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Will 2024 be the Year of AHTS Recovery?
As 2023 is drawing to a close we would once again invite the readers of Offshore Engineer Magazine to gaze into our crystal ball to see what 2024 might have in store for the offshore support vessel industry. Before diving straight into our forward-looking sentiments however, it is important to address some of the main trends in the year that past as these lay the foundation for the year to come.Continuing the market development from the year beforeâŠ
Shipping Industry in the Dark Over US-led Red Sea Navy Force
Shipping companies remain in the dark over a new international navy coalition being assembled by the United States to combat attacks in the Red Sea, with many vessels continuing to avoid the area or cancelling contracts, sources said on Wednesday.The sources, who include shipping and maritime security officials, say few practical details are known about the initiative launched on Tuesday by WashingtonâŠ
Top 10 Things to Watch in Offshore Wind in '24
Despite short-term obstacles driven by high inflation and interest rates coupled with supply chain issues, we maintain that the foundations supporting long-term offshore wind activity remain solid. As we prepare for the new year, let us look at 10 factors that will shape the offshore wind sector in 2024.1. A Continuously Dynamic Energy TrilemmaThe dynamic relationship of the three key drivers of affordable energyâŠ
Solstad Pays $4M for Normand Tonjer Vessel Buyback
Solstad Offshore has exercised its option to purchase the construction support vessel (CSV) Normand Tonjer.The vessel was bought from the Norwegian Mpsv for the net amount of $4 million.In 2021, Normand Tonjer was sold to Mpsv for a gross amount of $10 million and leased back on a bare boat agreement for a firm three-year period with options for two one-year extensions.At the end of year two, Solstad had an option to buy the vessel back for which was concluded on December 20âŠ
Some LNG Carriers Avoiding the Red Sea as Attacks Increase
Several liquefied natural gas (LNG) vessels have changed their courses in recent days to avoid the Red Sea region amid maritime attacks by Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis on the world's main East-West trade route.The Red Sea is linked to the Mediterranean by the Suez Canal, creating the shortest shipping route between Europe and Asia, and is connected to the Gulf of Aden by the Bab-el-Mandeb strait between Yemen and Djibouti.
Cammell Laird to Build New Mersey Ferry
U.K. shipbuilder Cammell Laird has been awarded a contract to construct the first new Mersey ferry in 60 years.The Birkenhead facility, part of the APCL group, signed a deal with the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority to design and build the vessel on-site for a target delivery date of the end of 2025.The ferry will feature Azi-pull propeller system for reduced fuel usage, along with a dieselâŠ
Hijacked Ship Off Somalia Fuels Fears Pirates Back in Red Sea Waters
A merchant ship sailing off Somalia has been hijacked by unknown raiders, Spain's defence ministry said on Tuesday, fuelling fears pirates are returning to the Gulf of Aden and Red Sea waters already plagued by a surge in attacks on shipping.A Spanish warship rushed to check on the Maltese-flagged vessel Ruen on Friday after reports it had been hijacked. It "has been under piracy (control) since the morning of Dec.
New Tugs Delivered to Ghana Ports and Harbors Authority
Two next-generation Damen ASD Tugs 2813 have been delivered to the Ghana Ports and Harbors Authority (GPHA).Commissioned during a ceremony on December 14, the newbuilds Capt. Edward A. A. Awuviri and Nestor Percy Galleyânamed after two former Director Generalsâwere built at Damen Shipyardsâ dedicated tug building facility Damen Song Cam Shipyard in Vietnam.The vessels each deliver 83 tonnes bollard pull ahead and up to 77 tonnes asternâŠ
Markets Spike Following Houthi Attacks on Shipping
Continued missile attacks on merchant ships in the Red Sea have plunged supply chains into chaos, and consumers around the world will have to pay the price, according to Xeneta.Latest data from the industry analyst shows spot rates in the ocean freight shipping market spiked by 20% since Friday after major shipping liner companies such as Hapag Lloyd, MSC and Maersk announced they are avoiding the Red Sea amid the attacks by Houthi militia.Xeneta chief analyst Peter Sand saidâŠ
New General Manager Appointed for Taylor Smith Shipyard
Taylor Smith Shipyard (TSS), the oldest ship repair yard on Mauritius, has appointed Willy van Niekerk as new General Manager.van Niekerk knows the yard well and was Assistant General Manager since 2022. He has broad experience in the maritime and offshore industries, taking to sea at 14 as a school holiday job on a converted fishing vessel and deciding to study marine engineering as a result.Throughout the yearsâŠ
