10Th Volume, No

18th Volume, No. 23 1963 – “53 years tugboatman” – 2016 Dated 19 March 2017 BUYING, SALES, NEW BUILDING, RENAMING AND OTHER TUGS TOWING & OFFSHORE INDUSTRY NEWS

TUGS & TOWING NEWS

GREAT LAKES SHIPYARD AWARDED DRYDOCKING CONTRACT BY MCKEIL MARINE LTD. FOR TUG LEONARD M

Cleveland, Ohio. Great Lakes Shipyard was recently awarded a repair contract by McKeil Marine Ltd. to drydocked their 50-MT bollard pull Tug LEONARD M. The tug was hauled on using the shipyard’s 770-MT Travelift on March 1, 2017. Repairs include general maintenance, as well as classification surveys and inspections. Work is expected to be completed later in the month. McKeil Marine has been a regular customer of Great Lakes Shipyard. Over the past five (5) years, Great Lakes Shipyard has completed several repair contracts for McKeil, including: Barge HURON SPIRIT – Dockside Repairs (2014); Tug LEONARD M – Drydocking (2014); Tug LEONARD M – Drydocking (2013); Tug JOHN SPENCE – Dockside Repairs (2012); Barge NIAGARA SPIRIT – Dockside Repairs (2012) (Press Release)

ARTICULATED TUG & BARGE (ATB) FOR ISLAND TUG & BARGE (ITB)

Vancouver, BC based Island Tug and Barge has a reputation for excellence in their vessels and

1/26 18TH VOLUME, NO. 23 DATED 19 MARCH 2017 equipment. Over the years they have refurbished and repowered older vessels and completed new vessels. They are currently working on their most ambitious and innovative project to date. In their Annacis Island Shipyard, located undercover in a pair of huge leased warehouses on the Fraser River, they are building two tugs that will be paired with two of their existing barges. The two boats are built with pins for use in an articulated tug and barge application. Two existing barges will be modified with the addition of pin ladders and stern extensions for connecting to the new tugs. The Vancouver-based naval architect firm of Robert Allan Ltd did the design work for the tugs and the barge modifications making extensive use of Computational Fluid Dynamics CFD. http://ral.ca/2016/10/19/robert-allan-ltd-develops-comprehensive-design-package-itb-marine- groups-new-atb-push-tugs/ Working with this entirely new design, the shipyard team has the hull and superstructure components of the first tug assembled. As they had the steel cut for the first boat they had the second set cut as well and that, with some assembly, is also in the warehouse along with complete sets of Z-drives, deck cranes and other equipment. The 24.9 by 12.5-meter hull of the first tug dominates one of the warehouses. At the lowest point on the amidships deck the hull has a molded depth of 3.65 meters. A poop deck aft has flush removal hatches above the two Rolls Royce US105-P9 Z-drives. Forward, a raised forecastle deck contains the port and starboard coupling pins manufactured by the Japanese firm Taisei Engineering Consultants, Inc, under the name Articouple. http://www.articouple.com/2-types.html The main deck house, built, like the hull, in steel, continues aft from the forecastle and will contain accommodations. This includes separate captain and mate cabins with heads, two single bunk crew cabins with shared head and two double bunk crew cabins with shared head. A companion way separates the accommodation area from a fiddly over the engine room that is located below in the hull. The clear deck over the fiddly has removable pads for ease in swapping out engines; it will also support a crane and rescue boat. The engines, set well aft, are a pair of V-12, IMO Tier II certified, Cummins K38-M diesels each generating 850 HP (634 kW) continuous at 1800 RPM. The carbon fiber shafts pass through a bulkhead to the port and starboard Z- drive rooms. The Rolls Royce drives, which in March were stored in an adjacent warehouse, have 1,600 m/m propellers in nozzles. Forward of the engine room a workshop and tankage makes good use of the ample space. Forward of that, an electric over hydraulic pump for the coupling pins is located just below the main deck pin rooms. Also in the adjacent warehouse, the aluminum B-deck is taking shape. It will include a wet room, large mess/lounge area

2/26

18TH VOLUME, NO. 23 DATED 19 MARCH 2017 and a well laid out galley. Stairs will lead up to a smaller cabin area for the HVAC and wheelhouse electronics. Above that is a large wheelhouse, with full walk around outer deck, it will provide the helmsman a 12.3-meter height of eye. The aluminum deckhouse and the wheelhouse tower are being fabricated separately for assembly once moved out of the building sheds. The boats, dedicated ATB vessels with no towing capability, are designed for their owners tank barge routes between Vancouver, Vancouver Island and Puget Sound ports, all of which are in relatively sheltered waters. ITB Marine Group Chief Fleet Engineer (New Builds) Marinus Goossen expects to have the first boat in the water this coming summer with another month of work alongside prior to sea trials. When a visitor recently commented on the quality of the welding on the steel hull, Goossen, replied with pride, “We are building these boats to Lloyd’s class. All of the welds have been inspected without a single failure.” In that comment he reflects the pride of the tugs’ owners, designers and all the crafts people who are doing the actual building. (Images courtesy of ITB and photos by Haig- Brown/Cummins)

View the youtube film of the Alphabridge for tugboats on http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQi6hFDcHW4&feature=plcp

MEYER'S GROUP ORDERS TWO DAMEN ASD 2913 TUGS FOR NEW PANAMA CANAL LOCKS

The Meyer's Group has ordered two, powerful Damen ASD 2913 Tugs to operate in the newly expanded Panama Canal. At an official signing ceremony at the Panama Maritime XIII World Conference, Michel Mittelmeyer, Chief Executive Officer said the Meyer’s Group was awarded a contract last year to offer towage support in the new Panama Canal locks. These new tugs fulfil the requirements of the Panama Canal Authority as more powerful vessels, of at least 80 tonnes bollard pull, are needed given the ever-increasing size of vessels, adds Mr Mittelmeyer.

3/26

18TH VOLUME, NO. 23 DATED 19 MARCH 2017

These two additions will give the company an 11-strong fleet, and six of these are Damen vessels. Commenting on why the Panamanian company decided to place a fresh order with the Dutch shipyard group, Mr Mittelmeyer says: “We have known Damen Shipyards Group for many years now, and respect the quality of its vessel construction and this is coupled with very good service support.” Quality of construction In 2012, the Meyer's Group bought two Damen ASD 2810 Tugs and an ASD 3212. But before this, the company had also chartered many Damen vessels. “Damen provides reliable, quality vessels, which are cost-efficient in the longer term. That is why we decided to remain loyal to Damen again this time.” The latest two additions - Arcangel San Rafael and Arcangel San Gabriel - will join the fleet in May and August. “The company really wants to maintain a very new fleet in Panama,” he stresses. “With the Panama Canal expansion there has been a substantial pick-up in activity. And even though there maybe fewer feeder vessels, these are being replaced with the mega containerships and tankers, hence the need for stronger, versatile tugs.” He adds: “The Damen ASD 2913 has great manoeuvrability, is very responsive, safe, comfortable for the crew and provides top quality.” Damen could also provide a fast delivery time for the vessels, which are being customised with aft winches and FiFi 1. Strong support “We know we can rely on Damen. It always provides support and assistance, which is another reason for our loyalty. All the pieces of the jigsaw fit together!” Damen Sales Manager Latin America, Pieter Becker, adds: “The Meyer’s Group is a very loyal customer and it is a good sign that they have come back to us again. Damen very much enjoys partnering the Meyer’s Group and supporting them in their success. It is also nice that Damen tugs now have a significant presence at the Panama Canal.” Two Damen ASD Tugs – Virgen del Valle and Meyers Evo are deployed in Colon servicing the oil terminal of Las Minas and the Colon Container Terminal. Arcangel San Miguel is operating in Puerto Limon, Costa Rica. (Press Release)

