Pierce News

Briggs Marine announced its is adding a new pilot vessel to its fleet in response to demand for pilot services within the U.K.Built by Goodchild Marine and scheduled for delivery in March, the Forth Navigator is a 12m version of the now well-established ORC design, incorporating the high levels of performance and crew comfort, Briggs Marine said.From March 2024, the Forth Navigator will be available for charter for a range of activities, including pilot boat duties and harbor patrol either on a short or long-term basis.

The Port of London Authority (PLA) has signed a contract with British family-run company, Goodchild Marine Services Ltd, to build a new pilot vessel.PLA’s Director of Marine Operations, Steven Clapperton, said, “Goodchild has proven over many years that they are at the leading edge of vessel design and build. This new vessel is designed specifically for our current and future operational needs, and will incorporate the latest in technology, reducing fuel consumption, minimising environmental impacts…

Pacific Northwest seaports Seattle and Tacoma have signed design agreements with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) for a pair of waterway navigation improvement projects.The Seattle Navigation Improvement Project, authorized by Congress in 2018, and the Tacoma Harbor Navigation Improvement Project, authorized in 2022, are part of a comprehensive modernization initiative for The Northwest Seaport Alliance (NWSA) gateway that began nearly a decade ago.Containerships navigating in the trans-Pacific trade are increasing in size…

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has announced nearly $10 million for seven projects that will accelerate development and testing of marine energy technologies. These investments advance research on wave-powered technology for use in seawater desalination and support a feasibility study for a potential ocean current test facility. “Marine energy technologies have incredible potential to provide clean electricity as well as clean water,” said Alejandro Moreno, Acting Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.

President Vladimir Putin sent a frigate to the Atlantic Ocean armed with new generation hypersonic cruise missiles on Wednesday, a signal to the West that Russia will not back down over the war in Ukraine.Russia, China, and the United States are in a race to develop hypersonic weapons, which are seen as a way to gain an edge over any adversary because of their speeds - above five times the speed of sound - and maneuverability.In a video conference with Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu and Igor Krokhmal…

UK boat builder Goodchild Marine Services Limited said it is to build a new pilot boat for Portland Harbour Authority in Dorset. The Great Yarmouth based company will construct an ORC 121 for Portland Port; part of broader investment the port is making to enable larger cruise ships and Royal Fleet Auxiliary ships to berth alongside. Scheduled to enter service in 2025, the vessel will be the third pilot boat of its class in the Southwest, built and supplied by Goodchild Marine in recent years.Features of this class of vessel include a beak bow hull design with minimal drag…

As yachts continue to increase in size, so does Derecktor Shipyards’ commitment to servicing them, the company said.It was in 2021 when Derecktor again unveiled the world’s largest mobile boat hoist, but this time at its brand-new shipyard at the Port of Fort Pierce. With a 1,500-ton capacity, the massive lift can safely haul boats up to 75 meters in length out of the water for service or refit.Most recently, the 1,500-ton machine at Derecktor Ft. Pierce hauled Coral Ocean, a 73-meter superyacht launched in 1994 by Lürssen.

Bluewater's Haewene Brim FPSO, normally used for oil production from Shell's Pierce Field in the UK North Sea, has recently arrived in Haugesund, Norway.Norwegian engineering and construction Aibel shared a video of the FPSO arrival in Haugesund, towed by a Maersk Supply Service vessel. In Norway, the Haewene Brim FPSO, built in 1996,  will undergo upgrades and life extension work.While at Aibel's yard, the FPSO will also be upgraded to allow for gas export, the Norwegian firm said.According to World Energy Reports' FPSO database…

Plaintiffs seeking to recover from ship managers or the vessels they operate but lacking a direct claim against a particular vessel have developed a clever strategy under U.S. maritime law. They seize a managed vessel under Supplemental Admiralty Rule B and claim the vessel-owning company is an alter ego of the defendant with whom the dispute really exists. In this way, plaintiffs can take advantage of the relatively low evidentiary bar to delve into protracted discovery to develop…

Derecktor Shipyards announced on Thursday that Richard Steady will be joining the U.S. shipbuilding and repair company as chief operating officer.Steady has held many executive maritime positions prior to joining Derecktor. He began his career at Maritrans, the global shipping and transportation company, where he rose to the position of director of government and regulatory affairs. He also held key roles at marine construction and dredging operator Weeks Marine, where he was director of marine services…

AST said it has secured an order to supply its iRAMS monitoring systems for Norfolk, U.K. boat builder Goodchild Marine Services, to install on nine new ORC fast pilot vessels being built for British ports.The Pantocarene-designed launches were ordered in November by Associated British Ports in a £9 million deal. Construction of the first vessel has already begun and it is expected to be delivered to ABP’s Humber region in 2021. In total, ABP has commissioned five vessels to serve its Humber ports…

A gravel barge allided with private docks and homes near Gig Harbor, Wash., after the master of the towing vessel fell asleep at the helm.The U.S. Coast Guard said Monday that its watchstanders at Sector Puget Sound received notification from Pierce County dispatch that an unmanned gravel barge, under tow by the towing vessel Island Chief, had smashed into several privately-owned docks and residences. No injuries or pollution have been reported. Initial findings indicate that the master of the towing vessel fell asleep while navigating the vessel…

