First Phase News

Deme Offshore has laid all inter-array cables, manufactured by its partner Hellenic Cables, for the first phase of 3.6 GW Dogger Bank offshore wind farm in UK.More than 200 miles of 66KV inter-array cables have been successfully installed by delivery partners working on the construction of the world’s largest offshore wind farm.The cables were laid by DEME Offshore’s Viking Neptun, with burial works being completed by DEME Offshore’s Living Stone.This work marks the completion of all inter-array cables on the first phase of the wind farm…

The IMO Council met for its 132nd session from July 8 to 12, 2024, at IMO headquarters in London, and among the key outcomes of the meeting were the decisions to live-stream plenary sessions of the Council and make Council meeting documents accessible to the public.Decisions on advancing multilingualism, improving the Global Integrated Shipping Information System (GISIS) and supporting the sustainability of the IMO Member State Audit Scheme were also taken.The Council is the executive organ of IMO and is responsible…

Adani Ports expects to complete the first of four phases of a key transshipment container port in southern India this year, it said on Friday, firming the timeline for a project already delayed by six years due to protests by locals.The Vizhinjam deep-sea port at the southern tip of the country is of strategic importance due to its proximity to international shipping routes and will help India rival Dubai, Singapore and Sri Lanka.Adani Ports, a part of billionaire Gautam Adani's ports-to-power conglomerate…

U.S. offshore wind aspirations, both federal and state, have resulted in excitement about the potential opportunity of a large U.S. offshore wind market. But uncertainty, initially financially driven and increasingly a result of political uncertainty, is leading us into a challenging period, which will undoubtedly impact short-term activity, according to the latest market report from Intelatus Global Partners. A darkening cloud for the U.S. wind industry is the forthcoming presidential elections…

Esgian provides an update on the current lull in contracting in its Week 27 Rig Analytics Market Roundup.Report SummaryContractsAban Offshore-owned 250-ft jackup Aban II has received a letter of award (LOA) from Oil India for an offshore work program in Andhra Pradesh, India.Shelf Drilling North Sea has secured a new 17-month contract for the 400-ft Shelf Drilling Winner (previously known as Noble Sam Turner) jackup rig with TotalEnergies EP Denmark.Drilling Activity and DiscoveriesThe…

Golar LNG has entered into definitive agreements with Pan American Energy (PAE) for a 20-year deployment of a floating liquefied natural gas (FLNG) vessel in Argentina.The FLNG project will monetize Argentine gas, tapping into the vast resources from the Vaca Muerta shale formation in the Neuquina Basin, the world's second-largest shale gas resources. The project is expected to start LNG exports within 2027, establishing Argentina as an LNG exporter.The agreement includes a gas sales agreement from PAE for the supply of gas…

Equinor has been awarded the operatorship for the development of two new CO2 storages in the North Sea along with a 100% share for the two licenses, Albondigas and Kinno.The new licenses are each expected to have the capacity to store around 5 million tons of CO2 per year when in operation. This estimate will be further determined in the exploration phase.Equinor expects 4-8% real base project returns for its early phase CO2 storage business, and further value uplift potential…

The State of Delaware will join the private operator of the Port of Wilmington, Enstructure, to build a new port terminal at a site in Edgemoor, Delaware. The Edgemoor industrial site was purchased in 2017 by the taxpayer-owned Diamond State Port Corporation (DSPC) which subsequently secured the necessary permits to construct a new port terminal.This $635 million infrastructure project will be largest shipping terminal in Delaware since the current Port of Wilmington opened in 1923.

Foundation installation work has commenced for the second phase of what will become the world’s largest offshore wind farm, Dogger Bank, in the U.K. North Sea.Seaway7’s vessels Seaway Strashnov and Seaway Alfa Lift have commenced installation of monopile foundations and transition pieces for the Dogger Bank B phase of the offshore wind farm project. The team recently completed installation of all 95 transition pieces on Dogger Bank A, thus concluding the installation of the foundations for the first phase of the project.Olly Cass…

Esgian reports an eventful week with contract confirmations, terminations and suspensions in its Week 18 Rig Analytics Market Roundup.Report SummaryContractsBurullus Gas Company, the self-operated joint venture between Shell Egypt, the Egyptian Natural Gas Holding Company (EGAS), the Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation (EGPC) and Petronas, has agreed to move forward with the development of Phase 11 in Egypt's Nile Delta in the Mediterranean Sea.QatarEnergy has exercised a one-year option for Borr Drilling 400-ft jackup Groa…

Esgian reports that new drilling contracts have been announced in the North Sea and West Africa in its Week 17 Rig Analytics Market Roundup.Report SummaryContractsShelf Drilling (North Sea) has secured a letter of award with an unnamed operator, believed to be TotalEnergies, for the 400-ft jackup Shelf Drilling Fortress for a campaign in the North Sea.Noble 12,000-ft 7th generation drillship Noble Venturer has secured new contracts in West Africa with Trident Energy and Rhino Resources…

Green hydrogen producer Lhyfe has launched the first Green Hydrogen Marketplace, on its online portal Lhyfe Heroes.Since 2017, Lhyfe has been working to accelerate decarbonization through major innovations such as the world’s first industrial-scale green hydrogen production site directly connected to a wind farm in 2021, the world’s first pilot platform for producing green hydrogen at sea in 2022, and the digitalization of the sector, since 2022, with the Heroes digital platform…

