plans bode well

22

OFFSHORE REGULATORY UPDATE The Federal Offshore Oil & Gas Leasing Program Within one week of taking office in January 2021, President Biden “paused” new federal oil and gas leasing. Where does that leave us now?

24

Q&A: OFFSHORE OIL & GAS What’s Ahead for Offshore Oil & Gas This Year?

This Q&A offers some insight from Erik Milito, president of NOIA, on what’s been going on in U.S. offshore oil and gas

Cover Photo Credit: Shutterstock/James Jones Jr.

27 NEWSMAKERS Buono to Retire as USMMA Superintendent 28 TECH NEWS All American Marine CTV Design Gains DNV AiP 32 SAFETY USCG Puts Renewed Focus on Icing April 2022 // Marine Log 1

EDITOR’S COLUMN

MARINELOG APRIL 2022 VOL. 127, NO. 4 ISSN 08970491 USPS 576-910 SUBSCRIPTIONS: +1 (402) 346-4740 Fax: +1 (847) 291-4816 Email: marinelog@omeda.com PRESIDENT Arthur J. McGinnis, Jr. amcginnis@sbpub.com PUBLISHER Gary Lynch glynch@sbpub.com Photo Credit: Shutterstock/ GreenOak

F

Maritime Needs Support for Clean Energy Transition

ollowing COP26, the pressure is on for the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to up its greenhouse gas reduction ambitions even further.

Meantime, from January 1, 2023, IMO’s current revised initial greenhouse gas rules will start to take effect. They aim to reduce carbon emissions from ships by 40% from 2008 levels by 2030. This will involve ships meeting increased technical measures to improve a ship’s energy efficiency (EEXI), and ongoing operational measures to reduce a ship’s carbon intensity in accordance with a carbon intensity indicator (CII) regime.

Last fall, data from Ship Review, a ship ESG assessment platform launched by Scope ESG Analysis GmbH, indicates that, based on data from 2020, more than one-third of the world fleet could face problems when IMO’s CII requirements come into effect.

According to the data, 18.8% of vessels have a CII rating of A; 21.8% have a B rating; 23.7% a C rating. By January 2023, ships that receive a D rating (13.9% against the 2020 baseline) for three successive years or an E rating (21.8% based on 2020 data) in any given year will need to implement remediation plans.

“The challenge of EEXI and CII is real,” said Christopher Wiernicki, ABS chairman, president and CEO, speaking to an audience of shipowners, financiers, charterers and global business leaders at the Financial

Times Commodities Global Summit in late March. “Around 80% of the global trading fleet will have to make technical upgrades to meet the minimum energy efficiency standards within EEXI. While EEXI is a one-time hurdle for vessels to clear, then you start moving down the CII trajectory, which represents a powerful new industry dynamic as a continual process with widespread operational and business repercussions running through to the end of the decade.”

He also said that higher fuel prices should spur industry and government to accelerate development of the value chains to enable deployment of net-zero technologies at scale.

“We need this to catch the attention of governments in order that they can provide the infrastructure to support development of the hydrogen and carbon value chains that are going to be so important for a netzero future.”

Just how much help the government and its related agencies will offer shipping remains to be seen, but the fact that it’s needed is clear.

SENIOR EDITORIAL CONSULTANT Nicholas Blenkey nblenkey@sbpub.com ART DIRECTOR Nicole D’Antona ndantona@sbpub.com GRAPHIC DESIGNER Hillary Coleman hcoleman@sbpub.com MARKETING DIRECTOR Erica Hayes ehayes@sbpub.com PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Mary Conyers mconyers@sbpub.com SALES MANAGER David Harkey dharkey@sbpub.com SALES REPRESENTATIVE KOREA & CHINA Young-Seoh Chinn corres1@jesmedia.com CLASSIFIED SALES Frank Rose frose@sbpub.com CIRCULATION DIRECTOR Maureen Cooney mcooney@sbpub.com CONFERENCE DIRECTOR Michelle M. Zolkos mzolkos@sbpub.com CONFERENCE ASSISTANT Stephanie Rodriguez srodriguez@sbpub.com CONTRIBUTORS Emily Reiblein Crowley Maritime Corporation Tracy Zea Waterways Council Inc. SIMMONS-BOARDMAN PUBLISHING CORP. 88 Pine Street, 23rd Floor, New York, NY 10005 Tel: (212) 620-7200 Fax: (212) 633-1165 Website: www.marinelog.com E-mail: marinelog@sbpub.com

HEATHER ERVIN Editor-in-Chief hervin@sbpub.com

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2 Marine Log // April 2022

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Heather Ervin hervin@sbpub.com

INLAND WATERWAYS

Barge Transportation Wins Out Over Truck and Rail

A

inland waterways transportation generates far fewer emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG), hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide and nitrous oxide than rail or truck, per-millionton-miles of cargo moved (see image below).

The updated study also addresses the amount of cargo currently transported on major rivers and waterways and underscores the traffic congestion impacts Americans would experience if cargo carried by water was diverted to truck or rail.

Waterways cargo is equivalent to more than 43 million truck trips annually on the U.S. roadways. If you diverted current waterways freight traffic to highways, it would add 867 trucks to the current 960 trucks per day per lane on a typical rural interstate. The

percentage of trucks in average annual daily traffic would rise 11% (from 17% to 28%).

These additional truck trips would cause the weighted average daily trucks per lane on certain interstate segments to rise to 138% of current levels nationwide. These somewhat complicated statistics convey what is, in reality, a fairly simple message: If not for all the cargo that moves by barge in this country, you would be sharing the highways with a lot more trucks than you already do. And in certain areas of the country, the impact would be even more pronounced.

A key reason barges have fewer emissions per ton-mile of cargo moved is that they use less fuel to move a ton of cargo a mile (see graphic at top of page). According to the

Photo Credit: National Waterways Foundation

s our nation continues to address climate concerns, decarbonization, and sustainability, transportation is a key sector to consider. The National Waterways Foundation (NWF), for which I serve as chairman, exists to develop the intellectual and factual arguments for an efficient, well-funded and secure inland waterways system.

In pursuit of that mission, it has been comparing efficiency, emissions, safety and other factors across the surface modes for a number of years. Our inland waterways continue to excel in each respect and are clearly part of the solution for a nation that is looking to move more cargo with fewer emissions in the future.

In January 2022, the NWF released an update of its study comparing impacts of utilizing inland waterways barge transportation to truck and rail transportation. A Modal Comparison of Domestic Freight Transportation Effects on the General Public: 2001–2019 (January 2022) was conducted by the Texas A&M Transportation Institute’s Center for Port and Waterways. Originally conducted and peer reviewed in 2007, the study was also previously updated in 2011 and 2017 when later data sets were available.

The study addresses cargo capacity, congestion, emissions, energy efficiency, safety and infrastructure impacts across barge, truck and rail, underscoring the environmental benefits of the three modes. The recent update confirms that

4 Marine Log // April 2022

INLAND WATERWAYS

Caption??

2005 data, barges could move cargo 576 tonmiles per gallon. By 2009, that number had increased to 616. In 2014, it was 647 and this update, using 2019 data, shows the number has increased to 675. This is a consequence not just of new, more efficient boats entering service, but shows the benefits derived from repowering existing boats with more fuel efficient and cleaner burning engines, a process that has been ongoing throughout that time period.

The study also looks at spills of more than 1,000 gallons across the modes. Comparing on a per-million-ton-mile basis, spills are very low for barges compared to truck or rail (see graph at top of page).

Many in the inland waterways are well aware of the sheer volume and capacity of barges, with one 15-barge river tow equaling 1,050 trucks and 216 rail cars pulled by six locomotives. But to fully appreciate this, the NWF study notes says one loaded, covered hopper barge transporting wheat carries enough to make a one-pound loaf of bread for every man, woman, and child living in Oklahoma in the year 2019. A loaded liquid tank barge with 27,500 bbl (US liquid barrel) of gasoline carries enough product to satisfy the current annual gasoline demand of approximately 3,072 people.

The NWF’s modal comparison study highlights the significant impacts to infrastructure if waterborne freight were to be diverted to highways or rail. If you shifted barge cargo to the highway, approximately 2 inches of asphalt would have to be added to the pavement of 119,885 lane-miles of rural interstate, given the higher levels of expected 20-year truck loadings and

assuming an even truck traffic distribution over the national highway system.

The study examined a hy pothetical diversion of grain shipments from water to the rail system and found our current rail system may not accommodate the shift, which would equate to 2.3 times the current number of grain carloads on both the UP system and the CN network in the U.S. Look at the second graphic on this page.

Safety impacts sustainability as well and this study has determined that barges are safer to people and the environment (after adjusting for differences in cargo quantity moved by each mode via ton-miles of freight traffic).

The National Waterways Foundation’s rail, truck and inland waterways transportation comparison study underscores the

many benefits and advantages of moving cargo by water. That is not to say that rail and truck transportation are not vital modes. They are and will continue to be.

The message is that where inland waterways are an option, barge transportation is simply the safest, most energy efficient, and environmentally sound way to move cargo.

