In its capacity as Focal - MOOG Components Group representative in Scandinavia and Holland, the MacArtney Group has recently passed a momentous system delivery milestone. Since the partnership was initiated, MacArtney has facilitated the sale and delivery of more than 40 Focal swivel solutions to offshore Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessels operating across the world.

FPSOs
FPSOs are offshore production facilities that house both processing equipment and storage for produced hydrocarbons. The basic design of most FPSOs encompasses a vessel shaped platform, with processing equipment aboard the vessel deck and hydrocarbon storage below in the hull. After processing, an FPSO stores oil and gas before periodically offloading to shuttle tankers or transmitting it onshore via pipelines.

FPSOs are viable development solutions for a number of different deepwater or ultra deepwater offshore field situations. Because an FPSO can be disconnected from its moorings, this type of offshore production vessel is optimal for areas that experience adverse weather conditions, such as cyclones and hurricanes. Additionally, they pose an excellent economical solutions for more marginal fields, in that the vessel can be moved and redeployed once the original field has been depleted. Adding to the economical advantages, existing tanker vessels can often be converted into FPSOs.

FPSO swivels
Moored to the seafloor and usually tied to multiple subsea wells, the FPSO gathers hydrocarbons from subsea production wells through a series of subsea structures and pipelines. Once tapped, hydrocarbons are transmitted through flowlines to risers, which transport the oil and gas to the FPSO on the surface.

At the heart of the FPSO, the vital transfer of hydrocarbons, along with power, hydraulics and fibre optical signals between surface and seafloor is facilitated by an FPSO swivel. Typically comprised of electrical passes, hydraulic utility swivels and fiber optic rotary joints, swivels are used in a variety of FPSO configurations including buoy, turret mooring and offshore loading towers. Once installed, FPSO swivels permit the continuous flow of fluids, power and communication with unlimited freedom of the vessel to weathervane about its mooring point.

Focal and MacArtney FPSO track record
Focal - MOOG Components Group is a world leading supplier of swivels, slip rings, multiplexers and fluid rotary unions which are designed and tested to operate effectively in the harshest maritime environments. Since 1990, Focal has delivered several FPSO swivel solutions, spanning from Hydraulic Utility Swivels, Low Voltage Swivels to large High Power Swivels (35kV, 2000A).

Through its participation in several projects, MacArtney has gained an extensive track record as a Focal FPSO swivel supplier and provider of specialist engineering support to FPSO operators and FPSO swivel stack, mooring and turret manufacturers across the entire offshore industry. Notable MacArtney FPSO projects include the delivery of swivel solutions to APL/National Oilwell Varco, Framo Engineering and Bluewater. Beyond Focal swivels, the MacArtney scope of FPSO supply includes junction boxes, cables and connectors.

"MacArtney Sales Manager, Jens Henrik Gadeberg, says that "MacArtney is fully committed to its partnership with Focal and dedicated to deliver state-of-the-art swivel solutions to the FPSOs of tomorrow. According MacArtney Business Development Manager Anders Andersen; "one of the next exciting steps within FPSO swivel development and supply will comprise massive 145 kV swivels for facilitating the transfer of high power from land based sources.

Fairmount Marine’s tugs Fairmount Glacier and Fairmount Expedition have assisted in the installation of FPSO OSX3 in the Tubarão Martelo oilfield offshore Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Both Fairmount tugs were part of a five unit strong fleet of tugs contracted to hook-up the OSX3 to her anchors.

Fairmount Marine was contracted by Boskalis Offshore for the offshore support for the positioning of OSX3 during the hook-up operation. Tugs Fairmount Glacier and Fairmount Expedition were mobilized to Rio de Janeiro from where they escorted the OSX3 to the Tubarão Martelo oilfield over a distance of about 100 miles.

The hook-up operation consisted of the installation of twelve anchor chains - a job that was well executed in quite a fast time.

