OFFSHORE SUPPORT VESSELS
FERRIES 2022 answers some challenging questions 4 INLAND WATERWAYS Mississippi River water levels: The drought goes on
WELLNESS Growing immunity with ancient traders 8 VESSEL OF THE MONTH
Tanner and Errington: Two new fireboats join London Fire Brigade 10 UPDATES
• ICS calls for global CO2 reduction fund to reward green fuel first users
• Eastern Shipbuilding to contest OPC Stage 2 award 20 INSIDE WASHINGTON
MARAD awards $703 million in Port Infrastructure Development grants
Elpi Petraki elected as new president of WISTA International
TECH NEWS H&H shafting repair solution gains ABS certification
SAFETY To put safety first, remember to put people first
Waiting on the wind and working in the oil patch
It may seem obvious that the future of the U.S. offshore services industry will eventually lie in supporting offshore wind, but most of the work is where it’s always been
PATROL BOATS
An influx of patrol boat manufacturing Patrol boats in significant numbers have been part of the military assistance provided Ukraine by the U.S.
OFFSHORE VESSEL CLASSIFICATION
Vessel status and maritime worker contracts
It is imperative to understand what is and is not a “vessel” in the legal sense to stay compliant with the corresponding regulations
PILOT BOATS
Pilots themselves call the shots when buying boats When it comes to buying pilot boats, the buyers are the pilot associations, and the pilots themselves run them
Marine Log’s FERRIES conference this year again saw an increased participation. Nearly 200 inno vators, designers, builders, operators, and suppliers joined us in San Francisco on November 1-2. FERRIES 2022 put a major focus on green tech, electrification, new fuels, and on what’s involved in unlocking grant funding and overcoming regulatory hurdles.
While every presentation drew ques tions from the audience, the topics focused on newbuilds or retrofits that incorporate these greener solutions seemed the more popular presentations in terms of audience engagement.
That’s not entirely surprising. People want to know what’s working for others before they get on board with new technologies. They also want to know how they can afford them.
The event helped answer both of those questions. Companies like ABB and San Fran cisco Bay Ferry went over various funding options, while a host of panelists—including those from the tech world and operators— discussed decarbonization and alternative fuels for the ferry industry.
The event comes on the heels of several announcements related to ferries here in the U.S. On November 3, New York Cruise Lines and Sweden’s Green City Ferries AB announced a collaboration to launch the first high-speed zero-emissions electric
ferry to operate in the New York Harbor. With a targeted launch date of Spring 2024, the vessel would operate under the subsid iary New York Water Taxi.
This summer, the San Francisco Bay Area Water Emergency Transportation Author ity said that it is expected to begin work on the agency’s first two zero-emission passen ger ferries this year.
In other news, Elliott Bay Design Group naval architect Chris Biernat presented on a conceptual passenger/vehicle ferry for ultra-low emission operations using alter native fuel technologies.
Finally, but certainly not the last thing going on in the “going greener” ferry world, Washington State Ferries—which was rep resented by Matt von Ruden, who spoke at FERRIES 2022—has been busy converting six existing ferries to hybrid electric, while bringing electrification to 16 terminals.
Greener ferries are here to stay, and it will be exciting to see many of these con cepts hit the water soon.
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The Net Zero Navigator is a conceptual liquid hydrogen carrier that uses NASA-inspired technologies to eliminate greenhouse gas emissions.
By supporting advanced vessel concepts like this, ABS is pioneering the maritime energy transition.
American Currents newsletter. ACBL notes that on October 17 the Memphis Gauge reported at -10.76 feet, surpassing bench mark low water levels set in 1988.
ACBL notes that industry reduced south bound loading drafts to 9 feet, 6 inches on September 27 and, as of October 17, has further reduced drafts to 9 feet both north bound and southbound. This change reflects a 24-30% reduction to tons per barge ver sus normal conditions. Liquid drafts have been reduced to 8 feet 6 inches as of Octo ber 17, ACBL says industry has agreed to 25-barge max tow size southbound, reflect ing a 17-38% reduction in tow size.
In ongoing coverage of the drought conditions causing historic low-water levels on the Mis sissippi River, American Commercial Barge Line (ACBL) reports that river levels continue to fall on the Mississippi River with severe impacts
to navigation not seen since 1988.
“Industry is incurring catastrophic impacts to boat capacity, which will in turn drastically decrease ton-mile productiv ity for the inland rivers,” says ACBL in its
While U.S. agricultural exports have been particularly hard hit by the reductions in waterways capacity, many other indus try sectors are also being impacted. Debra Calhoun of the Waterways Council Inc. explained the consequences for the U.S. economy of all this in a recent TV interview.
Visit our Inland channel on marinelog.com for continuous coverage.
Amissing retaining ring and mount ing bracket on the port main diesel engine led to an engine room fire on a towboat near Belleview, Ky., the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) says.
The towing vessel Capt. Kirby Dupuis was pushing loaded dry cargo barges on the Ohio River when a fire broke out on its portside engine on November 9, 2021. The crewmembers fought the fire using portable extinguishers and attempted to activate the vessel’s fixed fire-extinguishing system. The fire was eventually extinguished by local firefighters. No pollution or injuries to the six-person crew were reported.
The vessel sustained an estimated $1.8 mil lion in damages. Contributing to the severity of the damage, says the NTSB, was the crew’s unfamiliarity with activation procedures for the fixed fire-extinguishing system, which resulted in an unsuccessful attempt to release the fire suppression fluid and extinguish the fire.
Following the fire, NTSB investigators reviewed the vessel’s video system, which
showed lube oil spraying inboard from the port main engine. About 10 seconds later, a flame was seen at the top of the forward part of the engine. An inspection of the engine found a broken O-ring and the retaining ring missing from where the tube connected to the lube oil filter housing. Additionally, supporting clips and mounting hardware for the lube oil tube were missing on the port main engine in the mid-section area, and the bolt that had held the supporting clips appeared to be sheared. It is not known how long the supporting clips and hardware had been missing from the engine. The last major work on the engine, a top end over haul, was in May 2018.
The crew attempted to use the fixed fireextinguishing system for the engine room, however investigators determined the sys tem was not activated during the fire. One of the two levers required to activate the sys tem was not fully extended. As a result, the nitrogen gas from the pilot cylinder did not discharge. Although the crew drilled regu larly, none of the drills included training on the fixed fire-extinguishing system. The owner of the vessel is currently developing a
training video on the fixed fire-extinguish ing system, which will become required training for their crews.
The NTSB determined the probable cause of the engine room fire was a lube oil tube on the port main engine that vibrated out of a joint due to a missing retaining ring and mounting bracket. It sprayed pressurized oil that made contact with a hot exhaust surface and ignited.
Contributing to the severity of the fire damage was the crew’s unfamiliarity with activation procedures for the fixed fireextinguishing system, which resulted in an unsuccessful attempt to release the fire sup pression fluid and extinguish the fire.
“The small confines of the engine room space and the location of fire equipment within that same space demonstrate a risk to crews fighting engine room fires,” the report said. “On towing vessels, the risk to crews fighting engine room fires has led to the development of designs that incorporate both a means for securing ventilation to the engine room and a fire-extinguishing sys tem to extinguish the fire without requiring crews to enter the space. ”
can bring the body to a state of internal equi librium. They can significantly affect immune regulation, digestion, metabolism, and mood. Additionally, adaptogenic plants are generally non-toxic when taken appropriately.
Regarding respiratory infections and lung health, astragalus demonstrates itself as a supporting agent. Studies in both children and adults (Chinese Journal of Tuberculosis and Respiratory Disease, May 1998) show an increase in air volume expelled from the lungs when consumed. Two other animal studies (Am J Med Sci. 2013 Nov & J Ethnopharma col. 2008 Mar 5) also showed reduced airway inflammation and hyper-responsiveness as well as loosened mucus produced by lung tissue in those with asthma.
While there is little research on astragalus and COVID-19, the Institute of Functional Medicine does identify that the plant has “well-known for its antiviral activity, for its anti-inflammatory properties, for priming the innate immune system, and for reducing NLRP3-mediated inflammation.”
Cold and flu season is upon us. Now is the time to reflect upon the immune system. Immune systems have taken a beating over the past few years, and heading into the winter months brings the promise of new challenges. As the common cold, flu, and other invaders start battering us, it may be time to look upon ancient wisdom to fortify our ability to fight back.
The immune system is a connected net work of cells, organs, proteins, and tissues that operate to protect the body from threats, both internal and external. A healthy immune system detects attacks and ultimately eliminates the danger. This process starts when an unknown invader is detected, and “first responders” launch a chemical response. These messengers, called cytokines, cause inflammation.
