North Sea News

From their base deep within a former World War II U-boat pen, Norwegian outfit, OceanTech, is developing a set of robot tools that cling to offshore structures in order to effect inspection, maintenance and repair, or IMR. Old submarine anchorages are now subsea testing and training sites, but the North Sea is still the target. Hundreds of aging platforms and subsea structures require IMR that’s too costly, complex or hazardous for divers or remotely operated vehicles, or ROVs.As he walks us through Dora II…

German wind turbine builder is carrying out a condition monitoring campaign at the 402MW Veja Mate offshore wind farm in the German North Sea.The rotor blade condition monitoring system or fos4X “retroX” system, consisting of a sensor platform and intelligent software, was installed on strategically selected 10% of the wind farm’s turbines."The system enables structural condition monitoring of the rotor blades, recording of loads during turbine life time as well as the detection of yaw and pitch misalignment…

The largest and most versatile fleet of semi-submersible accommodation vessels in operation worldwide Prosafe SE has missed its final payment to China’s Cosco shipyard for the Safe Notos flotel.Offshore accommodation specialist  informed last November that it had re-evaluated its outlook and revised its forecasts resulting in a $341 million write down of assets and consequently a marginalized book equity amid a prolonged downturn and weaker outlook in the North Sea.Prosafe further informed that although the company had sufficient liquidity until early 2021…

OSI Maritime Systems (OSI) has entered in to a strategic partnership with PGZ Stocznia Wojenna Shipyard (PGZ SW) (Gdynia, Poland). OSI together with Polish engineers and fitters will design, build, deliver and install two INTS’s for the Polish Navy Kormoran Class Mine Countermeasures Vessel new build program. Kormoran is part of the Polish naval modernization program and will operate in the waters of the Polish exclusive economic zone (EEZ) as well as participate in NATO’s countermeasure group in the Baltic and North Sea.INTS is a fully scalable…

Offshore support vessel operator Sentinel Marine has introduced the newest fleet of emergency response and rescue vessels in the North Sea – and help clean up the offshore environment.All eight ships recently built to order by Sentinel Marine – and the four still under various stages of construction – have Tier 4 compliant engines which reduce emissions of particulate matter and noxious gases to near zero levels.Sentinel Marine chief executive officer Rory Deans said: “Tier 4…

Sif Holding, the manufacturer of large steel tubulars, has entered into exclusive negotiations for the delivery of 33 monopiles and 33 Transition pieces (25 KTon steel) for an offshore wind project in Japan.The current state of negotiations has led to a pre- order of the steel for the project, said the Netherlands-headquartered company, which provides steel foundations to the offshore wind, oil and gas markets.Manufacture of the MP/TP-foundations and disclosure of project details is subject to the issue of a Notice To Proceed (NTP) by the client…

The “new normal” is a phrase tossed around often in offshore energy circles today as those servicing and operating in the sector grapple with the harsh realities of the prolonged industry downturn. Operators, service companies and equipment suppliers have been forced to adjust to oil selling at prices well below the $100+ per barrel mark seen in years past. As of this writing, Brent oil was hovering around $62 per barrel, and analysts expect prices will remain in this range for some time into the future.On top of this…

Coastal flooding disasters have occurred periodically through history often followed by construction of flood defenses to help ensure it does not happen again. One of the most well known was the 1953 North Sea Flood in the Netherlands when a storm surge occurred on top of astronomical high tides causing thousands of deaths, property and economic damages. The Dutch and UK reacted and increased construction of sea defenses including storm surge barriers, such as the Delta Works and River Thames barriers.

US Offshore Support Vessel Analysis 2018 and 2019. The US GOM Offshore Support Vessel (OSV) market is suffering, utilization remains poor, and many owners are still squeezed financially. However, a poor market forces people to adapt and for those willing to take risks, the upside can be extremely large.US Owners 2018 vs. 2019: Within the US GOM, 2018 saw a period of strategic thinking and tactical business decisions. Tidewater Marine completed their merger with GulfMark Offshore to create the world’s largest OSV player.

Damen Maaskant Shipyards Stellendam to build a new 38-meter long Beam Trawler for Rederij Long Ships. Damen Maaskant has designed the new vessel, Z91 Franson, within the maximum length and gross tonnage permitted by the Belgian Maritime Inspectorate. Furthermore, the shipyard has carried out research with propeller developers and manufacturers SIP Marine with the aim to realize fuel consumption reductions in relation to current hull forms working in the Belgian fishing fleet.

Lindblad Expeditions Holdings, a global player in expedition cruises and adventure travel experiences, has celebrated the float out of National Geographic Endurance in Ulstein Verft, Norway.The first polar newbuild for the line, the 126-guest vessel is fully stabilized with the highest ice class (PC5 Category A) of any purpose-built passenger vessel, according to a press release.The vessel is scheduled for delivery in January 2020.Read Maritime Reporter & Engineering News' feature…

Amsterdam IJmuiden Offshore Ports (AYOP), a networking organization, has appointed Sylvia Boer as director effective from 1 February 2020. In this new position within the association for offshore companies in the North Sea Canal Area, Boer acts as a link between the members, government and stakeholders.AYOP sees great opportunities for the offshore wind, but certainly also for oil & gas, in the region and wants to take full advantage of this with the arrival of Boer.Boer has been working for Damen Shipyards Group over the past eight years…

Europe’s largest bunker port Rotterdam said that the new low-sulfur bunker oil VLSFO (Very Low Sulfur Fuel Oil with a maximum 0.5% sulfur) has become extremely popular in the port.Half of all November bunker sales were for VLSFO. This became apparent from the bunkering notifications via the Port of Rotterdam Authority’s TimeToBunker App.As of 1 January 2020, sea-going vessels on the world’s oceans may only use fuel with a sulfur content of no more than 0.5%. The current maximum is 3.5%.

