Global operator in the subsea inspection, repair and maintenance sector (IRM), Harkand, has embarked on a contract awarded by Premier Oil Plc to support the operator activities on the Solan field development, West of Shetland.

The multi-purpose service vessel the Siem Spearfish, which is on long-term charter to Harkand, arrived in Newcastle earlier this month to begin mobilization for the campaign which will see it perform walk-to-work duties for the ongoing commissioning work on site.

The Spearfish is being fitted with an Ampelmann active motion compensated gangway which will allow personnel to walk onto the Solan platform safely, even in high wave conditions. The Spearfish is due to arrive on site in Block 205/26a in the UKCS later this month with the work expected to run until August.

The 120m Spearfish was launched last year after being designed and built at the Vard facility in Norway with input from Harkand. Constructed with a deck layout specifically designed to increase the efficiency for mobilization and demobilization, it is equipped with a 250 ton AHC offshore crane with 3,000m of wire and two heavy workclass Triton 4000 meter XLS ROVs and can accommodate a crew of 110.

Harkand Europe managing director David Kerr said: “Solan is an important development and is expected to contribute to the UK economy for the next 20 years. It is also a potentially challenging project in terms of the variable weather conditions anticipated West of Shetland.

“The safety and welfare of the offshore workforce is paramount and we are pleased to have been selected to provide support with a state-of-the-art vessel which is outfitted with the necessary equipment and the people to meet the demands of working offshore West of Shetland.”

New simulator wing features DNV certified VSTEP Dynamic Positioning and Full Mission Bridge Simulators and type approved ECDIS classroom

The simulation center of the Technical University of Varna has officially opened its new simulation wing on May 21st, 2015. Following the opening of its simulation center in 2012, the TU Varna has known a steady growth and further expansion into a new simulator wing was required. All the simulators in the TU Varna training center are delivered and installed by VSTEP. The new wing features a NAUTIS Class B DP Simulator as well as a NAUTIS class A Full Mission Bridge Simulator and a new ECDIS Simulator classroom.

The opening ceremony was attended by representatives of the Technical University and officials of the municipal government of Varna. The rector of the Technical University, Mr. Ovid Farhi, and the mayor of Varna, Mr. Ivan Nikolaev Portnih, were present during the opening.

Simulator developer VSTEP was again the developer of choice to deliver and install its DNV certified NAUTIS simulators at the facility, including a NAUTIS DP Class B simulator and a NAUTIS Class A Full Mission Bridge Simulator. Using state of art simulation technology, the DP Class B simulator can be directly combined with the Class A FMB to form a fully multifunctional 360° Bridge setup. The bridge can also be transformed into a Full Mission Tug Simulator.

In addition to the DP and FMB simulators, the existing NAUTIS ECDIS Classroom has been extended with 5 new ECDIS stations. The NAUTIS ECDIS Classroom is now fully operational to provide type approved training for all current ECDIS systems, including Maris, Kelvin Hughes, NavMaster and SevenCS’ E-Globe which are all integrated into the NAUTIS ECDIS Systems.

Pjotr van Schothorst, VSTEP CEO: “The necessity and opening of this new simulator wing reminds us of the importance and growth of the TU Varna as a maritime educational facility in the region. Following our cooperation with the TU Varna simulation center in 2012, VSTEP is proud to have once again been selected as the simulator supplier for this new simulator wing. The new DP simulator and Type Approved ECDIS simulator classroom allows the TU to proceed with a very extensive and state of the art curriculum of maritime training courses. ”

The simulation center of the TU Varna is one of the most advanced training and education hubs in the region. Simulation developer VSTEP was selected as simulator contractor for the center in 2012 and has since delivered three NAUTIS Bridge Simulators, five Engine Room Simulators, an Incident Command Simulator, a DP Simulator and a full classroom with desktop ECDIS trainers for the facility.

Bulgarian National TV created a news report about the opening of the new simulator wing of the TU Varna. Watch the video report at here.

Global operator in the subsea inspection, repair and maintenance sector (IRM), Harkand, has successfully completed its first campaign in the Caribbean for BG Trinidad & Tobago.

