Slipways News

Australian-based shipbuilding group Austal said it has entered into an agreement to acquire compatriot ship repair and support business BSE Maritime Solutions Group.BSE Maritime Solutions, which operates in Cairns and Brisbane, serves defense, commercial, tourism and luxury vessel customers, including Australian Border Force, BAE Systems, Thales and Svitzer. The deal, which comes at an enterprise value of A$27.5 million (US$19.6 million), aligns with Austal’s strategy to continue building the its key support business…

The latest lifeboat to join the fleet of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution, the main sea rescue service in the UK and Ireland, is the waterjet-propelled Shannon class, which the organization says is its most agile and maneuverable all-weather lifeboat yet to be deployed. Designed entirely in-house by RNLI engineers, cutting-edge technology has been used in this new boat to meet modern-day rescue service demands following the lead taken with the RNLI’s introduction of the Shannon’s sister lifeboat class…

Coming in the April 2019 edition of Maritime Reporter & Engineering News we report on the latest lifeboat to join the fleet of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution, the main sea rescue service in the UK and Ireland, the waterjet-propelled Shannon class, RNLI says is its most agile and maneuverable all-weather lifeboat yet to be deployed.While the vessel and it's capabilities are amazing, we really like the new launch and recovery system. A special feature of the Shannon lifeboat…

Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) appointed Preston Khomo, previously Richards Bay Port Manager, as Executive Manager: Ship Repair, to manage and administer the organization’s ship repair resources nationally.Thamsanqa (Thami) Sithole has been appointed as the new Port Manager for Richards Bay. Both appointments are effective July 1.Khomo joined TNPA in 2004 as Head of Infrastructure Development: Port Operations and Consulting at Portcon (the then international arm of Transnet)…

Two new 50-meter multi-mission offshore vessels (MMOV) will soon help the Philippine Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) fight illegal fishing in Philippine waters. The sister ships – DA BFAR MMOV 5001, named BRP Lapu-Lapu, and DA BFAR MMOV 5002, named BRP Francisco Dagohoy – were built by Manilla-based Josefa Slipways, and have recently completed speed and endurance trials ahead of their upcoming delivery. According to designer Incat Crowther, the new vessels will enhance law enforcement’s capability to patrol and protect territorial waters…

Mainstay Marine Solutions, a workboat builder and servicing specialists in South West Wales, said it has completed an overhaul of its existing marine servicing facilities, nearly doubling its slipping capability from 350 tons to 650 tons with the introduction of a new trolley recovery system. Fabricated in-house, the trolleys will be capable of slipping 45m long vessels up to 650 tons with a maximum 12 meter beam and 4 meter draft directly into one of its undercover sheds. Stewart Graves…

Welsh workboat builders and servicing specialists Mainstay Marine Solutions said it has secured funding to support the purchase of a 150/200 ton boat lift. Mainstay Marine Solutions, marine engineers located in the deep-water port at Pembroke Dock on the Milford Haven Waterway, are set to purchase an amphibian boat hoist with the assistance of Coastal Communities Fund (CFF) funding. The 150/200 ton hoist will be capable of lifting vessels out of the water and moving around their 4.6 hectare site and into the company’s’ 4,000 m2 of covered workshop space.

Baleària repowers the high-speed ship ‘Jaume II’ to improve its energy efficiency, reliability and service. The investment totaling more than 5.5 million euros is part of the shipping line’s fleet modernization process. The work will be done at the Astilleros del Guadalquivir shipyard as an agreement has been reached with them to handle all stranding operations for its fast ferries. Work began this week to repower Baleària’s fast ferry Jaume II at the Astilleros del Guadalquivir shipyard, where the four main engines will be replaced to improve its propulsion system and reduce fuel consumption and contaminating emissions. The installation of new engines…

The SENER engineering and technology group has signed a new contract with NODOSA SHIPYARD to install its FORAN CAD/CAM/CAE system to design and produce the shipyard's new projects. This contract covers installing permanent FORAN system licenses in all design disciplines (Hull Forms and Naval Architecture, Hull Structure, Machinery & Outfitting and Electrical). As part of this agreement, SENER will provide engineering services in addition to technical support and training. The system has been installed successfully in the shipyard's Marin factory…

Britain’s largest independent ship repairer Burgess Marine said it has partnered with Kent-based European Active Projects Ltd. (EAPL) to manage and operate Ramsgate Slipways in a 50/50 joint venture. Burgess Marine and EAPL have worked together as customer and supplier for very many years, and both companies have workshops in the locality for quick response times and service. The Ramsgate Slipways site is to be managed jointly by John Webb and Geoff Barrett from Burgess Marine and Andy Corbett from EAPL.

CalMac have launched wifi hotspots on their ferries and ports, including at Ardrossan and in Arran. Almost half of the 200-mile long Caledonian MacBrayne network is now live with free public access wi-fi - and the remainder will be completed in early July. In total, the free wifi network will cover four CalMac offices, 31 vessels and 50 ports, harbours and slipways when the project is complete this July. The first vessel to go live was Bute on the Wemyss Bay to Rothesay route last February, while Rothesay was the first port to benefit. In total, 88 vessels and land-based locations will be switched on. “We are now almost halfway through the rollout programme for CalMac public access wifi,” said project manager Jim McKillop.

