Port Of Tyne News

The first phase of the Dogger Bank Wind Farm has started exporting electricity to British consumers.The 3.6GW Dogger Bank Wind Farm is being constructed in UK waters 70 nautical miles (130 kilometers, 80 miles) off the coast of Yorkshire in the UK’s North Sea in three 1.2GW phases known as Dogger Bank A, B and C.Dogger Bank will occupy an area almost as large as Greater London and nearly twice the size of New York City. When fully complete, its 3.6GW capacity will comprise 277…

An international shipping company will install revolutionary solar cells on its vessels to manage and store renewable energy following successful trials in Equatorial waters.Carisbrooke Shipping Ltd, which operates a fleet of multi-purpose vessels from offices in Cowes on the Isle of Wight, signed a letter of intent with Anglesey and Manchester-based Grafmarine to utilize the cutting-edge NanoDeck AI Solar tile management solution.The companies have worked in partnership over the last 12 months…

On July 1 the Port of Tyne launched a 'next-generation' Vessel Traffic Services (VTS) system to enhance VTS operator situational awareness and supports decision making.The system adheres to the standards set by the International Association of Marine Aids to Navigation and Lighthouse Authorities (IALA), covers the waters of the Port of Tyne in the UK, extending from six nautical miles out at sea to three nautical miles inland. It uses the Automatic Identification System (AIS)…

UK-based offshore vessel owner North Star this week held a naming ceremony for the Grampian Tyne service operation vessel (SOV) which will be deployed at work at the Dogger Bank offshore wind farm in the UK.The vessel was named at a ceremony at Equinor’s Port of Tyne base in the North East of England (UK), ahead of its early handover to the Dogger Bank Wind Farm.The traditional good luck celebration, involving the customary champagne bottle being smashed against the hull of the ship…

UK-based offshore vessel owner North Star Group has won another service operations vessel (SOV) contract at the Dogger Bank wind farm, this time for the third phase.North Star Group said Thursday it had secured a long-term charter worth about £90 million ($118,7 million) to deliver an additional ship for Dogger Bank C to support offshore wind technicians working in the field.The contract comes a week after SSE Renewables, with partner Equinor, reached financial close on Dogger Bank C, the third phase of what will be the world’s largest offshore wind farm, located in the UK North Sea.

North Star Renewables, a North Star Shipping subsidiary established earlier this year to target offshore wind business opportunities, said Monday it had finalized a funding package of £96 million (around $131 million) to build its new renewables vessel fleet.The Aberdeen-based company has contracts in hand worth around £270 million (~$368 million), to deliver three service operation vessels (SOVs) to be used on what will be the world’s largest offshore wind farm, the 3.6GW Dogger…

Aberdeen-based offshore wind vessel firm North Star Renewables has named Steve Myers as SOV operations director.As part of this newly created role, Myers, who most recently worked for wind turbine maker Siemens Gamesa Renewables, will oversee North Star Renewables’ service offshore vessel (SOV) fleet designed for offshore wind support. He will be based in his hometown at the firm’s Port of Tyne office. The recently created North Star Renewables, part of ERRV vessel specialist North Star Shipping…

Aberdeen-based offshore vessel owner North Star Renewables has won contracts worth around £270 million (~$375 million), to deliver three service operation vessels (SOVs) to be used on what will be the world’s largest offshore wind farm, the 3.6GW Dogger Bank Wind Farm in the UK North Sea.North Star said its contract award followed a highly-competitive tender process, in which it had beat off strong international competition to secure the deal to design and deliver the three-vessel…

The Port of Tyne, which comprises the commercial docks in and around the River Tyne in Tyne and Wear in the northeast of England, is increasing their offer to potential offshore wind manufacturers.Offshore wind could provide 30% of Britain's electricity generation by 2030, and the Port of Tyne is perfectly placed to support this growing renewable sector.Announcing that the ‘Tyne is right’ to utilise its location, within 100 nautical miles of Dogger Bank, Hornsea, Seagreen and Sofia, the Port of Tyne is increasing their offer to potential offshore wind manufacturers.The Port of Tyne is nearing the final phase of a major investment programme to infill Tyne Dock and increase its commercial property portfolio.Matt Beeton…

