Arne Birkeland News

Norway/Uruguay-based Pesquera Azul’s has successfully trialed an innovative catch protection cage in whale-rich waters in the southern Indian Ocean. The company says it is a potential game-changer for the longline fishing industry as it grapples with the challenge of whale depredation.The steady increase in the whale population in sub-Antarctic fishing grounds is hampering the longline fishing industry, especially for fatty fish species. Whales have learned to snatch, for example…

The Norwegian Hull Club announced that John Wiik will step down as CEO on January 1, 2016. Filling Wiik's role will be Faz Peermohamed, the club announced. Peermohamed, a senior partner at London's Ince & Co., is a career shipping man: he is an ex Ship's Master and a maritime lawyer. He currently holds the position of Global Head of Shipping at Ince, where he has worked for some 22 years. Wiik joined the Club in 1979, when the company was still known as Bergens Skibsassuranseforening. Wiik became CEO of the company in 1984. The club's Chairman, Hans Olav Lindal, said, "Mr.

– In a move to solidify its course as a complete ship system supplier, Wärtsilä at Norshipping in announced that it will combine all its ship design units into a single entity, to be known as Wärtsilä Ship Design. The units involved in this reorganization include the recently acquired naval architect companies Vik-Sandvik of Norway, Conan Wu & Associates (CWA) of Singapore, and SCHIFFKO of Germany, as well as the company's conceptual ship design unit in Finland. "There will be close collaboration between our Ship Design unit, other parts of the Ship Power organization, and other Wärtsilä businesses. Our long term ambition is to create standard proven designs with predefined solutions, and to provide operational services with performance guarantees and fixed prices.

Wärtsilä has acquired the global ship design group Vik-Sandvik, an independent group providing design and engineering services to ship owners and the ship building industry worldwide. The value of the acquisition is $169.9m, with an additional maximum sum of $48.9m to be paid based on the performance of the business over the next three years. In 2007, Vik-Sandvik’s turnover was $70.8 millions and the profitability is on a very good level. The number of employees is 410. The role of ship design is becoming more and more important due to higher performance requirements…

Wärtsilä has acquired the global ship design group Vik-Sandvik, an independent group providing design and engineering services to ship owners and the ship building industry worldwide. The value of the acquisition is $209.5m, with an additional maximum sum of $60m to be paid based on the performance of the business over the next three years. In 2007, Vik-Sandvik's turnover was $87m and the profitability is on a very good level. The number of employees is 410. The role of ship design is becoming more and more important due to higher performance requirements, more sophisticated systems, and increased integration onboard most vessels. Also, the environmental and emission regulations regarding NOx and CO2 are becoming increasingly stringent.

Wärtsilä's Ship Power is in the process of reorganizing into five Ship Power Business Segments: Merchant, Offshore, Cruise & Ferry, Navy, and Special Vessels. The aim is to respond better to market requirements, in terms of value proposition and technology development, as well as to be prepared for market fluctuations. In announcing the new business structure Jaakko Eskola, Group Vice President, Ship Power, stated: "We are experiencing an unparalleled upturn in our industry, and we are enjoying record order intake levels. However, it is important that we continue to seek ways to further increase our competitive edge on the market. The rollout of the new model started on July 1, 2007 and will be fully set up by the end of the year.