Dare devil round the world yachtsman, Alex Thomson, goes skywalking

Alex Thomson, ParagildingDare devil solo round the world yachtsman, Alex Thomson, is once again proving his passion for the extraordinary and showing that a fear of heights can also be overcome too.

After the KeelWalk 2012 and MastWalk 2014, he has now combined his two favourite sports, sailing and kiting, to perform one spectacular stunt. Alex arrived at the beach looking confident in a Hugo Boss suit and tie.

Alvor, near the southern tip of Portugal, is one of the most popular places for kite surfing in the world. With its strong winds and high waves, it is the perfect location for this unique experience. The plan for this new stunt promised pure adrenaline and it certainly more than delivered. Alex was raised up from his yacht with the kite to twice the height of the mast. At this breathtaking height, he severed the connection with the boat and glided back down to the sea, carried only by the kite.

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ESNA granted R&D funding for Surface Effect Ships

ESNA has won funding to research the next generation of Surface Effect Ships
ESNA has won funding to research the next generation of Surface Effect Ships

Sørlandet Knowledge Foundation and the Regional Research Council Agder has granted ESNA funding to develop the next generation of Surface Effect Ships for offshore service operations. ESNA, an independent naval architects and ship design company for high speed vessels, specialises in air cushioned catamaran Surface Effect Ships.

ESNA operates at the crossroads between advanced military and commercial high speed craft technology and the market for offshore renewable energy and maritime operations. The company develops designs with outstanding performance, seakeeping and comfort, higher speed and with lower power consumption and emissions for a greener future.

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Solar powered SeaVax hoover concept set to clean up the oceans

The new SeaVax solar and wind powered vessel concept will be able to clean up the oceans
The new SeaVax solar and wind powered vessel concept will be able to clean up the oceans

A team of inventors from Sussex, England, has developed a solar and wind-powered boat that can suck up plastic waste.

Bluebird Marine Systems unveiled their proof of concept at the government funded Innovate UK show in London in late 2015 and are now crowd funding the construction of a full-scale vessel.

SeaVax, when built, it will be 44 meters (144 feet) long, have a suction head some 13.5 meters (44 foot) wide, and will be fully autonomous. Deck-mounted solar panels and two wind turbines will feed power to electric pumps and filters that will suck up plastic solids and micro plastics.

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The world’s largest ever cruise ship Harmony of the Seas starts sea trials

Harmony of the Seas, cruise shipRoyal Caribbean’s Harmony of the Seas has undergone her first set sea trials, which took place 10-13 March 2016.

The world’s largest cruise ever built set sail from the STX France Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in Saint-Nazaire, France. STX France indicated this first sea trial is devoted mainly to test her electric power plant and propulsion system, as well as maneuverability tests.

There are believed to be 500 people onboard Harmony of the Seas, including crew members, STX test teams, suppliers and Royal Caribbean’s customer monitoring team. Also onboard are engineers and technicians and representatives from the classification society DNV GL.

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Electrical safety: An evaluation of electrical hazards

A series of electrical hazardsIn its latest Safety Bulletin, published in March 2016, the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) tackles the issue of electrical hazards full on. Although aimed at those working onboard in an electrical capacity, it serves as a timely reminder of the potential electrical hazards a surveyor may be faced with too.

Electrical hazards can lead to deaths and injuries such as shocks and burns. They can also lead to shipboard fires, explosions and the disabling (through blackouts) of essential equipment and services on board which can compromise safety. Ensuring that the right controls and mitigation measures are in place is critical for maintaining safe operations. To be effective, control measures need to be developed at the organisational, technical and individual levels.

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Best practices for RO/RO vehicle deck fire safety released

interferry logoIn response to a string of major incidents, trade association Interferry has produced operational best practice guidance for fire safety on RO/RO ship vehicle decks.

The guidance is based on input from a questionnaire sent to association members last year following at least seven serious fire incidents on ROpax ferries in Europe since 2010. The two most recent incidents resulted in fatalities and total loss of the ships, prompting the initiative by Interferry’s Operators Policy Committee to identify and publicize a common set of best practice mitigating actions.

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Maersk Tankers completes first drone delivery at sea

Drone flying around a tanker shipNow on the face of it, this could be regarded as a rather frivolous news story – the delivery of a tin of cookie biscuits to the tanker Maersk Edgar at sea. But as you read the story, the potential ramifications for the future become clear.

The first drone delivery to a vessel at sea has been successfully completed by Maersk Tankers, heralding a big cost and time-saving potential for vessels.

The delivery, which took place near Kalundborg in Denmark and was a test, demonstrated how using drones to deliver urgent parcels to vessels and conduct inspections has huge potential for Maersk Tankers. Further tests will now follow before the new drones can become a part of the supply chain for Maersk Tankers’ vessels.

