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Thursday, March 28, 2024
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Milestones News

13 Mar 2024

Keel Laid for Finnish Border Guard’s New Patrol Vessel

The Finnish Border Guard, Meyer Turku, Baltic Operator and Bureau Veritas project teams (Credit: Meyer Turku)

The Finnish Border Guard has held a keel laying ceremony for its new patrol vessel at Baltic Operator's shipyard in Gdansk.On March 12, 2024, a keel laying ceremony was arranged at Baltic Operator’s shipyard in Gdansk. The ceremony took place in the presence of the representatives of the Finnish Border Guard, Meyer Turku, Baltic Operator and Bureau Veritas.The keel laying ceremony is an old tradition. Before the keel laying, the ordering party - the Finnish Border Guard - and the shipyard’s representative placed their lucky coins under the keel beneath the first block.Later on…

12 Mar 2024

SAAM Closes 2023 with Historic Earnings

Source: SAAM

SAAM reported net income of US$501 million in 2023, representing its best-ever results thanks to the sale of its port and logistics assets to Hapag-Lloyd, which generated a net gain of US$422 million.Sales for the year totaled US$540 million and EBITDA was US$160 million, surpassing the prior year by 17% and 9%, respectively."The sale of our port terminal and inland logistics operations leaves us in a solid position to move forward on the path we have set for ourselves: to lead the consolidation process in the towage industry and grow in air cargo logistics services.

29 Feb 2024

New York Awards Equinor and Orsted New Offshore Wind Contracts

© Fokke Baarssen / Adobe Stock

New York officials on Thursday awarded provisional contracts to two proposed offshore wind projects under a program meant to support the embattled industry and keep the state's clean energy goals on track.The state selected a planned 810-megawatt project, Empire Wind 1, (developed by Equinor) and Sunrise Wind, a planned 924-megawatt project (developed by Orsted and Eversource).The closely watched solicitation by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA)…

13 Feb 2024

OPINION: Seeing the Ship as a System Changes Everything

image credit ABB Marine and Ports

Shipping must engage with the decarbonization realities that lie ahead by changing the way it crafts maritime legislation to reflect its place in the interconnected, interdependent world economy, says Eero Lehtovaara, ABB Marine & Ports.ABB Marine & Ports Head of Regulatory & Public Affairs, Eero Lehtovaara has carved out an unusual - and possibly unique - role in the maritime industry over recent years, as a ‘stakeholder’ simultaneously mindful of the perspectives of owners, seafarers…

06 Feb 2024

Ocean Infinity Invests in RAD Propulsion

(Photo: RAD Propulsion)

Marine electric product company RAD Propulsion announces that it has secured £1,000,000 investment from Ocean Infinity, a marine technology business that deploys innovative robotic and autonomous vessel solutions.The investment is part of a raise round to facilitate RAD’s rapid operational scale up as its RAD 40 electric drive goes into mass production. This year, RAD will see its products become available to OEM partners around the world, with new product development underway too.

01 Feb 2024

Milestones for Bernhard Schulte Offshore CSOVs

(Photo: Ulstein)

Two commissioning service operation vessels (CSOV) under construction for Germany-based Bernhard Schulte Offshore have reached milestones. The steel cutting and keel laying ceremonies for yno 321 and 320, respectively, were arranged at the Crist hull yard, Poland, on January 30, 2024.The two Ulstein-designed CSOVs are characterized by the TWIN X-STERN feature, implementing fore and aft main propeller units for excellent dynamic positioning characteristics.The hulls will be prepared at Crist before being towed to Ulstein Verft in Norway for the final phases…

31 Jan 2024

Babcock to Equip South Korean Navy with Submarine Weapons System

(Credit: Babcock International)

The defense company Babcock International has secured a contract for additional work on the South Korean Navy’s submarine program.The seven-year contract, awarded by Hanwha Ocean, is to manufacture and install the weapons handling launch system (WHLS) on Boat 6 of the Jangbogo-III class boat.Boat 6, namely ‘Jangbogo-III Batch-II Boat 3’, along with the rest of the class, will use Babcock’s air turbine pump and programmable firing valve launch system.Key elements of the WHLS will be designed and produced in the UK…

25 Jan 2024

SAAM Towage Taps Markey for Winch Retrofit Project

File photo; Point Valiant (Photo: Dennis Jarvis / CC BY-SA 2.0)

Markey Machine won a first-ever contract from SAAM Towage to retrofit the controls on a Timberland towing winch aboard the Point Valiant, a tug based in Vancouver, B.C.SAAM first outlined the project to Markey last May, then hired Sentinel Survey, Markey’s after-market service division, to undertake on-site inspection of the winch. Following inspection, Markey offered its Class I winch-control package, and SAAM responded with an order near the end of December. The winch controls package will be provided in mid-2024.“Markey’s achievements in workboat winches are widely known…

