International – 2018
DECEMBER
New Software Distributors in UK and Ireland
Swathe Services will take on responsibility for sales and maintenance of HYPACK software solutions in the U.K. and Ireland after Del Norte Technology closes. The company will continue to run biannual multibeam echosounder HYPACK training courses to improve surveyors’ knowledge and efficiency using HYPACK software. Swathe Services is a hydrographic survey company based in Cornwall, U.K., that specializes in multibeam echosounder (MBES) surveying.
Second ROTV Installed on Australian Vessel
MacArtney has supplied a second ROTV (remotely operated towed vehicle) system for the RV Investigator. The TRIAXUS E ROTV has a higher payload capacity and enables the installation of a wide range of sensors. RV Investigator has also been equipped with a CTD, a transmissometer, a fluorometer and a photosynthetically active radiation sensor.
Mooring Services Company Acquires
English Grapnel and Chaser Company
InterMoor acquired all intellectual property of the BEL Grapnel & Chaser company, including drawings, designs and cast patterns for its anchor and chain-handling equipment. BEL is a manufacturer of grapnel and chaser products integrated with Inter-M chain and wire-chasing and recovery equipment. Grapnel hooks are used in recovery of dropped components offshore; chasers enable steady and controlled lowering and raising during the installation and recovery of mooring system components.
Dredging in Ireland Monitored by Field Buoy
A turbidity monitoring buoy built by OSIL will be redeployed by BAM Construction on a dredging project in Ireland. The buoy was originally purchased as part of the €8.5 million Bantry Inner Harbour Redevelopment. The 0.7-m small field buoy can be deployed from a small boat by hand, and it will monitor continuous dredging in a berthing pocket adjacent to the new quay at Cork Container Terminal. The buoy is equipped with a wiped turbidity sensor with a conversion factor to change side scatter output readings to total suspended solids in mg/L.
US and UAE Air Pollution Companies are Partners
Ship & Shore Environmental, a U.S. pollution abatement firm that specializes in capture and control of VOC emissions, announced a new partnership with UAE company Amerair International to increase their global market presence.
Ship & Shore has recently entered into the wastewater, oil and gas, and biogas industries.
The companies’ joint effort aims to offer a variety of global pollution abatement technologies and engineering solutions.
Italian and French Shipbuilding Associations
Identify Key Future Innovation Areas
The Italian and French shipbuilding industry associations, ASSONAVE and GICAN, signed a research, development and innovation roadmap for shipbuilding and ship supply at Euronaval. The agreement seeks to identify the key technologies that the shipbuilding industry should develop in the next 10 years and beyond. They defined five key areas where major investments should be concentrated: green ships with low environmental impact, smart ships, autonomous vessels, smart offshore infrastructure solutions and smart shipyards.
UK Study Explores Smart Navigational Charts
The UK Hydrographic Office (UKHO) contributed to a U.K. government study on navigational requirements for autonomous maritime vessels. The UKHO worked with L3 ASV and the Maritime and Coastguard Agency to identify future data requirements for autonomous shipping and explore how navigational and wider geospatial data enable the safe navigation of smart and unmanned autonomous vessels. The study explored a smart chart system that incorporates data such as radio signals, regulations, tides and foundation navigational data.
RBR China Now Open in Qingdao
RBR China has been established to support collaborative business development activities in China. The coastal city of Qingdao is the hub of oceanographic research in China and home to Ocean University of China, First Institute of Oceanography, North China Sea Branch of SOA and the Institute of Oceanography of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. RBR China will continue collaborations with university and government offices and develop demonstration projects to introduce new products.
ROV to Explore Mineral Extraction Methods
The ¡VAMOS! project funded by the EU Horizon 2020 program includes 16 partners from nine EU countries and seeks to address the need for critical raw materials by making possible the extraction of mineral deposits from inland water-bearing areas. The partners have developed a system whereby a remotely operated mining vehicle is launched from a waterborne carriage.
The ¡VAMOS! partners met this fall with geologists, researchers and citizens at a technology demonstration day at the Magcobar flooded mine pit in Silvermines, Ireland.
Wind and Sun Power System for Ships
Prepares for Sea Trials and Production
Eco Marine Power (EMP) has begun a collaboration with ClassNK to confirm design requirements and issues related to sea trials and commercial production of the EnergySail and Aquarius Marine Renewable Energy solution. The Aquarius MRE is an advanced integrated system of rigid sails, marine-grade solar panels, energy storage modules, charging system and marine computers that will enable ships to harness renewable energy from the wind and sun.
Ultrashort Baseline Equipment Sells Worldwide
Sonardyne reported new ultrashort baseline (USBL) equipment sales across Europe, Asia and the Americas. XPRIZE finalists TeamTao acquired a Ranger 2 GyroUSBL system for communicating between a swarm of underwater drones and an unmanned surface vessel. Thai company Beacon Offshore acquired a Ranger 2 survey package for the subsea support vessel SC Sirapat. Brazilian company Belov Engenharia acquired a Mini-Ranger 2 USBL system to track its ROVs during IRM work on floating production, storage and offloading vessels. Vietnamese company Greenstar Positioning acquired two Mini-Ranger 2 USBL underwater positioning systems.
Fugro and L3 Develop Autonomous Survey Tools
Fugro has signed a joint development agreement with L3 ASV, an unmanned and autonomous vessel technology company, to create the next generation of autonomous vessels for the commercial survey market. The partnership brings together the expertise of both companies for the development of a variety of fit-for-purpose USVs. Delivery of the first USV is scheduled for 2019.
Ballast Tech Co. Opens Asia-Pacific Subsidiary
BIO-UV Group has supplied its BIO-SEA ballast water treatment system to more than 100 vessels, with more orders in progress. Owners operating the UV-based BIO-SEA include Maersk Lines, MSC Cruises, CMA CGM and Louis Dreyfus Armateurs. BIO-UV has a network of sales and distribution agents in more than 65 countries. This year, it opened a subsidiary in Hong Kong: BIO-UV Asia.
America’s Cup Racing Team Develops Simulator
Artemis Technologies, a spin-off from America’s Cup challenger Artemis Racing, has developed a new fast craft simulator with Cruden. The simulator runs on Cruden’s Panthera simulator software and features a bespoke top platform based on a key section of an F50 catamaran. The simulator will be used for engineering analysis of different designs, developing control systems and training crews for future race series.
Tugboat Statistics Report Now Available
Marcon International’s Tug Boat Market Report is now available online. The report contains summaries of data from Marcon’s databases regarding tugs for sale in the U.S. and worldwide, compilation of news from vessel builders and operators, summaries of major economic influences on the market, and featured listings. Marcon reports 523 tugs officially on the market for sale out of 5,057 tracked. This is down 11.8 percent from a year ago, mostly due to scrapping of older, lower horsepower tugs.
Thordon Signs with Russian Distributor
Thordon Bearings signed distribution agreements with Industrial & Marine Projects (IMPRO) and Tallinn’s Marine Ecology Equipment (MEE). The addition of distributors for Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Russia and Azerbaijan coincides with concerns about the impact of oil pollution in the ecologically sensitive Baltic and Caspian Seas.
NOVEMBER
IOSTIA Launches Healthcare Program
The International Ocean Science & Technology Industry Association (IOSTIA) launched a program for its U.S.-based members to provide a viable, cost-effective and accessible healthcare program. Entitled the IOSTIA Healthcare Program, the new program couples two ACA-compliant preventative-care options with a medical cost-sharing program to cover significant and catastrophic medical events, as well as covering telemedicine.
SeaAhead Joins World Ocean Council
SeaAhead has joined the World Ocean Council international multi-industry alliance on industry and investment action in support of ocean sustainable development. SeaAhead is a benefit corporation whose mission is to catalyze the intersection of sustainability, oceans and innovation. The team comes from a maritime, clean tech and tech sector background with corporate business development, VC fund, start-up and operational experience. The team is now also seeking to raise SeaAhead Ventures, a Bluetech Sustainability fund.
Cargotec Joins Start-up Accelerator Program
MacArtney will supply a Moog Focal LVEOS swivel to a Norwegian turret and loading systems provider. The low-voltage electrical-optical swivel (LVEOS) is intended for inclusion in a swivel stack for an FPSO vessel. Installed at the top of a swivel stack, it allows functionality of a multichannel fiber-optic rotary joint. The swivel will be supplied to an FPSO operating in block SK10 of the Helang gas field located off the coast of Sarawak, Malaysia.
