Assessment Services News

Managing infection risk during the COVID-19 pandemic requires a new approach to disease control and prevention.A new infection risk management approach has been developed by DNV GL to assess, manage and mitigate infection risk in management systems, business processes and operations. My Care incorporates local regulations and guidelines – it can be applied to any vessel type, as well as terminals.My Care’s suite of independent assessment services is designed to help businesses…

DNV GL, the world’s largest resource of independent energy experts and certification body, has signed a comprehensive framework agreement with leading Chinese wind turbine blade manufacturer Zhuzhou Times New Material Technology (TMT).The deal covers a range of certification and design assessment services to ensure the quality of TMT’s new rotor blade products, and also gives the manufacturer access to the latest innovations through DNV GL’s Joint Industry Projects (JIPs).The growth of affordable wind power requires the development of larger and more efficient turbine rotor blades. Blade manufacturers are continually working to deliver these innovative new rotors to reduce the Levelized Cost of Energy…

Whilst LNG has proven to be a viable option as a bunkering fuel for ships, there are still challenges to the pace of its development and demand for LNG as a fuel. One of the obstacles to the accelerated uptake is the uncertainty regarding its availability. DNV GL is undertaking a new study on the LNG market in the EU as part of its efforts to drive the development of an EU-wide network of LNG refuelling points. The company has also developed a new tool and guidelines to facilitate wider adoption. The market study is being carried out on behalf of the CORE LNGas hive project which is co-funded by the European Commission. The research aims to develop a safe and efficient…

In a collaborative move that provides collective services as a complete, globally accepted testing solution, Nemko and Retlif Testing Laboratories, have partnered. Customers of both organizations will benefit through worldwide acceptance of test data and reports and greatly expanded conformity assessment services that fully address multiple industry sectors and economies with seamless time processes and services. Retlif offers EMC/EMI, Lightning and Environmental testing services as well as engineering and compliance program management at locations in Ronkonkoma New York, Plainview New York, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, North Carolina and Washington D.C. Nemko offers testing, inspection and certification services with more than 20 locations in 12 countries.

Bureau Veritas announced today that it has acquired MatthewsDaniel Ltd, a global provider of loss adjusting and risk assessment services for the offshore industry. Created in Houston, Texas, in 1962, MatthewsDaniel is headquartered in London and has operations in Europe, the Middle East, Asia and the Americas. The company employs more than 150 people and reported revenues of approximately EUR 34M in 2013. MatthewsDaniel primarily provides services for the insurance market. Their loss adjusting activities include incident investigations, root cause analysis, damage and reinstatement assessment and cost estimation. Their risk assessment portfolio focuses especially on Marine Warranty Surveying activities for both offshore projects and rigs.

Computer-based training systems provider, Seagull, inform it has acquired all the shares in e-learning specialist MindIT Solutions AS, Kristiansand, Norway, a specialist provider of web-based learning to the offshore industry. "The MindIT team is a reliable and high quality supplier of e-learning services to the offshore market and represents a basis for Seagull AS to enter the offshore segment,” said Oscar Johansen, Chairman of Seagull Holding AS. “By combining the resources…

Applicability: Non-tank vessels of 400 gt or more of any flag, which are self-propelled, carrying oil of any kind as fuel, and bound for a port or place in the U.S. The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) has published a Final Rule which took effect on 30 October, 2013, requiring owners or operators of non-tank vessels to submit oil spill response plans (known as Non-Tank Vessel Response Plans (NTVRPs)) by January 30, 2014. Non-tank vessels are vessels other than tank vessels. Tank vessels are generally defined as those constructed or adapted to carry oil in bulk as cargo or as oil cargo residue. The NTVRP Rule updates, and aligns with, the existing IMO and US MARPOL Annex I requirements for a Shipboard Oil Pollution and Emergency Plan (SOPEP)…

Globe Express Services announced that its UAE office has been awarded the Certificate of Approval by the Bureau of Assessment Services, recognizing the company’s compliance with the international standards of ISO 9001:2008.   This Quality Management System is applicable to the company’s range of services that include logistics, cargo transport by heavy trucks, customs brokerage, cargo loading and unloading, cargo packaging, air cargo services, general warehousing and sea cargo services. Following the latest certification, the offices of Globe Express Services China (Hong Kong), the United States of America, Italy and the United Arab Emirates are now ISO 9001:2008 certified.

