Maintenance News

All-Cash Deal, Expanding Brazil FootprintTidewater Inc. (NYSE: TDW) has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Wilson Sons Ultratug Participações S.A. and its affiliate Atlantic Offshore Services S.A. (collectively, WSUT) in an all-cash transaction valued at approximately $500 million, including the assumption of existing debt.The acquisition significantly strengthens Tidewater’s position in the global offshore support vessel (OSV) market while marking a decisive expansion in…

DOF Group ASA announced the award of a substantial contract for a project in Argentina. The project is scheduled for offshore operations across two campaigns in Q2 and Q3-Q4 of 2026 and will encompass mooring pre-lay, pipeline end manifold installation/construction management, tie-in spools installation, hook-up and pre-commissioning of two CALM buoys, and diving services. DOF will utilize Skandi Hera and Skandi Patagonia for the project with an expected combined duration of more than 250 days.Preparations are underway…

Martens en Van Oord, a contractor in roadworks, civil and hydraulic engineering, is taking a step toward further sustainability and modernization of its fleet by investing in the latest generation of the V4000 autonomous unmanned survey vessel (USV) from Demcon unmanned systems, a specialist in high-tech autonomous vessels for hydrographic and maritime applications. The selected 4‑meter variant provides increased range and longer endurance thanks to the additional hull length…

Vard, the Norwegian subsidiary of the Fincantieri Group, has delivered the second Commissioning Service Operation Vessel (CSOV) to Windward Offshore, named Windward Paris.The naming ceremony was held at the delivery yard, Vard Brattvaag in Norway on January 28, 2026.Windward Paris is the second CSOV Vard has delivered to Windward Offshore, one week before contractual delivery date.The first vessel Windward Athens, delivered on time in September 2025, is currently operating under an O&M contract…

James Fisher and Sons has invested in U.S.-based autonomous marine technology company Ocean Aero, taking a strategic minority stake as part of Ocean Aero’s Series D funding round.The investment increases James Fisher’s exposure to autonomous and low-emission marine technology and supports the development and deployment of Ocean Aero’s Triton Autonomous Underwater and Surface Vehicle (AUSV), a wind- and solar-powered platform designed to operate without onboard crews.Ocean Aero designs…

“Seeing” under the world’s waterways is a perpetual challenge, seeing what’s under the seabed surface and even bigger challenge. Seequent, the Bentley Subsurface Company, helps organisations understand what’s happening underground and under the seabed, helping to identify and mitigate risks such as unexploded ordinance (UXO), helping to ensure a more efficient and safe work environment for multiple maritime stakeholders.

American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) has issued approval in principle (AiP) to HD Hyundai Heavy Industries (HD HHI) for its new design of a floating offshore substation to support deepwater wind farms.The substation concept received a SMART (SHM) Tier 3 AiP from ABS. The approval acknowledges the proposed structural health management system’s alignment with the Tier 3 requirements in the ABS Guide for Smart Functions for Marine Vessels and Offshore Units.The recognition supports the system’s design to integrate high-fidelity measurements with predictive modeling…

Drydocks World, a unit of Dubai-owned ports and logistics group DP World, has signed a contract with Dixstone Lower Gulf FZCO to convert an LNG carrier into a floating storage unit (FSU) for use in Gabon’s offshore gas development.The engineering, procurement and construction project will see the LNG carrier transformed into the FSU Cap Lopez, supporting Gabon’s floating LNG development by enabling offshore gas liquefaction, storage and export.The project is also expected to contribute…

Norwegian offshore vessel owner DOF Group has secured a new four-year contract with Petrobras for the remotely operated support vessel (RSV) Skandi Commander.The contract was awarded following the same competitive tender process that led to six previous four-year RSV contracts announced earlier.The Skandi Commander will be equipped with both a Remote Operated Vehicle (ROV) and an Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV), the latter being a unique feature of this agreement.The contract…

Throughout 2025 we have seen the subsea vessel market transitioning from a period of record highs towards a more cautious, but still fundamentally strong, outlook. While short-term activity and rates have softened in the latter part of the year, long-term demand - driven by deepwater projects and global energy infrastructure- remains robust. The market is watching closely how the influx of newbuilds and ongoing corporate consolidation will shape competition and vessel availability…

Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) has secured an approval in principle (AiP) from ClassNK for the basic design of specialized vessels to joint and bury subsea power cables.MOL is working with Sumitomo Electric Industries, Furukawa Electric and Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha (NYK Line) to develop fundamental technologies-including a new type of cable-laying vessel-as part of a project subsidized by the Japanese government's New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO).One of MOL's roles in this project is to develop technologies for cable jointing and burial vessels…

Saipem has obtained ISO 55001:2024 certification, the international standard for asset lifecycle management, marking a significant milestone in its journey towards operational excellence and offshore sustainability.The certification, issued by DNV, confirms Saipem’s Asset Management system compliance with the most advanced requirements, covering all operational phases - design, procurement, installation, commissioning, maintenance and decommissioning, ensuring a robust and effective “Asset Integrity” framework.The certification applies to Saipem’s entire offshore asset portfolio…

