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Port Harcourt News

19 Dec 2023

New Tugs Delivered to Ghana Ports and Harbors Authority

(Photo: Damen Shipyards)

Two next-generation Damen ASD Tugs 2813 have been delivered to the Ghana Ports and Harbors Authority (GPHA).Commissioned during a ceremony on December 14, the newbuilds Capt. Edward A. A. Awuviri and Nestor Percy Galley—named after two former Director Generals—were built at Damen Shipyards’ dedicated tug building facility Damen Song Cam Shipyard in Vietnam.The vessels each deliver 83 tonnes bollard pull ahead and up to 77 tonnes astern, making them capable of maneuvering the range of large vessels that use the Ghanaian ports of Takoradi and Tema…

30 May 2023

Heroic Idun Released from Nigeria

Source: Nigerian Navy

The Nigerian Navy announced the release of the VLCC Heroic Idun on Saturday, and the crew and vessel are now reportedly sailing for South Africa.The navy said the “grave infractions” of the vessel were prosecuted by the Federal Government of Nigeria at the Federal High Court, Port Harcourt on January,10 2023. The 26 foreign crew pleaded guilty and elected voluntarily to enter into a plea bargain that involved paying fines and making an apology to the Federal Republic of Nigeria…

12 Jan 2023

Yinson's FPSO Contract in Nigeria Ends after 16 Years as Client Opts to Buy the Floater

FPSO Adoon ©Yinson

The Malaysian FPSO leasing company Yinson has completed the 16-year contract for FPSO Adoon in Nigeria as the client Addax decided to buy the FPSO.The contract for the FPSO which has been operating at Block OML 123 offshore Nigeria, had an original term of 8 years until 2014, with the option to extend by up to 8 more years until 2022. The contract was further extended by client Addax through consecutive monthly extensions until January 2023. Addax exercised its contractual option to purchase FPSO Adoon at the end of the contract period and the sale was completed on January 11, 2023.

21 Jun 2022

Tankers Divert to Trinidad, Maryland After Freeport LNG Blast

At least six tankers set to load liquefied natural gas (LNG) at Freeport LNG this month have been diverted following the June 8 blast that shut the Texas facility, Refinitiv Eikon vessel tracking data showed.A partial restart of the Quintana, Texas, plant is not expected until at least September, the company said last week, leaving about 40 cargoes to be canceled or re-scheduled. The loss has European LNG buyers and some U.S. shale producers reeling, while rivals Cheniere Energy and Sempra LNG rush to produce more LNG to offset the losses.Freeport accounts for roughly 20% of U.S. LNG processing capacity, drawing 2.1 billion cubic feet per day (bcfd) of natural gas, primarily from U.S. shale fields.

15 Oct 2020

Gulf of Guinea Kidnappings by Pirates Rise 40%

Illustration only - Pirates in Africa - Credit: U.S. Navy/Wikimedia

Kidnappings rose by 40% in the Gulf of Guinea in the first nine months of this year, and the region off West Africa's coast now accounts for 95% of global maritime kidnappings, the International Maritime Bureau (IMB) said on Wednesday.Eighty seafarers were taken in the Gulf of Guinea, a 2.3 million sq km (888,000 sq m) area bordering more than a dozen countries, sharply up from the same period in 2019, and the pirates are attacking further out to sea than before, the IMB said.Pirates…

12 Aug 2020

Nigeria Convicts First Pirates Under New Maritime Law

© promesaartstudio / Adobe Stock

A Nigerian court made the first convictions under a new anti-piracy law, giving hope to the world's shipping fleets that legal reforms will help stem rising attacks in the Gulf of Guinea.The three men fined by the court in Port Harcourt, Nigeria's oil hub, on Tuesday were among nine accused of hijacking the tanker MV Elobey VI off Equatorial Guinea in March and securing a $200,000 ransom for the crew.The merchant shipping industry has long pressed Nigeria to take action in the area…

30 Mar 2020

Nigeria Announces Offshore Oil Worker Restrictions to Battle Coronavirus

© Jan/AdobeStock

Nigeria's petroleum regulator has ordered oil and gas companies to reduce their offshore workforce and move to 28-day staff rotations as part of measures to curb the spread of the coronavirus, according to a circular seen by Reuters.Health experts fear a widespread outbreak in Africa's most populous country, which has about 200 million inhabitants, and the country is keen to protect oil production, which provides 90% of much-needed foreign exchange.A coronavirus case on an offshore rig could spread quickly among workers and have a potentially devastating impact on production.Sarki Auwalu…

12 Mar 2020

24/7 Voyage Security Risk Assessment … at the click of a mouse

Risk Intelligence System data being assessed at the company’s Hellerup offices, near Copenhagen, Denmark: together with its centers in North America and Singapore, Risk Intelligence provides worldwide maritime transportation security intelligence on a 24/7/365 basis. (Photo: Risk Intelligence)