OSX3 is a brand new floating, production and offloading unit, build in Singapore. The vessel is 370 meters long, 57 meters wide and has, when fully loaded, a draft of 31 meters. The total capacity of the OSX3 is up to 100,000 barrel of oil per day and a storage capacity of up to 1,300,000 barrels. The oil production start-up of OSX3 is estimated for the end of this year. 

Strategically located Gibraltar shipyard Gibdock has continued its run of technically advanced offshore support vessel repair and maintenance projects, securing a contract involving a returning customer. The Viking Vanquish (photo), a high capacity 3D seismic survey vessel operated for CGG, has undergone a 21-day programme of works, leaving the shipyard’s drydocks in mid-September prior to sea trials.

Based in France, CGG operates 23 seismic survey vessels, after acquiring Fugro’s geoscience division earlier this year - claimed to be the largest high-end seismic fleet in the industry.

John Taylor, Gibdock operations director, says: “We are really building up momentum in this demanding sector of the shiprepair business. Our ability to attract contracts from the top players in the industry reflects confidence in our workforce, and our safety procedures. We are now the yard of choice for demanding offshore vessel projects in the Mediterranean.”

The scope of work carried out on Viking Vanquish included a tailshaft withdrawal and the full overhaul of the shaft, couplings, liners and related equipment. This complex process required cutting away a section of the stern tube to gain access.

Are Skaanevik, technical superintendent for ship manager CGG Eidesvik, says: “The project went very well. We chose Gibdock largely because of the capacity and capabilities of its machine shop, which we called upon extensively. We have had a very good experience and I hope that this will be the start of a good long-term relationship.”

“This was certainly not a straightforward or standard job,” explains Mr Taylor. “Usually the couplings can be found in the engine room, without access complications. This was not the case on this project, but we nonetheless managed to finish on schedule.” Gibdock also machined liners for the tail shaft, which were not supplied pre-machined.

The 93.3m long, 8,621grt Viking Vanquish (built 1998) is owned by Norwegian company Eidesvik and was converted for seismic operations in 2007. Towing 12 x 8km streamers as standard, the vessel is capable of acquiring high quality data in all conditions.

Gibdock also carried out a series of load tests on the Viking Vanquish’s many winches and eye-plates, as well as a range of other machinery and pipe works. The yard renewed propeller blade seals and blasted and painted the vessel’s exterior.

Commenting on a period of sustained workload in the offshore sector at the yard, Gibdock managing director, Richard Beards, says: “This project adds another reference to our growing body of work in this specialised market for 2013, following a series of contracts for seismic survey, dive support, pipelayer and other offshore vessel types secured in the past year.”

Mr Skaanevik highlights another notable aspect of the project as using a cleaning product from Ultraclean AS, believed never to have been used before in shiprepair. The product, a combination of gel and chemicals, was applied to remove corrosion on Viking Vanquish’s gun-deck and cranes then washed away with water, to prepare surfaces for coating. CGG, Eidesvik and Gibdock expressed satisfaction with the results of using a product that may provide an environmentally-friendly alternative to conventional blasting.

Bechtel, the global engineering, construction, and project management company, has created a revolutionary design for ports that could transform shipping in Africa. The Multi-User Offshore Hub is designed for two or more users and consists of an offshore, smart terminal arrangement and docking system that can accommodate oceangoing vessels and barges. The Multi-User Offshore Hub has the potential to open new market opportunities for African ports by significantly increasing capacity and substantially reducing port construction and operation costs.

"As existing African ports become more and more congested, increased capacity is an urgent need for both the import of consumer goods and the export of minerals. Each requires out-of-the-box solutions to handle as many containers as efficiently as possible and to speed the provision of new mineral export facilities to enable the region to develop its economy," said Marco Pluijm, Bechtel's senior ports specialist, who unveiled the Multi-User Offshore Hub concept today at the African Ports Evolution 2013 Forum in Cape Town. "This solution could provide a reduction of up to 40 percent in port infrastructure construction costs compared with building a traditional port and up to 50 percent in operational cost savings as the hub can handle much larger Capesize and Valemax vessels, which result in economies of scale."

