Marine Link
Thursday, March 28, 2024
SUBSCRIBE

Fran News

26 Mar 2024

Seaspan Awarded Contracts for Canadian Coast Guard’s Multi-Purpose Vessels

(Image: Canadian Coast Guard)

The Canadian government on Tuesday announced it has awarded a pair of contracts to Seaspan’s Vancouver Shipyards Co. Ltd. (VSY) to initiate the next stages of procuring the first flight of Multi-Purpose Vessels (MPV) for the Canadian Coast Guard (CCG).These contracts, which are worth $490.6 million combined (taxes included), following completion of the vessel’s basic design review in late 2023 and allow VSY to undertake pre-construction work, such as selecting specific pieces of equipment…

07 Aug 2023

First Barge Built at Methil Shipyard Since 1850s

(Photo: Harland & Wolff)

Harland & Wolff announced the completion of the first barge at its shipyard in Methil, Fife, since 1856.The barge, which has been built for waste management and recycling business Cory, will launch from Methil and be taken by sea to Cory’s lighterage site on the banks of the River Thames. It will join Cory’s existing fleet of tugs and barges, which are used to transport recyclable and non-recyclable waste via a series of river-based transfer stations across London.Matt Smith, General Manager of Harland & Wolff (Methil)…

15 Feb 2023

Kpler Buys Ship Tracking Firms MarineTraffic and FleetMon

©sharafmaksumov/AdobeStock

Brussels-headquartered data and analytics group Kpler has bolstered its presence in the maritime space with the acquisition of ship tracking companies MarineTraffic and FleetMon, the company said on Wednesday. Tracking the movement of ships has become an integral part of trading strategies, together with the need for more corporate compliance due to a raft of Western sanctions imposed on oil exporting countries including Russia, Iran and Venezuela - helping to drive demand for real-time ship tracking data, known as AIS.

23 Dec 2022

Polar POD Project Enters Shipyard Construction Phase in France

Illustration Polar POD © N. Gagnon

Ifremer, Jean-Louis Etienne and the entire Polar POD team announced its construction by the Piriou shipyards in association with 3C Metal, under the direction of the project owner, Ifremer. The scientific program of this international oceanographic "station" is being overseen by the French National Centre for Scientific Research (Centre national de la recherche scientifique, CNRS), in partnership with the French National Centre for Space Studies (Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales…

09 Oct 2022

Discovering the Largest Shipwrecks in the St. Lawrence River

The SS “Leecliffe Hall” sailing on the Welland Canal, Ontario, shortly before it sank in the St. Lawrence. (Matt Miner Collection), Author provided

Of all the rivers in the world, the St. Lawrence River is undeniably one of the most challenging for mariners.This water highway is at some spots as narrow as a large river and, at others, as wide as a small sea. It has played a vital role over the last three centuries as an important artery for trade, communication, transportation and settlement. And since 1959, the year the St. Lawrence Seaway was inaugurated, it has been a gateway to the heart of the continent.The first European explorers who sailed the St. Lawrence discovered it was not easy to master: it was long, but never calm.

26 Sep 2022

Navigating Climate Change: How Shipping is Adapting in the St. Lawrence

© Delphotostock / Adobe Stock

When compared to other major river navigation routes around the world, the St. Lawrence River is a favored waterway.It flows from the mouth of Lake Ontario, at an altitude of 250 meters. From its source to the Gulf, the river travels 1,197 kilometers, and is fed by several tributaries including the Ottawa, Richelieu, Saint-François and Saguenay rivers.But the effects of climate change are being felt. The marine industry is adapting. It is currently embarking on a shift towards…

14 Jun 2022

Bourbon Extends Support for Construction at BP's GTA Hub

Bourbon Mobility said it has been tapped to provide additional support Saipem for the construction of the liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal on BP’s Greater Tortue Ahmeyim field off the coast of Mauritania and Senegal, with the chartering of two vessels, the Sirocco FSIV (Fast Support Intervention Vessel) and the Surfer 2609.The multipurpose vessel Bourbon Sirocco allows for both the management of crew changes and the routing of regular supplies. It has a large deck space, with a capacity of 200 tonnes and 60 seats for passengers, while being fast and of an ideal size to evolve according to local maritime conditions. As part of its mission…

15 Mar 2022

Seaspan Shipyards Launches High-tech HoloShip Facility

(Image: Seaspan Shipyards)

North Vancouver, B.C. shipbuilder Seaspan Shipyards on Tuesday announced it has launched a new facility to develop, integrate, test and demonstrate new digital twin capabilities in an effort to transform how ships are built, constructed and maintained.Modern shipbuilding and through-life support are rapidly evolving with integrated use of digital technology and digital twins. Effective use of digital information is critical for shipbuilders and ship owners/operators and forms the foundation for connected products and services that can result in more efficient…