London-South Korean Connection Forged
As Companies Work to Develop Offshore Wind
AgileTek has formed a collaborative agreement with Blue Wind Engineering, and the companies plan expansion within the South Korean offshore wind industry.
Headquartered in South Korea, Blue Wind Engineering was established to contribute to the development of the wind power industry in the country, offering services ranging from the design of offshore wind farms to the design and certification support of wind power components, production and construction.
French Vessels to Include Dual-Fuel Systems
Socarenam shipyard hired Barillec Marine to produce the LNG/diesel-electric propulsion system and the water-injection dredging system of a dredger ordered by Dragages Ports and Bordeaux Port Atlantique. It will be the first new dual-fuel construction in France (excluding LNG tankers). The contract involves the main panel for hybrid energy production, the main and auxiliary dual-fuel/electric propulsion and an innovative energy conversion system. The new dredger, Ostréa, will be primarily propelled by LNG and secondarily by diesel.
Survey Offshore Dominica Helps
Update Nautical Charts and Planning
The UK Hydrographic Office (UKHO) has deployed a motorboat to survey the waters off Dominica as part of the Commonwealth Marine Economies (CME) Programme. The survey focuses on areas including Roseau, Portsmouth and Soufriere Bay, and the data will be used to update navigation charts of the region, as well as helping Dominica to meet its international maritime obligations, including respective elements of the Implementation of IMO Instruments Code (IIIC).
Ballast Systems Integrations Analyzed
Ahead of BWMS Convention Deadline
ClassNK has analyzed the retrofitting status of ballast water management systems (BWMS) on its registered ships and confirmed that installation deadlines based on the Ballast Water Management Convention for many of them are concentrated in the year 2022. As difficulties are expected in the installation of BWMS if everyone around the world waits until 2022, ClassNK recommends installing early. As of the end of August 2018, 1,915 ships have completed the installation, leaving 5,400 ships that still require attention.
New Norwegian Company Aims to
Improve Marine Rig Services Offerings
The newly formed Global Ocean Technology Group will supply vessels ranging from high-speed passenger ferries to fishing and search-and-rescue craft, while its rig service division will offer inspection, maintenance and commissioning to rigs from its base in Mandal and around the world. Its products division will provide leading-edge electro-engineering, naval design, and hydrogen, fuel cell, LNG and battery solutions.
Scottish-Japanese R&D Program Award
Coda Octopus Products Ltd. has been selected as one of eight Scottish companies to develop subsea systems as part of the Scottish-Japanese Joint Ocean Innovation collaborative R&D program, with matched funding by The Nippon Foundation and Scottish Enterprise. It is expected that the funding over three years for the joint program will total approximately $32 million.
New Subsea Testing Center Opens in Aberdeen
Balmoral Offshore Engineering’s subsea test facility opened in Aberdeen last month, a two-year, £20 million investment project. Under construction since January 2016, the new building rises 18 m in height and has crane capacity of up to 40 t. The company had to blast through 15 m of granite substrata to accommodate the new underground pressure test vessels.
Hydrogen Injection Project Secures Funding
Innovate UK granted £430,332 in funding to design and integrate a hydrogen diesel dual-fuel injection system on board a commercial ferry. The hydrogen to be used in the project will be produced by the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) from renewable energy sources, and it will power a ferry operating between the main town of Kirkwall and the island of Shapinsay. The 12-month HyDIME (Hydrogen Diesel Injection in a Marine Environment) project was launched in August.
New Supply Vessel to Service UK Terminals
World Fuel Services (WFS) has welcomed a new supply vessel to its offering: a 75-m LOA, 3,100-dwt product tanker. Whitstar, owned by Whitaker Tankers, was built in 2004 and is fitted with deep-well pumps capable of delivering fuel in volumes of up to 450 m3/hr. The vessel has epoxy-coated cargo tanks, closed loading and has tank level radars fitted. Its hull is strengthened to enable access to NAABSA berths.
New Report Details Maritime Cabotage
Seafarers’ Rights International (SRI) published a report that explores the nature and extent of cabotage laws around the world and identified 91 member states of the United Nations that have cabotage laws restricting foreign activity in their domestic coastal trades.
The report describes the history of maritime cabotage and traces early rudimentary legal principles. It sets out examples of different definitions of cabotage that exist today at the national, regional and international levels.
Korean Grant Supports Development of
Autonomous Ship Control Center
eMARINE Global Inc. received a grant from the Korea Institute for Advancement of Technology (KIAT) to develop Smart Station, a smart ship control center designed to be the brain of autonomous unmanned ships.The $760,000 KIAT grant covers a one-year program in which eMARINE Global will lead a team, including the Korea Marine Equipment Research Institute (KOMERI), Orion Co. Ltd, Samwoo Imersion Co. Ltd and Hyundai Mipo Dock Yard, in developing the Smart Station.
CO2 Challenge Aims
To Reduce Emissions
FUELSAVE, the manufacturer of the fuel-saving additive FS Marine+, applied to the CO2 Challenge, which aims to partner with technology companies that have systems capable of reducing a vessel’s CO2 emissions in line with international climate strategies and targets. Technical applications include submissions for wind propulsion technologies, engine optimization systems, digital solutions and hull optimization concepts.
OCTOBER
Fugro Performs Hydrographic Survey
In Arctic Norwegian and Barents Seas
Fugro has been awarded a hydrographic survey contract valued at NOK 44.7 million by the Norwegian Hydrographic Service. The survey is part of the MAREANO seabed mapping program, which is financed by Norway’s Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries and the Ministry of Climate and Environment. Fugro has successfully completed numerous surveys for the program since 2006, collecting more than 100,000 sq. km of data.
UK Hydrographic Office Performs
LiDAR Survey to Update Charts
The most comprehensive seabed mapping survey of the seas surrounding the Turks and Caicos Islands is currently being conducted by the UK Hydrographic Office (UKHO). The bathymetric LiDAR survey consists of a specially modified light aircraft fitted with state-of-the-art sensors, which use a laser to accurately measure the depth of the water. The survey data will be used to update navigational charts.
Danish Agency Uses Bathymetry Data for Safety
The Danish Geodata Agency (GST) has selected Bathy DataBASE as its new system for depth data management to increase efficiencies and optimize the maritime production chain from survey to chart. GST is responsible for surveying and charting the waters around Denmark, the Faroe Islands and Greenland to ensure safe passage at sea. The project includes software deployment and migration of existing data, to be completed in spring 2019.
Marine Sediment Sampling Project Aims
To Improve Scottish Bathing Water Quality
CMS Geotech supported SOCOTEC on a ground investigation project for Scottish Water at Portobello Beach in Edinburgh, Scotland. The investigation helped develop options to improve bathing water quality by determining the geotechnical and chemical properties of the seabed deposits, as well as the underlying superficial soils and bedrock. SOCOTEC deployed a 215-t, 18-m modular jack-up barge constructed for the project. CMS collected marine sediment samples to 6 m below bed level using a high-powered vibrocoring unit.
Australia Rejoins Ocean Energy Program
The Australian government has issued its intent to reinstate its membership in the International Energy Agency’s Ocean Energy Systems Technology Collaboration Program (OES).
This has been made possible via the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) International Engagement Program, which supports projects that advance renewable energy technologies.
The contracting party nominated by the government is the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO).
Autonomous Electric Container Ship Due in 2020
The world’s first autonomous and electric container vessel is one step closer to launch as YARA signs a deal with VARD worth approximately NOK 250 million to build the vessel. VARD will deliver Yara Birkeland for launch in early 2020, and the vessel will gradually move from manned operation to fully autonomous operation by 2022. The project was initiated in an effort to improve the logistics at Yara’s Porsgrunn fertilizer plant and move transport from road to sea to reduce emissions.
California Company Donated Diving Masks
To Thai Soccer Team Rescue
A company selling high-quality diving masks in California sent its products to the scene of a rescue effort in Thailand this summer. The victims were a boys’ soccer team, and rescuers requested diving masks that would fit children. According to an article in The San Diego Union-Tribune, the California company Ocean Reef Group worked with employees in Italy, the U.K. and Germany to speed up the process of getting the masks to Thailand. The G.divers full-face diving masks that the company donated are worth $600 each.