The 75-day ROV subsea support services project was concluded at the start of March by the team on board Harkand’s multi-purpose vessel the Go Electra in the waters off Trinidad and Tobago.

The workscope included carrying out ultrasonic technology scans, free span pipeline rectification work, subsea control module change outs, and the supply and installation of anode pods and clamps at various locations throughout the North Coast Marine Area (NCMA) and East Coast Marine Area (ECMA) of Trinidad and Tobago.

Harkand Europe managing director David Kerr said: “We enjoy a very good relationship with BG and we are pleased to have carried out this scope of work to meet their requirements in Trinidad and Tobago, especially at this challenging time of year which is out with the usual IRM weather season in the region.

“The success of this campaign was down to the collaboration on board the Go Electra with our personnel working closely with BG Trinidad & Tobago to ensure the work was delivered safely and effectively. It is a testament to this collaborative working relationship that only five days’ weather related downtime was experienced out of the 75 day campaign.

“Our initial mobilization was efficient with all personnel and equipment clearing customs without delay. We are also delighted to have utilized local content on this project which included ROV pilot technicians, stewards and riggers.”

Harkand provides offshore vessels, ROVs, diving, survey services, project management and engineering to the oil and gas and renewables industries. Headquartered in London with operations bases in Aberdeen, Houston, Mexico and Ghana, Harkand aims to be the leading subsea IRM and light construction contractor globally.

Crowley Maritime Corp.’s global ship management group has been awarded a new contract with Sunrise Operations LLC, a subsidiary of The Pasha Group, of San Rafael, Calif., for the operation, crewing and maintenance of four Jones Act ships operating between the U.S. West Coast and Hawaii. The news follows the recent announcement that Pasha Hawaii, a wholly owned subsidiary of The Pasha Group, a family-owned global logistics company, will assume operations for all of Horizon Lines’ Hawaii business, including these four U.S.-flagged container ships.

“As a long-time Jones Act carrier, Crowley is well-suited to manage these U.S.-flagged vessels,” said Crowley’s Mike Golonka, vice president, ship management. “We are confident that our ability to offer company-wide resources and flexibility to work within their operational model is what set us apart, in addition to our proven experience in managing steam vessels for other companies. We look forward to working with Pasha in the management of their new ships.”

Crowley’s ship management group provides all phases of commercial ship management, along with full technical management and government contracting. Crowley’s contract will encompass ship management for the Horizon Enterprise, Horizon Pacific, Horizon Reliance and Horizon Spirit. The company is providing a scaled, customized package of crewing and technical management services. Crowley provides similar services to other customers’ container ships around the world, including those in other Jones Act trades.

Pasha’s chief executive officer, George Pasha IV, noted, “Crowley Maritime shares the same strong values and vision of the Pasha Group. Both organizations have been family managed for decades, with third-generation leadership maintaining the spirit of their founders. Pasha team members exhibit a passion for quality service that is matched by Crowley’s high performance in ship management and exceptional maritime workforce. With Crowley as a trusted partner, Pasha Hawaii, its customers, and the people of Hawaii will derive substantial benefits.”

The Pasha Group, one of the nation’s leading Jones Act shipping and integrated logistics companies, has been serving the Mainland/Hawaii trade lane since 2005.

Gibraltar-based ship repair company, Gibdock, has built up a close working relationship with Solstad Offshore, with a number of the Norwegian operator’s specialist offshore craft being repaired at the yard over the past few years. This partnership was recently rekindled when a Construction Support Vessel (CSV), the 5000dwt Normand Pacific, arrived in Gibraltar for its first special survey. Gibdock managing director, Richard Beards, says,”Solstad Offshore is a repeat customer that we hold in very high regard and we were delighted to welcome them back again. They are a quality operator and it is a positive reflection on our growing reputation within the offshore sector that they have chosen us to repair and maintain their vessels.” The 122m long Normand Pacific, which was built at the Fosen shipyard in Norway in 2010, entered the Gibdock yard in mid-May for a three week program of works, including two weeks in drydock and one week alongside. The vessel had been operating offshore West Africa, but was due to commence a new deployment offshore Mexico. Richard Beards says,”Gibdock was ideally located to carry out the required special survey and pre-contract repair and maintenance work. Solstad Offshore was able to redeploy this valuable asset with limited deviation, and hence lower costs.”

