Life Rafts News

The first large cruise ship ever to be built in China has been delivered, potentially leading the way for a new market player to rise within the global cruise shipbuilding industry.The 5,246-passenger Adora Magic City, built by China State Shipbuilding Corporation’s (CSSC) Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding (SWS) based on Fincantieri' Vista-class design, will commence its maiden voyage from Shanghai in January 2024, operated by Asian cruise line Adora Cruises.The Chinese-built ship will service the domestic market with four-to-five day sailings…

A U.S. Coast Guard boat crew rescued 12 people, Wednesday morning, after they were forced to abandon the Bonnie G vessel that was taking on water and ran aground just south of the airport in St. Thomas.All 12 people aboard the Bonnie G, a 195-foot Vanuatu-flagged “ro-ro” cargo vessel, are safe, and no injuries have been reported to the Coast Guard. Coast Guard watchstanders in Sector San Juan received VHF marine radio communication from the Bonnie G at 3:41 a.m., Wednesday, reporting…

The UK Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) has issued a safety bulletin following the engine room flooding and foundering of the stern trawler Piedras (FD 528) which led to the failure of a liferaft to inflate. A second liferaft was successfully launched, and the crew were rescued.Both liferafts exhibited deficiencies that raised servicing and certification concerns and are likely to have contributed to the failure, says MAIB. The port liferaft was never recovered, but inspection of the starboard liferaft found that it had not been correctly serviced since manufacture in March 2007…

Survitec, a survival technology solutions provider, has opened a new service center in the Port of Southampton, boosting its UK servicing capability.The 10,000 sq. ft building, newly fitted out with equipment and facilities for the servicing and repair of liferafts, lifejackets, immersion suits and other safety equipment, will deliver increased capacity and faster turnaround times when meeting the needs of customers in the cruise, defense, Border Force and commercial shipping sectors…

When Ukraine successfully deployed self-driving “drone” boats for a major attack on the Russian navy at Sevastopol in Crimea in September 2022 it was a defining moment that changed the future of naval warfare. Uncrewed surface vessels (USVs) have been used before, but this was the first instance of multiple, armed USVs, used simultaneously in combination with aerial drones for a successful, offensive naval operation on a military target.Several Russian ships were damaged in the attack…

Survitec said its new Marine Evacuation System (MES) Life Ark -- a helical slide-based MES for small to medium-sized passenger vessels -- has received full-type approval from Bureau Veritas.Life Ark is designed for vessels with a freeboard height of up to 23m and passenger capacities ranging from 300 to 1,500. Using the fully enclosed, dry-shod helical (spiral) slide design inherent to Survitec’s popular Marin Ark 2 MES and Seahaven AES, Life Ark ensures a safe, rapid and comfortable descent for people of all ages and abilities.

Operating on Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) from day one in service, the MV George III, the first of Pasha Group’s two new ‘Ohana Class’, Jones Act-qualified containerships, features a state-of-the-art engine, an optimized hull form, and an underwater propulsion system with a high-efficiency rudder and propeller. George III is the first LNG-powered vessel to fuel on the West Coast and the first to serve Hawaii. The 774-ft. Jones Act vessel surpasses the International Maritime Organization (IMO) 2030 emission standards for ocean vessels.

The November edition of Marine News magazine highlighted the most notable newbuilds delivered in 2022. From sturdy and nimble workboats, to the first new Jones Act laker in a generation, each vessel on display showcases the industry’s engineering prowess and technological ingenuity, with the focus on improving efficiency in operations. The maritime industry has no shortage of challenges to overcome, and each of Marine News’ top vessels will, in one way or another, aid efforts to tackle them.Mark W.

Swedish builder Marell Boats recently delivered the first in a series of five new Marell M12 RIB patrol boats for the Norwegian Police.The multipurpose fast patrolling and interceptor vessels will be delivered through the first quarter 2023, entering operations at five different locations along the coastline in southern Norway.The medium-sized, aluminum-hulled patrol boats will be used for patrolling and assignments such as surveillance, search and rescue, boarding and control of recreational boats.

Survival technology company Survitec has unveiled a new Marine Evacuation System (MES) designed for small to medium size passenger vessels. Targeted at vessels with passenger capacities ranging from 300 to 1,500 persons, such as ferries and expedition cruise ships, the new MES solution will be officially introduced to ship operators during the SMM Trade Fair before being rolled out for full market availability from early 2023.The product is being launched with an extended service MES option of up to 30 months…

Swedish builder Marell Boats informs it has been awarded a new contract to supply five fast patrolling and interceptor vessels to the Norwegian Police. The five new M12 RIBs will be delivered during from the third quarter this year through the first quarter 2023, to five different locations in south of Norway.The medium-sized patrol boats will be used by the Norwegian Police for patrolling and assignments such as surveillance, search and rescue, boarding and control of recreational boats. It will also be used as a training platform of police personnel in boat handling and navigation.