BP SENDS SECOND SHAH DENIZ 2 JACKET OFFSHORE

BP, the operator of the Shah Deniz 2 project, has informed of the sail away of the second jacket for the Caspian Sea project’s platforms. The Quarters and Utilities (QU) platform jacket sailed away to the Shah Deniz contract area in the Caspian Sea from the Heydar Aliyev Baku Deepwater Jackets Factory (BDJF) ahead of schedule on 15 March. The transportation, launch, positioning, pile installation and final completion activities of the jacket structure are expected to take around 75 days, depending on the prevailing weather conditions. BP has also shared that the construction of the jacket was completed ahead of schedule on February 20, 2017 and was then loaded onto the transportation barge STB-1 at the quayside of BDJF. The QU platform jacket, built by the BOS Shelf, Star Gulf and Saipem consortium, was fully constructed in Azerbaijan, using local construction infrastructure and facilities. According to BP, some 2000 people including sub-contractors and specialist vendors were involved in the construction works. Some 90% of the construction workforce was Azerbaijani citizens. Ewan Drummond, Vice-President, Shah Deniz 2 Projects, said: “The second jacket sail away is the first major milestone planned for this year and we are pleased to have achieved it ahead of schedule. 2017

4/26

18TH VOLUME, NO. 23 DATED 19 MARCH 2017 is an important year for BP and for the Shah Deniz 2 project, which is already around 90% complete. We have planned a series of key completion milestones for this year. We are committed to achieving all of these milestones on schedule to make BP’s 25th anniversary celebrations in Azerbaijan a big success.” The QU platform jacket weighs approximately 12,084 tonnes and stands 105 metres high. It contains 31 J Tubes, 7 utility caissons and 3 J tube caissons. The jacket will be installed in a water depth of 95 metres. Shah Deniz Stage 2 is a project that will add a further 16 billion cubic meters per year (bcma) of gas production to the approximately 9 bcma produced by Shah Deniz Stage 1. The Shah Deniz Stage 2 includes two new bridge-linked offshore platforms and a total of 26 gas production wells to be be drilled with two semi-submersible rigs. Around 500 km of subsea pipelines will link the wells with the onshore terminal. The project will also include an upgrade of the offshore construction vessels, and expansion of the Sangachal terminal to accommodate the new gas processing and compression facilities. First gas is targeted in late 2018, with supplies to Georgia and Turkey. Gas deliveries to Europe are expected just over a year after first gas. (Source: Offshore Energy Today)

TUG RYGENE ASSISTS IN TWO SALVAGE OPERATIONS IN SWEDEN

Tugboat Rygene has been involved in two salvage operations off Sweden, assisted by a fleet of other vessels. The 17m Sweden-flagged tug was involved in the tow of grounded dry cargo ship Skagern to Trollhättan. It was assisted by tugboat Luto to tow the vessel from Göta Älv on 14 March, according to local reports. The 2000-built, 2,301gt Skagern, which is managed by MF Shipping Group, was loaded with timber and paper in Kristinehamn and was heading for Hull in the UK when it ran aground at the bow. As part of the salvage operation,120 tonnes of the cargo was lightered by a mobile crane onto a barge prior to it being refloated and then towed by Rygene and Luto. Rygene was also involved in the salvage work on 1970-built dry cargo vessel

5/26

18TH VOLUME, NO. 23 DATED 19 MARCH 2017

Sternö, also in Sweden, according to Vesseltracker.com. On 15 March the grain cargo was lightered from the 1,372 dwt stricken vessel to 1983-built, 1,116gt general cargo vessel Lifana. Once this is completed, then Sternö will be straightened and pumped out, before tug Rygene, which has a maximum speed of 9 knots, will begin refloating and towing. The salvage operations are assisted by dive vessel Fatboy and 2009-built utility vessel Sound Solution. (Source: Tug Technology & Business: Photo: Foggy)

FARWELL TO FRIESLAND

The tug Friesland (Imo 8113657) was seen for the very last time in the IJmond area. The tug built in 1982 at the Tille Scheepsbouw BV Kramer & De Booy – Kootstertille; Netherlands under number 231 and delivered to Wijsmuller Friesland BV – Ijmuiden. In 1986 transferred to St. Eustatius; Antilles. In 1989 transferred to Lagos; Nigeria. In 199 transferred to Wijsmuller Harbour & Coastal Tugs BV and managed by Wijsmuller Marine Services – Ijmuiden. Later transferred to Svitzer. She has a length of 28.82 trs a beam of 9,05 mtrs and a depth of 4.68 mtrs. The two Bolnes 8DNL150/600 engines rated an total of 1,765 kW (2,400 bhp). With a free sailing speed and a bollard pull of 32 tons. She is sailing with a TOS delivery crew to Lisboa; Portugal to join other tugs of the new joint venture fleet. She is one in a series of four tugs named Zeeland, Brabant, Friesland and Limburg (Photo: Hans Windhorst)

ACCIDENTS – SALVAGE NEWS

TURKISH TINAZTEPE S SANK OFF MISRATA, 8 CREW MISSING

Turkish 13-crew general cargo vessel TINAZTEPE S sank on Musrata Anchorage, Libya, in the afternoon Mar 16, being caught in rough weather. Vessel was anchored on anchorage, awaiting the berth to offload cargo of construction materials. No details on sinking circumstances. Turkish sources said vessel just started to leak, being too old for a strong storm. It’s not known yet, whether vessel heaved anchor or sank while anchored. According to different sources, either eight

6/26

18TH VOLUME, NO. 23 DATED 19 MARCH 2017 or seven crew went missing, five or six were rescued. Number of casualties points at capsizing, most probably due to cargo shift. (Source: Fleetmon)

SOUTH KOREA TO RECOVER SEWOL WRECK IN EARLY APRIL

The wreck of the Sewol ferry, which sank almost three years ago with over 300 people on board, may emerge from the water by April 5, South Korea’s Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries (MOF) said. The 6,825-ton ship sank off Jindo Island on April 16, 2014, killing 304 people, 250 of which were high school students on a school trip. Preparations are currently being carried out to lift the vessel and transport it to the Port of Mokpo for inspections. The hull of the ship will be lifted by two jack-up barges and the operation is expected to last ten to fifteen days, South Korean news site Korea Herald reported. The salvage project, conducted by a Chinese consortium led by Shanghai Salvage, started in June 2016. However, bad weather and technical problems postponed the project several times. The operation to recover the 146-meter ferry, which lies at a depth of some 44 meters, is expected to cost around USD 72 million. Last year, MOF said the ship would not be cut but hoisted in one piece in order to keep any remains of the still missing people inside the wreck. (Source: World Maritime News)

