Duncan News

The National Ocean Industries Association (NOIA) has appointed and approved the 2024-2025 term of the NOIA Board of Directors and Executive Committee. Jon Landes, President, Subsea of TechnipFMC has been elected as the NOIA Chair and Joe Leimkuhler, Chief Operating Officer of Beacon Offshore Energy, as the incoming NOIA Vice Chair.NOIA President Erik Milito said, “We are at a critical juncture where it's imperative to ensure that energy policy from Washington, D.C. does not hinder American energy production.

INEOS Forties Pipeline System (FPS) has selected Liebherr for the supply of a new Ram Luffing (RL) series offshore crane for its Unity Platform in the UK North Sea.After more than 30 years of service, the currently installed RL crane on the Unity Platform has run its course, and will be replaced by Liebherr’s RL 650 technology.The RL 650 crane, said to be particularly suitable for a Not Permanently Attended Installation (NPAI), will fulfil all material handling for the offshore platform…

A commercial vessel hijacked by unknown assailants remains off the coast of Somalia raising fears of further instability for global shipping as attacks escalate in the Red Sea, maritime security sources said on Monday.A Spanish navy ship was dispatched at full speed on Friday towards the Maltese-flagged Ruen vessel, which sources said had been hijacked.British maritime security company Ambrey said the vessel had reached nine miles offshore from Bander Murcaayo in Puntland, Somalia on Dec.

The cost of shipping goods through the Red Sea is rising as Yemen's Houthis step up attacks on ships they deem connected to Israel with fears of a spillover that could disrupt global supplies sailing through the region, industry sources said.Yemen's Houthis said on Tuesday they hit a Norwegian commercial tanker with a missile in their latest protest against Israel's invasion of Gaza, underlining the risks of a conflict that has shaken the Middle East.Around 23,000 ships pass through the narrow Bab al-Mandab Strait connecting the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden…

Any commentator on the maritime business decarbonization voyage will offer something along the lines of "There will be multiple fuels…" With the International Maritime Organization (IMO) meetings of its Maritime Environmental Protection Committee (MEPC) set for early July, it is likely that targets for emissions will be tightened. Whatever mileposts that the IMO actually establishes, there will be no prescriptions handed down on how to get there. By mid-2023, nearly two years after the late 2021 alternative fuels crescendo in the aftermath of the COP26 meetings in Glasgow…

In the depths of the Pacific Ocean between Mexico and Hawaii, trillions of potato-shaped rocks are scattered across the seabed - containing minerals such as nickel, cobalt and manganese vital for new green technologies in the global energy transition.In this ocean region - the Clarion-Clipperton Zone (CCZ) - an abundance of the rocks, known as polymetallic nodules, is increasingly fuelling debate about the mining of metals needed to produce technology such as batteries for electric…

Offshore seismic survey firm PXGEO announced it has appointed Tony Bowman as chief executive officer, effective April 3, 2023.Bowman joins PXGEO from an executive career at Schlumberger. During his almost 30-year tenure, he held a number of senior roles across multiple geographical locations, including president, WesternGeco as well as president, Schlumberger Information Solutions.Bowman’s appointment follows the departure of CEO Duncan Eley, who has decided to resign and leave PXGEO.

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.K. has awarded Babcock International’s Rosyth shipyard a £45 million (approx. US$56.6 million) contract to maintain its fleet of three scientific research vessels.The initial three-year contract, announced by U.K. Industry and Maritime Minister Nusrat Ghani earlier this month, will see the large oceanographic and polar research vessels RRS Sir David Attenborough, RRS Discovery and RRS James Cook dock at Babcock’s state-of-the-art facilities in Rosyth, Scotland, for programmed maintenance and upgrade work.

On September 14, 2022, the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee (T&I Committee), Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation, held a hearing which indicated a potential revitalization, and new enforcement regime, of U.S.-flag requirements under the Cargo Preference Act of 1954 (the CPA). The hearing occurred on the heels of a Government Accountability Office’s (GAO) report regarding the Maritime Administration’s (MARAD) lack of COA enforcement, with significant recommendations to revamp oversight by the agency to ensure a growing…

Private equity firm MiddleGround Capital has acquired PVI Holdings, Inc., the parent company of W&O Supply, Setpoint Integrated Solutions and A-T Controls.“It was a cultural fit from our first meeting. MiddleGround brings a unique style to private equity that has my team fired up about the future,” said Brad Bergeron, PVI CEO. “We value their operational expertise, passion for continuous improvement, and believe they are the perfect owner for PVI’s next phase of growth.”PVI is a flow control distributor focused on serving MRO applications across marine…

