Tuesday 13 May 08 - 23:17
 

Diving & Underwater Services

  • Popular ‘Weasel’ Goes Underwater

    01 Feb 2007

    After introducing their new survey vessel Aquadynamicat Oi06 in London last year, Aquatech have completed the development of their first underwater camera / video system, which was originally conceived in 2005.  

  • Noordhoek Expands Subsea Capabilities

    01 Feb 2007

    Dutch subsea contractor Noordhoek Offshore BV has purchased a MacArtney Focus – 2 ROTV system to complement the existing fleet of survey platforms and ROV’s. The ROTV will enable Noordhoek to provide a broader range of additional services to the market. In order to optimise vessel utilisation and provide continuity for clients, the system will be delivered with a complete spare towed body (including all the interfacing options).   

Dredging

  • Dredging Seminar Success in Bahrain

    01 Feb 2007

    The International Association of Dredging Companies recently conducted another successful event when the 27th IADC Seminar on Dredging and Reclamation took place in Manama, Bahrain. The IADC has been conducting week long seminars especially developed for professionals in dredging related industries regularly since 1993. 

  • Damen Multi Cat Built in Abu Dhabi

    01 Feb 2007

    A strategic partnership between Damen Shipyards of the Netherlands and Abu Dhabi Ship Building (ADSB) has seen the delivery of a multi-purpose vessel to the Emirates Dredging Company (EDC) four weeks ahead of schedule. The Multi Cat 1908 is the first vessel of its type built by ADSB and will be used for dredging support operations in Abu Dhabi waters, joining a 12m Pushy Cat tug delivered by ADSB a month earlier.  

  • Dredger Boom Sees IHC Add Shipyard

    01 Feb 2007

    With the global demand for newbuild dredgers now exceeding building capacity, IHC Holland Merwede has rented the former Alblas Scheepsbouw BV yard, situated along the river De Noord at Hendrik Ido Ambacht in the Netherlands.   

  • DOP Saves Explosive Dredging Situation

    01 Feb 2007

    Works have been ongoing to enlarge the Twentekanaal, an important shipping channel in the east of Holland. Enlargement will allow the canal to accommodate larger ships and will also provide additional capacity for water drainage. The project was proceeding in a normal fashion until explosive devices were found in the dredged mixture, halting all works with immediate effect.  

  • ‘Jetsed’ Success on Battersea Shoal

    01 Feb 2007

    Van Oord’s water injection dredger Jetsed arrived in London late last year to dredge the Battersea shoal, which had been moving into the fairway for some time, causing several vessels to ground there in 2005.   

  • CEDA Dredging Days at Europort Maritime

    01 Feb 2007

    The Central Dredging Association (CEDA) has announced that CEDA Dredging Days 2007 will return to the Ahoy Rotterdam exhibition centre, where the conference and exhibition will again be held in conjunction with Europort Maritime 2007 on 6 through 9 November.  

Hydrographic Survey by David Goodfellow

  • Southampton Survey Team Updates GPS

    01 Feb 2007

    The port survey team at the ABP port of Southampton has acquired a new GPS system to replace outdated equipment and introduce a new era of improved capabilities.  

  • Swedes Meet Needs for Multibeam

    01 Feb 2007

    Gothenburg based seafloor and sub bottom mapping specialist Marin Mätteknik AB (MMT AB) are to have their survey vessel M/V Franklin fitted with a gondola mounted EM 710 multibeam echo sounder, with delivery from Kongsberg Maritime early this year. The order follows two contracts for EM 3002 dual head systems fitted to the survey vessels M/V Triad and Ping during 2006  

  • Ocean Business 07

    01 Feb 2007

    Over 120 exhibitors from a dozen countries and a host of free training and demonstration workshops are just two of the main attractions of this three day event at the National Oceanography Centre, Southampton UK from 27-29 March.  

  • BSH Digitises its Library of Nautical Material

    01 Feb 2007

    Germany’s Shipping & Hydrographic Agency, BSH, is planning to digitise its entire library of nautical material in what it says will be the world’s first system of its type, one which will later be adopted by other hydrographic offices.  

