Design Associates News

Shipbuilder Austal said its Austal Australia arm has delivered a new high-speed trimaran ferry to JR Kyushu Jet Ferry at a ceremony held at the company’s shipyard in Henderson, Western Australia.The 83-meter Queen Beetle is the first of its kind to be delivered to Japan and has been custom-designed to provide an enhanced passenger ferry service between Fukuoka, Japan and Busan, South Korea, Austal said.Speaking at the delivery ceremony, Austal Chief Executive Officer David Singleton…

Austal has revealed its latest development in high-speed trimaran technology with an 83 meter trimaran ferry.The ferry is under construction for JR Kyushu Jet Ferry of Japan, at the company’s Henderson South shipyard in Western Australia.Austal Hull 396, to be known as Queen Beetle, was designed and constructed by Austal Australia and is due for launch in mid-March 2020. The vessel will be handed over to JR Kyushu Jet Ferry in June 2020 and will commence services between Busan…

Heesen has unveiled the latest yacht in the 55m Steel class, YN 18455. The YN 18455, now christened Vida and formerly known as Project Antares.Launched earlier this year on January 4, Vida is now entering the systems commissioning phase and is getting ready for sea trials.Vida is the third in the successful 55m FDHF Steel class, which features muscular exterior lines by Frank Laupman of Omega Architects. The profile is clean thanks to the absence of fashion plates and the design…

Designer Tomas Tillberg’s quest for freedom breaks down barriers and expands to China, where his team builds China’s first expedition cruise ships putting Antarctica - and the most remote, mysterious parts of the world - within reach.All for freedom. Freedom for all. Tomas Tillberg could be Harley Davidson’s new poster boy. As he views the open road from behind his handle bars, he’s filled with an amazing feeling of personal freedom.With formal training from Royal Academy of Arts in Stockholm, Tillberg’s artistry expresses his aspiration for independence.

Following the Memorandum of Understanding of 8 December 2017, Austal has announced the award of a A$68 million contract to design and build an 83 metre trimaran ferry for JR Kyushu Jet Ferry of Japan. Australia’s Ambassador to Japan, The Hon Richard Court AC and Japan’s Consul-General in Perth, Western Australia, Mr Tatsuo Hirayama joined Austal’s Chairman Mr John Rothwell AO and Chief Executive Officer Mr David Singleton for a signing ceremony at the Australian shipyard with JR Kyushu Jet Ferry’s President, Mr Masayuki Mizuno and General Manager, Planning, Mr Hitoshi Ogawa. “Austal congratulates JR Kyushu Jet Ferry on the selection of our proven trimaran platform to expand their Japan to South Korea route.

Ballast water treatment (BWT) specialist Optimarin is continuing its strong start to the year, with the news that its Optimarin Ballast System (OBS) has been selected for nine Sinopacific Shipbuilding Group AHTS vessels. The contract win comes on the back of a recent ten unit order from Atlantis Tankers and the firm’s first foray into the fishing sector, with Fisherman’s Finest’s America’s Finest trawler. The nine AHTS vessels, designed by Sinopacific’s Shanghai Design Associates specialist OSV team, will be operated by ESNAAD, a subsidiary of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC).

SINOPACIFIC Shipbuilding Group was recently successful in winning the bid for the construction of 9 AHTS vessels for Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) and its wholly-owned subsidiary, ESNAAD. ADNOC firstly launched bids for this new-building project in 2013 and then handed it over to ESNAAD, its wholly-owned subsidiary for follow up. The above contract was signed by both parties in Abu Dhabi and SINOPACIFIC will deliver all 9 vessels in 2017. The design that won the bid is the SPA80A, which is an AHTS with electric propulsion system and a bollard pull of 80mt designed by SDA (Shanghai Design Associates), the SINOPACIFIC OSV design team.

On April 28, 2015, Sinopacific Shipbuilding Group (SINOPACIFIC) held a christening and delivery ceremony for a newly built SPA150 AHTS, constructed for shipowner FEMCO Group. This first SPA150 vessel is not only the first of this design to be delivered in the world, but is also the first of a series of four vessels contracted by FEMCO Group. Representatives from the Government, banks, shipowner, classification society, supervisors, suppliers, brokers and media, as well as other related parties, were present at SINOPACIFIC’s Zhejiang Shipbuilding base and witnessed this rather memorable moment.

