Offshore Supply Vessel News

A ‘Connected Future’ seminar, organized by Inmarsat in collaboration with Maritime Reporter & Engineering News and moderated by Greg Trauthwein, encapsulated the critical roles technology and data sharing play in enabling more efficient and sustainable workboat operations, and in improving conditions for crew.Insights from leading Offshore Supply Vessel owners and operators capture the extent to which technology and data sharing are driving greater efficiency, sustainability and…

Franklin, La. shipbuilder Gulf Craft in December delivered WINDEA Intrepid, a new crew transfer vessel built for WINDEA CTV, a partnership between Hornblower Wind and MidOcean Wind.Designed by Incat Crowther and classed by Bureau Veritas, the 30-meter-long aluminum catamaran has capacity to carry 24 technicians, plus six crew. It is powered by four Volvo DI13 main engines that drive quad Volvo IPS propulsion units. The vessel is described as "hybrid-ready", meaning it has been…

AD Ports Group said Tuesday it had acquired offshore vessels from E-NAV, for around $200 million, to bolster offshore operations in the Middle East and Southeast Asia.According to AD Ports, the vessels make up a well-maintained, diversified fleet with an average age of around 9 years, significantly less than the industry average. All 10 vessels are expected to be delivered in Q4 2023 with financial consolidation taking place from Q1 2024 onwards."The acquisitions, from international Offshore Supply Vessel owner and operator E-NAV…

Oil and gas company Wintershall Dea has declared options to extend the contract for Eidesvik Offshore's supply vessel Viking Princess. The contract extension runs from January 2024 in direct continuation of the current contract, extending the firm period to January 2025.“This extension is a quality mark for the operations and services delivered, and we look forward to continuing our cooperation with Wintershall Dea”, says Gitte Gard Talmo, CEO and president of Eidesvik Offshore ASA.According to Eidesvik Offshore…

On a windswept island 50 miles north of Seattle sits a U.S. Navy monitoring station. For years, it was kept busy tracking whale movements and measuring rising sea temperatures. Last October, the Navy gave the unit a new name that better reflects its current mission: Theater Undersea Surveillance Command.The renaming of the spy station at the Whidbey Island naval base is a nod to a much larger U.S. military project, according to three people with direct knowledge of the plans:…

A fishing vessel has been converted to operate as a Jones Act compliant crew transfer vessel (CTV) in the U.S. offshore wind industry.Hornblower Marine announced it converted the former fishing vessel Nice Day Too for New Bedford, Mass. based Coast Line Transfers.The 59-foot-long Capt. Les Eldridge, which was originally constructed on the Gulf Coast, underwent extensive bow conversion and other vessel upgrades at Hornblower Marine’s Bridgeport, Conn. facility to provide necessary cargo and passenger loading space required to safely serve offshore wind platforms…

The offshore supply vessel industry has weathered a tumultuous decade characterized by a prolonged trough that tested the resilience of vessel owners. However, the tides have turned, and the industry is now experiencing a strong and much-awaited revival.The offshore supply vessel industry has weathered a tumultuous decade characterized by a prolonged trough that tested the resilience of vessel owners. However, the tides have turned, and the industry is now experiencing a strong and much-awaited revival.While long seen as a derelict industry by investors…

The IMO’s latest crunch meeting in early July may not have aligned global shipping with mid-century targets established in the 2015 Paris Agreement. However, its 2023 Strategy indicates a clear direction of travel. Energy supplies by sea are essential for many countries and therefore ships have a key role in supporting the world’s energy transition – not only on their own account, but at a global level.As world shipping accounts for about 3% of greenhouse gas emissions, its environmental importance attracts wide attention. And plenty of criticism.

The U.S. Coast Guard on Thursday medevaced a 71-year-old man from an offshore supply vessel around 100 miles southwest of Port Fourchon, Louisiana.Coast Guard Sector New Orleans watchstanders received a call at approximately 2:51 a.m. from the vessel's captain requesting assistance to medevac a passenger experiencing low blood pressure and dizziness.Sector New Orleans watchstanders then coordinated the launch of a Coast Guard Air Station New Orleans MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter aircrew to assist.The aircrew arrived on scene…

A Jones-Act-compliant offshore supply vessel (OSV) has been converted for use as a crew transfer vessel (CTV) in the growing U.S. offshore wind industry.Windea CTV, a joint venture between MidOcean Wind and the Hornblower Group, said the vessel Gateway Endeavor was converted by Hornblower Marine in Bridgeport, Conn. Updates included the addition of a bow platform, forward and aft fendering systems, bow thruster, digital throttle controls, a new electrical system, removable railings and additional seating.

The bridge watch officers on a bulk carrier and an offshore supply vessel were not maintaining a proper lookout before the vessels collided last year near Port Fourchon, Louisiana, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has concluded.On July 23, 2022, the bulk carrier Bunun Queen was transiting eastbound in the Gulf of Mexico and the offshore supply vessel Thunder was transiting northbound when the vessels collided. The Thunder sustained substantial damage to its port side, which resulted in the flooding of one of its propulsion rooms and three other spaces.

An incorrectly sized bearing led to an engine failure and fire last year onboard the offshore supply vessel Ocean Guardian, reports the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).On May 27, 2022, the vessel was conducting a sea trial in Shilshole Bay when its no. 3 diesel generator engine suffered a mechanical failure, resulting in an engine room fire that caused $1.1 million in damages.After maintenance was completed on all four main diesel generator engines in January and February 2022, full-function tests of vessel systems were conducted in open waters.

