As offshore oil exploration and production expands, the need for high speed spill response vessels has increased. G.M. Penman is Rozema Boat Works' newest skimmer boat. The 65' vessel depends on Twin Disc QuickShift® transmissions and EC300 Power Commander® electronic control system with Express for the critical task of remediation. "The G.M. Penman is like a fire truck," said Jason Rozema, Rozema Boat Works operations manager. "It'll run high speed at 26 kts to the incident, but when it arrives at the spill it has to maneuver carefully around piers and other boats. Twin Disc provides complete control at slow speed."

The oil spill recovery vessel (OSRV) is equipped with a pair of Twin Disc QuickShift MGX-6620 RV transmissions. With the EC300 Power Commander electronic propulsion control system, the boat is capable of instantaneous shift response from neutral to full ahead to full reverse. "It has fantastic maneuverability," noted Rozema.

Operating at 1–1.5 kts with its QuickShift transmission, the boat utilizes 1,500' of Kepner ocean boom and dual Lamor three brush skimmers. It has an on board storage capacity of 215 bbl of recovered oil and crude. The vessel is based out of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

The G.M. Penman is the boatbuilder's fifth 65' OSRV. The company also produces a 47' skimmer; all 14 builds have included Twin Disc QuickShift transmissions.

Since 1955, three generations of the Rozema family have built a wide variety of commercial and recreational vessels used throughout North America. The Puget Sound, Washington-based company's website is www.rozemaboatworks.com

Twin Disc is a global manufacturer of engineered commercial and recreational marine propulsion equipment. Its innovative products are in use on countless vessels worldwide.

OEG Offshore, a leading global provider of cargo carrying units (CCUs) and A60 modules to the oil and gas industry announces the merger of its US business with leading Louisiana based oilfield equipment provider Cameron Rental and Tank Inc (CRT).

The multi-million dollar merger positions the enlarged combined businesses with a full geographic network of locations across the Gulf of Mexico region, together with enhanced engineering and service capabilities and a wider range of equipment to support their customers’ full range of requirements.

OEG Offshore-John Heiton

“This merger connects CRT to one of the biggest names in the industry and we are excited to be able to support our customers and the wider offshore oil & gas industry with the additional resources, products and services that we will now be able to deploy. I look forward to working with OEG to really accelerate our growth and provide our high quality service to a wider range of customers across the Gulf of Mexico and beyond,” said Cameron Rental and Tank President Thomas McDaniel.

CRT has been servicing the Gulf coast oilfield industry since 2000 and has operations in key Gulf locations including Port Fourchon, Venice and Cameron. CRT provides a range of cargo carrying units including baskets and containers certified to the internationally recognized standards of DNV 2.7-1/EN 12079/IMO 860/SEPco OPS0055 and API RP 2A as well as DNV 2.7-1/EN12079 certified cutting boxes and DNV/MPT portable chemical tanks for rental alongside pumps and operated vacuum services.

“This merger provides an ideal platform for the OEG Offshore group to significantly expand its presence across the Gulf of Mexico region. We are pleased that Thomas and Chuck McDaniel, as former owners of CRT, as well as all of the company’s other employees will remain with the business as we move forward together,” said OEG Offshore Chief Executive John Heiton. “We intend to work with the CRT team to develop their already strong service offering, at the same time as investing in growing the range and size of the fleet. We strongly believe that current and future customers of both OEG and CRT will benefit from a wider local base network and an enhanced product and servicing offering to support their production and drilling operations in the Gulf of Mexico.”

OEG Houston’s recent relocation to a larger office facility in Houston’s energy corridor and the merger of CRT marks the next step in the development of OEG Offshore’s offering to the Gulf of Mexico region. 

OEG Offshore’s range of DNV 2.7-1 containers, baskets, cutting boxes, waste compactors, offshore tanks as well as standard and customized A60 engineering cabins are available across the Americas. They offer the same varied range of equipment for sale as well as rental, alongside a bespoke design service.