BULKER COLLIDES WITH ICE-BREAKER IN NORTHERN SEA ROUTE

A bulk carried managed by Danish shipping firm Nordic Bulk Carriers collided with an atomic icebreaker Vaygach owned by Russia’s Rosatomflot on March 14 while transiting the Northern Sea Route. “During this trip, there was contact, at slow speed, between the right bow of the vessel and the icebreaker’s side fender,” the two companies confirmed in a joint statement to World Maritime News. Namely, during the trip the Panama-flagged bulker Nordic Barents was being escorted by the icebreaker and “with a certified ice advisor on the bridge”, the statement reads. As informed, there was no damage caused to either vessel that would affect their seaworthiness or pose a threat to the environment, and the vessels’ operating schedule was not affected. “The parties involved have no

7/26

18TH VOLUME, NO. 23 DATED 19 MARCH 2017 claims to each other and, at present moment, the Nordic Barents vessel continues to operate without any problems,” the companies added. The 1995-built bulker is currently underway using engine in the area of the Kara Sea, according to the latest vessel tracking data from Marine Traffic. (Source: World Maritime News)

OFFSHORE NEWS

EIDESVIK COMPLETES OFFSHORE CONSTRUCTION VESSEL SALE

Norway-based owner of offshore support and construction vessels Eidesvik Offshore has delivered the Viking Poseidon offshore construction vessels (OCV) to its new owner. To remind, Eidesvik in late February signed a memorandum of understanding for the sale of the Viking Poseidon OCV to an unnamed buyer. The company said at the time that the sale of the Viking Poseidon would have a positive liquidity effect of around NOK 180 million ($21.6 million) after repayment of debt. Eidesvik said on Wednesday that it had received the full proceeds from the sale of the vessel. Also, the proposal for full settlement of Eidesvik Offshore’s Senior Unsecured Bond Issue 2013/2018 at 60 percent of par value is now only subject to approval from the bondholders since the other condition for settlement, full payment of proceeds for the Viking Poseidon, has been fulfilled. This will be addressed in a bondholders’ meeting Thursday, March 16. Provided that the proposal is approved, the record date for full settlement of the bond loan will be set to end of business on Thursday. Payment and full settlement of the bond loan will in such case be expected to be carried out March 20, 2017. The last contract the vessel had before the sale was supporting Siemens Wind Power’s operations in the German offshore wind sector. Before that, the Viking Poseidon was with Harkand which entered into administration in May 2016 and consequently terminated the contract. The Viking Poseidon is of an Ulstein SX 121 design built by Ulstein Verft Yard. It is 130 meters long and 25 meters wide and has 10,000 tonnes deadweight. (Source: Offshore Energy Today)

8/26

18TH VOLUME, NO. 23 DATED 19 MARCH 2017

HISTORIC SUPPLY VESSELS – THE NORTHERN FRONTIER

As the era of the UT 704 drew to a close, a few Ulstein designed anchor-handlers retained its DNA. Back in 1983 Star Offshore had the Ulstein design house produce what was billed as a UT 704 MkIII, the Star Polaris and then went on to order a couple of UT 734s. It so happened that in 1983 (a bit of a personal story here) I was master of the Star Polaris and the owners asked the Chief Engineer and I to come up with a new layout for the bridge. So we got to work and measured up all the buttons, switches and dials with which the ship was equipped and drew up an alternative layout, using less of the available space. As an aside I also proposed modifications to the joystick, suggesting that we needed an X/Y axis readout and a Low Gain facility to reduce the sensitivity when going ahead and astern. And for good measure I proposed that the driver should be able to choose the point of rotation, just as we were used to doing when on the sticks. The Chief and I had, by the time we had finished all the measuring and drawing, spent quite a bit of time on the bridge, which was provided with two well upholstered seats facing aft for the driver and the engineer, and one at the forward end for the watchkeeper. And we noticed that from the watchkeeper’s seat it was only possible to see directly forward, since looking to port and starboard offered views of the pillars between the bridge windows. I remembered that the traditional American tugs overcame this problem by having a semi-circular shaped wheelhouse and so I drew a triangular bridge front on our plan and sent it to the owners. When the UT 734s Star Sirius and Star Spica entered service in 1985 they were equipped with the modified joystick (Photo of your scribe in the driver’s seat of the Star Sirius), and were wonderful ships with two nine cylinder Wartsila diesels producing 9000 bhp, and twin workdrums offering a massive wire storage capacity (for those days), however the owners balked at the idea of the triangular bridge front. Soon after appearing in Aberdeen they were hired by Shell and were their anchor-handlers of choice for many years. But Ulsteins have never been slow to take up what seems like good ideas, and so when the Northern Frontier, a further UT 734 entered service in 1987, there was the triangular bridge front (Photo of the ship as the Pacific Frontier, from Shipspotting). Ever

9/26

18TH VOLUME, NO. 23 DATED 19 MARCH 2017

afterwards I have thought that this radical change to bridge design, which became more or less standard in the years which followed, was my idea, but it turns out that I was wrong, and on compiling these narratives I find that the first offshore designs to be so provided were the Ikaluk and the Miscaroo out in Canada. So well done Robert Allan. (VICTOR GIBSON is author of “The History of the Supply Ship”, “Supply Ship Operations”, and “A Catalogue of Disasters”. They can be purchased from www.shipsandoil.co.uk or most good booksellers.)

ATLANTIC NAVIGATION LANDS LIFTBOAT CHARTER IN MIDDLE EAST

Atlantic Navigation, a provider of marine logistics services, has, through its country representative in the Middle East, been awarded a $44 million charter contract for its liftboat, the AOS Maintainer I. The contract was awarded by a Middle Eastern National Oil Company (NOC). According to Atlantic Navigation, the vessel, on a firm one-year charter with two one-year extension options, will support the NOC’s operations in the Arabian Gulf. The vessel is expected to be deployed in early May 2017, after completion of retrofitting work to comply with contractual requirements. The group announced in May 2016 that it had secured long-term contracts for ten offshore supply vessels on a firm five-year charter, with a two-year extension option, of a combined value of approximately $236 million with the NOC to support the NOC’s operations in the Arabian Gulf. Two of the vessels have been delivered to the NOC in 2016 and the third vessel was deployed in January 2017. The remaining seven vessels which are to be newbuilds, will be deployed over the second half of 2017 following their delivery, the company said. Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Atlantic Navigation, Bill Wong, said, “The extended fall in crude oil price over the last 24 months, with project cancellation, postponement and expenditure cut by NOCs, oil majors and operators had resulted in severe challenges in the oil and marine sector and the group is, like all companies in the industry, working on sustainable cost reductions to improve near- and long-term profitability “Despite these conditions, we continue to pursue our growth strategy together with our regional partners, particularly in our core market in the Middle East.” (Source: Offshore Energy Today)