The Port of Tyne, which comprises the commercial docks in and around the River Tyne in Tyne and Wear in the northeast of England,  has secured a GBP60m ($79m) refinancing package from Lloyds Bank to support its ambitious investment program.North East England port said in a release that the five-year agreement, which comprises a £30m revolving credit facility and a £30m term loan, provides the port with capital to develop several major infrastructure projects.This is the latest in a series of landmark North East infrastructure deals supported by Lloyds Bank, which includes leading the financing of the 299MW MGT Teesside power station…

Newly published research shows that U.K. ports and terminals have an estimated £1.7 billion ($2.36 billion) of port infrastructure investment in the development pipeline. The research is part of the British Ports Association’s ‘Port Futures’ program and was undertaken by infrastructure advisory firm Moffatt & Nichol. It captures significant schemes all over the U.K. and highlights how ports in all parts of the U.K. are investing in new facilities to foster growth in the U.K. market. “Ports are doing their bit but we rely on government to ensure that road and rail connections from the port gate are fit for purpose. The terrestrial and marine planning and consenting process is also cumbersome and costly and often holds back or even prevents some sustainable port development.

Setting out to increase fairness, equality and inclusion within the maritime sector, Maritime UK has established a Women in Maritime Taskforce, a move welcomed by the U.K.’s new Maritime Minister, Nusrat Ghani MP. “I am delighted to see Maritime UK taking action to attract more women into our maritime industries, and I welcome this taskforce as an important first step,” said Ghani, who is only the second woman to hold the Department for Transport portfolio for the U.K.’s £40 billion maritime sector.

The Chief Executive of the British Ports Association (BPA), Richard Ballantyne, has outlined the Association’s key priorities for 2018. These include continued interaction and influencing on the Brexit discussions, promotion of planning and freight policy reform, calls for increased transport connectivity investment and the rectification of the ‘definition of a ship’ legal anomaly. Discussions with the various parts of Westminster and the Devolved Governments on Brexit will continue to be a major feature for the ports industry this year. “2018 will be a critical for UK ports as by the end of the year we should know what Brexit will look like.

Lucion Marine wins U.K. Hazardous material and risk management specialist Lucion Marine, part of the Lucion Services Group, has won a major contract with the U.K.’s Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) to provide fuel oil sampling and testing services at ports across the U.K. and Northern Ireland. The contract runs until 2020 and involves the provision of a sampling and analysis service to test that fuel being used by vessels in U.K. waters does not exceed the maximum allowed sulphur content of 0.1 percent…

UK's Ports and Shipping Minister Robert Goodwill said that the Port of Tyne is a model of innovation and a major contributor to both the local and national economy. During his first visit to the port yesterday (25 June), the MP for Scarborough and Whitby witnessed firsthand the progress being made on the £25m project to extend the main Riverside Quay. Scheduled for completion next year, the investment will increase capacity to handle a wide range of bulk cargoes by almost 20%, expanding the port’s ability to compete effectively in new and existing markets. "The government is strengthening the UK's maritime sector as part of our long-term economic plan.

After a record breaking cruise season in 2012 the Port of Tyne is expecting another busy year in 2013 with 32 cruise calls, 11 of which are transit and 21 are turnaround cruises. Three new cruise lines will be making transit calls – visiting the Port for one stop – including Crystal Cruises, Hurtigruten and Costa Cruises. A number of first time calls will be made by existing customers including the inaugural visit of Fred Olsen’s Black Watch and MSC Magnifica. U.K. ports are set for one million cruise passenger embarkations this year after a record 2012. The number of people leaving U.K.