Barges take pressure off our highway and rail infrastructure, enhance our economy, and lead America to a stronger future.

MATT WOODRUFF Chairman National Waterways Foundation

April 2022 // Marine Log 5

WELLNESS OPINION COLUMN

Growth in Offshore Wind and Clean Vessel Construction To support this burgeoning industry, companies will need to make massive investments into wind farm construction and maintenance equipment, which currently doesn’t exist.

T

h e U. S . c o m m e r c i a l m a r i t i m e industr y is poised to see major growth in the next 10 years due to construction and maintenance of domestic renewable energy technology. Offshore wind turbines are one of the most promising technologies of this renewable energy exponential growth curve. Offshore wind resources are sited geographically near the bulk of U.S. electricity demand, produce peak output during peak demand and the farms will drive the creation and protection of tens of thousands of new and existing U.S.-based jobs.

The U.S. has set ambitious goals for energy production from offshore wind, targeting 30 GW of production capacity by 2030 and 110 GW by 2050. This has been met with action. The offshore wind industry development and operational pipeline in the U.S. experienced a 24% growth in 2020, according to the DOE, to a value of 35 GW potential, yet less than 1% of that is currently operational. The global market is nearly an order of magnitude larger.

To suppor t this burgeoning industry, companies will need to make massive investments into wind farm construction and maintenance equipment, which currently doesn’t exist. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act can aid some of this, which allocated up to $17 billion for ports and the marine industry.

6 Marine Log // April 2022

The offshore wind industry will require a large variety of vessel types and sizes for construction, operation, and maintenance (see Vessel Construction story on page 16). The blades of turbines today span a diameter of 500 feet, with future turbine diameters expected to cover 800 feet. Turbine towers can be fixed to firm foundations on the sea floor, but most of the offshore wind resources are in deep water and thus will likely utilize a tethered floating base design. Clearly, robust vessel fleets in multiple regions around the country will be required.

Many shipbuilders, vessel operators and fuel providers are looking to the future of the maritime industry. Not only are the International Maritime Organization, the U.S. federal government, and multiple states releasing more stringent emissions and efficiency requirements, it is common to see wind farm construction solicitations requiring clean construction vessels or giving higher scores to bidders that include them. It is clear that emissionreducing technologies are badly needed.

This large effort into retrofitting and new construction is a perfect opportunity for the maritime industry to move to zeroemission technology, though powering these large and small vessels with zero emissions engines requires careful analysis of the available options.

Sandia National Laboratories showed that zero-emission powertrains can meet the range and power requirements for many different vessel types. For limited range vessels that have time for recharging, batteries can sometimes meet a zero-emissions vessel’s needs. But for the mission lengths needed to support wind farm construction and maintenance, hydrogen is the only zero-emission fuel that can do the job. Liquified hydrogen is especially well suited for large, long-haul vessels due to its high specific energy: three times higher than maritime liquid fossil fuels and 20 times more energy storage density than today’s state-of-the-art marine battery systems. Additionally, the U.S. is the largest producer of liquid hydrogen in the world at 241 tons per day, with thousands of tons per day more in the planning stages.

The synergies that exist between hydrogen and offshore wind farm construction and operation offer economic and environmental opportunities that stand to benefit many industry players. The U.S. is uniquely positioned to be a leader in this area. Hydrogen fuel can be produced and stored onsite using energy generated by wind turbines, making hydrogen an excellent energy storage medium for remote offshore wind farms.

Hydrogen can be collected by transfer vessels and brought to highest value markets or could take advantage of existing offshore pipelines for transport, thus drastically reducing subsea cabling costs.

Both improve the economics of a wind farm by converting previously curtailed (unusable) energy into a high value asset.

Operation and maintenance costs of the wind farms can also be reduced if hydrogen powered vessels refuel at the job site, extending their operational capabilities.

Not too bad for also being zero emissions.

Maritime applications pose additional challenges to the technology, yet many solutions already exist today. A pilot project, named PosHYdon, demonstrating the benefits of hydrogen production from offshore wind, is currently underway in the Netherlands. A number of zero emission vessels have been deployed globally to date, including the U.S. flagged Sea Change powered by our hydrogen fuel cell system. A once-in-a-generation opportunity for the U.S. maritime industry is on the horizon.

Photo Credit: Shutterstock/David_Maddock

By Danny Terlip, Lead Engineer at Zero Emission Industries

WELLNESS COLUMN

Motivation and the Forces that Move Us period. Ten weeks later, the students who showed they were grateful were closer than others in the study to reaching their goals.

Researchers over many studies have also shown that gratitude-focused participants increased their well-being. A written or verbal expression of gratitude can change interpersonal relationships and help boost our ability to self motivate.

Let Someone Else Lead You: Selfesteem is another driving factor that helps increase motivation. When self-esteem is low, it acts as a negative motivator. In 2014, Frontiers of Phycology published research on how to boost self-esteem through working with a partner. Researchers found that keeping time with others may be a means of increasing self-esteem (by extension motivation) and feeling good about us. When you are in a rut, find a trusted friend to sync up with.

The power to motivate oneself toward a desired goal can sometimes feel elusive.

Photo Credit: Shutterstock/ StunningArt

S

elf-motivation can ebb and flow with little consistency, even when the desire for a result is strong. Fortunately, there are little known bits of research on how the body and mind can work in consort to power motivation and unlocking forces that can move us forward.

For motivation to exist, the most basic of human needs must be met. Maslow’s basic needs of human survival: food, water, air, shelter, safety, sleep and clothing create the platform from which the seeds of motivation can start.

Once in a position to grow, motivation can flourish depending on three aspects that impact action (Ryan and Deci, 2000): your ability to do something, your level of independence, and how relevant the goal is to you.

We generally start a goal with these three aspects well within our control, however, challenges arises when other influences start to creep in and absorb our capacity, including family needs, emergency action or even just a day when spirits are low. This can make self-motivation like a tidal river; sometimes raging and other times trickling-making the way forward a muddy slog. When you hit the trickle, here are a few forces that can change our outlook and prompting action toward a result.

Your Body, Your Mind Fake-it-Till-You-Make-It: In 1993, the Association for Psychological Science

published research on smiling. This research studied smiling under both voluntary and involuntary circumstances. Regardless of the faked or spontaneous response, participants were noted as having action (smiling) that impacted the same region of their brain that resulted in a positive feeling.

Use Your Spine: Another emotional manipulation based on physical action that can change our outlook and our level of engagement is detailed in a 2016 article found in Cognition and Emotion by Lotte Veenstra and colleagues. In this paper, researchers discovered that when the spine is stooped, one’s ability to regulate a negative mood is less effective than when a straight or otherwise controlled posture is used. The effects of body posture appear to make an independent contribution to mood regulation. The next time you are feeling down and lack motivation, straighten your spine and allow your mood to rise.

A Change in Your Attitude Spell Out Your Gratitude: Allowing the actions of others to generate your words of gratitude can change your motivational effort. Although the exact mechanism between the two still requires further studies, research shows that intrinsic motivation and gratitude are activated in the same region of the brain and that they are related.

Designing Positive Psychology recalled a study in which students made a list of goals they hoped to reach over a two-month

Engage Discipline While motivation is an emotion that acts tidally, discipline is a quality that is constant and has a structure associated with it. Acts of discipline are based on rules and often consequences that get levied when a lapse occurs, even if those consequences are selfinflected or self-induced.

As motivation wanes, employing structured discipline can make some small executable actions toward an end result.

Motivation and discipline actually go hand-in-hand. Think of discipline as a life raft, or in the case of a really low tide, the Bogger Boots. They are the tools that allow you to keep moving forward when the tide is out. Spend a few minutes building a structured set of rules and triggers for action that surround your goal to keep your momentum.

The forces that move us do not have to be evasive. With a little bit of body movement, a friend who begets gratitude, and some good old-fashioned discipline, you can reach your goals with a positive attitude through changing tides.

Nothing in this article constitutes medical advice. All medical advice should be sought from a medical professional.

EMILY REIBLEIN

Director-Health, Safety, Security and Environment (HSSE) Crowley Logistics

April 2022 // Marine Log 7

VESSEL OF THE MONTH

The new vessel, named HST Hazel after the daughter of HST Operations Director Chris Monan, was built at Damen Shipyards Hardinxveld in the Netherlands.

ffshore crew transfer vessel operator HST Marine has taken delivery of the first of a new class of Damen Multi Cat, the 2309.

The new mid-range model, measuring 23.4 meter long by 9.6 meter beam, is well-suited for a wide range of tasks and enables U.K.-based HST Marine to offer its clients workboat services such as marine logistics and general contracting alongside its crew transfer business.

The new vessel, named HST Hazel after the daughter of HST Operations Director Chris Monan, was built at Damen Shipyards Hardinxveld in the Netherlands. It will initially be based out of HST’s homeport of Swansea, supporting clients in Wales and southwest England.

