21st Volume, No.

66 1963 – “57 years tugboatman” – 2020 Dated 19 August 2020

Buying, Sales, New building, Renaming and other Tugs Towing & Offshore Industry News
Distribution twice a week 17.300+

MIDWEEK–EDITION

TUGS & TOWING NEWS

L&L M ARI NE ACCEPTS DELIVERY OF ITS FIRST NEWBUILD WITH

COMPLETE T HORDON PROPULSION PACKAGE
Amelia Ray, the 1600hp
towboat Rodriquez
Shipbuilding delivered to
Mississippi operator L&L
Marine Transportation in June,
is now operational with a full
range of Thordon oil-free and
grease-free bearings designed to
reduce a vessel’s lost charter
days. The 65ft (20m) newbuild
is the first vessel in the L&L
Marine fleet to be specified
with a Thordon propulsion
package at the vessel design
stage. The decision to select the
polymer pioneer’s RiverTough
tailshaft bearings, shaft liners, TG100 seals, ThorPlas-Blue rudder bearings, ThorPlas-Blue Self
Aligning Bearings (SAB), and SXL thrust washers for the newbuild follows the success of earlier
retrofits across the owner’s fleet. L&L Marine owner Lee LeBoeuf explained that all his vessels now
operate with only Thordon bearings due to the “significant operational savings” experienced with
the earlier installations. The Harvey, Louisiana-based operator owns a fleet of five vessels. “We
initially replaced all our rubber tailshaft bearings with Thordon’s RiverTough bearings and shaft
liners and found we were able to extend drydocking intervals from three to eight years. “We then
started retrofitting ThorPlas-Blue bearings in the rudder stocks and installing TG100 seals, which
reduced operational costs even further as there is less vessel down time and maintenance. This
means we are more attractive to our customers, more dependable, and more reliable. We can better
plan drydock schedules in line with the operational needs of our customers,” said LeBoeuf. Thordon
Sales Manager Jim Bright said: “L&L Marine, a longtime customer for Thordon Bearings, has a small
fleet of workboats which means that the financial risks are higher if a vessel has to come out of
service for repair work. Lee tells me that the switch to Thordon bearings and seals has not only
mitigated these risks but helped facilitate improvements to the bottom line.” Bright flagged up the
performance of the Self Aligning Bearings, in particular. “The tiller arms of the steering system on
this new vessel were also fitted with Thordon’s Self Aligning Bearings on both the live end of the
steering cylinder and the jockey bar. The SAB, made from ThorPlas-Blue polymer material, is not

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only self-aligning, but it also provides grease-free operation. This allows the tillers to operate with
independent suspension. As the rudder works there is no binding of the jockey bar which would
typically result in increased stress and wear on the bushings, resulting in reduced maintenance and
associated costs.” LeBoeuf attests that while capital expenditure is more than a conventional
tailshaft/propulsion bearing system, the Thordon application aboard Amelia Ray is expected to result
in annual operational savings of US$15,000. “Compared to conventional propulsion and tailshaft
bearings, which require regular maintenance, replacement and frequent drydocking, the Thordon
system results in threefold reduction in operational costs,” said LeBoeuf. Designed by Entech, Amelia
Ray is a twin-screw towboat purpose-built for the transportation of petrochemicals along all inland
and coastal waters in the southern states of the US. Powered by a pair of Mitsubishi S6R2 diesel
engines driving Kahlenberg screws through Twin Disc MGX5321 reduction gears. Two 60kW
Cummins generators provide power to amongst other consumers a Hydra Force electric-over-
hydraulic steering system. With tank capacity to transport 15,000gl (68.1m3) of petrochemicals,
4,100gl (18.6m3) of potable water, 500gl (1.9m3) of lube oil and 400gl (1.5m3) of dirty oil, L&L
Marine’s new boat is Subchapter M compliant and therefore able move barges carrying oil or
hazardous materials in no discharge areas from St. Marks, Florida to Rio Grande, Texas on the
Intracoastal Waterway and rivers not more than three miles from shore. Set to work without the
benefit of a fully-fledged christening due to the Coronavirus crisis, Amelia Ray, named after the
owner’s four-year-old granddaughter, is currently running petrochemical products along the
Mississippi between Houston, Texas and Baton Rouge, Louisiana. L&L Marine has an option on an
additional vessel from of Bayou la Batre-based Rodriquez Shipbuilding but “we will wait to see how
COVID-19 plays out before making the decision,” said LeBoeuf. (Press Release)

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T URKEY ’ S T UZLA TO BUILD THREE MORE ELECTRIC TUGS FOR LO CAL

OPERATOR
Turkish builder Tuzla
Shipyard has been tapped to
supply three all-electric tugs
in a series for local company
Gisas Shipbuilding Industry.
The vessels will be near
identical sisters of Gisas
Power (pictured), which was
delivered to Gisas earlier this
year. The tugs will be
operated primarily in the

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waters off Istanbul. (Source: Baird)

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S HIPPI NG THROUGH THE P ANDEMI C : P ERFECT S TORM OR W AKE UP

C ALL ?
The global pandemic news has
been horrific and certainly an
historic moment in domestic
and worldwide shipping. For
many businesses, the action was
simple; hang the “closed” sign,
furlough or layoff staff and wait
for the approval to re-open. Or
not, depending how long the
virus will linger and continue to
cause hundreds or thousands of
deaths and rising numbers of
cases. Make no mistake, there
will be many businesses
associated with our industry that
will not return. The damages
will be far beyond bars and restaurant businesses. That thought alone will affect future new
construction, markets and financial support. The flip side to the closures and unemployment
numbers were the companies and business activities that were considered essential and “frontline”.
As a country we saluted the tireless efforts of first responders and health care workers as heroic.
That said there were unsung heroes also. Crewmembers on ships, ferry, tug and barges worldwide
that maintained the logistics patterns and kept the shelves, gas tanks, and storefronts filled with
products. Shipyard workers are included in list that continued repairs and construction in an
attempt to maintain delivery schedules and regulatory requirements. Many of these men and
women are still to this day stranded on those ships or shipyards due to the inability of ports,
terminals, cities, states, and countries to develop a safe way for them to travel home and arrange
their reliefs or shift change. This is a serious problem that still exists today as transportation and
shipping continues to be a forgotten essential business and service. That essential service includes
shipbuilding and make no mistake the COVID virus struck hard at the builders and repair yards
worldwide. Within our Amtech and First Harvest Navigation network of companies, we were
midstream in the construction of six chemical carriers in our Hyundai South Korea office, a 750-ft.

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self discharging bulk carrier barge for VTB at Bay Shipbuilding in the Great Lakes and a major ATB
tug refit and modification at Don Jon in Erie, Pennsylvania. Add to those responsibilities four of our
MR 50,000 deadweight tankers due for special survey and drydocking in the first and second quarter
of 2020 and six more of our 25,000 deadweight chemical carriers due in 2021. COVID 19 has
surrounded us for over six months. It has been a formidable enemy. The first project to experience
the sting of the COVID virus was our six vessels under construction at Hyundai Mipo Dockyard in
Ulsan, South Korea. That said the reaction and procedures put in place by the Korean government
and Hyundai in hindsight were simply the gold standard. Testing was immediate. PPE requirements
were upgraded and in most photographs taken during the initial strike of the virus, our supervision
staff looked like they were preparing for brain surgery rather than structural block inspections. It
may sound trivial until you understand that loosing one or more of that supervision team resulted in
the inability to fly new staff into the project. Both a quarantine period and the fact that travel was
not allowed into the country was the “Sword of Damacles” that hung over our heads and played
with possible major delays in the project. As we moved closer to delivery periods positioning both a
forward joining sea trial crew, manufacturers representatives and the actual crew scheduled to take
the vessel to sea at delivery were also subjected to the same difficulties. The costs of the quarantines
and the PPE are easily substantiated for health & safety reasons. The business costs are not. The first
three vessels have been delivered on time and the following hulls are well underway to meeting
their scheduled delivery dates. Much like the use of steroids in professional sports, this project will
have an asterisk placed next to it – “built and delivered under Global Pandemic”. We are proud to
be recognized as completing “first of” projects but this is pushing it. Our staff worked long hard
hours to solve many new problems
including virtual sea trials as our U.S.
staff could not travel to support them.
The Korean yards are blessed with
having most of their subcontractors,
manufacturers and licensees either
located within the new building facility
or nearby distances. That is not the
case in the U.S yards and as a result
delays have occurred receiving
equipment, arranging trucking services
and placing manufacturers
representatives and labor at actual
construction locations where they were
needed. Foreign equipment, normally
flown in for these projects, had little to
no chance of meeting previously agreed
delivery dates. In no uncertain terms
the lack of any National direction to
handle the virus in the U.S. can be
attributed to damages and delays we
experienced as each state determined
how the virus issue would be
addressed. Some considered
transportation and shipbuilding as
“essential” others did not. Many small manufacturing companies were closed, as they did not meet
an “essential business” definition. In one example the Governors office had to be contacted to

