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18th Volume, No. 75 1963 – “54 years tugboatman” – 2017 Dated 17 September 2017 BUYING, SALES, NEW BUILDING, RENAMING AND OTHER TUGS TOWING & OFFSHORE INDUSTRY NEWS Distribution twice a week 10,900+

TUGS & TOWING NEWS

‎CP SANDPIPER

The CP Sandpiper, a brand- new EuroCarrier 2495, has been delivered to its new owner Cape Preston Port Company in Australia recently. The new-build EuroCarrier 2495 is a nice addition to the growing fleet of Neptune 2495 EuroCarriers worldwide. Neptune managed to deliver the CP Sandpiper within a short lead time. This has been achieved through the modification of a custom-built vessel, which was partially build already. However all demands of Cape Preston Port Company have been fitted to the vessel, which makes this EuroCarrier a bespoke vessels for the customer’s operations. Moreover, the EuroCarrier 2495 has been completely delivered in compliance with Australian legislation. The brand-new EuroCarrier 2495 will be transported to Australia onboard a heavy lift carrier, where it will arrive in October. Upon arrival the CP Sandpiper will be used by her owners to assist the Sino Iron Project, the largest magnetite mining and processing operation in Australia with a mine life of over 25 years. The multi-purpose workboat will be used to perform daily maintenance operations onsite this prestigious project, carried out by Citic Pacific Mining. (Press Release)

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‎ATB TUG LAUNCHED FOR GREAT LAKES DREDGE AND DOCK

A new ATB tug for Great Lakes Dredge and Dock (GLDD), M/V Douglas B. Mackie, was launched in Mobile, Ala. The vessel is being built by Eastern Shipbuilding and is scheduled to be delivered this fall. The design for the 14-knot ATB was developed by GLDD from an Ocean Tug and Barge concept with the hull lines completely revised by MARIN, a model basin in the Netherlands. Ship Architects, Inc. (SAi) completed the functional design and subsequent Class package. During the functional design process, the vessel was modeled in ShipConstructor and was ready for production when the vessel's construction contract was signed. After contract, pipe and outfitting were added to the model with all production drawings provided to the yard. (Source: MarineLink)

THE STEAM TUG NALLE

Moored in Oskarshamn's inner harbor, beside the Boat and Machine Museum, lies the tugboat S/S Nalle ("Nalle" means "teddy bear"). She was entirely built at Oskarshamn's Mechanical Workshop in 1923 – from her 250-horsepower steam engine to all the interior fittings—and she is now deemed a cultural treasure. Nalle was originally coal-fired, but in the 1960's, the coal was replaced by oil. From her maiden launching and up until 1965, Nalle served as Oskarshamn's harbor tow-boat. Her predominant assignment during the winter months was ice-breaking. During World War II, Nalle was requisitioned by the navy in Karlskrona and fitted with airdefence artillery on her foredeck. Then after 35 years in foreign hands, and ending up as a floating home in Copenhagen, Nalle was in 2000 at last reunited with Oskarshamn. An enthusiastic S/S Nalle Society was formed for maintenance of this well-preserved ship, and many eager hands have given her a thorough restoration. All work has been done with the utmost attention to traditional methods and techniques of handwork. The ambitious cultural and historical aims of the society have been subsequently recognized by the National Maritime Museum, which has awarded S/S Nalle the status of Cultural Heritage. (Photo: Hugo Plokker; Source: http://www.sjofararkusten.se/inenglish/nalle.html)

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

ESG SEES GREEN WITH ITS TIER IV THUNDERBOLT DESIGN

Eastern Shipbuilding’s forward-thinking inland towboat design now features CAT Tier 4 propulsion and after treatment. When Eastern Shipbuilding Group (ESG) introduced its cutting edge 4,000 hp Thunderbolt inland towboat designed around twin azimuthing AAA Propulsion electric V-Pod propulsion and diesel-electric technology back in 2015, the approach was collaborative, with input from operators, naval architects (Gilbert Associates, Inc. (GAI)) and propulsion OEM’s. In selecting the podded propulsion system for inclusion on the design, Eastern met with two inland owner/operators that had Z-Drive towboats, and others that didn’t. Starting as far back as 2013, listening to each and noting their concerns, it was decided that the V-Pod was the best solution. Because the Thunderbolt will typically operate in shallow, sometimes turbid, debris filled water, ESG designed underwater protection in the form of a pipe guard protection system for each V-Pod. These pipe guards protect the vessel from side bank impacts when turning in rivers and canals and stern impact protection when backing down. And, while those pods are an important part of the vessel’s design package, the new EPA Tier 4-compliant CAT engines now baked into the concept design make for an irresistible combination when it comes to operators looking for their next newbuild package. Futuristic Vision Includes Tier 4 ESG coined the Thunderbolt as a “vision of the future for the U.S. inland waterways.” Now, with CAT’s proprietary Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) after treatment solution built into the design, few could argue that the powerful offering doesn’t provide everything one could ask for in a robust, river-tough hull. This isn’t Eastern’s first rodeo in the inland waters game. And, while they have yet to sell a single Thunderbolt package, ESG has delivered as many as 20 diesel-electric offshore supply vessels starting in 2010 and more than 75 inland towing vessels since 2007. Similarly, AAA Propulsion V-pods have been installed on more than 20 vessels in Europe. The Thunderbolt design joins Eastern’s history of building reliable vessels and is now integrating its Tiger Shark Class diesel-electric technology into a refined, environmentally friendly, highly maneuverable Inland Towboat design. The Thunderbolt has been designed using ABS Class Rules for Building and Classing Steel Vessels for Service on Rivers and Intracoastal Waterways-2014. It is also designed to the Proposed U.S. Coast Guard 46CFR (Sub- Chapter M) Towing Vessel Rules and IEEE 45 2002 Standards. When it came to selecting the right propulsion specialist to bring Thunderbolt into EPA Tier 4 compliance, ESG turned to Richard Tremayne, the Marine Business Manager for Thompson Power Systems, Inc. Why CAT? Tremayne told Marine News in July, “Eastern and Thompson Tractor have a close working relationship. Eastern chose CAT and Thompson because they like that the units are designed for longevity and convenience to the operator, they’re competitively priced, and they’re well supported by Thompson and the rest of the CAT dealer network no matter where the vessels travel.” That kind of flexibility was important to ESG from the start, especially since the shipyard had no way of knowing where the first customer would come from. CAT’s wide network of service providers solved that potential

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18TH VOLUME, NO. 75 DATED 17 SEPTEMBER 2017 issue from the outset. Tier 4 engine arrangements on the water are a new concept, but CAT boasts deep roots in the Tier 4 markets. Tremayne explains, “Tier 4 came to our land-based and vehicle- based customers before it came to our marine world, so there are many CAT Tier 4 engines operating across the United States. These marine designs are an adaptation of those predecessors, tailored to suit this market’s needs.” Robustly marinized for the marine markets, CAT’s Tier 4 solutions have already been proven in demanding industrial markets everywhere. In a nutshell, CAT’s package of components was designed to work proactively together in order to control each engine’s performance and emissions. The design allows the engines to keep performing even if the aftertreatment fails for some reason. Beyond this, CAT created this newest tier-compliant package to use less fuel than previous tier engines, enough to more than offset the cost of the after treatment’s urea. According to Steve Berthold, ESG’s Vice President of Sales & Marketing, ESG has had Tier 4 in mind since the very beginning, when the design project with John Gilbert and Associates kicked off. That’s because, with tier 4 coming, the last thing ESG wanted was major design or space issues down the road. Berthold adds, “The EPA Tier 4 requirement is now upon us and the design has evolved as planned. We actually started working on the specific Tier 4 design and engineering change effort in March of this year.” There are many ways to get to the Promised Land when it comes to engines and tier 4. In this case, the decision came down to the fact that the CAT package is designed from the beginning so that all components are optimized to work with each other component. More importantly, it is a turn-key tier solution which is EPA and class society certified before it leaves the factory. Tremayne explains, “Our customers aren’t burdened by field emissions certifications or any other special submittals or testing to certify the CAT packages.” That’s not to say that price and life cycle economy weren’t also important variables. They were. Why SCR? ESG could have gone with a number of solutions – including the new EGR solutions notably offered by GE Marine. But, the strong relationship with CAT and Thompson – spanning over 20 years – won the day. Berthold adds, “Caterpillar only offers after treatment with SCR for the C32 Tier 4 engine.” Moreover, and while some operators might worry about fitting all that equipment associated with SCR into the engine space, Tremayne says that the engine’s size is non-issue. “The CEM is about the size of the engine, but flatter. Eastern fit it in the upper engine room. Some yards have fit it into the lower engine room overhead, above the engines,” he explained, adding, “The dosing cabinet is about the size of a portable welder. One of the architects’ challenges has been designing the urea storage tank into vessels, but they’ve all managed.” All improvements come with a price, and the necessary move to Tier 4 was no different. ESG’s Berthold explained that for this Inland Towboat, the Cat C32 940eKW Tier 4 engines with all CAT Tier 4 after treatment accessories, including engineering, materials and man-hours for all systems, the modifications increased the vessel design cost by about USD $500,000. For owners who don’t like that upfront cost, the good news is that fuel economy for the new propulsion arrangement is expected to improve significantly. “In rough terms, fuel economy is expected to improve by about 9% in this application compared to our Tier 3 C32. CAT was able to optimize the engine design for use with the SCR (CAT Emissions Module, or CEM) so that the engine fuel consumption could replicate the lower figures of previous tier engines while relying on the CEM to clean the exhaust to today’s requirements,” said Tremayne, adding, “The CEM allowed CAT to dramatically improve fuel economy. Another noteworthy achievement of this design – it

