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.
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.
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.”
Partnership formed to study the safe use of lithium-ion batteries in shipping
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.
Estimates suggest that as many as 80 boats were destroyed and pontoons washed away at Holyhead Marina as Storm Emma hit the north Welsh coastline with violence.
The RNLI said it had to launch its own inshore lifeboat just to get a crew to its larger vessel in Holyhead in Thursday night’s force 12 gale.
“There is considerable damage and disruption at the marina, so, for now, we will stay berthed within the inner harbour, ready to respond – slower than usual, but able – to a shout,” said the RNLI team.
Volvo Ocean Race initiates report into ocean racing safety at night following collision
Following the collision between Vestas 11th Hour Racing and a non-racing vessel in the final stages of the racing leg in Hong Kong waters, the organisers of the Volvo Ocean Race have commissioned an independent report into ocean racing at night in areas of high vessel traffic density, to establish what steps race organisers may take to mitigate risk going forward.
The collision occurred between the boat Vestas 11th Hour Racing and a fishing vessel, on 20 January 2018, around 30 miles from the Leg 4 finish line in Hong Kong, resulting in the death of one fisherman. He had been recovered from the water and taken on board Vestas 11th Hour Racing and was transferred by helicopter to a hospital in Hong Kong where medical staff were unable to revive him.
MARPOL amendments for ship fuel oil reporting requirements, garbage classification and IOPP certificate now in force
Requirements for ships to collect data on their fuel oil consumption entered into force on 1 March. Other important amendments to the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL) have also entered into force, covering the classification of garbage, including the addition of a new category of “e-waste”, and amendments to the International Oil Pollution Prevention Certificate.
Ship fuel oil consumption data reporting requirements
The ship fuel oil consumption data reporting requirements are the latest mandatory requirements aimed at enhancing the energy efficiency of international shipping.
The data collection will begin on 1 January 2019 with data reported at the end of each calendar year to the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the United Nations agency with responsibility for regulating the safety, security and efficiency of shipping and preventing marine and atmospheric pollution from ships.
Operators and surveyors urged to test cargo hold bilge systems to minimise claims
The UK P&I Club has reminded those working in the marine industry that significant insurance damage claims can result if a bulk cargo is damaged due to the leakage of the bilge system into a loaded bulk cargo hold.
To reduce the chance of such cargo damage, operators and surveyors are advised to inspect and test the cargo hold bilge system as part of the routine pre-loading checks of the cargo holds.
Boat patrolling the golden gate bridge – Photo credit: Rolls-Royce
Rolls-Royce will supply the tug boat sector with its first hybrid propulsion arrangement for installation to a multi-purpose tractor tug undergoing construction for Baydelta Maritime LLC. The vessel is being built at Nichols Brothers Boat Builders, in Washington State, U.S.A.
The order represents the first hybrid tug using proven Rolls-Royce hybrid technology, the first installation of a hybrid system for Nichols Brothers and the first hybrid tug designed by Jensen Maritime, Crowley Maritime Corp’s Seattle-based naval architecture and engineering firm.
Revolutionary ultraviolet light-emitting diodes fouling prevention technology under development
AkzoNobel has teamed up with Netherlands based healthcare company Royal Philips to develop ultraviolet light-emitting diodes fouling prevention technology.
The system will use technology developed by Royal Philips with the aim of combining experience from both companies to produce an economically viable solution for underwater fouling prevention.
The system will integrate UV light-emitting diodes in a protective coating, which AkzoNobel says will allow for the UV light to be emitted from the coating surface, preventing biofouling from accumulating.
Autonomous vessels – the challenges and opportunities in design
Automation presents a set of unique challenges to designers, insurers and operators of ships. In this article, reprinted from the Shipowners P&I Club website Keir Gravil, a naval architect at Frazer-Nash Consultancy in Bristol, UK discusses some of the key issues that could face automated ships of the future from a design perspective.
It is a truth recognised by many industries that the future of transportation lies with greater automation. Over the last 50 years we have seen huge changes not only in shipping, but in every form of transportation and vehicle. Aircraft now incorporate automation routinely on flights around the world, cars are being developed to drive themselves and many railways have been totally automated for some time. As each step in the evolution of transportation progresses, the human element of control is reduced or eliminated altogether. But what of shipping? Surely an industry the size and scope of international shipping faces unique challenges in the realm of automation?
Remotely operated fireboat set to tackle fires in ports
To address the evolving safety and security needs of modern ports, Vancouver based naval architects and marine engineers Robert Allan Ltd., and international marine technology specialist Kongsberg Maritime are collaborating on the development of a radically new remotely-operated fireboat that will allow first responders to attack dangerous port fires more aggressively and safer than ever before.
The un-crewed RALamander fireboat will offer in-close firefighting and ‘eye in the fire’ capability that keeps marine firefighting professionals out of harm’s way. Fires involving containers, petrochemicals, shore-side structures or vessels can be attacked more quickly Continue reading “Remotely operated fireboat set to tackle fires in ports”
