Vessel Owner Presses Finland to Release Tanker
In the case of the oil tanker suspected of purposefully dragging its anchor to break a subsea power line and telecom cables, the plot thickens.The owner of an oil tanker seized by Finland on suspicion of breaking the power line and four telecoms cables in the Baltic Sea last week is seeking the release of the ship, a lawyer representing the company said on Monday. Finnish police and coast guard officials boarded the Cook Islands-registered Eagle S on Thursday and brought it to…
Saipem’s Castorone Vessel on Its Way to Türkiye’s Largest Gas Field
Saipem’s pipelay vessel Castorone has crossed the Bosphorus Strait in Türkiye, continuing its journey toward the Black Sea for a pipeline installation job as part of the second phase of the Sakarya project for Turkish Petroleum - Offshore Technology Center (TP – OTC).In the early hours of December 26, the vessel crossed the Dardanelles Strait, covering a distance of 36 nautical miles in approximately six hours.In the afternoon, it continued its journey through the Sea of Marmara.
Vessel Targeted for Subsea Cable Damage Moved Closer to Finnish Port
Finnish authorities are moving an impounded tanker closer to port after boarding the vessel carrying Russian oil earlier this week on suspicion it had damaged an undersea power line and four telecoms cables.Baltic Sea nations have been on high alert after a string of outages of power cables, telecom links and gas pipelines since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, and NATO said on Friday it would boost its presence in the region.The Cook Islands-registered ship, named by authorities as the Eagle S…
Maritime Law in Focus as Protecting Subsea Infrastructure Comes to the Fore
Centuries-old international maritime law has to be updated to outlaw damage to undersea infrastructure such as cables and pipelines, the Estonian justice minister told Reuters after cables connecting it to Finland were again damaged this week.Finnish authorities on Thursday seized a ship carrying Russian oil in the Baltic Sea on suspicion it caused the outage of an undersea power cable connecting Finland and Estonia a day earlier, and that it also damaged or broke four internet lines.On Friday…
NATO Bolsters Baltic Sea Ops in Wake of Cable Sabotage
NATO will boost its presence in the Baltic Sea after the suspected sabotage this week of an undersea power cable and four internet lines, while alliance member Estonia launched a naval operation to guard a parallel electricity link. Finland on Thursday seized a ship carrying Russian oil on suspicion the vessel had caused an outage of the Estlink 2 undersea power cable linking it with Estonia and fibre optic lines, and on Friday said it had asked NATO for support.Baltic Sea nations are on high alert for acts of sabotage after a string of outages of power cables…
Estonia Launches Navy to Protect Baltic Sea Power Link After Baltic Sea Outages
Estonia's armed forces have launched a naval operation to protect the Estlink 1 undersea power cable in the Baltic Sea in response to the damage this week of a parallel electricity line, Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said on Friday.Finland on Thursday seized a ship carrying Russian oil on suspicion the vessel caused an outage of the Estlink 2 undersea power cable which, like Estlink 1, connects Finland and Estonia, and that it also damaged four internet lines.Baltic Sea nations are on high alert for acts of sabotage following a string of outages of power cables, telecom links and gas pipelin
Finland Boards Vessel Suspected of Cutting Subsea Cables
Finnish authorities said they boarded and took control of an oil tanker travelling from Russia on December 26, 2024, on suspicion it caused the outage of an undersea power cable and three internet lines connecting Finland and Estonia a day earlier.The Cook Islands-registered ship, named by authorities as the Eagle S, was boarded by a Finnish coast guard crew which took command in the Baltic Sea and sailed the vessel to Finnish waters, a coast guard official told a press conference."From our side we are investigating grave sabotage…
Police Looks Into Foreign Ship’s Role in Estonia-Finland Interconnector Outage
Finnish police said on Thursday they are investigating whether a foreign ship was involved in the damage of an undersea power cable connecting Finland and Estonia following a sudden outage on Wednesday.Baltic Sea nations are on high alert for potential acts of sabotage following a string of outages of power cables, telecom links and gas pipelines since 2022, although subsea equipment is also subject to technical malfunction and accidents.The 658 megawatt (MW) Estlink 2 power interconnector remains offline following the outage that began at midday local time on Wednesday, leaving only the 358 M
Vard Delivers CLV Newbuild to Danish Subsea Specialist
Vard has delivered a new cable laying vessel (CLV) to Denmark’s subsea specialist NCT Offshore less than two years after the contract was signed.The newly delivered vessel, based on the VARD 9 01 design, has been specially designed and equipped for subsea cable laying operations.In less than 18 months since the first steel was cut, the vessel has been assembled, outfitted, commissioned, and is ready to commence her maiden voyage towards Denmark where she will be further fitted and tested…
Fifth FPSO for Petrobras’ Mero Field En Route to Brazil (Photos)
Alexandre de Gusmão floating, production storage and offloading (FPSO) unit has departed in China and is now on its way to Brazil where it will be deployed at Petrobras’ Mero field, in the Santos Basin.The Alexandre de Gusmão FPSO left China on December 16, following the completion of the construction at COSCO Shipping’s shipyard and the delivery to leasing partners SBM Offshore and Petrobras.The FPSO can produce 180,000 barrels of oil per day and compresses 12 million cubic meters of gas daily.The unit is expected to start operations in 2025…
Brunvoll Thrusters for REM Offshore
Brunvoll won another contract with Myklebust Shipyard for the delivery of a comprehensive thruster package, an additional vessel for REM Offshore, the option originally announced in May 2024. Like the previous contract, this agreement also includes an option for a third additional vessel.Brunvoll’s thruster package consists of two propulsion azimuth thrusters, two retractable azimuth thrusters, and a tunnel thruster. This configuration is the same as the previous vessel announced in May, except that this vessel with be equipped with a slightly larger tunnel thruster.