“T he acqu i sit ion of t he HST Ha z el i s ju st t he beg i n n i ng of ou r st rateg y of ex tend i ng ou r ser v ic e s to bec ome a tot a l solut ions prov ider,” sa id HST Managing Director Tom Nevin. “We are doing this in response to the preference of our of fshore renewables customers

8 Marine Log // April 2022

for a single point of contact for all their offshore support.”

In order to give its clients a premium ser v ice, HST ha s added some custom feat u re s to t he new ve ssel, i nclud i ng

HST has added some custom features to the new vessel, including Volvo Penta engines for added efficiency and emissions reductions.

Vol vo Pe nt a e ng i ne s for a dde d e f f i ciency and emissions reductions. These c a n a lso be ea si ly conver ted for I MO Tier III compliance.

The bow t hr uster has a lso been

upgraded for enhanced maneuverability and the crew cabins have been fitted with satellite television and high-speed interconnectivity with f leet system and VSAT. Addit iona l equipment upg rades include a f ive-tonne pu l l w inch a nd a heav y-dut y crane w ith a lif ting capacit y of 25 tonnes at 5.8 meters outreach.

On t he a f t deck a t ug ger w i nch, w it h 12 ton ne s of pu l l h a s b e e n i n s t a l le d a long w it h a n A-f ra me w it h plow for cable lay ing.

“We are delighted to have HST as the launch customer of our new Multi Cat 2309 desig n,” sa id Da men’s U.K. a nd Ireland Sales Manager Frederik van der L i nde . “B e c au s e HST i s a l re ady succ e s sf u l ly operat i ng fou r Da men Fa st Crew Supply 2710s, we are able to offer t h e m c onv e n i e nt a n d c o s t- e f f i c i e nt ser v ice suppor t as t heir f leet ex pands and diversifies, all via a single point of contact. This will give them peace-ofmind and more time to focus on their customers. We are conf ident that HST Hazel will outperform expectations.”

Photo Credit: Damen Shipyards

O

HST Hazel:

First Vessel in New Mid-Range Multi Cat Class

Posidonia 6 -10 June 2022

Metropolitan Expo, Athens Greece

www.posidonia-events.com

UPDATE

CHOUEST SHIPYARD FLOATS OUT VIKING MISSISSIPPI

VIKING CRUISES’ 386-GUEST VIKING MISSISSIPPI RIVER CRUISE vessel has been

floated out today at Edison Chouest Offshore’s LaShip shipyard in Houma, La. Set to debut in June 2022, the Jones Act compliant Viking Mississippi will sail Viking’s much-anticipated voyages on the Lower and Upper Mississippi River, between New Orleans and St. Paul.

“It is a proud moment that this new ship has met an American waterway for the first time,” said Torstein Hagen, chairman of Viking.

“Our guests have long wanted to sail the Mississippi River with Viking, and we very much

look forward to welcoming them on board this summer. We are grateful to our American partner, Edison Chouest Offshore, who has helped bring to life our vision of exploring the Mississippi in the ‘Viking way.’”

Hosting 386 guests in 193 all outside staterooms, and offering multiple passenger amenities, the new state-of-the-art, fivedeck river cruise ship is inspired by Viking’s award-winning river and ocean ships and will feature elegant Scandinavian design, as well as public spaces that will be familiar to Viking guests but reimagined for Mississippi River voyages.

The Viking Mississippi is equipped with a diesel-electric propulsion system comprised of eight CAT C32 EPA Tier 4 diesel engines, each powering a 940 eKw water cooled generator; each engine/generator unit is individually mounted on a specially designed double raft isolation system that produces a remarkably quiet and smooth ride.

Propulsion power is provided by Voith six-bladed propulsion thrusters driven by permanent magnet electric motors, as are the pump jet bow thrusters.

An advanced exhaust gas scrubbing system will significantly reduce sound and emissions.

A PROJECT THAT WILL REPL ACE A 40 -YEAR-OLD DIESEL powered vessel

with a new all-electric ferry has marked another milestone.

Washington State’s S kag it Count y reports that the state legislature has finalized its 2022 transportation appropriations package. Among other appropriations, the legislation provides $14 million for the allelectric Guemes Ferry Replacement project.

This funding completes the financing for the project, according to the county.

“This project is vital to residents of Guemes Island and has been a long time coming,” said Commissioner Peter Browning, who currently serves as Chair of the Board of County Commissioners. “We’re incredibly excited to begin project construction.”

10 Marine Log // April 2022

The Guemes ferry replacement project will replace the current 40-year-old M/V Guemes with a new all-electric ferry, designed by Glosten. The ferry is expected to enter into full service by 2025.

T h e n e w ve s s e l w i l l b e a d o u b l e ended vehicle and passenger ferry with a three-tiered deckhouse. The design accommodates four lanes of vehicles including highway-rated trucks and emergency vehicles.

“The M/V Guemes is nearing the end of its useful life and we need to replace it imminently,” said Commissioner Ron Wesen. “To have such considerable support from the entirety of our legislative delegation not only to replace the boat, but to replace it with an all-electric vessel

is wonderful. We are truly blessed here in the Skagit.”

Commissioner Lisa Janicki said, “The M/V Guemes operates 365 days a year and with funding from the Climate Commitment Act, we’ll pull those large diesel motors out of the Salish Sea and provide reliable transportation to Guemes Island.”

Photo Credit: (Top) Viking River Cruises ; (Bottom) Glosten

Skagit County All-Electric Ferry Project Now Fully Financed

Nov 1-2, 2022

San Francisco, CA

Breakthrough Solutions For Greener Ferries Overcoming regulatory hurdles and accessing funding for alternative fuel technologies What Do Attendees Say About Marine Log FERRIES? I found the Marine Log FERRIES 2021 conference in NYC to be the best ferry specific industry event in the Americas in 2021, and one of the best I’ve been to in the 25+ years I’ve been involved in the marine industry. As a potential systems integration supplier to ferry operators, many of my potential clients were in attendance so huge value for my investment. The speakers at Marine Log FERRIES 2021 were also top notch and recognized as leaders and experts on the topics they presented. I would definitely recommend future attendance of this event to anyone looking to learn about ferry industry best practices, new technologies and business trends.

Bruce Strupp, Senior Account Manager, New Sales- Ferry, ABB Inc. Marine & Port

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UPDATE

Savannah Pilots Take Delivery of New Boat Savannah, the first of two new 64- by 19.5foot aluminum pilot boats to the Savannah Pilots Association.

Designed by Camarc Design of the U.K., the single chine, flush deck 5086 aluminum vessel is the third pilot boat that Camarc has designed for the Savannah pilots.

Savannah is powered by MTU 12V2000M86 marine engines, Hamilton HTX 52 waterjets with electronic AVX controls, ZF 3055 marine gears, and Geislinger Carbon Fiber driveshafts / Silenco couplings. This combination allows for excellent maneuverability with a top speed of about 35 knots.

One of America’s oldest pilot associations,

the Savannah Pilots Association has guided vessels on the 25-plus mile journey from the sea entrance to the Port of Savannah, Ga., since 1864. They require vessels with excellent sea keeping ability and maneuverability even in the worst of sea conditions.

“Choosing Snow & Company as builder and using our previous proven design by Camarc was the right decision for us at the Savannah Pilots,” said Capt. Robert Thompson III, Pilot 23, master pilot and president, Savannah Pilots. “These two vessels will be our third and fourth built for us in Seattle all at the same facility which has consistently produced outstanding vessels.”

“Working with Snow & Company along with Camarc Design, MTU, Hamilton Jet and many other vendors has produced an

outstanding vessel for us, looking forward to completing the second one,” said Capt. Nick Groover, Pilot 18, vice president and marine superintendent, Savannah Pilots.

“During our acceptance sea trials in Puget Sound, the vessel exceeded our expectations in speed, reduced noise levels and smoothness,” said Capt. Rich Galuk, chief engineer, Savannah Pilots. “Robust construction from Snow & Company’s skilled build team insures us a tough and durable vessel with a service life to exceed 20+ years.”

“For me, this boat is the beginning of a new type of work for our company, a niche we feel we fit into quite well,” said Brett Snow, owner of Snow & Company. “It is an honor to have been chosen by the pilots to build their new boats.”

D I G I TA L S H I P B U I L D E R S D E S I G N . B U I L D . C O N S U LT.

incatcrowther.com 3 x 30m HYBRID-READY CTVs UNDER CONTRACT/CONSTRUCTION IN USA

12 Marine Log // April 2022

Photo Credit: Snow & Company

THE SNOW & COMPANY SHIPYARD IN SEATTLE, WASH., has delivered the

UPDATE

BIZ NOTES T I D E WAT E R TO ACQ U I R E SWIRE PACIFIC OFFSHORE Houston-headquartered Tidewater Inc. is set to acquire all of the outstanding shares of Swire Pacific Offshore Holdings Limited, a subsidiary of Hong Kong-based Swire Pacific Limited, for approximately $190 million. The move will create the world’s largest fleet of offshore service vessels. The Swire Pacific Offshore fleet of 50 vessels consists of 29 AHTS vessels and 21 PSVs. After the deal closes, Tidewater’s total fleet size will be 203 vessels, counting in crew boats, tug boats and maintenance vessels.

