The Scotsman News

Norwegian offshore supply vessel owner Solstad offshore has secured several contract extensions with oil companies Total and Equinor in Brazil.France's Total has extended the contracts for the platform supply vessel Normand Swift and the AHTS vessel Far Sagaris until December 2020. The vessels will be used to support Total’s activities in the Lapa field in Brazil.During the charter period, Far Sagaris will be replaced by Far Scout, as Far Sagaris will start a 3-year contract with Petrobras.Also…

A cruise ship stuck off Panama’s Pacific coast after four passengers died and more than 130 others developed influenza-like symptoms, including at least two with the coronavirus, will be allowed to proceed through the Panama Canal, the government said on Saturday.Holland America Line’s 238-meter (781-foot) MS Zaandam vessel can now continue its trip to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, but Panama’s government underscored that no passengers or crew members would be allowed to set foot…

Norwegian offshore service and supply ship shipping company Solstad Offshore has entered into a contract for the CSV Normand Pioneer (1999, CSV, 286t BP) with Queiroz Galvão Exploração e Produção S.A in Brazil.The contract has a duration of two years firm and in addition charterer holds two yearly options. The contract will commence in 1q 2019 and shall support production at the “Atlanta Field” in Santos Basin.Normand Pioneer will replace the AHTS Far Sagaris, who presently have this position, when her firm contract expires in 1Q 2019.In addition, Equinor Brazil has confirmed additional 6 months extension of the Contracts for both PSV Far Scotsman (2012, PSV 08 CD, 4000 DWT) and PSV Far Serenade (2009, UT 751 CD, 5950 DWT).

Solstad Farstad ASA (SOFF) has entered into a contract with Fairfield Industries Inc. for the CSV “Normand Tonjer”. The contract will commence in 3Q 2018 and has a duration of one year firm plus two yearly options.Fairfield will use the vessel to support their innovative worldwide ocean bottom seismic survey using node-based technology.Solstad Farstad has updated other contracts too. The key contracts in the subsea construction segment include Far Saga contract extension with Petrobras until 2Q’20,  Nor Australis awarded 3 months contract with Magseis for operations in Southeast Asia and  Normand Installer renewal of frame agreement…

Norwegian ship owner Solstad Farstad ASA said it has secured new contracts and contract extensions for six vessels.BP Egypt has declared the one-year option on the platform supply vessel (PSV) Sea Swift resulting in continuous utilization of the vessel through to August 2019.Equinor Brasil has extended present contracts for the PSVs Far Scotsman and Far Serenade with three months each to December 2018.In addition, SolstadFarstad secured ongoing charters in the Bass Strait, Australia, for the anchor handling tug supply vessels (AHTS) Far Senator and Far Saracen and the PSV Sea Swan.

By purchasing a brand new tug from Sanmar Shipyards, U.K. operator SMS Towage has taken delivery of its seventh ASD tug built by the Turkish tug builder. The new tug is named Superman, continuing an established pattern – the previous six Sanmar built tugs in the SMS fleet are called Statesman, Scotsman, Yorkshireman, Masterman, Englishman and Merchantman. The new tug is of the Sanmar exclusive Robert Allan Ltd RAmparts 2400 SX design, designated by the builder as the Bogacay series.

A man has died after an incident on a North Sea oil platform owned by BP Plc, the company said on Thursday. "BP is deeply saddened to confirm that an offshore worker has died following an incident on the Unity platform," BP said in a statement. It did not name the man but said the man's immediate family had been informed. The Edinburgh-based Scotsman newspaper website said it was understood the death had resulted from a fall. BP's safety record on its oil rigs has been under heightened scrutiny since the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill. The offshore worker was an employee of British energy services firm Cape Plc. The Unity platform does not produce any oil but is part of the BP-operated Forties Pipeline System (FPS), which brings oil to shore in Scotland.

Inpex has awarded contracts to AHTS Far Sword (2006, UT 712 L, 14.700 BHP) and AHTS Far Stream (2006, UT 712 L, 14.700 BHP). Commencement is expected to take place in November 2014. The duration of the contracts will be approx. 40 months, with further up to 24 months options. In addition the PSV Far Seeker (2008, UT 751 E, 4.905 DWT) has been awarded a contract by Inpex with commencement expected to be in November 2014. The contract is for a firm duration of 18 month with further up to 24 months options. The vessel is for the time being traded in the North Sea. Woodside Energy Ltd. has awarded AHTS Far Sirius (2014, UT 731 CD, 24.400 BHP) a 16 month contract, with further up to 18 months options. Commencement is expected to take place in October 2014.