The environment in oil patches onshore and offshore alike has been challenging throughout 2019; worries about an economic slowdown – whether cyclical or induced by a trade war – have weighed heavily on oil prices, even in the face of reduced production by the big producers. Though storm clouds persist, there appears a clearing on the horizon.The fate of Offshore Service Vessels (OSVs) is, naturally, closely tied to the price of oil. Seacor Marine’s John Gellert, in reviewing its Q2 results, said: “Activity levels in the U.S.

Danish wind turbine installation and service company Global Wind Service (GWS) has secured a contract to support MHI Vestas on the Northwester 2 offshore wind project by providing technicians for the installation of turbines.The deal includes GWS offshore installation technicians supporting the installation of 23 MHI Vestas 164-9.5MW turbines at the site offshore Belgium from November.GWS is also supporting MHI Vestas with pre-assembly activities on Northwester 2 through its base…

British satellite telecommunications company Inmarsat plc will extend its service portfolio for customers with the launch of Fleet LTE, following an agreement with subsea fibre and offshore LTE network operator, Tampnet.The new service which is primarily aimed at offshore support vessel (OSV) operators, but could also be used by fishing and ferry operators operating in the area,  leverages low-latency, high data speed communications available via a dedicated Access Point Name…

The vast majority of ships in the German fleet will run on the new sulfur-reduced fuel (Low Sulfur Fuel Oil, LSFO) from 1 January at the latest. This is one of the findings of a survey conducted by the German Shipowners’ Association (Verband Deutscher Reeder, VDR) among its member companies.While the body of data obtained through the survey is not representative of the German shipping industry as a whole, it does reflect views that can certainly be extrapolated since the respondents include shipping companies from every sector of the German shipping industry.

The Nordic energy company Gasum said that its liquefied natural gas (LNG) bunker vessel Coralius conducted first ever ship-to-ship (STS) bunkering to a cruise ship - Carnival Corporation's cruise vessel Costa Smeralda.During the bunkering operation, LNG was supplied to the newbuild Costa Smeralda at the Meyer Turku shipyard. Costa Smeralda is the first cruise ship in a series of newbuilds at Meyer Turku that will be fitted with LNG propulsion.LNG is the cleanest available marine fuel…

The EU Commission’s big goals for offshore wind – between 230 and 450 GW by 2050 – are achievable provided the right investments in electricity grids and Governments take the right approach to maritime spatial planning, said a report.According to the WindEurope report examines where 450 GW of offshore wind could be deployed most cost-effectively around Europe, bearing in mind there is only 20 GW today. 450 GW of offshore wind is part of a European Commission scenario to deliver…

The European offshore wind industry needs an area equivalent to the size of Ireland to install enough turbines to reach carbon neutrality by 2050, a target for most EU members, a leading industry group said in a report.Fighting climate change is a top priority for the European Commission's new head Ursula von der Leyen, who has set out a "European Green Deal" intended to achieve "climate neutrality" - adding no greenhouse gases to the atmosphere beyond what can be absorbed - by 2050."Today we have 20 gigawatts (GW) of offshore wind in Europe and the European Commission…

The Port of Hamburg announced that in the course of the Elbe's river dredging, construction stones to improve usability for shipping, were successfully build into the "Medemrinne" and "Neufelder Sand".Specifically from March until October 2019, around 1,200,000 tons were build in the above mentioned underwater deposit areas (UDAs).Machulez KG, a member of the Cuxhaven Port Authority (HWG), coordinated the logistics requirements between the underwater construction companies, the quarry and the locally responsible institutions.

The growth of offshore wind renewable power continues to push investment in marine, port and infrastructure project, the latest an announcement ffrom the Lindø port of Odense which placed an order for an LHM 800 heavy lift unit, a machine with a lifting capacity of up to 308 tonnes at a height of 96.7 meters above quay to cope with the huge offshore wind turbines of the future.“With the purchase of the new mega crane, LINDØ port of ODENSE is cementing its key role as one of the…

The first ship-to-ship liquefied natural gas (LNG) bunkering in the port of Ghent took place in a joint effort between the North Sea Port and Titan LNG, the LNG solutions provider for the shipping and marine industries.Titan LNG delivered around 150 tons of LNG to The Fure Valo, an LNG powered tanker, built in 2018 and owned by the Swedish company Furetank. Last year Titan LNG delivered LNG by truck-to-ship, as the first in the North Sea Port of Ghent.Eric de Jong, Manager Logistics Titan LNG said: “This LNG bunkering marks the expansion of LNG delivery in the ports of Europe.