Norwegian offshore supply vessel owner DOF Group has secured seven new contract extensions with Petrobras for its offshore support vessels (OSVs) in Brazil, valued over $160 million.Five of DOF's Brazilian-flagged anchor handling tug supply (AHTS) vessels, all with ROVs on board, including Skandi Fluminense, Skandi Paraty, Skandi Angra, Skandi Urca and Skandi Iguaçu, have had their current contracts with Petrobras extended until the first quarter of 2027.The new four-year contracts…

Ocean services provider DeepOcean has secured an extension to its existing frame agreement with Equinor for the provision of subsea inspection, maintenance, and repair (IMR) services.As a part of the renewal, DeepOcean will deploy specialized IMR vessels, along with comprehensive subsea services, throughout 2026 and into 2027.The scope of work also includes onshore engineering and project management services for various subsea operations.With this contract, DeepOcean will deliver uninterrupted IMR activities for Equinor from 2006 to 2035…

Lebanon and Cyprus signed a long-awaited maritime demarcation deal on Wednesday, paving the way for potential exploration of offshore gas fields and energy cooperation in the Mediterranean.Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides signed the agreement at Lebanon's presidential palace and told reporters it would signal deeper cooperation between Lebanon, European Union-member Cyprus and the broader EU."This is a historical agreement, concluding an issue pending for many years and now look forward to what our countries can jointly create…

ABS issued a product design assessment (PDA) certificate to Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI) for its condition-based maintenance system, SCBM.The system has earned a SMART (MHM) Tier 2 PDA from ABS, signifying that it meets the functional and system requirements listed in the ABS Guide for Smart Functions for Marine Vessels and Offshore Units.This achievement highlights the system’s compliance with ABS’ comprehensive standards for innovative technologies designed to enhance maritime operations in key areas such as structural and machinery health monitoring…

A new generation of hybrid vessels is demonstrating significant gains in both fuel economy and operational output. For Olympic Subsea’s owner and CEO Stig Remøy, it proves that technology-led efficiency is the fastest path to decarbonization—and a powerful business case.When Stig Remøy began pivoting Olympic Subsea toward subsea and renewables a decade ago, the move was met with some internal skepticism. “Naturally, there were internal discussions — some believed oil and gas was the future,” he recalled.

The UK offshore renewables sector has been put through its paces in a major emergency response exercise designed to test coordination among industry, government, and emergency services during a large-scale offshore incident.Organized by the Offshore Renewable Energy Emergency Forum (OREEF), the triennial TRIREX exercise — titled Exercise Blyth — brought together Ocean Winds, Police Scotland, HM Coastguard, Esvagt, Vestas, and other stakeholders at the Moray East Offshore Wind Farm to conduct realistic emergency response drills.The two-day exercise…

Ocean services provider DeepOcean and Saudi Arabia-based Jana Marine Services have signed a heads of terms agreement to establish a joint venture company that will offer integrated subsea solutions to the offshore energy industry in the Middle East.The intended joint venture, to be named JADE Subsea Services, plans to enter into a five-year charter agreement with Jana Marine for a newbuild DP2 hybrid diving support vessel (DSV) capable of performing subsea construction, inspection…

Sercel announced the award of a five-year technical support and maintenance contract by ExxonMobil Guyana Ltd. for the Marlin Vessel Tracking and Alerts (VTA) software solution, delivered to the client in 2024. Sercel will provide comprehensive technical support, system maintenance, and ongoing software enhancements for the Marlin VTA solution currently being deployed by the client to enhance operational safety and increase situational awareness of vessel movements offshore Guyana.

Mermaid Subsea Services (UK) has completed a fast-track subsea recovery campaign in the North Sea for a major operator.The operation involved the internal and external severance of casing, conductor, guide pipe and cement lines, as well as local seabed excavation and recovery of the CAN-Basic structure.Mermaid also handled waste management of recovered items and backfill operations to prepare for an over-trawl survey. “This was a time-critical project, and our team responded with professionalism and agility to ensure safe and efficient delivery.

Rigs drilling beneath the deep waters of the Gulf of Mexico will drive U.S. oil industry growth this year and next as onshore production slows due to lower prices and maturing shale fields, and analysts and consultants expect the trend to continue as new technology and friendly regulations attract investment offshore.The offshore oil and gas sector took a backseat to shale in recent years because drilling at sea requires years of construction work and higher upfront investments. Entry costs were lower for shale production and returns quicker, so rapid expansion in shale made the U.S.

Ocean services provider DeepOcean has expanded its service offering to the offshore renewables and oil and gas industries by entering into a time charter agreement for the multipurpose support vessel Glomar Supporter.Chartered from Glomar Offshore, the Glomar Supporter vessel will join DeepOcean’s fleet in January 2026 with its first operations planned in EuropeDeepOcean will utilise the Glomar Supporter to enhance its offering in survey, inspection and light IMR (inspection,…