MAJOR P&I MERGER WILL CREATE NEW GLOBAL MARINE INSURER Marine P&I (protection and indemnity) insurance mutuals have long been facing challenging market conditions that have led to predictions that further consolidation in the sector was likely. Last month, two well-known players—North P&I and Standard Club— said they had entered formal discussions for a proposed merger

to create a new global marine insurer and one of the largest providers of mutual cover in the maritime industries. With 300 years of shared P&I heritage, the combined mutual insurer would provide cover for vessels equivalent to 400 million GT.

C ARGOTEC TO MACGREGOR?

SELL

OFF

Antitrust agencies in the U.S. and U.K. have blocked a merger of Cargotec and Konecranes on the grounds that it would eliminate important competition in four types of shipping container-handling equipment used by ports.

Now Cargotec says it will refocus its strategy and will initiate an evaluation of options of its MacGregor subsidiary, including a potential sale of the business.

TT BARGE SELLS TWO BARGE SERVICE FACILITIES TO JAMES MARINE The James Marine group of companies has purchased TT Barge Cleaning Mile 183 LLC and TT Barge Services Mile 237 LLC from TT Barge

Service, Donaldsonville, La. “TT 183 and TT 237 are in good hands with James Marine,” says Jeff James, president of James Marine Inc. “This addition enhances our ability to extend James Marine’s vessel services to include tank barge cleaning and gas-freeing for all of our customers,” he added.

C AT ER PI L L A R M A R I N E TO E X PA N D E L E C T R I C A N D HYBRID OFFERINGS Drawing on expertise from across the Caterpillar Inc. enterprise, Caterpillar Marine plans to expand its hybrid and electric offerings, selectively incorporating technology from machine and off-highway products. Cat Marine says this will expand its capabilities to deliver advanced power systems that will help minimize customers’ fuel usage, environmental impact and total cost of ownership while maximizing reliability and productivity. Caterpillar Marine dealers worldwide will be given the training and resources needed to provide full product support for Caterpillar’s next generation of hybrid and electric propulsion and power system solutions.

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B L O U N T B O AT S . C O M WARREN, RHODE ISLAND April 2022 // Marine Log 13

INSIDE WASHINGTON

Bentzel on Common Carriage Requirements for U.S. Exports

I

remain troubled about the expanding imbalance of cargoes imported into the United States versus those exported,” said Carl Bentzel, commissioner with the U.S. Federal Maritime Commission.

On December 16, 2020, then Commissioner and now Chairman Daniel Maffei and Bentzel sent a letter to the president and CEO of the World Shipping Council expressing the necessity for ocean carriers serving the United States to recognize their common carriage service requirements to accept U.S. exports.

In this letter, Maffei and Bentzel wrote, “We are writing to express our growing concern about reports that ocean carriers are refusing the carriage of U.S. exports. While we understand the current surge of import cargoes into the United States has stretched our supply chain’s capacity to handle cargo in

certain seaports, it is of great concern, if true, that focus on the delivery of surge import cargoes works to the detriment of U.S. exporters.”

The common carriage obligations of U.S. transportation providers have been in place since the passage of the Interstate Commerce Act of 1887. Those existing requirements were carried into international ocean transportation through the Shipping Act of 1916. The obligations remain to this day.

The Shipping Act of 1984 contains provisions that ensure common carriage and protect exporters from discrimination. 46 U.S.C. 41104(a)(10).

Common carriers may not “unreasonably refuse to deal or negotiate.”

The most recently available information shows the greatest difference in balance of payments between imported and exported goods since 2008. Though the maritime industry is successfully carrying record

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“Accordingly, my observations concerning ‘one-way’ service remain and I continue to express concerns that these carriers could be behaving in a manner that violates common carriage protections of the law. The commission staff should continue to review specific information related to service of new entrants with attention to the volume of containers imported, exported, and empty returns on each visit into the United States.”

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14 Marine Log // April 2022

2/28/22 2:35 PM

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ENGINESCONSTRUCTION VESSEL & PROPULSION

A

t the end of February, the New York Bight offshore wind lease sale attracted an astonishing $3.5 billion in winning bids.

Which raises an interesting question: what is the U.S. government going to with the money?

Here’s a suggestion: How about putting a chunk of it towards encouraging the construction of the Jones Act vessels that will be needed to put wind turbines into the water on those leases?

16 Marine Log // April 2022

Although the development of U.S. offshore wind will need an armada of specialist vessels, we’re not much further forward in seeing them built than we were a year ago. Right now, there is just one wind turbine installation vessel under construction in the U.S., Dominion Energy’s Charybdis, and just one service operation vessel, the ECO Edison, which just started construction at a number of Edison Chouest shipyards and is set for delivery in 2024.

A tiny handful of crew transfer vessels

(CTVs) have been delivered and a handful more are on order.

The need for many more vessels than that is clear.

The graph below taken from the Construction and Operations Plan (COP) for Revolution Wind shows the vessels that Ørsted and Eversource say will be required for the construction phase.

Not all of the vessels will need to be Jones Act qualified and some will already exist. But if we look at projects in the U.S. offshore wind

Photo Credit: Dominion Energy

Right now, there is just one wind turbine installation vessel under construction in the U.S., Dominion Energy’s Charybdis.

VESSEL CONSTRUCTION the U.S. by the end of this decade, which is 25% higher than what was predicted for this market a year previously,

OFFSHORE VESSEL CONSTRUCTION: Still a Waiting Game

By Nick Blenkey, Senior Editorial Consultant

pipeline, we can get some idea of the armada of vessels that will be eventually be needed.

According to the most recent Global Offshore Wind Report from the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC), published last year, North America commissioned its first commercial offshore wind project, the 30 MW Block Island project, in Rhode Island in December 2016.

The 12 MW Dominion Virginia demonstration project was installed in 2020, bringing the total offshore wind capacity spinning in

the region to 42 MW. Based on GWEC Market Intelligence’s global offshore wind project database, no utility-scale offshore wind projects will come online in North America until 2023. However, GWEC says that last May’s final federal approval of the 800 MW Vineyard Wind 1 project “truly represents the start of the U.S. offshore wind industry” and that with steps such as BOEM’s plan to advance new lease sales and complete the review of at least 16 wind farm COPs by 2025, a total of 28.4 GW of offshore wind could be built in

Where Are The WTIVs? In March of last year, when President Biden announced his 30 GW by 2030 target, a White House fact sheet said that reaching it would require “the construction of four to six specialized turbine installation vessels in U.S. shipyards, each representing an investment between $250 and $500 million.” That same fact sheet said the offshore wind industry would have access to $3 billion in funding through the Department of Energy’s Loan Program Office (LPO) Title XVII Innovative Energy Loan Guarantee Program.

One year later, the number of wind turbine installation vessels under construction in the U.S. still remains what it was at the time of President Biden’s announcement: just one.

And not one offshore wind project has, as yet, made its way into the LPO loan portfolio listings.

For now, in what is still the infancy stage of developments, U.S. offshore wind farm developers have been able to get access to the WTIVs they need.

Last June, Ørsted and Eversource reached an agreement to charter Charybdis, for the construction of two offshore wind farms in the Northeast.

Currently under construction at the Keppel AmFELS shipyard, Charybdis is expected to be sea ready by late 2023, and will first be deployed out of New London, Conn., harbor to support the construction of Revolution Wind and Sunrise Wind, both under joint development by Ørsted and Eversource. The charter’s terms will allow the vessel to support construction of Dominion Energy’s 2.6 gigawatt Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind (CVOW) project off the coast of Virginia Beach, which is expected to be completed in 2026.

In contrast, Vineyard Wind will use a foreign-flag wind turbine installation vessel (WTIV), serviced by Jones Act compliant feeder vessels, to install the 62 General Electric 13 MW Haliade-X wind turbines for the Vineyard Wind 1 project off the coast of Martha’s Vineyard, which is due to start delivering energy before the end of 2023.

Vineyard Wind, has named a U.S. subsidiary of Belgium’s DEME Group as its contractor for the offshore transport and installation of the wind turbines. DEME, in turn, is teaming up with Foss Maritime Company to provide Jones Act-compliant feeder vessels to transport the wind turbines from the port of New Bedford, Mass., to the foreign-flag DEME installation jack-up vessel.

April 2022 // Marine Log 17

vessel construction

REVOLUTION WIND FARM VESSELS NEEDED

Jack-Up Installation Vessel

NO. OF VESSELS 1-2

Jack-Up Feeder/Supply Vessel

5-9

Crew Transfer Vessel

6-8

Material Barge

3-6

Feeder Barge

3-6

Tow Tug

2-6

Anchor Handling Tug

2-5

Support Vessel – Inflatable

1-2

Rock Installation Vessel Bunkering Vessel Helicopter

1 1 1-2

Foundation Installation Vessel

1

Heavy Transport Vessel

1

Array Installation (CLV)

1

Array Cable Burial

1

Transport Freighter

1

SOV

2

PLGR

1

Survey Vessel

1

Cable Lay Vessel (Export)

1

Cable Lay Vessel (Barge)

1

Tug (Support Tug)

1

Export Burial Vessel

1

NOTICE OF REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS TO PROVIDE A FREIGHT TRANSPORTATION SERVICE FOR THE ISLAND OF MARTHA’S VINEYARD CONTRACT NO. 10-2022

The Woods Hole, Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket Steamship Authority (the “SSA”) has issued a Request for Proposals (“RFP”) from responsible and eligible proponents who wish to be considered for a license agreement to provide a freight transportation service for the island of Martha’s Vineyard.

