Technical Management News

LOTOS Petrobaltic, an ORLEN Group company, signed a contract for the construction of a Crew Transfer Vessel (CTV) with Singapore-based Strategic Marine, set for service in the Polish offshore wind market.The StratCat 27 CTV is scheduled to be completed this summer, with delivery to Europe planned for early September 2024.This CTV will join the existing fleet managed by Miliana Shipmanagement Limited, a company belonging to the LOTOS Petrobaltic capital group, which owns five offshore…

Singaporean shipbuilder Strategic Marine reports it has secured an order to construct a newbuild crew transfer vessel (CTV) for the Polish offshore wind sector.The order comes from LOTOS Petrobaltic S.A., an ORLEN Group company, and will see the new vessel—a BMT-designed StratCat 27—delivered to Europe in September of this year.This CTV will join the fleet managed by Miliana Shipmanagement Limited, owned by the LOTOS Petrobaltic capital group, which owns five offshore vessels.

The German government is providing funding to support the installation of an auxiliary wind propulsion system on board a cement carrier vessel.Hamburg-based Baltrader Capital GmbH & Co. KG. has signed a contract with wind propulsion systems provider Norsepower for the delivery of one 24m x 4m sized rotor sail in summer 2024. The product will be fitted on the newest cement carrier of the Baltrader fleet, Cemcommander, designed by SDC Ship Design & Consultants GmbH and built by Jiangsu Zhenjiang Shipyard (Group) Co. Ltd.The Norsepower rotor sail is a modernized version of the Flettner rotor.

Eidesvik Offshore, a Norwegian offshore vessel owner, has signed a ship management contract extension with DEME for construction support vessel (CSV) Viking Neptun.The three-year extension also includes a two-year option for further extension, according to Eidesvik Offshore.The company has provided full technical management, crewing and operation of Viking Neptun since December 2022.In November the same year, Eidesvik Offshore completed the sale of Viking Neptun CSV to DEME.“This extension is a testament to the exceptional performance of our dedicated crews.

Taiwan-based dry bulk shipowner Wisdom Marine Group and Singapore-based ship management company Synergy Group have announced a new joint venture (JV).Wisdom Synergy Ship Management (WSSM) will be headquartered in Singapore with key operational centres in Taiwan and India and will provide technical management for Wisdom’s diverse fleet.Last year, Wisdom chose Synergy Group to provide management services for a portion of its fleet.The JV cements a collaborative relationship established in 1999 by James Lan, Chairman of Wisdom Marine Group.

Wilhelmsen Ship Management and MPC Capital jointly acquire 100 % of Zeaborn Ship ManagementWilhelmsen Ship Management (Wilhelmsen) and MPC Capital have agreed to acquire 100% of the company Zeaborn Ship Management, which the acquiring companis position as the next milestone in the partnership between MPC Capital and Wilhelmsen and their ship management joint venture Wilhelmsen Ahrenkiel Ship Management and tanker specialist Barber Ship Management.Zeaborn manages a fleet of around 100 vessels…

UV-based water treatment specialist BIO-UV Group has introduced what it says is arguably the smallest UV BWTS in the marketplace, targeted at meeting increased demand for ballast water treatment systems from operators of workboats, yachts, research ships, OSVs, and similar-sized vessels. The new BIO-SEA L01-0030 Mini – more compact than the company’s existing low-flow BIO-SEA L range – is a fully automated filtration + UV-based system designed to treat ballast water flow rates…

U.S. maritime companies Crowley and SEACOR Holdings' Seabulk Tankers have created a new joint venture that combines their liquid energy and chemical transportation vessels, operations and related services into a new, independent U.S. Jones Act service provider.The new company, Fairwater Holdings, will serve the U.S. domestic market with vessels and marine transportation solutions across the petroleum and chemical trades, as well as related third-party ship management services. It will include 20 oceangoing, articulated tug-barges (ATB) and 11 tankers, many under long-term charter.

Norwegian companies OSM Thome and Pherousa Green Shipping (PGS) have entered into a Letter of Intent outlining their collaboration on six 63,000dwt Ultramax bulk carriers to be ordered by PGS.The collaboration involves Phases I, II, and III, encompassing Drawing Approval, Project Development, and Site Supervision. Furthermore, OSM Thome will manage the crew and technical management of the constructed vessels.PGS, established in 2023, is in the process of initiating the order for these zero-emission vessels, designed by Deltamarin in Finland.

The International Bunker Industry Association (IBIA) and methanol consulting firm Green Marine have signed a cooperation agreement to develop a methanol bunkering training program, with support from the Methanol Institute.The cooperation agreement aims to ensure bunker tanker crews and bunker surveyors are competent and ready for methanol bunkering on a larger scale. The plan is to commence the training in Singapore first and expanding globally in 2024.“Through strategic training and partnerships…

An oil tanker runs aground off eastern China, leaking fuel into the water. Another is caught in a collision near Cuba. A third is seized in Spain for drifting out of control.These vessels were part of a "shadow" fleet of tankers carrying oil last year from countries hit by Western sanctions, according to a Reuters analysis of ship tracking and accident data and interviews with more than a dozen industry specialists.Hundreds of extra ships have joined this opaque parallel trade…