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request a waiver for the shipyard to continue operations. Maintaining a solid workforce also
became difficult as the U.S. “positive” numbers peaked in several surrounding areas. All that said –
not one builder, repair yard or worker – threw up his hands waived the white flag or tossed away
his N-95 facemask. And that is a credit to our industry and to the builders and owners we have been
working with. Social distancing takes on a whole new meaning when working the deck plates 10 to
12 hours a day. That workday for us is normally followed with a trip to the bar and a solid meal at a
favorite restaurant. These five months – it was back to the hotel room with a curbside pick up. The
concern now is whether the virus creates a perfect storm that will affect all of the markets – wet,
dry, offshore, container and cruise. We have seen the closing of Meyer Werft Shipyard on what is
claimed as a temporary basis due to the failure of the cruise industry. More then several deliveries
from known cruise companies delayed well into 2021. Product & Chemical tanker markets we are
active in are looking at new supply & demand projections due to drydocking issues and the inability
to exchange crew. Several of our tanker fleet now working towards their third drydock and Special
Survey extensions simply due to COVID concerns and facilities that were closed or quarantined.
Again these are discussions and agreements with class, flag and owners that have never been
addressed in the industry and will have asterisks in there record. Keep your mask on and social
distance. We have no doubt the industry will continue for month in uncharted waters as we define
the “new normal”. (Source: MarineLink)

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S IGNS OF RECOVERY ?
After months of relative
gloom, I detect signs of
improvement for the towage
and salvage industry. My
dejection started to lift
when I saw the Allianz
Safety and Shipping Review
2020, which tells us that
shipping losses are at a
record low, having fallen no
less than 20 per cent in the
past year, and 70 per cent
over the past ten years. This
may not sound like good
news if you are a starving salvor, but Allianz was kind enough to list ten future challenges as a result
of the coronavirus pandemic, almost all of which would lead to more accidents. These include the
inability to do crew changes, which will lead to more fatigue and mental instability and in turn
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might lead to more accidents. It might also lead to less careful maintenance and a greater number of
machinery failures, already one of the major causes of insurance claims. At the same time, there may
be a reduction in the number of surveys and inspections, so potential hazards may not be identified.
There may also be a reduction in the ability of emergency services to respond to accidents and
incidents, while the large number of laid-up tankers and passenger ships are likely to be vulnerable
to extreme weather, piracy and even political instability. Finally, the good people at Allianz point
out that, in an economic downturn, crewing and maintenance budgets are often the first things to
be cut, which leads to all kinds of incidents which tend to benefit towage and salvage companies.
And this should be of particular interest to our industry, because we are not likely to make much
money out of vessels which sink, but we can all profit from accidents and incidents which are less
than fatal, and these are up five per cent year-on-year, with incidents on Ro-Ro vessels up 20 per
cent. And the most common type of incident is machinery failure which, with any luck, will require
the services of tugs. In addition, almost 200 fires were reported last year, an increase of 13 per cent,
and attempted cyber attacks on shipping increased by 400 per cent. Allianz points out that new
technology is not a panacea, but an increasingly useful tool. In my view it may be an increasingly
useful source of revenue for our industry and, since many tugs remain low-tech, it is likely that
cyber attacks and technology failures will help fill our coffers in the future because we will still be
operating while the sophisticated ships are coming to a grinding halt. If I was building tugs today, I
would resist the temptation to festoon them with technology and concentrate on producing ships
which were reliable and not particularly vulnerable to failures of flashy new monitoring systems. I
might even put the money I saved into better training for my engineers so they did not need to be
told when to clean the filters. Another strand of the good news which has been coming my way
recently is the remarkable number of new tugs both ordered and delivered. They seem to be rolling
down the slipways at a remarkable rate, ready for all the disasters which the good people at Allianz
are predicting. Perhaps the most
noteworthy is Seaway Guardian,
which was recently delivered to
the US Department of
Transportation’s St. Lawrence
Seaway Development
Corporation. Designed by Robert
Allan Ltd., it is a TundRA 3600
tug which appears to be ideally
suited for local conditions in the
Seaway. Remarkably, it is the first
new American-built tug to join
the corporation’s fleet since the
St. Lawrence Seaway opened 61
years ago, and took two years to
build at a cost of US$24 million.
This, I suppose, is either a total
vindication or a terrible
indictment of the Jones Act,
depending upon your point of
view. I know many of my
American friends will see it as a
positive, although I can’t help thinking I could buy twice as many tugs and get them delivered in
half the time for the same money where I live. A possible reason why this is their first new tug for

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61 years can be seen when we consider the tug it is replacing – the 62-year-old Robinson Bay –
which, remarkably, will stay on for the foreseeable future as a back-up. Let us hope they donate the
poor old thing to a museum somewhere before it is too late. Staying in North America, some
excellent recent appointments are also good news for our industry. The Towing Vessel Inspection
Bureau (TVIB) have named Tava Foret as their new President, while Lauren Jeppson becomes
Executive Vice President. TVIB is a non-profit trade organisation which carries out marine audits
and surveys for more than 90 tug operators in the USA. Both appointments were by internal
promotion, and Foret has been with the organisation since it was founded in 2010. The
announcement of her appointment lauded her “passion and deep knowledge of the towing
industry.” Jeppson has been with TVIB since 2013 and has been involved in all aspects of its
operations. They sound like ideal appointments. Another ideal appointment was made by the
American Salvage Association (ASA) when they named Lindsay Malen-Habib as their new
President. Lindsay will need no introduction to people in the salvage industry, having deep family
roots in the business and having worked in senior roles with Titan and Resolve Marine. Three
excellent appointments of people who are obviously ideal for the positions they now hold. And that
should be all we need to say, so I was rather disappointed when the ASA saw the need to add that
Ms. Malen-Habib’s appointment “is also a historic event for the organisation, as she is the first
woman to serve as its president.” I feel rather uncomfortable that they needed to say it, because it
raises a suspicion of tokenism. In my view, the TVIB handled things better by making it obvious
they had promoted the most suitable people, and totally ignoring the fact that they happen to be
women. The final item in this month’s list of good news is the utter stupidity of some shipping
people. Hong Kong and Singapore made it very easy to do crew changes during the Covid-19
outbreak, and were a shining example to other ports around the world. So how did the industry
repay them for their generosity of spirit? Some moronic crewing agents ignored the ICS guidelines
and sent in crews who were infected with the virus! Both Hong Kong and Singapore have now made
it much more difficult to do a crew change, although it is perhaps a sign of their good will towards
the shipping industry that they have not made it completely impossible. I think this is excellent
news because the addle-pated lamebrains who ignored all common sense and every guideline to
send infected crewmembers to the small number of ports which were allowing crew changes are
probably the same fools who will be in charge of the ships which we rely upon to provide us with
business. Their cheapskate ways will guarantee there is money to be made by salvors and tug
companies in future, and things will become even better when they apply their cost-cutting
stupidity to autonomous vessels. We may be on the verge of a new Golden Age of salvage and
towage. The reference to golden age allows me to mention two anniversaries which should not be
overlooked. Congratulations to Robert Allan Ltd. on their 90 years in business, and to Smit
Singapore on 45 years. Neither company needs any introduction, but I consider myself fortunate to
have worked with them both. (Source: Baird by Alan Loynd)