OEG Offshore continues to develop its geographic spread and global product offering as it expands across Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Caspian and Asia, as well as the Americas. The business has operations in 25 countries worldwide, with further expansion and fleet investment ongoing through 2015 and into 2016. OEG benefited from investment from world renowned investment firm Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR) during 2014.

The Coastal and Marine Operators (CAMO) group has announced it has successfully completed the first step in rolling out a major initiative to protect the safety of mariners, the environment and hydrocarbon pipelines from being damaged. The CAMO group began transmitting Automatic Information System (AIS) safety messages directly to mariners in two charted pipeline corridors in Port Fourchon, significantly improving their situational awareness by providing immediate alerts for vessels in close proximity to submerged pipelines. These vessel safety messages use existing AIS technology that is already deployed on most commercially operated vessels.

“Pipeline protection is increasingly important, with the typical incident costing an average of at least $1 million to repair, not counting the incalculable costs of injury, death, or environmental impact,” said Ed Landgraf, director of CAMO. “This AIS-based safety broadcasting system culminates several years of hard work on a solution that enables vessel and pipeline operators to collaborate on protecting mariners from the risk of pipeline strikes. The system makes it easier for mariners to know where and when to take protective measures as they transit or operate near submerged pipelines, and we look forward to a successful roll-out here and in other ports nationwide.”

The first phase of CAMO’s AIS-based pipeline damage prevention and awareness program is being launched in partnership with the Greater Lafourche Port Commission (Port Fourchon) and Oceaneering®, a global provider of engineered services and products primarily to the offshore oil and gas industry. Oceaneering’s PortVision® AIS-based vessel-tracking service is being used to monitor vessel activities in the two charted pipeline corridors north and south of Port Fourchon that pass under its main navigable channel. When the PortVision service detects a vessel operating at a speed less than 0.5 knots for three minutes or more within one of these corridors, an addressed, one-time AIS Safety Related Message (also known as message 12) is immediately transmitted directly to the vessel’s wheelhouse that says, “PIPELINE BELOW.”

Depending on the equipment installed on the receiving vessel and its equipment configuration, there may be visual and audible variations in how the AIS safety alert is received. Mariners capable of receiving and displaying the CAMO AIS messages are encouraged to provide feedback and report any anomalies to Oceaneering, Global Data Solutions support at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.or by calling 713-396-8644.

About the CAMO Initiative

CAMO initiated its joint pilot project for marine pipeline damage prevention and awareness in August 2012 with the United States Coast Guard (USCG). The pilot system was developed using Oceaneering’s PortVision AIS-based vessel monitoring service through a grant partnership with Port Fourchon and the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA). The transmission of AIS safety messages has been approved by the FCC and USCG as part of an experimental AIS transmission. The safety message transmission will be operational for 250 days following the USCG notification to mariners recently issued earlier this month. A decision about continuing the transmission will be made after an assessment of how well it has increased vessel operator awareness of subsea infrastructure while reducing the threat of pipeline damage when vessels stop, anchor, drop a spud, or push aground inside one of the designated corridors.

About CAMO

The Coastal and Marine Operators (CAMO) group was developed with a goal to diminish the gap between onshore and offshore spills, releases, and pipeline damage prevention initiatives. A key component of this group’s mission is to educate marine stakeholders and the public about the risks that damage to offshore utilities and pipelines can pose to personal safety and the environment. Although pipeline operators have vigorous inspection and maintenance programs to insure the integrity of their assets, the risk of third-party damage to a pipeline is a continual threat. For more information about CAMO, visit http://www.camogroup.org/ or follow CAMO at https://www.linkedin.com/company/coastal-and-marine-operators-camo-.

About Oceaneering’s PortVision Service

PortVision web-based enterprise software and services help oil companies, marine terminal operators, fleet owners/operators and other maritime users improve business operations through instant, continuous visibility into vessel and terminal activities. Based in Houston, Texas, PortVision is a service of Oceaneering International Inc. (NYSE: OII), a global oilfield provider of engineered services and products, primarily to the offshore oil and gas industry, with a focus on deepwater applications. For more information about Oceaneering visit www.oceaneering.com. For more information about PortVision, visit http://www.portvision.com, or follow PortVision on http://www.linkedin.com/company/portvision.

