Specialist News
DeepOcean Lands Its Largest IMR Contract to Date for Equinor’s Norwegian Assets
Ocean services provider DeepOcean has secured a long-term subsea inspection, maintenance and repair (IMR) contract from Equinor, its largest contract on record.The eight-year contract will set a new benchmark for digitalized and environmentally friendly IMR operations.Equinor and DeepOcean have signed a contract for IMR services covering the period 2027-2035 for Equinor-operated assets on the Norwegian continental shelf and in Europe.The contract will be served by an extensive team of specialist subsea engineers…
Misunderstanding General Average Concepts Could Harm Offshore Operators
At a recent seminar in London organized by the International Underwriting Association of London (IUA) and the Association of Average Adjusters (AAA), participants heard how ignoring or not fully understanding the concept of General Average (GA) when concluding charter-party contracts for offshore services could cause problems in the event of an incident or accident.Michiel Starmans, a Fellow of the AAA and Director Legal Department of the Spliethoff Group and Alf Inge Johannessen…
Liebherr Equips Port Newark Container Terminal with Two New STS Cranes
Crane specialist Liebherr has delivered two ship-to-shore container (STS) cranes to Port Newark Container Terminal (PNCT), boosting its capability to handle the next generation of ultra large container vessels.Designed and manufactured at Liebherr’s Irish facility, the cranes are built to meet the specific demands of PNCT’s operations.The delivery is part of PNCT's ongoing $500 million expansion, aimed at bolstering capacity at one of the busiest ports on the US East Coast.These STS cranes feature an outreach of 226 ft (69 m) and a lift height over rail of 175 ft (53 m)…
DeepOcean and EXCEED Team Up for Vessel-Based P&A Services Offer
Ocean services provider DeepOcean and well management and reservoir specialist EXCEED have entered into a collaboration agreement to supply vessel-based well plug and abandonment (P&A) services to the global decommissioning market.The two companies combine DeepOcean’s subsea engineering competence and extensive fleet of WROVs and supporting subsea vessels with EXCEEDS’s specialist well decommissioning expertise to offer operator a single contract, turnkey P&A service for decommissioning projects.The offering includes equipment…
MSC’s Taluga Group Envisions Maritime Logistics Differently
As the Military Sealift Command (MSC) celebrates its 75th anniversary, it is looking to the future through the eyes of a forward-thinking “innovation cell” named for a ship from its storied past. USNS Taluga (T-AO-62) was the first Navy replenishment ship that was operated by civil service mariners.The Taluga Group is a three-person team of Director John Bruening, Dean Vesely and Jerit VanAuker who are focused on capability development and adoption of innovative practices.The Tulaga Group team have diverse backgrounds to help them look at problems in different ways.
Windward Launches AI Threat Investigation System
Maritime AI company Windward has launched a new system: Advanced Intelligence, an AI-powered solution designed to empower intelligence and security organizations to uncover and handle threats more efficiently.The solution streamlines the entire investigation process from early anomaly detection and strategic investigations to vital context provided by MAI Expert™, Windward’s generative AI-powered virtual analyst. By controlling all aspects of the investigative process within one platform…
Adonis by Ripple Operations Joins Forces with Certus Online
Adonis, a specialist in global HR, payroll and crew management software under the Ripple Operations brand, has formed a strategic marketing alliance with Certus Online, a provider of maritime booking and operational solutions. This partnership aims to enhance their collective service offerings for the maritime industry.This collaboration represents a pivotal move toward delivering seamless, integrated solutions for maritime operators. By combining Certus Online’s advanced Booking Platform…
Thordon Bearings Unveils Solution for Wireless Bearing Condition Monitoring
Thordon Bearings has unveiled a new wireless propeller shaft bearing wear measurement system, marking a significant advancement in hull and propeller shaft condition monitoring.Developed in partnership with CSignum, a UK-based underwater communications specialist, Thordon’s Bearing Condition Monitoring – Wireless (BCM-W) system adopts patented electromagnetic field signaling (EMFS) technology to transfer data from underwater sensors to monitors positioned above the waterline.The…
Wärtsilä to Provide Operational Support for Seven Capital Gas LNG Carriers
Technology group Wärtsilä has signed a five-year lifecycle agreement covering seven 174,000 m3 LNG Carrier vessels operated by Capital Gas Ship Management.The agreement with Wärtsilä will help Capital Gas to optimize the operations and maintenance of these seven vessels more effectively through 24/7 expert remote support and guidance for troubleshooting and maintenance using specialist diagnostic tools.It will allow Wärtsilä experts to directly monitor the vessels’ systems and…
DSC Dredge Promotes McMahon to VP of Product Support
Reserve, La. based DSC Dredge announced it has promoted Stephen McMahon to vice president of product support. He succeeds John “Sonny” Lightsey, who dedicated over 29 years to DSC.McMahon's journey at DSC began in 2011 in the hydraulic and mechanic shop, working under Troy Redwine and Carl Ulrich. His hands-on experience in the field and passion for problem-solving quickly propelled him through the ranks. Early in his career, he was sent to assist with the assembly of a dredge in Nebraska, where he came to the realization of his love for travel and fieldwork.