One of the world’s largest ethane carriers was named Pacific INEOS Grenadier during a ceremony held Tuesday in Houston.The 230-meter-long, 99,000 CBM very large ethane carrier (VLEC) and is the latest ship to join the INEOS fleet. It will be operated by Pacific Gas.Built in Jiangnan, China, the ship is fitted with Type B tanks, a new design for transporting liquified ethane that optimizes vessel capacity. The ship also has the potential to carry other products such as liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and ethylene.At the ceremony…

As the United Nations tries to broker a path for grain from Ukraine and temper worries about a global food crisis, hundreds of mines laid along the Black Sea present a practical nightmare that will take months to resolve even after any agreement.The Black Sea is crucial for shipment of grain, oil and oil products. Its waters are shared by Bulgaria, Romania, Georgia and Turkey, as well as Ukraine and Russia.Ukrainian government officials estimate 20 million tonnes of grain are unable to travel from what was the world's fourth largest exporter prior to the Russian invasion on Feb.

When Russia attacked Ukraine, the nearest naval vessel of a major NATO ally was in the Mediterranean. The last such ship from a major naval member of the Western military alliance left the Black Sea – an area roughly the size of California bordering Russia, Ukraine and NATO members Turkey, Bulgaria and Romania – over a month ago.A French warship completed a tour in early January and no major NATO naval ally has patrolled its waters since, according to Turkish maritime website Turkishnavy.net, which tracks the movements of foreign warships.

Offshore wind developer Ørsted said Monday that first power on Hornsea 2 offshore wind farm in the UK was achieved after its offshore substation (OSS), the world’s largest offshore AC substation, and reactive compensation station (RCS), were installed in late October 2021.When fully operational, Hornsea 2’s 165 8 MW Siemens Gamesa wind turbines will be capable of generating 1.32 GW of clean electricity – taking the title of ‘world’s largest operating offshore wind farm’ from its sibling project Hornsea 1.

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.

UK-focused offshore wind vessel operator North Star Renewables said Tuesday it would order the world’s first hybrid daughter craft vessels to support the offshore wind market.The company, established earlier this year as an offshore wind-focused business of the ERRV-firm North Star, has $375 million worth of contracts in hand to deliver three service operation vessels (SOVs) to be used on what will be the world’s largest offshore wind farm, the 3.6GW Dogger Bank Wind Farm in the UK North Sea.

The first ships docked at Kenya's deep water Lamu Port on Thursday as the country looks to open a new transport corridor linking its vast northern region and neighboring nations to the sea.Kenyan officials hope that the Indian Ocean port, the country's second deep water facility, will attract cargo destined for neighboring landlocked nations Ethiopia and South Sudan, and offer transhipment services where large vessels bring in cargo for onward distribution by smaller ships.The Lamu Port…

Danish offshore vessel owner Maersk Supply Service said Wednesday it would reflag one of its anchor handling vessels to the Norwegian flag, hire Norwegian crew and set up an office in Bergen. The plan is to have its first vessel ready for operation in Norwegian water during summer 2021, the company said."With a strong focus on the towing and installation of floating units for offshore wind and the oil and gas industry, Maersk Supply Service sees a clear link between its core capabilities and the Norwegian market needs.

Marine and offshore services provider James Fisher and Sons on Tuesday announced the appointment of Duncan Kennedy as Chief Financial Officer and as an Executive Director with effect from May 4, 2021, when he will join the Board.Group Finance Director Stuart Kilpatrick in March informed the James Fisher Board of his intention to step down from the Board on April 29, 2021, following the Company's Annual General Meeting.Kennedy joins James Fisher from BTG plc ("BTG"), previously a FTSE250 international specialist healthcare company…

The National Ocean Industries Association (NOIA) board of directors has elected Tim Duncan, president & CEO of Talos Energy, as chairman and Paul Danos, owner, president and CEO of Danos, as vice chairman for the 2021-22 term. Duncan and Danos were confirmed in their positions during a virtual NOIA Board of Directors meeting on April 14.NOIA president Erik Milito said, “The offshore energy industry continuously lifts society in so many ways. The leadership from Tim and Paul will help NOIA continue to advocate successfully for the promise of American offshore energy.

Forward freight agreement (FFA) trades for a basket of 38,000-dwt handysize time charter rates will help operators take longer-term cover with less risk, says shipbroker Simpson Spence Young.Following an ever-strengthening charter market, SGX have confirmed a launch date for the new offering as April 19, 2021, with EEX aiming for early May pending regulatory approval. Both exchanges are keen to promote clearing of the new contract.The handysize futures market was previously based on the Baltic Exchange's old 28…

The U.K.’s most advanced polar research ship RRS Sir David Attenborough left Cammell Laird shipyard Wednesday to commence two weeks of technical sea trials ahead of scheduled delivery to the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) in November.“Although the vessel’s construction is now complete, trials are a critical and final part of the program as they allow our engineers and the ship’s crew to put the vessel through its paces at sea,” said Linton Roberts, Director of Operations at Cammell Laird.