When an issue is minor, it can be eliminated immediately; however, if the invasion persists, the rest of the system engages in the threat. The response is swift as specialized B cells, and T cells recognize specific proteins called antigens in viruses, bacteria, and cancer cells. B cells pro duce antibodies that bind to antigens, blocking viruses and bacteria from entering healthy cells or they trigger additional immune defenses. T cells also enter the field of battle. The CD4 Team of cells (AKA Helper Cells) produce antibodies that neutralize an attacker, while the CD8 Team (a.k.a Killer Cells) goes for direct extermina tion of the invader cell. When the battle is over, a cleanup crew clears out the debris of dead and languishing cells, and the B and T cells produce
a memory of the attack. This memory yields a faster response in the future against the same invader; thus, new immunity is born.
Modern methods of boosting the immune system have been well known and well adver tised over the past few years; however, one lesser-known way dates back to ancient Chi nese traders. These transporters of goods battled against colds and other immune-dam aging diseases. Deep in their traveling bags was an herb to aid their fight, astragalus. This ver satile herb was the day’s medicine for healing respiratory illness and accelerated the rapid recovery of cuts and bruises. The ancient use of astragalus has now crossed time and space into modern research, demonstrating that it has a wide variety of effects that may support the health and wellness of today’s transporta tion workers.
The magic in astragalus is believed to come from three components in the plant: sapo nins, flavonoids, and polysaccharides. While the combination of these components is not unique in the plant kingdom, the ratio and impact of astragalus demonstrates extraordi nary uniqueness. Researchers have identified this plant as an adaptogen. Adaptogenic plants have active ingredients that target stress recep tors in the body and help it “adapt” to them. According to the Veterans Administration Office of Patient Center Care and Cultural Transformation, adaptogens may influence the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, which stimulates a healthy stress response and
They identify that the plant alkaloid (swainsonine) inhibits the glycosylation nec essary for the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein to attach to human cells”. In other words, COVID may have a more challenging time causing effects on the human body. Astraga lus is one of nineteen nutrients and botanicals that the Institute identifies may assist in cop ing with the onslaught of immune-battering invaders, including COVID-19.
It is important to note that the FDA does not regulate herbs and supplements. Finding a product with quality ingredients and a lack of fillers can be challenging. When purchasing and taking any herbal product, use advice from a medical professional and look for certifica tions that speak to the quality of the product, like the U.S. Pharmacopeia stamp or Good Manufacturing Practices seal. This can help any ancient plant grow its way into an effective modern-day immune system.
This article is for education only. Nothing in it constitutes medical advice. All medical advice should be sought from a medical professional.
EMILY REIBLEIN Director-Health, Safety, Security and Environment (HSSE) Crowley Logistics
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Tanner, one of two Camarc-designed fireboats now in service with the London Fire Brigade.
Recently delivered by Holyhead Marine Services of Holyhead, Wales, two new fireboats that have joined the London Fire Brigade — the Tanner and the Errington — are twice as fast as the two vessels they replace and can reach speeds of 40 knots. They can also pump more water and are bigger than their prede cessors, which have been in continuous service for more than 20 years.
Designed by Camarc Marine, the 16 meter long, 5.2-meter beam, and 0.6meter draft all-aluminum vessels have a landing craft look with a bow ramp, flat bottom and reinforced keel, allowing operations on the banks and mud flats of
the River Thames.
Each is powered by two Scania DI16 diesels, each rated at 900 BHP @ 2300 RPM and driving Kongsberg S36-3/CA waterjets via ZF 500 gearboxes.
Each vessel is crewed by an officer and four firefighters and has two firefighting monitors that can be operated remotely and pump at 2,500 liters a minute.
In addition to fighting fires, the ves sels can also be used for rescuing vessels that have got into trouble, towing dis tressed vessels, and rescuing people and animals from both water and the river side. They have a crane to help rescue people from the water.
The new fireboats are named after
Auxiliary Fireman Harry Errington and Auxiliary Firewoman Gillian Tanner, who in WW2 were both awarded medals for bravery.
Harry Errington was awarded the George Cross after rescuing two fellow firefighters from a basement that had been hit by a bomb during an air raid.
Gillian Tanner was awarded a George Medal for her bravery in driving a fuel truck during an air raid, helping to refuel fire engines as they battled fires caused by the bombing. The boats call signs, H23A and H23B, are in memory of firefighters Adam Meere and Billy Faust, two London firefighters who died attending a fire in 2004.
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Tobias Kohl Director, Application Engineering Marine Mountain bikerTHE INTERNATIONAL CHAMBER OF SHIPPING (ICS), which represents 80% of the world’s merchant fleet, has submitted a proposal to IMO calling for a “fund and reward” system to accelerate the maritime sector’s transition to net zero by financially rewarding ships and energy producers.
The fund and reward system would be financed by mandatory flat rate contribution by ships, per tonne of CO2 emission. It remains to be seen whether this latest proposal will be any more successful than earlier ICS proposals to fund shipping’s green transition by some form of levy on carbon remains to be seen.
This time around, ICS is proposing that con tributions from the global fleet be gathered in an “International Maritime Sustainability Fund.” Such a fund, the chamber says, could raise billions of dollars annually, which would then be committed both to narrowing the price gap, globally, between existing high car bon marine fuels and alternative fuels, as well as supporting much needed investment in devel oping nations for the production of new marine
fuels and bunkering infrastructure. The sup port of developing nations will be required to get the needed regulatory framework adopted. The architecture of that framework is based on the industry’s previous proposals for an IMO R&D Fund.
The fund, says ICS, would reward ships according to annual reporting of the CO2 emis sions prevented by the use of “eligible alternative fuels.” For example, a ship fueled by ammonia (among many other alternative fuels including methanol, hydrogen, sustainable biofuels and synthetic fuels) could benefit to the tune of $1.5 million a year.
ICS says that a detailed impact assess ment undertaken for it by Clarksons Research has identified that a financial contribution of up to approximately $100 per tonne of CO2 emitted would not cause what it calls “dispro portionately negative impacts on the economies of states.”
Additionally, ICS believes that contribu tions could initially be set much lower and then be subject to a five-year review as increasing
quantities of new fuels become available.
The ICS fund and reward (F&R) proposal combines elements of various recent GHG reduction proposals, including those from a number of governments, plus a flat rate contri bution system previously proposed by ICS and INTERCARGO.
“With the ICS fund and reward proposal, IMO member states have a new but very short window of opportunity to put in place a global economic measure which can kick start the development and production of alternative fuels for shipping. To achieve net zero midcentury, these new fuels must start to become available in significant quantities on a commer cial basis no later than about 2030,” says ICS Chairman Emanuele Grimaldi.
“Compromise is always difficult but, in any negotiation, having a proposal like this can enable everyone to come together. I hope this proposal will act as a bridge between the climate ambitions of both developed and developing countries so that no part of the global shipping industry will be left behind.”
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EASTERN SHIPBUILDING GROUP (ESG) has not given up its fight against the U.S. Coast Guard’s decision to award Stage 2 of the offshore patrol cutter (OPC) program to Austal USA.
Although it has withdrawn a bid protest it filed with the GAO in June, Eastern will now pursue the matter in the U.S. Court of Fed eral Claims, where it filed suit on October 21, 2022. At issue, says Eastern, is the gov ernment’s failure to release information in response to the GAO bid protest.
It is understood that the information that the Coast Guard refused to disclose, even under a protective order, was the Austal pro posal or the agency’s scoring evaluations.
“The federal procurement process is
designed to be fair and transparent. Ordi narily, the government discloses reasonable justification for its award decisions to the attorneys representing the parties in a protest. The government has declined to voluntarily disclose the information that might offer that justification. As a result, we are seeking the information and justification through a different legal pathway,” said Joey D’Isernia, president of Eastern Shipbuilding Group.
Eastern says its action in the Court of Federal Claims is not an appeal related to the bid protest. It is a new proceed ing challenging the agency’s procurement award decision.
Eastern was the original prime contrac tor for the whole of the OPC program.
However, in June 2019, it submitted a request to the Coast Guard’s parent agency, the Department of Homeland Security, for extraordinary contract relief after its ship building facilities sustained significant damage resulting from Hurricane Michael, a Category 5 storm, in October 2018. In response, then Acting Secretary of Home land Security Kevin McAleenan made the decision to grant extraordinary contract relief limited to the first four hulls. Follow ing that, the Coast Guard revised the OPC acquisition strategy “to mitigate emergent cost and schedule risk by establishing a new, full and open competition for OPCs five and through 15, designated as Stage 2 of the overall program.”
The offshore industry is considering its operations in the face of demands for increased safety in parallel with reduced costs. The marine access market is no exception.
