Odyssey News

Senesco Marine held a launch and christening ceremony for WindServe Marine's new Jones-Act-compliant crew transfer vessel (CTV), WindServe Explorer.WindServe Marine, a sister company to the North Kingstown, R.I. shipbuilder—both part of the Reinauer Group—will operate the CTV to serve the U.S. offshore wind industry. The vessel is slated to enter operations at a project in the U.S. Northeast.The BMT-designed aluminum catamaran is 27 meters long with a 9-meter beam and 1.7-meter draft.

SunStone Maritime Group announced it has secured multi-year charters for two of its expedition cruise ships.The deals are for SunStone's Infinity Class vessels Ocean Explorer and the Ocean Odyssey, both built by China Merchants Heavy Industry (Jiangsu) and delivered in 2021 and 2022 respectively.Under its new charter agreement, Ocean Explorer will return to polar cruising in October 2024 for SunStone's long-term client Quark Expeditions. The vessel, which ran aground in a remote part of Greenland last year…

Senesco Marine on Wednesday launched a new Jones-Act-compliant crew transfer vessel (CTV), WindServe Journey.WindServe Marine, a sister company to the North Kingstown, R.I. shipbuilder—both part of the Reinauer Group—will operate the CTV to serve the U.S. offshore wind industry. The vessel is slated to enter operations at a project in the U.S. Northeast.The BMT-designed aluminum catamaran is 27 meters long with a 9-meter beam and 1.7-meter draft. It is equipped with Volvo Penta D13 main engines (515kW at 2,300 RPM) and a Volvo Penta IPS 900 propulsion system.

It’s a big deal when a U.S. president visits an American shipyard, and these trips always send a message. When President Obama spoke at HII’s Newport News Shipbuilding in 2013, he warned of the consequences of sequestration. President Trump’s 2020 speech at Fincantieri Marinette Marine touted a $5.5 billion naval contract that gave a welcome boost to the Wisconsin shipyard and its supply chain partners. Most recently, President Biden traveled to Philadelphia’s Philly Shipyard…

Senesco Marine on Friday launched the new Jones-Act-compliant crew transfer vessel WindServe Genesis.WindServe Marine, a sister company to the North Kingstown, R.I. shipbuilder—both part of the Reinauer Group—will operate the CTV. The vessel will initially provide crew transfer support during the construction phase at Ørsted's Southfork Wind project off the coast of Long Island. The vessel will later go on to to work at the developer's Revolution Wind project off Rhode Island and Connecticut…

Expedition cruise company SunStone Maritime Group A/S recently received its sixth Infinity class vessel, the Ocean Albatros. Final documentswere signed on Thursday, April 20, completing delivery of the vessel from the CMHI Shipyard in Haimen, China, to the SunStone companies. The ship will be on a year-round charter to Albatros Expeditions.Infinity Class Vessels are 104 m long and 18 m wide, with a draft of 5.1 m. They feature a passenger capacity between 130 and 200 and a crew capacity between 85 and 115.

The U.S. Navy's next Pathfinder-class oceanographic survey ship will be named USNS Robert Ballard (T-AGS 67), Secretary of the Navy (SECNAV) Carlos Del Toro announced on Wednesday.The name selection follows the tradition of naming survey ships after explorers, oceanographers and distinguished marine surveyors. Widely known as a discoverer of the final resting place of the R.M.S. Titanic, Dr. Robert Ballard is a retired U.S. Navy Commander, former director of the Center for Ocean Exploration…

SunStone Maritime Group A/S took delivery of two Infinity class ships -- Sylvia Earle and Ocean Odyssey -- from the CMHI Shipyard in Haimen, China. The pair are the fourth and the fifth of the Infinity class delivered from China Merchant Heavy Industries, and both will be on long-term, year-round charter: the SYLVIA EARLE with Aurora Expeditions, and the OCEAN ODYSSEY with Vantage Deluxe World Travel.The Infinity series of ships represents a collaboration between European design and technology and Chinese shipbuilding.Infinity class ships measure 104 x 18m with a 5.1m draft.

After two months in his kayak, 64-year-old Mark Fuhrmann has succeeded in covering 2,000km of his 10,500km ‘Greater Loop’ paddle. Although battered by high winds, and fighting against large swells and difficult tides, the intrepid Canadian has made his way from Halifax, Nova Scotia to Quebec City, and is now on the boundary of Montreal. His year-long loop will eventually take him back to Halifax, by which time he hopes to have raised over EURO 100,000 for Doctors Without Borders and Captains Without Borders.Extreme commitmentFuhrmann…

American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) has granted Approval in Principle (AIP) for a design for a wind turbine installation vessel (WTIV) for China Ocean Shipping Company Limited (COSCO) by Friede and Goldman (F&G).According to ABS, the design is suitable for all offshore wind markets and is capable of installing 15 MW and larger-sized turbines. It can be equipped with F&G’s BargeRack feeder barge system to support Jones Act-compliant operations in the U.S. that has previously received an AIP from ABS.

