Grand Bahamas News

Americraft Marine, one of the maritime subsidiaries of Libra Group that owns and operates a Jones Act shipbuilding facility in Palatka, Fla., has announced the appointment of Peter Fetten as Chairman of Americraft.A seasoned leader with four decades in the marine engineering and shipbuilding sectors, Fetten will help shape the strategic direction of Americraft Marine as it works to advance U.S. shipbuilding and the demand for Jones Act vessels. Americraft Marine's St. Johns Ship Building…

The SMS Group has completed two pieces of major interior outfit work for Holland America Line in the Caribbean and Canada.This division is led by industry veteran Dan Lockyer. In respect to the recent wins Dan said: “We completed these first two, major projects, on time and on budget. “The Noordam refit, undertaken in the Seaspan yard in Victoria, Canada, We had over 20 men onsite, with two project managers, and completed works in 742 cabins. “The Volendam was similar, although a slightly smaller project. The works were undertaken in Freeport, Grand Bahamas.

We visited Grand Bahama Shipyard CEO Dave Skentelbery, who updates us on his shipyard and the cruise shipping industry.How do you see the market today?In terms of the cruise ship market, it is very healthy. As a business, we are growing the amount of work we do on each of those projects. We’re doing more complex scopes of work. I think we’re truly demonstrating our capability as a project management company to the cruise lines.How do you evolve to more complex jobs?It’s investment in people and facilities.

Maritime industry veteran Peter Fetten will take over as President & CEO of German shipbuilder MV WERFTEN as of May 1, 2018. Jarmo Laakso will remain as Managing Director and step into the position of COO to focus on cruise shipbuilding.Fetten was previously the Senior Vice President of Corporate Ship Refits at Carnival Corporation & PLC for the past nine years. He was also Vice President Newbuilding and Fleet Design of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. for eight years and held several executive positions during his 16 years at Blohm+Voss Shipyard.

Hurricane Matthew, the fiercest Caribbean storm in nearly a decade, strengthened as it barreled toward the southeastern United States on Thursday after killing at least 140 people, mostly in Haiti, on its deadly northward march. As Matthew blew through the northwestern Bahamas on Thursday en route to Florida's Atlantic coast, it became an "extremely dangerous" hurricane carrying winds of 140 miles per hour (220 kph), the U.S. National Hurricane Center said. That made it a Category 4 hurricane and it was likely to remain so as it approached the United States…

Celebrity Cruises has awarded ALMACO Group the contract to build 16 new crew cabins onboard Celebrity Summit during a short March drydock at Grand Bahamas Shipyard (GBS) and continuing during sailing. ALMACO’s scope of work includes demolition, complete outfitting of the GBS-provided new steel block, and delivery of 16 new crew cabins on Deck 5. The drydock period began at GBS from February 29 and is expected to conclude March 12, 2016. The works will then be finalized during the first sailing cruise that follows the drydock.

ASRY appointed Charles Maher as the new General Manager (GM) of the Ship Repair division, effective January 4, 2016. Maher brings more than 15 years worth of corporate and hands-on technical shipyard experience at Dormac Marine & Engineering, Grand Bahamas Shipyard, and Southern African Shipyards. He will lead the newly restructured Ship Repair division of ASRY. Maher’s appointment will overlap with the outgoing Ship Repair GM, Magdy Sharkawy, who retires in February, to ensure a comprehensive transition of the role and a seamless client handover.

Marine engineering company Atlantic Pacific Marine (APM) informs it has opened a new site in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. to meet an increasing workload and customer base following another year of success and growth. APM is headquartered in Cardiff, U.K., but operates globally, in the past year completing dry dock projects and refits in the Grand Bahamas, Australia, Germany, the U.K, Singapore, Italy and Miami for clients including Carnival Australia, Carnival UK, Princess Cruises, P&O, Wärtsilä, Crystal Cruises and Disney Cruise Line.