A key element of the drydocking works was the requirement to service Normand Pacific’s two Schottel propulsion thrusters which, in addition to three Brunvoll tunnel thrusters and a Brunvoll retractable azimuth thruster unit, were dismantled in the dock, and moved to the yard’s workshops for extensive overhaul work. Gibdock fitters assisted owner-arranged manufacturer technicians with the servicing of all six units.

In addition, Gibdock assisted MacGregor service engineers with the overhaul of the Normand Pacific’s 200 tons lift capacity offshore crane. Paul Cano, Gibdock ship repair manager, says,”This was in many ways the most demanding aspect of the project, as it involved removing three out of the four hydraulic boom cylinders, each of which weighed 8 tons, and transporting them to the workshop, where they were stripped down and overhauled. We then returned them to the ship, lifted up the boom and refitted the cylinders in place, while other works on the crane and surrounding area were ongoing.” When the crane was fully operational once more, Gibdock sub-contracted Water Weights to carry out a load test, to class requirements, using water bags.

The three-week stay of Normand Pacific at Gibdock also saw the yard carry out extensive pipework for various systems onboard, including the installation of 57m of new piping for new ballast water treatment technology. Additionally Gibdock fabricated and installed pipelines for the cooling system, and carried out a range of standard drydocking works, including external hull coating and overhauling the sea valves. The vessel’s lifeboats and davits were also tested and serviced during Normand Pacific’s stay in Gibraltar.

Paul Cano says,”It was very pleasing to have been chosen to carry out the vessel’s first drydocking. We worked well with Solstad Offshore and the crew of the Normand Pacific to undertake an extensive scope of works in what was quite a demanding time frame.” In the event, Gibdock completed the job slightly ahead of schedule, ensuring the vessel was able to sail on to its next charter on time on June 10th.

Malcolm Rosie, technical director, Solstad, comments: “We were delighted to return to Gibdock with Normand Pacific, after a gap of several years since we were last in this region for drydocking. We were very pleased with the outcome and would have no hesitation returning to Gibdock in the future.”

Established in 1964, Solstad Offshore has grown to become a leading global offshore services provider. It operates a fleet of around 50 fully- and partly-owned vessels, including Platform Support vessels (PSVs), Anchor Handling Tug Supply (AHTS) craft and CSVs.

The European Innovation Project LeanShips – Low Energy And Near To Zero Emissions Ships – will demonstrate the effectiveness and reliability of energy saving and emission reduction technologies at real scale. LeanShips is one of the first projects funded under the new European Research and Innovation Framework Program HORIZON 2020.

The project is coordinated by Damen Shipyards Group and jointly managed by the Netherlands Maritime Technology Foundation (NMT), the Center of Maritime Technologies (CMT) from Germany and Cetena, the Italian Ship Research Centre.

LeanShips officially started on 1 May 2015 with a grant of 17 million Euro. The large project partnership consists of ship owners, shipyards, equipment suppliers and research institutes. In total, 46 partners (81% from industry) from 12 EU member states and one associated country are part of the project.

LeanShips aims to put innovations into practice by carrying out eight demonstrator show cases that combine technologies for efficient and less polluting vessels with end-users’ needs and requirements. Dedicated teams of equipment manufacturers (technology providers), shipyards (technology integrators) and ship owners (technology users) as well as rule makers will make certain that the innovations developed in the project are matured to market uptake capability.

The following eight demonstrators are part of the project:

The project target markets are the small to midsized ships for intra-European waterborne transport, vessels for offshore operations and the leisure and cruise markets. First impact estimates for LeanShips show fuel saving of up to 25%, CO₂ reduction of at least 25% and an expected decrease of SOx/NOx/PM air pollutants by up to 100%. Through their participation in the project, the LeanShips partners intend to set an example and encourage more ship owners to invest in green technologies.

