Issue No: 1726 Date: August 24th 2018

VISIT SORJ MAGAZINE ONLINE:www.shipandoffshorerepair.com

The RFA Tideforce in A&P Falmouth (See Shipyards)

Published by: A&A Thorpe, Office Suite No.3, Enterprise House, Kings Road, Canvey Island, Essex SS8 0QY, UK.

Email: alan@shipaat.com, Tel: +44 (0) 1268 511300, Contact: Alan Thorpe or Sue Morson - sue@shipaat.com.

Also publishers of: SORJ (Ship and Offshore Repair Journal) and PEM (Port Engineering Management)

Lloyd’s Register (LR) has awarded its first additive manufacturing facility qualification certificate to a facility that focuses on wire-arc technology, AML Technologies (AML) in Australia. AML is an additive manufacturing service bureau printing parts using wire-arc additive manufacturing (WAAM). WAAM differs from powder-based addi-tive manufacturing in that it uses wire as feedstock. LR’s auditors carried out a full review of AML’s systems specific to the WAAM process, as well as a survey of the facility. The facility qualification includes a review of such areas as - material handling, personnel competence, build process control, health and safety, and control of non-conforming items. AML approached LR for the certification based on LR’s early adoption and role in creating additive manufac-turing-specific certifications along with its partner organization in additive manufacturing, TWI. “Third-party inspection offers an un-biased advantage to potential customers wishing to build parts using AML’s process,” said Andy Sales, AML’s managing director. “That’s core to our values at AML. At the end of the day, the facility certification from LR will help provide awareness and assurance for customers to use AML for their OEM part and component type approval and qualification needs.” Previous facility certifications from LR focused on powder-based AM processes and systems. However, pow-der-based AM processes are typically limited by the size of components that can be produced and available materials. “These limitations have delayed the adoption of powder-based AM systems for marine and offshore indus-tries,” said Hussain Quraishi, Strategic Projects Lead at LR’s Global Technology Centre in Singapore. “Using wire feedstock enables companies to produce larger component sizes with a wider selection of materials. Combined with the lower cost of wire feedstock, this unlocks significant potential for the marine and offshore industries in particular.” LR performed the qualification using its “Guidance Notes for the Certification of Metallic Parts made by Addi-tive Manufacturing,” a goal-based framework that brings independent certification to additively manufactured metal parts, material manufacturers, and facilities. “From our humble beginnings, AML had set quality accreditation as a planned key milestone," said Sales. "Our early engagement with LR for facility qualification was a very smooth and efficient process. We gained valuable knowledge and appreciated the solid foundation of LR’s highly experienced and enthusiastic surveyors and auditors. We are excited and look forward to working further with LR as our business grows.”

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The fourth and final Tide-class tanker, RFA Tideforce, has arrived in A&P Fal-mouth for customisation, fit-out and capability assessment trials. Following her sister ships Tidespring, Tiderace and Tidesurge, the 39,000 tonne vessel arrived at A&P’s Falmouth facility, ready for a four month programme of works before entering service, expected in 2019. The programme of customisation work includes the installation of com-munications equipment and defensive systems and has been responsible for sustaining 300 jobs in Falmouth since A&P’s contract began in 2015. Once customisation is complete, RFA Tideforce will undergo Capability Assessment Trials which include Replenishment at Sea (RAS) Trials and First of Class Flying Trials. Minister for Defence Procurement Stuart Andrew said, “Tideforce’s arrival completes our new tanker fleet, ensuring our warships can continue their essential work across the globe. Hundreds of Cornwall workers will now install state-of-the-art systems before she joins her sister ships on operations next year. Providing everything from a floating helipad, to a refuelling vessel for our brand-new aircraft carriers, we are delivering the equipment our Armed Forces need to combat illegal trade, safeguard our waters and promote peace throughout the world.” David McGinley, Managing Director Atlantic and Peninsula Marine Services said, “The arrival of RFA Tide-force into Falmouth is a significant milestone for the A&P team. RFA Tideforce is the final vessel of her class and this is the fourth time we have supported a Tide class vessel during their arrival voyage. We will now complete the customisation, fit-out and capability assessment trials to the same high standards, on time and to budget, as we have for the rest of the fleet. “A&P Group is delighted to have played such an integral role in bringing this new fleet of tankers into ser-vice to support Royal Navy vessels around the world and are especially proud of our team and supply chain for their hard work and dedication.” RFA Tidespring is already in service, with RFA Tiderace due to join her in September, while RFA Tidesurge has now completed her customisation programme and is about to embark on Capability Assessment Trials.

A & P GROUP:

SHIPYARDS: The RFA Tideforce arrives in A&P Falmouth

Birkenhead’s Cammell Laird has unveiled a new website for a cutting-edge warship, the Leander Frigate, in a bid to capitalise on growing interest from navies around the world. The BAE Systems-designed vessel is at the forefront of modern warship engineering – a highly practical frigate that offers exceptional flexibility and is capable of delivering low lifecycle costs. The new website - www.leanderfrigate.com contains images, technical specifications, and videos with 3D representations of the Leander, as well as information on the ship’s operational performance, flight deck design, sensors and weaponry options, and living quarters. Tony Graham, project director for the Leander Frigate, said the warship has huge export potential and is already generating significant international interest. “The new website allows us to highlight some key features and capabilities of this powerful and affordable warship, providing another layer of detail for the ex-port market,” said Mr Graham “The website launch is also an important part of our preparations for October’s

CAMMELL LAIRD:

Euronaval exhibition in France, an event that will provide us with the perfect platform to showcase Cammell Laird’s construction capabilities and cost efficiencies. “Buyers have been incredibly receptive to the fact that it’s the first time in a generation a warship offered to the Royal Navy that is designed to UK standards, with a UK combat system and a compet-itive price point, has been made available on the international market.” At less than 4,000 tonnes, the Leander Frigate occupies a space that particularly appeals to most navies, according to Mr Graham. He said the ship’s modern features, including its highly flexible design with a significant mission bay for boats and off-board systems – both unmanned air vehicles and unmanned surface vessels, are proving particularly attractive to customers. Supplier interest in the Leander project has been overwhelming, fuelled by the market’s enthusiastic re-action to the warship’s design. Cammell Laird, BAE Systems and the Society of Maritime Industries on Mer-seyside held two sold-out supplier conferences in February and March. As a result, more than 400 suppliers have now registered an interest in joining the project. Meanwhile, Cammell Laird has announced it has built a network of more than 2,000 suppliers as it steps up its bid to build a cutting-edge warship. The shipyard and engineering services company says it is register-ing more than five new suppliers every week as it builds its Leander Frigate supply chain. The business is bidding to build five Type 31e frigates for the Royal Navy after the Ministry of Defence took its first steps to reopening competition for the shipbuilding contracts. The Leander, Cammell Laird’s offering designed by BAE Systems, will also be marketed by BAE Systems to international customers. More than 400 Leander specific suppliers have registered with the programme since the competition was announced in September 2017 as part of the UK’s new National Shipbuilding Strategy. More than 300 have already been cleared to support the company’s UK MOD bids. Two supplier conferences, held in February and March this year, saw growing support for Cammell Laird’s proposal, with the business continuing to engage with potential suppliers since. Tony Graham said there were still opportunities for interested parties to join the T31e supplier list. “While our supplier list is already extensive as we select suppliers for the five Royal Navy frigates, BAE Systems has also had strong interest from other countries, so we are keen to hear from more companies that believe they could be part of the Leander success story.”

