Offshore News

The Pyxis Ocean has made its first docking in Brazil with its new metal sails installed.The bulk carrier docked at the Port of Paranaguá in Brazil on Sunday, September 24. It has metal sails 37.5 meters high and is chartered by Cargill. After loading, it will transport its cargo of 63,000 tons of soybean meal to Poland.The sail technology, BAR Tech WindWings, was developed by BAR Technologies, in partnership with Yara Marine Technologies and Mitsubishi, witn support from the European Union.The Governor of the Brazilian state of Paraná, Carlos Massa Ratinho Junior, visited the vessel last week.

The Norwegian offshore vessel owner Golden Energy Offshore Services AS (“GEOS”) said Wednedsay it had entered into a memorandum of agreement (the “MoA”) with an undisclosed buyer for the sale of the subsea support vessel VOS Sugar.The VOS Sugar is one of the Vroon Offshore vessels GEOS agreed to buy last month, a purchase which is in the process of completing. The MoA is subject to satisfactory vessel inspection by the buyer. Provided that the subject is lifted, the sale is expected to be completed in November 2023.

The U.S. Interior Department's Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) said on Tuesday it will postpone its next sale of oil leases in the Gulf of Mexico.The agency said it will not hold Lease Sale 261 on September 27, 2023, as originally planned as a result of last week's ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit ordering an expansion of acreage being offered after BOEM earlier reduced the area in an effort to protect an endangered whale species."The order allows time for a more orderly lease sale process…

A new white paper published by maritime performance management company Opsealog sets out five practical steps that OSV operators can take to secure improvements in fuel efficiency through better data analytics.Existing data that companies are already collecting, for example in mandatory logbooks, can enable significant vessel and fleet efficiency gains, says Opsealog.With case studies drawn from Opsealog’s eight years of experience across the world’s offshore markets, the research highlights how having detailed digital monitoring in place helps owners…

German offshore wind monopile maker EEW SPC said Monday that the first eight monopiles for the Dominion Energy Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind Project in the U.S. were loaded at the Rostock quayside in Germany, and set sail for the U.S. on September 21, 2023.In preparation for RoRo loading, the monopiles were lifted into the transport cradle using the Strand Jack system. Now aboard the carrier deck, the foundations are on their way to Portsmouth Marine Terminal in Portsmouth, Va.…

Dutch offshore survey firm Fugro will convert the Fugro Resilience and the Topaz Endurance, two ULSTEIN PX121 platform supply vessels (PSVs), to geotechnical vessels, targeting their deployment in the global offshore renewable energy market.Fugro acquired the two platform supply vessels, the Topaz Endurance and the Topaz Energy (renamed Fugro Resilience), in February 2023.Ulstein Design & Solutions AS is responsible for the redesign of the two vessels, and on September 22, 2023, Fugro awarded Ulstein Verft a contract to convert the Fugro Resilience. Both vessels were built in 2015.

An arbitration tribunal has delivered a verdict in a drillship order cancellation case involving offshore drilling contractor Northern Drilling and Daweoo Shipbuilding Marine and Engineering (now known as Hanwha Ocean), ruling in favor of Hanwha.Billionaire John Fredriksen-owned offshore drilling company Northern Drilling canceled the West Aquila and West Libra drillship orders with South Korea's Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering in 2021, citing delay of deliveries as well as a repudiatory breach of contract, and said it would seek a refund for installments paid.

Offshore wind developer Ørsted is deploying Rutter’s wave prediction technology on board selected crew transfer vessels (CTV) worldwide within its contracted fleet to improve the safe transfer of personnel to offshore wind turbines.Roots of the initiative stretch back to 2018, when the two companies launched a project to investigate wave prediction applications for improving safety during transfers from CTVs to offshore wind turbines, resulting in the development of wave prediction…

Tidewater Inc., the world's largest fleet operator in the offshore support vessel (OSV) industry, has signed a Global Value Agreement (GVA) with engine manufacturer Caterpillar to ensure comprehensive parts, service, monitoring and maintenance support to help reduce total cost of ownership (TCO) and increase uptime and availability.Tidewater’s fleet of more than 200 OSVs, including platform supply vessels (PSV), anchor handler towing supply vessels (AHTS), offshore tugs and crew boats…

The U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) said Monday it had completed its environmental review of the proposed Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind (CVOW) commercial project.“The completion of our environmental review marks another step towards a clean energy future—one that benefits communities and co-exists with other ocean users,” said BOEM Director Elizabeth Klein. “The best available science and knowledge shared by Tribes, other government agencies, local communities, ocean users…

Maersk Supply Service has secured a contract extension in Angola for its Subsea Support Vessel Maersk Involver for an additional 15 months.The Danish vessel owner said Monday that under the extended contract, the vessel and crew would support various subsea operations off the coast of Angola.

Norwegian offshore wind vessel owner Edda Wind has secured a contract for its service operation vessel Edda Passat.The Edda Passat SOV has operated for Ørsted at Race Bank Offshore Wind Farm since it was built in 2018, and the charter is expiring in October 2023.Edda Wind said Friday that it had entered into an agreement with Vestas for a short-term charter for the majority of the fourth quarter including options at rates "significantly above" the previous contract. “We are pleased…

A federal judge in Louisiana has ordered an expansion of next week's sale of oil leases in the Gulf of Mexico, saying the Biden administration must include additional acreage, according to a court ruling issued late on Thursday.The oil and gas industry, which had sued the administration,  welcomed the decision to restore 6 million acres to the auction after the Interior Department's Bureau of Ocean Energy Management earlier reduced the area available for lease in an effort to protect an endangered whale.U.S.

