Maritime Support Services News

Singapore has maintained its position as the world's top shipping hub for the seventh year straight, according to a report published by the Baltic Exchange and Chinese state news agency Xinhua.The Xinhua-Baltic International Shipping Center Development (ISCD) Index, now in its seventh edition, assesses factors including port throughput and infrastructure; depth and breadth of professional maritime support services; as well as the general business environment in its attempt to…

Idwal Marine announced the signing of a new contract after tender process with the Isle of Man Ship Registry, for the provision of maritime support services, which has been inked for a 10 year term. The Ship registry has developed a new General Inspection regime which is being carried out by the Ship Registry’s own team of surveyors and is supported globally by Idwal Marine in locations such as China, Singapore, Philippines, Brazil, Germany, UK, France, Spain and the USA by the Idwal Marine surveyor network. This is a great achievement for Idwal Marine and the hard work now commences as we strive to ensure that our mutual cooperation benefits both the Ship registry and their clients.

Bisso Marine Llc., a provider of energy and maritime support services, announced the acquisition of three offshore construction assets: the 800-ton capacity derrick barge, Ex-IOS 800; the combination derrick laybarge Ex-IOS Pipeliner and the 400’ x 100’ accommodations/support barge Ex-International Frontier.   The barges will be in the shipyard and drydocked to receive some modifications and upgrades during the next few weeks and will be renamed before being put into service in June 2013.   www.bissomarine.co

Smit Lamnalco has secured the turnkey contract to support Single Point Mooring operations for The Iraq Crude Oil Export Expansion Project (ICOEEP). The scheme, 20 km off the Al Fao Peninsula, looks to triple oil exports from Iraq. The SPM contract covers operations and maintenance of four SPM systems and runs for up to three years, a term that would generate over US$200 million for Smit Lamnalco. The agreement involves the full scope of maritime support services for the export facilities.

Royal Boskalis Westminster N.V. (Boskalis) associate company Smit Lamnalco wins Single Point Moorings (SPM) support contract from Petrofac. The contract is to support Single Point Mooring operations 20 km off the Al Fao Peninsula for the Iraq Crude Oil Export Expansion Project (ICOEEP). The annual contract value is approximately US$-70 million (Boskalis share 50%) and services will commence November 2012. The Single Point Mooring (SPM) contract covers operations and maintenance of four SPM systems.

Rear Admiral Wendi B. Carpenter, USN (Ret.) President of State University of New York Maritime College weighs in. Rear Admiral Wendi Carpenter assumed the position President at of SUNY Maritime College less than 6 months ago. Already, however, she is showing the collective maritime world her own unique brand of leadership, in many different ways. As the first woman to serve as SUNY Maritime College President, she also aims to be trailblazer in other, perhaps more significant roles. Follow along as she shares her vision for what a modern maritime academy should be, and why.

Bisso Marine, provider of energy and maritime support services, announced the addition of John C. Baker as director of Quality and Compliance. Baker directs and manages the company’s ISO 9001:2008 Quality Management System and AWO RCP Safety Management System, including procedural development and auditing for compliance. Before joining BISSO MARINE, Baker served as manager of Corporate Quality and Compliance for Kirby Corporation, where he was responsible for the development and implementation of a formal employee involvement system aboard 260 vessels.

Bisso Marine, a premier provider of energy and maritime support services, announced the addition of Joe Campbell as general manager of Diving and Subsea Services. In his new position, Campbell manages all aspects of diving safety and diving operations for the company. Before joining Bisso Marine, Campbell served as director of projects for Crossmar Inc., overseeing all subsea construction projects. From 1995 to 2008, Campbell worked with Cal Dive International. His global experience includes managing projects in India and Australia.

T&T Marine Salvage, a leading provider of maritime support services, has responded with manpower and equipment to help clean the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. “Our crews have been working 24 hours a day, seven days a week to assist in the Gulf of Mexico cleanup effort,” said T&T Marine Salvage Vice President Kevin Teichman. “We have flown in personnel and equipment from our response bases around the world for this ongoing project. T&T Marine Salvage’s response to the cleanup efforts includes personnel mobilized in Florida, Alabama, Louisiana, Texas and offshore.

T&T Marine Salvage, a provider of maritime support services, announced an exclusive cooperative services agreement with OSROCO and Unitek to provide oil spill response services in Guam, Saipan and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. “With equipment staged in Guam and Saipan, the T&T Marine-OSROCO-Unitek alliance offers customers calling on Sector Guam an unparalleled and cost-effective solution to meeting the requirements of OPA 90,” said T&T Marine Vice President Kevin Teichman. OSROCO is a subsidiary of Cabras Marine Corporation, a Guam-based company that provides tug boats, barges and other maritime assets in Guam, the CNMI and throughout Micronesia.

