Shipbuilding News

The summer season in most of Europe has been off to a sunny and warm start, which has many longingly wishing to spend time at sea. Those with access to the privileged world of Superyachts will be looking forward to getting underway and traveling the world. It’s a great time to be a yacht owner, but the follow-on is that due to the increased utilization, the number of willing sellers typically drops. This leads to a slowdown in the sale and purchase activity and can be a good time for yacht brokers to look at taking their own summer breaks. This seasonal slowdown provides the perfect time for market watchers to sit back and look at the activity over the busier winter season transactions.Source: Vessels ValueThe Monaco Yacht show normally initiates the busiest market window.

When it was time for France Pelagique to start renewing its fleet, an electric-power alliance of Dutch and Scandinavian yard interests formed up and delivered. The result was the first installation aboard a trawler of NES’s Odin’s Eye, a DC grid solution to integrate another first for trawlers — quiet-running permanent magnate, or PM, propulsion.Where to begin a fleet modernization that ends with green credentials and richer harvests? Well, there are multiple points of contact…

Shipbuilding software solutions developer SSI says it plans to capitalize on the resurgence of Turkish shipbuilding.The Candian based company announced it has contracted Entech & Semar to be an authorized reseller of its ShipConstructor and EnterprisePlatform software.Entech & Semar will add sales and support of SSI software to its range of ship services and engineering solutions, including ship machinery and spare part sales, maintenance services and engineering.Such a diversity of offerings fits with the diverse nature of Turkish shipbuilding…

ATLAS ELEKTRONIK and Thales Deutschland have jointly been commissioned to deliver the combat system of the German Class K130 Corvette. The order comprises five corvettes as well as the Test and Training Centre (EZ/BUZ) in Wilhelmshaven.With completion scheduled for 2025, the FüWES K130 consortium formed by the two companies and led by ATLAS ELEKTRONIK will deliver the combat system hardware and also adapt and update the existing Combat Management System software of the K130, first batch (ships 1-5).The contracted solution for ships 6-10 is identical to the original contract (2003) for the K130, first batch. In line with the re-build requirement, changes in the solution are only related to obsolescence and compliancy with German regulations.

Bureau Veritas Marine & Offshore has launched the latest addition to its end-to-end and integrated platform of digital tools and services, Approval Explorer, a free web application allowing maritime stakeholders to identify, locate and contact Bureau Veritas approved service suppliers or manufacturers, as well as search for certified products and materials, all around the world.Approval Explorer will support the designer searching for specific equipment; the shipyard looking for the latest certified products…

The Netherlands based naval architecture and marine engineering firm Offshore Ship Designers (OSD) announced it has changed its company name to OSD-IMT.The company said the name change aims to leverage the strength of both OSD and IMT. IMT is the signature brand-name for vessels designed by OSD’s U.K. branch, which was already named OSD-IMT. Using one name for all offices reflects the way the group already works - as one single organization, it said.“The name Offshore Ship Designers has served us well up to now…

A new test project in Norway looks to employ specialty software for the optimization of floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) maintenance.Lloyd's Register (LR) said it is using its RTAMO software to support AkerBP in an effort aiming to optimize maintenance activities for the Skarv FPSO infrastructure and equipment.RTAMO, which stands for Real-Time Adaptive Maintenance Optimization, is a standalone cloud-based software-enabled service that uses predictive algorithms linking planned maintenance to economic and reliability outcomes.

China earns cruise newbuild business, aims for ship financeWhile China has steadily built shipbuilding market share, cruise ship construction –  more specifically mastering the logistical complexities inherent in cruise ship design, outfit and construction – has proved elusive. But it appears that Chinese shipbuilders have turned the corner, with contracts signed for the first cruise newbuilds. We were in Tianjin, China, earlier this year for the 4th Annual China Maritime Finance Forum for a look behind the covers of passenger vessel in China…

The EU member states’ experts on ship recycling met in Brussels to discuss the latest developments, six months ahead of the application of the 2013 Ship Recycling Regulation. With the recent decision by the Chinese government to stop the import of end-of-life ships for scrapping, the shipping industry is quick to lament that there will not be enough recycling capacity and that there will be too few options for them under the EU List of approved recycling facilities. The industry claims that the standard set by the EU must be lowered so that beaching yards can be approved.

All American Marine, Inc. and the Hanke family of Puget Sound Express announced the launch of the Saratoga, the newest member of the PSE whale watching fleet. The 73-foot, high speed aluminum catamaran vessel was designed by Nic De Waal of Teknicraft Design in Auckland, New Zealand and built by All American Marine in Bellingham, WA. The Saratoga was the second vessel to be completed and launched from All American Marine’s new state of the art facility on Bellingham Bay. “This is a very special event for Puget Sound Express,” said co-owner Peter Hanke.

Belle Chasse, La. based C&C Marine and Repair said it has expanded its shipyard with the acquisition of another 1,000 linear feet of bulkhead, along with a 16,725 square foot Spooling Shop equipped with two 20 ton overhead cranes.With this latest expansion, C&C Marine and Repair now has 3,200 linear feet of continuous waterfrontage along the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway (Algiers Canal), and more than 470,000 square feet of area under roof. The C&C Marine and Repair facility sits on over 80 acres and includes eight large fabrication bays…

Below-the-hook equipment manufacturer Modulift and Siemens Heat Transfer Technology B.V. combined forces to design a special rig for lifting modules that weighed nearly 200t apiece. Modulift sent two rigs for on- and off-load in Korea and Thailand respectively—a total of 16 no. 34t capacity MOD 34 beams in addition to slings, shackles, tie-plates and other rigging gear.The two vertical Benson-type Heat Recovery Steam Generators (or HRSGs) first needed to be lifted aboard a vessel for transportation to the 1…

U.S. shipbuilder Metal Shark powers into the second half of 2018 with a healthy backlog, multiple recent deliveries into foreign markets, and a portfolio of patrol craft that has attracted multiple clients – here and abroad.At a time when more than a few workboat builders are feeling the pain of lingering offshore malaise and an oversupplied inland market that no longer needs large quantities of barges, Louisiana-based Metal Shark has found its groove in a suddenly active and highly competitive niche market.

