Support Unit News

The launch of the bow section of the second logistic support unit LSS (Logistic Support Ship) ordered from Fincantieri by Chantiers de l'Atlantique under the FLOTLOG ("Flotte logistique") program took place at the Castellammare di Stabia shipyard.The FLOTLOG program envisages the construction of four Logistic Support Vessels (LSS) for the French Navy by the temporary consortium formed by Chantiers de l'Atlantique and Naval Group under the French-Italian LSS program led by OCCAR (Organization for the joint armaments cooperation) on behalf of DGA…

ESVAGT and Ulstein have entered into a contract for the conversion of two platform supply vessels (PSV) to hybrid battery-powered emergency response rescue vessels (ERRV).The two PX121 design PSVs Hermit Fighter and Hermit Prosper, designed by Ulstein Design & Solutions AS, originally built at Ulstein Verft and delivered in 2012, will return to the Norwegian shipyard for a six-week stay to undergo conversion to ERRVs and battery power. The engineering work at Ulstein has commenced…

Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, navies adjusted how they operate at home and while deployed, to keep their forces ready for any missions as they keep their Sailors, families, communities, as well as allies and partners safe from the coronavirus.Navies have taken a number of prudent preventative measures to limit outbreaks, mitigate cases of infection and reduce the community spread of the virus.Speaking during his May 29 “On The Horizon: Navigating the European and African Theaters” podcast, Admiral James G. Foggo III, Commander of U.S. Naval Forces Europe and Africa, said The U.S.

The vessels owned by the Caspian Sea Oil Fleet of the CJSC "Azerbaijan Caspian Shipping Company" carry out dredging operation at the Filanovsky field on the basis of a contract with Voltar Marine. A dredging vessel ("Engineer Balarza Mammadov"), three soil transportation ships (“Bakinskaya 3”, “Bakinskaya 5”, “Bakinskaya 6”) and supply-towing vessel “Yarenga” were involved in the implementation of the dredging project. A total of 27050 cubic meters of dredging works were carried out. Thus, the first stage of the project, which started on June 26, 2013, was completed. The implementation of the works planned for the second stage of the project at the Filanovsky field will also be carried out by the vessels of the Shipping Company.

A 20-foot shipping container on the Mornington Peninsula, Victoria, helps the Australian Navy run one of the world’s few remaining shore-to-sea live firing training sites. Since 1959, West Head Gunnery Range which occupies an area of 16 hectares has provided the Royal Australian Navy with live gunnery training for close range and medium calibre shipborne weapon systems, navigation radar and miscellaneous communications and support equipment. One of the many systems used for safety during live firings and also training is the Electro-Optical Tracking System. Also fitted to most major fleet units, the system is highly accurate multi-sensor tracking system used to track and locate targets in aerial warfare.

Just two weeks after accepting the U.S. Coast Guard’s congratulations on a military career spanning almost three decades, Rob Nakama drove from Washington D.C. to Seattle to join Foss Maritime as the company’s Manager of Contingency Planning and Emergency Response. “I’ve been in the military for the majority of my life; the transition has been surreal,” he said. Nakama was born in Hawaii, growing up on the island of Maui as the son of a taro farmer who worked for the Aloha Poi Factory.

The launching ceremony of the bow section of the LSS logistic support unit Vulcano, took place at the shipyard in Castellammare di Stabia (Naples) in the presence of the Italian Minister of Defense, Roberta Pinotti. The unit was ordered to Fincantieri within the renewal plan of the Italian Navy’s fleet. Godmother of the ceremony was Maria Teresa Piras, widow of the vessel tenant Emilio Attramini, young Italian Navy Officer, who died in 1977 in the air disaster of the Monte Serra.

