The Black Watch News

Prime Minister Boris Johnson pledged to restore Britain’s navy to its position as Europe’s most powerful maritime force on Thursday, highlighting that shipbuilding could also help heal divisions between the four nations of the United Kingdom.With repeated polls suggesting most people in Scotland now support independence, Johnson was keen to press the case for how England and Scotland can work together.He announced plans for 13 more frigates as well as committing to a new generation of warships…

Fred Olsen Cruise Lines has appointed GAC UK as its agent in Newcastle and Liverpool. Under the deal, GAC will manage 18 calls during 2018 for the 804-guest cruise ship Black Watch at its home port of Liverpool, and a further 16 for the 1,350-guest Balmoral, at its home port of Newcastle. Clare Ward, Director of Product and Customer Service at Fred Olsen Cruise Lines, said: “Turnaround calls are always busy days for everybody involved in the operation, with crew changes, immigration and Customs formalities, stevedoring activity, receipt of supplies and much more all going on at once.

Eastern Shipbuilding Group, Inc. held its third HOSMAX Double Event in Panama City, Florida. On Friday, October 24, 2014, the christening and subsequent launching of the HOS Brairwood (Hull 210) the 10th HOSMAX launch in 20 months, followed with the same day delivery of the HOS Black Watch  (Hull 208) both for Hornbeck Offshore Services, LLC. The launch event was held at Eastern’s Allanton facility with hundreds of Eastern employees and guests in attendance with an afternoon of perfect weather and launch conditions.

Eastern Shipbuilding Group, Inc. announced another “double event” in Panama City, Florida. On Friday, August 8, 2014, the christening and subsequent launching of the HOS Brass Ring (Hull 209), was followed with the same day delivery of the HOS Black Rock (Hull 207) for Hornbeck Offshore Services, LLC. The launch event was held at Eastern’s Allanton facility with hundreds of Eastern employees and guests in attendance with an afternoon of perfect weather and launch conditions. Attending the launch from Hornbeck was Bill Krewsky, Director of Engineering and Project Management.

Eastern Shipbuilding Group, Inc. announced the delivery of the M/V HOS Black Foot (Hull 206) to Hornbeck Offshore Services, LLC, ahead of schedule and on budget. The HOS Black Foot is Eastern’s sixth of 10 offshore support vessels under contract and the second vessel designated as the HOSMAX 310 series by Hornbeck Offshore. Each vessel is Diesel-Electric powered, twin Z-drive propelled OSVs. These high-tech vessels feature four Caterpillar 3516C 16-cylinder turbo-charged Tier III diesel generator engines each rated at 1,825 kW at 1,800 rpm. Main propulsion power is provided by two GE Energy furnished Hyundai 2,500 kW 690VAC electric motors driving two Schottel SRP 2020 FP Z-Drives with nozzles rated at 2,500 kW at 1,025 rpm each for a total of 6,704 Hp.

Eastern Shipbuilding Group, Inc. announced the launch of the HOS Black Watch (Hull 208) on Friday June 6, 2014 for Hornbeck Offshore Services, LLC. The HOS Black Watch is Eastern’s fourth vessel in Hornbeck Offshore’s HOSMAX 310 class series. The launching event was held at Eastern’s Allanton facility with hundreds of Eastern employees and guests in attendance. Also attending from Hornbeck was Bill Krewsky, Director of Engineering and Project Management, who spoke about the ongoing long term commitment, partnership and future of the two companies.

After a record breaking cruise season in 2012 the Port of Tyne is expecting another busy year in 2013 with 32 cruise calls, 11 of which are transit and 21 are turnaround cruises. Three new cruise lines will be making transit calls – visiting the Port for one stop – including Crystal Cruises, Hurtigruten and Costa Cruises. A number of first time calls will be made by existing customers including the inaugural visit of Fred Olsen’s Black Watch and MSC Magnifica. U.K. ports are set for one million cruise passenger embarkations this year after a record 2012. The number of people leaving U.K.

More than 6.3 million tons of cargo and 2.2% more passengers handled. The Port of Kiel ended the year 2012 with a small plus in both cargo and passenger handling. Last year more than 6.3 million tons of cargo (an increase of 0.3%) were turned round for the first time. That was an increase – if only a small one – over handling posted in 2011. In the passenger sector more than 1.9 million travellers either boarded or disembarked from a ferry or cruise ship last year. That was an increase of 2.2% over the previous year.

