International – May 2019
Safety Report Focuses on Systemic Failures
Bureau Veritas, TMC Marine and the London P&I Club produced their latest guidance focusing on systemic failures on board ships related to the requirements of the International Safety Management (ISM) code.
Systemic failures lead to ship detention by port state control, pollution or injuries and fatalities. Key elements highlighted include management of change, work-planning meetings, the importance of a permit-to-work system and the circular nature of the safety management system. Download the report at https://bit.ly/2VPEIXx.
Survey Aids Norwegian Bridge Project DOF
Subsea Norway AS was awarded the contract for Statens Vegvesen to perform geophysical mapping in Bjørnafjord in Norway. The project was executed using the HUGIN AUV Chercheur owned by Canadian company Ocean Floor Geophysics Inc. in combination with the small survey catamaran GeoCat owned by DOF Subsea Norway AS. The aim of the work was to obtain the basis for engineering design services for a bridge over Bjørnafjord in connection with the Ferry Free E39 project.
Metal Shark Opens Croatian Office
Shipbuilder Metal Shark opened a dedicated European engineering office, its first location outside of the United States. Metal Shark Croatia is located in the city of Rijeka on Croatia’s northern Adriatic coast. The facility currently employs nearly 20 naval architects, machinery systems engineers and electrical engineers who collaborate with Metal Shark’s domestic engineering team in support of the company’s shipbuilding operations at its three facilities in Alabama and Louisiana in the U.S.
IMEA Seeks Collaborators for Veterans Program
The International Marine Electronics Alliance (IMEA) is seeking board members, donors and partners to further its mission of marine electronics safety and education. IMEA collaborates with other nonprofit associations and government agencies to advance education, scientific knowledge and testing of marine electronics. IMEA plans to provide educational programs to enable military service veterans to transition into the marine electronics workforce through an apprenticeship program.
Flag State Performance Table Released
The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) has published the latest update of its Flag State Performance Table, which provides an indication of the performance of individual flag administrations, using information available in the public domain.
Since the table was launched 15 years ago, ICS says the data have helped to demonstrate ongoing improvement. Among the 12 largest flag states, responsible for 80 percent of world merchant tonnage, none currently have more than one potential negative indicator, and nine of these have no negative indicators.
iXblue Expands in Australia
Through the development of Australian capabilities, iXblue, conducting business with more than 60 countries, continues to expand its global footprint. iXblue has announced the expansion of its capabilities in Australia after 10 years with a Brisbane-based team. In 2019, it will focus on developing local expertise in inertial navigation systems for defense and civil markets.
Pleuger Industries Moves to Germany
After 18 years in the Flowserve group, Pleuger Industries, a German manufacturer of submersible motor pumps, is once again represented on the market as an independent company. An American investor bought the brand and transferred the strategic management to German hands. From its headquarters and production site in Hamburg, Pleuger Industries now supplies customers with submersible motor pumps, plunger pumps and thrusters that are made in Germany.
Teledyne Software Implemented in
African Navy Vessels and Offices
Teledyne CARIS will deliver solutions to the South African Navy Hydrographic Office including software that will be implemented as part of a larger project to be executed by Southern African Shipyards (SAS), where a new hydrographic survey vessel is being built. Three additional survey motor boats are also slated for manufacture, to be equipped with HIPS and SIPS. The South African Navy Hydrographic Office will be refurbished and Bathy DataBASE and Hydrographic Production Database will be used to produce paper charts, ENCs and digital products.
World Ocean Council Membership Grows
The World Ocean Council (WOC) announces two new members. SEYPEC, Seychelles’ National Petroleum Transport Co., provides the storage and supply of petroleum products, the bunkering of vessels, aviation refueling operations and the management of its shipping arm. BMT, an international design, engineering, science and risk management consultancy, provides products and services to oil and gas, defense, renewable energy, ports, risk management and maritime transport industries.
Optimization Solutions Provided in UAE
Unique Group entered into an agreement with Add Energy Asset & Integrity Management to provide management consultancy and software solutions to energy and manufacturing companies in the UAE. Unique Group will offer engineering solutions to increase safety, optimize expenditure and maximize performance through CMMS data improvements, maintenance optimization, materials management and operational support.
Kongsberg Acquires
Rolls-Royce Commercial Marine
Kongsberg Gruppen completed the acquisition of Rolls-Royce Commercial Marine (RRCM). RRCM will operate under the Kongsberg brand and the Kongsberg Maritime legal entity. With the unification of Kongsberg Maritime and RRCM, Kongsberg is represented in 40 countries, has more than 11,000 employees and an annual turnover of more than NOK 22 billion, with a fleet of more than 30,000 vessels.
Ultra-Large Container Ship Fitted with Scrubber
Yara Marine Technologies announced the successful installation of an inline hybrid scrubber system for an undisclosed customer in the ultra-large container segment. The company says it is the biggest ship engine to be successfully fitted with an inline hybrid scrubber system. The project marks an important milestone in expanding areas where shipowners can achieve full IMO compliance with SOx scrubbers. The inline hybrid scrubber system also covers the vessel’s five auxiliary engines.
James Fisher Opens Base in Nigeria
James Fisher Subsea Excavation (JFSE) has completed its first project in Nigeria and established a base in the country. Its tools will be permanently based in Port Harcourt to service clients in Nigeria’s energy industry. A JFSE team deployed the company’s Twin R2000 tool off the coast of Forcados in a six-week project that involved post-lay trenching of 20-in. pipeline and backfilling for a local energy and petroleum company.
Law Bans a Wide Range of Single-Use Plastics
The European Parliament approved a new law banning throwaway plastics such as cotton-bud sticks, cutlery, straws, stirrers and plates. More than 80 percent of marine litter is plastics, and plastic residue is found in many marine species such as fish and shellfish and is present in the human food chain. The new law banning single-use plastics will come into force across all EU member states by 2021. The directive will also ban plastic balloon sticks, single-use polystyrene cups and those made from oxodegradable plastics (plastics that fragment into tiny pieces). EU member states will also have new recycling targets with increased responsibility for producers.
Guide Offers a Plan for Sulphur Cap Compliance
ClassNK has developed “Guidance for onboard use of Compliant Fuel Oil with SOx regulation from 2020” and an implementation plan sample for switching to compliant fuel oil. ClassNK will also provide related appraisal services for the 2020 sulphur cap. It identified five properties of compliant fuel oil, explaining their characteristics and potential safety implications.
Emergency Towing Test Held in Norway
Samson held a sea exercise to validate performance of its emergency vessel attachment and towing system (EVATS) with the Norwegian Coastal Administration in a fjord southwest of Sortland, Norway. Samson, the Alaska Maritime Prevention & Response Network and Norwegian Coast Guard crew members participated in a system briefing and orientation before the sea trial.