Equipment News

The first phase of the DNV GL’s Joint Industry Project (JIP) which focuses on the development of a new design and certification standard for equipment for pipeline and cable offshore operations has been completed. "The JIP, focussing on the development of a new design and certification standard for equipment for pipeline and cable offshore operations, aims to reduce uncertainty, cost, increase efficiency and safety throughout the lifecycle of the equipment," said a press release.

Maritime professionals from all sectors operating sub IMO / sub 80 feet vessels are invited to participate in three one-day NEXT GENERATION Workshops. The dynamic program is being held at the Grand Harbour conference venue, overlooking the port of Southampton U.K., on October 24, 25 and 26, 2017. The NEXT GEN Workshops each address aspects of operational safety for vessels, along with the safety and welfare of their crew and passengers. The high level group of presenters brings a wide range of experience and expertise from sectors including workboats…

Royal IHC has announced its acquisition of 50% of the share capital of Rotterdam Offshore Group (ROG). The agreement will enable IHC to strengthen its ship repair and conversion capabilities with the addition of a dedicated facility in Rotterdam, which has uninterrupted access to open sea. Rotterdam Offshore Group has a strong reputation in the worldwide maritime and offshore industry for dockside and on-site services. Located in Rotterdam, ROG has lay-by facilities for vessels up to 300m, heavy-lift crane capacity, a large yard area and a fully equipped workshop.

When I was a child, I spent a good part of my time getting into trouble, as most children do. My favorite excuse was “someone else made me do it.” Unfortunately, my father was not a big fan of that excuse and I cannot recall one incident that was overlooked based on this defense. However, the Supreme Court of the United States has carved out such an excuse for equipment manufacturers that sell equipment or supplies to the United States military. This excuse is commonly referred…

TOTE Maritime Alaska has announced that the installation of ORBCOMM’s telematics devices across a broad equipment platform will be complete in the coming months. ORBCOMM was selected to provide a broad portfolio of telematics solutions to monitor and control its refrigerated, dry and flatbed equipment. TOTE Maritime Alaska is a leading Jones Act carrier serving the Alaska market, connecting greater Alaska to the Continental United States and beyond. This is the second deployment for TOTE Maritime…

Though water covers more than 70 percent of the Earth’s surface, businesses engaged in marine shipping operations and logistics, and other businesses that manufacture and ship product still have a lot of ground to cover getting their various goods to their final destinations. The ocean marine insurance market, the oldest insurance market in the world, was initially developed to protect these goods while crossing the ocean’s open waters, later to morph into a product to protect all international transportation regardless of mode.

The Spanish company Ibercisa supplies equipment to Fincantieri, Cantieri Navali Italiani, S.p.A. through its agent Gecom, for four Saettia MK Patrol ships for the Iraqi Navy. Each of the Patrol ships is equipped with two capstans, one vertical electric anchor winch model MAN-E/V/16-S/1 chain (16 mm) and one auxiliary cargo winch RHIB model MAX-C/E/15/25-16 (6 ton direct pull). All the supplied equipment are electrically driven according to owners’ specifications. Currently, equipment is also being produced to be supplied to the same shipyard for a fleet tanker to the Indian Navy…

As the Trans-Pacific trading season heats up, APL today launched the new Eagle GO Guaranteed product. A first-of-its-kind ocean freight guarantee, it promises equipment and vessel space on board all APL’s North America-destined services that directly call Shanghai, Ningbo and Yantian in China; as well as Cai Mep in Vietnam. “APL’s Eagle GO Guaranteed seeks to address the concerns of equipment and vessel space shortages as the Trans-Pacific trading season goes full steam. It guarantees priority shipments on APL services…

Kalmar has announced Kalmar Key, the terminal industry's first automation platform with open interfaces. Kalmar Key provides a common system architecture for building an end-to-end, customised automation platform using Kalmar Terminal Logistics System (TLS) as a basis. The product opens the application-independent core software components of the Kalmar terminal automation system for use by developers, enabling terminal operators to extend their automation systems with any brand of equipment.

This Safety Alert addresses concerns related to vessel stability and watertight integrity. Recently, a marine casualty involving a fishing vessel in the Bering Sea resulted in multiple fatalities and complete loss of the vessel. A Marine Board of Investigation is currently analyzing the various circumstances surrounding the casualty. Although the investigation is not complete, testimony and fact finding indicate that vessel owners, operators, and crews should give special consideration to vessel stability concerns.

Crowley Maritime Corporation’s liner services group has added 537 new refrigerated (reefer) cargo containers to its fleet of equipment in an accentuated effort to serve the growing needs of its produce customers in Central America, Puerto Rico and the Caribbean. All of the units received are 40-foot high cubes built to Crowley’s personalized standards. This recent acquisition will expand the fleet by 200 units in anticipation of market growth and will replace another 337 aging units.

ABB has added ‘Fleet Intelligence’ to its ABB Ability Collaborative Operations software, providing marine customers with a single and complete overview of their ship system maintenance needs rather than being faced with piecemeal, standalone reporting solutions. Fleet Intelligence addresses a common shortcoming in ship efficiency, where data from manufacturer manuals provide the basis for the planned maintenance system, meaning that equipment is maintained to standards set by vendors rather than being based on the needs of customers.

The potential for drones to be used for inspections is not new, notes Bureau Veritas, but to date trials have not focused on specific survey requirements for ship structures in enclosed spaces; the RECOMMS project will do just that. Bureau Veritas has joined RECOMMS (Remote Evaluation of Coatings / Corrosion on Offshore Machinery and Marine Structures / Ships), a joint investment project (JIP), to develop drones with the capability to inspect steel structures in enclosed spaces.