Leading standby vessel operator Atlantic Offshore Rescue has unveiled the third new vessel in the past 12 months as part of its fleet modernisation program, representing an investment totaling £300 million.

Ocean Falcon, a brand new Class A Multi Role and Emergency Response and Rescue (MRV/ERRV) vessel was christened at a ceremony at Aberdeen harbor , before commencing a contract with a major UK operator. Atlantic Offshore Rescue will provide emergency recovery, rescue cover, tanker assistance and general field support for offshore operations at the Curlew Field, in the North Sea.

The ship can accommodate 21 employees, and has the amenities to rescue up to 300 people. As well as incorporating the very latest technology systems including a towing capacity of up to 65 tons, it measures 66.80 meters in length and 16 meters beam and features two MAN main engines with a power of 1935 kW each.

Ocean Falcon, the latest vessel to be launched, as part of Atlantic Offshore Rescue’s 300 million fleet modernization program.

Ocean Falcon is a new H820 design from Havyard Ship Design. It was built and developed in Passai, Spain by Zamakona shipbuilders, in close collaboration with Atlantic Offshore Rescue over an 18 month period. Its sister ships, Ocean Tay and Ocean Osprey were launched in February and May 2014, respectively.

Matthew Gordon, managing director of Atlantic Offshore Rescue, said: “We are immensely proud to unveil Ocean Falcon, the third vessel to be launched as part of our extensive modernization strategy. The vessel incorporates cutting edge technology, and it is due to this and the expertise and professionalism of our team that we have secured a lucrative contract with an oil and gas operator.

“We are trailblazing the way for emergency support vessels in the North Sea and this program is part of our vision for strategic growth and commitment to offer the very best FSV and ERRVs to existing and potential clients, a vital assurance for offshore operations within the energy sector.”

The new vessel has secured 30 jobs and is one of 11 ERRVs managed by the company from its new 12,000 sq ft Aberdeen base at Waterloo Quay. The move, which took place earlier this year, totals an investment of £3.5 million over a ten year lease period.

Mr. Gordon continued: “Moving into our new premises was is a real milestone in our history, and already marks a very successful year for Atlantic Offshore Rescue. Having outgrown our previous office we now have the capacity to accommodate future growth in the coming months and years. Being so close to Aberdeen harbour, we are also in a position to increase operational efficiency and better serve clients.”

Atlantic Offshore Rescue is part of the Atlantic Offshore Group, which is based in Norway. Atlantic Offshore Rescue Ltd employs 350 people (approximately 330 seamen and 20 office-based staff) and provides multi-role offshore and emergency rescue and response vessels for many of the oil majors operating in the North Sea.

Inclusive of Atlantic Offshore Rescue’s 11 vessels, Atlantic Offshore Group currently operates a fleet of 22 ERRVs and Platform Supply Vessels (PSVs) and manages further PSVs on behalf of third parties.

The Group’s aim is to continue to expand its capabilities within both the Norwegian and British sector of the North Sea and to be able to provide cross-border solutions reflecting the needs of its clients.

Petroleum Geo-Services ASA ('PGS' or the 'Company') commenced operations of a MultiClient 2D seismic program offshore Mexico on 16 May. The two 2D vessels Atlantic Explorer and will acquire multiple projects recently approved by the Mexican government. The first program to be acquired is the Mexico Well Tie MC2D which will provide clients with an excellent grounding for understanding the hydrocarbon prospectivity in the area. Fast track products will be available in June 2015.

"PGS is proud to conduct its first commercial seismic acquisition project in Mexico after approval of the Mexican Energy Reform," says Gregg Parker, Regional President NSA MultiClient in PGS. "We have worked diligently to position the Company as a first mover in Mexico and we are now very pleased to say that we have been successful in our endeavor. PGS views Mexico as a viable investment market for many years to come for the full suite of all our solutions."

These surveys will be acquired using PGS proprietary GeoStreamer technology and are supported by industry pre-funding.

• New solution increases connectivity and morale for crew

Harris CapRock Communications has introduced a service that enables remote maritime and oil rig crew members to stay connected with family and friends anywhere in the world via their cellphones or smartphones.

