Signet News

Signet Sirius, the first of two ART 92-32W Rotortugs was recently delivered by Signet Maritime at their Pascagoula Shipbuilding and Repair facility. This is the first ART Rotortug that Signet has built and operated in their fleet. Designed by Robert Allan Ltd. in collaboration with RotorTug BV, the Advanced Rotortugs (ART) incorporate the patented triple Z-drive Rotortug propulsion layout, featuring omni-directional maneuverability, and the benefits of a fully redundant and precise propulsion machinery configuration.

Markey Machinery is a storied marine company, starting operations in 1907, when a Charles Markey, fresh from a two-year trading expedition on the Alaska and Siberian coast, launched the C.H. Markey Machinery Company serving both the marine and logging industries.Today Markey Machinery serves as a global leader in the marine deck equipment and winch industry, a position that it seeks to grow with the announcement that it closed outside investment with Christian Schiller and Brian Bogen to take the company to the next level.To its broad maritime client base…

3D digital design can save ‘dollars on the deck plate’ during construction while maintaining safety, says to Patrick Ryan, Senior Vice President, Global Engineering and Technology, ABS.Last year ABS, Robert Allan, Signet and USCG collaborated on a project that would be the first commercial vessel in U.S. history to be produced using only 3D models in design and construction for all structures. While the process used to deliver this RAL-designed Advanced Rotortug (ART) is historic…

The evolution of commercial ship design and construction now includes a first in the U.S.: the first commercial U.S. vessel designed, built and verified using an end-to-end 3D design process, a project coordinated through ABS, Robert Allan Ltd. (RAL), Signet Maritime Corporation (Signet) and the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG).Designed by RAL, the Advanced Rotortug (ART), which is designed to escort vessels and offshore assets at the Port of Corpus Christi, will receive its Certificate of Inspection from the USCG and will now be built and operated by Signet to ABS Class…

Seattle-based SeaTac Marine Services announced it has acquired a new heavy deck cargo barge. The 2010-built barge can haul up to 11,000 tons and with nearly 30,000 square feet of deck space, making it one of the larger barges in the Pacific cargo trade. The 300 x 100 feet barge was purchased from Signet Marine in late 2020. Specializing in general cargo and heavy lift machinery, the Atlas will fit well into SeaTac Marine’s regular shipping schedule to Anchorage and Seward. SeaTac Marine is modifying the barge to maximize cargo protection and space.

Four people are missing and six have been hospitalized for injuries caused by a pipeline explosion in the Corpus Christi Ship Channel on Friday, officials said.The explosion and subsequent fire were reported at about 8 a.m. local time near Nueces Bay in the northern part of the city after a dredge struck a pipeline in the water. The dredge, Waymon L Boyd owned by Houston-based Orion Marine Group, was working on a private project, not the channel deepening work currently underway at the port.The U.S.

Mississippi-based ST Engineering Halter Marine and Offshore has recently won a contract to retrofit new propulsion and maneuvering systems on an ocean towing tug, Signet Warhorse II, for Signet Maritime Corporation.The scope of work included removing existing shafts and fixed-pitched propellers to be replaced with Controllable Pitch Propellers consisting of shaft bearings and shafts. Auxiliary components including the oil distribution box and feedback unit were integrated into the machinery space.The existing bow tunnel thruster was replaced with a retractable azimuth thruster.

Over the course of several days, Halter Marine Inc. celebrated multiple milestones on the Auxiliary Personnel Lighter–Small (APL(S)) program. The Pascagoula, Miss. shipbuilder launched the first two berthing barges, erected modules on the third barge and laid the keel on the fourth barge.In September 2018, the company received the initial contract to design and build two units, with options for four additional units. The company expects to deliver the first two APLs this fall, while the third vessel is due to be delivered in the first quarter of 2021.

Two fisherman reportedly adrift for two weeks and presumed lost at sea were rescued with help from a good Samaritan towboat crew and the U.S. Coast Guard.Domingo Jimenez, 45, and Ramon Castillo, 29, both from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, departed Samana, Dominican Republic on May 2. On May 5, USCG Sector San Juan watchstanders received a report from a concerned family member stating Jimenez and Castillo were overdue after heading out in their 25-foot vessel to fish approximately 132 miles northeast of Samana.The U.S.