10/26

18TH VOLUME, NO. 23 DATED 19 MARCH 2017

EMPLOYMENT OF SOUTH AFRICAN SEAFARERS GIVEN A BOOST AS ANOTHER SPECIALIST VESSEL JOINS SA SHIPS REGISTER

Cape Town based vessels operator, seafarer recruitment and training company, Marine Crew Services (MCS) has responded to the South African Government’s call to increase employment and training opportunities for South African seafarers by registering a modern, multipurpose platform supply and support vessel (MPSV) on the South African Ships Register. The 93.67m MPSV, Greatship Manisha, is owned by Greatship Global Offshore Services Pte Limited. MCS has bareboat chartered the 4221 ton vessel to service its two-year contract with PetroSA. While this is the first vessel to be registered by MCS under the South African Flag, it is not the first time it has employed South Africans on foreign-owned vessels. “In fact, MCS, as the only private South African manning company with ISO 9001 accreditation, has for the past 14 years successfully trained and placed in excess of 880 South African and African officers, ratings and cadets on local and international vessels, among them the highest number of sea-going, black female seafarers in South Africa,” says Lester Peteni, MCS Chairman. The company also provides bursaries to Lawhill Maritime Centre graduates to enrol for tertiary Maritime Studies students at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology. The South African Government, in recognising the important role played by the maritime industry in South Africa - and its potential to provide training opportunities and employment for young South Africans - has introduced a number of initiatives with the aim of growing South Africa’s Oceans Economy under Operation Phakisa. One of these initiatives – which also forms part of the 2017 Maritime Transport Policy - is to encourage more vessel owners to register their vessels under the South African Flag. According to Daniel Ngubane, Group CEO of MCS. “The registration of the Greatship Manisha on the South African Ships Registry, supports this initiative and offers several important advantages. “These include having the opportunity to provide employment for South African officers and ratings and most importantly, being able to offer young South Africans, who have completed their theoretical training, the opportunity to obtain the required, practical, seatime experience which forms part of

11/26

18TH VOLUME, NO. 23 DATED 19 MARCH 2017 their international qualification.” Two South Africans have been serving on the ultra-modern vessel – which was previously registered in Singapore - and the move to the South African Ships Register will lead to a further seven South African seafarers joining the vessel upon registration. “Our aim is to have a 100% South African crew complement on this vessel and this will be achieved as South Africans with the requisite experience and skills in operating this type of vessel become available, “ says Ngubane. The South African crew complement will also include a Second Officer, Third Officer, Fourth Engineer and 6 ratings. Provision has also been made to take six South African trainee cadets on board once the vessel has been recognised by the South African Maritime Authority (SAMSA) as a designated training vessel. The vessel, which has a total crew complement of 17, will deployed off the coast of Mossel Bay. There are currently only two merchant vessels on the South African Ships Register, which means the South African economy and its security of trade are dependent on ships owned and regulated in foreign countries. Currently, an estimated 96 percent of South African exports to the rest of the world move on ships registered outside the country. According to the Maritime Policy (currently in draft format), South Africa’s share of fleet ownership in terms of volume is 2.233 thousand deadweight tonnes (DWT). Ship ownership currently stands at 0.13% of world total. National flagged fleet represents less than 0.01% of world total. The growth and expansion of ships owned by and registered in South Africa is largely dependent on the regimes governing the ownership, financing and registration of ships. According to the draft Policy, deliberate promotion of vessel ownership and registration of ships has been largely absent and the dramatic loss of locally owned fleet to foreign flags clearly indicates the need for policy challenges in this regard. The main policy objective in this regard is to ensure a levelled playing field for present and future South African shipowners and operators vis-à-vis foreign competition and to attract both domestic and foreign investment in the local maritime industry. However, there are a few issues that relate to the ownership, financing and registration of ships in South Africa that require attention if the playing field is to be levelled. National Treasury has already in 2013 introduced a package of tax incentives to attract foreign ship registration with the South African ship register. In addition to these, tax incentives for domestic shipping and officers or crew working on ships were also introduced. But there is a need to further investigate and consider non-tax incentives to support growth of the domestic ship ownership market. Says Peteni, “Although Singapore is widely considered as a more attractive ships register, the decision to move the Greatship Manisha onto the South African register is not only a perfect example of private companies and government working together to achieve a common goal, but it has been taken in the interests of supporting the growth of the South African maritime industry and Greatship should be commended on supporting this move.” According to Peteni, South African seafarers are highly regarded internationally and demand for senior South African officers is particularly high. “Furthermore, South Africa offers world-class training and certification standards which not only allows us to employ high quality seafarers on South African registered ships, but also creates an opportunity for South Africa to play a more active role in the global seafarer supply market.” “We at MCS, believe there is

12/26

18TH VOLUME, NO. 23 DATED 19 MARCH 2017 enormous potential to support Governmental aims by creating awareness of career opportunities at sea, thereby increasing the number of trainee seafarers, as well as the number of training berths made available to them. Registering this vessel on the South African flag represents a step in the right direction, and we are looking at adding further vessels to the SA Ships Registry in due course.” For the past 13 years, MCS has worked closely with international shipowners and managers to provide berths for South African cadets, a collaboration which Ngubane describes as ‘highly successful and mutually beneficial ’as it has given them the opportunity to gain seatime while providing vessel owners and managers with additional certified, qualified and English speaking manpower. GREATSHIP MANISHA SPECIFICATIONS IMO: 9466465; NAME: GREATSHIP MANISHA; MMSI: 565002000; Call Sign: 9V7823; Flag: Previously Singapore [SG] as of March 15 – South Africa; AIS Vessel Type: Supply Vessel; Gross Tonnage: 4765; Deadweight: 4600 t; Length Overall x Breadth Extreme: 93.6m × 19.7m; Year Built: 2010; Status: Active. (Press Release)

S IEM SOPHIA UNDER CONTRACT FOR SEATRUCKS

At Punta Quilla Argentina on hire for Seatrucks group Rotterdam to support Jascon 34 during her Riser and Spool installation Project for ENAP Sipetrol

Argentina. MV. Siem Sophia will transport 14 ‘’ / 8” and 6”Riser - Riser Clamps and Spool pieces from ENAP Sipetrol base

Punta Quilla to the

Magallanes Field. The vessel is a Platform Supply Vessel designed to carry out regular supply functions and cargo transport for the oil industry as well as Standby functions. The vessel is designed with a well deck for maximum protection for cargo and crew. Owner Siem Offshore Rederi AS Builder Aker Langsten, Norway; Built 2006 Design PSV VS 470 MK II; IMO No. 9334545 Call sign JWLS; Main dimensions: LOA 73.40 m LPP 64.00 m; Breadth 16.60 m; Depth 1st deck 7.60 m; Draught scantling (max) 6.42 m; Gross tonnage (1969 conv.) 2465 GT; Net tonnage 859 MT; Trial Speed Speed 14 knots (© Gerard Maijntz OCIM STG PIAM Enap-Sipetrol project Argentina)