11 Feb 2022

European Group Lifts Funding to $4.6B to Prevent Plastic Pollution in Seas

© Romolo Tavani/AdobeStock

A group of European development banks plan to double its funding for global efforts to stop plastic waste from polluting the world's oceans to 4 billion euros ($4.6 billion).The Clean Oceans Initiative, led by the French and German development banks and the European Investment Bank is the largest such grouping targeting plastic pollution of the sea.Around 8 million tonnes of plastic waste enters the oceans every year, most of it discarded on land or washed into rivers, the group said on Friday…

10 Feb 2022

World’s First IMO Type-B Tank VLEC Named in Houston

Pacific Ineos Belstaff (Photo: Ineos)

Ineos' new ethane carrier, said to be the world's largest and first with IMO type-B tanks, was named Pacific Ineos Belstaff at a ceremony in Houston.The 230-meter-long, 99,000-cubic-meter-capacity very large ethane carrier (VLEC) was built by China's Jiangnan Shipyard and will be operated by Pacific Gas, primarily for the transport of U.S. ethane to China and Europe. The ABS-classed ship, which is the first in the world to feature newly designed IMO type-B tanks that fit closely to the external shape of the vessel for optimized vessel capacity…

08 Jun 2021

Seaspan Shipyards Invests in Indigenous Marine Skills Training

(Photo: Seaspan Shipyards)

Canadian shipbuilder Seaspan Shipyards announced it is investing $1.35 million to increase training and apprenticeship opportunities for Indigenous students aged 19 through 30 interested in building a career in the trades, including in the growing shipbuilding and marine sector. The three-year investment is being made in the Aboriginal Community Career Employment Services Society (ACCESS), a non-profit organization that has been providing education and employment training for the urban Indigenous community since 1999.Mark Lamarre…

18 May 2021

Designated Risk Areas: Arbitrary Lines or Useful Tool for Illustrating Risk?

© Wojciech Wrzesień / Adobe Stock

The art of drawing lines on maps is fraught with contention. Sir Mark Sykes and François Georges-Picot are likely unfamiliar to many, but their names and actions live on. Their role in carving up the Ottoman Empire toward the end of the of World War I created artificial borders in the Middle East—determined arbitrarily with a ruler and with no regard to ethnic or sectarian characteristics—highlights the unintended cartographic consequences that can arise when applying rigid models of expression to inherently dynamic areas.Designated areas of maritime risk…

10 May 2021

Dredging: Important Developments Will Impact Business

(Photo: Georgia Ports Authority)

For dredging company officials, the first quarter of 2021 was a pretty good start to a new year. In a tough business, challenges and pitfalls are always expected. But from a bigger picture perspective—markets, regulations and policies—company officials couldn’t be faulted if a bit of optimism infused their worldview.There are a number of reasons for this. Many are well known and don’t need to be detailed here. Just quickly, though, WRDA 2020 would be at the top of the list. WRDA…

16 Jul 2020

Red Funnel Gains DNV GL COVID-19 Statement of Compliance

(File photo: Red Funnel)

U.K. ferry operator Red Funnel said it is the world’s first domestic ferry operator to receive the DNV GL COVID-19 Statement of Compliance. The assessment certifies that Red Funnel has established reasonable measures to safeguard passengers, employees and crew from the COVID-19 infection.“The COVID-19 outbreak has had a major impact on passenger vessels across Europe. As lockdown measures begin to relax in the U.K., as well as in the rest of the region, ferry operators need to demonstrate that the right measures are in place to keep passengers and crew safe…

18 Mar 2020

COVID-19: Maritime and Coastguard Agency Issues "Unprecedented Exemption" for Car Ferry

Photo: Red Funnel

MCA grants temporary ability for Red Funnel passengers to remain in vehicles on select crossingsRed Funnel worked with the U.K. Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) to identify exceptional solutions to support the government’s social distancing guidance in response to COVID-19 and respond to passengers’ requests to remain in vehicles during crossings.“We’d like to thank the MCA for working with us to identify solutions to allow our passengers this option during this exceptional time," said Fran Collins, CEO, Red Funnel.

10 Feb 2020

Sovcomflot Names LNGC SCF La Perouse

Russian state-controlled shipowner Sovcomflot (SCF) has named the 174,000m³ SCF La Perouse - the first of three LNG tankers on order with South Korean shipbuilder Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI).The LNG carrier named after Jean-François de la Pérouse, a French explorer of the Pacific.The vessel will operate under a long-term time charter agreement with Total. The event was held at Hyundai Samho Heavy Industries’ shipyard, Republic of Korea. Fleur-Eve Durin le Foll, the spouse of Total’s Country Chair Russia, is the vessel’s sponsor.Sergey Frank, Chairman of the Board of Directors of PAO Sovcomflot, said: “Sovcomflot and Total have enjoyed a strong partnership for many years, and we are happy to have an opportunity to expand this cooperation.