About the Greater Lafourche Port Commission/Port Fourchon

The Greater Lafourche Port Commission, a political subdivision of the state of Louisiana, facilitates the economic growth of the communities in which it operates by maximizing the flow of trade and commerce. We do this to grow our economy and preserve our environment and heritage. The Port Commission exercises jurisdiction over the Tenth Ward of Lafourche Parish, south of the Intracoastal Waterway, including Port Fourchon and the South Lafourche Leonard Miller, Jr. Airport. For more information about Port Fourchon, visit www.portfourchon.com.

Matson, Inc. (NYSE: MATX), a leading U.S. carrier in the Pacific, has taken delivery of a new 65-ton gantry crane to replace one half its size at the company's Kodiak Terminal.

Standing more than 340 feet tall at its peak with a boom spanning 164 feet, Matson's new crane is the largest in Alaska, capable of lifting loads up to 60 feet long and weighing up to 145,000 pounds.

Its state-of-the-art industrial equipment will be powered entirely by renewable energy. An electrically powered crane that uses fly wheel technology to capture, store and then return power as needed, the crane will run on electricity provided by the Kodiak Electric Association, which uses wind and water turbines to generate 99.9 percent of its power. (See the technology in action here: ABB to enable integration of renewables in Alaskan island microgrid ; Alaskan island goes green with ABB technology - YouTube.)

With a price tag of more than $10 million, the new crane is one of a number of investments Matson is making to improve the services and capabilities of its Alaska operations. It has also purchased new ground equipment and ordered a fleet of new dry and insulated containers for use in Alaska.

Matson has also scheduled work to install new exhaust scrubber systems on the three former Horizon D7 Class vessels it now operates in Alaska, with each vessel going into dry dock for three months, one after another, starting in September.

Matson, Inc. closed its acquisition of Horizon Lines, Inc., which included Horizon's Alaska operations and the assumption of all non-Hawaii business, for $469 million (before transaction costs) on May 29, 2015.

Matson is committed to continuing Horizon's long operating history in Alaska with a three vessel deployment of diesel powered Jones Act qualified containerships that provide two weekly sailings from Tacoma to Anchorage and Kodiak, and a weekly sailing to Dutch Harbor. In addition, Matson has retained Horizon personnel and maintained operations port terminals in Anchorage, Kodiak and Dutch Harbor and acquired several reserve steam powered Jones Act containerships that may be used for dry-dock relief.

In 2014, Matson was rated the #1 ocean carrier in the world in Logistics Management's annual Quest for Quality Awards, considered by many the most prestigious industry award recognizing performance excellence and customer satisfaction.

On Friday 11 September, the Wei-Li crane ship slipped her lines at Damen Shiprepair Dunkerque to make the short trip up to Rotterdam after 10 days of maintenance and repairs. The 141-meter, 18,330 DWT crane ship required special dock bed arrangements, not least because of the 3,000 ton crane mounted on her stern and her unconventional hull form.

A total of 225 blocks were required, along with an additional 56 steel pillars of up to 7 meters in length to support the stern. Wooden wedges also had to be added to the lateral blocks to take account of the unusual hull shape and to ensure complete stability in the drydock.

The scope of work over the 10 day period included, along with the standard work for class survey, blasting and painting the hull and the overhauling of the internal and overboard valves. The scope of the electrical works was extensive given the tight time frame, with a large number of motors removed and transported back to workshop for overhaul before being returned and refitted. The last ones were fitted and tested on the same day of the vessel’s departure.

The starboard propeller blades were also rebuilt. This required re-welding tips onto each of the blades followed by a full polish for both propellers. Six generator coolers were also removed for overhauling, as were their bearings, and some major repairs were made to the accommodation.

Cooperation with the project team from owner Shanghai Salvage was excellent; thanks in part to the assistance of a local Chinese national attending a nearby university who helped smooth the language differences.