Insurer Releases Heavy Weather Alert Tool
Maritime insurance specialist The Swedish Club reports that it registered claims exceeding $25million attributable to heavy weather over the past five years. In response, it has developed a Heavy Weather Alert tool as an addition to its existing loss prevention tool.Heavy weather can cause structural damage, shifted cargo, broken mooring lines, wet damage, lost cargo overboard, and more. The Club says it has also seen examples where vessels have failed to suspend cargo operations and depart port in a timely manner when severe weather is approaching…
Captain's Gender Had Nothing to Do With Sinking of New Zealand Naval Ship, Defense Minister Says
New Zealand's Defence Minister on Thursday publicly criticised online trolling of the female captain of a naval vessel that sunk at the weekend, saying while the cause of the incident was unknown, it had nothing to do with the captain’s gender.The Manawanui, the navy's specialist dive and hydrographic vessel, sank on Sunday on a reef off the coast of Samoa that it was surveying. Its 75 crew and passengers were ordered to abandon the vessel in life rafts and were later rescued."A court of inquiry has been stood up to establish what caused this terrible incident.
French Look Into e-Methanol Produced from Green Hydrogen for Maritime Decarbonization
Green hydrogen producer Lhyfe and low-carbon molecules specialist Elyse Energy have set out plans to jointly develop the production of e-methanol from green hydrogen at Nantes Saint-Nazaire Port area in France.The project, known as Green Coast, will be developed the heart of the Loire estuary’s industrial and logistics port ecosystem, to produce e-methanol – one of the key fuels for the decarbonization of maritime transport industry.In late 2023, Nantes Saint-Nazaire Port selected Lhyfe to set up an industrial production and distribution operation for green hydrogen.At the time…
Manawanui Sinking: Speedy Cleanup Will Be Crucial, But Many Challenges Ahead
Speed will be of the essence as salvage crews attempt to stop fuel leaking from the sunken New Zealand naval ship off the coast of Samoa.The HMNZS Manawanui ran aground last weekend on a reef about one nautical mile off the south coast of Upolu, Samoa’s most populated island. The specialist dive and hydrographic vessel was on its third deployment, conducting a reef survey, when it caught fire and sank.The ship has come to rest at a depth of up to 150 metres, which means it may be relatively undisturbed even during storms.
