F3 News

Dutch seabed survey services firm Fugro has won a subsea inspection contract with the oil and gas company Neptune Energy at the Cygnus gas field in the UK North Sea.As part of the contract, Fugro will employ its specialized survey technology to inspect the subsea infrastructure, including pipelines and structures, and to undertake survey activities in advance of future drilling campaigns on the Cygnus field. It will use the Atlantis Dweller vessel as part of the operations."Traditionally…

This year, Project Development International (PDi) Ltd., part of the Tattva Group, celebrates a decade of activity within the decommissioning sector. As a provider of multi-disciplined engineering, project management and project services to the international energy industry, PDi has worked with multiple clients since 2008, successfully completing more than twenty decommissioning workscopes.Recently shortlisted as finalists in the Excellence in Collaboration category at Decom North Sea’s inaugural decommissioning awards…

Fitch Ratings recently upgraded DP World Limited’s  Long-Term Issuer Default Rating (IDR) to BBB from BBB- and its Short-Term IDR to F2 from F3. The rating outlook is stable. The upgrade follows on the Fitch announcement in November 2015 that DP World’s outlook had been revised to Positive from Stable. It reflects the global trade enabler’s strong performance and stable cash flow generation supported by its geographical diversification, high utilisation rate of terminals and the long-term maturity of its main flagship operation in Jebel Ali, Dubai, UAE. Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, Group Chairman and CEO, DP World, said: “We are delighted…

Global shipping and offshore oil and gas operations are increasingly dependent on integrated networks, based on various software and data transfer solutions. Systems and equipment onboard are interconnected, monitored and controlled through an onboard automation network. Onboard systems are increasingly also connected ashore to the owners’ or technology providers’ control centers. Equipment manufacturers want to remotely upgrade the software of their systems and monitor their use to be able to optimize operations and to scheduled needed maintenance service.

Inmarsat, the leading provider of global mobile satellite communications services, today confirmed that the third satellite in the transformational Global Xpress (GX) programme – Inmarsat-5 F3 (I-5 F3) – has been scheduled for launch at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan at 12.44pm (BST) on Friday 28th August. The third Global Xpress satellite to be launched, I-5 F3, will cover the Pacific Ocean Region and will, together with Inmarsat-5 F1 and Inmarsat-5 F2, create the world’s first globally available, high-speed mobile broadband service, delivered through a single provider. Inmarsat’s 5th generation satellites have all been built by Boeing Satellite Systems International Inc. in California.

Inmarsat, a provider of global mobile satellite communications services, has confirmed that the third satellite in the transformational Global Xpress (GX) program – Inmarsat-5 F3 (I-5 F3) – has been scheduled for launch at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan at 12.44pm (BST) on Friday, August 28. The third Global Xpress satellite to be launched, I-5 F3, will cover the Pacific Ocean Region and will, together with Inmarsat-5 F1 and Inmarsat-5 F2, create the world’s first globally available, high-speed mobile broadband service, delivered through a single provider.

Inmarsat has provided an initial update on the launch schedule for Inmarsat-5 F3 (I-5 F3) following the failure of the preceding Proton Breeze M launch from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on Saturday 16 May. According to an announcement by Inmarsat’s launch partner, ILS, the Proton Breeze M rocket carrying the Centenario satellite suffered a disabling anomaly during the operation of the third stage, approximately eight minutes after lift-off, resulting in the loss of the satellite and rocket. A Russian State Commission has begun the process of determining the reasons for the failure. In parallel with the State Commission, ILS will form its own Failure Review Oversight Board, which will review the State Commission’s final report and corrective action plan, in accord with U.S.

Inmarsat, the leading provider of global mobile satellite communications services, will complete another significant milestone in the delivery of its transformational global mobile satellite communications (GX) service with the scheduled launch of Inmarsat-5 F2 (I-5 F2) from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan at 12.31pm (GMT) on Sunday 1st February. Inmarsat is investing US$1.6bn in the delivery of Global Xpress, which will create the world’s first globally available, high-speed mobile broadband service, delivered through a single network operator. Inmarsat’s 5th generation satellites – which form the GX network – have all been built by Boeing Satellite Systems International Inc. (“Boeing”) in California.

Inmarsat today announced its enhanced Maritime product roadmap consisting of two new services designed specifically for Inmarsat’s Global Xpress network: Fleet Xpress and FleetBroadband Xtra. Fleet Xpress is a hybrid solution, which will operate over the Global Xpress Ka-band network, and incorporate Inmarsat’s L-band FleetBroadband service as back-up, providing a truly global and advanced connectivity service for maritime customers anywhere in the world. The solution will be available when Global Xpress (GX) commences global commercial services early in the second half of 2015. Fleet Xpress will be an Inmarsat managed service sold through the company’s experienced GX Value Added Resellers (VARs).

The Norwegian Epic departed the STX France Shipyard on 17 June 2010 heading towards New York City for its inaugural event. The power behind the massive vessel is the most innovative power plant that has ever been provided from Caterpillar Marine Power Systems – 3x MaK 12 M 43 C and 3x MaK 16 M 43 C vee-type engines. With discussions and planning dating back to late 2006 on Norwegian Cruise Line’s (NCL) F3 project, Caterpillar Marine Power Systems was chosen to power the new vessel…

According to a Reuters report, Star Cruises unit Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) has cancelled its order for a second F3 cruise ship from shipbuilding group STX Europe, but will move ahead with the first order, STX said on Dec. 18. This 150,000 ton F3 cruise ship, which will be built by STX Europe's French shipyard, will carry a total of 4,200 passenger. Delivery is expected in late May 2010, as originally scheduled. (Source: Reuters)

Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) and STX France Cruise SA, STX Europe's French shipyard, have reached an agreement and are moving forward with the construction of the F3 cruise ship project. NCL and STX Europe have agreed to revise the original F3 order. STX France Cruise is now building one F3 ship at 150,000 tons with a total of 4,200 passenger berths, representing the largest ship in NCL's fleet. This will mean a continuation of the original hull which is currently in the early phases of construction, with delivery set for late May 2010, as originally scheduled.

Nederlandse Aardolie Maatschappij (NAM) intends to market a number of its offshore licenses, consisting of producing fields in the NOGAT area on the Dutch continental shelf. The producing fields are L2-FA, L2-FB, L5-FA, L12-FC and L15-FA, and the combined oil and gas producing F3-FB field. The fields and facilities to be divested are located in an area of the North Sea to the northwest of Den Helder and are interconnected by the NOGAT pipeline, through which natural gas is transported to the NAM operated processing plant at Den Helder. NAM also intends to divest its share in NOGAT. The intended transfer of ownership is part of NAM's long-term strategy.

Caterpillar Marine Power Systems (CMPS) has been awarded a contract to supply the main engines on new cruise ships for US-based Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL Corp. NCL will introduce a new generation of Freestyle Cruising vessels, underlining its goal to have the youngest fleet in the cruise industry by 2010. CMPS will supply 3x MaK 12 M 43 C and 3x MaK 16 M 43 C marine engines per vessel, which will form a power plant providing a total of 79.8 MW for ship propulsion and on-board electricity supply. Aker Yards S. A. in Saint Nazaire, France has a firm order from NCL to build two cruise vessels under the project name F3 for delivery in 2009 and 2010. NCL has an option for a third vessel due for delivery in 2011. The capacity of these ships will be some 6,400 people.