Bill Lind, current vice president of Vard Marine’s Houston operations, has announced his plans to retire from the company at the end of June.Lind has led the Houston team since 2013 and has transformed the office into a key contender in the marine engineering industry in the Gulf Coast and in U.S. government programs. He was also instrumental in expanding Vard Marine’s clientele base and helping to mold the Houston office into what it is today.Moving forward, Vard Marine has announced that Darren Truelock…

Austal USA received the Shipbuilders Council of America (SCA) Excellence in Safety award during SCA’s annual meeting in Washington, D.C.SCA, the national association representing the U.S. shipyard industry, honors companies with annual safety awards for enhancement of operations and promotion of safety and accident prevention. Austal USA is one of 19 SCA member companies to receive awards for continued advancement of employee safety in the shipyard industry this year.“Shipyards are complex work environments and safety of employees is critical,” said Matthew Paxton, President of the SCA.

South Korean shipbuilding giant Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME) has delivered a liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier with a full re-liquefaction system (FRS) to an unidentified owner, said a report in Yonhap.Most of the LNG ship orders the company has received so far this year include the FRS system. "It is a major achievement for the world’s second-largest shipbuilder by orders as the company now has the technology to build LNG ships with either the partial re-liquefaction system (PRS) or the FRS system…

Shipbuilder Senesco Marine has delivered a new articulated tug and barge (ATB) to Reinauer Transportation Companies. The launch of the unit, including the 8,000hp tug and 150,000bbl barge, marks the largest such ATB constructed in the U.S. Northeast.The ATB was built as an international SOLAS class unit and incorporates the latest build technology and equipment design, Senesco Marine said.The 124’ x 40’ tug Bert Reinauer features two 12-cylinder GE U.S. Tier 4 certified marine diesel engines for propulsion…

French engineering from GTT said it has received an order from South Korean shipyard Hyundai Heavy Industries to design the tanks of a new 174,000 cbm liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier on behalf of Greek shipowner Thenamaris. The vessel's delivery is scheduled in September 2020.These tanks will be equipped with the Mark III Flex membrane containment system.Philippe Berterottière, Chairman and CEO of GTT, said, "This new order reinforces our long-term partnership with Hyundai Heavy Industries, with whom we have managed more than 50 new builds. We are also very pleased to accompany, once more, Thenamaris on its vessels projects."

ABB said it has signed a contract with India’s largest shipbuilding and maintenance facility, Cochin Shipyard Ltd, to deliver a first-ever integrated power and automation package to an Indian shipowner.ABB’s contract with Cochin Shipyard covers two new 1,200-passenger ferries, to be delivered to the Andaman & Nicobar Administration in 2020. In what’s said to be a first for a shipowner in India, these vessels will benefit from a full integration of their power generation, distribution and propulsion systems…

On Saturday, June 16, 2018, Webb Institute awarded 21 Bachelor of Science degrees at its 122nd Commencement Ceremony. Each graduating student received a dual degree in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering. Webb’s commencement ceremony included inspirational remarks from Webb’s President R. Keith Michel and keynote speaker, Dr. Kirsi K. Tikka, Executive Vice President and Senior Maritime Advisor at American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) and former Webb Institute Professor of Structural Engineering. Dr.

The Great Lakes Group announced recent new hires to the company’s management team: Thomas Rigolo – Shipyard General Manager; Kirsten Buccigrossi – Director, Marketing & Communications; and Emery Eiber – Quality, Health, Safety, Security, and Environment (QHSSE) Manager.Tom Rigolo is a senior shipbuilding executive with more than 25 years of experience gained from hands-on engineering and high-level leadership roles at several U.S. shipyards. Rigolo is a licensed Professional Engineer…

Huntington Ingalls Industries’ (HII) Newport News Shipbuilding division has begun scheduled overhaul work on the nuclear-powered submarine USS Boise (SSN 764).The Los Angeles-class submarine arrived at Newport News on Monday and will undergo planned maintenance and repair activities pierside before it will be moved to a dry dock in January 2019. The extended engineering overhaul, which includes system upgrades, will take 25 months and is expected to be completed in 2021.“Submarine…

The Liberian Registry has signed a framework cooperation Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the China Classification Society (CCS) as the latest step in its strategy to collaborate with long-term key industry stakeholders.Under the terms of the MoU, the Liberian Registry’s technical competence will be employed to help shipyards and shipowners improve their innovative strategies. The CCS MoU has a particular focus on innovation and technology within the international regulatory framework and maritime sector projects.

In order to meet the needs of the Brazilian Navy, Damen Schelde Naval Shipbuilding and Saab come together to develop the project that will supply four Tamandaré Class corvettes.Damen is a Dutch company and a global leader in shipbuilding that has supplied over 6,000 vessels. Over 20 navies throughout the world operate Damen-built vessels. The company will be responsible for supplying the ship Sigma 10514, proven platform that will be adapted to meet the demands of the client.Saab is a Swedish company with more than 70 years of experience in the defense industry.

China's anti-graft agency said on Saturday it is investigating the general manager of state-owned China Shipbuilding Industry Corp (CSIC).Sun Bo is suspected of serious disciplinary and legal violations, the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) said on its website.(Reporting by Andrew Galbraith; Editing by Adrian Croft)

With the delivery of the Peter last Thursday, Dutch Dredging (Baggerbedrijf de Boer) claims to have added “the world's most sustainable bed leveler” to its fleet.The 22.4-metre-long vessel, built by Hoekman Shipbuilding in Urk, the Netherlands, complies with International Maritime Organization (IMO) Tier 3 emissions standards as well as the Euro Stage 5 standard for emissions in inland shipping.John Nieuwenhuijse, the manager of New Building at Baggerbedrijf de Boer – Dutch Dredging…

South Korea's Hyundai Merchant Marine (HMM) has selected  country’s three major shipbuilder and signed letters of intent (LOIs) with them to build 20 container carriers by mid-2021, reported Yonhap. According to company sources, as quoted by Reuters, the South Korea’s largest shipper believes that through the acquisition of the most technologically advanced mega container ships, it can strengthen cost competitiveness and react rapidly to the international environmental regulations.