Industry Partnership to Deliver SOV Tailor-Made for Floating Wind Farms
North Star has launched a partnership which includes MO4, Principle Power, SMST, Vard, and Voith Group to fast-track the development of high-performance operations and maintenance ships tailored for floating offshore wind farms.The companies have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to establish a dedicated working group of industry experts to help fast-track the design and testing of a new service operations vessel (SOV) concept.Together, the six organizations have committed to developing a detailed…
New Zealand Navy Ship Runs Aground and Sinks
A Royal New Zealand Navy vessel ran aground and sank off Samoa but all 75 crew and passengers on board were safe, the New Zealand Defence Force said in a statement on Sunday.Manawanui, the navy's specialist dive and hydrographic vessel, ran aground near the southern coast of Upolu on Saturday night as it was conducting a reef survey, Commodore Shane Arndell, the maritime component commander of the New Zealand Defence Force, said in a statement.Several vessels responded and assisted in rescuing the crew and passengers who had left the ship in lifeboats…
CTVs: Future-proofing Today’s Offshore Wind Solutions
The first commercial application of Volvo Penta’s IPS Professional Platform will power Northern Offshore Services’ next-gen crew transfer vessel. Longtime collaborators Volvo Penta and N-O-S aim to more than satisfy the unique requirements of a possible 25x increase in offshore wind production.Upon arrival in Gothenburg, an observant visitor quickly realizes that Sweden is one of the cleanest places on earth. Epitomizing that lofty standard are two marine industry heavyweights…
Liebherr’s Third STS Container Crane Makes Its Way to North American Port
Crane specialist Liebherr has delivered its third ship to shore (STS) container crane to PSA Penn Terminals in Philadelphia.PSA Penn Terminals received its third Liebherr STS crane in September 2024, complementing the two commissioned in 2018.The new STS crane features a 157 ft (48 m) outreach, a 60 ft (18.288 m) span, and a 50 ft (15 m) back reach, with a lift height of 115 ft (35 m) over rail and a safe working load (SWL) of 66 tonnes.The STS crane is designed to significantly boost operational efficiency and capacity at the terminal…
A Shocking Success Story: How a Navy Doctor Revolutionized High-speed Boat Safety
For years, operators of high-speed boats have silently endured the physical toll of their profession. Repeated slamming impacts from rough seas caused serious injuries—many of them life-altering. However, one Navy doctor saw these challenges not as an unavoidable consequence but as a problem that could be solved. His solution? A seat that would change the course of high-speed boat safety.The hidden cost of high-speed operationsRecent research shows that professional high-speed boat operators suffer more severe injuries than seen in almost any other peacetime profession.
Singapore Boosts Undersea Might with Two New Submarines
Singapore commissioned two new advanced submarines on Tuesday, vessels its navy says are meant to protect sea lines of communication, and which experts said would range beyond the waters of the tiny city-state to keep tabs on the region.The country's fifth and sixth submarines, the Invincible and the Impeccable, were ordered from Germany's ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems in 2013 in a 1-billion-euro deal, and join older Archer- and Challenger-class boats.They represent a technological step forward for Singapore's fleet…
Floating Dock Set to Position Takoradi as Ship Repair Hub
Specialist provider of offshore support services, Interocean Marine Services is supporting a floating dock ship project at the port of Takoradi in Ghana, Africa.Interocean is working in partnership with Prime Meridian Docks Ghana to build and operate the dock, and the project has already secured full financial backing of $137 million.When finished, it will feature a 13,500-tonne lift capacity floating dry dock, 18,000 square meters of reclaimed land, a 200-meter jetty, modern workshops…
Esgian Week 38 Report: Contracting has Slowed
Esgian has no rig contracts to announced but provides an update on rig moves and drilling operations in the US Gulf of Mexico, Canada, Morocco and Norway in its Week 38 Rig Analytics Market Roundup.Report SummaryDrilling Activity and DiscoveriesExxonMobil has abandoned the Persephone C-54 well on EL 1169 in the Orphan Basin offshore Newfoundland, Canada.Seadrill’s 12,000-ft drillship West Neptune has resumed drilling operations on LLOG’s Who Dat South exploration well in the US Gulf of Mexico…
Floating Wind Industry Achieves ‘World’s First’ Offshore Generator Exchange
A group of industry specialist companies has achieved a world first for the wind industry, with a major component exchange (MCE) being performed on an offshore floating wind turbine while it remained on site at the Scottish Kincardine offshore wind farm, located south east of Aberdeen.The new, more cost-effective, process was delivered through a collaboration of technologies and expertise from LiftOff, Vestas, Dragados, Kincardine Offshore Windfarm Limited (KOWL) and Cobra Wind…