Bisso Marine, a provider of energy and maritime support services, announced that Taylor King is the winner of the annual Bisso Marine Safety Award Drawing. King was selected from a pool of 220 eligible employees. To be eligible for the drawing, an employee must be employed by the company for the entire calendar year without having had an accident, safety infraction, negative performance review or disciplinary write-up. King was given the choice of selecting a Mako 1901 bay boat, a Nitro Z-7 bass boat or a Toyota Tundra double cab pickup truck.

Bisso Marine a provider of energy and maritime support services, announced the promotion of Glenn Posik to general manager of Diving and Subsea Services. In his new position, Posik manages all aspects of diving safety and diving operations. Before his promotion, Posik served as project manager for the Bisso Marine Pipeline Department. Prior to joining the company, he was project manager for Superior Diving Company Inc. and construction superintendent for Torch Offshore, Inc. (www.bissomarine.com)

Bisso Marine, a provider of energy and maritime support services, successfully buried a pipeline 16 feet below the hardened seabed of the Gulf of Mexico. Working in 54 feet of water, the crew of the DLB Big Chief installed a hot tap and used one of the company’s three 2,700 gpm@1,150 psi Super Jet Pump Systems to bury 13,893 feet of pipeline 10 miles off Galveston Island. The pipeline burial was especially challenging because of the hard shear strength of the soil on the seafloor. A vane shear test showed the soil strength at 4,500 psf.

Bisso Marine, provider of energy and maritime support services, announced the addition of Zachary Malinoski. Malinoski joins the company as manager of the Salvage Engineering and Naval Architecture Group. Malinoski graduated with honors from the U.S. Coast Guard Academy with a bachelor of science degree in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering. He also obtained a master’s of science degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Ocean Engineering and Civic-Environmental Engineering.

Bisso Marine, provider of energy and maritime support services, announced the addition of V. Seva to its management team. Based in Houston, Seva joins the company as project manager and salvage master. Before joining the company, Seva served as salvage master for Svitzer Salvage B.V., executing salvage operations worldwide from his base in the Netherlands. Prior, he was salvage master for Smit Singapore Pte Ltd. Seva began his maritime career as a deck cadet officer in the Merchant Marine and attained his Master Mariner qualification while sailing aboard chemical and gas tankers.

Bisso Marine, provider of energy and maritime support services, has acquired a 12-man portable Saturation Diving System. The new SAT System has a working depth of 1,000 feet (300 meters). It features a dual-lock, six-man deck decompression chamber, a 12-man launchable flyaway hyperbaric rescue chamber, a dual-lock, six-man come-out chamber and a three-man diving bell. “This SAT System expands our working depth and fully maximizes our bottom time, allowing us to provide maximized safety and an even greater level of diving services to our clients worldwide…

Bisso Marine, provider of energy and maritime support services, has expanded its growing fleet by purchasing a third pipelay barge. The former G/P 37 was purchased from Global Industries and will be renamed the L/B Warrior Chief. “The L/B Warrior Chief adds depth and capacity to our experienced fleet, allowing us to provide an even greater level of quality and service,” said W.A. “Beau” Bisso IV, president and chief executive officer of the company. The 188 by 60 by 14-foot L/B Warrior Chief can accommodate 65 people and features a 40 ft diameter helideck.

Bisso Marine, provider of energy and maritime support services, recently completed a pipelay project off the Southeast Louisiana coast. Dive crews aboard the DSV Joseph Bisso laid 900 ft of six-inch pipe at a water depth of 66 ft about 20 miles south of Grand Isle in the Gulf of Mexico. The pipeline was laid using a portable lay system and the vessel’s 30-ton hydraulic crane. The month-long project also involved installing a 16 by six-inch hot tap fitting that allowed the client to continue operating the pipeline without disruptions. (www.bissomarine.com)

As of 1 June 2009, the European Union Long Range Identification and Tracking of ships Data Centre (EU LRIT DC) entered in production following successful developmental testing. This is a milestone following a preparatory phase of a year-and-a-half of development work by the European Maritime Safety Agency and its main contractor – Collecte Localisation Satellite (CLS). By the entry into operation of the EU LRIT DC, the participating Contracting Governments meet the international deadline for providing LRIT information by 30 June 2009. The EU LRIT DC is a combined effort of the European Commission, in cooperation with Member States, through the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA). The Agency is in charge of the data centre's technical development, operation and maintenance.

Bisso Marine, a provider of energy and maritime support services, successfully launched three vessels in two recent projects. Using the D/B Cappy Bisso, a Bisso Marine crew of six launched the M/V Yellowfin and the M/V Bluefin in Lockport, La. The two ocean-going tugs each weighs 520 tons. The operation was particularly challenging because the 700-ton Cappy Bisso had to be towed through Bayou Lafourche, which can be as shallow as 6 feet in some areas. In the second launch project, Bisso Marine used the D/B Lili Bisso to launch the new push boat Coon Wise in St. Rose, La.