StormGeo Acquires Nautisk for
All-in-One Maritime Chart Service
StormGeo has entered into an agreement to acquire Nautisk, a supplier of maritime charts and publications to the merchant marine, from NHST Media Group. The combination makes StormGeo the first to integrate routing and weather services with state-of-the-art charts and publications. The all-in-one platform will provide optimized routing, chart retrieval and voyage planning without switching between disparate systems, integrating navigational information with weather intelligence and route optimization algorithms.
Transocean Acquires Ocean Rig
Transocean Ltd. and Ocean Rig UDW Inc. entered into a definitive merger agreement under which Transocean will acquire Ocean Rig in a cash-and-stock transaction valued at approximately $2.7 billion.
The transaction has been unanimously approved by the board of directors of each company.
Ocean Rig’s fleet is comprised of nine high-specification ultradeepwater drillships and two harsh environment semisubmersibles, as well as two high-specification ultradeepwater drillships that are currently under construction.
Unique Group Gains
Load-Testing Equipment
Aberdeen-headquartered load-testing equipment provider Water Weights has been acquired by Unique Group. Both companies will share their network of partnerships and distribution agreements at regional bases around the globe, complemented by integration with other Unique Group business units.
Unique Group produces its buoyancy and ballast products at a state-of-the-art facility on the Isle of Wight.
New Design for Foundation Piles via Grant
Ocean Hydraulics, a company based in Redruth, Cornwall, is the first business to receive grant funding through the new Rapid Innovation Grant scheme. Ocean Hydraulics is owned by freelance engineer Mike Curnow, who created a new way of anchoring seabed foundation piles. His alternative drilling method is expected to bring benefits in safety and stability and be more cost-effective to implement.
Maritime Additive Manufacturing Processes
Now Have Rules and Incubator Space
DNV GL has released the first approval-of-manufacturer scheme for additive manufacturing producers. Additive manufacturing includes industrial processes that create 3D objects by adding layers of material, including 3D printing, rapid prototyping, direct digital manufacturing, layered manufacturing and additive fabrication. This year, DNV GL opened the Global Additive Manufacturing Centre of Excellence in Singapore, a testbed for for the oil and gas, offshore and marine sectors.
LNG Custody Transfer Requires
Precise Measurement to Avoid Risk
Trelleborg’s marine systems business and the Australasian engineering consultancy Synertec announced a partnership to meet demand for more accurate and efficient LNG custody transfer, which has long involved fiscal risk due to significant uncertainties in tank measurement. Synertec’s automated custody transfer system uses a skid-mounted module.
Improved Satellite Bandwidth for Ships
Communications and technology company Navarino will now offer SES Networks’ global managed mobility service, based in Ku-band, to support its delivery of connectivity to global shipping companies. SES has more than 70 satellites in two different orbits. Navarino is the developer and distributor of INFINITY, a maritime bandwidth management and optimization solution that can be used on vessels equipped with any type of IP-based satellite communications system.
Sea Machines Expands to Waterfront Test Lab
To support the growing interest in Sea Machines’ autonomous controls and advanced perception technology in European markets and ensure success in its upcoming commercial product release, the company moved its Hamburg, Germany, team to a larger, waterfront work space. The new location more than triples the company’s space, provides dockage for its test vessels, and provides a new commercial workshop and test lab.
French Shipyard Rebrand Reflects New Activity
Compositeworks is changing its name to MB92 La Ciotat, a rebranding that follows the company’s acquisition by the MB92 Group last year and their subsequent takeover of the Blohm+Voss La Ciotat activities this summer. The La Ciotat, France, location is the site of a future 4,000-t ship lift.
SEPTEMBER
Ship Exhaust Scrubber Installed on Liberian Ship
The Chelsea Technologies Group Sea Sentry wash water monitoring system for ship exhaust gas cleaning systems has been installed in a Shandong Pure Ocean Technology scrubber, which has been retrofitted to Liberian-flagged bulk carrier BAO Glory, at the Weihai Xinhong shipyard. The installation is one of the first scrubber retrofits to be carried out in a Chinese yard, a reflection of the acceleration in the global scrubber market.
Dubai Ranked Among Top Five in International
Shipping Centre Development Index
Dubai has scored a new milestone in its bid to cement its leadership in the international maritime sector after it was selected as one of the world’s top five in the International Shipping Centre Development Index (ISCD). Dubai is known for its infrastructure and world-class maritime and logistics capabilities. According to a report by the London-based Baltic Exchange and the Xinhua News Agency, Dubai has overtaken Hamburg, which fell from fourth to seventh place, confirming the emirate’s reputation as a leading maritime shipping and logistics center.
New Production Facility Obtained
For Diesel Outboard Engine Assembly
Cox Powertrain is moving into a 28,000-sq.-ft. production facility in Cecil Pashley Way, near Brighton City Airport. The building will be the assembly plant for Cox Powertrain’s CXO300 diesel outboard engine, which goes into production in 2019. The U.K. engineering company currently employs 70 staff and plans to grow its workforce to meet the demand for its diesel engine and recruit an additional 78 staff before 2020.
Biomimetic Propulsion System
Powers Record-Breaking Submarine
IMarEST’s European International Submarine Races 2018 concluded with the Canadian École de Technologie Supérieure team taking the winning trophy with their submarine, Omer 11, and breaking the world speed record. The runners-up came from universities in the Netherlands and the U.S.
Omer 11 is the first human-powered submarine to be equipped with interchangeable propeller and nonpropeller propulsion systems. The biomimetic propulsion system, which was inspired by the wings of a penguin or sea turtle, reached a speed of 4.94 kt. to beat the world speed record, which had stood since 2009.
Marine-i Announces New Horizons Winners
Marine-i has announced the winners of its first New Horizons Awards, created to spotlight innovation in the marine technology sector.
The Business Growth Award was won by KML Ltd. The Technology Innovation Award went to ARC Marine, the first eco-engineering company in the U.K. that specializes in modular artificial reefs. The Cornwall First Award was presented to Triskel Marine, one of the leading innovators in hybrid propulsion.
Rovco Plans to Double in Size Next Year
U.K.-based Rovco has announced plans to double its workforce as it prepares for further global expansion following a year of growth for the company. To accommodate its expanding team, the firm recently relocated to larger premises in Bristol, a 2,200-sq.-ft. space that will house a research and development laboratory for studies on underwater AI and live 3D computer vision.
Chinese Record-Breaking Ship is
Equipped with ABB Turbochargers
ABB turbochargers support performance and fuel efficiency for one of the world’s largest container ships, COSCO Shipping Universe, which has broken the record for China’s largest container ship. ABB turbochargers have been selected for all main and auxiliary engines across six 21,000-TEU container ships that will be delivered for the Universe series by 2019. ABB turbochargers are in use across the COSCO Shipping Lines fleet.
World Ocean Council Gains Two New Members
The James Michel Foundation, established by the former president of the Seychelles, and Singapore’s Tian Sian Shipping have joined the World Ocean Council (WOC), an international, cross-sectoral leadership alliance on ocean sustainable development, science and stewardship. Former President James A. Michel of the Republic of Seychelles, who will speak at the WOC Sustainable Ocean Summit in Hong Kong in November 2018, said WOC is the most efficient way to foster ocean sustainable development.
Damen Participates in Sustainable Design
Damen Shipyards Gorinchem, in cooperation with Netherlands Maritime Technology (NMT), is to coordinate the NAVAIS program, which began in June with the Innovation & Networks Executive Agency of the European Commission (EC) signing the grant agreement. NAVAIS aims to maintain the European shipbuilding industry’s world-leading position in the design and construction of complex, value-added and highly specialized vessels while further integrating sustainability into designs.
Wave Buoy Network to Help Monitor Waves
In Australian and Antarctic Waters
AXYS Technologies in partnership with Metocean Services International will supply Australia’s Bureau of Meteorology with four TRIAXYS wave buoys. In support of the bureau’s marine weather and ocean services, a wave observing system that enables continuous automated observation and reporting of hydrological surface waves at Kangaroo Island, South Australia, and Strahan, Tasmania, was required. The first two TRIAXYS wave buoys have been delivered and were to deploy in August. The remaining two buoys will deliver in the fall of 2018.