“Ensuring that the Wei-Li was properly supported in the drydock was a complex project in itself,” commented Khalil Benjelloul, head of marketing and sales at Damen Shiprepair Dunkerque. “With all the blocks and pillars, plus the positions of the vessel’s thrusters, it was not easy to position her in the centre line of the dock. Once accomplished, however, the work proceeded smoothly and after 10 days of hard work around the clock she was on her way again. It was a pleasure to work with Shanghai Salvage and its representatives.”

The Wei-Li was built by Zhenhua Heavy Industries in 2010 and this summer was involved in the installation of the 11,000 ton jacket for the Ivar Aasen project in the Norwegian sector of the North Sea.

All Coast, LLC, the largest liftboat operator in the Gulf of Mexico, christened its new Class 250 Liftboat, the Great White, on August 20 at C and M Marina in Lafitte, La. Christening sponsor was Erin Allemand. The ceremony was attended by guests from the industry, media and local government, as well as company employees and management.

The Great White is a 250-foot leg liftboat with state-of-the-art design, comfortable accommodations, and modern features, such as a beautiful combination conference room and movie theatre.

The liftboat was designed and built by SEMCO, a well known and highly regarded liftboat builder. It is equipped with two 175-ton leg mounted cranes and a large open deck to assist in carrying equipment and supplies in support of various offshore activities. The vessel can accommodate 50 people, including private rooms dedicated for customer representatives.

"SEMCO's name is synonymous with quality construction of the safest, most reliable liftboats and we are proud to announce that the Great White is unparalleled to any other 250 class currently serving our market," said John Nesser, All Coast Co-CEO and Manager.

The Great White's self-elevating and self-propelled liftboat design operates in a maximum working depth of 185' of water. It features nearly 9,000 sq. ft. of deck space for cargo storage with a maximum deckload capacity of 800,000 lbs. to accommodate heavier equipment loads.

All Coast's newest vessel is one of the few 250+ class liftboats operating in the Gulf of Mexico market. All Coast is the only provider with a fleet of liftboats ranging in size from the 105 class to the 250 class.

"The Great White is emblematic of our investment in our customer's experience and overall satisfaction," said John Powers, Co-CEO and Manager of All Coast. "With this new addition, no other fleet in the Gulf can match our ability to cost effectively meet the specific needs of our customers by having vessels in nearly every class."

The complex program of work comprises geophysical, geotechnical and environmental surveying of the proposed pipeline route to shore and will be undertaken using a multi-vessel approach. Bibby HydroMap’s own vessels Chartwell and Eagle will perform the geophysical and environmental scope, acquiring multibeam bathymetry, side scan sonar data, sub-bottom profiler and magnetometer data, alongside benthic grab samples and visual inspection. For the geotechnical aspect of the work, Bibby HydroMap will perform vibrocores to 5m and CPTs to 5m and 20m.

Bibby HydroMap Project Manager Daniel Jenkins comments “Working to improve the UK LNG network on this interesting and complex project is something that we are delighted to be a part of.”

Bibby HydroMap's survey vessel MV Chartwell Credit: Ronnie Roberts

Located in Morecambe Bay, offshore Barrow-in-Furness, Port Meridian Energy is developing an LNG receiving and offloading facility designed to accommodate Höegh LNG’s FSRU (floating storage and regasification unit) vessels. Conventional LNG transportation vessels will offload LNG to the FSRU via ship-to-ship transfer; with the FSRU converting liquefied natural gas (LNG) into a gaseous state suitable for transportation to shore via a subsea pipeline.

Transfer to shore comprises of a 26” diameter high pressure gas pipeline, commencing at the FSRU location approximately 43½ km’s southwest of Barrow and landfalling on the western beach of Walney Island. From the landfall, the pipeline traverses approximately 5½ km’s through agricultural fields and crosses Walney Channel to the mainland to the site of the proposed Above Ground Installation where the gas will connect into the existing National Transmission System.

