North Sea News

Finland’s oil refiner Neste Corporation has made low-sulphur fuel oil (LSFO)available in Bremerhaven, Germany in response to the upcoming IMO 2020 global regulation.Neste and the German BMT Bunker und Mineralöltransport GmbH have signed a partner agreement concerning distribution and sales of Neste MarineTM 0.5. This new marine fuel, containing maximum 0.5% sulphur, has been available in Bremerhaven, Germany, since the beginning of November 2019. BMT is a bunkering services company with a long experience in the sales of marine fuels.

Swedish shipping company Terntank has placed orders for two hybrid tankers, which  run on liquefied biogas (LBG) and liquefied natural gas (LNG),  at China’s AVIC Dingheng Shipbuilding with an option for two more vessels.The 15,000 dwt new-builds with hybrid battery system and on-shore power are designed by Kongsberg (ex Rolls-Royce) and they will be in operation in the Baltic Sea and the North Sea in 2021.The close cooperation with the customers and with the crew at shore and onboard…

The newly built Service Operation Vessel (SOV) “Bibby WaveMaster Horizon” is equipped with propulsion units from SCHOTTEL. Ordered by the British company Bibby Marine Services Ltd. and built at Damen Shipyards Galati, the vessel is driven by three rudderpropellers and two bow thrusters from the German propulsion expert. The new walk-to-work vessel is purpose-built for the transfer and accommodation of support and maintenance engineers at offshore wind farms.Maintaining wind turbines…

On November 1st, 2019, the latest Damen Shipyards Group fishing vessel, constructed at Damen Maaskant Shipyards Stellendam (Maaskant) was named in a dedicated ceremony organized by leading fishing company Van der Zwan. The vessel was named Spes Nova by Director of Fisheries and Rural Affairs at the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality for the Netherlands Nanou Beekman.The Spes Nova, a UK-205 fly-shooter/twinrigger vessel, is part of a newly-developed range of fishing trawlers based on a Vripack Naval Architects design that sets new benchmarks for the entire sector.

Luxembourg-based maritime construction engineering company Jan De Nul announced its decision to opt for 100% renewable fuels."Jan De Nul Group carries out dredging work in the Benelux with 100% renewable fuel. With this, the world player is further committing itself to immediately and considerably reducing its CO₂ emissions," said a release.Trailing suction hopper dredger Alexander von Humboldt will from now on sail on renewable biofuel from certified and sustainable waste streams.The choice of 100% renewable fuel is part of the ambitious CO₂ reduction objectives of the Jan De Nul Group.

The provider of geophysical marine seismic acquisition and processing services,  Shearwater GeoServices has been given a conditional letter of award for a 2D seismic acquisition and fast-track processing project by Total E&P South Africa B.V.The survey at block 11B-12B will be Shearwater’s first project offshore South Africa, said a press note from the Norwegean Oil and gas exploration service provider.The multi-purpose vessel SW Cook will acquire the initial 3,650-linear km (2,268-mi) program.

Jan De Nul Group carries out dredging work in the Benelux with 100% renewable fuel. With this, the world player is further committing itself to immediately and considerably reducing its CO₂ emissions. Trailing suction hopper dredger Alexander von Humboldt will from now on sail on renewable biofuel from certified and sustainable waste streams.The choice of 100% renewable fuel is part of the ambitious CO₂ reduction objectives of the Jan De Nul Group. In this context, Jan De Nul…

Loy Stewart, Jr. is President, Detyens Shipyards. He is a 1991 graduate of the US Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point where he earned a degree in Marine Engineering. After several months sailing on the Sealift Atlantic, Loy began working at Detyens as a Ship Superintendent and coordinated work on numerous commercial and navy contracts. In 1996, when the Detyens Shipyards were divided into separate profit centers, Loy Jr. was promoted to Profit Center Manager of the Wando facility. In 2002 he was made PCM of the Main Yard in North Charleston and promoted to Executive Vice President in 2003.

July brought news about offshore wind. There was something for everyone: optimism, disappointment, and construction, too.Finally, starting with Dominion Energy’s Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind Project, a joint venture with Danish wind developer Orsted is underway. True, this is a small project – just two wind turbines to be installed 27 miles east of Virginia Beach. But considering all the preceding hurdles, news about Dominion blew in as proverbial, hopeful fresh air. Surely…

The delivery of the third Fast Crew Supplier (FCS) 2710 bought by Swansea, UK-based High Speed Transfers has taken place at Damen Shipyards Antalya. Named HST Harri, she joins the HST Hudson, delivered in May 2018, and the HST Sofia, which was handed over in March this year. A fourth FCS 2710 for High Speed Transfers, to be named HST Euan, is currently nearing completion for delivery in December.The HST Harri is booked to start immediately on a five-year contract in the North Sea with wind farm operator MHI Vestas…

European ferry operator Stena Line has announced that the first of its three new E-Flexer class ferries destined for the Irish Sea, Stena Estrid has successfully completed sea trials in China’s Yellow Sea.Following three days of extensive testing, the new vessel performed excellently across a wide range of stringent test criteria and is now on schedule to start operating on the Dublin to Holyhead route in early 2020.Stena Estrid is the first of five new Stena Line next generation RoPax vessels that are being constructed at the AVIC Weihai Shipyard in China…