AUGUST
MacArtney and OSIL to Provide Products and
Service for Chinese Ocean Science Industries
MacArtney Singapore entered into an exclusive sales agreement with Ocean Scientific International Ltd. (OSIL). The agreement covers the ocean science industry and aims to improve business relations in the Chinese market by supplying complete systems such as mooring, sediment samplers, box cores and giant piston cores, launch and recovery for existing and new research vessels and providing after-sales service.
Aerodynamically Alleviated Vessels Provide
Options for Efficient Passenger Transport
A2V is involved in projects ranging from maritime airport connections and coastal passenger transport to opening up of isolated regions and coastal surveillance. With ships already in service in Gabon and Geneva Lake, the company is working on a 45-kt. fast-transport vessel for the Gironde Estuary. The 18-m-long catamaran would take 40 passengers between Royan and Bordeaux in France. A2V is also working on alternatives to diesel-based propulsion systems through aerodynamic alleviation to provide fast transport with half the power required by conventional vessels. An electric version of the A2V-shuttle based on batteries is under development.
Dutch Nonprofit to Deploy Ocean
Plastic Cleanup and Monitoring System
Seiche Water Technology Group will provide an AutoNaut USV and technologies to monitor marine life during the first deployment of an ocean clean-up system by The Ocean Cleanup. Seiche systems for passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) will be deployed to track whales and dolphins. The Ocean Cleanup develops advanced technologies to rid the world’s oceans of plastic. A full-scale deployment of these systems is estimated to clean up 50 percent of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch in five years.
International Women’s Shipping and Trading
Group Granted Consultative Status at IMO
The International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) governing body has granted consultative status to the Women’s International Shipping and Trading Association (WISTA) International. WISTA says its efforts to provide a voice for female executives in the maritime industry support the overarching principles in IMO’s strategic plan, especially the promotion of gender equality. WISTA International was formed in 1974 and now has more than 3,000 members worldwide.
Port State Control Annual Report Released
ClassNK has released its annual report on Port State Control, and the report shows that fire safety-related deficiencies continue to be the most frequent detainable deficiency, followed by deficiencies in ISM, lifesaving appliances and safety of navigation. The report also provides detailed analyses on detentions by flag state, port state, ship type, ship size and ship age, as well as a summary of amendments to international conventions such as the SOLAS Convention.
Silent Thruster Earns Award in Scotland
Copenhagen Subsea produces a silent marine thruster—with no gearbox or oil inside and lubricant provided solely by surrounding seawater. At the 2018 Undersea Defence Technology (UDT) conference and exhibition in Glasgow, the product earned the Babcock Innovation Zone Best Pitch award for its innovative approach to sustainability. The competition included 11 start-ups and small businesses that pitched ocean technology innovations to a panel of judges.
Damen Offers Ballast Bunkering for
Newbuilds and Repair Yards Worldwide
The new inland coastal tanker Elena H. will make her maiden voyage from the Netherlands to Argentina on her own keel, and following her arrival, she will remain permanently in local waters. To meet the BWM Convention’s D2 standard, Damen’s InvaSave supplied clean D2-standard ballast water for the new vessel in the Netherlands. As part of a cooperation between Damen Green Solutions and Damen Shiprepair & Conversion (DSC), this ballast water service is available to fill/empty ballast tanks of newbuild vessels in an IMO-certified manner.
New Shipbuilding Concept Focuses on
Modular Designs and Sustainability
NAVAIS is a multiannual research and innovation program for the shipbuilding industry that will increase efficiency of design and flexibility of production networks with an investment of €6.5 million from the European Commission over a period of four years.
NAVAIS will develop a platform-based modular product family focused on sustainability in ship design. NAVAIS will support the transfer from an engineered-to-order business model to an assemble-to-order business model, which will allow shorter process lead-times and better integration of the SME supply chain.
Safety Equipment to Be Assembled in Japan
Now that it has obtained Japanese government approval to supply life rafts to Japanese-flagged vessels and carry out final assembly in the country, Viking Life-Saving Equipment is establishing a local subsidiary to bring new value to Japanese shipowners and managers. Viking Japan builds upon an alliance with MOL Techno-Trade that began five years ago when Viking’s products were first added to the maritime supplier’s portfolio. Yasin Kasa will lead the new subsidiary in Tokyo.
Oceanscan Adds USBL for 4,000-M Depths
Oceanscan has added Sonardyne underwater acoustic positioning technology to its rental fleet. The Mini-Ranger 2 ultrashort baseline (USBL) vessel-based systems and Wideband Sub-Mini 6 (WSM 6) transponders were acquired following demand from clients in the offshore wind and shallow-water hydrographic survey markets. Mini-Ranger 2 offers an operating range of 995 to 4,000 m and the ability to simultaneously track up to 10 subsea targets at fast update rates.
Surface Vehicle to Study Sediment Movement
A USV designed and built by Unmanned Survey Solutions has been purchased by Trondheim University for research studies in Norway, including mapping lakes and river sediment. The Inception Class Mark 2 USV is designed for hydrographic surveys and data acquisition in ports and harbors, lakes and rivers, shallow coastal or enclosed inland areas. The university will receive an R2SONIC 2020 MBES, SBG Ekinox2 inertial navigation system (INS), Valeport sound velocity sensors and Hypack software for data post‐processing.
Rolls-Royce Commercial Marine
Sold to Kongsberg for £500 Million
Kongsberg Gruppen ASA and Rolls-Royce plc have agreed Kongsberg will acquire Rolls-Royce Commercial Marine. The final purchase price will be determined based on Rolls-Royce Commercial Marine’s cash, debt and working capital at the time of the transaction. The transaction is structured as an acquisition by Kongsberg of the marine products, systems and aftermarket services businesses carried out by subsidiaries of Rolls-Royce plc.
Ocean Infinity Expands with Vessel Contract
Ocean Infinity has agreed to a seven-year contract with Island Offshore for Island Pride. The vessel will expand Ocean Infinity’s platform for AUV data acquisition and analysis and support a variety of operations globally. Island Pride is a multi-functional subsea support and construction vessel of UT 737 design. The vessel is 103 m in length with a beam of 21 m and free deck space of 880 sq. m and is equipped with a deepwater crane and two work-class ROVs.
Total and CCCC Expand Cooperation
Total and China Communications Construction Co. (CCCC) have signed a mutual preferred supplier agreement to extend their existing relationship worldwide. CCCC is a fully integrated engineering company, and Total is a global integrated energy producer and provider.
Cox Powertrain to Distribute in Africa
Cox Powertrain announced Seascape Marine Services as its exclusive distributor for South Africa and the Sub-Saharan region. Seascape Marine is the first distributor of Cox’s CXO300 diesel outboard engine to be named outside of Europe, the U.S. and Australasia.
Ship Design Training for Vietnam
Vietnam has developed an official marine strategy to expand its maritime economy. Educating ship designers and engineers is a key component. To help realize Vietnam’s maritime vision, a training course on SSI’s ShipConstructor software will be held at Vietnam Maritime University, the country’s main facility for training in the maritime field.
JULY
Scottish Underwater Training Center
Revived with Industry Support
The Underwater Centre, a facility for testing subsea equipment located in the Scottish Highlands, has received support from Oil & Gas UK, Subsea 7, TechnipFMC, Premier Oil and Highlands and Islands Enterprise. It will operate as a nonprofit company funded and supported by its members. Representatives of Subsea 7, TechnipFMC and Premier Oil will join the board of The Underwater Centre, which began operating in May.
WWI Australian Submarine Located
A joint U.S.-Australian expedition to survey Australia’s first submarine HMAS AE1 has provided detailed new images of the 103-year-old shipwreck, which lies on the seafloor off the Duke of York Islands in Papua New Guinea. The Royal Australian Navy’s HMAS AE1 was lost at sea on September 14, 1914. It was the first loss for the RAN and the first Allied submarine loss in World War I. The recent survey was undertaken by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen’s research vessel Petrel and coordinated by Find AE1 Ltd.
IMO Approves Fleet Safety Solution
The International Maritime Organization’s Maritime Safety Committee has approved Inmarsat’s Fleet Safety solution as a new service to support the Global Maritime Distress & Safety System (GMDSS). Ship owners and operators currently deploying FleetBroadband or Fleet One will be able to access GMDSS-approved safety services, as well as new safety features only available via the Inmarsat Fleet Safety system. Inmarsat intends to create a new generation of stand-alone terminals that incorporate FleetBroadband and MST into a single device and deliver speeds in excess of 1 Mbps.
