Ulysses News

While orders for new vessels have continued to decline worldwide in 2017, the situation in the German and European shipbuilding market is different, with an increase of incoming orders. As shipping experts state: “…this is not a trend but a snapshot, but it indicates a high competitiveness of the German shipbuilding industry, particularly on technologically advanced projects.”The global mood barometer of the maritime industry had reached its lowest point in 2016. From the abyss confidence and order have carefully increased…

Irish Continental Group plc (ICG) said it has ordered a new cruise ferry set to be the world’s largest in terms of vehicle capacity, due for delivery in 2020. The new €165.2 million ($199.4 million) cruise ferry is being built by German shipbuilder Flensburger Schiffbau-Gesselschaft & Co.KG (FSG), specifically for Irish Ferries’ Dublin - Holyhead services. It is expected to replace the schedule of the MV Ulysses, which in turn will replace the chartered-in vessel MV Epsilon. This will allow for the deployment of the W.B. Yeats (arriving mid 2018) full-time on the direct Ireland - France route alongside the MV Oscar Wilde. ICG said the new 67,300 gross ton cruise ferry will increase Irish Ferries’ freight and tourism carrying capacity on the fast-growing Dublin - Holyhead route.

The Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Monterey (CG 61) departed Naval Station Norfolk Oct. 16, for a surge deployment to the U.S. 5th Fleet and U.S. 6th Fleet areas of operation. Monterey is deploying to support maritime security operations and to increase theater security cooperation and forward naval presence. The guided-missile cruiser USS Monterey (CG 61), a component of Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 10, returned to Naval Station Norfolk following a 7 1/2 month long deployment to 5th and 6th Fleet area of operations Jan. 19. She is part of the Navy's Optimized Fleet Response Plan. Monterey will ensure a continuous ballistic missile defense presence and uninterrupted support for potential tasking. "I am inspired and motivated by the crew of USS Monterey.

2/19 - MSR NO.

Norway’s Kleven has delivered a 116 m superyacht to its owner, Graeme Hart. The vessel left Kleven Verft in Ulsteinvik, Norway this weekend, heading for Germany, where the final completion of the vessel is to be carried out by mid 2017. “It has been a great pleasure working with Mr Hart and his team on this magnificent project. We highly appreciate the trust they have shown us by placing not just one but two orders with Kleven, in what was a new segment for us,” said Ståle Rasmussen, CEO of Kleven. The vessel is of type MT 5006 MKII ESV, designed by Norwegian ship design company Marin Teknikk in cooperation with Naval Architect Kyle Dick, of New Zealand based Oscar Mike Naval Architects.

1861 - USS Tyler and USS Lexington, support Gen. Ulysses S. Grants Army operations against strategic Paducah and Smithland, Ky. The ships mobile firepower assists in the capture of the cities, helping to preserve Kentucky in the Union. 1918 - In the first use of major-caliber naval guns in a land offensive, a U.S. naval railway battery of five, 14-inch guns begin long-range bombardment of German forces near Soissons, France. 1930 - USS Grebe (AM 43) arrives at Santo Domingo with supplies and medicines for victims of a hurricane three days prior.

Tsakos Energy Navigation Ltd. (NYSE:TNP) has taken delivery of the aframax tanker Elias Tsakos, part of the 15-vessel newbuilding program and the first of the nine assigned for the Statoil long-term business. The vessel was delivered from Daewoo Mangalia Heavy Industries and will immediately be employed by Statoil with potential gross revenues in excess of $100 million. “Following the delivery and long term charter of the VLCC Ulysses, we are pleased to announce the commencement of our strategic relation with Statoil, one of the most recognized oil companies in the world,” commented Mr. Nikolas Tsakos, President and CEO of TEN. “This new cooperation makes our solid employment base even stronger and increases our profitability.

Norwegian ship builder Kleven launched its build no 370 today – a 116 metre long Expedition Support Vessel. This is the second vessel from Kleven to Mr Graeme Hart, and as with the first vessel, Mr Hart and his family attended the launch seremony at the yard in Ulsteinvik, Norway. The first vessel, 107 m long Ulysses, was delivered from Kleven Verft in 2015, and is now on her first cruise in the Mediterranean. The high specification vessel is of type MT 5006 MKII ESV, designed by Norwegian ship design company Marin Teknikk in cooperation with Naval Architect Kyle Dick of New Zealand based Oscar Mike Naval Architects. The vessel is specially designed for long expeditions in rough waters, and blends a robust, hard-working character with luxurious added extras.

