Engineering And Services News

Blake Powell, president at JMS Naval Architects, discusses his career, company and latest trends in naval architecture and marine engineering.Please give a brief professional bio, including education, experience and overview of current duties as president of JMS Naval Architects.I earned my degree in Naval Architecture from the University of California, Berkeley where I attended on a Navy ROTC scholarship and was commissioned as a Diving and Salvage Officer after I graduated.

Covington, La. based marine engineering and services firm Baker Marine Solutions (BMS) has unveiled a new pipe mill barge concept design targeting uptake in the U.S. offshore wind industry.BMS describes its new 1888 Mobile Pipe Mill Barge concept as an answer to the industry's monopile availability challenges and lack of sufficient yard space for fabrication.The BMS 1888 provides a mobile pipe mill facility that can be scaled to meet the requirements of any specific project, anywhere on the coast…

The family of Crandall Dry Dock’s late owner P. Brian Duffy is seeking a buyer for the Bourne, Mass. shipyard engineering and services firm.Originally founded in Boston in 1854, Crandall Dry Dock was acquired by Duffy, a former employee, in 1994. The company, which specializes in shipyard rail systems, is known for its engineering and design work as well as the supply of specialized hardware and equipment for use in marine railway systems.“Crandall designed and installed marine railways all over the world…

Vineyard Wind, a joint venture between Avangrid Renewables, a subsidiary of AVANGRID, Inc. and Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP), announced a partnership with autonomous maritime solutions company ThayerMahan for seabed and infrastructure survey and inspection work in the waters off southern Massachusetts.Based in Groton, Conn., ThayerMahan, specializes in seabed surveys, acoustic mitigation and monitoring, and other maritime related services and has facilities in Connecticut and Massachusetts.

On Monday, October 18, Eastern Shipbuilding Group, Inc. (ESG), Northrop Grumman, L3Harris, and industry partners commissioned the new Command, Control, Computers, Communications, Cyber, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (C5ISR) Production Facility (PF) in support of the U.S. Coast Guard Offshore Patrol Cutter (OPC) program at ESG’s Allanton Shipyard. The ceremony was attended by leaders of the United States Coast Guard Project Resident Office.The C5ISR PF is a new…

In August, the Port of Brownsville announced the appointment of two new deputy port directors effective August 9, 2021.Melinda Rodriguez is the deputy port director of administration and will oversee the port’s Human Resources, Real Estate Services, Finance, Communications and Administrative Services departments.Rodriguez has worked in a variety of leadership positions with organizations such as NextDecade, Texas Southmost College, Catholic Charities of Central Texas, United Way of Hidalgo County, March of Dimes, Cystic Fibrosis-Central Texas, and United Blood Services.

Born at the University of Michigan in the early 1990s, Bristol Harbor Group (BHG) has grown into a diverse and widely respected naval architecture and marine engineering firm. Cory Wood, Vice President and one of the four co-founders of BHG, discusses the companies past and design drivers to power its future.The University of Michigan runs one of the most prestigious naval architecture and marine engineering programs in the country, but when Cory Wood entered U of M, he did so with the intent of becoming an aerospace engineer.

Chinese oil and gas techincal services company Jutal Offshore Oil Services has announced that the company has obtained a slew of new contracts with total value of RMB3.5bn ($490mln).The number of new contracts include large-scale core modules construction of Arctic LNG 2 natural gas project, wind turbine jacket construction, and other offshore engineering and services said the company engaged in the fabrication of oil and gas facilities and oil and gas processing skid equipment business."Site construction of some large-scale construction projects have been gradually commenced, of which the core modules construction project for an international natural gas petrochemical plant has been completed of a total of approximately 27% of the progress as per scheduled…

Petrofac, a provider of oilfield services to the international oil and gas industry, has been awarded a major contract extension in support of Repsol Sinopec Resources UK Limited’s North Sea operations.The Jersey-based energy services firm said in a press note that it will provide engineering support services as a tier 1 contractor for brownfield modifications and projects across Repsol Sinopec Resources UK’s operated assets and terminal at Flotta.Nick Shorten, Managing Director for Petrofac Engineering and Production Services West, said: "We are delighted that Repsol Sinopec Resources UK has exercised its option to extend our contract.

Oilfield services provider Petrofac and its partner Serikandi Oilfield and Services Sdn Bhd, have secured a multi-annual Engineering Design Services contract to support Brunei Shell Petroleum (BSP) and Brunei LNG (BLNG) in Brunei.Petrofac and partner Serikandi will provide engineering across all phases of the asset lifecycle for the entire portfolio of onshore and offshore assets for BSP and BLNG.  All engineering and design work will be undertaken in Brunei, with the team located at offices in Kuala Belait.Mani Rajapathy, Managing Director, Petrofac EPS East, said the contract marks the company's return to Brunei after a number of years. "Our portfolio continues to expand in the Asia Pacific region," he added.

Saudi Aramco has awarded major stimulation and well-testing contract to Baker Hughes, a GE company (BHGE). BHGE will deliver a comprehensive well services solution including all cased-hole wireline logging, perforation, well testing, stimulation, fracturing and associated intervention services.By integrating discrete products, services and capabilities into a single offering, BHGE will help Saudi Aramco reduce time, costs and complexity while increasing efficiency.The three-year contract includes the option of two one-year extensions and the project is expected to commence in December 2018.The work is expected to create more than 200 new engineering…

A new alliance aims to shake up traditional asset management and engineering inspection services in North America.Partners DCL Rigging & Mooring (DCL) and Aerostar Drone Solutions Inc. intend to utilize advanced, multiple-imaging sensors on unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to dramatically lower the cost of conducting engineering surveys and inspection engagements.“We are using our 50 years of combined industry and engineering experience to develop alternative inspection techniques utilizing UAV technology,” said Darren Jackson, President of Aerostar.