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Cammell Laird’s Tony Graham

Turkey’s Gemak Shipyards is one of the pioneers of Turkey’s shiprepair and conversion industry with its technology-based service, operational efficiency and the importance it assigns to innovation. As one of the most prominent shipyard groups globally, Gemak's three shipyards have secured more than 65 ship repair projects for the first half of 2018 from various ship-owners for different vessel types and sizes. The main cus-tomers are from Benelux, Brasil, Cyprus, Japan, Netherlands, and Singapore. Shipowners/managers using Gemak’s facilities include MSC, MOL Tankship, Eaglestar (formerly AET), Seat-rade Reefer, Deme Group, Jan De Nul Group, Maersk Tankers, Topaz Energy and Transpetro and now, Maersk Line has been added to the portfolio of Gemak Group. During the first half of this year, Gemak Shipyards provided services for a wide range of ships from bulk carriers to sophisticated LPG tankers, dredgers, and offshore platforms. A broad scope of the work included general docking, hull cleaning and painting, steel, outfitting and pipe renewals, mechanical and electrical works, carpentry works to competence required BWM installation, reefer upgrades and dredging equipment

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overhauls. With extensive technical infrastructure, engineering quality and relevant work experience Gemak strives to keep the pioneer position as the preferable yard in the Mediterranean for the unique type of vessels. During this year, Gemak has completed the major repair and modification of the 25,063 dwt flexible fall pipe vessel Nordnes. The workscope included heavy lifting operations of the Bucket Storage Containers (BSC) and cargo boom. DEME’s 11,296 m3 TSHD Breydel of DEME Group and Jan de Nul’s (JDN) 46,000 m3 Leiv Eiriksson, one of the largest TSHDs in the world were also repaired by Gemak. JDN’s 16,255 gt cable laying/trenching and OSV/subsea rock installation vessel Isaac Newton was in Ge-mak for a trencher installation project, which makes the ship capable of precise installation in challenging seabed environments. Except for regular docking and maintenance works, Gemak’s ship repair division has been piling up track records in retrofitting work for installation of BWM systems for which demand is on the rise. The three Ge-mak yards have experience in working in this specific field involving some 35 vessels thus far and is piling up track records by handling engineering work utilising 3D scanners on its own. In-house automated pipe fabrication and a dedicated engineering team solely for BWMS installations strengthened Gemak’s competi-tive edge. Strategically located at the heart of Mediterranean, the group has become Turkey’s rising star with its evolving development and investing more and more in its facilities to provide the best to its clients. In Is-tanbul’s Tuzla Bay where the two shipyards are located, Gemak has three yards, comprising Gemak Shipyard Tuzla, Gemak TGE Shipyard and Gemak Shipyard Altinova in the nearby emerging yard district of Yalova. Gemak Group also has a team of in-house designers and engineers who represent the backbone of its design philosophy and culture. These emerging stars are supported by multi-disciplinary teams at the TGE Research and Development Centre, Turkey’s first and only R&D centre subsidised by Government for the Maritime industry. By capitalising on the high level of engineering capability, Gemak’s handymax floating dock has been size converted in-house by Gemak engineers and ready to provide services for our clients with its upgraded condition and size. This floating dock was lengthened from 170 m x 26 m to 200 m x 32 m and increased its annual docking capacity by 10%. Gemak Shipyards’ expertise in conversion segment extended to the lengthening of ships, conversions from OBO carriers to powership vessels, single hull tankers to double hull tankers, accommodation ship to flexible pipe laying vessel and tankers to bulk carriers. The most notable project undertaken in 2018 involved the conversion of a series of UN Ro-Ro ships. This project involved a new midship block of 1,130 tonnes for each vessel. The latest vessel, which is currently in the yard, will be third in last two years. During 2017, the UN Akdeniz and the UN Cuneyt Solakoglu have been successfully lengthened. Gemak has the competitive strategies and activities that will strengthen its market focus, enhance its service quality, and improve its management efficiency as it expands its scope of business on its 50th anni-versary.

Turkey’s Hidrodinamik Shipyard provides repair and maintenance services for a wide variety of ships ranging from dry cargo vessels, tankers, tugboats, ro/ro vessels, livestock carriers, LPG/LNG tankers to dredgers and offshore supply vessels. With a broad service network it gives service to all vessels wherever they are located. In line with the motto of ‘More than a shipyard’, Hidrodinamik provides rental services of its floating equip-ment such as floating cranes, flat top or tank barges used in the shipyard or to be rental in other marine projects as well. Cengiz Kasap, General Manager of Hidrodinamik Shipyard, emphasises that Hidrodinamik is located at Tuzla region, one of the most advantageous shipyard region of the world where the shipyards and the sup-pliers are located together since 1980’s. Tuzla shipyards region is surrounded by various hotels, and only 15

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minutes away from Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen Interna-tional Airport. Since 1975 a total of 20m dwt of repair projects has been successfully completed. The facility has a total area of 25,000 m² (5,000 m² indoor and 20,000 m² outdoor), with a floating dock, three slipways and a pier of 200 m in length. The shipyard provides services to vessels up to 9,000 dwt for drydocking and up to 30,000 dwt for afloat repairs. Hidrodina-mik Shipyard is providing repair and maintenance service to around 150 vessels each year and up to 20 vessels at the same time. It has completed the conversion of 60 projects, 38 new building and completed the repair and mainte-nance of 3,182 vessels. In the first eight months of 2018, Hidrodinamik has completed the conversion of five vessels, repair and maintenance of 82 vessels and has given service support of 15 vessels. Hidrodinamik Shipyard assures the shortest repair time and high quality service for all repair, maintenance and conversion projects. This has included, during April this year, the largest jack- up platform construction project manufactured in Turkey. Hidrodinamik Shipyard has been doing what they know best over three generations. It was founded in 1975 by Necati Özer, a Naval Architect and Marine Engineer, in Rumeli Kavağı on the Bosphorus. After op-erating in the activity of shipbuilding only in the early years, it was moved to the shipyards region in Tuzla, Aydınlı Bay in 1980’s, and started to provide services of new building, repair, maintenance and conversion. Being a pioneer for the sector, Necati Özer designed and built Turkey's first railway drydock type slipway with 1,200 tonnes of lifting capacity in 1986. In 1992, the second railway slipway with 2,000 tonnes of lift-ing capacity entered service. In 1994, the second generation took over the management and Asuman Özer started to work as General Manager and became the Chairwoman of the Board in 1998 after being succeed-ed by Cengiz Kasap. In 1999, the third new building and railway slipway with 3,000 tonnes of lifting capacity and in 2008 a floating dock with 2,800 tonnes lifting capacity became operational. Asuman Özer is still performing her duty as the Chairwoman of the Board, the third generation is assigned. Member of Board, grandson of Neca-ti Özer, Necati Emre Ordu, is now managing the company’s institutionalisation process.