The service provides crew members — even in the most remote locations — with reliable mobile roaming as well as pay-as-you-go voice, text, email and some smartphone data services. Global on-site assistance is also available.

“Our expanded offshore GSM service increases connectivity and boosts morale for our energy and maritime customers’ crew members,” said Tracey Haslam, president, Harris CapRock Communications. “This allows reliable communication with management as well as loved ones at home.”

Crew members can use either a local prepaid SIM card or home network roaming option. With home network roaming, they can keep their existing handsets and phone numbers without changing their SIM cards. Billing is sent directly to the individual’s home network account.

Harris CapRock Communications is a premier global provider of managed satellite and terrestrial communications solutions specifically for remote and harsh environments including the energy, government and maritime markets. Harris CapRock owns and operates a robust global infrastructure that includes teleports on six continents, five 24/7 customer support centers, a local presence in 23 countries and more than 275 global field service personnel supporting customer locations across North America, Central and South America, Europe, West Africa and Asia Pacific. Harris CapRock blogs about company news and satellite communications trends in the energy, government and maritime markets at http://www.harriscaprock.com/blog/. 


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.

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.

‘The Impact of Crew Engagement and Organizational Culture on Maritime Safety in the Workboats and OSV Sectors’ is the first maritime safety study specific to workboats and OSVs and will be finalized in time for World Maritime Day 2015, on September 26.

The independent report will summarize six months of research by Dr. Kate Pike and Emma Broadhurst of Southampton Solent University. It draws on original analysis of Port State Control detention records, feedback from 50 offshore companies, incident case studies, and input from leaders in best practice.

“This is a major contribution to knowledge in the industry, highlighting the link between the human element and safety performance in this distinct sector,” says Ron deBruyne, CEO and Founder of Helm Operations. “It tests often repeated regulatory assumptions, establishes the realities of workboat and OSV safety, and provides key recommendations aimed at improving maritime safety.”

Despite the inherently risky nature of their work, many workboats are not bound by SOLAS or the International Safety Management (ISM) Code. Both the Paris and the Tokyo Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) data show that 27% of workboat deficiencies relate to certificates and documentation, the report says.

“This report identifies shortcomings in current safety cultures, and makes recommendations on how the workboat and OSV sectors can enhance and audit safe working practices,” says deBruyne.

An online survey drawing on 50 key offshore companies saw 34% of respondents saying their company needed to offer additional operational and technical training. Worryingly, 50% found it difficult to say ‘no’ to a client or senior staff demanding actions that might compromise safety. Some 78% of respondents believed that commercial pressures could influence safety.

“We’re concerned that the research also confirms how under-reporting of near misses can undermine an entire safety culture,” says deBruyne. “This is partly due to the repercussions of reporting. Better safety management procedures, improved safety culture and crew wellbeing mean lower workboat and OSV deficiencies and detentions.”

To support this contention, the report identifies a set of eight safety criteria to help companies establish safety management systems that follow the principles set out in the ISM Code. It offers recommendations on communication; empowerment of employees; feedback systems; mutual trust; problem identification; promotion of safety; responsiveness; and safety awareness.

‘The Impact of Crew Engagement and Organizational Culture on Maritime Safety in the Workboats and OSV Sectors’ will be available on September 26, to coincide with World Maritime Day.'

BMT Asia Pacific (BMT), a subsidiary of BMT Group Ltd, has been appointed Owners Engineer and lead design consultant by Endeavour Energy for the development of the LNG storage and regasification facility, a part of the Ghana 1000 Gas to Power Project and Africa’s first LNG import terminal.

Excelerate FSRU vessel “Exquisite” Courtesy Excelerate Energy

Endeavour is co-leading development with General Electric, Eranove and local partners Sage Petroleum with the aim of providing the Ghanian government with Sub Saharan Africa’s largest power park, providing more than 1000MW to the national grid once completed. Excelerate Energy is providing assistance in siting the floating LNG terminal infrastructure, engineering and providing the dedicated floating LNG regasification vessel - FSRU (Floating Storage Regasification Unit) to supply gas to the power plant, an integrated gas to power solution that is expected to lower the costs of electricity and provide additional gas for other consumers.

