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Mca News

15 Feb 2024

ICCB Orders 14-meter CTV

(Image: Rockabill Marine Design)

Irish Commercial Charter Boats (ICCB) has placed an order for a new 14-meter crew transfer vessel (CTV) to support offshore wind operations in Irish and U.K. waters.The vessel, designed by Rockabill Marine Design (RMD), based in Southampton, U.K., will be built by Aluminium Marine Consultants in Isle of Wight.Th custom vessel will be capable of carrying 12 passengers and 1 tonne of deck cargo. Designed in accordance with the MSO P5 passenger boat license and the MCA workboat code 3…

13 Sep 2023

Rowing Boat Owner Sentenced in the UK After Man Was Lost Overboard

The 10.8-meter ocean rowing boat Toby Wallace. (Photo: U.K. Marine Accident Investigation Branch)

The owner and skipper of a rowing vessel has received a 12-month prison sentence after a 21-year-old was lost overboard in the middle of the Atlantic.In February 2016, Michael Johnson was swept overboard by a large wave in the North Atlantic Ocean, between the Canary Islands and Barbados, during a world record row attempt to cross the Atlantic Ocean in 32 days. The seven remaining crew members on board were unable to save Johnson.Simon Chalk, owner of the rowing boat Toby Wallace…

30 Aug 2023

New CMAL Ferry Named in Public Vote

(Photo: CMAL)

Scotland's Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited (CMAL) announced that one of its new vessels will be named Glen Rosa following a public vote that saw nearly 5,000 entries.4,844 votes were cast in the competition on CMAL’s website, which ran for three weeks. Glen Rosa, which will be known as Gleann Ruasaidh in Gaelic, was the most popular name, garnering 52% of the votes.The vessel currently known as Hull 802, along with Glen Sannox, is currently under construction at the Ferguson Marine shipyard in Port Glasgow…

31 Jul 2023

Purus Wind's New General Manager to Oversee Offshore Wind Vessel Fleet Expansion

Credit: Purus Wind

Offshore wind vessel firm Purus Wind has appointed Oliver MacManus as general manager, with immediate effect.MacManus will focus on overseeing the running of the construction/service operation vessels (“C/SOV”) business. "The appointment is integral to positioning Purus Wind for future growth as the business continues to expand its fleet of next-generation battery hybrid C/SOVs and crew transfer vessels (“CTVs”)," Purus Wind said.Tom Nevin, business head, Purus Wind said: â€śOliver is a great asset to the team, strengthening its leadership as the business continues to grow.

24 Feb 2023

McVea Tapped to Lead the UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency

Virginia McVea (Photo: Maritime and Coastguard Agency)

Virginia McVea has been named as the next chief executive officer of the U.K. Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) effective April 3, 2023.Damien Oliver has been serving as the MCA's interim CEO since October 2022, following the retirement of the agency's former head Brian Johnson.U.K. Maritime Minister Baroness Vere said, "[McVea] joins at a pivotal time for the agency as it faces both challenges and exciting opportunities, and I look forward to working with her to grow the U.K.

23 Feb 2023

UK Fines Svitzer $2.4 Million Over Crewman Fatality

A.P. Moller - Maersk's towage arm Svitzer has been fined £2 million ($2.4 million) in the U.K. after pleaded guilty to safely failures that led to a crewmember fatality.Svitzer Marine Ltd pleaded guilty to failing to operate a vessel safely and failing to provide a safe system of work, causing the “avoidable tragedy” of 62-year-old Ian Webb falling into the water, the U.K.'s Maritime and Coastguard Agency announced.Heard at Liverpool Crown Court on February 20, the tragic death sparked an investigation by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) which identified a number of Svitzer’s safety failures.On the evening of Webb’s death, January 27, 2019, Svitzer Marine’s tug Millgarth was cast off from the Tranmere north jetty, in the river Mersey, in storm force conditions.

