Seaspan Begins Construction on Heavy Polar Icebreaker

Seaspan Shipyards has cut steel on the Canadian Coast Guard’s (CCG) new heavy polar icebreaker, marking the first time a heavy polar icebreaker has been built in Canada in more than 60 years.It will play a critical role in enabling the Canadian Coast Guard to transit and operate on more than 162,000 kilometers of Arctic coastline.The Polar Class 2 icebreaker will help sustain a 12-month presence in Canada’s North in support of Canada’s Arctic sovereignty, high-Arctic science (including climate change research)…
BOS Princess Becomes Geotechnical Drilling Vessel

Seas Geosciences has completed the conversion of the BOS Princess into a multipurpose geotechnical drilling vessel that is now ready to serve the global offshore energy industry.With its 80-metre length and close to 19-metre beam, the BOS Princess is equipped to support Seas’ geotechnical investigations.It has been outfitted with custom tools capable of transitioning from water depths of 10 meters to more than 4,000 meters while conducting simultaneous downhole and seabed operations.Seas…
Sea1 Offshore Orders Two More Offshore Energy Support Vessels

Sea1 Offshore, formerly Siem Offshore, has ordered two more offshore energy support vessels from Cosco Shipping.The vessels are based on a similar design as the first two vessels Sea1 Offshore ordered from the same shipyard in November 2024.The four vessels will have capabilities to serve both oil and gas and renewable markets.The scheduled delivery for the vessels is from third quarter 2027 to fourth quarter 2027.Based on ST-245 design, the vessels will be methanol ready with…
Briggs Marine Welcomes New Maintenance Support Vessel to Its Fleet

Briggs Marine has taken delivery of new maintenance support vessel, MV Forth Constructor, built by Freire Shipyard in Spain. The 40-meter DP2 vessel, designed to Briggs’ specification by Cintranaval in conjunction with Freire Shipyard, will strengthen the company's offering for contracts with U.K. Government and Port and Harbour Authorities, as well as providing services to the offshore wind and wider renewables sector.The primary role of the Forth Constructor will be the servicing of heavy moorings and navigation marks…
Strategic Marine to Build Survey Vessel for Odyssey Group

Singaporean shipbuilder Strategic Marine has signed a shipbuilding contract with Odyssey Group for a multi-purpose survey vessel, which will operated offshore Australia.Under the terms of the agreement, Strategic Marine will construct the advanced survey vessel tailored to meet Odyssey Group’s specific operational needs.The vessel will be equipped with the latest technology, including gyro-stabilization for improved vessel stability and operational capability, a moonpool will…
Boskalis to Bolster Fleet with ‘Largest Subsea Rock Installation Vessel in Industry’

Dutch marine services firm Boskalis has announced the latest addition to its fleet, a giant subsea rock installation (SRI) vessel with a cargo capacity of 45,500 metric tons, which is set for delivery in the first quarter of 2026.The vessel, named Windpiper, will be the largest SRI vessel in the industry, according to Boskalis.The Windpiper is set to play an important role in facilitating the energy transition working on offshore wind projects, with the ship’s first projects are…
Geoquip Marine Adds Retrofitted Vessel to Its Geotechnical Fleet

Geoquip Marine, a Njord Partners portfolio company, has added a seventh vessel to their fleet, which is being converted from a platform supply vessel (PSV) to the geotechnical services platform for the offshore energy sector.The Geoquip Silvretta vessel, originally built as PSV by Green Yard Kleven (Green Yard), is being converted in Norway.The conversion, scheduled for completion in spring 2025, will include the installation of Geoquip's largest drilling rig, the GMTR150.The rig will ensure a low carbon footprint…
AKOFS Offshore Secures $300M for Well Intervention Vessel’s Work with Equinor

Equinor has exercised a three-year option for AKOFS Offshore’s well intervention vessel AKOFS Seafarer.The option period is estimated to start in late fourth quarter of 2025, after the vessel has completed its customary Special Periodic Survey (SPS) and in direct continuation of the current contract period.The option period has a total value of about $300 million and means that the vessel will perform light well intervention services (LWI) for Equinor up to late fourth quarter of 2028.Classified as well intervention unit in compliance with the IMO-MODU code…
Fortress’ FTAI Sells Two Offshore Energy Vessels for $143M

