Polish Shipbuilder Lays Keel for DOF’s New Offshore Support Vessel

Polish shipbuilder CRIST S.A.
Huisman to Equip Capital Offshore’s PSVs with Four Cranes

Crane specialist Huisman has signed a contract with Greek shipowner Capital Offshore for the delivery of four Knuckle Boom Cranes, which will be fitted on new platform supply vessels (PSVs).The cranes will be installed on the new MMC-designed PSVs currently under construction at the Fujian Mawei shipyard, and destined for operations in the Brazilian market.Boasting a lifting capacity of 100 mt each, the cranes are designed to operate at depths of up to 3,000 meters.The cranes are equipped with Huisman’s proprietary Active Heave Compensation (AHC) System…
Kongsberg Bags Equipment Supply Order for DOF’s New OSV

Kongsberg Maritime has secured a contract to supply an integrated package of equipment for a new Offshore Support Vessel (OSV) being built for ship owner DOF.The new 110-meter OSV, with a capacity to accommodate 164 people, is designed by MMC Ship Design and constructed at CRIST shipyard in Gdynia in Poland. The vessel will operate offshore Newfoundland, known for its harsh environmental conditions.It will be equipped with a comprehensive range of Kongsberg Maritime systems, including the DC main switchboard…
Steerprop Propulsion Chosen for Canadian OSV

A new field support vessel being built by Crist S.A. in Gdynia, Poland, to operate on the Grand Banks off the coast of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, will feature a full propulsion scope from Steerprop.Vessel operating conditions on the Grand Banks are extremely challenging due to heavy seas, fog and icebergs. This emphasizes the importance of the ship’s propulsion thrusters in maintaining dynamic positioning and facilitating safe and reliable operations.Steerprop’s capabilities…
Palfinger Marine to Equip DOF’s New OSV

Palfinger Marine has secured a contract by CRIST S.A. in Poland to supply a comprehensive equipment package for a next-generation Offshore Support Vessel (OSV) under construction for DOF Group.As part of the comprehensive equipment package, Palfinger Marine will supply a fully electric, frequency-controlled winch system. The advanced solution enables safe and efficient anchoring, mooring, deck handling, towing, and ice management under extreme offshore conditions.The contract also includes a stern roller and the PALFINGER HSS (Hose Securing System)…
Greener Fuels, Cleaner Fuels?

This week at MarineLink…The IMO 2020 Sulfur Cap essentially ushered in a new type of fuel - VLSFO. With it came the engine problems caused by off-spec or incompatible fuels as producers grappled with the requirement for providing a sulfur content not exceeding 0.05%. As pointed out in Lloyd’s Register’s 2024 Fuel Quality Report, persistent issues involving cat fines, stability, sulfur content and flash point continue, and isolated incidents of chemical contamination are still occurring.If new…
ISO Publishes Standard for Methanol Fuel

The International Organization for Standardization has launched the first edition of ISO 6583:2024 – a new standard for methanol as a marine fuel.The document was prepared in cooperation with shipowners, ship operators, national standards bodies, classification societies, fuel testing services, engine and fuel cell designers, marine fuel suppliers, methanol producers, governmental organizations and other technical organizations to meet the requirements for methanol supplied as…
Kongsberg Maritime to Equip 10-Strong Fleet of Capital Offshore’s PSVs

Kongsberg Maritime has secured $73.3 million contract from Fujian Mawei Shipbuilding in China to supply range of equipment for a new fleet of 10 platform supply vessels (PSVs) being built for Greek shipowner Capital Offshore.Under the contract, Kongsberg Maritime will supply all propulsion, automation, and energy systems for the 95-metre vessels of MMC 897 CD design.The Kongsberg Maritime electrical system on these vessels will enable optimal operation through the Energy Storage System (ESS).
Rule Change Aids US Mariners' Return to Sea