IMTRA, the manufacturer and importer of solutions and products for the marine, energy and transportation markets, announced it has partnered with KPM Marine to support the growing demand for crew transfer vessels (CTV), and offer vital equipment for fire and rescue vessels.Evolving with the offshore wind energy industry, KPM, based in Birmingham UK, has extensive experience with CTV companies and strong relationships with naval architects, boat yards and operators. KPM products were installed by Senesco Marine for WindServe Marine's offshore wind support vessel Odyssey…

Offshore wind developers Ørsted and Eversource announced Thursday that they have chosen two regional vessel operators that will partner with Rhode Island shipyards to build crew transfer vessels (CTV) to service their wind farm projects in the U.S. Northeast. The joint venture partners revealed plans to charter five new Jones-Act-compliant CTVs, including three from New York-based WindServe Marine and two from Massachusetts-based American Offshore Services (AOS).The purpose-built aluminum catamarans are designed to handle the unique offshore conditions at the wind farms…

Chinese shipbuilder China Merchant Heavy Industries has laid the keel for expedition cruise ship company SunStone Ships' sixth Infinity Class newbuild, Ocean Albatros. A keel laying ceremony was held January 20 at the CMHI yard in Haimen, China.Scheduled to be delivered in March 2023, the vessel will be on year-round charter to the Danish travel company Albatros Expeditions, who is also the charterer of SunStone’s Ocean Victory and Ocean Atlantic.SunStone’s Chairman, Niels-Erik Lund…

The Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Company's new Jones Act-compliant Subsea Rock Installation Vessel, the first such ship to enter the U.S. market, is to be built to ABS Class by Philly Shipyard, Inc, ABS said Thursday.The vessel will transport and strategically deposit loads of up to 20,000 MT of rock on the seabed, laying scour protection for offshore wind farm foundations, cables, and other structures. It will be awarded the ABS SUSTAIN-2 Notation, recognizing adherence to certain UN Sustainable Development Goals related to vessel design, outfitting and layout.

The U.S. has big plans for its offshore wind industry, and shipbuilders like Blount Boats and others are ramping up to capitalize on the unprecedented opportunity.Earlier this year, the Biden Administration unveiled its goal to have 30 gigawatts (GW) of offshore wind power installed and in development in the U.S. by 2030. The announcement, which included plans to open new areas to development, accelerate permits and boost public financing for projects, injected a healthy dose of optimism into an American offshore wind industry that has taken its time getting off the ground.To date…

SunStone Ships announced the successful launch of itts fifth, Infinity-Class Vessel, Ocean Odyssey.The series is an interesting one as it was started wiith the goal of melding European design and Chinese shipbuilding.“We are very pleased with the high quality, design solutions and equipment packages," said Niels-Erik Lund, SunStone CEO. "We are looking forward to continuing the relationships with all our partners in the Infinity-Class project.”The Launching Ceremony of the OCEAN ODYSSEY (CMHI 196-5) took place at China Merchant Heavy Industries in Haimen, China.

The autonomous tug Nellie Bly has completed what is claimed to be the world’s first 1,000+ nautical miles autonomous and remotely commanded journey of a commercial vessel at sea.The journey around Denmark, aptly named the Machine Odyssey, officially started September 30, when the Nellie Bly departed Cuxhaven, Germany, (near Hamburg) for Denmark.The news of the successful journey completion was shared Thursday, by Sea Machines Robotics, a Boston-based developer of autonomous command…

“30 by 30” is the rallying cry for all concerned with the burgeoning U.S. offshore wind business. In Spring 2021, the Secretaries of Energy, Interior and Commerce resolved to deploy 30 gigawatts (GW) of electricity generated from offshore turbines by 2030. Consultants McKinsey, in a recent article frame the value proposition for this clean fuel source, writing: “During the industry’s 30-year evolution, costs have fallen so sharply that offshore wind now compares favorably with competing energy sources.” For vessel owners, renewable energy brings opportunity.The thrust of near-term U.S.

An ocean tug is set to embark on a 1,000 nautical mile autonomous and remotely commanded journey around Denmark to prove that the world’s waterways are primed and ready for autonomous vessel technologies, autonomous command and control systems developer Sea Machines announced on Tuesday.The vessel will depart from Hamburg, Germany on October 1 with full onboard vessel control managed by autonomous technology while operating under the authority of commanding officers located in the United States. During the journey, which Sea Machines is calling The Machine Odyssey, human passengers on board will enjoy the benefits of autonomous operations…

Classification society American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) has granted its Approval in Principle (AIP) to Ned Project Inc. for its hydrogen-ready wind turbine installation vessel (WTIV) design.The NP20000X ULAM design is intended to be Jones Act Compliant and able to meet future offshore wind market demands, specifically operations involving 15-20 MW wind turbine installations. According to ABS, the vessel's innovative approach loads monopiles vertically on the 8,000 square-meter (m2) deck…

U.S. Coast Guard licensed officers in Boston are commanding an autonomous workboat on a voyage around Denmark.The American Maritime Officers (AMO) trade union has entered into a labor agreement with autonomous command and control systems developer Sea Machines Robotics for the project, which will see AMO-represented merchant mariners support Sea Machines’ first-of-its-kind 1,000 NM autonomous journey.The voyage, which Sea Machines is calling "The Machine Odyssey", aims to prove the world’s waterways are primed and ready for long-range autonomous vessel operations…

"I've seen grown men cry," says Captain Tejinder Singh, who hasn't set foot on dry land in more than seven months and isn't sure when he'll go home."We are forgotten and taken for granted," he says of the plight facing tens of thousands of seafarers like him, stranded at sea as the Delta variant of the coronavirus wreaks havoc on shore."People don't know how their supermarkets are stocked up."Singh and most of his 20-strong crew have criss-crossed the globe on an exhausting odyssey: from India to the United States then on to China…

A high-tech workboat is more than halfway through its record-setting journey to autonomously circumnavigate Denmark.The Nellie Bly, equipped with Sea Machines autonomous command and control systems, arrived in Laeso, Denmark on Saturday, marking the halfway point of the 1,000-nautical-mile autonomous voyage.The journey, which Sea Machines is calling "The Machine Odyssey", officially commenced on September 30, when the Nellie Bly departed Cuxhaven, Germany, (near Hamburg) for Denmark. The vessel has a crew on board but is being controlled by U.S. Coast Guard licensed officers in Boston.