Shapoorji Pallonji Energy Pvt Ltd (SPE), on Friday unveiled a new generation of its standardized newbuild Hull concept design for large FPSOs called Sterling Streamline."SP Energy, India’s sole specialist in designing, building, owning and operating Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) units, is developing this new hull design that it believes would be an appropriate off-the-shelf solution for the offshore industry," the company said.“The new FPSO hull design signifies SPE’s commitment to drive efficiency across all aspects of the project.

Petronas CCS Ventures, a subsidiary of the Malaysian oil and gas giant Petronas has signed a term sheet with Mitsui O.S.K Lines, Ltd. (MOL) and MISC Berhad for the potential incorporation of a joint venture entity to invest in developing and monetising Liquefied Carbon Dioxide (LCO2) carriers for Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) projects in Malaysia. The parties have agreed in principle on the key commercial terms to allow progress to the next stage."Building on the February 2022…

Sturgeon Bay, Wis. shipyard Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding on Wednesday began construction on a 289-foot service operation vessel (SOV) for a Crowley-ESVAGT joint venture that will house and transport technicians to maintain U.S. offshore wind farms.This Jones Act compliant vessel, for the joint venture CREST Wind, will operate under a long-term charter with Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy. The vessel is scheduled to enter service in 2026, when it will support the Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind Project.“We are excited to get started on this important vessel…

The Portuguese cluster Forum Oceano and Norwegian Offshore Wind have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen collaboration between the supply chains in the two countries.The MoU aims to lay the ground work for new contracts between companies from the two countries.The agreement was signed at a reception this week, during a visit to Portugal organized by Norwegian Offshore Wind and The Norwegian Embassy in Portugal.Forum Oceano and Norwegian Offshore Wind both focus on developing a strong supply chain in floating offshore wind.

The Swedish investigation into the sabotage last year of the Nord Stream pipelines is at a sensitive stage and the prosecutor hopes to decide whether to bring any charges before the end of this year, he told Reuters on Wednesday.In September 2022, several unexplained underwater explosions ruptured the Nord Stream 1 and newly-built Nord Stream 2 pipelines that link Russia and Germany across the Baltic Sea.The blasts occurred in the economic zones of Sweden and Denmark, and both countries say the explosions were deliberate…

Brazilian oil and gas company Enauta, the operator of the Atlanta field in Santos Basin. offshore Brazil, has started the anchoring campaign for the FPSO Atlanta, which is expected to start production in 2024.This marks the start of installation works on what is called Atlanta’s Phase I, which will bring a larger capacity FPSO to the field that has so far been producing oil via the Petrojarl I FPSO."[The anchoring ] stage consists of installing flexible riser anchors and torpedo anchors for the new [FPSO].

Norwegian energy industry giant Equinor has appointed of Samuel Byrne as Vice President of Operations at Equinor Renewables Americas to lead Equinor's offshore wind operations in the U.S.Bryne most recently served as Vice President responsible for Operations & Maintenance at maker Vestas Wind Systems in Asia-Pacific for both onshore and offshore wind farms, as well as solar and battery storage sites. His responsibilities covered 13 countries and approximately 15GW of wind farms either in operations or being commissioned…

A new floating reception terminal for liquefied natural gas (LNG) off the German Baltic Coast should be operational from the first quarter of 2024, gas pipeline operator Gascade, which is building its onshore connection, said on Wednesday.Located off Mukran on the Baltic Sea island of Ruegen, the terminal will host two floating storage and reception units (FSRUs) for LNG deliveries into the German mainland and for exports to eastern European neighbours, as the region ends reliance on Russian pipeline gas."All things going well…

An offshore hydrogen and ammonia production platform design from the Korea Research Institute of Ships & Ocean Engineering (KRISO) has received approval in principle (AIP) from ABS.Developed by KRISO, the unit is designed to produce green hydrogen using electricity generated by a wind farm. Among the features, the design consists of a desalination system that desalinates seawater and turns it into clean water, an electrolysis system that produces hydrogen by electrolyzing water…

U.S. President Joe Biden's plan to deploy 30,000 megawatts (MW) of offshore wind by 2030 is still possible, although not easy, the CEO of Ørsted, the world's largest offshore wind developer, said on Monday at the Climate Week NYC event in New York.The remarks by Ørsted CEO Mads Nipper come as soaring costs and supply chain delays have increasingly cast doubt on the Biden administration's goal, a cornerstone of its plan to fight climate change. The Danish company said at the end of August that it may see U.S.

Two Ulstein-designed Service Operation Vessels (SOV) for Shanghai Electric were launched at the ZPMC construction yard in China on Saturday, September 16.The two vessels are of the ULSTEIN SX195 and SX197 design, carrying 100 POB and 60 POB, respectively. According to Ulstein, these SOVs are the first purpose-made SOVs for China's offshore wind farms and are scheduled to enter service in 2024."The two vessels have Ulstein's iconic design features, the ULSTEIN X-BOW and X-STERN, providing a highly efficient, robust, and state-of-the-art O&M service platform to the end customers.