RINA GROUP is to verify the inter-operability and safety of the longest combined-traffic immersed tunnel in the world.The overall estimated value of the project is 5.5 billion Euros. The Fehmarnbelt Fixed Link will be 18 km long and will connect Denmark with Germany. International certification and classification society, the RINA Group, has been awarded a contract with the Danish company Femern A/S for the verification of the railway interoperability and safety requirements of the Fehmarnbelt Fixed Link. That is an underwater tunnel that will link Germany and Denmark.

Flexlife, an oil and gas industry specialist in subsea integrity and project management, has been successfully contracted by Petrobras America Inc. (PAI), a subsidiary of Petrobras, an integrated energy company that operates in 29 countries, to provide independent assessment services worth up to £862,000/$1.4 million for a project in the Gulf of Mexico. The agreement involves annulus testing of the flexible risers on the Cascade and Chinook subsea development. The initial week long testing program will occur at the end of October and then regularly every six months as instructed by PAI…

Flagship Maritime Recruiting focuses on servicing the needs of maritime companies in the USA and Canada. Flagship Maritime Recruiting is founded by shipping professionals and augmented by specialists in the recruitment, human resources (HR), and organizational development (OD) fields giving it the ability to not only identify qualified job candidates, but to match the best candidates to open positions. "Locating well qualified candidates for positions and successfully matching an individual with a maritime company, requires a unique blend of shipping knowledge and recruitment expertise" says David Smith, Master Mariner, co-founder, and President of Flagship Maritime Recruiting. Flagship Maritime Recruiting says it is run by shipping professionals for shipping professionals.

A situation ongoing at press time half way around the world promises to affect the way in which ship emergencies are handled in the U.S. and abroad. Last month, debates were raging and political fur was flying as the stricken tanker, Castor, carrying 29,000 tons of gasoline, was held in limbo as authorities on many levels debated the best course of action. The ship, which was damaged but still afloat and operational, was turned away from three countries — Morocco, Spain and Gibraltar — as it went to for assistance. Greek operator Athenian Sea Carriers said that the Moroccan Coast Guard instructed the vessel to move 40 miles offshore…

ABS, the classification society of record for the damaged product tanker Castor, has stepped up its assistance efforts in response to the continuing failure of any nation to offer the vessel a port of refuge. "It has been 10 days since this ship arrived at a port seeking refuge," ABS President Robert D. Somerville noted. "If that refuge had been granted the vessel would be heading to a repair yard by now. ABS suspended classification of the Castor on January 4, pending resolution of the casualty damage. "This is standard procedure when there has been significant damage," ABS Chief Surveyor Gus Bourneuf explained. "We are continuing to work closely with the owner in its attempts to safeguard the vessel." The vessel underwent its last annual survey in August 2000.

As was the case when the Erika went down off the coast of France in late 1999, much (unwanted) attention has been focused on the classification society for the damaged product tanker Castor, in this case American Bureau of Shipping. Unlike the aforementioned example, however, ABS has been aggressively addressing the matter in the public forum, releasing historical details as well as ongoing information regarding the status of the ship and its role in the ultimate resolution. ABS immediately stepped up its assistance efforts in response to the continuing failure of any nation to offer the vessel a port of refuge. At press time, ABS President Robert D. Somerville noted: "It has been 10 days since this ship arrived at a port seeking refuge.

Bureau Veritas, the world’s second largest group offering conformity assessment services in the areas of quality, health and safety, environment and social responsibility (QHSE) announces the launch of its initial public offering on Eurolist by EuronextTM Paris (Compartment A). The main objective of the initial public offering is to support the growth strategy of Bureau Veritas. The shares will be distributed in the framework of an offer (the "Global Offer") comprising of a public offering to retail investors in France (the "French Public Offering") and an international offering to institutional investors in France and in certain countries, including in the United States under Rule 144A (the "International Offering").

Iridium Satellite announced an expansion of its global network of value-added developers (VADs) program with the appointment of three new companies in key market sectors. The three companies are AirSatCom of Toulouse, France; MailASail of London; and Remote Equipment Monitoring and Assessment Services (REMAS) of Englewood, Colo. “By partnering with these global communications companies, Iridium is able to continue bringing innovative, new solutions based on emerging technologies to a broad base of customers all over the world,” said Greg Ewert, executive vice president of Iridium Satellite. AirSatCom provides customized satellite communications solutions and accessories for a variety of communication and fleet tracking applications for both the civilian and military sectors.