Coast Guard crews aboard the Coast Guard Cutter Charles David Jr. and the Coast Guard Cutter Valiant repatriated 86 migrants illegally migrating from Cuba and Haiti. These repatriations are a result of five separate interdictions of people attempting to illegally migrate to the United States through the Florida Straits stemming back to Sunday. On Aug. 21, the crew of the Coast Guard Cutter William Flores interdicted 24 Haitian migrants (12 males, nine females, three infants) north of Grand Bahamas Island, Bahamas. Sixteen of the migrants were reported to have jumped into the water but were subsequently rescued by the motor vessel Cap Guillame and the Coast Guard Cutter William Flores. All 24 migrants were safely transferred to the William Flores and were given a medical evaluation.

Hyde Marine is partnering with Grand Bahama Shipyard (GBS) for installation of the Hyde GUARDIAN Gold BWTS, for vessels docking at the yard. GBS, based in Freeport, Grand Bahama Island, is one of the largest ship repair companies in the region with three floating docks for the drydocking and repair of all types of oceangoing vessels, and all the necessary support services required to perform complex repair, upgrade and conversion projects. Cardiff Craftsmen Ltd. Additionally, Hyde Marine announced an installation agreement for the Hyde GUARDIAN Gold BWTS with UK-based Cardiff Craftsmen LTD, an established ship repair and marine engineering company specializing in maintenance solutions to the marine & offshore industry on a worldwide basis.

A group of industry professionals from the commercial maritime sector gathered in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. at 8 a.m. on February 8 to participate in Murray & Associates LLC’s 2014 Fishing Challenge. The naval architect and marine engineering group hosted the tournament for the third consecutive year as a way to gather clients and maritime business professionals for a day of fishing on Florida’s beautiful waters. In total, the tournament drew 60 participants, including representatives from…

Fendercare Marine launched a new STS location, operating approximately 15nm offshore Freeport, Grand Bahamas. The fully equipped STS base will offer 24/7 operational cover for all requirements.  The area is fully approved by local authorities and all operations are conducted strictly in accordance with OCIMF guidelines. www.fendercare.com

Following a six-year acquisition program, the Government of the Bahamas announced the signing of a letter of intent to acquire nine vessels for the Royal Bahamas Defense Force and construction work for their naval bases. The contract has been placed with Damen Shipyards Group, headquartered in Gorinchem, the Netherlands. In announcing the contract, the Minister of National Security, the Hon. Dr. Bernard Nottage, stressed that his Government was determined to protect the security and economic well-being of the people of the Bahamas and this order was a powerful endorsement of this commitment.

On May 26, 1998, then the largest cruise ship in the world, 109,000 GT Grand Princess, made her inaugural voyage with a 12 night cruise from Barcelona to Istanbul. Unlike contemporary cruise vessels at the time, she was fitted with seawater lubricated propeller shaft bearings. Due to her size, risk studies completed by the technical team at Princess Cruises/P&O, in conjunction with the shipbuilder, Fincantieri, indicated that few drydocks could take a vessel of this size. Any unscheduled drydocking to repair a stern tube seal leaking oil could result in substantial financial losses…

GAC’s global shipping network has been further strengthened with the signing of an alliance agreement with Bahamian agency Elnet Maritime Co. Ltd., to form GAC-Elnet, effective 1 March 2011. Elnet Maritime Co. Ltd. was founded by shipping veteran Elbert ‘Ellie’ Hepburn in 2008 after serving a variety of top managerial positions at agencies in Grand Bahamas. Since then, the company has provided effective and efficient first-class agency services to Principals with vessels calling at ports throughout The Bahamas.

Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding, Duclos Corporation, has delivered a new “St. Johns” Class pilot boat for Freeport Harbour Company on  Grand Bahamas. Freeport Harbour Company is a member of the Hutchison Port Holdings Group, which operates the Freeport Container Port, Grand Bahamas Airport and provides pilot services. The all-aluminum high-speed launch, designed by C. Raymond Hunt Associates, measures 52.6 ft overall, with an 17-ft beam and 4.8-ft draft, and has a top speed of 27 knots.

Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding, Duclos Corporation, has begun construction of a new St. Johns class pilot boat for Freeport Harbour Company in the Grand Bahamas. Freeport Harbour Company provides tugboat and pilot services in cooperation with the Grand Bahamas Port Authority. Delivery is scheduled for November. The all-aluminum high-speed launch, designed by C. Raymond Hunt Associates in Boston, measures 52.6 ft overall, with an 17 ft beam and 4.8 ft draft, and is expected to reach a top speed of 25 knots. The deep-V hull will be powered by twin Caterpillar C-18 diesel engines, each producing 671 Bhp at 2100 rpm and turning a 5-blade propeller. The gear boxes are Twin Disc model MGX5135A Quick Shift. The launch will be equipped with a 12kW Northern Lights generator.

International Paint completed a hull coating project on Carnival Cruise Line’s Carnival Victory. The seven-year-old Italian-built vessel, one of a fleet of 23 passenger liners, was coated with Intersleek 900 during a recent drydocking in the Grand Bahamas Shipyard in Freeport, Grand Bahama, in late 2007. Carnival Valor is was due to be coated with Intersleek 900 in early 2008. Intersleek 900 was chosen following a long evaluation of the Intersleek 700 foul release system by Carnival Cruise Lines.

Officials at Bradford Grand Bahamas repair and refit shipyard are pleased to announce that a new metal fabrication building was recently completed and is now serving customers at it¹s Freeport location. The 175 ft. by 40 ft. fully covered maintenance facility is one of several expansion projects underway at Bradford's 12-acre shipyard. The new fabrication building is located directly alongside an expansive dry dock slip. Bradford Grand Bahamas site includes the new fabrication building and a 2000-square foot propeller shop. Other features include a 1,200-ton floating dry dock (to haul vessels up to 230 feet), and a 150-ton TraveLift. With capabilities to expand to one mile of waterfront Bradford's Grand Bahamas shipyard is located along a canal avenue with a depth of 30 ft.

Viva Gaming Resorts reported that it has finalized its bare-boat charter agreement and related letter-of-credit commitments with Discovery Dawn Limited Partnership and, as a result, has now taken possession of the Bahamian-flagged luxury casino cruise ship M/V Island Dawn. The cruise ship is presently being moved from its previous location in Freeport, Grand Bahamas, directly to Corpus Christi, with scheduled arrival this week. The luxury vessel, to be renamed Texas Treasure, has a passenger capacity of 1,464 and includes full-service dining and restaurant facilities, bare areas, show lounge and expanded gaming amenities for its adult-only customers. The ship will be managed by Sophlex Ship Management (Sophlex), a Florida corporation.

Venezuelan's Petroleos de Venezuela (PDVSA) will begin selling bunker fuel via two Internet sites later this month, its first sales project across the Web, a company official said. PDVSA will offer fuel from its terminal in Freeport, Grand Bahamas Island to shipping companies via two industry Internet sites: www.oceanconnect.com and www.bunkerstem.com. "I believe that before the end of the month, in one or two weeks, we will be selling fuel (over the Internet)," said Rafael Vilagut, commercial support manager for the project. PDVSA hopes to expand the sales project later this year to sell bunker fuels from its other terminals on the Venezuelan coast. The company will also consider selling cargoes of other fuels via the Internet.

Venezuelan state oil company Petroleos de Venezuela (PDVSA) will begin selling bunker fuel via two Internet sites later this month, its first sales project across the Web, a company official said. PDVSA will offer fuel from its terminal in Freeport, Grand Bahamas Island to shipping companies via two industry Internet sites: www.oceanconnect.com and www.bunkerstem.com. "I believe that before the end of the month, in one or two weeks, we will be selling fuel (over the Internet)," a company official close to the project said. PDVSA hopes to expand the sales project later this year to sell bunker fuels from its other terminals on the Venezuelan coast.

Venezuelan state oil company Petroleos de Venezuela (PDVSA) has chosen Bunkerstem, as one of only two approved outlets for bunker fuel sales. PDVSA will begin selling bunker fuel via the Bunkerstem purchasing network later this month from its terminal in Freeport, Grand Bahamas Island. "I believe that before the end of the month, in one or two weeks, we will be selling our fuels via Bunkerstem. We are very excited about this new development" said Rafael Vilagut, commercial support manager for the project. PDVSA sells bunkers for approximately $150 million a year at present. Bunkerstem is currently the largest on-line marine fuel purchasing service covering 577 ports around the world, serving close to 700 members on all continents.