Kings Bay Support Services, L.L.C., Baton Rouge, La., is being awarded a $35,188,366 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for base operations support services at Naval Submarine Base, Kings Bay. The work to be performed provides for base operations support services including public safety, harbor security, security operations, supply, personnel support, facilities support, facility management/facility investment, other (swimming pools), pavement clearance, utilities, chiller, electrical, wastewater, steam, water, telecommunications, compressed air, base support vehicles and equipment, and environmental. Services also include vertical transportation equipment located at Shellman Bluff, Ga.

A water bladder on the pier at Chinhae naval base is filled by offshore petroleum distribution system ship MV Vice Adm. K.R. Wheeler (blue-hull ship in distance) Feb. 26 as part of a demonstration of the ship's capabilities during Exercise Key Resolve 2008. Military Sealift Command personnel and ships demonstrated their ability to quickly respond to a breakout of hostilities on the Korean peninsula as part of exercise Key Resolve 2008, which ended today. Key Resolve, formerly called Reception…

Ulstein subsidiary, Ulstein Idea Equipment Solutions, complete delivery, installation & testing of two pile gripper frames (PGF) for the Offshore Wind Force JV. The PGF’s will be used by DONG Energy West of Duddon Sands (UK) Limited and Scottish Power Renewables (WODS) Limited for the installation of mono-pile foundations in the West of Duddon Sands Offshore Windfarm offshore UK. The customised pile gripper frames combine smart engineering with the latest in control technology, and are unique in that they are retractable and the lower weight of their design makes them more cost-effective.

Davie Shipbuilding announced that during the weekend it launched the largest naval vessel ever to be delivered from a Canadian shipyard – on time, to budget and at an internationally competitive cost. Commissioning of all onboard systems began in early September and on the 16th November 2017, the ship will perform its sea-trials prior to achieving Full Operational Capability (FOC). During the sea-trials - overseen by Lloyd's Register – the ship's safety, quality, systems and functionality will be tested against the high military standards and specifications which it has been built to.

The collaboration between all stakeholders to ensure the safe and environmentally sound transport of goods was a key message delivered by  International Maritime Organization (IMO)’s Jack Westwood Booth at the recent International Cargo Handling Co-ordination Association (ICHCA) 65th Anniversary Conference, Las Palmas, Gran Canarias, Spain (2 October). Reflecting the World Maritime Day Theme – “Connecting, ships, ports and people” - IMO’s work in collaboration with government and industry to develop and implement regulations specific to the entire cargo supply chain…

Svitzer has named its new ASD tug Svitzer Adira, an 80 metric ton bollard pull vessel built by Sanmar at a ceremony in the Port of Southampton. The naming-giving ceremony took place on board the Princess Caroline cruising the Southampton harbor with attendance of Managing Director of Svitzer Europe Kasper Nilaus and Adira’s Godmother Andry Waterman. Svitzer Adira, a RAstar 2800 built by Sanmar in Turkey, will serve in the port of Southampton as part of Svitzer’s fleet of five modern tugs ranging from 60-80 TBP including a variety of propulsions making it a very flexible fleet.

Aker Kvaerner has signed a contract with MPF Corp Ltd. for delivery of drilling equipment to the Multi Purpose Floater (MPF) drillship. The drilling package is designed for world wide, harsh environment and ultra deepwater drilling operations. The contract is undertaken by the Aker Kvaerner subsidiary, Aker Kvaerner MH in Kristiansand. The delivery consists of a complete drilling equipment package; derrick and associated equipment, drillfloor and pipedeck equipment with control system, tensioning systems, mud handling equipment and subsea handling equipment.

The EU and the U.S. signed a mutual recognition agreement on marine equipment. Under the agreement, marine equipment certified as acceptable in the market of one party will be able to circulate in the other market without additional testing or certification. The agreement covers 30 types of marine equipment, including life-saving equipment (distress signals, rigid life rafts), fire protection equipment, and navigational equipment (GPS receivers, echo-sounding equipment). European Union (EU) Trade Commissioner Pascal Lamy, United States (US) Trade Representative Robert B. Zoellick and Ireland's Ambassador to the US, Noel Fahey signed a mutual recognition agreement (MRA) on marine equipment between the EU and the US.

Atlas Copco welcomes its newest drilling equipment distributor, James River Equipment. The company, well-known as a heavy equipment supplier, will represent Atlas Copco in the Carolinas for blasthole rigs, other surface drilling rigs and equipment, and Secoroc rock drilling tools. In North Carolina, James River Equipment will also distribute Atlas Copco’s Dynapac compaction and paving equipment. Equipment covered by this new relationship includes surface crawlers such as Atlas Copco’s SmartROC, FlexiROC, and PowerROC surface rigs, the ROC L8 and the SmartRig F9C. James River Equipment will also sell and service Atlas Copco Secoroc rock drilling tools.

Aker Solutions has won a contract with a subsidiary of Honghua Holding Ltd. of China to deliver high specification drilling equipment components for seven new onshore drilling rigs. Honghua is building a series of seven drilling rigs for a premier drilling company in the Middle East region. The contract includes options for another four identical deliveries. Each drilling equipment delivery includes a draw work, three mud pumps, a 1000 tons top drive and other equipment from Aker Solutions. "This contract underlines the quality of Aker Solutions' drilling equipment portfolio, combined with our proven execution ability on multi-rig projects and that our high specification equipment can be applied in the onshore drilling market…