Connector News

Offshore installation contractor Allseas has made progress on the installation of the pipeline for Santos’ Barossa Gas Export Pipeline (GEP) project offshore Australia.Allseas’ Audacia pipelay vessel has installed her largest ever PLET in S-mode, concluding several years of in-house engineering, fabrication and testing, the Swiss-based contractor said.Due to the weight of the pipeline end termination structure, Allseas’ production crew had to install it separately to the connector head.Audacia vessels is being supported with four other vessels - Fortitude…

The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) has launched the first pilot trial for electric harbor craft charging point at the Marina South Pier (MSP).The charging point was awarded to the Pyxis Energy, Pyxis Maritime, and SP Mobility partnership. Pyxis’s fleet of electric harbor craft operating at MSP will serve as the base offtake to ensure optimization of the charging infrastructure.The Pyxis and SP Mobility partnership has deployed a 150kW land-based direct current fast charger with a Combined Charging System 2 connector at MSP.

The Unified Command completed a line integrity test on the Main Pass Oil Gathering (MPOG) company's pipeline system near Plaquemines Parish, southeast of New Orleans, the U.S. Coast Guard said on Monday."Following a successful line integrity test of the MPOG line, the Unified Command has stood down its work to respond to the oil release observed on November 16," they added.A line integrity test confirms that all points are leak-free.In Nov 2023 an oil spill was reported near the…

Belgium-based offshore installation contractor Jan De Nul has signed the export cable contract with Ørsted for its 2.9 GW Hornsea 3 offshore wind farm in the U.K.Jan De Nul will be responsible for the seabed preparation, transport, installation and protection of 350 km of DC export cables connecting the wind farm to the U.K. electricity grid.For the installation and protection of the DC export cables, the company is going to deploy several vessels.Cable-laying vessels Isaac Newton and Connector will transport and install the cables…

Damen Shipyards Group has officially launched a fully electric service operations vessel (SOV), 70 meters x 17 meters, with its offshore charging capabilities.To achieve offshore charging, Damen has partnered with UK-based MJR Power & Automation – a company that has previously developed an offshore charging system for a crew transfer vessel.The charging system uses the motion-compensated gangway to create a connection between the vessel and a turbine or substation offshore, in much the same way a personnel transfer is undertaken.

The U.S. Navy took delivery of the next-generation landing craft, Ship to Shore Connector (SSC), Landing Craft, Air Cushion (LCAC) 108, from Textron Systems."These next-generation craft provide our Navy and Marine Corps team with essential agility and speed to complete their missions,” said Capt. Jason Grabelle, program manager for Amphibious Assault and Connectors Programs, Program Executive Office (PEO) Ships. “SSC provides the fleet with agility and speed to assist with current and future mission requirements.”LCACs are built with configurations…

A Russian fibre optic cable under the Baltic Sea was damaged last month only 28 km (17 miles) from where a gas pipeline linking Finland and Estonia was damaged soon afterwards, Russian state company Rostelecom said on Tuesday.Finnish police believe damage to the Balticconnector gas pipeline was caused by a Chinese container ship dragging its anchor along the seabed but have not concluded whether this was an accident or a deliberate act.Security of sub-sea cables and pipelines in the Baltic has become a top concern against the background of the Ukraine war…

Shipbuilder Austal USA was awarded a $91,535,551 fixed-price incentive and firm-fixed-price type modification to definitize a previously awarded contract for the detail design and construction of three Landing Craft Utility (LCU) 1700 class craft.The contract also includes options for nine additional craft and associated support efforts."Austal USA is honored to be able to build this important connector for the U.S. Navy,” commented Dave Growden, vice president of new construction projects.

As the devotion to more sustainable shipping expands and regulations become more stringent, the demand for lower emissions operations continues to increase. As a result, the marine industry is confronted with the challenge of large-scale electrification as an alternative energy solution.For electric ferries, one developing technology is Rapid Charging Systems (RCS), which transfer electrical power from the shore to a vessel at a high rate. These charging systems establish a ship-to-shore connection quickly…

Wave measurement specialist Miros said Tuesday it had secured numerous contracts with new clients in the offshore vessel market during the first half of this year for its sea state as a service offering.The new as a service (aaS) contracts span the global offshore vessel market, with particular emphasis on the key markets of UKCS, Norway, and Brazil, Miros said, without providing details on contract values or client identities.The projects will see the Miros WaveSystem deployed across vessels…

Not every vessel in the U.S. Navy is built for major combat operations on the high seas. There are large numbers of boats and service craft that provide essential services to the sea services, the nation and its partners.The U.S. Navy procures about 100 small boats per year. Some of these boats are based on commercial designs, procured to a Navy developed specification that tailors the requirements to the end user needs. They are procured and managed by two Naval Sea Systems Command program offices—PMS 300 and PMS 325.Compared to warships and auxiliaries…

The U.S. Navy announced it accepted delivery of the next-generation landing craft, Ship to Shore Connector (SSC), Landing Craft, Air Cushion (LCAC) 105, March 8.LCACs are built with configurations, dimensions, and clearances similar to the legacy LCACs they replace – ensuring that this latest air cushion vehicle is fully compatible with existing well deck-equipped amphibious ships, the Expeditionary Sea Base and the Expeditionary Transfer Dock. LCACs are capable of carrying a 60-75 ton payload.