13/26

18TH VOLUME, NO. 23 DATED 19 MARCH 2017

SOLSTAD INKS CSV CONTRACT WITH REPSOL SINOPEC

Norwegian offshore shipping company Solstad Offshore has entered into a contract with Repsol Sinopec Resources UK for the charter of one of its construction support vessels (CSVs). Solstad Offshore said on Thursday that Repsol Sinopec Resources UK Ltd chartered the vessel Normand Jarstein for 90 days. The company added that the contract had a 60-day extension option. The Normand Jarstein will begin work at the end of April 2017. According to the AIS data, the CSV Normand Jarstein is actually former Rem Pioneer, which joined Solstad’s fleet as a result of a merger between Solstad and Rem Offshore last December. The 117-meter long vessel was built by Kleven Yard and delivered in 2014. It is of MT 6022 L design and at the time was the largest in Rem’s fleet. The last contract the vessel had was with Micoperi SRL and, according to the latest AIS data, it is currently moored in Husoya, Norway. Coincidentally, the first contract the vessel had was also with the Italian-based Micoperi, and it began immediately after delivery. Following the merger with Rem Offshore, Solstad is now also in the process of merging with two other offshore supply vessel companies, Deep Sea Supply and Farstad Shipping. The proposal for the merger is being finalized and the combination is expected to be completed during the first half of 2017. (Source: Offshore Energy Today)

SIEM RUBY COMPLETES ROCK CLEARANCE FOR CAITHNESS-MORAY LINK

A key milestone for the Caithness-Moray transmission project has been reached following clearance of rocks and boulders along the proposed route for the subsea cable. This is the first in a series of major offshore activities throughout 2017 that will allow the installation of two high voltage direct current (HVDC) cables that will be capable of carrying up to 1.2GW of electricity between Caithness and Moray. The Caithness Moray project is required to transport renewable electricity from across the north of Scotland to areas of demand across Scotland and beyond. The route for the cable was cleared by Siem Offshore’s Siem Ruby, which used a specialist subsea boulder clearance plough, safely clearing the route of boulders along the seabed. The same vessel will subsequently be used to create a trench to lay the cables within it.

14/26

18TH VOLUME, NO. 23 DATED 19 MARCH 2017

The cables will then be installed from a purpose-built cable laying vessel in two campaigns – the first from Noss to the midpoint of the cable route and the second from Portgordon to the end of the previously laid cable. Following the installation of the cables the plough will be brought back and reconfigured to backfill the trench using the seabed material previously excavated during the trenching operation. Lead project manager Brian Mitchell said: “This is a significant milestone for the Caithness-Moray project as the plough has literally cleared the way to allow our team to start laying the cables that will enable electricity to be transported between Caithness and Moray. Once complete, the Caithness Moray subsea link will significantly reinforce the north of Scotland transmission network and aid our transition to a low-carbon economy.” The Caithness-Moray project is on schedule for completion in 2018, enabling a further 1.2GW of renewable generation capacity to connect to the grid. A recent study in to the economic contribution of the project showed that it will deliver a £634.5 million (US$772 million) boost to the UK economy. The £1.1 billion project represents the largest investment in the north of Scotland’s electricity network since the hydro development era of the 1950s and is also the largest capital investment project undertaken by the SSE Group to date. (Source: Offshore Support Journal)

TECHNIP’S NEWBUILD DSV ABOUT TO START TRIALS

Technip’s newbuild dive support vessel (DSV) Deep Explorer is due to depart for manned trials offshore Bergen, Norway shortly. The vessel was named in November 2016. The vessel hull was built by Vard Tulcea shipyard in Romania, and then towed to Vard Langsten in Norway for equipment outfitting and commissioning. It has a 24-man twin bell saturated dive system rated to 350m. The dive system was designed, built and commissioned by JFD, part of James Fisher and Sons plc. Deep Explorer is a DP3-class DSV, purpose-designed and certified for subsea projects in the demanding North Sea and Canada markets. Technip describes the vessel as “the most modern and versatile DSV in the world, thanks to its latest technology diving control system, 400-tonne box boom crane, large deck area, working moonpool and work-class ROVs.” Deep Explorer is capable of working globally on diving and subsea construction projects, even in extreme weather conditions. The ship is due to commence operational duties in 2017. (Source: Offshore Support Journal)

15/26

18TH VOLUME, NO. 23 DATED 19 MARCH 2017

SUBSEA 7 CFO HAS 'MEASURED OPTIMISM' OF OIL SERVICE MARKET RECOVERY

Oslo-listed oil services firm Subsea 7's Chief Financial Officer Ricardo Rosa told an energy conference in Oslo he sees gradual market recovery as oil prices stabilize, and the outlook for subsea project awards increasing within the next 12 months. "Previously all the discussions (with oil companies) were about cutting costs, now we are starting to talk about launching new projects... We have a measured optimism," Rosa said. Rosa said he sees activity is picking up in the Gulf of Mexico, but remains low in western Africa, and doesn't expect anything in Brazil in 2017. (Source: MarineLink)

GULFMARK FAILS TO MAKE INTEREST PAYMENT – FINANCIAL ADVISORS APPOINTED

GulfMark Offshore says it has “decided not to pay” interest payments it was due to make on 15 March. It has appointed financial advisors and its shares have fallen by nearly 40 per cent. The non-payment relates to a US$13.7 million interest payment due 15 March 2017 on the company’s 6.375% senior notes due 2022 and, as provided for in the indenture governing the senior notes, to enter into the 30-day grace period to make such payment. GulfMark said failure to make the payment “constitutes an event of default under the indenture governing the notes if the payment is not made within 30 days.” If that happens, it would result in a cross-default under the senior secured, revolving multicurrency credit facility among GulfMark Americas, as the borrower, the company, as guarantor, a group of financial institutions as the lenders and The Royal Bank of Scotland plc, as agent for the lenders. It would also result in default on a senior secured revolving credit facility with the company as guarantor, GulfMark Rederi AS, as borrower, and DNB Bank ASA, a Norwegian bank, as lead arranger and lender. Faced with this situation, GulfMark has retained Evercore Group LLC and Alvarez & Marsal North America LLC as financial advisors, and Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP as legal advisors, to help it analyse and evaluate its financial condition and to help it review financial and strategic alternatives to address its liquidity needs, including obtaining additional

