Marine News

New developments in professional standards for marine surveyors

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New professional standards
New professional standards

Seawork 2014 saw the issue of an updated UK Workboat (Brown) Code following comprehensive updating by an industry technical working group (TWG) over a long period of time, supported by the UK Maritime & Coastguard Agency (MCA). Further detailed work has been carried out by the TWG since then and the official launching of the Workboat Code Edition 2 for marine surveyors is expected shortly.

The new Code has been enthusiastically supported by the UK workboat industry and marine surveyors and it is hoped that this will be recognised and adopted internationally in the same way as the UK Large Yacht Code (LY3), thus countering criticism aimed at UK commercial vessel standards (i.e. those in MGN 280 (M)) by some EU Flag States, which spurred the development of the new WB code.

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Feadship reaches dizzy new heights with 97-metre Vertigo

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Photo credit: Tom van Oossanen
Photo credit: Tom van Oossanen

Feadship Vertigo saw the light of day on Wednesday 23 November, which is when this 96.55-metre masterpiece left the construction hall at the Feadship yard in Makkum (NL).

With the outstanding interior and exterior design by Redman Whiteley Dixon and Chahan Interior Design and Azure acting as Owner’s project manager, Vertigo creative execution raises the bar of superyacht design to new levels of sophistication.

The elegant curves of Vertigo’s streamlined profile are in perfect proportion and harmony. The same applies to the characteristically Feadship lines of Vertigo’s flared bow, which features a games deck and helicopter landing pad with a hangar below for a Bell 429 WLG helicopter.

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Siemens commissions first customised wind turbine vessel

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Siemens commissions first customised wind turbine vessel
Siemens commissions first customised wind turbine vessel

Siemens has commissioned its first specialized transport wind turbine vessel, the Rotra Vente, to transport the large nacelles used in offshore wind turbines.

The 141-meter long vessel can carry multiple 8MW nacelles per trip and will connect Siemens’ coming manufacturing site in Cuxhaven, Germany, with installation harbours in the North and Baltic Seas.

For Ro-Ro loading, a large bow door can be opened. A telescopic roof protects the nacelles from salty seawater spray and can be slid away for optional lift-on loading.

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New water lubricated seal for workboats developed by Wärtsilä

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Boat gear
Boat gear

Wärtsilä has developed a new water lubricated seal, Enviroguard SLR, which provides cost-effective reliability for small workboats.

Available in nine standard sizes that suit 75mm-306mm of shaft size, the new seal is expected to provide more reliability to smaller workboats, fishing boats, motorised barges, and super yachts.

The Wärtsilä Enviroguard SLR water lubricated seal is also designed to survive large shaft movements and to tolerate aggressive waters that are heavy with silt or sand.

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Sunseeker will launch Manhattan 66 model at the London Boat Show

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Sunseeker Manhattan 66 yacht
Sunseeker Manhattan 66 yacht

Sunseeker International has announced its intention to use the London Boat Show in January 2017 to launch and showcase its new Manhattan 66 model.

The Manhattan 66 model has a brand new deep V hull which offers signature Sunseeker performance and seakeeping whilst its open-plan layout provides enough space on board to rival much larger yachts.

Sean Robertson, sales director at Sunseeker International, said: “We’re really looking forward to launching the all new Manhattan 66 which is already generating substantial interest. Following the success of the Manhattan 52 which was the first in a series of new Manhattan models, it underlines our ability to keep giving our customers the best in class across every segment we operate in.”

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ABS publishes free guide to conducting rack and pinion jacking gear surveys

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A drydock in the sea
A drydock in the sea

The ABS has issued a freely available jacking survey guide to establish minimum requirements for the inspection of rack and pinion jacking gear at Special Periodical Survey of Hull for Self-Elevating Drilling Units.

This Guide provides more details regarding the examination of open and closed type jacking systems of a Self-Elevating Drilling Units. The maintenance crew will benefit from understanding the general and design specific survey requirements for a Rack and Pinion jacking gear. This will enable better planning, execution and consistent application of the scope of surveys and inspection during Special Surveys for jacking systems.

