Sea Of Solutions News

Algoma Central Corporation and Nova Marine announced their global short sea shipping joint venture NovaAlgoma has acquired five secondhand bulk carrier vessels, including three cement carriers from KGJ Cement in Northern Europe and two handy-size bulk carriers from Swire Bulk Holdings Pte. Ltd. of Singapore.“We carefully consider each opportunity for growth and these vessel purchases fit perfectly into our long-term plan for sustaining a profitable business alongside our partners at Nova Marine,“ said Gregg Ruhl, President and CEO of Algoma Central Corporation.

Norwegian shipbuilder Ulstein and Dutch offshore consultancy SeaOwls BV have decided to each go their own separate ways in the offshore wind industry.The jointly developed SOUL jack-up concept is geared toward the transport and installation of the world’s largest and powerful offshore wind turbines in the coming decades.The patent rights of the concept were developed under the cooperation of both companies and will continue to be held by both SeaOwls and Ulstein, but each company will pursue its own business opportunities based on the shared patent.Ulstein Design & Solutions (formerly known as Ulstein Sea of Solutions) specializes in the design and development of ships for the offshore drilling…

Subsea Global Solutions acquires All-Sea Underwater Solutions   Lariat Partners, a Denver-based private equity firm, announced that its portfolio company Subsea Global Solutions (SGS) has acquired All-Sea Underwater Solutions (All-Sea), merging two companies specializing in underwater ship maintenance, repair and marine construction.    Paul Peters, Chief Executive Officer of SGS, said the acquisition would “expand our scope of services, further drive innovation and broaden our global footprint.” He added that the two firms have worked together as partners for years.   Vincent Cummings, CEO of All-Sea added, “This merger into Subsea Global Solutions gives our team the ability to continue our growth and better serve our clientele globally.”

Interferry has unveiled a strategic plan promising to put safety issues at the heart of its work as the voice of the worldwide ferry industry. The pledge came at the global trade association’s 41st annual conference in Manila – a venue chosen to spotlight the challenges of domestic ferry safety in developing nations. According to Interferry, the plan signals its overriding ambition to help lift ferry safety in all parts of the world to the very high standard already in place in North America and Europe, where casualties in recent decades have been extremely rare.

Maritime and logistics service provider Inchcape Shipping Services (ISS) has been appointed agent for Neptune Lines’ new Arabian Gulf short sea car transportation service in Kuwait, Iraq and Qatar. As agents for Neptune Lines in these three countries, ISS will provide full port agency, vessel husbandry and liner services, as well as vehicle documentation, on the new Arabian Gulf short sea service. The vessel Neptune Ploes, which can accommodate up to 750 units at a time, is connecting eight countries and ports across the Arabian Gulf on its new…

Naming and organizational changes are underway in the Ulstein Group companies in the Netherlands. As of August 1, 2015, the ship design company Ulstein Sea of Solutions has been renamed Ulstein Design & Solutions BV (UDS BV), while the equipment company Ulstein Idea Equipment Solutions has been renamed Ulstein Equipment BV (UE BV). Edwin van Leeuwen and Gilbert Rezette enter positions as managing directors of the respective companies. Furthermore the holding company for the Ulstein Group activities in the Netherlands has been renamed into Ulstein Netherlands in which Sigurd Viseth takes position as managing director. He will also on behalf of Ulstein become Chairman of the Board in the Dutch companies.

While much of the focus on coverage of the Chinese shipbuilding industry is on big shipbuilding, Maritime Reporter switches gears this month to explore activities in select boatbuilding sectors. The Damen boatbuilding name is ubiquitous around the world, and China is certainly no exeception. The Damen Yichang Shipyard in China started ops in 1999 as a JV between Damen Shipyards Group and Sinotrans CSC, focused on building cargo vessels from the Dutch company’s portfolio. Recently Damen said it intends to broaden the market audience courtesy of an increased portfolio of vessels from the yard…

With an array of about 20 boats being built in assembly-line-like manner, the Guangdong Bonny Fair Heavy Industry shipyard (formerly known as Guangdong New China Shipyard) is a model of efficiency. Three ferries are fitting out alongside. Designed by the Australian firm Sea Transport Solutions, the 50 by 17.5-meter catamarans are each powered by four 485 kW diesels with two in each hull. A pair of Cummins 6BT 5.9-liter diesels powering a 55 kW generator in each hull meet electric needs.

After having performed the life-time extension works on the Stanislav Yudin (owned and operated by Seaway Heavy Lifting) in 2013-2014 at Damen Shiprepair Rotterdam (DSR), part of Damen Shiprepair & Conversion, the yard has been awarded a new contract by Technip for the drydocking, upgrades and operational modifications to the deepwater rigid pipe S-lay and heavy lift vessel, the Global 1200. The vessel arrived at the yard in January 2015. The Global 1200 is the first of two deepwater rigid pipe S-lay and heavy lift vessels owned by Technip.

The Indian navy is operating a stable research platform built around a steel-hulled catamaran. The 53.15 by 16-meter (174.4 X 52.5-foot) INS Makar has a molded depth of 4.5 meters (15 feet). Designed by the Australian naval architecture firm Sea Transport Solutions, the INS Makar, first in a series of up to six vessels, was delivered from the Alcock Ashdown (Gujarat) Ltd form from its Bhavnagar shipyard. Equipped with coastal hydrographic surveys and mapping as it primary function the vessel is fitted with an advanced electronic positioning system…

A solution for separating dangerous catalyst fines (cat fines) from fuel with one touch of the button: This is the new product GEA Westfalia Separator Group will be showcasing this year at the SMM 2014 in Hamburg. The company is continuing its clear line as a competent and innovative partner for the maritime industry. Stricter regulations and rules mean that ship operators constantly have to face new challenges. They also have to cope with the pressure of having to reduce operating costs and being efficient at the same time.

