Marine Operations News

Norwegian offshore supply vessel operator DOF Group has secured a ‘very large’ subsea umbilical, riser, and flowline (SURF) project for an undisclosed energy company offshore Africa.Under the contract, DOF will deliver its full suite of project management, engineering, logistical and execution services to install flexible flowlines, risers, cables and associated subsea structures.DOF will also install a floating production unit on behalf of the client, offshore Africa.Offshore execution is planned in second half of 2025 and is expected to involve six DOF vessels and more than 450 vessel days…

Orkney-based marine services firm Green Marine UK has announced a seven-figure capital investment in a new Subsea Services Department targeting the U.K.’s offshore wind sector.The company expansion, boosted by financial backing from HIE (Highlands and Islands Enterprise), includes the purchase of subsea technology from Rovtech (Seatronics), Sonardyne, Norbit, Voyis, Tritech, Digital Edge Subsea, EIVA and a range of other sensors.The Subsea Services Department, expected to officially launch in late spring 2025…

Tidewater has appointed Chris Mack as the company's new Vice President of Marine Operations.Mack brings over two decades of industry experience to the Tidewater team.He earned his Bachelor's degree in Maritime Transportation from the California Maritime Academy and received his Master of Marine Transportation and Engineering Management from California State University Maritime Academy in 2023. He began his maritime career as an Able Seaman, progressing to the role of Captain within the Ocean Towing Fleet.

The United States' maritime coastal security poses a significant challenge due to the vastness of its coastline and the complexity of its maritime borders. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration National Geodetic Survey there are approximately 95,000 miles of coastline. According to the Department of Homeland Security 2007 Transportation Systems publication there are “361 ports, and 3.3 million square miles of Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) to secure”.

Seaward Services, Inc. (SSI), a subsidiary of Hornblower Group, has been awarded a new five-year contract by the U.S. Navy for the continued operation and maintenance of the USNS Guam. This contract, secured through a competitive bidding process, will take effect in March 2025.Seaward has been the primary operator of the USNS Guam since 2013, overseeing its delivery from Norfolk, Virginia, to its current homeport in Okinawa, Japan, in 2017. The 107-meter high-speed troop transport vessel plays a vital role in the Western Pacific…

Scottish subsea specialist Sulmara has supported a major fuel recovery operation from typhoon-struck cargo ship in shallow waters off Taiwan.At the request of the Taiwanese government, Sulmara mobilized a WAM-V 16 uncrewed surface vehicle (USV) and a team of survey specialists to assist in the emergency fuel recovery operation for the heavy transport vessel, Yu Zhou Qi Hang.The operation was launched to help salvage cargo from the heavy transport vessel which ran aground with almost 300 t of fuel oil on board during one of the worst typhoons to hit Taiwan in decades.The 143-meter-long vessel…

Warren Controls, a leading manufacturer of control valves and specialty fluid handling products, highlights the Type 436 Naval and Marine Pressure Regulators, designed for shipboard seawater service. These regulators are engineered to meet the rigorous demands of naval and marine environments, offering unparalleled performance in various shipboard systems.The Type 436 regulators are available in sizes ranging from 1/4 to 8 inches, making them suitable for a wide array of applications, from small-scale setups to larger shipboard systems.

TDI Brooks announced the appointment of Frank Feurtado as Manager – Marine Systems.With an impressive career spanning over 25 years in the international maritime industry, Frank initially served as a Marine Electronics Technician before climbing the ranks to become a Captain. Since 2000, he has led marine operations across Europe, Asia, and the Americas, significantly contributing to the development and success of Offshore Oil & Gas divisions for two of the world’s leading Shipmanagement companies.In his new capacity at TDI Brooks…

RAK Ports, a group of five ports located in the United Arab Emirates, has become the first in the region to achieve compliance with the Port Marine Safety Code (PMSC), the UK standard for port marine safety.Although RAK Ports operates outside of the UK, the principles of the PMSC draw on internationally recognized legislation and best practice for port marine safety management.The port operations undertaken variously across the group of five ports are extensive, supporting tens of millions of tonnes of bulk export and import…

Recently, MarineNews sat down with Will Watson, Caterpillar Marine’s Product Manager, to discuss its rapidly emerging methanol engine development. Caterpillar Marine has already taken a considerable step forward in sustainability by planning to offer an upgrade kit for its methanol-fueled, dual-fuel Cat 3500E series engines. The immediate and long-term goal is to quicken the maritime industry transition to renewable energy.The initiative, announced at an international tug & salvage trade event…

The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) and Malaysia’s MISC have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to strengthen collaboration in innovation, research and development (R&D) and test-bedding activities, to advance digital transformation in the maritime industry.As part of the three-year arrangement, both parties will focus on integrating sustainable digital technologies into marine operations, enhance processes through data-sharing initiatives and cybersecurity…

Energy and marine consultancy ABL has completed its scope of work as marine warranty surveyor (MWS) to support the successful transport and re-installation of the floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU) Toscana, off the coast of Livorno in Italy.ABL was appointed on this project by OLT Offshore LNG Toscana, the owner of FSRU Toscana.In mid-April 2024, the FSRU Toscana was successfully towed with the support of two tugs, to the port of Genoa, Italy, where it began the first phase of an 'extraordinary maintenance intervention' campaign.

