California’s ports are now subject to new biofouling regulations

California's ports are now subject to new biofouling regulations
California’s ports are now subject to new biofouling regulations

Gard, a leading P&I insurer, has reminded shipowners and other involved parties that they should take care to comply with the requirements of California’s Marine Invasive Species Program (MISP). These regulations extend beyond IMO and US Coast Guard requirements for ballast water to address the risks posed by hull biofouling, which can also carry invasives.

According to the new regulations, after each newbuild’s delivery or after each existing vessel’s next regularly scheduled dry docking, the operator must implement a vessel-specific Biofouling Management Plan and Biofouling Record Book consistent with the best practices found in the IMO Biofouling Guidelines. These two documents must be Continue reading “California’s ports are now subject to new biofouling regulations”

Rolls-Royce has announced a strategic review of its marine business

Image courtesy Rolls-Royce
Image courtesy Rolls-Royce

Rolls-Royce has announced it is considering the sale of its loss-making commercial marine business, on the context of embarking on simplifying its complex business simplification of business. This may result in a reduction from five operating businesses to three core units based around Civil Aerospace, Defence and Power Systems.

As part of this exercise, the company plans to consolidate Naval Marine and Nuclear Submarines operations within the existing Defence business, and Civil Nuclear operations within the Power Systems business, to facilitate a more fundamental restructuring of support and management functions in particular.

“Building on our actions over the past two years, this further simplification of our business means Continue reading “Rolls-Royce has announced a strategic review of its marine business”

British Ports Association has published a video to highlight their importance to the UK economy

British Ports Association has published a video to highlight their importance to the UK economy
British Ports Association has published a video to highlight their importance to the UK economy

The British Ports Association has launched a video highlighting the importance of ports to the UK’s economy. The film uses new economic impact study data produced for Maritime UK – an umbrella group promoting the industry – to highlight the value of the UK ports industry. The figures show that collectively the industry employs 101,000 people, handles almost 500 million tons of freight and contributes £7.5 billion ($7.9 billion) to the economy.

The Chief Executive of The British Ports Association, Richard Ballantyne, said: Continue reading “British Ports Association has published a video to highlight their importance to the UK economy”

Battery powered ferries delivered to Fjord1 by Turkish shipyard

Battery powered ferries delivered to Fjord1 by Turkish shipyard
Battery powered ferries delivered to Fjord1 by Turkish shipyard

Turkey’s Tersan Shipyard has delivered two battery powered ferries to Fjord1 in Norway just a week apart from each other. The ro-ro passenger and vehicle ferries Eidsfjord and Gloppefjord will operate the Anda-Lote route in Nordfjord on the west coast of Norway.

“We are so proud to deliver these fully battery powered ferries and honoured to be part of the first ferry connection in Norway where the road administration requires use of zero-emission technology,” said Mehmet Gazioglu, managing director, Tersan Shipyard.

Fast charging batteries
Among the ferries unique selling points is that Continue reading “Battery powered ferries delivered to Fjord1 by Turkish shipyard”

Updated guidelines for the carriage of calcium hypochlorite in containers

Updated guidelines for the carriage of calcium hypochlorite in containers
Updated guidelines for the carriage of calcium hypochlorite in containers

The International Group of P&I Clubs (IG Clubs) and the shipping line members of the Cargo Incident Notification System (CINS) have issued a revised version of the guidelines for the carriage of calcium hypochlorite in containers.

The Guidelines were first issued in May 2016, with version 2.0 of the Guidelines issued in January 2017 to take account of the package limit of 100lb drums under US measurement as well as the package limit of 45kg net weight.

The Guidelines can be considered Continue reading “Updated guidelines for the carriage of calcium hypochlorite in containers”

Accident prevention can be aided by proper maintenance is the subject of a USCG safety alert

Image courtesy USCG
Image courtesy USCG

USCG has released a Safety Alert using the example of a commercial airboat incident which lost steering and hit a tree, resulting in a few serious injuries. The Safety Alert aims to remind operators and marine surveyors of the importance of recognising risks and ensuring proper maintenance and repairs.

Throughout maritime history, inadequate or improper maintenance and repairs, combined with the failure to recognize potential risks as a result of those maintenance and repair efforts, have caused numerous marine casualties involving substantial injuries, fatalities, environmental damage and economic costs to the involved parties.