03 Jan 2024

Seatrium Responds to Empire Wind 2 Project Cancellation

Source: Empire Wind

Seatrium has issued an announcement confirming its contract for a 1,260MW offshore substation (OSS) platform for Empire Wind 2, valued at more than S$250 million, has been cancelled.Seatrium was awarded two contracts from Empire Offshore Wind LLC for the engineering, procurement, construction, offshore hook-up and commissioning of two OSS platforms for the Empire Wind 1 and 2. The offshore wind farms are located about 20 miles south of Long Island east of the Rockaways.Empire Offshore Wind LLC is a joint venture between Equinor and bp…

02 Jan 2024

Amogy Brings Ammonia Into the Mix

© Forance / Adobe Stock

Ammonia is one of several renewable fuels seen as an option to help the maritime industry decarbonize.One of the companies working to unlock the fuel’s potential is Brooklyn, N.Y. based Amogy, developer of an onboard system that feeds liquid ammonia through a cracking process to create hydrogen on demand for power generation via fuel cell—without carbon emissions.Having already demonstrated its technology on an aerial drone, tractor and semi-truck, Amogy is currently working to…

02 Jan 2024

Performance Shipping Orders Two LR2 Tankers

© liren / Adobe Stock

Greek shipowner Performance Shipping Inc. announced it has signed two shipbuilding contracts with China Shipbuilding Trading Co. Ltd. (CSTC) and Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding Co. Ltd. (SWS) for the construction of two 114,000 DWT LNG-ready LR2 Aframax product/crude oil tanker vessels.The newbuilds, expected to be delivered in January and April of 2026, were ordered at a purchase price of US$64,845,000 per vessel, net of third-party commission. 15% of the purchase price is payable upon receipt of a refund guarantee…

15 Dec 2023

Edda Wind Secures Green Financing for Newbuild Program

(Image: Edda Wind)

Edda Wind announced it has entered into a green term loan facility agreement for the pre- and postdelivery financing of four new commissioning service operation vessels (CSOV) under construction at Vard.The agreement is a €161 million green loan facility with Crédit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank, Danske Bank A/S, DNB Bank ASA and SpareBank 1 SR-Bank ASA, with expiry in 2029 and a profile of 12 years. The facility corresponds to a leverage ratio of 60% of the total ready…

14 Dec 2023

Progress Reported in Ammonia Tugboat Retrofit Project

Amogy is retrofitting its ammonia-to-power system on board a 1957-built tug at Feeney Shipyard in Kingston, N.Y. (Photo: Amogy)

A first-of-its-kind project to convert a 1950s tugboat to run on ammonia-to-power technology is moving forward, with several key milestones recently achieved, involved technology partners report.The Amogy-led retrofit project involves a comprehensive overhaul of the tugboat's original diesel generators and electric motors, integrating the Brooklyn startup's 1-megawatt ammonia-to-power system.Once installed, Amogy’s onboard solution will feed liquid ammonia through its cracking modules integrated into a hybrid fuel cell system that will provide zero-carbon power to the vessel’s electric motors.

17 Nov 2023

MODEC Hits Milestone: First Steel Cut in China for Guyana-Bound FPSO Errea Wittu

Credit: MODEC (file image)

Japanese FPSO leasing firm MODEC said Thursday that the first steel-cutting ceremony for the Guyana-bound FPSO Errea Wittu had been held in China.MODEC secured its first order to supply an FPSO to Guyana in May 2023. The order came from an ExxonMobil-led consortium and is for the deployment of the FPSO to the giant Stabroek offshore block in Guyana, where Exxon already has three FPSOs in production, all three supplied by SBM Offshore.According to World Energy Reports, China's DSIC has the construction hull contract…

16 Oct 2023

Insights: Blaine Dempke, CEO, Markey

Blaine Dempke, CEO, Markey (Photo: Markey)

Established in 1907 as the Industrial Revolution arrived to Seattle, Markey is the oldest privately-held winch manufacturer in the United States today. The company was formed in the Georgetown District of what later became known as King County, Wash. The Markey sign above its original manufacturing plant, on Horton Street, is still retained, although Markey has since moved to its current facility on 8th Avenue South.Markey was a major supplier to the U.S. Navy in both world wars…

04 Oct 2023

Van Oord Set to Kick Off Cable Installation for Iberdrola's Baltic Eagle Offshore Wind Farm

Credit: Van Oord

Dutch offshore installation services company Van Oord is set to start the cable installation works on Iberdrola's Baltic Eagle offshore wind farm in Germany."After Van Oord’s heavy lift installation vessel Svanen completed installation of all fifty monopiles for Iberdrola Deutschland’s Baltic Eagle offshore wind farm, Van Oord now continues installing transition pieces and starts cable installation. This week the inter-array cable loading onto Van Oord’s cable-laying vessel Nexus has commenced…