Hapag-Lloyd will open a new weekly service between North Europe and the US East Coast, the company said in its press release.     The new route – to be christened AX4 – will see a weekly run from the ports of Bremerhaven, Rotterdam and Le Havre to Savannah and New York.   The new service will complement German container line  Hapag-Lloyd’s existing Atlantic network.   The AX4 will have the following rotation: Bremerhaven (Germany) – Rotterdam (the Netherlands) – Le Havre (France) – Savannah (USA) – New York (USA) – Bremerhaven.     Transits between north European ports and New York are between 13 and 16 days.   The 2,510 TEU MV Ulysses will be the first ship to sail within AX4, departing from ETC Bremerhaven on April 28.

Cammell Laird says it has developed one of the most advanced ‘bespoke environmental’ packages for ferries in the shipyard industry, following its strongest year of trading in the sector. Cammell Laird technical manager Paul Ashcroft  said ‘a massive challenge and focus’ for the sector moving forward is to find cost effective solutions to the new environmental standards ferry companies have to meet. “There has never been greater pressure on ferry companies to become greener than now,” he said. “As a result we have developed a highly advanced and specialised new environmental package addressing some of the hardest challenges. Mr Ashcroft said Cammell Laird’s green package has been developed to be bespoke and address the challenges faced by each individual ferry.

Birkenhead shipyard and engineering services company Cammell Laird said it has developed an advanced shipyard environmental package for ferries, following its strongest year of trading in the sector. Cammell Laird said it has docked 24 ferries between 2013 and the beginning of 2014 and, in addition, has carried out a further 24 afloat repairs for ferry operators. During 2013 Cammell Laird repaired, built and converted almost 250,000 gross tons of ferry and Ro-Ro ships for a wide range of owners. Already in 2014 it has docked and repaired ferries of 150,000 gross tons.

Brokers Marcon International were in attendance and inform of the launch of the 300’ x 100’ x 20’ heavy deck cargo barge “Prometheus” (Hull No. 104) built and designed by Gunderson Marine, Portland, Oregon, for Ulysses LLC. The new barge was christened by Mimsy Huger Lindner and promptly and safely launched to the sound of the swirling bagpipes of the Clan Macleay Pipe Band. “Prometheus” is a double raked ABS +A1 Barge with recessed bitts, a parabolic bow rake and about a 29,572ft2 clear deck.

Irish Ferries has chartered the Epsilon (built in 2011) to supplement its existing Ireland to Britain services. The ship will provide two additional departures per day in each direction which will result in an increase in the company’s schedule to a maximum of twelve sailings between Dublin and Holyhead each day. The recently built vessel will provide significant vehicle capacity along with modern facilities on board including cabins, bar/cafeteria and self-service restaurant.

From January 1,  2011, 13 partners from nine European countries have been working on the project ULYSSES, funded by EU's Seventh Framework Programme, in order to develop environmentally friendly concept of ultra-slow ships. The budget for this EU project is over € 3.5 million. With climate change coming to the forefront of society's perception, there is increasing pressure on all industries to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by increasing the efficiency and the maritime industry is no exception.

1881-At daylight the crew of Station No. 1, First District (Carrying Point Cove, West Quoddy Head, Maine), sighted a schooner at anchor some four miles east-southeast of the station. She did not appear to be in distress, and as no signal was made it was supposed she had simply anchored to await the abatement of the winds, which at the time was blowing strong from the northwest. The keeper ordered a close watch on the schooner, in case she should signal for assistance. At 11 a .m. the lookout observed a boat leave her side and attempt to reach land, but the gale was too much for it and the effort had to be abandoned. The boat returned to the schooner.

Navios Maritime Holdings Inc. (NYSE:NM) , a global, vertically integrated seaborne shipping and logistics company, today reported financial results for the third quarter and nine months ended September 30, 2008. "We believe that Navios' flexible business model and conservative strategy will benefit us during this difficult period in the drybulk market," stated Angeliki Frangou Chairman and CEO of Navios Holdings. "Consistent with past practices, we entered into long-term charters-out and, as a result, our core fleet is 82% covered for 2009 and 59% covered for 2010. Ms. Frangou continued, "We are paying dividends for the third quarter of $0.09 per share. We remain committed to returning capital to shareholders while allowing for future growth.

