Ramsgate News

The International Maritime Rescue Federation (IMRF) has announced the winners of this year’s IMRF Awards, which recognize all those involved in global maritime search and rescue (SAR) efforts.The IMRF Awards acknowledge those that have shown excellence in their field, developed innovative technology and equipment, or acted as a role model to inspire others. The awards also shine a light on those colleagues who offer the tireless support, training, and planning that enables SAR crews to do what they do…

Work began on Thursday to extend a small British port that could serve as a back-up if the UK leaves the European Union with no trade deal, providing the government some respite after days of criticism.Less than three months before Britain leaves the EU on March 29, the transport minister has been forced to defend awarding a 14 million pound ($18 million) contract for shipping goods to a new ferry company that has no ships.On Thursday the company, Seaborne Freight, came in for further criticism when its business terms and conditions showed references to placing "any meal/order"…

Britain's transport minister has defended awarding a 14 million-pound ($18 million) contract for shipping goods after Brexit to a new ferry company that owns no ships.The government last week awarded three contracts to charter extra ferries to ease congestion if the United Kingdom fails to secure a trade deal before leaving the European Union in March.The smallest contract was won by Seaborne Freight, a British business that has never previously operated a ferry route, raising concern about whether the new service would be ready."I make no apologies for supporting a new British business," Transport Minister Chris Grayling told BBC radio on Wednesday. "We have looked very carefully at this business.

The UK Coastguard report that a bulk carrier and an oil tanker collided in the Dover Strait. Although both vessels have been damaged, there is no water ingress and no pollution. A French tug is on scene with the vessels. There are no injuries and all of the crew are accounted for. The tanker, ‘Seafrontier’, which is loaded with 37953mt of gasoline, has 27 people on board. The bulk carrier ‘Huayang Endeavour’ is in ballast and has 22 people on board. The Coastguard helicopter was sent to the scene, along with Dover and Ramsgate RNLI Lifeboats, in case evacuation was required. The helicopter remained with the vessels for a short while, reporting information back to the Coastguard, before returning to base. The lifeboats have also now left and the tug has arrived on scene.

Estuary Services Limited (ESL), a joint venture between the Port of London Authority (PLA) and Peel Ports London Medway, is continuing its fleet replacement plan and buying another new pilot boat for its pilot transfer operations serving the ports of London and Medway. ESL currently has a fleet of six vessels including two 17.1 meter ORC class vessels that carry marine pilots from the Kent coast to board ships, in the Thames Estuary. The ships which are arriving from all over…

Britain’s largest independent ship repairer Burgess Marine said it has partnered with Kent-based European Active Projects Ltd. (EAPL) to manage and operate Ramsgate Slipways in a 50/50 joint venture. Burgess Marine and EAPL have worked together as customer and supplier for very many years, and both companies have workshops in the locality for quick response times and service. The Ramsgate Slipways site is to be managed jointly by John Webb and Geoff Barrett from Burgess Marine and Andy Corbett from EAPL.

CWind announced that it is has been awarded a contract for the supply of two crew transfer vessels to the London Array offshore wind farm (OWF) supporting operation and maintenance (O&M) activities. London Array OWF is located 20 km off the Kent coast in the outer Thames Estuary. Both workboats, the CWind Alliance and CWind Artimus, will be operating from Ramsgate in Kent. CWind Alliance is very familiar with the site and in 2013 received a recognition by Siemens for its outstanding vessel performance on site.

A commercial diver has pleaded guilty at Southampton Crown Court to a fraud offence in excess of £46,000 following a two year investigation by the U.K. Maritime & Coastguard Agency (MCA). The diver, Vincent Woolsgrove of Ramsgate, Kent, reported finding five cannons during the summer 2007, two from the wreck of the warship, London, and three in international waters off the coast of Kent. The cannons recovered from the warship were both very rare bronze Peter Gill and commonwealth cannons.

Custom exhaust systems designed, engineered and manufactured by Manuflex Ltd. in partnership with Centek Industries are providing sound attenuation aboard two fast pilot launches built by Goodchild Marine of the United Kingdom for Estuary Services, Ltd. Both vessels operate from Ramsgate, supporting Thames pilots in the busy Southern North Sea and Thames estuary. Estuary Elan was the first of its innovative design by French Naval Architect Pantocarene to be built in the UK by Goodchild Marine.

The world's largest offshore wind farm (OWF) London Array has 175 Siemens wind turbines installed. Together with Dong Energy, Siemens will also be responsible for the service of the wind turbines through a long-term agreement. The wind power plant owned, developed and built by a consortium consisting of Dong Energy, E.ON and Masdar has a total capacity of 630 megawatts (MW) and will generate enough power to supply 500,000 British households with clean electricity. This offshore wind farm will reduce annual CO2 emissions by approximately 900…

Belgian firm TransEuropa has suspended all sailings between Ramsgate (UK) and Ostend (Belgium) amid fears over its future. TransEuropa had run passenger and freight ferry services between Ramsgate and Ostend for the last 15 years, and was the only passenger service out of the Port of Ramsgate, reports BBC News England. Owners of the Kent port, Thanet District Council, has had confirmation of the company's difficulties  and cessation of its ferry services, it being understood that the company owes them money. Source: BBC News England

Euroferries' express Ramsgate – Boulogne cross channel service to launch in 2013 with the Austal hi-speed 102m trimaran. The vessel will arrive in January 2013, with the service becoming fully operational between Boulogne and Ramsgate during February 2013. The service will offer 4 daily crossings, catering for passengers, cars and luxury coaches. The trimaran is capable of achieving speeds in excess of 40 knots thus enabling Euroferries to provide one of the fastest channel crossings available.

