Marine Link
Thursday, March 28, 2024
SUBSCRIBE

Fred News

13 Feb 2024

Wreck of WWII-era Cargo Ship Found in the Great Lakes

(Photo: Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society)

The wreck of a World War II-era freighter has been discovered in over 600 feet of water around 35 miles north of Michigan’s Keweenaw Peninsula.Over the last 7 years, shipwreck researcher Dan Fountain has been studying remote sensing data in the search for shipwrecks in Lake Superior. After coming across a particularly deep anomaly, he reached out to the Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society (GLSHS) for help in identifying the potential wreck. In 2023 GLSHS Director of Marine Operations…

11 Dec 2023

Data Collaboration Demands ‘Systemic Shift’ in Shipping

Increased shipboard automation can boost the operational efficiency of shipping. Image: Bureau Veritas

Shipping’s journey of digital transformation is as much about cultural change - from the boardroom to onboard vessels - to adapt to new ways of working with data collaboration at the core as it is about technology adoption, according to a new Bureau Veritas-backed research study.Digital transformation of the industry “demands a systemic shift in how we work together,” Bureau Veritas Marine & Offshore’s VP Digital Solutions & Transformation, Laurent Hentges, said in the foreword to the report by research firm Thetius…

15 Nov 2023

Digitalization: Maritime Charts its Course

Data collaboration among maritime players will be vital to facilitate more efficient ship performance as operations become more digitalised. Photo: Shutterstock

Maritime players plotting pathways to data collaboration with digital projects in line with new BV-backed research study.Digital technologies are increasingly being leveraged by shipping players to facilitate data collaboration among different actors in areas like ship design, vessel performance and port calls as a new Thetius research study backed by Bureau Veritas (BV) shows this will be vital to drive decarbonization, an OrbitMI-hosted panel heard at the recent Shipping Insight event in the US.“Data-powered…

24 Oct 2023

New York Throws Support Behind Offshore Wind with Three Project Awards

© Global Image Archive / Adobe Stock

New York officials on Tuesday said the state has awarded conditional contracts to three offshore wind projects as part of a massive renewable energy procurement that will provide 12% of the state's power needs in 2030.The announcement, which the state billed as the nation's largest ever investment in offshore wind, comes less than two weeks after New York regulators rejected requests by three offshore wind developers to renegotiate their contracts because of soaring costs. In response…

20 Sep 2023

Portugal and Norway Team Up on Floating Offshore Wind

Source: Norwegian Offshore Wind

The Portuguese cluster Forum Oceano and Norwegian Offshore Wind have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen collaboration between the supply chains in the two countries.The MoU aims to lay the ground work for new contracts between companies from the two countries.The agreement was signed at a reception this week, during a visit to Portugal organized by Norwegian Offshore Wind and The Norwegian Embassy in Portugal.Forum Oceano and Norwegian Offshore Wind both focus on developing a strong supply chain in floating offshore wind.

11 Sep 2023

Siem Topaz Vessel's Contract in Taiwan Extended to Q4 2024

Siem Topaz - Credit: Siem Offshore

The Norwegian offshore vessel Siem Offshore said Monday it had secured a contract extension for the AHTS Siem Topaz with a local client in Taiwan. The contract will start in direct continuation of the current contract, for a firm period reaching into Q4 2024. The vessel will continue to be employed within the offshore wind industry.Offshore Engineer reported back in March that Siem Offshore had secured a medium-term contract for the AHTS Siem Topaz for client Helix Robotics Solutions Inc.

30 Aug 2023

"You're gonna need a bigger crane..."

Jan De Nul's Voltaire jack-up sporting Huisman's largest delivered LEC to date.
Credit: Jan De Nul (File image)

Offshore wind turbines are reaching new heights both literally (meters), and figuratively (megawatts). As the demand for larger turbines surges, so do the challenges faced by offshore installation contractors, which need to come up with bigger vessels, and, consequentially, bigger cranes for those vessels.When I took on the assignment to produce a piece focusing on heavy-lifting cranes and deck machinery for OE, I immediately thought of Huisman as a company best suited for coverage in this space…

20 Jun 2023

Doyle Returns to Lead Dredging Contractors of America

William P. Doyle (File photo: Maryland Port Administration)

The Dredging Contractors of America (DCA) announced William P. Doyle will return to lead the trade association as chief executive officer and executive director.Doyle, a well-known figure in the U.S. maritime industry, most recently served nearly three years as the executive director of Maryland Port Administration, overseeing the six state-owned marine terminals at the Helen Delich Bentley Port of Baltimore. He resigned from the position on June 16.Doyle previously served as CEO for the DCA, and two terms as a U.S. Federal Maritime Commissioner, twice unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate.