Risk Intelligence provides security data, information, analysis and assessment to enable safe navigation in areas of risk in an increasingly uncertain worldSince its founding in 2001, Denmark-headquartered security information specialist Risk Intelligence has developed a fully integrated risk assessment and planning tool that provides valid, actionable intelligence to any fleet, on land, in port or at sea, 24/7/365. The company has three information and intelligence products that together assess security risks at sea…

06 Feb 2020

Risk Management with a Mouse Click

Risk Intelligence provides security data, information, analysis and assessment to enable safe navigation in areas of risk in an increasingly uncertain world.Since its founding in 2001, Denmark-headquartered security information specialist Risk Intelligence has developed a fully integrated risk assessment and planning tool that provides valid, actionable intelligence to any fleet, on land, in port or at sea, 24/7/365. The company has three information and intelligence products that together assess security risks at sea…

21 May 2019

WACT Invests in Equipment

The West Africa Container Terminal (WACT) located in Onne Port, has invested in two new Mobile Harbor Cranes, in response to continued volume growth in the Eastern Nigerian market.APM Terminal, who operates WACT, said that this is in addition to an investment of approximately USD2.5 million already made this year.The two Liebherr LHM 550 Mobile Harbor Cranes (MHCs) are due for deployment in July this year and will further boost the efficiency and cargo handling operation of the terminal, improving service delivery and reducing vessel waiting time. This year, WACT has already invested around USD2.5 million in 10 purpose-built terminal trucks, three reach stackers and an empty container handler, as well as terminal infrastructure and manpower development.

23 Sep 2018

Nigerian Pirates Kidnap 12 Crew from Swiss Cargo Ship

A Swiss-operated ship has been attacked off the coast of Nigeria, Switzerland’s foreign ministry said, amid media reports that 12 crew members had been kidnapped by a  gang of pirates.The MV Glarus, merchant ship operated by Geneva-based shipping company Massoel Shipping, was transporting wheat between Lagos and the southern Niger Delta oil hub of Port Harcourt.According to reports, the incident took place at about 45 nautical miles south west of Bonny Island. The pirates held 12 among the ship's staff members as hostages.According to West African nation's maritime agency, the crew members the Swiss cargo vessel kidnapped by pirates are from the Philippines…

01 Aug 2018

35 Seafarers Kidnapped in Gulf of Guinea in 2018 -Report

(Photo: EOS Risk Group)

Nigerian pirates have kidnapped 35 seafarers from vessels in the Gulf of Guinea so far this year, according to security firm EOS Risk Group.Nigeria continues to be the world’s epicenter for piracy activity. From January through June 2018, EOS recorded 34 Nigerian pirate attacks on merchant and fishing vessels in the Gulf of Guinea. These attacks resulted in the kidnap of 35 seafarers for ransom and the hijacking of several vessels, EOS Risk Group disclosed in its half year review…

01 May 2018

First Damen Fast Crew Supplier with Ampelmann Gangway

The partnership between Damen Shipyards Group and Ampelmann to extend the benefits of motion-compensated gangway systems to fast crew supply vessels has reached a major landmark. At the end of March, the first Damen fast crew supply (FCS) vessel to be fitted with an Ampelmann L-type system began operations in the Gulf of Guinea. This marks a significant step forward in the move towards bringing the latest advances in safe and flexible marine access to a wider array of oil and gas operations. Damen and Ampelmann have together been promoting their integrated solutions combining Damen’s FCS range and Ampelmann’s systems and now, thanks to the vision of Nigerian offshore services company LATC Marine and its client ExxonMobil Nigeria, the first has entered service.

29 Aug 2017

Patrol Vessel Delivered to Nigeria's Homeland

Damen 3307 Patrol Vessel (Photo: Damen)

A Damen 3307 Patrol Vessel has been delivered to Homeland Integrated Offshore Services Ltd of Lagos, Nigeria, taking its fleet of these craft up to three, with a fourth currently under construction. Guardian 3 along with its sister ships Guardian 1 and Guardian 2 is now providing security and other support services to the international offshore oil companies active off the coast of Nigeria in the Gulf of Guinea, in cooperation with the Nigerian Navy. The Guardian series of 3307 Patrol vessels are themselves unarmed…

24 May 2017

Piracy Comes Back in Somalia

Piracy in Somalia is making a comeback and the Gulf of Guinea remains the world’s most active hotspot for crew kidnappings,  UK Chamber of Shipping said quoting latest data. The report said that during the first three months of 2017, armed pirates hijacked two vessels off the coast of Somalia, an area in which previously no merchant ship had been hijacked for five years. Four further incidents in the region were also attempted this past quarter, according to the latest report from the International Maritime Bureau’s Piracy Reporting Centre (IMB PRC). Meanwhile, in the Gulf Guinea, armed robberies and kidnappings were as prolific as ever during the first quarter.