Canada’s shipbuilding and ship repair company Seaspan Shipyards (Seaspan), joined by representatives from industry and government,  celebrated the start of construction on the first Joint Support Ship (JSS) for the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN). The steel cutting ceremony held at Vancouver Shipyards is a significant milestone for Seaspan, the National Shipbuilding Strategy (NSS) and Canada’s shipbuilding industry. With the start of construction on JSS, Seaspan is leading the way in rebuilding Canada’s shipbuilding industry.

As the competitive and economic pressure on the shipping and offshore industries continues to grow, owners, operators and yards are searching for every efficiency. To support its customers, DNV GL has developed the first type approval scheme for the use of aluminium cables and connectors onboard vessels. “This type approval represents another first for the DNV GL rule set and demonstrates our commitment to moving classification forward to help our customers,” says Geir Dugstad, Senior Vice President, Director of Ship Classification & Technical Director at DNV GL - Maritime.

European harbor towage operator Kotug Smit Towage named two of its newest tugs Rotterdam and Beagle during a ceremony Wednesday at the Port of Rotterdam, where both tugs are currently operating.The new vessels were constructed by Dutch shipbuilder Damen. The Rotterdam is an ASD Tug 2913 with a bollard pull in excess of 80 metric tons, and the Beagle is an ATD Tug 2412 Twin Fin with 72 metric ton bollard pull.During 2017 and 2018, Kotug Smit Towage has taken four newly-built Damen tugs into service for its European harbor towage activities.

A new vessel has been ordered from Japanes shipyard Oshima Shipbuilding Co. Ltd. for delivey in 2021. The 98,500 dwt ship will mainly be used for transporting coal from locations outside Japan to the city of Kobe.NYK, together with Asahi Shipping Co. Ltd., said it has signed a long-term contract with Kobe Steel Ltd. for the transport of coal for up to 20 years aboard a newly built ship.This vessel will be equipped with a diesel engine compliant with a more stringent environmental regulation limiting nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions — i.e., the Tier III limits in the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL) that require a reduction in NOx emissions by 80 percent compared to 2000 levels.Deadweight tonnage: about 98…

A Finnish engineering firm known for its ice-going vessel expertise says it is studying another area of ship technology: autonomous vessel operations.Aker Arctic says it recently successfully tested an autonomous ship model at its ice model test laboratory in Helsinki.The test, which was carried out in ice-free waters, demonstrated the ship model’s ability to detect obstacles in the tank utilizing onboard sensors, maneuver around them without operator input and moor itself automatically to a target pier.While Aker Arctic’s ice laboratory is normally used to test model icebreaking vessels…

MSC Cruises has ordered a fifth Meraviglia class cruise ship at STX France. Due to be delivered in 2023, the vessel will be equipped with a new generation of dual-fuel engines designed to run on liquefied natural gas (LNG).The agreement for the new Meraviglia-Plus vessel represents an additional investment of €900 million (approximately $1.06 billion).With today’s order, MSC will be adding 13 new ships through 2026.The announcement was made at a ceremony held at the Saint-Nazaire shipyard…

Japanese shipbuilder MITSUI E & S SHIPBUILDING CO., LTD. (MES-S) said it has completed and delivered a 66,000 dwt bulk carrier M.V. Kedros at its Tamano Shipyard on June, 14, for KEDROS NAVIGATION SA, Liberia.The vessel is the 17th ship of the builder's wide beam neo66BC series.The vessel is equipped with four cranes and has five cargo holds with total capacity for more than 82,800 cubic meters for loading cargoes such as coal, ore, grain, as well as lengthy/heavy cargo like steel pipe and hot coil. The size of hatch opening is the largest for this type of vessel in terms of both length and width, MES-S said.The ship's main engine, a MITSUI-MAN B&W 7S50ME-B9.3 diesel engine…

U.K. shipbuilder Wight Shipyard Co has delivered its latest vessel to Scottish tourism operator Loch Ness by Jacobite. The new 20-meter day-cruise passenger catamaran Jacobite Maverick is joining the company’s fleet sailing between Dochgarroch, just outside Inverness, Clansman Harbour and the ruins of Urquhart Castle.Designed by Australia’s One2three Naval Architects, the hullform of the new catamaran is engineered to provide through-life efficiency with low structural weight assisting lower fuel consumption…

Egypt-based Arab Maritime Petroleum Transport Company (AMPTC) has signed a deal with Bahrain-based maritime repair and fabrication facility ASRY to install ballast water treatment systems (BWTS) on part of its fleetThe agreement has already seen one system installed the very large crude carrier (VLCC) Sea Jewel, with a further two more vessels agreed to have installations in the coming months. Negotiations continue to extend the agreement to include more installations throughout 2018 and 2019.ASRY Ship Repair General Manager…

Ocean Yield announced that it has agreed to acquire four 2014 built 3,800 TEU container vessels with 12-year bareboat charters to companies owned and guaranteed by CMB NV. The aggregate purchase price is approximately USD 120 million net of pre-paid charter-hire. The vessels are built in 2014 with a capacity of 3,800 TEU and are expected to be delivered to the Company during the early part of third quarter 2018. CMB will have certain options to acquire the vessels during the charter period, with the first purchase option exercisable after five years.

Veneto shipbuilder Vittoria Shipyard has marked its return to the construction of harbor and coastal tugs with its latest delivery to the port authority in Skikda, Algeria.The new tug C.869 was ordered in December 2016 by the Algerian Transport Ministry for a cost of €7 million and was delivered in June during an official handover from representatives of the Vittoria Shipyard to a delegation from the Algerian port authority.Following the launch at the end of last year and on-site personnel training…

Stena Line confirmed that the first of its new RoPax ferries currently under construction in China is planned to enter service on its Holyhead – Dublin route early 2020, with the following two vessels to be assigned to Liverpool-Belfast planned for spring of 2020 and early 2021.Last year Stena Line’s parent company, Stena, announced a newbuild contract for a new generation of RoPax ferry vessels, Stena E-Flexer, with planned deliveries during 2020 and 2021. Stena has ordered the construction of six new vessels from the AVIC Shipyard in China.