  • BP and Shell Rig Moving Contracts for NCS Survey

    01 Feb 2007

    Positioning and subsea specialists NCS Survey in Aberdeen, which claims to be Scotland’s largest independent survey contractor after only being in business for 18 months, has secured major rig moving contracts from both BP and Shell Exploration & Production.  

  • IHFS and IHO Sign MoU

    01 Feb 2007

    The International Federation of Hydrographic Societies (IFHS), whose six member organisations represent the interests of individuals as well as commercial and institutional organisations in over 70 countries, has concluded a joint Memorandum of Understanding with the International Hydrographic Organisation, the Monaco based intergovernmental consultative and technical body coordinating the national interests of 74 Member States.  

Marine Civils by David Foxwell

  • Jan De Nul to Deepen Colombian Port

    01 Feb 2007

    Jan de Nul has signed a contract with the Instituto Nacional de Vías (INVIAS) to dredge the access channel at the Port of Buenaventura in Colombia. The port is situated on the Pacific coast of Colombia and is considered one of the most important ports of the region.  

  • Coordination of Contaminated Sediment Strategy

    01 Feb 2007

    Port areas around the UK are being expanded to deal with ever increasing maritime trade. In order to maximise the economic advantages this presents, dredging of seabed sediments is being undertaken to provide safe operational navigable depths. The historical and contemporary industrial legacy has, however, created zones of contaminated sediments, which need to be managed.  

  • DI to Build Island at Ras al Khaimah

    01 Feb 2007

    Belgian contractor Dredging International has signed a contract with private stock company Rakeen Development for the reclamation of an artificial island off Ras al Khaimah, the northernmost emirate of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The €50 million contract adds to a string of projects which Dredging International is currently executing in the Gulf area. The first stage of dredging and reclamation will begin later this month with planned completion by the end of October.  

  • Plan to Protect Danube Delta from Flooding

    01 Feb 2007

    The River Administration of the Lower Danube in Romania has awarded a DHV led consortium the contract for the design of the Sulina Channel Bank Protection project. The Sulina Channel runs through the Danube delta nature reserve and ensures the discharge of water and ice from the Danube River into the Black Sea.   

Marine Renewables

  • Tailfin Tidal Technology Surfaces in Oz

    01 Feb 2007

    An Australian firm has developed a renewable tidal energy conversion system based on the highly efficient fin structure of shark, tuna, and mackerel.   

  • More Money Moves to Renewables

    01 Feb 2007

    European private equity and venture capital company 3i has enhanced its presence in the gas and power market by investing €30m for a minority stake in Electrawinds, Belgium’s leading independent renewable energy company.   

  • ‘Support Marine Renewable Energy Innovation’

    01 Feb 2007

    The recent publication of the Stern Report in the UK and the United Nation’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report have put global warming in the spotlight and beyond the influence of deniers such as the Bush Administration in America. These developments suggest increasing opportunities for those involved in the emerging marine renewable energy sector. The following opinion is provided by Michelle Thomas, head of renewable and clean energy at international law firm Eversheds LLP: The Stern Review Report on the Economics of Climate Change was published on 30 October 2006, and was one of the first major government-sponsored reports on global warming conducted by an economist rather than an atmospheric scientist.  

News

  • Biodiesel Attempt at Circumnavigation Record

    18 Feb 2008

    Boaters around the world are following the record setting effort of Peter Bethune aboard his futuristic ‘Earthrace’ powerboat as his team attempts to break the world circumnavigation record of 75 days in a vessel fueled 100 by biodiesel.  

  • Old Foes at Massvlakte

    01 Feb 2007

    Port operators Dubai Ports World (DP World) and Singapore's PSA, which battled it out for control of P&O last year, are expected to contest the concession to run a container terminal on Rotterdam's new Maasvlakte 2 facility.  The 3.5 million TEU terminal will occupy 146 hectares of reclaimed land and feature some 2,350m of quayside. 

