Armada News

Chinese automakers and shippers are ordering a record number of car-carrying vessels to support a boom in EV exports, data showed, putting China on course to amass the world's fourth-largest fleet by 2028.China currently has the world's eighth-largest fleet with 33 car-carrying ships, showed data from shipping consultancy Veson Nautical. Japan has the world's largest with 283 ships, followed by Norway's 102, South Korea's 72 and Isle of Man's 61.But Chinese companies have 47 ships on order, accounting for a quarter of all orders globally.

The state of Great Lakes port infrastructure is one of the biggest issues facing the U.S. and Canadian maritime industries. According to the America Great Lakes Ports Association, “Due to years of inadequate funding, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has been unable to maintain Great Lakes navigation infrastructure. Over the next five years Great Lakes navigation channels will require $540 million of dredging to maintain authorized channel dimensions. Breakwaters and other federal…

Ocean Infinity signed a global framework agreement (GFA) with Shell to provide its robotic fleet for servicing the offshore energy sector.The GFA marks a significant milestone in the provision of lean-crewed and robotic seabed geomatics, spanning geophysical and geotechnical services, within the offshore energy sector.It covers a 5-year period, encompassing all countries where Shell is currently active or plans to operate in the future.Services governed by the GFA include the Armada fleet of uncrewed and lean-crewed vessels."This agreement enables new…

Armada Technologies has secured a hull lubrication contract with LNG carrier company Cool Company Ltd (CoolCo).Under the partnership, Armada will design, engineer, procure, and provide support for the installation and commissioning of its air lubrication system on a CoolCo vessel scheduled to dry dock in 2024. Once commissioned, CoolCo will conduct sea trials and provide documentation to Armada, following ISO or ITTC guidance, to measure the system's performance.Armada CEO Alex…

U.S.

The American Bureau of Shipping has awarded an approval in principle (AIP) to Malaysian floating production firm Bumi Armada for a floating liquefied natural gas (FLNG)  infrastructure design. The new concept incorporates a barge-based liquefaction unit and utilizes existing LNG carriers for storage. ABS completed design reviews based on class and statutory requirements."We are pleased to support Bumi Armada in their ongoing efforts to offer  safe and reliable LNG storage solutions.

Cummins is working with partners in the U.K. to develop and deploy a methanol conversion kit for an engine aboard an Ocean Infinity offshore support vessel (OSV) as the maritime industry works toward transitioning to cleaner fuels.The engine manufacturer announced its proposal to jointly develop a Methanol Kit for its QSK60 engine was selected to receive funding as part of the Zero Emission Vessels and Infrastructure (ZEVI) competition, funded by the U.K. government and delivered…

Latest advances in digital technologies and faster, cheaper connectivity walk hand-in-hand as vessel owners of all sizes aim to cut fuel consumption, cut emissions and increase efficiencies. AST is aiming to do both, offering connectivity plus a suite of productivity solutions courtesy of its new Integrated Remote Asset Management System (IRAMS) solution, as CEO Andrew Peters explains.The maritime industry is often lamented as slow on the uptake of new technologies, but many of these boats and ships were born and raised in an analog society, designed to last up to 50 years.

The American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) has awarded Approval in Principle (AIP) for Bumi Armada’s pioneering design for a floating carbon storage and injection unit (FCSIU).Bumi Armada’s FCSIU concept is a floating terminal capable of storing and injecting liquified carbon dioxide (LCO2) into depleted oil and gas fields or aquifers. This novel concept incorporates the ability to accept LCO2 deliveries in an offshore setting, the flexibility to manage LCO2 at low or medium pressure…

Wärtsilä has awarded Damen Marine Components (DMC) a contract to provide steering equipment to two Landing Platform Docks (LPD) of the Chilean Navy being built at ASMAR. DMC is supplying a range of energy efficient equipment to the vessels, which will reduce fuel consumption and resultant emissions.The 110-m long Chilean Navy LPDs are being constructed for the Escotillón IV project at the state-owned Astilleros y Maestranzas de la Armada (ASMAR) shipyard. The ships will fulfil…

Bumi Armada's Armada Kraken FPSO, a production unit operating at EnQuest's Kraken offshore field in the UK North Sea, has increased operational performance following a shutdown in early June.As Offshore Engineer previously reported, the Armada Kraken FPSO was shut in in June following the failure of critical hydraulic submersible pump (HSP) transformers.The Kraken FPSO is deployed at Kraken field under a bareboat charter contract.During the first four months of 2023, the average net production from the Kraken field was 15,910 barrels of oil equivalent per day.On June 21, Bumi Armada said that production had resumed from the FPSO and was at around 60% of pre-shutdown levels.In an update on Thursday…

A Chinese research vessel flanked by coast guard and nearly a dozen boats on Wednesday entered a gas block operated by Russian and Vietnamese state firms, two monitoring groups said, another potential flashpoint in the South China Sea.It follows a pattern of assertive moves of late by Beijing in its neighbors' exclusive economic zones (EEZ), as it presses its claim to sovereignty over almost the entire South China Sea, testing the United States and its allies at a time of heightened regional tension.Strong relations between Russia and China are a major factor supporting global stability…

Malaysian FPSO leasing company Bumi Armada said Tuesday it had completed the sale of the Armada Claire floating production storage and offloading vessel. The FPSO was sold by Bumi Armada's subsidiary, Armada Balnaves."The Armada Claire sale was on an “as is where is” basis, at a sale price of US$20 million. The sale proceeds were received by [Armada Balnaves] on April 19, 2023," Bumi Armada said,Bumi Armada said it would recognize a gain on sale of the Armada Claire FPSO of approximately US$12 million in its second quarter financial results. Proceeds from the FPSO sale, net of transaction fees, will be used to reduce Bumi Armada Group’s corporate debt.

