Yard Management News

Melding advanced software, intelligence, robotics and navigation, Armach Robotics – a spinoff of Greensea Systems – leads a step change in ship hull cleaning and maintenance with its Robotics as a Service model. Ben Kinnaman, the CEO of Greensea Systems, explains.Ben, to start us off, please give us a background on Armach Robotics? Where did the idea come from and where are we today?Greensea Systems is a software company, well-known for our software platform on ocean robotics. We're also well-known for our unique navigation and autonomy solutions.

Welders from Damen Shipyards Galati in Romania recently took part in the 2018 Arc Cup International Welding Competition in ZhuZhou, China. At the event, the Galati welders excelled, scooping a number of prestigious awards. Over 380 participants from all over the world took part in the competition. The Damen team consisted of Emanuel Andrei Broasca and Petrica Ghibergiu from Hull Division I, Petrisor Goga and Gabriel Codreanu from Piping Facility, Daniel Pintilie and Vasile Talmaciov from Hull Division IA, Alexandru Chisar and Marius Daniel Calmuc (head of the team) from the Welding Laboratory. All of the competitors had previously followed a training programme at the Damen Shipyards Galati Training Centre under the guidance of their foremen, Daniel Rarinca and Florin Angheluta.

Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics has signed a concession agreement with the Port of Zeebrugge to develop 49 hectares of land known as the Bastenaken West property located in the inner port. With this concession, in place until 2043, the company will nearly double its terminal footprint. WWL will invest about USD 20 million during the next two to three years. “The agreement marks the next step in WWL’s long-term commitment to the Port of Zeebrugge, the largest RoRo port in the world, and positions the company for continued growth and expansion all across Northern Europe,” says Ray Fitzgerald,President & COO WWL Landbased. Since beginning its relationship with the Port of Zeebrugge in 1999…

Marine power generation and climate control products manufacturer Northern Lights has opened its fifth branch office, in Kenner, La, to enhance service to Gulf and inland waterways boat builders and vessel operators. The new Northern Lights Gulf branch, which will employ a full-time sales, parts and service staff, will warehouse marine, industrial and commercial series products. The new branch will service customers in the Gulf of Mexico and navigable inland waterways in the Midwest and Eastern regions of the U.S., including the region’s key ports: New Orleans, Houston, Pensacola and Paducah.

Billing Platform announced  that it will support South Carolina Ports Authority (SCPA) by providing a cloud application that streamlines and modernizes billing operations to promote efficient revenue recognition in a dynamic and evolving environment. Established in 1942 by the South Carolina General Assembly, SCPA promotes, develops and facilitates the harbors and seaports within the state of South Carolina. Today, the South Carolina Ports Authority operates the state's seaport assets in Charleston…

Shipdock Amsterdam, part of Damen Shiprepair & Conversion, has been certified by Lloyd’s Register Quality Assurance for aligning its quality, safety and environment management systems with internationally recognized standards, Damen reported. A three-man audit team audited the yard’s management systems, implementation and awareness among its employees and other people working at the Amsterdam repair yard. Managing Director Flip van der Waal commented, “Applying for certification of an integrated management system of all three disciplines is considered to be an ambitious exercise.

CEO/President: Joseph O. Tradesmen International provides custom staffing solutions that allow its shipbuilder clients to sustain a profitable balance of work to workers thereby optimizing workforce productivity. Tradesmen is recognized across North America as the industry’s premier source for high-caliber, safety-minded craftsmen. The company employs thousands of First Class and Second Class trade professionals ready to serve shipyards of all sizes out of nearly 100 local offices including 37 in port cities.

Robert “Bob” “Sonny” Fogal, Jr., one of the icons in the offshore oil and gas industry, has decided to retire from front-line work as Zentech’s Director of Business Development. Zentech’s President Ramesh Maini noted on August 28, “All the serious players in our industry know Bob and his many accomplishments. Fogal has spent his entire career in the rig building business, starting with Levingston Shipyard and subsequent work with major designers and builders in the U.S. as well as Singapore, Japan, China, Brazil, India, South Africa and the Middle East.

The Georgia Ports Authority has won new import business from Honda. The 2015 Honda Fit, built at the carmaker’s new plant in Celaya, Mexico, is moving into the U.S. through the Port of Brunswick. International Auto Processing (IAP) will handle the cars upon arrival. “Highlighting the truly global nature of auto manufacturing, a Japanese company building cars in Mexico has chosen Georgia’s deepwater ports as a vital gateway to the U.S.,” said GPA Executive Director Curtis Foltz.