Navios Maritime Holdings Inc. took delivery of the Navios Ulysses, a 2007-built, 55,728 dwt Ultra Handymax vessel. The Navios Ulysses commenced a five-year time charter at a net daily rate of $31,281.

Trinity Yachts, Inc. will build for a New Zealand client a 192 ft. global explorer yacht to be delivered in the fall of 2001. This yacht will be the first of Trinity Yachts Explorer Series and features large capacities for fuel, water, provisions and tenders in order to allow cruising for extended periods of time in remote areas of the South Pacific. The vessel, the largest contracted to date, will be the fourth of the New Class of Global Explorer yachts designed and marketed by Trinity Yachts, Inc. The new Ulysses will be constructed and finished to a very high standard with classification to Lloyds 100A1 LMC for private yachts. Main engines will be twin Caterpillar 3512B rated at 1,500 hp each at 1,600 rpm for a cruise speed of 15 knots with a range of 8,000 miles at 12 knots.

The various yards in A&P are well into the ‘ferry refit’ season, with the latest contract being Irish Continental Lines’ 50,938 grt passenger/car ferry Ulysses, which is currently in A&P Birkenhead. This yard is also currently repairing NorseMerchant Ferries’ 9,368 grt Merchant Bravery. The largest ferry project currently underway in the A&P Group, is the modification of the 24,688 grt, 2002-built RoRo vessel Stena Foreteller at A&P Tyne’s Hebburn shipyard. The vessel, the former Cetam Massilia, is owned by Sweden’s Stena RoRo AB, and managed by the Stena’s Northern Marine Management, Glasgow. The contract involves major modifications to the purifier room entailing relocating this equipment to a newly-created machinery space within the lower car hold.

Grumman Corporation announced today that Rear Adm. George R. Yount, USN (Ret.), has been named vice president of the company's Ship Systems sector, with responsibility for operations at the Avondale facility. Rear Adm. Yount, 55, will join Ship Systems' senior management team in mid-January. ship management personnel involved in ship construction as well as production planning, scheduling and facility engineering. Rear Adm. Yount will also serve on the Ship Systems Policy Council which influences all future Northrop Grumman Ship Systems business decisions.\Rear Adm. for Integrated Warfare Systems, Naval Sea Systems Command. "We are delighted to have George Yount join our Ship Systems team," said Dr. Philip A. of Northrop Grumman Ship Systems. Rear Adm.

A&P Group announces the successful dry dockings of three Irish Ferries vessels. Ulysses, one of the world’s largest car ferries, was the first to dry dock at A&P Southampton in January. This 50,938 grt vessel, which operates between Holyhead (North Wales) and Dublin City (Ireland), has capacity for 2000 persons and up to 260 articulated vehicles on or 1,342 cars on four decks and has the equivalent of 4km of roadway for articulated vehicles onboard. Whilst in dock, this almost new and excellently maintained vessel underwent various repairs including bow modifications to allow for simultaneous lane discharge of both cars and articulated vehicles from the upper decks.

O'Brien Oil Pollution Service, Inc. (OOPS) and Ulysses Systems, Inc. have signed an agreement to jointly market their maritime consulting services and Ulysses' Task Assistant(TM) applications software for the marine industry. OOPS will continue to provide clients with vessel management plans, procedures and best practices that enhance the quality, environmental and safety operations on-board. Implementing these plans with the Task Assistant(TM) will make them much more readily available and accessible to the people who need to see them on a daily basis. "From our perspective, Ulysses' technical solutions will assist our clients in becoming more efficient and productive in managing the large amount of information necessary to meet today's regulatory requirements for vessel operations…

The ultra competitive Greek ferry market has not only proven to be a fertile breeding ground for advanced marine technology, it has served as a role model for the direction of shipping services in both the region and the world. The Greek market has provided the collective builders and suppliers of advanced fast and conventional ferries a rich environment for business over the past few months, a trend that seems likely to continue. Specifically, Greek owners and operators have been at the forefront of an international buying binge for large, fast passenger, vehicle and cargo carrying craft. Driven by the need for speed, many owners are turning to advances in marine electronic and propulsion systems to ensure that the multi-million dollar investments are kept running safe and efficient.