  • Felixstowe Hits 3m

    01 Feb 2007

    The UK Port of Felixstowe broke through the three million container throughput barrier last year. Hutchison Ports (UK), which operates Felixstowe, said volumes had increased by 10% during 2006, making the planned Felixstowe South Reconfiguration (FSR) project more necessary than ever.

     

  • Boat Tanks Online

    01 Feb 2007

    Hampshire UK based Tek-Tanks, which builds custom water, waste and fuel tanks from High Density Polyethylene (HDPE), has produced an easy to read guide explaining everything boat operators need to know about selecting and designing their tanks.  

  • VT Halmatic ‘Streamlining’ Shuts Steel Division

    01 Feb 2007

    A major strategic review underway at UK boat builders VT Halmatic and a rationalising of its product range has seen the closure of the company’s Steel Division as the focus shifts to composite built military patrol craft. The company has withdrawn from participation in the Seawork 2007 exhibition and expects to relocate from Portchester to the Portsmouth Naval Base within two years.  

  • Royal Send-Off for Research Vessel

    01 Feb 2007

    HRH The Princess Royal formally named the UK’s new £40m royal research ship RRS James Cook in a ceremony held earlier this month at the National Oceanography Centre (NOC) in Southampton.   

  • Norway Goes It Alone on Ballast Water

    01 Feb 2007

    Norway is to implement strict controls on ballast water management during 2007, applying the standards set down in the IMO Convention on ballast water to ships calling at Norwegian ports, even though it may be many years before the convention comes into force internationally, warns Wikborg Rein, Norwegian maritime law firm.  

  • Big Ship Salvage at ISU Members’ Day

    01 Feb 2007

    The salvage problems surrounding ultra-large vessels will provide the timely focus for the International Salvage Union’s Fourth Associate Members’ Day meeting in London on 7 March.The meeting will be attended by representatives of a high proportion of the ISU’s 43 associate members and 53 full members.  

  • WWF Calls for Protection of UK ‘Marine Hotspots’

    01 Feb 2007

    A WWF report out last month identifies for the first time, the most important marine locations in the UK in urgent need of protection. The  wealth of sea life existing off UK shores and surrounding waters is gradually being degraded by the impacts of human activity. According to the WWF, this unique marine environment is under serious threat and unless significant areas are protected now by an urgently needed Marine Act, it will be lost.   

  • Green Passport for UK Ship Recycling

    01 Feb 2007

    The UK Ministry of Defence Disposal Services Agency (DSA), working with the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) have pioneered an innovative plan for the responsible disposal of UK flagged end of life ships. Following a lengthy period of public consultation, ‘HMS Intrepid’ will be the first Royal Navy ship to be disposed of in accordance with the recently published DEFRA Guidance Notes on Ship Recycling.  

  • Ramsgate Slipways Back in Action

    01 Feb 2007

    Following the departure of the A&P Group from their Ramsgate shiprepair facility the yard is once again back in business. David Hawkins was previously MD for A&P locally and recognised the potential for this small local yard. At the end of 2006, together with Ken Bowman, a local businessman with a long history of marine activity and association, activity started again under the new name Ramsgate Harbour Slipways Ltd. Having been involved in the ship repair business all his working life David had developed something of a passion for the yard and saw this as an opportunity too good to miss.  

  • Unique Futura Finally Takes the Plunge

    01 Feb 2007

    The prototype of a unique series of economic, environmentally friendly Futura inland cargo ships has finally been completed while a tanker version will soon follow. RMS Kiel, launched last October at the now bankrupt Con Mar Shipyard in Brake, has been finished off in Wilhelmshaven by Navitek Schiffsreparatur and suppliers.  

  • ‘MSC Napoli’ – A Major Oil Spill Averted

    01 Feb 2007

    Work on the ill-fated containership ‘MSC Napoli’ has progressed well and to plan, since the 53,409gt ship was first put aground in Lyme Bay. Only a significant deterioration in the weather at the time of writing has delayed the total removal of small amounts of residual oil and the discharge of containers. Work onshore to remove containers and debris from the cargo has also gone according to plan  

  • ISU Members' Day

    01 Feb 2007

    The Salvage problems surrounding ultra-large vessels will be the focus for the International Salvage Union's Fourth Associate Members' Day meeting in London on 7 March.  
     