Oceanco delivered the first superyacht of 2015 today, the 291-foot (89 meter) INFINITY. Built under the code name Y710, the yacht features an exterior design by Espen Øino and an interior design by Sinot Exclusive Yacht Design and David Kleinberg Design Associates. INFINITY is a go-anywhere yacht powered by  twin 4,828hp / 3,600kW MTU engines capable of reaching speeds of 20 knots. The yacht has a master suite that includes a private exterior deck and whirlpool, and can also accommodate 10 guests in 6 guest suites, including 2 VIP cabins.

MacGregor has signed a new series of deck machinery orders for 12 vessels with the China-based Sinopacific Shipbuilding Group. This builds on a track-record of contracts that now stands at 150 shipsets of equipment successfully delivered and installed at Sinopacific yards. The orders were booked into the third quarter 2014 order intake. "These orders demonstrate Sinopacific's confidence and satisfaction with MacGregor equipment and its services," said Francis Wong, Vice President, Segment Sales, MacGregor Offshore.

Sinopacific Shipbuilding Group (SINOPACIFIC), has recently signed a contract with a Mexican shipping company, Naviera Petrolera Integral S.A. de C.V. for the construction of 3 (three) SPP17A vessels. All vessels will be built in SINOPACIFIC’s Zhejiang Shipyard and are expected to be delivered before the end of 2015. Following that, the new vessels will be used by PEMEX, Mexico’s largest governmental owned oil company, in their oil and gas development projects in the Gulf of Mexico. This is the first time that SINOPACIFIC’s own “SP” brand Offshore Support Vessel (OSV-Offshore Support Vessel, including PSV-Platform Support Vessel) has entered the Mexican market; another new success for “SP” brand OSV shortly after its first new-building deal from the Singaporean market.

China's Sinopacific Shipbuilding contracted to build four SPP35 style platform supply vessels (PSV's) for Nigerian shipowner SLOK. In addition, the two parties also signed a letter of intent for building two SPP50 style PSVs. The SPP35 and SPP50 PSVs are both designed by Sinopacific’s subsidiary Shanghai Design Associates (SDA). Crown Ship will provide financing services to the shipowner before the delivery.

Crystal Serenity's $25 million redesign has not only received accolades from guests, travel agents and travel press since its debut last year, but from the design world as well. The ship's renovated Apropos boutique -- a retail space for designer clothing and accessories -- has won the prestigious Association for Retail Environments (A.R.E.) interior design "Crystal Award" for the shop's distinctive and dramatic aluminum interlocking circle screen. The design won the first-ever Wall Treatment Award in the new, Individual Element category for 2012.

In October Cargotec has secured a $14m order from the Sinopacific Group in China for the supply of a further 16-shipsets of anchor-handling systems for Bourbon’s newbuildings. The shipsets will be delivered between April 2011 and February 2012. This contract follows an order placed in June this year for four ships in the same series, the first shipset is scheduled for delivery in Q1/2011. The systems will be installed on anchor handling and tug supply (AHTS) vessels based on an SPA80 design and built by Zhejiang Shipyard.

Following a successful run of deliveries to Bourbon’s Liberty 200 series of AHTS vessels, the offshore services specialist has now placed orders for a further four state-of-the-art MacGregor anchor-handling systems from Cargotec. Cargotec has won a contract to supply four sets of MacGregor anchor-handling systems to a series of anchor-handling tug supply (AHTS) vessels on order at Sinopacific Group in China for major offshore oil and gas services company, Bourbon. The AHTS vessels are based on a SPA80 design, which has been jointly developed by Bourbon and its partner Shanghai Design Associates (SDA). The anchor-handling equipments are scheduled for delivery in 2011.

GMT Composites recently shipped a twelve-legged carbon fiber antenna and instrument arch to Holland Jachtbouw (Zaandam, The Netherlands). This has just been installed on an in-build 140-ft aluminum superyacht, due for launching later this year. Langan Design Associates (Newport, R.I. - USA) turned to GMT for building this structure in carbon composite to reduce the weight of the arch that carries Cassiopeia's wide array of antennae, navigation and communications gear. The use of carbon fiber saved over 1,300 lbs.