The Multi-User Offshore Hub concept combines a country's existing transport modes, such as rail and river barges, to provide the most efficient and sustainable logistics possible. Bechtel is currently identifying suitable sites for a Multi-User Offshore Hub in countries in both East and West Africa.

The Multi-User Offshore Hub concept builds on Bechtel's ongoing commitment to improve shipping capabilities in Africa. The company is also leading a three-year joint-industry research project to improve the safety of mooring large cargo ships off the coast of West Africa. Both initiatives are instrumental in upgrading and expanding port infrastructure needs in Africa. The two initiatives are part of Bechtel’s longstanding work in Africa, which spans more than 70 years.

Bechtel is a global leader in the research, design, and construction of port and marine projects. The company has successfully completed more than 80 port and marine projects across the world, 28 in the last decade. These include Jubail Port development (part of Jubail Industrial City) and Khalifa port and Kizad, which has the first semiautomated container terminal in the Middle East.

ABB, the leading power and automation technology group, has won two orders in the third quarter to provide the waste heat recovery systems, each powered by a power turbine generator (PTG), for fourteen new 8,800 TEU (twenty-foot equivalent unit) container vessels.

The first seven post-panamax vessels will be built at Dalian Shipbuilding Industry Co. Ltd., (DSIC) and the other seven vessels at New Times Shipbuilding Co. Ltd., for China International Marine Containers Group Co. and Mediterranean Shipping Co. S.A (MSC). When delivered, in 2015 and 2016, the ships will serve under a long-term charter agreement to MSC, one of the world's largest container ship owners.

The employment of a waste heat recovery system (WHRS) to increase energy output onboard ships is becoming an increasingly viable means of reducing fuel costs. In marine propulsion plants, around 50 percent or more of the energy from fuel is lost to heat when converted to mechanical work by the main engine. By supplementing a ship's main propulsion plant with a waste heat recovery solution, up to 4 percent of the lost fuel energy can be recovered and converted into electricity. More efficient energy use also reduces CO2 emissions in relation to the engine's mechanical power output.

ABB's scope of supply in the waste heat recovery system with a PTG consists of a PTL 3200 exhaust power turbine with control valves, alternator, reduction gear and dynamic compensator consisting of an ACS800 drive with a (step down) feed transformer and a breaking resistor bank. The package also includes two A185-L turbochargers. The electrical output of the system is 1.65 megawatt (MW).

"The high efficiency of ABB's turbochargers gives customers not only the option of a waste heat recovery system in the first place, but also the possibility of using this system at lower loads," said Oliver Riemenschneider, who heads up ABB's turbocharging business.

"We are delighted to see that our customers have chosen ABB's innovative solution for their container fleet," said Heikki Soljama, head of ABB business unit Marine and Cranes. "This demonstrates a commitment by both ABB and its customers to help vessels run more efficiently and economically, and at the same time improve their environmental performance."

BOURBON announces that it sold 3 vessels, including a tug, an MPSV (Multi-Purpose Supply Vessel) from the Subsea Services fleet and a PSV (Platform Supply Vessel), for an approximate total amount of US$ 38 million generating a total capital gain of approximately US$ 18 million.

These three traditional diesel propulsion vessels, 10, 14 and 21 years old, respectively, are now in the possession of and operated by their new owners.

These three separate sales fall within BOURBON's strategy that aims to build its fleet with modern ships, built in series and equipped with diesel-electric propulsion systems, in order to offer its most demanding clients the service quality of a standardized fleet of modern and efficient vessels.

Barge Master has received a Letter of Award from Niestern Sander bv for employment of the Barge Master motion compensated crane on their new Walk-to-Work vessel, to be built for Wagenborg. The vessel including the Barge Master system will be ready in the first quarter of 2015. NAM will use the motion compensated crane to service and maintain gas production platforms in the North Sea.