Port Meridian Construction Manager Nigel Kirk comments “PMEL have contracted Bibby HydroMap because they offered a comprehensive onshore and offshore survey package, with established onshore subcontractors and dedicated offshore and nearshore vessels”

Kongsberg Maritime is working with Norwegian shipping company Østensjo and the Norwegian Marine Technology Research Institute (Marintek) on a new R&D project for operations using motion compensated and telescopic gangways, typically found on accommodation vessels in the offshore sector. The project is part of the Norwegian Government’s innovation program MAROFF (Maritime Activities and Offshore Operations).

Accessing any fixed or floating offshore structure via a vessel can be challenging due to the movement against the structure, with weather conditions playing a critical role. Gangways eliminate the need to use dangerous ladders but it is important that the distance between vessel and structure is within the operational limit of the telescope on the gangway. Positioning equipment ensures the vessel and structure remain within operational limits, but with gangway connection and disconnection operations performed relatively rarely, crew training is essential to reduce risk to personnel and avoid structural damage.

Utilizing Kongsberg Maritime’s Dynamic Positioning (DP) controller for operation of Østensjo’s new generation accommodation vessel, Edda Fortis, the project will involve the collection and analysis of operational data together with simulation studies using the SIMO simulation tool package and Kongsberg Maritime’s DP algorithms. In addition, a tailor-made simulation software system for crew training on critical operations, incidents and planned operations preparation will be developed by Kongsberg Maritime.

Sensor data will be interfaced to Kongsberg’s DP system to simulate the compensation of the motion between the rig and the accommodation vessel. The data analysis will then be used to adjust the DP control strategy on board, with a key aim to extend the operational window defined for gangway operation.

“We are enthusiastic about taking part in this advanced R&D project,” explained Terje Heierstad, Global Product Manager, Kongsberg Maritime Simulation. “The accurate full scale data from the accommodation vessel will be used to improve, update and tune the simulator models to an extreme level of accuracy, which is important when training for operations with high safety requirements and small risk margins.”

At the World Port Days 2015 in Rotterdam, Imtech Marine has signed for a prolonged stay at the RDM Innovation Dock. The signing was done by Mark Linde (Global Director Design Technology & Engineering Imtech Marine) and Angelien Sanderman (Member of the Board University of Rotterdam). Traditionally the city of Rotterdam has an important position in the global maritime market. This is why Imtech Marine finds it is the perfect place to invest in a greener future and also raise interest of technical talents to come and work in the maritime sector.

Imtech Marine signed during the World Port Days 2015 in Rotterdam for a prolonged stay at the RDM Innovation Dock. From left to right Mark Linde (Global Director Design Technology & Engineering) on behalf of Imtech Marine and Angelien Sanderman (Member of the Board) on behalf of Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences.

Energy & Automation Lab

Part of the RDM Innovation Dock is the Imtech Marine Energy & Automation Lab, a collaboration with among others the University of Rotterdam. At this location talented technical students are working on innovative maritime technologies. With the Lab, Imtech Marine works on the realization of its ambition to be a frontrunner in maritime innovations.

A new future-oriented project is the construction of a Smart Energy Systems Demonstrator. This demonstrator will show a fully adjustable, and safe, energy distribution network that is based on direct current (DC). This demonstrator ensures a better overview of all the energy generation and distribution on board through a newly designed human-machine interface. The result is an advice for the ships crew which will improve efficient and economic sailing.

One of the previous projects was Aquabots; a race between two student teams with scale boats that sailed completely autonomous and emission-free, following the vision of Imtech Marine. Students also built two underwater robots. These open source robots, part of the Knowledge Centre RDM, were built based on OpenROV and are taking part in underwater soil research. Due to this success there will be a demonstration in collaboration with the Dutch Government, planned February 2016.

Workboats are built for a wide range of purposes. But, they all share the need for trouble-free bushings and bearings. Vesconite offers a line of low-friction, long-lived polymers that thrive in a dirty, marine environment.

The company's flagship product, Vesconite is a self-lubricating, low-wear material that is able to carry high loads at slow speeds. It doesn't swell in water or need to be greased, and offers up to ten times the usable life of bronze. The polymer is ideal for rudder necks and pintles. On deck, it excels when used with winches, sheaves, rollers and pulleys, and in dockyards for slipway bogies and syncrolifts.

