Paul Candies News

The U.S. offshore wind market presents a $1 billion long-term opportunity to builders of crew transfer vessels (CTV) and service operation vessels (SOV) that will support both wind farm construction and long-term operations and maintenance. Unlike many of the construction vessels to be deployed on U.S. wind projects, CTVs and SOVs must be Jones Act compliant, meaning they will be built, owned and operated by U.S. companies and personnel.However, although seen as somewhat commoditized vessels…

An offshore wind industry is growing in the U.S. with an aim to meet the Biden Administration’s goal of 30 gigawatts (GW) of offshore wind by 2030, and eventually 110 GW by 2050.But as is the case for any new industry that is building up, there are going to be bumps along the way. The U.S. offshore wind industry is currently grappling with rising costs amid unprecedented supply chain issues and inflation, among other issues.One of the main challenges unique to offshore wind is a shortage of vessels.

With the creation of a full-fledged U.S. offshore wind industry undoubtedly comes many opportunities for those that own, operate, build and service relevant vessels as developers work toward the nation’s goal of 30 gigawatts (GW) of offshore wind by 2030.But for every opportunity there are at least a handful of challenges, many of which have recently been amplified by supply chain volatility, inflation pressures and other unwelcome factors that have spurred cost increases for…

Dutch offshore gangway supplier Ampelmann has secured its first contract in the U.S. offshore wind market.Under the contract, Ampelmann will supply its E1000 motion compensated system to the marine transportation and towing company Otto Candies to facilitate operations during the construction of the South Fork, Revolution, and Sunrise wind farms - three commercial-scale wind farms in the north-east US Atlantic. "This marks an important turning point for the company and will see the introduction of Walk to Work (W2W) to the American renewable energy sector…

A new US-flagged inspection, maintenance and repair (IMR) vessel leverages three different propulsion systems for improved maneuverability and a high free running speed.The IMR vessel Paul Candies, built in 2018 by Louisiana builder Candies Shipbuilders and owned by its parent company Otto Candies, is equipped with two Combi Drives, two transverse thrusters and one retractable rudderpropeller from manufacturer SCHOTTEL.Due to two type SCD 560 STP SCHOTTEL Combi Drive azimuth thrusters the diesel-electric vessel reaches a top speed of 14 knots.

A vastly modernized U.S. offshore support fleet awaits the opportunity to perform Jones Act work in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico. Foreign operators, already here, predict disaster if a cabotage rule change takes effect. A change proposed by the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) in its Customs Bulletin & Decision newsletter promises reversal of a 40-year practice that, until now, allowed the use of non-coastwise-qualified vessels in the transportation of pipeline repair material; anodes; pipeline connectors; wellhead equipment; valves and valve guards; damaged pipelines; platform repair material; and similar cargo from one domestic point to another. The proposed change gave all interested parties until April 18th to make comment, a deadline which has now come and gone.

Paul B. When Paul B. Candies passed away suddenly on July 21, 2013, the lifelong resident of Des Allemands, LA left behind a prolific, enormously accomplished family and one of the most well-respected marine services and vessel operations firms on the planet. His passing also opened our eyes to the breadth and depth of an individual whose influence and impact extended far beyond the sometimes insular world of maritime commerce. Fitting far more into his time here on earth than others living much longer…

Caveats and some doubts remain. Marine companies along the Gulf of Mexico will be busy in 2013 producing offshore vessels to meet expected growth in the region’s deepwater drilling sector over the next several years. Vessel repairs will be active too. Worker training will be stepped up to address a skilled labor shortage. And nearly three years after BP’s spill off coastal Louisiana, safety will remain a priority. But with the nation teetering on a fiscal cliff – which may spur tax increases and government spending cuts – demand for official and military vessels could be affected…

Local equipment suppliers reap dividends, but there’s room for foreign businesses – if they know how to play. After huge oil finds in recent years, Brazil's need for offshore vessels continues to expand and could double between now and the end of the decade. Brazil's state-run oil company Petrobras wants to extract billions of barrels of oil while also developing its shipbuilding and service industries to create jobs. Meanwhile, Brazil is trying to use locally made vessels and equipment, but foreign companies are benefiting from the nation's oil bonanza too.

Growing In Deepwater Gulf of Mexico. As the feds issue more drilling permits for the Gulf, demand for offshore support vessels in the GOM deepwater sector has accelerated, industry members say. Anger about the government's spill-related, drilling moratorium--which ended a year and a half ago--has given way to optimism recently. The region's shallow-water sector, nevertheless remains slow and gives little cause for cheer. Paul Candies, president and chief executive of Otto Candies…

All U.S. Coasts enjoying upswing in business. For many U.S. builders, last year closed on a happier note than 2010 – when the BP spill, offshore drilling ban and weak U.S. and global economies hurt business. In 2011, new orders for vessels for the oil industry and for the U.S. and foreign governments promised to keep a number of builders busy in 2012. A need to comply with new federal regulations created work, and repair activity grew. The upshot is that coastal economies are getting a needed boost. But some companies find themselves with more customers than they can immediately handle.

As seen in the August edition of MarineNews, Susan Buchanan updates readers on the GOM oil production situation. BP's gushing well was capped more than a year ago but life is hardly back to normal in the U.S. Gulf--where rigs and vessels remain underutilized. At least ten rigs have moved overseas since last summer. Gulf oil production is below pre-spill levels and won't recover anytime soon, analysts say. Issuance of drilling permits picked up this spring as operators agreed to use oil-containment systems but permitting lags earlier rates.

Companies building vessels on the U.S. Gulf are servicing a flock of domestic and overseas clients while their offshore oil and gas customers wait for Washington to issue more drilling permits and safety rules. Some of the region's builders are busy making repairs. After a federal ban on deepwater drilling ended in October — three months after BP's well was capped — the Gulf remains quiet, but industry members expect business to improve eventually. Gulf vessel builders have seemingly ignored an old sailors' warning to “never plant you right and left feet in two different boats.” Instead…