A ferry operator escapes prosecution after a vessel flooded when its bow ramp was left open as it crossed Scotland's  River Clyde. The potential disaster happened as the Clydelink-operated Renfrew ferry was crossing the river between Renfrew and Yoker in Glasgow with its bow access door ramp open, reports 'The Scotsman'. Those on board were forced to scramble to the far end of the boat or jump on to seats after it started taking in water. The incident, which involved the Island Trader on a Sunday afternoon service in June 2011…

Farstad Shipping ASA has been awarded charter contracts with a value of about US$ 58-million. Statoil has awarded contracts to PSV Far Spica (2013, PSV 08 CD, 4,000 DWT) and PSV Far Scotsman (2012, PSV 08 CD, 4,000 DWT) to support the Statoil drilling campaign on the coast of East Africa. Commencement is expected to take place in April 2013. The duration of the contracts will be approx. 9 months, with a further 9 month option. Both vessels will leave the North Sea during the month of March.

North Sea supply specialist Fletcher Shipping buys 'FS Taurus' its third vessel in five years. Currently operating in the Forties section of the North Sea, Taurus will take the total number of employees at Fletcher to 90. Set up in 2007 with backing from the Royal Bank of Scotland, the company transports food, equipment and other supplies to offshore oil and gas operators, reports 'The Scotsman'. The purchase of the Taurus – a 2,600 tonne vessel built in 1991 – has been backed by RBS and the Scottish Loan Fund (SLF) run by Maven Capital. The SLF provided £4 million upfront, with the option to draw down a further £1m, to help part-fund the deal.

Platform Supply Vessel (PSV) 'Far Scotsman' delivered from STX OSV Langsten shipyard to Farstad Shipping Ltd. The vessel is of PSV 08 CD design, developed in close co-operation between STX Europe and Farstad Shipping. Far Scotsman will trade the spot market in the North Sea. Eksportkreditt Norge AS  financed the vessel in cooperation with DNB Bank ASA, GIEK and SpareBank 1 SMN. Farstad Shipping's fleet currently consists of 54 vessels (29 AHTS, 22 PSV and 3 SUBSEA) with 7 PSV and 4 AHTS under construction.

Scotland's foremost energy economist to tell “All Energy” Aberdeen conference that plans for a controversial demonstrator wind farm in Aberdeen Bay could enable Scotland to take a global lead in the development of offshore wind energy. According to a 'Scotsman' news report, Donald Trump, who is threatening to pull the plug on his £750 million golf resort development in Aberdeenshire because of the plans for the “monstrous” 11-turbine offshore development, warned First Minister Alex Salmond earlier this month that his drive to establish Scotland as a renewables powerhouse will “single-handedly” destroy the economic wellbeing of Scotland.

Private security firms are storing their guns aboard floating armouries in international waters so ships that want armed guards for passage through pirate-infested waters can cut costs and escape laws limiting the import and export of weapons, according to an article in 'The Scotsman' newspaper. Storing guns on boats offshore took off as a business last year. Britain – where many of the operators are from – is investigating the legality of the practice. Floating armouries have become a viable business in the wake of increased security practices by the maritime industry, which has struggled for years to combat attacks by Somali pirates.

P/R International Offshore Services ANS (IOS), which is a 50/50 joint venture between Farstad Shipping ASA and P&O Australia, has contracted two anchor handling support vessels at the Simek AS yard in Norway. Delivery of the vessels will take place in March and July 2003. The vessels are a new type of UT 712 of 12,240 bhp with DP and a double drum 370 tonne winch for employment in international markets. IOS has also entered into a two year time charter with Phillips in Australia for the platform supply vessel (PSV) Far Scotsman commencing April 2002. from Farstad Shipping ASA for a minimum of two years. The Lady Audrey has been fixed for two wells + 2x1 well options to Shell Namibia from early January 2002. Lady Audrey is presently working for Shell in the Philippines.