Proposals will be accepted until 2:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Savings Time on Tuesday, August 2, 2022, at the SSA’s Procurement Office, which is located on the second floor of the SSA’s Administrative Offices, 228 Palmer Avenue, Falmouth, Massachusetts 02540.

The SSA has established this deadline for submitting proposals so that potential proponents will have sufficient time to submit questions and suggestions regarding the RFP after reviewing both the RFP and the documents referred to therein. The SSA asks that such questions and suggestions be submitted as soon as possible so that the SSA in turn has sufficient time to respond to them well in advance of the deadline for submitting proposals.

18 Marine Log // April 2022

The SSA’s hope is that the successful proponent’s new freight service will become a long-term part of the marine transportation network providing the island of Martha’s Vineyard with adequate transportation of persons and necessaries of life. Towards this end, although the SSA anticipates that most proponents will submit proposals to provide a conventional roll-on/roll-off ferry service to carry freight trucks and other vehicles between the mainland and the island of Martha’s Vineyard, the SSA encourages the submission of proposals to provide other methods of transporting freight to and from Martha’s Vineyard that might be more efficient, economical and/or ecofriendly than a conventional ferry service. If a proponent would like to submit such a proposal and is not certain whether its proposal would be considered responsive to the RFP or suitably evaluated under the evaluation criteria set forth in the RFP, the proponent should contact the SSA so that this RFP can be appropriately revised well in advance of the due date for the submission of proposals without prejudice to fair competition.

In order to receive electronic versions of the RFP and all subsequent addenda issued by the SSA to the RFP, please email the SSA’s Procurement Officer, Peggy Nickerson, whose email address is pnickerson@steamshipauthority.com. Electronic versions of those documents may also be requested by calling Ms. Nickerson at (508) 548-5011, ext. 515, during the SSA’s regular business hours.

The SSA is utilizing a RFP procurement process for this License Agreement. Under such a process, the selection of the most advantageous proposal will be based upon proposed

While feedering non-Jones Act WTIVs might seem like a viable workaround, the availability of those vessels is likely to be tight. While the U.S. has ambitions to install 3O GW of offshore wind this decade, the GWEC report we referenced earlier forecasts that worldwide over 235 GW of new offshore wind capacity will be added over the next decade. WTIVs will be required for all those projects and much of the current WTIV fleet won’t be capable of handling the giant wind turbines now becoming the industry norm.

Interestingly, Danish-based Cadeler reported last June that it had upgraded the specs of two giant X-class vessels on order in China for delivery in 2024 to be able, per load, to transport and install seven complete 15 MW turbine sets or five sets of 20+ MW turbines. That sent the price of the vessels from $300 million apiece to $325 million.

At the end of the day, U.S. shipyards have to hope that there’s a sweet spot where it makes sense to pay more for a Jones Act WTIV that does what its designed to do—transport and install turbines—rather than to pay what will be sky high rates for a foreign-flag vessel that only does half of what it’s meant to: the installation bit.

Meantime, there’s no work around to the use of Jones Act SOVs and CTVs and sooner

compensation and other evaluation factors specified in the RFP. The RFP fully details the procurement process and the requirements for each proposal, and persons interested in submitting proposals for the License Agreement must comply with the provisions thereof. Unless all proposals are rejected, the SSA shall award the License Agreement to the eligible and responsible proponent who offers the most advantageous proposal to the SSA, based upon the RFP requirements and the evaluation criteria established for the License Agreement.

The SSA is soliciting competitive proposals pursuant to a determination that such a process best serves the interest of the SSA and the general public, and not because of any legal requirement to do so. The SSA reserves the right to accept or to reject any and all proposals, to modify or amend with the consent of the proponent any proposal prior to acceptance, and to waive any informality, all as the SSA in its sole judgment and discretion may deem to be in its best interest.

Issued: March 18, 2022

Graph Credit: BOEM

VESSEL TYPE

VESSEL CONSTRUCTION or later wind farm developers will have to just grit their teeth and give operators the long term charters they need in order to commit to building them.

Oil & Gas Meantime, back in the oil patch, so far as workhorses such as platform supply vessels are concerned, chances are less than slight that any new construction orders will be placed anywhere, anytime foreseeable. The offshore services sector has more than enough existing vessels to handle any uptick in demand. Though the numbers of vessels may be out there, there is increasing demand for offshore vessels to be greener.

This is going to create upgrade and retrofit opportunities if not newbuilding orders.

This is notably the case in Norway, where energy company Equinor — which is 67% owned by the Norwegian government — has consistently been requiring platform supply vessels to reduce their GHG emissions. It has achieved this by offering a mix of long-term charters and subsidies from various sources to encourage operators to upgrade their existing vessels.

The Eidsvik Offshore ASA supply vessel Viking Energy, delivered in 2003 as the world’s first, LNG-fueled PSV, is an example

of an upgrade path that other PSVs could follow. In 2016 it became the first PSV to be retrofitted to battery hybrid operation, in 2018 it was fitted for shore power battery charging and, since 2020 it has been the test bed for a project that will see it operate with

Harvey Gulf has begun to operate one of its trifuel vessels exclusively on battery power and renewable LNG, with diesel as back up.

an ammonia fuel cell in 2024. Without getting too deep into the book keeping, all of this has been helped with a variety of Norwegian and EU funding.

American operators have thus far not been able to get that sort of support. Still, industry leaders have been greening up.

Marine Log 3.3” wide x 4.625” high

C

Moving one step closer to becoming the world’s first Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG)-certified oil and gas vessel operator, Harvey Gulf International Marine, New Orleans, La., has begun to operate one of its tri-fuel vessels exclusively on battery power and renewable liquefied natural gas (RLNG), with diesel fuel as back up.

Harvey explains that the RLNG it is using is “recaptured swine and dairy farm gas from pig and cows” and that the use of RLNG enables clients who charter the company’s dual and tri-fueled RLNG vessels to obtain carbon neutral certification for their related vessel operations.

“We always knew the day would come when investors and customers would demand low, or in this case, carbon neut r a l , z e ro e m i s s i o n p l a t f o r m s u p p l y vessels,” says Harvey Gulf Chairman and CEO Shane Guidry. “Harvey owns the only ones in the world operating today and the only ones that will ever be operating in the United States, unless our competitors want to build new dual fuel LNG vessels, or trifueled like these, at a cost of $113 million per vessel. I don’t see that happening, as you will never get a day rate from the end user that will support the $113 million construction cost.”

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April 2022 // Marine Log 19

ENGINES &WIND FLOATING PROPULSION

On the Cusp of a Boom,

U.S. Floating Wind Gains Traction

By Jonathan Hawes

D

evelopment of floating offshore wind sites in the U.S. has just begun, but industr y pros say that current and planned development

bodes well.

The number of planned floating offs h o re w i n d p ro j e c t s s k y ro c ke t e d i n 20 Marine Log // April 2022

2 0 2 0 , a c co rd i n g t o t h e D e p a r t m e n t of Energ y. At least 25 GW should be installed by 2026.

Cusp of a Boom “Wind farm developers, energ y companies and turbine manufacturers are engaged, investing, and looking to the

future,” said Bill Hurley, PelaStar business development lead for Glosten. “U.S. developers are focused on bottom-fixed turbines because the relatively shallow continental shelf off the U.S. East Coast provides a lot of suitable seabed. Bottom-fixed foundations are lower cost than floating foundations, installation

Photo Credit Glosten

FLOATING WIND methods are proven, and risks are well understood. However, the floating wind market is already materializing with interest in the strong winds and deep waters of the Gulf of Maine.”

Maine now has a floating offshore wind program, which eventually will lead to a system providing 1.5 GW of power. California has two designated wind energy areas with a total of 4.6 GW, and seabed lease sales will happen later this year.

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management’s plan for a 3 GW lease of seabed off the Oregon coast in 2024 is also favorable for the sector.

“These areas will be selected out of a 17 GW Oregon potential. These West Coast oppor tunities will really energize the floating wind market,” Hurley said.

Floating wind tech is improving, with anchors and mooring lines being upgraded for this new segment of offshore wind. Glosten’s PelaStar is working with vertical load anchor technologies including micropiles and helical anchors.

“We’re also adopting synthetic mooring lines made from high-strength-low-creep fibers,” said Hurley. “Our PelaStar tension leg platform design continues to evolve from the early 2009 versions, with current work advancing our design optimization tools and looking at actuated tendons.”

