Macduff Pilot Cutter Nears Completion

01 Apr 2004

Work is progressing at Macduff Shipyards Ltd in Scotland on a newbuild 15.25m steel pilot cutter for Aberdeen Harbour Board. 

UK Government Rejects Dibden Bay Proposal

01 Apr 2004

As Maritime Journal went to press, the UK's Department for Transport announced its decision to block the controversial £600m Dibden Bay container port facility proposed by Associated British Ports for its Port of Southampton . 

Eye In the Sky Spies Wind Energy Risk

01 Apr 2004

The financial and engineering risks associated with offshore wind development and operation could be significantly reduced as the result of an investigative project using Earth Observation (EO) data which has been commissioned by the European Space Agency . 

Chain Ferries Under Build

01 Apr 2004

The Tamar Bridge and Torpoint Ferry Joint Committee hasawarded the £15m contract to build three new chain driven ferries for the service across the mouth of the River Tamar in Devon UK to Glasgow based Ferguson Shipbuilders Ltd . The vessels are currently under build, with the contract specifying a phased delivery of the three new ferries between October of this year and June 2005. 

Floating Office Debuts

01 Apr 2004

Marchwood UK based boat builders Blondecell Ltd have delivered their first 'Floating Houseboat', a yacht-shaped structure with over 1,100ft 2offloor space which can be used for living accommodation, offices or as a restaurant. The Optimum 60 'vessel' was designed by Lymington Yacht designer Simon Rogers for London based company Waterspace Plc . 

A Wing and a Prayer at Mostyn

01 Apr 2004

All British ports will note with interest the outcome of the Port of Mostyn 's maintenance dredging application for work that will enable the safe passage of specialist vessels carrying wings for the new 555 seat Airbus A380 superjumbo jet from Mostyn to France. 

Norcontrol Boosts Research

01 Apr 2004

Norcontrol IT has invested in radar and tracking technology research by taking a controlling interest in Norwegian radar technology company Applied Radar Physics (ARP). The move will strengthen Norcontrol's position with regard to the development of radar processing and tracking for VTS applications. 

Jail Term for Drunk Master

01 Apr 2004

The jailing last month of the dredger master who crashed through Hythe Pier while under the influence of alcohol has been followed closely by the UK Government launching new alcohol limits for professional mariners. A crackdown on drunken sailors sets alcohol limits in line with those for drivers in a move intended to boost safety in British ports and harbours. 

Greenpeace Replaces 'Beluga' With German Cutter

01 Apr 2004

Being completed at the small Fridtjof Nansen Shipyard inWolgast on the German border with Poland is the first survey ship ever to be built from scratch for the international environmental organisation Greenpeace . 

Cathelco Expansion Continues

01 Apr 2004

Marine pipework anti-fouling and hull corrosion protection system specialists Cathelco Ltd continues the expansion of its activities in the marine equipment sector with the acquisition of former competitor Wilson Taylor Ltd .Complete service support for Wilson Taylor's customer base, which numbers more than 30 shipyards and vessel operators worldwide, will now be provided by Cathelco's Chesterfield UK office. As recently as last September, Cathelco purchased the assets of Jotun 's ICCP and pipework anti-fouling activities in return for Jotun owning a 10% share of Cathelco. 

RNLI Reflects Well On Echomax

01 Apr 2004

Following sea trials, the new Echomax Midi Basemount reflector has been chosen by the RNLI for their fleet of RIBs, replacing their active antennas. 

Metoc Expands for Marine Renewables

01 Apr 2004

Consultants Metoc is further expanding its marine survey capabilities to meet the growing demand for services to the offshore renewable energy market. Services offered range from the on-site management of marine investigations, such as geophysical, benthic and other environmental surveys for Round Two of UK offshore wind farms, through to full marine project management. 

Tidal Turbine Pioneers Advance to Phase Two

01 Apr 2004

Hampshire UK based Marine Current Turbines (MCT) has successfully closed a £3m equity funding round and launched a programme to develop a successor to the Seaflow Project , the world's first 300kW offshore tidal turbine. 

seawork Debut for Powerglide 30

01 Apr 2004

New company Lyme Boats Ltd of Axminster in Devon UK will make its first appearance at seawork 's floating pontoon this summer showing the first example of a brand new workboat design which will have been completed only weeks before the show. The Powerglide 30 's deep V hull has been designed in the classical American style by veteran Cornwall based marine architect Rod Baker. 

PLA Launches Online Atlas

01 Apr 2004

A new online shipping service world atlas has been launched by the Port of London . 

Bob Butcher RIP

01 Apr 2004

HGVs Go East

01 Apr 2004

New statistics released by the UK's Department for Transport show that HGV's are shunning the main channel crossings to Europe at the Dover Straits in order to avoid the permanently congested M25 motorway. For the first year on record, the number of goods vehicles crossing from Dover, Folkestone, Ramsgate and the Channel Tunnel fell by over 13,000 during 2003 while East Coast ports reported an increase of 63,000. UK South Coast ports also saw a gain of 15,300 vehicles. 'Although the Dover Straits still see 60% of goods traffic, there is no doubt that the high levels of congestion on and around the M25 are making our members seek better routes', said James Hookham, Policy Director at the Freight Transport Association . 

Pollution Specialists Expand

01 Apr 2004

The Wales based emergency response and training company DV Howells , a subsidiary of Milford Haven Port Authority, haspurchased Aberdeen based Ceto Environmental Ltd , which had gone into receivership earlier this year. The purchase brings DV Howells extra capacity and expertise in its core markets of oil and chemical emergency response services, consultancy services for pollution prevention and training. 

Wave Buoys Bolster Coastal Defences

01 Apr 2004

Wave measuring buoys which could help warn of an impending flood have been strategically placed around the UK coastline as part of a three year monitoring project. 

Turku Production to End

01 Apr 2004

The Wartsila Corporation hasannounced plans to cease engine manufacturing at its plant at Turku in Finland following consultation with personnel representatives. The move to reduce surplus engine capacity within the Group will result in 425 redundancies. Manufacturing will cease by the end of this year and the Turku factory will be turned into a service unit, a Ship Power unit, and will provide product support. Some 200 workers will continue to be employed at Turku. 

ABP's Green Website

01 Apr 2004

With a decision imminent on its application to build a new box terminal at Dibden Bay, Port of Southampton, Associated British Ports has launched a website dedicated to promoting its environmental policies, activities and objectives. Visitors to www.environment.abports.co.uk canlearn about ABP's environmental responsibilities, the initiatives it has taken to improve its environmental practices, and the targets it has set itself. 

Derecktor's Fast Ferry Speeds to Alaska

01 Apr 2004

M/V Fairweather , the 73m LOA high speed vehicle/passenger ferry built by Derecktor Shipyards in Connecticut USA, has concluded sea trials and made an 8,500 mile delivery voyage to its home port of Juneau, where it will commence service for the Alaska Marine Highway System (AMHS) next month. 

Volvo Penta US Honours

01 Apr 2004

Volvo Penta 's new D6-310 marine diesel engine has been honoured with the Editor's Choice Award by the American magazine Motor Boating . The new generation D6-310 and D4-210 engines, displacing 5.5 and 3.7 litres respectively, were launched by Volvo Penta last autumn and are being installed in boats in the 22ft to 45ft size range. Volvo Penta has increased production capacity at its Vara, Sweden engine plant to meet demand for the new engines.