Venus News

Esgian reports shifts in demand in its Week 13 Rig Analytics Market Roundup.Report overview:ContractsADES has received a Letter of Intent (LOI) from PTTEP Energy Development Company Limited for an 18-month jackup drilling contract in the Gulf of Thailand. Operations are expected to begin in the second half of 2024, with an unspecified jackup.Drilling Activity and DiscoveriesThe Norwegian Offshore Directorate (NOD) has granted Aker BP a drilling permit for an exploration well in…

Esgian has published its Week 49 Rig Market Roundup highlighting new drilling activity in the North Sea and a new licensing deal in Morocco.Drilling Activity and DiscoveriesSerica Energy is continuing with plans for its four-well drilling campaign in the UK North Sea, scheduled for 2024 and early 2025. The campaign will be carried out using the semisubmersible COSLInnovator. All four wells are production wells. The first well in the campaign will be a sidetrack of an existing well (B1z) on the Bittern field.

Norwegian offshore vessel owner Havila Shipping said Monday it had sold the platform supply vessel Havila Commander and the AHTS vessels Havila Jupiter and Havila Venus, following demands from lenders.A day later, Norway-based offshore vessel operator DOF announced the expansion of the fleet "with the addition of the high end AHTS Skandi Jupiter and Skandi Mercury, formerly known as the Havila Jupiter and Havila Venus respectively.""DOF are proud to be selected by the vessel’s new owners to be commercial and technical managers of these advanced offshore support vessels which will add to…

Norwegian offshore vessel owner Havila Shipping said Monday it had sold three vessels following demands from lenders.Havila Shipping said that, under its restructuring agreement, it had sold the platform supply vessel Havila Commander and the AHTS vessels Havila Jupiter and Havila Venus."The ships are scheduled to be delivered to new owners at the beginning of November. The sales proceeds will be used to repay the debt and will have a limited effect on the company's liquidity…

As the world continues to scramble for renewable energy, floating offshore wind has emerged as a key capacity enabler in the coming decades. With no major commercial scale projects currently in operations, the segment is largely based on governments and developers ambitious project plans for the future. Nonetheless, this market segment can offer vast opportunities to the world of offshore support vessels in both near- and long-term prospects.In this piece, we will discuss the key opportunities and challenges related to offshore floating wind…

The region could be a key growth market for the oil and gas industry going forward, writes Joshua Belo-Osagie, Maritime Strategies International (MSI).Improving sentiment surrounds energy market prospects offshore West Africa, the positive mood underpinned by higher oil prices, reformed regulatory frameworks in key markets including Angola and Nigeria and the discovery of major prospects off the Ivory Coast and Namibia.In addition, the implications of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine have only reinforced some of these pre-existing dynamics…

Shipping company Castor Maritime Inc. announced it has secured charter agreements for several of its bulk carriers. The Magic Moon, a 2005 built Panamax dry bulk carrier, has been fixed on a time charter contract at a gross daily charter rate of $25,000. The charter commenced on March 6, 2022, and has a minimum duration of about 30 days.The Magic Argo, a 2009 built Kamsarmax dry bulk carrier, has been fixed on a time charter contract at a gross daily charter rate equal to 103% of the average of the Baltic Panamax Index 5TC routes. The charter is expected to commence on April 4, 2022, and will have a minimum duration of twelve months and a maximum duration of fifteen months at the charterer’s option.The Magic Venus…

Norwegian offshore vessel owner Havila Shipping has won vessel contracts with Nexans Norway and Peterson Den Helder. The company also secured work of one AHTS with an unnamed client.Nexans Norway has chartered Havila Shipping's subsea vessel Havila Phoenix. Havila said Tuesday that the contract was in direct continuation of the existing contract. It is firm until the end of October 2022, with 60 optional days after that.Havila Shipping has also entered into a contract with Peterson Den Helder BV for the PSV vessel Havila Herøy for a fixed period of 70 days plus options.Contracts related to project work are also entered into for the AHTS vessel Havila Venus for a fixed period of total 64 days plus options, Havila Shipping said.