Eneti's offshore installation services subsidiary Seajacks UK has signed a vessel reservation agreement with an undisclosed client to transport and install turbines.With mobilization starting in the first quarter of 2027, the contract will be performed by one of the company’s two NG16000X Wind Turbine Installation Vessels currently under construction at Hanwha Ocean (ex-Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering) in South Korea. Including mobilization and demobilization, the engagement…

Chevron said on Monday full production had resumed at its strike-hit Wheatstone liquefied natural gas (LNG) facility in Western Australia after a fault last week cut production by about one-fifth.Wheatstone and the nearby Gorgon facility account for over 5% of global LNG supply, and the fault and the strikes did not affect scheduled deliveries, Chevron said, with shipping data on LSEG Eikon also showing exports from Wheatstone were unaffected.Chevron said on Monday full production…

Norwegian offshore support vessel firm DOF said Monday it had won three new service contracts with the Brazilian oil firm Petrobras."The contracts were originated by a competitive bid process won by DOF and include work within our core service lines for Survey and Inspection," DOF said.These contracts represent a continuation of the services handled by DOF on the PIDF123 contracts signed with Petrobras in 2020 and under operation since December of that year.According to DOF, at least three vessels will be deployed to perform flexible pipeline…

Seismic group TGS, a supplier of key data to the oil industry, has agreed to buy loss-making rival PGS in an all-share deal valued at 9.3 billion Norwegian crowns ($864 million), the two Oslo-listed companies said on Monday.The groups expect "significant economies of scale" from the combination, with a preliminary estimate of cost cuts amounting to $50 million, they said in a joint statement.The deal, if approved by regulators, will give TGS ownership of seven modern seismic ships…

The state of California has sued major oil companies including Exxon Mobil, Shell PLC, and Chevron, accusing them of playing down the risks posed by fossil fuels, according to a court filing on Friday.The lawsuit, which also targets BP and ConocoPhillips, alleges the energy giants' actions have caused tens of billions of dollars in damages and accuses them of deceiving the public, the filing in a superior court in San Francisco showed.The American Petroleum Institute, an industry trade group…

President Joe Biden’s goal to deploy 30,000 megawatts of offshore wind along U.S. coastlines this decade to fight climate change may be unattainable due to soaring costs and supply chain delays, according to forecasters and industry insiders.The 2030 target, unveiled shortly after Biden took office, is central to Biden's broader plan to decarbonize the U.S. economy by 2050. It is also crucial to targets of Northeast states hoping wind will help them move away from fossil fuel…

Norwegian offshore vessel owner Siem Offshore has been awarded a contract extension for the multi-purpose support vessel Siem Dorado.The contract extension secures utilization for a period reaching towards the end of Q2 2024.The contract is expected to start in direct continuation of the current contract with continued operations expected outside the North Sea.Built in 2009, the Siem Dorado is a diesel electric-driven vessel. It is designed to meet the general offshore supply market with its 100-ton compensated offshore crane, designed for ROV and light construction duties.

Avangrid, Inc., a U.S. offshore wind developer and part of the Spanish Iberdrola Group on Wednesday announced the start of the wind turbine installation campaign for Avangrid’s Vineyard Wind 1 project offshore Massachusetts, the first commercial-scale offshore wind farm in the United States. The installation campaign follows the transportation earlier this week of the first GE Haliade-X Wind Turbine Generator (WTG) from the New Bedford Marine Commerce Terminal to the wind energy development area more than 30 miles off the coast of Cape Cod.“Over the past year…

Edda Wind held a naming ceremony for its new commissioning service operation vessel (CSOV) Edda Nordri.The 88.3-meter-long vessel is the third in a series of three purpose-built CSOVs built by Spain's Gondan Shipbuilders for Norway-based Edda Wind. Delivered on September 7, Edda Nordri will be ready for operations in the fourth quarter of 2023.The vessel is prepared for emission-free operations with a hydrogen-based propulsion system based on the liquid organic hydrogen carrier (LOHC) concept.The name “Nordri” comes from the Nordic mythology and represents one of the four characters (Nordri…

Woodside Energy last week announced it would start seismic testing for its Scarborough gas project off Australia’s west coast, before reversing the decision in the face of a legal challenge from Traditional Owners.Seismic testing is highly controversial in marine environments. Australia’s federal regulator (the National Offshore Petroleum Safety and Environmental Management Authority) is currently examining a proposal for seismic testing in the Otway Basin in Bass Strait, which conservationists say has attracted more than 30…

The Norwegian offshore vessel Siem Offshore said Monday it had secured a contract extension for the AHTS Siem Topaz with a local client in Taiwan. The contract will start in direct continuation of the current contract, for a firm period reaching into Q4 2024. The vessel will continue to be employed within the offshore wind industry.Offshore Engineer reported back in March that Siem Offshore had secured a medium-term contract for the AHTS Siem Topaz for client Helix Robotics Solutions Inc.

Bibby Marine and its consortium partners are moving forward with plans to build the world’s first zero-emission electric service operation vessel (eSOV) after securing funding for the project from the Zero Emission Vessel Infrastructure (ZEVI) competition.The award, announced Monday at London International Shipping Week, comprises of match funding to build the pioneering vessel, which will operate solely on 20MWh of batteries – a significant step toward achieving the marine industry’s net-zero ambitions.

Norwegian offshore vessel owner DOF has completed the sale of the Skandi Neptune construction support vessel.DOF had agreed to sell the 2001-built vessel to an unnamed "international buyer," in September 2021. It, at the time, said the 104.2 meter-long vessel, would be delivered to the new owner "after completing its current commitments."The vessel, at the time, worked in the Brazilian offshore sector.Skandi Neptune's AIS indicates that the ship arrived in Shanghai, China on Sunday after departing from Cyprus on August 1, 2023.

Japan's Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) will invest in a floating wind technology start-up, TouchWind.TouchWind is developing the tilting angled one-piece rotor wind turbine which is expected to reduce wind interference between wind turbines that tends to occur in large wind farms and improve overall wind farm power generation efficiency. In addition, MOL said, its unique design enables the wind turbines to operate in strong winds, reduces the weight of the wind turbine and floating parts…

Dutch offshore installation contractor Van Oord on Saturday held a christening ceremony in Rotterdam for its new cable laying vessel Calypso."The Calypso is equipped with the latest sustainable technologies and will be a key strategic addition to Van Oord’s offshore wind fleet," Van Oord said.The vessel was christened by Ms. Inca Cerutti. She is the wife of Niek Hoek, chairman of the Supervisory Board. After the ceremony, the  christening lady and employees and guests had the opportunity to board the vessel for a guided tour.The Calypso Van Oord’s second cable-laying vessel.