Gibbs & Cox, Inc., has been awarded a contract by PMS 317 for Engineering Support Services on the Amphibious Transport Dock (LPD 17) and Amphibious Ship Replacement (LX[R]) Class Ships. The LX(R) Class is the replacement for the LSD 41/49 Classes and will be a derivative of the LPD 17 Class. Under this contract, G&C will provide Program Management for Engineering Support Services, Class Engineering and Technical Support to both LDP 17 and LX(R) Class Ships, and manage the PMS 317 Engineering Services Design Site.

Lyon Shipyard Inc., Norfolk, Virginia (N3220518D4913); Atlantic Fabrication and Boiler Services Inc., Portsmouth, Virginia (N3220518D4914); Colonna’s Ship Yard Inc., Norfolk, Virginia (N3220518D4915); Tecnico Corp., Chesapeake, Virginia (N3220518D4916); Mid Atlantic Engineering Technical Services Inc., Chesapeake, Virginia (N3220518D4917); QED Systems Inc., Virginia Beach, Virginia (N3220518D4918); Auxiliary Systems Inc., Norfolk, Virginia (N3220518D4919); East Coast Repair and Fabrication LLC, Norfolk, Virginia (N3220518D4920); Kerney Service Group Inc., Linden, New Jersey (N3220518D4921); Walashek Industrial and Marine Inc., Norfolk…

Twelve Virginia companies were recently selected by the Governor’s office to participate in the Virginia Economic Gardening Pilot Program (VEGPP) ,which aims to advance the local economy. One of the companies selected was the veteran-owned small business Hepburn and Sons LLC, a provider of maritime consulting and engineering support services. The VEGPP, administered by the Virginia Economic Development Partnership (VEDP), seeks out small business which have shown promise and offer strategic solutions to further company growth. Capt.

Todd Busch, Sr. Vice President & General Manager, Technical Services, at Crowley Maritime, has joined Sea Machines Robotics’ board of directors. The Boston-based Sea Machines is building autonomous control technology for commercial vessels. Busch, who joined Crowley in 1987 as an ordinary seaman, is currently responsible for naval architecture and marine engineering, government services, ship management, marine salvage and wreck removal, new-vessel construction and the chartering and operations of Crowley’s offshore tug and barge fleet.

Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement (BSM), a leading global maritime services company, and Babcock International Group, the UK’s leading engineering support services company, are collaborating to develop a ground-breaking Gas Supply Vessel (GSV). The 7,500m³ vessel, which will be used for the LNG fuelling of ships, including ferries, containers, cruise vessels and other shore-based gas consumers in the Baltic Sea, is the first vessel of its kind to utilise Babcock’s market leading FGSV0 technology. BSM and Babcock have developed the patent pending FGSV0 technology to deliver LNG from the GSV into the receiving vessel with zero emissions to the environment during normal operations, greatly minimising environmental impact.

Foreship said it has secured a design consultancy contract covering the first post-Ballast Water Convention treatment systems to be specified by Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL). The contract calls for independent naval architecture and marine engineering consultancy services to ensure installations on five NCL ships are fully IMO-compliant. After an initial project involving the surveying, installation feasibility study, design drawings and documentation for class approvals on Norwegian Dawn…

The Port of Long Beach said it has taken another step toward building two new stations to house fireboats and provide emergency response for one of the nation’s major commercial gateways. On Monday, Harbor Commissioners approved engineering design services for Fireboat Stations Nos. 15 and 20. The Commission also approved a baseline project budget of $50.1 million for the first station to be built: Fireboat Station No. 15. will be located on the Main Channel, and is scheduled to be completed in 2020. The second station, Fireboat Station No.

RINA S.p.A, the holding company of the multinational testing, inspection, certification and consulting engineering group based in Genoa, Italy, has announced that it has closed its acquisition of the entire share capital of Edif Group Limited for £118.5 million (around $156 million). High levels of synergy can be seen between Edif and RINA’s services, complementing and expanding RINA’s existing industry services and geographic network. This strategic acquisition also allows RINA to branch into new areas within its industries and geographies, providing an enhanced service offering to new and existing clients. This growth will provide extensive global coverage and strengthen RINA’s presence in key sectors, including defence, energy, transport, built environment and infrastructure.

With about 82 employees, Robert Allan Ltd. is Canada’s most senior consulting Naval Architectural firm, established in Vancouver, B.C. in 1930. The company has earned an international reputation for innovative, successful designs for a wide range of ships and has been a leader in creating cost-efficient vessels for service in the marine transportation industry. Ship Design Robert Allan Ltd. has an experienced, professional staff of Naval Architects and Engineers capable of handling any type of ship design, but the company is best known for tackling the innovative and unusual design problem.

The Shearer Group, Inc. (TSGI) designs inland towboats and barges, with a focus on the inland sector. Inland barges built to TSGI designs number in the thousands, along with a myriad of towboat, dry dock and other specialty designs. TSGI provides naval architecture, marine engineering, marine surveying and technical support to clients worldwide. Commercial vessel designs include towboats, inland barges (liquid cargo, dry cargo, crane) and miscellaneous vessels such as dry docks and casinos. The firm has 10 employees.

Mary Cullen has been appointed vice president of nuclear propulsion at Huntington Ingalls Industries’ (HII) Newport News Shipbuilding division. Cullen will assume her new role on November 14 following a transition into the job with the help of Barry Fletcher, who will retire from the position after 37 years of shipbuilding service. “Throughout his tenure, Barry has made significant contributions to the Navy’s nuclear propulsion program, earning him the respect of many and the ultimate responsibility of serving as our company’s ‘head nuke…