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18TH VOLUME, NO. 75 DATED 17 SEPTEMBER 2017 allows the same amount of exhaust system backpressure at the CEM outlet as was previously allowed at the engine outlet. This means that the exhaust silencer and piping can remain the same size as before.” SCR necessarily comes with the need for urea, but according to Tremayne, the annual cost for that urea depends on vessel load factor and operating hours each year. He continued, “CAT’s closed-loop control system allows urea to be consumed at the most efficient rates, based on engine load. We calculate urea tank sizes at 5% of expected fuel usage as a rule of thumb.” Hence, even with the urea cost and consumption, fuel costs will actually go down, in certain cases. Amortizing the extra cost for those Tier 4 engines therefore becomes a little easier to swallow. Finally, Thompson and CAT have been busy of late. Hence, ESG, when the keel of the first Thunderbolt gets laid, will hardly be alone as it becomes one of the early adopters of Tier 4 CAT SCR engine packages. That’s because Thompson has 9 tugs currently under contract with Tier 4 engines. “It’s such a new marine product that none of our projects has finished, so they aren’t yet in operation,” concedes Tremayne, adding quickly, “Of course, CAT engine designs are developed extensively in test cells, and every engine is test run at the factory, so we have no doubt they will perform as designed.” Taking Care of Business and the Crew It is (arguably) unusual for a shipyard to come up with its own turnkey design, but inland ‘teams’ are now more common, as operators, shipyards and naval architects push the concept that all OEM equipment has to fit into a bigger package, instead of being procured in a stovepiped, standalone basis. That integrated power package also gets designed with an eye towards those who will someday have to leave the dock on board the Thunderbolt. Eastern touts the boat as having ‘reduced Noise and Vibrations’ for what they characterize as “Remarkable Crew Comfort.” Berthold explains, “We have included noise, vibration and structural fire protection measures into the design. For example, thermal insulation is installed throughout the superstructure – A-60 insulation to protect the crew from fire – but in particular, sound dampening materials and vibration treatments where it makes sense.” The effort doesn’t stop there, however. The (3) main generator skids are on isolation mounts along with the 90kW harbor generator which dampen engine vibration through the steel structure. The pod system itself also has a vibration isolation system. Before and after Tier 4, Eastern Shipbuilding’s Thunderbolt combines all the key hot button issues of any inland operator: Economy and Efficiency all packaged neatly onto an Emissions friendly hull. None of that comes at lightning speed for the conservative inland markets, but when it hits the water, it will be a ‘bolt out the blue.’ (As published in the September 2017 edition of Marine News)

TUGS ORDERED FOR CASPIAN OPERATIONS

Shipyard De Hoop is proud to announce the order for the build of 6 tugboats, for their client

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Caspian Offshore Constructions (COC). In an earlier stage De Hoop already received an engineering order to start the design. Now, the job will consist of building four Ice class Azimuth Stern Drive tug-push boats, each 39-ton bollard pull. Additionally, two shallow draft harbour tugs, each 30- ton bollard pull, were designed and shall be built. These six vessels are developed for Blue Water and COC consortium. The relation between COC and de Hoop dates back to 2006 and De Hoop is proud in the continuation of this relationship. (Press Release)

HISTORIC FOSS TUG DRYDOCKED IN ADVANCE OF FIRST MAJOR RESTORATION IN NEARLY 80 YEARS

The historic tug Arthur Foss, which is believed to be the world’s oldest wooden tug and the oldest floating vessel in the Pacific Northwest, spent 10 days in drydock at Foss Shipyard in Seattle in June in preparation for its first major rebuild since the 1940s. Surveyors drilled, scraped and otherwise combed over the 1889-vintage tug, mapping out what needs to be done to preserve the vessel for future generations. Foss retired the tug in 1968 and two years later donated it to a maritime historical organization now called Northwest Seaport, which has moored it on Seattle’s Lake Union ever since. Northwest Seaport Executive Director Nathaniel Howe said that the below-the-waterline portion of the hull is mostly in good condition, with many of its planks dating from its construction. Most of the hull is two feet thick, and it’s two and a half feet thick in places. “It’s built like a fortress,” Howe said of the tug’s underbody. But he noted that 15 to 20 percent of the above-the- waterline planks have gone soft and will probably need to be replaced. There are no known construction drawings of the tug, so naval architects used laser scanners to create a 3-dimensional modeling of the hull. The Arthur Foss was built in 1889 as the steam-powered tug Wallowa, owned by the Oregon Railway and Navigation Company. Ironically, that was the same year that Thea and Andrew Foss started the company that was to become Foss Maritime. The Foss family purchased the tug in 1929, and in 1934 renamed it the Arthur Foss in honor of the company president and one of the sons of the founders. That same year, the tug entered Foss Shipyard in Tacoma for a complete rebuild. The tug emerged with a new 700 horsepower Washington diesel as well as a new

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deckhouse, pilot house and a modernized galley. It was then designated as the most powerful tug on the West Coast. And made routine coastal tows between Puget Sound and California as well as occasional tows to Alaska. In 1936, the Arthur Foss was welcomed with public fanfare to Los Angeles when it arrived towing the famous four-masted schooner Commodore, loaded with 1.5 million board feet of lumber from Puget Sound sawmills. Following government service in World War II, the tug underwent a 10- month overhaul at Foss Shipyard and for the next 20 years was assigned to the Foss Port Angeles division, mainly towing log cribs. More modern tugs were arriving in the 1960s, and the Arthur’s days were numbered. The final job recorded in the Arthur’s logbook was towing a log crib from the Rayonier log dump in Sekiu to Port Angeles, a job completed on July 26, 1968. And the captain, Arnold Tweter, rang “Finished with Engines” on the engine room telegraph for the final time. (Press Release)

GOVERNMENT SURPLUS TUGS HELPED FOSS GROW OCEAN BUSINESS UNTIL COMPANY INITIATED NEW CONSTRUCTION IN MID-1960’S

The Foss entry into the ocean towing business began in earnest in the years following World War II, when a surplus of ocean going tugs became available and were being auctioned off from various branches of the government to commercial operators. Prior to these tugs becoming available, Foss and other companies were relying on old, underpowered tugs to make coastal and ocean tows, although the nature of the assignments were radically different than today. Tugs of 250 to 1,000 horsepower were routinely making voyages to Alaska, West Coast ports and the Hawaiian Islands. The going was slow and sometimes tedious, but they always reached their destination. Between the years 1946 and 1958 Foss purchased from the government a total of eight, ocean going — 1,500 horsepower wooden “miki” class tugs, and one steel tug of 1,440 horsepower. These nine tugs along with a veteran 1,500 horsepower tug, the Agnes Foss (built in 1904) became the workhorses of the growing Foss ocean fleet. These tugs provided yeoman service throughout Alaska, the West Coast and the Hawaiian Islands. However, the nature of ocean towing was changing as the years progressed, requiring longer towing range and more horsepower. Foss once again made investments in World War II tugs that continued to be auctioned off. Between 1962 and 1964, four large, steel