Maersk Supply Service's cable-laying vessel Maersk Connector has secured a contract to continue operations on behalf of Seaway 7 until December 31, 2025.The extension follows a successful first year of working on Seaway 7’s projects in both Taiwan and the United Kingdom, the shipowner said.The vessel first started cable-laying provision for Seaway 7 in October 2021, initially working in the North Sea at the Seagreen Offshore Wind Farm project. On completion, the vessel relocated to Taiwan to work on other Seaway 7 projects…

The U.S. Navy has taken delivery of the next generation landing craft, Ship to Shore Connector (SSC), Landing Craft, Air Cushion (LCAC) 106 following the completion of Acceptance Trials with the Navy’s Board of Inspection and Survey to test the readiness and capability of the craft and to validate requirements.“We are excited to deliver this next generation craft to the Navy and Marine Corps team,” said Capt. Jason Grabelle, program manager, Amphibious Assault and Connectors Programs, Program Executive Office (PEO) Ships.

Cleantech engineering company Cavotec this week unveiled its ultra-fast Megawatt Charging System (MCS), a turnkey DC charging solution with grid-to-inlet functionality, capable of providing up to 3MW of power from a single connector to support the decarbonization of vessels and industrial vehicles.“MCS enables the safe and quick connection of heavy-duty vehicles and ships to electrical power in a reliable, ergonomic unit. As the most powerful system on the market, MCS significantly reduces typical charging times…

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD) awarded nearly $39 million in grants to 12 marine highway projects across the Nation under the America’s Marine Highway Program (AMHP). The funding will help expand marine highway services on the United States’ navigable waterways to reduce congestion, alleviate supply chain bottlenecks, and move goods more quickly from ships to shelves.“At a time of record demand for goods, it’s more important than ever to…

My first visit in 2007 to the American Society of Naval Engineers’ (ASNE) Multi-Agency Craft Conference (MACC) was an eye-opener. Having built a naval architecture career with frigates, destroyers and other large naval and commercial ships, I was eager to learn of the smaller craft used by the U.S. Navy and other government and military bodies. As my flight into Norfolk, Va. descended over Chesapeake Bay, I gazed in amazement as a Landing Craft Air Cushion (LCAC) raced toward Virginia Beach, slowed, glided up the beach and into its shore base.

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD) announced the designation of a new Marine Highway Route, two new Marine Highway Projects, and one Project Designation Extension as part of the America’s Marine Highway Program (AMHP). While focusing on supply chain efficiency will have nationwide effects, the states of Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, Alaska, Hawaii, Washington, California, and Oregon will receive new routes, designations, or extensions.The…

Offshore installation contractor Jan De Nul has informed that its newbuild offshore jack-up installation vessel Voltaire has been fitted with what it says is the world's largest leg encircling crane.The vessel, being built for offshore wind and decommissioning work, was recently launched at the COSCO Shipping Shipyard in Nantong, China.The Voltaire has been designed to install the offshore wind turbines of the future, with turbines over 270 meters high and blades 120 meters long.

Kongsberg Digital (KDI) signed a contract with Singapore-based transshipment company Rocktree to provide its Vessel Insight technology for the Supramax size Bulk carrier modified to an Offshore Floating Terminal (OFT) RT LEO. Together with the Vessel Insight Customer Success team, Rocktree plans to develop dashboards to measure cargo moved in tons/hour, fuel consumption, monitor emissions and benchmark its vessels.“Historically, the Bulk carrier segment has been a bit slow in terms of digitalization compared to Tankers and Offshore…

Danish offshore vessel operator Maersk Supply Service has secured a one-year contract for its Maersk Connector cable laying vessel with Seaway 7, a renewables branch of offshore installation firm Subsea 7.Seaway 7, which is set to merge with vessel owner OHT, will take the 138.35 meter-long vessel on a one-year charter, with an option to extend for six more months.Starting in October 2021, the Maersk Connector will initially work in the North Sea region and is expected to move to Asia after that. The cable layer was delivered in 2016 by the Dutch shipbuilder Damen.“Maersk Connector is a state-of-the-art cable-laying vessel with a highly skilled crew.

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD) on Thursday announced the designation of six new Marine Highway Projects and a new Marine Highway Route as part of the America’s Marine Highway Program (AMHP). The AMHP encourages the use of America’s navigable waterways for the movement of freight and people as an alternative to land-based transportation. Since its inception, the AMHP has designated 46 Marine Highway Projects. A designation makes projects on Marine Highway Routes eligible for grants when AMHP funding is available.

Offshore installation firm Jan De Nul has recently sold its jack-up installation unit Taillevent, to make room for higher-spec vessels that will soon join its fleet.The sale includes the Taillewent vessel only, with the crew deployed to other Jan De Nul vessels. Jan De Nul did not share the sale price.During her time at Jan De Nul Group, the vessel has successfully executed offshore wind projects in Europe and Asia, the company said, without sharing details on the buyer."The decision to sell is a result of the rapid change in future offshore wind component sizes…