Camp News

Prysmian Commissions Inter-Array Cable System at French Offshore Wind Farm

Prysmian Group has commissioned the inter-array cable system for the Fécamp offshore wind farm, located in the English Channel, offshore France.The Fécamp offshore wind farm is composed of 71 wind turbines with a total capacity of nearly 500MW.It will be able to generate clean electricity equivalent to the power needs of over 770,000 people.Prysmian had secured this project in 2020 with a contract awarded by EDF Renewables and its partners.Asso.subsea was contracted by Prysmian Group to execute the seabed preparation, installation and protection works for the cables.

The Man Behind the 'Jones Act'

Senator Wesley Livsey Jones gave his name to the famous “Jones Act” governing U.S. domestic maritime trade. But what do really know about him? It turns out that he was much more than a leading merchant marine policy maker. (i)Jones had a long career in the U.S. House of Representatives before he was a Senator, was an effective legislator, an astute politician, one of the hardest working legislators of his era, and always viewed as honest and forthright. His many maritime legislative successes included the Merchant Marine Act…

Saudi Arabia Urges US Restraint as Houthis Attack Ships in Red Sea

Saudi Arabia has asked the United States to show restraint in responding to attacks by Yemen's Houthis against ships in the Red Sea, two sources familiar with Saudi thinking said, as Riyadh seeks to contain spillover from the Hamas-Israel war.The Iran-aligned Houthis have waded into the conflict that has spread around the Middle East since war erupted on Oct. 7, attacking vessels in vital shipping lanes and firing drones and missiles at Israel itself.The group which rules much…

SAR Officer Caleb Halle Receives 2023 IMO Bravery Award

The 2023 IMO Award for Exceptional Bravery at Sea has been presented to Caleb Halle, Aviation Survival Technician Second Class (AST2) of the United States Coast Guard (USCG). He was recognized for the outstanding courage, endurance and determination he showed during the rescue of the seven-strong crew of the tugboat Legacy in January 2023.AST2 Halle, based at the Coast Guard Air Station Atlantic City, received the award at the annual IMO Awards Ceremony in London. The ceremony…

China's First Home-Grown Large Cruise Ship Starts Sea Trials

China's first domestically-built large cruise ship, the Adora Magic City, has departed from Shanghai for sea trials.The 135,500 gross tonne vessel was built by China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC) Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding. It is being classified by Lloyd’s Register and China Classification Society.The vessel has 2,125 guest rooms and can accommodate up to 5,246 passengers. The public entertainment area is over 40,000 square meters (nearly six standard football fields) over 16 floors.

America's Sea Services Building Large Fleet of Small Ships and Craft

Not every vessel in the U.S. Navy is built for major combat operations on the high seas. There are large numbers of boats and service craft that provide essential services to the sea services, the nation and its partners.The U.S. Navy procures about 100 small boats per year. Some of these boats are based on commercial designs, procured to a Navy developed specification that tailors the requirements to the end user needs. They are procured and managed by two Naval Sea Systems Command program offices—PMS 300 and PMS 325.Compared to warships and auxiliaries…

Strategically Located, Guam's Defense Posture is Growing

With the rise of China and her global ambitions, the military importance of Guam in the Indo-Pacific theater has become apparent. The force levels on the island had drawn down from a peak of about 26,000 at the height of the Vietnam War to a tenth of that—just 2,500 people in the early 2000s. Today, that's changing. Guam's defense posture is growing.Guam's proximity to major population centers in East Asia underscores its strategic importance. The island is just 1,400 miles from Tokyo, Manilla or Port Moresby. All of the armed services have a presence on Guam.

Interview: Harry Stewart, President & CEO, The Dutra Group

Harry Stewart recently took the helm as President and CEO of The Dutra Group, succeeding Bill T. Dutra, the man who founded the company at the age of 26 and led it for the last 50 years. With a renewed vigor for national infrastructure, there are myriad opportunities in the dredging and marine construction sectors, opportunities balanced by a similar number of challenges. We recently visited with Mr. Stewart for his insights, covering everything from taking over the seat from an industry legend…

Prysmian Adds Barbarossa I Cable Layer to Its Fleet. Wins IMR Work in France

Italian subsea cable firm Prysmian Group said Thursday it has added a new vessel - Barbarossa I - to its fleet."After the debut of the state-of-the-art 170-meter Leonardo da Vinci [vessel] in August 2021, Prysmian Group’s fleet would seem to be complete. But with the addition of Barbarossa I, Prysmian Group becomes the first company in the sector that can provide the full range of submarine cable-laying solutions from the shallowest coastal waters in Northern Europe to the profoundest depths of the Mediterranean Sea.