A steel cutting ceremony was held for the Italian Navy’s lead Multipurpose Offshore Patrol Ship (PPA) at Fincantieri’s shipyard in Muggiano (La Spezia), officially marking the beginning of construction works on the first unit. The first of seven new builds, the PPA will be delivered in 2021 and it is part of the renewal plan of the operational lines of the Italian Navy vessels, approved by the Government and Parliament and started in May 2015. The project as a whole involves the construction of nine units…

China’s Cosco (Nantong) Shipyard has won a contract to build one multi purpose wind farm support vessel (WFSV) for the Hong Kong-based Everbright Int’l (HK) Offshore. Cosco Corporation's 51 per cent owned Cosco Nantong will deliver the contracted newbuild in the fourth quarter of 2018. Under the contract, Cosco Nantong has also granted an option to Everbright pursuant to which the company may order another similar multi purpose wind farm support unit within six months from the contract. Cosco Corp has not disclosed the contract value, of which the listed company said has to be kept confidential as agreed with Everbright. The above contract is not expected to have any material impact on the net tangible assets and earnings per share of the Company for the year ending 31 December 2017.

CMA CGM Group, a leading worldwide shipping group, announced the opening of its Navigation and Port Operations Center in APL’s corporate headquarters in Singapore. A ceremony was held on the presence of Rodolphé Saadé, Vice-Chairman of the CMA CGM Group. CMA CGM chose Singapore to implement this Navigation and Port Operations Center, a critical navigation support unit of the group’s vessel operations. It reflects CMA CGM’s commitment to strengthen the Group’s presence in Singapore and reinforce the city-state’s role as a key maritime hub. Designed to be the Group’s third navigation command center to its combined fleet of more than 500 container vessels…

The steel cutting ceremony of the LSS logistic support unit’s bow section was held today at Fincantieri’s shipyard in Castellammare di Stabia. Construction works, therefore, officially started on the first unit, as provided in the renewal plan of the Italian Navy’s fleet, which has been commissioned to Fincantieri. The section is 94 meters long, 24 meters wide, 16.3 meters high, weighing about 4,100 tons. In the coming months it will be launched and transported by sea to the shipyard in Muggiano (La Spezia)…

Fincantieri, one of the world’s largest shipbuilding groups and reference player in the naval shipbuilding industry, and Finmeccanica, Italy’s leading manufacturer in the high technology sector, have been awarded the contract for the construction and equipment of one multipurpose amphibious unit (LHD) for the Italian Navy. The total value of the contract is over 1.1 billion euros, with Fincantieri’s share amounting to approx. 853 million euros and Finmeccanica's to about 273 million euros. The delivery of the unit is scheduled in 2022. The contract with the consortium (Raggruppamento Temporaneo di Impresa – RTI), consisting of Fincantieri…

An offshore installation method that is more than three decades old is generating renewed interest from many operators who are challenged with designing heavy-lift crane installations. Float-over installation has become a cost-effective alternative to lift installation for offshore construction, as ever-increasing size and weight of decks constantly exceed the lifting capacity of floating cranes. Exploration of oil and gas in more remote offshore fields is driving the increasing demand for larger offshore units along with float-over installations.

Huntington Ingalls Industries announce that its AMSEC LLC subsidiary has been awarded a contract to provide maintenance, training and planning support for U.S. Navy aircraft carriers. The indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (IDIQ), cost-plus-fixed-fee contract contains a one-year base period with four one-year option periods which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of the contract to about US$135- million. AMSEC will furnish engineering services, maintenance and operator training as well as technical and repair services in support of maintenance and planning for the overhaul…

Caption        Before a crowd of 500 guests and the workforce of the U.S. 11 a.m. on June 7, 2013. Rear Admiral Ronald Rábago (center), Assistant Commandant for Engineering & Logistics, U.S. Coast Guard, presided over the Change of Command ceremony held at the Yard’s Columbus Recreation Center. Guest speakers included U.S. Congressman John Sarbanes of the 3rd District of Maryland. The Old Line Brass Quintet of the 229th Army Band, Maryland National Guard, provided musical support. Captain George Lesher of the United States Coast Guard recently assumed command of the U.S. Coast Guard Yard.