Quark Expeditions has signed an agreement with Croatian shipbuilder Brodosplit to build a new expedition ship designed for operation in the polar regions.The 13,000+ gross metric ton, 200-passenger ship was designed by LMG Marin in cooperation with Quark Expeditions and is scheduled to be launched in 2020.“This ship will be more than just a ship – it will be an unrivalled operational base for polar expeditions,” said Andrew White, Quark Expeditions President.The ship will carry 20 zodiacs that will be rapidly deployable from an internal zodiac hangar with four embarkation points.

The delivery date for Irish Continental Group’s (ICG) new ropax ferry W.B. Yeats has been pushed back due to delays at the shipyard, German shipbuilder Flensburger Schiffbau-Gesellschaft (FSG) said.The vessel, which is currently in the final stages of construction at FSG, was originally scheduled to be delivered in May 2018, but delays in the delivery of interior components for public areas as well as the installation of electrical system in the hull and deckhouse have forced…

A naming ceremony was held Monday at Japan Marine United Corporation’s (JMU) Kure shipyard for the first newly built containership painted in Ocean Network Express' (ONE) corporate color.The new magenta box ship, named ONE Stork, is the 10th of 15 new 14,000 twenty-foot equivalent unit (TEU) vessels ordered by Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha (NYK). It will be chartered by Singapore-based ONE, which began operations on April 1 by integrating the container businesses of Japanese ocean carriers Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha (K Line), Mitsui O.S.K.

Damen Shiprepair Dunkerque (DSDu) has completed an eight-day refurbishment project for the 132-metre DP2, self-propelled, jack-up vessel Sea Installer. Operated by A2SEA, which was purchased in 2017 by DEME’s subsidiary GeoSea, Sea Installer was purpose-built in 2012 for installing the next generation of large wind turbines off the coast of Europe. The primary task was the fitting of new spud can shoes to the vessel’s four columnar legs. These massive pieces of steelwork, weighing 160 tonnes each…

Louisiana-based shipbuilder Metal Shark said it has acquired the assets of Alabama-based Horizon Shipbuilding, which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in October 2017.Metal Shark will assume ownership of Horizon’s fully developed 35-acre shipbuilding facility in the Mobile Bay region, following a motion approved by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court Southern District of Alabama on June 5, 2018.The Horizon facility, which features separate east and west yards both fronting a dredged deepwater inlet…

One of the U.S. Navy’s newest Freedom variant littoral combat ships (LCS) completed its final significant milestone before its scheduled summer delivery with the conclusion of acceptance trials at the end of May.On May 25, the future USS Sioux City (LCS 11) wrapped up a series of graded in-port and underway demonstrations on the Great Lakes for the Navy's Board of Inspection and Survey. During the trial, the Navy conducted comprehensive tests intended to demonstrate the performance of the propulsion plant…

Rolls-Royce Marine said it has signed a contract with Thoma-Sea Marine Constructors, L.L.C. in Louisiana for the development of a 100-meter-long trawler to be built for the Seattle based company Arctic Storm Management Group, LLC.In addition to being the largest fishing vessel contract to date for Rolls-Royce with a value of about £15 million, it also marks the first Rolls-Royce fishing vessel concept to be built at a U.S. shipyard.Rolls-Royce has been working closely with the owner…

Aiming to become a driving force in sustainable power solutions, Volvo Penta says it is going full charge into hybrid and all-electric drivelines, offering electrified solutions in both its marine and industrial segments by 2021.Volvo Penta’s chief technology officer, Johan Carlsson, and system engineer, Karin Åkman, discussed innovation for electromobility at the company’s new development-and-test laboratory in Gothenburg.By 2021, Volvo Penta will provide electrified power solutions for both its land and sea-based business segment…

Spirit of British Columbia, one of two BC Ferries vessels that will use liquefied natural gas (LNG) as fuel, has finished conversion at the Remontowa Ship Repair Yard S.A. in Gdansk, Poland and has returned to service for the Canadian operator.The 1993-built ro-pax ferry Spirit of British Columbia was the first to undergo conversion while its sister vessel, the Spirit of Vancouver Island, is expected to complete conversion during the spring of 2019. The 550-foot ABS-classed vessels are the largest ships in the BC Ferries fleet with a capacity to carry 2…

Sembcorp Marine (SembMarine) announced that its wholly-owned subsidiary, Sembcorp Marine Integrated Yard (SMIY) plans to buy the intellectual property (IP) of Norway’s Sevan Marine for US$28 million and bring an end to a long-standing intellectual property dispute between the two parties. SMIY will further undertake to take over some of Sevan Marine’s existing service contracts and provide engineering services to some of Sevan’s existing contract partners which have outstanding licence fees payable to Sevan Marine.

“Jafar Jabbarli“ dry cargo vessel owned by Marine Transport Fleet of CJSC Azerbaijan Caspian Shipping Company has been overhauled by “Zigh” ship repair yard. A lot has been done during the overhaul which took almost a year. All corroded metal layers available in the hull, deck, cargo storage facility and other parts of the vessel with a safe load capacity of 3850 tons were replaced, and 350 tons of metal were used for this purpose. State cabins were overhauled in line with modern standards and supplied with new equipment and furniture.

Rolls-Royce has received a supply order from Spain’s Astilleros Gondan shipyard for the design, propulsion and auxiliary machinery systems for what has been dubbed one of world’s most advanced fishing vessels.Scheduled for delivery in 2020 to Prestfjord Seafood, a division of Norway’s Holmøy Maritime, the 77m trawler will be based on a Rolls-Royce NVC 732 WP design arranged with triple trawl and pelagic trawl for operation in Arctic waters catching white fish and shrimps. The vessel has been designed to accommodate a 29-person crew.Knut Roald Holmøy…

As the shipping industry continues its push to reduce emissions to air, classification society DNV GL announced a new class notation for exhaust gas cleaning systems (EGCS). The new notation, emissions reduction (ER), will cover not only scrubbers for removing SOx, but selective catalytic reduction (SCR) and exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) systems for removing NOx. The new notation will be published in July 2018.“As the 2020 IMO sulphur cap on fuel draws closer, we have been hearing…

Seastreak’s newest vessel, Seastreak Commodore, has been developed in response to significant passenger volume growth and brings the operator’s fleet of Incat Crowther-designed vessels to a total of eight.The 45m-long, 600-passenger ferry built at the Gulf Craft shipyard in Louisiana is the highest capacity UCSG k-Class fast ferry ever built. Incat Crowther said it worked closely with Seastreak to develop the vessel’s layout and styling to allow 600 people to safely and comfortably undertake their daily commute.