Global shipping, logistics and marine services group GAC has announced the merger of its UK operations to better meet clients’ needs, effective 1 January 2010. Shipping services company GAC-OBC, with more than 20 offices throughout the UK, becomes GAC Shipping (UK) Ltd, alongside GAC Logistics (UK) Ltd, GAC’s UK freight forwarding arm. In-house travel agency, GAC-OBC Business Travel, is rebranded as GAC Travel Ltd. Former Managing Director of GAC-OBC, Peter Cole, has been appointed MD of the three companies…

It has been reported that a 3,200 ton tanker and a 2,000 ton container ship have collided in the North Sea. The French tanker, Pointe du Castel and the Dutch container Pride of Veere collided as they crossed each other 25 miles north of Ramsgate. According to reports, each ship had 10 crew members aboard, and the vessels suffered only minor damage. The Thames coast guard is investigating the cause of the collision.

The UK Maritime and Coast Guard Agency (MCA) have responded to a vessel fire off the coast of Ramsgate. Dover Coastguard was informed that the vessel, Sea Riss, had 6 people on board with a fire in its engine room. On board the general cargo vessel are 1770 metric tons of steel products. A passing vessel, Ned Lloyd Asia, offered to stand by the vessel whilst rescue teams were mustered. assist in any fire fighting capacity. to begin airlifting the fire team on board the vessel. team were also sent to Manston air field to begin preparing a landing site. scene as it has fire fighting capacity. A Royal Fleet Auxiliary ship was also on hand to assist with recovery efforts. agent, into the engine room compartment and all crew were mustered on deck.

The A&P Group has announced that all its facilities are now certificated under the ISPS Code, which was introduced to bring shiprepair and shipbuilding yards up to the same level of certified security as ports and terminals. Facilities include shipyards at Wallsend, Hebburn, Aberdeen, Teesside, Chatham Dover, Ramsgate, Southampton, Falmouth and Birkenhead. A&P has a history of operating under secure conditions and welcomes this move to formalise a system throughout the Group. To conform to the ISPS Code, the process has involved appointment and training of Port Facility Security officers, submitting and approval of security plans to the authorities and audits of the various sites (yards).

A&P Group has signed an agreement between A&P Shipcare - Chatham and Metalock Engineering (U.K.) Ltd. proposing an inter company co-operation venture. The foundation of this venture is based on a close working relationship between Metalock and A&P Shipcare which goes back many years. Metalock already regularly carry out works at all A&P locations and are an ISO 9002 accredited company, as are the A&P facilities. The Metalock process is an internationally recognised brand name which is synonymous with marine and industrial repair, the world over. Metalock are not only familiar with ship repair yards, but also the technical departments of the world ship owning community and all the various classification societies.

Two general cargo vessels on passage in the same lane of the Dover Strait have collided around 14 miles east of Ramsgate at 1:30 a.m. this morning. The 16,000gt Liberian registered, German owned 'Catharine Oldendorff' and the 16,000gt Netherlands registered 'Slotergracht' were both travelling in the same direction when they collided causing damage to the portside of 'Catharina Oldendorff' and to the starboard of 'Slotergracht'. Damage to both vessels seems at this stage to consist of dents and scrapes. There have been no reported injuries from the 16 crew on 'Catharina Oldendorff' or from the 24 crew on 'Slotergracht', who all remain on board their respective vessels.

The A&P Group has announced the opening of recently acquired facilities. In addition to their existing dry docks in Tyne, Falmouth and Southampton, the Group has purchased and opened facilities in Aberdeen, Birkenhead and Hebburn (Tyne), increasing the total number of dry docks from eight to fourteen. The ship repair, conversion and marine services company whose head office is in Southampton, believe that this expansion in the UK will offer their customers a greater choice when dry docking in Northern Europe, with minimal deviation and the degree of flexibility that owners and operators demand from ship repair yards. The Aberdeen based River Dee Ship Repairers has a 43 x 69 ft. dock and modern workshops and is well situated for North Sea Offshore Vessels.

The 52,092 dwt U.S.-registered Heavy Lift Vessel 'American Cormorant' left Southampton on 2nd September after its annual lay over during which A&P Shipcare - Southampton carried out various works. The 1975-built 'American Cormorant' was in the Southampton area for a visit to the Combat Equipment Battalion in Hythe. The vessel arrived in Southampton on 8th June and sailed on 29th August. The work completed by A&P Shipcare included various tank repairs which entailed bulkhead steel repairs, steel pipe refurbishment and repairs and replacement of heavy duty plastic pipe, a task which previously had never been carried out by A&P Shipcare - Southampton.

A&P Shipcare have announced the opening of a new repair facility in Tilbury Freeport, London. The facility, which will support the nationwide, 24 hour, 365 day service already provided by the existing A&P Shipcare network, comprises workshop facilities in the port capable of carrying out engine and mechanical overhauls, steelwork, pipework renewals and electrical repairs and installations. Also available from this division are riding squads and procurement of ships spares. Managing Director of A&P Shipcare Alastair Bisset says: "The new A&P facility at Tilbury is another important milestone in the development of our Shipcare business.