Lighting solutions specialist Glamox has won a contract from the Norwegian marine seismic survey firm PGS to provide marine LED lighting for eight of its seismic data acquisition vessels.This first phase of the retrofit project will involve replacing fluorescent tube lighting with around 2,500 marine-certified LED luminaires fitted on the exterior and interior of the eight vessels. PGS’s switch to energy-efficient LED lighting is being driven by its desire to comply with emission reduction targets…

Maritime classification society ABS has issued an approval in principle (AIP) to Hanwha Ocean for its design of a liquified natural gas (LNG) carrier equipped with an ammonia-fueled gas turbine.ABS also issued an AIP to Hanwha Power Systems for its supercritical carbon dioxide (sCO2) power system. Efficiency improvements are reported as a result of using sCO2 as a working fluid in the turbine.The 174,000 cbm vessel would be the world’s first carbon emission-free LNG carrier. The LNG carrier can use ammonia and natural gas separately or simultaneously as fuel.

TDI-Brooks announced it has broken ground on a new 16,000 square foot technical building at its headquarters in College Station, Texas, north of of Houston.The building is designed with 5,000 square feet of new office space along with technical work spaces, fabrication shops and storage areas. TDI-technical staff plan to move into the building by the end of the year.“This new location will not only allow for the growth of staff we’ve employed to keep up with the growing demand for our technical services in offshore wind…

Global floating wind capacity will have grown from less than 200 MW at the end of 2022 to around 61 GW of grid connected capacity by 2035. This activity will require over $250 billion in capital expenditure. Over 75% of the forecast activity is expected to come from four countries. The global forecast translates demand to a requirement to pre-lay more than 6,000 mooring spreads within the forecast period and the hook-up of around 5,400 turbines. The available market for vessel owners, ranging from pure T&I to full floater EPCI scopes of work, amounts to $28-145 billion in the forecast period.

A fleet of U.S. offshore wind projects central to President Joe Biden's climate change agenda may not move forward unless his administration eases requirements for subsidies in the year-old Inflation Reduction Act, according to project developers.Norway's Equinor, France's Engie, Portugal's EDP Renewables, and trade groups representing other developers pursuing U.S. offshore wind projects told Reuters they are pressing officials to rewrite the requirements, and warning of lost jobs and investments otherwise."The components needed for our projects to progress simply do not exist in the U.S.

At Gastech 2023, Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI) offers a separate 216 sq. m. exhibition hall at the Singapore Expo venue showcasing its technological developments in LNG and LCO2 transport vessels, centered around the FLNG (Floating Liquefied Natural Gas Production Facility) models.On the September 7, SHI plans to hold a future eco-friendly technology seminar for key customers to address global climate change. Dubbed "Sustainable Future with Green & Digital," the seminar will feature participation from major customers…

Denmark's Orsted, the world's largest offshore wind farm developer, is prepared to walk away from projects in the U.S. unless the Biden administration guarantees more support, Bloomberg News reported on Tuesday, citing the company's CEO. "We are still upholding a real option to walk away," Orsted CEO Mads Nipper told Bloomberg News in an interview. "But right now, we are still working towards a final investment decision on projects in America." Last week Orsted said it may see U.S.

A fishing vessel has been converted to operate as a Jones Act compliant crew transfer vessel (CTV) in the U.S. offshore wind industry.Hornblower Marine announced it converted the former fishing vessel Nice Day Too for New Bedford, Mass. based Coast Line Transfers.The 59-foot-long Capt. Les Eldridge, which was originally constructed on the Gulf Coast, underwent extensive bow conversion and other vessel upgrades at Hornblower Marine’s Bridgeport, Conn. facility to provide necessary cargo and passenger loading space required to safely serve offshore wind platforms…

Norwegian offshore vessel owner Solstad Offshore has secured new contracts for two of its subsea vessels (CSV). CSV “Normand Baltic” has been awarded a 180-day contract for providing “Walk to Work” services on an unnamed offshore wind project in Asia. The contract will start in October 2023.CSV “Normand Samson” has been hired for a period of a minimum of 260 days to support a field development project in South America with start in in the first quarter 2024. "Commercial terms between the parties are in line with present market conditions for this type of vessels.

Floating LNG solutions provider Höegh LNG and the Norwegian oil and gas firm Aker BP have entered a strategic partnership to develop a "fully comprehensive carbon transport and storage offering for industrial CO2 emitters in Northern Europe.""The agreement combines the companies’ respective strengths, expertise, and technologies to establish a strong value chain for CCS on the Norwegian Continental Shelf that includes gathering, transporting and securely injecting CO2 for permanent storage in subsea reservoirs…

Much has been written recently about the challenges facing U.S. offshore wind projects, resulting in requests to terminate or renegotiate contracts to sell power to states. Examples of these challenges can be found from Massachusetts to Virginia. Coming on top of last week’s somewhat disappointing events of the Gulf of Mexico lease auction, speculation has mounted around the longer-term prospects for U.S. wind. But how serious is this problem, and what does it mean to the longer-term goals of the federal administration to deploy 30 GW of offshore wind by 203 and 110 GW by 2050?Below…

SEAONICS has received an order to supply the electric controlled motion compensated (ECMC) gangway and crane package for U.K based Purus Wind's new commissioning service operation vessels (CSOV). The order includes delivery of equipment for two vessels, built by VARD for delivery in 2025 and 2026.Both vessels will be equipped with the all-electric ECMC gangway and crane bundled together in one package.The two CSOVs are of VARD 4 19 design developed by Vard Design in Ålesund, Norway.