Bollinger Shipyards has delivered the 29th Fast Response Cutter (FRC), USCGC Forrest Rednour, to the U.S. Coast Guard, Thursday in Key West, Fla.“The vessel’s commissioning is scheduled for November, 2018 in southern California. This will be the first of four FRCs to be stationed in San Pedro, Calif.,” said Ben Bordelon, Bollinger President & CEO. “Previous cutters have been stationed around the nation including Alaska and Hawaii.”The 154-foot patrol craft USCGC Forrest Rednour is the 29th vessel in the Coast Guard's Sentinel-class FRC program.

German conglomerate Thyssenkrupp is examining a full or partial exit from its naval vessels business, which is part of the group's Marine Systems unit, a person familiar with the matter said.The news was first reported by German newspaper Handelsblatt, which said the company was in talks with competitors that could result in a complete or partial sale of the activities, adding they would be wound down if no agreement would be reached.The paper said the group was also mulling an exit from its submarine business.Thyssenkrupp said it generally does not comment on market speculation.Thyssenkrupp M

Classification society ClassNK has released its Guidelines for Liquefied Gas Carrier Structures – Independent Prismatic Tanks.The guidelines, which are available to download for free from ClassNK’s website, specify the technical requirements specifically related to the structural strength assessments of liquefied gas carriers by using direct calculation.The two components of the guidelines include the Guidelines for Direct Strength Analysis, and the Guidelines for Fatigue Strength…

Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri has delivered the fifth cruise ship in a series of oceangoing newbuilds for ship owner Viking Cruises. The new vessel, Viking Orion, was delivered today from the builder’s shipyard in Ancona.Viking Orion, as its four preceding sister ships, fits into the small cruise ship segment, with a gross tonnage of about 47,800 tons. It has 465 cabins with accommodation for 930 passengers.Viking's ocean ships are all equipped high-efficiency engines, hydro…

Nigerian-based Homeland Integrated Offshore Services has signed a contract with Damen Shipyards Group for another Damen 3307 Patrol Vessel. The vessel marks another collaboration between the companies, who have been in cooperation since Damen delivered Homeland’s first 3307 Patrol Vessel in 2014.The vessel named, Guardian 6, will join its sister vessels in the Gulf of Guinea providing security services to oil majors operating in the region. It will perform roles such as deterring and intervening in piracy attacks, as well as crew transfers and equipment deliveries.

ABB Turbocharging and Multimarine Services Ltd (MMS) have agreed an ABB Turbocharging Service Point will open at the MMS shipyard facility at Limassol Port, Cyprus.The deal, signed this week during the Posidonia exhibition in Athens, confirms the creation of the first turbocharging service point in Limassol to be located at a shipyard, after proactive discussions between ABB Turbocharging Greece & Cyprus and MMS to relocate ABB’s local service facilities. The relocation will support a closer physical pick up point for marine customers, providing convenience and faster access to customized servicing for optimal uptime and fleet productivity.“This is a positive agreement for ABB Turbocharging and will enable us to better serve our customers by offering reliable…

The International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA) has updated its ‘Guidance on Safety in Shipyards’ IMCA HSSE 032, IMCA M 221. The document provides guidance to vessel owners and operators when preparing contracts and procedures for vessel dry docking or extended maintenance periods alongside in a shipyard.Originally published in 2013, the revised document addresses traffic management in shipyards.Nick Hough, IMCA Technical Adviser – HSSE, Offshore Survey and ROV, said,…

Rhode Island shipyard Blount Boats, Inc. said it has signed a sublicense agreement with Marine Applied Physics Corp. (MAPC) of Baltimore, Md., for the building of crew transfer vessels (CTV) designed by U.K. builder South Boats.South Boats has designed and built approximately 30 percent of the wind farm crew transfer vessels operating on European windfarms, and Blount Boats has held the U.S. license for the firm’s designs since 2011.In 2016, Blount delivered a South Boats 21-meter transfer vessel, Atlantic Pioneer, to Rhode Island Fast Ferry. The vessel is the first U.S.

Lloyd's Register presented Approval in Principle (AiP) to Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding Co., Ltd (SWS) for its liquefied natural gas (LNG) dual-fueled Newcastlemax 210,000 DWT bulk carrier design during a ceremony this week at the Posidonia 2018 trade show in Greece.SWS and LR have agreed to jointly develop the bulk carrier design, which is based on an existing conventional bulk carrier design and updated to incorporate LNG propulsion.LR provided assistance and support, in terms of the LNG fuel system application and verifying the design against the IGF code…

SunStone Ships, Inc. announced it has finalized an agreement with shipbuilder China Merchants Industry Holdings Co. Ltd. to build a third Infinity class expedition cruise vessel, to be named Ocean Victory. The newbuild is scheduled to be delivered in March 2021.SunStone’s President & CEO, Niels-Erik Lund, commented, “We are pleased with the rapid adoption of the Infinity-class vessels. It seems our European design and technology, combined with lower overall operating costs ticks…

Keppel Offshore & Marine Ltd (Keppel O&M) through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Keppel Singmarine Pte Ltd, has secured a contract from FueLNG, a joint venture between Keppel O&M and Shell Eastern Petroleum (Pte) Ltd, to build South East Asia's first Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) bunkering vessel valued at approximately S$50 million. Scheduled for completion in 3Q 2020, the dual-fuel LNG bunkering vessel will have a capacity of 7,500 cubic metres. FueLNG will receive a grant of up to S$3 million as part of the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore's (MPA) LNG Bunkering Pilot Programme (LBPP).