At least seven crew from a Spanish trawler have died and three were plucked from a life raft after their ship sank off the Canadian coast on Tuesday, an official said, as rescuers searched for more survivors in the bitterly cold Atlantic waters.The vessel, the Villa de Pitanxo, with a crew of 24 comprising 16 Spaniards, five Peruvians and three Ghanaians, launched a distress beacon at 0424 GMT, Spain's fisheries ministry said.It sank around 450 km (280 miles) east-southeast of Newfoundland, the ministry said."Seven people have been found dead," said Alberto Nunez Feijoo, the leader of Spain's Galicia region where the vessel and several of its crew were from."There were two Galician fishing boats in the area…

U.K.-based safety and survival solutions provider Survitec said it has completed its acquisition of Blue Anchor Fire & Safety, a Scottish provider of survival solutions to the fisheries, maritime and offshore energy industries.The investment, part of Survitec’s expansion strategy, follows the acquisition in May of Norway’s Hansen Protection, a provider of personal protective equipment.Baba Devani, Chief Executive Officer, Marine, Survitec, said, “We are delighted to announce this acquisition…

Safety of workers,structures, equipment and the environment are paramount in any offshore energy project. In the March/April print edition, Offshore Engineer took a look inside some notable newcomers.Wearable tech to boost drill floor safetyHaloGuard – Credit: TransoceanOffshore drilling contractor Transocean has recently deployed what it said was the offshore drilling industry’s first safety system that integrates a wearable locating device with drill floor equipment and machine stoppage controls.The system…

Maritime survival equipment specialist Survitec has completed the acquisition of Hansen Protection, a provider of personal protective equipment. Ron Krisanda, Executive Chairman at Survitec, commented: "The addition of Hansen Protection, and its leading portfolio in personal protective equipment, protective rainwear, and technical textile solutions, fits perfectly within Survitec. "Our acquisition strategy is intended to broaden and deepen our offering and enhance our ability to service customers and this transaction does just that.

Norway-based Henriksen Hooks said its new Liferaft Release Hook into full production following completion of a prolonged testing program.Now available globally, the new crane hook has been especially developed for launching inflated liferafts. It is permanently attached to the fall wire of a crane and clips into a steel lifting ring on the liferaft. It holds the liferaft safely while it is being hoisted out and lowered and releases automatically when the raft reaches the water and the load has come off the hook."First shown in 2017…

South Korean shipbuilder Hyundai Mipo Dockyard (HMD) recently held a sail-off ceremony in Ulsan for the delivery of the 27,000 gross tonnage car ferry Queen Jenuvia to Sea World Express Ferry, the largest domestic car ferry operator.The ferry with maximum speed of 21.8 knots and capable of accommodating 1,284 passengers, 478 cars and 88 trucks (25 ton) is scheduled to provide the service between Mokpo and Jeju island from end of this month.The vessel, measuring 170m in length…

A Corpus Christi crew boat runs with renewed power and graceMiss Vivian has a commanding presence while plying the waters off the Texas Gulf Coast.Hardworking crew boat Miss Vivian serves offshore oil platforms and large ships moored in Corpus Christi Harbor. Owned by Sea Level Marine, Inc., in Aransas Pass, Texas, the 28-meter (91-foot) welded aluminum vessel is U.S. Coast Guard-approved for 50 passengers, and its 15x5-meter (50x15-foot) deck offers ample space to transport food provisions, equipment, and other supplies to offshore locations.There’s a rather heroic side to Miss Vivian, too.

A bow extension will allow Cape Henry Launch Services' workboat Delta Escape to push up against offshore wind turbines to support the Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind (CVOW) pilot program off Virginia Beach.Naval architecture and marine engineering firm DLBA, a division of Gibbs & Cox, said it was recently engaged to complete the structural design for the project.The bow was built out of aluminum, and added on to the existing aluminum hull structure. The DLBA team created the push…

Decades of innovation has earned Wing Inflatables its place among top manufacturers of sponsons, tubes, collars and rubber craft. While the company maintains this reputation today, the Wing Group has also grown beyond it after an ownership switch set in motion a number of major changes that have helped to both expand the company and alter its DNA.In past decades, under the leadership of founder and now-former owner Bill Wing, the California company and its polyurethane rafts and air-holding tubes, and later air/foam hybrid collar, had revolutionized the rigid inflatable industry.

As the cruise industry continues to prosper, so too does Survitec, a specialist in marine evacuation systems (MES). Survitec has a history of more than 160 years, with 2020 marking the centenary since RFD, now part of Survitec, was founded.The story of RFD’s technology dates back to 1920 with the introduction of an aircraft flotation product, essentially an inflatable ring, to prevent planes sinking when ditched. This technology quickly evolved to become dual purpose also providing a means to rescue aircrew in an emergency.As technologies and methodologies became more sophisticated…

Damen Shiprepair Amsterdam has completed extensive annual repair and maintenance programs on three cruises ships operated by the UK’s leading independent cruise line Cruise and Maritime Voyages ahead of their winter season.The triple cruise ships are Magellan, Marco Polo and Astor.First to dock at Damen Shiprepair Amsterdam (DSAm) was the 222-meter, 46,000 GT Magellan for a four-week schedule of works that included comprehensive cleaning and inspections, repairs to the main and auxiliary engines, the overhaul of the bow and stern thrusters and the servicing of the liferafts. As work proceeded, additional repairs were identified, an occurrence that was shared by all three vessels.

As domestic traffic from coast-to-coast continues to worsen, ferry operators are seeing a steady growth in passenger demand. As passenger demand grows, so does the demand for efficiency and hybrid technology to be incorporated into fleets. But what innovations support a fleet’s number one priority – safety? Will efficiency and the latest green technologies support these critically important vessels in an emergency situation? Is the crew aware of how much time they have to evacuate all passengers?Traditional ferry evacuation systems require passengers to be loaded onto lifeboats on deck…