Marconi News

On Thursday October 6, Captain Richard Phillips, author of A Captain’s Duty: Somali Pirates, Navy SEALs, and Dangerous Days at Sea, will discuss his encounter, his remarkable rescue and lessons learned, in an Ed Fouhy Speaker Series program presented by the Chatham Marconi Maritime Center. The program will begin at 7:00 PM at Massachusetts Maritime Academy in Admirals Hall, 101 Academy Drive, Buzzards Bay, MA.The now-famous hostage standoff began on Wednesday, April 8, 2009 when a small band of Somali pirates swung a ladder from their skiff onto the MV Maersk Alabama…

OceanGate Expeditions has announced Inmarsat as the satellite service provider for the 2022 Titanic Survey Expedition. Inmarsat’s Fleet Xpress high-speed satellite service will enable OceanGate Expeditions’ at-sea crew to instantly connect with scientific and operational resources anywhere in the world and to share important findings immediately while enhancing safety for the entire operation. Following the tragic loss of life in the sinking of Titanic, the International Convention for Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) was adopted.

Marine salvors on Wednesday outlined plans to recover the Marconi wireless telegraph from inside the RMS Titanic after being cleared by a U.S. judge in May to retrieve a piece of history from the world's most famous shipwreck.Originally scheduled to embark on the mission to recover the system this summer, the private company with exclusive rights to salvage artifacts from the ship announced it has shifted its expedition to spring/early summer of 2021 to abide by ongoing travel restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic."The safety of our crew…

Lloyd’s Register (LR) has announced the appointment of Paul Butcher as Managing Director, LR Management Systems & Inspection Services. Based in Birmingham, U.K., Butcher brings with him over 30 years of leadership experience in global professional services businesses. After graduating from Southampton University, Butcher held a number of leadership roles in the assurance, IT services and telecommunications sectors, including positions with SAI Global, Marconi, Ericsson and Damovo. With full responsibility for the leadership and development of Lloyd’s Register’s Management Systems and Inspection Services international business, Butcher will play a key role in building on the organization’s outstanding reputation for service and delivery to clients.

Mackay Communications, Inc. acquired CMC Electronics’ commercial marine business on October 30, 2015, from Canadian parent, Esterline, a supplier of aviation systems. Esterline divested their marine sector to concentrate efforts on its core aviation business. CMC Electronics’ maritime brand traces its roots to the Canadian Marconi Company (CMC); originally the Marconi Wireless Telegraph Company of Canada. Mackay Communications’ Marine Division is a turnkey supplier of communications and maritime electronic solutions and global service. According to the company, its acquisition of CMC Electronics’ commercial marine business mutually compliments their product offerings…

UK exploration well 30/1f-13 and sidetrack 30/1f-13Y have encountered hydrocarbons in the Marconi-Vorlich prospect. The find in Paleocene Sandstones has been flow tested at a maximum rate of 5,350 barrels of oil equivalent per day. RWE Dea is part of the consortium operated by GDF SUEZ. The Marconi-Vorlich 30/1f-13A,Z exploration well and subsequent geological side-track 30/1f-13Y was drilled by GDF SUEZ under a Joint Well Agreement between the P1588 (Block 30/1f) and P363 (Block 30/1c) Licensees. The 30/1f-13Z geological side-track has confirmed a westerly extension to the initial discovery. RWE Dea’s Managing Director in the UK, Dirk Schoene, is pleased about the success. “We have used the latest seismic analysis before selecting the ideal drilling position.

GDF SUEZ E&P UK Ltd and BP today announced a new exploration discovery in the UK Central North Sea. The discovery, which spans GDF SUEZ operated block 30/1f (licence P1588) and BP operated block 30/1c (licence P363) was flow tested at a maximum rate of 5,350 barrels of oil equivalent per day. The discovery, referred to as ‘Marconi’ by GDF SUEZ and ‘Vorlich’ by BP, is located in the Central North Sea. Ruud Zoon, Managing Director of GDF SUEZ E&P UK Ltd said: “This is an encouraging exploration discovery in a part of the Central North Sea that needs additional volumes of hydrocarbons to open up development options for several stranded discoveries.