We’re right there besides you at this time – as always. It is our goal to work with you, as your trusted partner, to overcome these challenges. We seek to gain the understanding of your needs that will enable us to provide you with support – support that goes beyond the delivery of a vessel. This is why we have developed the Fast Crew Supplier (FCS) 7011.
This safety conscious, comfort focused, rapid-moving platform helps you take a look towards tomorrow. It combines a fast, proven vessel design with a highly integrated, comprehensive range of marine access technologies to make a quantum leap forward in crew transfer solutions. A solution you can depend on.
can also consume 100% biomethane, as well as green hydrogen mixtures of up to 25%, and renewable gases that are neutral in CO2 emissions.”
The Margarita Salas will have the same dimensions as the Eleanor Roosevelt, which is 123 meters (403.5 feet) long, 28 (92) meters wide and can carry 1,200 pas sengers and 400 vehicles, but will have modifications that include adding a second passenger deck with a seating area in the bow and doubling the area of the aft terrace with a bar service outside.
has begun the construction of a second fast passenger and cargo ferry with dual fuel natural gas engines at the Armon shipyard in Gijón, Spain. The RoPax cat will be a near sister to the Incat Crowther 123 design Eleanor Roosevelt, delivered by Armon in
2021, but will incorporate a few changes, noticeably increased power.
The ship will be named Margarita Salas, in honor of pioneering biochemist Mar garita Salas, and will be Baleària’s 10th vessel with dual fuel natural gas engines, which it calls “a versatile technology that
Power will be increased by 10% compared to the sister ship, with the installation of four dual fuel Wärtsilä engines delivering 9,600 kW, compared to the 8,800 kW produced by the 16V31DF main engines in the Eleanor Roosevelt. This will allow the new vessel to reach a service speed of 35 knots.
While Baleària says the dual fuel gas engines “renew its commitment to this green energy as a transition fuel,” it notes that, for a year now, it has been forced to reduce the use of LNG “due to the skyrock eting growth in its price.”
Synthetic lubricants offer vessel operators a number of benefits, including enhanced equipment cleanliness, reduced component wear, extended oil drain intervals and a wide temperature operating range. Together, they can improve equipment reliability, extend engine overhauls and reduce maintenance-related downtime.
These benefits were amply demonstrated during the inspection of a Cummins KTA38 marine diesel engine, one of two main engines on a U.S. inland waterways vessel. The engine had accumulated 21,782 running hours over nine years with an initial fill of Mobilgard™ 1 HSD1
ExxonMobil engineers evaluated the cleanliness of the engine using the Coordinating Research Council (CRC) method as per Deposit Rating Manual 20. This rates component sludge contamination on a scale from one to 10, with 10 indicating a complete absence of deposit build-up. After nearly a decade of use, the oil had delivered exceptional results across a range of test areas, including:
• Engine component cleanliness rating: 9.80
• Sump rating: 9.66
• Front of the engine block rating: 9.80
• Valve covers rating: 9.95
There was also a significant lack of damage on common wear components, such as piston skirts, piston wrist pins, cylinder liners, crankshaft and gears. Results indicated that the engine could have continued to efficiently operate for even longer, due to the extremely high levels of cleanliness and low levels of wear2
Learn more about ExxonMobil’s comprehensive range of marine industry solutions at: exxonmobil.com/en/marine/ marine-industry/sectors/inland-and-coastal
1 Previously branded Mobil Delvac™ 1 ESP 5W-40.
2 Based on the experience of a single customer. Actual results can vary depending upon the type of equipment used and its maintenance, operating conditions and environment, and any prior lubricant used.
Oil drain intervals for the Cummins engine were also safely extended to 3,000 hours – more than 10 times longer than the engine builder’s recommendation – while maintaining Cummins’ suggested filter change intervals.
This helped reduce operating costs by minimising lubricant consumption, which in turn reduced the environmental impact of waste oil disposal. Additionally, oil drain extension can help to promote productivity and safety by cutting down on human-machine interactions (HMI) and equipment downtime.
Cummins Marine also confirmed a switch from Mobil Delvac™ 1300 Super, a synthetic blend diesel engine oil, to Mobilgard 1 HSD can result in an increase in fuel efficiency.
ExxonMobil’s Mobil ServSM Lubricant Analysis was used to monitor the health of the Cummins KTA38 marine diesel engine throughout its operation. The service provides operators with reports on the condition of equipment and lubricants with tailored recommendations and data trends designed to assist maintenance schedules. Mobil Serv Lubricant Analysis also offers mobile access, enabling operators to view data wherever and whenever needed, allowing for real-time updates of sample processing and results.
Changing marine regulations are likely to have an impact on fuel formulations, which in turn will drive the need for new, high performance engine oils. ExxonMobil is therefore transferring its Delvac™ oils over into its trusted MobilGard™ family for marine customer ahead of likely reformulations. The aim is to help ensure that vessel operators remain compliant without compromising engine operation or protection.
DEME OFFSHORE US LLC is to use a new heave-compensated offshore lifting solution on its contract to install the wind turbines for the first large-scale offshore wind installation in the U.S., Vineyard Wind 1. DEME will install the turbines using a foreign-flag wind turbine installation vessel (WTIV) serviced by Jones Act-compliant Foss Maritime feeder vessels.
To safely transfer the wind turbine com ponents from the heaving feeder vessels, DEME has awarded Dutch motion compen sation specialist Seaqualize the first contract for its newly developed offshore lifting device: the Heave Chief 1100.
According to Seaqualize, the battery-pow ered HC1100 is currently the largest active heave compensator in the world. As a bal anced heave compensator, it can compensate a vessel’s heave motions and safely quick-lift loads up to 1,100 tonnes.
The Vineyard Wind 1 project will see DEME transporting and installing 62 wind turbine generators at the wind farm site off the coast of Martha’s Vineyard, Mass. Each turbine will be transported in com ponents from the supply harbor to DEME’s
installation vessel Sea Installer using Foss Maritime supply barges.
“We contracted Seaqualize to de-risk the Vineyard Wind project: their solution is a novel, but realistic method to safely trans fer the delicate components, minimizing the risk of damage and delays,” said Glenn Carton, project director Vineyard Wind at DEME. “We think this is how feeder barge operations should be done going forward.”
Set for delivery in March 2023, the HC1100 has a load-capacity of 1,100 tonnes, required to balance turbine components of the 15 MW generation. It can reach higher quick-lift speeds than the prototype and has a longer stroke to handle the larger motions of smaller supply vessels. It also offers a sin gle lift point for operational efficiency.
The new design further minimizes dynamic load fluctuations impacting the crane and offers passive safety procedures. In addition, Seaqualize’s in-house devel oped “follow-mode” allows the full load to match the movements of the target vessel. If required, quick-lift operations are fully reversible.
Seaqualize says that a number of offshore
installation contractors are currently investi gating how to include the Heave Chief into their feeder-barge setups and that it expects to announce an additional contract before the end of the year.
AMSC ASA REPORTS that it has entered into a bareboat charter for one of its Jones Act tankers with Philadelphia-headquartered Keystone Shipping Company.
The contract commences in December 2022 and has a duration of three years with no extension options. The bareboat charter
is supported by a back-to-back time char ter of the same duration between Keystone and a leading U.S. fuel distributor. The new bareboat charter adds approximately $31.3 million to AMSC’s existing charter backlog, excluding any proceeds from a profit share component of the charter.
The news follows the June announcement that AMSC had entered into bareboat char ter agreements with Keystone Shipping for two of its Jones Act tankers, with those char ters commencing in December 2022.
AMSC, which up until a name change earlier this month was called American Shipping Company, owns 10 Jones Act tank ers delivered between 2007 and 2011 by the then Aker Philadelphia Shipyard (now Philly Shipyard).
Originally, all 10 were on bareboat charter to Overseas Shipholding Group Inc. (OSG). However, back in December 2021, OSG announced that it had exercised options to extend its bareboat charter agreements for two vessels, but would not be exercising extension options for three other vessels.
The two bareboat charter extensions provided for additional one-year terms, commencing in December 2022 and ending in December 2023.
“We are pleased to have secured employ ment for the final vessel well ahead of the expiration of its current charter,” said AMSC CEO Pål Lothe Magnussen. “By successfully bareboat chartering the three ships, we have increased our charter backlog by over $91 million. Jones Act tanker capacity is likely to remain constrained for the foreseeable future, and these charters are indicative of strong demand for our vessels. Chartering these ships to a premium U.S. tanker oper ator like Keystone gives us a great deal of confidence that our vessels will be operated and maintained to the highest standards.”
Keystone President Donald Kurz com mented, “We are pleased to add the final AMSC vessel to our fleet on a back-to-back charter with a leading U.S. fuels distributor. We are very happy to have concluded this bareboat transaction which allows us to con tinue to service customers in the U.S. Gulf petroleum trade.”