Being based just across the open border between Canada and America since 1930, Robert Allan Ltd. has developed a deep understanding of the American market and just how our ship designs can be tailored to suit our neighbors’ requirements. America is unique in many ways. The current designs of American towing vessels are largely the result of domestically focused requirements not encountered elsewhere. As a result, Robert Allan Ltd. has had to learn to treat America as unique and not to assume means and methods used elsewhere will suit the U.S. market. A simple example is the use of the U.S.

A new tug  built by Signet Shipbuilding and Repair was delivered to E.N. Bisso & Son Inc. in mid-December. The vessel, Gladys B, is Robert Allan Ltd.’s newest RApport 2400 class tugboat design. “She is named for the wife of the founder of the company in 1946, Captain Edwin Napoleon Bisso. This powerful steel titan will serve her owner well. Built in America, built by Americans and built for progress. She will soon be known in Louisiana as the Maserati of the River,” said Signet President, J. Barry Snyder.

On the morning of October 12, 2016, E.N. Bisso and Signet Shipbuilding & Repair (SS&R) Pascagoula, Miss., christened and launched E.N. Bisso’s newest high technology Robert Allan Ltd. (RAL) design tug. Mrs. Deborah F. McDonald, wife of Mr. William H. McDonald, President, E.N. Bisso, New Orleans, Louisiana, was the Christening Sponsor. The GLADYS B, SS&R Hull 109 was launched immediately following the ceremony, and will be delivered on-time and on-budget December 12, 2016. This ASD tug is the fourth RAL design vessel constructed by SS&R, with two new build contracts currently under negotiation.

Smith Berger Marine, Inc. said it has been selected by Edison Chouest Offshore to design and manufacture the Tow Pin Stern Roller units required on its nine new vessels, including five escort tugs and four docking tugs. Edison Chouest is building the new tugs in order to execute a 10-year Ship Escort-Response Vessel System (SERVS) contract with the Alyeska Pipeline Service Company, for which the tugs will provide tanker escort and spill response services in Prince William Sound. The Tow Pin unit has the capacity to sustain 250 tons of line tension and features three individually raised and lowered towing pins, one hold down hook and a 14” diameter stern roller.

Dometic develops products that make life on the water more comfortable and productive. An engineering leader of innovative products for the global marine industry with the largest worldwide sales and service network, products include air conditioning, ventilation, air purification, water purification, and sanitation. Compact, modular, and shell-and-tube chillers are customized for up to 2.4 million BTUs of climate control. The firm has about 300 employees. For a 72’ Signet tug boat…

Workboats depend on reliable sources of both. To that end, the basic keys to crew comfort are both manifested in Dometic’s newest equipment offerings. As the New Year kicks off, marine equipment OEM Dometic has unveiled two new, completely upgraded offerings. The Sea Xchange CX Watermaker, a variable capacity system that can produce between 8,000-40,000 gallons per day (GPD) of potable water, is intended for a wide range of commercial applications, including on offshore platforms, floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) facilities, workboats and military vessels. Separately, Dometic has also introduced the Dometic Titan Chiller, a 45-ton unit with revolutionary new titanium coaxial tube condenser.

Signet continues Gulf of Mexico expansion and opens U.S. Signet Maritime Corporation informs it has completed Phase II of a $250 million capital expansion program with the acquisition and integration of the Harvey Gulf OTV fleet. The corporate strategy was to design and own vessels for multidisciplinary work, and diversify with the addition of the powerful offshore vessels, enabling Signet to broaden its services into new market segments, the company explained. Continuing this U.S. expansion, Signet has been awarded multi-vessel, long term charters by Trailer Bridge, Inc., an international freight service company, to perform weekly sailings from Jacksonville, Florida to San Juan, Puerto Rico and Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic.