The offshore supply vessel industry has weathered a tumultuous decade characterized by a prolonged trough that tested the resilience of vessel owners. However, the tides have turned, and the industry is now experiencing a strong and much-awaited revival.The offshore supply vessel industry has weathered a tumultuous decade characterized by a prolonged trough that tested the resilience of vessel owners. However, the tides have turned, and the industry is now experiencing a strong and much-awaited revival.While long seen as a derelict industry by investors…

Offshore drilling contractor Transocean announced it has been awarded a $222 million contract for one of its ultra-deepwater drillships to go to work offshore India.India's state-controlled Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Ltd awarded the binding notification of award for Transocean's Dhirubhai Deepwater KG1, a sixth-generation drillship built in 2009 by South Korea's Samsung Heavy Industries.The 21-month program is expected to commence in the first quarter of 2024, contributing an estimated $222 million in backlog…

Samsung Heavy Industries has received basic certification for a floating CO2 storage unit (FCSU) from DNV.The FCSU, jointly developed by Samsung Heavy Industries and MISC, is 330 meters long and 64 meters wide, and has a high-pressure tank capacity that can store 100,000 cubic meters of liquefied CO2 at -50 degrees Celsius or less.The injection module mounted on the upper part of the hull secures the ability to send five million tons (MTPA) of CO2 per year to the depths of the seabed.

The low interest in the first-ever auction of offshore wind farm development rights in the Gulf of Mexico marks a potentially serious setback for U.S. President Joe Biden’s green energy agenda, and the U.S. offshore wind sector in general.U.S. officials had touted the auction as a key milestone in Biden’s agenda to make offshore wind a cornerstone of U.S. efforts to fight fossil-fuel-driven climate change.But with only a single bid of $5.6 million emerging for the rights to 102…

Only one of three available areas was sold during the United States' first ever offshore wind lease sale in the Gulf of Mexico on Tuesday.The auction, held by the Interior Department's Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) offered up three sites for offshore wind development, including one in Louisiana (Lake Charles) and two in Texas (Galveston I and II). Together, the three shallow water sites contain a theoretical potential of 3.7 gigawatts (GW). While 16 companies had prequalified to participate in the auction, bid activity was subdued.

The first wing sail from Oceanbird, Wing 560, has received Approval in Principle (AiP) from DNV.“It is one of the first stiff wing sails that will tilt in hard winds as a safety feature, that gets an Approval in Principle," said Niclas Dahl, Managing Director, Oceanbird. "Therefore, it is reassuring that DNV supports our safety philosophy since we are now going from vision into realization. In just a few months, we will begin to assemble our first full-scale wing prototypes, which…

DEME Group has released its half year results saying its orderbook is 7.7 billion euro ($8.3 billion), up 36% compared to H1 2022, reflecting continued healthy demand and strong market positioning across all segments.Group turnover grew 14% year-over-year to 1.5 billion euro ($1.6), with growth in the offshore energy and environmental segments. Net profit was 30 million euro ($32 million), down from 39 million euro ($42 million) a year ago, primarily due to negative exchange rate results.Luc Vandenbulcke…

Cadeler A/S published its interim financial report for the first half of 2023 presenting a positive result exceeding the guidance projected for the fiscal year 2023. Revenue in the first six months of 2023 was EUR 68 million, which is an increase of 57% against the same period last year. Adjusted EBITDA for the first half of 2023 was EUR 44 million, which is a EUR 21 million increase compared to the same period last year. EBITDA for H1 2023 was EUR 42 million. Profit for the period is EUR 29 million, which is EUR 19 million higher than the same period in 2022.

Norwegian Offshore Wind has signed an MoU with The Polish Investment and Trade Agency, aiming to boost offshore wind collaboration between the two countries.“These two markets have different strengths within offshore wind, and we therefore have a lot to gain on establishing strong connections between both supply chain companies and developers,” says Arvid Nesse, manager of Norwegian Offshore Wind, an organisation with 380 members.Nesse points out that Poland has experience within construction…

Maersk Supply Service has announced that it will focus on scale and competitiveness in two core business areas: offshore wind and offshore support vessels.By focusing on fewer business areas and regions, the company says it will increase its presence in core markets, increase synergies in its operations and improve profitability.The offshore vessel markets continue to improve, and the energy transition continues to accelerate. Therefore, Maersk Supply Service will focus on building scale in these two business areas where the company can benefit from a young and energy efficient fleet…

Danish partners ESVAGT and Hvide Sande Shipyard are collaborating to create larger and stronger transfer boats, with room to transport more technicians and cargo for the offshore wind industry.Many years ago, ESVAGT introduced safe transfer boats (STB) to operate as daughter craft from their service operation vessels (SOV) to transfer technicians in offshore wind farms.Now, the new STB15, developed with Hvide Sande Shipyard for use on the Hornsea offshore wind farms, will be able…

The U.S. Gulf Coast region, the nation's primary offshore source of oil and gas, has cheap electricity and lacks state mandates for renewable energy procurement, making it an unlikely place to expand one of the most expensive forms of clean energy.That is why players in the nascent U.S. offshore wind industry are looking beyond the grid when the Biden administration holds the first-ever offshore wind auction in the Gulf of Mexico on Tuesday, eyeing the sale instead as a way to…

Glamox launched new range of energy-efficient indoor lighting for vessels and offshore installations, with an eye on style.The AL40 LED range of indoor luminaires is specially designed to light the interior of vessels and offshore installations. The luminaires are designed to provide comfortable and glare-free lighting for locations where crew and passengers spend a lot of time. This includes offices, cabin corridors, staircases, crew cabins, control rooms, and the bridge. On an offshore rig…