Oil & Gas platforms have become smaller and more flexible during the last forty years. They no longer have a resident crew or helicopter pads which means frequent journeys to and from the platform by ship in order to perform maintenance work.  With the new Walk-to Work Vessel these operations can be executed in a safer, more efficient and effective manner.  The Vessel is unique because multiple functions are combined for the first time.  The vessel can accommodate 20 crewmembers and 40 service technicians, chemicals can be stored and transferred safely, and thanks to the T40 Barge Master system materials can be transferred during wave heights of up to 3 meters.  Through utilizing new technology, NAM is able to safely continue harvesting gas on the North Sea with an extended weather window and less down time. 

Saipem, Fairmount’s client, was very pleased with their performance. “The execution of the complex operations demonstrates sound engineering methodology, good preparations, strong teamwork and 110 percent commitment of all involved,’’ stated Saipem management.

Mr. Albertde Heer, CEO of Fairmount, is happy with the achievement of the entire team. "We are delighted to have been so closely involved in this truly unique assignment,’’Mr. De Heer says. “Once again the Fairmount team demonstrated its supreme professionalism in successfully completing this complex, high value project. We hope it’s the first of many to come."

Full Picture' technology delivery for new Korean and Chinese offshore units

Kongsberg Maritime has recently been awarded separate contracts with three major shipyards in Asia for major technology deliveries to specialist offshore vessels. Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI) and Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) in Korea, and Cosco Shipyard in China have each selected KONGSBERG 'Full Picture' solutions for, in total, nine advanced Offshore Drilling Units, an Accommodation Unit, a Multipurpose Construction Vessel and four LNG vessels with Integrated Automation Systems. The deliveries total over 400 MNOK and include extensive Dynamic Positioning (DP), Automation, Navigation, Hydroacoustic Positioning and Riser Management technology.

"KONGSBERG has built up extensive expertise in Korea and China, both within the merchant (deep sea) and offshore segment. This foundation helped us to secure several offshore projects in close cooperation with these major yards recently, and this latest round of separate contracts is further evidence of our strong position in the advanced offshore vessel and platform market. We truly appreciate the confidence shown by the shipyards and vessel owners when choosing KONGSBERG for these prestigious contracts," comments Morten Stanger, Regional Sales Manager Offshore Asia, Kongsberg Maritime.

One of the SHI contracts is for two GustoMSC CJ70 design advanced Drilling Jackup Units, which will be equipped with an extensive Full Picture Solution. This project is particularly important for KONGSBERG, considering the new and growing market for Drilling Jackup construction vessels in Korea.

"The Full Picture strategy enables shipyards and owners to order all key vessel technology from a trusted single supplier with extensive experience and high-level local presence. For these new contracts, Kongsberg Maritime is supplying all key positioning and automation systems, whilst the new generation Riser Management Systems for the Drilling Units are designed and delivered by our sister company Kongsberg Oil & Gas Technologies," concludes Stanger.

Fairmount Marine’s multipurpose vessel Fairmount Fuji has assisted Italian contractor Saipem with her operations offshore Congo. Fairmount Fuji has performed several cargo runs between Siapem’s Boscongo yard in Pointe Noire and the offshore Congo moored drilling ship Siapem 1000.

Fairmount Fuji also took care of the transport of Saipem crew.

Drilling ship Saipem 1000, a 5th generation drilling ship for ultra deepwater operations, was moored offshore Congo pending her next assignment. Fairmount Marine was contracted to assist in the crew change and in the transfer of cargo. Fairmount Fuji transported around 150 personnel to and from the ship.

Fairmount Fuji is equipped with a spacious 280 square meters deck.This makes her ideal for the transport of goods.

Fairmount Marine is a marine contractor for ocean towage and heavy lift transportation, headquartered in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Fairmount’s fleet of tugs consists of five modern super tugsof 205 tons bollard pull each, especially designed for long distance towing, a multipurpose support vessel and a large submersible transport barge. Fairmount Marine is part of Louis Dreyfus Armateurs Group.