The U.S. Department of Transportation announced the award of grants totaling more than $703 million to improve port facilities through the Maritime Administration’s (MARAD) Port Infrastructure Development Pro gram on October 28. In total 41, projects in 22 states and one ter ritory will benefit, including coastal seaports, Great Lakes ports, and inland river ports.
“So many of the goods we all count on, from appliances to fur niture to clothes, move through our nation’s ports on their way to us,” said U.S. Secretary of Trans portation Pete Buttigieg. “Using funds from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, this year we’re awarding record levels of funding to improve our port
infrastructure, strengthen our sup ply chains, and help cut costs for American families.”
The Port Infrastructure Devel opment Program (PIDP) supports efforts by ports and industry stakeholders to improve port and related freight infrastructure to meet national freight transporta tion needs and ensure that port infrastructure can meet anticipated growth in freight volumes.
The program provides planning, capital funding, and project man agement assistance to improve ports’ capacity and efficiency. The PIDP includes a statutory setaside for small ports to continue to improve and expand their capac ity to move freight reliably and efficiently, and support local and regional economies.
More than 60% of the awards will
benefit ports in historically disad vantaged communities and several of the projects will help reduce emissions at the ports through electrification. Additionally, more than $150 million in awards include a focus on electrification of port equipment to reduce emissions and improve air quality. The awards also include nearly $100 million for port projects that will advance off shore wind deployment.
At least two of the larger grants awarded in this rollout are for offshore wind development. Approximately $33.8 million is going toward the Salem Wind Port Project in Massachusetts, with around $48 million going to the Arthur Kill Offshore Wind Terminal Project in New York.
To see the full list of awards, please visit marinelog.com.
The U.S. tugboat, towboat and barge industry may already be the safest, most environmentally friendly, and most eco nomical mode of freight transportation, but it is faced with the challenge of making a transition to a low-carbon future. What green technology offers the best options for tugs, towboats and barges? How much of it is retrofittable to existing vessels? And with a continued labor shortage, should the industry be exploring its semi-autonomous options? TTB 2023 will bring together tug and towboat owners, operators, builders, designers, and more together in one place to discuss how to make the green transition a successful one for all stakeholders.
SPEAKING OPPORTUNITIES
Heather Ervin 212.620.7254 hervin@sbpub.com
TABLETOP EXHIBITS & SPONSORSHIPS David Harkey 973.563.0109 dharkey@sbpub.com
The first
It’s abundantly obvious that the future of the U.S. offshore services industry will eventually lie in supporting off shore wind development. However, that development is currently at the stage where significant orders for support services and vessels are starting to come through— but are still more of a trickle than a gush. Meantime, the main business of most play ers remains offshore oil and gas.
For some time there have been signs that things in this sector are starting to pick up both internationally and in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico (GoM). This seems to be more a question of tightness in the supply of boats rather than a surge in demand. That has seen some operators start to add to their fleets when quality Jones Act qualified vessels have become available.
One factor constraining the supply of boats is the age factor. Here’s what Matthew Rigdon, executive vice president and COO at Jackson Offshore Operators (JOO), wrote in
a blog post last month:
“Though the major international offshore oil and gas markets do not have a direct bearing on the U.S. GoM, I do follow activ ity in those markets closely. Recent broker reports that cover other major regions have highlighted the aging fleet of OSVs and the lack of new OSVs contracted to be built to replace older vessels. Though the global fleet of OSVs is, on average, older than the Jones Act qualified vessels, the U.S. GoM deepwater market is beginning to face the same crunch of aging vessels that the international markets are experiencing.
“During the mid-2000s, new charter requirements for OSVs in the U.S. GoM lim ited the age of vessels to ten years of age at the beginning of the charter. More recently, the age limitation for OSVs on long-term charters in the deep-water U.S. GoM has been relaxed to 12 years. In actuality, there have been a meaningful number of OSVs chartered on shorter-term basis that exceed
the 12-year limitation. The dynamics of the aging OSV fleet and the fact there are effec tively zero new OSVs under construction in the U.S. GoM needs further consideration.
“The Jones Act qualified fleet of deepwater capable OSVs (greater than 4,000-ton deadweight) is currently at 108 vessels with an average age of 11 years. More revealing, is there is a total of 34 deep-water capa ble OSVs that are 12 years of age or older, making up 31% of the fleet. However, this percentage begins to accelerate next year and, by 2025, there will be a total of 54 deep-water capable OSVs that are 12 years of age or older, totaling a 50% share of the fleet. This will present a serious challenge as the current market charter rates are very far away from supporting the cost a build ing new deep-water OSVs which will cost around $50 million per unit.”
“JOO has one of the youngest fleets of deep-water OSVs in the U.S. GOM with an average age of eight years, allowing us
to continue to be a preferred provider of marine services.”
What might help tick rates up to the point where Jones Act PSV newbuilds might make sense would be an uptick in U.S. GoM drilling. The fall out on global energy markets from Russia’s invasion has underscored the importance a continued secure supply of U.S. oil and gas. Another effect has been to spur the green transition.
The most recent World Energy Outlook from the International Energy Agency sees Russia’s actions as spurring an “unprece dented response from governments around the world, including the Inflation Reduc tion Act in the United States, the Fit for 55 package and REPowerEU in the European Union, Japan’s Green Transformation (GX) program, Korea’s aim to increase the share of nuclear and renewables in its energy mix, and ambitious clean energy targets in China and India.”
However, even the most ambitious green transition scenarios forecast that U.S. oil and natural gas will be needed for years to come. Some of the world’s most green-aware nations, such as Norway, have decided that the path forward is to con tinue oil and gas exploration responsibly,
putting an emphasis on cutting the associ ated carbon emissions.
In contrast, the U.S. under the current administration is only proceeding with the next scheduled Gulf of Mexico lease sale under a congressional mandate and has been slow walking it until almost the last possible date before the March 31, 2023,
In contrast, the Biden administration has been all in on offshore wind, with the most recent significant development being the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) announcement that it will hold an offshore wind energy lease sale on December 6, 2022, for areas on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) off central and northern Cali fornia. This will be the first-ever offshore wind lease sale on America’s west coast and the first-ever U.S. sale to support potential commercial-scale floating offshore wind energy development.
deadline set in law. According to BOEM’s proposed notice of sale for Gulf of Mex ico OCS Oil & Gas Lease Sale 259, the sale will be held at 9:00 a.m. CT on March 29, 2023, and BOEM must receive all sealed bids prior to the bid submission deadline of 10:00 a.m. CT on March 28, 2023, the day before the lease sale.
Before running away with the notion that the accelerating development of offshore wind farms, whether fixed or floating, will create a boat building bonanza, let’s bear in mind that nobody will ever build a new Jones Act vessel if an existing one can be used, or if some Jones Act compliant work around can be found.
Interestingly, among current OSV opera tors that have been adding to their fleets is Hornbeck Offshore Services (HOS). Back in February, it reported it had acquired three high-spec new-generation offshore supply vessels at a MARAD auction.
“We believe these modern, state-of-the-art,
The Biden administration has been all in on offshore wind ...
high-spec, diesel-electric OSVs are great additions to our growing fleet,” said com pany president and CEO Todd Hornbeck, adding that “these particular ships are excellent candidates for deployment in the growing U.S. domestic offshore wind indus try, as well as for potential conversion to military or other non-oilfield, non-wind specialty applications.”
What kind of sticker price do Jones Act new builds come with? As we’ve seen, Rigdon puts the price of a deep ocean PSV at around $50 million. Earlier this year, Shane Guidry of Harvey Gulf International Marine put the cost of building a trifuel (diesel/LNG/bat tery) PSV at $113 million.
In the offshore wind sector, the only U.S.flag wind turbine installation vessel (WTIV) currently under construction saw Domin ion Energy commitment overall project cost, inclusive of construction and commission ing and excluding financing costs, of around $500 million. Title XI application data on the MARAD website indicates that SOVs will come in at a building cost approach ing $100 million, while CTVs, the pick-up trucks of the offshore wind industry will
come in at around $12 million a copy.
There have been no recent signs that any one will follow the example of Dominion Energy, whose Charybis, which is currently under construction at Keppel AmFELS in Brownsville, Texas, remains the sole Jones Act compliant WTIV.
Meantime, the first company to order a Jones Act compliant service operation vessel (SOV), Edison Chouest Offshore, has now ordered a second. It will be the first plugin hybrid SOV in the U.S. and will operate under a 10-year charter to Empire Offshore Wind a joint venture between Equinor and BP, with commencement in the mid-2020s.