UN Ships Food Relief from Ukraine to Drought-stricken Horn of Africa

A ship carrying wheat from Ukraine to the drought-stricken Horn of Africa docked on Tuesday, the United Nations said, the first to make the journey since the Russian invasion six months ago.The vessel Brave Commander is carrying 23,000 tonnes of grain and will soon be followed by another carrying 7,000 tonnes.The total shipment, which will be unloaded in Djibouti and transported to Ethiopia, is enough to feed 1.5 million people for a month.That barely begins to alleviate the problems of Eastern Africa, where the United Nations' World Food Programme says extreme weather, surging food prices and conflict mean 82 million people need food aid across nine countries - Burundi…

DEME Offshore's Flagship Vessel 'Orion' Installs Fécamp Substation

Belgium-based offshore installation firm DEME Offshore has installed the offshore substation of the Fécamp offshore wind farm, offshore France, using its new flagship vessel 'Orion.'The  DP3 installation vessel Orion is equipped with a 5,000-tonne crane, built to handle the next generation of offshore wind farm components.‘Orion’ has now installed the 1,300-tonne jacket and the 2,200-tonne topside, completing the project on schedule on August 11.Four months ago, DEME also carried out the pre-installation of the offshore substation’s foundations using the DP2 jack-up vessel ‘Sea Installer.’ DEM

Ahead Sanitation Systems: Full Speed Ahead

Ahead Sanitation Systems, Inc. is fast becoming a leading manufacturer and distributor of marine sanitation systems, products and supplies after more than two decades serving the industry. Those looking can find an Ahead Tank somewhere across all seven seas and most major rivers and lakes in between.Winton I. Rebouche, Jr., known to friends and customers as Boo Boo, is the founder and sole owner of the Broussard, La.-based company. In the late ’80s, Boo Boo worked selling pipe…

Østensjø Vessels Go to Svalbard for Coal Mine Clean-up

Norwegian coal mining company Store Norske is taking in vessels from Østensjø Rederi for one of the most ambitious environmental projects in Norway: the clean-up of the closed down Svea Nord longwall mine in Svlabard."When Svea Nord was closed in March 2020, a new camp was established at Kapp Amsterdam with associated functions such as workshop and power station. In August, the airport closes down, so we need vessels to transport to and from Longyearbyen. In addition, today's camp will be demolished…

Siemens Gamesa Charters Acta Marine Vessel for Offshore Wind Farm Work in France

Dutch offshore vessel owner Acta Marine has secured a charter deal with wind turbine maker Siemens Gamesa for its Acta Auriga construction support operations vessel.The vessel will support Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy’s commissioning activities of 71 offshore wind turbines at the Fécamp offshore wind farm and 64 offshore wind turbines at the Calvados offshore wind farm, both in France.The vessel will support the commissioning of Fécamp in 2023 and Calvados in 2024.The Fécamp offshore wind farm will be equipped with 71 7-MW turbines and the Calvados offshore wind farm with 64 7-MW turbines…

Oceanside Harbor Dredging Begins

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Los Angeles District began its annual dredging of the Oceanside Harbor inlet starting April 19.Manson Construction Company of Seattle is dredging the channel to its authorized federal depth of 20 feet. Dredging is expected to be completed prior to Memorial Day weekend.About 250,000 cubic yards of beach-quality sand will be removed from the harbor’s entrance channel and placed along Oceanside’s beaches. The project’s local sponsor is the City of…

USCG Commissions Sentinel-class Cutter Clarence Sutphin Jr.