Armada Technologies announced that Irish Ferries has contracted for a feasibility study and integration engineering for the Armada ‘passive air lubrication system’ (PALS) on board its RoPax cruise ferry W.B. Yeats.Armada’s PALS is a second-generation air lubrication system that uses the vessel’s own forward motion to drive water through a series of openings in the bow region of the vessel. These openings direct system water through branch lines to venturis and injectors that then passively delivers an optimal air/water mix (rather than simply air) for hull lubrication of unparalleled efficacy."One of the major complaints shipowners have…

Ocean Infinity's Armada 7801 has reached Norway after a long journey from Vietnam, where its hull was built last year at the Vard Vung Tau shipyard."Our first new ship has arrived in Norway, having set sail on its maiden voyage from Vietnam in November. Installation of the payload equipment and remote systems will now commence ahead of the ship entering service on offshore data acquisition tasks in the coming months," Ocean Infinity, a seabed survey and ocean research company based in the United States…

Ocean Infinity, a seabed survey and ocean research company based in the United States, said Tuesday that two of its new vessels, part of the Armada USV fleet, had set sail from Vietnam."We're officially the proud owner of not just one but two brand new ships. Armada 7801 and 7802 have set sail from Vietnam and are headed to Norway. The delivery of these first two ships marks an important milestone on our journey towards tech-enabled lean-crewed operations for a safer and greener maritime future…

Lloyd’s Register (LR) has appointed Chakib Abi-Saab to its newly created role of Chief Technology and Innovation Officer (CTIO). Abi-Saab, who was previously with Bahri (formerly known as the National Shipping Company of Saudi Arabia) as their Chief Technology Officer, joins LR with considerable expertise in technology and digital enablement from both maritime and the oil and gas industry. Before his time with Bahri, Abi-Saab held executive roles at ship management company OSM, offshore energy provider Bumi Armada and Oil and Gas Services provider Baker Hughes.

The region could be a key growth market for the oil and gas industry going forward, writes Joshua Belo-Osagie, Maritime Strategies International (MSI).Improving sentiment surrounds energy market prospects offshore West Africa, the positive mood underpinned by higher oil prices, reformed regulatory frameworks in key markets including Angola and Nigeria and the discovery of major prospects off the Ivory Coast and Namibia.In addition, the implications of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine have only reinforced some of these pre-existing dynamics…

Marine robotics technology specialist, Greensea, has promoted Chelsea Allen to Vice President of Operations in response to the company's ongoing growth and subsequent strategic management and operational needs.Ben Kinnaman, Founder and CEO at Greensea, welcomes the promotion: "The ocean robotics industry has entered a period of rapid change, and we need to have the best leaders positioned to take full advantage of these changes. Chelsea is a natural leader. As the organization grows and as we add new companies to the Greensea family…

Maritime and offshore service provider OSM Maritime Group will act as Ocean Infinity's newbuild site supervision partner, for six robotic offshore vessels being built for Ocean Infinity in Norway, for its Armada Fleet.Four vessels will have a length of 21 meters and tow vessels of 36 meters. The robotic vessels, being built at GMV shipyard in Norway will be equipped with state-of-the-art sensors and pioneering navigational technology that allows information to be gathered from the shallowest and deepest waters.

The Australian National Maritime Museum has announced a shipwreck found in Newport Harbor, off Rhode Island in the United States, has been confirmed as Captain Cook’s ship, HMB Endeavour.There have been very similar announcements made over the years but have they finally made a definitive case?By making its announcement, the Australian National Maritime Museum seems to have decided so, and there does seem to have been significant recent progress, centered on one shipwreck that matches the known details of the Endeavour closely.However…

U.S.-based seabed survey and ocean exploration firm Ocean Infinity has hired VARD to design and build a new series of six multi-purpose offshore vessels that will all be operated from shore and will eventually run on green ammonia.This order of six, 85-metre, optionally crewed robotic vessels will take Ocean Infinity’s remote vessel fleet to 23 vessels, which the company says is the largest in the world. To remind, Ocean Infinity in early 2020 said it would launch a new marine technology and data company Armada…

Ocean Infinity, a seabed survey and ocean research company based in the United States, has released the first photographs of their Armada 78m remotely operated ship taking to the water, and shared them with Offshore Engineer.More than two years ago, in February 2020, Ocean Infinity first announced its plans to build the world's largest fleet of unmanned surface vehicles (USV). Then in November 2020, it decided to expand the fleet with 78 meters long robotic vessels that can be optionally crewed…