Port Of Victoria News

Norwegian Bliss Delivered in Germany

Norwegian Cruise Line has taken delivery of the 168,028-gross-ton cruise ship Norwegian Bliss from shipbuilder Meyer Werft during a ceremony in Bremerhaven, Germany, marking the conclusion of an 18-month building period.Norwegian Bliss is the third vessel in the line’s Breakaway Plus class and the first cruise ship specifically designed for Alaska cruising.The ship features a two-level competitive electric-car racetrack that sits at the top of deck 19; it is the largest at sea and a first for any North America-based cruise ship.

BioWAVE Unit Deployed near Port Fairy

Ocean energy company BioPower Systems (BPS) completed the deployment of its 250kW bioWAVE pilot demonstration unit off the coast near Port Fairy, Victoria. The $21 million project has been in development by BPS for three years, with $11 million funding from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) and $5 million funding from the Victorian Government. BPS CEO Dr Timothy Finnigan said the usually powerful swell at this site abated enough for the installation to be completed smoothly and successfully. “Installation of the bioWAVE in the Southern Ocean marks the culmination of an intensive development phase, and the beginning of a testing and demonstration phase for bioWAVE.

Lerwick Port Donates to Shetland Stroke Support Group

Lerwick Port Authority’s Victoria Pier Car Park is having a special charity day on Saturday to coincide with the start of Living Lerwick’s Shopping Week. All proceeds from car park takings on Saturday 11 July will be match funded by Lerwick Port Authority and donated to Shetland Stroke Support Group. Lerwick Shopping Week will run from 11 to 17 July inclusive to provide a week of fun activities and events in the town centre area.  Some of the enticing promotions include meet the maker events, a Shetland Picnic, free food and product demonstrations, al fresco dining from local take-aways, a pavement art competition, music at Harrison Square, craft workshops and much much more.

Wave Power Unit for Victorian Waters

BioPower Systems Pty Ltd (BioPower) has finished constructing its prototype wave power unit to be installed off the coast of Port Fairy, Victoria, later this year. ARENA CEO Ivor Frischknecht congratulated BioPower on the achievement, which would advance the renewable wave energy industry in Australia. “The $21 million project, supported by $11 million ARENA funding, aims to move BioPower’s bioWAVE technology towards commercialisation,” Mr Frischknecht said. “If successfully installed, it will be the second ARENA supported wave energy device supplying energy to a major Australian grid, feeding 250kW of renewable energy into the National Electricity Market. “The bioWAVE unit is a 26 metre high steel structure that sways back and forth, mostly below the surface of the ocean.

Modi Makes Waves in Indian Ocean

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has arrived back home after five days tour of three Indian Ocean countries. His tour has served to reclaim some of New Delhi’s lost footing in the area. New Delhi accepts that India can less afford its past passivity regarding its maritime backyard. Tangible evidence is Narendra Modi's three-nation Indian Ocean tour. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Indian Ocean sojourn -which took him to Seychelles, Mauritius and Sri Lanka, last week, infused fresh energy into India's mantle as the fulcrum of stability in the Indian Ocean. It signaled India's intent and capacity to ward off extra-regional challengers and emerge as a 'net security provider' in strategically crucial sea lanes for global commerce and geopolitics.

Two Found Dead on "Captain Philips" Ship

According to multiple published reports including Reuters, two U.S. security workers were found dead on the Maersk Alabama, a ship made famous by the Hollywood movie "Captain Phillips" in 2013. The two men apparently were found dead in a cabin on board the vessel in the afternoon of February 18 in Port of Victoria in the Seychelles. Both reportedly had beeen on board since 29 January. The Trident Group issued the following prepared statemwnt in the wake of the incident: "It is…

Cruise Liner Costa Allegra Adrift After Engine Room Fire

According to Reuters on 28, February 2012, the Costa Cruises Costa Allegra was adrift in the Indian Ocean after an engine room fire had been extinguished. None of the 636 passengers and 413 crew was reported hurt. LATER: Costa Cruises released the following statement:  The company was notified that a fire had broken out aboard the Costa Allegra in the electric generators room. The shipboard fire-extinguishing system and procedures were promptly activated and the special fire-fighting squads intervened to extinguish fire. The fire did not spread to any other area of the ship.

Incat's Wave-Piercers Cross Atlantic at Record-Breaking Speeds

Incat Australia Pty. Ltd. is widely regarded as a premier builder of high-speed ferries, and that reputation was enhanced with the production of three wave-piercer catamarans, which hold the distinction of being the fastest ships ever to cross the Atlantic. The two latest, Catalonia and Cat-link V, are from Incat's line of 299 ft. wave-piercer class of fast-ferry vessels. They made their individual record-breaking journeys across the Atlantic within weeks of each other, at average speeds of 39 knots and 41 knots, respectively. The wave-piercer fast-ferry vessels have been launched from Incat docks in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia, since September 1997.

Designing A Record Breaker

Incat Australia Pty. Ltd. is widely regarded as a premier builder of high-speed ferries, and that reputation was enhanced with the production of three wave-piercer catamarans, which hold the distinction of being the fastest ships ever to cross the Atlantic. The two latest, the Catalonia and the Cat-link V are from Incat's line of 299 ft. (91 m) wave-piercer class of fast-ferry vessels. They made their individual record-breaking journeys across the Atlantic within weeks of each other, at the average speeds of 39 knots and 41 knots, respectively. The wave-piercer fast-ferry vessels have been launched from Incat docks in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia, since September 1997.