25 Sep 2023

AI Unlocks RIB Safety & Efficiency Gains

(Photo: Hefring Marine)

Facing rising costs, an Icelandic tour operator is using technology powered by artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance safety and slash insurance premiums for its fleet of high-speed rigid inflatable boats (RIB).Reykjavík-based Whale Safari runs tourist RIBs for whale and bird watching excursions in Iceland. From an insurer’s standpoint, the endeavor—which sees vessels that seat up to 12 passengers achieving high speeds and g-force wave impacts—is inherently risky. To make matters worse for companies like Whale Safari…

25 Sep 2023

U.S. BOEM Completes Environmental Review of Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind Project

Credit: Alex/AdobeStock

The U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) said Monday it had completed its environmental review of the proposed Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind (CVOW) commercial project.“The completion of our environmental review marks another step towards a clean energy future—one that benefits communities and co-exists with other ocean users,” said BOEM Director Elizabeth Klein. “The best available science and knowledge shared by Tribes, other government agencies, local communities, ocean users…

13 Sep 2023

Turbine Installation Kicks Off at U.S. First Commercial-scale Offshore Wind Farm

Credit: Avangrid

Avangrid, Inc., a U.S. offshore wind developer and part of the Spanish Iberdrola Group on Wednesday announced the start of the wind turbine installation campaign for Avangrid’s Vineyard Wind 1 project offshore Massachusetts, the first commercial-scale offshore wind farm in the United States. The installation campaign follows the transportation earlier this week of the first GE Haliade-X Wind Turbine Generator (WTG) from the New Bedford Marine Commerce Terminal to the wind energy development area more than 30 miles off the coast of Cape Cod.“Over the past year…

06 Sep 2023

Hanwha Ocean's LCO2 Carrier Tank and Noise Measurement Get DNV Nod

Front row (L to R): Hwa Lyong Lee (DNV), JongSeo Kim (COO of Hanwha Ocean), Vidar Dolonen (Regional Manager of DNV), Joong Kyoo Kang (Head of R&D Institute, Hanwha Ocean). Back row (L to R): Mathias Sørhaug (DNV), Chul Young Kang (DNV), Hyoung-Seog Kim (Hanwha Ocean), Seung-Han Moon (Hanwha Ocean), Sung Ho Shin (DNV) - Credit: DNV

DNV has awarded Hanwha Ocean an Approval in Principle (AiP) and an Approval of Service Suppliers (AOSS) for two innovations: a large-scale liquefied carbon dioxide (LCO2) carrier tank and an underwater radiated noise (URN) measurement.DNV’s AiP relates to the design of a cargo hold of a 70,000 cbm LCO2 carrier, integrating Hanwha Ocean's patented Bi-Lobe cargo hold, a vertical asymmetric structure that maximizes cargo capacity. The concept specifically incorporates LNG propulsion engines and allows sufficient space for installing shipboard carbon dioxide capture and storage systems…

17 Aug 2023

Ingalls Launches Guided Missile Destroyer Ted Stevens (DDG 128)

(Photo: HII)

HII’s Ingalls Shipbuilding division in Pascagoula, Miss. has launched the U.S. Navy’s third Flight III Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer Ted Stevens (DDG 128).“The translation and launch are always important milestones for our shipbuilders and the life of a ship,” Ingalls Shipbuilding DDG Program Manager Ben Barnett said. “Our team has put in a tremendous amount of work leading up to the launch, and I am proud to see them bring DDG 128 one step closer to completion.”Prior to launch, DDG 128 was translated from land to the dry dock using translation railcars to support the ship.

08 Aug 2023

Irving Cuts Steel for AOPS 7, the First Vessel for the Canadian Coast Guard

(Photo: Irving Shipbuilding)

Canada's Irving Shipbuilding on Tuesday cut steel for the seventh Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ship (AOPS), the first of two for the Canadian Coast Guard’s fleet. Celebrated at the Halifax Shipyard, the steel cutting of AOPS 7 marks the official start of construction on the vessel.The Canadian Coast Guard’s AOPS will be tasked with a wide range of missions. Both ships will operate as the Canadian Coast Guard’s primary platform with increased capabilities to support fisheries enforcement on Canada’s east coast…

08 Aug 2023

Recovery Efforts Continue on Grande Costa D’Avorio Car Carrier After Deadly Fire

Credit: U.S. Coast Guard

Salvage and post-fire recovery operations continue on the Grande Costa D’Avorio car carrier at Port Newark as crews work to transfer vehicles and cargo from the vessel to the port facility.As previously reported by MarineLink.com, Grimaldi's cargo vessel Grande Costa D’Avorio caught fire on July 5 at the Port of Newark. Two firefighters died in the incident. The fire was extinguished by the morning of July 11.To date, all vehicles have been removed from the cargo decks of the ship…