  • GL Marine Services Restructure

    01 Feb 2007

    Classification society Germanischer Lloyd, fresh from victory in its takeover struggle with rival Bureau Veritas, has restructured its Maritime Services.  From last month, the Maritime Services are subdivided into the divisions 'Fleet in Service', 'Ship Newbuilding', 'Maritime Systems and Components', and 'Innovation and Strategic Research'.  Consisting of a number of competence centres and departments, each division has been assigned to a client group.

     

     

  • Fishery Protection Duo Go to German Yard

    01 Feb 2007

    East German shipyard Peene-Werft has won a European tender worth about €63m to build two state of the art, ocean going fishery protection ships for the German authorities. The order came from the Federal Institute for Agriculture and Nutrition (BLE) in Berlin which said 25% of the cost of the ships was being contributed by the EU.  

  • News Snip Thames

    01 Feb 2007

    The UK Environment Agency closed London's Thames Barrier three times in four days last month to protect the city from flooding.  

  • Schat-Harding Acquires CleanHull

    01 Feb 2007

    Lifeboats and davits supplier Schat-Harding has purchased the hull cleaning company CleanHull Norway AS from a group of Norwegian venture investors. CleanHull Norway AS offers cost effective and environmentally friendly ship hull cleaning solutions to its customers. The CleanROVconcept is based on underwater vehicles and technology developed through more than 10 years of subsea operations.  

  • Propellers Go Italian

    01 Feb 2007

    Devon UK based Duncan Propellers Ltd have opened an office and shop in Rovigo, Italy which will handle the sales of propellers and stern gear in that region.  The office will also act as a consultancy to solve performance problems for all types of boats.  

  • Foundations Expand for Wind Farm Installer

    01 Feb 2007

    A2SEA AS, the Danish contractor specialising in the transport, installation and service of offshore wind turbines, has acquired the ‘Jumping Jack’ installation barge and related assets from Dutch offshore contractor Mammoet Van Oord BV. The jack-up barge was specially designed to be used or offshore marine installations, foundations and topsides for wind turbines.  

  • SEEDA's Hoist Wight On

    01 Jan 2007

    A technologically advanced new hoist for the expanded apron at East Cowes UK is now in operation.  The 10m wide hoist dock and crane is suitable for transporting both blades for wind turbines as required by Isle of Wight based Vesta Blades (UK) Ltd, and large yachts of up to 70 tons between the quayside and the water.  The hoist marks the latest stage in plans for extended facilities at the Cowes Waterfront - Venture Quays site, which is owned by the South East England development Agency (SEEDA).  

Ocean Business 2007

  • Ocean Business Offers Demo at Sea

    01 Feb 2007

    Ocean Business 2007 (The ocean technology training and procurement forum) brings a new ocean technology exhibition with in-classroom and on-water training and demonstrations to the national Oceanography Centre in Southampton UK on 27-29 March. An offshore survey conference will take place alongside the exhibition, in which over 100 companies will participate. Further information can be found in David Goodfellow’s hyrographic survey coverage on page 23 of this issue.   

Pollution Control

  • ‘Action Plan’ for European Pollution

    01 Feb 2007

    Salvors are seeking a meeting with EU Fisheries and Maritime Affairs Commissioner Joe Borg to present their case for the adoption of new measures to reduce the risk of another spill disaster in European waters.  In response to the EU’s Green Paper on Future Maritime Policy, the International Salvage Union (ISU) is proposing an ‘Action Plan for Spill Risk Reduction in EU Waters’, which centres on reinforcing salvage as the first line of defence against ship source pollution.  

  • Port of LA CAAPs Air Pollution

    01 Feb 2007

    The Port of Los Angeles in California USA and the local South Coast Air Quality Management District (AQMD) are partnering on a demonstration project to use electrically powered tractors to tow cargo containers from the Port to local warehouses and rail yards. The $527,000 initiative, funded by the Port and AQMD, will explore the feasibility of replacing diesel powered tractors with ultra-clean electrically powered units.   

