Marine News - International Institute of Marine Surveying

Surveying Sails by Ian Nicolson handy guide released for publication

Posted on April 3, 2018May 19, 2025 by News Hound

What a Marine Surveyor Needs to Know About Surveying Sails by Ian Nicolson has been published.

Author, Ian Nicolson, was a doughty pioneer in the field of ocean cruising in his early years. He emigrated by sail in 1952 to Vancouver, Canada. He returned to Britain by hitchhiking across Canada and building himself a small wooden yacht cruiser near Halifax, which he sailed home singlehanded across the Atlantic in 1954. He continues to sail regularly.

Having written more than 20 books and many articles on design, construction, operation and handling of small marine craft, Ian is perfectly placed to apply his knowledge and experience to the subject of sail surveying. The aim of the Surveying Sails handy guide is to give a comprehensive overview of the skills and knowledge required by a marine surveyor to satisfactorily undertake this important task.

Continue reading “Surveying Sails by Ian Nicolson handy guide released for publication”

IMCA and OCIMF team up to improve OVID inspection system

Posted on March 29, 2018May 19, 2025 by News Hound

The International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA) and the Oil Companies International Marine Forum (OCIMF) have agreed to establish a joint committee to review, share and progress developments of the Offshore Vessel Inspection Database (OVID) inspection system.

The aim of the OVID Inspection system will be to improve the efficiency of the vessel assurance process by pooling the knowledge and expertise of oil companies and their marine contractors, while at the same time maintaining the highest standards of vessel assurance and risk management.

The joint committee will discuss and review various elements of the system on an ongoing basis, to ensure continuous improvement. Elements to be reviewed include:

– the Offshore Vessel Particulars Questionnaire (OVPQ),
– the Offshore Vessel Inspection Questionnaire (OVIQ) and
– the Offshore Vessel Management and Self Assessment (OVMSA).

Continue reading “IMCA and OCIMF team up to improve OVID inspection system”

Britain’s oldest boat builder confirms its intention to stop building boats

Posted on March 29, 2018May 19, 2025 by News Hound

Britain’s oldest boat builder, dating back to 1898, Broom, is to discontinue boatbuilding and instead restructure its operations into a leading leisure operator on the Southern Norfolk Broads.

The move follows low customer demand, overseas competition and rising costs explained group sales manager Greg Houlston, all of which have changed the marketplace significantly.

“This has led to a strategic decision to focus on the growing leisure part of their operations and to discontinue boat building,” he said.

Continue reading “Britain’s oldest boat builder confirms its intention to stop building boats”

Oyster is snapped up by Richard Hadida Yachting

Posted on March 29, 2018March 29, 2018 by News Hound

Richard Hadida Yachting is confirmed as the new owners of Oyster

UK software entrepreneur Richard Hadida has been confirmed as the new owner of Oyster. The deal – brokered by administrators KPMG – covers the assets and business of Oyster Marine Ltd and the assets of Oyster Marine Holdings Ltd, including its shareholdings in companies within the Oyster Group

The sale, to a new company, Richard Hadida Yachting, will secure the employment of the retained staff at Oyster’s Southampton and Wroxham sites.

Mr Hadida has sailed an Oyster yacht for several years and says he has fallen in love with the yachts themselves, the events and the Oyster Continue reading “Oyster is snapped up by Richard Hadida Yachting”

ISO 12944 revision

Posted on March 21, 2018March 21, 2018 by News Hound

The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) has now published the revised ISO 12944 standard.

ISO 12944 is one of the main international standards for corrosion protection of steel by paint. The revision will impact all existing parts of the standard and include a new addition – Part 9 – dedicated solely to offshore structures. Continue reading “ISO 12944 revision”

Maritime & Coastguard Agency CEO Sir Alan Massey announces his retirement

Posted on March 19, 2018March 19, 2018 by News Hound

After eight years in charge, the chief executive officer of the UK’s Maritime & Coastguard Agency (MCA), Sir Alan Massey KBC CBE, has announced his intention to retire from the role towards the end of 2018.

Sir Alan joined the MCA in July 2010 after a 33-year career with the Royal Navy, where he left as second sea lord.

During his eight-year tenure, Sir Alan has successfully steered the MCA through changes to modernise Her Majesty’s Coastguard, new arrangements for the UK’s search and rescue helicopter capability, a transformed survey and inspection capability and a more commercially responsive approach to how the UK Ship Register operates. Sir Alan will continue his role until late 2018, to allow the appointment process for a successor to take place.

Bernadette Kelly, permanent secretary of the Department of Transport, said Continue reading “Maritime & Coastguard Agency CEO Sir Alan Massey announces his retirement”

Black Pearl delivered by Oceanco is the world’s largest sailing yacht

Posted on March 19, 2018March 19, 2018 by News Hound

Dutch yard Oceanco has announced it has delivered its 106-metre (350-foot) sailing yacht Black Pearl, the largest sailing yacht in the world.