Danish offshore charging solutions company Stillstrom has signed an MoU with UK offshore support vessel operator North Star to accelerate the adoption of offshore charging and vessel electrification technologies for service operation vessels (SOVs) in the offshore wind sector.Stillstrom’s charging solutions will enable North Star's growing SOV fleet to recharge their battery systems using wind energy while in the field.By combining their expertise and resources, the two companies will promote hybrid and full-electric vessels and charging solutions to offshore wind developers…

An oil and gas industry trade group, the state of Louisiana and Chevron on Thursday sued the Biden administration over its decision to withdraw acreage from an upcoming oil and gas lease sale in the Gulf of Mexico to protect an endangered whale.The suit is the latest dispute between the oil and gas industry and the administration of President Joe Biden over leasing federal lands and waters for energy development.Biden paused federal drilling auctions shortly after taking office in 2021 as part of his climate change agenda…

It’s a big deal when a U.S. president visits an American shipyard, and these trips always send a message. When President Obama spoke at HII’s Newport News Shipbuilding in 2013, he warned of the consequences of sequestration. President Trump’s 2020 speech at Fincantieri Marinette Marine touted a $5.5 billion naval contract that gave a welcome boost to the Wisconsin shipyard and its supply chain partners. Most recently, President Biden traveled to Philadelphia’s Philly Shipyard…

Morgan Stanley's infrastructure investment arm is teaming up with U.S. maritime, energy and logistics solutions company Crowley to advance offshore wind energy solutions for the United States.Investment funds managed by Morgan Stanley Infrastructure Partners (MSIP), a private infrastructure fund platform within Morgan Stanley Investment Management (MSIM), will hold a majority stake in Crowley Wind Services Holdings, a joint venture combining Crowley's end-to-end maritime and logistics capabilities with the financial strength and expertise of Morgan Stanley.

Subsea 7 has signed a three-year strategic partnership with Talos Energy to deliver commercial solutions for subsea engineering, construction and installation projects in the U.S.

Major Asian buyers of LNG could seek US cargoes in the coming weeks if worker-related disputes at key LNG facilities in Australia escalate, analysts said, as electricity demand continues surge due to warm weather.Uncertainty over labour disputes at western Australian facilities run by Woodside Energy Group and U.S. major Chevron have spurred Asian LNG prices to their highest in five months, and analysts say they could rise further.As many as 700 workers at the Australian facilities could potentially down tools over pay and job security, the first of them as early as Sept.

National Ocean Industries Association (NOIA) President Erik Milito has said that the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) issue of a Notice to Lessees (NTL) with recommended restrictions on ongoing industry activities within the expanded Rice's Whale habitat area imposes “unwarranted restrictions on U.S. energy production at a time of continued inflation with prices rising at the pump for consumers.”With likely fewer than 100 individuals remaining, Rice's whales are one of the most endangered whales in the world.

A storm system brewing in the Gulf of Mexico could strengthen into a named storm as it takes aim at the Texas coast, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said on Monday.The system, named Potential Tropical Cyclone 9, was about 480 miles (770 km) east-southeast of Port Mansfield, Texas and was packing maximum sustained winds of 30 miles (45 km) per hour, the Miami-based hurricane center said. It could cause coastal flooding along the south Texas coast between Monday night and Tuesday…

While trouble areas continue to emerge in the young U.S. offshore wind industry, analysts at Intelatus Global Partners maintain an optimistic outlook for the industry in the long term.The business intelligence and consulting firm said in its latest U.S. Offshore Wind Report that it sees long-term foundations for the U.S. offshore wind sector solidifying, referencing several positive advancements such as the recently announced auction of three shallow water lease areas with at least 3.6 gigawatts (GW) of capacity in the Gulf of Mexico at the end of the month…

Dutch offshore access provider Ampelmann announced it has signed a new contract to build two more W-type systems for Ulstein, on behalf of one of Germany’s major shipowners. This is Ampelmann's second contract with Ulstein to provide an integrated gangway system on two new vessels.The two W-types are estimated to be delivered by 2025 with the contracts including two systems firm, followed by a potential two plus two in the client options. These systems are intended for offshore wind use to assist in the transferring of both personnel and cargo from vessel onto offshore platforms.

Artemis Technologies on Thursday announced what it described as "the latest evolution" of the Artemis EF-12 Crew Transfer Vessel (CTV) and daughter craft, featuring a revitalized design that, the company says, raises the bar for crew comfort and operational excellence during offshore missions."The Artemis EF-12 CTV has been designed for everyday crew transfer operations, providing seamless transportation for personnel between port or vessel and offshore installations," Artemis Technologies said.Key Enhancements of the Revitalised Artemis EF-12 CTV…

There's a new player in the Jones Act crew transfer vessel (CTV) market: Blue Ocean Transfers (BOT), based on Long Island, N.Y.The McQuilling-Partners-owned company is planning to build a fleet of CTVs to support the U.S. offshore wind industry as it ramps up to meet the Biden administration's goal of 30 gigawatts (GW) of offshore wind by 2030. "BOT is a marine logistics equipment manager, whose equipment is chartered and deployed by wind field developers and their suppliers," the company said in a statement.