  • EMSA Takes Spill Response to Atlantic

    01 Feb 2007

    Lamor and Clean Globe International, member companies of the Lamor Group, will establish an oil spill centre equipment stockpile at Sines in Portugal. For the three year contract, awarded to Lamor in a EU tender, the 3,000dwt chemical/oil tanker MT Galp Marine will be contracted and pre-fitted as an occasional oil spill recovery vessel by March.   

Port, Harbour & Marine Construction

  • Larger Container Ships Require More Efficient Fenders

    01 Feb 2007

    Changes in shipping patterns and ship dimensions are providing a number of challenges for suppliers of mooring systems. Until quite recently, the size of container ships was limited by the size of the locks of the Panama Canal, which offered the shortest route from Asia to the east coast of the United States. That meant they could be no larger than 300 meters long and 32 meters wide. But a change in the direction of trade flows has had a major effect on the shipping industry.  

  • Preferred Partner Selected for Ireland’s New Port

    01 Feb 2007

    Drogheda Port Company has selected a consortium as preferred bidder following an open competitive process to secure a joint venture partner to co-develop Ireland’s new deepwater port at Bremore Co Fingal.  

  • Mojo Keeps Marine Works Moving

    01 Feb 2007

    Mojo Maritime has recently commenced a new assignment undertaking project logistics for client Tresco Estates , in support of their infrastructure development project on the Isles Of Scilly. The challenge of shipping large quantities of construction materials from the mainland to the Islands was undertaken by Mojo Maritime continues using the company’s transport vessel Samakiand landing craft Portree II. For more remote locations the materials will be transhipped onto the landing craft to access shallower bays.   

  • Skills Shortage Set to Affect Marine Industries

    01 Feb 2007

    Industrial growth is warmly welcomed worldwide. It ensures the future of countries, market sectors, companies and employees. Unfortunately however, it brings its own set of problems. Problems that the marine construction and offshore engineering sector is now being forced to face. A serious skills shortage is hitting the market. ‘The industry is extremely busy and expected to remain so for a number of years, said Hugh Williams, chief executive of the International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA). ‘Many companies are experiencing significant challenges in recruiting sufficient trained and skilled personnel for their projects all over the world. This is placing significant pressure on their desired growth and ability to deliver services.’   

  • Dutch Deliver New Orleans Flood Protection

    01 Feb 2007

    Netherlands based consultancy and engineering company Arcadis, in a joint venture with Bioengineering Group, has been awarded an Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract to provide general design support services, multidisciplinary consultancy services and construction management services, primarily within the limits of the New Orleans District, by the New Orleans District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The joint venture of Arcadis and Bioengineering Group has teamed with HNTB and Tetra Tech and will utilize support from Dutch WL Delft Hydraulics and Alkyon for specialized hydraulic expertise.  

  • Seamark Placed for Margate Treatment Project

    01 Feb 2007

    The offshore components of Southern Water’s £80 million wastewater treatment project at Margate UK are nearing completion (see Maritime Journal September 2006).Once completed, 20m litres of dry weather flow wastewater generated daily by 93,000 people in Margate and Broadstairs will be discharged into the sea at Margate following treatment at the Foreness Point and Weatherlees treatment plants.   

  • Small Civils Award for Cowes Breakwater

    01 Feb 2007

    A new breakwater for The Royal Yacht Squadron at Cowes has won the British Construction Industry Small Civil Engineering Project Award at a ceremony held at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London.  

  • Giant Pontoon Cruises into Liverpool

    01 Feb 2007

    The Canada Graving Dock in Liverpool is playing host to an unfamiliar type of construction. The dock, which was the largest in Europe when it was built in the 1880s, has seen the construction of the Cunard Liners Lusitania and Mauretania. The latest structure to be added to the dock’s CV is the construction of the new reinforced concrete pontoons to be used as part of the city’s new cruise liner facility.  

Security

  • X-Ray Specs Enhance Port Security

    18 Feb 2008

    The requirement for rapidly deployable and portable x-ray systems that can be used in public places such ports, airports, railways and underground stations has grown substantially in the last year.  

