Ranger News

Austal USA delivered the future USS Kingsville (LCS 36) to the U.S. Navy March 1, 2024. Kingsville is the 18th Independence-variant Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) delivered by the company and the first U.S. Navy vessel to be named after the Texas city home to Naval Air Station Kingsville and directly tied to the historic King Ranch.Delivery documents were signed on board the ship and followed the successful completion of acceptance trials at the end of January during which the ship’s major systems and equipment were tested to demonstrate mission readiness.

In the commercial maritime and offshore industries, where worker safety and competency are crucial, effective training practices are an absolute must. While hands-on, in-the-field learning will always be a vital component of any mariner’s training, marine simulation has become a welcome enhancement to the education process. And in some cases, it’s seen as a safer alternative to traditional survival craft and rescue boat training.A leader in this space is Virtual Marine, based in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Iran-allied Houthi militia launched two anti-ship ballistic missiles at a U.S.-owned tanker ship on Thursday night that hit the water near the vessel, causing no injuries or damage, U.S. Central Command said.The incident, the latest amid growing tensions in the Red Sea that has disrupted global trade and raised fears of supply bottlenecks, took place at around 9 p.m. Yemen local time (1800 GMT), according to the post on X, formerly Twitter.The Houthis, who control most of Yemen…

The U.S. Navy’s newest Overlord Unmanned Surface Vessel Vanguard (OUSV3), was recently launched from Austal USA’s shipyard in Mobile, Ala. Vanguard is the first USV for the Navy purpose-built for autonomous operations from the keel-up.Vanguard is being jointly developed by a team led by Austal USA and L3Harris. Once outfitting and testing is completed, Vanguard will autonomously transit to San Diego, joining sister ships, OUSV2 Ranger and OUSV4 Mariner, as part of the Navy’s USV Division 1.

Subsea solutions provider N-Sea Group announced it has entered into an agreement with Geo Plus to long term charter the Dutch flagged vessel Geo Ranger, a hybrid survey and ROV support vessel.The Geo Ranger will accompany the Geo Focus which is already under N-Sea management and control.The fuel efficient vessel Geo Ranger is equipped with smart on-board technology, comprising various different sensors and a plug-and-play system for additional, project-specific customer equipment.With DP station keeping capabilities…

Tech company Leidos was recently awarded a new task order by Naval Sea Systems Command to manage, operate and maintain the U.S. Navy’s Overlord and medium unmanned surface vessels (USVs). The single-award task order has a one-year base period of performance and two one-year options. The task order has a maximum value of approximately $95 million if all options are exercised.“Leidos is leading a new era of naval operations,” said Gerry Fasano, Leidos Defense Group president. “The Leidos team has unmatched experience and expertise in autonomous vessel design and operations…

The Great Lakes' 2023 shipping season will commence on March 25 with the opening of the Poe Lock at 12:01 a.m., the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Detroit District announced.The operating season is fixed by federal regulation and driven in part by the feasibility of vessels operating in typical Great Lakes ice conditions.The Poe Lock closed January 16 to undergo critical repairs and maintenance during the 10 week-long winter shutdown. Maintenance crews performed a variety of critical tasks on the Poe Lock…

Schmidt Ocean Institute announced that its newly refitted research vessel has been launched and is ready to be used by scientists worldwide to push the frontiers of deep sea expedition.Funded by Schmidt Ocean Institute founders Eric and Wendy Schmidt, the 110-meter global-class research ship, Falkor (too), was refit at Freire Shipyard in Vigo, Spain, with sea trials taking place off Puerto Rico. It will now embark on a series of expeditions and be available to scientists and technologists globally at no cost in exchange for making their research and discoveries publicly available.

The 2022 biennial, multi-national Rim of the Pacific's (RIMPAC) exercise has come to a close.This year’s exercise with the theme of “Capable Adaptive Partners,” featured 26 participating nations and 38 surface ships, three submarines, more than 30 uncrewed systems, approximately 170 aircraft, and more than 25,000 personnel.RIMPAC 2022 featured a wide range of capabilities--projecting the inherent flexibility of maritime forces and helping to promote a free and open Indo-Pacific, and took place in and around the Hawaiian Islands and Southern California, June 29 to Aug.

Flex LNG announced on Friday that Cheniere has declared it option to employ a fifth liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier under a time charter deal announced in April 2021. Flex Aurora will commence a 3.5-year time charter during third quarter of 2022.Earlier this month the U.S. Energy Department authorized additional LNG exports from Cheniere's Sabine Pass, La. and Corpus Christi, Texas terminals In addition, Cheniere and Flex LNG agreed that Flex Volunteer will be the fourth ship under the agreement and that this ship will be delivered to Cheniere mid-April 2022 rather than during third quarter of 2022 as originally agreed. The 3.5-year time charter has therefore been extended by about 2.5 months to facilitate early delivery.Last year…

Australian vessel designer Incat Crowther on Friday announced the launch of Tamoya, an Incat Crowther 17 to join Reef Ranger and Reef Resilience in Australia's Great Barrier Reef Joint Field Management Program fleet."Tamoya packs a lot of punch for her size, which is measured specifically to fit the home port berth. The main deck is dominated by an aft working deck with a quick launch and recovery system for a 3.4m RHIB, dive racks, deck winches, BBQ area, a sink and multiple deck lashing points…

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) announced Doug Boren has been appointed as the new regional director for the agency’s Pacific Office in Camarillo, Calif. Boren will be responsible for managing the development of energy and mineral resources on the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) offshore California, Oregon, Washington and Hawaii.“Doug has many years of service with BOEM, working on aspects of OCS energy and minerals programs at the regional, national and international levels,” said BOEM Director Amanda Lefton.