ABB, the leading power and automation technology group, has won an order worth around $25 million to supply its marine propulsion system, Azipod, and complete electric power plants for two new rescue and salvage icebreakers that are under construction at Nordic Yards GmbH in Germany.

The new vessels, owned by Russia’s State Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (SMRCC), will be used for patrols and rescue operations in offshore oil-and-gas fields. They will be fitted with equipment for search and rescue tasks and oil-spill response. The vessels are designed for Arctic conditions and will receive Russian Maritime Register of Shipping (RMRS) Icebreaker 6 class notations to perform rescue operations in waters covered by ice of up to one meter thick.

“Since ABB’s first delivery of Azipod technology for ice breakers in the 1990s, 60 units have been delivered for more than 30 ice-going vessels,” said Veli-Matti Reinikkala, head of ABB's Process Automation division. “On average, two out of three high ice-class vessels built today are fitted with ABB systems. This order sustains our reputation as a long-term and reliable partner in the Russian market.”

ABB’s scope of supply will include 3.5 megawatt (MW) Azipod VI units, main switchboards, drives, bow thrusters and generators. Total power per vessel will be 7 MW. ABB has made a significant investment in Russia to support the country’s fast-growing offshore oil-and-gas activities in the Arctic. The company has 27 offices in Russia and five production sites, overseen by the head office in Moscow. ABB has also reinforced its presence in Russia by establishing dedicated marine centers in Moscow and St. Petersburg, backed by specialized marine service teams in Murmansk and Sakhalin.

In February Hydrex diver/technician teams carried out underwater stern tube seal repairs on a 139-meter container vessel in Port Everglades, Florida, close to the company’s  office in Clearwater. The vessel was suffering from an oil leak, making a fast repair necessary. Using one of the company’s next generation flexible mobdocks the team was able to carry out the entire operation on-site and underwater, saving time and money for the owners.

Hydrex constantly invests in the research necessary to continue to evolve repair techniques and procedures. Over the years the Hydrex R&D department has constantly improved the flexible mobdock (mobile mini drydock) technique to make it possible for Hydrex diver/technicians to perform permanent repairs on seals, thrusters and almost any other part of the underwater vessel without the vessel needing to go to drydock.

The latest generation of flexible mobdocks allows Hydrex to carry out the replacement of virtually any type of stern tube seals very quickly on-site.

These flexible mobdocks are stored at the fast response centers. Designed specifically to increase speed of service, these centers are equipped with all the latest facilities, lightweight equipment and tools. This allowed us to mobilize a team together with all the needed equipment to the container vessel’s location within the shortest possible time frame.

After the diving team had set up a monitoring station, the operation started with a thorough underwater inspection of the stern tube seal assembly. The divers then removed the rope guard of the vessel as well as the fishing lines tangled around the liner that had caused the oil leak.

Next the team installed the flexible mobdock around the stern tube seal assembly creating a dry underwater environment for the divers to work in drydock-like conditions, a necessity for permanent stern tube seal repairs. After cleaning the entire assembly, the divers disconnected the split ring and brought it to the surface. Next the team removed the three damaged seals one by one and replaced them with new ones. Because the existing running area was completely worn down, the diver/technicians also installed a spacer ring to create a new running area for the seals.

The operation ended with the conducting of a pressure test with positive results, the removal of the flexible mobdock and the reinstallation of the rope guard.

By creating a dry environment underwater, the divers were able to rapidly complete the required work on-site. The teams worked in shifts to perform the stern tube seal repairs within the shortest possible time frame. The in-situ repair saved the owner the time and money which going to drydock would have entailed.

New coverage supports continued demand for bandwidth in offshore and maritime transport sectors

Astrium Services, the global innovative provider of satellite enabled telecom solutions, is expanding its VSAT coverage with 100MHz of Ku-band capacity on the Intelsat 907 satellite (photo) , to serve customers on the North Sea and across European waterways.