Beacon Offshore Hires Subsea7 for US Gulf of Mexico Deepwater Job
Texas-based exploration and production company Beacon Offshore Energy has awarded a contract to Subsea7 for the work on Monument development in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico.The project involves the installation of a high-pressure 27-kilometre subsea tieback to the Shenandoah Floating Production System (FPS), located in Walker Ridge Block 316 at water depths reaching up to 2,000 meters.Subsea7's scope of work includes the engineering, procurement, construction, and installation (EPCI) of subsea equipment…
Vard Completes Conversion of IT Infinity PSV to Cable Laying Vessel
Norwegian shipbuilder Vard has delivered IT Infinity vessel to I.T. International Telecom Marine (IT), after completing its conversion from Platform Supply Vessel (PSV) to specialized Cable Laying Vessel (CLV).Built at Vard Brattvaag and delivered to Volstad Maritime in 2008 as the Volstad Princess, the vessel has changed ownership several times.SD Standard Drilling acquired the ship in 2017, before it was sold to IT in 2021 and renamed IT Infinity.In 2024, the vessel returned to VARD for an extensive conversion…
How Digital Tech Aims to Make Commercial Vessels Safer, Cleaner, More Efficient
The maritime industry is witnessing a technological revolution that is fundamentally changing how ships operate, improving safe and efficient performance and reducing emissions, all to meet increasingly restrictive environmental standards. Adopting cutting-edge digital technologies enables ship owners and operators to optimize fleets, boost safe and efficient performance and reduce emissions while satisfying ever-developing environmentally beneficial requirements. Digitalization lies here and on the horizon of commercial vessel operations…
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…
HullWiper, Unidive Subsea to Deliver ROV Hull Cleaning Services in Singapore
HullWiper has signed a lease agreement with Unidive Subsea to bring its eco-friendly Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) hull cleaning technology to PSA terminals, Seatrium Yards and Singapore’s inner anchorages.Plans are also in place to expand services to FPSOs, FSOs and semi-submersibles under contracts with regional oil and gas companies.Unidive Subsea provides diving and ROV services, supporting leading oil and drilling companies in Singapore.In partnership with HullWiper, the…
NYK Granted AiP for Long-Distance Cable-Laying Vessel Design
NYK has obtained Approval in Principle (AiP) from ClassNK for the design concept of a cable-laying vessel for the construction of a long-distance subsea DC transmission network in Japan.Since suitable locations for wind-power generation, such as Hokkaido, are far from areas of major electricity demand, developing a power transmission network is crucial to increasing the amount of renewable electricity generated in Japan in the future.As part of a four-company consortium with Sumitomo Electric Industries, Furukawa Electric and Mitsui O.S.K.
Petrofac Extends Stay for DDW Offshore’s Skandi Emerald AHTS
Akastor's subsidiary DDW Offshore has secured a contract extension with Petrofac for its anchor handling tug supply (AHTS) vessel Skandi Emerald.The contract extension is for six months, meaning the contract term has now been extended to July 14, 2025.To remind, Petrofac already extended the contract for Skandi Emerald AHTS in January 2024, following the original one-year contract the companies signed in September 2022.Skandi Emerald AHTS Set for Petrofac’s Northern Endeavour FPSO JobAt the time…
ABL Wraps Up Work for FSRU Toscana Project in Italy
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.
Red7Marine Assists N-Sea with OW Export Cable Repair in Irish sea
Marine construction contractor Red7Marine has supported subsea solutions specialist N-Sea Group in a critical export cable repair project for the 576 MW Gwynt y Môr offshore wind farm in the Irish Sea.With complete delivery of two jack-up barges, supporting tugs, a 220t telescopic crawler crane, accommodation and catering service, Red7Marine’s end-to-end package enabled N-Sea to focus on its project goals of completing the repair project.N-Sea Group was contracted by an Offshore…
PXGEO to Keep Sea1 Offshore’s Subsea Construction Vessel on Duty
Norwegian offshore vessel owner Sea1 Offshore has secured contract extension from marine geophysical service provider PXGEO for its offshore subsea construction vessel (OSCV) Sea1 Spearfish.PXGEO exercised the option to extend the contract for Sea1 Spearfish OSCV for one more year until the first quarter of 2026.The vessel will continue to be engaged within the marine geophysical segment and support charterer's operations world-wide.Sea1 Offshore entered the one year contract with PXGEO for the vessel back in February 2024…
Sweden Seeks Return of Chinese Ship Linked to Baltic Sea Subsea Cable Sabotage
Sweden is asking a Chinese vessel to return to Swedish waters to help facilitate the Nordic country's investigation into recent breaches of undersea fibre-optic cables in the Baltic Sea, Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said on Tuesday.Two subsea cables, one linking Finland and Germany and the other connecting Sweden to Lithuania, were damaged in less than 24 hours on Nov. 17-18, raising suspicions of sabotage, countries and companies involved said.Denmark's military said soon afterwards that its vessels were staying close to Chinese bulk carrier Yi Peng 3…
Google to Build Subsea Cable for Christmas Island
Australia's Indian Ocean territory of Christmas Island will be connected by subsea cable to the northern garrison city of Darwin, a project backed by Alphabet's Google that Australia says will boost its digital resilience.Christmas Island is 1,500 km (930 miles) west of the Australian mainland, with a small population of 1,250, but strategically located in the Indian Ocean, 350 km (215 miles) from Jakarta.The cable announcement comes as the Australian and U.S. militaries upgrade airfields in Australia's north, where a rotating force of U.S.