16/26

18TH VOLUME, NO. 23 DATED 19 MARCH 2017 capital and/or a financial restructuring. One option for the company could be a restructuring agreement with creditors, which could be implemented utilising Chapter 11 proceedings – a so called ‘pre-packaged bankruptcy.’ The company’s bonds are said to be trading at around 50 per cent of face value, which suggests that creditors are already asking for significant concessions. A consortium of financial institutions and hedge funds is said to have formed an ad-hoc noteholder committee. As reported by OSJ in October 2016, Charles Fabrikant-led Seacor Holdings has already expressed an interest in acquiring GulfMark. Mr Fabrikant said six months ago that he believed GulfMark was “at a crossroads” and that one option for it would be to choose to restructure its debt and combine with a financially stronger partner. Mr Fabrikant said uncertainty in the market, coupled with GulfMark’s balance sheet, “put the issue of GulfMark’s survival front and centre. “As noteholders, we believe restructuring to create a manageable level of debt is priority number one. Consolidation to generate cost synergies and operating efficiencies of scale enhances the potential benefit when a recovery materialises,” he said. Mr Fabrikant said public filings by GulfMark showed “that it appears to face a liquidity shortfall and very little cash has been generated from operations. It appears to be only a matter of time before GulfMark will be in covenant default.” If the company is unable to secure other solutions to its difficulties, one option that has already been aired would be for GulfMark to be acquired by Seacor in a court supervised process. (Source: Offshore Support Journal)

MAGSEIS GAINS EXTENSION FOR RED SEA SURVEY

Geophysical company Magseis has, together with its partner BGP, been awarded an extension to the ongoing contract with BGP Arabia and Saudi Aramco to acquire additional ocean bottom seismic data block in the Red Sea. According to the company’s statement on Friday, the project has an expected duration of 6-7 months and is expected to start during April 2017. Magseis’ OBS vessel Artemis Athene will be used for the survey. The survey features complicated surface and geological conditions with a combination of deep and shallow marine work, Magseis said. The company further added that the combination of its OBS technology (MASS) and BGP’s transition zone expertise ensured the extension to the consortium. Commenting on the extension,

17/26

18TH VOLUME, NO. 23 DATED 19 MARCH 2017

Magseis CEO Idar Horstad said: “We are very pleased to receive this new award that demonstrates our ability to deliver large and complex projects. We view this as a sign of confidence from our end- client Saudi Aramco and a confirmation of the high-quality product that our joint operation delivers.” (Source: Subsea World News)

EMAS OFFSHORE GETS TERMINATIONS FOR TWO VESSEL CHARTERS

Emas Offshore Limited has received charter terminations from the owners of two vessels, the Lewek Toucan and the Lewek Pelican. Lewek Toucan is a multipurpose offshore support vessel owned by Seabird Penguin Offshore Limited and Lewek Pelican is an anchor handler owned by Seabird Pelican Offshore. The charter for the first vessel started on March 17, 2016, and for the second one on May 19, 2016. The charterers of the Lewek Toucan and Lewek Pelican are Emas Offshore’s subsidiaries, Emas Offshore Pte Ltd. and Emas Offshore (M) Sdn. Bhd., respectively. Following the charter deals, Emas Offshore and its parent company Ezra Holdings Limited have issued a deed of guarantee and indemnity as joint and several guarantors in favor of both owners in respect of the charterers’ obligations under the Toucan and Pelican charters. In the termination notices, both owners stated that various events of the charters caused by the charterers are persisting, unwaived and uncured. The vessel owners also stated their demands which include a request for payment within ten banking days of the charter hire for the remaining charter period and re-delivery of the vessels to their respective owners. According to the owners, the charterers are also liable to pay damages arising from the termination of the charters. Both owners reserved their rights to make a demand against Emas Offshore in respect of the guaranteed obligations for the two vessels. Emas Offshore said that both charteres are seeking legal advice regarding terminations and the company is assessing the impact of the notices of termination against the group. (Source: Offshore Energy Today)

JOHANNA M RIDING HIGH TO VIKING NEPTUN

The 1979 built Malta registered and owned utility vessel Joanna M (Imo 8681551) riding high while

18/26

18TH VOLUME, NO. 23 DATED 19 MARCH 2017 leaving Valletta, Malta on Thursday 16th March 2017 for a conveyance operation with Viking Neptun (Imo 9664902). The 2015 built Norwegian (NIS) registered with call sign LAYH7 offshore support vessel Viking Neptun leaving Valletta Roads, Malta on Thursday 16th March 2017 after a conveyance operation with Joanna M proceeding to Le Trait, France. (Photo’s: Capt. Lawrence Dalli - www.maltashipphotos.com)

FUGRO CONTINUES SEEP HUNTING CAMPAIGN IN GOM

In collaboration with multi- client geoscience data company, TGS, Fugro continues to map the seafloor in the Gulf of Mexico to pull together a complete picture of geological features, including hydrocarbon seeps. This latest survey, “Otos”, follows the successful completion of another TGS industry-funded “Gigante” survey in 2016, on the Mexican side of the 1,500-kilometre wide Gulf. Fugro has deployed two geophysical survey vessels to acquire multibeam echo sounder (MBES) and sub-bottom profile data over the western, central and eastern regions of the United States’ continental slope. In water depths ranging from 750 metres to more than 4,000 metres, geoscientists on board Fugro Gauss and Fugro Brasilis will analyse seafloor bathymetry, its acoustic reflectivity, and shallow subsurface structures to identify hydrocarbon seep features on the seafloor and throughout the water column. Both vessels are equipped with hull- mounted MBES systems and the data collected will aid a subsequent geochemical coring campaign. The final results of the Otos survey should provide new insight into the regional-scale distribution of hydrocarbon seeps throughout the entire deepwater area of the northern Gulf of Mexico. TGS will license the data to exploration and production companies to support development activities in this prolific region. Fugro exploration geoscientist, Garrett Mitchell, said: “With the acquisition of the Otos seep survey, Fugro will have mapped almost 1,000,000 square kilometres of seep and geological features over the entire Gulf of Mexico.” (Source: Subsea World News)

19/26

18TH VOLUME, NO. 23 DATED 19 MARCH 2017

WINDFARM NEWS - RENEWABLES

SECOND SIEMENS RORO CUSTOMIZED FOR TURBINE PARTS REPORTS FOR DUTY

Siemens Wind Power’s second roll on/roll off (Ro-Ro) vessel customized to transport wind turbine components, Rotra Mare, has arrived at the Port of Esbjerg in Denmark and is ready to go into service. The vessel can carry up to 12 wind turbine rotor blades and will be used to transport offshore wind turbine components between Siemens Wind Power’s facilities in Hull, Cuxhaven, Port of Esbjerg, and other installation ports. Rotra Mare’s sister vessel, Rotra Vente, was officially presented by Siemens at the Port of Esbjerg in December 2016. The two ships were delivered and commissioned by The Concordia Group. The vessels have specially developed bows and extendable ramps controlled by hydraulic systems. The ships’ Ro-Ro feature makes it possible to roll in and roll out cargo to and from the decks. (Source: Offshore Wind; Photo: The Port of Esbjerg)

DREDGING NEWS

ANOTHER MARINA MASTER 8000 DREDGER FOR FAMBRIDGE

Italdraghe SpA, an Italian manufacturer of specifically designed dredging and mining applications, has delivered another Marina Master 8000 dredger to Fambridge Marina in Essex for her new owners Yacht Havens Ltd. This is the third dredger of its kind to be supplied to a UK marina owner and the second to this client. A key feature of the dredger is its horizontally-hinged dredging boom manufactured in two sections with a central hydraulically- controlled vertical hinge, allowing the dredger to work under floating marina pontoons and finger piers