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30.00 M ASD F I F I T UG
We are delighted with the
completion of another
successful design built by
TOR Group. The 30m ASD
FiFi tug is a development of
our previously successful
30m tug and marks the 22nd
launched vessel that we have
designed for TOR. Classed to
Bureau Veritas BV-I HULL
MACH TUG FIRE
FIGHTING SHIP 1 AUT-
UMS Unrestricted
Navigation the vessel carries
160m3 of oil fuel, 30m3 of
freshwater, 16.6m3 of water
ballast, 9m3 of foam and
9m3 of detergent. Her overall length is 30m, beam 11m and moulded depth 5m with an operating
draft aft of about 5.2m USK. Propelled by two Yanmar 6EY22AW 1330kW main engines rated at
1330kw, driving Schottel SRP 1012 CP ASD units, on trials it produced 42 Tonnes of Bollard pull
ahead and 40 tonnes astern. Equipped as a FiFi 1 tug she has two fire monitors with a capacity each
of 1200m3 provided by two main engine pumps rated at 1329m3 each. Auxiliary power is from two
Cat C6.6 each rated at 125kw. Deck equipment comprises a forward-mounted towing winch with a
rated line pull of 20t and brake load of 130t, an aft Mampaey 65t towing hook and a hydraulic deck
crane. Accommodation is for 9 persons in a mixture of single and twin-berth cabins, with en-suite
and communal wash places, galley/mess and laundry. At this time the vessel is available for charter
or sale through the TOR Group. (Press Release Macduff)

ACCIDENTS – SALVAGE NEWS

S HIP WITH 1600 TONS OF WHEAT SANK , 13 SAILORS MI SSING

A ship named 'MV Akhtar

Banu-1' carrying 1,600 tons of
wheat sank at Hatia in
Noakhali. Thirteen sailors of
the ship are missing. The
accident took place in Hatiyar
Bhasanchar area on Saturday
(August 15) morning. The ship
was on its way to Narayanganj
after unloading imported
wheat from a large ship
stationed at the outer port of
Chittagong. Zahid Hossain,

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operations manager of Litmond Shipping, the ship's cargo agent, said the sinking ship had an
estimated 1,600 tonnes of wheat belonging to the Abul Khair Group. The sailors of the ship were
not found till night. He said two lighters had been sent to rescue the sailors after receiving the news.
However, no one was found. Bangladesh Lighter Workers Union co-president and joint secretary of
the Shipping Workers Federation. Nabi Alam told reporters that the Coast Guard was working to
rescue the missing sailors. On the other hand, on Saturday (August 15) morning, another shipwreck
named MV City-14 took place in Thengar Char area of Meghna-Bay of Bengal channel. However,
14 crew members, including the master, were rescued alive. According to Chittagong Coast Guard
sources, MV City-14, a cargo ship loaded with raw materials for making sugar, left Chittagong Port
for Narayanganj in the early hours of the morning. Later, on the way to bring raw materials for
making sugar, due to strong currents and waves in the estuary of Meghna-Bay of Bengal, the bottom
of the ship burst and the ship sank with the raw materials for making sugar in Thengar Char area.
At that time, a signal ship and members of the Coast Guard rescued 14 crew members, including the
master of the wrecked ship, alive. Chittagong Coast Guard Station Commander Lieutenant Habibur
Rahman confirmed the sinking of the MV City-14 cargo ship with its cargo. (Source: Daily Jagaran;
Photo: Mirsarai)

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D AMAGED S CHULTE TANKER TOWED TO V LISSINGEN

On 16 August, the Isle of Man flagged LPG tanker 'Moritz Schulte', 8234 GT (IMO: 9220794), was

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hooked up as a dead ship in Antwerp by the tugs 'Multratug 17' and 'Fairplay XIV'. The tug
'Multratug 27' was also there and escorted the convoy which was heading for Vlissingen. At 7.15
p.m. the damaged vessel was moored for repair at the Damen Shiprepair Yard in Vlissinge-Ost. The
ship of Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement UK Ltd. at berth 383 was on the morning of 4 August
caught fire in Antwerp at the Exxon Mobil refinery not far from the Esso refinery in Scheldelaan.
The Esso works fire brigade and emergency services from Antwerp extinguished the fire around
11.30 a.m. Since then, the ship has been lying there on the quay until a repair station was available.
The 'Moritz Schulte' is 128.7 meters long, 18.6 meters wide and has a 7.76 meter draft with a
deadweight of 9,174 tons. The ship of the shipping company Bernhard Schulte in Hamburg was built
in 2002 by the Jiangnan Shipyard (Group) Co., Ltd. delivered in Shanghai. (Source: Esys; Photo: hans
Neels)

C ARGO SHIP IN DI STRESS IN THE B O THNI AN S EA OFF U USIKAUPUNKI .

The dry cargo ship ( Jolie
IMO: 8912481) reported a
fire in the engine room that
had been extinguished by the
crew. The Maritime Rescue
Center Turku received the
notification at half past one
in the afternoon, after which
the Maritime Rescue Center
alerted the rescue
department's MIRG team,
which was transported by sea
rescue helicopter to Turku. The patrol ship Uisko and the patrol boat of the Susiluoto Coast Guard
station, which was the first to arrive at the scene, were also alerted to the scene. The ship was on its
way from Porvoo to Kaskis loaded with fertilizer when a fire broke out in the electrical panel of the
engine room. The crew got the fire extinguished with a hand fire extinguisher and could not spread.
However, the ship was left to drift due to the blackout about 18 miles off the coast. The MIRG team
assisted the crew to ensure that the fire did not re-ignite. A tugboat departing from Uusikaupunki
took the vessel for towing at 5:30 pm and towed it to Uusikaupunki Harbor. (Source: Maritime
Rescue Center Turku: Photo: Turun Sanomat)

M AURITI US : T HE FRONT OF THE W AKASHIO WILL BE SUNK

The front of the bulk carrier, beached off the sister island and broken in two, was to be pulled out to
sea and sunk to a depth of 2000 meters. The front part of the Wakashio, a 300-meter bulk carrier
grounded in the south-east of Mauritius, will be towed "eight nautical miles (14.8 km) from the
outer limit of the reef at a depth of 2,000 meters," the report said. Mauritian national crisis
management committee. "This plan has been validated and approved by the 3 experts sent by France
to Mauritius." A solution that France, through the voice of the Minister of Overseas Territories,
however did not favor Sunday, probably preferring a dismantling of the ship. "I expressed our
caution on this scenario, had explained Sunday evening, on his return from Mauritius, Sébastien
Lecornu. But if the choice to sink the front part of this wreck is taken, I want to make sure that it
does not there will be no impact on biodiversity, ”he added. 175 liters of oil must be removed "We
do not enter into a debate to say who is who is right, who is who is wrong, replied Kavy Ramano,

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the Mauritian Minister of the Environment, interviewed on Linfo.re. It is a decision which was
taken by the experts who
work on the whole towing
aspect. We had discussions
with the French experts. It is
a solution which was
approved by everyone. We
took into consideration the
apprehensions of the Minister
Lecornu, yesterday. We made
sure that the forward end
does not contain any
pollutants. There are about
175 liters of lubricating oil.
Before the ship sinks, we will
make sure that these 175 liters are removed. Otherwise, the part front of the boat does not contain
heavy oil. " Pumping operations will resume when conditions allow The aft part of the boat is
stranded on the reef, the report of the national crisis management committee said. Due to the
inclement weather
conditions, the chief rescue
captain indicated that it is
always risky to remove the
small amount. remaining
residual oil in the engine
room. Oil pumping
operations are expected to
resume as soon as weather
conditions permit. "
Regarding the current clean-
up operations,
"approximately 884 metric
tons of liquid oil waste, 524
metric tons of solid waste
sludge and contaminated debris, and 416 cubic meters of saturated artisanal dams were collected at
midday of the Monday August 17, 2020 ", indicates the same report. (Source: Clicanoo; Photo: AFP)

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NTSB R EPORT AVAI LABLE - C OLLISION BETWEEN B ULK C ARRIER

C ENTURY Q UEEN AND T OWING V ESSEL K AYTLI N M ARIE
Executive Summary. On June
8, 2019, about 1215 local time,
the upbound bulk carrier
Century Queen, with a crew
of 21, and the downbound
towing vessel Kaytlin Marie,
with 7 crewmembers on
board, collided on the Lower
Mississippi River at mile 126
near Hahnville, Louisiana,
while transiting through a
river bend. Three injuries
were reported aboard the
Kaytlin Marie, which spilled a
reported 8,954 gallons of
diesel fuel into the river. Damage to the Century Queen ($383,990) and the Kaytlin Marie ($991,208)
amounted to $1,375,198. Probable Cause The National Transportation Safety Board determines that
the probable cause of the collision between the bulk carrier Century Queen and the towing vessel
Kaytlin Marie was the lack of early and effective communications to confirm a passing arrangement
between the two vessels. The NTSB report is available HERE