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MAIB report into the grounding and capsize of berthed trawler Saint Christophe 1

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MAIB report into the grounding and capsize of berthed trawler Saint Christophe 1
MAIB report into the grounding and capsize of berthed trawler Saint Christophe 1

On 9 March 2016, three French fishing vessels sought shelter from bad weather in Dartmouth harbour, on the south-west coast of England. One of the vessels, Saint Christophe 1, was directed to berth alongside a quay wall and when the tide went out it grounded and capsized alongside. The berthed trawler Saint Christophe 1 subsequently flooded and sank with the incoming tide, and was declared a constructive total loss.

Safety issues
The lack of effective communication between harbour authority staff and vessel’s crew failed to ensure a common understanding of the fact that the boat would ground at low water
The assumption that the crew understood the information provided by the harbour staff, prevented further safety checks from being made
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Hydrofoil water taxi Sea Bubble zero emissions concept

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The new concept Sea Bubble zero emissions water taxi coming to a river near you soon?
The new concept Sea Bubble zero emissions water taxi coming to a river near you soon?

A new concept of water taxi designed to operate on rivers has been developed in France. Called the Sea Bubble to reflect its shape this new water taxi is powered by electric thrusters and uses hydrofoils to reduce the power requirements, allowing the Sea Bubble to operate at speeds up to 15 knots.

The futuristic egg-shaped river shuttles are the creation of French yachtsman Alain Thébault and Swedish windsurfer Anders Bringdal, and the current plans suggest that this new water taxi concept could be tried out on the River Seine in Paris. The water taxi system is proving attractive because of its zero emission profile in this environmentally conscious Continue reading “Hydrofoil water taxi Sea Bubble zero emissions concept”

Importance of maintaining and adjusting magnetic compasses stressed by AMSA

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A magnetic compass
A magnetic compass

AMSA, The Australian Maritime Safety Authority, has issued a Marine Notice with a view to reminding of the importance of magnetic compasses for the safety of navigation, which applies to regulated Australian regulated vessels and certain foreign vessels too.

Vessel owners and masters each have responsibilities for ensuring that magnetic compasses are maintained in good working order, adjusted and a table or curve of residual deviations is available.The performance of the compass should be monitored and, for a vessel more than 100GT, deviations recorded in a compass deviation book at regular intervals, ideally at least once every watch and also shortly after a large alteration of course.

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PowerCell Sweden AB has received the first marine order for two S3 prototype stacks

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Per Wassen, CEO of Powercell Sweden AB
Per Wassen, CEO of Powercell Sweden AB

The leading fuel cell company PowerCell Sweden AB (publ) has received the first marine order for two PowerCell S3 prototype stacks, which Swiss Hydrogen will install on a ship powered by photovoltaics.

“The marine industry is a very interesting area, in which our capacity to deliver electricity without emissions is extremely important. This order comprises two PowerCell S3 prototypes. The order is of strategic importance, but has a limited effect on the result. We are responsible for the fuel cells and Swiss Hydrogen will manufacture the system and conduct adjustments to certify it for the marine environment. The advantage is that our fuel cell stacks are modular and in this way we can get in a few hundred horsepower where it is required in marine applications”, said Per Wassén, CEO, PowerCell Sweden AB.

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IIMS Small Craft Working Group 2016 ‘super’ training day report

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Conference Delegates sat in a room
Conference Delegates sat in a room

Over 30 yacht and small craft surveyors converged on Boathouse No.4 at the iconic Portsmouth Historic Dockyard for the 2016 ‘super’ training day on Monday 24 October and were joined by half a dozen more who came to the event remotely using video conferencing.

Chairman of yacht and small craft surveying, John Excell, welcomed guests to the day and particularly thanked Cygnus Instruments Ltd and Matrix Insurance Ltd for their generous sponsorship support of the day.

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IIMS India Branch Silver Jubilee Conference report

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India Delegates at the conference
India Delegates at the conference

An unusually wet October day in the bustling city of Mumbai, India experienced an unusually large gathering of the representatives from Marine Surveying Companies, P&I Clubs, Correspondents, Vessel Owners, Agents and Equipment Manufacturers for the Silver Jubilee Conference. It was the 5th of October 2016 at the Majestic Ballroom of ‘The Lalit’ Hotel near the new swanky T2 terminal of Mumbai’s International Airport.

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