Dutch shipbuilder Royal Bodewes on Friday launched and christened the latest newbuild in a series for U.K.-based shipping company Scotline.The 90-meter, 4,800 DWAT Scot Isles is Scotline's fourth vessel from Royal Bodewes in recent years, and a sister to the box-shaped singledeckers Scot Carrier, Scot Explorer and Scot Ranger, with Ice Class 1A and enclosed bridge.The British-flagged vessels are classed by Lloyd's Register and are ice class 1FB FS (Finnish and Swedish), mainly used for transporting timber from the Baltics.

Australian shipbuilder Norman R. Wright & Sons recently launched Reef Resilience, an Incat Crowther 24 patrol boat that will join Reef Ranger in protecting the Great Barrier Reef.Reef Resilience will service the southern region of the Reef from her home port in Gladstone, while Reef Ranger will continue to service the northern region from Cairns, meaning the entire reef will now benefit from the capability and operability this class of vessel offers. The vessel’s remit includes compliance monitoring, marine park and island national park management, diving and research operations.

Sea Ranger Service, the Netherlands-based company that has been carrying out surveying and research tasks in the North Sea with emissions-free sailing offshore work vessels since 2018, has appointed Christel Pullens as its new managing director effective March 1, 2021.A WISTA board member with nearly 25 years of technical and commercial experience in shipbuilding and offshore, including as senior sales manager projects at Dockwise (now Boskalis), head of sales and marketing at Damen Shiprepair & Conversion and global sales and marketing director at Alewijnse…

Solstad Offshore, a Norway-based offshore vessel operator, on Friday said it had won contracts for the vessels Normand Ranger and Far Seeker in Australia.The Normand Seeker, a large AHTS, has been awarded a contract in Australia with the start slated for the second quarter of 2021.The anchor handler vessel will mobilize from Norway and will then provide support to a major drilling campaign offshore North-Western Australia, securing about one year of utilization for the vessel…

U.K.-based shipping company Scotline Marine Holdings said it has taken delivery of Scot Ranger, the third vessel in a newbuild series from Dutch shipbuilder Royal Bodewes.This ship is a close sister to the previous two, Scot Carrier and Scot Explorer, but with one key difference. Scot Ranger has ice class 1A (Finnish and Swedish Ice Class Regulations 2010), meaning that the ship can continue to sail from the Baltic during the winter months.Scot Ranger was launched on November 6…

Robert Allan founded Robert Allan Ltd. in 1930 when Allan commenced private practice as a consulting Naval Architect after serving as Technical Manager of a local major shipyard. In the 90 years that have passed, the organization has evolved from a one-man shop to a global powerhouse in the business of naval architecture and marine design. Following the founder into the business were his namesake son and grandson, with the company in recent years passing to an employee-owned model led by Mike Fitzpatrick. Robert G.

U.S.-based Harvey Gulf Subsea Solutions said it has appointed LaDawn Lounsbury to its Business Development Team.Lounsbury brings to the position extensive subsea background and well-established client relationships, having previously held roles with Helix, Ranger Offshore, Oceaneering International and, most recently, Bayou Companies Deepwater Flow Assurance and Coating and Insulation Business, over the course of her 12-year career. She has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business from Louisiana Tech.A wholly owned subsidiary of Harvey Gulf International Marine…

Dutch shipbuilder Royal Bodewes announced that U.K.-based shipping company Scotline Marine Holdings Ltd has exercised its option for a fourth newbuild 4,800 DWAT Bodewes Trader, to be named Scot Isles and launched in the third quarter of 2021.A 90-meter sister ship Scot Ranger is currently being built at Royal Bodewes' yard in Hoogezand.Previous vessels in the series include Scot Explorer delivered in December 2019 and Scot Carrier handed over in December 2018.The British-flagged box-shaped singledeckers are classed by Lloyd's Register and are ice class 1FB FS (Finnish and Swedish)…

A contract to recycle an out-of-service U.S. Navy guided-missile cruiser has been awarded to International Shipbreaking Limited, LLC., one of the world’s largest green ship recycling companies.The USS Ticonderoga (CG 47), decommissioned in 2004, concluded her final voyage last week to the Port of Brownsville, Texas, where full dismantling will commence with 98% of all removed materials being recycled. The recycling work, which requires complete demilitarization of the entire ship…

Offshore support vessel (OSV) owner Tidewater Inc. announced Wednesday the appointment of Darron M. Anderson to its Board of Directors, effective immediately.Anderson has served as President and Chief Executive Officer and as a member of the board of directors of Ranger Energy Services since March 2017. He previously served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Express Energy Services from 2008 to August 2015. Anderson began his career in the oil and natural gas industry…

Dutch shipbuilder Royal Niestern Sander has delivered the hydrographic survey vessel ‘Geo Ranger’ to Geo Plus, after 14 months of constructing, installing, commissioning and testing.The vessel last month successfully passed its sea trials on the river Ems.The ship was designed together with Conoship International BV and will be rented out by Geo Plus to parties that perform research, such as dredging companies and companies that build and maintain offshore wind farms. The 41 meters long…