In 2013, the Port saw cargo volumes increase by 25% to 8.1m tonnes, and turnover rose 16% to £73 million compared to 2012. Andrew Moffat, Port of Tyne Chief Executive Officer, said that 2013 had been another record year, and looking back over five years, the Port had achieved substantial growth not only in the performance of the business, but also in the investments made in Port infrastructure, and in the impact the Port has had on the regional economy. "We have continued to develop the Port's vital infrastructure and have invested a total of over £60 million since 2009 with £15 million invested just last year," he said. In 2013, 8.1 million tonnes of cargo was handled at the Port of Tyne…

Working with the Manufacturing Advisory Service (MAS) and consultant Ade Walton from Prozeus, Tyne and Wear Marine (TWM) has spent the last year developing the Bollard Load Test (BLT), which uses a powerful hydraulic ram and specialist torque rope to recreate more than 100 metric tons of ‘pull’ when safely testing marine bollards. This breakthrough replaces the traditional method of a tug pulling against the bollard, a method that has previously caused damage to vessels and can be dangerous to the people involved in the test.

The 'Donald Duckling' was detained by the UK's Maritime & Coastguard Agency (MCA) this week after an inspection revealed a long list of safety concerns, and will not be allowed to leave the Port of Tyne until mechanical and safety issues are resolved, reports the 'Shields Gazette'. Maritime inspectors cited by the 'Shields Gazette' considered that standards on board the Donald Duckling were some of the worst they had ever encountered. Crew members on the Panamanian-registered…

A UK-based manufacturer has come up with a new solution for safely testing marine bollards and is now planning to take the innovation global. Working with the Manufacturing Advisory Service (MAS), Tyne and Wear Marine (TWM) has spent the last year developing the ‘Bollard Load Test’ (BLT), which uses a powerful hydraulic ram and specialist torque rope to recreate more than 100 tons of ‘pull.’ This breakthrough replaces the traditional method of a tug pulling against the bollard, a method that has previously caused damage to vessels and can be dangerous to the people involved in the test.

At 6.30 a.m. today Tyne Vessel Traffic Services (VTS) reported to Humber Coastguard that the fishing vessel Grenaa Star had been in collision with South Pier, Tynemouth. The fishing vessel had begun taking in water and was in need of immediate assistance. Escorted by other local fishing vessels, and the Port of Tyne pilot launch Collingwood, the fishing vessel was able to beach itself on Little Haven Beach. Humber Coastguard requested that the two Tynemouth RNLI lifeboats launch and they have now transferred two salvage pumps to the vessel to deal with the ingress of water. Sunderland Coastguard Rescue Team are also on scene and are keeping watch and reporting back to the Coastguard.

The Port of Tyne has been shortlisted as a finalist for the Lloyd's List Global Awards 2012 in the Port Operator of the Year category. This award recognises the company or port that has maintained the highest standards of operational efficiency and customer service throughout the year. The award is open to any international port that can demonstrate exceptional innovation, improved efficiency, profitability and successful investment in port operations. The Port of Tyne is the only UK based operator; competing against six other international ports and terminals in New Zealand, Russia, Spain and The Netherlands. Andrew Moffat, Port of Tyne Chief Executive Officer, said: “The Lloyd’s List Global Awards are the shipping industry's most acclaimed, credible and well-supported awards.

Scottish cargo customers are benefiting from the launch of a new domestic service, linking the Port of Grangemouth to strategic east coast English ports. Forth Ports has recently teamed up with Feederlink to provide a service from Grangemouth – the UK’s largest feeder port – to Southampton, offering an opportunity for Scottish customers with export, import and domestic cargo needs. The new route meets the demands of a range of industry sectors – in particular retail and supermarket trade – and port centred logistics. The new service builds on the Port of Grangemouths’s reputation as one of Europe’s premier feeder ports, and reinforces Forth Ports’ recent capital investment in the Port.