Vesconite Hilube offers even lower friction and longer life. It provides no stick slip and will run dry. It's particularly effective for high-speed underwater applications like propeller shaft bearings and spindle pump supports. It's commonly used in deck cranes and davits for pivot points and slew bearings.

Hitemp 150 is highly abrasion resistant and ideal for high temperatures. It performs in the dirtiest of conditions where maintenance is difficult and a long service life is required, such as in grabs and mud pumps.

All are easily machined and non-toxic. Hollow bar, solid rod and plate stock shapes are available in a broad range of dimensions and thicknesses from the company's Texas office. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.; www.vesconite.com.

ACO Marine has signed a contract to supply a bespoke version of its new Clarimar MF wastewater treatment plant to the CFT 623 wellhead platform under construction for Dubai’s Dragon Oil.

The specially adapted Clarimar MF-2 has capacity to treat 3.5m3 of black and grey wastewater a day and features a sludge tank for liquid discharges from drilling operations.

“The offshore oil and gas sector is an important market for ACO Marine,” said Managing Director Mark Beavis. “We have delivered a number of systems for installation to offshore rigs in the past, but this is the first offshore contract we have received for the new Clarimar MF. This prestigious contract will open the door of opportunity to supply equipment to other offshore projects.”

ACO Marine has been awarded a contract to supply its new Clarimar MF to the CFT 623 wellhead platform

Due to the platform’s location, the end-user required a system proven to meet the stringent environmental regulations governing oil and gas production in the ecologically sensitive Caspian Sea.

ACO Marine’s system, type-approved by Bureau Veritas according to new IMO MEPC 227 (64) requirements, incorporates a unique “Bio-Sword” filtration technology capable of replacing the settling and chlorination stages found in more traditional biological wastewater treatment systems.

“The Bio-Sword allows the system to operate in environments with bio-mass concentrations up top four times greater than conventional plants, greatly reducing activation tank volume, system footprint and maintenance requirements,” said Beavis.

The system ACO Marine will supply in September has double piping and system componentry, and is manufactured from durable PPFR composite which, unlike coated black steel, is light weight and completely resistant to corrosion.

In February 2014, Dragon Oil awarded a contract for the engineering, construction, and installation of the Dzheitune (Lam) E wellhead and production platform and associated pipelines. Detailed engineering and fabrication is underway with the platform due for completion in 2016.

Gibdock, the Gibraltar ship repair yard, is strengthening its impact within the German ship owning market. Working in partnership with its local agent, Hamburg-based Combitrade, the yard has managed to win a significant amount of business from some of the country’s leading shipowners and managers in recent years.

Further proof of the rising reputation of the yard in this important sector of the market was provided recently when Peter Döhle Schiffahrts-KG chose Gibdock to work on one of its 1730 teu capacity geared containerships.

John Taylor, Gibdock operations director, says “In many respects this was a routine drydocking, but the hatch cover work in particular was quite time consuming and there was only a tight time window for us to complete all the various tasks required by Peter Döhle. Our team rose to the challenge and redelivered the vessel back to service on schedule.”

Peter Döhle selected Gibdock for this work partly because of its strategic location, which meant the ship could be docked at the yard without deviation before returning to its trade rotation. Other factors included Gibdock’s reputation for good quality and for delivering projects on time.

Timo Schultze, Combitrade manager, says: “The most important issue for the owner was that the repairs to the ship should not be delayed, as the vessel had to catch the next charter. This meant that the whole project was very time critical, especially because of the extensive works to the hatch covers.”

Largely due to Gibdock’s reputation within the market for delivering on time, Combitrade was able to persuade Peter Döhle to rely on the yard. Mr. Schultze says, “When Gibdock quotes the redelivery of a vessel for a specific date and time, assuming no unforeseen works occur, you can rest assured that you will get your vessel back as scheduled.”