Farstad Shipping achieved for the first three months of 2001 an operating income of $38.4 million. The result before taxes was $16.8 million Farstad Shipping obtaines estimates for the market value of the vessels twice each year, by half-year and the year-end. NOK 83.98 ( NOK 65.59). March. The vessel has after delivery traded the spot market in the North Sea. delivered by Brevik Construction AS to IOS in March. The vessel departed for Australia to enter a 7 year contract with the oil company Woodside. In March Far Scotsman left the North Sea for Australia where the vessel started a two year contract with Phillips Petroleum Pty. Scotsman has during this charter been chartered into IOS from Farstad on a bareboat contract. Sea for Brazil.

Plans to launch a £10 million high-speed ferry service linking Edinburgh to Fife moved a step closer to reality, as council chiefs invited marine experts to devise plans for the scheme, according to a report on Scotsman.com. Transport leaders believe a passenger ferry between Leith and Kirkcaldy will help to reduce congestion on the Forth Road Bridge and make a healthy profit for the operator. Fife Council has agreed to hire a firm of consultants to draw up detailed proposals. It is hoped that twin-hulled passenger ferries, with space for up to 350 people, would complete the Leith-Kirkcaldy route in just 17 minutes. Fife Council's area transportation manager today said the £10 million plans could get the green light by next summer.

The ferries which operate the lifeline route to the Northern Isles were branded as two of the most inefficient vessels built in recent years in a new academic study, the Scotsman reported. The Napier University's Maritime Research Group report claimed that the two NorthLink ferries, which currently sail the route between Aberdeen and Orkney and Shetland, the Hjaltland and the Hrossey, should be replaced by larger and more cost-effective boats. And the research group also suggested that the move to larger vessels would require the ferries to dock at Peterhead instead of Aberdeen when they reach the mainland because the Granite City's harbor would be too small to accommodate them.

Militants holding nine foreign hostages in southern Nigeria attacked another oil facility today and blew up a military vessel in ongoing violence that has cut about 20 percent of crude production in Africa's oil giant. The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta attacked a Shell-operated pipeline switching station and a navy vessel in the oil-rich southern region. Nigeria is reeling from weekend attacks in which militants blasted pipelines and sabotaged a key oil loading terminal belonging to Royal Dutch Shell, forcing the company to halt the flow of about 455,000 barrels a day. (Source: Scotsman)

An investigation has been launched after a Royal Navy mine-hunting ship was damaged on a training exercise in Norway. The Clyde, Scotland-based vessel HMS Grimsby will have to undergo repairs after striking the side of a fjord north of Bergen. None of the 35 to 40 strong crew was injured in the incident on Feb. 27, but there was flooding on board after a fresh water tank burst. The hull was also damaged, and the ship is now being assessed at the coastal town of Maloy. The cause of the collision is under investigation but the accident happened during a 90 degree turn. HMS Grimsby, launched in 1998, was third in the line of four ships navigating inshore waters 90 miles off the south-west coast of the country when she struck the fjordside.

Britain’s three big shipbuilding and defense groups have held exploratory talks about creating a new company or alliance in a move that would put thousands of Scottish shipbuilding jobs under threat. BAE Systems and VT Group have tabled various alternatives for Britain's naval shipbuilding industry should they decide not to proceed with a bid for Babcock International, the warship builder and support services group. Under Takeover Panel rules, the two companies have until May 18 to decide whether to make an offer for Babcock. Alternative proposals could see the three shipbuilders take stakes in a new business or collaborate through a three-way alliance. The government endorsed the need for consolidation in the UK maritime sector in a defense white paper published in December.

Six offshore workers were killed and another missing feared dead after a helicopter belonging to an Aberdeen-based firm ditched into the Irish Sea. The aircraft, carrying five Centrica employees and two crew, ditched into freezing water 25 miles off the between the Isle of Man and Morecambe Bay on the Lancashire coast. The Aerospatiale SA-365N Dauphin 2, operated by CHC Scotia Ltd, ditched close to a gas drilling plaftorm on its last journey ferrying workers back to shore. The search continued last night as hope faded for the one remaining crew. Two RAF helicopters - one from RAF Valley and one from RAF Leconfield - as well as RNLI lifeboats from Fleetwood and Barrow were also helping with the search as were several support vessels.

According to reports, an investigation is underway after a cargo ship collided with a gas platform in the North Sea and then sank. The vessel, the Jork, struck the unmanned Viking Echo platform 40 miles north-east of Cromer, Norfolk. The 2,000-ton vessel, which had been carrying grain from Lübeck in Germany, sank yesterday. Sources said that the pipeline to the gas platform, which was not badly damaged, had been shut down. Source: Scotsman