Advanced boat-handling systems supplied by Vestdavit have been installed on the newbuild CSOV Olympic Notos delivered for Olympic by Norway’s Ulstein Verft, which is raising the bar in terms of sustainability and operational efficiency for such vessels employed in the offshore energy sector.The leading Norwegian supplier provided a total package of five davits for the vessel including two H-9001 davits - one dedicated lifeboat davit and the other a combination of MOB (man overboard) and lifeboat davit.

McDermott's heavy-lift and rigid pipelay vessel, the Derrick Lay Vessel 2000 (DLV2000), has been awarded the SUSTAIN-1 classification from the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS).This marks the first time a marine construction vessel in its class has achieved this sustainability certification.The SUSTAIN-1 classification recognizes the DLV2000 for its environmental performance, including energy efficiency, waste management, emissions reduction, and coastal ecosystem preservation."This…

A partnership between Iceland's TM Insurance and Hefring Marine promises to bring the 'big brother is watching' mantra foward faster in marine operations.Touted as an AI -driven ‘digital assistant’, the primary target for this offering are the helm stations of fast craft, and according to Hefring Marine, IMAS Helm addresses both accident prevention and fuel efficiency, aiming to provide fast craft operators with guidance such as a maximum advised speed, based upon the vessel’s route…

The U.S. Coast Guard worked alongside international partners to seize tens of millions of dollars worth of cocaine from drug smugglers in the Caribbean Sea.The Coast Guard said its cutter Diligence offloaded more than 4,125 pounds of cocaine, worth an assessed street value of approximately $54 million, in Port Everglades, Fla. on Monday.The illegal narcotics were seized in international waters during three separate interdictions, involving U.K. Royal Navy ship HMS Trent (P 244), U.S. Coast Guard Tactical Law Enforcement Team Pacific (PAC-TACLET), U.S.

Everywhere you turn, discussions about a labor shortage are prevalent, and this issue is not confined to any specific industry. The maritime sector has been grappling with this challenge for years, and from an external perspective, it can seem as though we are unable to attract enough talent for both seagoing and shoreside positions.Having spent over a decade within the industry, I can affirm that labor shortages are just as influenced by hiring processes as they are by recruitment efforts.To clarify…

Chevron Marine Lubricants has experts at SMM 2024 demonstrating how the company is leveraging the synergy across its products and services to develop a suite of solutions designed to help lower the carbon intensity of the marine sector while aligning with global carbon emission goals.One example is Chevron’s taro ultra advanced 40 which has been granted gas validation status by WinGD. It covers all WinGD gas (LNG burning) engines and follows the previously granted ‘gas general use’ approval…

Memorial University in St. Johns, Newfoundland & Labrador, Canada, is a microcosm of how this unique regional cluster has parlayed its geographic locale and harsh, unique operating conditions into world leadership in the maritime, offshore energy and subsea tech spaces. An alumni, a professional mariner and now the Director of the Center for Marine Simulation, the Fisheries & Marine Institute at Memorial University, Chris Hearn has his hand on the pulse of the tectonic changes reshaping maritime and offshore energy simulation training today.

Shanghai Electric earlier this month celebrated the combined naming and delivery of two service operation vessels (SOV) at ZPMC, Qidong base, China. The vessels are based on two different ship designs from Ulstein Design & Solutions AS and are the first purpose-designed vessels for the offshore wind industry in China.The Zhi Cheng 60 is an ULSTEIN SX197 design measuring 72.6m in length and 17.5m in beam. It can accommodate 60 people and has a deck area of 400 sqm.The Zhi Zhen 100 is based on the larger ULSTEIN SX195 design.

Marine News spoke to leaders at three North American naval architecture and marine engineering firms about some of the latest trends impacting their business today. Morgan Fanberg, CEO, Glosten; Robert Ekse, President, Elliott Bay Design Group; and Wade Carson, CEO, Vard Marine, weigh in on topics ranging from digitalization and decarbonization to the naval architect talent pool.How are advances in digitalization and AI impacting the naval architecture business today? How will…

Current shipping discussions at both foreign and domestic venues are overflowing with the single subject of emissions while a growing number of companies make their reach for a net zero target. As the International Maritime Organization (IMO) tightens regulations to advance that reach, efforts to address climate change are coupled with a new understanding of the challenge at hand. Net zero will require a transition away from fossil fuels, followed by a movement to alternative fuels and at some time in the future a new zero technology turning the reach into a grasp.

Ocean Infinity has received a Statement of Compliance (SOC) from DNV for its remotely supported vessel operations, marking industry's first such achievement.The approval from DNV, the world's leading classification society, establishes Ocean Infinity as the industry's first organization to reach the required standard of technology and operations for large vessels, and permits the beginning of onshoring marine related tasks and activities.The significance of this achievement was underscored at SMM in Hamburg…