A rule change is making it easier for experienced U.S. mariners to return to sea after time away from the industry.A new policy letter from the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) temporarily extends the renewal grace period for a Merchant Mariner Credential (MMC), commonly referred to as a Coast Guard license or credential, from one year to six years, lessening the burden for seafarers seeking reentry into the maritime workforce.The move has been welcomed by the U.S. maritime and offshore industries…
US Coast Guard Announces New Merchant Mariner Credential

The U.S. Coast Guard announced a new merchant mariner credential (MMC) set to launch on March 1, 2024, marking the first comprehensive revision of the mariner credential in nearly a decade.The Coast Guard is the exclusive source of U.S. MMCs, which are required for U.S. mariners who serve on commercially operated vessels such as passenger boats, tug and barges, offshore supply vessels, and deep draft ocean going cargo vessels throughout the nation and internationally.The Coast…
Marsh, Lloyd's, Ukraine Launch War Risk Ship Insurance to Cut Grain Costs

Insurance broker Marsh MMC.N, Lloyd's of London insurers and Ukrainian state banks have launched a programme to cut the cost of claims for damage to ships and crew transporting grain through the Black Sea corridor, Marsh said on Wednesday.Kyiv launched a "humanitarian corridor" in August for ships bound for Africa and Asia to circumvent a de facto blockade in the Black Sea after Russia quit a United Nations-brokered deal that had guaranteed Kyiv's seaborne exports during the war.Lloyd's of London insurers will underwrite the programme…
Marine Propulsion: Inside Schottel's New SRP-D

The increased performance of the fast-responsive Schottel RudderPropeller Dynamic SRP-D was confirmed by external sources. Initial investigations into the effect of thruster response on DP positioning were carried out in cooperation with MARIN, based in the Netherlands, and Polish ship designer MMC. The results obtained demonstrated much-improved position accuracy and enhanced operability of the vessel.Further calculations made by DNV and simulations from a cooperation with VARD showed that the SRP-D greatly improves the vessel’s operational performance and environmental impact…
Can Ukraine's Grain Corridor Ease the Global Food Crisis?

Russia has proposed that a U.N.-backed initiative that has enabled grains to be exported from Ukraine's Black Sea ports should be renewed for just 60 days.The deal to free up grain exports from Ukraine's southern Black Sea ports, which expires later this month, has previously been renewed for 120 days and there are concerns a shorter extension could cause logistical issues.Reached in July last year, it created a protected sea transit corridor and was designed to alleviate global food shortages by allowing exports to resume from three ports in Ukraine…
Can Ukraine's Grain Deal Ease the Global Food Crisis?

A deal to free-up vital grain exports from Ukraine expires on Nov. 19, and intense negotiations over the next few days will determine whether it is extended and possibly even expanded to help ease concerns about global food security.The agreement, reached in July, created a protected sea transit corridor and was designed to alleviate global food shortages by allowing exports to resume from three ports in Ukraine, a major producer of grains and oil seeds.Here are some of the issues:WHAT HAS BEEN EXPORTED?The pact created a safe shipping channel for exports from three ports in Ukraine.So far…
Obstacles to Overcome Before Ukraine Grain Deal Eases Global Food Crisis

The first ship carrying Ukrainian grain through the Black Sea since Russia invaded Ukraine more than five months ago left Odesa on Monday under a safe passage agreement that has raised hopes hundreds of other vessels will follow.But there are many hurdles to overcome before millions of tonnes of Ukrainian grain depart from its Black Sea ports, which handle most of the corn, wheat, barley, sunflower seed and rapeseed exports of one of the world's top grain suppliers.Here are some…
Jackson Offshore Buys Platform Supply Vessel. Five-year Charter with Shell Secured

U.S.-based offshore vessel owner Jackson Offshore Operators has acquired the M/V STORM platform supply vessel.Once it has completed regulatory requirements, the M/V STORM will start a five-year contract with Shell in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico.Built in 2015, the M/V STORM is an MMC-879 design PSV, DP Class 2, and diesel-electric propulsion. It is 260 feet in length with a carrying capacity of 4,200 T DWT. The vessel is expected to go into service immediately upon completion of a special dry-docking survey. "We’re thrilled to add the M/V STORM to our fleet of platform supply vessels.
TECH FILE: Software Helps Merchant Mariners with USCG Credentials