The Hidrodinamik Shipyard

Southampton-headquartered shiprepairer and marine engineering services provider, SMS, has launched the Classic Superyacht Alicia from its covered 60 m drydock in the heart of the City. The business, born, thanks to the inspired vision of the Owner, from the scale of the Alicia restoration project, is now uniquely placed in the UK restoration, refit and repair market”. SMS, has developed an enviable reputation as specialists in ship repair, marine engineering and major fabrication projects in the commercial marine, defence and Superyachts sectors. In addition the business has a proven pedigree for major yacht refits and classic yacht restorations. In recent years the company has completed refits for Sir Charles Dunstone on Shemara, Lord Sugar on Lady A and now on Alicia for another distinguished British Owner. Peter Morton, the CEO of The SMS Group comments, “Today’s launch is a major positive milestone in another huge refit project for The SMS Group, all our colleagues and all our suppliers. It’s big, big news. As a company we are genuinely thrilled to have had the inspiration and support of another truly exceptional Brit-ish businessman - and whilst the project has been challenging the end result is simply outstanding. Alicia is unquestionably beautiful”. Peter goes on to say, “Alicia, Shemara and Lady A were all managed by SMS in a totally transparent and honest way - working directly with the Owner. This ensures the very best value for money and complete

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control of the project - Owners are therefore ‘mas-ters of their own destiny’ which is so very important to all those involved. In this case it was the Owner’s vision that has inspired the growth and creation of a business as opposed to just another project - we’re extremely grateful and look forward to very many future successful projects. “I’d like to take this opportunity to formally thank our supply chain here in Southampton and further afield. We wouldn’t be able to complete such sig-nificant and bespoke projects without the likes of Canark Marine, Design Unlimited, SEC Marine, WRS and others, to include our own Sister companies Yacht Tec and Global Services. It’s been a team effort from the outset and both myself and the Owner are extremely grateful and very, very proud - the project has seen the best of British design, innovation and engineering and we now look forward to a successful period of trials pre-handover”. With regards to working with the SMS team the Owner of Alicia commented, “The team and management have been superb to work with from day one. They’ve demonstrated flexibility, focus and commitment - and a real eye for the detail. I’m humbled by the energy and enthusiasm from the men on the tools. I couldn’t have asked for a better, more engaging, team. Refitting Alicia in the UK was the right call and it has been an absolute delight - the end result will be something that we can all be very proud of - she’s fantastic, she’s British - and she’s truly unique. For many years to come she’ll be a big part of our family”. Alicia is a 50 m Classic Motor Yacht - she was built in the US by Defoe in 1930 and launched as Janidore (ex RS Eden). She was one of eight yachts to be built by the East Coast yard. In 2015 she arrived in South-ampton to begin an extensive period of restoration works intended to return her to the splendour of the 1930s. Chris Norman, MD of SMS comments, “Having worked in the refit industry both here in the UK and in Hol-land, for many, many years I can safely say this project has been nothing short of huge. We practically rebuilt Shemara from the keel up, and we, as a project team, assumed that would be a one off. Not so - Alicia has proven to be an equally challenging program of works over a three year period. The Owners aspirations stem from the vessels true form as Janidore - his attention to detail and passion have helped not only lead an inspired team but also restore a truly unique and genuinely wonderful Classic to her former glory”. In talking detail he goes on to say, “This particular project has seen major structural works and the com-plete rebuild of the yacht and its systems in support of the program of works. We built a new hull from the aft machinery bulkhead forward, some 34 m, and a completely new aluminium superstructure in partner-ship with our sister company the Wight Shipyard, coming in at circa 25 Tonnes. All the principle trades are in-house at SMS so this turn-key solution helped with the structural engineering, the mechanical design and install, the electrical and hydraulic design and install and the outfit. We’ve our own interior and exterior outfitters, our own painters and our own commissioning team. It’s a total service solution at SMS so having all the trades pulling together has been hugely beneficial”. Chris concludes by saying, “We’ve had to be very innovative in the installations too - we’ve managed to install an equipment package suited to a 1,000 tonne vessel into a 400 tonne one - a tremendous amount of thought has gone into the machinery space, pipe verticals (due to limited headroom) and the ships tank configuration. It’s been a challenge that we’re proud to have overcome. Thankfully the Owner has been passionately ‘hands on’ both operationally and commercially - he’s been a real big part of not only the pro-ject but also the business. By working in a genuinely transparent and honest fashion we’ve not only built a beautiful yacht we’ve also created a wonderful business. It’s been an honour to work with the Owner, a real honour”. Alicia will undertake her commissioning and sea trials in and around the Solent before leaving the Ocean Quay yard for the Mediterranean were she will then join over 300 of the world’s most beautiful modern and classic yachts for the 20th Les Voiles de Saint Tropez in September.

The Alicia in SMS’ facility

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Oceania Cruises 30,277 gt 1998-built Insignia will drydock at Freeport’s Grand Bahama Shipyard between November 18th and December 7th this year for major upgrading work. This work is part of the cruise line’s US $100m OceaniaNEXT project which will see all four R-class vessels worked on. Insignia will be fitted with 342 brand new designer cabins and suites (including new bathrooms), with all restaurants, lounges and bars also being refurbished. This work is being managed by Miami-based interior design specialist Studio DADO.

Marseille-based shiprepairer Chantier Naval de Marseille (CNdM) will drydock two vessels from the fleet of Oceania Cruises in 2019 and 2020 for major upgrading work, part of the cruise lines US$100m OceaniaNEXT project. The 30,277gt 1999-built Sirena will undergo a major refit in May 2019 for two-three weeks, followed by sistership Nautica in June 2020.

