Psc News

The U.S. House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Transportation and Maritime Security will hold a hearing to discuss delays in the U.S. Coast Guard’s (USCG) shipbuilding and acquisitions programs.The hearing, announced by the subcommittee's chairman, Rep. Carlos Gimenez (R-Fla.) on Wednesday, will take place on May 7. It will examine the USCG's shipbuilding and acquisitions process, the state of efforts to modernize the service’s fleet and ways in which the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) can facilitate faster turnaround times for USCG acquisitions programs…

KR has released two digital platforms, KR-DAON (Digital Application Online Network) and Nexawave, alongside the launch of its enhanced fleet management system, KR e-Fleet V3.The KR e-Fleet V3, an upgraded version of the existing fleet management system, focuses on enhancing operational efficiency through increased speed and simplification. It features an integrated vessel status display with survey and audit information, a new Thickness Measurement (TM) menu for tracking hull corrosion, and PSC Guidance with VR technology (KR-Real360) to assist in customer responses.

Esgian reports various drilling contractors disclosing details of discussions with Saudi Aramco regarding jackup contract suspensions in its Week 14 Rig Analytics Market Roundup. These contractors include Shelf Drilling, ADES, Borr Drilling, Arabian Drilling, COSL, and ARO Drilling.Meanwhile, Transocean, Noble, and COSL rigs have firmed up new work in the US Gulf of Mexico, Suriname, and the North Sea, respectively.Report overview:ContractsShelf Drilling has received a notice of suspension of operations on four jackup rigs from a customer in the Middle East.

Esgian reports that offshore drilling contractors secured additional backlog in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico, Egypt, Nigeria, and Brazil and operators confirmed new discoveries in Indonesia, Côte d’Ivoire, and China in its Week 10 Rig Analytics Market Roundup.ContractsDiamond Offshore has executed a two-year contract extension with a subsidiary of bp in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico for the 12,000-ft drillship Ocean BlackHornet.Shelf Drilling’s 250-ft jackup Rig 141 has secured a two-year…

The much-needed replacement for the U.S. Coast Guard’s long-serving medium endurance cutters (WMEC) took a giant step closer to joining the fleet as the first Offshore Patrol Cutter (OPC) was launched and christened at Eastern Shipbuilding Group (ESG) in Panama City, Fla. on October 27, 2023.The future USCGC Argus (WMSM 915) was christened by the ship’s sponsor, Captain (Ret.) Beverly Kelley, the first woman to command a U.S. military vessel, the 95-foot patrol boat, USCGC Cape Newagen (WPB 95318).

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) has banned the Marshall Island-flagged container ship Big Lilly from Australian waters for 90 days, for serious safety and maintenance issues.Prior to this ban, the ship was detained in Melbourne, after an AMSA Port State control (PSC) inspection identified serious defects with the watertight integrity of the ship’s cargo hatches, main engine and safety equipment.AMSA inspectors identified a long list of defects, and while the seafarers onboard had taken steps to maintain the ship…

Lloyd’s Register has reminded the industry that the Member Authorities of the Paris and Tokyo Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) on Port State Control (PSC) are launching a joint Concentrated Inspection Campaign (CIC) on fire safety from September 1 to November 30, 2023.The Member Authorities of the Black Sea Memorandum of Understanding on Port State Control and the Member Authorities of the Acuerdo Vina Del Mar 1992 are concurrently also launching a CIC.The purpose of the campaign…

RightShip, NYK, and Solverminds have announced their collaboration on a product that links NiBiKi, the NYK Group’s common platform for ship-management operations, with RightShip’s data platform, to transform the workloads of ship owners and managers.This new technology, Port State Control (PSC) Submission application programming interface (API), initially launched on RightShip’s e-commerce platform RightSTORE, is designed to share data across both RightShip’s and NYK’s platforms…

Bollinger Shipyards this week announced it has begun cutting steel at Bollinger Mississippi Shipbuilding in Pascagoula, Miss. on the first of eight prototype modules that will become the foundation of the first U.S. Coast Guard Polar Security Cutter (PSC), USCGC Polar Sentinel (PSC-1)—the first heavy icebreaker to be built in the United States in 50 years. "Today marks a significant step for both Bollinger Shipyards and the United States,” said Ben Bordelon, President and CEO of Bollinger Shipyards. “After over 50 years, we're back to building heavy icebreakers.

FPSO leasing company BW Offshore has signed a short-term extension for its Abo FPSO.The extension was signed with Nigerian Agip Exploration Ltd, a subsidiary of the Italian oil firm Eni, and runs until August 14, 2023.BW Offshore has been in talks to divest the FPSO, which is operating at the Abo field offshore Nigeria, and is seen as non-core to its FPSO fleet. This extension is the latest in a series of short-term extensions announced for the Abo FPSO recently.The ABO FPSO started producing in April 2003.