Accommodating up to 60 wind turbine technicians, it will serve the Empire Wind 1 and Empire Wind 2 offshore wind farms. Meantime, Chouest is set to deliver its first SOV, the ECO Edison, in 2024 when it will immediately provide operational support for Ørsted and Eversource’s joint venture offshore wind portfolio.
Who will be next to order a Jones Act SOV?
In June, Crowley moved ahead on an agree ment reached in 2021 with headquartered Esvagt, and signed additional joint venture
agreements aimed at delivering a best-in-class design and delivering U.S flag SOVs. Crowley will own and operate the vessels with U.S. mar iners, while Crowley and Esvagt will share in the financials of the venture.
Meantime, CTV orders have been picking up. One group placing a bet on that continu ing is Americraft Marine, a maritime subsidiary of the Logothetis family’s Libra Group, which in June announced the acquisition of St. Johns Ship Building, Palatka, Fla., saying that “signifi cant shipbuilding capacity will be needed over the next 10-15 years to support the upcoming demand for vessels that construct and service renewable energy infrastructure.”
The following month, the yard hosted a keel laying ceremony for the first of two Jones Act Incat Crowther 30 Crew Transport Vessels (CTV) that it is building for Windea, a part nership of Hornblower Wind and MidOcean Wind. Then, in August, came news that Rhode Island-headquartered U.S. offshore wind farm support pioneer Atlantic Wind Transfers (AWT) had ordered six Chartwell Ambitiousclass CTVs at the shipyard.
Other yards with CTVs on order or under construction include Gulf Craft, Franklin, La., Blount Boats, Warren, R.I., and Glad ding-Hearn, Somerset, Mass.
By Maura Keller
Even in normal times, news reports usually have their share of stories highlighting water-based safety and security incidents. From search and rescue to drug patrol to special operations, the increase incidents of maritime activity that require patrol boats has long seen law enforcement and other agencies expanding their on-water presence to keep the maritime arena safe for all.
But times have been anything but nor mal since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine—and patrol boats in significant numbers have been part of the military assistance provided Ukraine by the U.S.
Back in June a $450 million security
assistance package provided through presi dential drawdown authority included 18 coastal and riverine patrol boats.
Those vessels are two 35-foot, small-unit riverine craft; six 40-foot maritime combat craft; and ten 34-foot, Dauntless Sea Ark patrol boats.
“These are largely to protect the riverways and to enable Ukraine to maintain its control of the riverways. They can also be used in … close-in coastal areas,” said a senior defense official during a briefing t at the Pentagon.
The six U.S. Navy maritime combat ves sels transferred under the package were Metal Shark boats.
Meanwhile, at Metal Shark’s Franklin and
Jeanerette, La., production facilities, produc tion was already underway on 17 additional vessels for Ukraine, including ten 38-foot Defiant pilothouse patrol vessels, four 38-foot Defiant center console patrol vessels, and three 36-foot Fearless high-performance mil itary interceptor vessels. Each of these vessels are proven military platforms optimized for the Ukraine mission.
Those boats are being built and delivered as part of a long-range foreign policy strat egy years in the making, but recent events in Ukraine have caused an acceleration of the timelines. As a result, vessels will begin ship ping immediately.
Also building patrol boats for Ukraine
The imposing 115 Defiant has been designed to project power while offering unmatched performance.
is SAFE Boats International of Bremerton, Wash., which has eight of its flagship Mk VI Patrol Boat, o under construction to be deliv ered to the Ukraine Navy next year.
Though patrol boats for Ukraine may be in the news, civilian agencies have long been a steady business for most suppliers.
“There will always be a need for agencies large and small to deal with security, force protection, interdiction, and search and res cue operations,” says SAFE Boats marketing specialist Troy Knivila-Ritchie.
SAFE Boats delivers about 80 to 90 boats per year to customers worldwide, ranging in size from 19-foot outboard-powered center consoles to the company’s larger 65-foot full cabin vessel, powered by twin inboard diesels with waterjet propulsion.
“Most of our domestic customers are pur chasing models in the 27 to 38 foot range equipped with outboards. T he larger agen cies are purchasing bigger boats with inboard diesels, enhanced accommodations, elec tronics, and communications systems,” Knivila-Ritchie says. “Many of our interna tional customers are going with a larger patrol boat with inboard diesels, such as our 45-foot full cabin, 65-foot full cabin, and our flagship, the Mk VI Patrol Boat, of which eight are cur rently under construction to be delivered to
the Ukraine Navy next year.”
In August, Metal Shark announced that it is constructing a welded-aluminum 115- by 27-foot (35- by 8-meter) monohull patrol vessel for the Guyana Defense Force (GDF) at the company’s Franklin, La., shipyard. Called
construction of the 115 Defiant, Metal Shark CEO Chris Allard said, “Due to increasing maritime security concerns, we continue to see increased demand among military oper ators for larger patrol vessels capable of extended missions at sea. Considering the rel atively few options available in this size range, we felt that clients in this market segment have been underserved. We are now giving operators an entirely new option with this next-generation platform.”
Metal Shark’s 115 Defiant, which will house a crew of 24, has been designed to meet the requirements of a vast array of extended safety and security missions at sea, including search and rescue, border patrol, police and customs duties, and counter-narcotics opera tions, to name a few.
the 115 Defiant, is multi-mission patrol vessel that will GDF will use in conjunction with its eight other patrol vessels produced by Metal Shark, which also produces vessels for law enforcement, defense, fire and rescue agen cies, and commercial operators.
In a press release announcing the
Today’s patrol vessels are geared to the end users’ exact needs. “If they need to be nimble and agile they opt for a smaller vessel. If they need to stay out longer, they go with a larger, full cabin vessel that offers a galley and sleep ing berths,” Knivila-Ritchie says.
In addition to the exact use of a patrol vessel helping identify the required features within, the quality of these vessels are para mount in ensuring the safety and security of the professionals using these vessels as part of the patrol activities.
Though patrol boats for Ukraine may be in the news, civilian agencies have long been a steady business for most suppliers.
As such, SAFE Boats has embraced a con tinuous improvement process whereby the company’s products boast the required qual ity and safety certifications. One example is SAFE Boat’s recent ISO 9001:2015 certifica tion of its Quality Management Systems.
“We know our customers rely on our prod ucts to not only perform the mission safely and effectively, our boats are also their life line and must be able to bring them home at the end of the day,” Knivila-Ritchie says. “The ISO certification is one more way we can make sure we are delivering on that prom ise. A dditionally, since each SAFE boat is custom-made, we are able to meet our cus tomers’ needs and requirements while being able to incorporate changes at nearly every level of the build so that vessels continue to improve year-over-year in subtle but mean ingful ways. Our manufacturing and delivery of patrol boats has remained steady in recent years, with an average of 10 to 15% of all builds delivered to customers with a patrol mission in mind.”
Indeed, the technological advancements required within today’s patrol boats are paramount to helping law enforcement pro fessionals do their jobs. As Knivila-Ritchie explains, being on patrol sometimes means having to sit in one spot, waiting for the
action. That’s where gyroscopic stabilizers come in, virtually eliminating pitch and roll.
“Joystick controls for outboard and inboard propulsion systems alike are also becoming very popular. These control sys tems make close-quarters maneuvering a
breeze, reducing the workload on the boat operator,” Knivila-Ritchie says. “Advances in shock-mitigating seating are taking most of the bumps out of running through rough seas and allowing crews to feel more confident during pursuits and high speed maneuvers.”
Whether a particular water craft is considered a “vessel” has significant legal implications through out a maritime operation. Specifically, vessel status can impact whether maritime law applies to a contract, whether an injured worker is entitled to maritime remedies, and the enforceability of contractual indemnity obligations that may be otherwise limited by the laws of the adjacent states.
Because a variety of special purpose vessels
are used in the offshore wind and energy indus try, it is imperative to understand what is and is not a vessel to ensure compliance with the corresponding regulations and understand the insurance implications.
A wide range of support vessels with varying degrees of maritime transportation capabilities is used to construct and maintain offshore wind facilities, which impacts vessel status. Some of the support vessels include liftboats, which are
limited by water depth and have movable legs that are spudded to lift the hull above the water’s surface; wind turbine installation vessels, which can either self-elevate in shallow waters or serve as floating heavy lift vessels; services operations vessels, which are dynamic positioning–enabled vessels and provide in-field assistance to the turbine installation; and crew transfer vessels, which ferry crews from shore to the offshore wind facility.
The language of 1 U.S.C. § 3 suggests that every thing that floats is a vessel. However, in Lozman v. City of Riviera Beach, Florida, the US Supreme Court clarified that not every floating struc ture is a vessel. 568 U.S. 115 (2013). In that case, it determined that a floating houseboat, which had no steering mechanism or means of self-propulsion, was not a vessel. To reach this conclusion, the court focused on whether the floating structure was capable of navigation and was engaged in maritime commerce. This test is applied to determining status for offshore spe cialty vessels and floating structures.