In a major coupe for US West Coast shiprepairer Vigor Industrial Seattle, Oceania Cruises 30,277 gt 1998-built Regatta will drydock in September 2019 for two-three weeks for a major upgrade project, part of the own-ers OceaniaNEXT project. This is believed to be the first major cruise ship refit to be undertaken by this shipyard.

Germany’s AIDA Cruises is taking its 125,572 gt 2016-built AIDAprima out of service on September 7th for one week for a drydocking inspection of the vessel’s azipod propulsion system. ABB, the supplier of the azipod system, has recommended a short-term technical inspection of the vessel’s propulsion system, advice that AIDA Cruises has decided to follow. AIDAprima is expected to drydock in either Marseille or Cadiz.

GRAND BAHAMA SHIPYARD:

CHANTIER NAVAL DE MARSEILLE:

VIGOR INDUSTRIAL SEATTLE:

AIDA CRUISES:

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Rolls-Royce is launching a lithium-ion based energy storage system for ships. The gain for the ship owners is a clean, safe and cost-efficient complete system. Energy storage is a major green in-vestment for a ship owner. Returns are maximised when the system is correctly dimensioned for the specific ship, and includes intelligent power control. Rolls-Royce have been delivering en-ergy storage systems since 2010, howev-er the actual energy storage units were previously supplied by an external party. Rolls-Royce now offers SAVe Energy, a cost competitive, highly efficient and liquid cooled battery system with a modular design that enables the product to scale according to energy and power requirements. SAVe Energy comply with international legis-lations for low and zero emission propulsion systems. The development work has been partly funded by the Norwegian Research Council of Norway’s ENERGIX program. The three ship owning companies Color Line, Norled and the Norwegian Coastal Administration Shipping Company have been partners in the development, ensuring that the energy storage system cov-ers a wide variety of marine applications, including ferries, cruise vessels and multi-purpose vessels. SAVe Energy is be delivered from the Rolls-Royce Power Electric site in Bergen, Norway, as part of the company’s offering of complete ship systems. Andreas Seth, Rolls-Royce, EVP Electrical, Automation and Control – Commercial Marine, said, “The electri-fication of ships is building momentum. From 2010 we have delivered battery systems representing about 15 MWh in total. However, now the potential deployment of our patent pending SAVe Energy in 2019 alone is 10-18 MWh.” SAVe Energy can be applied to several areas including peak shaving, spinning reserve and battery pow-ered vessels. Combined with a LNG or diesel powered engine in a hybrid solution, it will increase efficiency and reduce emissions, and can be coupled with most types of propulsion units. In a hybrid set up, SAVe En-ergy handles the peak load, while the main power generators will relate to the average load and not reduce the propulsion units thrusting capabilities. “Battery systems have become a key component of our power and propulsions systems, and SAVe Energy is being introduced on many of the projects we are currently working on. This includes the upgrade pro-gramme for Hurtigruten’s cruise ferries, the advanced fishing vessel recently ordered by Prestfjord and the on-going retrofits of offshore support vessels. As a system provider we can find the best solution consider-ing both installation and operational cost”, added Andreas Seth. SAVe Energy is an ESU system (Energy Storage Unit), and was recently class approved by DNV GL, confirm-ing that SAVe Energy has been developed in compliance with the newest 2018 ruleset, and are accepted for installation on all vessels classed by DNV GL.

ROLLS-ROYCE:

MACHINERY: Erling Johannesen (left) and Jens Horteset of Rolls-Royce Marine

Strengthening global links has helped a north-east UK specialist in engine pump manufacturing post healthy sales figures as it targets further growth in the international market. Ellon-based LFH Engineering achieved sales of £3m for its 2017/18 financial year up to the end of March, an increase of eight percent on the previous year’s figures.

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A new 92 m long ferry built for the Canadian operator Société des Traversiers du Québec (STQ), and fitted with a broad scope of Wärtsilä solutions, has been delivered. The final commissioning of the vessel took place at the Chantier Davie Canada shipyard in June 2018. The Armand-Imbeau II will operate on LNG fuel, and Wärtsilä’s vast experience and capabilities in deliver-ing a fully integrated system comprising the dual-fuel engines, the fuel storage, control and supply system, and extended project management, was the key factor in the award of the contract. By operating the vessel on clean burning LNG fuel, STQ - Québec Province ferries operator - will minimise the environmental impact of its operations. The decision is also in line with the Québec’s Maritime Strategy, which seeks to protect the integrity of the province’s river and marine ecosystem. “Once again, Wärtsilä’s unique ability to act as a single-source provider of products, automated systems, and integrated solutions delivers real value to both the owners and the shipyard. The depth of our experi-

WÄRTSILÄ:

With a local workforce of 34 employees all based in Ellon, the company specialises in the design and manufacture of diesel engine coolant pumps, and offers full in-house pump production, repair and refurbishment services. Around 75% of the company’s business comes from overseas markets in Europe, North America and Asia, including the ship repair and shipbuilding markets, the nuclear energy sector and the locomotive industry. Les Hill, Chief Executive Officer of LFH Engineering, said, “We’re very pleased to see another significant increase in our sales figures which is the result of the work we’ve been do-ing with existing and new customers from around the world over the last 12 months. “We’ve increased the level of our business in international markets which has had a significant impact. The Asia market is very strong, and we’ve fulfilled several orders from clients in the Far East where we are making new contacts and developing business leads. “The strategic decision to attend a number of international shows and exhibitions as far afield as Shang-hai, Singapore, St Petersburg and Rotterdam has been a huge success, listening to what customers want. This has led to several new business opportunities which otherwise would have been harder to source.In addition, LFH Engineering has also invested in a further six-figure upgrade of its facilities in Ellon which in-volved an overhaul of its stores area and the introduction of the latest automated storage and stock retrieval vending machines. Mr. Hill added, “We take a lot of pride in our Ellon headquarters and have invested in a program of con-tinual improvement to develop a showpiece facility which operates to the highest engineering and safety standards. “We have also invested heavily to replace and introduce new workbenches and tool storage facilities at our Computer numerical control (CNC) workstations, this along with our investment in our stock control upgrades have significantly helped us to increase efficiency which is a huge benefit to the business. “We’re also at the finishing stage of the new facility layout, which includes a major investment in industrial flooring to improve workflow and create a more streamlined manufacturing process. Our customer on-site service is highly regarded with our engineers available to work around the world to ensure we deliver a full after sales service as well as maintenance support when required.” Launched in March 2010, LFH Engineering comes with a long-established history in the design and man-ufacture of pumps, providing a range of products for ship propulsion systems, diesel power plants and the railway locomotive sector. The ISO 9001-accredited business also offers a full range of pump tooling and service kits along with repair and refurbishment services.

