Marshal Island News

The first of two new 18-meter catamaran dive support vessels built for Paris-based Stapem Offshore has been delivered by South African shipbuilder Legacy Marine Group. The Marshal Island-flagged vessel, Stapem Beluga, will operate in the coastal waters of Angola in support of oil and gas exploration and production. The vessel, designed by Incat Crowther, has been customized to suit Stapem’s specific operational requirements. The aft exterior deck utilizes available space by combining deck lockers and racks for diving equipment storage with a covered dive prepping area.

Eastern Shipbuilding delivered M/V Bravante V (Hull 155) Boldini S.A., Bravante Group of Brazil. Bravante V is the first STX SV290 design of five vessels in a series which are all ABS, SOLAS, DPS-2, AC Diesel-Electric powered, twin Z-drive propelled PSV’s measuring 284 ft. (86.5m) x 60 ft. (18.3m) x 24.5 ft. (7.5m). The vessels all feature four Cummins QSK-60DM 16-cylinder turbo-charged IMO Tier II diesel generator engines each rated at 1825 kW at 1,800 rpm. Cummins also furnished the four Marathon Model 744 690VAC main generators.

Eastern Shipbuilding Group, Inc. announced the delivery of the M/V Bravante V (Hull 155) on Friday November 29, 2013, to Boldini S.A., Bravante Group of Brazil. The Bravante V is the first STX SV290 design of five vessels in a series which are all ABS, SOLAS, DPS-2, AC Diesel-Electric powered, twin Z-drive propelled PSV’s measuring 284’(86.5m) x 60’(18.3m) x 24’-6”(7.5m). These high-tech vessels feature four Cummins QSK-60DM 16-cylinder turbo-charged IMO Tier II diesel generator engines each rated at 1825 kW at 1,800 rpm.

Eastern Shipbuilding Group, Inc. christened and launched the M/V Bravante V for Boldini S.A. of Brazil. The event was held on March 21, 2013 at Eastern’s Nelson Street facility with hundreds of Eastern employees and guests. Attending were Renato and Regina Nascimento, William Wueman and William Grutter along with several members that traveled from Brazil witnessing the launch of the first of five Platform Supply Vessels under contract with Eastern. Mr. Nacimento’s wife Regina had the honor of christening the vessel.

Early on the afternoon of May 8, a Marshal Island flagged, German owned, Chemical tanker the Marida Marguerite, of 13000 tonnes, was hijacked 120 miles south of Salalah (Oman). The ship was approached by a pirate skiff firing automatic weapons and rocket propelled grenades and the crew reported that they saw the pirates climbing onboard. The ship has a crew of 22 (19 Indian, 1 Ukranian, 2 Bangladeshi) and it is believed that all are well. A passing merchant ship tried to make contact by VHF radio but received a response from the bridge of the hijacked vessel to “go away.” EU NAVFOR will continue to monitor the situation.