20/26

18TH VOLUME, NO. 23 DATED 19 MARCH 2017 without having to remove them, the Italian company said. It has the capability of maneuvering into individual berths, cleaning them and then reversing out, there is no need for the marina owner to empty the entire marina prior to the start of the dredging operations. Only one or two moored boats need to be temporarily moved out at a time and, as each berth is dredged, these boats can be returned to their original mooring as the dredger moves on to the next berth, Italdraghe said. The self-propelled dredger, with a PD180 dredging pump, was built in the Italdraghe shipyard on the Italian Adriatic Coast. (Source: Dredging Today)

JAN DE NUL GROUP ORDERS THREE TSHDS

Jan De Nul Group has ordered three 3,500m³ trailing suction hopper dredgers from Keppel Singmarine. The design of these vessels is based on the 3,400m³ TSHD Alvar Nuñez Cabeça de Vaca and Sebastiano Caboto, built in 2011, and successfully operating since. The vessels combine a shallow draught with high manoeuvrability, making them very suitable for working in confined areas, Jan De Nul said. The vessels are in diesel-electric execution: all major drives (thrusters, dredge pump, jet pumps etc) are electrically driven and controlled by means of frequency converters. In this way each system can operate at its optimal speed and power. “Power is generated by means of three diesel generator sets; a control system automatically starts and stops the sets depending on the power requirement, and by means of asymmetric load sharing we ensure that the load is optimally distributed over the diesel generator sets. All these measures result in a low fuel oil consumption, which is the best in its class,” Jan De Nul said. Exhaust gas treatment system Thanks to the low fuel oil consumption emissions are lowered, but in addition the vessels are equipped with exhaust gas treatment systems in order to further reduce harmful emissions. New vessels need to comply with IMO regulations for NOx emissions. As the new dredgers will frequently operate in estuaries and on rivers, or near the coast, and therefore near residential areas, Jan De Nul Group decided to limit the NOx emissions to a level far below the actual requirements, and to reduce other contaminants that are currently not

21/26

18TH VOLUME, NO. 23 DATED 19 MARCH 2017 regulated by IMO. The new vessels will operate with normally available fuel oil, and the exhaust gases are cleaned by means of a Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) system, and a Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF). The SCR system lowers the amount of NOx in the exhaust to a level corresponding with the future European (EU Stage V) requirements for inland waterway vessels; this standard is much more stringent than the applicable IMO Tier II and Tier III requirement. The DPF removes particulate matter from the exhaust, down to a level in accordance with the future EU Stage V requirement for inland waterway vessels. Combined with the use of readily available low sulphur fuels, the emissions (NOx, SOx, Particulate Matter, CO and Hydrocarbons) will comply with EU Stage V, and be better than any other vessel or dredger, the company said. TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS Hopper capacity: 3,500m³; Deadweight: 5,500 tonnes; Length o.a.: 89.3m; Breadth: 22.0m; Max. dredging depth: 27.6m; Suction pipe diameter: 800mm; Speed: 11.3kn; Pump power (trailing): 1,250kW; Pump power (discharging): 3000kW; Propulsion power: 2x1100kW; Total installed diesel power: 5,510kW; Accommodation: 16 persons. (Source: Dredging Today)

YARD NEWS

CONSTRUCTION OF PROJECT 22220 SERIES ICEBREAKER

Construction of the 3 sister vessel of the Russian icebreaker series LK-60Ya class (Project 22220) Arktika, Sibir and Ural is in progress. 1st ship is already at Neva River St. Petersburg and the sister vessels are on different stages of production. Nuclear- powered icebreakers of the Project 22220 series will lead ship convoys across the Arctic, breaking through ice approximately three meters thick. The new ships will escort vessels delivering raw hydrocarbons from deposits in the Yamal and Gydan peninsulas and from the Kara Sea shelf to markets of the Asia-Pacific Region. The full-scale design of the nuclear-powered icebreaker was made by the Iceberg Central Design Bureau in 2009. The dual-draft design enables the ship to operate in both Arctic waters and mouths of polar rivers. Design and construction Main towing winch was awarded to Fluidmecanica for the 3 hulls. The main data is: - Traction winch Dynamic pull 80 ton; Brake pull 510 ton; - Storage winch Capacity 1000 m, Ø58 mm; - Damping device Capacity 480 ton; - Escort system; - RMRS classification. (Source: FluidMecanica)

CATAMARAN-MOUNTED REMOTE CONTROLLED NET CLEANER

Armstrong Marine has grown out of the solid history of Northwest aluminum boat construction. Having worked their built vessels on both sides of the Canada-US border, they have earned a strong reputation for quality at the Port Angeles location. As with much of the early aluminum boat building, they started with fishing boats and have expanded to a wide range of workboats including passenger, patrol, pilot and landing craft. They build both mono hulls and catamarans. http://www.armstrongmarine.com/ Their most recent delivery is a remarkable and innovative vessel that illustrates their ability to excel with one-off designs. Built for Badinotti Net Services Canada,

22/26

18TH VOLUME, NO. 23 DATED 19 MARCH 2017 the 11.9 by 6-meter catamaran is dedicated to the in-water cleaning of salmon farm nets. The two hulls have a molded depth of 2.49 meters. With a house set well forward the vessel has a wide expanse of aft deck to support the innovative machinery for cleaning the nets. Badinotti’s Canadian CEO Kevin Onclin explains the evolving need that the boat and its equipment are designed to meet. “In 2017 most farm companies have completely eliminated the use of antifouling coatings from their operations. As a result the traditional business model for the net service that relied upon dipping or coating of nets had to adapt and reinvent operations to keep pace. Badinotti Net Services added the department of On Site Net Washing (OSW) over 3 years ago in order to respond to our customers’ new service requirements,” he said. The process of cleaning a net, when still suspended in the water, requires a Remote Controlled Net Cleaner (RONC) that is controlled by an operator on a boat on the surface. Initially working from the deck of a converted fishing boat, the firm spent two years researching and developing the concept of a dedicated vessel. The result is the Bravo II, Onclin explained, “We were looking to custom build a boat for on site washing that would maximize the efficiencies for the machinery, equipment and crews. We selected a Catamaran design to create a stable safe working platform for the crews and machinery as most of the hours of operation occur at the farm sites as opposed to travelling between or to sites.” The extended design period allowed attention to detail to fully outfit the vessel to the job, For example the boat produces 750 gallons of fresh water per day which allows all of the net cleaning equipment, which is run with saltwater, to be soaked and rinsed on a routine basis. This will extend the life of all the working parts. The Bravo II is designed with accommodations for a four-person crew. A pair of Cummins Marine QSB6.7 engines each delivering 480 HP at 3,000-RPM power the new vessel. The engines turn 28 by 24-inch four-blade dyan quad bronze props on two-inch shafts through ZF286A gears with1.962:1 ratios. With left and right tuning props mounted in each hull, together with a Imtra SH300 bow thruster, the boat has excellent station keeping abilities. The catamaran, delivered in January this year, has a top speed of 12 knots and cruises at ten knots. The two RONCs are launched with the aide of a MPH knuckle-boom marine crane with a 1000-kilogram lift at 7.6 meters. They are controlled via CCTV monitors and joy sticks by two operators seated in a aft deck mounted compartment. (Source: Alan Haig-Brown; Sea trial photos courtesy of Badinotti Net Services)

