Workboats

Middle East Workboats: Supporting GCC Cross-sector Expansion

Middle East Workboats 2011, the region’s leading event for workboat operators, builders and equipment suppliers returns to Abu Dhabi at a time when the maritime industry is rapidly accelerating in countries across the Gulf. Renewed growth across various important maritime and related sectors including harbour and escort tug business, support and servicing along with coastal construction, energy exploration and production and others underscores the importance of this event. A key opportunity in the sector is created by the ageing fleet of workboats in the region, with an estimated 40-50% of these more than 20 years old, requiring extensive capital investment in the months ahead in modernising and upgrading vessels. “Driven by a number of factors, the workboat sector is now once again firmly back in expansion mode, as evidenced by the interest this year’s Middle East Workboats has generated already,” said Emma Hamilton, Middle East Marketing Manager at Seatrade, organisers of Middle East Workboats, which runs from 3-5 October 2011 at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC). “From landing craft delivering plant and construction equipment, to ferry and water taxi craft visiting new island developments off the Abu Dhabi coastline, supporting land reclamation and new port development along with greenfields energy exploration in the Gulf, Red Sea, and Oman, existing vessels are in rising demand,” added Hamilton.

Dredger Builder Delivers Workboats Too

IHC Beaver Dredgers, known for standard cutter suction vessels, continues to deliver workboats to complement its dredgers. For example, the company has supplied another Delta Multi Craft (DMC) 1050 to support an IHC Beaver® 1200 for its operations in Nigeria. The workboat was supplied from stock to ensure a minimum lead time and it has now formed the perfect working partnership with the dredger. The versatile DMC 1050 will assist the dredger in its daily operations

Maritime Expo Reports Big Rise in Exhibitors

“While the economic downturn has taken its toll on the global shipping industry, the Middle East market for workboats of all kinds continues to show vigorous growth,” said Christopher Hayman, Chairman of Seatrade, organiser of the Middle East Workboats exhibition and conference from 5-7 October 2009 at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre. Workboats include tugs, ferries, supply vessels; police, fire, patrol, pilot, rescue and oil spill boats; along with, dredgers

Projects Drive Growth in Middle East

Multi-billion dollar projects in the Middle East oil and gas industry are driving developments in the design and operation of the workhorses of the sea, according to industry experts. A growing demand for workboats of all sizes is also being stimulated by the mega-dollar port and reclamation schemes taking place around the Arabian Peninsula. All will come under the spotlight at a dedicated industry event - Middle East Workboats 2008 at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (28-30

UK Shipyard Delivers Windfarm Support Vessel

Alicat Workboats, of Great Yarmouth,  delivers its latest catamaran workboat 'Dalby Trent' to Dalby Offshore. Continuing the long history of shipbuilding in Great Yarmouth, Alicat Workboats based on Southtown Road and part of the Gardline group, formally hands over its latest aluminium built wind farm support vessel to Dalby Offshore. The Dalby Trent is the third Alicat to be delivered to Dalby Offshore, and Stuart McNiven

USCG Rescues Workboat Crew

Coast Guard crews rescue nine people after a workboat struck and became lodged on a wellhead near Venice, La., seven miles north of Main Pass. Four HH-65C rescue helicopter crews from Air Station New Orleans medevaced six people from the workboat who were injured. Four men were flown to Air Station New Orleans where they were met by ambulances and two others were flown directly to West Jefferson Memorial Hospital.

Polarcirkel Expands Design

Polarcirkel AS partnered with Nova Sea AS, Norway, to design and build a Cabin Workboat for transporting personnel out to fish farming feed barges, even in the harshest weather conditions. Designated the Polarcirkel 860 Cabin Workboat, MS Nova Polar is built to the standard 28 ft 3 inch Polarcirkel limit, with the 10 ft beam providing a great working deck and a huge cabin with lots of head room and all round visibility.

Jeppesen Launches Workboat Navigator

Jeppesen Marine has launched Jeppesen Workboat Navigator – A Professional Information Service. It is designed as a piloting solution for commercial boats operating in coastal areas and inland waterways and provides mariners with a combination of detailed vector-based digital marine charts, location-based data, such as Notices to Mariners, and input from onboard sensors, such as GPS, radar, AIS, heading sensors, and onboard cameras

Yanmar Launches Commercial High-Speed Engines

Yanmar America Corporation of Adairsville, Georgia, has introduced a range of propulsion and auxiliary power High-Speed Commercial Workboat diesel engines.   Offered in models from 350 to 1,800 hp (257 to 1340 kW), these powerplants open new commercial business opportunities throughout North and South America.  Yanmar already dominates the commercial marine diesel engine sector in Japan and other Asian markets

Norsafe AS Workboat Completes Sea Trials

Norsafe AS reported exceptional bollard pull and low speed thrust using twin UltraJet 305HT waterjets coupled to twin Yanmar 340 bhp 6LYA-STP engines. The survey boat Munin is designed and tested according to the "Nordic boat standard" for workboats. During sea trials a speed of 30 knots with a displacement of 8 tonnes was comfortably achieved and a bollard pull of 2.8 tonne was recorded. According to Norsafe, the workboat has excellent reliability, maneuverability, and sea keeping abilities