The primary inquiry in determining vessel sta tus is whether a reasonable observer, looking at the craft’s characteristics and activities, would consider it to be designed to any practical degree for carrying people or things on water, in com merce. Additionally, the floating structure’s capability for maritime transportation must be a practical possibility and not merely theoretical. For instance, the Supreme Court noted in Loz man that the tub in “three men in a tub” would not be considered a vessel even though it tech nically would have the ability to be transported
across water.
Courts have often been asked to determine the vessel status of certain special purpose water craft servicing offshore oil and gas operations, which can be illustrative when interpreting the status of offshore wind support vessels.
For example, jack-up rigs and drilling barges, which are both designed for transportation across water and to perform stationary opera tions, have been considered vessels as a matter of law. However, similar structures that lack trans portation capabilities are typically not vessels. For example, a floating tension leg offshore oil platform that is anchored and lacks self-propul sion capabilities is not considered a vessel. Baker v. Dir., OWCP, 834 F.3d 542 (5th Circuit 2016)
Additionally, an anchored floating spar facil ity, which is attached to the sea floor and can only be towed from its position after removing its mooring lines and attached pipelines, is not a vessel. Mendez v. Anadarko Petroleum Corp., 466 F. App’x 316 (5th Cir. 2012). In making these determinations, the courts have focused on the permanent attachment of the floating facility to the sea floor and any practical maritime trans portation capabilities.
To determine whether a particular offshore wind special purpose vessel should be con sidered a “vessel,” a court will analyze whether
the physical characteristics and commercial activities of the floating structure appear to be designed for maritime transportation. Crew transportation vessels that regularly transport crewmembers to and from a floating platform will clearly align with the definition of a ves sel. Additionally, a liftboat, which has a similar appearance and transportation capabilities as a jack-up rig, will also be a vessel because of its transportation.
However, floating but anchored support facilities and platforms that lack the ability to transport across water, similar to a tension leg platform, will likely not be considered vessels. Once vessel status is decided, courts can then determine the status of the workers assigned to the floating structure and whether any contract is considered a maritime contract.
In sum, deciding vessel status is critical for determining the applicable law, tort remedies, and regulations that govern an offshore facil ity whether floating, moored or stationary. Additionally, this status classification can affect insurance coverage and contractual indemnity. Because of these implications, members of the offshore wind industry should remain cogni zant of the classification of their facility when considering development, insurance, and risk management.
themselves call the shots when buying boats
By Nick Blenkey, Senior Editorial ConsultantWith vessel autonomy devel oping at pace, it’s possible to envisage that ships will, someday, be navigated across the oceans from comfortable shoreside control rooms and then handed off to local control by a pilot in an equally comfortable shoreside facility. That’s yet a while away and though, on a handful of short Scandinavian ferry routes, crew members may go the way of department store elevator operators, in the real world of deep sea ship ping, getting ships safely into and out of ports remains a partnership between the vessel’s bridge team and, in the beginning and terminal stages of the voyage, the pilot.
Pilotage is a profession whose roots go deep into ancient history. Pilots with local knowledge have been employed on board ships for centu ries to guide vessels into or out of port safely - or wherever navigation may be considered hazardous, particularly when a shipmaster is unfamiliar with the area, says IMO, which for mally recognized the importance of employing qualified pilots in 1968, when it adopted a reso lution recommending governments organize pilotage services where they would be likely to prove more effective than other measures and to define the ships and classes of ships for which employment of a pilot would be man datory. The governments of most maritime nations had done so long before that
In the United States, the modern system of pilotage evolved in response to a system in which, according to the American Pilots’ Asso ciation (APA), long into the 19th century,
“individual pilots struggled against one another in a mad race to the sea to provide pilotage ser vices to the first incoming ship. This race to be the first to ‘speak’ a ship was certainly ineffi cient - pilots raced to provide pilotage to one ship while other ships waited in vain for a pilot. More importantly, however, many pilots per ished during this senseless ‘race to the sea.’”
The pilots themselves finally resolved the sit uation. Pilotage of international trade vessels in U.S. waters is governed by the twenty-four coastal states and “while robust state regulation of pilots was firmly in place in the 19th century, pilots within the various ports recognized that government regulation alone was not sufficient to ensure quality piloting services,” notes APA. “An organized and unified effort on the part of the professional pilots themselves was also nec essary.” And by 1884, when APA was formed, pilots in most ports had formed into a single, port-wide association.
When it comes to buying pilot boats, the buyers are the pilot associations, and they are run by the pilots themselves — who actually know what it’s like to ride the boats and then transfer from them to ships in what is an often challenging, and potentially hazardous operation.
Pilot associations set rigorous standards for membership and set a high store on experience. That means that when they come to the job, pilots are master mariner licensed to handle any type of ship of any tonnage and, in addition, the associations set additional training qualifi cations. The job is also physically demanding. Transferring between a pilot boat and a ship
via a typical access ladder is not for the faint of heart. Worldwide, there have been all too many pilot fatalities and serious accidents attributed to problems with pilot boarding arrangements. While international efforts to address this issue continue, one thing that the pilot associations do have control over is the pilot boats.
The boats that take pilots to ships need to function in the worst weather, take rough treat ment and go fast enough to deliver pilots to bridge decks in an acceptable amount of time. With ships getting ever larger and with deeper drafts, runs from shore-side pilot stations have become longer, demanding increased pilot boat speeds. And, says Somerset, Mass., based Glad ding-Hearn Shipbuilding, which has built more than 80 pilot boats since 1957, faster ships and lessened turnaround time also require higher boarding speeds, sometimes 10 knots or more.
Gladding-Hearn has long been in partner ship with C. Raymond Hunt Associates, which carries on the work of legendary New England boat designer, and sailor, Ray Hunt, who in the late ‘50s and early ‘60s developed and patented the Hunt deep-V hull. A proven rough-weather performer, it has a high dead-rise bottom, spray deflecting strips and chine, flat and flared top sides. This shape works well at planing speeds in head seas and following seas, minimizes roll in cross seas and retains good control at displacement speeds in gale conditions. The deep-V hull also performs well when boarding, remaining stable when in contact with a ship, with no tendency to become stuck alongside.
Transferring from an oceangoing ship to a pilot boat is not for the faint of heart.
Hunt Design says that, while it has made, and continues to discover, small refinements to this design, “Ray’s basic deep-V hullform offers superior characteristics that give it the ability to navigate rough seas at higher speed with more safety and comfort than any other hull design.”
The sharp entry forward keeps pounding to a minimum, says the firm. There is no deep forefoot to cause bow steering and broach ing. The V-shape is carried all the way to the transom, resulting in evenly distributed dis placement and lateral plane. These factors urge the hull to travel straight through and over the seas with only moderate steering effort, even in quartering or following seas.
A high chine forward and multiple spray strips knock down spray, prevent water from climbing the topsides, add lift and reduce wetted surface. Less wetted surface means reduced resistance, greater speed and increased economy. A widely flared forward topsides encloses substantial buoyancy that reduces the potential for burying the bow or taking ‘solid’ water over it.
At planing speeds, the hull gains stability from planing forces, as the boat tries to roll, the deep-V puts more and more hull into the water, forcing it back upright. The V-shape also allows the hull to bank in a turn, not roll
outward like and, at displacement speeds, the deep-V hull has more draft than the typical planing hull, so it behaves more surely.
One of the most successful designs to feature the Ray Hunt deep-V hull is the Chesapeake class pilot boat, introduced by GladdingHearn in 2003. Since then, 22 have been delivered to 12 pilot associations throughout the U.S. These include the Pilots’ Associa tion of the Bay and River Delaware, which in September has ordered what will be its fourth vessel in the class. The new all-alu minum launch measures 52.6 feet overall, with a 16.8 feet beam and a 4.8 feet draft.
Powered by twin Volvo Penta D16, EPA Tier 3-certified diesel engines, each producing 641 bhp at 1800 rpm, the vessel’s top speed is over 26 knots.
The vessel’s wheelhouse, with a small trunk, is installed amidships on a flush deck and, in a reminder that another important requirement of pilot boats is the ability to deliver its passengers in good shape to meet the physical challenges of the job, the wheelhouse is equipped with five NorSap shock-mitigating reclining seats, a baggage rack and control console.