She is the result of a successful collaboration between an international group of designers, engineers, naval architects, builders, and project managers, with renowned designers Ken Freivokh Design, Nuvolari Lenard and Villate Design playing a significant role in her evolution.

Dykstra Naval Architects designed the three 70-metre (230-foot) DynaRig carbon masts and sailing system, which can be set or furled by pushing a button, setting the whole sails just in seven minutes.

BMT Nigel Gee also worked with Oceanco to create Continue reading “Black Pearl delivered by Oceanco is the world’s largest sailing yacht”

Research findings highlight issues with dirty engine room bilges

Posted on March 19, 2018May 12, 2025 by News Hound

Recent analysis of the Shipowners Club’s Condition Survey Programme has highlighted that approximately 25% of the vessels surveyed showed evidence of contaminated engine room bilges. As such, Shipowners Club seeks to raise awareness of the potential fire hazards associated with oily engine rooms and the checks and steps that a ship’s crew and/or surveyor should undertake.

Whilst an oily bilge may not be the immediate source of a fire, any fire that arises in an engine room or machinery space has the potential to escalate and spread rapidly. The presence of oil accumulated in bilges or drip trays act as additional fuel to sustain burning and increase the likelihood of the fire reaching further areas.

With respect to these, the Club notes the following:

Bilges, especially in the engine room, should be kept clean and free of oil at all times and chemical cleaning should be completed periodically.
Operators should paint engine room bilges a Continue reading “Research findings highlight issues with dirty engine room bilges”

Poole Liveboat Stations gets a new floating boat house

Posted on March 15, 2018March 15, 2018 by News Hound

There was great excitement for the volunteers at Poole Lifeboat station as the new floating boat house arrived by water! The new building was lifted into the channel, between the bridges from the Old Power station site in Poole where during the past six months or so it has been under construction, built by the Weymouth based Sawtell Construction Ltd.

On Tuesday (March 6th) the boat house was craned into the water for a float test and then floated down between the quays, guided expertly by Jenkins Marine, through the 1.30 bridge and alongside outside the lifeboat station ready for the next phase of putting it into position

The building, designed by ECA Architecture and Planning, will nestle alongside the Old lifting bridge. ECA architects were keen not to make the boathouse like the standard industrial sheds, the angled roof is designed to Continue reading “Poole Liveboat Stations gets a new floating boat house”

First ever luxury cruise ship lengthening undertaken by Fincantieri

Posted on March 14, 2018March 14, 2018 by News Hound

Fincantieri’s Palermo shipyard is carrying out the world’s first luxury cruise ship lengthening. Lengthening is not unheard of for merchant vessels, but it has never before been attempted for a vessel of this type as far as is known.

On March 10, workers cut the 36,000 tonne Silver Spirit in half with torches and began the process of pulling her bow and stern in opposite directions. Once they had enough space, they used self-propelled modular transporters to move a new, prefabricated 50-foot section into place. Reconnecting the hull, fitting out wiring and piping and installing interior fittings will take workers about Continue reading “First ever luxury cruise ship lengthening undertaken by Fincantieri”

Possible new cure for diesel bug

Posted on March 13, 2018March 13, 2018 by News Hound

A new product that removes water from the bottom of diesel tanks is expected to end all diesel bug problems.

The Diesel Dipper is a self-contained system independent of the engine. Fitted with a 12-volt pump, it is designed to suck water from the floor/bottom of a fuel tank below the fuel suction and by doing so, makers Marine 16 say it eliminates or prevents diesel bug and engine failures.

Marine 16 said: “Water and sludge lying on the bottom of the tank is drawn up into a ‘tank separator’ where it separates from the diesel and collects on the bottom. This accumulated water and sludge is then periodically drained off into a container.”

The clean diesel exits the top of the separator and flows through a Continue reading “Possible new cure for diesel bug”

Partnership formed to study the safe use of lithium-ion batteries in shipping

Posted on March 12, 2018March 12, 2018 by News Hound

DNV GL has announced a joint partnership to study the safe use of lithium-ion batteries in shipping. The class society’s partners in the effort include flag states, research institutions, battery and propulsion suppliers, fire system manufacturers, shipowners, vessel operators and yards. DNV GL says that the hope is to identify improvements not just for the batteries themselves, but for the associated systems, procedures, and approval processes.

“We put a great deal of effort into ensuring the safety of these new alternative systems, but the cost of the present safety and approval methodology is cumbersome. This collaborative effort gives a chance for an even greater level of safety,” said Rasmus Nielsen, a naval architect and officer at project partner Scandlines.

The project’s deliverable’s are focused on safety. Tasks include the development of Continue reading “Partnership formed to study the safe use of lithium-ion batteries in shipping”

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