International News

Windfarm access vessels: Are catamarans the right solution?

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A conference at Seawork 2015 considered if catamarans are the best solution as windfarm access vessels
A conference at Seawork 2015 considered if catamarans are the best solution as windfarm access vessels

The three day conference running alongside Seawork 2015 provided a range of panel discussions including ‘Windfarm access vessels: are Catamarans the right solution?’

The panel discussion, located on board ‘Ocean Scene’ which was moored alongside the quay, delivered a lively debate that was relevant regarding hull designs for all professional sectors. Panellists looked at the latest cat designs and presented the merits of hull forms ranging from Very Slender Vessels (VSVs) to Foil Assisted Multihulls. The discussion addressed the pros and cons of multihull versus monohull boats for the purposes of getting personnel out to offshore wind farms, either directly or using the mothership / daughter craft approach.

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Damen launches superyacht support vessel

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DAMEN launches its first superyacht support vessel
DAMEN launches its first superyacht support vessel

The sale of a new 69-metre superyacht support vessel marks the next level of development for the successful Yacht Support range built by DAMEN in cooperation with Dutch luxury yacht builder AMELS. The new SEA AXE 6911 is the first in the Yacht Support range to feature the ultimate technical area for serious superyacht helicopter operations – a fully enclosed hangar beneath the LY3 / MCA fully certified helideck.

The new build vessel is under construction at Damen Shipyards Gorinchem in the Netherlands and scheduled for delivery in June 2016 – the fifth purpose-built Yacht Support vessel to be delivered since DAMEN and AMELS introduced the revolutionary new concept to the superyacht market in 2009.

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German lifeboat service celebrates 150 years

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German lifeboat service celebrates 150 years. Image courtesy of Mercator Media Ltd
German lifeboat service celebrates 150 years. Image courtesy of Mercator Media Ltd

The 150th anniversary of the German lifeboat service is celebrated in a handsome book of images, as appreciated by Graeme Ewens. This year the German Lifeboat service, the Deutsche Gesellschaft zur Rettung Schiffbrüchiger (DGzRS) celebrates its 150th anniversary.

The German lifeboat service, manned by 185 full-time staff and some 800 volunteers, operates 61 vessels from 54 lifeboat stations around the German North Sea and Baltic coasts. Twenty of those boats are seagoing ‘rescue cruisers’, ranging in size from 20 metres to 46 metres.

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Maritime Growth Study evidence published to boost British competitiveness

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The results of an industry consultation the Maritime Growth Study are now available on GOV.UK
The results of an industry consultation the Maritime Growth Study are now available on GOV.UK

Shipping Minister Robert Goodwill welcomes milestone as a major report continues into Britain’s maritime industries. Reforms and ideas to drive the UK’s position as a leading maritime nation have been published. The work will be used by the chair of the Maritime Growth Study, Lord Mountevans, as he examines how Britain’s maritime industries can build on their multi-billion pound contribution to the economy.

The results of an industry consultation are now available on GOV.UK alongside an independent report into the international competitiveness of the UK maritime sector. A report commissioned by Maritime and Coastguard Agency has also been published. This report provides an industry perspective on the performance of the UK Ship Register and gives recommendations on how it can become more internationally competitive, subsequently boosting the number of ships flying the UK Flag.

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Next generation wind turbine foundations being researched

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The next generation of wind turbine foundations is being researched by HR Wallingford in association with DONG energy
The next generation of wind turbine foundations is being researched by HR Wallingford in association with DONG energy

HR Wallingford is working with DONG Energy as part of a project to develop the next-generation of wind turbine foundations. Work underway in HR Wallingford’s Fast Flow Facility will help inform the design of a novel suction bucket foundation, and will ultimately lead to more cost effective seabed foundation solutions for the renewable energy industry.

As offshore wind farms move into ever deeper water, developers are exploring alternatives to the traditional monopile foundation in order to reduce costs and keep the technology competitive within the energy marketplace. HR Wallingford is helping DONG Energy refine the design of one such alternative – the suction bucket foundation – as part of a research project to determine how these structures interact with, and impact upon, the hydrodynamic conditions and the seabed.

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JL Audio to design ultimate sound system for Glider Yachts

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The new SS18 sports yacht by Glider Yachts will be fitted with audio equipment designed and supplied by JL Audio
The new SS18 sports yacht by Glider Yachts will be fitted with audio equipment designed and supplied by JL Audio

Glider Yachts Limited, a new British luxury yacht manufacturer, has announced that JL Audio UK will be its exclusive audio partner. In its first project JL Audio has designed the ultimate sound system for Glider Yachts’ SS18 sports yacht, enabling its passengers and crew to enjoy premium quality audio as they glide over the waves in supreme luxury.