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The next generation of superyachts unveiled by Mathis Ruhl Architecture Navale

The breathtaking new superyacht concept from Mathis Ruhl Architecture Navale
The breathtaking new superyacht concept from Mathis Ruhl Architecture Navale

Mathis Ruhl Architecture Navale has unveiled its concept for the exciting, next generation of superyachts.

Measuring 77 metres in length, the latest sailing superyacht concept from Mathis Ruhl Architecture Navale is the R77. She has been designed with a very specific design brief: to create a vessel able to sail both the Atlantic and Pacific oceans by means of passing through the Panama Canal, a passage that most large sailing yachts are sometimes limited with due to the 62.5 metre air draft limit placing restrictions on rig height.

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New DNV GL Class notation announced: Scrubber Ready

Knut Ørbeck-Nilssen (Photo: DNV GL)
Knut Ørbeck-Nilssen (Photo: DNV GL)

A new class notation from DNV GL aims to help shipowners prepare newbuilds for scrubber installations. Scrubber Ready ensures that the necessary preparations are in place for a smooth and cost-efficient scrubber retrofit at a later stage, the classification society said.

“There is no doubt that stricter emissions regulations for sulphur oxides are here to stay,” said Knut Ørbeck-Nilssen, CEO at DNV GL – Maritime. “This new Scrubber Ready Class notation gives shipowners the flexibility to minimize their initial investment when ordering a newbuilding, while at the same time having the confidence that their vessels are already on the track to easy compliance with incoming emissions regulations.”

“Ship managers have to factor in many considerations when planning for a potential future scrubber installation, from space and stability requirements, to fire safety, piping, corrosion resistance and the effect on the main engine,” said Hans Jacob Horgen, responsible engineer at DNV GL for exhaust gas cleaning rules. “It is very important to have an overview of the design and an understanding of how the system will interact with the engines and auxiliary Continue reading “New DNV GL Class notation announced: Scrubber Ready”

Lake District National Park Authority decides not to adopt BSS

Lake District DockAt a recent meeting of the Lake District National Park Authority, it was decided not to adopt the Boat Safety Scheme (BSS) following the Marine Accident Investigation Board’s (MAIB) recommendation, as the scheme is not an effective comprehensive method of addressing the important issue of boat safety.

A media statement released said;
While we support many of the scheme’s initiatives, these alone would not necessarily ensure public safety. Our reasons for not adopting the Boat Safety Scheme include:
• The BSS inspection is not a full condition survey and does not provide a fit for purpose evaluation
• It is not a mandatory condition to install a carbon monoxide or smoke detector on-board a boat under the BSS scheme
• The BSS inspection is only conducted every four years. This would not necessarily ensure safety of users
• For the BSS to be adopted it requires byelaw changes. Byelaws are designed to address local issues and must not attempt to address issues that are of national concern.

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Contract awarded for the first phase rebuild of the Maid of the Loch

The march to rebuild the Maid of the Loch is finally underway
The march to rebuild the Maid of the Loch is finally underway

The first contract to be awarded in the £5.5 million project to rebuild the Loch Lomond Scotland) Paddle Steamer, the Maid of the Loch, has been signed. The contract ahead of the actual rebuild has been awarded to OSD-IMT Ltd, of Dundee, and is for marine consultancy services. OSD will provide the necessary naval architecture, engineering, structure, and outfitting expertise to produce all the required calculations, drawings, and designs to ensure that the rebuild meets all regulatory requirements.

John Beveridge, founder of the Loch Lomond Steamship Company, the charitable trust that owns the Maid of the Loch, said, “This is a landmark event for us. It is almost exactly 20 years since the charity took ownership of the Maid of the Loch, and we are now able to start work on returning this unique ship back into steam operating condition. It is hugely exciting for everyone and our thanks for all the wonderful support we have had. This is a major investment for Loch Lomond”.

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MCA issues MGN 543: Safety of Navigation: Offshore Renewable Energy Installations

Offshore Wind turbinesThe UK Maritime & Coastguard Agency has issued guidance note MGN 543 to highlight issues that need to be taken into consideration when assessing the impact on navigational safety and emergency response (search and rescue, salvage and towing, and counter pollution) caused by offshore renewable energy installation developments. It applies to proposals in United Kingdom internal waters, Territorial Sea and Exclusive Economic Zone.

Offshore Renewable Energy Installations (OREI) include offshore wind farms, tidal energy converters (including tidal range devices), wave energy converters and any associated infrastructure with the potential to affect marine navigation and emergency response, proposed in United Kingdom (UK) internal waters, Territorial Sea and Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).

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