Meeting the unique requirements of pilot age operations is something that boat builder
Metal Shark has given close attention to in its growing Defiant-class pilot boat lineup. This can be seen in the 55-foot Singing River Island, its second delivery to Pascagoula Bar Pilots Association. For its pilot boat clients, Metal Shark pairs its proven Defiant hull form with a bespoke arrangement designed specifically for pilotage. Flat, non-skid decks run from bow to stern and allow pilots to move quickly and safely around the ves sel, rugged pilot-specific fendering systems absorb impacts, and stern corners and bow feature a gentle radius to allow easy underway separation from ships following pilot trans fer. Safety rails and grab handles are carefully placed, and pilot boarding platforms are configured to suit the requirements of each operator. For the Pascagoula pilots, a fore deck transfer zone features integrated port, starboard, and forward stairways leading to two deployable platforms, allowing pilots to quickly and safely board ships from either side of the vessel.
The 55 Defiant Pilot features an innovative pilothouse designed to deliver best-in-class visibility. The use of Metal Shark’s signature
“pillarless glass” with reverse-raked windshield significantly reduces blind spots compared to legacy designs with smaller, framed windows. An innovative two-tiered side window arrangement, with a second row of windows below the belt line, provides good downward-angle visibility from the helm during alongside maneuvers or manoverboard retrieval. A panoramic skylight array provides an unobstructed upwards view while operating alongside ships dur ing pilot transfer.
To meet the client’s performance require ments, Metal Shark equipped the Singing River Island with twin 803-horsepower Cat C18 engines turning Michigan Wheel 34-inch diameter Nibral four-blade propel lers through Twin Disc MGX5146A 1.961 gears. This combination delivers a cruise speed in the 25-knot range and a top speed approaching 30 knots. An 800-gallon fuel capacity allows for a cruise speed range of approximately 280 nautical miles.
“Metal Shark has succeeded in combin ing quality and comfort,” said Pascagoula Bar Pilots Association Capt. Walter Gautier. “This vessel is proving daily to be a safe and pilot-friendly platform for transfers at sea.”
The two new 56-foot pilot boats recently
delivered to the Los Angeles Pilot Service are equipped with full suites of Furuno marine electronics.
A designer whose pilot boats are in use world wide, including the U.S., is Camarc Design of the U.K. and recently the Savannah Pilots Asso ciation took delivery of the Savannah, its third Camarc-designed boat. It is the first of two Camarc 64 foot pilot boats ordered by the asso ciation from Snow & Company of Seattle.
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 safely guided vessels on the 25-plus mile journey from the sea entrance to the Port of Savannah 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 Thomp son 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 outstand ing 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, Savan nah 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.”
Given the tasks the vessels perform and the con ditions in which they work, delivering all-electric pilot boats may prove more of a challenge than delivering zero-emissions vessels for other sec tors, still there are some projects underway. We’ll report on those as they develop.
WISTA International (Women’s International Shipping and Trading Association) has elected ELPI PETRAKI of WISTA Hellas as its new president. She is operations, chartering and busi ness development manager at ENEA Management, and succeeds DESPINA THEODOSIOU, who held the post for a five-year term with two consecutive mandates between 2017-2022.
HANNU MÄNTYMAA , currently vice president-performance ser vices at Wärtsilä Marine Power, has succeded SEAN FERNBACK as head of Wärtsilä’s Voyage business, which is to be integrated into its Marine Power.
Galveston, Texasheadquartered dredging and marine construc tion contractor Callan Marine has appointed
25-year construction and mari time industry veteran JOEY MALDONADO as its new vice president of construction estimat ing. Maldonado is a 1999 Wharton College graduate.
Crowley has promoted MEAGHAN ATKINSON to vice president of sustainability. In this role, Atkinson will lead Crowley’s sustainabil ity efforts, and drive action to decarbonize across the company’s operations and value chain to reach net-zero emissions by 2050. She will lead the company’s efforts to build partnerships to fulfill Crowley’s sus tainability commitments.
Teekay Corporation reported that
VINCE LOK will retire as its executive vice president and CFO effective January 1, 2023, after nearly 30 years with the company.
BRODY SPEERS, the company’s vice president, finance and treasurer, will assume Lok’s responsibilities, along with continuing to oversee Teekay’s finance, accounting and tax teams. Lok has agreed to stay on as an advisor through the end of 2023.
MOLLY MORRIS is to serve as the new president of Equinor Wind US, effective January 1, 2023, succeeding SIRI ESPEDAL KINDEM, who will take on a new opportunity within Equinor. Morris joined Equinor in 2008 and has since taken on a variety of roles in the company.
The Biden administration’s just announced plans to jump-start U.S. offshore wind will generate a boom in demand for specialized Jones Act-compliant vessels and services. To help give you the insights needed to meet the needs of the new market, we have launched a new weekly newsletter, Marine Log Offshore.
Marine Log will also host a podcast and webcast series focusing on the latest in offshore wind farm development, policy and regulation and the implications for U.S. shipyards and vessel operators.
SALEM, MASS.-BASED
repair specialist H&H Propeller and Shaft has been awarded ABS certification for its propri etary marine tailshaft weld cladding process.
“We are honored to receive this ABS certi fication,” said H&H Chief Operating Officer Paul Grillo. “This is an important develop ment for our northeast customers as we offer a certified, centrally located facility, proven quality workmanship, conducted
in compliance with stringent ABS stan dards. With accelerating material costs and lead times we’ve all experienced, this service helps our customers reduce downtime, and in many cases, avoid costly shaft replace ment. H&H’s unparalleled expertise in shaft inspection and repair gets our customers back in the water faster.”
“The cladding process developed and per fected by H&H engineers and machinists
restores marine shafts to like-new condition,” said H&H Vice President of Engineering John Pelletier. “In addition to extending the life of your shaft, this is an economical way to get back on the water quickly and safely. The ability to repair damaged shafts up to up to 8 inches in diameter and 40 feet in length using approved ABS procedures pro vides a valuable option to New England’s marine industry.”
THE TWO LCO2 CARRIERS on order at Chinese shipbuilder Dalian Shipbuilding Industry Company (DSIC) will feature an ABB shaft generator system with permanent magnet technology.
Due for delivery in 2024, the two vessels will be the first of their kind to be built and will sup port the Northern Lights carbon capture and storage (CCS) project. They will transport CO2 captured from industrial emitters to an onshore terminal in Øygarden, Norway. From there, the CO2 will be delivered by pipeline to dedicated reservoirs 2,600 meters under the seabed in the North Sea for permanent storage.
Each of the 130-meter ships will be able to carry up to 7,500 cubic meters of liquefied CO2 in purpose-built pressurized cargo tanks.
ABB’s permanent magnet shaft generator system will increase the fuel efficiency of these vessels, reducing emissions as a result. Combin ing this technology with variable speed engines allows power to be harvested for all onboard systems through the rotating force of the shaft, significantly improving performance compared to a traditional setup with fixed speed engines.
ABB will also deliver the main electrical, automation and safety systems for the Northern Lights project, enabling the remote operation of the terminal and ensuring that the facility runs at optimum efficiency. ABB’s permanent mag net shaft generator system further supports the project’s ethos by offering enhanced vessel fuel economy and reduced emissions.
ABB’s permanent magnet shaft generator system is driven by the main engine, enabling increased efficiencies for vessels with fewer or smaller gensets and minimizing both capital and operating costs.
In addition, says ABB, the solution has a
smaller weight and installation footprint com pared to a conventional solution, as well as high reliability and redundancy to enable over 99% uptime, and built-in safety features to help protect crew and equipment. The system’s cus tomizable design and interface make it suitable for any vessel type.
ABB’s scope of supply also covers full engi neering and commissioning services. In addition, the vessels will have access to the ABB Ability marine remote diagnostic system for continuous equipment monitoring, optimized machinery and planned-maintenance activities, and reduced maintenance costs.
unmanned surface vessel that Herndon, Va.-headquartered Serco Inc. is to deliver to the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) under a recent contract will have a customized thruster propul sion system developed by Houston-based
WITH CMB.TECH , the clean tech divi sion of Compagnie Maritime Belge, to accelerate the development of dual-fuel hydrogen-powered solutions for both maritime and land applications.
The companies have worked together in pilot projects since 2017, successfully adapting Volvo Penta engines to run as a dual-fuel hydrogen and diesel solution via a conversion kit provided by CMB.TECH.
The companies say the strengthened collaboration will create synergies aimed at leveraging the competences and product offerings of both, establishing dual-fuel hydrogen technology as a low-carbon interim solution before suitable zeroemissions alternatives become viable. The partnership will cover pilot projects and small-scale industrialization of a hydrogen dual-fuel solution for selected customers.
“From the initial dual-fuel technology projects we have seen reductions of CO2 emissions up to 80%,” says Roy Campe, chief technology officer at CMB.TECH. “It is clear that the energy transition is a major challenge in many types of appli cations. With the dual-fuel technology we have been developing over the last few years, we can provide a cost-effective and
Thrustmaster of Texas.
The Thrustmaster propulsion system is an essential component of the advanced plat form design developed by Serco to meet the unique and stringent performance require ments of the DARPA contract.