Glider Yachts’ pre-production model is currently in build at Burgess Marine, Trafalgar Wharf, Portchester UK and will be launched at the Monaco Yacht Show this September, where exclusively invited visitors will be able to experience the amazing quality of its JL Audio sound system first hand.

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MAIB releases safety warning following mooring line failure

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Mooring line failure on board LNG tanker, Zarga - MAIB issues urgent safety notice
Mooring line failure on board LNG tanker, Zarga – MAIB issues urgent safety notice

The Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB), has issued a safety bulletin to highlight urgent safety lessons that have arisen in the early stages of its investigation into the mooring line failure on board LNG tanker, Zarga.

Zarga was working alongside South Hook LNG terminal, Milford Haven, when the mooring line failure resulted in serious injury to a deck officer on 2nd March 2015. The mooring line parted during a berthing operation and resulted in the deck officer being struck and obtaining severe head trauma.

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North America’s first LNG powered ferry enters service in Québec

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The first ship of any kind to run on LNG power in North America has entered service
The first ship of any kind to run on LNG power in North America has entered service

Société des traversiers du Québec, the Canadian ferry operator, has officially commissioned the NM F.‑A. Gauthier. This is the first ferry to run on liquefied natural gas (LNG) in North America and is also the first ship of any kind to run on LNG in Canada.

NM F.‑A. Gauthier has replaced the NM Camille‑Marcoux on the Matane–Baie‑Comeau–Godbout route.

Following an agreement concluded in 2013, Gaz Métro, through its subsidiary Gaz Métro LNG L.P., was chosen as the LNG supplier to fuel three new Société des traversiers du Québec ferries, including the NM F.‑A.‑Gauthier. The two other ships will be assigned to the Tadoussac–Baie‑Sainte‑Catherine crossing.

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AMSBC successfully amalgamates with IIMS

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The Association of Marine Surveyors British Columbia has successfully amalgamated with the International Institute of Marine Surveying.
The Association of Marine Surveyors British Columbia has successfully amalgamated with the International Institute of Marine Surveying.

A ceremony and meeting was held at the Mission to Seafarers in the Port of Vancouver on 8 July to formally amalgamate the Association of Marine Surveyors British Columbia (AMSBC) with the UK headquartered International Institute of Marine Surveying (IIMS). As a consequence, a new regional branch of IIMS was created, IIMS Canada.

The event was, which was well attended, comprised delegates who were existing IIMS members, AMSBC members and others from the maritime sector in the British Columbia area and further afield.

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Legislation changes means superyachts may soon be allowed to stay in Washington waters tax free

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Impending legislation changes means superyachts may soon be allowed to stay in Washington waters tax free
Impending legislation changes means superyachts may soon be allowed to stay in Washington waters tax free

The US Washington maritime industry is celebrating the passage of the Marine Tourism Bill, which passed the state House of Representatives after more than four years in a session held late Tuesday night. The Bill has now been sent on to Governor Jay Inslee for his signature and if signed, will take effect from 1st September 2015.

If successful, the law will allow yachts registered as an LLC, to stay in Washington state waters for up to 180 days before a 10% tax on the value of the vessel is levied. In the past, this tax would be enforced after an LLC-registered or entity-owned yacht stayed more than 60 days.

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Gibraltar superyacht industry gets a welcome boost

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The Gibraltar superyacht industry has received a massive boost with the anouncement of two proposed new marina developments
The Gibraltar superyacht industry has received a massive boost with the anouncement of two proposed new marina developments

The Gibraltar superyacht industry is revelling in the news that there are two proposed new superyacht marinas coming to the area. This news will surely increase the popularity for Gibraltar as a superyacht destination.

The first announcement came as Ocean Village’s proposed superyacht marina project and 102 waterside apartments was granted outline planning permission by the Development and Planning Commission. This decision represents a landmark victory for Ocean Village who have been strongly advocating the need for expansion in the marina’s current superyacht facilities due to the fast growing number of superyachts calling at Gibraltar.

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Seafarers affected by piracy action to be aided by Sailors’ Society in Durban

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The Sailors' Society has opened a new Crisis Response Centre in Durban, South Africa
The Sailors’ Society has opened a new Crisis Response Centre in Durban, South Africa

Sailors’ Society, located in Southampton, UK,  has launched a Crisis Response Centre in Durban, South Africa, to support seafarers directly affected by piracy action.

Durban-based facility will provide 24-hour response and trauma counselling for survivors of piracy attacks and other disasters at sea throughout South Africa, Ghana, Madagascar, Mozambique and Reunion.

The recent Oceans Beyond Piracy (OBP) report on the State of Maritime Piracy reported that at least 5,000 seafarers were attacked in the Gulf of Guinea, the Western Indian Ocean, and Southeast Asia in 2014, and drew attention to West Africa noting that “Gulf of Guinea piracy continues at unacceptable levels”.

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