01 Jun 2023

Follow the Money: Norway is Fertile Grounds for Shipping Projects

Image courtesy Oslo Børs

With the world’s largest sovereign wealth fund, Norway’s financial muscle is beyond question. Howev-er, at a corporate level, the country’s capital markets offer a range of benefits to overseas companies seeking equity, debt … or both. Øivind Amundsen is CEO of Oslo Børs and, as you would expect, a strong advocate of the Norwegian capital as a place to raise money for marine-related projects. The diverse nature of the companies which are listed on the Børs, part of Europe’s largest stock exchange group…

04 May 2023

Huisman Launches Digital Portal for Equipment Owners

Source: Huisman

Huisman has launched myHuisman©, an online client portal which offers equipment owners a parts shop, a knowledge base and a technical library.Huisman developed the system in co-creation with its clients Fred. Olsen, Van Oord, amongst others.The parts shop allows equipment owners to browse their equipment. It offers a practical breakdown structure in which all available parts can be ordered.The knowledge base includes a ticket system which allows equipment owners to prioritise requests for Huisman.

23 Mar 2023

Port of Aberdeen Banks on Offshore Wind for Future Growth

©Port of Aberdeen

Port of Aberdeen has welcomed more than 100 vessels working on offshore wind projects to the port so far this year, including the latest arrival of the Blue Tern jack-up installation vessel.Owned by Fred. Olsen Windcarrier, the Blue Tern jack-up is a 151-meter-long, 50-meter-wide vessel equipped with an 800-ton crane, and has recently sailed into the new Aberdeen South Harbour.Roddy James, Chief Commercial Officer, Port of Aberdeen, said: “Offshore wind is our most significant opportunity for growth over the next decade.

13 Mar 2023

Eastern Hosts Keel Authentication for New Bridgeport-Port Jefferson Ferry

Eastern Shipbuilding Group, Inc. (ESG) on March 9 hosted a keel authentication ceremony at its Allanton Shipyard in Panama City, Fla. for a new 302-foot auto and passenger ferry for the Bridgeport & Port Jefferson Steamboat Company.Steel cutting for ESG Hull 228 commenced in January 2023 and a delivery is scheduled for 2024. The ferry will operate between Bridgeport, Conn. and Port Jefferson, N.Y.The ferry is based on the P.T. Barnum and Grand Republic auto and passenger ferries that Eastern Shipbuilding Group previously constructed for McAllister Towing and Transportation Co…

09 Mar 2023

Orca AI Lands Deals with ARC and Liberty

Maritime technology company Orca AI announced it has secured deals with U.S. Ro-Ro operators Liberty Maritime Corporation and American Roll-On Roll-Off Carrier (ARC) to deploy its automated situational awareness platform across their respective fleets. Liberty was one of the early collaborators with Orca AI, deploying the first Orca AI unit on a US flag Ro-Ro vessel (Liberty Pride) in 2019.The platform, which is installed on Liberty’s ro-ro vessels and on ARC’s entire fleet, acts as a fully automatic watch-keeper, powered by computer vision and deep learning algorithms that detect, track and classify navigation-applicable targets that may pose a risk to the vessel.It is operational 24/7, prioritizes risk and presents it in a user-friendly interface.

27 Feb 2023

DNV, Partners Launch JIP to Assess Offshore Wind Installation Emissions

Fred. Olsen Windcarrier's Bold Tern arrives in Taiwan (Image care of Fred Olsen. Windcarrier)

The maritime classification society DNV has, with its partners, launched a joint industry program to establish a monitoring and reporting framework for assessing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the offshore wind installation sector. The partners of the JIP called EMRED, comprise energy companies, ScottishPower Renewables, RWE, Vattenfall, and Orsted, and installation and operation companies, Jan De Nul Group, DEME, Ziton, Cadeler, Van Oord, Fred. Olsen Windcarrier, and DNV."The expansion of renewable energy generation is a key part of the global energy transition.

12 Jan 2023

Yinson's FPSO Contract in Nigeria Ends after 16 Years as Client Opts to Buy the Floater

FPSO Adoon ©Yinson

The Malaysian FPSO leasing company Yinson has completed the 16-year contract for FPSO Adoon in Nigeria as the client Addax decided to buy the FPSO.The contract for the FPSO which has been operating at Block OML 123 offshore Nigeria, had an original term of 8 years until 2014, with the option to extend by up to 8 more years until 2022. The contract was further extended by client Addax through consecutive monthly extensions until January 2023. Addax exercised its contractual option to purchase FPSO Adoon at the end of the contract period and the sale was completed on January 11, 2023.

15 Aug 2022

Crowley Awarded $66.2 Million MSC Contract

Military Sealift Command's maritime prepositioning force ship USNS 1ST LT Jack Lummus (T-AK 3011). (Photo: Grady Fontana / U.S. Navy)

Jacksonville, Fla. based Crowley Government Services Inc. has been awarded a $66,167,978 contract for the operation and maintenance of six U.S. government-owned Maritime Prepositioning Force vessels.The vessels under this award include the container, roll-on, roll-off ships USNS 2nd LT John P. Bobo (T-AK 3008); USNS SGT William R. Button (T-AK 3012); USNS 1st LT Baldomero Lopez (T-AK 3010); 1st LT Jack Lummus (T-AK 3011); USNS GYSGT Fred W. Stockham (T-AK 3017); and USNS PFC Dewayne T.