LFH Engineering’s Les Hill

Brunvoll Mar-El is the system integrator of a complete plug-in hybrid system to the innovative Brim Explorer, a vessel designed for sightseeing and whale watching. The delivery from Brunvoll is a Triton Hybrid Package consisting of a total electric- and battery package including control system for propulsion and manoeuvring. During sightseeing the vessel will run in full battery/elec-tric mode to ensure a silent and environmentally friendly sailing. With this concept, Brunvoll contributes to enabling passengers the true nature experience of the sightseeing, and in line with the promotion of environmentally friendly and sustainable tourism. Brunvoll Mar-El combines long experience within the high speed segment with extensive experience from hybrid propulsion plants with complex installations in anchor-handlers, ro/pax vessels, tankers and fishing vessels. Vessels with a wide variety in operating profile have traditionally benefited greatly from hybrid pro-pulsion systems in order to optimise for the current operating profile, and achieve minimal fuel consump-tion. Bjønn Tveito, Managing Director of Brunvoll Mar-El AS, emphasises that the company’s ability to take on larger scope of supply and be the system integrator in projects such as Brim Explorer and the former an-nounced Norled, is grounded on their high level of competence in hybrid electric operation. This contract is to be seen as a consequence of Brunvoll’s strong focus on hybrid propulsion. In addition to deliveries of electrical and battery packages with control systems, Brunvoll Group offers complete propul-

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ence in providing LNG solutions is unmatched in the marine industry, and our advanced technologies are designed to overcome the operational cost and regulatory compliance challenges that operators face today,” says Wilco van der Linden, General Manager, Cruise & Ferries, Wärtsilä Marine Solutions. “At the Société des Traversiers du Québec we are com-mitted to protecting the marine environment in which we operate. For this reason, we were the first ferry operator in Canada to welcome a LNG fuelled ferry in 2015, and follow-ing this current delivery, we still have a third LNG ferry on order. All of them feature Wärtsilä equipment. Apart from their LNG systems, their technology allows us to operate year round, despite the ice conditions,” says François Ber-trand, interim CEO of STQ. “This delivery marks a shipbuilding milestone as it is the first LNG fuelled ferry ever built in North America. We are very proud to have succeeded with this project, and we thank Wärtsilä for its excellent support in making it possible,” says Jared Newcombe, Chief Executive Officer, Chantier Davie Canada Inc. The full scope of Wärtsilä’s supply comprises four Wärtsilä 20DF dual-fuel engines, the Wärtsilä LNGPac fuel storage, control and supply system, an Integrated Automation System (IAS), the Power Management System (PMS), the electric drive system, the Wärtsilä communication and control centre, on-site management and project integration engineering. The ferry will operate on the Saguenay river on the Tadoussac–Baie-Sainte-Catherine route. It is capable of carrying more than 430 passengers and 110 cars or 16 tractor units. Wärtsilä has earlier supplied the dual-fuel engines and LNGPac system for F.-A.-Gauthier, the first LNG fuelled ferry owned by STQ. It was built in Italy and delivered in 2015.

The ferry Armand-Imbeau II

The Brim ExplorerBRUNVOLL:

Stena Drilling is committed to the continuous improvement of safety and operational performance, actively encouraging its workforce to consider innovative ideas that affect how the company works and the equipment it uses. So, in early 2018, when an extensive review done by VIKING Life-Saving Equipment for its long-time customer, revealed the potential for major cost and administration savings in placing much of the company’s safety equipment sourcing and administration under a VIKING Offshore Safety Agree-ment (OSA), Stena Drilling welcomed the input and signed up. The agreement covers the company’s liferafts and off-shore evacuation systems. VIKING Offshore Safety Agreements are designed to save offshore asset owners and operators’ time, mon-ey and administrative headaches, while providing a transparent, predictable cost structure and ensuring

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SafeSTS and Service Management have formed an exclusive, five year region specific alliance to perform ship-to-ship transfer operations of oil and gas in zones in Uruguay and Argentina as approved in the Off-shore Lightering Licence. The transfer operations are conducted at or around Latitude 35˚00’South/ Longitude 0054˚00’West, a lo-cation that is ideally suited for the oil and gas majors working out of the ports located along the River Plate basin. Announcing this Agreement, SafeSTS Managing Director Yvonne Mason said, “Service Management S.A.is the licence holder for all lightering operations, and the alliance provides for it to supply SafeSTS with local vessel and marine infrastructure support, with the offshore supply vessel Bremen Hunter being used to sup-port ship-to-ship transfer operations.” One of the core strengths which SafeSTS brings to this alliance is its understanding of vessel dynamics, operability and logistics, all of which are underpinned with respect for the country and culture in which it works. SafeSTS has established a fully equipped base with 4.5 m diameter x 9 m long jumbo fenders together with hoses, moorings and ancillary equipment. All its lightering operations are undertaken strict observance of Marpol Chapter 8 and the latest ICS/OCIMF ship-to-ship transfer guidelines. Over the last eight years the company has undertaken 1,827 ship-to-ship transfers involving 428m bbls of oil. “We believe that our strategic partnership with Service Management S.A. will have strong appeal to the oil majors, two of which have already indicated they will be undertaking early audits of operational facilities,” said Yvonne Mason, adding, “I am anticipating an exciting period of growth in the number of operations we undertake in the region in the months ahead.” At the beginning of this year, SafeSTS announced the establishment of its Brazilian company [SafeSTS Ltda] to support the demand for ship-to-ship transfers associated Brazil’s soaring oil exports, so operations in South America are expected to pay an important role in the company’s continuing global growth in the years ahead.

OFFSHORE:SAFESTS:

The VIKING-offshore evacuation system

sion and manoeuvring systems with propellers, gearboxes, azimuths, tunnel thrusters, rudders and steering gears. Mr. Tveito confirms the great focus in the market on environmentally friendly and optimised propul-sion systems in all ship segments, and many shipping companies are now introducing battery packages and hybrid systems first time for different ship types.

