Renewable Energy Sectors News

Lloyd’s Register (LR) and Triumph Energy (Triumph), a marine technology company specializing in green technology and automation, have announced a new Joint Development Project (JDP) to ensure vessels are built and operated sustainably. The collaboration will see a new ShipRight procedure for vessels used within the offshore energy, decommissioning and renewable energy sectors.The new ShipRight Procedure will guarantee that vessels comply with relevant sustainability and ECO requirements…

Chevron Corporation earlier this month completed its previously announced acquisition of biodiesel production company Renewable Energy Group, Inc. (REG) following approval by REG stockholders.“We have brought together companies with complementary capabilities, assets, and customer relationships to make Chevron one of the leading renewable fuels companies in the United States,” said Mark Nelson, executive vice president of Downstream & Chemicals for Chevron. “Chevron now offers our customers an expanded suite of cost-effective…

Survitec Group, a manufacturer of marine safety and survival equipment, has restructured its offshore division to better serve customers with assets operating in the oil, gas and wind (renewable) energy sectors, it said.The reorganization of the business unit coincides with renewed activity in the offshore industry following the market downturn, together with Survitec’s overall strategy to hone its focus within key sectors.Ross Wilkinson, VP of U.K. and Scandinavia who leads Survitec Global Energy, said, “The offshore market is emerging from its recent low-point, while the offshore wind market has grown exponentially over the last decade."Ross added…

The logistics and service provider to the offshore energy industry Peterson UK Limited has concluded a new long-term agreement with Associated British Ports Holdings (ABP) to establish a new operational and logistics base to the Port of Lowestoft.ABP, which owns and operates 21 ports in the United Kingdom, said that the new agreement will see Peterson operate a wide range of warehouse, cargo and logistic services from the port, including fuel bunkering to support the oil & gas and renewable energy sectors being supplied from their Lowestoft Supply Base.Paul Smith, Peterson Business Manager East of England, said: “We are delighted to establish a new operations base in the Port of Lowestoft.

Dubai-based Marine logistics company Topaz Energy and Marine (Topaz) has signed an agreement with a north European contractor for the charter of Topaz's newbuild for offshore wind farms in the North Sea.The contractor will charter Topaz’s newbuild subsea vessel, Topaz Tangaroa, for work on renewable energy projects, primarily in support of offshore wind farms in the southern North Sea. The contract underlines the growing significance of offshore wind projects to Topaz.The oilfield services company providing marine and engineerig solutions to the global energy industry said that the charter contract will take effect from February 2019 for a firm duration of seven months, with options to extend to late 2020.

Lung Teh (LT) Shipbuilding Company formally received construction permits for the site at Suao Port, according to Taiwanese government sources.The company will start construction in December and should finish all new facilities on its Suao Port campus in March 2020. LT Shipbuilding operations at Suao Port are expected to create at least 200 new job openings.Taiwan International Ports Corporation (TIPC)’s active recruitment of companies to establish business operations at Suao Port, a branch port of TIPC’s Port of Keelung subsidiary, has begun bearing fruit, said official sources.LT Shipbuilding signed their lease agreement with the Port of Keelung at the end of 2016 to lease land for its shipbuilding operations.

UAE-based Gulf Marine Services (GMS), a provider of self-propelled self-elevating support vessels (SESVs) serving the offshore oil, gas and renewable energy sectors, said it secured a new contract for one of its Small Class vessels.The new charter is for 12 months (including options) and is scheduled to commence shortly. The vessel will be supporting well intervention activities for a national oil company (NOC) in the MENA region.Duncan Anderson, Chief Executive Officer of GMS, said:  "This new award, which follows last month's announcement of three long-term contracts, is further evidence of a continuing market recovery. The sustained higher oil price is having a positive impact in our sector…

The bearing installations to two Calm Buoys operating offshore Libya are indicative of the wide-range of applications Thordon’s environmentally-safe bearing systems have outside the company’s traditional maritime market.A total of 48 bearings and bushings were supplied in 2014 for installation to the chain stoppers of Monobuoy’s 400t turntable Calm Buoys, a single point mooring system designed to allow oil tankers to load and offload cargoes offshore, without having to berth alongside the refinery.