O ther new foundat ion desig ns are emerg ing , but the real test w ill be in how these new designs can support the giant 15 MW turbines and provide low motions, low accelerations, and robustness operating in a rough ocean for 25 years, Hurley noted.

The installation of floating turbines also is an improving technology, which could mean an even greater reliance on vessels for that work.

“There is growing support for floating-to-floating installation as cost comparisons are being conducted comparing offshore heavy-lift to shore-side assembly and tow-out,” Hurley said.

Europe, which leads the world in offshore wind, is rapidly advancing floating wind. Over half of the recent 25 GW ScotWind seabed leases are in deep water and will have floating foundations. France is pursuing deep-water floating wind and is in the process of demonstrating four floating technologies in the Mediterranean and Atlantic.

Vessel Outlook Because of all of the growth, new vesselrelated opportunities are plentiful.

“There will be a need for ‘feeder’ barges

to move foundation, tower, and turbine components from logistics ports to installation vessels offshore. Many of the installation vessels will be foreignflagged, so they will not be permitted to move the components out of a U.S. port,” Hurley said. “Barges are a likely candidate to provide transportation of components, but there are technical challenges with that approach. The primary challenge is how to position the barge offshore, near an installation vessel, securely enough to safely transfer components.”

Crew Tr a n s fer Ve s s e l s ( C T Vs ) a n d other purpose-built offshore wind vessels are in demand in offshore wind.

“CTVs will be highly utilized by offshore wind when wind farms enter operation. Offshore construction and support vessels required for offshore wind will have broad applicability to other marine construction and support proj-

Currently on the U.S. East Coast, the need for barges as ‘feeder’ vessels is providing steady business with barge owners. ects and potentially high availability once wind farm construction is complete,” Hurley said.

Currently on the U.S. East Coast, the need for barges as “feeder” vessels is providing steady business with barge owners.

But it’s not likely that such vessels will be used in the U.S. West Coast market for floating wind.

“Most likely the feeder barge concept being used on the East Coast will not be used for floating offshore wind on the West Coast, because the type of structures are fundamentally different,” said Chris Meisl, senior engineer, ports and harbors, for Advisian.

Crowley Marine Services Inc. is positioning itself for the growth in floating wind on the West Coast.

“Floating wind is a significant part of our strategy for the offshore wind market.

We’re trying to find terminal space on the West Coast to [help] build out floating wind,” said Jeff Andreini, vice president

New Energy Services at Crowley.

Andreini sees a future need for SOVs (service operation vessels) in floating wind, as well as other vessels. That need could produce others, such as demand for alternative fuels.

“A l l o f t h e s e ve s s e l s n e e d f u e l . …

Crowley has developed the first-ever electronic tugboat. And the development of hydrogen is accelerating,” Andreini said.

“We’re working together with a [partner] in trying to come up with a solution of alternate energy to be developed through offshore wind.”

The Big Cajun A l t e r n a t i ve , e c o - f r i e n d l y f u e l i s o n ever yone’s mind, these days. But if a new technolog y being de veloped for offshore w ind catches on, the gamechanging powering option for the f ut u re of of f s h ore w i n d co u l d com e from Louisiana.

Canada-based Waterotor International Corporation is working with Louisianabased design-engineering firm Herman J. Schellsted & Associates to spread the word about The Big Cajun. It’s a Megarotor system for generating energy.

The Big Cajun is the first hybrid ocean p ower-gener at ing solut ion that creates energy from both wind and water, according to Waterotor. Begun by Ferguson in 2011, Waterotor seems poised to be an industry game-changer.

“We’ve spent millions to suppor t a substantial breakthrough,” Ferguson said.

“We extract 60% of moving energy from running water at all speeds.”

Schellsted Associates has been working in the energy sector since it became involved in oil and gas work in 1947.

“Lift boats and jack-up boats originated in Louisiana,” Herman Schellsted said. “We’re very familiar with platforms and drilling rigs, and we understand the connections in generating power.”

The 20 MW Big Cajun system is currently in the detailed design phase. It will cost $100 million to build.

“In one year [of using The Big Cajun] we can provide the energy that a wind system does in five years,” Ferguson said, noting that the company is looking for a partnership. “We’re basically at the seedling level. We are only going to be what we are—a small company that initiated something big.”

Schellsted sees the technology as a way to help Americans earn.

“We need to put our people to work. And we truly believe in this,” Shellsted said.

April 2022 // Marine Log 21

OFFSHORE REGULATIONS

The State of the Federal Offshore Oil & Gas Leasing Program

A decades-long run of holding at least one Gulf of Mexico lease sale every calendar is up in the air.

O

ffshore oil and gas leasing of federal lands located on the Outer Continental Shelf of the United States is conducted pursuant to the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA) and is administered by the Department of the Interior (DOI).

OCSLA directs the DOI to “promote the swift, orderly, and efficient exploration” of offshore mineral resources, utilizing a fourstage process: (1) DOI formulates a Five-Year Program outlining all lease sales to be held in the next five-year period; (2) DOI holds the lease sales by soliciting bids and awarding leases to the highest qualified bidder; (3) the lessee conducts exploratory activities; and (4) the lessee develops the lease and begins production.

Currently, the DOI is operating under the 2017-2022 Five Year Program, which is set to expire on July 1, 2022.

Within one week of taking office in January 2021, President Biden signed Executive Order 14008, which “paused” new federal oil and gas leasing “pending completion of a comprehensive review and reconsideration of Federal oil and gas permitting and leasing practices.” With this declaration, a decades-long run of holding at least one Gulf of Mexico lease sale every calendar year was jeopardized.

At the time of the pause, the 2017-2022 Five Year Program was entering its penultimate year with four lease sales remaining, 22 Marine Log // April 2022

one of which — Lease Sale 258 — was in the public comment process, and another of which — Lease Sale 257 — had already been approved by the DOI to go forward. In accordance with the pause, however, activities related to both lease sales were suspended, and the DOI’s record of decision to hold Lease Sale 257 was rescinded.

In March 2021, 13 states, led by Louisiana, challenged the leasing pause in a lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana. The states asked the court to order the DOI to “disregard” the executive order’s direction to pause oil and gas leasing, arguing the president’s order violated the Constitution, the Administrative Procedure Act (APA), OCSLA, and the Mineral Leasing Act. The district court granted the states’ request, determining that (1) OCSLA did not authorize the president to “pause” offshore oil and gas leasing, as such power rests solely with Congress; (2) the executive order failed to offer an adequate explanation for the pause; and (3) the executive order contradicted procedures mandated by the APA. Accordingly, the district court enjoined the DOI from enforcing the leasing pause and ordered the resumption of the leasing program, including, specifically, Lease Sales 257 and 258.

While the federal government appealed the injunction, the DOI announced it would continue leasing in accordance with the court’s

order and republished its record of decision to hold Lease Sale 257 as the next scheduled sale under the 2017-2022 Five Year Program.

But that action, too, was not without challenge. In August 2021, several environmental organizations sued the federal government in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to halt Lease Sale 257. The organizations claimed that the environmental review supporting the DOI’s decision to hold the sale violated the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), which requires federal agencies to take a “hard look” at certain environmental impacts. In January, the district court vacated the DOI’s decision regarding Lease Sale 257, finding that the DOI was arbitrary and capricious “in excluding foreign [oil and gas] consumption from [its] greenhouse gas emissions calculation.”

The court ordered the DOI to go back to the drawing board with Lease Sale 257 to remedy the identified NEPA errors prior to taking any further action. This ruling has been appealed to the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.

Where does that leave the offshore leasing program? It is far from clear. Although the DOI held Lease Sale 257 in November 2021 (garnering 317 bids totaling over $198 million), at the time the district court issued its January order vacating the lease sale, the DOI had not awarded any leases to the high bidders at Lease Sale 257. Looking ahead, the DOI is reportedly working on the final environmental impact statement for Lease Sale 258 (offering offshore tracts in the Cook Inlet, off the coast of Alaska), the next lease sale to be held under the 20172022 Five Year Program. But with the current Five Year Program set to expire July 1, 2022, and with the DOI not having adopted a successor Five Year Program, it is unclear when the DOI will hold its next Gulf of Mexico lease sale.

It is important to note that all of this is happening while there is an unusually large amount of unleased acreage in the Gulf of Mexico (the number of active leases in the Gulf has declined from around 6,000 in 2012 to around 2,000 in 2022) and a demonstrated demand for domestic oil production. Given the pending appeals in federal courts, offshore operators should closely monitor the continuing policy and legal developments within the executive branch, Department of the Interior, and the courts.

Photo Credit: Shutterstock/Mike Mareen

By Ilsa Luther and Richard Bertram, Jones Walker LLP

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Q&A

Q&A:

OFFSHORE OIL & GAS—

WHAT’S AHEAD?