“Thrustmaster is honored to be selected
by SERCO for this challenging project,” said Joe Bekker, president of Thrustmaster of Texas. “We are looking forward to provid ing the next generation thruster propulsion system technology to demonstrate the mul tiplicity of capabilities that thrusters bring to both military and commercial vessels. The thruster system developed for the NOMARS platform uses a combination of proven and highly reliable thruster component tech nologies with an innovative hydrodynamic design that allows for the thruster to support not only critical propulsion requirements but also to meet additional maneuvering and endurance requirements. We are proud to be a critical part of this project and pleased to support not only the thruster design and production but also the initial NOMARS system level testing at our 300,000-squarefoot facility in Houston, Texas.”
Thrustmaster is currently providing the Auxiliary Propulsion Units (APU) for the Independence (LCS-2) Class platforms and is developing and manufacturing the APU for the Constellation (FFG-62) Class Frig ate program.
robust solution for a variety of applica tions. We think there is huge potential in this solution for customers, both on land and at sea.”
“The development in this area is mov ing fast and with this partnership we see a great opportunity to further explore and be part of increasing the use and availability of hydrogen solutions,” says Heléne Mellquist, president of Volvo Penta. “I believe that this dual-fuel approach will appeal to many of
our customers by its ease of installation, maintenance, and use. In addition, it will help accelerate our customers’ transition to more sustainable operations.”
The design and testing of the hydrogeninjection system will take place at CMB. TECH’s Technology and Development Center in Brentwood, U.K., where Volvo Penta engines will be tested to optimize the hydrogen-diesel injection strategy for maximum reliability and emission savings.
1.Publication: Marine Log 2. Publication Number # 576- 910 3. Filing date: September 30, 2022. 4. Issue frequency: Monthly 5. Number of issues: 12. 6. Annual sub price: $98.00 7. Complete mailing address of known office of publication: Simmons Boardman Publishing Corporation, 1809 Capital Ave, Omaha NE 68102 4905; Contact Person: JoAnn Binz, Circulation M gr; Telephone: 843 388 3808. 8. Complete mailing address of company headquarters: Same as above. 9. Full name and complete mailing address of publisher: Gary Lynch , Publisher , Marine Log, 1809 Capital Ave, Omaha NE 68102 4905 Editor: Heather Ervin, Editor, Marine Log, 1809 Capital Ave, Omaha NE 68102 4905. 10. Owner: Simons Boardman Publishing Corp, 1 809 Capital Ave, Omaha NE 68102 4905; Arthur J McGinnis Jr, Simmons Boardman Corp., 1 809 Capital Ave, Omaha NE 68102 4905 11. None 12. Has not changed during preceding 12 months. 13. Publication Title: Marine Log 14. Issue date for Circulation data below: Avg. Oct 20 21 Sep t 2022; Actual Sept 2022. 15. Extent and Nature of Circulation. 15a Total Number of Copies: Avg. 17, 459; Actual 14,147. 15b.1. Paid/Requested Mail Subscriptions: Avg. 11,2 39; Actual 7,884. 15b.4. Requested Copies Distributed by Other Mail Classes: Avg. 1,536; Actual 1,361. 15c.Total Paid and/or Requested Circulation: Avg. 12,774; Actual 9,2 45.15d.1 Non requested Copies: Avg. 4,179; Actual 3,971. 15d.4. Non requested Copies Distributed Outside the Mail: Avg. 236; Actual 303. 15e. Total Non-requested Distribution: Avg. 4,415; Actual 4,274 . 15f. Total Distribution: Avg. 17,189; Actual 13,5 19. 15g. Copies not distributed: Avg. 270; Actual 628. 15h. Total: Avg. 17,459; Actual 14,14 7 15i. Percent Paid and/or Requested: Avg. 74.3%; Actual 68.4%. 16a. Paid/Requested Electronic Copies: Avg. 9, 753; Actual 13,172. 16b. Total Paid/Requested Print + Req/Paid Electronic Copies: Avg. 22,527; Actual 22,417. 16c. Total Print Distribution + Req/Paid Electronic Copies: 26,94 2; Actual 26,691. 16d. Percent Paid/Request (Print + Electronic Copi es): Avg. 83.6%; Actual 84.0%. 17. Publication of Statement of Ownership for a Requester Publication will be printed in the November 2022 issue. 18. Signature and Title : Jo Ann Binz, Circulation Mgr. Date 10/01/2022 - PS Form 3526 R.
COMPANY
ABS
BMT Group
Colonial Oil Industries
Damen Global Support
David Clark Company
Detyens Shipyards Inc.
Duramax Marine
ExxonMobil
Fairbanks Morse Defense
Fluid Watercraft
Furuno USA
Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding
Glosten
International Workboat
Lignum-Vitae America
McDonough Marine Service
MSHS Group
Panolin America Inc.
Prime Mover Controls
Resolve Marine
Rexnavi
Rhotheta International Inc.
Rigidized Metals
Rolls Royce/MTU
Schoellhorn-Albrecht
Sennebogen LLC
TTB 2023
Volvo Penta of the America
W&O Supply
WIMOS Association
a regulatory line item.
It’s easy to interpret this requirement in picturing the strategic success required to be in command of a specific department or an entire vessel—business-critical voyage planning decisions need to be made, man ning levels need to be managed, and effective communications need to be facilitated with shoreside port agents, port authorities, and emergency response service providers.
Many vessel operators and own ers have an overarching goal of ensuring safety comes first. Achievement of this goal is often measured through a variety of methods, including the number of lost time incidents or a reduction in year-to-year reported incidents. In these ways—year-end reports, insurance claims, insurance premiums—safety is often viewed as another data point, another set of facts or figures that informs operators and owners of how successfully they are achieving the goals they have set in place.
To have clear, objective, and measurable goals, safety data is a critical piece of the puz zle; it would certainly be more challenging to determine whether or not safety-related goals were achieved without quantifiable data. But to develop a well-rounded company and operational culture that ensures safety always comes first, it is important to remember that data is only one piece of that puzzle. And one of the other key pieces? Investing in the people who those data reports represent.
Companies invest in the health and safety of their employees by ensuring adequate quantities and sizes of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) are available, providing options for insurance and benefits for both day-to-day wellness as well as recovery after potential on-the-job injuries, and coordinat ing training to ensure personnel can identify and mitigate risks in their work environment. These, and other, examples are important
investments—but what about investment in the less-tangible matter of soft skills?
Hazard Communication trainings, for example, typically involve reading and inter preting chemical Safety Data Sheets (SDS) and pictograms, not how to communicate in the workplace to prevent hazardous work conditions. Leadership trainings, as another example, where one may learn and practice such verbal and non-verbal communication skills to reduce workplace hazards, are typically viewed as appropriate investments for only those specific leadership positions clearly iden tified as a head of department. How should a company invest in soft skills of other crew members (such as unlicensed ratings or those who are green to the maritime industry)? And is this an important part of putting safety first?
One route of investing in soft skills of all crewmembers, regardless of rank or industry experience, is identifying that leadership, which can be dynamic and situational, is a necessary quality for every crewmember to understand, appreciate, and demonstrate. Although included (as a requirement for the Use of Lead ership and Managerial skills for Masters, Chief Mates, Chief Engineers, and Second Engi neer Officers and Application of Leadership and Teamwork Skills for Officers in Charge of a Navigational or Engineering Watch) in the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification, and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW) 2010, as amended, leader ship in the shipboard environment isn’t merely
Leadership in the shipboard environment is also situational and individual. This individ ual leadership is each and every crewmember, at any rank or position, having accountabil ity in the quality of their individual work, being able to effectively communicate when they need more information or tools to com plete a task correctly and safely, and having the confidence to speak up and clarify any sit uation they believe to be unsafe. Depending on individual backgrounds and personalities, this type of situational leadership and con fident communication may already be very visible—or it may be very dormant, hidden beneath the expectation that safety is part of the overriding responsibility of the cap tain and not something any individual crew member can influence or achieve.
If a shipboard (or shoreside) culture is permeated with the tenet that safety comes first and effective leadership contributes to safety and regulatory compliance (as its inclusion in the STCW Code indicates), then it is reasonable to believe that effective lead ership is a meaningful investment at all levels to develop the competency and confidence of all crewmembers, who share responsibility for their individual safety and for the imple mentation of a functioning safety culture.
The next time safety data is ticking towards an unfavorable trend or an inci dent investigation’s root cause analysis seems stuck once reaching the human fac tor, consider the people underneath the data and underneath the incident report. Con sider whether safety-related investments are limited only to equipment and technical trainings. Finally, consider whether there is a just investment of soft-skill development across all levels of an organization.
SOGOR