VIKING:

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safety-equipment readiness at full POB capacity at all times. The OSA concept is an innovative answer to the typical mish-mash of multiple safety equipment brands, fluctuating costs and complex administration that present a constant obstacle to operations. Alex Kristensen, VIKING’s Country Director for the UK and Ireland, adds to the story, “We had been per-forming standard service rotation for Stena Drilling’s liferafts for some time. This required the offshore com-pany to rent or own additional rafts to maintain POB capacity during the weeks it typically takes to service and return liferafts via supply vessels. Transport logistics were complex and costly and, as the liferafts aged, we could see they would unavoidably become more expensive to service. We were keenly aware of the ad-ministrative and cost burdens of doing all this the ‘normal’ way and believed the whole task could be done better and more affordably under an OSA.” When Stena Drilling decided to upgrade POB on the first of a number of assets, and placed a new order for VIKING lifejackets, the OSA concept was presented and negotiations were quickly concluded. As part of the new agreement, Stena Drilling will upgrade its liferafts to VIKING S30 liferafts with extended service intervals, a wise move for operating far from shore because doing so removes the need for annual, land-based servicing. Instead, certified crew perform annual on-board inspections, a task made even easier by an innovative and intuitive humidity/CO2 leakage testing device incorporated into in each VIKING liferaft container. Onshore servicing is, however, still required every 30 months according to regulations. John Flynn, Marine Superintendent with Stena Drilling, is confident the agreement will deliver on its promise of greater efficiency. “Our Health, Safety & Environmental Policy requires us to ensure the availabil-ity of high-quality, compliant safety equipment that’s in working order at all times. VIKING’s experience and capabilities as a manufacturer, its breadth of products and the ability to provide technical guidance as we upgrade our POB gave us the confidence to outsource a significant part of safety equipment management, bringing it under one contract to streamline administration and logistics.” “We’re delighted that Stena Drilling has placed its trust in VIKING,” says Alex Kristensen and continues: “We introduced this type of agreement to the offshore industry in 2014 and we’re still alone in offering solutions that put as much as possible under one roof while maintaining the flexibility to easily change terms or scope as the customer’s priorities and needs evolve.”

Crowley Maritime Corp.’s Solutions has suc-cessfully and safely delivered Shell’s Appo-mattox semi-submersible Floating Produc-tion System (FPS) to the open waters of the US Gulf from Kiewit Offshore Services' con-struction facility in Ingleside, Texas. Making the tow-out possible were Crowley’s Ocean Sky and Ocean Sun tugboats, which worked together on behalf of customer Heerema, alongside other third-party assets to deliver Appomattox. Demonstrating both near-shore and off-shore capabilities, the company’s ocean class tugs safely towed the FPS through the Aransas Channel, then disconnected and provided escort services to the deep-water installation site. Once there, the tugs reconnected to provide positioning support so Heerema could attach the Appomattox FPS to its mooring spread. “We are proud to have assisted Heerema with another safe and productive tow-out,” said Crowley’s Johan Sperling, vice president. “Our Ocean Class tugs and experienced team continue to demonstrate the compa-

CROWLEY MARITIME:

Shell’s Appomattox semi-submersible Floating Production System (FPS)

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ny’s ability to provide offshore and heavy lift marine project support for a variety of energy customers. Few others have the experience and state-of-the-art marine assets that Crowley does. Together, they are a pow-erful and effective combination.” Crowley’s Ocean Class tugs are modern ocean towing twin-screw vessels with controllable pitch propel-lers (CPP) in nozzles, high-lift rudders and more than 147 tonne bollard pull. The first two ocean class vessels, Ocean Wave and Ocean Wind, are classed as Dynamic Positioning 1 (DP1) tugboats and are twin-screw tugs with an overall length of 44.5 m, beam of 14 m, hull depth of 7.6 m and design draft of 6.4 m. The second two tugs of the class, Ocean Sky and Ocean Sun, are classed as DP2 and are 3.1 m longer. All four vessels are capable of rig moves, platform and FPSO tows, emergency response, salvage support and firefighting.

Hydrex can perform underwater bow thrusterremovals and reinstallations on all types of

tunnel thrusters. These operations are carried outusing our flexible mobdocks. This allows diversto work in a dry environment around the unit.

Bow thruster operations are carried out incooperation with OEMs on any location. They areperformed while the vessel stays afloat withoutimpact on its schedule.

Underwater bow thruster repairs

Hydrex headquartersPhone: +32 3 213 53 00 (24/7)E-mail: hydrex@hydrex.bewww.hydrex.be

1017004 AD Hydrex 190x50mm_Opmaak 1 13/10/17 10:50 Page 1

Chelsea Technologies Group (CTG) has announced that independent benchmark testing on behalf of the Chinese government has identified the Single Turnover One Pulse (STOP) method used by the company’s FastBallast sensor as the most accurate methodology for portable ballast water sampling. Researchers from the Environmental Protection & Energy-saving Technique Research Centre of China Waterborne Transport Research Institute analysed the different methodologies used in commercial porta-ble ballast water sampling systems, including the STOP-based statistical method, a multiple turnover PAM (Pulse Amplitude-Modulation) methodology, a portable staining method and flow cytometry, all compared against fluorescein-based laboratory standard staining methodology (FDA/CMFDA). The STOP method was identified to deliver the highest degree of accuracy and confidence in portable ballast water testing and analysis. Rigorous benchmark testing compared FastBallast-generated cell densities with microscopy-based cell counts using the FDA/CMFDA staining method, and included algal species from freshwater, brackish and seawater environments. In reference to IMO D2 standard, cells ranged between 10 to 50 µm in the smallest dimension (equating to two orders of magnitude in the fluorescence generated/cell), and incorporated mixed communities, varying turbidity and varying baseline fluorescence from dead cells, so as to incorpo-rate the complete range of ballast water characteristics. FastBallast was found to provide a correct assessment of ballast water compliance with a 99% accuracy rate, with turbidity and high baseline fluorescence having negligible impact on the reported cell density. FastBallast employs a unique interrogation method which operates independently of variable fluorescence per cell. It is the only technology capable of operating in a flow-through mode, while providing a high de-gree of accuracy with a representative report on discharge compliance. Dr Brian Phillips, Managing Director, Chelsea Technologies, commented, “BWM systems are a significant investment for shipowners and operators who are already facing increasingly stringent environmental regu-lations in a challenging commercial environment. It is essential that compliance can be accurately assessed

BALLAST WATER TREATMENT:CTG:

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by both shipowners and port authorities, providing assurance that the BWM system is operating correctly. “Accurate portable ballast monitoring eliminates the risk of any ambiguity over testing results, protecting shipowners from potentially significant fines, delays in port, and the reputational damage that would result from non-compliance.” Recently Saudi Aramco’s in-house marine biology experts also identified FastBallast as the most accurate solution in the market for the sampling and testing of ballast water, and it is being used to conduct spot checks undertaken by third-party sampling companies. Since August 2017 Saudi Arabia has been conducting ballast water monitoring on vessels and undertak-ing spot checks to ensure compliance. Sampling data was obtained from more than 500 vessels by Global Strategic Alliance (GSA) using CTG’s FastBallast monitoring system, with a pass rate of 90% reported for vessels using the D2 standard. As well as its extensive experience in Saudi Arabia, CTG is in discussion with leading port authorities worldwide, and work is underway with regulators and third-party protocol testing institutions to help drive industry change and ultimately to agree and publish robust, portable ballast water testing standards. The company is working towards the agreement of such a trusted and workable international guideline and one that is based on a proven methodology for representative sampling.