Teledyne Marine to Collaborate on
Development of Saudi Arabian Technology
Teledyne Marine and Research Products Development Co. (RPDC) are collaborating on global commercialization of new technologies developed within Saudi Arabia. A first success is the award of a development contract that will integrate a unique sensor design developed by Saudi Aramco. The integrated sensor can perform both ultrasonic thickness readings and cathodic protection voltage measurements at a single touchdown, reducing inspection costs for shallow-water pipelines, minimizing inspection safety hazards and enabling the inspection of hard-to-reach sections.
New Chinese Icebreaker Fitted
With Moving Vessel Profiler
The Polar Research Institute of China has chosen AML Oceanographic’s MVP300 as the profiling system for their new icebreaker, Xuelong 2. With expedition objectives ranging from climate change research to natural resource studies, the MVP will be a critical system in support of realizing the icebreaker’s mandate. This is the second contract for the MVP300 within the last four months and includes instrumentation, installation and training services.
Next-Generation Open Ocean USVs
To Be Developed with Grant
The next generation of USVs, the accession class from Unmanned Survey Solutions (USS), will proceed with development with a grant from Marine-i, partly funded by ERDF (European Regional Development Fund). USS, based in Hayle, Cornwall, introduced inception-class Mark 1 and Mark 2 USVs to the market for surveying in shallow coastal or inland areas. The next generation accession-class USV is larger, for use in the open ocean.
Search for Malaysian Airlines
Flight MH370 Concludes
Ocean Infinity has concluded its current search for the wreckage of Malaysian Airlines Flight MH370. During the course of its operation, Ocean Infinity searched and collected high-quality data from more than 112,000 sq. km of ocean floor in challenging conditions and terrain. The total area covered, in a little more than three months of operational days, is in excess of the initial 25,000 sq. km target and almost the same area as the previous search achieved in 2.5 years.
DeepOcean Launches Cable Repair Service
DeepOcean 1 UK Ltd. has launched a subsea cable repair service called Reconnect to reduce the likelihood of cable damage and subsequent failure through periodic inspection and maintenance, as well as reducing the impact upon the operator should a cable failure occur. The service includes fault identification and fault location services, cable decommissioning, recovery and disposal, and support from engineering, geotechnical and operational experience.
Newport Shipping Opens Three New Offices
Newport Shipping Group opened new offices in New York City, Shanghai and Athens to expand its presence in key shipowning and ship repair communities around the world. The Athens, Istanbul, Shanghai and Singapore offices are focused on ship repair and technical needs, while New York and the London headquarters manage corporate and international operations.
STEM Subjects Encouraged by European
Marine Energy Centre Ambassadors
STEM Ambassadors from the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) are volunteers who seek to raise the profile of careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) among students. EMEC has a significant resource in STEM subjects, covering chemistry, environmental science, marine engineering and renewable energy.
EMEC’s STEM Ambassadors’ first assignment was during Orkney School’s Japan Week, after an invitation to attend St. Andrew’s Primary School to discuss the connection between Orkney and Japan in renewable energy.
UMAR|WSR Cooperates to Expand Operations
The UMAR|WSR Group is expanding its operations into Singapore, the Middle East and Russia following the signing of cooperation agreements with two of its main principals, Lagersmit of the Netherlands and the Detyens Shipyard in Charleston in the U.S. Under the agreement, UMAR|WSR will represent the interests of Lagersmit in Dubai, Oman and Qatar and the interests of Detyens in Singapore, the United Arab Emirates and Russia. It already acts for both companies in Cyprus and Greece.
DNV GL Releases Cybersecurity Notation
Classification society DNV GL announced the release of its first class notations to help shipowners and operators protect their assets from cybersecurity incidents. The new class notations, “cyber secure,” help owners and operators protect vital systems from cybersecurity threats. They will be published on the DNV GL rules page in July 2018.
Trade Mission to France Led
By Marine Renewables Canadian
Representatives of Canada’s marine renewable energy industry traveled to Cherbourg, France, to showcase expertise and capabilities to an international audience in a trade mission that included 30 delegates to the seventh International Conference on Ocean Energy (ICOE). The conference is a significant event for the emerging global marine renewable energy industry aimed at building partnerships and sharing recent experiences from project and technology development.
DP World Joins World Ocean Council
DP World has become the first company in its sector to join the World Ocean Council (WOC). DP World operates multiple related businesses, including marine and inland terminals, maritime services, logistics and ancillary services to technology-driven trade solutions. The announcement was made on World Oceans Day in June.
New Corrosion Consortia Provides Data for
Better Research in Corrosion Solutions
NACE International has formed the NACE Corrosion Consortia, a service facilitating corrosion mitigation research for companies, government bodies, research organizations and universities. The NACE Corrosion Consortia is engaging multiple organizations to perform research in key industries including maritime, offshore (wind energy), fish farming, additive manufacturing, construction and architecture.
Forum Energy to Distribute Electric ROVs
In Netherlands and Belgium
Forum Energy Technologies expanded its operations in Europe by appointing a new distributor for subsea vehicles across the Netherlands and Belgium. Seascape Subsea Technology BV will represent Forum Energy Technologies for the sale of the company’s ROVs in the two countries, including its recently launched electric ROV, the XLe Spirit.
JUNE
Funding Awarded for UK Deep-Learning Research
ASV Global is leading a £1.2 million research project to enhance the safety and reliability of autonomous navigation using deep-learning machine vision systems that are trained with a combination of simulated and real-world data.
The Synthetic Imagery training for Machine Vision in Extreme Environments (SIMVEE) project will build upon ASV’s existing, COLREG cognizant, autonomous collision avoidance and path planning capability. The project will use BMT’s REMBRANDT simulator to train vision algorithms to detect and classify objects.
Major Expansion for Samson’s Spain Distributor
Samson is increasing its presence in Spain as major distributor Baitra S.L. expands its facilities. Baitra has been a partner distributor of Samson products since 2015, supporting the commercial and recreational marine industries in Spain, Portugal and the Mediterranean Sea and Bay of Biscay regions. Baitra’s new location on the northwest coast of Spain in Nigran (Pontevedra) increases the size of their facility six-fold.
Chelsea Technologies Transitions to
Higher Accreditation Standard
Following a triennial two-day audit by inspection, verification, testing and certification company SGS, Chelsea Technologies Group has transitioned to ISO 9001:2015 accreditation. Based on quality management principles, the ISO 9001:2015 certification defines the way an organization operates to meet the requirements of its customers and stakeholders, including customer focus, leadership, engagement of people, process approach, improvement, evidence-based decision making and relationship management.
Singapore ROV Outfitted with New Multiplexer
A custom version of MacArtney’s EMO DOMINO-7 fiber-optic multiplexer system (MUX) was built for installation on an ROV in Singapore with the aim of upgrading its subsea survey and camera interfaces. The DOMINO-7 MUX is a compact fiber-optic system with a range of MUX channel and power supply configurations. Offering three videos with 10-bit data channels, the design also offers gigabit Ethernet (GBE) communications coupled with 48-VDC supply voltage.
Mining Deep-Sea Polymetallic Nodules
Fugro is supporting deep-sea polymetallic nodule mining in a contract with Nauru Ocean Resources Inc. Polymetallic nodules are potato-sized concretions enriched in nickel, copper and cobalt that also contain metals and nonmetals important to green tech enterprises. The surveys involve high-resolution imagery, geophysical data and sampling of minerals from the seafloor, as well as geotechnical properties, cataloging mineral resources and determining optimal mining areas in water depths of up to 4,500 m over a 400-sq.-km area. The field work will employ the Echo Surveyor VII AUV.
New Partnership Brings Advanced
Cybersecurity Education to Malaysia
Naval Group, Universiti Pertahanan Nasional Malaysia (UPNM) and EURECOM are developing cybersecurity training in Malaysia with a high-level digital security program The project involves human capital development at the master’s, Ph.D. and postdoctoral levels. The master program will be available at the UPNM campus by 2019.
The project will enable students from UPNM to take master’s courses and Malaysian professors to train at the French institute EURECOM in Sophia Antipolis.
Offshore Pipeline Company Installs
Acoustic Positioning Systems
Allseas is installing two Sonardyne GyroUSBL acoustic positioning technology systems on its 236-m lay vessel, Lorelay. Used in conjunction with a Ranger 2 USBL (ultrashort baseline) topside, the GyroUSBL transceivers will be installed on the end of the Lorelay’s stinger to acoustically track an ROV deployed to ensure a pipe is accurately touching down in the permitted corridor.
