Disposal Systems News

The Royal Navy visited Saab Seaeye to view the company’s range of underwater vehicle technology designed for maritime defense. A delegation led by Commodore Alex Burton, head of Maritime Capability, toured the facilities at Fareham, which have recently doubled in size since the opening of a second factory building. The Navy said they are looking for innovative mine disposal systems beyond those currently in service. They are particularly interested in the potential offered by unmanned systems coming from Saab Seaeye’s new range of hybrid underwater vehicles.

Thales UK has signed a contract with Autonomous Surface Vehicles Ltd (ASV Ltd) to develop a re-configurable Unmanned Surface Vehicle (USV) to meet the challenges of future off-board Mine Countermeasures (MCM) operations. The low signature USV, which is 11.5m in length and 3.6m in beam, will have a maximum speed of around 25 knots. The vehicle is now under construction and will be undergoing acceptance trials later this year. A series of payload trials will be conducted from early 2013 onwards, drawing on experience gained in previous off-board system programmes.

For two days, industry experts from all over the world will attend the Global Maritime Environmental Congress (GMEC) in Hamburg to discuss developments, to present results, and to set a new course for sustainable green shipping. Patronage for this event, which is to be held regularly in future, has been accepted by Chancellor Angela Merkel. From 7 to 8 September 2010, more than 700 leading representatives from industry, government, academia, navies, tourism and environmental protection will meet in Hamburg to discuss specific solutions for environment-friendly, sustainable shipping. The three Chairmen of the event are Micky Arison, Corrado Antonini and Spyros Polemis.

USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77) successfully completed acceptance sea trials April 7-9 off the Virginia Capes and is in final preparation for delivery. Acceptance sea trials are the final test of the ship's readiness to begin fleet service. Navy representatives from the U.S. Navy Board of Inspection and Survey tested and evaluated the ship's systems and performance. Acceptance trials will formally conclude April 10. George H.W. Bush is the nation's 10th, and final, Nimitz-class carrier. The ship is designed to carry all current and future aircraft in its embarked air wing until the completion of her service life in approximately 2,059. George H. W. Bush incorporates numerous design improvements to reduce operating cost, enhance operational effectiveness and protect the environment.

At the beginning of 2008, the order book was estimated by the British shipbuilding market experts of Lloyd's Register - Fairplay (LRF) at 10,055 ships ordered, and 329.7m gross tons (GT). By the beginning of July those figures were up more than 10 percent to 11,200 newbuildings and 363 million GT – a new high. So the maritime equipment suppliers among the total of 1,950 exhibitors from 55 nations will have full order books to show at SMM 2008. This premier fair of world shipbuilding will for the first time occupy all eleven exhibition halls of the New Hamburg Trade Fair at the 23rd shipbuilding, machinery & marine technology, international Trade Fair Hamburg, to be held from September 23 to 26, which means more exhibition space than ever before, at 87,000 square meters.