Budgetary factors were also an influential consideration. As Mr. Schultze explains, “This is another of Gibdock’s strong points - keeping to the budget without hidden costs in the quotation. This is particularly important at a time when charter rates are still low, and unforeseen expenses are difficult to accommodate.”

Combitrade is confident that Peter Döhle will return again, based on its positive experience with this latest project, as will other German shipping companies. Mr. Schultze concludes, “The best proof of the quality and the reliability of a yard are its repeat clients and Gibdock has a number in Germany. Hopefully Peter Döhle will be one of them in the future.”

Safe and cost-efficient marine access for oil and gas industry

Damen Shipyards Group has delivered a Damen Fast Crew Supplier (FCS) 2610 workboat, named AOS SWIFT for the Atlantic Maritime Group on 20 August 2015. This is the first Damen Twin Axe vessel to be used in the Middle East for safe passenger and crew transfer as well as for the transport of industrial persons, materials and equipment to unmanned offshore platforms in the Strait of Hormuz. Within less than 3 months, and this includes the vessel’s transportation from Damen Shipyards Gorinchem, Damen has customised, commissioned and delivered the stock vessel. Damen signed the contract with Atlantic Maritime Group, in the United Arab Emirates, on 1 June 2015. The vessel is going to be chartered to a Norwegian oil and gas company for its platform operations Offshore Oman.

Atlantic Maritime Group FZE ordered this workboat because it is reliable in rough water conditions with a high operational speed of 25 knots maximum.

Up to 35 industrial persons are transported to and from the platform daily. Although there is a heliport on the unmanned platform, it is much more efficient and less costly to do personnel transfer by sea. “Damen specialises in broader marine access in the offshore wind and oil and gas industries. We see a large potential in this marine access market to reduce costs and improve logistics as well as to partially replace helicopter flights which can be expensive and less efficient. And some unmanned platforms are without heliports and only have marine access,” explains Damen Business Development Manager David Stibbe.

The vessel was shipped from Damen Shipyards Gorinchem to Damen Shipyards Sharjah for further customisation and outfitting. The 25.75 metre long workboat’s twin hull design features robust fendering. A gas detection has also been installed and extra air-conditioning units were needed for the Middle East climate zone. This FCS workboat is also equipped with an additional hydraulically-operated 2200 kg crane with a reach of 8.6 metres and has deck space for two 20ft containers. The vessel is also equipped with a GPS Plot self-managed Man Overboard system and a Jason cradle for emergency personnel recovery. The workboat houses a total of 35 passengers plus crew, with accommodation ideally situated at the aft of the vessel for comfort.

Three of these Damen FCS 2610 workboats are used for the oil and gas industry worldwide; the other two are employed in the North Sea. In addition to personnel transfer, these vessels perform safety standby and logistics services.

Crowley Maritime Corp. subsidiary Jensen Maritime today announced the development of two new, liquefied natural gas (LNG) bunker barge concepts that can be fully customized to meet a customer’s unique needs.

The first concept involves outfitting an existing barge with an above-deck LNG tank. The concept can be further modified to accommodate more than one type of product, if a customer has a need for multiple liquid transfers. Advantages of this design include a fast turnaround and a reduced need to invest in specialized assets if a customer has short-term LNG requirements.

The second concept is for a purpose-built, new bunker barge. Offering greater carrying capacity and improved visibility, the design features a larger LNG tank that is nestled inside of the barge. This new barge will also feature the latest safety features and efficiencies.

“We understand that customers have very different needs when it comes to LNG,” said Johan Sperling, vice president. “Whether LNG is required for the long or short term, or in larger or smaller quantities, Jensen has a bunkering solution. We are proud to continue leading the way with LNG marine solutions.”

In addition to offering customers maximum flexibility and top safety features, all Jensen designs are developed using the company’s proprietary production engineering capabilities, which makes the outfitting, construction and assembly more efficient.

Bunker barges offer an innovative solution for the maritime industry, which is currently struggling with the decision over which to develop first – LNG infrastructure or vessels. These barges are an ideal resource for those who have LNG needs at ports not located near an LNG terminal or as an alternative to over-the-road transportation.