FTAI Aviation, part of Fortress Transportation and Infrastructure Investors, has sold two of its remaining offshore energy vessels for approximately $143 million.FTAI Aviation sold the Pioneer DP2 subsea support vessel and the Pride DP3 offshore well intervention vessel to an unnamed customer.The M/V Pioneer, built in 2011, is a DNV classed vessel fully SPS compliant, with an overall length of 82 meters and breadth of 20 meters and provides over 700 square meters of clear deck space.It is equipped with a 50-ton constant tension subsea crane…
Sea1 Offshore Orders Two Offshore Energy Support Vessels

Sea1 Offshore, formerly Siem Offshore, has entered into shipbuilding contracts with Cosco Shipping (Qidong) Offshore for two new offshore energy support vessels.Based on ST-245 design, the vessels will have capabilities to serve both oil and gas and renewable energy markets.The vessels will be equipped with some of the most fuel-efficient solutions in the market, according to Sea1 Offshore.Generators, battery packages and thruster configuration are fine-tuned and include the latest technology available.The vessels are methanol ready and the generators can run on 100% biofuel.
Freire Shipyard Launches Briggs Marine Vessel

On July 5, 2024, Briggs Marine's new Maintenance Support Vessel was launched in Vigo at Freire Shipyard.The vessel was designed by Cintranaval and Freire’s design department, configured to support Briggs’ ongoing contracts with the UK Government, offshore wind farms and commercial ports. The vessel will primarily undertake inspection, servicing, and replacement of Aids to Navigation (AtoN) and heavy inshore moorings in the UK and overseas.It will also handle various tasks such as diving and ROV operations…
Reach Subsea Extends Charter for IMR Vessel Havila Subsea

Norwegian subsea services firm Reach Subsea has entered the agreement with vessel owner Havila Shipping to extend the charter for inspection, maintenance and repair (IMR) vessel Havila Subsea.The contract extension is for a firm period of three years, until the end of 2027, with tow one year options.“In a rising market, maintaining strong operational control over core assets is crucial. We are witnessing ongoing positive market trends, with our order book and tender volume consistently increasing year by year…
Seaspan Shipyards Unveils Digital Model of Canada’s Heavy Polar Icebreaker

Seaspan’s Vancouver Shipyards has presented its progress towards completing the functional design on the first heavy Polar Icebreaker in Canada in over 60 years at CANSEC, Canada’s leading defense and security tradeshow.The functional design of the vessel is now more than 70% complete, and 3D modelling of the vessel is well advanced, setting the stage for Seaspan to cut steel on the flagship of the Canadian Coast Guard’s icebreaking fleet before the end of the year.With Canada’s current largest Icebreaker, the CCGS Louis S.
Unfinished Hornbeck MPSV Arrives at Eastern for Build Completion

The first of two incomplete ultra high-spec multipurpose support vessels (MPSV) has arrived at Eastern Shipbuilding Group's Port St. Joe Shipyard, where the builder will finish constructing the vessel for Hornbeck Offshore Services.Earlier this year, Eastern secured a contract to complete construction of the two 400 class MPSVs after Hornbeck terminated the original build contracts with Gulf Island Shipyards in Houma, La. in 2018 over what it described as "performance issues".
Marine News' 2024 US Shipbuilding Report

If nothing else, building vessels in the U.S. is a complicated business.In a session on the domestic shipbuilding marketplace, at Marine Money’s late-November 2023 conference held in New Orleans, Ben Bordelon, president and CEO of Bollinger Shipyards (with more than a dozen facilities, in Mississippi and Louisiana), described his company’s architecture as a “three-legged stool approach: commercial newbuilds, government newbuilds and repair/conversion capabilities”.On the same panel…
Chance Maritime Technologies' MC-29 USV Completes Long-endurance Testing