Northrop Grumman Corporation recently presented the 2014 Elmer A. Sperry Junior Navigator of the Year Award for 2014 to Midshipman Robert Francisco Yerkes-Medina in ceremonies at the U.S. Naval Academy. The award recognizes a member of the graduating class who has demonstrated outstanding navigation skills and knowledge during his or her four years at the academy and is part of a naval support tradition at Northrop Grumman. This is the fifth year the company has sponsored the award.

Lloyd’s Register (LR) has appointed Mike Robinson to the newly created role of Group Customer Strategy Director. He will guide and support the group’s businesses in designing, developing and implementing programs to meet the organization’s business objectives through customer segmentation, customer care and the effective use of key account strategies. Robinson started at LR on September 2, 2013 and brings extensive experience and expertise from a long career with blue chip companies. He joins LR from Royal Mail Group, where he was leading Group Strategy.

Northrop Grumman Corporation recently donated $3 million worth of training software to the U.S. Naval Academy, and also presented the Elmer A. Sperry Junior Navigator of the Year Award to Midshipman First Class Tyler Ledoux. The company donated 100 licenses of its Voyage Management System (VMS) software to the U. S. Naval Academy Foundation for midshipmen training use at the Naval Academy. The VMS software incorporates the Electronic Chart Display and Information System-Navy (ECDIS-N) which was selected by the navigator of the Navy and is now a fleet standard.

Northrop Grumman names Teri G. Marconi Vice President & General Manager of Naval and Marine Systems Division. In her new position, Marconi will have executive responsibility for all naval and marine systems programs within Northrop Grumman's Baltimore-based Electronic Systems sector, including operations in Annapolis and Sykesville, Md.; Charlottesville, Va.; Sunnyvale, Calif.; Bethpage, N.Y.; Ocean Springs, Miss.; Harvey, La.; Kings Bay, Ga.; and New Malden, U.K. Marconi joined the company in 1985 and has held a variety of leadership positions in program management…

iCargo, the pan-European cargo and logistics project part funded by the EU, has formally launched its three and a half year framework program. The project, formally titled “Intelligent Cargo in Efficient and Sustainable Global Logistics Operations” includes research, development, demonstration and dissemination elements designed to improve the performance of real-world logistics. Building on the success of the previous Freightwise and e-Freight frameworks, iCargo will develop an affordable…

On Friday, June 5, Genoa will host the joint christening of the Costa Luminosa and Costa Pacifica, the two new members of the Costa Cruises fleet. This Guinness record breaking event will involve the whole city in a spectacle of light and music. For the first time in the history of Italian shipping, two cruise ships will be christened together at the same time in the same place. The Event has obtained the official Patronage of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet of the Republic of Italy.

The Italian Trade Commission and the Liguria Region are sponsoring an event in La Spezia to facilitate and create collaborations and partnerships between universities, companies, research centers, and other stakeholders in the maritime field. Seafuture will host engineers, designers, manufacturers and distributors of sea-related equipment and technology. The event will feature a number of thematic and technical seminars, forums, and meetings aimed at sharing up-to-date information and data under all institutional, technical and scientific aspects. •    Eco-compatible solutions for ports, ship and coastal areas. Security and control management of anthropogenic activities. Management, control & prevention of high-risk operations, man-caused extreme natural events.

Marconi Selenia Marine was chosen by Klyne Tug (Lowestoft) Ltd. to supply, install and maintain Skanti UAIS 2100 and Satamatics D+ Security equipment for its fleet of deep-sea tugs. The engineers from the Hull office of Marconi Selenia Marine has recently completed the installation aboard the Klyne tug Anglian Monarch and engineers from the Lowestoft Office will commence work on Anglian Earl this month. Once operational the vessels will be supported by the 18 regional offices of Marconi Selenia Marine covering the length and breadth of the United Kingdom.