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18TH VOLUME, NO. 75 DATED 17 SEPTEMBER 2017 tugs were purchased and completely rebuilt at the Foss Shipyard in Seattle. Two of these tugs, the Henry Foss and Arthur Foss, with 5,000 horsepower each, were the most powerful ocean tugs on the West Coast at the time they entered service in 1965 and 1966. The other two tugs, with less horsepower, the Ellen Foss and Craig Foss entered service in 1963 and 1966 respectively. With the philosophy that those we serve — old customers and new prospects alike — demand that we continually upgrade the fleet in order to live up to the “Always Ready” motto, a contract was signed with McDermott Shipbuilding of Morgan City, La. in 1966 for the construction of a new 3,000 horsepower ocean class tug for service on the West Coast and Alaska. The Richard Foss, McDermott hull number 142, went through sea trials in May 1967 and departed shortly thereafter for Seattle towing two 240-class deck barges each carrying two 150-class deck barges piggy-back. At an average speed of 9 knots, the Richard Foss made the 5,500 mile tow in 25 days. This was the beginning of a long involvement between Foss and McDermott Shipbuilding, as within a year of the launching of the Richard Foss, a contract was signed for the construction of three additional 3,000 horsepower tugs, close cousins to the Richard Foss: The Phillips Foss (July 1969), Leslie Foss (May 1970) and Jeffrey Foss (June 1970). In 1975, Foss signed a contract for an additional four ocean tugs: the 4,300 horsepower Barbara Foss (launched May 1976), The Justine Foss (July 1976), Sidney Foss (November 1976) and Drew Foss (March 1977). On the West Coast, two additional ocean-class tugs were constructed for Foss at a local Puget Sound shipyard, Fairhaven Shipyard in Bellingham in 1976, The Sandra Foss and Stacey Foss. As the new ocean fleet entered service, the older tugs which had served Foss so well for so many years were retired. The sixty-six year old Agnes Foss finished her active career late in 1970. The miki-class tugs were retired, one at a time beginning in 1968, with the final one, the Christine Foss, retired in 1981. (By Foss Editor’s Note: Mike Skalley is the Foss historian and author of “Foss, Ninety Years of Towboating”)

ACCIDENTS – SALVAGE NEWS

NO FLOAT, ONLY FAILURE FOR LUCKY 7

The salvage operation of casino ship Lucky 7 failed again on day three with the vessel moving barely 5 metres on Tuesday. The salvage exercise began afternoon and ended before 2.30 pm during which the salvors, VMS Marine LLC, failed in the attempt to re-float the vessel off Aguada Bay. “The ship has moved just five metres from where it was anchored yesterday (Monday). So far, it has moved 55 metres. The damaged bottom portion of the vessel and some cracks are leading to the delay in the salvage operation,” an official said. The 5,000-tonne vessel was seen slightly tilted due to flooding of water and sand deposits. One of the salvors told Herald that these elements are being pumped out after which the vessel will be pulled to deeper waters. “Once the sand and water is pumped out, it would be easier to pull the vessel in deep waters. The Captain of Ports department has deployed its tugboat for the initial pull after which the tugboat, brought in by the salvaging company, will take

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over the exercise,” he said. Sources further said that the two tugs anchored at a considerable distance from the vessel, will be brought closer to facilitate the towing operation on Wednesday. The towing exercise is expected to resume before noon. The height of the high tide is likely at 1.8m compared to 2.0m and 1.9 m on Tuesday and Monday respectively. Golden Globe Hotels Pvt Ltd, that owns the Rs 12-crore vessel, had deployed its officials and security at the site. (Source: Herald)

BARGE IN DANGER OF CAPSIZING

Tugs, pilot boats and lifeboats were alerted to the lock port of Ritthem in the afternoon of Sep 12, 2017, after the "Helena Cora", 1085 ts (EU-No.: 02316320) developed a list to starboard and was in danger of sinking. After problems with the cargo occurred, the master turned around and issued a distress call at 3.55 p.m. The shipowner, his wife and two children were on board the ship at that time. The woman and the children were taken on board the pilot boat "Pioneer". Multraship was investigating how the unstable ship could be righted and taken to port. The barge was underway from Flushing east to Antwerp with a cargo of aluminum blocks. Upon leaving the lock, the ship started to list, possibly partly under the influence of the wind. The skipper grounded the "Helena Cora" on a sand plate at the Kaloot. Several tugs, including the "Multratug 27", "Hendrik 7",

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"Multrasalvor 3" and a service vessel of Rijkswaterstaat, the "RWS 79", proceeded to the position at Buoy 2A on the Europe Way. Lifeboats of the KNRM stations Westkapelle, Hansweert and Breskens were called for to provide assistance. The woman and the children were taken to the Koopmans port in Flushing, and the lifeboats were stood down. (Source: Vesseltracker)

TUGBOAT RESCUES STRANDED FERRY ON KENNEBECASIS RIVER

Cable broke leaving ferry anchored mid-river. A tugboat is towing the Gondola Point ferry RGL Fairweather back to shore after the cable broke during a crossing of the Kennebecasis River on Tuesday. The ferry was making a regular run between Gondola Point on Route 119 and Route 845 on the Kingston Peninsula when the incident occurred. The ferry was anchored mid-river as it waited for the tugboat to arrive. The other ferry, the William Pitt II remained in service. Passenger Doreen Waddell said she and the other passengers had been stranded since about 1:30 p.m. "I've been looking at my driveway all afternoon," she said as she waited for the tug. The five-minute ferry ride, which Waddell does every day, covers a distance of 0.7 kilometres. It's not the first time this has happened to Waddell. "I think the same thing happened about 20 years ago. We left our cars behind and they rowed us to shore." The RGL Fairweather operates 24 hours a day and can hold up to 24 cars. (Source: CBCNews)

TWO DEAD AND THREE MISSING IN COLLISION OFF SINGAPORE

Two seafarers are dead, seven have been hospitalized and three are missing after a collision between a dredger and a product tanker off Singapore. In the early hours of Wednesday morning, the Indonesian-flagged tanker Kartika Segara got under way from an anchorage adjacent to Bukom Island. AIS tracking data (top) shows that she headed southeast towards the Singapore Strait, making about seven knots. The trackline shows that at 0028, she began to cross the westbound traffic flow in a crossing area of the traffic separation scheme. Her heading put her on course to cross the bow of the tug Bina Marine 01 at close quarters, and the Bina gave way and made a turn to starboard at 0030. The dredger JBB De Rong 19 was close behind off the Bina's port quarter; the tanker did not appear to alter her course or speed, and she struck the dredger on the starboard side at 0038. By 0050, the Kartika Segara had

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18TH VOLUME, NO. 75 DATED 17 SEPTEMBER 2017 crossed the TSS and joined the flow of eastbound traffic, and she increased her speed and headed away from the scene. At 0200, she turned around and anchored off Sentosa. After the collision, the dredger capsized and partially sank, with disastrous consequences for the 12 crewmembers on board. Seven were rescued by the Singapore Police Coast Guard and taken to Singapore General Hospital for treatment. Five have since been discharged. Not all were so lucky: two have been found dead and three remain missing. 200 military and civilian SAR personnel are involved in an ongoing search and rescue effort led by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA), using four helicopters, one fixed-wing aircraft and two dozen surface vessels. Singaporean Minister for Defense Ng Eng Hen expressed hope that the missing seafarers would be located soon. No injuries or hull penetrations were reported aboard the Kartika Segara. Video taken by a Channel News Asia correspondent shows that she has damage to her starboard bow. The MPA said in a statement that VTS operators had warned Kartika Segara and JBB de Rong 19 of the impending risk of collision, and both vessels had acknowledged receipt of the call. The cause of the incident remains under investigation. “MPA expresses our deepest condolences to the families of the two deceased and wish those injured a speedy recovery. We will continue with our search and rescue efforts to find the remaining three missing crew members," said Mr. Andrew Tan, Chief Executive of MPA. Watch the youtube video HERE (Source: Marex)