Attollo Offshore has heralded Q2 by signing multiple multi-million dollar jack up contracts within the oil and gas and renewable energy sectors. The contracts will see the Aberdeen-based company - renowned for its smarter operations of the assets required for late field life, decommissioning, rig-less well intervention, plug and abandonment and offshore wind projects - provide propelled and non-propelled accommodation jack up rigs to operators until the end of 2018. Explaining the benefits, Ben Moore, managing director at Attollo Offshore, said, “A stable platform which eliminates personnel transfers improves any project’s risk profile, safety performance, operational output and project costs.

The Harris Pye Engineering Group, global specialists in the provision of repairs, upgrades and conversions to the marine, offshore oil and gas, and associated onshore industrial sectors, has been acquired by the Joulon Group. Joulon was created in partnership with KKR, the global investment firm to acquire well established companies globally. The investment in Joulon comes from multiple funds managed or advised by KKR. Harris Pye has been acquired to primarily add capability in the Project Management Platform for the Joulon Group and will also have an impact in the majority of the Joulon platforms. “We are really excited to have Harris Pye as part of Joulon Group. “This is very much a win:win situation,” explained Mark Prendergast, Harris Pye’s Chief Executive.

Gulf Marine Services (GMS), the leading provider of advanced self-propelled self-elevating support vessels (SESVs) serving the offshore oil, gas and renewable energy sectors, is looking at acquisitions due to opportunities in the market, reported Gulf News. GMS, which supports the oil and gas and renewable energy sectors with barges, has a fleet of fourteen vessels that help in offshore oil and gas platform refurbishment and maintenance activities, offshore wind turbine maintenance work, as well as offshore oil and gas platform installation and decommissioning, among other things. The report quoted its chief executive officer Duncan Anderson as saying: "There is more room for consolidation with other businesses in future.

Drydocks World, a marine, onshore and offshore service provider to the oil, gas and renewable energy sectors, has signed an agreement for two new projects with Bluewater Energy Services B.V. and end client Hurricane Energy plc. Building on Drydocks World’s track record of 32 conversions and six turrets, the yard will now undertake a repair, life extension and upgrade project on Floating Production Storage & Offloading (FPSO) vessel Aoka Mizu, which will be deployed in the Lancaster Field West of the Shetlands after completion.

Subsea Industries has strengthened its presence in the U.K.’s maritime and renewable energy sectors with opening up of a dedicated marine and offshore coatings office in the U.K. and the appointment of coatings specialist Mark Woods as its U.K.-based technical representative. The new office forms part of Subsea Industries’ wider growth strategy to meet increased demand for the company’s award-winning non-toxic hard coatings. As accounting manager, Woods will head up Chelmsford-based Subsea Industries U.K., with responsibility for sales growth across the company’s complete portfolio of marine coatings. However, the company is actively recruiting sales representatives for other locations.

The International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA) is hosting a Security Seminar in London on Thursday, November 10, which will focus on human factors in modern maritime security. Sponsored by Subsea 7 and Technip, the event is a continuation of IMCA's new series of mini-seminars – niche events tailored to tackle specific topics. “The day-long seminar at the Millennium Gloucester Hotel in South Kensington will provide an invaluable opportunity for all concerned to understand the impact of human factors on security in key areas of the offshore marine contracting industry – both in the oil and gas, and renewable energy sectors,” explained Richard Benzie, IMCA’s Technical Director. “It will cover both the global risk to people, and the internal cyber security threat.

Wood Group has appointed three senior engineering specialists who will lead a new team of up to 20 people in the UK to further build Wood Group’s capability in vibration, dynamics and noise. This follows the acquisition of BETA Machinery Analysis, a Calgary-based engineering consultancy specializing in advanced vibration analysis, and will include the opening of a Southampton office in January 2016. Mark Hutchinson will become operations manager of Wood Group’s UK vibration team, Jonathon Baker joins as sales and business development manager and Rob Swindell will take on the role of R&D and technical authority. These appointments bolster Wood Group’s integrity management capability by adding subsea vibration and fatigue experience to its onshore expertise.