Through its LNG industry experts and marine engineers, BMT will be working closely with Endeavour and Excelerate Energy in conducting FEED level studies which include operability assessments, infrastructure design and optimization studies for the supply of gas from the offshore moored FSRU via subsea infrastructure to the onshore gas turbines at Aboadze, Ghana.

In March 2015, Shell and the Ghana 1000 consortium entered into exclusive SPA negotiations regarding a long-term supply agreement for liquefied natural gas. With current LNG prices approximately 35% less than the current price of light crude oil, the import of LNG is expected to both reduce the cost of generation and to reduce the gas shortage the country currently faces to power its generation plants. The five-year project is expected to boost Ghana’s power generation capacity by 50% from the current 2000MW installed capacity.

Crowley Maritime Corp. has announced the acquisition of Maritime Management Services, Inc. (MMS), a Seattle-based company with more than a decade’s worth of experience in crew management for offshore oil and gas vessels primarily in the U.S. Gulf, Singapore and Gulf of Mexico. The addition of MMS to Crowley’s international ship management division – which provides all phases of commercial ship management along with full technical management and government contracting – further strengthens the company’s global reach in the ship management industry and now allows the company to service a wide variety of international and domestic customers with a pool of trained and experienced crewmembers ready for hire.

MMS offers crewmembers services such as visas, flag-state and immigration documentation; crewmember certifications, including Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping (STWC) and any client or operational area requirements; logistics, administrative and travel support; and much more. In addition to MMS’ Seattle headquarters, the organization also has a secondary location in Singapore.

“What sets MMS apart from others in the industry is their level of customer service and crewmember loyalty,” said Crowley’s Mike Golonka, vice president, ship management. “Together Crowley Accord and MMS can offer total crewing solutions, from single hires and full crew management through complete technical management to the oil and gas industry. Our offshore clients will greatly benefit from this relationship.”

MMS was founded in 2005 and was acquired by Crowley following the unexpected death of former owner Trevor Stabbert in 2013. The group, comprised of eight employees, celebrated its 10th anniversary of service last month.

In April 2014, the Crowley formed Crowley Accord Management Pvt. Ltd., an international ship management venture managed globally by the company’s ship management group. Doing so immediately increased the size and scope of Crowley’s technical ship management offerings and supported the company’s expansion into the international ship management market with a foreign crewing presence. The Accord acquisition also made Crowley a rare U.S. company – one that provides third-party international crewing and technical ship management.

There is no question that these are challenging times for offshore oil in the Gulf of Mexico. However, while some vessel operators are tying up boats, Bordelon Marine is continuing with their aggressive build program. Designed for flexibility, the firm’s Stingray 260 Class DP 2 platform supply vessels are proving their design concept.

Photo courtesy of Bordelon Marine

The most recently launched, number two and three in the series, boats are the M/V Shelia Bordelon,(photo) and M/V Brandon Bordelon due for launch later this year. Working with the same hull and accommodation block, Bordelon have been able to modify the vessels to meet the requirements of charterers wanting an ultra-light-intervention vessel. These vessels will carry and deploy remotely operated vehicles (ROV). This required the addition of a 50-ton AHC (Active Heave Compensating) crane, with 3000 meters of wire, mounted on a six-meter pedestal with a maximum lifting height of 90 feet.

“Typically when a charterer adds ROV systems to a vessel, they are required to install extra generators on the back deck, exposing this equipment and taking up valuable cargo space” explains Wes Bordelon, Presidend/CEO of Bordelon Marine, “We’ve added all of these necessary power systems below deck, leaving the back deck open and clear, while also protecting the equipment from the environment. It’s a very clean and safe plug-and-play set up.”

To do this took some serious design work. The standard Stingray 260 PSV design has a pair of Cummins QSK60 Tier 3 main engines, two Cummins QSK38-DM1-powered 975 kW main generators, and a single Cummins QSK19-powered 535 kW genset for reduced consumption during port side service. Two additional Cummins QSK38s and two QSK19s were added below deck to provide fully redundant power to the ships’s 50-ton crane, and up to two complete work class ROV systems.