S JARK HAD ENGINE STOPPED - WAS RESCUED BY H URTIGRUTEN SHIPS

When a schooner had its

engine stopped off Kvænangen
on Saturday night, it did not
take long before the
Hurtigruten ship MS Nordlys
came to the rescue. The
Hurtigruten ship ended up
having to tow the boat before
the Coast Guard came and took
over. - Fortunately, this is not
a situation we are in often, says
captain Tommy Eliassen to
VG. Fortunately, everything
went well with all those
involved, although the captain
describes proper stormy weather and rough seas. - We had over 100 passengers who got a slightly
unusual view of the dinner, says Eliassen. - How is the atmosphere on board after the recent media
run? - There is a good atmosphere on board. Of course, there are some passengers who are a little
worried, and they ask a little more than usual. But when they see what measures we have
implemented, I think they are reassured, says the captain. Two people on board The incident is said
to have taken place outside Kvænangen in North Troms, the Main Rescue Center informs. - It was
reported that a leisure boat had had its engine stopped. There were two people on board the boat,

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says Tore Hongset, rescue leader for VG and continues: - Hurtigruten MS Nordlys was nearby and
was contacted on the coastal radio. They kept the boat steady until the Coast Guard took over. - Why
did this happen? - We do not know the reason why the leisure boat had its engine stopped. It could
be either a technical fault or a lack of fuel, says the rescue leader. (Source: VG.No)

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T RAWLER "S AYDA " SANK AT THE PIER IN THE K OLA B AY

At the scene, employees of
alarm services and
supervisory authorities
work. The fire occurred on
August 15 in the area of
Three Streams. Smoke from
the fire drifted through the
water along the entire
central part of the city. The
Murmansk Transport
Prosecutor's Office is
conducting a check on the
fact of a fire on a trailer.
According to the press service of the Main Directorate of the Russian Emergencies Ministry for the
Murmansk Region, the decommissioned ship "Sayda" sank at the berth in the Kola Bay. Work is
underway to install a boom in case of bottling of technical liquids and fuel residues, two boom supply
boats of the Emergency Rescue Service of the Northern Branch of the Marine Rescue Service of
Rosmorrechflot are operating. For analysis, water samples were taken from the water area directly
near the vessel. (Source: Телекомпания ТВ-21: Photo: Spasinfo51)

DISASTER REMEMBER TODAY

M.V. D ROMUS – 20 A UGUST 1951
MV Dromus was a 1930s British oil tanker owned by Anglo-Saxon Petroleum, a British subsidiary of
Royal Dutch Shell. She was launched in September 1938 by Harland and Wolff at Belfast in
Northern Ireland. She was one of a class of 20 similar tankers built for Anglo-Saxon. In 1951
Dromus suffered an explosion and fire that killed 22 of her crew and five oil terminal staff, after
which she was extensively repaired. In 1958 she rescued 24 members of the crew of a British tanker
that had been sunk by the CIA. Shell retired Dromus from service in 1962 and she was scrapped

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that year. 1951 explosion in Singapore. In August 1951 Dromus was in Singapore, and on 18 August
she took on a new crew for a
voyage to the Philippines. On
the night of 19–20 August
Dromus was loading at
Wharf Number 6 of the oil
terminal on the island of
Pulau Bukom off Singapore.
During the process of topping
up one of her forward tanks
there was an overflow of oil
from her foredeck and at
about 1250 hrs she suffered
an explosion and fire that
took hold from her forecastle
as far aft as her central superstructure. Dromus' crew and Pulau Bukom's fire-fighting squad fought
the fire. Dromus' Master, Henry Watkins had her stern mooring cables cut to help get her away
from the wharf and for more than an hour, efforts were made to distance Dromus from the oil
terminal to prevent the fire from spreading. Two Singapore Harbour Board fire-fighting tugs, Griper
and Tarik, came to assist, along with five water-boats belonging to Hammer and Company based on
Pulau Bukom. The explosion woke hundreds of Shell employees living 1 mile (1.6 km) away. They
came to the terminal to help fight the fire, while their wives went to Singapore General Hospital to
help to receive the injured. There was a second explosion about 20 minutes after the first, probably
caused by Dromus' flexible hose parting company. Survivors leapt into the sea and swam to safety
under petrol that had spilled onto the water around the ship. The fire worsened until about 0230
hrs. The disaster killed three European officers and 22 Chinese and Malayans, including the ship's
carpenter who was rescued but died in Singapore General Hospital of his injuries. The hospital
treated at least eight other injured, including two officers. Two crew initially listed as missing were
later found safe: late on the afternoon of 20 August Dromus' terrified bosun and quartermaster were
found sheltering behind bushes on the far side of Pulau Bukom, 1 mile (1.6 km) from the disaster
scene. Most of the dead were from Dromus' crew, but five staff of the Pulau Bukom oil terminal
were also among those killed. It took days to find the bodies of some of the missing, and 11 victims'
bodies were so badly injured that they were never identified. For the first few days there was some
confusion to the total number of dead and missing. Despite the explosion, Dromus still contained a
cargo of 8,000 tons of benzene and 2,000 tons of fuel oil that survived the fire. After the fire was put
out and the ship made safe, the cargo was discharged at Pulau Bukom. Aftermath In the days
immediately after the disaster the Port of Singapore's Deputy Master Attendant (equivalent to a
Deputy Port Master) held an initial enquiry that was completed on 29 August. In September 1951
the Governor of Singapore, Sir Franklin Gimson, ordered a Commission of Enquiry. The report of
the Commission's findings was published in February 1952. Captain Watkins and his Chief
engineer, Kenneth Armstrong, were found to have acted correctly and fire precautions taken during
loading were found to have been adequate. The officer of the watch was found to have failed to
keep a close enough eye on the topping up process, but he was among the dead and so could not be
interviewed or called to account. The report speculated, though without any actual evidence, that a
member of the crew could have caused the accident by emerging from the crew quarters while
smoking. The three officers killed were the Chief Officer Edward Dyer, Second Officer Samuel
Pilling and Third Officer Edwin Hearth. All three were buried at Bidadari Cemetery on 21 August.
Ten of the Chinese victims were buried at the Chinese cemetery in Bukit Timah Road. In

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September 1951 Anglo-Saxon and Shell presented an organ to the Seafarers' Chapel in Singapore as
a memorial to those killed on Dromus. The Bishop of Singapore, the Rt. Rev. Henry Baines,
dedicated the organ and paid tribute to the services of the Merchant Navy and Royal Navy to
Singapore's development and defence. In July 1952 five people were honoured for their bravery in
response to the explosion and fire. Queen Elizabeth II made Dromus' Master, Henry Watkins and
Chief Engineer, Kenneth Armstrong MBEs. British Empire Medals were awarded to three Malay
firemen of the Pulau Bukom fire-fighting squad: Sergeant Baharun bin Mat, Corporal Rahman bin
Mohammed and Corporal Mohammed Din bin Abdullah. The fire gutted Dromus' forecastle,
forward tanks and bridge. On 14 September 1951 she was drydocked in Singapore to begin a refit
estimated at S$2,000,000. Dromus was fully repaired and in due course returned to service. 1958
rescue in Borneo On 28 April 1958 at Balikpapan Harbour, in the East Kalimantan Province of
Borneo, a Douglas B-26 Invader bomber aircraft, flown by the CIA and painted black and with no
markings, attacked the Shell oil terminal there. The Invader bombed and sank Eagle Oil and
Shipping's SS San Flaviano and made an unsuccessful attack on Anglo-Saxon Petroleum's MV
Daronia. Immediately after the attack Daronia left Balikpapan for the safety of Singapore, taking
with her 26 of San Flaviano's rescued crew. A few days later Dromus assisted by taking a further 24
of San Flaviano's crew from Balikpapan to Singapore. Shell also evacuated shore-based wives and
families to Singapore and suspended its tanker service to Balikpapan. Withdrawal and scrapping
Dromus remained in Shell service until 1962, when she was scrapped at Yokosuka, Japan. Successor
ship In 2004 Shell chartered the oil tanker Maersk Prime from the Danish shipping company
Maersk and renamed her Dromus. Maersk Prime is a 110,000 ton oil tanker that was built in Dalian,
China in 1999. In March 2010 her charter ended and she reverted to her original owners and name.
(Source: Wikipedia)