31 Oct 2022

VIDEO: Tanker Runs Aground in Singapore Strait

Djibouti-registered tanker YOUNG YONG ran aground off Takong Kecil in the Riau Islands,  Indonesia in the Singapore Strait at around 2020h on 26 October, the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) said Monday. The master of the tanker informed the MCA of the grounding.According to MPA. before the grounding, MPA's Port Operations Control Centre (POCC) issued early shallow water warnings through its Vessel Traffic Information System (VTIS) to the tanker on the potential risk of its  grounding. MPA also said it had alerted the Indonesian authorities immediately after the incident happened.Credit: MarineTraffic.com "The Indonesian authorities are leading refloatation efforts for the  tanker…

07 Oct 2022

Oliver Named Interim Head of UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency

Damien Oliver (Photo: MCA)

Damien Oliver has been appointed as the interim Chief Executive of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA). Damien will begin his new role on Monday 17 October, which follows the current MCA Chief Executive Brian Johnson’s retirement.Chairman and board member Christopher Rodrigues said, “Damien has had a number of high-profile roles within the MCA since joining in 2001 and he will bring a wealth of maritime experience and knowledge. Damien has been responsible for major projects and programs…

22 Apr 2022

ITF Inspectors Denied Access to P&O Ferries in Dover

© Elles Rijsdijk / Adobe Stock

The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) said its inspectors have been blocked from investigating crew welfare issues on board P&O Ferries’ vessels in the Port of Dover.In March, P&O Ferries terminated about vessel 800 staff to hire cheaper agency workers in a move that has drawn backlash from politicians, workers and the general public.The ITF said Dover Port Police this week refused access to its inspectors dispatched to look into welfare issues raised by replacement crew members, citing failure to give advanced warning for the visit.“As an ITF Inspector in the U.K.

13 Apr 2022

Another P&O Ferry Seized on Disrupted Dover-Calais Route

A second P&O ferry that sails between the English town of Dover and the French city of Calais has been detained by British officials due to a "number of deficiencies", likely exacerbating Easter holiday travel disruption.P&O Ferries, which accounted for a third of Dover's capacity, has struggled to operate a service after it fired 800 workers last month to cut costs, drawing sharp criticism from the government and sparking union protests.Britain's Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) have since inspected a number of P&O's vessels and suspended four, with two operating between Dover and Calais.

28 Mar 2022

Second P&O Ferry Detained Amid Sackings Scandal

© petert2 / Adobe Stock

Britain's Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) is detaining a second P&O ferry, the Pride of Kent, following safety checks by the authorities, Sky News reported on Monday.The MCA earlier in the day said the ferry was undergoing checks to ensure it was safe to put to sea without passengers or cargo, ahead of a full inspection at a later date, Sky News said.The report comes after Britain said it will force ferry operators docking in its ports to pay the minimum wage as it stepped up pressure on P&O Ferries to rehire 800 workers the company fired without notice in favor of cheaper staff.(Reuters

28 Mar 2022

Tech File: Foldable 'Workboat in a Box' Goes to Work for Bahrain Defense Force

Photo courtesy WorkFloat

The military force for the Kingdom of Bahrain purchased the self-propelled WorkFloat, a 12 x 6m WorkFloat platform which has the unique ability to fold up -- including all equipment -- and fit into a standard 40-ft. shipping container.The WorlkFloat platform is designed for a range of support tasks, with the version for Bahrain equipped with a 10-tm crane that can lift just under half a ton at 13m, a deck load capacity of over 10t, a 2t deck winch that can be used for mooring work…

28 Mar 2022

UK's Maritime and Coastguard Agency Detains P&O Ferry Unready to Sail

European Causeway - Credit: Wolfgang Fricke / Wikimedia Commons - CC BY 3.0

Britain's Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) on Friday detained a ferry operated by P&O in Northern Ireland because it was not ready to sail, the agency and P&O said.The British government has already said it will take legal action over P&O Ferries' decision to fire 800 staff earlier this month with immediate effect.The ferry European Causeway, which operates between Cairnryan in Scotland and Larne in Northern Ireland, will be detained until the company resolves all the issues, a spokesperson for the MCA said, citing "crew familiarisation, vessel documentation and crew training"."Following m

10 Feb 2022

High Speed Offshore Service Crafts in UK Now Allowed to Carry Up to 60 Workers

©y twixter/Adobestock

High Speed Offshore Service Craft operating in the UK are now allowed to transport up to 60 workers, the UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency said Wednesday.According to MCA, the change will mean that vessels transporting those who work on offshore wind farms will be able to carry greater numbers of workers while still meeting safety standards.The legislative changes followed discussions between the Maritime and Coastguard Agency and the industry looking at how to solve the logistical…

02 Feb 2022

Installed on OSV, Survitec's Seahaven Evacuation System Passes Heavy Weather Trials

©Survitec

Seahaven Advanced Evacuation System , developed by the UK-based marine safety and survival solutions provider Survitec, has successfully passed heavy weather sea trials (HWST), deployed from the offshore support vessel EDT Jane.According to Survitec, the test was carried out in line with the SOLAS requirements for Novel Appliances which requires the test to be performed in conditions that do not drop below six on the Beaufort Scale.Representatives from classification society Lloyd’s Register were in attendance…