Marine disconnects were positioned on deck for safe and efficient installation of ROVs. As integral components of the vessel, the additional gensets are tied into the vessel software so that they can be controlled and monitored from the bridge.

The flexible nature of the original Stingray design lends itself to these adaptations, and others, to allow the vessel to meet changing market demands. Total berths have been increased from 54 to 60 along with other modifications to the accommodations area for the ROV support crews.

MMT, specialists in high-resolution marine surveys, has successfully completed offshore integration trials of their new high-speed remotely operated vehicle with Sonardyne International’s SPRINT inertial navigation system.

The 2,000 meter rated vehicle, named Surveyor Interceptor, has been developed by MMT to improve the speed and efficiency of seabed mapping and pipeline inspections surveys. Its revolutionary design features a hydrodynamic hull and powerful drivetrain enabling the vehicle to travel at up to six knots, around 50% faster than conventional Work-class ROVs. The accuracy of SPRINT complements the vehicle’s state-of-the-art imaging and mapping sensors, resulting in improved survey data quality and substantially reduced ‘cost per kilometer’ of surveys.

MMT’s record-breaking Surveyor Interceptor ROV is equipped with Sonardyne’s SPRINT INS system to improve the accuracy of high speed pipeline inspections and surveys.

Travelling at high speed close to the seabed requires the vehicle’s automatic maneuvering and propulsion systems to be supplied with highly precise and uninterrupted position updates. To meet this requirement, MMT selected Sonardyne’s acoustically aided inertial navigation system, SPRINT. Designed for subsea vehicles, SPRINT makes optimal use of acoustic aiding data including USBL, LBL and Doppler Velocity Log (DVL) and other sensors such as pressure sensors to improve accuracy, precision, reliability and integrity in any water depth.

Inertial navigation is inherently self-contained and robust with very good short term accuracy but can drift over time. SPRINT is therefore aided with complementary acoustic positioning data to provide long term accuracy and robustness and greater vehicle control. On the Survey Interceptor, a Sonardyne Inverted Ultra-Short BaseLine (iUSBL) transceiver has been interfaced directly to the SPRINT resulting in a highly optimized navigation solution that delivered position updates up to 100 times a second.

Besides its stand-out levels of precision and fast update rates, MMT also chose SPRINT as it is the most cost-effective and low risk technology on the market. The system architecture inside SPRINT has been developed with flexibility and expandability in mind. This means the same vehicle-mounted hardware can be used as a premium survey vehicle grade gyrocompass or an acoustically aided INS depending on operational requirements. Users are able to upgrade and switch capability on demand using remotely activated in-field upgrades, meaning they only pay for the features they need.

Alan Macdonald, Sales Manager for Sonardyne commented, “We are obviously delighted with the outstanding results that MMT has achieved using SPRINT, both in testing and more recently, during its first commercial operation. At a time when the offshore industry is focused on ways to reduce costs without compromising on quality, the combination of MMT’s ground-breaking ROV and our SPRINT INS represents a unique offering to the construction survey marketplace.”

Jonas Andersson, R&D Manager at MMT said, “When testing the new MMT Survey Interceptor ROV, we were looking for an inertial navigation solution that would deliver real-time performance with high speed updates. By running Sonardyne’s SPRINT inertial navigation system we witnessed a marked difference in the accuracy of all ROV positioning activities during the period, which in turn made a marked difference to the quality of the survey data received.” He went on to say, “Now that Sonardyne has also released their new Syrinx DVL, we will be looking to run further tests in the future. This will be done with a view to achieving even more precise position accuracy using a tightly integrated Syrinx DVL, SPRINT and USBL acoustics.”

The explosion-proof version of Alfa Laval’s chemical-free ballast water treatment system, PureBallast 3.1 EX, has received approval from the U.S. Coast Guard for use on barges sailing in U.S. coastal waters. The approval comes a year after Alfa Laval PureBallast received an IECEx Certificate of Conformity from the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) for use in explosive atmospheres on board ships in international waters.