FAST Training Services Ltd., equally owned by CAE and Alenia Marconi Systems (AMS), has agreed to the terms of an amendment increasing the value of its existing contract with the U.K. Ministry of Defence (MoD) by approximately C$445 million (£190 million) for the Astute Class Training Service (ACTS). The value to CAE of this amendment is C$222 million based on the guaranteed level of training requirements from the MoD. This does not include the value of the subcontracts received by CAE from FAST. In 2001, FAST was awarded a 30-year contract worth C$740 million to provide comprehensive training services to the Royal Navy to operate and maintain the first three Astute class nuclear submarines.

Stolt-Nielsen S.A. appointed Otto H. Fritzner as CEO of Stolt-Nielsen Transportation Group (SNTG). Fritzner most recently served as Managing Director, Ship Owning at SNTG. He succeeds James B. Hurlock, who was named Interim CEO of SNTG in July 2003. • SNTG's global operations will be organized into three regions - the Americas, administered from Greenwich, Conn.; Asia-Pacific, administered from Singapore; and Europe, the Middle East, India and Africa (EMEIA), administered from Rotterdam, SNTG's corporate headquarters. • SNTG's Indian Ocean Service and the Europe-to-Asia Pacific Service will be operated out of Rotterdam. I.M. Skaugen ASA announced that Skaugen PetroTrans (SPT), its 50 percent owned joint venture company, has appointed Per Voie as its President.

Iridium Satellite LLC announced the availability of crew calling services for the maritime industry. Iridium's crew calling solution simultaneously supports pre-paid calling for individual crew members and subscription services for a vessel's official communications. Iridium's new crew calling program allows vessel owners and operators to provide both official and personal communications from a single phone. Vessel operators can provide pre-paid scratch cards to individual crew members to allow for personal calling. For official business, the captain and crew can use the same phone for subscription-based calls. Beginning immediately, Iridium will offer the new crew calling services through its global network of service providers.

The responsibility of melding, developing and profitably leading one of the world's most prolific high-technology marine companies is, to say the least, a daunting task. Assuming the post with no marine industry experience would seemingly make the job all the more difficult. But Dr. Saul Lanyado enters his position as the new president of the Rolls-Royce Marine division armed with years of engineering and business success and savvy. Maritime Reporter recently sat with Dr. Lanyado in his Buckingham Gate, London office to discuss the company's current endeavors and future developments. At the outset of a discussion regarding Rolls-Royce's marine business, it is immediately evident the direction in which one of the world's new leading players in marine propulsion is heading.

Kvaerner agreed the terms of its deal to sell the Govan shipyard in Scotland to GEC's defense unit, lifting the threat of major jobs losses there. Kvaerner said it had sold Govan to GEC's Marconi Electronic Systems Ltd, which is being taken over by British Aerospace Plc, for $3.52 million.

Kvaerner, which announced in April it was moving out of shipbuilding, reportedly rejected a bid by General Electric Co.'s shipbuilding and defense unit Marconi to buy its Govan shipyard.

Although international engineering and industrial giant Kvaerner is anxious to divest itself of its shipbuilding operations, the company is refusing to sell shipyards simply for the sake of selling them, recently rejecting a bid for its Govan shipyard in Scotland. Kvaerner said a $1.57 million bid by General Electric Co. Plc's defense and shipbuilding unit Marconi Electronic Systems was disappointing and had to be rejected. Kvaerner, Europe's biggest shipbuilder, announced in April its planned withdrawal from shipbuilding and the loss of 25,000 jobs after posting its first losses in more than 30 years. Kvaerner has 13 shipyards spread through the U.S., Singapore, Russia, Norway, Finland and Germany

The Union Leader reported that security at the Port of New Hampshire is expected to be enhanced by the acquisition of a boat, which would be used to fight maritime fires and help in other water-based emergencies. The information was offered yesterday to members of the of the Pease Development Authority's Division of Ports and Harbors Port Use Ad Hoc Committee. Portsmouth Assistant Fire Chief Steve Achilles told the committee, chaired by State Sen. Martha Fuller Clark, the vessel is expected to be ready by the fall of next year. The fire official said he hopes the vessel can be based at the state-run port on Market Street, since the location provides the best possible access to the Piscataqua River.