U.S.-based Chance Maritime Technologies, a startup and service provider of uncrewed vessel technology, reports it has completed long-endurance commissioning trials of its MC-29: a 29-foot-long, mission-capable USV that operates at high power with long endurance. The vehicle completed over 40 total operational days, which included 24 operational days of 24-hour operation in Vermilion Bay and the Gulf of Mexico.This new class of utility vessel offers kilowatts of continuously available payload power…
Ulstein Introduces New Subsea Vessel for Offshore Energy Market

Norwegian shipbuilder and ship designer Ulstein has developed a new subsea vessel - ULSTEIN SX232 – designed to service the offshore wind market for floating and fixed installations as well as offshore oil and gas industry.Designed for walk-to-work operations in the offshore energy market, the ULSTEIN SX232 features an optimizes hull based on the ULSTEIN TWIN X-STERN design.The vessel is equipped with smart power and propulsion system developed to minimize energy consumption during DP operations and an integrated energy recovery system utilizing all the waste heat in the machinery systems…
TDI-Brooks' Retrofitted Vessel Arrives to US for Offshore Wind Work

TDI-Brooks' latest dynamic positioning vessel, the RV Nautilus, has reached the shores of the East Coast of the United States ahead of work for offshore wind sector.After undergoing a six-month retrofit in Las Palmas, the 2000-built vessel will be put to work to provide support for offshore wind projects and various other subsea needs.With the length of 75-meters, the DP2 vessel is equipped with advanced technology, including a Geomil Manta-200 CPT that can be deployed through the mid-ship moonpool.The system can penetrate the soil up to 40-50 meters…
TDI-Brooks' New Vessel Ready for Work

TDI-Brooks' newest vessel R/V Nautilus (formerly known as Nautical Geo) is ready to go to work following a 6-month retrofit period in Las Palmas.The DP2 vessel is currently enroute to the U.S. East Coast to provide support for offshore wind operations. It is expected to be fully prepared for the first offshore wind program by early March.Built in 2000, the 75-meter-long vessel is equipped with the newly-acquired Geomiil Manta-200 CPT, which can be deployed through the mid-ship moonpool.
Eastern Awarded Contract to Complete MPSV Builds for Hornbeck

Panama City Fla. based Eastern Shipbuilding Group announced it has been awarded a contract to complete construction of two ultra high-spec 400 class multipurpose support vessels (MPSVs) for Hornbeck Offshore Services (HOS).The newbuilds were originally started by Gulf Island Shipyards in Houma, La. before Hornbeck terminated the contracts in 2018 over what it described as "performance issues". Gulf Island then sued Hornbeck, claiming the two shipyard construction contracts were wrongfully terminated.
Marine News' Top Vessels of 2023

The November edition of Marine News magazine highlighted a selection of the most notable American newbuilds delivered of 2023—from a first-of-its-kind green towboat, to the lead vessel in a series of game-changing ships to train U.S. mariners.Empire StateAs the lead vessel in a series of five new training ships being constructed to serve America's state maritime academies, Empire State is easily one of the most important U.S.-built vessels delivered in recent memory.Built by Philly Shipyard for the U.S.
Fugro to Convert Two PSVs to Geotechnical Vessels

Dutch offshore survey firm Fugro will convert the Fugro Resilience and the Topaz Endurance, two ULSTEIN PX121 platform supply vessels (PSVs), to geotechnical vessels, targeting their deployment in the global offshore renewable energy market.Fugro acquired the two platform supply vessels, the Topaz Endurance and the Topaz Energy (renamed Fugro Resilience), in February 2023.Ulstein Design & Solutions AS is responsible for the redesign of the two vessels, and on September 22, 2023, Fugro awarded Ulstein Verft a contract to convert the Fugro Resilience. Both vessels were built in 2015.
Longline Fishing Company Successfully Trials Whale Depredation Solution

Norway/Uruguay-based Pesquera Azul’s has successfully trialed an innovative catch protection cage in whale-rich waters in the southern Indian Ocean. The company says it is a potential game-changer for the longline fishing industry as it grapples with the challenge of whale depredation.The steady increase in the whale population in sub-Antarctic fishing grounds is hampering the longline fishing industry, especially for fatty fish species. Whales have learned to snatch, for example…