The U.S. Coast Guard commissioned its 47th Sentinel-class cutter, USCGC Clarence Sutphin Jr. (WPC 1147), into service on ThursdayBuilt by Bollinger Shipyards and officially delivered to the U.S. Coast Guard on January 6 in Key West, Fla., Clarence Sutphin Jr. is Patrol Forces Southwest Asia's (PATFORSWA) sixth 154-foot Sentinel-class cutter.Vice Adm. Steven Poulin, U.S. Coast Guard Atlantic Area commander, presided over the commissioning ceremony at the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum in New York City.

Shooting the Messenger? Shipping Carries the Can as Investors Shun Coal

Shipping companies that transport the world's coal are in the crosshairs of some financial backers who are cleaning up their businesses in the absence of a truly global drive by nations to renounce the dirtiest fossil fuel.In a sign of investors taking the initiative, six European firms collectively representing over 5% of the estimated annual $16 billion capital financing requirements of the dry bulk industry told Reuters they were either reducing their exposure to vessels that…

First Offshore Wind Substation Installed in France

Belgian offshore installation firm DEME Offshore said Thursday it had installed the first offshore wind substation in France, at the Saint-Nazaire offshore wind farm site. The installation of the 2,100-ton substation was carried out by Allseas' giant Pioneering Spirit vessel.This was also Allseas’ first job for the offshore wind industry, and it is the first “complete” installation job executed by Pioneering Spirit, as it installed the 50-meter tall supporting structure last weekend."The…

Iran says US to Lift Oil and Shipping Sanctions, US Says Nothing Agreed

Iran said on Wednesday the United States had agreed to remove all sanctions on Iran's oil and shipping but Washington said "nothing is agreed until everything is agreed" in talks to revive the 2015 Iran nuclear deal.The remarks by outgoing President Hassan Rouhani's chief of staff Mahmoud Vaezi echoed previous assertions by officials in Rouhani's pragmatist camp that Washington is ready to make major concessions at the nuclear talks in Vienna that began in April.The indirect talks adjourned on Sunday for consultations in capitals…

SASEMAR, ASCM Recover Wreckage of Aircraft Crashed Off Spanish Coast

The Spanish Maritime Safety and Rescue Society in cooperation with ACSM, the Spanish provider of subsea services, have this week recovered the wreckage of a light aircraft Piper PA-34 Seneca, which fell into the Mediterranean Sea, off the coast of delta de l'Ebre, close to Tarragona in Spain, at a water depth of 113 meters.Together with the aircraft, the SASEMAR/ACSM recovered the body of one of the pilots and return it to the family.The light aircraft disappeared from the radar on the November 3rd…

Fit for Fight: Navies challenged by COVID at sea, ashore

Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, navies adjusted how they operate at home and while deployed, to keep their forces ready for any missions as they keep their Sailors, families, communities, as well as allies and partners safe from the coronavirus.Navies have taken a number of prudent preventative measures to limit outbreaks, mitigate cases of infection and reduce the community spread of the virus.Speaking during his May 29 “On The Horizon: Navigating the European and African Theaters” podcast, Admiral James G. Foggo III, Commander of U.S. Naval Forces Europe and Africa, said The U.S.

US Navy Helps Small Companies Engage with Experimentation

The United States' Department of Navy (DoN) Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Experimentation Cell (DoN SEC) connects SBIR innovators with the DoN experimentation community to deliver innovative solutions for the warfighter.“Our mission is to support the SBIR community from the first idea to experiment execution by offering beginning-to-end facilitation, mentoring, and training in all aspects of experimentation,” said Scott Bartlett, the DoN SEC program manager,Naval experimentation can validate or inform concepts of operations…

Eastern Libyan Force Says It Intercepted Turkish Cargo Ship

Eastern-based Libyan forces have intercepted a Turkish ship under a Jamaican flag heading to the port of Misrata in western Libya, their spokesman said on Monday, a possible new flashpoint in the conflict after weeks of truce.Turkey is the main foreign backer of the internationally recognized Government of National Accord (GNA), in the west, which has for years been fighting the eastern-based Libyan National Army (LNA).LNA spokesman Ahmed al-Mismari added that the commercial cargo ship, Mabrouka, had 17 crew, including nine Turkish nationals, and containers that had not yet been inspected.