Bollinger Shipyards was presented the 2017 “Award for Excellence in Safety” by the Shipbuilders Council of America (SCA) on May 17, 2018 during SCA’s Annual General Membership Meeting in Washington, D.C.SCA, the national association representing the U.S. shipyard industry, honors companies with annual safety awards for enhancement of operations and promotion of safety and accident prevention.Ben Bordelon, Bollinger President and CEO, noted Bollinger has earned the SCA Award for…

Kongsberg, Robert Allan drive the future of marine fighting. The first vessel in the series will be the 20 meter RALamander 2000, featuring FiFi1 capability, pumping capacity of 2400 m3/hour and with optional foam capabilities. Vancouver based naval architects and marine engineers Robert Allan Ltd., and international marine technology specialist Kongsberg Maritime are collaborating on the development of a radically new remotely-operated fireboat that will allow first responders to attack dangerous port fires more aggressively and safer than ever before.

Bureau Veritas has issued a broad swathe of approvals to GTT, expert in membrane containment systems and liquefied natural gas (LNG) technology applications.Bureau Veritas experts have been working with GTT to approve two new containment systems: the Mark III Flex+, an evolution of the Mark III but with a lower boil-off rate (BOR), and the GTT MARS, a containment system developed for LPG carriers that is adaptable to any size of tank or ship.Approval in Principle (AiP) has been provided for a 6…

Norsafe announced it has recently secured an order from Papastratos Tobacco Company S.A., an affiliate of Philip Morris International in Greece, for the construction of five high speed patrol boats, which will be donated to the Hellenic Coast Guard.The donation of the boats is part of the international project PMI Impact, created by Philip Morris International, whose aim is to support public and private bodies in the fight against smuggling and related crimes.The five units will be manufactured in Greece and are expected to join the Hellenic Coast Guard fleet at the end of 2018.

Japanese shipping major Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha (K Line) took delivery of its newest very large crude carrier (VLCC), Tedorigawa.The 311,000 dwt vessel was built at Nantong Cosco KHI Ship Engineering (NACKS), China and delivered on June 4, 2018.The Panama-flagged, 161,483 gross tons tanker has a length of 339.5 meters and a beam of 60 meters.According to K Line, Tedorigawa achieves low fuel consumption (about 20 percent reduction compared with conventional VLCC) by removing the bulbus bow, applying ultra-long stroke slow speed main diesel engine and highly efficient large diameter propeller.

Since HMM sent out a Request for Proposal (RFP) to shipbuilding companies on April 10, HMM has considered all the conditions for newbuilding including delivery date and price of new ships suggested by shipbuilders, and finally selected three shipbuilders to sign a Letter of Intent (LOI) for 20 new vessels. First, HMM chose Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME) and Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI) for seven and five 23,000 TEU containerships respectively which are expected to deliver in the second quarter of 2020.

Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri delivered the newly constructed cruise ship MSC Seaview to owner MSC Cruises during a ceremony Monday in Monfalcone.Following fresh on the heels of sister ship MSC Seaside delivered last November, MSC Seaview is the second ship to be built by Fincantieri for MSC Cruises in six months.With a gross tonnage of over 153,000 tons and a length of 323 meters, MSC Seaview is the largest and most technologically advanced ship ever to be designed and built in Italy…

GTT has received an order notification from South Korean shipyard Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) to equip a new floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU) with its Mark III cryogenic membrane containment system.The FSRU of 170,000 m3 will be built on behalf of a European ship-owner. Its delivery is scheduled in 2020."We are very pleased to pursue our long-term partnership with HHI through this project," commented Philippe Berterottière, Chairman and CEO of GTT. "FSRU are the prime solution chosen by operators as they constitute an economical alternative to onshore storage terminals and offer a higher flexibility, with reduced construction delays. The Mark III technology is perfectly competitive and adapted to this vessel type."

Singapore's port authority will provide S$6 million ($4.5 million) to help build two liquefied natural gas (LNG) bunker vessels, in a bid to promote ship-to-ship LNG bunkering in the city-state.FueLNG, a joint venture between Keppel and Shell Eastern Petroleum, and Pavilion Gas will each receive a S$3 million co-funding grant for the vessels due for delivery in 2020, the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) said on Monday.The move is part of Singapore's push to maintain its status as leading ship refueling hub in the region."LNG is a viable marine fuel solution to meet global environ

The oil-to-water lubricated tailshaft conversion Thordon Bearings carried out last year to the 26,260dwt Great Lakes Fleet-managed bulk carrier SS John G. Munson has successfully completed its first season as a diesel-powered ship.The shaft conversion of the 1952-built self-unloader formed a key part of the mammoth 12-month power conversion project completed last year by Fincantieri’s Bay Shipbuilding yard, in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, U.S.The vessel’s steam propulsion plant was replaced with an energy efficient medium-speed diesel arrangement.

From powerful seine skiffs for the Alaskan salmon fishery to sturdy and practical crew boats for the safe transfer of workers on marine construction jobs, Snow Boat Building has been attracting attention on the West Coast. Based in Seattle, the firm is known for its quality aluminum fabrication and general commercial boat repair.Recently the builder has won a contract to construct a 40- by 17-foot U.S. Navy Workboat Large. The small heavily built steel vessel with aluminum superstructure will be operated by a crew of two and have capacity for up to five passengers.

Portland, Oregon-based Vanport Marine, Inc. has been awarded the contract to perform the Dockside Repair of the USCGC Bluebell. The scope of the contract includes upgrades to the Allied buoy and cargo crane, deck preservation, repairs to the weather tight doors, renewal of the sewage shore tie valve, and repair of the remote fuel cutoff valve and deck box. The work will be completed at the vessel’s home pier at 676 N. Basin Ave, Portland, OR. The performance period will begin on June 12, 2018 and end July 18, 2018. The cutter Bluebell is an inland buoy tender built by the Birchfield Boiler Co.

The new ASD Tug 2913 for Saqr Port, part of Ras Al Khaimah (RAK) Ports, has been launched at the Albwardy Damen shipyard in Sharjah, UAE. Ordered twelve months ago, the tug will join the RAK Ports tug fleet and operate in the new and impressive deep-water bulk terminal currently nearing completion at the port. There its 80-tonnes of bollard pull will provide additional power for manoeuvring Capesize vessels. The tug was launched in the presence of Capt. Cliff Brand, the Chief Executive Officer of RAK Ports, and Capt. Michael Magee, the Harbour Master of RAK Ports.

Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) announced the delivery of the LNG carrier CESI Lianyungang, which was ordered by the joint venture of China COSCO Shipping Corporation Limited (CCSC) and China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation (SINOPEC), at Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding (Hudong) on May 31. The CESI Lianyungang is the sixth vessel in the China LNG Transportation Project announced in April 2013, and will sail under a long-term charter transporting LNG that SINOPEC purchases from the Australia Pacific LNG Project.

With just a few days to go until MSC Seaview comes into service, excitement is reaching an all-time high among cruise guests, travel agent partners, port officials and the broader industry. While a nearly 4000-strong team at the Fincantieri shipyard is working 24/7 around the clock to put the final touches and ready the ship for her inaugural season, MSC Cruises today revealed some of the key environment-friendly features on MSC Seaview, the third next-generation MSC Cruises ship to come into service in a matter of only 12 months.

GE Aviation’s marine gas turbines are the ideal solution for the Royal Canadian Navy’s next generation surface combatant program, GE Marine said Thursday at the CANSEC 2018 trade exhibition.“GE’s LM2500 family of engines are used by the Royal Canadian Navy and 34 other navies worldwide, setting the benchmark for reliability. The global fleet of GE gas turbines has logged over 15 million operating hours in the marine environment and another 90 million in industrial applications,” said Brien Bolsinger, GE’s Vice President, Marine Operations, Cincinnati, Ohio.

McAllister Towing has taken delivery of Rosemary McAllister, the second in a series of four 100’ x 40’, 80 metric ton bollard pull tugboats. The new vessel, the 32nd tractor tug in McAllister’s fleet, was completed at Eastern Shipbuilding in Panama City, Fla.The Rosemary is powered by 3516E Tier IV Caterpillar engines with twin Schottel SRP4000FP units. Packed into her 100’ x 40’ hull is 6,770 horsepower. She has already exceeded expectations as she achieved 82.75 metric tons during her ABS bollard pull certification. The Rosemary joins her sister vessel, the Capt. Brian A.

DemandThe improved fundamentals during 2017 are clearly seen in the freight rate levels during the first four months of 2018. Freight rates for Handysize, Supramax and Panamax went up by 25-27 percent as compared to the same period of last year. All three sectors moved from loss-making average earnings in the full year of 2017 to a profitable level in first four months of 2018.Meanwhile, capesize freight rates improved by only 5 percent as compared to the same period last year…

With owners required to respond to new rules on invasive species and emissions, Gibraltar-based Gibdock reports it is seeing a stronger than expected surge in interest in ballast water management system and exhaust gas scrubber work. Richard Beards, Managing Director of the Western Med’s gateway repair facility, attributes the upturn in inquiries to the yard’s enduring advantages of location, quality of work and on-schedule redelivery.“We have undertaken significant ballast water work over the last 18 months and in the first half of 2018 we have had more enquiries than ever before…

“Posidonia could not have come at a better time for us,” said Andrew Marshall, Coldharbour Marine Chief Executive, a few days before Posidonia opened its doors to the global shipping community in Athens. “We are in the final stages of a successful ballast water treatment installation for one of our key Greek clients, and we are in negotiations with several other potential customers in this important market. The ballast water treatment sector is picking up at last.”“Greek shipowners are important to us…

A month after the delivery of New Mein Schiff 1, the next ship in line, New Mein Schiff 2, has been floated out at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Finland. New Mein Schiff 2 will be delivered to the customer, German TUI Cruises, early next year.The timetable for the construction of the ship shows how Turku shipyard has already been ramping up the production volume to meet the increasing demands from the order book.“Our block production capacity is already up on the level with previous high from 2010, when the shipyard was building Allure of the Seas.

Norwegian shipbuilder Kleven Verft today delivered the 95-metre-long anchor handling vessel Maersk Minder, the fourth of six vessels in Maersk Supply Services’ Starfish series.The naming ceremony was held at Kleven Verft this afternoon, led by the shipyard’s new CEO Karsten Sævik, with Anni Bak as sponsor.“This is vessel number four in the series, and the yard has demonstrated its ability to again construct a very advanced and sophisticated vessel,” Sævik said. “We are very grateful for the efforts made by all suppliers…

Wärtsilä said it bagged a contract in March to provide the engines, propellers and control system for a new, large-size hopper dredger being built by the Netherlands-based shipbuilding company Damen Shipyards Group. The vessel has been ordered by Cemex UK, supplier of building materials.Wärtsilä will prepare the engines ready for use with selective catalytic reduction (SCR) technology to reduce emissions, making the vessel compliant with the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) Tier III regulations.

Canadian shipbuilder Seaspan Shipyards together with the Government of Canada announced that work will begin soon on the Joint Support Ships (JSS) for the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN).These purpose-built vessels are being constructed as part of a strategic partnership between the Government of Canada and Seaspan under Canada’s National Shipbuilding Strategy (NSS). The vessels will meet the nation’s domestic and international obligations and will fully meet the operational needs of the RCN.“Seaspan Shipyards is a proud partner to the Government of Canada under the National Shipbuilding Strategy…

U.S. Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Paul F. Zukunft will be relieved by U.S. Coast Guard Atlantic Area Commander Vice Adm. Karl L. Schultz on June 1, 2018, at 1100 hours at U.S. Coast Guard Headquarters in Washington, D.C. Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen M. Nielsen announced the nomination by President Donald Trump of Vice Adm. Karl L. Schultz to be the 26th Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard in March. Vice Adm. Schultz, the commander of the Coast Guard's Atlantic Area, previously served as the operational commander for all Coast Guard missions from the Rocky Mountains to the Arabian Gulf…

Cochin Shipyard Ltd. signed an agreement with the government of Kerala for the construction of three marine ambulance boats for the fisheries department.