Manta Marine Technologies (formerly known as Yara Marine Technologies) has completed installation and commissioning of onboard shore power systems for three Finnlines vessels: the Finnlady, the Finnmaid and the Finnstar.The installations, onboard RINA-classed Finnlines RoPax vessels Finnstar, Finnmaid and Finnlady support Finnlines’ commitment to decarbonize itsfleet and reduce the environmental impact on shore-side communities.Thomas Doepel, Finnlines Deputy CEO Finnlines, said…

The International Maritime Rescue Federation (IMRF) released its #FutureSAR Report as part of the organization's ongoing campaign to raise awareness of the impacts and effects of climate change on global maritime search and rescue (SAR) operations.The report marks the completion of the first phase of the IMRF #FutureSAR initiative, which is funded and supported by Lloyd’s Register Foundation. The initiative's purpose is to identify challenges related to climate change for the global maritime SAR industry and provide guidance and best practices for future rescue operations…

Lighting solutions specialist Glamox has won a contract from PGS to provide marine LED lighting for eight of its vessels that undertake seismic surveys of the seabed.This first phase of the major retrofit project will involve replacing fluorescent tube lighting with around 2,500 marine-certified LED luminaires fitted on the exterior and interior of the eight vessels.PGS’s switch to energy-efficient LED lighting is being driven by its desire to comply with emission reduction targets…

HAROPA PORT has started working on the construction of electricity supply connections for ships at the Le Havre cruise terminal.The purpose of the work planned for HAROPA PORT’s cruise terminal, dubbed Florida Point, is to assist the energy transition in the sea cruise sector, which goes in line with the port’s strategic project decarbonize its activities.Each supply outlet will be capable of providing up to 13 MW, subject to a maximum of 30 MW (or the equivalent of the power required to supply 5…

Big data, advanced computers and AI are allowing vessel designers to prepare models that leave essentially nothing to chance.“Lastly, it may be of considerable importance to form from the draught a block model of the vessel from which a still more accurate judgment may be formed of the fitness and beauty of the body. And should any defect be discovered, farther alterations must still be made, till the draught and the model are perfectly approved of. These different alterations and repeated calculations may appear very tedious…

Altera Infrastructure has hired DOF to install Voyageur Spirit floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) unit as well as one floating storage unit (FSO) at Eni-operated Baleine oil field offshore Ivory Coast.The project includes the complete installation of seabed mooring systems, flowline between the FSO – a converted shuttle tanker Nordic Brasilia - and the Voyageur Spirit FPSO, along with their associated equipment.The contract for the redeployment of the FPSO and the FSO was secured by Altera back in October 2023.Voyageur Spirit is a cylindrical-shaped FPSO…

QatarEnergy has selected Qatar Gas Transport Company Limited (Nakilat) to be the owner and operator of up to 25 conventional-size LNG carriers pursuant to Time Charter Parties (TCP).The 25 vessels, each with a capacity of 174,000 cubic meters, will be owned 100% by Nakilat and chartered out to affiliates of QatarEnergy. They are scheduled for construction at South Korean shipyards.This constitutes the first award in the second batch of long-term TCPs under QatarEnergy’s LNG fleet expansion project.

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings (NCLH) has signed a partnership agreement with ABB to accelerate the decarbonization and digitalization of the Norwegian Cruise Line fleet.Targeting increased safety and efficiency, the agreement covers 14 existing ships and a further four vessels due for delivery from 2025 to 2028.The first phase of the partnership includes a 10-year Azipod propulsion service agreement for the fleet, providing efficient preventive maintenance to support safety and maximize vessel availability as well as fast turnaround for planned Azipod propulsion maintenance.In addition…

Chee Hong Tat, Singapore’s Acting Minister for Transport, announced a record year in 2023 at a Singapore Maritime Foundation New Year Conversations event.The annual vessel arrival tonnage in the Port of Singapore crossed three billion gross tonnage (GT) for the first time, increasing by 9.4% over 2022 and setting a high of 3.09 billion GT in 2023. This reflects growth in all segments, including container ships, dry bulk carriers, liquid bulk and chemical tankers, ferries and specialised vessels…

The Port of New Orleans (Port NOLA) will receive $73.77 million from the federal government to assist in building the Louisiana International Terminal (LIT) project, which will provide a gateway for cargo movement on U.S. inland waterways including the Mississippi River.The U.S. Department of Transportation has alerted Congress that it intends to award this funding through its MEGA Grant Program, which will support the first phase of the overall $1.8 billion project’s construction and is in addition to significant funding commitments from private industry partners and Port NOLA.

The first new LNG-fueled escort tug built by Sanmar Shipyards in Türkiye for HaiSea Marine has arrived in Vancouver, Canada, ahead of being transferred to LNG Canada’s new export facility in Kitimat.HaiSea Kermode is Canada’s first LNG-fueled tugboat and will soon be joined by its sister tug HaiSea Warrior to form a fleet of five with three Sanmar-built electric-powered emissions-free ElectRA harbor tugs. The two Azimuth Stern Drive (ASD) tugboats are based on the RAstar 4000 DF design from Vancouver-based naval architects Robert Allan Ltd.At 40.2 m in length…