New Ballast Manufacturers’ Association Formed
Following the announcement of further delay of the 2004 IMO Ballast Water Convention implementation dates, a group of industry insiders gathered to draw up the framework for the Ballastwater Equipment Manufacturers’ Association (BEMA), which held its first annual meeting and elected its inaugural board of directors in April. The need for this association arose from a growing demand for well-founded information on the practicability of ballast water treatment technologies, as well as on the technical and environmental aspects of implementing ballast water management regulations worldwide.
OSM Opens Operations Center in Singapore
OSM is opening a Singapore-based Maritime Operations Centre, a maritime innovation hub with an ecosystem of digital partnerships. The operations center will enhance 24/7 fleet support through data management, descriptive analytics and predictive model optimization paired with machine learning. Onboard and shore-based crews will be able to access the same information, while incident response abilities will be assisted through 24/7 access to all operational data and full-time monitoring.
Decommissioning Consortium Launches
A new global decommissioning consortium that includes Lloyd’s Register (LR), WorleyParsons and Ardent brings together collective experience to reduce the interfaces, costs and risks of decommissioning for the oil and gas industry. The consortium includes experts on all aspects of decommissioning, from late life management to planning, readiness for removal, execution, waste management and monitoring post-removal. The consortium has the capability to take well operatorship, duty-holdership and title of offshore structures, in addition to providing independent third-party assurance.
Lloyd’s Classes First FSRU for Indian Waters
Lloyd’s Register (LR) will class the first floating storage regasification unit (FSRU) for Indian waters. Stationed at Jafrabad port and operational 24 hr./day, year-round, it will be built by Hyundai Heavy Industries and adhere to LR’s rules for the classification of offshore units. The new 180,000 m³ FSRU project will help meet the demand for LNG in the region: Natural gas is projected to make up 20 percent of India’s total energy consumption by 2030.
Collaboration Focuses on Communication,
Sustainable Innovation in Private Sector
The World Ocean Council (WOC) and the GEF LME:LEARN project are collaborating to enhance communication between regional marine projects and institutions to better work with the private sector on sustainable development. GEF LME:LEARN is a project implemented by the UNESCO Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC-UNESCO) focused around the Large Marine Ecosystems (LME).
Selektope Anti-Fouling Creators Go Public
i-Tech AB, the company behind the development of the anti-fouling ingredient Selektope, has applied for admission to trade shares on the Nasdaq First North Stockholm exchange. The first day of trading of the i-Tech AB (publ) company on Nasdaq First North began in May. The listing was preceded with a share issue of a maximum SEK 44.1 million. The company is valued at approximately SEK 200.4 million.
Arctic Natural Resources Institute
Installs Extended-Range Multibeam Sonar
Greenland’s Institute of Natural Resources has taken delivery of a Teledyne SeaBat T50-R extended-range multibeam sonar system on RV SANNA. The physical sonar installation was carried out in March, and a full dimensional-control survey was performed. Sea trials were undertaken north of Greenland’s capital, Nuuk, the northernmost capital on the planet.
Gas Hydrates Survey Completed in Japan
Ocean Floor Geophysics Inc. (OFG) has completed its third high-resolution controlled-source electromagnetic (CSEM) survey of near-surface gas hydrates for the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) in Japan.
Following successful CSEM surveys and 3D inversion models in 2014 and 2015, the 2017 survey comprised more than 413 line km of high-resolution data collected in depths up to 1,640 m from the Fukada vessel Shin Nichi Maru.
MAY
Canadian FPSO Receives Digital Tool to
Virtually Tour and Manage Its Vessel
UTEC has delivered a virtual asset management tool to an offshore operator in eastern Canada to allow its team to remotely access its floating, production, storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel. The field, located offshore approximately 350 km southeast of Newfoundland and Labrador, contains one of the largest FPSO vessels ever built: more than 290 m long, 40 m. wide and 18 stories high.
UTEC’s iSite tool is a web-based system that provides the ability to tour the FPSO with 360° visualization and obtain accurate on-screen measurements, and it provides a central repository for drawings, 3D models, photos and reports for onshore and offshore teams.
Lloyd’s Releases Underwater Noise Notation
Lloyd’s Register released a new underwater noise notation and ShipRight procedure on underwater radiated noise to help shipowners minimize underwater noise emissions when operating in sensitive environments. The notation defines three criteria curves: transit, quiet and research, and includes a speed indication. For example, UWN-L(T20) would mean that a vessel meets the underwater noise criteria in transit (T) at a speed of 20 kt.
Ballast Treatment System Seeks Japanese Approval
Coldharbour Marine, a manufacturer of ballast water treatment systems based on inert gas technology, has engaged Japanese classification society ClassNK to assist in the process of obtaining Japanese type approval from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism. The type approval process, as required by Japan’s Ship Safety Law and the Marine Pollution Prevention Law, will involve an independent assessment and verification of the technology and type approval of the product itself.
London’s AgileTek Launches Data-Based Division
AgileTek has launched AgileDat, a new business division focused on using data to make decisions in the energy sector, noting that the shift toward operating in harsher and more remotely operated oil and gas fields also requires a move toward using modern, cloud-based enterprise applications. The new division is dedicated to software development, cloud architecture, data science, monitoring and the Internet of Things in the renewables and oil and gas sectors.
UK Ship Insurance Club Donates to
Support Maritime Mass Rescue Ops
A donation from the UK P&I Club will provide support for the International Maritime Rescue Federation (IMRF) online resource library, which aggregates mass rescue operations (MRO) guidance material. The online library (www.imrfmro.org) is free and available to SAR professionals around the world. The donation will also support two scholarships for the IMRF MRO subject matter expert course in September 2018, which offers a detailed study of MRO issues and skills for assessing organization’s capability to respond to MRO events.
North Sea UXO Clearance Campaign Progresses
N-Sea is part-way through a multimillion-pound unexploded ordnance (UXO) clearance campaign for ScottishPower Renewables, including UXO inspection, identification and clearance on the array area and export cable route of the East Anglia ONE Offshore Windfarm. The Noordhoek Pathfinder, Neptunus, Siem N-Sea and Siem Barracuda ROVs have been utilized to unbury, inspect and identify items, and additional ROV and dive vessels will be brought in as the work progresses.
Broadband Processing and GMO Tomography Overcome Imaging Challenges Offshore Australia
ION announced a 3D multiclient broadband reimaging program offshore Australia, covering the northern part of the Vulcan sub-basin in an area known for complex imaging challenges. The approximately 17,000-sq.- km program integrates and reimages data from 15 vintage surveys using modern depth imaging.
Rotterdam Invests in Dutch ESS
EST‐Floattech is a Dutch company that develops energy storage systems (ESS) for fully electric and hybrid maritime applications, as well as mobile land‐based applications. Its battery systems are based on the Li‐NMC cell technology and have a high DNV GL type approval.
The company was founded in 2009. Participation from Rotterdam provides access to its port network and opens possibilities for the use of ESS in port cranes and trucks.
Middle East Trenching Project Complete
James Fisher Subsea Excavation (JFSE) has launched an integrated services package, Excavation Plus. The company also recently completed its largest integrated services project in the Middle East. Its Twin R2000 with ancillary jetting spread was contracted for shallow-water post-lay trenching and backfilling. JFSE is currently preparing for integrated projects in the Middle East, Eastern Asia and Gulf of Mexico and is planning to roll out the Excavation Plus service worldwide.
Hydraulic Thrusters Destined for
French Subsea Trenching Vehicle
Curvetech engineers at Soil Machine Dynamics (SMD) have completed the build and test of a range of hydraulic thrusters for French subsea cable installation engineering firm Louis Dreyfus TravOcean. SMD’s Curvetec HTE_500BA and HTE_430-63 thrusters are destined for use on a large subsea trenching vehicle designed and built by the Marseille-based company.
Damen Netherlands Companies Merge
Damen Marine Components and Van der Velden Marine Systems are now operating together as Damen Marine Components Netherlands (DMC NL) effective January 1, 2018. The Van der Velden Marine Systems brand will continue to be used for the new company’s rudder and steering gear products. Damen Marine Components specializes in the design and production of propeller nozzles, special towing winches and rudder installations.