OFFSHORE NEWS

HISTORIC SUPPLY SHIPS – THE EDDA FRAM

Many years ago I spent a summer as Mate of one of the Isle of Wight ferries running between Portsmouth and Fishbourne, on the island. The mainland berth was awkwardly placed off the main channel requiring a curving entry to get alongside and put the ship in position to discharge and load the wheeled vehicles, and quite a lengthy transit astern up a narrow channel to get to the quay in Fishbourne. Fortunately the ship was equipped with Voith propulsion which consisted of two rotating vanes under the hull aft, and

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18TH VOLUME, NO. 75 DATED 17 SEPTEMBER 2017 one forward. On the bridge since the owners mistrusted modern fly by wire controls, the system was contolled by three wheels on pedestals positioned at each bridge wing. The horizontal wheel on the top was a directional control, the vertical one on the side in a fore and aft alighnment, controlled the forward or astern speed, and the athwartships wheel on the pedestal controlled the movement of the ship sideways. The wheels, all of which could be operated at once if you had enough hands, resulted in a changed of attitude of the blades of the Voith propellers, making response instant. It was a wonderful system. I only mention this in detail to explain why the arrival of the Edda Fram on the Shell Aberdeen contract in 2007 was so important (Photo of the ship in Aberdeen Tidal Basin by the author). The vessel was actually the second ship of the name and the second ship of the name to be employed by Shell supplying its North Sea platforms and exploration rigs. It was an ST-216 designed by Skipsteknisk of Haugesund and uniquely for an offshore vessel, provided with Voith propulsion. Obviously the ship did not have the same sort of ungainly wheels to control it that the IOW ferries had. Instead it was provided with a couple of little sticks either side of the driver’s seat (see photo of the controls taken by the author), and one assumes that the direction of the stick would control the Voith vanes, although unlike the ferries the ship was provided with a number of conventional bowthrusters, and all could be collectively controlled with the joystick, or by the DP2 system. If the drivers operated the ship using the joystick it is likely that the benefits of the Voith system were not really evident, even though the system was more flexible, and rapid in operation than the alternative PSV propulsion system, the azimuthing propeller. But something determined during voyages between the bases and the platforms was that the Voith system reduced the movement of the ship, so instead of rolling heavily in a seaway it seemed to be more stable, and much was made of this in the publicity about the vessel when it entered service. A sister ship, the Edda Frende entered service in 2009, both vessels being built at the Astilleros Gondan yard in Spain. Today the Edda Fram is working for Fairfield Betula Ltd out of Peterhead and the Edda Frende is supporting the Stena Icemax offshore Ireland. (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.)

NEW CFO TO JOIN NORDIC AMERICAN OFFSHORE IN OCTOBER

The newly appointed chief financial officer (CFO) of offshore shipping company Nordic American Offshore (NAO) will join the company on October 16, 2017. The company named Bjorn Giaever as the new CFO on September 1, 2017. Apart from Nordic American Offshore, Giaever will also take the CFO role in Bermuda-based tanker owner Nordic American Tankers (NAT). NAO said on Tuesday that Giaever would join NAO and NAT on October 16 from Oslo-based Fearnley Securities. Fearnley is an investment bank with a special focus on the maritime sectors, where Giaever served as a director and partner in the corporate finance division. He also served as a

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corporate advisor in the John Fredriksen group in London, a top rated senior shipping analyst at DNB Markets, and partner in Inge Steensland AS as a specialist in gas related maritime matters. The company added that the outgoing CFO, Turid M. Sorensen, would leave her administrative duties in NAO and NAT before the end of 2017, providing for a smooth transition. According to the company, she will be suggested as a board member of NAT later on. (Source: Offshore Energy Today)

VOS PATIENCE DELIVERY VOYAGE

The 2017 built NLD flag and owned Ulstein X-Bow PX-121 Medium- Sized Platform Supply Vessel (PSV) VOS Patience (Imo 9742089) entering Valletta, Malta during her delivery voyage on Tuesday 12th September,2017. The Dutch registered vessel with call sign PDGJ is owned Offshore Support I Vessels BV – Den Helder; Netherlands and managed by Vroon Offshore Services BV – Den helder; Netherlands She has a grt of 3,638 tons and a dwt 4,119 (Photo: Capt. Lawrence Dalli - www.maltashipphotos.com)

GARDLINE STARTS TWO NEW ASIA PACIFIC PROJECTS

Gardline has secured two geotechnical projects in the Asia Pacific region. The first project began in

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late August in Australia and the second project is starting this week offshore Papua New Guinea, the company informed. The Australian project consists of mobilizing a 50kN dual-drive seabed CPT and a vibrocorer onto a third party vessel. Gardline is also providing specialist geotechnical personnel. Project completion is scheduled for the end of September. The second project in Papua New Guinea is scheduled to start this week and it will be carried out from Duke, Gardline’s multi-role survey vessel in the Asia-Pacific region and will include acquisition of high resolution multibeam bathymetry, side scan sonar, 2D UHR seismic and the deployment of a 50kN dual-drive seabed CPT, a high power vibrocorer and a 6m Kullenberg piston corer. Gardline anticipate completion of the scope of work by early October. (Source: Subsea World News)

USACE TAKES DELIVERY OF FOIL ASSISTED SURVEY VESSEL

New Orleans, LA, based Technology Associates, Inc. (TAI) has completed a contract for the design and construction of a high speed foil assisted hydrographic survey vessel. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Baltimore District accepted delivery of the vessel last month. The all-aluminum foil assisted catamaran has been named S/V Catlett and measures 61 ft 4 in, length overall, by 24 ft beam. It is designed to serve a primary mission of conducting hydrographic surveys using sophisticated multibeam and single beam sonars. The vessel was fabricated jointly with subcontractor Aluma Marine at its facilities in Harvey, LA. Designed and built to Lloyd's Special Service Craft rules, the catamaran is equipped with 1,970 BHP MAN V8 propulsion engines which turn two Hamilton waterjets allowing for quick mobilization and response at high speeds in excess of 38 knots and survey speeds up to 10 knots. Hydrographic survey capabilities features SONIC 2024 Multibeam sonars and single frequency sonars mounted inside a retractable survey pod. The vessel has a galley, mess, and sleeping accommodations. Mr. Anil Raj, President of TAI said; "This vessel Design and Build Program was delivered on budget and on schedule. The successful project performance, at the heels of a similar fast response fire boat project performed by the team for the U.S. Army, resulted from the partnership spirit with which the USACE Marine Design Center (MDC), USACE Baltimore District and TAI who jointly implemented the project. "The fabrication yard, Aluma Marine and the craftsmen who worked with and supported TAI personnel at the

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18TH VOLUME, NO. 75 DATED 17 SEPTEMBER 2017 facility are to be commended. "We are happy that the USACE received a custom craft suiting all of its requirements, and that the USACE is pleased with the craft's performance, as well as the crew training provided under the contract. This is the first of three similar USACE contracts TAI has. The others are for USACE Norfolk and Mobile districts." The foil assisted catamaran system offers high speeds with minimal installed BHP and fuel consumption. This configuration with a 400 NM range and swift speed capability makes this type of craft well suited to near coastal and harbor patrol, interdiction and search and rescue roles. TAI has a patrol boat variant design of this vessel. (Source: MarineLog)