A bridge team’s lack of effective monitoring of their position while at anchor led to a cargo ship colliding with an anchored bulk carrier and striking a chemical dock on the Lower Mississippi River near New Orleans, according to a National Transportation Safety Board Marine Accident Brief released Thursday.Marine Accident Brief 21/15 details the NTSB’s investigation of the May 8, 2020, collision of the anchored general cargo ship Nomadic Milde with the anchored bulk carrier Atlantic Venus. The Nomadic Milde then struck a nearby chemical dock and grounded on the bank.

Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri said Thursday it has laid the keel for small ocean cruise ship Viking Mars, the eighth in a series for the shipowner Viking Cruises. The vessel is due for delivery in 2022.As its sister ships, the newbuild will have a gross tonnage of about 47,800 tons, 465 cabins with accommodation for 930 passengers.The Viking units are all built according to the latest navigation regulations and equipped with the most modern safety systems, including the “Safe return to port”.

Plans to map the entire ocean floor by 2030 are going ahead despite the challenges of the coronavirus crisis, officials leading the project said, with almost a fifth covered so far.Scientists say the topography of the ocean floor is less well known than the surfaces of Mars, Mercury or Venus and that charting the depth and shape of the seabed will help understand the impact oceans have on the earth’s climate.As the world’s ocean economy grows in coming years, data will also be vital to boost knowledge of marine ecosystems and marine life as well as future food supply patterns.Seabed 2030…

Viking Venus, the seventh ocean cruise ship which Fincantieri is building for the shipowner Viking, was floated out Thursday at the shipyard in Ancona, Italy. Interior fittings will now begin, leading the vessel to its delivery, scheduled in 2021.As its sister ships, she will have a gross tonnage of about 47,800 tons, 465 cabins with accommodation for 930 passengers.The Viking units are all built according to the latest navigation regulations and equipped with the most modern safety systems, including the “Safe return to port”.

International provider of marine drybulk transportation  Safe Bulkers said that two of its vessels - MV Kypros Sky and MV Kypros Spirit - were sold and leased back recently on a bare-boat charter basis for a period of eight years.The Monaco-headquartered company said that with purchase options are in its favor  commencing three years following the commencement of the bare-boat charter period and a purchase obligation at the end of the bare-boat charter period, all at predetermined purchase prices.The company informed that MV Panayiota K and MV Agios Spyridonas were also sold and leased back in January 2020 on a bare-boat charter basis for a period of six years…

As many as six high impact wells are yet to be completed this year around Africa, after several consecutive low-activity years with only a few positive results.According to the energy research and business intelligence company Rystad Energy, these wells all target offshore acreages, with the majority planned in the Western African region.“Africa appears to be emerging from a long hibernation in terms of oil and gas exploration activities,” said Rystad Energy Upstream Research analyst Taiyab Zain Shariff.A steep drop in the number of exploration wells in 2015 fueled by budget cuts, failed projects, and poor market conditions has meant that exploration in the region has mostly been on pause and declining further until this year…

Reygar, a provider of innovative remote monitoring and reporting platforms to the marine industry, has announced that specialist high-speed ferry builder, Wight Shipyard, has installed its BareFLEET monitoring system on the new Catamaran Venus Clipper - the latest fast ferry built for MBNA Thames Clippers.BareFLEET is a cloud-based monitoring platform that will give Wight Shipyard an unprecedented level of insight into the performance of the new vessel as it enters operational service on the Thames.

UK shipbuilder Wight Shipyard has completed its third and largest vessel for MBNA Thames Clippers, the 38-metre catamaran ferry Venus Clipper.The first Hunt Class Mk3 has been built to a ten-month build schedule and is reflective of the increased business the yard has previously predicted in the fast ferry sector, said a release.Peter Morton, CEO, Wight Shipyard, said: "One of the most important elements that strengthens this sector is that it is cushioned against the effects of the 2020 low sulphur cap and is actually in a better position than the conventional ferry market.”“This is because it does not have to worry about finding the increased capex to fit scrubbers or face a huge surge in costs by changing to low sulphur fuel, as fast ferries already run on low sulphur fuel.