Wärtsilä and Transas to Work Together
To Advance Smart Shipping Solutions
Wärtsilä, a global technology group headquartered in Finland, has acquired Transas, a digital solutions provider headquartered in the U.K.
Through data integration, greater connectivity and cloud-based technology, Wärtsilä aims to resolve inefficiencies in the shipping sector resulting from overcapacity, suboptimal fuel consumption and waiting times at ports and other high-traffic areas. Transas is geared to accelerate the development of smart digital products, like Wärtsilä’s Smart Marine Ecosystem, which connects smart vessels with smart ports.
Falcon ROV Added to Global Rental Fleet
Subsea Technology & Rentals Ltd. (STR) is adding an additional Saab Seaeye Falcon robotic vehicle to its global rental fleet of inspection-class vehicles, with planned investment for more Falcons in the near future. Falcon is an electric underwater robotic system with iCON intelligent control that offers precise station-keeping to allow the operator to concentrate on the task at hand, while the iCON system architecture allows easy role change and ready customization.
Awards to Honor Decommissioning Excellence
A membership organization for the oil and gas decommissioning sector, Decom North Sea, has launched the first industry awards dedicated to decommissioning excellence. The Decom North Sea Awards will recognize efforts of its members to innovate and collaborate within the sector, as well as an award for specific contribution to Decom North Sea. Winners will be announced at an awards ceremony and dinner in Aberdeen May 22.
Scottish Trenching Company Acquired
Oceaneering International Inc. acquired Ecosse Subsea Ltd., a provider of offshore engineering, seabed preparation, route clearance and trenching services, for approximately £50 million.
The transaction includes Ecosse’s modular SCAR Seabed System, capable of completing the entire trenching work scope (route preparation, boulder clearance, trenching and backfill), and its newly developed SCARJet trenching system for jetting and post-lay trenching with standard work-class ROVs.
Rebranded Joint Venture Will Provide
Operational Services in Australasia
A joint venture between Programmed Maintenance Services Ltd. and Netherlands-headquartered Atlas Professionals ANZ Holdings BV, Atlas Programmed Marine JV (JV) will now operate in Australasia under the name Atlas Professionals. JV currently provides services including manning, logistics support, agency, catering and other operational services, with offices in Australia and New Zealand.
APRIL
Chevron Releases its Second
Climate Change Risk Report
Chevron published its second report describing the company’s approach to managing climate change risks and its resilience under a low-carbon scenario. Titled “Climate Change Resilience – A Framework for Decision Making,” the publication provides more detail on the company’s approach to governance, risk management, strategic planning and emission reduction investments and activities, including key metrics.
New Mariner Training Program Opens in Mumbai, India
MITAGS-PMI established its latest Navigation Skills Assessment Program (NSAP) training center in Mumbai, India. The new facility is located on the campus of Anglo-Eastern Maritime Training Centre (AEMTC), India’s leading maritime institute. NSAP is a risk-based measurement tool using Class A full mission simulators to measure mariner skills against internationally accepted STCW standards. The program is offered at locations throughout the world, including two in the U. S., Croatia, the Philippines, the U.K. and now India.
Maritime Group Works with
UN Global Compact Initiative
OSM Maritime Group has signed a memorandum of understanding to relaunch the Mozambican Higher School of Nautical Sciences and is actively working to increase the number of females in its global pool of 11,000 qualified seafarers as part of its involvement in the UN Global Compact (UNGC). OSM is one of the first companies in the ship management segment to join the UNGC, and it has submitted an initial report detailing its desire to set new industry standards, with a focus on the four key areas of human rights, labor, environmental protection and anti-corruption.
Rotterdam Port Fund Invests in
Magnet Anchoring Product
Investor Rotterdam Port Fund and InnovationQuarter have acquired a majority interest in McNetiq bv, a Rotterdam technology company that has placed an innovative magnet anchoring on the market. McNetiq offers the Controlock technology without the use of temporary welds. The Controlock is the first magnet that can be tested and used on different surfaces. It offers considerable advantages compared to traditional steel connections, such as drilling and welding.
New Standards in Development
For Ballast Water Sampling
Paris-based aqua-tools will participate in the formulation of an international standard for ballast water sampling and analysis. The company will work with French standardization organization AFNOR (Association Française de Normalisation) and the International Standards Organization (ISO) to establish new chapters for ISO 11711 – the Ships and Marine Technology, Piping and Machinery, Ballast Water Sampling and Analysis standard. aqua-tools will participate in ISO/TC 8, ISO’s ships and marine technology subcommittee for piping and machinery and is also working with the French delegation to the International Maritime Organization.
New Partnership Will See Broader Use
Of Robotics in Oil and Gas Industry
Petrus and ECA Group signed a €6 million agreement for subsea robotics services over four years. The A18D AUV designed and manufactured by ECA Group can dive up to 3,000-m depth and work autonomously for 24 hr., as well as carry out inspection and 3D mapping missions, revealing seabed conditions before or after construction of an underwater structure, pipeline or cable and during decommissioning of subsea installations. Petrus will carry out and coordinate missions ranging from preparation to data processing and delivery of results to the customer.
Hyperbaric Chamber Manufacturer
Acquisition to Boost Defense Jobs
JFD parent company James Fisher and Sons plc has acquired diving and recompression specialist Cowan Manufacturing. This acquisition will create Australian defense industry jobs and expand JFD’s presence in Australia. The acquisition of the Newcastle-based business complements existing high-tech facilities at Bibra Lake, south of Perth, and Kirrawee in Sydney. Cowan Manufacturing is recognized worldwide for its design and manufacture of lifesaving recompression and hyperbaric chambers.
Arctic Icebreaker Consortium
Launched to Establish Research Metrics
The kickoff for the EU-funded Arctic Research Icebreaker Consortium (ARICE) was held in Bremerhaven in February and was attended by Arctic research representatives from 13 countries in Europe and North America. The World Ocean Council (WOC) is the lead partner on the consortium. The ARICE Project will enable scientists to collect more data in the Arctic by coordinating improved use of existing polar research vessels and working through the WOC to engage commercial vessels operating in the Arctic to collect oceanic and atmospheric data.
Mariner Input Wanted on Key Standards
For Development of Navigation Equipment
The Nautical Institute announced a consultation to help assess the latest proposals for standardized navigation equipment. The latest suggestions were presented at the IMO’s fifth navigation, communication and search and rescue subcommittee meeting by the institute and other stakeholders. Navigators’ views are sought on the latest concept for S-Mode, which is in its final stages of development before being finalized next year.
Subsea 7 Acquires Stock
Subsea 7 has agreed to acquire a 60 percent interest in Xodus Group, and existing shareholder Chiyoda Corp. of Japan will retain a 40 percent interest. Xodus recently expanded into Egypt, and it manages a significant portfolio of global life-of-field projects. The company is known for its integrated services spanning subsea and pipelines, flow assurance, wells, integrity, vibration, safety, risk, environment and commercial advice.
New Geosolutions Division
Next Geosolutions announced the launch of a new division, Next Geosolutions UK Continental Shelf (Next UKCS), following its acquisition of RMS Submarine in 2017. Operating in the cable and renewables industries, Next UKCS will provide solutions to the operations and maintenance market. Next UKCS is located in Norwich, the east of England’s energy hub, and will offer local knowledge and skillset in the North Sea and the Baltic.
First LNG-Fueled Bulk Carrier Delivered
Hyundai Mipo Dockyard (HMD) and ILSHIN LOGISTICS have successfully delivered the world’s first LNG-fueled bulk carrier under the dual-class of Lloyd’s Register (LR) and Korean Register. The 50,000 dwt bulk carrier has also been verified to be in compliance with the international gas fuel (IGF) code. The ship has a Type C LNG fuel tank with a capacity of 500 m³.
AML Profiler for Chinese Ship
Xiamen University has purchased a moving vessel profiler (MVP) for the research vessel JIA GENG. The university’s State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science will use the MVP300 to collect CTD, sound velocity and environmental data in support of both hydrographic and ocean science applications. The contract marks AML’s 127th MVP order and the 18th such contract to be delivered to China.
Caribbean Rescue and Relief
Organization Receives Anchors
Fortress Marine Anchors has partnered with International Rescue Group (IRG), a nonprofit that uses donated vessels to deliver food, water and medical supplies to coastal communities affected by disaster in the Caribbean. Often more nimble with the ability to respond quicker than governments and national humanitarian aid agencies, its 70 volunteers and 15 boats play a vital role in filling the life-threatening gap prior to large-scale responses. Fortress donated anchors for the organization.