U.S. shipbuilder SAFE Boats International will reopen its Tacoma, Wash. facility following the award of a $20 million lead contract for the U.S. Navy to start construction of the Mark VI patrol boats headed for the government of Ukraine.The U.S. Navy announced in January it had awarded SAFE Boats a portion of the contract to purchase long-lead material and associated pre-production and planning support with the remaining $80 million award anticipated in June.SAFE Boats’ Tacoma…

FPSO operator Bluewater Services signed a framework agreement with marine engineering and maintenance firm Royston for engine overhaul, repair, and associated services on two of its FPSOs.Under the agreement, Royston will carry out planned engine maintenance and emergency repairs on the Haewene Brim and Aoka Mizu FPSOs operating in the North Sea. The framework includes main engine work on both vessels as well as on generator sets and fire pumps.The Samsung built 103,000 DWT, Hæwene Brim…

Plans to convert the century-old Port of Fort Pierce into a repair and refit facility for the global fleet of megayachts and large sailing yachts are moving full speed ahead.After a lengthy permitting and review process, Derecktor Shipyards has been granted approval from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Florida Department of Environmental Protection, St. Lucie County Board of County Commissioners and the City of Fort Pierce to begin construction of its newest shipyard – Derecktor Ft.

Plans to convert the nearly 100-year-old Port of Fort Pierce into a full-service repair and refit facility for the global fleet of megayachts cleared a significant hurdle, Derecktor Shipyards announced.After 11 months of review, the engineering and plans for Derecktor Ft. Pierce’s new haul-out basin have been officially approved by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, paving way for construction to commence once the City of Fort Pierce Building Department gives its final approval.“Securing a permit from the U.S.

A U.S. Coast Guard Station Fort Pierce 33-foot Special Purpose Craft—Law Enforcement boat and a 23-foot pleasure craft with five people aboard were involved in a collision Saturday near Manatee Pocket, in Florida.As a result of the collision, the pleasure craft began taking on water and became submerged in the channel.The people aboard the pleasure craft were embarked by the Coast Guard boat crew and taken to Sandsprit Park.One person from the pleasure craft was reported to be injured and was transported to Martin County Memorial Hospital for treatment. No other injuries were reported.

Make sure you know who you are really contracting with.A famous U.S. politician once insisted that “it takes a village to raise a child.” That said, any marine operator will tell you that it takes an even larger village and a ridiculous number of contracts to operate a vessel, and even more to manage a fleet of vessels. To make our marine operations run, we have to agree to contracts that provide for the construction or charter of a vessel, staffing, vessel catering, communications, fuel, maintenance, provisions, software, inspections, etc.

Bollinger Shipyards announces the promotion of Christian Pierce to Director of Engineering.Within this role, Pierce will lead the engineering department in all facets of engineering on both government and commercial programs and is responsible for the execution of functional and design engineering compliant with customer requirements.Since joining the Bollinger team in 2017, Mr. Pierce held the positions of Lead Engineer and Engineering Manager in which he was responsible for supervising and directing the naval architecture…

Coast Guard Hurricane Dorian response operations are underway in support of the Bahamas.As of Wednesday at 1000 hours:Coast Guard crews from across the Coast Guard have rescued 61 people and rescued four pets in the Bahamas since Hurricane Dorian began.The Coast Guard is currently conducting air operations based out of Andros Island, Bahamas. Other aspects f the USCG response are as follows:Port Condition Zulu is set for the Port of Palm BeachPort Condition Four for the Ports of Fort Pierce…

Dorian weakened on Tuesday but was heading north-westward and growing in size, moving "dangerously close" to the Florida east coast late Tuesday through Wednesday evening, the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) said.Dorian, now a Category 2 storm on the five-step Saffir-Simpson Wind Scale, is located about 105 miles (170 kilometers) east of Fort Pierce, Florida, with maximum sustained winds of 110 miles per hour (175 km per hour).Separately, and from Portsmouth, VA, the Captain of the Port set Port Condition X-ray for the Port of Virginia at 9 a.m.

Derecktor is a diverse boatbuilding organization, with a multitude of yards and long experience building  hundreds of yachts, workboats and military craft. Its shipyards today include:• Robert E. Derecktor: The company headquarters located 25 miles north of Manhattan in Mamaroneck, NY, and the original Derecktor yard. Today, the site remains as the company’s new construction base, and it also provides repair services for a variety of yachts and commercial craft.• Derecktor Robinhood: Located in Riggs Cove…

The bodies of three boaters from Europe who died in an Alaska lake were surrounded by frozen debris, a sign that the victims were killed by ice that fell from the melting glacier that feeds the lake, officials in the city of Valdez said on Thursday.The victims were identified by the city as two Germans and an Austrian and were found dead on Tuesday morning in Valdez Glacier Lake, about 120 miles (193 km) east of Anchorage.The victims were found in an area that "was littered with floating icebergs, glacial slush and challenging terrain for recovery," said a statement released by Valdez city officials.Those conditions, plus the location of the remains near the toe of Valdez Glacier…