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OFFSHORE NEWS

K ONGSBERG M ARI TIME TO CONVERT I SLAND O FFSHORE PSV TRIO TO

HYBRID POWER

Norwegian offshore shipping company Island Offshore has awarded a contract to Kongsberg
Maritime to supply turnkey hybrid battery solutions for three of its platform supply vessels.
Kongsberg Maritime said on Tuesday that it would supply the solutions on the Island Crusader,
Island Contender, and Island Commander. The first two run on a combination of Bergen LNG and
Bergen diesel engines while the third runs on diesel engines. According to the company, the
conversion of all three into hybrid vessels not only represents a firm commitment on the part of
Island Offshore to the principles of environmental responsibility but also has potential for increased
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operational efficiency and a marked reduction in maintenance requirements. It is worth noting that
PSVs typically run multiple
engines to achieve redundancy,
with consequent impacts on fuel
performance, equipment health
and emissions. But Kongsberg
claims that combining
conventional LNG or diesel
engines with its SAVe Energy
battery system will allow for
fewer engines to be running,
improving efficiency by
increasing the load on the
remaining engines. The company
believes that fuel consumption
and running costs will also be reduced through the conversion of the vessels to closed bus-tie
operation. The solution opted for by Island Offshore will operate via a single feed from the energy
storage system (ESS) to the main switchboard – with manual changeover which will enable the
operators to balance out running hours on generators – and a 600kW dual shore connection. Tommy
Walaunet, managing director of Island Offshore Management, said: “We are pleased to be working
with Kongsberg Maritime on this endeavour, as a leading supplier and strategic partner to our
business. “By making this investment despite challenging market conditions, we underline our
commitment to continue reducing our vessels’ environmental footprints, and our strong belief in a
sustainable future for our business”. Gaute Aasen Augestad, regional sales manager at Kongsberg
Maritime, added: “The operational, financial and ecological benefits of hybridisation based on our
lithium-ion SAVe Energy modular energy storage system speak for themselves. “Applying this
concept to the PSV market sets an important precedent for the industry, and we’re pleased to have
been entrusted with delivering this integrated technology package for these Island Offshore vessels”.
(Source: Offshore Energy)

B OURBO N O FFSHORE LISTS SIX STACKED PSV S FOR SALE

French OSV operator Bourbon

Offshore has listed six 2008-built
platform supply vessels for
auction sale on the online
platform of Guangzhou Shipping
Exchange. The eight vessels, all
built at China’s Yangzhou
Dayang Shipbuilding, are
Bourbon Liberty 101, Bourbon
Liberty 104, Bourbon Liberty
106, Bourbon Liberty 107,
Bourbon Liberty 108 and
Bourbon Liberty 109. All of the
vessels are currently cold-stacked. The starting price of each vessel in the auction is $800,000 per
vessel, and VesselsValue‘s valuation is $1.79m each. The online auction will take place on August 28.
(Source: Splash24/7)
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Advertisement

N ORWEGIAN OSV S CHARTERED FO R SUBSEA AND SEISMIC PROJECTS

GLOBALLY

Second only to the US in the

size of its offshore service
vessel fleet, Norway’s global
operational footprint and depth
of experience was evident in
charter contracts awarded over
the last two months Norwegian
OSV owners reported
significant charter awards,
securing contracts to manage
hybrid-battery vessels for the
Norwegian Continental Shelf
(NCS) and deploy specialist
vessels for subsea and seismic
survey activity in the Atlantic,
Brazil and Asia Pacific regions. All the contracts were announced in July and August. Bølmo-based
Eidesvik Offshore was awarded a contract by Aker BP for the ship management of two platform
supply vessels (PSVs) in operation in the NCS starting 1 October 2020. Eidesvik will manage the
battery-hybrid PSVs NS Orla and NS Frayja under a three-year firm contract, with options. Based on
UT 776 CD designs, both vessels were built in 2014 South Korea’s Hyundai Mipo Dockyards, and in
2019, were fitted with battery hybrid solutions. Both vessels are owned by Golden Energy Offshore,
Alesund, Norway. “Eidesvik has been awarded the contract in competition with other suppliers, and
we are very pleased with the confidence Aker BP is showing us,” said Eidesvik Offshore chief
executive and president Jan Fredrik Meling. “The award of the ship management for two modern
vessels with hybrid solutions, in addition to our own vessels in operation, will contribute to a further
development of Eidesvik’s top competence and experience of operating environmentally friendly
tonnage.” Aker BP vice president for logistics and marine Gunn-Elin Hellegaard said “The change of
ship manager for these vessels is part of a long-term strategy, where we have chosen our strategic
partners for the delivery of supply vessel services. We have great confidence in Eidesvik that they
will actively work to optimise the operation of the vessels as part of our common long-term initiative
to redefine the supply chain by increased cost efficiency and sustainable solutions.” Subsea and IMR
services contracts Skudeneshavn-based Solstad Offshore reported the award of a contract with subsea
contractor Ocean Installer for the construction support vessel (CSV) Normand Vision. The contract
commences in Q1 2021, with firm and optional periods covering most of the year, according to
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Solstad. Based on a Vard 3 06 L design and built by STX in 2014, the dynamic positioning class 3-
capable Normand Vision is a
high capacity CSV designed
to install subsea structures,
umbilicals, risers and
flowlines. Normand Vision
has a length overall of 156.7
m, beam of 27 m, draught of
8.5 m, with accommodation
for 140. Highly capable,
Normand Vision has an NOV
main active heave
compensated (AHC) knuckle-
boom main crane, with a
capacity of 400 tonnes, an AHC auxiliary crane, with a 70-tonne capacity and two Oceaneering
Millennium work-class remotely operated vehicles that can be launched through moonpools from
their hangar. Total clear deck space is 1,850 m2. Further enhancing the vessel’s versatility is a 3,000-
tonne carousel below deck and 150-tonne-capacity vertical lay system for installing flexible products,
flowlines and umbilicals. Normand Vision has been contracted to Stavanger-based Ocean Installer
most of the time since its delivery in 2014. Meanwhile, Bergen-based DOF Subsea reported securing
multiple new contracts for survey, inspection, maintenance, repair and decommissioning work in the
Atlantic region. DOF Subsea plans to deploy Skandi Acergy, Skandi Seven and Skandi Skansen for the
contracts. The contracts will be executed in Q3 and Q4 2020, totalling more than 150 offshore vessel
days. The contract announcement follows on the heels of two subsea awards in Asia Pacific region for
DOF Subsea, one for IMR services for Chevron Australia supporting its activities in the North-West
Shelf and another for a moorings replacement and rectification project in southeast Asia. CSV
Southern Ocean, jointly owned by Oceanteam and Bourbon, has secured a new contract by Fugro
Australia with deployment offshore Australia starting Q4 2020 for about 30 days. Oceanteam chief
executive Henk van den IJssel said “Securing this new contract for the CSV Southern Ocean shows
the increased activity in the offshore market and its faith in our assets. The deployment of the vessel
will follow the execution of the planned class renewal programme of CSV Southern Ocean, which is
currently being executed in Singapore and will be completed in September 2020. Based in Bergen, GC
Rieber Shipping reported its 19%-owned geoservices company Shearwater GeoServices was awarded
a seismic survey and processing contract by Oil India Ltd, and a project by CGG in Brazil as part of
the five-year capacity agreement. The project for Oil India Ltd is a combined 3D and 2D towed
streamer seismic acquisition and processing contract in the Andaman Sea and Kerala-Konkan coastal
waters offshore India. The 1,020 km2 3D survey will be executed by one of Shearwater’s high
capacity 3D vessels over about 45 days. Commencing in Q3 2020, the work programme also
comprises 8,400 km of 2D data acquisition. The project includes full 2D and 3D time processing and
depth imaging by Shearwater’s Processing & Imaging business. Being conducted by Oceanic Sirius,
the CGG project is for the Brazil Nebula survey extension. It started in July and will take
approximately six months to complete. (Source: Riviera by John Snyder)