As previously announced by Intelsat, the coverage agreement will enable Astrium to address significant demand from the company's core maritime transport and customized Ku-band VSAT segments, including customers in the North Sea oil & gas sector, where an increasing number of specialized vessels are pushing the boundaries of maritime VSAT usage. In 2013, Astrium Services' direct sales channel Marlink provisioned services aboard vessels in the North Sea with high capacity requirements, in some cases up to 12 Mbps, from ship to shore.   

"It's vital that we continue to provide Ku-band broadband services backed by superior customer support to our North Sea and European partners," comments Tore Morten Olsen, head of maritime for Astrium Services. "With usage patterns changing and the demand for bandwidth rising, our Ku-band capacity ensures we are well positioned to provide the high level of reliable connectivity that the maritime market requires today and in the future." 

“Intelsat continues to work closely with Astrium Services to provide capacity and throughput for leading maritime customers, enabling the company’s use of sophisticated tools and processes to support safe and efficient offshore operations,” says Kurt Riegelman, Intelsat SVP of global sales. “Our infrastructure investments, including the completion of our global broadband mobility network, position us to support our customers’ unique requirements, today and well into the future."

A new three year European Research Project, partly funded by the EU has been launched to help increase efficiencies in regulation compliance and enforcement for the maritime sector.  e-Compliance will facilitate tighter integration and co-operation in the fragmented field of regulatory compliance. It will closely align with the EU e-Maritime initiative of which a key priority is supporting authorities and shipping operators to collaborate electronically in regulatory information management. 

The maritime sector is, by necessity, heavily regulated. International, EU and national authorities create large numbers of rules and regulations; the long lifetime of ships and the different phases of their operation add to the complexity. As a result, practitioners who need to enforce or comply with regulations are often unsure as to which rules apply for a given vessel in a given situation.

Building on the success of other EU projects such as FLAGSHIP, e-Compliance will look at creating a model for managing maritime regulations digitally and thus help to harmonise these regulations. The project’s consortium comprises representatives of the three main stakeholder groups involved: classification societies (who create class rules), port state control (who enforce regulations) and ships (who need to comply with regulations). This seamless co-operation between the different stakeholder groups will improve the effectiveness of regulations and reduce the burden on practitioners who work with maritime regulations on a daily basis. 

Image: Current Regulation Complexity

Philipp Lohrmann, Project Manager for e-Compliance comments: “Presently, there are numerous disparate initiatives and projects that address specific aspects of the regulatory domain. The e-Compliance project will bring these different approaches together, using their most promising aspects in order to increase coherence and efficiency in the world of maritime regulations.”

Specific activities within this three year R&D project will include:

Establishment of a cooperation model between regulation setting and enforcement authorities, both for port state control and IMO regulations, for modelling and interpreting regulations and ensuring harmonisation across national and organisational boundaries.

Demonstration of automated compliance management by:

Modelling and delivery of regulations in electronic format

Harmonised e-Services for more effective and co-ordinated enforcement controls and inspections

e-Services in support of class requirements, particularly on surveys and for ship risk management in upgraded e-Maritime applications

Evaluation of the practical implementation of the above in representative networks and the provision of recommendations for e-Maritime policies.

e-Compliance consists of 10 partners, all of which bring their own areas of knowledge and experience of working in the maritime space.  They include: BMT Group Ltd, Det Norske Veritas (DNV), Danaos Shipping Co Ltd, INLECOM Systems, The Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research (TNO), TEMIS, Acciona Infraestructuras, PORTIC Barcelona, Norsk Marinteknisk Forskningsinstitutt AS (MARINTEK) and the Maritime Administration of Latvia.