Esgian: Rigs on the Move in Asia and Europe
This week Esgianâs Week 50 Rig Analytics Market Roundup notes developments in the semisub sector including that Shell has decided to exercise its option on Stena Don in the North Sea but not on Deepsea Bollsta in Namibia. Meanwhile, a new contract for the Transocean Barents will see it operate in the Black Sea, and jackup Shelf Drilling Perseverance will move to Vietnam.ContractsShelf Drilling hasâŠ
The Problem with Reducing Underwater Radiated Noise
If the global commercial fleet reduced its speed by 10%, it would reduce underwater radiated noise by 40%, but nothingâs ever that simple.The main thing holding the shipping industry back from reducing its underwater radiated noise (URN) is not a lack of appropriate technology. Itâs argued that many of the technologies being implemented today to reduce fuel consumption also reduce noise. So, the noise reductions could essentially come at no net cost to the shipownerâŠ
Achieving Digital Transformation in the Marine Industry
Like so many other industries in transportation, the marine industry is being challenged on multiple frontsâfrom a shortage of manpower and emerging digital technologies to sustainability requirements. In the face of these growing pressures, ship designers increasingly rely on digital transformation to stay competitive and deliver higher-quality products. Digital transformation offers many solutions across a shipâs lifecycleâŠ
Robotics in the EngineRoom
When talk turns to autonomous ships, a first question always centers on how routine and emergency repair and maintenance will be conducted. Trey Taylor, Director of Digital Innovation, Fairbanks Morse Defense (FMD), discusses FMDâs research and development on next-gen engine room robotics.The FMD team that Trey Taylor leads is relatively new, kicking off in 2019 with a baseline product that was looking at monitoring equipmentâŠ
Somali Pirates Are Back in Action, But Full Scale Return Unlikely
An Iranian fishing vessel, Almeraj 1, was reportedly hijacked by Somali pirates in November 2023. According to media reports, the pirates demanded US$400,000 in ransom and threatened to use the Iranian ship for additional hijackings if the payment was not made.Two days later, other Somali pirates hijacked a tanker, Central Park, off the Yemeni coast. The tanker sent a distress signal during the attack.
C-Innovation Names Cribley Business Development Manager
Edison Chouest Offshore (ECO) aïŹliate C-Innovation (C-I) has welcomed back Lucas Cribley as its new business development manager.During his more than 20-year career, Cribley worked as the program manager and first employee in a joint venture start-up between ECO and FMC Technologies, in which he secured and managed major Inspection, Maintenance, & Repair (IMR), light construction, and Riserless Light Well Intervention (RWLI) projects.
Panama Canal Woes to Delay Grain Ships well into '24
Bulk grain shippers hauling crops from the U.S. Gulf Coast export hub to Asia are sailing longer routes and paying higher freight costs to avoid vessel congestion and record-high transit fees in the drought-hit Panama Canal, traders and analysts said.The shipping snarl through one of the world's main maritime trade routes comes at the peak season for U.S. crop exports, and the higher costs are threatening to dent demand for U.S.
Data Collaboration Demands âSystemic Shiftâ in Shipping
Shippingâs journey of digital transformation is as much about cultural change - from the boardroom to onboard vessels - to adapt to new ways of working with data collaboration at the core as it is about technology adoption, according to a new Bureau Veritas-backed research study.Digital transformation of the industry âdemands a systemic shift in how we work together,â Bureau Veritas Marine & Offshoreâs VP Digital Solutions & TransformationâŠ
Philippines, China Trade Accusations over South China Sea Collision
The Philippines and China traded accusations on Sunday over a collision of their vessels near a disputed shoal in the South China Sea as tensions over claims in the vital waterway escalate.The Philippine coast guard accused China of firing water cannons and ramming resupply vessels and a coast guard ship, causing "serious engine damage" to one, while China's coast guard said the Philippine vessel intentionally rammed its ship.China claims almost the entire South China SeaâŠ
Hornbeck Offshore Discloses Revenue Growth in Its IPO Paperwork
Marine transportation services provider Hornbeck Offshore on Thursday made public its paperwork for a stock market listing in New York, which showed its revenue rose in the three months ended September.The listing will test the appetite for another stock flotation at a time when green shoots in the U.S. IPO market have been overshadowed by the poor post-debut performances of some high-profile firmsâŠ