The keel has been laid for the United States' first plug-in hybrid service operation vessel (SOV) at Edison Chouest Offshore's (ECO) LaShip Shipyard in Houma, La.Louisiana-based ECO has a 10-year charter agreement to operate the SOV for Empire Offshore Wind, a joint venture between Equinor and BP, starting form the mid-2020s.The 262-foot-long vessel will accommodate up to 60 wind turbine technicians for operations and maintenance work at the Empire Wind 1 and Empire Wind 2 offshore wind farms off the coast of Long Island…

The Dredging Contractors of America (DCA), a trade association representing the U.S. dredging and marine construction industry, said it strongly supports the development of a robust offshore wind industry.“As the industry grows in the United States and along the U.S. East Coast, the DCA and its companies are working with state and federal regulators on matters related to dredging operations,” said William P. Doyle, CEO of the Dredging Contractors of America.The U.S offshore wind…

Singapore-based shipbuilder Strategic Marine announced it has commissioned a study to validate greenhouse gas emissions reduction using the Sea Forrest Green Cabin Energy Saving System, its latest system in collaboration with Sea Forrest.Sea Forrest delivers energy management solutions through marine electric and hybrid propulsion, marine charging and marine energy storage systems. The deployment of Green Cabin Energy Saving System marks the first time such a system is being used on board fast crew boats (FCB).

The Golar Gimi FLNG unit, being built for BP's Tortue Ahmeyim project in Senegal/Mauritania offshore area, is set to sail away next month.According to Golar LNG, tasked with delivering the unit, the FLNG Gimi conversion works 97% complete. Golar LNG said that FLNG Gimi was scheduled to leave the yard in September 2023. „Final checks, storing up and sea trials will then take place in Singapore ahead of her voyage to Mauritania and Senegal, expected to commence around the end of September/early October…

The United Nations said on Friday it had completed the removal of more than 1 million barrels of oil from a decaying supertanker off Yemen's Red Sea coast, averting a potential environmental disaster.U.N. officials and activists have been warning for years that the entire Red Sea coastline was at risk, as the rusting Safer tanker could have ruptured or exploded, spilling four times as much oil as the 1989 Exxon Valdez disaster off Alaska.The war in Yemen caused the suspension of maintenance operations on the Safer in 2015.

Solstad Offshore has been awarded two contracts worth $100 million in total from Brazilian clients.The Norwegian offshore vessel owner said that its construction support vessel, Normand Pioneer, won an extension of its charter contract with the Brazilian oil company PRIO for a period of 18 months to August 2025. The vessel will support PRIO's E&P activities in Brazilian waters. Also, Solstad and Equinor Brazil have agreed to convert the platform supply vessel Normand Carioca to a Well Stimulation Vessel (WSV) and extend the present contract until December 2027.

Asia Pacific-focused Jadestone Energy, which last month shut down production from its Montara Venture FPSO off Western Australia due to an issue with the FPSO's 4S ballast water tank,is still working to address the defect in the tank.Jadestone Energy said Thursday that since the shutdown, tank 4S has been emptied and cleaned, with an inspection starting on August 8, 2023."The initial inspection has identified the location of a small defect between tank 4S and oil cargo tank 5C…

Norwegian firm Brunvoll has secured a contract to deliver propulsion and manoeuvring packages for Purus Wind's two new Commissioning Service Operation Vessels (CSOV).Each vessel will be outfitted with two azimuth thrusters for propulsion, and two retractable azimuth thrusters and a tunnel thruster for manoeuvring The scope of supply features also Brunvoll's Propulsion and Thruster Control system, Brucon PTC."The offshore wind market will be an important segment for Brunvoll in…

COSCO shipping claims a new record for the heaviest tonnage and largest volume of a single piece of cargo carried.The record came with the smooth departure of the deepwater drilling platform, Deep Blue Exploration, transiting from Singapore to China on the 80,000-ton semi-submersible ship Xin Yaohua operated by COSCO Shipping Special Transport.CNOOC's Deep Blue Exploration platform is the world's first drilling platform independently designed and built by in China to obtain DNV’s smart certification.

Wave measurement specialist Miros said Tuesday it had secured numerous contracts with new clients in the offshore vessel market during the first half of this year for its sea state as a service offering.The new as a service (aaS) contracts span the global offshore vessel market, with particular emphasis on the key markets of UKCS, Norway, and Brazil, Miros said, without providing details on contract values or client identities.The projects will see the Miros WaveSystem deployed across vessels…

U.S. offshore vessel operator, builder and owner Edison Chouest Offshore (ECO) is constructing the U.S. offshore wind industry’s first ever mini-crew transfer vessel (CTV), designed by U.K.-based Chartwell Marine.Set to enter service in summer 2024, the 39-foot catamaran will serve as a daughter craft deployed from ECO's ECO Edison, the first U.S.-built service operation vessel (SOV). The vessel has capacity for up to 12 personnel and is designed to be deployed from ECO Edison during extended offshore stays…

Marine Aluminium AS has won a contract to supply the U.S. offshore vessel firm Hornbeck Offshore Services a helideck for its new conversion project. The 21-meter helideck has a landing capacity of up to Sikorsky S-92-sized helicopters.As previously reported by Offshore Engineer, Hornbeck Offshore will convert one of its recently acquired 280-foot offshore supply vessels (OSV) to a service operation vessel (SOV) to meet the growing demand of the U.S. offshore wind market, as well as to serve the demands of the offshore flotel market.

Avangrid, a U.S.-based subsidiary of the Spanish renewable energy giant Iberdrola, on Monday shared a photo of the completed Vineyard Wind 1 offshore wind substation.This is the first offshore wind substation installed in the U.S. and will serve the country's first large-scale offshore wind farm - Vineyard Wind.DEME Offshore used its flagship vessel, Orion, to install the 3,000-ton Vineyard Wind 1 substation.The offshore substation serves to collect the generated electricity from 62 wind turbines and sends the power through an export cable and into the regional electricity grid.Once completed…

U.S. energy company Dominion Energy said on Friday that its roughly $10 billion Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind project was on budget and on track for completion in late 2026.The company said in its second quarter earnings presentation that it expected to get a Record of Decision from the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Management (BOEM) in the second half of 2023. The Record of Decision is a step in the process before construction can start.The roughly 2,600-megawatt (MW) project consists of 176 turbines…

Norwegian offshore vessel operator Golden Energy Offshore Services (GEOS) has entered into a binding Memorandum of Agreement for the acquisition of four platform supply vessels and one subsea support vessel from subsidiaries of Vroon Holding B.V. for a total consideration of $94 million.Dutch vessel owner Vroon earlier this year completed the implementation of the financial restructuring for the “new” Vroon focusing on specialized fleet of deepsea vessels (livestock carriers, product tankers, and high-heat tankers) and emergency response and rescue vessels (ERRV).