Incat Crowther has secured a contract to design a 50m multimission monohull patrol vessel for the Philippine Government. Two identical vessels of this type will be built in Manilla by Josefa Slipways. The primary role of the vessels is to combat illegal fishing for the Philippine government. With the local fishing industry losing billions of dollars to illegal fishing, these assets will enhance law enforcement’s capability to patrol and protect territorial waters. The multi-mission nature of the vessels also affords the flexibility to lead in disaster relief and/or rescue operations…

The 6,000-cubic-meter trailing suction hopper dredger Reimerswaal was moored for regular maintenance at the end of December 2015, alongside the jetty of Scheepswerf Gebr. Kooiman BV in Zwijndrecht. The Reimerswaal, having an overall length over of 130.25 meters and a (molded) width of 22 meters, was built in 2012 by Kooiman for Reimerswaal Dredging / Den Herder. Among others, Kooiman carried out maintenance works on the dredge- and dry unloading installations. Several components exposed to heavy wear and tear have been repaired or replaced.

The naming and launch ceremony of the trailing suction hopper dredger (TSHD) JUN YANG 1 took place on Saturday 19 December 2015 at Royal IHC's shipyard in Kinderdijk, The Netherlands. The dredger is being built for CCCC Guangzhou Dredging Co., Ltd (GDC), and the ceremony was performed by Ms. Li Wen Ci, the wife of H.E. The Ambassador of the People's Republic of China in The Netherlands. IHC has a long-standing relationship with GDC and both companies cooperated closely in the design of the dredger. At the time of delivery, it will be the largest vessel of its kind in China, and will enable GDC to carry out capital dredging and land reclamation jobs on the international market in an efficient way.

The naming and launch ceremony of the trailing suction hopper dredger (TSHD) Jun Yang 1 took place on Saturday, December 19, 2015 at Royal IHC’s shipyard in Kinderdijk, The Netherlands. The dredger is being built for CCCC Guangzhou Dredging Co., Ltd (GDC), and the ceremony was performed by Li Wen Ci, the wife of H.E. The Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China in The Netherlands. IHC noted it has a long-standing relationship with GDC, and both companies cooperated closely in the design of the dredger.

Scottish Communications Group (SCG), an independent communication equipment specialist, has been awarded a $2.7 million contract by Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited (CMAL) for the design and installation of a new CCTV solution at their Clyde and west coast network of 25 harbors, ports and slipways. These range from Largs on the mainland to Tarbert (Harris) in the Western Isles. The new CCTV system has been designed to improve safety and security for customers, Harbor Operator personnel…

David MacBrayne Ltd (DML) and global logistics firm GBA (Holdings) Ltd, operating as Solent Gateway Ltd, have won a contract to run one of the UK’s busiest military ports as part of a joint venture. The Gourock-based firm has been awarded a 35-year deal to manage military movements through Marchwood Military Port in Hampshire. MacBrayne is the parent firm of Calmac Ferries, which has operations at 24 ports, harbours and slipways. The 225-acre facility on Southampton Water has been used for the movement of troops and equipment since 1943, and is also extensively used as a berth by the Royal Fleet Auxiliary in support of the Royal Navy. GBA, which is based in Grimsby, provides logistics services to the automotive, shipping and renewables industries.

Hindustan Shipyard Ltd., the largest shipbuilding enterprise under Indian Ministry of Defence, and world’s premier shipbuilder Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) are likely to undertake joint construction of self-propelled fleet support ships (FSS) for the Indian Navy, says a report in the Hindu. A high-level delegation from Hyundai Heavy Industries Co. Ltd has already inspected facilities at the Hindustan Shipyard Limited to explore the possibilities of cooperation. The team comprised…

The shipyard in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Repnaval. SA, belonging to the group Zamakona Yards in the Canary Islands, is operating a new slipway. After an investment of nearly 5 million Euros, the slipway will double the existing capacity is it can accommodate vessels up to 120 meters length by 20 meters beam and 5,500 tons. With these new capabilities, Repnaval can serve almost 80 percent of the vessels that operate in its area, the yard said. While the yard has four slipways that can reach up to 120 meters in length…

Workboat and marine energy device builder Mustang Marine has won a $5.34m contract to construct three new pilot boats for the Port of Milford Haven. The Pembroke Dock-based company is now looking to recruit new workers locally in a number of skilled positions to meet an increased demand for its services, having already increased the size of its workforce to 54 people over the last nine months. The new contact will see Mustang build three 19m pilot boats at its deep-water facility at Pembroke Dock.

Mustang Marine, which is under a new ownership and management structure after being bought out of administration in May 2014 by a group of nine investors, has completed a broad range of orders in what was a successful second half of 2014, the company reports. Now, the Pembroke Dock-based firm says it is actively recruiting skilled workers and apprentices to meet a busy work schedule going into the New Year. Mustang Marine has created 12 new jobs over the last six months, bringing the total workforce to 42 people.

In 2014 Swede Ship Marine acquired the SUBLIFT boat hoist operation. A new company has been formed called Swede Ship Sublift AB. The first deliveries of boat hoists from the yard at Djupvik on the island of Tjörn, Sweden to customers in Sweden and Norway took place in the autumn 2014. SUBLIFT's origin is the in Sweden well known “Slamkryparen”, the so called “Mudskipper”. It is a design with a unique submersible function bringing boats up from the water on a slipway to a storage location on land and back.

China Oilfield Services Limited saw successful delivery of the deepwater semi-submersible drilling rig COSLProspector it invested in and commissioned to build in Yantai, Shandong today. This rig has adopted the latest marine engineering design concepts in the world and has mets the world’s most stringent regulations and requirements. It can perform operations in hectic environments. COSLProspector has adopted the world’s most advanced energy management and environment-friendly design concepts and is equipped with numerous advanced technologies including DP3 closed loop, smart inverters, escape slipways and automatic defrosting, etc.