Protector News

The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Sea Dog (WPB 87373) sustained damage during the crew’s inbound transit from sea to the St. Marys River, Monday, the Coast Guard (USCG) said.The damaged cutter moored in Fernandina Beach, Fla., with assistance from additional Coast Guard assets and a commercial towing vessel, the USCG said.There were no reported injuries, damage to other vessels or environmental impact, and navigation remains unaffected, the agency added, noting the incident is under…

Officials dedicated two new Port of Long Beach fireboat stations that are enhancing the Long Beach Fire Department’s waterside and landside emergency response capabilities, better safeguarding visiting ships, cargo and waterfront workers.The facilities – Fireboat Station 15 and Fireboat Station 20 – are the products of a $109 million Port of Long Beach program to preserve business continuity, security and economic interests. With an anticipated lifespan of 50 years, both stations…

The German government has approved the deployment of armed forces in a European Union naval mission in the Red Sea to protect merchant ships from attacks by Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi militia, a government spokesperson said on Friday.Many commercial shippers have diverted vessels following attacks by the Houthis, who control much of Yemen and say they are acting in solidarity with the Palestinians as Israel and Hamas wage war in Gaza."The ongoing escalation of violence and the threat to life and limb of the crews of ships…

Italy will provide the admiral in command of a European Union Red Sea naval mission to protect ships from attacks by Yemen's Houthi militia, Defence Minister Guido Crosetto said on Friday.Many commercial shippers have diverted vessels following attacks by the Houthis, who control much of Yemen and say they are acting in solidarity with the Palestinians in the face of Israel's attack on Gaza."The European Union today asked Italy to supply the Force Commander for the Aspides Operation in the Red Sea…

Eastern Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Agency's new Lynx Catamaran recently went on sea trials off the coast of Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft.Designed by Chartwell Marine and built by Goodchild Marine Services, the newbuild, Protector, has an overall length of 16.2 meters and a beam of 6.5 meters. Powered by Volvo Penta D8 IMO Tier III compliant engines, the vessel delivers a top speed of 22 knots and a service speed of 18 knots.The vessel will protect inshore fisheries from Haile Sand Fort in the north to Felixstowe in the south…

David Clark Company is best known within the marine market for its wireless and digital headset workboat crew communication systems – the Series 9900 Wireless Marine Headset System and the Series 9100 Digital Marine Headset System. The company has over 20 years of experience designing and manufacturing boat crew communication solutions for a variety of workboats, e.g., patrol boats, fire/rescue craft, and offshore service vessels.But you may not know that David Clark Company started…

The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) has tapped Exail to replace obsolete gyrocompass systems on the 175-foot WLM Keeper Class Buoy Tenders. The $2,244,009 contract awarded to Exail includes Octans gyrocompasses and Netans Navigation Data Distribution Systems (NDDS) and covers a base year and nine options over a 10-year performance period.This upgrade will provide the USCG Keeper Class Buoy Tenders with more precise and dependable navigation capabilities. Built on Exail’s Fiber-Optic Gyroscope (FOG) technology…

Recent storms that crossed the San Francisco Bay Area earlier this week left multiple vessels, docks, and barges adrift, causing navigational safety issues around the areaThree 60-foot deck barges were adrift, causing an allision with the 3rd Street Bridge at McCovey Cove leading to Mission Creek. U.S. Coast Guard Sector San Francisco's Prevention Department was made aware of the situation and broadcasted a Notice to Mariners, noting that the area was closed to navigation. A finalized assessment of the bridge is pending the completion of an inspection by engineers.

Dutch towage and salvage provider Multraship said it has won the tender to supply two Emergency Rescue & Towing Vessels (ERTV) to the Netherlands Coastguard for monitoring shipping safety in the southern section of the North Sea.The contract for the deployment of the vessels came into effect on July 1, 2022 and it will be for 4.5 years, with options for extensions. Multraship Commander (formerly ALP Ace) will be stationed at the Borssele wind farm. From August 1, Multraship Protector (formerly ALP Ippon) will be on standby for the Hollandse Kust wind farms.ERTV Guardian…

Louisiana shipbuilder Bollinger Shipyards announced Friday it has submitted its final proposal to the U.S. Coast Guard to build the next round of Heritage-class Offshore Patrol Cutters (OPC). If chosen, Bollinger would construct and deliver a total of 11 OPC vessels at its facilities in Houma, La. over the next decade.OPCs will provide the majority of offshore presence for the Coast Guard’s cutter fleet, bridging the capabilities of the 418-foot national security cutters, which patrol the open ocean, and the 154-foot fast response cutters, which serve closer to shore.

Louisiana shipbuilding group Bollinger Shipyards has placed its bid to build the second round of vessels as part of the U.S. Coast Guard's Heritage-class Offshore Patrol Cutter (OPC) program.If selected, Bollinger would construct and deliver a total of 11 ships to the U.S. Coast Guard over the next decade, helping to sustain the Bollinger workforce through 2031, the company said.Bollinger has been actively involved in every step of the U.S. Coast Guard’s OPC acquisition process…

The U.K. Hydrographic Office (UKHO) announced the appointment of Rear Admiral Peter Sparkes as the new chief executive and accounting officer. Sparkes will be leaving the Royal Navy to take up the role.As chief executive, Sparkes will continue to lead the organization’s important work in supporting safe, secure and thriving oceans. This includes the UKHO’s work in support of Defense and merchant shipping. Working in close collaboration with national and international partners…

The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Dorado (WPB-87306) was decommissioned Wednesday after 23 years of service. The vessel was the Coast Guard's sixth 87-foot Marine Protector-class patrol boat to serve as the Coast Guard’s primary nearshore patrol asset.“I would like to thank my crew and all previous sailors for bolstering her highly successful service life,” said Lt. Rebecca Cotton, the Dorado’s commanding officer, during a decommissioning ceremony in Crescent City, Calif. “They made the Dorado an unforgettable cutter in which to serve the West Coast for the past 23 years.