As a pioneer in the ballast water treatment arena, Alfa Laval introduced PureBallast, the first commercial chemical-free ballast water treatment system in 2006. Three years later, the company launched PureBallast 2.0 EX, which complied with ATEX directives, the European Union Directives for equipment use in potentially explosive atmospheres, such those on tankers carrying volatile cargo. Last year, PureBallast EX received an IECEx Certificate of Conformity from the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) for use in explosive atmospheres on board ships in international waters. Now this third-generation ballast water treatment system is approved for use on barge applications sailing in U.S. coastal waters, making it one of the first to be approved by the U.S. Coast Guard.

“We’re pleased that PureBallast EX meets the stringent criteria for approval by the U.S. Coast Guard,” says Alfa Laval’s Stephen Westerling Greer, Global Business Manager of PureBallast. “U.S. Coast Guard approval, together with IECEx certification, sends a strong signal to ship owners and operators that they can trust our ballast water treatment system to comply with strict national and international regulations while effectively cleaning ballast water.”

In addition to U.S. Coast Guard approval for use on barge applications, PureBallast EX comes with other noteworthy news regarding safety. To enhance safety onboard, Alfa Laval simplified the PureBallast design, enabling the lamp drive cabinets to be placed up to 150 meters away from the reactors they serve. This means the power supply can be safely located outside any potentially hazardous zone.

Westerling Greer says that there are other PureBallast innovations that enhance system performance, making it more attractive to ship owners and operators. These include 50% space savings, energy management and power ramp to optimize disinfection treatment whilst operating at full flow in low-clarity waters where UV transmittance is just 42%.

“We’ve also introduced a new PureBallast reactor for system sizes from 170 m3/h to 32 m3/h, our customers have access to leading edge technologies for a broader range of applications. Alfa Laval is now able to offer ship owners with vessels, large and small, the means with which to comply to international, national and regional regulations and local port requirements the world over.”

Eco-friendly HullWiper technology to fight fouling and enhance efficiency for oil & gas company fleet

GAC EnvironHull has signed a contract with the international energy company Statoil to provide underwater hull cleaning services for its vessels operating in Scandinavia, the Middle East and the Far East.

From the second quarter of 2015, GAC EnvironHull, part of global shipping, logistics and marine services provider GAC Group, is using its pioneering HullWiper technology to remove fouling from the Statoil fleet of long term chartered vessels to enhance efficiency and reduce fuel consumption, whilst also preserving and protecting the delicate maritime environment.

Signing of agreement between GAC EnvironHull and Statoil at Statoil’s headquarter:

HullWiper is a diver-free underwater hull Remote Operated Vehicle (ROV) which uses high pressure water jets to remove marine fouling. It can clean up to 2,000 m² of hull per hour without causing any damage to anti-fouling surfaces. As no divers are involved, cleaning can be done alongside during loading or discharging operations, and any risk to life is significantly reduced. HullWiper cleans about five times faster than conventional cleaning methods, reducing the cleaning time by approximately half.

The entire process is in line with the GAC Group’s stringent Health, Safety, Security and Environment (HSSE) and compliance policies, as well as all local and regional environmental regulations. Residues and harmful marine growths captured during cleaning are disposed of in an environmentally-friendly manner instead of being discharged into the sea as done using traditional methods.

GAC EnvironHull’s agreement with Statoil ASA comes after the Norwegian-based company used HullWiper to clean the hull of one of its chartered vessels at Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates.

Simon Doran, Managing Director of GAC EnvironHull, says: “The energy industry focuses on minimising the impact of their operations on the environment and HullWiper meets their high green standards and eliminates the risk to human life.

“This contract represents an important milestone for GAC EnvironHull, as it further strengthens our steady position in a market with growing demands for cost efficient and eco-friendly technology.”

Launched in late 2013, GAC EnvironHull’s diver-free hull cleaning technology is now available in the Swedish port of Gothenburg, the ports of Jebel Ali, Sharjah and Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates, the port of Sohar in Oman and most recently in Singapore.