Consulting Services News

Blake Powell, president at JMS Naval Architects, discusses his career, company and latest trends in naval architecture and marine engineering.Please give a brief professional bio, including education, experience and overview of current duties as president of JMS Naval Architects.I earned my degree in Naval Architecture from the University of California, Berkeley where I attended on a Navy ROTC scholarship and was commissioned as a Diving and Salvage Officer after I graduated.

Denmark-based engineering and contracting group Semco Maritime has agreed to acquire German firm Wind Multiplikator, specialized in managing offshore wind farms and projects and providing engineering and consulting services.The transaction also includes all activities in offshore service provider OWS Off-Shore Wind Solutions, which is part of Wind Multiplikator Group. The combined Wind Multiplikator Group focuses on offshore wind O&M related activities, including major component…

International shipbroker IFCHOR Galbraiths (IG) will be providing offshore brokerage services in the oil and gas market following its acquisition of Norwegian offshore specialist UNO Offshore.Founded in 2010, with a seven-strong team based in Bergen and Haugesund, UNO Offshore focuses on providing chartering, newbuild, sale and purchase, research and consulting services related to the oil and gas sector. UNO Offshore will be renamed IG Offshore.Commenting on the move, IG co-CEO, Bjorn Andersen, said, “We are delighted to bring Hans and his experienced team into the IG family.

Brendan Smith brings more than a decade of maritime experience to his role as president of Seaward Services, a marine services company specializing in the operation, maintenance and repair of government and privately owned vessels. The company is part of the Hornblower Group.During his 6.5 years with the U.S. Navy, he served aboard the nuclear-powered submarine USS Santa Fe, and his roles included chemistry and radiological controls assistant (CRA), quality assurance officer (QAO) and combat operations instructor.

Responders are working to minimize environmental damages from a cutter suction dredge that capsized in the Mississippi River near Meraux, La. on Monday.The U.S. Coast Guard said its watchstanders at Sector New Orleans were notified at 12:50 a.m. that the dredging vessel W.B. Wood capsized in the vicinity of mile marker (MM) 85. The two people on board were rescued by the crew of a nearby towing vessel, Omaha.Coast Guard aerial observers confirmed sheening from the incident location down to MM 64, which is expected to dissipate naturally.

Kongsberg Digital (KDI) has delivered a full mission K-Sim Dynamic Positioning (DP) Simulator to MOL Marine & Engineering (MOLMEC) for the new MOL Dynamic Positioning Training Centre (MOL DPTC) in Tokyo, Japan. MOL DPTC is the first DP training center in Japan to be accredited by the Nautical Institute (NI) to provide NI-approved dynamic positioning training courses.“We Installed Kongsberg DP simulator and were able to open a quality DP training center in Tokyo, Japan” said Nakashima Takashi, President, MOL Marine and Engineering Co., Ltd.

The U.S. Coast Guard is responding to an oil spill after an oil tank platform collapsed at the Hilcorp Caillou Island facility in Terrebonne Bay, Louisiana, on Monday.Coast Guard Marine Safety Unit Houma personnel initially received a notification from the National Response Center stating the platform experienced a structural failure causing a tank to fall into the water and spill the oil. Environmental Safety & Health Consulting Services has been hired as the oil spill removal organization.

A Singaporean-flagged oil tanker discharged oil on the Lower Mississippi River near Kenner, La., on Thursday.U.S. Coast Guard Sector New Orleans watchstanders received notification at 6:08 p.m. that the Hafnia Rhine discharged oil during a fueling operation with a fuel barge at Ama Anchorage, mile marker 115. Watchstanders dispatched Coast Guard pollution responders to the scene.The tanker crew secured the oil discharge, but Sector New Orleans pollution investigators estimated up to 2…

In August, 2021, after years of delays, cost overruns, and rising tensions, the Australian government canceled a A$90 billion order with France’s Naval Group for 12 conventionally powered submarines intended to replace the Royal Australian Navy (RAN)’s aging fleet of six Collins-class attack subs. Overnight, the future of the RAN’s undersea warfare capability was cast into uncertainty. The very next month, however, the United States and the United Kingdom announced a plan to help Australia fill the void…

International Maritime Industries (IMI), the largest shipyard in the MENA region, has expanded its partnership with Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) through a technical service agreement to further enhance its shipbuilding capabilities.Under the agreement, HHI will provide technical assistance and consulting services in Very Large Crude Oil Carrier (VLCC) engineering to IMI, reflecting its commitment to supporting the development of IMI’s shipbuilding capabilities and engineering services since its launch in 2017.The agreement was signed by Dr.

Donald L. Blount, an international esteemed technical expert in the field of high-speed craft hydrodynamics died on July 14, 2022 at the age of 87.Donald was driven all his life to do one job: design high-speed powerboats that could comfortably and efficiently run through rough water. His fascination with hydrodynamics began when he was a Virginia Tech co-op student working at the David Taylor Model Basin, the Navy's premier hydrodynamic research facility.Donald’s research contributions…

Houston-based dredging contractor Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Corporation announced that its Chief Operating Officer, David E. Simonelli, will retire effective September 16, 2022. After his retirement, he will provide consulting services to the company.Simonelli, who has spent 44 years with Great Lakes, became the President of the company’s Dredging Division in 2010, and Chief Operating Officer in 2018.Lasse Petterson, Great Lakes' President and Chief Executive Officer, said, “Dave…

MidAtlantic Engineering Partners (MidAtlantic), a civil, environmental, and marine engineering and surveying firm, is pleased to announce that W. Stuart Lewis, P.E. is a partner in the firm. Since joining MidAtlantic, he has successfully led the company’s Marine Services Division. Lewis joined MidAtlantic in February 2017, and since that time has developed and grown the Marine Services Division into a multi-disciplinary infrastructure group providing in-water and waterfront engineering and consulting services including dive services, structural design, permitting oversight, and inspections.