The U.S. Coast Guard on Thursday medevaced a 71-year-old man from an offshore supply vessel around 100 miles southwest of Port Fourchon, Louisiana.Coast Guard Sector New Orleans watchstanders received a call at approximately 2:51 a.m. from the vessel's captain requesting assistance to medevac a passenger experiencing low blood pressure and dizziness.Sector New Orleans watchstanders then coordinated the launch of a Coast Guard Air Station New Orleans MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter aircrew to assist.The aircrew arrived on scene…

Shuttle tanker owner KNOT Offshore Partners will appoint Derek Lowe as new Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer with effect from the week of September 11, 2023.The new appointment comes following the decision of Gary Chapman to step down as the Partnership’s CEO/CFO announced on April 10, 2023. Lowe will join the KNOT Offshore Partners from Telford Offshore, a provider of accommodation, construction, and pipelaying in the global offshore energy services industry.

A Jones-Act-compliant offshore supply vessel (OSV) has been converted for use as a crew transfer vessel (CTV) in the growing U.S. offshore wind industry.Windea CTV, a joint venture between MidOcean Wind and the Hornblower Group, said the vessel Gateway Endeavor was converted by Hornblower Marine in Bridgeport, Conn. Updates included the addition of a bow platform, forward and aft fendering systems, bow thruster, digital throttle controls, a new electrical system, removable railings and additional seating.

Crown LNG Holdings AS, a provider of LNG liquefaction and regasification terminal technologies for harsh weather locations, has agreed to merge with Catcha Investment Corp, a publicly traded special purpose acquisition company, that would result in Crown becoming a U.S. publicly listed company. The combined company, named Crown LNG Holdings Limited (“PubCo”), intends to apply to list its shares on the New York Stock Exchange under the new ticker symbol “CGBS”.Crown designs and…

Norwegian offshore vessel owner Golden Energy Offshore Services AS (GEOS) has secured a contract extension with Repsol for its Energy Swan platform supply vessel in Norway.The contract is a direct continuation of the current charter contract from 2021.The large PSV Energy Swan was chartered in 2021 for a firm period of one year, plus another optional year.Since the expiration of the firm period, the two companies have agreed to several extensions, with this latest being for two more months, until November  1, 2023.

BP and its partner Equinor are renegotiating the terms of power supply agreements linked to their giant wind developments off the U.S.

Dutch marine services firm Boskalis said Monday it had completed the installation of the first U.S.-made offshore substation, built for the South Fork Wind offshore wind project.Kiewit built the 1,500-ton, 60-foot-tall substation at its Ingleside facility near Corpus Christi. After installing the foundation and the modular support frame, this week at Ørsted and Eversource’s South Fork Wind, Boskalis' Bokalift 2 offshore installation vessel completed the offshore substation installation work by lifting and installing the topside.

The U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) on Monday announced three final Wind Energy Areas (WEAs) offshore Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia.These areas, BOEM said, were developed following extensive engagement and feedback from states, Tribes, local residents, ocean users, federal government partners, and other members of the public.If fully developed, the final WEAs could support between four and eight gigawatts of energy production. The Biden administration has a goal of deploying 30 gigawatts (GW) of offshore wind energy capacity by 2030.The three WEAs total approximately 356…

FPSO leasing company BW Offshore has signed a short-term extension for its Abo FPSO.The extension was signed with Nigerian Agip Exploration Ltd, a subsidiary of the Italian oil firm Eni, and runs until August 14, 2023.BW Offshore has been in talks to divest the FPSO, which is operating at the Abo field offshore Nigeria, and is seen as non-core to its FPSO fleet. This extension is the latest in a series of short-term extensions announced for the Abo FPSO recently.The ABO FPSO started producing in April 2003.

Offshore wind vessel firm Purus Wind has appointed Oliver MacManus as general manager, with immediate effect.MacManus will focus on overseeing the running of the construction/service operation vessels (“C/SOV”) business. "The appointment is integral to positioning Purus Wind for future growth as the business continues to expand its fleet of next-generation battery hybrid C/SOVs and crew transfer vessels (“CTVs”)," Purus Wind said.Tom Nevin, business head, Purus Wind said: “Oliver is a great asset to the team, strengthening its leadership as the business continues to grow.

Malaysia's Perdana Petroleum's subsidiary, Perdana Nautika, has secured a contract for the provision of an anchor handling, Tug, and Supply (“AHTS”) vessel to RMS Synergy.The contract started on June 13, 2023, and has a 60-day duration. The contract is valued at around RM4.3 million (currently around $944,328).Perdana Nautica said it would provide an AHTS vessel with crews and equipment to perform a continuous service "for the purpose of assisting on the project activities."Perdana did not say what kind of project activities exactly the vessel would be supporting…

Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Corporation has signed the first ever subcontract for rock procurement for a U.S. offshore wind farm with Carver Sand & Gravel LLC (“Carver”), a U.S. quarry in the state of New York.Through this subcontract, Great Lakes will use rock produced in the State of New York to provide scour protection for offshore wind turbine foundations, and substations at Equinor and BP's Empire Wind I and Empire Wind II wind farms. The rock will be quarried locally, transported to the quayside on the Hudson River…