  • St Kitts and Nevis Set Security Standard

    01 Feb 2007

    The Department of Maritime Affairs of the Government of St Kitts and Nevis have become the latest in a series of Administrations to grant maritime security services provider, Securewest International, official competent authority status under SOLAS regulation to receive Ship Security Alerts (SSAS).  

  • Verification of Third Party Security Personnel

    01 Feb 2007

    While piracy is reflected in recent Hollywood blockbusters as the stuff of legend and intrigue, for those operating offshore vessels it can be a very genuine concern.The potential threat is being taken so seriously that the International Marine Contractors Association’s (IMCA) Security Task Force has produced ‘Guidance on Verification of Third-Party Security Personnel’ designed to address a potentially real threat.  

Tugs & Towing by Jack Gaston

  • TOWLINES

    01 Feb 2007

    Hamburg based offshore and transportation company Harms Bergung has sold their 7,230 bhp  anchor-handling tug’ Varius (ex Lady Laura) to an un-named Greek buyer. It has also been reported that Harms has also sold the three newly built offshore supply vessels Aeolus, Cerberus, and Centaurus to Nordcapital. The German company recently took delivery of the new anchor handler Magnus (Maritime Journal Oct 2006) and has a sister ship and two larger 220 tons bollard pull vessels due for completion this year, and two of 280 tons scheduled for 2008.  

  • Competition Commission Reports on Svitzer-Adsteam Takeover

    01 Feb 2007

    On 9 February the Competition Commission (CC) published its final report on SvitzerWijsmuller’s proposed takeover of Adsteam Marine Ltd. In the report the Commission will require SvitzerWijsmuller A/S to sell off one of the harbour towage operations in Liverpool if it goes ahead with the anticipated acquisition of Adsteam Marine Ltd. The CC has decided that the acquisition may be expected to result in a substantial lessening of competition for towage services in Liverpool, although it has not identified similar problems anywhere else in the UK. This confirms the provisional findings published in December last year.  

  • JP Knight Go Shopping in Japan

    01 Feb 2007

    JP Knight (Caledonian) Ltd,; the Scottish branch of JP Knight Ltd based at Invergordon, has returned to Japan to replace the Japanese built tugs Kinnaird and Kincardine, which were sold in November 2006. The result of their negotiations is the purchase of two modern Japanese built tugs for almost immediate delivery and two more that will be available later in 2007.  The company has had a long association with the Japanese towage industry and was responsible for introducing the first Niigata powered ASD tug to Europe in 1981. Named Kinross, this first vessel is still in service at Invergordon but has been joined in the UK by many more recent tugs from the same stable.  

  • More New ETVs for the Spanish Coast

    01 Feb 2007

    The first of two coastal protection vessels has been handed over to Spain’s Maritime Safety Authority SASEMAR. Named Don Inda, the vessel’s primary role is that of an emergency towing vessel (ETV) for tankers of unlimited size under adverse conditions. A bollard pull of about 220 tons makes these vessels the most powerful ETVs in Europe when it comes to towing. In a worse case scenario where oil pollution has occurred, the tug is equipped with a full range of equipment for oil recovery and clean-up operations.  

  • SvitzerWijsmuller Win Major Milford Haven LNG Contracts

    01 Feb 2007

    Towage services in the UK port of Milford Haven will be transformed with a fleet of nine powerful new tugs and six line handling vessels to be introduced bySvitzer Marine Ltd .  

Vessel Launch Giessenstroom

  • ‘Giessenstroom’ – The Largest Shoalbuster Yet

    01 Feb 2007

    On 19 January Van Wijngaarden Marine Services BV of Sliedrecht in the Netherlands formally named ‘Giessenstroom’, the first new Damen Shoalbuster 3009 seagoing tug, at the Damen Shipyards Hardinxveld facility. The event marked yet another significant milestone in the development of what has become a remarkably successful and versatile design. Shoalbusters of all types have become an important tool for marine contractors specialising in support services for the dredging and marine civil engineering industries.  

Works in Progress

Taylor Fuel Control