19 Apr 2022

Gall Thomson Launches Emergency Mooring Release System for Offshore Applications

Credit: Gall Thomson

Gall Thomson has launched an innovative new automatic actuation system, promising to minimize safety risks associated with the manual emergency release of mooring systems during FPSO tandem offloading ocean towage, heading control, positioning and decommissioning-"PODx minimizes the risk of personnel injury, damage to equipment and subsequent downtime by remotely releasing mooring hawser chains under full load, quickly and safely," the company said.According to Gall Thomson, PODx utilizes release bolt technology that automatically separates on demand…

17 Mar 2022

Mercury Marine Partners with High Schools for Technician Training

Torey Roberts, Mercury technical accounts manager, speaks with students at Fred K. Marchman Technical College in New Port Richey, Fla. (Photo: Mercury Marine)

Mercury Marine, a division of Brunswick Corporation, has provided its Mercury University curriculum along with 90hp FourStroke outboard engines and tools to high schools in Florida, New York and Virginia to help prepare the next generation of marine service technicians and address the industry’s workforce shortage.In a survey conducted by the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas prior to the pandemic, more than 85% of boat dealers suggested they had multiple positions in their businesses that were unfilled…

07 Mar 2022

Sovcomflot's Tankers Find Refuge in the Bahamas Amid Growing Sanctions

At least three tankers controlled by Russian maritime powerhouse Sovcomflot that have been unable to deliver their cargoes due to Western sanctions have re-routed to the Bahamas, vessel tracking data showed on Monday.Russian state-owned Sovcomflot was blacklisted by the United States last month over Moscow's invasion of Ukraine. Britain and Canada also banned vessels flagged, operated or owned by Russia from docking at their ports.Sovcomflot oil and refined products tankers SCF Don, SCF Neva and SCF Ussuri since the weekend signaled the Bahamas as their destination, after rerouting from other nations, according to Refinitiv Eikon tracking…

04 Mar 2022

New Crane for Fred. Olsen Windcarrier's Bold Tern Jack-up Set to Be Shipped to Singapore

Credit: Fred. Olsen Windcarrier

Offshore wind installation services company Fred. Olsen Windcarrier said Friday that a new Huisman-built was set to be shipped to Singapore where it will be installed on its Bold Tern jack-up vessel."The new 1600t Huisman leg encircling crane to be installed on Bold Tern has now been loaded in one piece and is ready to be shipped to Singapore for installation. With this new crane, Bold Tern is capable of installing the next generation of offshore wind turbines," FOWC said. Jan Sand Schanke-Jørgensen, COO, Fred.

02 Feb 2022

Demand for Vessels Capable of Installing Giant Offshore Wind Turbines to Outpace Supply by 2024, Rystad Says

Europe’s first commercial 10 MW turbine was installed in December 2021 at Scotland’s Seagreen offshore wind farm by Cadeler’s Wind Osprey.©SSE Renewables

Offshore wind turbine makers have been working to build increasingly bigger turbines, and the likes of GE, Siemens Gamesa, Vestas, and MingYang have in the past two years or so unveiled designs for giant 14-16MW rated units.It has been said that larger turbines, while more expensive per unit, reduce the overall cost of large-scale offshore wind farm development due to their being more modern and efficient, as well as leading to fewer units being required for offshore wind projects…

04 Jan 2022

Fred. Olsen Windcarrier Upgrades Brave Tern with 1600t Crane

(Photo: Fred. Olsen Windcarrier)

Fred. Olsen Windcarrier (FOWIC) said it is upgrading another one of its vessels with a new larger crane to install foundations and all known next generation offshore wind turbines.The company announced on Tuesday it has executed a firm contract with Huisman for a second 1,600t crane to upgrade Brave Tern. Installation is scheduled to be completed in 2024.Alexandra Koefoed, CEO, Fred. Olsen Windcarrier, said, “As we announced in 2020, we have initiated an upgrade program for our existing fleet where Bold Tern is currently undergoing a major upgrade, including replacement of the crane.

05 Jan 2022

Fred. Olsen Windcarrier Reels In $90,5M in New Contracts

Credit: FOWIC

Offshore wind installation firm Fred. Olsen Windcarrier (FOWIC) said Tuesday it had recently executed three new contracts and reservation agreements with combined revenue of up to 80 million euros (~$90,5 million).The contracts, with undisclosed clients, will cover around 300 days in 2022 and 200 days in 2023, in both Europe and the Asia Pacific.Two contracts are linked to projects where Fred. Olsen Windcarrier is already involved. Following these new contracts, FOWIC’s total revenue backlog stands at around 355 million euros (~$401,8 million) of which 18% is linked to options.