Monaco-based LNG shipper GasLog signed a seven-year charter deal with the UK-based energy company Centrica for a newbuild LNG carrier it has ordered at the South Korean shipbuilder Samsung Heavy Industries. A 180,000 cubic meter LNG carrier (HN 2262) with low pressure two stroke (“LP-2S”) propulsion has been ordered from Samsung Heavy Industries in South Korea, with expected delivery in the third quarter of 2020. The rate of hire for the Charter is broadly in line with mid-cycle rates.

A new agreement between BAE Systems Australia and Flinders University will see students and industry working together to develop new ways to provide Australia’s defence force with the evolving capability it needs and train the shipbuilding workforce of the future. BAE Systems is one of three companies bidding to build nine Anti-Submarine Warships for the Royal Australian Navy. The company is proposing an Australian variant of the Global Combat Ship currently being manufactured in the UK for the Royal Navy.

ABB technology allowing integration of batteries receives major vote of confidence as Louis Dreyfus Armateurs orders second wind farm service vessel featuring a wide scope of ABB’s solutions.Maritime transportation group Louis Dreyfus Armateurs (LDA) will add a second 83 meter windfarm service operation vessel (SOV) to its fleet, featuring an extensive range of ABB’s technology, with the award-winning power distribution system Onboard DC Grid at its core. The vessel will support operations at Hornsea Project Two off the UK coast…

Hartmann Reederei, the German ship-management company, has confirmed that two of its vessels – the 36,000 m3 LEG (liquefied ethylene gas) carriers Gaschem Beluga and Gaschem Orca – powered by the world’s first ME-GIE (-Gas Injection Ethane) two-stroke engines have collectively accumulated 10,000 hours of operations since entering operation at the end of 2017.The carriers were ordered by Hartmann and Ocean Yield of Norway, and constructed at Sinopacific Offshore Engineering (SOE)…

South Korean Finance Minister Kim Dong-yeon said on Tuesday the government will designate five key shipbuilding centres on the country's south coast as "industry crisis" zones eligible for economic support. The areas include Dong-gu in the city of Ulsan, Geoje-si of Kyong-nam province and Jinhae-gu of Changwon, as well as Tongyeong and Mokpo in the southwest coast. These areas are home to heavy shipping and shipbuilding companies and have struggled with high unemployment in recent years. A copy of the minister's speech released from the ministry showed the government would provide financial and tax incentives for suppliers of shipbuilding companies in the designated regions.

Damen Verolme Rotterdam (DVR)  completed a refit project on the MPI Enterprise, a 120-metre, self-elevating, DP2, wind turbine installation vessel owned and operated by MPI Offshore, part of the Vroon Group. The works included the installation of spudcans on her four-legged jacking system, which can elevate the vessel at rate of one metre per minute in water depths up to 45 metres. Acquired by Damen Shipyards Group in June 2017, DVR is one of the largest refit and repair yards in Western Europe, capable of accommodating any seagoing vessel or floating offshore unit.

Positive developments in the ballast water treatment (BWT) are reflected by a recent surge in new business orders and revenues, says BWT specialist Optimarin.The Norwegian headquartered firm, which has now sold close to 600 of its USCG-approved Optimarin Ballast Systems (OBS), says it has shattered its initial growth forecasts for the year to date, with both orders and income up by over 50 percent year-on-year.“2017 was our best ever year in business, so we honestly didn’t expect to outperform last year’s figures so comprehensively,” states Optimarin CEO Tore Andersen.

Tanker vessel owner and operator TOP Ships Inc. announced that it took delivery of its 50 percent owned 49,703 dwt newbuilding product/chemical tanker M/T Eco Palm Springs on May 23, 2018. The vessel was constructed at the Hyundai Mipo Vinashin shipyard in South Korea.On May 26, M/T Eco Palm Springs commenced its three year time charter employment with Clearlake Shipping Pte Ltd.

The first 70 metric ton bollard pull version of Robert Allan Ltd.’s TRAktor 2500-SX tractor tugs has been delivered to her Owner, Svitzer A/S of Denmark.The vessel was built by Sanmar Shipyards in Turkey, and christened Svitzer Vale. The vessel is the second TRAktor 2500-SX to be delivered and the first 70 metric ton configuration of this tug, designated by Sanmar as its Deliçay class.In order to allow for a high bollard pull in this length hull, the beam is relatively wide for the length.

Norwegian fishery and fish farm owner Prestfjord AS has chosen Asturian shipyard GONDAN for the construction of a complex and advanced stern trawler.GONDAN will build an advanced stern trawler for Prestfjord AS, for whom the shipyard had already delivered another technologically advanced freezing stern trawler, Sunderøy.This new vessel, designed by Rolls Royce Marine - in charge also of supplying the main equipment - will have a length of 77.3 m and a beam of 17 m. Built in steel with aluminum superstructure…

The latest addition to the Van Oord fleet was unveiled Monday 21 May at the Wilhelminakade in Rotterdam. Subsea rock installation (SRI) vessel Bravenes was christened by Ms Yvon van Oord-Barbier, the wife of CEO Pieter van Oord. The well-attended christening ceremony marked the start of a two-day event celebrating Van Oords 150th anniversary. The Bravenes is the third vessel to join Van Oord’s SRI fleet. SRI vessels stabilise and protect subsea pipelines, cables and other structures at depths down to 1,500 metres.

Huntington Ingalls Industries Newport News Shipbuilding division has successfully completed the initial sea trials on the newest Virginia-class submarine, Indiana (SSN 789). The initial round of sea trials, known as alpha trials, provides an opportunity to test all systems and components. It includes submerging for the first time and high-speed maneuvers while on the surface and submerged. “Sea trials is a significant milestone and the first major test of submarine’s capabilities at sea,” said Dave Bolcar, Newport News’ vice president of submarine construction.

One of the world’s leading shipbuilders, Luerssen, has teamed with Australian engineering and construction firm Civmec to create a new force in naval shipbuilding and exports. The joint venture, Australian Maritime Shipbuilding & Export Group (AMSEG), will partner Luerssen Australia, the prime contractor and designer for the Australian Government’s Offshore Patrol Vessel program, with West Australian-based Civmec, soon to list on the Australian Stock Exchange. It is intended that AMSEG will play a significant role in the build of ten OPVs in Henderson…