The causal factors behind the decisions to perform inadequate or improper maintenance and repairs are, often, Continue reading “Accident prevention can be aided by proper maintenance is the subject of a USCG safety alert”

Ad Hoc Marine Designs unveils 41m SWATH Crew Transfer Vessel

New SWATH CTV by Ad Hoc Marine. Photo credit: Ad Hoc Marine
New SWATH CTV by Ad Hoc Marine. Photo credit: Ad Hoc Marine

Ad Hoc Marine Designs has introduced a new 41m Walk to Work (W2W) SWATH Crew Transfer Vessel (CTV), capable of being at sea for up to two weeks with 24 technicians onboard, accommodated in their own individual cabins.

The vessel designer said that the new SWATH CTV, which can also carry any combination of 4 ISO containers, gives operators a better alternative to ordering larger vessels, especially when servicing offshore wind farms built far offshore.

The new vessel is based on the company’s Typhoon Class SWATH design that meets significant Continue reading “Ad Hoc Marine Designs unveils 41m SWATH Crew Transfer Vessel”

Huisman successfully load tests world’s first 3d printed offshore crane hook

Huisman successfully load tests world’s first 3d printed offshore crane hook
Huisman successfully load tests world’s first 3d printed offshore crane hook

In the first week of 2018, the world’s first 3D printed offshore crane hook, manufactured by the worldwide provider of step changing technical solutions Huisman, successfully passed its load test (80mt) and all associated quality control checks according to the strictest criteria. Crane hooks are typically manufactured by casting or forging techniques. Huisman’s 3D printing technology however catches up to what could become the new future manufacturing technology.

Huisman actively employs the 3D printing technique Continue reading “Huisman successfully load tests world’s first 3d printed offshore crane hook”

British Marine research suggests boating sector growth for the sixth consecutive year

British Marine research suggests boating sector growth for the sixth consecutive year
British Marine research suggests boating sector growth for the sixth consecutive year

The UK’s leisure marine industry has achieved its sixth consecutive year of growth, according to research conducted by British Marine.

Industry revenues increased by 3.4% in 2017 – rising to £3.12bn – their highest level since the financial crisis of 2007/08. The sector directly contributed over £1.3bn to the UK economy between March 2016 – April 2017, while supporting over 33,000 full-time equivalent jobs in the UK’s manufacturing and service industries.

And while UK productivity remains sluggish compared to Continue reading “British Marine research suggests boating sector growth for the sixth consecutive year”

European Commission Reducing marine litter stakeholder survey and consultation

Photo credit: Creative Commons/Forest/Kim Starr
Photo credit: Creative Commons/Forest/Kim Starr

The European Commission has published a stakeholder survey “Reducing marine litter: actions on single use plastics and abandoned, lost or otherwise discarded fishing gear” as part of the follow up to the EU Strategy on Plastics scheduled for adoption in January 2018.

Plastics are an important material in our economy and present in many aspects of our daily lives, but they also have relatively low rates of reuse and recycling and are prone to littering.

The European Commission Action Plan for a Circular Economy (2015) therefore identified plastics as one of 5 priority areas. A Communication outlining the strategy for Continue reading “European Commission Reducing marine litter stakeholder survey and consultation”

LYBRA announces THE SUPERYACHT SHOW in Barcelona

The Superyacht Show in Barcelona
The Superyacht Show in Barcelona

The Large Yacht Brokers Association (LYBRA) has revealed plans for a new superyacht show with a “fresh, unique and appealing format”.

THE SUPERYACHT SHOW will take place from 2nd to 5th May 2018 at OneOcean Port Vell in Barcelona. According to organisers, it will offer buyers, charterers, brokers and representatives the opportunity to step aboard some of the finest superyachts in the world in an “exclusive and private setting”.

Traditionally, boat shows have had a strong business-to-business element Continue reading “LYBRA announces THE SUPERYACHT SHOW in Barcelona”

Teekay and Wärtsilä to co-operate on new shuttle tanker design

Teekay and Wärtsilä to co-operate on new shuttle tanker design
Teekay and Wärtsilä to co-operate on new shuttle tanker design

Vancouver-based Teekay has teamed up with the Finnish technology company Wärtsilä to develop a new shuttle tanker concept with plans to construct at least four of the dual-fuel, next-generation shuttle tankers.

The four newbuilds will be built at the Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI) yard in South Korea.

Wärtsilä says the new concept will offer a new level of economic and ecological performance, and is expected to reduce annual emissions of Continue reading “Teekay and Wärtsilä to co-operate on new shuttle tanker design”

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