The WASP (Wind Assisted Ship Propulsion) project, funded by the Interreg North Sea Europe program, part of the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) to the tune of €3.4 million has been officially approved and launched.The project brings together universities, wind-assist technology providers with ship owners to research, trial and validate the operational performance of a selection of wind propulsion solutions thus enabling wind propulsion technology market penetration and…

The Norwegian Competition Authority has rejected the proposed merger between Scandinavian offshore accommodation/construction support providers Prosafe and Floatel.Oslo-listed accommodation services player Prosafe in a press release said that it will study the decision in detail, and expects to decide on whether to appeal shortly and within the deadline within three weeks.The company owns and operates semi-submersible accommodation vessels operating at present in the North Sea…

Swedish-based Viking Supply Ships (VSS) in partnership with funds managed by Borealis Maritime, has entered into a contract to purchase two platform supply vessels (PSV) currently under construction. In addition to the partial ownership, VSS has been awarded full operational and commercial management of the vessels, the company said.VSS did not reveal specific transaction details, but said the pair has been acquired at a significant discount compared to original contract price…

The second of Damen’s Accommodation Support Vessel (ASV) 9020 has been delivered to Bibby Marine Services at Damen Shipyards Galati in Romania. On her arrival in the North Sea, the Bibby WaveMaster Horizon will begin maintenance work off the coast of Germany on two EnBW and Enbridge-owned windfarms– Hohe See and Albatros – for Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy and EnBW.The 90-meter ASV 9020 was developed by Damen to meet the specific needs of the offshore renewable energy industry…

Watson Farley & Williams (WFW), an international law firm based in London, said that it has advised Race Bank Wind Farm Limited on its USD 608 million sale of transmission system assets relating to the 573 MW Race Bank offshore wind farm to Diamond Transmission Partners.Race Bank is a joint venture owned by Ørsted (50%), Macquarie European Infrastructure Fund 5 (25%), a fund established by Sumitomo Corporation, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation and Development Bank of Japan (12.5%)…

Wärtsilä was selected to carry out a retrofitting project aimed at lessening the environmental footprint of a ferry operating on the Wadden Sea, a UNESCO World Heritage listed area in the south eastern end of the North Sea.The retrofit will enable Münsterland, a RoPax ferry owned by German operator Aktien-Gesellschaft ‘Ems’ (AG Ems), to use LNG as fuel, significantly reducing its greenhouse gas emissions.Work will take place at the Koninklijke Niestern-Sander B.V. yard in the Netherlands…

A consortium of five universities, including Heriot-Watt University, working with 35 industrial and innovation partners, has unveiled the latest results from its research collaboration.The largest academic center in the world for research into robotics technology for offshore energy infrastructure, the ORCA Hub’s aim is to advance robotics and Artificial Intelligence technologies for the inspection, repair, maintenance and certification of offshore energy platforms and assets.Creating solutions to some of the most challenging…

Pieridae Energy moved closer to building a liquefied natural gas (LNG) export terminal on Canada's East Coast after taking ownership of fields from Royal Dutch Shell which will feed gas into the plant, the company said.The Goldboro LNG terminal would be the first on Canada's East Coast and compete with the growing number of plants on the U.S. Gulf Coast, hoping its shorter distance to Europe and further west will help sell its LNG by cutting shipping costs.Pieridae said in a statement late on Thursday it had closed a C$190 million ($145 million) acquisition of Shell's gas assets in Alberta's Foothills region, giving it most of the gas…

Offshore wind farms service provider has signed a long-term charter contract agreement with Ørsted, to deliver the world’s first hybrid powered Surface Effect Ship (SES) to Borssele 1 and 2 offshore wind farms.The agreement between Ørsted and CWind, part of the Global Marine Group, covers an initial three-year firm charter with options available for a further two years.The Hybrid SES crew transfer vessel will be operating from the Dutch port of Vlissingen, to Borssele 1 and 2…

U.S. sanctions imposed last month on subsidiaries of vast Chinese shipping fleet Cosco have given an unexpected boost to European refiners as less crude oil from the North Sea and West Africa heads east, traders and analysts said.Freight rates have soared as oil producers scramble for non-blacklisted vessels, discouraging longer-distance voyages.Complex refining margins for advanced facilities capable of extracting even more valuable products like diesel and gasoline, have been especially strong in Europe, industry sources said.The U.S.

AET, a petroleum tanker owner and operator, has named its newest vessels, two of the world's first LNG Dual-Fuel Dynamic Positioning Shuttle Tankers (DPSTs). The vessels, the cleanest DPSTs ever built, will emit 40-48% less carbon than equivalent vessels built in 2008, meeting the International Maritime Organization's (IMO) target of reducing carbon (CO2) emissions by 40% against 2008 baselines by 2030, and halving CO2 emissions by 2050.These LNG Dual-Fuel DPSTs also emit 85% less SOx…

Germany's Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Energy  Peter Altmaier and coastal states agree package of measures for shore-generated power.Instead of burning fossil fuels to generate shipboard electric power, in future vessels in port should be using renewable shore-based energy. The German government is now launching appropriate measures to promote shore-generated power.Along with the premiers of Schleswig-Holstein and Hamburg and representatives of the state governments of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania…