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Helm Operations report pinpoints workboat and OSV safety shortcomings

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Some 50% of crews working on offshore support vessels are willing to compromise safety rather than say ‘no’ to clients or senior management says a new report by Helm Operations
Some 50% of crews working on offshore support vessels are willing to compromise safety rather than say ‘no’ to clients or senior management says a new report by Helm Operations

In a shocking study by Helm Operations, some 50% of crews working on offshore support vessels are willing to compromise safety rather than say ‘no’ to clients or senior management, while nearly 80% believe commercial pressures could influence the safety of their working practices. These findings and more come from a new report on workboat and OSV safety commissioned by operations and maintenance management software specialist Helm Operations.

The chilling findings, released to coincide with this week’s International Maritime Organization Maritime Safety Committee meeting, come from a new report on workboat and OSV safety commissioned by operations and maintenance management software specialist Helm Operations.

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The Ian Millen Interview: Maritime surveillance and security

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The Report Magazine went to interview Ian Millen, COO of Dryad Maritime, a specialist company providing a range of maritime security products and services that are essential in times of heightened security risks to keep seafarers safe. Dryad Maritime says it is a maritime operations company with a high grade intelligence capability. But what does this actually mean? Mike Schwarz went in search of some answers.

Q. Your company slogan interests me: ‘Dryad Maritime is a maritime operations company with a high grade intelligence capability’. What are the core services that you provide? I understand it is more comprehensive than just giving details of the threat of worldwide piracy attacks?

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Latest hydrofoil technology catamaran project

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If built this catamaran will utilise the very latest thinking in hydrofoil technology
If built this catamaran will utilise the very latest thinking in hydrofoil technology

Longtime sailing enthusiast Tom Phillips from Orlando is looking to combine the best of both worlds: the speed and manoeuvrability of the latest hydrofoil technology along with the luxury of a 70-foot catamaran.

So far the new ‘foiling’ methods have only been used for small boats and they’ve worked extremely well. “The hydrofoil technology is available and we’re looking to bring it into the cruising world,” says Phillips. “We are seeking funding for the research, development and construction of a completely carbon fibre luxury cruising yacht that employs this foiling technology.

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Griffon Hoverwork BHT 150 fitted with Dometic air cooled system

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Dometic Marine is behind the air cooled system fitted to the Griffon Hoverwork BHT 150, the largest hovercraft to be built in the UK since the 1970s
Dometic Marine is behind the air cooled system fitted to the Griffon Hoverwork BHT 150, the largest hovercraft to be built in the UK since the 1970s

Heating, ventilation and air conditioning specialists, Dometic Marine, have supplied a custom made air cooled system for the Griffon Hoverwork BHT 150 – the largest hovercraft to be manufactured in the UK since the 1970s.

The 30.8-metre craft, which was recently delivered to South Korea for use by the Korean Coast Guard, has been fitted with Dometic’s air-cooled DuraSea Condensing Units. According to the brand, the new unit is an optimal solution for hovercraft, which are vessels that can be difficult to cool with normal marine air-conditioning.

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Preparing the Clipper race fleet to sail

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What does it take to prepare the Clipper race fleet and what goes on behind the scenes?
What does it take to prepare the Clipper race fleet and what goes on behind the scenes?

The Clipper Round the World Yacht Race is the longest ocean race on the planet and is open to everyone. Now approaching its tenth anniversary edition, what does it take to complete the extreme challenge; and more importantly what are the refit and engineering challenges that go on behind the scenes to ensure the fleet is fit for purpose?

“There is nothing like the intensity of running along the top of a wave in the Southern Ocean and deciding to turn down the front of it into chaos. We ran on adrenaline for days on end.”

Round the world crew member and company director Peter Brumby, 50, left his job before the race, swapping it for the thrill of taking on Mother Nature’s toughest conditions for a year. Sailing through hurricanes, waves the size of several houses and facing threats of cyclones, pirates and icebergs were all part of life on board his team’s yacht Qingdao.

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Electric drive train by Visedo to equip world’s largest electric ferry

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Artist's impression of the new ferry that will be powered by the new Visedo electric power train. Picture by Greenferryvision.dk
Artist’s impression of the new ferry that will be powered by the new Visedo electric power train. Picture by Greenferryvision.dk

The Finnish electric drive train specialist Visedo has been selected as the sole electric-system supplier for the world’s largest fully electric ferry to be built by the Danish shipbuilder Søby Shipyard Ltd. The ferry will be introduced in June 2017 for transportation of vehicles and passengers between the island Ærø and the mainland in Denmark.

As one of the top 5 projects in the EU Horizon 2020 initiative, a program with a total budget of 21 million euros, this initiative is part of the Danish Natura project, which guarantees local people green transportation in these areas. The ferry will be a state-of-the-art design and will achieve efficiency gains by optimizing weight by integrating lighter materials and equipment. It will reduce the CO2 emission by 2000 tons and NOx emissions by 41,500 kg per year.

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Dubai set to become one of the big maritime centres says survey

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New survey says Dubai is to become one of the top five maritime centres by 2020.
New survey says Dubai is to become one of the top five maritime centres by 2020.

A new survey has named Dubai as being on track to become one of the world’s leading maritime centres in the next five years, the Dubai government announced in an emailed statement.

According to a survey by the Menon Business Economics Group, Dubai will rank as the seventh Leading Maritime Capital of the World by 2020, ahead of cities including as London,New York, Tokyo, Copenhagen, and Rio de Janeiro.

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Line up for London International Shipping Week 2015

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London International Shipping Week 2015 is pleased to announce the line up, so far, of high level government and industry speakers for the official Conference being held at the Grosvenor House Hotel on London’s Park Lane on Thursday 10th September.

These include:
Jeremy Penn, Chairman, LISW15 Steering Group, Chief Executive, The Baltic Exchange
The Rt Honourable The Lord Mayor of the City of London, Alderman Alan Yarrow
Dr Andrew Sentance CBE, Senior Economic Adviser, PwC, Chair of TheCityUK’s Independent Economists Group (IEG)
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Lloyd’s Register issues new guidance on large battery installations

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The new guidance note issued by Lloyd's Register on large battery installations is freely available to download
The new guidance note issued by Lloyd’s Register on large battery installations is freely available to download

LR’s experience with large battery installations is captured in a new guidance document aimed at facilitating a risk-based approach to battery use. The guidance describes the key hazards to consider when installing battery technology, and gives an overview of our non-prescriptive approach to approval. The guidance also covers battery chemistry and industry standards.

The guidance starts at the beginning of a battery system’s life cycle when the cells are being manufactured, and goes on to consider how an installation affects or is affected by a vessel’s power system, placement on board, ventilation, fire-fighting, electrical protection and maintenance. The guidance aims to help industry consider the hazards associated with large battery installations but is not specific to a particular cell chemistry.

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Norsepower’s Rotor sail system successfully trialled

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Norsepower forecasts savings of 20% from their Rotor Sail system for vessels with multiple, large rotors travelling in favourable wind routes.
Norsepower forecasts savings of 20% from their Rotor Sail system for vessels with multiple, large rotors travelling in favourable wind routes.

The Rotor sail system was installed on the 9,700 DWT Ro-Ro carrier M/V Estraden at the end of 2014 and the vessel has operated in continuous service between the Netherlands and the UK, sailing through the North Sea at speeds of 16 knots.

The trials were measured and analysed with continuous monitoring systems from maritime data analysis, software and services provider, NAPA and VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland. VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland collected data over a six-month period, during which both the Rotor Sail technology and automation system was operational 99% of the time. The results confirmed that the Rotor Sail is able to produce large amounts of thrust force, which enables considerable fuel savings.

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Guidance for marine roles for small workboats published by IMCA

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IMCA has published guidance in competence for marine roles for small workboats
IMCA has published guidance in competence for marine roles for small workboats

Following a number of incidents involving small workboats operating in the wind farm sector during 2012 and 2013, a need was identified to set out the elements of competence required for crews operating and working on small workboats. ‘Guidance on Competence Assurance and Assessments: Marine Roles for Small Workboats’ (IMCA C 017) has now been published by the International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA).

“For the purpose of our new guidance a small workboat is any vessel less than 200 gross tonnes,” explains IMCA’s Technical Director and Acting Chief Executive, Jane Bugler.

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Largest ever superyacht concept, Double Century, is unveiled

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Australian superyacht designer, Christopher Seymour, has revealed his latest creation entitled Double Century which at 200m long is 20m longer than the Azzam built by Lurssen and boasts a cool price tag of 699 million euros
Australian superyacht designer, Christopher Seymour, has revealed his latest creation entitled Double Century which at 200m long is 20m longer than the Azzam built by Lurssen and boasts a cool price tag of 699 million euros

Superyacht designer, Christopher Seymour, has revealed his latest creation entitled Double Century. At 200m, Double Century would become the laregst superyacht in the world if she is built – some 20 metres longer than Lurssen’s Azzam.

Working together with Florida based brokers 4Yacht to market and promote the concept and project, Seymour has set out to create a design that would be an evolution of the gigayacht. Achieving a sleek design that doesn’t result in an aesthetic more in line with a cruise ship is not an easy task. Nevertheless, Seymour has managed to create a sleek exterior despite having nine decks and stretching 27m above the waterline.

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