Gulf Marine Services the provider of advanced self-propelled self-elevating support vessels (SESVs) serving the offshore oil, gas and renewable energy sectors, informed that the newly-built GMS Scirocco has been completed ahead of schedule and under budget and has been awarded its first contract. The vessel will commence a four-month contract (three months firm with a one-month option) in October for an engineering, procurement and construction contractor working for a MENA-based national oil company, with day rates in line with those previously indicated for the region. GMS Scirocco is the second of a new SESV design, the Mid-Size Class, to be added to the Group's fleet and a third, GMS Sharqi, will be delivered in Q1 2016.

International inspection, repair and maintenance (IRM) company Harkand aims to be a $1 billion company. MR’s Tom Mulligan recently met with John Reed, the company’s CEO, to discuss his vision for the future and how Harkand aims to achieve its goal of being the leading subsea IRM and light construction contractor globally. Established in 2012 and headquartered in London with operations bases in Aberdeen, Houston, Mexico, and Ghana, global subsea IRM group Harkand has been expanding its business operations rapidly throughout North America…

AKD says the lack of an unambiguous term to describe a ‘ship’ in several jurisdictions represents a potential threat to asset security for financiers, particularly in the offshore and renewable energy sectors. AKD partner Haco van der Houven van Oordt says, “In many jurisdictions, including the US and the UK, there appears to be no clear definition of a ship. A recent Tulane Maritime Law Journal study illustrated how a variety of floating objects which have no means of propulsion and/or ability to carry cargo or passengers cannot easily be registered as a ship.

In a multi-million pound boost to the Northern Ireland economy, Belfast ship builder Harland and Wolff has secured a contract to carry out major work on an oil rig. Dolphin Drilling Limited has awarded H&W the contract for the drydocking and Renewal/Special Periodic Survey of its Byford Dolphin Mobile Offshore Drilling Unit (MODU). H&W Director of ship and offshore unit repair, James Lappin said that this was a significant project for Harland and Wolff and for Northern Ireland. As well as employment opportunities, the supply chain within Northern Ireland will see significant activity in support of the project, he added. Around 1,000 contractors will be employed to overhaul the structure for up to 10 weeks and 60 permanent staff are to be recruited, the Belfast firm announced.

Jim McColl, one of Scotland's richest men, has tabled a bid to rescue collapsed Clyde shipbuilder Ferguson and aims to return the yard to its former glory by creating hundreds of jobs, according to HeraldScotland. The engineering tycoon, who saved about 550 jobs at Weir Pumps in Glasgow in 2007 by buying that business from Weir Group, is pledging to invest many millions of pounds in the yard at Port Glasgow if his offer is accepted by ­administrators. Ferguson, which was founded in 1902 and is the last commercial shipbuilder on the Clyde, collapsed into administration last week, with 70 of the remaining 77 employees made redundant reports HeraldScotland online.

A division of the Unique Maritime Group (UMG) which is an integrated turnkey subsea and offshore solutions providers, Unique Seaflex, announced it has assisted Belfast shipyard Harland and Wolff with the largest load test ever carried out with the use of their WaterLoad range of bags over the course of the final days of May 2014. Building on 150 years of marine manufacturing experience, Harland and Wolff offers a combination of vast facilities and technical capability. From initial consultancy through detailed engineering…

Hutton’s Group is expanding its Renewables Division to better service the growing offshore oil and gas and renewable energy sectors. Hutton’s Renewables has relocated to larger quayside premises in the centre of Great Yarmouth’s vibrant maritime community in order to expand its stock holding capabilities and support services for the East Coast windfarm developments and offshore oil and gas facilities. With its deepwater harbor, Great Yarmouth is situated within 100 miles of one of the world’s largest concentrations of offshore renewable projects.

The Korean Register of Shipping (KR) (an IACS member classification society) and the Busan Port Authority (BPA) (the fifth largest container port in the world) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to cooperate on environmental initiatives and other maritime activities. The MoU allows both parties to cooperate and consult on the development of an evaluation index for eco-friendly ships and green ship verification services. Cooperation will also extend to new and renewable energy sectors such as solar and wind energy as well as initiatives for assisting local business expansion.