David Ford News

The United States' largest dredging contractor Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Corporation announced it has signed an agreement with the College of Engineering at Texas A&M University to provide funding and technical support for what will become the Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Laboratory of Dredging and Coastal Studies.Lasse Petterson from Great Lakes commented, “Our company has had a long and robust relationship with Texas A&M that has included research, participation in dredging short courses, and advocacy for the ocean and coastal engineering profession.

Singapore-based shipbuilding company Strategic Marine has delivered two crew transfer vessels (CTVs) to the UK-based offshore support vessel company WEM Marine Ltd. The new 27m vessels, built to the Stratcat 26 design, are the very first CTVs to be launched from Strategic Marine’s new shipyard on Benoi Road in Singapore. The WEM 5 and WEM 6 crew transfer vessels have been designed to meet the operational requirements of UK and European waters where they will be deployed.The vessels are powered by two Caterpillar C32 engines driving fixed pitch propellers.

International oilfield services company, Expro, has been recognized for the ninth consecutive year by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) for its outstanding global safety record. Expro has been awarded a RoSPA Commendation for excellence in health and safety at work within the oil and gas sector in the Society’s 2013 Awards. The company has received awards from RoSPA for the past nine years, achieving a gold award in 2005 and then winning the Oil & Gas sector award in 2006 and retaining it in 2007, 2008 and 2009.