News Hound

Spirit Yachts set to launch its first electric yacht in early 2020

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The yacht’s eco credentials continue below decks with a reversible heating/air conditioning Webasto pump, that will heat and cool the yacht using minimal power.
The yacht’s eco credentials continue below decks with a reversible heating/air conditioning Webasto pump, that will heat and cool the yacht using minimal power.

Spirit Yachts has begun construction of its first electric yacht, a 13.4m vessel due to launch early 2020.

The Spirit 44E, has two solar panels integrated into her deck, colour matched to the teak. These will charge OceanVolt 48VDC 30.4kWh batteries (made up of 48 1.9kWh batteries), which will power an Oceanvolt SD15 electric drive.

“From afar, the Spirit 44E will look like any other Spirit sailing yacht,” said Spirit Yachts head designer Sean McMillan. “Low freeboards, long overhangs, flush decks and the timeless beauty of quality wooden craftsmanship.

Up close, she will display signs of the sailing yachts of the future.”

Hydrogeneration via the propeller is used to regenerate the batteries while sailing, calculated at 1.5kW while sailing at five knots. Continue reading “Spirit Yachts set to launch its first electric yacht in early 2020”

AkzoNobel opens ground-breaking R&D innovation campus

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The new facility in Felling is located around 25 miles away from AkzoNobel’s €100 million paint manufacturing plant in Ashington, which opened in 2017.
The new facility in Felling is located around 25 miles away from AkzoNobel’s €100 million paint manufacturing plant in Ashington, which opened in 2017.

A trailblazing lab complex which can test new products in conditions that mimic the world’s most extreme environments has been officially opened by AkzoNobel in the UK.

Located in Felling, the €12.6 million R&D innovation campus fuses the site’s 115-year history of product development with state-of-the-art facilities designed to keep AkzoNobel at the forefront of the coatings industry.

A creative nerve center for the foremost scientists and technical experts in the world of coatings, the focus will be on continuing to deliver cutting-edge innovations and products for the marine and oil and gas industries.

It brings the total investment in the Felling site since 2011 to €31.6 million.

“As the birthplace of the International brand, we’re immensely proud of our Felling site, which has supplied products for some of the world’s most iconic buildings and structures,” says Jean-Michel Gauthier, Managing Director of the company’s Marine and Protective Coatings business. Continue reading “AkzoNobel opens ground-breaking R&D innovation campus”

The British boating sector has grown for the seventh consecutive year

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The increase in exports has been attributed to the strong global economic growth over the last year and a weakened sterling as a consequence of Brexit.
The increase in exports has been attributed to the strong global economic growth over the last year and a weakened sterling as a consequence of Brexit.

The figures produced by British Marine show a 1.7% growth in revenue, with the marine industry contributing more than £1.1bn of Gross Value Added (GVA) to the UK economy and supporting more than 33,000 direct employees.

Leisure marine exports in 2018 surpassed £1bn for the first time since 2013, an increase of 16% compared to 2017.

Half of the exports went to the Eurozone and wider EU, however the USA is a growing sector accounting for 25% of British exports, an increase of 30%. In addition, Asia has seen growth of 20% and South America 39%.

“These latest figures illustrate that the British boating sector has continued to prosper, despite challenging conditions and the ongoing uncertainty about Brexit,” said Lesley Robinson, BM CEO.

Continue reading “The British boating sector has grown for the seventh consecutive year”

IMO Sub-Committee finalises draft amendments to ventilation requirements for survival craft

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During the meeting of the IMO Sub-Committee, a correspondence group was established.
During the meeting of the IMO Sub-Committee, a correspondence group was established.

The IMO Sub-Committee on Ship Systems and Equipment held its 6th Session from 4 to 8 March 2019. The meeting focused on improvements in ventilation conditions of survival craft that will be achieved by finalising draft amendments to the LSA Code on ventilation requirements for survival craft and draft amendments to the ‘Revised recommendation on testing of life-saving appliances’.

Mainly, the Sub-Committee discussed the draft amendments to the LSA Code, relating to ventilation requirements of totally enclosed lifeboats.

In the meantime, the meeting made progress in developing draft amendments to the revised recommendation on testing of life-saving appliances regarding the ventilation of survival craft, aiming to ensure a habitable environment is maintained in such survival craft.

Continue reading “IMO Sub-Committee finalises draft amendments to ventilation requirements for survival craft”

Rotor Sail Solution: the commercial sail granted first type approval

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It has already been installed on three vessels and has achieved over 35,000 hours in operation
It has already been installed on three vessels and has achieved over 35,000 hours in operation

Norsepower Oy Ltd., the leading clean technology and engineering company pioneering modern auxiliary wind propulsion for the global maritime industry, has announced that its innovative Rotor Sail Solution has received the first-ever type approval design certificate granted to an auxiliary wind propulsion system onboard a commercial ship.

The type approval from DNV GL was issued in February 2019 after a design assessment of Norsepower’s 30-metres by 5-metre Rotor Sail, two of which have been installed onboard the Maersk Pelican LR2 tanker. The landmark certification means that vessels operating Norsepower’s Rotor Sail Solution are technically capable of safely navigating ‘all operational and environmental situations’.

Continue reading “Rotor Sail Solution: the commercial sail granted first type approval”

Safe loading practices highlighted in fishing vessel sinking

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Around 0900 on 9 April, the mate, who was on watch, noticed that the vessel was not fully returning upright when it was heeled over by the swell
Around 0900 on 9 April, the mate, who was on watch, noticed that the vessel was not fully returning upright when it was heeled over by the swell

The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) has published an investigation report on the sinking of the fishing vessel ‘Western Commander’ off Triple Islands, Dixon Entrance, British Columbia, in April 2018. The report highlighted issues related to safe loading practices and proper risk identification.

In April 2018, the vessel was under contract to sea urchin buyers to transport urchins for 11 different harvesters. From 4 April to the morning of 6 April, the vessel remained at anchor in Parry Passage due to inclement weather.

Around 0900 on 9 April, the mate, who was on watch, noticed that the vessel was not fully returning upright when it was heeled over by the swell. Water was coming over the port railing and remaining on deck, and the vessel developed a port list. At some point, water had entered the port forward fish hold. In an attempt to Continue reading “Safe loading practices highlighted in fishing vessel sinking”

Five years on and still rolling along

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It came and went almost without notice. I refer to the fact that I marked my fifth anniversary as Chief Executive Officer of IIMS on 1 January this year. Five years is a long time in anyone’s life and I am shocked at just how fast the time has gone. I am proud of what my team and I have achieved over that period and I am indebted to them for their continuing enthusiasm and hard work. Do we increasingly make a difference and add value to the marine surveying profession worldwide? I hope so. I believe so. Over that time, my driving force and focus has become increasingly centered on continually looking for ways to push up the standards of marine surveying worldwide and to help find ways and methods for surveyors to better themselves.

Allow me to look back briefly over the past five years without getting too sentimental. The organisation I inherited in 2014 is now almost unrecognizable from what it was. We have made significant inroads into digitizing the business – the launch of a CPD App and just last week, the roll out of the innovative Marine Surveyor Search App, the next generation search tool, are two such examples. Our social Continue reading “Five years on and still rolling along”

Vessel stability compromised by weight creep says USCG advice note

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Photo credit: A crewmember from Ocean Rover
Photo credit: A crewmember from Ocean Rover

The US Coast Guard has published its Findings of Concern with essential information it wishes to share about unsafe conditions that investigators have identified as causal factors in a casualty that could contribute to future incidents. The Findings of Concern follow the sinking of a fishing vessel in February 2017.

In February 2017, immediately after 27 days of cod fishing, a 98-foot commercial fishing vessel carrying 200 crab pots with a crew of six departed Dutch Harbor, Alaska, and proceeded towards St. Paul Island to drop off bait with the intent to transit to the Opilio crab fishing grounds.

The vessel got underway despite multiple National Weather Service (NWS) marine forecasts indicating areas of freezing spray throughout the vessel’s planned route.

Continue reading “Vessel stability compromised by weight creep says USCG advice note”

Another five casualities in holds highlights the dangers of solid bulk cargoes

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An article titled Time to Rethink Safety with Solid Bulk Cargoes by Captain Kevin Cribbin published on December 18 last year highlighted that 24 people had died in ships’ holds while handling solid bulk cargoes during 2018.

There have already been five more fatalities on two bulk carriers this year. Two crew members are reported to have died on February 1 after inhaling toxic fumes while unloading wood chips on the MV Green World in Merak Port in Java, Indonesia.

Another three crew members, including the master and chief officer, died on February 24 on the MV Bahri Bulk in Damman, Saudi Arabia, Continue reading “Another five casualities in holds highlights the dangers of solid bulk cargoes”

More glazing is the trend

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Bigger is better appears to be a key current glazing trend with ever large pieces of glass being used throughout vessels.

This is evidenced in the latest UK and Italian designs, which incorporate swathes of glass passing down the superstructure spanning main deck saloon, galley and dining areas, points out Trend Marine’s Jim Boulton.

Glazing helps vessel ventilation and also enables maximum light into a vessel.

“Large format single piece screens allow uncluttered panoramic views from the helm,” said Jim. “Switchable glass interior panels offer hi-tech options for separating spaces but allowing light to transmit through the boat.”

Continue reading “More glazing is the trend”

Finding a surveyor just got easier as IIMS launches the Marine Surveyor Search App

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Finding a marine surveyor just got even easier with the launch of the free Marine Surveyor Search App from IIMS, the next generation search tool.

In a bold and imaginative initiative, the International Institute of Marine Surveying (IIMS) has launched a new free App for iOS and Android devices that makes finding a commercial, or yacht and small craft marine surveyor by area, or specialism, fast and simple. Not only a key benefit for members of IIMS, it will make the search for a surveyor easier for the boating and yachting public, brokers, P&I Clubs, marine insurers – in fact anyone needing the services of a marine surveyor on an occasional or ongoing basis. IIMS member surveyors will be granted access to the back end web site behind the App where they can manage their listing and specialization, subject to the usual checks and final authorisation by IIMS head office.

Continue reading “Finding a surveyor just got easier as IIMS launches the Marine Surveyor Search App”

Free Marine Surveyor Search App launched by IIMS

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Finding a marine surveyor just got even easier with the launch of the free Marine Surveyor Search App from IIMS.

The International Institute of Marine Surveying (IIMS) has launched a new free App for iOS and Android devices that makes finding a commercial, or yacht and small craft marine surveyor by area, or specialization, fast and simple. Not only a key benefit for members of IIMS, it will make the search for a surveyor easier for the boating and yachting public, brokers, P&I Clubs, marine insurers – in fact anyone needing the services of a marine surveyor on an occasional or ongoing basis.

The App can be downloaded in the usual way from either the Google Play Store or App Store. Just search for’ Marine Surveyor Search’.

Read the press release in full: Marine Surveyor Search App launched by IIMS

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