Stewart & Stevenson Services, Inc., based in Harvey, La., has delivered a towboat, Espiritu Paraguayo, to Asuncion, Paraguay to Navegacion Paraguaya Americana S.A., a company affiliated with the South American barge line ventures of Allen Mott. This is the third towboat purchased by Mott from Stewart & Stevenson, and the fourth towboat powered by Electro-Motive Division of General Motors (EMD) engines by S&S for Mott and Mott's affiliates. Espiritu Paraguayo was completed using the hull of Senator Eastland, previously owned by Brent Towing Co., Inc., Greenville, Miss., which burned in 1989 on the Arkansas River. After the fire, the vessel was towed to Superior Boat Works, Inc., in Greenville, and the machinery and deckhouse was removed and the hull was painted and stored.

Thoma-Sea Boatbuilders Inc., Houma, La., launched the first of two new 150-ft. offshore supply vessels (OSVs) it is building for Massie Towing of Houma. The vessels were designed by Frank Basil of Intech & Associates, also of Houma. The first vessel, M1, entered service in mid-June, and the second vessel is scheduled to launch in December 2000. Massie will operate both vessels in the Gulf of Mexico. Propulsion power for the two new OSVs comes from twin Cat 3508EUI marine engines, each rated 905 bhp (675 bkW) at 1,600 rpm. The electronic unit injected 3508s drive Bird Johnson 72 x 59 in. propellers through Twin Disc 5:1 gears, providing a service speed of 14 knots.

While they continue to grow their fleet with the February delivery of a 1,600 hp retractable wheelhouse towboat, Blessy Marine also now have their most powerful tug under construction at Kody Marine. With the conventional shallow water draft of the river wheelhouse towboat, it will have an adjustable air draft. To meet requirements of the Upper Mississippi and other small and bridged rivers where she will work, she was designed by Design Associates of New Orleans, with a telescoping three stage hydraulic ram to lift the wheelhouse from a low position with a clearance over the wheelhouse once the antenna has been retracted, of just 18 ft. Fully extended the top of the wheelhouse has an eye level view of 32 ft.

A new 105 ft., multi-purpose, double-hull tug, Vera Bisso, has been launched by Bollinger Shipyards, Inc., of Lockport, La., for E.N. Bisso & Son, Inc., of Metairie, La. Similar to other tugs built by E.N. Bisso & Son during the 1990s, Vera Bisso is designed for dual applications. Its initial focus will be on ship assist work along the Mississippi River, for which the vessel possesses exceptional maneuverability. However, with its sturdy build, Vera Bisso is also capable of performing offshore work. According to Walter Kristiansen, president of E.N. Bisso & Son, the vessel's design resulted from comments solicited from company workers, as well as colleagues. "We started with a blank piece of paper for this tug," said Kristiansen.

The Utah Department of Transportation has awarded a construction contract to Mark Steel Corp. of Salt Lake City for a new Lake Powell ferry-boat at Hall's Crossing. Known as the builder of John Atlantic Burr - the lake's exclusive ferry since 1985, Mark Steel is scheduled to begin construction of the 150 ft. (45.7 m) vessel for a September 2000 launching. Designed by M.D.A. Marine Design Associates of Victoria, B.C., Canada, the ferry's namesake honors Charles A. Hall, the pioneer who operated the first ferry-boat across the Colorado River.

Harvey Gulf Intl. recently took delivery of Harvey Provider, a unique 240 x 56 x 18.5 Offshore Service Vessel (OSV) which is classed by ABS as Maltese Cross A1 Ocean Service Dynamic Position Level 2 (DP-2). Harvey Provider is the first of six vessels, and the DP-2 certification means that it can transport a full load of cargo (approximately 3,000 tons) in and out of most of South Louisiana, Texas and Alabama ports, not restricted exclusively to deepwater ports. Harvey Provider is special because of its navigational capabilities per its DP-2 certification, a designation which dramatically expands its scope of operation, and hence, revenue. The vessel is built to carry an incredible load, with a clear deck space measuring 175 x 56 ft. (9,800 sq. ft.), able to carry 2,352 short tons.