SAFE Boats International has hired Mark Stott as Business Development Director for the U.S. Western Region for government customers and private/commercial customers worldwide.Stott began his professional career in electronics and telecommunications before diving into the maritime industry. He has served as an engineer on large, private vessels worldwide and undertaken technical and business development roles with Protector USA and most recently, Moose Boats.“I’m excited to bring to SAFE Boats my 20-plus years of marine technical and business development experience,” Stott says.

Icebreaking operations have commenced in Finland, with two icebreakers presently deployed in the Bay of Bothnia, where ice has begun to form at the head end and along shipping lanes.On December 25, by decision of the Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency, the icebreaker Kontio was deployed, followed by icebreaker Otso on January 8. First assistance restrictions for sea areas entered into force on December 27.“Based on long-term forecasts, we would seem to have a mild winter ahead of us…

The U.K. Hydrographic Office has announced the appointment of Rear Admiral Peter Sparkes, the current U.K. National Hydrographer and Deputy Chief Executive, to the position of acting chief executive and accounting officer.Sparkes will hold the position while a permanent replacement is sought for Tim Lowe CBE, the previous UKHO chief executive and accounting officer, who announced his retirement Friday.Commenting on Lowe’s retirement, Sparkes said, “On behalf of the senior leadership team and all at the U.K.

Vestdavit is bringing new fast craft handling capability to HMS Protector, the only Royal Navy ship dedicated to Antarctic patrol and survey duties.The advanced icebreaker, which provides a UK presence in the Antarctic and meets treaty obligations on inspections, hydrographical charting and in support of scientific research, is to be equipped with a specially-enhanced PLR-5000 davit from Vestdavit. All seven of the davits onboard HMS Protector have been supplied by Vestdavit.Part of a five-year docking and recertification package undertaken in the UK…

Canyon Marine Solutions has been approved as an authorized distributor for Thordon Bearings.The Virginia-based engineering firm will provide sales and engineering support to Thordon’s complete portfolio of marine bearing and seal products in the states of Delaware, Virginia, Maryland, North Carolina, and the District of Columbia.Canyon Marine Solutions, which officially began representing the company on April 1st has already secured a major order for Thordon Bearings. The company…

An abandoned cargo ship landed on the coast of Ireland this week after more than a year drifting alone at sea.The Irish Coast Guard said it responded to a merchant vessel aground near Ballycotton, Cork on Sunday, only to discover there was no one was on board.It turns out that the mysterious vessel is the 250-foot Tanzanian-flagged Alta, which had been left crewless and adrift on the other side of the Atlantic when the U.S. Coast Guard rescued all 10 crew members on board after the vessel lost power while en route from Greece to Haiti in September 2018.At the time of the rescue, the U.S.

Bollinger Shipyards has delivered the 37th Fast Response Cutter (FRC), USCGC Edgar Culbertson, to the U.S. Coast Guard, on February 6, in Key West, Fla. The 154-foot Sentinel-class Fast Response Cutter has a flank speed of 28 knots, state of the art command, control, communications and computer technology, and a stern launch system for the vessel’s 26-foot cutter boat, the builder said. The FRC has been described as an operational “game changer,” by senior Coast Guard officials and have been deployed as far 4…

AMETEK Land, a provider of combustion efficiency and environmental pollutant emissions monitoring instrumentation, has launched two new continuous emission monitoring systems (PM-CEMS) to provide accurate and reliable measurement of particulate matter from industrial combustion processes in stacks and ducts.The AMETEK Land 4650-PM is an extremely stable and accurate low-range particulate matter measurement system designed for CEMS applications where condensed water is not present in the flue gas.

USCGC Angela McShan Delivered to U.S. Coast Guard.Bollinger Shipyards has delivered the USCGC ANGELA MCSHAN, the 35th Fast Response Cutter (FRC) to the U.S. Coast Guard. The Coast Guard took delivery on the 1st of August, 2019 in Key West, Florida. Bollinger President & C.E.O. Ben Bordelon said, “We are very pleased to announce the latest FRC delivery, the USCGC ANGELA MCSHAN. Previous cutters have been stationed around the nation including Alaska and Hawaii. The ANGELA MCSHAN…

Vigilance, the second of the Port of Long Beach’s two new fireboats, was officially brought into service at America’s second busiest port on Monday, and together with its twin Protector (delivered in 2016), will replace fireboats Challenger and Liberty that entered service in the late 1980s. Vigilance and Protector, designed by Robert Allan Ltd. and built by Foss Maritime Co., cost a combined $51.6 million. Jensen Maritime Consultants served as construction manager. Each vessel features 10 water cannons capable of extinguishing fires in the harbor or on nearby land with more than 41…