S WIRE P ACIFIC O FFSHORE TO STACK 40% OF FLEET

Offshore vessel operator Swire Pacific Offshore (SPO) is looking to stack nearly 40% of its fleet as
business conditions in the offshore industry continue to deteriorate. According to the company,
currently it has one vessel cold stacked and two vessels warm stacked, and plans to stack at least 28

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vessels of 72 vessels in its fleet by the end of this year. It also plans to sell four vessels. The company’s
charter hire revenue decreased
by 22% to HK$920m ($118.7m)
in the first half of 2020. During
the same period, SPO reported a
loss of HK$4.97bn ($642m),
compared to a loss of HK$633m
($81.7m) in same period of 2019.
“COVID-19 and reduced oil
prices have severely affected the
offshore oil and gas industry.
Exploration and production
companies have cancelled or
suspended existing projects and
deferred future projects. As a
result, there is an oversupply of vessels and day rates will come under pressure. SPO is doing its best
to adapt to market conditions and is managing costs prudently,” the company said. (Source:
Splash24/7)

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A LLSEAS C OMPLETES T YRA R EMOVAL W ORK O FF D ENMARK

Allseas’ heavy lift vessel
Pioneering Spirit has
completed a removal
campaign of processing and
accommodation topsides and
flare jackets as part of the Tyra
Redevelopment Project for
Total E&P Denmark. "Over
the last two weeks, Pioneering
Spirit removed more than
27,000 tonnes of platform
facilities from the North Sea’s
Tyra gas field, transporting the
structures to specialist yards in
Denmark and the Netherlands
for recycling," Allseas said

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21ST VOLUME, NO. 66 DATED 19 AUGUST 2020

Monday. The final two structures, flare jackets, will be transferred from Pioneering Spirit to a cargo
barge for load-in to the Sagro yard in Vlissingen, the Netherlands. The two processing and
accommodation topsides and connected facilities were delivered in two earlier trips to the M.A.R.S.
recycling yard in Frederikshavn, Denmark. Structures were removed one-by-one in a sequence of
lifts that required Pioneering Spirit to cover hundreds of miles between Denmark, the North Sea and
the Netherlands during the two-week execution window. The 14,000 tonne TEA topsides and 7,800
tonne TWA topsides were removed with the vessel’s motion-compensated topsides lift system. For
the smaller, lighter structures, the vessel’s new aft-mounted 5000 t crane was deployed. After transfer
of the flare jackets to a cargo barge in Vlissingen, Pioneering Spirit will sail to Kristiansand, Norway,
to prepare for its final removal job of 2020, the Ninian Northern topsides for Canadian Natural
Resources International. Allseas’ role in the redevelopment project covers engineering, preparation,
removal, transportation, load-in to shore, and recycling of the Tyra East Alpha (TEA) and Tyra West
Alpha (TWA) topsides and jackets, integrated production facilities (IPF) module, two flare jackets,
and monopile. Pioneering Spirit will return to the Tyra field to remove the TWA jacket in 2021 and
the TEA jacket in 2022. Tyra redevelopment The Tyra field, in Blocks 5504/11 and 12, 225km west of
Esbjerg, Denmark, requires redevelopment due to subsidence of the chalk reservoir which has led to
the existing platforms sinking by around 5m over the last 30 years. The $3.36 billion investment into
a redevelopment of the Tyra was approved in 2017 by Maersk Oil as the leader of the Danish
Underground Consortium (DUC). Maersk Oil was then bought by Total, who is now the operator of
the project. The redevelopment includes the removal of some existing facilities and modifications of
existing facilities and building new facilities. Under the investment project, the Tyra East and Tyra
West will be replaced by one new processing platform and one new accommodation platform. The
four wellhead platforms and two riser platforms will have their jackets extended by 10m. (Source:
MarineLink)

RAGNAR CONVERTED FROM W AGENBO RG SUPPLY SHIP ENTERING

M ALTA
The 2012 built Wagenborg
offshore supply ship
SANABORG (Imo 9621522)
was seen here as converted
super yacht RAGNAR
entering Valletta, Malta on
her maiden call on Tuesday
18th August, 2020. The
vessel was built in 2012 for
Wagenborg Rederij;
Netherlands. The Ragnar is
Malta registered with call
sign 9HA5201. She has a grt
of 2272 tons and a dwt of
867 tons. She is owned and
managed by Ragnar
Management Ltd – Valetta;
Malta. (Photo: Capt.
Lawrence Dalli - www.maltashipphotos.com)

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Advertisement

WINDFARM NEWS - RENEWABLES

SMST EQUIPMENT FOR FIRST SOV IN T AIWAN
A milestone for SMST. The
Dutch company that designs
and builds offshore
equipment is going to
deliver its modular mission
equipment to the first ever
Service Operation Vessel
(SOV) to operate in
Taiwanese waters. SMST’s
system package will be at
the heart of the vessel’s
operations, ensuring safe and
efficient transfer of the
vessel’s personnel and cargo. Recently, Vard Vung Tau shipyard in Vietnam has awarded SMST the
contract for the delivery of an Access & Cargo Tower with motion compensated gangway and 3D
Motion Compensated Crane for the new build SOV of Ta San Shang Marine, joint venture of Japanese
ship owner MOL and the Taiwanese Ta Tong Marine. The vessel will serve a long-term maintenance
contract for Ørsted in the new Greater Changhua offshore wind farm in the Taiwan Strait, starting in
Q1-2022. With this order SMST enlarges its strong global portfolio. After building up a solid track
record in various parts of the world, now it is time for the Taiwanese offshore wind market to
discover the advantages of the SMST systems. “We are very excited to experience the equipment in
our regional surroundings. The ship design is tuned to the circumstances in the Taiwan Strait and we
hope that the SMST equipment well fits our design principles. We believe that the knowledge and
experience of SMST in the offshore industry will benefit our operations”, says Mr. Hrong-Nain Lin,
Director at Ta San Shang Marine. On board the new build SOV, the SMST mission equipment helps
to safely transfer the vessel’s maintenance personnel and cargo to the offshore wind turbines. The
modular system package is complete with 3D crane, tower with elevator and motion compensated
gangway. To increase efficiency and safety of the equipment even more, most recent market
developments are included. “The gangway will be equipped with assisted landing and there will be a
shared operator chair installed on the ship’s bridge to control both the crane and gangway. This will
increase overall efficiency of the vessel”, explains Menno de Jong, Sales Manager at SMST, “We are
really looking forward putting our proven system in operation on this first Asian SOV.” SMST will
deliver its equipment in Q3-2021. (Press Release)

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ZITON C OMPLETES T HREE M AINTENANCE P ROJECTS AT UK

O FFSHORE W IND F ARMS
Denmark-based offshore wind
O&M service provider ZITON
completed three maintenance
projects at UK offshore wind
farms this month. The company’s
team on board its jack-up vessel
Wind Enterprise has exchanged
gearboxes on two out of the 30
Senvion (REpower) 5 MW wind
turbines at the Ormonde offshore
wind farm. The work was carried
out in mid-August with both
gearboxes exchanged within four
days. At the beginning of this
month, ZITON also completed a
full-scope gearbox exchange at
the Teesside Wind Farm (also
knows as Redcar Wind Farm), which features 27 Siemens Gamesa 2.3 MW turbines. “This specific
type of gearbox is notorious for minimum tolerances, hence requires a very experienced team to
guarantee successful exchange”, the company said via social media. In addition, ZITON reported at
the beginning of August that it completed a blade exchange on the Kentish Flats offshore wind farm,
which comprises 30 Vestas 3 MW wind turbines. (Source: Offshore Wind)

GMS E NDEAVOUR TO S UPPORT M ORAY E AST OTM C OMMI SSIONING

Gulf Marine Services’ jack-
up vessel GMS Endeavour
is set to be deployed at the
Moray East offshore wind
farm site to support the
commissioning of the
project’s offshore
transformer platforms. The
vessel will arrive at the
project site on or around 19
August, from when it will
provide accommodation for
workers carrying out
commissioning works on
the OSP1, OSP2 and OSP3 offshore transformer modules (OTMs). The first of the three Moray East
OTMs (OSP3) was installed in the first half of August, shortly after it was dispatched from Belgium,
where Smulders and Engie Fabricom have been building the OTMs for Siemens Energy. The jacket
foundation for OSP2 was installed on 10 August, with the OTM platform expected to have been
installed by the end of the last week. The OTMs, which will be linked together to cover Moray East’s
rated capacity of 950 MW, will transform the output of the wind turbines from 66 kV to the