CUSTOMISED DSV DESIGNS WILL WORK WITH FPSO’S AND FIXED PLATFORMS

Two dive support vessels being built for a company working off Angola are among the latest designs from Incat Crowther, the well known naval architect in Australia. Incat Crowther regularly appears in the Annual Review issue of OSJ as a result of the innovative vessels it designs and the niche markets in which it specialises such as crewboats and dive support vessels. Crewboats designed by the company are described elsewhere in this issue. It now has a number of dive support vessel (DSV) designs to its name, of which some are catamarans and others monohulls. The largest of these is a 56 m catamaran DSV, Bhagwan Dryden, which has a first-of-type fully integrated catamaran hullform unit with multiple power generation units coupled to an advanced control system and azimuth propulsors and deck equipment. Others include Oceanicasub IV and Oceanicasub V, two 43 m DSVs with a wide array of dive support equipment, including a deck crane, A-frame for a remotely operated vehicle, dive bell frame and hyperbaric chamber, and a 42.5 m monohull DSV, Sistac Victoria, a purpose-built unit with fully integrated dive systems. They are complemented in its design portfolio by two 18 m catamaran DSVs, which were ordered from the company early in 2017 by Legacy Marine Group of Port Elizabeth, South Africa. Currently under construction, these catamaran hullform DSVs are being built for Stapem Offshore for operation in the coastal waters off Angola, Stapem Offshore being a provider of marine, subsea and maintenance services to companies in the offshore oil and gas industry that has been operational in Angola since 1989 and in Congo since 2009. It specialises in multidiscipline engineering,

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18TH VOLUME, NO. 75 DATED 17 SEPTEMBER 2017 procurement, construction, and commissioning and maintenance projects and has an operating base in Sonils Base with warehouses, workshops, storage yards, transportation facilities and accommodation. Stapem Offshore’s new vessels are a customised design specific to supporting dive operations offshore West Africa where they will work closely with floating production units and other platforms. Incat Crowther describes the bow configuration as designed for efficient interaction with personal transfer ladders on floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) units and fixed platforms. Robust fendering is to be provided around the perimeter of the vessel to protect it from damage. The aft deck utilises available space by combining deck lockers and racks for dive equipment storage with a covered dive prepping area. The vessel will have four fold-down dive ladders for water access and three swing davits to assist divers plus a deck crane for additional operational support. The main cabin has seating for 12 and a dive operations panel for monitoring dives. Designed to achieve speeds in excess of 20 knots, the vessel’s propulsion takes the form of two MAN D2876LE402 main engines, each coupled to a Hamilton HJ403 waterjet through ZF 360 gearboxes. Electrical power for the vessel and all dive operations will be provided by two Fischer Panda generators. Other items fitted below deck include a hydraulic power unit with its own designated engine and pump, a Caviblaster system, high-pressure and low-pressure compressors and storage systems. With a waterline length of 17.0 m and a beam of 6.0 m, the newbuilds for Stapem Offshore will have a hull draught of 1.16 m. With a crew of two, the new units will have two fuel tanks, each for 1,750 litres of fuel, and tanks for 500 litres of water and 500 litres of sullage. The newbuilds will have a service speed of 20 knots and maximum speed of 23.5 knots. They will bear the class notation ABS +A1 (E) HSC Coastal Craft + AMS. (Source: Offshore Support Journal)

HORNBECK OFFSHORE IN HALIFAX

The first Hornbeck Offshore Services Inc (HOS) ship to call in Halifax tied up at Pier 9 C on Saturday September 9. HOS Red Dawn was the first of a series of supply boats in the HOSMAX 300 class and was built by Eastern Shipbuilding of Panama City, FL in 2013. With a deadweight tonnage of 5,000 and large clear deck space, they are suitable for numerous offshore tasks. The ship is also diesel electric powered, with a four Cat engines mounted well forward, working through a GE system to drive two Schottel Z-drives mounted aft, giving 6,704 bhp. They also power the usual transverse thrusters. The resultant lack of shafting maximizes below deck tank space for dry and liquid cargoes. The 3911 grt ship, has berthing for 50 in 17 staterooms and features DP2 and numerous other state of the art systems. It appears that the ship is fitting out for cable transport, since a number of gray painted steel fabrications arrived at the dock at the same time. HOS has several ships that lay communication and data cabling for offshore energy projects. Since this ship is US flagged, the work will likely take place in US waters. Several ships have loaded cable tank frames here in the last year or so, and then proceeded to Newington, NH to load fibre optic cable manufactured by Tyco. HOS is a major US flag supply boat operator, based in Louisiana, and currently has a fleet of around 70 vessels although several may still be laid up as a result of the US oil industry slowdown. In 2016 they

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18TH VOLUME, NO. 75 DATED 17 SEPTEMBER 2017 had reportedly "stacked" more than 30 boats, which represented 80 % of the fleet. In 2013 HOS sold their "downstream" fleet of nine ocean tugs and tanker barges to Genesis Energy. (Source: Mac Mackay-Tugfax)

MALAVIYA SEVEN: COURT ALLOWS SALE OF BOAT DETAINED OVER UNPAID WAGES

A sheriff has granted a warrant to allow the sale of a boat which has been detained at Aberdeen harbour for more than a year because workers have not been paid. The Malaviya Seven was detained in June last year under merchant shipping regulations, and again in October. The International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF) believes the crew are now owed more than £600,000 in total. Wages will be paid from the proceeds of the offshore vessel's sale at auction. Aberdeen Sheriff Court heard there has already been interest in the vessel, which will be advertised for sale around the world. The ITF union expects the sale to cover the unpaid wages of the Indian crew. The court heard Aberdeen Harbour Board is owed money, and will request first right to any excess funds after the crew is paid. The court previously ruled the ship should be valued for sale. A broker prepared a report for the sheriff to consider. A writ was earlier served which prevented the ship from leaving Aberdeen harbour. Vessel owner GOL Offshore is now in liquidation. The crew say they have missed their families, but have found local people very welcoming. They did not want to leave the ship as they feared never getting paid. Malaviya Seven chief officer Bamadev Swain is one of those still on board the ship. Mr Swain previously told BBC Scotland: "My daughter keeps asking every now and then: 'When is papa coming back?' "It's very difficult." The crew were recently guests of honour at Peterhead FC for an Irn Bru Cup game with Annan Athletic at Balmoor Stadium, after the club learned of their plight. (Source: BBC News)

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OCEAN LIFTING BARGE – ONCE AGAIN, OCEAN INNOVATES WITH THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF A NEW EQUIPMENT

Ocean receives a visit from the Minister for Maritime Affairs, Jean D'Amour, following the granting of a subsidy under the Marine Transportation Infrastructure Investment Support Program. The Government of Québec has provided $ 914,250 in financial assistance to Ocean Marine Works Inc. for the implementation of the lifting barge project. The Ocean lifting barge is a new equipment designed and manufactured by Ocean’s teams. This new equipment will be able to adapt, in the manner of an elevator, to all the configurations of the port sites. This solution, complementary to existing means of transport, will promote shipping on the St. Lawrence. As our Chief Executive Officer, Jacques Tanguay, points out, "The ingenuity of our teams has made it possible to meet the needs by creating new equipment that will complement and facilitate the short sea shipping logistics chain on the Saint Laurent. This project fits perfectly with the orientations of the Government of Quebec's Maritime Strategy. " Watch the video HERE (Press Release)

FINAL TRIP FOR HERMOD CRANE VESSEL

Heerema Marine Contractors has shared images showing the loading of the semi-submersible crane vessel Hermod on the heavy transport vessel Dockwise Vanguard, marking the beginning of the end for the crane vessel built in 1970s. To remind, HMC announced last week that the company was going to retire and recycle the Hermod at the end of the year after nearly 40 years in operation. Heerema said that the Chinese demolition yard would execute the recycling operation with about 98 percent of the vessel materials to be recycled and reused. The demolition of Hermod will be performed in accordance with the Hong Kong International Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships and in line with the European Union Ship Recycling Regulation. After delivery by the

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Japanese Mitsui yard in 1978, Hermod’s first job was the installation of the Piper A platform on the United Kingdom Continental Shelf. The vessel executed its first project outside the North Sea in Brazil in the mid-eighties, followed by projects in the Gulf of Mexico, South East Asia, and Africa. Hermod worked in more than 25 countries and was involved in several ‘first’ installation projects, like the first North Sea tension leg platform named Hutton in 1984, first deepwater foundation piles of the first TLP in the Gulf of Mexico (Auger), among others. The heaviest lift performed by Hermod was the Peregrino topside in Brazil in 2010 with a dry weight of 6,287 mT. Hermod and its sister vessel Balder, designed and constructed in the 1970s, were the first semi-submersible crane vessels of its kind in the offshore construction industry. (Source: Offshore Energy Today)