10 Feb 2020

Stone Marine Shipcare Opens New Reair Base

(Photo: Stone Marine Shipcare)

Stone Marine Shipcare said it will open a fully equipped propeller repair and modification base at the Sefine Shipyard in Turkey.The new repair base will be fully operational at Sefine Shipyard and will be equipped to facilitate propeller repair and modification and CP thruster overhaul.The shipyard has been growing rapidly since it first opened in 2005, and Suleyman Yilmaz the company’s Marketing Manager said, “[The new partnership] is exactly what we need to further enhance…

17 Dec 2019

Naval Group Teams-up with 9 Australian Firms

French shipbuilder Naval Group has signed nine different memoranda of understanding (MoU) with Australian companies to manufacture its countermeasure solutions for the Royal Australian Navy in Australia.The specialist in naval defence and marine renewable energy said that its Pacific unit is proposing a breakthrough in anti-torpedo countermeasures for Australia’s submarine and surface ship programs with CANTO, the latest countermeasure generation based on Dilution/Confusion multi-effects.This breakthrough in the field of anti-torpedo defence, applies the dilution/confusion concept to defend High Value and Mission Essential Units by generating a high-level acoustic signals over 360-degree…

10 Dec 2019

Ørsted Announces STEM Skills Fund

Denmark's offshore wind giant Ørsted A/S has unveiled more than £50k for Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) skills across Lancashire and Cumbria.The renewable energy developer says the wave of new finance will be sourced from the Walney Extension Skills Fund.An award of nearly £40,000 goes to STEM Learning Ltd to develop two ENTHUSE Partnership projects in Cumbria and Lancaster. Each Partnership project will bring together eight schools and colleges from within the eligible funding area, to develop a two-year intensive improvement program to raise achievement and aspiration in STEM subjects.Fran Dainty, Head of STEM Expertise…

19 Nov 2019

Bourbon Mobility Adds Onboard Entertainment

(Photo: Bourbon)

Offshore passenger transportation provider Bourbon Mobility has partnered with Moment to provide an entertainment offer on board its vessels.In an effort to enhance its transport service of staff to oil platforms in West Africa, Bourbon Mobility has opted to have its fleet of Surfers outfitted with portable streaming servers, which enables passengers to access movies, documentaries and games on their mobile devices throughout their journey. So far 15 vessels have been equipped with the Moment digital entertainment solution.Aboard Bourbon Mobility’s ships…

23 Sep 2019

Airbus Enhances OceanFinder capabilities

Aerospace solutions provider Airbus Defense and Space has upgraded its digital maritime service to detect and track vessels around the globe.First launched in 2018, OceanFinder leverages Airbus’ advanced constellation of optical and radar satellites, combined with real-time global Automatic Identification System (AIS) data, and the latest in automated analytics, to support a broad range of critical applications across defense and security, shipping, oil and gas, and insurance markets.OceanFinder’s latest updates introduce a number of innovative features – extending the service’s capabilities in several key areas.From today, users will benefit from enhanced imagery and AIS data correlation to identify the precise location of a non-responding vessel in near real-time.

18 Aug 2019

Contrecoeur Port Expansion Deal Signed

The Canada Infrastructure Bank (CIB) announced that it will work with the Montreal Port Authority (MPA) to advance the project development of a new container terminal in Contrecoeur, where the port plans to expand its activities.The work could lead to an investment in the South Shore project, potentially via a form of equity or debt financing, said Pierre Lavallée, the bank’s chief executive officer.The Memorandum of Understanding confirms that CIB and MPA will work on the financial structuring of the proposed terminal. This due diligence will include planning and pre-procurement activities for the design, the construction, the financing, the operation and the maintenance of the terminal.

16 Jul 2019

Bourbon Aims to Step Up Crew Boat Comfort

(Image: PEUGEOT Design Lab)

Offshore personnel transport provider Bourbon Mobility said it is proposing services inspired by the aviation industry for its customers.The company has called on the expertise of the PEUGEOT Design Lab for the design of new cabins developed in a range of three comfort levels: Business Class, Premium and Eco. Designers created a cabin layout that guarantees optimal safety, VIP comfort seats and ergonomic storage. “We want to establish new standards of comfort for offshore personnel transport inspired by the aviation industry,” said François Lesle, CEO of Bourbon Mobility.