Unique System FZE, a Unique Maritime Group company and one of the world’s leading integrated turnkey subsea and offshore solution providers, has been contracted by ADNATCO-NGSCO to deliver ship performance monitoring solutions that will help to optimize vessel performance and subsequently aim to reduce fuel consumption and carbon emissions. The entire project will be carried out by Unique System FZE, acting as agents for the Iceland based energy management company Marorka ehf. Commissioning and technical support will be provided by Unique Marorka Support Services which is a joint venture set up by Marorka ehf and Unique System FZE.

National Gas Shipping Company (NGSCO), an ADNOC Group Company, was formed in December 1993 to transport liquefied natural gas (LNG) on behalf of Abu Dhabi Gas Liquefaction Company (ADGAS). In 2009, the company’s supporting services were merged with ADNATCO under a single management umbrella. The merger boosted both companies’ positions and created a pool of versatile and experienced manpower in the lead up to the expansion stage under the auspices of Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC).

Marorka is a leading provider of energy management solutions for the international shipping industry. Marorka products and services enable vessel operators to optimize fuel consumption by maximizing the energy efficiency of their vessel or fleet. The results are minimized harmful emissions and reduced costs.

The project’s objective is to implement energy management systems for ADNATCO-NGSCO’s entire fleet. The first stage of the project includes the installation of ship performance monitoring systems on board ADNATCO’s six vessels: two LNG vessels, two bulk carriers and two oil tankers. The principal objective will be to improve the vessel’s performance and to eliminate environmental concerns such as excessive fuel consumption and carbon emission in the long term. Marorka’s Onboard Energy Management System and Marorka Online, a fleet reporting tool, have been selected for this purpose. The system gathers data from the required instrumentation points and presents the overall efficiency of the vessel in a user-friendly interface. The main advantage of this system is its ability to provide real-time information from each vessel in fleet, thereby facilitating informed decisions related to energy efficiency.

Bollinger Shipyards, Inc. has delivered the CHARLES DAVID JR, the seventh Fast Response Cutter (FRC) to the United States Coast Guard.

The announcement was made by Bollinger executive vice president of new construction, Chris Bollinger, "We are very pleased to announce another successful on-time and on-budget FRC delivery to the Coast Guard. The CHARLES DAVID JR was delivered to the 7th Coast Guard District in Key West, FL, and will be stationed at USCG Sector Key West. We are all looking forward to the vessel’s upcoming commissioning, as well as honoring and celebrating the heroic acts of Charles David, Jr."

The 154 foot patrol craft CHARLES DAVID JR is the seventh vessel in the Coast Guard's Sentinel-class FRC program. To build the FRC, Bollinger Shipyards used a proven, in-service parent craft design based on the Damen Stan Patrol Boat 4708. It has a flank speed of 28 knots, state of the art command, control, communications and computer technology, and a stern launch system for the vessels 26 foot cutter boat. The FRC has been described as an operational "game changer,” by senior Coast Guard officials.

The Coast Guard took delivery August 16, 2013 in Key West, Florida and is scheduled to commission the vessel in Key West, Florida in November, 2013.

Each FRC is named for an enlisted Coast Guard hero who distinguished him or herself in the line of duty. This vessel is named after Coast Guard Hero, Stewards-Mate First Class Charles W. David, Jr., who was posthumously awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Medal for his bravery. On the night of February 3, 1943, the U.S. Army transport USS DORCHESTER was torpedoed by a U-Boat off the coast of Greenland in the North Atlantic. The CGC COMANCHE was on the scene and its crew desperately searched for survivors in the frigid waters. David fearlessly volunteered to leave the safe haven of the COMANCHE to dive overboard to help rescue the DORCHESTER’s crew. As other crewmen also volunteered to dive in, 93 survivors were rescued out of the freezing waters.

After the last of the survivors were safely aboard, David began to climb the cargo net to the ship’s deck. One of David’s shipmates, Richard Swanson, was having trouble climbing the net due to his freezing limbs. David descended the net with the help of another crewman and pulled Swanson to the deck out of harm’s way. Tragically, David died a few days later from pneumonia.