Norway News

Norway-based marine seismic surveyor PGS said Thursday it was experiencing an increase in seismic acquisition project activity, and that it would reactivate some previously stacked vessels."Based on project awards so far, PGS has started preparations to activate Ramform Vanguard for the summer season, with the acquisition expected to commence in April," PGS said.In addition, the company said it would activate the Sanco Swift vessel to be used as a source vessel for at least three months on awarded projects.To remind…

Norwegian-headquartered Salt Ship Design said it has completed its acquisition of Serbian naval architecture firm Albatross Ship Design.Albatross was founded in 2001 as a member of Norway's Vik Sandvik Group, working under name Vik Sandvik Albatross until it was acquired by Finnish technology company Wärtsilä and renamed Wärtsilä Ship Design Serbia in 2009. It became a private independent company with the new name Albatross Ship Design in 2016.Salt Ship Design, which specializes in the design of offshore and fishing vessels…

US-based seabed survey and ocean exploration company Ocean Infinity on Tuesday said it had agreed to acquire the Sweden-based subsea survey firm MMT."Ocean Infinity and MMT are excited to announce an acquisition that brings together MMT’s deep expertise and established track record as a distinguished marine survey and data analytics provider and Ocean Infinity’s best-in-class robotic technology and operational expertise," the companies said without sharing the financial details…

Shipbuilding group Austal said its Austal Philippines arm has a 109-meter high-speed catamaran ferry to Fjord Line of Norway.The vehicle-passenger ferry, named FSTR, is said to be the largest aluminum vessel ever constructed in the Philippines. It is currently the largest ferry (by volume) to be constructed by Austal, at any of the company’s shipyards worldwide.Austal CEO, Paddy Gregg, said, “It’s impressive to see a large high speed ferry like this delivered in the best of times…

The OSV sector will be reliant on a hitherto unseen amount of scrapping to balance the market, writes Gregory Brown, Associate Director – Offshore, Maritime Strategies InternationalThere is a consensus that an OSV market recovery will only be driven a supply side rationalization. As well as a lack of newbuild activity, that rationalization will have to include unprecedented levels of scrapping in a market which has historically witnessed only limited levels of attrition.That limited level of attrition has several deep-seated roots…

Solstad Offshore, a Norway-based offshore vessel operator, on Friday said it had won contracts for the vessels Normand Ranger and Far Seeker in Australia.The Normand Seeker, a large AHTS, has been awarded a contract in Australia with the start slated for the second quarter of 2021.The anchor handler vessel will mobilize from Norway and will then provide support to a major drilling campaign offshore North-Western Australia, securing about one year of utilization for the vessel…

Baker Hughes Co and AXA Group and 16 other companies recently quit work on Russia’s Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline and will not be sanctioned, according to a document the Biden administration sent to Congress last week which was seen by Reuters.Russian energy company Gazprom and its western partners are racing to build the pipeline to take Russian gas to Germany under the Baltic Sea, and hope to finish it this year. President Joe Biden believes the pipeline is a “bad deal” for Europe.Many U.S.

Norwegian offshore vessel operator Siem Offshore has said it has secured a contract for its Siem Spearfish subsea construction vessel.The contract, with an unnamed client, is for 2 months firm, with extension options included.Under the contract, the Siem Spearfish, designed for subsea operation duties such as construction and installation work, inspection and maintenance, will work offshore West Africa. The 120.8 meters long vessel, built in 2014, has started its mobilization from Norway.

CWind, offshore wind crew transfer specialist, on Tuesday announced the delivery of what it described as "the world’s first hybrid-powered Surface Effect Ship (SES)," the CWind Pioneer crew transfer vessel.CWind said that the crew transfer vessel, with 24 passenger capacity, was developed in response to an industry-wide push to develop and deploy innovative technologies that reduce CO2 emissions, while cost-effectively servicing windfarms located further offshore. "The CWind Pioneer…

Prysmian will entrust Sea World Management SAM with the management of the new high-tech flagship that will enter service in the second half of the year.Dubbed Leonardo da Vinci, the cable-laying vessel being built by the Vard shipyard in Brattvåg, Norway, for the Prysmian Group will be managed by Sea World Management of Monte Carlo, which already takes care of the management of the three other cable-laying vessels of the Prysmian Group engaged in different areas of the world.The…

A new approach to safety is necessary along the maritime industry's rapid transition to a decarbonized, digitally smart future, says classification society DNV GL in a new white paper released this week, and as discussed on Maritime Reporter TV with Knut Ørbeck-Nilssen, CEO of DNV GL - Maritime and Fenna van de Merwe, Principal Consultant at DNV GL, the report’s author.The white paper entitled “Closing the Safety Gap in an Era of Transformation”, identifies a looming “safety gap”…

