Helgoland News

North Star has secured a contract with energy utility giant EnBW to deliver a new hybrid-electric service operations vessel (SOV) on a decade-long minimum charter to service the He Dreiht wind farm off the coast of Germany.The agreement marks the company’s first offshore wind move outside the UK market, a milestone mark in its ambitious European growth strategy to add 40 new SOVs to its fleet by 2040.The newbuild is of VARD 407 design which has been tailored to meet EnBW’s specific…

Cadeler A/S signed a contract with Vestas for the EnBW’s He Dreiht offshore windfarm project to provide the installation and transportation of 64 15 MW Vestas turbines (WTGs).The WTG installation is scheduled to commence in the second quarter of 2025 and will be finished by the end of the year. It will be executed by one of Cadeler’s two O-class vessels, which will feature a new crane with a lifting capacity of 1600 metric tons at a radius of 40m.The He Dreiht project, which will operate on a subsidy-free basis by EnBW…

Penguin Shipyard International delivered the 46-meter, 450-passenger catamaran ferry Nordlicht II to Germany's AG EMS after the completion of sea trials in Singapore.Built by Penguin's wholly-owned subsidiary in Batam, PT. Kim Seah Shipyard Indonesia, the ferry is based on the Incat Crowther 46 design, the largest vessel from the drawing boards of Incat Crowther’s Europe office.The vessel will be operated on a number of routes, including serving the North Sea-islands Borkum and…

Dutch shipyard Royal Niestern Sander has begun building a new aft for a passenger ferry that will be converted to liquefied natural gas (LNG) propulsion for German operator AG Ems.The shipyard is designing and building a completely new stern section to replace the one existing on the 1986-built passenger ship Münsterland, which will be fited with dual fuel engines, LNG storage tanks, propulsion systems, all LNG installations, pipelines and other systems.Niestern Sander was awarded the contract to undertake the project in July 2019…

While orders for new vessels have continued to decline worldwide in 2017, the situation in the German and European shipbuilding market is different, with an increase of incoming orders. As shipping experts state: “…this is not a trend but a snapshot, but it indicates a high competitiveness of the German shipbuilding industry, particularly on technologically advanced projects.”The global mood barometer of the maritime industry had reached its lowest point in 2016. From the abyss confidence and order have carefully increased…

MAN Rollo will provide the crane vessel Werkendam with three LNG generator sets. International marine and offshore contractor Van Oord is currently building the ship at Neptune Shipyards in Hardinxveld-Giessendam. It is the first LNG powered vessel for both the yard and Van Oord. Engine supplier MAN Rollo is a pioneer when it comes to sustainable propulsion. Karel Schuurman, Sales Manager Marine Engines at MAN Rollo says, "We want to make a difference in the market for environmentally friendly applications. Our knowledge and experience in gas engines will certainly contribute to the acceptance of LNG in the maritime industry. Van Oord chose our LNG generator sets for the hybrid propulsion of the Werkendam. That is an acknowledgment of our leading role in this area.

Austal Limited has secured the company’s sixth new commercial vessel order for 2016, with the award of a €15.47 million (circa A$22 million) contract for a high-speed passenger ferry from Förde Reederei Seetouristik (FRS Group) of Germany. The 56 metre catamaran is a new design from Austal’s Australian based design team, adding to their successful portfolio of designs that has seen more than 22 similar-sized vessels constructed for commercial ferry operators around the world since 2002. Announcing the contract, Austal Chief Executive Officer David Singleton highlighted Austal’s successful strategy to pursue export opportunities that are strengthening Australia’s shipbuilding capability.

The vastness of the sea and its sometimes harsh conditions often pose a challenge to marine researchers. In the North Sea near Heligoland, scientists from the Thünen Institute for Sea Fishing, the Alfred Wegener Institute (AWI) and the Helmholtz Center Geesthacht (HZG) have now installed an extraordinary device: an optical-acoustic underwater observatory. It is capable of capturing and automatically identifying the smallest marine life underwater - around the clock and even under conditions where no research ship can leave the port. Microscopically small creatures, fish larvae, jellyfish as well as youth stages of many snails and echinoderms - all this is counted as zooplankton.

Parker Bestobell Marine, part of Parker Hannifin, has won a contract to supply cryogenic globe and check valves for two Caledonian MacBrayne Ferries (Calmac) being built at Ferguson Marine Engineering in Glasgow. The valves will be installed in the liquid natural gas (LNG) fuel gas systems of these vessels, which are the first U.K. built ships that will run on this environmentally friendly fuel. The new ferries will be ‘dual-fuel’ vessels so they can operate on both LNG and marine diesel.

The first ever newbuild liquefied natural gas (LNG) fuelled German seagoing vessel, which is powered by a complete Wärtsilä LNG propulsion solution, had its maiden voyage on December 11. The ship has been built at the Fr. Fassmer shipyard in Germany. The passenger ferry, owned by Reederei Cassen Eils GmbH, will operate between Cuxhaven and the island of Helgoland. This route takes the vessel close to the UNESCO World Heritage listed Wadden Sea National Park, an ecologically sensitive area in the south-eastern part of the North Sea. Because of the need to minimise exhaust gas emissions in this area, the ferry will operate primarily on LNG using two 9-cylinder Wärtsilä 20DF medium-speed dual-fuel engines. "We are very proud to be operating the first newbuild German vessel fuelled by LNG.

Vessel sales for October 2015 (as of November 1) as prepared by Shipping Intelligence, Inc., New York.

7 July 2015. A quarter of a century old, with over 900,000 kilometres (488,842 nautical miles) logged and still on the cutting edge of science and technology: 8 July 2015 will mark the Research Vessel Heincke’s 25th “birthday”. Staff from the Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research (AWI), which operates the Heincke, take part in expeditions with the ship just as often as fellow researchers and students from Germany and abroad. Back in 1990, when Federal Minister of Research Prof Heinz Riesenhuber dedicated the Heincke to the pursuit of scientific research, he would never have imagined that it would be operating today with a particle filter and downstream aftertreatment system.

Volvo Penta’s IPS drive system celebrated a decade in production this year — coinciding with the inaugural launch of the Volvo Penta IPS quad commercial installation in four Njord Offshore crew transfer catamarans. Njord Odin is the newest vessel to join Njord Offshore’s existing fleet. The catamaran contains a quadruple installation Volvo Penta IPS900 complete propulsion system. A lot can happen in 10 years. A decade ago Volvo Penta introduced its Inboard Performance System (IPS), changing the face of the leisure and commercial marine industries.

After almost nine months of construction has MS "Helgoland" the new LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas) ship of Cassen Eils from Cuxhaven, left the building dock of the Fassmer-Werft shipyard. Helgoland will be the first German flagged marine vessel to operate on LNG as its primary fuel. After the testing of systemically important components of the innovative LNG-drive in the port and sea operation will be carried out. Fassmer designed and built the MS Helgoland, Germany’s first passenger ferry with a dual-fuel propulsion system. The vessel is 83 meters long, 12.6 meters wide and has a draught of 3.6 meters, and a capacity of more than 1,180 passengers. The new LNG-drive has a capacity of 5,000 KW and brings with it 20 knots maximum.

Severn Offshore Services announced that its new vessel Severn Provider has commenced operations in the German sector of the North Sea. The 26-meter Damen Twin Axe crew transfer vessel Severn Provider was recently christened at Damen Shipyards, Gorinchem and mobilized immediately to her first job earlier this month. She is now transporting personnel and equipment to and from the Meerwind Offshore Wind Farm. Managing Director of Severn Offshore Services, Ryan Hopkins, explained…

The ISV Siem Moxie, an Ulstein SX 163 design not only has been deemed a “Great Ship” in our pages, it has also been awarded the “Offshore Renewables Awards 2014” and the “Innovation Awards” by an international panel. The Siem Moxie measures 242 x 55.7 ft. (74 x 17 m). It is the very first X-Bow support vessel which features two sets of Voith Schneider Propellers. Both the Voith Schneider Propellers are also used for its active roll stabilization system and dynamic positioning (DP-class 2). Its design drew on a wealth of experience within the offshore business.

The German shipbuilding industry has a world market share of around one percent. This is certainly in another league compared to China, South Korea and Japan, which divide the global shipbuilding pie of containerships, bulk carriers and tankers among themselves. But the German shipyards are on top in Europe. Here, around 90,000 people in the shipbuilding and supply industry are employed, and the German maritime cluster remains in strategic and symbolic importance. Aside from the Norwegians…

Today in U.S. 1782 - As a token of gratitude for French aid during American Revolution, the U.S. gives America (first ship-of-the-line built by U.S.) to France to replace a French ship lost in Boston. 1885 - First classes at U.S. 1944 - First combat employment of a missile guided by radio and television takes place when Navy drone Liberator, controlled by Ensign James M. Simpson in a PV, flew to attack German submarine pens on Helgoland Island. For more information about naval history, visit the Naval History and Heritage Command website at history.

A yachtsman from Yorkshire, reported missing has been found on his yacht in the North Sea, following an extensive search coordinated by Humber Coastguard. His 17ft yacht, Equinox, was approximately 80 miles east of Spurn Point (at the mouth of the Humber) and rescuers found him relatively quickly today, thanks to an emergency positioning beacon aboard his yacht which was activated. The 69-year-old’s family contacted the Coastguard on Thursday as they had become concerned for his safety. They had not heard from him since 4 July when he telephoned his son to tell him he was planning his passage home. His boat was last seen in the Kiel Canal, at Brunsbuttel, Germany.

On June 14, the HelWin bèta platform left on a barge from the Heerema Fabrication Group's (HFG) yard in Zwijndrecht for Schiedam to complete outstanding work. Last week, HelWin bèta reached its final destination in the German North Sea, where the platform will supply more than half a million households with sustainable energy. That requires high-tech systems. Imtech Marine is responsible for the design, construction and commissioning of the HVAC system, being the heating, ventilation and especially the cooling of all high-quality equipment on the platform.

Wärtsilä say they are to provide a full propulsion package for a new passenger ferry being built for the Germany based ferrry operator Reederei Cassen Eils GmbH at the Fr. Fassmer GmbH shipyard. The new ferry will operate between Cuxhaven and the island of Helgoland in Germany. This route will take it close to the Lower Saxon Wadden Sea national park, an ecologically sensitive UNESCO World Heritage listed area in the south-eastern part of the North Sea. Because of the need to minimize exhaust gas emissions in this area…

Wärtsilä said it will will provide a complete dual-fuel propulsion and LNG equipment package for a new passenger ferry being built for the Germany based Reederei Cassen Eils GmbH. The contract was signed in October 2013 with Fr. Fassmer GmbH, the shipyard responsible for the vessel's construction. The new ferry will operate between Cuxhaven and the island of Helgoland in Germany. This route will take it close to the Lower Saxon Wadden Sea national park, an ecologically sensitive UNESCO World Heritage listed area in the south-eastern part of the North Sea.

Fassmer shipyard, located in Berne in Lower Saxony, and AG Ems, which is the Emden-based parent company of Cassen Eils shipping line, have signed the construction contract for the new Helgoland ferry. Imtech Marine received the order for the whole range of electrical systems and electronics. Apart from the engineering, the order contains the technical coordination and the project management. Imtech will provide the ship automation, the switchgears, the motor starters, distribution panels and lighting as well as the complete cable network.