23/26

18TH VOLUME, NO. 23 DATED 19 MARCH 2017

CONRAD DELIVERS VANE BARGE

Conrad Shipyard recently delivered the DOUBLE SKIN 510A, a 55,000- BBL capacity asphalt barge, to the Vane Brothers Company of Baltimore, MD. In operation since 1898, the Vane Brothers Company is a multi-faceted marine transportation provider offering services along the east coast. The DOUBLE SKIN 510A was constructed at Conrad’s Deepwater South facility and will operate out of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Conrad Shipyard Senior Vice President Dan Conrad stated, "We appreciate Vane Brother’s confidence in our shipyard, and it is a pleasure doing business with their management team. The 55,000-BBL asphalt barge is a beautiful vessel and is a testament to the exceptional skills of our workforce.” (Press Release)

REMOTE CONTROLLED WORKBOATS

Tuco Marine Group has introduced remote controlled navigation systems for the ProZero Workboats, offering autonomous self-piloting vessels. Working together with Sea Machines, Tuco Marine Group can now provide the ProZero series, delivered with a system that makes the vessels autonomous and remote controlled. The system can be embedded into a wide variety of boats in the ProZero series, making them self-piloting, increasing productivity and keeping personnel safe from potential harm. Tuco Marine presently offers the system in the Prozero DCW 9 m Arctic workboat, ProZero DCW 15 m ROV support vessel, ProZero 11 m patrol vessel, and ProZero 11 m pulling drone. But Tuco said the system is easy to embed into any ProZero vessel, and all of the boats in the ProZero series have potential to become a self-piloting vessel. Sea Machines Robotics’ new system, called RC NXT, can be incorporated into an existing or newly built ProZero model. With the RX NXT installed in the boat, it can be controlled wirelessly from shore or from a mother vessel. The Command System provides PLC-based wireless control of the workboat and is suited for day-vessel operations such as workboats, tugs and launches operating within 1,000 m of the pilot. The Autonomous Navigation System uses vessel-based sensors and proprietary algorithms to give the boat a degree of self-awareness, enabling her to efficiently self-motor from point-to-point while avoiding active and passive obstacles or collaborate in tandem with another vessel. (Source: MarineLink)

24/26

18TH VOLUME, NO. 23 DATED 19 MARCH 2017

ADDITIONAL FCS 3307 PATROL VESSEL ORDERED BY HOMELAND - FOR OPERATIONS OFF THE COAST OF NIGERIA

Just over a year after it took delivery of the second of two FCS 3307 Patrol vessels, Homeland Integrated Offshore Services Limited (Homeland) of Nigeria has ordered one more of the same class with an option on a second, to be named Guardian 3 and Guardian 4. Like their two predecessors, the two vessels are being supplied as a turnkey solution. The Damen Group is taking care of delivery and crew training, as well as the design and build. Damen’s Local Service Hub in Port Harcourt, Nigeria, will ensure that maintenance, repairs and any additional support is handled by Damen engineers. Homeland supports international oil companies working in Nigeria’s offshore oil and gas fields by providing engineering, procurement, construction, installation and security services. Like the first two vessels, the primary mission of the two new Guardians will be carrying out security patrols for the production companies, as well as occasional transfers of crew and supplies. The 33-metre vessels will be fully compliant with the technical requirements of the production companies, and even exceeding them in the case of the top speed which at 30 knots is five knots faster than the specification. 18 bunks will be fitted for crew and security personnel, who can remain on board for up to four weeks. The wheelhouse is bullet- proof and additional equipment includes 15 seats for crew transfers, thermal imaging, a diesel powered SOLAS Fast Rescue Craft and an additional fuel separator to protect the engines and generators from contaminated fuel. An integral part of the contract is the total care solution that Damen is providing to Homeland. The Damen Service Hub in Port Harcourt has now been operating for two years and is manned by a technical manager and several specialist engineers, ready to render assistance and undertake a wide range of maintenance and repair tasks in order to minimize downtime. This level of local support is a service that very few other shipyards can offer. For maximum convenience the vessels will be delivered on their own keel by Damen crews from Singapore to Nigeria and following handover the Homeland crew will each be given a week’s

25/26

18TH VOLUME, NO. 23 DATED 19 MARCH 2017 training before beginning operations. Homeland Managing Director Louis Ekere commented; “Both us and our clients have been delighted with the performance of our first two FCS 3307 Patrol vessels. They remain the most capable craft of their type operating off the coast of Nigeria and we already have charter contracts lined up for both of them. Having the support of the Damen Local Service Hub gives us the utmost confidence that they will consistently operate at full capacity and capability.” Already under construction as part of Damen’s build-for-stock policy, the Guardian 3 is almost complete except for some additional items and Guardian 4 will be ready within a few months, for delivery in the second quarter of 2017. (Press Release)

WEBSITE NEWS

HTTP://WWW.TOWINGLINE.COM

ARE YOU ALSO INTEREST ED IN THIS FREE TUGS TOW ING & OFFSHO RE N EWSLETTER. PLEASE VISIT THE WEBS ITE WWW . TOWINGLINE . COM AND SUBSCRIBE YOURSE LF FOR FREE

Last week there have been new updates posted: 1. Several updates on the News page posted last week:

 Meyer’s Group orders two Damen ASD 2913 Tugs for new Panama Canal locks  Tugs on Station – new exhibition in the Dutch National Towage Museum  Robert Allan Ltd. Designs for New Fleet of Pusher Tugs & Barges for Louis Dreyfus Company in Brazil  Dutch tug and workboat company Herman Senior orders its 12th Damen vessel  Damen ASD 2310 packs a punch for Foyle Port

Be informed that the mobile telephone number of Towingline is: +31 6 3861 3662 mailto: [email protected] This site is intended to be collective exchange of information. Information on this site has been pulled from many sources; we have attempted to credit these sources. But due to the multitude of sources sometimes we are unable to note all the sources. If you feel that material that is posted here is of your authorship and you have not been credited properly please alert us and I will correct the credit or remove it in accordance to the author's wishes.

DISCLAIMER

The compiler of the Tugs Towing & Offshore Newsletter disclaim all liability for any loss, damage or expense howsoever caused, arising from the sending, receipt, or use of this e-mail communication and on any reliance placed upon the information provided through this free service and does not guarantee the completeness or accuracy of the information. For more information about advertising, subscription, preferences and un-subscription visit the website: http://www.towingline.com The Tugs Towing & Offshore Newsletter is a ::JVDS-MARCOL:: Archive Production.

26/26