17 Mar 2017

Damen Secures Nigerian Patrol Vessel Order

Photo: Damen Group

Just over a year after it took delivery of the second of two FCS 3307 Patrol vessels, Homeland Integrated Offshore Services Limited (Homeland) of Nigeria has ordered one more of the same class with an option on a second, to be named Guardian 3 and Guardian 4. Like their two predecessors, the two vessels are being supplied as a turnkey solution. The Damen Group is taking care of delivery and crew training, as well as the design and build. Damen’s Local Service Hub in Port Harcourt, Nigeria, will ensure that maintenance, repairs and any additional support is handled by Damen engineers.

13 May 2016

Four Patrol Boats Delivered in Nigeria

Photo: Damen

Four Damen SPa 1605 ballistic protected security patrol vessels have been delivered to C&I Leasing Plc, a player in the Nigerian offshore support vessel market. The patrol boats, which have already undergone sea-trials, will provide security patrol and escort services for LNG tankers calling in and out of the Nigerian LNG Bonny terminal. The 16-meter craft have aluminum hulls and GRP composite superstructures. The accommodation has been additionally clad with bullet-proof materials to protect the personnel inside. All four vessels feature upgraded water jets and engines.

28 Oct 2015

New Patrol Craft to Serve Nigerian O&G Sector

Image: Damen

Homeland Integrated Offshore Services Limited (HIOSL) will take delivery of its second Damen Fast Crew Supplier 3307 Patrol, 18 months after a sister vessel entered service in the Nigerian offshore market. Established in 2006, Lagos-headquartered HIOSL serves the Nigerian oil and gas industry with a range of maritime, security and logistics services. Currently undergoing sea trials in Singapore, Guardian 2 is expected to be directly employed when she arrives in Port Harcourt, Nigeria, in December. HIOSL will then have five patrol vessels in its fleet.

26 Aug 2015

NNPC Ends Offshore Processing Agreements

Nigeria's state oil company has cancelled its contract for the delivery of crude to the country's refineries in Warri, Port Harcourt and Kaduna, it said on Wednesday. Oil sales account for about 70 percent of government revenue in Nigeria, Africa's top crude producer, but the country imports most of the fuel used by its 170 million inhabitants because of its inefficient, ageing refineries. "The corporation has cancelled the current contract due to exorbitant cost and inappropriate process of engagement," a Nigerian National Petroleum Corp (NNPC) statement said, adding that the aim is to cut costs and improve efficiency. Overhauling the energy sector in Africa's biggest economy has been a priority of President Muhammadu Buhari…

11 May 2015

Bourbon Says 3 Kidnapped Crew Members Released

French oil services company Bourbon said on Monday that the three Nigerian crew members kidnapped after one of its speedboats was boarded off the Nigerian coast on April 8 had been released.   "They are in good health and arrived at Port Harcourt on May 8," Bourbon said in a brief statement.   The crew members had been abducted on board a Surfer 1440 boat.   Bourbon operates a fleet of light, fast cruisers called Surfers that are used to move professionals to offshore oil and gas sites, especially in West Africa.     (Reporting by James Regan; Editing by Geert De Clercq)

19 May 2014

Port Harcourt Jetty Blast Won't Impact Operations

Pipeline vandals caused an explosion at a jetty near Nigeria's 210,000-barrels-per-day capacity refinery in the southern oil hub of Port Harcourt, officials said on Monday. Ralph Ugwu, a spokesman for Nigerian National Petroleum Corp (NNPC), said the blast on Sunday did not damage refinery installations and had no impact on operations. "The explosion has nothing to do with the NNPC or the refinery but with some people who came to steal crude," Ugwu said. A local government official said at least seven people died in the blast. "From what I have been told, there are casualties. Seven persons were said to have lost their lives," Tamuno Williams, chairman of the local government, told journalists. NNPC and the police said they could not confirm whether there were casualties.

09 Apr 2015

LATC Orders Damen PSVs for Nigerian Offshore Sector

Photo: Damen

Africa-focused proprietary investment firm L.A.T Cleveson (LATC) has signed an order with Damen Shipyards Group for the supply of two PSV 3300 Platform Supply Vessels and two FCS 5009 Fast Supplier Vessels. This transaction will bring next generation Damen PSVs to the offshore industry of Nigeria and the Gulf of Guinea for the first time. The purchase is being made by LATC Marine Ltd, a subsidiary of L.A.T Cleveson, which has quickly established a positive reputation by providing…

04 Feb 2014

Damen Patrol Vessel Deployed Offshore Nigeria

Photo: Damen

Homeland Integrated Offshore Services Limited (HIOSL) has taken delivery of a Damen FCS 3307 Patrol, to be deployed offshore Nigeria, in the next few weeks. Established in 2006, HIOSL serves the Nigerian oil and gas industry with a wide range of maritime, security and logistics services. The Lagos headquartered company has ambitious plans to become the leading marine logistics provider in the Nigerian offshore industry. The Damen FCS 3307 Patrol, to be named Guardian 1, has just undergone sea trials in the Netherlands and will soon set sail to Port Harcourt, Nigeria.