04 Nov 2021

Survitec Completes Blue Anchor Acquisition

(Photo: Survitec)

U.K.-based safety and survival solutions provider Survitec said it has completed its acquisition of Blue Anchor Fire & Safety, a Scottish provider of survival solutions to the fisheries, maritime and offshore energy industries.The investment, part of Survitec’s expansion strategy, follows the acquisition in May of Norway’s Hansen Protection, a provider of personal protective equipment.Baba Devani, Chief Executive Officer, Marine, Survitec, said, “We are delighted to announce this acquisition…

10 Jun 2021

UK MCA to Conduct Surprise Inspections of Fishing Vessels after Fatalities Spike

Image by shaunwilkinson/AdobeStock

Surveyors from the UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency are to carry out unannounced inspections of fishing vessels across the UK with the aim of increasing safety in the industry after a growing number of fatalities."The inspections are being carried out as part of ongoing work around fishing vessel safety in an industry-recognized to be one of the dangers in the world," the MCA said.According to the Agency, since November 2020, there have been eight deaths – more than ten percent of the total for the previous ten years.

20 May 2021

New Report Helps UK MCA Prepare for Offshore Oil Spill Challenges

Credit: Xodus Group

The UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency's (MCA) future oil spill response plan will be informed by a new report that maps out possible threats to the UK's coastal areas, marine life, and traffic as a result of hydrocarbon releases from energy industry operation and shipping.The report on the review of the hydrocarbon release risk on the UKCS over the next decade was delivered for the MCA, by Xodus Group, in association with London Marine Consultants.The review evaluated the risk of a serious mineral oil release occurring in UK waters from vessels of more than 1…

20 Apr 2021

UK: Port of London's Rodrigues Named Chair of Maritime and Coastguard Agency

Christopher Rodrigues - Credit: PLA

The UK Secretary of State for Transport has appointed Christopher Rodrigues CBE as the new Non-Executive Chair of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA), the government agency responsible for preventing the loss of life on the coast and at sea, as well as producing legislation and guidance on maritime matters.Rodrigues brings extensive international experience as a chair of public, private, and government sector bodies in tourism, the arts, and public diplomacy and since 2016 as chair of the Port of London…

15 Feb 2021

Autonomy: Inside the Building of Ocean Infinity’s Armada Fleet

Image Courtesy Ocean Infinity

Back in 2017, Ocean Infinity made a novel move; deploying six autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs), instead of just one, from a single vessel, vastly increasing the ground that could be covered in a single survey. Now the firm is taking the use of remote, robotic systems a significant step further.Back in 2017, Ocean Infinity made a novel move; deploying six autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs), instead of just one, from a single vessel, vastly increasing the ground that could be covered in a single survey.

03 Feb 2021

Valaris Drillship Goes Adrift off Scotland

A Valaris drillship went adrift on Tuesday evening, breaking free from moorings near the port at Hunterston, North Ayrshire, Scotland.According to BBC, which was the first to report on the incident on Wednesday, "a major rescue operation has been ongoing overnight," when the 228 meters drillship, Valaris DS4, broke free and started drifting without power.According to the news agency, coastguard rescue teams, vessels, and a helicopter were dispatched to the scene, and no injuries have been reported.Offshore Engineer has reached out to Valaris and Maritime and Coastguard Agency, seeking more info. Valaris did not immediately respond. A…

01 Feb 2021

Ports of Jersey Orders Damen Workboat

(Image: Damen)

Damen Shipyards Group said it has secured a contract to build a new workboat for the Ports of Jersey following a tender procedure.The newbuild, a Shoalbuster 2711, is the second vessel of its kind ever to be built, and it will be the second Damen vessel to be operated by the Ports of Jersey, which has operated a Damen Shoalbuster 2709, named Duke of Normandy, for the past fifteen yearsPorts of Jersey was looking for a vessel offering versatility, as Donford Nicholas, operations and commercial manager…

11 Jan 2021

Lloyd’s Register Names Members of Its Decarbonization Panel

© Lina / Adobe Stock

Classification society Lloyd’s Register (LR) announced the industry experts who have joined the advisory panel of its Maritime Decarbonization Hub, a dedicated center of excellence launched in October that aims to accelerate the safe, sustainable and cost-effective decarbonization of world shipping in support of delivering greenhouse gas reduction targets.The panel is made up of representatives from across the industry and includes Ole Graa Jakobsen, VP Head of Fleet Technology at AP Moller-Maersk…