Although much of the country is welcoming spring and the warm weather that comes with it, many of the Great Lakes waterways are still laden with ice. Coast Guard icebreaking tugs continue to work on the lakes to keep critical shipping lanes clear for merchant vessels, remove hazardous obstructions to navigation and free ships stuck in ice. Their mission sustains a bi-national economy and keeps maritime crews safe. This year’s icebreaking season has been a busy one filled with successful missions and a few unexpected challenges.

Austal has announced that Michael Little has joined Austal as Regional Service Manager - Asia. Based in Singapore, Mr. Little will be responsible for Austal’s support offering in Singapore, Hong Kong and the Philippines and for developing relationships in the broader region. Mr. Little has considerable experience in the Asia-Pacific ship repair industry and direct expertise supporting US Navy operations in the region. His addition follows Austal’s recent acquisition of Darwin-based Hydraulink NT and its associated business KM Engineering (“HKME”), and further signals Austal’s commitment to supporting US Navy operations in Asia-Pacific, where Austal expects many of its Mobile-built Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) and Joint High Speed Vessel (JHSV) to operate. Mr.

The Chief of Navy Vice Admiral Ray Griggs has announced  the establishment of a new organisation, Fleet Support Unit – Australia, to provide better maintenance support to the Navy. The re-organisation was one of the key recommendations to come out of a review conducted by the Navy’s Continuous Improvement Program and incorporates elements of the Rizzo plan to reform Navy support ship repair and management practices. The review identified that the disparate Fleet Support Units were not empowered to achieve their primary aim of repair and maintenance. The new unit will be an amalgamation of the current Fleet Support Units currently located in different establishments around the country.

Coast Guard Capt. Barry Compagnoni, Out-going Commander of Sector Honolulu, and Capt. Joanna Nunan (incoming) wait to address the crowd during their change of command ceremony at Base Support Unit, Honolulu, Aug. 6, 2010. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Michael De Nyse.

Marlink, global provider of maritime satellite communications, has recently confirmed delivery and installation of its Sealink VSAT solution on the Atlantic Oilfield Services oil & gas support unit KS Titan 2. Chartered by Exxon Mobil, KS Titan 2 is the second Atlantic Oilfield Services rig to be installed with Marlink's Sealink system. "Since its installation, the crew have been very satisfied with Marlink's Sealink VSAT. The system provides always-on, reliable connectivity which is essential to meet the modern demands of the digital oilfield.

The 67-year-old Cutter Acushnet, the Coast Guard's "Queen of the Fleet", is moored to the pier prior to the cutter’s decommissioning ceremony at Base Support Unit Ketchikan Friday, March 11, 2011. The Acushnet served as a medium-endurance cutter in the Pacific Ocean, Gulf of Alaska, Bering Sea, and Arctic Ocean. Primary missions included search and rescue, homeland security, maritime law enforcement, and environmental protection. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Walter Shinn.

Military Sealift Command dry cargo/ammunition ship USNS Richard E. Byrd left Cam Ranh Bay in southern Vietnam today, marking the end of a historic visit - the first by a U.S. Navy ship to the port in more than three decades. Byrd spent seven days at Cam Ranh Shipyard for routine maintenance and repairs that included underwater hull cleaning, polishing of the ship's propeller, repairing shipboard piping, and overhaul of the salt water cooling system that keeps the ship's engines cool and runs the air conditioning. Cam Ranh Bay is 180 miles north of Ho Chi Minh City, formerly called Saigon.

The U.S. Coast Guard reported that Mission the Effectiveness Project (MEP) is significantly improving the mission capability and lowering the operating costs of in-service medium endurance cutters and patrol boats, thus bridging the gap between the aging fleet and the delivery of new assets. Since MEP began in 2005, the project has consistently achieved its goals on time and on budget. As project approaches its midpoint, the Coast Guard reviewed some of the lessons learned and performance improvements achieved.