Despite a steady increase in port state control detention rates following the pandemic in all regions, INTERCARGO-entered vessels consistently outdid industry performance indicators in both deficiencies and detentions, as shown by the latest edition of its annual Benchmarking Report.Deficiencies per inspection (DPI) rates remain unchanged and in line with previous years’ Benchmarking Reports, the 11 leading Class Societies (IACS Members), which class over 95% of the bulk carrier market…

The demand for warships is strong, and the Navy continues to receive support from the Congress to build more ships. The Navy is working to achieve a fleet of about 355 ships, plus a fleet of about 150 unmanned vesselsBut to achieve something close to that goal requires more than demand, and even more than money. For one thing, it requires an industrial base that can build, repair and sustain that fleet.While Navy leadership acknowledges the challenges of a stressed supply chain…

The annual Shipping Industry Flag State Performance Table, published today from the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS), highlights a 25% increase in flag states reporting on seafarer labor standards compared to last year. Each year flag states must report on labor standards as part of their ILO audit commitments. Some of the labor standards specific to seafarers include repatriation of seafarers, accommodation provision, health protection and medical care. This year 67.6% of flag states reported on their ILO audit commitments…

Classification society Korean Register (KR) has launched the 'KR PSC ADVISER' mobile app to help customers prepare for Port State Control (PSC) inspections. The new service is designed to reduce the risk of PSC detentions by providing the latest PSC information in real-time and allowing seafarers to easily keep abreast of PSC checklists with a single app.Available for both iOS and Android devices and downloadable from Google Play and the App Store, the newly released KR PSC ADVISER is designed to maximize user convenience by displaying the world map as the main screen…

U.S. Gulf shipbuilding group Bollinger Shipyards announced a raft of leadership changes following its recent acquisition of Bollinger Mississippi Shipbuilding (BMS) and Bollinger Mississippi Repair (BMR).The announcements reflect leadership changes across all 14 Bollinger facilities, including at BMS and BMR (formerly VT Halter Marine and ST Engineering Halter Marine Offshore respectively) as well as Bollinger Lockport New Construction and Bollinger Marine Fabricators.“I’ve always said Bollinger’s greatest strength is its people and I believe that wholeheartedly…

A Panamanian-flagged bulk carrier has been detained and is temporarily prohibited from entering Australian ports after it was discovered the crew onboard was being underpaid.The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) said it banned the Costanza for three months after it found evidence that crew were owed about AUD$108,000 in wages, and that the majority of the crew seafarer employment agreements had a salary amount less than the collective agreement for the vessel.AMSA made the discoveries during a routine port state control (PSC) inspection November 9, during which it investigated a complaint from the International Transport Federation…

Louisiana-based Bollinger Shipyards announced it has completed its acquisition of Pascagoula, Miss. shipbuilder VT Halter Marine and neighboring repair yard ST Engineering Halter Marine Offshore (STEHMO) from parent company ST Engineering North America, the U.S. subsidiary of Singaporean multinational technology, defense and engineering group ST Engineering.The deal, first announced on November 7, is said to be worth $15 million, according to ST Engineering. Bollinger, which operates 14 facilities located throughout Louisiana with direct access to the Gulf of Mexico…

Lockport, La. based Bollinger Shipyards announced it has entered into an agreement to acquire Pascagoula, Miss. shipbuilder VT Halter Marine, Inc. and neighboring repair yard ST Engineering Halter Marine Offshore (STEHMO) from parent company ST Engineering North America, the U.S. subsidiary of Singaporean multinational technology, defense and engineering group ST Engineering.The transaction, which is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2022, is said to be worth $15 million, according to ST Engineering.

HL D&I Halla (Halla) and Pearlson Shiplift Corp. (PSC) signed a new multimillion-dollar contract for the design and build of a Shiplift System in South Korea. Upon completion, the shiplift system will support the Korean Coast Guard in the West Sea of Korea.The new shiplift system will be approximately 70 x 14m, capable of handling a variety of vessels in the Korean Coast Guard’s fleet.“We are pleased to be building this new state-of-the-art shiplift system in conjunction with HL D&I Halla and are excited to support the Korean Coast Guard with the installation of this new facility…

ClassNK has released the latest version 2.0.0 of “PrimeShip-PSC Intelligence”, a mobile app to assist the improvement of Port State Control (PSC) performance and ship management systems, provided free of charge."Based on the database of PSC reports inputted by ship managers, shipowners, and ClassNK, “PrimeShip-PSC Intelligence” provides various functions helping improve ship management systems, including the indication of trends of the PSC findings pointed out by each country or port and output of checklists according to the trends…

It’s a common story in the U.S. shipbuilding industry today. A piece of equipment that used to be available for delivery on short notice—maybe in one or two weeks—now must be ordered months or more in advance, and it costs double. Add to this rising steel prices and the labor issues that have pervaded nearly all industrial sectors since the early days of the pandemic, and it’s clear that business is far from usual for American shipyards.Bollinger Shipyards president and CEO, Ben Bordelon…

The first ship in the U.S. Coast Guard's Polar Security Cutter program will be named Polar Sentinel, Commandant Admiral Karl Schultz revealed in his 2022 State of the Coast Guard Address, delivered Thursday in Clearwater, Fla.The Polar Security Cutter program is planned to replace the Coast Guard's aging fleet of icebreakers, including the 46-year old heavy icebreaker USCGC Polar Star and 23-year-old medium icebreaker USCGC Healy.Pascagoula, Miss. shipbuilder Halter Marine has been awarded contracts to build the first two Polar Security Cutters, and the U.S.

Pascagoula, Miss. shipbuilder Halter Marine has been awarded a contract to build a second U.S. Coast Guard Polar Security Cutter, the Pentagon announced Wednesday.The $552.7 million detail design and construction contract follows a $745.9 million contract awarded in 2019 to build the first PSC. There is also an option for a third PSC.The Polar Security Cutter program is planned to replace the Coast Guard's existing fleet of icebreakers. The new fleet will allow the USCG to perform missions in the Arctic region…