About Jensen Maritime


Seattle-based Jensen Maritime Consultants, Inc., is a naval architecture and marine engineering firm owned by Crowley Maritime Corporation. The company offers a diverse range of consulting, design and engineering services developed from more than 50 years of experience working around the world. Jensen is a recognized leader in the design of all types of vessels - particularly workboats, fishing boats and fireboats – and has built a favorable reputation on a long history of successful designs and conversions with close attention to engineering basics. The company's services include detail and conceptual design and engineering, lofting, regulatory and shipyard liaison as well as on-site consulting services and on-location assistance anywhere in the world.

Making her debut at the Martin Midstream Dock in Galveston, Texas, Fugro’s premier geophysical survey vessel, the Fugro Americas, was showcased to top clients, with over 100 in attendance.

Fugro gave guided tours of the new-build vessel, with geophysical, geoscience, survey and HSE professionals on hand to demonstrate its state-of-the-art equipment and features along with the working parts of a geophysical survey. Clients were able to view the advanced survey instrumentation, including Fugro’s 3,000-metre-rated AUV, from a first-hand perspective, which prompted positive comments on the vessel’s impressive equipment and exceptional design. The two-day event provided an important opportunity for clients to not only view the Fugro Americas and its equipment, but also to understand how Fugro’s capabilities consistently meet their survey needs.

The Fugro Americas departed the construction shipyard in Louisiana on April 13th and was immediately mobilized to the Caribbean for a highly successful geochemical coring campaign. Measuring 193 feet in length, the multi-purpose vessel is well suited for high resolution geophysical surveys and seafloor mapping and is permanently mobilised for rapid deployment to locations throughout North and South America.

Fugro also owns and operates three Hugin AUV systems, two depth rated to 3,000 meters and one to 4,500 meters, all of which are portable and able to be mobilised onto the Fugro Americas or other vessels of opportunity.

A surge in crude tanker vessel capacity over the next two years will lead to a fall in ship-owner earnings from current highs, according to the latest edition of the Tanker Forecaster, published by global shipping consultancy Drewry.

Rising capacity is being driven by anticipated tonnage demand growth in the dirty tanker market, which is expected to gather momentum once US shale oil production starts shrinking. Similarly, tonnage demand in the product tanker market has been increasing with the expansion of refinery capacity in Asia and the Middle East.

One of the primary reasons behind the recent surge in tanker freight rates, particularly in the dirty tanker market, has been sluggish fleet growth over the last two years. However, as the fleet is likely to expand rapidly in the next two years, the ongoing firmness in rates may prove short-lived.

“Drewry expects annual growth in the crude tanker fleet to accelerate from 0.7% in 2014 to around 5% over the next two years, to reach 377 million dwt by the end of 2017,” said Rajesh Verma, Drewry’s lead analyst for tanker shipping. “However, this growth is expected to recede thereafter, assuming vessel ordering remains controlled.”

Attractive freight rates and a growing trade on long haul routes resulted in hefty ordering in the large vessel segments, especially since the second half of 2014. “A total of 42 million dwt of capacity has been ordered since 2014, which compares with just 25 million dwt in 2012-13, when a bearish freight market and tight credit availability checked ordering,” added Verma.

A surge in US shale oil production had held back growth in the global seaborne crude trade. But the recent collapse in oil prices has checked domestic shale output and increased worldwide stocking activity, so boosting demand for crude tanker tonnage. Drewry expects the global oil trade to strengthen further, fuelled by rising US crude imports and an increase in Asian refining capacity.

“Lower bunker prices continue to support vessel earnings and increased ordering of large vessels reflect optimism in the market,” added Verma. “So long as ship-owners abstain from excessive ordering in the coming years, we can expect fleet growth to slow after 2017, which in combination with the prospective increase in global oil trade will lead to some longer term recovery in crude tanker earnings.”

“Tanker Forecaster” is a quarterly report published by Drewry Maritime Research and is priced at £2,115 for an annual subscription. The report is available from the Drewry website www.drewry.co.uk.