National Retail Systems, Inc. (NRS), a provider of logistics services to U.S. retailers, pharmaceutical companies and consumer goods manufacturers, announced it has been selected by Pep Boys, an automotive aftermarket service and retail chain, to provide an import container transload solution at the Port of Savannah. NRS will dray Pep Boys container imports from the Port of Savannah to the company’s crossdock facility in Pooler four miles from the port. NRS’s facility is specifically designed for high-speed, high-volume transload, which reduces logistics costs by transferring freight from ocean-going containers to larger and safer over-the-road trailers. The 176-door crossdock and special project warehouse stretches almost a quarter of a mile long on 52 acres.

JES International Holdings Limited reports Norwegian customer has exercised option for four more UT 755 LN Platform Support Vessels (PSV's). The ships will be delivered in early 2015.
 “The group is thrilled that our expansion plans into the offshore space have taken off, and is making good progress. As the requirements for offshore shipbuilding are much more stringent, the group will be making strides in our technical capabilities as well as yard management,” said Jin Xin, chairman and ceo of JES.

As part of a three day Royal tour of Gibraltar in June, HRH The Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex set time aside to inspect work under way at Gibdock, the territory’s strategically located repair and conversion yard. Accompanied by Gibraltar Governor, Sir Adrian Johns and Gibraltar Chief Minister, Fabian Picardo, the Earl was welcomed by the Minister for the Port, Neil Costa, Gibdock Chief Executive, Joe Corvelli, Commercial Director, Richard Beards, Finance Director, Paul Singleton, and Production Director, John Taylor.

A&P Southampton has drydocked three RoRo vessels from Italian shipping company - Grimaldi Group in the King George V drydock this summer. This is the first time Grimaldi has drydocked in the UK. The first ship to arrive was the 25,450 dwt the Repubblica di Amalfi. Following a successful refit, A&P were subsequently awarded the 18,427 dwt Grande Mediterraneo and 19,287 dwt Repubblica di Roma. A&P Southampton Managing Director, Mike Smith is very pleased that once again the yard’s management team and employees have demonstrated that by providing a tailor made service that meets the owner’s strict requirements in terms of programme, quality and cost, this repeat business has been won against tough international competition.

Testament to the Spanish state-owned group's determination to raise performance throughout the organization, IZAR is on track to deliver a high-grade RoRo passenger ferry only 20 months after contract signing. The launch of the 6,300-dwt Murillo a month ahead of schedule has also underscored the latent scope of the shipyard at Seville, where a substantial upgrading and modernization program has been set in motion. Earlier concerns over work continuity at the premises, Spain's furthest inland shipbuilding facility, have been allayed by the decision to entrust Astillero Sevilla with the production of 70 double-bottom blocks for LNG carriers to be constructed by other yards within the group.

Riding the often tumultuous waves of freight rate boom and bust, Curacao Drydock has carved a unique niche of business in this Caribbean paradise. Since August 2000 the Curacao Drydock Company started to feel the effect of an improving cargo market. The amount of inquiries doubled since the first six months and the amount of bookings followed soon. Instead of patching of the ships, the owner decided to stop his ship for a few days to make sure the vessel is in good shape, ready to enter the better paid charter. Times, though, have been different. In 1998 and 1999, the cargo market was so depressed that owners could not afford to carry out many repairs. The school of thought at this time was to keep the vessel trading as long as possible.

APL Logistics has established operations in Venezuela through a joint venture with Grupo Hersan, a leading Venezuelan Logistics provider. Known as APLL/Hersan de Venezuela, the new venture is APL Logistics’ fourth Latin American expansion in 2002. earlier this year, the company opened or expanded operations in Chile, Guatemala and Honduras. Warehousing, container-yard management, transportation, and cross-border logistics, including customs brokerage services. It operates in four Venezuelan cities: Puerto Cabello, Cagua, Moron, and Barquisimeto. Fabio Duque, who formerly managed APLL’s operations in Chile, is the general manager, situated in the Cagua facility.

The Polish Gdynia shipyard fears Finland's government may scupper its bid to take over two Finnish yards put for sale by the Kvaerner, Gdynia's chief executive said. "On merit, our merger is the best business initiative within the European shipbuilding industry," Janusz Szlanta said. "If the Finnish government does not intervene, we will succeed," he said. Industry sources say Gdynia's bid is the best offer Kvaerner has, but it received a cool reaction from Masa-Yard's management, which has formed a rival consortium. The Polish challenge - the first major attempt by a company from the former East Bloc to expand into the European Union - stirred the Finnish government as well.

A hurricane that passed through Denmark on Dec. 3 caused extensive damages to the huge gantry crane in the dock area at Odense Steel Shipyard. The shipyard has ceased operation due to the incident, and approximately 2,000 production employees were sent home until further notice. The crane overturned in the high winds of the storm, and the cross girder came to rest on the deck of a newbuilding under construction in the yard's drydock. There were no injuries reported. The yard's management and several employees have begun preparations for removal of the collapsed crane, and are looking for a replacement for the lost crane capacity. The shipyard's managing director…