BMT appointed Hittesh Gupta as Head of Casualty Investigation, Asia, a key position as BMT looks to expand its office presence for Marine Surveys in Singapore and strengthen its marine consulting services hub position in Asia.With more than 23-years of experience in the shipping industry, Gupta has a deep understanding of marine surveying having served on product and crude oil tankers and offshore oil & gas production units. He has worked extensively for underwriters and leading P&I Clubs undertaking casualty investigations across the full spectrum of vessels and provided assessments of their Cargo / Seaworthiness – Oil, Chemical, Gas tankers…

Herbert Engineering Corp. (HEC) appointed Hendrik Bruhns to succeed Spencer Schilling, who formally stepped down as the company's president on July 1.Bruhns had been serving as an executive vice president and manager of business development for HEC since January 1, 2021, and he has served on the HEC board since 2009. A trained naval architect. Bruhns comes from an 11-year commitment as president of the HEC affiliate and maritime software firm, Herbert-ABS Software Solutions LLC.

Tanker owner and operator Ardmore Shipping Corporation said it has signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) with Element 1 Corp. (E1) and Maritime Partners, LLC (MP) to establish a joint venture for delivering E1's methanol-to-hydrogen technology to the marine sector.Ardmore, E1 and MP will establish "e1 Marine," each owning 33.3% of the joint venture. e1 Marine will have a worldwide mandate for the marketing, development, licensing and sale of E1's unique hydrogen generation systems for application to the marine industry, including shipping, refrigerated containers, offshore energy, renewable energy, passenger and leisure, and certain port infrastructure…

A rigorous sea trials program has demonstrated that a new autonomous navigation system can safely navigate unmanned vessels in real-time and in a real-life environment—without human intervention.U.K.-based tpgroup said its patent pending Northstar was successfully used on different platforms and within a range of environments that include congested waterways and in open water. This level of technological maturity (technical readiness level 7) means that it can be developed for…

Terminal operating systems (TOS) solutions provider Tideworks Technology has entered into a joint venture with software applications and consulting services company Brenock Technology to deliver tech solutions aimed at helping the cruise industry rebound from the coronavirus pandemic.Cruise lines and marine terminals are facing unprecedented disruption during the COVID-19 pandemic, with widespread suspension of services and concerns about the safety of workers and cruise passengers.Through the new joint venture…

This week marked the start of new leadership at Chesapeake-based Fincantieri Marine Systems North America, as Ryan W. Smith assumed the position as CEO for the company.Smith brings over 15 years of experience in program management and engineering roles with Northrop Grumman and BAE Systems, as well as project management and lifecycle consulting services for major defense contractors and ship repair organizations focusing primarily on support of U.S. Navy programs. Smith brings…

Japanese utility Toho Gas and shipping company Mitsui OSK Lines (MOL) carried out a demonstration test to supply liquified natural gas (LNG)  to the to the tugboat Ishin at the Japanese port of  Nagoya.This marked the first LNG bunkering in the Port of Nagoya, and the test confirmed that LNG can be safely supplied to vessels at the port.LNG was transported via truck from the Toho Gas Chita-Midorihama LNG Terminal (Chita-shi, Aichi Prefecture), and supplied with a truck-to-ship system to Ishin, berthed at the Port of Nagoya's Garden Pier.Also cooperating in the demonstration test were, Niyac Corporation, which provides LNG land transport for Toho Gas…

Specialist maritime consultancy 20|20 Marine Energy (20|20) founded by bunker industry veteran Adrian Tolson has been acquired by UK-based BLUE, the business, brand and communications consultancy for the marine and energy markets.20|20 will be re-named BLUE Insight to provide commercial advisory and research services for key transformative areas within the maritime industry.The practice - which will be led by Adrian Tolson, 20|20’s Senior Partner - provides BLUE with a physical presence in North America, as well as wider and deeper support to BLUE’s current clients.BLUE Insight will provide strategic commercial advisory services for business-critical areas that are fundamentally changing the marine and energy markets and evolving and disrupting traditional business models.

Mariners looking for insurance have a new option that is touted as being fast and affordable, cared for immediately in an online format that is designed to be more expedient than ever.360 Coverage Pros launched a new Marine License Insurance Program for mariners that offers an entirely online buying experience combined with low monthly payment options and instant proof of coverage.Until now, the process of securing a marine license insurance policy involved requesting quotes,…

Container volume at Port Houston surged in the first half of 2019, rising 12 percent compared to that period last year. According to the Executive Director Roger Guenther the port facilities have handled nearly 1.5 Million TEU through the first half of 2019.The Houston ship channel also said in a press release that , the Port Commission awarded a contract not to exceed $39.7 million to Archer Western Construction, the top-ranked proposer among four finalists. A total of 53 companies downloaded materials about the project.The planned expansion of the truck gate at Port Houston’s Barbours Cut Container Terminal is set to begin after approval of a contract for the work by the Port Commission, it said.The project consists of about 23 acres of new pavement at the existing Barbours Cut Terminal.