IRMA DELAYS OFFSHORE REBOUND

For those waiting for offshore activity to improve, the wait may have been extended by Hurricane Irma. It has to do with petroleum demand and what that means for oil prices, which is what drives the energy business. Several weeks ago we were all focused on Hurricane Harvey as it targeted the Texas Gulf Coast, the heart of the nation’s oil production and refining industry. While the hurricane’s wind impact centered on Corpus Christi, the rain-related event blasted the Houston- Port Arthur-Baytown region, forcing the closure of 31% of the nation’s refining capacity, along with a significant share of the U.S. petrochemical industry. The Houston flooding disrupted the economic life of the region, and ultimately that of the nation. The extent of the disruption became clear last week when the Energy Department released its data on petroleum inventories, production, consumption and imports. Crude oil inventories rose by 4.6 million bbls. as exports were constrained and refineries shut down. Gasoline supplies fell by 3.2 million bbls. as supplies were shipped out and none arrived to replace it. A Daily gasoline consumption fell by nearly 700,000 bbls. and jet fuel declined by 400,000 bbls. a day. Falling supplies have resulted in a jump in gasoline prices of more than 35-cents a gallon. The Gulf Coast recovery is underway and petroleum supply is slowly increasing. Gulf Coast energy demand is also increasing. But along came Irma, blasting Florida, whose economy accounts for 5% of the nation’s gross domestic product. With a GDP of $926.8 billion, it’s the nation’s fourth largest economy. Were it a nation, Florida would be the 16th largest economy in the world. Tourism is a significant component of Florida’s economy. Thus, fuel use — driving and flying — will be hurt. At present, it’s unknown how long or by how much the state’s economy and its tourism sector will be affected, but energy consumption will be down in the near- term. This is all bad news for energy, just as signs of some offshore improvement were emerging. According to Jeremy D. Thigpen, president and CEO of Transocean Inc., a large global offshore driller, several deepwater Gulf of Mexico projects have now achieved comparable well breakeven prices to those of onshore wells. This is important because, Thigpen said, long-term “land cannot compete with offshore in the area of reserve replacement” due to their higher output and lower

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18TH VOLUME, NO. 75 DATED 17 SEPTEMBER 2017 production decline rates. The long-term importance of offshore oil has not been forgotten by major oil companies, but right now they are intent on preserving dividends, which results in a focus on quick onshore cash-on-cash return projects. Petroleum consumption will rebound once hurricane recoveries are fully underway. Lower petroleum prices due to expanded supplies will help. Producer efforts to bring offshore field development costs in line with those of onshore wells is the best news for the industry. As the offshore advantage of greater output and slower declines from wells become clearer, producers will begin adjusting their activity planning for 2018 and beyond. We don’t know how quickly that shift will happen, but it will come. This can’t come soon enough for the offshore industry. (Source: Workboat.com)

WINDFARM NEWS - RENEWABLES

SABELLA COMPLETES D10 TURBINE EXPORT CABLE FIX

Sabella’s team has completed the replacement of a new dry mate connector at the end of the export cable connecting the D10 tidal turbine to Ushant’s coast. The operation was carried out with the MV Olympic Taurus, a multi-purpose vessel chartered by Mojo Maritime France (James Fisher Marine Services). The connector at the end of the export cable was damaged during the first deployment of the tidal turbine in June 2015, after a non-properly controlled sea operation carried out with a German installation vessel in the Fromveur Passage. Despite the damages caused on the export cable, the tidal turbine was able to function correctly during the initial one-year authorization period. The dry-mate connector was recovered in July 2016 by Mojo Maritime during the retrieval of the D10 turbine by the Norwegian vessel MV Aker Wayfarer. The export cable, equipped with a waterproof head cover, was then laid back on the seabed. While D10 is undergoing maintenance and optimization works in Brest before a redeployment on her support structure, planned later this year, Sabella took advantage of favourable summer weather conditions to carry out marine operations for the cable, in order to minimize the duration of the upcoming turbine installation operations, the company said. The MV Olympic Taurus kept her position on site for more than two days to complete the operation. (Source: Subsea World News)

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GREAT WORKBOATS OF 2017: APPLY NOW

Will your vessel be honored as a “Great Workboat of 2017” in the December 2017 edition of Marine News? Every year, Marine News profiles the most outstanding vessels built in shipyards in North America, recognizing builders, owners and designers as leaders in their field. This edition — the much anticipated end-of-the-year edition — generates much excitement, as your work is profiled and delivered to the largest audited b2b maritime industry audience in this genre. The only way to have your vessel / workboat featured in Marine News' December 2017 edition is to complete the application by November 1, 2017. Only vessels delivered in 2017 will be considered. Click the link to get started: GREAT WORKBOATS OF 2017. (Source: MarineLink)

ACTA MARINE REVEALS STELLAR NAME OF THEIR NEW BUILT DP2 WALK TO WORK CONSTRUCTION SUPPORT VESSEL

The construction of Acta Marine’s new built Ulstein SX195 walk to work vessel is progressing well and on schedule at Crist shipyard in Poland. Acta Marine is pleased and proud to announce that the vessel will sail under the name Acta Auriga. Upon delivery the Acta Auriga will join Acta Auriga, her semi-sister vessel, and as such form the second vessel in the Acta fleet dedicated for walk to work, offshore logistics and accommodation services for a variety of clients in the offshore renewable industry. The vessel is named after the constellation Auriga, Auriga means “the charioteer” in Latin. The charioteer plays a crucial role in logistics and support and is therefore

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18TH VOLUME, NO. 75 DATED 17 SEPTEMBER 2017 indispensable in the fields of battle. This will also be the endeavour of Acta Auriga in offshore wind construction projects and/or related markets such as decommissioning and O&G services; the vessel will break new grounds in workability, in-field agility, offshore logistics and comfort on board for 120 persons combined with a low fuel consumption. The completed hull is expected to be towed from of Crist, Poland to Ulsteinvik, Norway early November 2017. Thereafter Ulstein Verft will complete the outfitting of the vessel and the installation of the SMST provided mission equipment - motion compensated gangway and 3D crane. Delivery of Acta Marine’s Acta Auriga is slated for end Q1 2018. Acta Marine will be present at Offshore Energy 2017 in Amsterdam Rai on the 10th and 11th of October. Feel free to drop by our stand 1.141 where we will be happy to tell you all about our Acta Auriga and other vessels and services and explain why we are the trusted marine support provider. Acta Marine is a trusted marine support provider with a versatile fleet of over 40 vessels. We operate globally; supporting clients working on coastal infrastructure and offshore energy projects. We work in a broad range of maritime sectors. DP Multicats, Walk-to-work Vessels, Crew Transfer Vessels, Multipurpose & Survey Vessels, and Barges – our fleet is capable of taking on a wide scope of jobs. Our work is carried out by a motivated and professional team of personnel. With our proven track record, we strive continuously to optimise our services, providing our clients with the most effective solutions. We started out in 1970 – and still operate as – a family-owned business. With a long-term focus, we take care of all aspects of our business; our clients, business partners, our people, our assets, and the environment we work in. (Press Release)

NEMO LINK CABLE MAKES LANDFALL IN UK

Nemo Link, the joint venture between Belgium’s Elia and National Grid UK that will operate the first electricity interconnection between Belgium and the UK, has started laying the first 59km of double subsea cable between the UK onshore landing point and the French offshore section. The cable was this week successfully pulled-in at the beach of Pegwell Bay in Kent. Prior to the installation, the subsea cable was transferred from a cargo vessel to Deep Ocean’s Maersk Connector at the port of Blyth at the end of August. After the load-out, the Maersk Connector set path to Pegwell Bay where, at a 9km distance from the shore, two 10km sections of the double 59km subsea cable were transpooled to the second cable laying vessel. Both vessels then started laying the cable in opposite directions: the BoDo Installer headed towards the UK landing