By Heather Ervin, Editor in Chief 26 Marine Log // April 2022

Q&A

N

ext month, Marine Log will air an exclusive free webinar on what’s happening in offshore oil and gas in the U.S. In that webinar, we will talk to Erik Milito, president of that National Ocean Industries Association (NOIA) and others to find out what’s next for offshore oil and gas, especially following the overturning of the huge offshore lease sale by a federal judge back in January. You can learn more about this on page 22 in a regulatory featurette from Jones Walker LLP, New Orleans, La. NOIA represents the interests of the offshore oil and gas and wind industries. He has extensive experience in implementing strategic outreach and public relations platforms for high profile issues on behalf of the energy industry. He is also a spokesperson and lobbyist for the industry, testifying before Congress and appearing on major news outlets on key energy issues on numerous occasions.

Here’s some insight from Milito on what’s been going on in U.S. offshore oil and gas.

decisions and that there will be no leasing upon expiration of the current five-year program for offshore leasing. The current program expires June 30, and no lease sales can be held without a five-year program.

The federal government should be developing policies to counter high-energy prices and Russian geopolitical influence. The Gulf of Mexico has been producing more than 1 million barrels of oil per day for 25 years, and more recently topped 2 million barrels of oil per day right before the pandemic. The region is prolific and enduring and should be recognized as a national strategic and energy asset.

ML: Why should the average American care about the Gulf of Mexico?

EM: There is no shortage of benefits that the Gulf of Mexico provides the average American. For starters, Gulf of Mexico oil and gas projects produce massive amounts of energy for decades and with a small environmental impact. Gulf of Mexico oil and gas production is reliable and environmentally

Deepwater, which accounts for 92% of U.S. offshore production, has the lowest emissions intensity of any producing regions.

Photo Credit: Shutterstock/Mr.PK

Marine Log (ML): From the federal perspective, what is the outlook for oil and gas lease sales?

Erik Milito (EM): The outlook is very uncertain at this point. We are looking at a multi-year gap in between offshore lease sales. In January, Judge Contreras of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia vacated the record of decision for Lease Sale 257. This means he threw out the results from that lease sale, which saw winning bids of around $191 million on 308 lease blocks in the Gulf of Mexico.

It’s not unheard of for companies to purchase a lease block near existing production and to be able to bring a new project online within 10 to 12 months. There are projects from November’s lease sale that were anticipated to come online this year, at a time when Energy Secretary Granholm is calling on more domestic production to counter the “emergency” of Russian aggression and rising energy prices.

In a filing to the court, the Biden Administration said they were not appealing the

responsible, and it provides a powerful hedge against energy produced by higher emitting and adversarial nations - like Russia. You also have a wellspring of high paying and accessible jobs that flow through every single U.S. state needed to unlock this energy stability.

Vital government programs rely on funds generated by offshore oil and gas revenues. The Land & Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) is funded virtually entirely by offshore oil and gas revenues. The LWCF has funded more than 40,000 state grants since 1965, meaning every county in every state has directly benefited from offshore oil and gas revenues. The LWCF also funds the Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership Program, which builds or repairs parks in urban economically distressed areas. Parks in places like Detroit, Michigan and Newark, New Jersey are becoming community oases thanks to offshore oil and gas revenues.

Americans also want climate progress and lower emissions. The Gulf of Mexico has a small emissions footprint. Deepwater, which accounts for 92% of U.S. offshore production, has the lowest emissions intensity of producing regions.

April 2022 // Marine Log 25

Q&A

What’s next for offshore oil and gas, especially following the overturning of the huge offshore lease sale by a federal judge back in January?

EM: Typically, it takes about 18 to 36 months to promulgate a new five-year offshore oil and gas-leasing program. Even if Interior picks up work on the next leasing program where the Trump administration left off, more than 150 days’ worth of comment and review periods are still required.

Those days do not count the time needed to work on reviewing the comments, incorporating feedback, and writing and releasing the final program and final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement.

Throughout the development of the five-year plan there are five distinct public

Erik Milito 26 Marine Log // April 2022

comment periods. While some of these periods overlap, there are still 195 days of comment periods that are open to the public. It is important to note that the comment periods are for the program itself, such as the draft proposed program and the proposed program, and for Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement.

Once you have a lease schedule in place, additional planning for specific oil and gas lease sales is needed. Individual lease sales have their own public comment and environmental reviews and consultation periods.

ML: What are possible externalities from oil and gas leasing uncertainty?

EM: We are already seeing several. Millions of Americans are tightening their belt due to a massive increase in energy prices.

Oil prices have nearly tripled since November 2020, which was the last time companies were able to secure new oil and gas leases.

You’re also seeing what happens when the U.S. and our allies depend on foreign nations to meet our energy demands. Russia is bankrolled through energy and mineral extraction. Europe also imports a massive amount of energy from Russia, which is going to impact any unified response to Russian aggression.

Oil and gas production does not just happen overnight. There needs to be regulatory certainty, including regular lease sales, so companies can invest and develop domestic resources. Production today is the result of policy and investment decisions years ago.

Future domestic production has to have fair and reasonable access today.

ML: How would a de facto lease pause impact the energy transition?

EM: For starters, the ability of companies to continue to produce low carbon Gulf of Mexico oil and gas would be greatly diminished. The offshore is still a prospective business. Offshore companies need to be able to renew and replenish their portfolio of leases to continue to find new commercially viable amounts of oil and gas. They need to cast a wide net of lease blocks. Fewer lease blocks to explore means less oil and gas to find and produce.

By reducing the ability of oil and gas companies to produce energy you’re also hurting their revenue streams, which may impact research and development funding, or fundings that goes into other energy segments. Offshore oil and gas companies are spearheading investment into exciting new energy areas like offshore carbon capture and storage and offshore hydrogen.

A robust Gulf of Mexico oil and gas industry is critical in developing these new areas that will have a chance to be critical tools in addressing climate change. Not to mention, many of the same companies that have built up the Gulf of Mexico oil and gas industry are the same companies building the rising American offshore wind sector. Offshore energy segments have synergy with each other, curtailing one segment will undoubtedly harm progress in the other areas.

Photo Credit: Shutterstock/Kanok Sulaiman

ML: Can you walk through the process and development of a new offshore oil and gas leasing plan? How long does it take? What sorts of avenues of public participation are there?

NEWSMAKERS

Buono to Retire as USMMA Superintendent Superintendent of the U.S. MERCHANT MARINE ACADEMY (USMMA), Kings Point, N.Y., Vice Adm. JACK BUONO announced his retirement last month, after a maritime career that has spanned more than 45 years.

The World Trade Center New Orleans reports that SEAN M. DUFFY SR., executive director of BIG RIVER COALITION, and executive vice president of Louisiana Maritime Association, will be the recipient of its 2022 C. Alvin Bertel Award. Established in 1967, the award is presented each year to an individual who has made significant contributions to the Louisiana port and maritime community.

DOROTHEA IOANNOU will become CEO of American P&I Club managing company, Shipowners Claims Bureau Inc. (SCB), on August 1, succeeding JOE HUGHES, who will step down after 27 years in the role. Ioannou, who is currently deputy COO at SCB, will be the first woman to hold a top executive position at an International Group P&I club in the 167-year history of the marine mutuals.

Law firm JONES WALKER LLP reports that two special counsel attorneys, ALFRED “AL” RUFTY, III and MALLORY WYNNE, have joined its New Orleans office. Rufty joins the maritime litigation, arbitration, and dispute resolution team, while Wynne joins the commercial transactions team.

HUNTINGTON INGALLS INDUSTRIES reports that DONNY DORSEY has been appointed as vice president of operations at its Ingalls Shipbuilding division. Dorsey, formerly ship program manager for all DDG waterfront efforts at Ingalls, replaces GEORGE JONES, who is retiring after 37 years of service. In his new position, Dorsey will oversee all manufacturing operations through delivery, across all Ingalls Shipbuilding programs.

The PORT OF LOS ANGELES has announced the appointment of DINA ARYAN-ZAHLAN as chief harbor engineer, leader of the port’s engineering division. She replaces DAVID WALSH who retired in December 2021.

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April 2022 // Marine Log 27

TECH NEWS

The quad-engine concept vessel has a beam of 33.5 feet and a projected speed of 29 knots, fully laden.

A 92-FOOT CREW TRANSFER VESSEL (CTV) concept design developed by All American Marine, Bellingham, Wash., and Teknicraft Design has gained an Approval in Principle (AiP) from classification society DNV. The quad-engine concept vessel has a beam of 33.5 feet and has a projected speed of 29 knots, fully laden. It incorporate Hamilton Jet’s parallel hybrid EHX system using Hamilton HTX waterjets, powered by quad MAN2862 LE 438 Tier 4 engines. The EHX system will allow for zero-emissions operations when using battery power and will enable station keeping and slow-speed operations, as well as boost power when needed.

The vessel design concept is based on the MO1, a proven vessel from Teknicraft Design that was built in 2013 to support the North Sea offshore wind market. The new concept design incorporates substantial updates and modifications, with the hybrid power system among its most noteworthy. As the exclusive builder for Teknicraft Design in North America, AAM believes that this design concept will prove itself in 28 Marine Log // April 2022

the fast-expanding U.S. offshore wind market and set the stage for AAM to expand into the manufacturing of CTVs and support vessels for the market.