Bureau Veritas Now Offers E-Certification
Bureau Veritas is now issuing both classification and statutory e-certificates following successful pilots with shipowners and flag states. Digital certificates may now be issued on behalf of 52 flag states, representing 72 percent of the Bureau Veritas classed fleet. E-certificates, delivered by email or accessible via the My VeriSTAR mobile application and the VeriSTAR Info desktop portal, reduce the administrative burden both on board and ashore.
MARCH
Oil Salvage Operation Extracts 400 Tons Of Heavy Fuel Oil from Singapore Shipwreck
A Miko Marine Moskito hot tap tool and oil recovery system was used to extract 400 tons of heavy fuel oil from the tanks of the sunken cargo vessel Thorco Cloud. The wreck lies in two sections 1,730 m apart and 70 m deep in the middle of the eastbound traffic lane of the Singapore Strait.
The heavy oil in the fuel tanks and trapped compartments has been a major pollution hazard since the collision in December 2015. Bumi Subsea provided ROVs and the vessel Surf Allamanda, owned by Bourbon Offshore, which served as the work platform during the oil salvage operation.
Hybrid Drive Systems Constructed in Estonia Pave the Way for New Law Enforcement Vessels
PBES and NORIS Automation GmbH entered a partnership on the hybrid drive systems for Europe’s first battery hybrid patrol vessel. The 45-m-long vessel is under construction at Baltic Workboats Shipyard in Estonia, and it will have 273 kWh of PBES Power 65 battery modules, which offer reduced sound and heat signatures. The PBES energy storage system is designed to integrate with the NORIS electrical infrastructure on the vessel.
International Insurance Provider Thomas Miller Acquires Technical Consultancy Brookes Bell
Insurance services provider Thomas Miller acquired Brookes Bell, a technical and surveying consultancy with offices in Liverpool, London, Glasgow, Shanghai, Hong Kong and Singapore. Brookes Bell provides services in emergency response, casualty investigation, salvage and wreck removal, scientific cargo expertise, forensic engineering and expert witness services. The firm is also a leader in research and development of ship design support to enhance maritime safety and technology.
Australian Organization Partners with Saildrone to Acquire USVs for Research
The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO Australia) formed a partnership with San Francisco-based ocean technology start-up Saildrone to bring three USVs to Australia. CSIRO will use the Saildrone USVs to measure ocean temperatures, salinity and carbon, which is critical information for understanding the role of the oceans in the climate system. The three Saildrones will provide unprecedented access to parts of the ocean, particularly the Southern Ocean, that are otherwise unstudied.
Scottish Production Optimization Company Secures Investment from EV Private Equity
Aberdeen-based Enpro Subsea secured investment from EV Private Equity to grow its production optimization business into new and existing international markets and develop its range of production optimization and intervention technologies. Enpro began 2018 with projects ongoing in the U.K. Continental Shelf, West Africa and Gulf of Mexico. EV Private Equity is providing support as part of its pledge to invest $200 million into fast-growing North Sea businesses.
Legacy Locker Program Allows Reuse Of Recovered and Recycled Subsea Equipment
Systems Engineering & Assessment Ltd. (SEA) and Spirit Energy are promoting the recycling of subsea production equipment under SEA’s Legacy Locker program. The companies are recycling two Aker third-generation subsea control modules (SCMs), following the decommissioning of Spirit Energy’s Ann field. SEA’s refurbishment of the equipment means the modules will be fully functional and available for reuse through Legacy Locker, a repository of new and refurbished equipment that is tested, refurbished, recertified or reverse-engineered by SEA’s subsea engineers.
Communication and Monitoring Systems Experts W·SENSE Join UK Marine Robotics Centre
Pioneering underwater wireless networking and communications systems developer W·SENSE Ltd. has joined the National Oceanography Centre’s (NOC) Marine Robotics Innovation Centre as a strategic partner. W·SENSE was initially established as part of the Sapienza University of Rome, specializing in monitoring and communication systems with pioneering patented solutions in the internet of underwater things (IoUT). The company has been editor of networked scenarios and of the NATO NIAG 190 on JANUS evolution, and it is currently coordinating the EC EASME ArcheoSub project.
Remotely Operated Fire-Fighting Vessels Will Offer ‘Eye-in-the-Fire’ Capabilities
Robert Allan Ltd. and Kongsberg Maritime are collaborating on the development of a remotely operated fireboat that allows first responders to attack port fires more aggressively. The RALamander fireboat offers in-close firefighting and “eye-in-the-fire” capabilities. The first in the series, the 20-m RALamander 2000, will be equipped with Fi Fi 1 capability with a total pumping capacity of 2,400 m3/hr with optional foam. A retractable mast can bring one of the three monitors to a high point of attack for shipboard or dock fires.
Chelsea Technologies Scrubber System
Receives ClassNK Certification
Chelsea Technologies’ Sea Sentry washwater monitoring system for ship exhaust gas cleaning systems has been certified by ClassNK. Sea Sentry provides a fully autonomous washwater monitoring system that monitors both the water inlet and outlet of wet exhaust gas scrubber systems.
Sea Sentry has the ability to accurately measure the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon, absorbance, turbidity (to ISO 7027: 1999), temperature and pH of scrubber washwater. It can monitor open-loop, closed-loop and hybrid scrubber systems, setting the gold standard for accurate washwater monitoring.
Two-Year Trial Proves Efficacy of
I-Tech’s Organic Anti-fouling Coating
A two-year trial of a hull coating containing the bio-repellent active agent Selektope on a 46,067-dwt chemical and products carrier confirmed the ingredient’s hard fouling prevention power.
Selektope is an organic, nonmetal compound that prevents barnacle fouling by temporarily activating the swimming behavior of barnacle cyprid larvae, making it impossible for them to settle on the hull. It has high efficacy at extremely low concentrations (0.1 percent w/w), is ultralow leaching, and offers paint manufacturers the flexibility to boost copper-based paint formulations or replace copper completely.
Netherlands Workshop
Receives DNV GL Approval
AEGIR-Marine’s new workshop received approval from DNV GL, making it the first brand-independent service provider in the Netherlands with an approved workshop for repair and maintenance of propulsion systems.Workshop approval includes the quality of maintenance on propulsion systems, workplace routing, workplace safety, hazardous substances handling and risk management. The workshop allows AEGIR-Marine to perform spin tests, running and simulating propeller and thruster speeds in real time.
Dynamic Underwater Laser Mapping
Technique Developed for ROVs
Newton Research Labs Inc. and Sonardyne International Ltd. completed tests to integrate Newton Labs’ underwater laser scanners with Sonardyne’s acoustically aided inertial navigation system for underwater vehicles, SPRINT-Mapper.
Newton and Sonardyne entered into a formal collaboration in late 2017 to develop and promote dynamic underwater laser mapping, a rapidly emerging survey technique that significantly reduces the time needed to carry out inspections using underwater vehicles, including ROVs and manned submersibles. Now, an underwater vehicle fitted with a Newton underwater laser, is able to capture high-density point clouds of subsea assets and environments while on the move. The milestone paves the way for greater adoption of mobile laser mapping technology to survey seafloor sites and subsea structures.
Cornish Company Receives First Grant
Marine-i, an EU-funded program to boost the marine technology sector in Cornwall, made its first grant award to Triskel Marine, a technology company that recently moved to the Marine Enterprise Zone in Hayle, Cornwall.
Enterprise Zones are designated areas across England that provide tax breaks and government support for new and expanding firms. The grant, the first from Marine-i’s Marine Challenge Fund, has enabled Triskel to build a comprehensive hybrid test rig for a new hybrid energy product, which the company expects to unveil at a launch event in the U.S. in fall 2018.
Stern Tube Seal Repair in Antwerp Uses
Flexible Mobdock Instead of Drydocking
Hydrex diver and technician teams carried out an underwater stern tube seal repair on a tanker berthed in Antwerp. The ship was suffering from an oil leak, making an on-site repair necessary. Using a Hydrex flexible mobdock, the team was able to make the repair on site underwater. The operation started with a thorough underwater inspection of the stern tube seal assembly, which revealed that a rope and a fishing net were entangled around it. Both were removed by divers, and the team then removed and replaced the three damaged seals.