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18TH VOLUME, NO. 75 DATED 17 SEPTEMBER 2017 point, while the Maersk Connector moved in the direction of the French territorial waters. The majority of the UK part for the subsea interconnector has been installed, Elia said. The remaining 71km of double subsea cable will be installed in Belgium territorial waters during spring 2018. The electricity interconnector is scheduled to be taken into use early 2019, allowing two way energy flows between the UK and Belgium. (Source: Offshore Wind)

HORIZON GEOSCIENCES AND ATLANTIC MARINE TEAM UP ON GEOTECHNICAL INVESTIGATIONS

Horizon Geosciences and Atlantic Marine have teamed up to provide a new seabed geotechnical investigation spread comprising the vessel Atlantic Carrier and Horizon’s seabed CPT and sampling systems. Horizon Geosciences’ Managing Director Rich Metters said that the spread is being mobilised due to increased demand for the company’s geotechnical site investigation services, particularly from the offshore wind industry. The 200kN seabed CPT system has an existing track record of conducting shallow and deep push tests in the North Sea having until recently been deployed in combination with a geotechnical drilling rig from the vessel Horizon Geobay. Taking advantage of the standalone launch and recovery system that accompanies the 200kN CPT it will now be mobilised over the moonpool of the Atlantic Carrier in combination with a vibrocorer and offshore soils testing laboratory. The spread currently has two confirmed projects within the North Sea offshore wind sector. (Source: Offshore Wind)

ACTA MARINE ASSISTS IN UXO SURVEY PROJECTS

Acta Marine has deployed two vessels on unexploded ordnance (UXO) survey projects for two future European subsea cable routes. “In preparation for offshore wind and power cable projects, operators want to have their proposed cable routes surveyed for potential unexploded

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ordinance,” said the company’s Commercial Manager Bert de Ruiter. Because of the shallow draft requirements of both projects, Acta Marine has deployed their vessel Offshore Phantom. However, due to a high vessel occupation rate, the company was not able to supply the second vessel from its fleet, and has thus teamed up with Marine Projects Rotterdam who provided the vessel MPR Sounder. UXO surveys are performed by towing gradiometer equipment over the seabed. The equipment is towed at a distance behind the vessel so that it is unaffected by electromagnetic effects of the vessel itself. The survey vessel also needs to be equipped with a Multi Beam Echosounder (MBE), and sonar and acoustics transducers to investigate the surface of the seabed and the positioning of the gradiometer wings. (Source: Offshore Wind)

DREDGING NEWS

WEEKS MARINE TO CONTINUE BUXTON OPERATIONS

Weeks Marine has just reported that the cutterhead dredge C.R. McCaskill has completed drydock inspection and was towed from Charleston (SC) to Wilmington (NC) on Wednesday, September 6. reported Weeks Marine. “After remaining in Wilmington for a few days waiting for the passage of Hurricane Irma, the dredge left Wilmington and is under tow to Buxton. It is expected to arrive at the jobsite by Friday morning, September 15,” The company also added that the beach crew will be moving dozers, loaders, and other support equipment from the staging area to the beach in front of the north end of the village of Buxton. The fenced construction zone will be set up in the next couple of days, and pumping is expected to resume shortly after the arrival of the dredge C.R. McCaskill. In the meantime, the hopper dredge R.N. Weeks departed the dry dock in Louisiana this morning. It is expected to take approximately 7–10 days for the dredge to arrive in Buxton. On-site, pre-dredging inspection will be arranged with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers upon the arrival of the hopper dredge. R.N. Weeks will use the second landing point located approximately 5,000 feet north of the first landing point, and pumping will proceed south to tie in with the sections that were completed by the cutterhead dredge. (Source: Dredging Today)

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YARD NEWS

GROENEVELDT MARINE CONSTRUCTION TO BUILD GEOTECHNICAL SURVEYVESSEL FOR GSNED

Groeneveldt Marine Construction, GMC, located in H.I.Ambacht, The Netherlands has received an order from GSNED at Terneuzen, The Netherlands to build a high-tech multi purpose survey vessel, named GSNED 17. The GSNED 17 will be built to the owners specification under Dutch Shipping Inspection Class and is to be delivered November 2017. The vessel will be 20 m in length with a breadth of 6m, powered by 2 Volvo diesel engines each developing 300 hp and fitted with a bowthruster. Specialized equipment for surveywork and sea/river bottom load bearing analysis (sondering) will be fitted. Groeneveldt Marine Construction specializes in standard and custom build vessels. GSNED is marketleader for inland and offshore survey work.

ROLLS-ROYCE UNVEILS AUTONOMOUS NAVAL VESSEL CONCEPT

Rolls-Royce has unveiled plans for an autonomous naval vessel that it will market to international navies as interest from the naval sector increases. Rolls-Royce says the autonomous vessel will have a range 3,500 nautical miles and is designed for single-role missions such as patrol & surveillance, mine detection, and fleet screening. The fully-electric concept vessel is capable of operating beyond the horizon for over 100 days and will displace 700 tonnes and reach speeds above 25 knots. “Rolls- Royce is seeing interest from major navies in autonomous, rather than remote controlled, ships,” according to Benjamin Thorp, Rolls-Royce, General Manager Naval Electrics, Automation and Control. “Such ships offer a way to deliver increased operational capability, reduce the risk to crew and cut both operating and build costs.” For the naval concept, the vessel will feature a fully electric

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18TH VOLUME, NO. 75 DATED 17 SEPTEMBER 2017 propulsion system, requiring fewer auxiliary systems and offering more reliability than mechanical counterparts. The concept has two Rolls-Royce MTU 4000 Series gensets providing around 4MW electrical power to a 1.5MW propulsion drive, and permanent Magnet Azipull thrusters with a bow- mounted thruster for high maneuverability. To reduce fuel consumption and extend operational range, solar panels and an additional 3000 kWh of energy storage to be used during low-speed standby operations. In recent years Rolls-Royce has positioned itself at the forefront of the development of autonomous and unmanned ships within the commercial sector. But due to ever-increasing pressure on defense budgets, Rolls-Royce says international navies have also taken notice of unmanned technology as a possible route to reducing with costs associated with crew. The removal of manpower will also radically change naval ship design, making vessels smaller and bringing immediate cost savings. Yet Rolls-Royce acknowledges that the absence of crew increases the need for very reliable power and propulsion systems. To combat the issue, Rolls-Royce has created what it believes to be the world’s first Intelligent Awareness System, combining multiple sensors with Artificial Intelligence and system redundancy. A suite of autonomous support tools, developed by Rolls-Royce, will help with Energy Management, Equipment Health Monitoring and predictive and remote maintenance. “The operational profile of these platforms will be more complicated than commercial unmanned vessels,” says Thorp. “They will be expected to sail from A to B on patrol, avoiding ships and other navigational hazards. At some point between A and B, they will detect something, maybe a submarine, and the mission will change to tracking and surveillance. The power and propulsion system will then need to adopt an ultra-quiet mode to avoid detection.” “Over the next 10 years or so, Rolls-Royce expects to see the introduction of medium sized unmanned platforms, particularly in leading navies, as the concept of mixed manned and unmanned fleets develops. With our experience and capabilities we expect to lead the field,” Thorp said. (Source: gCaptain)

VARD DESIGNS CABLE LAYER FOR JAPAN’S KOKUSAI CABLE SHIP

Vard Design has won a contract from Sri Lanka's Colombo Dockyard for the design of a cable lay vessel under construction at the the shipyard for Kokusai Cable Ship Co. Ltd, Japan. The Vard 9 01 design vessel measures 113.1 m x 21.5 m and is tailor-made for efficient installation and repair of subsea telecom cables. Additionally, it is prepared for the expanding power cable installation market by incorporating a high capacity below-deck cable carousel. Developed in close cooperation with the shipowner, the shipyard and key suppliers, the vessel will add a new level of efficiency and capability to the cable laying market in Japan. Built in accordance with ClassNK and Japanese flag regulations anf all relevant international safety and environmental standards, the vessel will feature diesel electric propulsion, DP2 positioning and large cable tanks combined with a 2,000 ton capacity carousel. Total cable carrying capacity is 5,000 tons. The vessel will also have a dual cable lay system, A-frame, hydro plow and trenching ROV. Erik Haakonsholm, Senior Vice President in Vard Design, says, 'Vard Design has designed 185 specialized vessels for shipowners and shipbuilders all