Royal Caribbean Group named Palle Laursen as executive vice president, head of marine, effective May 1, 2023. Laursen will report to Royal Caribbean Group’s President and CEO Jason Liberty and will join the company’s Executive Committee.With this newly created position, the company will centralize its global and brand marine operations functions under Laursen. He will oversee all marine operations for the company’s entire fleet, as well as strategic oversight of marine operations of its TUI Cruises and Hapag-Lloyd Cruises…

Oslo-based offshore vessel owner Atlantica Shipping has taken delivery of its fourth platform supply vessel.The company said in a social media post that it had expanded its fleet with the 2005 built UT 755L Atlantica Server.The vessel, previously known as Energy Scout (according to the VesselsValue database), will be under technical management by Vestland Offshore.According to the vessel's AIS, the 71.9-meter-long platform supplier with a 693-square-meter deck is currently in Aberdeen.The Dina Scout, the Atlantica Provider, and the Atlantica Supplier are the other three offshore supply ships in Atlantica Shipping's fleet.2023 Outlook: The Offshore Service Vessel Market

Maritime communications specialist Marlink has signed an agreement to provide hybrid network connectivity services to at least 100 ships operated by shipmanager Thome Group. The contract will guarantee that the vessels are equipped with Marlink’s high speed VSAT service as well as L-band back-up to ensure flexible guaranteed bandwidth at all times. Based in Singapore, the Thome Group provides integrated ship management services, as well as offshore management, oil and gas marine services and crewing.The company has about 200 vessels under full technical management.

OSM Maritime Group and Thome Group have agreed to a merger that will create one of the world's largest ship management companies.The combined company OSM Thome will be headquartered in Arendal, Norway, with technical management hubs maintained in Singapore and Europe. Today, the two companies manage 1,000 ships in different segments such as tank, bulk, container, car carriers, cruise ships and offshore vessels and units, whereof 450 ships on full technical management, and 550…

Wilhelmsen Ship Management has appointed Felina Lin as its new Vice President of Services and New Growth.Responsible for growing the company's ship management’s service portfolio, Lin  will launch conventional and innovative services that supplement Wilhelmsen Ship Management's core business, the company said.Lin brings in over a decade of commercial experience from her role working in ship owner and ship manager for the offshore and marine segment. Having a full spectrum of all dimensions…

Berlin-based Kaiko Systems said it is partnering with C Transport Maritime (CTM) to roll out its software on CTM’s entire fleet under technical management, consisting of 30 dry bulk carriers.By using Kaiko Systems' software, CTM will be able to streamline crews’ manual technical operations on board and make routine operations such as inspection and maintenance more data-driven and proactive, the company said."Speed and accuracy are key to technical management," comments Francesco Canepa, Technical Director at CTM.

Claus Gronborg has been appointed CEO of Maersk Product Tankers – one of the largest product tanker owners in the world.Gronborg takes over the leadership of Maersk Product Tankers on October 1 from Christian M. Ingerslev. Gronborg will remain Chief Investment Officer of Maersk Tankers and a member of the executive team.Ingerslev will continue as CEO of Maersk Tankers and become a member of the Maersk Product Tankers board of directors.As CEO of Maersk Product Tankers, Gronborg will be responsible for delivering the company’s fleet strategy…

Synergy Marine Germany GmbH, a subsidiary of the Synergy Group, signed an agreement to manage part of the bulk carrier fleet owned by Oldendorff Carriers, one of Germany’s foremost shipowners and one of the world’s leading dry bulk operators."When we place our vessels with a third-party manager we only do so when we are confident they will deliver the benchmarked technical excellence that both Oldendorff and our customers expect," said Dexter Jeremiah, Managing Director Operations of Oldendorff Carriers. "Synergy is renowned as a quality manager with a great safety and operations record.

An electrical fault from an improperly disconnected battery in a used vehicle led to the fire aboard vehicle carrier Höegh Xiamen that resulted in $40 million worth of damages, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said Thursday.As a result of the investigation, NTSB issued eight safety recommendations to federal regulators and the companies involved in the accident.On June 4, 2020, while the Höegh Xiamen was in Jacksonville, Fla., the ship's crew noticed smoke coming from the ventilation housing while preparing to depart port for Baltimore, Md.

Norwegian offshore vessel owner Eidesvik Offshore will manage the construction support vessel Viking Neptun it recently agreed to sell to DEME.The company has now signed a two-year ship management agreement with DEME under which Eidesvik will provide full technical management, crewing and operation of the vessel.Viking Neptun was built for Eidesvik in 2015.In January 2022, Eidesvik entered into a Memorandum of Agreement (“MoA”) with DEME to sell the vessel. The MoA is expected to complete in the fourth quarter of 2022…

Wallem Group appointed Ioannis Stefanou as Managing Director of Wallem Ship Management, with responsibility for the oversight and strategic planning of the company’s ship management activities worldwide.Stefanou joined Wallem Ship Management in April 2014 to lead its Technical Management. Over his career he has worked for a number of well-known ship management companies and highly respected privately-owned ship operators. He holds Master’s degrees in both Marine Technology and Technical Management of Ship Operations and is a Chartered Engineer registered with Engineering Council UK.

Tru-Marine launches TruCare, designed to transform the technical management of marine turbocharger maintenance and repairs.“TruCare is a disruptive digitization approach in managing asset maintenance onboard vessels in a completely different way," said James Loke, Group Chief Executive Officer, Tru-Marine. "More importantly, it is our response to the urgency of decarbonization imposed by world maritime and the Singapore government’s raised climate ambition to net zero by or around 2050.”Designed for turbochargers onboard all ocean-going vessels…