On September 14, five Signet Maritime ASD/Z-Drive tugboats, the SIGNET ENTERPRISE, SIGNET RELIANCE, SIGNET MAGIC, SIGNET WEATHERLY, and SIGNET VOLUNTEER successfully completed the Towout of LLOG’s DELTA HOUSE semisubmersible production facility to the U.S. Gulf of Mexico. In June 2011, Signet also assisted with LLOG’s highly successful OPTI-EX Floating Production System (FPS) for the Who Dat development field located in Mississippi Canyon 503/504/547. Signet Maritime’s Tractor fleet escorts DELTA HOUSE to the Gulf of Mexico. Signet’s International Operations Complex located in Ingleside, Texas was responsible for assisting with the arrival of each hull on a heavy lift vessel (HLV), offload in the deep hole, lifts & sets, stability (incline) testing, and sail-out.

In the summer of this year, Signet Maritime took delivery of Signet Arcturus & Signet Polaris, the eighth and ninth tugs designed for them by Robert Allan Ltd. of Vancouver, Canada to add to its fleet of 37 conventional and ASD vessels. The tugs were constructed at Patti Marine Enterprises in Pensacola, Florida. The tugs are based on the Signet Weatherly design, but with additional power and higher bollard pull. The vessels are intended for multidisciplinary work including offshore support, towing, ship-assist, ship escort, subsea and rig moves.

The final voyage of aircraft carrier USS Saratoga begins today. From the Eastern Hemisphere to the Western Hemisphere, the USS Saratoga has made her mark around the globe, and served more than 38 years in the United States Navy. The carrier’s aircraft flew sorties in the Vietnam War, in Operation Desert Shield and over the states of the former Yugoslavia in 1992. Throughout its four decades of service, more than 60,000 sailors served on its decks, with roughly 5,000 at any given time.

Adding to its fleet of 37 conventional and ASD vessels, Signet Maritime Corporation took ownership of its ninth newly constructed tractor tug in six years. SIGNET ARCTURUS, a 105’ x 38’ Z-Drive, designed by Robert Allan Ltd. of Vancouver, British Columbia was delivered by Patti Marine Enterprises of Pensacola, Florida on May 25, 2014. SIGNET ARCTURUS is powered by two Caterpillar model C175-16 main engines, each rated 3417 BHP at 1800 RPM. The engines are coupled to two Rolls-Royce US 255 CP azimuth thrusters via carbon fiber shafting, providing thrust for ABS certified sustained bollard pull of 83.45 metric tonnes. All Caterpillar mains and John Deere 6068TFM76 generator engines aboard the vessel are U.S. EPA Tier 3 certified for reduced emissions. Joseph W.

Adding to its fleet of 37 conventional and ASD vessels, Signet Maritime Corporation took ownership of its ninth newly constructed tractor tug in six years. Signet Arcturus , a 105’ x 38’ Z-Drive, designed by Robert Allan Ltd. of Vancouver, British Columbia was delivered by Patti Marine Enterprises of Pensacola, Florida on May 25, 2014. Signet Arcturus is powered by two Caterpillar model C175-16 main engines, each rated 3,417 BHP at 1,800 RPM. The engines are coupled to two Rolls-Royce US 255 CP azimuth thrusters via carbon fiber shafting…

In a business where time is money, Signal Ship Repair’s niche ‘high blocking’ repair methods have significantly reduced repair times and increased shipyard efficiencies. If Signal Ship Repair’s (SSR) primary business can generically be described simply as ship repair and conversion, then it can also be said that its practice of ‘high blocking’ to facilitate faster, and more efficient in-house Z drive repairs is its signature service. Utilizing a simple but highly effective shipyard technique, SSR has taken a routine practice originally used to facilitate naval ship drydockings, and turned it into a signature service that helps offshore clients with drop down thrusters, z-drives, pods and keel coolers get repairs done rapidly.

Dometic’s HVAC systems fit right into the dual purpose of providing comfortable workboat environments while also protecting vital equipment. Both tasks go hand in hand and collaboration between parties is the key. An efficient and reliable HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) system on board commercial vessels is essential. In difficult and often extreme operating conditions, the system will provide a comfortable and healthy work environment for crew and also protect vital electronic equipment from overheating and potentially breaking down.