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over the world. We are proud to be selected by Kokusai Cable Ship together with Colombo Dockyard to design their new flagship. Our first cable layer of Vard 9 01 design was built by Vard in 2014, and the new vessel for operations in the Japanese market is a further evolution of this vessel, with additional capacity and power cable installation features.' The keel laying ceremony for the vessel was held in Colombo on September 7. Delivery is set for 2019. (Source: MarineLog)

NEWBUILD COMBINES CABLE LAY, TRENCHING AND ROCK INSTALLATION CAPABILITY

DEME Group’s new cablelay vessel Living Stone has already been awarded three contracts – proof if any were needed of its extremely high-spec design and cost-effective mode of operation. Due to enter service shortly, Living Stone. DEME Group’s new cablelay, trenching and rock installation vessel, has a considerable backlog ahead of it. The first project it will undertake will see it install the inter-array cables on the Merkur offshore windfarm in the North Sea. The second contract, awarded by Dong Energy to Tideway, a subsidiary of DEME, will see the ship install the cabling for the Hornsea Project One offshore windfarm. The third project is an interconnector job. For the Hornsea Project One contract, Tideway will deploy DEME’s dynamic positioning class 3 vessel to install the cables on what will be the world’s largest offshore windfarm. The scope of work to be undertaken by Tideway includes cablelay, pre- trenching, backfilling, pre-sweeping, route preparation and rock placement for three high voltage subsea power cables from three offshore substations to the shore, as well as the installation of two interlink cables. Describing the contract and the company’s role in it, Hugo Bouvy and Lucas Bols,

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18TH VOLUME, NO. 75 DATED 17 SEPTEMBER 2017 directors at Tideway, said the work on Hornsea Project One would make use of the vessel’s innovative, modular cable/umbilical-handling system, which has a 10,000-tonne cable capacity divided over two turntables, both of which are arranged below deck. The second contract that will be undertaken by Living Stone was awarded to Dredging International, also part of DEME Group, which has secured a contract from Belgian transmission system operator Elia to install the power cables for a modular offshore grid in the North Sea. DEME will use a number of newly built vessels from its fleet to carry out the work, including Living Stone and the trailing suction hopper dredgers Minerva – the first of its type in the world with dual-fuel liquefied natural gas (LNG) propulsion – and Scheldt River. DEME will use Minerva and Scheldt River to prepare the seabed before installing the cable from Living Stone. Elia’s modular offshore grid includes a substation located about 40 km off the coast of Zeebrugge to which four windfarms will be connected. Submarine cables will link the platform with a substation in Belgium, where electricity from the windfarms will be injected into the Belgian grid. The contract includes the supply, installation and maintenance of the submarine power cables. One 220 kV power cable will be installed along a 4.5 km route between the substation and the first windfarm. Two 220 kV submarine power cables of approximately 39 km each will be installed from the substation to the onshore connection point at Zeebrugge. Like Minerva, Living Stone also has dual-fuel engines and will use LNG as its primary fuel. Built at Spanish shipyard LaNaval, the vessel’s turntables can transport more than 200 km of cable. With deck space of 3,500m2 and an innovative cable-handling system with cable-handling tools for cable ends, connections and cable protection systems accommodated on deck, Living Stone can also be equipped with a third carousel with an additional loading capacity of 2,000 tonnes, if required. Complementing this huge cable-carrying capacity are remotely operated vehicles and a subsea trenching tool and fallpipe system that will be used to lower rock to protect cables once they have been installed. The vessel also has a 7.7 m by 7.7 m moonpool and a 600-tonne crane for the installation and removal of subsea structures and will provide accommodation for up to 100 people. It can be also be fitted with a 65-tonne safe working load A-frame that will have a telescopic docking frame and a winch with slack motion compensation. Unsurprisingly, given all of the above- mentioned capability and technology developed in house by Tideway, DEME claims that Living Stone will install cables more quickly and more efficiently and in longer lengths and with fewer offshore joints than any other cable installation vessel. (Source: Offshore Support Journal)

SEA MACHINES LAUNCHES 1 ST AUTONOMY PRODUCT FOR THE MARINE MARKET

Industrial-Grade Autonomy for Increased Productivity and Safety of Workboats Sea Machines Robotics announced the release of the company’s first product, an Autonomous Control System for commercial marine vessels, the Sea Machines 300 The Sea Machines 300 is the world’s first industrial-grade control system that is standardized for work boats. The technology provides an immediate upgrade in vessel operations by enabling remote and autonomous control of conventional boats. The Sea Machines system moves the marine sector into a

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18TH VOLUME, NO. 75 DATED 17 SEPTEMBER 2017 new era of control by enabling: Direct Remote Command, which is remote joystick control of a boat with a 1-kilometer range. Giving an operator the flexibility of not being confined to a vessel during operations; boosting productivity and safety of many traditional marine tasks Autonomous Command, is Sea Machines computer control which pilots a boat in preplanned or routine long duration missions with real-time self-awareness to keep the vessel on plan, on course, away from obstacles, while giving increased capability, predictability, amplified safety, and operator peace of mind. Sea Machines is going to market by offering the Sea Machines 300 system to offshore and near shore vessel operators, boat builders and a network of retrofit partners. “The Sea Machines 300 opens a new world of on-water operations providing multifold increases in workboat safety, efficiency, and productivity. Sea Machines technology gives companies the ability to get ahead of the marine technology curve”, said Sea Machines CEO Michael G. Johnson. “We are making autonomous & remote command a standardized product that soon will be as commonly deployed as radar or chart plotter systems.” The Sea Machines 300 is built on marine industrial Siemens components and computers. It interfaces with vessel instruments and systems and is ready to integrate with an array of propulsion configurations. The system takes data from typical navigation sensors for real time awareness and perception, including DGPS, AIS, and radar. All autonomy system components are mounted in a marine IP67-rated electrical enclosure. The system is supplied with a user interface, called Sea Machines TALOS, which provides computer controlled autonomy options, or direct joystick control. TALOS can also control multiple vessels from a single station. In autonomy mode, the user can select from programmable commands such as: planned waypoint tracking/grids, collaborative navigation with other vessels, all while incorporating multi-objective decision making. The Sea Machines 300 features embedded collision avoidance algorithms and abides by parts of IMO’s COLREGs navigation rules. The Sea Machines 300 provides a new realm of vessel operations, allowing an on-board crew to focus on other operations like back-deck tasks, or the system now unlocks the ability to operate a vessel in minimally-manned or unmanned configurations. An operator can now command a boat from a remote location with the visibility of vessel-born video and radar feed and gives the ability to remotely control onboard payloads such as survey sonars, winches, cranes, and davits. The Sea Machines 300 provides an immediate upgrade to traditional workboat tasks such as bathymetric surveying, seismic support, spill operations, dredging, aquaculture, surveillance, area marking, and escort. The release of the product follows 18 months of inshore and offshore testing activities. Additionally, the Sea Machines system has been deployed by pilot customers using this technology to move their conventional operations into the 21st century of advanced control. Retail price of the Sea Machines 300 system is $98,500 and is available for order.Sea Machines Robotics Inc., founded in Boston in 2014, is a growing venture-backed company that is fully focused on 21st century innovation for the marine and maritime sectors. Further information is at www.sea-machines.com

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

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18TH VOLUME, NO. 75 DATED 17 SEPTEMBER 2017

 Tugs ordered for Caspian Operations  Talas on trails in the Rotterdam Europoort  Emba commenced trails  Damen Shipyards Group delivers Shoalbuster 3209 to ISA Towage B.V.  Svitzer purchases newbuild 70 tbp ASD tug strengthening the fleet in Avonmouth

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