The AiP is an independent assessment of a concept within an agreed framework.

It confirms that the design is feasible, and no significant obstacles exist to prevent the concept from being realized. The AiP also establishes trust in the solution, as it is grounded on solid technical standards, says AAM, adding, “For the emerging U.S. offshore wind market, establishing trust is essential.”

“There has never been a more exciting time for offshore wind in the U.S., and the significant demand for vessels needed to support the market is part of what is driving that excitement,” said Antony D’Souza, SVP and Regional Manager at DNV Maritime Americas. “We are proud to partner with All American Marine and Teknicraft Design for the Approval in Principle of this CTV design. DNV sees collaboration as a key to the industry’s success and achieving the 30 GW by 2030 target. It’s a pleasure

to work with organizations like AAM and Teknicraft, who see the value of partnership and collaboration in the mission to achieve the industry’s common goals.”

AAM and Teknicraft have been in partnership for more than two decades. They say that, while the vessel designer and builder typically operate independently of one another, the exclusive relationship between AAM and Teknicraft applies a holistic approach. The partners’ design and production teams consider every detail of a vessel’s mission before the build phase, to ensure the construction of the most fuel-efficient, lowest wake energy, and best performing vessel in its class.

The unique Teknicraft design incorporates a cutting-edge hull shape with an optional hydrofoil. When deployed in AAM’s catamarans this system creates lift and enhances the vessel’s performance.

Distinctive design characteristics ensure high-speed travel, ultra-low wake, indust r y-l e a din g f ue l ef f ic ien c y, sup er ior seakeeping, and is fully customizable depending on the application.

Photo Credit: AAM/Teknicraft

All American Marine CTV Design Gains DNV AiP

TECH NEWS

Seaspan Shipyards Puts Virtual Reality To Work WITH A 5.6 METER WIDE DISPLAY WALL as its centerpiece, an immersive visualization system unveiled by Canada’s Seaspan Shipyards allows users to access a virtual reality environment designed to take the use of digital technologies to a whole new level.

Called HoloShip, the system creates an environment that can be used to develop, integrate, test and demonstrate new digital twin capabilities, promising transform how ships are built, constructed, and maintained.

Modern shipbuilding and through-life support are rapidly evolving with integrated use of digital technology and digital twins.

Effective use of digital information is critical for shipbuilders and ship owners/operators, forming the foundation for connected products and services that can result in more efficient, safer and sustainable fleets.

Seaspan’s HoloShip enables designers, engineers, production teams, and customers to virtually experience, a fully detailed, three-dimensional and highly accurate digital model of the vessel.

Using 3D and v ir tual reality headsets, users are virtually transported onto the ship. They are able to move about to view and interact with the space, as well as

Called HoloShip, the system creates an environment that can be used to show how ships are built, constructed and maintained.

with the equipment, components, systems and subsystems. The HoloShip can also be accessed via a networked system at a remote location.

The HoloShip platform enables engineering and design teams to assess and evaluate a wide range of uses and scenarios

across all stages of a vessel’s lifecycle, from design and construction through to delivery, operations, maintenance and training.

Integrating advanced visualization systems allows teams to optimize models and collaborate effectively with customers to increase productivity, efficiency and quality.

Aquaculture Vessel Will Feature Cat Battery Hybrid Propulsion

Photo Credit: Seaspan Shipyards (Top), Caterpillar Marine (Bottom)

CATERPILLAR MARINE reports that it has entered into an agreement with Californiabased Pacific6 Enterprises to pilot a parallel battery hybrid propulsion system for a first-ofits kind aquaculture-farming vessel.

Designed by Kirk Mullen at Oceantech Ltd., a South Island, New Zealand-based naval architecture firm, the aquaculture vessel

will be constructed at Nichols Brothers Boat Builders in Freeland, Wash. Caterpillar Marine dealer N C Power Systems will sell and oversee installation and commissioning of the new hybrid equipment.

Powered by a Cat C18 engine and battery hybrid solution, the next-generation hybrid boat will use proven electrical components and The vessel will be powered by a Cat C18 engine and battery hybrid solution.

power electronics from Caterpillar’s construction and mining product lines.

Pacific Mariculture, a subsidiary of venture capital group Pacific6 Enterprises, is currently pioneering development of the first-ever offshore aquaculture farm in the U.S. off the coast of Southern California. Pacific6 Enterprises was determined to employ a battery-hybrid propulsion and auxiliary solution to minimize environmental impact.

The vessel will be equipped with 961 kWh of battery capacity supplied by Caterpillar Marine to enable zero exhaust emissions while operating solely on battery power in both farming operations as well as port departure and entry.

Caterpillar Marine will also provide the complete integration of the hybrid propulsion system, including motor/generator unit (MGU), inverter and system supervisory controls, effectively reducing the number of installed diesel engines required from two to one.

Under the agreement, Caterpillar Marine and Pacific6 Enterprises said they will work to optimize the hybrid system operation to achieve minimal operating costs and environmental footprint.

April 2022 // Marine Log 29

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SAFETY FIRST

The study examines two crab fishing boat sinkings off the coast of Alaska due in part to icing on the exterior of the vessels.

T

he Coast Guard and marine industry have known about the dangers of icing for many years. From a basic stability standpoint, a buildup of ice on the exterior of a vessel changes the center of gravity and affects its ability to right itself. The added weight of ice accumulation is often much worse than say, additional cargo, where weight is applied in designated places that often lower the center of gravity.

Yet despite our inherent understanding of the dangers of icing; we have unfortunately continued to see terrible tragedies occur, in no small part due to ice accretion.

Among major incidents that come to mind are the Destination and Scandies Rose sinkings. The Destination was a crab boat operating off the coast of Alaska that sank in the early morning hours of February 11, 2017. The Coast Guard Marine Board of Investigation later believed that a critical build up of icing had occurred and was a primary causal factor, among other things, in the sinking. As part of its investigation, the Coast Guard utilized National Weather Service weather and sea state data combined with an icing predictor algorithm to simulate a build of up icing on the vessel’s exterior. Then, in partnership with the National Transportation Safety Board and the University of Newfoundland St. John’s, the Coast Guard conducted numerical estimations of ice accumulation and their

32 Marine Log // April 2022

effects on the vessel’s stability.

Barely two years later, the fishing vessel Scandies Rose, also a crab boat operating off the Alaskan coast, sank in heavy weather on December 31, 2019. However, in response to the Scandies Rose sinking, the new Marine Board of Investigation decided to take a different approach. Throughout the investigation, the board had gleaned several insights into the issue. Yet after listening to testimony from a full slate of industry and vessel stability experts, one pressing question remained. Just how heavy is a stack of crab pots coated with ice? The decision was then made that for the first time, the Coast Guard would scientifically study the accretion of ice on board a vessel, specifically on crab pots.

In order to answer this critical question, the marine board enlisted the help of the Coast Guard’s Research and Development Center. A team of talented engineers was identified to design and run a full series of tests located at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Cold Regions Research and Engineering Lab in Hanover, N.H. The team encountered many struggles while preparing the tests, including obtaining an actual bearing sea crab pot, and ultimately had to settle for a slightly smaller version of the pots commonly used in Alaska. The team then tested ice accumulation on these pots in a special chamber kept below 0 degrees, and tracked

the thickness and weight of the ice build up across several different scenarios.

The results of the study were remarkable, with the weight of the accumulated ice far exceeding the expectations of researchers. In different trials, the study showed “the weight of the ice accreted in the pots equaled or exceeded the pot’s original weight.” In one preliminary test conducted on board a Coast Guard icebreaker in the arctic, researchers placed a single crab pot on the deck and watched as within a matter of hours the ice accumulation was so thick and weighed so much that the crane designated to weigh the pot could no longer lift it, meaning the total weight of the pot was more than two times the weight of the pot itself. Another fascinating insight gained from the experiments was that total weight did not appear to be related to accumulation thickness, implying that a visual inspection or looking at a pot “at a glance” could not accurately tell the observer the weight of the ice.

Furthermore, researchers believed that the experiment could not precisely replicate the conditions in a Gulf of Alaska storm, basically meaning that while the test yielded fascinating and remarkable results, the test results are likely to be conservative estimates and real-life accretion could be much worse. Yet, despite the incredible build up of ice in most the tests, the researchers showed that placing a simple tarp around the pots reduced the ice accretion dramatically.

So, given this new information, where do we go from here? The report from the study recommended that the Marine Board of Investigation “consider recommending to the Coast Guard Office of Design and Engineering Standards an examination of regulatory stability requirements pertaining to deck loading of frame and mesh fishing pots when a vessel can expect icing conditions.” Does this mean we promulgate new regulations limiting the number of crab pots on board or requiring covers/ tarps while transiting? That’s something the Coast Guard and the crab boat industry are now going to have to figure out.

LT. CMDR. CHAD YEAMANS, MS, SHRM-CP Detachment Chief USCG Investigations National Center of Expertise

Photo Credit: Shutterstock/Chiyacat

The U.S. Coast Guard Puts Renewed Focus on Icing

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