A commercial fishing vessel that caught fire while moored in Tacoma, Wash. this weekend is now listing heavily to port as responders continue to battle the dayslong blaze.Fire broke out on board the factory trawler Kodiak Enterprise early Saturday morning, progressing throughout the ship while moored at Trident Seafoods in the Hylebos Waterway, according to the U.S. Coast Guard.Most of the fire has subsided and smoke conditions have improved significantly due to firefighting efforts…

A shelter in place order has been lifted as a large fishing vessel fire begins to die down in Tacoma, Wash.Fire broke out on board the factory trawler Kodiak Enterprise early Saturday morning, progressing throughout the ship while moored at Trident Seafoods in the Hylebos Waterway, according to the U.S. Coast Guard.The City of Tacoma Fire Department is issuing a temporary shelter in place order for Northeast Tacoma, Browns Point and Dash Point neighborhoods as flames inched closer toward the vessel’s freon tanks, which could see pressure build from the fire's heat.

Oil and gas company Wintershall Dea has declared an option to extend the contract for the supply vessel Viking Princess.The 89,6 meters long vessel, owned by Eidesvik Offshore, will start work under the extension from July 2023 in direct continuation of the current contract. With the latest charter extension, the Viking Princess will stay with Wintershall Dea, until January 2024. Financial details of the extension were not disclosed.According to Eidesvik Offshore, the Viking Princess was the world’s first offshore vessel with a battery hybrid solution replacing a traditional generator set.

A trio of companies -- Alma Clean Power, Hydrogenious LOHC Technologies and Hydrogenious LOHC Maritime -- announced a joint development agreement to engineer a fully integrated LOHC-SOFC (Liquid Organic Hydrogen Carrier-Solid Oxide Fuel Cell) power system for the Enova supported project HyNjord, focusing on a 100-kW pilot powertrain to be demonstrated on board the Østensjø Rederi operated offshore supply vessel Edda Ferd. The agreements also open up for hydrogen-powered vessels on megawatt-scale later.

Classification society ABS announced it has issued New Technology Qualification (NTQ) for non-flammable battery technology for use at sea.Called Blue G, the vanadium redox flow battery system from Gennal Engineering PTE LTD is now planned to move into prototype testing later this year.The Blue G battery is comprised of a water-based electrolyte solution, storage tank, stack cell and regulating pump. The process of charging and discharging energy does not produce excess heat –…

The Norwegian oil and gas company Equinor has given a longer-term charter to the Island Commander offshore supply vessel.The vessel, which is owned by Island Offshore, is currently on spot assignment for the same company.The 2009-built offshore vessel will now stay on a charter with Equinor for another seven months. Equinor will have two two-month options to extend the contract further.Island Offshore says that with this contract, it now has two offshore supply vessels and one walk-to-work vessel working for Equinor. Battery packs have been installed on all three vessels. In addition, Island Offshore said it was working with Equinor to assess the possibilities for modifying the LNG-powered vessel Island Crusader to use ammonia as fuel.Earlier this week…

Norway-based Alma Clean Power announced its design of a 1 MW ammonia fueled marine solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) system received approval in principle (AIP) from classification society DNV.The SOFC system design has been evaluated for compliance with DNV class rules and IMO guidelines for fuel cell installations. The AIP is granted for a containerized module that includes safety systems to handle ammonia as fuel.“We’re excited that our design has received approval according to the highest standards in the maritime industry.

Crew fatigue led to an offshore supply vessel striking an oil and gas production platform in the Gulf of Mexico in 2021, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said Thursday.The offshore supply vessel (OSV) Elliot Cheramie was on its normal route between Port Fourchon, La. and the oil and gas production platform VR-397A in the Gulf of Mexico on June 25, 2021, with a crew of four and five offshore workers. While transiting, the Elliot Cheramie struck the oil and gas production platform EI-259A.

Brendan Smith brings more than a decade of maritime experience to his role as president of Seaward Services, a marine services company specializing in the operation, maintenance and repair of government and privately owned vessels. The company is part of the Hornblower Group.During his 6.5 years with the U.S. Navy, he served aboard the nuclear-powered submarine USS Santa Fe, and his roles included chemistry and radiological controls assistant (CRA), quality assurance officer (QAO) and combat operations instructor.

Classification society ABS reports it is supporting the first offshore supply vessel (OSV) in Malaysia to feature an innovative vessel design and battery system to support more sustainable operations.The new generation OSV will be designed to ABS Rules, and ABS New Technology Qualification (NTQ) procedures will evaluate the Blue G Battery System, a power source that can be charged by generator sets onboard as well as any sustainable solutions from the shore. With this technology…

A 52-year-old man was medevaced Thursday from an offshore supply vessel about 36 miles southeast of Grande Isle, Louisiana.Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector New Orleans received a call stating a crewmember aboard the offshore supply vessel Warren Thomas was reportedly experiencing heart attack and stroke-like symptoms. The watchstanders directed the launch of a Coast Guard Air Station New Orleans MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew to assist.The helicopter crew arrived on the scene, safely hoisted the patient, and transported him to University Medical Center in New Orleans.