Viking Jupiter, the 47,800gt cruise ship built at Fincantieri’s shipyard in Ancona, Italy for Viking Cruises, has been delivered with a Thordon Bearings’ seawater-lubricated propeller shaft system. It is the sixth Viking cruise ship to be fitted out with the COMPAC bearing arrangement.Two 930 passenger-capacity sisterships, Viking Tellus and Viking Venus, currently undergoing construction at Fincantieri and slated for delivery in 2021, have also been specified with the pollution-free Thordon system.

The Coast Guard has suspended the active search for the remaining unaccounted for crewmember of the Sincerity Ace, Wednesday.“Following the conclusion of morning and afternoon searches by our aircraft and commercial vessels we suspended the active search. This is always a difficult decision and takes many factors into account,” said Chief Petty Officer Dennis Vetrano, with Coast Guard Joint Rescue Coordination Center Honolulu. "We extend our condolences to the families and loved ones of the crewmembers affected by this tragedy.”Good Samaritans from four merchant vessels were able to rescue 16 of the 21 Sincerity Ace crew who abandoned ship following a fire, Monday.

Hong Kong is to release armoured vehicles belonging to Singapore impounded in the Chinese-ruled city on their way home from military exercises in Taiwan, Singapore said on Tuesday. Hong Kong customs seized the troop carriers in November. Beijing, which regained sovereignty over the former British colony of Hong Kong in 1997, then warned countries against maintaining military ties with Taiwan. Singapore's foreign affairs ministry said Hong Kong authorities would release the Singapore Armed Forces' troop carriers and other equipment to the Singapore government but the ministry did not give details. Hong Kong's commissioner of Customs and Excise, Roy Tang, said in a statement the vehicles were seized because of "a suspected breach of the Hong Kong law".

Hydrogaphy, the science of surveying and charting bodies of water, is essential to the safe, sustainable and cost-effective use of the world’s oceans. This was International Maritime Organization (IMO) Secretary-General Kitack Lim’s message at the 1st Assembly of the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) in Monaco (24 April). Around 90% of the world’s oceans and 50% of coastal waters have never had their depth measured. And there are higher resolution maps of the Moon, Mars and Venus than for most of the world’s maritime areas. In this context, hydrographers make a valuable contribution to the delivery of Sustainable Development Goal 14 on conserving and sustainably using the oceans – whether in support of navigational safety…

China on Friday denied reports it has been illicitly selling oil products to North Korea after U.S. President Donald Trump said he was not happy that China had allowed oil to reach the isolated nation. Trump said on Twitter the previous day that China had been "caught" allowing oil into North Korea and that would prevent "a friendly solution" to the crisis over North Korea's nuclear and missile programmes that it conducts in defiance of heavy U.N. Security Council sanctions. "I have been soft on China because the only thing more important to me than trade is war…

Li Ka-shing to retire after annual general meeting on May 10; will stay on as senior adviser to the group. Hong Kong's richest man, Li Ka-shing, announced his retirement as chairman of CK Hutchison Holdings Ltd on Friday, bringing to a close a rags-to-riches story that made him a hero in the freewheeling capitalist hub. Li, 89, will retire after the annual general meeting on May 10, the ports-to-telecoms conglomerate said in a filing to the Hong Kong bourse, passing the mantle to his eldest son Victor Li, who was named successor several years ago. While Hong Kong's adoration of Li Ka-shing and his story has waned somewhat in recent years, he is still stepping aside from one of Asia's most outward-looking empires, spanning more than 50 countries and 323,000 employees at last count.

Allianz Middle East Ship Management and Maritime Craft Services (MCS)have taken delivery of a Damen Fast Crew Supplier 2610. Demonstrating the cooperative relationship between the two companies, the new vessel will offer safe and cost efficient crew transfer services for up to 50 passengers to and from the Abu Dhabi oil fields.The two companies welcomed guests on board the new vessel in a festive celebration during this year’s Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference (ADIPEC). Business associates and clients were given a tour on board the vessel at the Emirates Palace Marina. “We are very proud to see another FCS 2610 enter service in the Middle East oil and gas industry,” states Damen Sales Manager Middle East Teun Haverkort.