When Ulstein Sea of Solutions (USOS) took part in a concept design competition for an arctic drillship, MARIN was asked to investigate the concept variations. USOS was asked to participate in a concept design competition for a drillship  capable of operating in arctic conditions for several months a year. Special requirements are posed for the design of such a vessel due to the cold climate and the probability of encountering sea ice during operations. Instead of making adjustments to a conventional drillship design…

KONGSBERG says it has been appointed as the supplier & integrator of all electrical, telecom and integrated control systems for a new Petrofac JSD 6000 deepwater derrick lay vessel, to be built at the Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industry Co., Ltd (ZPMC) yard in China for Petrofac UK. The contract worth more than NOK 230 Million was awarded by ZPMC to Kongsberg Maritime Engineering (KME), a wholly owned subsidiary of Kongsberg Maritime. The full contract includes supply and integration of the electrical…

Kongsberg has been appointed as the supplier and integrator of all electrical, telecom and integrated control systems for the new Petrofac JSD 6000 deepwater derrick lay vessel, to be built at the Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industry Co., Ltd. (ZPMC) yard in China for Petrofac UK. The contract worth more than NOK 230 Million was awarded by ZPMC to Kongsberg Maritime Engineering (KME), a wholly owned subsidiary of Kongsberg Maritime. The full contract includes supply and integration of the electrical, telecom and integrated control systems, project management, interface management and engineering services at all stages. In addition, a significant technology scope of supply includes generators…

Sharjah based Petrofac is to build the Petrofac JSD 6000 deepwater derrick lay vessel, a customized Ulstein SOC 5000 developed by Dutch design company Ulstein Sea of Solutions. The vessel will be constructed at the ZPMC yard in China and be available for construction and installation activities in early 2017. The dynamically-positioned Petrofac JSD 6000 is a unique, innovative design featuring J-Lay, S-Lay and heavy lift capabilities, allowing to serve deepwater and SURF markets as well as shallow water EPCI projects.

Asian shipbuilder Strategic Marine launched the Shanna, the first of two 45-meter ro-pax catamarans to the National Ferries Company of Oman. The vessel is the first of its kind built by Strategic at its Vietnam shipyard, underscoring the operation's multi-markets shipbuilding capability. The sister vessel, the Jawharat, will deliver at the end of November. "The global ferry market is of significant importance to us and we have strong pedigree in building these and similar types of vessels in our other regional yards," said Reece Newbold, Group Business Development Manager.

Heerema Marine Contractors’ new Deepwater Construction Vessel Aegir, a customized Ulstein SOC 5000 design developed by Ulstein Sea of Solutions, won the Dutch KVNR Shipping Award. KVNR is the Dutch Association of Ship Owners. Designed by Ulstein Sea of Solutions, a design and development company in Ulstein Group, the state-of-the-art vessel is designed for worldwide operations and suited for executing complex infrastructure and pipeline projects in ultra-deep water. The vessel…

Aker Solutions won a contract from Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering (DSME) to deliver a drilling equipment package for the production platform at the Mariner oilfield in the U.K. North Sea. The parties agreed not to disclose the value of the order, which includes a complete topside equipment package. Aker Solutions will also provide necessary support services at DSME's shipyard in South Korea and during the offshore installation phase. Delivery of the equipment will be completed in 2015.

The SAL head office moves to new premises in Hamburg’s HafenCity, to accommodate growing staff numbers. In particular the move will give adequate space for the company's new Project and Offshore department. SAL say that the new location is comfortably close to Hamburg’s main station and airport and will facilitate communication with their international customers. With a fleet of 16 heavy lift vessels, SAL provides customized and reliable sea transportation solutions for all types of project cargoes including heavy machinery, equipment for the oil and gas industry, (offshore) wind energy, cranes and floating cargo. Amongst the trademarks of the fleet is a  crane capacity of up to 2…

Subsea 7’s flagship ‘Seven Borealis’, a customized SOC 5000 design designed by Ulstein has been nominated for the prestigious Ship of the Year Award organized by the Offshore Support Journal. Voting is open until close of business on 25 January via this link: www.surveymonkey.com/s/13SVVOTE. The Seven Borealis measures 182.2 x 46.2 meters and has a moulded depth of 16.1 meters. This state-of-the-art pipelay/heavy lift vessel, delivered 2012, is designed by Ulstein Sea of Solutions…

The turbine installation vessel ‘Windlifter’, developed by Ulstein Idea Equipment Solutions and Ulstein Sea of Solutions, is suitable for single lift installations. Unlike jack-up units, the vessel is not limited by waterdepth. The installation system is a modular, mechanical system to skid turbines from the vessel onto the foundation. All components in the installation system are relatively close to deck level, improving accessibility and reducing maintenance costs. The ‘Northern…

Aker Solutions has been awarded two contracts from Island Offshore to provide well intervention services for Statoil in the North Sea. Scope of work is to deliver downhole well intervention services from Island Offshore's two riserless well intervention vessels Island Frontier and Island Wellserver. These operations include running of mechanical wireline, electrical wireline and wireline tractor services. The two contracts are valid for five years plus two optional two-year extensions (5+2+2). They will run from 2015, when the current contracts expire.

A memorandum of understanding (MOU) was signed at 27 April 2011, which outlines the main principles of how Norwegian Ulstein Group and Netherlands based IDEA Heavy Equipment are joining forces. The companies have entered into an MOU which will lead to an operational business in the Netherlands by the first of July 2011. A new company will be established under the name “Ulstein IDEA Equipment Solutions b.v.” which combines ULSTEIN’s offshore vessel design, marine equipment packages…