Aker Horizons has signed a Letter of Intent with Statkraft and Yara with the aim to establish "Europe's first industrial-scale green ammonia project in Norway, enable the hydrogen economy, and accelerate the energy transition." The company said the first project in the partnership will be to electrify Yara's existing ammonia facility in Porsgrunn, "which has the potential to be one of the largest climate initiatives in Norwegian industrial history."The partners will further target green hydrogen and green ammonia opportunities within shipping…

Norway-based operator of offshore support and construction vessels Solstad Offshore has secured a contract for its Normand Cutter vessel with Global Marine Group ("GMG").The construction support vessel is already on a contract with GMG, and the new contract will start in March 2021, in direct continuation of the current charter.Under the new contract, the firm duration is 120 days plus 80 days options. In addition, GMG has the option to extend the contract for up to 200 days in 2022…

Shipping group Maersk said on Wednesday it would accelerate plans to decarbonize sea-borne container shipping by putting the world's first vessel powered by carbon-neutral fuel into operation in 2023, seven years ahead of its original plan.The shipping industry, which carries around 80% of global trade and accounts for around 3% of global carbon emissions, pledged last year to have ships and marine fuels with zero carbon emissions ready by 2030."Fast-tracked by advances in technology and increasing customer demand for sustainable supply chains…

Back in 2017, Ocean Infinity made a novel move; deploying six autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs), instead of just one, from a single vessel, vastly increasing the ground that could be covered in a single survey. Now the firm is taking the use of remote, robotic systems a significant step further.Back in 2017, Ocean Infinity made a novel move; deploying six autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs), instead of just one, from a single vessel, vastly increasing the ground that could be covered in a single survey.

COVID-19 will continue to skew the floating production systems market for the coming 24 months, while buying power for a large portion of FPSO contracts will be centered in Brazil and Guyana/Suriname. These two areas are expected to account for more than 60% of the FPSO contracts awarded between 2021 and 2025.These are the findings shared in a recent floating production outlook report produced by International Maritime Associates (IMA) and World Energy Reports (WER).The 100+ page…

French submarine cables services company Orange Marine has ordered a new cable repair vessel for delivery in 2023.The specialized newbuild was designed by VARD in Norway and will be built at Sri Lankan shipyard Colombo Dockyard. The 1,800 dwt vessel is 100 meters long with a beam of 18.8 meters and a depth of 7.15 meters. It will have accommodation facilities for 76 persons.The VARD 9 03 design for Orange Marine is designed for the maintenance of submarine cables, both fiber-optic…

Rolls-Royce signed an agreement to sell the Bergen Engines medium speed gas and diesel engines business to TMH International, the international branch of TMH Group, for net proceeds of approximately $180 million.TMH Group, based in Russia, is an engineering company in rail transport technologies and the world’s fourth largest supplier of rail rolling stock. It offers a range of products and services including medium-speed engines for rail applications with current production of more than 850 engines a year.

NAVTOR launched NavFleet, touted by the company as a "breakthrough application" developed over the past two years in collaboration with shipowners designed to open up a new horizon of possibilities: enabling real-time operational insight, performance optimization and enhanced business decision making for fleet management.NAVTOR has made its name through the development of a suite of e-Navigation products, delivered, updated and connected through a cyber secure ecosystem that unites shoreside and vessel teams.

Norway-based Brødrene Aa said it has signed a shipbuilding contract with Attica Group, subject to clauses, for three AERO type high-speed catamaran passenger vessels.The three vessels will be 36 meters in length, carry 150 passengers and operate at a maximum speed of 34 knots. The light carbon fiber construction contributes to low fuel consumption and emissions, Brødrene Aa said, adding that the vessels will be equipped with solar panels that will generate the energy required for lighting and energy consumption of the accommodation areas…

Japan's Kawasaki Heavy Industries has ordered a Corvus Energy battery-based energy storage system (ESS) to integrate it into the zero-emissions all-electric propulsion and electrical systems aboard the “e5 tanker” under construction for Asahi Tanker.The battery-powered vessel was designed by e5 Lab Inc., a consortium of leading Japanese shipping and maritime services companies, including Asahi Tanker Co., Ltd., set up to build infrastructure services focused on electrically powered vessels.

MOD of Norway signed an agreement to take part in a development project to extend the range and features of the STADT Stealth Naval Electric Propulsion.Due to increased use of electric and electronic weapon-systems, navies globally show increased interest for electric propulsion to power future navy vessels. Overall goals include minimizing carbon footprint, lowering power consumption with the use of new low emission power sources, while also increasing operational range and defense capabilities by stealth operations.

President Joe Biden believes the Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline is a "bad deal for Europe" and his administration will be reviewing restrictions on the project included in a bill that passed during the Trump administration, the White House said on Tuesday.The restrictions on the undersea pipeline project were included in the annual defense policy bill that passed on Jan. 1. Sanctions in the measure apply to any companies helping Gazprom, the Russian state energy company leading the project…