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transmission voltage of 220 kV and transmit the electricity to the grid on land. The offshore wind
farm will comprise 100 MHI Vestas 9.5 MW wind turbines installed some 22 kilometres off the
Aberdeenshire coast. (Source: Offshore Wind)

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BAR, C HARTWELL VESSELS RUBBER STAMPED BY ABS FOR US

OFFSHO RE WIND OPERATIONS

BAR and Chartwell Marine seal

Approval in Principle (AiP) from
ABS for the design of an
innovative new 30m CTV. This
follows AiP for the Chartwell 24
range, paving the way for access
to highly efficient, Jones Act
compliant vessels in US offshore
wind. World leading naval
architects, BAR Technologies,
and Chartwell Marine, a pioneer
in next-generation vessel design,
have been awarded Approval in Principle (AiP) from the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) for the
design and construction of the innovative new BAR 30m crew transfer vessel (CTV). This AiP is a
further stepping-stone towards an advanced, class-certified, Jones Act compliant fleet of offshore
wind support vessels for the US market. Following on from the AiP awarded to the Chartwell 24
vessel design earlier this year, it expands the range of complementary options available to the
industry for highly efficient and capable vessel support. Vessels servicing the expanding East Coast
offshore wind development areas will increasingly need to travel further for longer, while navigating
deeper waters and greater wave heights. This must be achieved without compromising on efficiency
or environmental standards, in accordance with US coastguard guidelines surrounding emissions and
Right Whale compliance. In response to this challenge, BAR, with the support of Chartwell, have
developed a 30m CTV, making use of FOSS technology (foil optimised stability system) to enhance
seakeeping and manoeuvrability, while reducing vertical acceleration by up to 70% in 2.5m wave
heights. While offering greater levels of availability in rough seas, the BAR 30m CTV also
demonstrates up to 50% fuel efficiency savings at 15 knots, keeping emissions at bay in line with
stringent EPA Tier 4 guidelines. This initial vessel will be closely followed by a 50m variant capable
of 45 knots top speed and 30 knots in a 3m high sea without exceeding vertical acceleration limits.
The 40 passenger boat with a similar hull form and FOSS technology is focused on the replacement of
helicopter transfer for workers in the Gulf of Mexico. This new design will work in partnership with

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21ST VOLUME, NO. 66 DATED 19 AUGUST 2020

the proven vessels in the Chartwell 24 range, including the Right Whale variant. Alterations to the
hull form of the latter have been made to adhere to the legislation in place that protects the migration
route of the Right Whale on the East Coast, along with optimized propulsion configurations to meet
EPA Tier 4 emissions standards. Securing AiP offers the highest level of assurance that these
innovative vessel designs will be built in-line with specific US requirements. As part of the AiP
process, the vessel designs have met stringent criteria from the ABS Rules for Building and Classing
High Speed Craft 2020. This provides validation that they are well-placed to meet the demands and
regulatory requirements of US operations. Andy Page, Naval Architect and Managing Director at
Chartwell Marine, said: “This ‘rubber stamp’ from ABS paves the way for these next generation
vessels to fully integrate into East Coast operations. The design of these boats has capitalized on
operational experience in the global market, refining the formula for offshore wind support through
ongoing research and discussion with stakeholders.” Andy continues: “With the first Chartwell 24
working in the UK and the first US Chartwell 24 in build, we are excited to work with BAR to bring
a further, highly versatile option to the US market.” John Cooper, CEO, BAR Technologies, said:
“Approval in Principle for the BAR 30m CTV is an important development that broadens the
opportunities for cross-market collaboration. As we work towards the decarbonisation of the
workboat sector, this latest innovation represents new gains in efficiency which have been achieved
by placing the operational profile at the forefront of vessel design. In this way, we have been able to
design a CTV that combines optimal performance in challenging conditions with a significantly
reduced environmental impact.” (Press Release)

DREDGING NEWS
S POTLIGHT ON G I PPSLAND L AKES DREDGING OPERATI O NS
A permanent entrance (the
Entrance) to the port of
Gippsland Lakes from Bass Strait
was completed in 1889. Since its
construction, there has been
continual ingress of oceanic sand
into the Inner Channels. In
addition, an offshore bar (the Bar)
has formed outside the Entrance.
This sand on the Bar creates
navigation hazards requiring
almost continual maintenance
dredging. Successive Victorian
Governments have determined
that dredging be performed to maintain reliable navigable access to, and within, the port. For over
thirty years to 2008, the side-casting dredge April Hamer maintained a channel through the Bar to
allow vessels access to and from Bass Strait. During this period, the Bar continued to grow until it
comprised of a shallow area (cut by the dredged navigation channel) containing several million cubic
metres of sand. From 2008 Trailing Suction Hopper Dredge (TSHD) technology has been used to
successfully maintain the Bar and Entrance Channel. The ingress of sand through the Entrance
creates shallow waters and navigation hazards in the Inner Channels. For many decades, and still
now, Gippsland Ports and its predecessors have used a Cutter Suction Dredge (CSD) to maintain the
navigability of the Inner Channels at Lakes Entrance. Initially material from dredging the Inner

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Channels was pumped onto adjacent land or water, but since 2001 the CSD has connected to the Sand
Transfer Station (STS) and the slurry has been pumped into the surf zone at one of two beach outfalls
located approximately one kilometre east and west of the Entrance. From 2008 to 2016 dredging of
the bar and entrance channel was conducted using a contracted Trailing Suction Hopper Dredge
(TSHD) with dredging programs undertaken annually through interventions of four to eight weeks
duration (the actual time required influenced by the extent of sand accretion). With the acquisition
of Tommy Norton TSHD in 2017, dredging of the bar and entrance channel is now performed on a
year round basis. Dredging of the inner, near-Entrance channels will also be on a year-round basis,
with the exception that no dredging will be undertaken within the defined Rigby Island Buffer Zone
during periods of exclusion for migratory bird breeding. (Source: Dredging Today)

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S UCCESSFUL DELIVERY OF M ARLI N C LASS DREDGE

DSC Dredge has just

announced the successful
delivery of its Marlin Class
dredge to a valued DSC
client. Over the past 20+
months, DSC Dredge teams
in Poplarville, MS and
Reserve, LA have worked
tirelessly to design, build
and ship out two custom
Marlin dredges. “A huge
thank you to all of our DSC
team members who have
worked so hard to make
this project a success,” the
company announced.
According to the
announcement, last Friday, DSC Reserve team loaded out the final truck (#53) and bid it a safe
journey up north. “There is still work ahead, such as reassembly on site, but we wanted to pause and
congratulate the team on a job well done,” the company added. The Marlin Class dredge is designed
to meet the needs of deep mining and aggregate deposits. The dredge is designed to reach extreme
dredging depths due to its underwater pump system and high-torque cutter drive assembly. Available
with diesel or electric power, the Marlin can reach dredging depths down to 96 feet (29.3 m).
Standard discharge sizes range from 10 inches (250 mm) to 24 inches (600 mm). With customization,

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21ST VOLUME, NO. 66 DATED 19 AUGUST 2020

the Marlin can reach dredging depths of 200 feet (61 m) and discharge sizes can range up to 36 inches
(900 mm)—accommodating a wide range of applications and conditions while maximizing efficiency.
(Source: Dredging Today)

YARD NEWS
O CEAN E XPLO RER LAUNCHED IN C HI NA
SunStone’s new expedition cruise
vessel, the Ocean Explorer, has
been launched at the China
Merchants Heavy Industries
(CMHI) shipyard, China, on
August 12, 2020. The ship is the
fourth unit in the INFINITY class
of X-BOW expedition ships, all
designed by Ulstein. Ocean
Explorer’s sister vessels are Greg
Mortimer which was delivered in
September 2019, Ocean Victory
set for delivery in October 2020
and Ocean Discoverer set for
delivery in September 2022. In
total, SunStone Ships has
contracted six expedition cruise vessels of the ULSTEIN CX103 design for construction at the
shipyard CMHI. In July 2020 the keel-laying ceremony was held for the Sylvia Earle vessel, named
after an accomplished marine biologist, oceanographer, conservationist, and explorer. The Sylvia
Earle is scheduled for delivery in 2021. The vessel features a Tier 3 engine, which delivers an 80%
reduction in emissions compared to the older Tier 1 engine and can utilise virtual anchoring to hold
its position instead of dropping an anchor on the delicate sea floor. The sixth ship from the batch is
named M/V Ocean Odyssey and is scheduled for delivery in March 2022, according to the
information available on SunStone’s website. All the ships in the INFINITY class are owned and
managed by Miami-based SunStone Ships, and are available for charters to tour operators. Ocean
Explorer will work for the Vantage Cruise Line and is scheduled for delivery in 2021. The vessels are
based on ULSTEIN’s CX103 design, but individual adaptations can be made. The Infinity Class vessels
are 104.4 meters long and 18.4 meters wide. They have a passenger capacity of 130-200 and a crew
capacity of 85-115. (Source: Offshore Energy)

T URKISH C OASTG UARD O RDERS 122 P ATROL B OATS

ARES Shipyard in Antalya, Turkey has been awarded a contract to build 122 patrol boats for the
Turkish Coastguard. “The project represents the largest volume serial production in Turkey’s
shipbuilding history, and it will certainly put a significant record in the world’s shipbuilding archives
as well,” said Utku Alanc, CEO of ARES Shipyard. “The project is planned to last five years and will
involve construction and delivery of 122-ARES 35 FPB boats to meet the needs of the Turkish
Coastguard. We will deliver six boats every two months based on our production program.” The
project will see each of the 12-meter Fibreglass Reinforced Plastic [FRP] and carbon composite boats
equipped with twin HamiltonJet HJX29 waterjets controlled by blueARROW. HamiltonJet’s

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21ST VOLUME, NO. 66 DATED 19 AUGUST 2020

Istanbul-based distributor Nemomarin is running the project with ARES Shipyard in Antalya. With a
maximum power of 440 kW, 4%
higher med-high-speed thrust,
and 10% greater bollard pull than
previous models, the HJX29
waterjet packs a punch. Allowing
for superior control, the compact,
high-performance reverse duct,
and optimized JT steering system
offers precise 360-degree
maneuverability even at low
speeds. The border patrol vessels
are the second project
HamiltonJet has embarked on with the Turkish Coastguard. The first is a series of 19-meter search
and rescue vessels by Damen, featuring HM571 waterjets, vessels 9 and 10 of the 15-boat series are
currently in build in Turkey. Tim Lewis, HamiltonJet’s EMEA Area Sales Manager, says the positive
experience and strong relationships forged during the first project has helped HamiltonJet become
the preferred supplier of waterjets and controls to the Turkish Coastguard (TGC). “We have been
working in a strong partnership with TCG for several years to develop a reliable and cost-effective
solution for them. We believe we understand their requirements for a propulsion system which can
allow them to carry out their role efficiently with as little disruption as possible. Hamilton has
proven to be the jet of choice for many clients in the Patrol and Military Sector.” Lewis says the
delivery program will see the first HJX29 waterjets and blueARROW controls arrive in Turkey from
mid-October. “They’ll be used to prove the design under sea trials towards the end of the year. From
there, we’ll send 12 waterjets every two or three months through until the start of 2024. "Our
challenge has been to get the waterjets built, installed and commissioned on schedule under the
global disruption created by COVID-19, and we’re pleased to say we are on track.” (Source:
MarineLink)

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C ONSIDERING AN A LL - ELECTRIC F UTURE

The cutting-steel ceremony today in Brodosplit Shipyard marked the continuation of constructing a
series of coastal patrol vessels contracted for the Croatian Ministry of Defence. With 43.16 meters in
length and 8 meters in width, the vessels will be equipped with basic armoury of all contemporary
coastal guards, the 30-mm automatic gun, two manually operable 12,7-mm machine guns and four
portable air defence rocket systems. “We are convinced that the vessel will satisfy all our
requirements. That ship, with its capacity, fulfils all the needs of the Croatian Navy, supervision of

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21ST VOLUME, NO. 66 DATED 19 AUGUST 2020

Ecological and Fishery Protection Zone (EFPZ)and territorial waters if needed. Its primary purpose is
the implementation of tasks from
the domain of the Croatian Coast
Guard. With its capabilities the
ship can also perform part of the
combat missions, primarily in
support of the Croatian Navy
Fleet”, said Commodore Damir
Dojkić, Chief of Staff and Deputy
Commander of the Croatian
Navy. The prototype of the
coastal patrol ship Omiš,
delivered two years ago,
significantly improved
operational capabilities of the
Croatian Coastal Guard and
regularly conducts search and rescue operations. “The construction of coastal patrol boats is at the set
pace. Our plan is the serial production of such vessels as there is a surge of interest for them, while
the prototype has proven that this is a first-class product”, said Ante Žižić-Gušo, the technical
director of Brodosplit-Shipyard for special facilities. Specifications of the vessels: Length: 43.16
meters; Beam: 8 meters; Max speed: 29 kts; Range: 1000 nautical miles with 15 kts; Crew: 16;
Endurance: 10 days; Propulsion: 2 x 2525 kW main engines; Sea State endurance: equipped with an
active rocking stabilization system that allows the ship to be fully operational at sea 4 and to meet
NATO maritime criteria; Boat: 7.7-meter RHIB can carry 6 persons, with speed 40 kts and 60 nautical
miles operating radius. (Press Release)

I MPRESSIVE F IRE -F IGHTING HYBRIDS UP H AMBURG CLO UT

Undergoing final
outfitting at Damen
Shipyards in the
Netherlands are two 35m
hybrid fire-fighting ships
reports Tom Todd. Kai
Gerullis, a spokesman for
the customers, Hamburg
Port Authority (HPA),
told Maritime Journal in
August that internal
cabling and pipe
installations were being
completed and external
paint work finished on the
two 8m wide newbuilds in
Gorinchem. He also
reported the installation of containers housing specialist fire-fighting equipment as well as deck
houses and specialist fire-fighting and diving platforms. The work in the Netherlands follows hull
completion at Damen’s Kozle shipyard in Poland and tug transfer lasting some three weeks to the

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21ST VOLUME, NO. 66 DATED 19 AUGUST 2020

Netherlands, Gerullis added. The new multi-role ships, together costing €19.5 million, have already
been named Prag and Dresden. Delivery is expected before year’s end prior to service in 2021 with
Flotte Hamburg. That subsidiary of the HPA, created in 2017, manages, charters and is responsible for
replacing some 50 specialist ships and workboats in Hamburg. They include ships of the fire-brigade,
the waterways police and specialist road and bridge maintenance authorities. Prag and Dresden are
follow-up newbuilds to the superlative 43.5m Fassmer-built fire-fighting ship Branddirektor
Westphal operating since early 2019 for the HPA and the Hamburg Fire Brigade. Costing €18 million
it is billed as the most powerful boat of its kind in Europe. Built to cope with multi-storey modern
container ships, its water and foam cannon project 120,000 litres a minute to 110m over a distance of
180m. Prag and Dresden, with a water cannon capacity of just 30,000 litres a minute over 110m, are
much less powerful. But because of their smaller size they are more versatile and available for a wider
range of work including HPA bridge inspection and maintenance. Like Branddirektor Westphal, the
newbuilds also impress with their engine configuration. Each has two Schottel SCD 150 380kW
rudder propellers and an STT 60 LK 100kW transverse bow thruster. Reports said the rudder
propellers will also have new Schottel SDC40 nozzles making for a thruster configuration free-
running speed of 12 knots. Also like Branddirektor Westphall, Caterpillar generators have been
chosen. Prag and Dresden will each have two 345kW C18 units and one 250kW C9.3 generator.
Their plug in drive battery systems are from EST-Floattech. (Source: Maritime Journal)

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Last week there have been new updates posted:

1. Several updates on the News page posted last week:

• Eastern Shipbuilding Group, Inc. delivers the A. THOMAS HIGGINS to E.N. Bisso
& Son, Inc.
• Two RAster 3200-CL tugs delivered to Yiu lian Dockyards Ltd.
• Boluda Towage Europe takes on two new tugs from Damen Shipyards Group
• Sanmar’s Sirapinar commences operations in Baltic Sea
• Damen signs contract with Port of Antwerp for delivery of two IMO Tier III

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21ST VOLUME, NO. 66 DATED 19 AUGUST 2020

compliant RSD Tug 2513

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