Port handles more than six million tons for the first time. Kiel, January 17 2012: The Port of Kiel turned round more than six million tons of cargo last year for the first time ever. It posted a turnover figure of 6,293.374 tons exactly at the turn of the year - an increase of 8.5 % over the previous year. The Managing Director of the Port of Kiel (SEEHAFEN KIEL GmbH & Co. KG) Dr Dirk Claus said “thanks to the shipping companies and the port working hand in hand, we have together achieved a top-notch result, won additional shares in the market and gone into 2012 well-placed for the future”.

MTN Satellite Communications (MTN) announced that it has signed an agreement with Fred.Olsen Cruise Lines, an international shipping company based in Norway, to outfit its entire fleet of ships, Balmoral, Boudicca, Black Watch, and Braemar, with MTN’s state-of-the-art VSAT equipment and services providing global, reliable broadband connectivity. Under the agreement, MTN will provide services such as OceanPhone calling, StreamXcel, a bandwidth optimization service, toll-free inbound line dialing service for passengers and crew, and credit card processing. Installations on the Black Watch have been completed with scheduled rollouts for the rest of the fleet over the next few months. www.mtnsat.com

The factor time becomes more and more important for repair and conversion shipyards to hold their own on the international market. Blohm + Voss Repair GmbH has recorded success with an efficiency has been continuously improved, especially to ensure extremely short work procedures. An example is the repair of the fire damage on the Superfast III. In only 71 days Blohm + Voss Repair was able to complete the job, where others had calculated a repair time of five months, i.e. 150 days.

Germany’s Blohm + Voss Repair GmbH (B+V) has signed a contract with Norway’s Red Band AS, Oslo, for the repair and extensive alteration work onboard the 28,670 grt passenger ship Black Watch. The 1972-built vessel will arrive at B+V during April next year (2005), the first time she has visited the yard since November 2003. The remodelling and modernisation work will concentrate on reducing the vessel’s noise and vibration level. A complete new propulsion system with four MAN/B&W 7L32/40 diesel engines, each with an output of 3,500 kW at 750 rpm, will be installed. The repair will also include the installation of new Renk double step-down gear units, NDSL-2800, and two MAN/B&W 8L21/31 Gensets for the generating power supply.

The cruise vessel Black Watch, built in Helsinki in 1972, will be equipped with a completely new MAN B&W Diesel propulsion plant. On April 19, 2005, the Black Watch of the Red Band AS Shipping company, Norway, will arrive at the Blohm + Voss shipyard in Hamburg, where she will be completely renewed within a period of only 57 days, including a 2-day sea trial. Conversion and modernization work is focused on a reduction of the noise and vibration levels, as well as on clearly lower fuel consumption rates of new, state-of-the-art propulsion engines. The shipping company, which is mainly known on the British cruise market, has therefore decided in favor of four new MAN B&W 7L32/40 Diesel engines for the propulsion of the BLACK WATCH.

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines Singapore which is 50 percent owned by each of Ganger Rolf ASA and Bonheur ASA, has entered into an agreement with a subsidiary of Star Cruises Ltd. to purchase the 1988 built 34242 grt. cruise vessel MV Norwegian Crown, with delivery late August 2006. The vessel will upon delivery be chartered back to the sellers for a 14 months' period until around 1 November 2007. The vessel will be re-named at re-delivery. commence operations for Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines in early 2008. Total project costs amount to about USD 130 million. Upon completion of this acquisistion Fred. Black Watch, MV Braemar and MV Boudicca.

MSC (Europe) Ltd., the European subsidiary of Maritime Services Corporation, Hood River, Ore. is currently handling various projects throughout the U.K. and Europe, mainly a $2 million conversion of a fast ferry into a casino vessel for Israeli-based Athissa Shipping. MSC provided ship units, project management and fitters for installation of duty free and other shops onboard Fred Olsen's MV Black Watch. The company also installed galley modifications and waste handling equipment onboard Arcalia Shipping's Princess Danae at A&P Falmouth. The company has further extended its expansion capabilities with new offices in Cape Canaveral and Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. to meet the growing demands in these markets.