MM-SEAS is the reportedly the first software that automates the manual task of obtaining, tracking and renewing U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) credentials, helping to eliminate paperwork processing errors while delivering merchant mariner career guidance.Civilian mariners are required to have valid USCG Merchant Mariner Credentials (MMC) to be onboard any commercial or federal ship in the United States. Credentialing is a complex and vague process. From 2012 to 2018, 44.9 percent of approximately 500…
How China Got Venezuelan Oil Despite US Sanctions
Last year, China replaced the United States as the No. 1 importer of oil from Venezuela, yet another front in the heated rivalry between Washington and Beijing.The United States had imposed sanctions on Venezuela’s state-owned oil company as part of a bid to topple that country’s socialist president, Nicolas Maduro. U.S. refineries stopped buying Venezuelan crude. Caracas’ ally China, long a major customer, suddenly found itself the top purchaser. Through the first six months of 2019, it imported an average of 350,000 barrels per day of crude from Venezuela.But in August, Washington tightened its sanctions on Venezuela, warning that any foreign entity that continued to do business with the South American country’s government could find itself subject to sanctions.
Captain's MMC Suspended After Alcohol-related Grounding
A tugboat captain's Merchant Mariner Credential has been suspended after it was determined that he was operating his vessel under the influence of alcohol during a grounding incident in eastern Virginia.On November 14, 2019, the tugboat Niki Jo C drifted off course and ran aground outside the main channel of the Rappahannock River.In conducting their investigation, the US Coast Guard, the Virginia Marine Resource Commission and the Richmond County Sheriff's Office tested the crew's blood alcohol content to determine if alcohol was a causative factor. The results showed that the captain of the vessel was intoxicated at the time of the incident…
Southeast Asia Bullish on OFS Market
Offshore project sanctions in Southeast Asia could lift greenfield investments in the oilfield services market by nearly 70 percent in 2020, said Rystad Energy.According to Norwegian energy research firm, the growth will be driven by a handful of new mega-projects across Malaysia, Myanmar and Vietnam, according to the latest tally of project commitments in Southeast Asia by the Norwegian energy research and consulting firm.New final investment decisions (FIDs) in 2021 are expected to sound the starting gun for big contract awards in Vietnam, Indonesia and even politically-troubled Brunei.“We anticipate that operators will aim to place most of the associated contracts within their domestic markets…
N4 - A Shot in The Arm for PTP
With Navis N4 TOS, the Port of Tanjung Pelepas (PTP) has again broken the record for vessel utilization after the MSC Gulsun, the largest container ship in the world, departed with 19,574 TEU in July 2019.This milestone means PTP has broken the record three times in a row and has become the first port in the world to set back-to-back records for container vessel utilization.Navis, a part of Cargotec Corporation and provider of operational technologies and services that unlock greater performance and efficiency for the world’s leading terminal operators said that PTP terminal has gone live with the Navis N4 TOS to help them scale as demand at the terminal grows.PTP…
New Name for MMC Green Technology
MMC Green Technology AS will be renamed Norwegian Greentech AS.In connection with the sale of MMC First Process, it was agreed that MMC Green Technology would change its name. The new name is Norwegian Greentech AS, and Havyard Group ASA is the company's majority owner with 77.78% of the shares. The remaining shares are still owned by key employees who have been with the company since its formation.Ballast water treatment system – a requirementShips built after September 8, 2017 are bound by the requirements of the IMO convention concerning treatment of ballast water, while existing ships must have a ballast water treatment system installed by September 8, 2024. Also, all ships are already required to have an approved ballast water management plan in place.
Regulatory Crewing Challenges for Offshore Wind Vessels

Every day we see more and more news about how the planning for new offshore wind projects continues to expand with the increasing investment from both domestic and foreign interests in these projects. This is resulting in both developers and contractors making logistics plans to secure vessels and crew for the purposes of meeting the demands necessary to crew and operate vessels in support of future wind farm operations. Unfortunately, there are challenges associated with the…