UK’s Coldharbour Marine has opened a new office in Singa-pore and appointed Capt Mohit Batra, a master mariner with an MBA from Oxford University, to lead its planned expansion into the Asian market. Capt Batra, Managing Director of Coldharbour Asia Pte Ltd has extensive experience of the shipping sector gained over more than two decades. He has held several senior positions ashore including spells with classification society ABS and marine technology company Wärtsilä. He has also been in-volved in international business development, marketing and sales, implementing effective supply chain strategies and consulting on merger and acquisition activities. Andrew Marshall, Coldharbour Marine’s Chief Executive, commented on Capt Batra’s appointment and the new Singapore office. “Having a hub in Asia has always been a key part of our development strategy and I believe we have found just the right man to head our operation in this important market. Mohit has an unu-sual combination of seagoing and shore management experience and will bring these strong capabilities to our operations in Asia.” Capt Batra explained the company’s strategy, “We have timed the new Singapore set-up in advance of being awarded US Coast Guard type approval which we expect to receive in 2019. And it is next year that we expect the BWM installation market to take off strongly. This is particularly the case in our specific target markets which include large tankers, big bulk carriers and LNG tankers. “We have identified a large number of ships in these sectors for which owners will need to plan system installations from 2019 onwards. Many of these retrofit projects will be undertaken in Chinese shipyards, whilst we will also be supplying BWM systems for new ships under construction at yards across Asia.” Capt Batra, a highly respected figure in the marine industry, particularly in Asia, stressed the importance of Singapore as a location. “Apart from the obvious benefits of operating from this important maritime hub with its excellent international connections, we will be working closely with many ship operators and man-agement companies which have chosen Singapore as their Asian base,” he said. “We will also be establishing close links with the Chinese shipyards where many of the large vessels in our target market are likely to be retrofitted. From here, we will be ideally placed to coordinate and support ballast water system installations on both existing ships and newbuildings. “I am very excited to have joined the Coldharbour team and look forward to developing the company’s business across the Asian region,” he said.

COLDHARBOUR:Capt Mohit Batra

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Consolidated Marine Management (CMM) is implementing an Enterprise Asset Management (EAM) Program with ABS Ad-vanced Solutions. “We had intensive discussions with ABS to validate the assessment process and capabilities of the team to review our business processes, and we are quite satisfied with their technical expertise and strong EAM experience,” said Kostas G. Vlachos, Chief Operating Officer of CMM. “Our current efforts are focused on optimising inventory manage-ment and the reliability of our assets. The ABS EAM program will help us streamline and automate processes to increase the reliability of our tanker and VGLC fleet.” “CMM is keen on their implementation of the ABS Enterprise Asset Management program - we are work-ing closely to develop the tactical improvement plan based on best practices,” says Richard Pride, Senior Vice President of ABS Advanced Solutions. “We look forward to assisting CMM on their journey to asset optimisa-tion.” The ABS EAM program addresses core process improvement to increase asset utilisation and create cost savings – managing assets throughout the lifecycle, improving asset performance, streamlining mainte-nance, optimising spare parts inventory, and increasing reliability through a highly detailed assessment, planning and improvement process. The ABS Advanced Solutions approach to EAM is designed to aid owners and operators with managing the entire lifecycle of physical assets to optimise use, reduce costs, and improve vessel reliability and effi-ciency.

ABS:

SHIPMANAGEMENT: CMM’s Glory

The switch from heavy fuel oil to 0.5%-sulphur fuel, mandated by IMO, will be an incredible upheaval in the maritime industry. Today, heavy fuel oil or bunkers is an abundantly available form of waste product, which oil refineries are anxious to palm off cheaply on whomever will take it - but as of 2020, premium fuel from higher up the cracking tower will have to be used on ships. This, of course, excepts those vessels fitted with scrubbers, which today comprise less than 3% of the fleet – according to estimates from Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken, a Swedish bank, as few as 2,000 vessels will be fitted with scrubbers by the 2020 deadline. Effectively all oil refineries can and do produce bunkers. But after 2020, dedicated and costly procedures must be undertaken. Making distillates without residues requires a coker, which is a multi-billion-dollar in-vestment for refineries, and one few have made or will make in time for 2020 - on top of that, these process-es will actually add some 4% in CO2 emissions from refineries, according to experts. Nevertheless, oil majors maintain that supply will be made available to serve this sudden and massive increase in the demand for refined fuels – despite the momentous cost of installing the extra facilities to be able to do so. But shipowners are, understandably, concerned about the capacity for refineries to make room, as well as the increased costs. According to data from the International Transport Forum, when in 2016 a 0.1% sulphur requirement came into force off the coast of North America, as well as in the English Channel, and North and Baltic Seas, container shipping’s overall fuel bill increased by $5m. After 2020, the additional costs borne by container lines are anticipated to amount to US$30bn. No wonder this topic has been subject to so much scrutiny in recent months. Unfortunately, owners have another problem. To meet their obligations on the supply side, refiners will be forced to fabricate new fuel blends. By itself, this wouldn’t be any issue - but blended fuels have been

SWITCH TO SULPHUR – AN INCREDIBLE UPHEAVAL:

FEATURE:

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around for a long time, and refiners have been known to sell them in bad batches, or ‘Off-spec’ fuel, which either has not enough or too much of some constituent part or another. According to Veritas Petroleum Services (VPS) account manager Ian Crutchley, around 15% of residual fuels analysed by his agency have been found to be “off-spec” in some respect, and likewise, 9% of distillates are off-spec, for one parameter or another. “This might be critical or non-critical,” Crutchley explains, “but either way, it’s off-spec. “We look at cat fines, density, flash point, thaw point – various parameters. When we see a pattern emerg-ing at a certain port, we issue a bunker alert to our customers, to say ‘be careful, fuels from this port have been found to be high in cat fines’, or whatever it may be. “In 2017 we had a total of 58 bunker alerts. 22 of these were related to distillate fuel - big increases over 2016. “What’s interesting is that if we look at 2018, we’ve already issued 33 bunker alerts. 18 of those pertained to residual fuel and 15 to distillate fuel. So if you look at the percentages, we’re nearly at 50-50 now. That implies that distillate fuel is getting worse.” Crutchley indicated that while there may be a widely-held perception that distillates are relatively prob-lem-free, this does not match the reality of the situation. “It’s diesel – diesel is diesel, what’s the difference? – actually there’s a lot that can go wrong,” he said. “We see a lot of issues with flashpoint, where they blend using more volatile components resulting in a lower flashpoint. “Sometimes we see problems with the cold-flow properties of the fuel - fuel effectively freezes in the tank.“As demand increases quality issues become more commonplace, and that’s always what we see. We also see problems with fuel changeover, poor viscosity, low lubricity, instability, wax precipitation, biofuel and microbial contamination – there are a lot of different things in gas oil which can cause issues.” Even if the fuels are perfect and completely on-spec at the time they are delivered from the refinery, other problems abound later on, says Crutchley. The biggest is that of contamination. Various off-spec fuels have been found to contain compounds which have absolutely no business being in marine fuel at all, he says. “Phenols, alcohols, styrenes, and plastics. Recently we’ve seen some more exotic contaminants come into play.” Crutchley cited the recent trouble in Houston, Texas. Vessels bunkered here have fallen victim to wide-spread contamination by 4-Cumylphenol, a sticky compound used in the manufacture of epoxy resins and as an emulsifier in pesticides. The adhesive has gummed up fuel pump injectors, requiring replacement parts and considerable off-hire time in many cases. “Between January and May of this year more than 100 vessels have suffered severe fuel problems, crippling the ships. That problem has affected the main and aux-iliary engines, and all this fuel was supplied through Houston. “[4-Cumylphenol] concentration in the fuels was found to be between 300 and 1,000 ppm,” Crutchley stat-ed. The fuel was not from a single supplier, but ten different suppliers using 20 different delivery barges – that demonstrates an extreme and widespread problem. This is not something one supplier has done - this has happened further up the chain at a refinery. “The same issues were found in Corpus Christi and Panama, so basically that whole region was a bit of a mess,” he added. “We’ve seen phenols in fuels before, but this one was difficult to identify, and we’d not seen it in fuels before. All these fuels were essentially on-spec, at least according to ISO standards.” Blending is a sensitive operation, and a bad blend can easily render a batch of ship fuel useless. The wrong mix of aromatics and paraffins, the constituent components of fuel, could result in unstable fuels with dangerously low flashpoints. Alternatively, excessive asphalt molecules can flocculate and gum up pipes with the same hard residue as road surfaces. “There are market forces which dictate more sophisticated blending practices be carried out, without consideration or understanding of what the impact might be on operations – availability of suitable blend-ing components, margins,” Crutchley warned. “2020 will see an increase in the types of fuel on the market, and will certainly see an increase in the type of blend stocks, cutters, additives – it’s going to be much more complicated to make the fuels going forward. That could mean even more exotic things to end up in the fuel which shouldn’t be there.” With such an immature and experimental market for new, compliant fuels, and with so few vessels likely to be using alternatives such as scrubbers or LNG, it would seem that shipping is moving into a new paradigm, in which casualties are every bit as likely as bankruptcies.

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The most comprehensive seabed mapping survey of the seas surrounding the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI) is currently being conducted by the UK government’s UK Hydrographic Office (UKHO). Ian Davies, In-ternational Hydrographic Programme Manager from the UKHO, visited the islands from July 23rd – 26th at the start of a major seabed mapping (hydrographic) programme across the Turks and Caicos, and met with local officials from the Maritime Authority, Ministry of Environment Ports and Survey and Mapping Department. The Turks and Caicos Islands has international obligations under IMO's Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) Convention to ensure that its navigable waters are sufficiently surveyed to modern standards, and that fit-for-purpose navigational charts and publications are produced and provided to professional mariners. Whilst the Admiralty Maritime Data Services portfolio of existing navigational charts and publications are produced by the UKHO on behalf of the TCIs, a significant percentage of TCI’s waters have either never been systematically surveyed, or were last surveyed nearly over a hundred years ago.

Royston Diesel Power has appointed Siam Mechanical Engineering (SME) as its new enginei electronic fuel management system (EFMS) agent for Thailand. Under the new agreement, the Bangplee-based mechanical engineering services specialist will be responsible for providing sales and aftermarket technical support for enginei across the country’s marine sector. The move comes as Royston looks to develop EFMS sales to marine owners and operators looking for a competitive advantage, while safeguarding compliance with IOC requirements and aiding vessel perfor-mance in a changing environmental legislative landscape. enginei can be installed as part of a comprehen-sive suite of advanced digital marine technologies, designed to offer enhanced long-term operational safety and efficiency performance. It uses flowmeters and sensors to accurately monitor the fuel being consumed by a vessel’s engines. The data is collected, processed and relayed to bridge and engine room-mounted touchscreen monitors to enable the ship’s master to adjust vessel speed and take whatever other action needed to reduce fuel con-sumption.

Ocean Signal has strengthened its expanding sales and product team with the appointment of Steve Moore as its new Product Manager. Moore brings more than 25 years of technical and marketing experience in the marine industry in both the commercial and leisure sectors to the role, in addition to a strong back-ground in integrated marine electronics. He joins Margate-based Ocean Signal following a seven-year spell with international marine electronics company Raymarine.

ON WATCH:

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Assisting in the management of new product launches as well as the continued development of Ocean Signal’s established range of safety devices, Moore will focus on the growth of the company’s 406 MHz beacon range, now offering enhanced life-saving capabilities due to new satellite technology available from Cospas-Sarsat’s next-generation MEOSAR system and the EU’s Galileo navigation system. He will also aim to increase the market presence of Ocean Signal’s ATA100 Class A and ATB1 Class B AIS transponders and to grow sales of the renowned rescueME devices and SafeSea range of GMDSS products, as well as expanding Ocean Signal’s international sales footprint in key regions.

Bart Heijermans has been appointed to Boskalis’ Board of Management during the recent Extraordinary General Meeting of Shareholders. Mr. Heijermans was appointed to the Board of Management of Royal Boskalis Westminster for a term until the Annual General Meeting of Shareholders in 2022. Mr. Heijermans will have the ultimate responsibility for the Offshore Energy division with effect from September 2018. Mr. Heijermans has extensive experience and a sound track record in the offshore industry, recently serving as CEO and Board Member of subsea services provider DeepOcean. Prior to that, he held various senior management positions at companies including Helix Energy Solutions and Shell. Mr. Heijer-mans has a civil engineering degree from Delft University of Technology.

In continuing its successful run of offering the best of services worldwide, NICO International has won the prestigious “Outstanding Performance Award 2018” awarded by NIIGATA Power Systems, Japan. The award was presented by Koji Sato - Director of customer service/head of spare parts division - NIIGATA power Systems. NICO International proved its supremacy on the work skill, craftsmanship and dedicated all round performance to win the award. This is a standing testimony to the quality of services which NICO provides to all its clients worldwide. Prakash Kumar, General Manager said, “Wining the important ‘Niigata Outstanding Performance Award 2018’ serves as testament to NICO’s work ethic, dedication and unique Craftsmanship. The award is the result of the all-round performance of all the employees of NICO International which spans more than 45 years in the field of Marine & Industrial Engineering”

SHIPAAT